Tell your story.
Dear reader,
I hope you’re doing great!
In January, The Family started its 6-week remote acceleration program. A group of daring entrepreneurs from many places around the world are onboard. Within a month, they’ll be presenting their startups to qualified investors selected by my team.
Despite the current world crisis mood, they are pushed by the intensity of the program and the good vibes within the crew. These founders are taking action, testing their value proposition, gathering proof, learning. Talking with as many users and potential clients as possible, they are adapting their pitch, trying to create their own compelling story.
“Aren’t you tired of listening to pitches?”
I can’t count how many times I get this question. Well, in short, my answer is NO.
Yes, a pitch is a constrained exercise and somehow very formal. In just 2-5 mins, you’re covering many points - mission, problem, team, solution, demo, results, market, business model - while giving just enough to raise interest, like the trailer for a movie.
But it’s also the all-in-one combination of different aspects of an entrepreneur’s personality:
Aspirational - The reasons why you do what you do.
Rational - The way you think and use numbers.
Operational - The way you work and get results.
Emotional - The way you connect with others.
Listening to the stories told by early-stage entrepreneurs is an opportunity to discover an authentic side of people, a side requiring all of their focus and energy.
Besides convincing their first ambassadors, pitching is the first step in a core aspect of being an entrepreneur: defending their vision.
Founders will keep on pitching their story in many different ways as their community grows and varies, all along their journey. They’ll search for other mediums to connect with people and be more creative in provoking occasions to tell their story. It won’t be just in an elevator, it won’t be just 3 minutes.
"Great stories happen to those who can tell them," as Ira Glass, producer of This American Life, used to say...
When The Family turned 5 years old, I wrote (and drew) our own story in a book we had printed. It’s like a diary, handwritten and illustrated. This book was initially dedicated to our close community of founders, investors and some special guests. I guess it’s the right time to share it with you as well 😉 You’ll need at least a few hours to read it!
It’s our story. You can download it right here 👇 Enjoy!
