What Gen Z Wants From Women-Founded Brands
Gen Z is no longer the future of business, they are the now. They are your next client, your newest hire, your potential brand evangelist, and the demographic most likely to influence what scales and what stalls. For women entrepreneurs who have spent years building intentional businesses, understanding how Gen Z buys, engages, and advocates is essential to staying relevant and respected.
But here’s the nuance. Gen Z doesn’t just want pretty brands. They want principled ones. They want women-founded companies that not only show up authentically but also stand for something, and live it out in the details.
This isn’t about overhauling your brand to chase a trend. It’s about sharpening what you already stand for and aligning it with what Gen Z cares about most.
Here’s what that looks like.
1. They Want Aesthetic and Ethics, Not Either or
Gen Z is visually fluent. They grew up in a world of constant design and digital immersion, so aesthetics absolutely matter. But they don’t want style without substance. They are asking one powerful question: “Do you look this good because you're hiding something, or because you're living your truth?”
A beautiful website, sharp brand photos, and a modern aesthetic are just baseline expectations. But what makes them loyal is what lives beneath the surface. Are you sustainable? Are your hiring practices inclusive? Do you pay your team well? Is your mission real or performative?
Brands like AIIR Professional, a woman-founded business in the beauty space, have mastered this balance. Their branding is elevated, but it is backed by transparency in formulation, philanthropy, and leadership. That’s the kind of integrity Gen Z respects.
KNOW Insight: Gen Z sees through surface-level values. Align your visual brand with your internal practices, and let both speak clearly.
2. They Want Founders to Be Visible, But Not Performative
Gen Z cares deeply about who is behind the brand. They want to know the founder’s story, values, and voice. But they are not looking for constant self-promotion or oversharing. They want substance.
For women entrepreneurs, this means showing up as the face of your brand in a way that feels real, not rehearsed. Speak about what you believe in. Share the why behind your decisions. Be consistent, not curated.
This generation follows people before they follow brands. They will engage with your thought leadership, your interviews, your panel appearances. They will also scroll through your Instagram Stories or LinkedIn posts and quickly sense if you are phoning it in.
KNOW Insight: Visibility is not vanity, it is trust-building. Use your platforms to connect with clarity, not just promote.
3. They Want to Be Seen as Collaborators, Not Just Consumers
Gen Z doesn’t just want to buy from your brand. They want to shape it, share it, and contribute to its growth. This is a generation that values dialogue and co-creation. They are much more likely to engage with brands that treat them like community members rather than passive buyers.
For service-based founders, this might mean building spaces where Gen Z clients can share their feedback, shape offerings, or become informal brand ambassadors. For product-based companies, it may look like featuring real customers in your marketing or asking your audience to help co-create your next collection or offering.
Whether you run a consulting firm or a wellness brand, consider how you’re creating touchpoints where Gen Z feels invited, not just targeted.
KNOW Insight: If you want Gen Z’s loyalty, invite their voice into your brand. Give them a seat at the table, digitally or in person.
4. They Research Your Brand Culture Before They Ever Apply
If Gen Z is considering working with you, whether as a contractor, a team member, or a collaborator, they will investigate your culture before they ever reach out.
They are reading Glassdoor reviews, watching how you treat your staff online, and looking at how your brand talks about internal culture. They want to know if your leadership is inclusive, if you support mental wellness, and if your values show up inside the business as well as outside of it.
If you are hiring or scaling your team, think of your internal culture as an extension of your brand marketing. The Gen Z workforce is looking for purpose, boundaries, and a leadership style that is clear and empowering, not command and control.
KNOW Insight: Culture is now customer-facing. Lead your team well, and your brand will grow from the inside out.
5. They Want Alignment, Not Adaptation
Here is the most important takeaway. Gen Z doesn’t want you to become something you’re not. They want you to know exactly who you are and show up consistently in it.
They are not asking every brand to be trendy or socially loud. They are asking for alignment. If your brand says it cares about women’s advancement, do you show that in your hiring, your speaking events, and your partnerships? If your business promotes wellness, are you living that out in your founder presence and team culture?
You don’t need to perform for Gen Z. You need to show up with integrity.
KNOW Insight: Gen Z isn’t asking you to become like them. They are asking you to show up clearly as yourself and stay aligned with your values in the process.
Gen Z Wants You, Not a Filtered Version of You
The women in the KNOW network are not trying to win popularity contests. They are building intentional, purpose-driven businesses with depth and staying power. That is exactly what Gen Z wants to be part of.
So here’s the call to action. Don’t water your brand down to “reach” them. Instead, double down on what makes you exceptional. Show your face. Live your values. Stay consistent. And invite the next generation to rise alongside you, not just consume from you.
Gen Z wants truth. Show up with it, and they will follow.