FOCUS: BRAND FOUNDER MISFIT | AUDIENCE: INVESTORS IN SLUGGISH BRANDS
BY: SHOBHA PONNAPPA | BRAND BREAKTHROUGH STRATEGIST | 45 YEARS | 125+ CLIENTS
I helped an investor-backed mindfulness platform see that its founder’s shift had disconnected it from followers.
The mindfulness platform began with a compelling story of a founder who had once been a corporate leader burnt out by stress. His journey into mindfulness resonated deeply with enterprise clients, and investors saw the potential to scale his message into a global service. The early promise led to significant funding, strong partnerships, and rapid uptake in the B2B sector.
But as the platform grew, the founder’s vision turned inward. He pivoted from practical workplace mindfulness towards highly spiritual and abstract practices. Corporate clients, who initially signed on for simple, time-efficient solutions, felt increasingly alienated. Employees and trainers struggled to interpret the founder’s vague ideas, leaving the service feeling incoherent and unfit for the market.
It became clear that the platform’s success had been built on the practicality of accessible mindfulness, not on esoteric theories. The founder, however, saw his personal evolution as the natural direction for the brand. The disconnect was stark: users and clients wanted simple, outcome-driven practices, while the founder wanted to explore complex spiritual frameworks.
This caused confusion, decline in customer retention, and a visible dip in investor confidence. I saw that the platform’s brand had drifted from user-centred application to founder-centred indulgence. Investors had backed a scalable service but were now left with a passion project that was no longer attractive to its core audience.
My breakthrough strategy was to separate inspiration from implementation. The founder could remain the symbolic thought leader, inspiring through speeches, events, and selective high-level content. But the platform itself needed to return to its original promise: delivering clear, actionable mindfulness tools for busy professionals.
This meant framing the founder’s role as an inspirational voice, not the operational driver. It also meant repositioning the service around “micro-mindfulness” … short, scientifically grounded practices that aligned with modern workplace needs. By balancing the founder’s charisma with the market’s demand, the brand could retain its visionary appeal while regaining traction with users and clients.
The new strategy had two tracks. First, a founder-led inspiration stream with keynote speeches, curated thought pieces, and selective visionary content aimed at building halo value. Second, a market-led product stream featuring digital modules, micro-sessions, and corporate training that spoke directly to user needs. This dual approach kept the founder’s identity intact but firmly grounded the service in consumer relevance.
This strategy not only reconnected the platform with its audience but also reassured investors that the business was capable of scaling beyond a single individual’s personal journey. It gave employees a clear roadmap and helped clients trust that the service was designed for them rather than to indulge the founder’s whims.
Here are 10 strategic ideas developed (and several executed) to support the new brand direction:
Micro-Mindfulness Video Series: Short, 5-minute guided practices for workplace stress relief, distributed across social platforms.
Corporate Case Studies: Content showcasing measurable benefits of mindfulness training in client organisations.
Founder Keynote Hub: A dedicated section for the founder’s speeches and visionary articles, separated from product content.
Science-Backed Blog Posts: Articles linking mindfulness practices to research, appealing to HR and corporate buyers.
Employee Stories: First-person narratives from trainers and coaches showing how they bring mindfulness into workplace contexts.
Podcast Partnerships: Branded podcast appearances featuring both founder inspiration and product results.
Mindfulness Toolkit Downloads: Free, practical toolkits for stress management distributed via LinkedIn campaigns.
LinkedIn Thought Leadership: Regular updates tailored to professional audiences, positioning the platform as pragmatic and results-oriented.
B2B Webinar Series: Live sessions for HR leaders showcasing how to integrate micro-mindfulness into daily work routines.
Customer Success Features: Content spotlighting how clients achieved performance and wellbeing improvements using the platform.
Corporate client renewals rose by 33% after the repositioning.
Investor confidence stabilised, with a follow-on funding round successfully closed.
Employee retention improved by 22% as internal clarity grew.
User engagement on digital modules increased by 41%.
CONFIDENTIALITY CAVEAT: This case study represents a confidential engagement. For privacy, specific brand identifiers, campaign names, and project phases have been withheld. It has been shared with permission while preserving client discretion.
If you’re brand owner or manager seeking stronger brand performance, this Case Study Post I wrote could interest you: “When a Spice Webinar Deck Pushed Range, Not Real Cooking.“
And if you’re a solo expert looking to sharpen traction, this Case Study Post I worked on may resonate: “When a Vegan Expert Piled on Exotic Foods, Not Easy Meals.“
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