Headlines don't pay the bills, Noise ≠ Power

Founders who count impressions lose. Founders who count wallets win.

Author

Michael Morgenstern
September 23, 2025

Happy Tuesday Brex Community,

Founders often mistake noise for traction. A big news headline or viral tweet may look glamorous, but one mention in an industry newsletter that actually reaches 400 target buyers is worth far more than 50,000 irrelevant impressions. TAM slides and superficial claims of "better UX" or "AI-Native" don't persuade customers or investors. Relevant share of voice with your target audience drives market share; random impressions for virality's sake are pure vanity. Differentiation must make buying a no-brainer, built on real defensibility, not cosmetic advantages.

Market power comes from scarcity customers can't ignore and incumbents can't replicate with capital and engineers. When you achieve measurable dominance within a concentrated segment, demand compounds naturally. At that point, the media doesn't manufacture awareness, it echoes reality. Strategic virality within your target market (like Cluely's approach below) is different from chasing random impressions. It's about concentrated impact where it counts. As one unicorn founder told me this week: "I won't go to VCs. I'll build product, get customers, create demand. And the investors will then flock harder to me." That is the essence of leverage: fundraising as a byproduct of demonstrated market control.

Growing together, Michael Morgenstern 

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