Young Founders Bet on Viral Fame to Fuel Growth

A wave of young startup founders are leaning into personal branding and daily TikTok/Instagram videos to attract users and investors, turning themselves into influencers alongside their products. Examples include Cerca founder Miles Slayton, Selleb cofounders Claire and Chloe Lee, Corner cofounder Eliza Wu, and BiteSight founder Lucious McDaniel IV. In the attention economy, building in public and direct media presence are becoming essential tools—supported by VC interest in founders’ narratives and the idea that attention is a moat. But virality is no guarantee of success: it can burn teams, distract from product work, and may not lead to durable growth without sustainable retention and monetization.