The power of your Founder’s Story...... #64
- Adrian Dionisio - business737 owner
- Apr 26, 2022
- 9 min read
Updated: Mar 19, 2024
Why have a Founder Story
A founder’s story can help engage customers, employees, bring in investors and funds. It can help you get noticed and keep people interested and listening.
The founder's story is deep rooted in entrepreneurship
Every business has a founder
Every successful business overcomes obstacles
It is the story of the origins of the brand
It tells his or her journey in bringing the business to life
The story tells why the business was started and how barriers were overcome
The founder’s story is similar to a hero story. The main character is admired for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Everyone loves heroes. This is why the “Founder Story” can be very powerful.
It’s the first and sometimes only story that a young business needs. It’s very personal. The founder often follows a calling to right a wrong, fill a gap, be of greater service.
Your story can be the best way to relate to your users. Most people have never stepped into the world of being a founder. They don’t have what it takes to make it. They don’t have the background or the right mindset. They don’t have the drive and the ambition. But you do.
Founders are impressive people. They get listened to. Even when someone else is telling their story it can be compelling.
The Founder Story & Marketing
A founder’s story links you to your business story;
It explains why you exist
It creates a sense of identify
It creates a purpose
It creates a mission
Your product / service alone can't do these things. When your listeners believe your story they will believe in your business.
People relate much more to a person than a brand name. This is why using your founder story is an extremely powerful means of marketing and sales.
People love a human connection to the things they buy. This is often ignored and very understated. This is the exact reason why the biggest companies use founders or sponsors like athletes or celebrities. It's always a human face establishing the connection to the brand. This builds trust and loyalty. People connect with people.
It’s easy to think that no one would be interested in your story. The truth is many are struggling with the same journey and the same issues.
The Founder Story & branding
Your founder’s story is one of your most powerful branding tools. It creates a bond where your listener experiences your journey, and promotes your brand, builds brand loyalty and creates trust. The best stories are easy to remember and simple to share with others. Invite your listeners on a journey they won’t forget.
When people identify with a brand, they reinforce and express their self-image by purchasing something from that brand
When a founders’ story compels the public, the public will want to “befriend” the founder. They want to support the founder’s vision through purchasing their products. Often purchasing from a company is the only way a person support it.
Help your listener envision how their life will be different because of your product Once your audience understands the "aha" moment - tell them how your brand will change their lives.
Founder story template
Where does it all begin
Inciting incident
A mission
Why you care
Where this idea can go
1. Where does it all begin?
People want to know the background of your story. Allow the listener to identify with you. Give your listener a starting point and a frame of reference so your journey and discoveries make sense. What problems were you having? What were your goals? What were you struggling with?
2. Inciting incident
This is the experience, encounter or revelation that is a turning point. It’s where it all starts. How has your past led you to this moment? Look backwards and create a compelling picture of why you’re uniquely qualified and positioned to succeed.
A memorable story needs a conflict. This is the moment of truth, and the biggest conflict that your story is building up to. Your turning point doesn’t have to be a deep dark secret. It can be a funny or embarrassing moment, as long as it's something your audience can identify with.
3. A mission
Whose world do you want to change, and why? Define a sense of purpose or cause. Who are you fighting for? Who or what are you fighting against?
4. Why you care
Your why sets the tone for whether you can be trusted. A convincing why makes people believe you will deliver. It gives them confidence and belief in you.
The why can come from many different sources. Usually it’s something that directly affects you. It could also be something a friend or family member is facing or has faced. It could also be a societal problem that connects to you for some reason.
5. Where can this idea go?
Be big, bold and ambitious. The best founder stories are those with an amazing vision. A level of ambition and a way of seeing the future that most people can’t.
Paint the picture. Show how your idea can change the world. Humans are wired to want to dream. People will want to listen to what you have to say. People will ask you to share your story.
Elements of a good founder's story
The best founder's Stories are real and memorable. They are based around;
Emotion
Connection
Realisation
Hook
Persuasion
There are two main story archetypes;
1 David v. Goliath story where the small business takes on the big corporations. They start businesses that aim to disrupt the status quo, to do things differently, and to make life better for people.
2 The Quest which is a mission and story of perseverance when others have lost faith. The businesses with the 30 failed prototypes that paved the way for the one success. Each failure got them closer to understanding and delivering what the consumer desired.
Remember a great story beats great accomplishment. The best story wins. A great story bridges the gap between what you have done and what you can do
What problem does your brand or product solve?
Who are you helping?
What products or services do you offer?
How has your business changed?
What are some of your successes?
Where do you plan to go from here?
For your website your founder’s story sits in ‘about us.’ It’s the story of how and why you started. We’re always hearing ‘people do business with people’ and the founder story can be a place where you show the person behind your operation.
As an example, here’s my founder’s story.
Context and introduction
Let me start my story by telling you where I am today: I’m on a mission to fight for small business owners. And I do it is by helping their business Grow With Accelerated Profit. How? By implementing strategies to increase leads, revenues and profits.
Background
I’m have always been passionate about business. I'm a Honours Graduate from Manchester School of business. The program included a year abroad studying at Gies Business School at the University of Illinois. I have been a business owner for over 20 years in many industries including, interior renovations and decor, manufacturing and delivery.
Over time I developed a game changing formula that could be applied to any business, anywhere. It was based on the activities that provide the foundation of every successful business past, present and future.
It works across the board, including businesses that are already working well or those where recovery and emergency action is needed. The implications are significant. My formula makes visible and measurable improvements and bottom line results.
Triggering event
When my 2 year old daughter was having her brain surgeries I spent a lot of time in hospital, sitting, waiting and thinking. We had to travel to Marseille, France to find someone confident and willing to treat her. When it seemed all hope was lost we found Professor Didier Scavarda. He told us he would cure her. In my own country all the Drs and Surgeons did not want to consider surgery even though her situation was worsening day by day, hour by hour.
I cannot describe the feeling of finding someone who cared and wanted to help my daughter. It was inspirational. I decided that I would devoted my life to helping others in the best way I could.
Conclusion/Resolution
After two brain surgeries my daughter is fully and completely cured. I will never forget Professor Scavarda. I don't think he can ever understand how grateful we are. I spent much time deliberating how I can be the Professor Scavarda in the life of others. This is the effect the Professor had on me. This is the result of the whole ordeal with my youngest daughter.
In 2020, during the Covid pandemic I had many friends who were suffering with their businesses. My own businesses included. I spent much time talking and giving them advice and action plans how to save their businesses during this madness. I witnessed how failed businesses were destroying people, marriages and families. It was devastating. This is how Business 737 was born. I am talented and passionate about doing this. It is my area of expertise having learned the theory at university and experience running my own businesses for over 20 years. This is how I play my part, how I give back and how I show thanks for the blessings in the life of me and my family.
Here’s the result - here’s my company
During the pandemic in 2020 I started to study more, perfect my craft and share what I know with others. I studied and researched about value creation, sales, marketing, fulfilment, accounting, business development, strategies and much more. Still to this day I enjoy studying, learning and sharpening my tools. This is what makes me best - caring about what I do and loving what I do.
I identified patterns and formats, and turned them into templates and processes that I applied in my own business and other people's businesses. The results speak for themselves. No one offers such a comprehensive break down of a business where incremental improvements in multiple areas produce phenomenal short and long term results.
My goal is to share my formula with as many people as I can. I provide solutions to unlock hidden, untapped and realised potential of any business.
Here’s where I’m at today and how your life could change
Business 737 allows owners to take full control of their business and more importantly their lives.
Learn how to transform your business with guidance every step of the way. I've developed fast and effective processes to help owners achieve the business they have always imagined.
I have programs for businesses of all sizes from start ups to corporations. There are different options available to suit business owners of all shapes and size. Now I’m developing webinar based classes for owners, founders and entrepreneurs.
For more info please click here www.business737.com/contact
Founder Story Examples
Colonel Sanders and his secret recipe for fried chicken that birthed Kentucky Fried Chicken. Aged 65 he felt like a failure & decided to commit suicide. He sat writing his will, but instead, he wrote what he would have accomplished with his life & thought about how good of a cook he was. So he borrowed $87, fried up some chicken using his recipe, went door to door to sell. At age 88 Colonel Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Empire was a billionaire.
Ben & Jerry and their ice creams. With a $5 correspondence course in ice cream-making, Ben and Jerry open their first ice cream scoop shop in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont. Ben & Jerry’s is a brand with personality and that’s why they’ve got a great story to tell. From humble beginnings to being owned by Unilever – Ben & Jerry’s have always stayed true to their social, economic and product values.
Amanda Goetz the founder of House of Wise. A divorced mother of 3 kids tackling parenthood, finances and the single life while building a CBD company. If you've been married, had kids or struggled to pay bills, you relate.
Colin Landforce founder of Unrivaled. Colin quit his job to sell weed and he’s sold millions. He’s too busy building stuff and raising his daughter to even comb his hair. Colin’s story is compelling because he spares us the pretence. He has an “I don’t give a f*ck” attitude because he gets sh*t done and tells us about it.
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