About
The people behind the products
By The Founder is a global directory of quality brands still run by the founders who built them. We tell their stories, map where they come from, and make it easy to buy directly from the source.
What we stand for
Founder-led, always
Every brand here is run by the person who built it. When you buy, you buy from a founder - not a holding company.
Across the globe
From Melbourne to Montreal, the directory spans countries and categories. Great products come from everywhere.
Curated by hand
A real person reviews every brand before it goes live. No pay-to-play listings, no scraped junk, no shortcuts.
Run a founder-led brand?
Listing is free and takes under a minute - paste your website and our enrichment engine drafts your profile for you to approve.
One story every Friday
Founder Fridays profiles one founder each week - how they started, what they make, and why it matters.
Frequently asked questions
- What is By The Founder?
- By The Founder is a free online directory of quality brands that are still run by the founders who built them. We spotlight independent and small businesses - with a strong community of Australian makers - so shoppers can discover great products and buy directly from the source.
- How do brands get listed?
- Founders apply through our listing form, or shoppers nominate a brand they love. A real person reviews every brand by hand before it goes live - there are no pay-to-play listings and no scraped junk.
- Does it cost anything to be listed?
- No. Listing on By The Founder is free for founder-led brands.
- What makes a brand eligible?
- The brand must be run by its founder, sell a physical product, have a clear purpose, and not be a dropshipping operation. Every founder affirms these five things before joining the directory.
- How does By The Founder help me support small businesses?
- Every profile links straight to the brand website, so your money goes directly to the maker instead of a marketplace. Browse by category, country, or values to find small businesses - including Australian owned brands - and gifts with a real story behind them.