How Founder Personal Branding Strengthens Corporate Reputation: The Case of Nurhayati Subakat and Paragon Corp

Felixza Faimica Arsetyafna; Rosalia Anindita Ningrum; Widya Dwi Safitri; Pramudya Ibnu Subrata

doi:10.56741/IISTR.jgi.002163

Authors

Felixza Faimica Arsetyafna Universitas Slamet Riyadi
Rosalia Anindita Ningrum Universitas Slamet Riyadi
Widya Dwi Safitri Universitas Slamet Riyadi
Pramudya Ibnu Subrata
udapramudya12@gmail.com
Universitas Slamet Riyadi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56741/IISTR.jgi.002163

Keywords:

Corporate Reputation, Founder Personal Branding, Paragon Corp, Person–Organization Fit, Value Alignment, Values-Driven Branding

Abstract

The growing demand for authenticity in corporate communication has shifted public relations from organization-centered messaging toward founder-driven narratives that emphasize personal values as strategic organizational assets. This study investigates how founder personal branding strengthens corporate reputation through the alignment of individual and organizational values, using Paragon Corp and its founder, Nurhayati Subakat, as a qualitative case study. Situated within the highly competitive and value-oriented halal cosmetics industry, the research examines how the founder’s values of spirituality, humility, integrity, and care are embedded in the company’s organizational culture and stakeholder engagement practices. The study adopts a qualitative case study design supported by document analysis, public communication materials, and secondary data. The analysis is guided by the Values-Driven Persona framework and Person–Organization Fit (P–O Fit) theory to explain how founder identity is transformed into organizational legitimacy and reputational capital. The findings demonstrate that the alignment between Nurhayati Subakat’s personal values and the “Paragon Way” corporate culture creates a coherent organizational identity that enhances stakeholder trust, brand authenticity, and corporate credibility. This value alignment also functions as a reputational safeguard by reducing stakeholder skepticism and fostering long-term emotional commitment, particularly within collectivist cultural contexts. The study contributes to the literature on founder-led branding by proposing value alignment as a fundamental mechanism linking founder personal branding with sustainable corporate reputation. Future research should validate this conceptual framework across different industries and cultural settings using quantitative and comparative approaches.

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Author Biographies

Felixza Faimica Arsetyafna, Universitas Slamet Riyadi

is an undergraduate student at Universitas Slamet Riyadi, Surakarta, Indonesia. Her research interests focus on the intersection of strategic public relations and brand management. In this study, she contributed to the conceptual reconstruction of how founder-led narratives serve as a humanizing force in modern corporate communications. (email: felixzafaimica@gmail.com).

Rosalia Anindita Ningrum, Universitas Slamet Riyadi

is currently a student at Universitas Slamet Riyadi, Surakarta, Indonesia. Her academic work explores the application of Impression Management Theory and the sociological aspects of leadership behavior. She played a key role in analyzing the alignment between personal identity and organizational legitimacy within the Indonesian beauty industry. (email: aninditarosaningrum@gmail.com).

Widya Dwi Safitri, Universitas Slamet Riyadi

is an undergraduate student at Universitas Slamet Riyadi, Surakarta, Indonesia. Her research focuses on corporate reputation and the Values-Driven Persona model. For this project, she assisted in conducting qualitative content analysis of corporate reports and leadership narratives to identify the mechanisms of value transfer in collectivist markets. (email: widyadwisafitri123@gmail.com).

Pramudya Ibnu Subrata, Universitas Slamet Riyadi

is a lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Slamet Riyadi, Surakarta, Indonesia. His primary research interests are focused on the fields of Marketing Management and Public Relations. With extensive academic experience, he has contributed to various national and international scholarly publications and continues to dedicate his expertise to the advancement of management studies within the Indonesian academic landscape. (email: udapramudya12@gmail.com).

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