Founders of late have latched onto a compelling method to pitch their companies: Start with the origin story.
What is an origin story?
Simple: It’s a personal anecdote that illustrates why the company was started. It usually goes like this. You experienced a problem. It’s a problem lots of other people experienced. And then you figured out how to solve it. Now you sell that solution to all those other people. In common parlance, it’s as simple as “you scratched your own itch.”
So why not just state this clearly without the story? The most effective way to describe anything is in a story. As humans we’re hard-wired for story. And stories are most effective when they’re personal.
Now let’s get a bit meta. There’s actually an origin story for the concept of origin story. Rooted in fiction, the concept thrived in adventure tales and superhero movies. A character’s origin story–whether a hero or villain–is the history and backstory of that character. It’s what sets the plot in motion and drives the character to do what they do. And just think how engrossed you get in a movie when all this gets going and pulls you along.
In the startup world, substitute company for character and there you go.
Why use an origin story?
When we hear your company’s origin story, we immediately connect and have empathy. We relate to the problem. Maybe we’ve even experienced it ourselves. So we insert ourselves into the story and get carried along for the narrative ride. We are on your side.
With all the noise that’s out there—so many companies, so many articles, so much data—the stories are what stick. Imagine you’re a VC, hearing pitches from dozens of founders in a week. It only makes sense that the pitches that are dripping with story are the ones that stick.
Who’s doing it well?
Examples of famous origin stories for entrepreneurs abound. They include:
Airbnb was founded by two broke guys who saw all hotels were booked for a local design conference, so decided to offer airbeds on their living room floor, plus breakfast.
Virgin Airlines founder Sir Richard Branson famously had a flight cancelled and figured out that he could charter a flight for himself and the other stranded passengers and get to the beautiful girl waiting for him in the British Virgin Islands.
Slack was born when a multi-player game company was on the precipice of failure. To survive, they took an inhouse communication tool they’d created, added the playfulness of a cheeky UX, and created Slack.
Even Startup Decoder has an origin story!
Of course, it’s only fair to note that founders have a tendency to embellish because, well, it’s a story and the more juicy or dramatic or relatable, the stickier. These five companies (including the likes of Facebook and YouTube) have been outed for just that. Should you embellish yours? If you can make it colorful without stretching the truth, that will ultimately work in your favor.
What if you’re not a founder?
You can still benefit from a personal origin story. Whether you are in a job search or on a mission within a company, your origin story explains with clarity what you do.
For example, in your job search: “When my child developed Type 1 diabetes, I immediately realized I wanted to help other families in challenging medical situations, so I am focusing on biotech roles.”
Or when working for a mission-driven company: “When I applied for college, my parents didn’t know anything about the process because no one in my family had ever been to college before. So I know first-hand that the work our company does with easing the application process changes kids’ lives.”
By all means, think about your own history and what drives you, then craft and polish up an origin story. Here’s a great four-step guide from Kindra Hall on how to do just that. Pointers are straightforward:
- The origin story must be true.
- Focus on reducing confusion.
- Choose the most vivid moment.
- Use specific details.
Spend some time crafting your origin story, whether for your company or yourself. You’ll enjoy the telling, and it’ll allow your audience to engage more deeply with you.