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What Founders who win attention know (and you can steal)
Ctrl+Alt+Create Newsletter
Clifton Sellers
April 28, 2025
Big news — Ingage just launched on Product Hunt today! 🎉
I'll be honest — I’m not a huge fan of asking for favors.
I want to give way more value than I ever ask for.
But today is different.
Today, I have one goal: rank #1 on Product Hunt and we have less than 24 hours.
And I can’t do it without you.
If you have 5 minutes, here’s how you can help:
👉 Click here to upvote Ingage
Quick heads up:
You’ll need to create a quick (free) Product Hunt account to vote.
Takes about 30 seconds — and it makes a huge difference.
Bonus:
If you sign up and vote, you’ll get 75% off Ingage for your first three months (offer is on the page).
Thank you so much for being part of this — it truly means the world. 🙏
The world doesn’t trust brands.
It trusts people.
Your biggest advantage isn’t your product.
It’s your voice.
Founders who understand this dominate attention—without lighting piles of money on fire using ads.
They own their message.
They don’t hide behind corporate logos.
They show up as themselves.
Sam Altman is showing the blueprint in real time on 𝕏.
if you are not skillsmaxxing with o3 at minimum 3 hours every day, ngmi
— Sam Altman (@sama)
5:51 PM • Apr 25, 2025
OpenAI isn’t winning headlines with press releases.
It’s winning by putting the founder at the front.
Here’s how you can steal it:
✍️ Start with the Real Story
Your audience doesn’t want polished PR.
They want real Founders, sharing real updates, in real time.
Share what you're creating before it’s perfect.
Talk about what’s working—and what’s breaking.
The Founder of Cal.Com (Peer Richelsen) is a perfect example:
i wish every founder spent less time fundraising and more time talking to their users
when you focus on customer conversations
your product grows naturally
and so does your revenue
the more you listen and build
the less youll need outside money
— Peer Richelsen — oss/acc (@peer_rich)
12:30 PM • Apr 23, 2025
Admit when you're figuring it out as you go.
Invite people to build the future with you.
Founders who narrate the journey win loyalty before they win market share.
✍️ Speak in Your Own Words
People don’t want another marketing campaign.
They want a conversation.
Write how you talk—not like a press release.
Check this out from Gina Bianchini (Founder & CEO of Mighty Networks):
I have never been more excited about what we're about to ship at @MightyNetworks. The next 6 months are going to be 🔥.
— Gina Bianchini (@ginab)
4:15 PM • Apr 11, 2025
Be early, be honest, be human.
Ask questions. Thank your early adopters. Celebrate small wins.
Don’t wait for perfection—speak when it matters.
When you sound like a real person, people respond like real fans.
✍️ Build the Moment, Not Just the Message
Founders don’t just post updates.
They create anticipation.
They shape momentum.
Tease new launches before they drop.
Let your audience in on the “why” behind your moves.
Respond to feedback in public (not just in DMs).
Share gratitude when people bet on your vision.
Check this out from Sherry:
we mostly winged our first product hunt launch for peek.money.. and somehow hit #1 for the day 🤯
80% vibes
20% planning
100% pure hustlelaunch might be over, but it's still day 1.
peek’s now live on the iOS app store: bit.ly/peek-ai-person…
would love your
— Sherry Jiang (@SherryYanJiang)
10:17 AM • Apr 24, 2025
The best founders turn news into movements by making people feel like insiders.
Attention doesn’t come from shouting louder.
It comes from speaking clearer.
In a world full of noise, your voice cuts through.
You don’t need a million followers to move a market.
You just need to be the founder who’s not afraid to show up.
Sam Altman doesn’t have the loudest brand.
He has the clearest signal.
And that’s what wins.
Keep Building,
Clifton Sellers
P.S. If you are still here and are wanting help from a full team that knows how to build your personal brand you can book a call here