On the latest episode of How to Unf**k Your Startup, I had a blast chatting with Dorothy Chang, Co-Founder at Lynx Collective, an amazing community for tech startup founders and aspiring entrepreneurs. Dorothy's been a rising star in the NYC tech scene for over two decades, killing it in roles in PR, marketing, venture capital, and nonprofit leadership. Make no mistake, she knows her stuff.
Throughout our conversation, Dorothy broke down why crafting an unforgettable story is non-negotiable for every early-stage startup. We dug deep into the nuts and bolts of what separates a dull story from a holy-s***-I-need-to-tell-everyone-about-this story, how to sidestep the awkward rookie blunders that'll make people's eyes roll, and why even the most naturally gifted storytellers need to put in the reps to keep their skills sharp.
If you're a founder who wants their startup to be taken seriously and stand out, this is the episode you've been waiting for.
Catch the full episode with Dorothy here for even more storytelling gems:
But first, here are 5 juicy takeaways to whet your appetite:
Dorothy's all about starting your pitch with a bang by answering the billion-dollar question: why should anyone care?
"You need to start at the top. Why is it important? What's the hook? What's the thing that makes somebody think, gets them interested and is memorable so that no matter what, when they walk away from that interaction, [you’re] not the guy that works in software. [You’re] the guy that is changing the world."
Don’t get into the weeds with the technical jargon right out of the gate. Instead, paint a picture of the big, hairy problem you're tackling and why it's a game-changer. That's how you suck people in and get them on the edge of their seat.
Can you sum up your startup's story in a single, powerful sentence? Dorothy encourages founders to create a one-liner so memorable, people will be tripping over themselves to spread the gospel.
"If you can nail it in 10, 15 seconds in such a way that [people will say] ‘oh, did you hear about this product?’...When you get to that level where your pitch is so clean and memorable that everyone else is doing the work for you that's when you get exponential gains. That's what great storytelling can get you."
Put in the work to boil your story down to its most potent, unforgettable essence. When you give your audience a shareable soundbite that they can recite from memory, your story will make the rounds without you needing to tell it.
Before diving in, Dorothy suggests taking a step back and get crystal clear on the key points you want people to walk away with.
"What do I think the two or three key messages are gonna be that this person shares with the next person? It could be their boss, the decision maker, whomever. What do you think they're gonna say from your story?"
Once you've nailed down your non-negotiables, reverse-engineer your story to drive those points home in a way people won't forget. Every element of your story should be tailored to leave those messages in the listener’s brain.
Dorothy suggests having a "pyramid" of startup stories, from a bite-sized one-liner to a more in-depth, fleshed out tale. These will give you robust options that you can bring out depending on the audience and environment.
"I think there's a few pieces that you might want to create first that should inspire all of it. That might be the short tagline, the 30 second elevator pitch, and the somewhat lengthier story that you tell. You may have a few anecdotes, a few facts, a few metrics that you pepper in there where it makes sense as well."
The trick is to read the room and tweak your delivery while staying true to your core message. You're not flip-flopping on your story, you’re just shining a light on different angles of one consistent, authentic narrative that reflects who you are as a founder and a company.
Lastly, Dorothy keeps it real and reminds us that even the slickest storytellers put in the hard yards to sharpen their skills. Being a smooth talker will only get you so far.
"If you're not putting the time in, you are not going to be able to tell as compelling a story as the next person."
No matter how slick you think you are, committing to consistent practice is the only way to do your startup's story justice and nail it every single time. And that practice will pay off when it comes to winning over investors, customers, and rockstar talent.
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