What's the best way to tell my brand's founding story on the about us page?

The most significant change in telling your founding story is the shift from a founder-as-hero narrative to a customer-as-hero narrative. Just a few years ago, the 'About Us' page was often a chronological history of the founder's accomplishments. Today, customers have less patience for that. As Miguel Facusse put it on Future Commerce, “Nobody cares about this. Nobody. Actually, people roll their eyes when they read this stuff.” Brands are realizing that a story that's all about you isn't very compelling to a customer who is, naturally, focused on themselves.

The new best practice is to reframe your story around the value you create for the customer. Instead of a dry timeline, you tell a story about how you help people. Facusse’s example was powerful: instead of saying “my grandfather founded this company,” you say, “We’ve helped men feel more confident with themselves.” That simple change shifts the focus from your history to their outcome. It’s a move from ego to empathy, and it’s what separates brands that connect from brands that just transact.

John Scheer made this point clearly on a Limited Supply episode: you have to make your customer the protagonist. Your brand is the guide that helps them on their journey. It's their story, and your product just enhances it. This framing is crucial for modern Authenticity In Marketing. But what if you don't have a dramatic, cinematic founding story? Scheer and host Nik Sharma offered a fantastic alternative: if you don’t have a great story, then develop and lean on a great philosophy. A powerful mission or a unique point of view about the world can be just as, if not more, compelling than a personal anecdote. It gives people a reason to join your cause, not just buy your product.

This customer-centric approach to your story should be the foundation of your Ecommerce Copywriting. Christopher Silvestri mentioned on Ecommerce Conversations that the biggest mistake copywriters make is talking about the brand and its products instead of