You didn't start your company to become a content creator.
You wanted to solve problems. Build products. Help customers.
But somewhere along the way, someone told you that you need to "build a personal brand." That you need to be "visible on social media." That you need to "create content."
So you tried. You wrote posts. You recorded videos. You scheduled tweets.
And you hated every minute of it.
Here's the thing: you don't have to love marketing. You just need tools that make it bearable—tools that reduce friction, automate the tedious, and let you focus on what you're actually good at.
The Founder Marketing Problem
Most founders approach marketing with dread. They see it as:
- A distraction from real work
- An obligation they don't enjoy
- A skill they don't have
This creates two bad patterns:
Pattern #1: Avoidance
They don't market at all. They hope the product will sell itself.
Pattern #2: Resentment
They market reluctantly, poorly, and in ways that don't reflect well on their company.
The solution isn't to force yourself to love marketing. It's to make marketing so easy that you can do it without suffering.
Writing Tools That Actually Help
Notion
What it does: All-in-one workspace for notes, docs, and drafts
Why you need it: Draft your content in Notion first. The clean interface removes distractions. You can schedule, edit, and organize without the pressure of publishing.
Free tier: Unlimited pages, 1,000 file uploads
Best for: Drafting and organizing content before publishing
Link: notion.so
Obsidian
What it does: Personal knowledge base with linking and graphs
Why you might need it: Obsidian helps you connect ideas. Use it to capture thoughts, build second-brain notes, and discover connections that become content.
Free tier: Unlimited notes, local storage, basic plugins
Best for: Turning scattered thoughts into structured content
Link: obsidian.md
Grammarly
What it does: Writing assistant that catches errors and improves clarity
Why you need it: Your writing represents your company. Grammarly catches typos, suggests improvements, and ensures your message is clear.
Free tier: Basic grammar and spelling checks
Best for: Ensuring professional-quality written content
Link: grammarly.com
Hemingway Editor
What it does: Writing editor that makes prose clearer and more readable
Why you might need it: Hemingway highlights complex sentences, adverbs, and passive voice. It forces you to write simply.
Free tier: Desktop app, all core features
Best for: Editing drafts for clarity and conciseness
Link: hemingwayapp.com
Visual Content Without the Design Skills
Canva
What it does: Easy graphic design for non-designers
Why you need it: You don't need to be a designer to create professional graphics. Templates for every platform, drag-and-drop simplicity.
Free tier: Millions of templates, 100GB cloud storage
Best for: Social media graphics, presentations, simple designs
Link: canva.com
Adobe Express (Formerly Spark)
What it does: Quick visual content creation with Adobe power
Why you might need it: When you need something polished quickly. Adobe templates with easy editing.
Free tier: Thousands of templates, basic features
Best for: Quick social posts and stories
Link: express.adobe.com
Remove.bg
What it does: One-click background removal for images
Why you might need it: Remove backgrounds from product photos or headshots instantly. No Photoshop skills required.
Free tier: 1,000 credits/month (API limits apply)
Best for: Creating professional product images
Link: remove.bg
Scheduling & Consistency
Buffer
What it does: Social media scheduling with analytics
Why you need it: Write content once, schedule it for the best times. Buffer handles the posting so you don't have to think about it.
Free tier: 3 social accounts, 10 scheduled posts
Best for: Maintaining consistent presence without daily posting
Link: buffer.com
Hypefury
What it does: Twitter/X scheduling with thread support
Why you might need it: Hypefury specializes in Twitter/X. Schedule threads, automate retweets, and maintain consistency.
Free tier: Limited scheduling, basic features
Best for: Twitter-focused content strategy
Link: hypefury.com
Later
What it does: Visual social media scheduling with calendar view
Why you might need it: Later's visual calendar helps you plan content. See your entire month at a glance.
Free tier: 1 social account per platform, 30 posts per month
Best for: Visual content planning
Link: later.com
Content Repurposing
Ottr
What it does: Convert blog posts to podcasts with AI
Why you might need it: Turn your written content into audio. Reach audiences who prefer listening.
Free tier: Limited conversions
Best for: Repurposing blog content for podcasts
Link: ottr.ai
Descript
What it does: Video and podcast editing with AI transcription
Why you might need it: Edit video and audio by editing text. Descript transcribes everything and makes editing simple.
Free tier: 1 hour of transcription, basic editing
Best for: Repurposing video/audio content
Link: descript.com
QuillBot
What it does: AI-powered paraphrasing and rewriting
Why you might need it: Rephrase content for different platforms. Turn a long post into a tweet thread automatically.
Free tier: Limited paraphrasing modes
Best for: Content repurposing and variation
Link: quillbot.com
Analytics That Don't Overwhelm
Sprout Social
What it does: Social media analytics and management
Why you might need it: Understand what's working without drowning in data. Simple reports, actionable insights.
Free tier: Basic analytics (limited)
Best for: Teams wanting clear social ROI
Link: sproutsocial.com
Social Blade
What it does: Social media stats and tracking
Why you might need it: Track follower growth and engagement across platforms. Free and straightforward.
Free tier: Full platform tracking
Best for: Tracking social media growth over time
Link: socialblade.com
The "Anti-Marketing" Philosophy
The best approach for founders who hate marketing is counterintuitive: do less, but do it consistently.
Principle #1: Batch Content
Don't create content daily. Set aside 2-4 hours weekly and create everything you need for the week.
Principle #2: Repurpose Ruthlessly
One blog post becomes five tweets, one LinkedIn post, one newsletter, and one video script. Same ideas, different formats.
Principle #3: Use Templates
Don't design from scratch every time. Create templates that work and reuse them.
Principle #4: Automate Distribution
Schedule once, publish everywhere. Never think about posting times.
Principle #5: Measure Simply
Track what matters: website traffic from social, follower growth, engagement rate. Don't get lost in vanity metrics.
The Weekly Founder Content System
Here's a simple system that works for busy founders:
Sunday (30 minutes)
- Brainstorm 3 content ideas
- Choose the best one
Monday (45 minutes)
- Write the main content (blog post or thread)
- Create supporting graphics
Tuesday (15 minutes)
- Schedule everything for the week
- Set up email newsletter if needed
Wednesday-Friday
- Engage with comments and responses
- 5 minutes max
Throughout the Week
- Note any ideas that come up
- Add to idea backlog
Total time investment: 90 minutes per week
Tools to Avoid
1. All-in-One Social Media Suites
Tools that try to do everything rarely do anything well. Use focused tools instead.
2. Complicated Analytics Dashboards
You don't need seventeen metrics. Pick 2-3 and track those.
3. Content Creation for Every Platform
Pick 1-2 platforms where your audience actually spends time. Don't try to be everywhere.
4. Trend-Chasing Tools
Don't build your strategy around what's trending. Build around what your audience needs.
The Bottom Line
You don't have to love marketing. You just have to do it.
The tools above make it easier. They reduce friction. They automate the tedious. They let you focus on what you're good at.
But tools aren't a substitute for consistency. The founders who succeed at marketing are the ones who show up regularly, even when they don't feel like it.
Start small. Use the tools that reduce friction. And remember: the goal isn't to become an influencer. The goal is to reach the people who need your product.
Need Help With Your Marketing Strategy?
At Startupbricks, we help founders build marketing systems that work—without the overwhelm. Whether you need:
- A content strategy that fits your schedule
- Tool recommendations for your specific needs
- Help setting up automated workflows
Let's talk. We help founders market without losing their minds.