How to Tell Your Startup Story

Before a startup has a product, customers, revenue, or funding, it needs to have a story. Why does the company exist? What problem is it solving? What motivates the founder?

Even after the first round of funding and the first sale, a story is a key asset for any new company. This week Double Forte cosponsored the SheStarts event  “How To Tell Your Startup Story.” Our East Coast General Manager Liz O’Donnell moderated a great panel of Boston-based journalists including Kyle Alspach from Streetwise Media, Shelagh Braley from FoundersWire, Sara Castellanos from the Boston Business Journal, Shirley Leung from the Boston Globe and Dan Primackfrom Fortune and author of the newsletter Term Sheet. Here’s are five takeaways from the event:

• Yes you need to hone your story, but don’t rehearse it and control it to the point it becomes boring. Human sells.
• Speaking of human, don’t be afraid to share your failures as well as your successes. Most startups struggle on the way to success. That’s what makes you interesting.
• Metrics matter. Share customer numbers, staff numbers, growth goals. And if you’re confident enough, share revenue.
• Use analogies to provide context. Are you similar to another company? Do you share a business model? How are you alike and how are you different?
• And along those same lines, remember it’s good to be part of a trend; you don’t need to stand alone. You just need to stand out.

For more on the event, read this post on BostInno.