Why Most Brand Bios Don’t Work, and the 6 Things Yours Must Include
Most founders write bios like resumes.
This guide will help you learn how to write a brand bio that will actually translate into press features.
Article Summary
A strong brand bio helps founders and lifestyle brands earn media coverage by clearly explaining what the company is, how it started, and why it matters. This article explains the six elements editors look for when scanning a brand or founder bio, including a clear brand descriptor, proof points, founder background, and a concise mission statement.
Whether you’re hoping to gain press placements for your lifestyle brand, your products, or yourself, a well-crafted and edited brand bio is the first, and most crucial step in the process.
Use the prompts below to create a brand bio you can send to both local press and national media.
What’s included:
-6 Elements Your Brand Bio Must Include
-Brand Bio Example
-Tips for Writing Your Bio and Where to Use It
-How to Get My Downloadable 8 Point Brand Bio Builder with Founder Bio Template and Brand Bio Template
TL;DR Quick Answer: What should a brand bio include?
A press-ready brand bio should include:
A clear one-line brand descriptor
When and how the company started
A short highlight-based history
Proof points such as media, retail, awards, or partnerships
The founder or key people behind the brand
A genuine mission or “why”
This structure allows journalists and editors to understand your brand in under one minute.
The 6 essential elements of a brand bio are pretty simple, but I’ll be honest - writing about yourself can be incredibly intimidating. I’ve put bios together for hundreds of clients over the years, but when it comes to writing about myself my mind goes … “uh what should I write”?
There’s not “one formula” for creating a magical brand bio or company backgrounder that will prove irresistible to the writers, bloggers and editors who’ll you’ll be sending this to. But the basic mix of key background elements are invariably intrinsic to every great company biography.
The best way to tell the story of your brand (unless you’re a mystery writer 😁) is to start at the beginning:
#1 A Brand Descriptor
Kick things off with a clear brand descriptor. Before a journalist reads your story, they need to know what to call you. Start with a one-sentence description of your brand and category in plain language. That single sentence dramatically improves pickup and accuracy.
For my own brand bio it reads:
“Boxwood Co. is a lifestyle-focused PR and marketing consultancy specializing in beauty, home and consumer brands.”
#2 When and How did your company start?
Ok, I’ll confess that sounds like 2 things, but done deftly both points of information can be rolled into a one paragraph. For my own bio I wrote it this way:
I started my marketing company back in 1997, focusing solely on lifestyle brands and services throughout North America. My first clients were construction companies and architects, but later I branched out into the consumer focused beauty and gift industries.
While I gave the exact date, it’s absolutely not crucial that you do so … an estimation, such as “3 decades ago” or “in the mid 90’s” is perfectly good.
Most bios are written in the third person (for example “Carolyn Delacorte stated her marketing company ...”) I chose to speak directly to the reader as though I was talking with them face to face, but if you’re brand is less folksy and has a larger staff, the third person might work best.
#3 A Brief History
This is where many bios wander off the road into sleepy territory by trying to incorporate too many details that are usually irrelevant to an editor or writer at this stage. This document shouldn’t be more than one visually scannable page. This translates to about 500 words. Think of it as your elevator pitch, stay focused and hit the highlights of your experience in your field and move along. For my own bio I wrote:
Over the years I’ve worked with, and helped launch, some of the most successful brands in these fields. In addition to securing a steady stream of press clips for my clients, I’ve also placed product with some of the biggest celebrities in the world.
Before I started Boxwood Co, I worked in TV news as a field producer at CNN, helping to craft and create news packages ranging from style and entertainment, to pop culture and current events. I also worked in the news departments at NPR, and SF Bay Area TV Station KTVU. These experiences have given me exceptional insight into what goes into a great news story.
Because my audience is laser focused on my marketing and media background, I didn’t throw in that I actually started my professional life as a fashion model; it would distract from my main mission of establishing myself as a marketing expert. I also didn’t delve into the nitty-gritty of what a field producer’s job was back in the 90’s; what I studied in college; or list the celebrities that I’ve placed products with, because it veers off from the essential need-to-know elements.
#4 Proof Points
You want to validate your authority in your field by listing key stores your products are available in, key distribution channels and scale, successful partnerships or collaborations you’ve landed, awards you’ve won related to your brand. While most lifestyle press isn’t necessarily focused on your brand’s potential for rapid growth, business writers and journals most definitely are.
For myself I highlighted my own writing and photography, which are key components of marketing for lifestyle brands. I wrote:
I’m an obsessive design and art lover and my writing and photography have appeared in Town and Country, House Beautiful, Medium, Gifts + Decorative Accessories, Well + Good, Brit + Co, Refinery 29, Thoughtfully, Substack, San Francisco Chronicle, Huffington Post, American Spa, and many more.
My decor and product styling has appeared in 100’s of publications including House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Better Homes & Gardens, Brides, Allure, and Vogue.
#5 Name the Founders or Key Personnel Relevant to Your Brand
Since I wrote my bio in first person it’s clear that the key element I want editors and visitors to my website to focus on is → me ← !
While you will probably write your bio in the third person, you’ll want to introduce yourself as a founder, and add in other partners in your brand that you want media to focus on.
You can do this either in the beginning or after the #3 section above, depending on the flow of your writing. If you’re talking about a product focused brand, introduce the founder or personnel as the 4th element of your bio. If you’re creating a founder bio, introduce yourself early before the historical sections.
If you’ve purchased your company from the original owners or founders, or are otherwise not the person who originally conceived of the brand, it’s important to make that clear and not claim yourself as the founder.
There’s a very successful brand owner I know of who claimed for years that she founded the brand she helmed, when that was an absolute fallacy. She had purchased it from the original creator of the company who had spent years creating the core product, naming the company, and placing product in stores. The original creator also claimed to be the founder, which created confusion and embarrassment for the successive owners of the brand when the company was sold again later.
If you’ve purchased a fledgling company and expanded on it’s humble beginnings substantially (as she had) that’s what you should take credit for. Most of the hugely successful brands we know today like Chanel, Coach, and Lilly Pulitzer were launched by founders who later sold or passed their companies to others. Very few well-known brands are like Hermès, which is still primarily owned and carefully controlled by the descendants of the original founder Thierry Hermes.
By adding elements of what attracted you to the company and what you’ve changed or added lends a rich and rounded touch to a brand story. By paying homage to the original founders you’re lending context and a sense of heritage.
#6 Your Why ~ A Genuine Mission Statement
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve read a startup beauty brand bio that said something to the effect of “I exhaustively searched for clean skincare products that didn’t include parabens, and finding none I decided to launch my own brand.” … Really? Because I can list about 100 …? Which is exactly what any beauty writer would think if you sent them that load of claptrap.
Another overused trope is: 'I was fiddling around with some beads and my friends saw what I’d strung together and asked me to make more for them… and so I decided to go into business.' Just because someone asked you for a friendship bracelet doesn’t mean you've launched a brand. That’s not a mission; it’s a happenstance.
Most of us start companies to make money, but that doesn’t really sing on a brand bio - does it? But there’s a very real reason you chose the type of company that you did - maybe you love graphic design and artwork; or enjoy the scientific challenge of formulating new skincare products; or you can’t resist shaping a lump of clay into something gorgeous; or you dreamed as a child of seeing your fashion designs walk down a runway. Dig deep and tell the world why you started offering bread or bagels to stores, or believe that bean to bar chocolate will save the world.
Keep your mission statement brief, you’ll have time a space to expound later. Most explanations of “Why” start at the top as a hook → if your Mission Statement is indeed truly spellbinding start with it at the top.
Helpful Tips
Should you use AI to write your bio?
I’ve seen some pretty nifty AI powered Bio Generators which turn out marginally OK results. It gets a little weird when you see adjectives like “sass” and “quiet” used repeatedly, or sentence structures that do the old “it’s not this - it’s that” around your very personal story. I believe strongly that it’s fine to use AI to develop your brand story, and polish the finished product, but not change it dramatically. It’s important to cultivate a distinctive voice throughout your press kit. AI can help you design a framework for your pages, but it can’t answer the six elemental questions above. It also may not understand your intended reader.
For example, here is ChatGPT’s rewrite of my bio which incorporates all my original points and just does a quick polish:
I founded Boxwood Co in 1997 to help lifestyle brands turn great products into stories the media actually wants to tell. After starting out with architecture and construction clients, I shifted my focus to consumer brands in beauty, gift, décor and design—where brand storytelling, visuals and timing matter just as much as the product itself.
Over the past two decades, I’ve helped launch and scale hundreds of brands across North America, securing consistent press coverage and placing products with major celebrities and cultural tastemakers. Before building my agency, I worked as a field producer in television news—including CNN, NPR and San Francisco’s KTVU—where I learned exactly how editors and producers think, what makes a story worth covering, and what gets ignored.
Today, I bring that editorial mindset to modern brand visibility—combining traditional PR, content strategy, and visual storytelling for founders who want long-term credibility, not short-term hype. My writing, photography and styling work has appeared in publications including Town & Country, House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, ELLE Decor, Better Homes & Gardens, Vogue, Allure, Brides, Refinery29, the San Francisco Chronicle, Huffington Post, and more.
(Translation: I know how stories get chosen—because I used to choose them.)
Here is Gemini’s rewrite of my bio which feels a little more like a resume being sent to a TV station than an introduction to clients:
A former CNN field producer turned brand strategist, I founded Boxwood Press in 1997 to bridge the gap between lifestyle brands and the national media. With a career rooted in the newsrooms of CNN, NPR, and KTVU, I possess an ‘insider’s’ intuition for what makes a story headline-worthy.
For over two decades, I’ve specialized in scaling lifestyle, beauty, and gift brands throughout North America, moving them from local favorites to household names. My work has secured high-impact press in Architectural Digest, Vogue, and Elle Decor, alongside elite product placements with global celebrities. Beyond strategy, I am an obsessive design lover whose own photography and writing frequently appear in publications like Town & Country and House Beautiful.
How often should you update your brand bio?
Update it at least yearly, even if you’re just refreshing a few lines. You’ll want to add any new developments, products, or publications you’ve appeared in.
Should you post your brand bio on your website?
Yes! You should post your brand bio on your website on your about section so that journalists or editors needing a few quick facts can access them quickly. Also include it in your formal press kit as a top item.
Get My Downloadable 8 Point Brand Bio Builder with Founder and Brand Bio Templates on my Substack <<Here>> (Boxwoodco.substack.com)
FAQs
What is a brand bio?
A brand bio is a short, factual overview of a company or founder that explains what the brand does, how it started, who leads it, and why it exists. It is commonly used for media pitching, press kits, partnerships, and public profiles.
How long should a brand bio be?
A brand bio should be one page or less—typically 150 to 500 words. Editors prefer short, scannable bios that can be read in under one minute.
Should a brand bio be written in first or third person?
Most company bios are written in third person. Founder bios may be written in either first or third person, but the voice should remain consistent throughout the entire bio.
Should I include my mission statement in my brand bio?
Yes—but only briefly. A mission statement should be one short sentence that explains why the brand exists, not a long marketing paragraph.
Do journalists really read brand bios?
Yes. Editors and writers often scan brand bios before responding to pitches in order to quickly understand the company’s category, credibility, and relevance.
