For founders, storytelling is one of the most important skills. I’ve noticed that there are generally two ways to tell a startup story:
Top-down: Start with the big vision, then show how today’s product is the first step toward that future.
Bottom-up: Start with the specific problem you’re solving today, then expand outward to the larger vision.
A useful framework for me is the “days of the week” analogy: Today is Monday. Tomorrow is Tuesday. Eventually, you’ll get to Sunday.
Using this analogy, a founder can start with Sunday and explain why Tuesday matters. Or a founder can start with Tuesday and explain how it eventually leads to Sunday.
Both approaches can work. The important thing is not to confuse your audience about what is Tuesday and what is Sunday. Founders often blur the line between the two, leaving the audience confused.
Great storytelling isn’t just about having a compelling vision; It’s about helping people understand where you are today, where you’re headed, and how you’ll get there.
P.S. I’m trying out the carousel format because apparently it’s almost a requirement on LinkedIn these days. 😄