Mastering the Ancient Art of Storytelling: Bridging 6000 Years of Tradition with Tech & WEB 3.

This article is proudly written in partnership with Nimarta Verma.

What’s your story?

This is a question that made me think when Larry Schuster asked me this question…

I didn’t know where to begin and how to begin, babbling about my job didn’t seem to be interesting in 2013, but the question itself stuck in my head rejuvenating my interest towards storytelling and resuming my visit to toastmasters.

Larry is a rockstar, his captivating ability to engage the audience led to a remarkable increase in attendees, filling the auditorium every weekend. This experience sparked a profound interest in storytelling for me, prompting me to delve into the subject from a scientific perspective. I became intrigued by the essential elements and steps that make up a good story. This marked the beginning of my journey into the exploration of storytelling, and the lessons I learned had a profound impact on how I approached various aspects of my life.

Notably, my pitching and conversation management skills were transformed as I integrated storytelling techniques into these interactions. I found myself constantly sharing stories with our partners, peers, and investors, leveraging them to persuade support for our project, provide constructive feedback to employees, or inspire teams facing challenges. This newfound appreciation for storytelling has become an invaluable tool in my daily life.

Since the dot com era the rise of digitalization, e-books, l apps and online to offline sites continue to change the way we read and consume stories, there is an ever greater desire to present stories in new and innovative formats, Steve is not the only person that made use of Storytelling when he presented Iphone back in 2008, but he is one of the great role models that popularized it in Tech industry, undoubtedly!

Current hype about Chatbots, AI, machine learning, chatGPT, NVIDIA is simply put total disruption in tech, in my view making storytelling, especially in the context of sales far more important, than anything else, it’s an immense power in the hands of great storytellers.

In 2020, I teamed up with a well celebrated storyteller Nimarta Verma. It helped hone my storytelling skills following my foundational work with Larry Schuster.

Over the past three years, we’ve partnered with 50+ tech companies, crafting their stories to engage stakeholders, partners, investors, and most importantly, their fans.

Through our research and collaborations, we’ve created a framework that we are excited to and hope to bring more value to founders that are willing to challenge status quo.

Buckle up!

Founders of the world — Unite, to make storytelling great again.

The internal mechanics of storytelling may not (or slightly) have changed much over the ages, but the technology used to transmit them certainly has.

In today’s hectic tech startup world founders have a zillions amount of work to do, but fundamentally, telling the story of their idea or project is one of the most important, to our view.

We realize that founders need to provide personal attention when engaging with potential target audience: investors, employees, customers, partners,advisers and you name it, it makes one feel as if founders need to swallow the sun to manage it all, it can be quite time consuming and insanely overwhelming, however, if there is one universal tool existed to communicated your concept, that would be storytelling backed by metrics, data, MVP etc.

Storytelling is critical during brand development.

Majority often try hard by focusing heavily on small details when they explain features or technologies to potential customers. This information can be valid, however, it isn’t easy.

Without a clear sense of purpose, pitches can quickly become boring, uninspiring and easy to forget. If founders can deliver a clear brand narrative, it has the power to increase the value of a business’s product or service.

Founders looking to launch or scale should implement a strategic storytelling practice throughout their business including for their sales team.

Using today’s existing technological infrastructure and platforms one can tell stories that can have a profound effect on the (target) audience.

Storytelling doesn’t only apply in tech, it can apply in any possible imaginable industry.

Clarity is the mother of good or rather inspiring stories.

Believe it or not, it becomes easier to design marketing campaigns, partnership strategies, investor pitches, employee recruiting if there is a well defined story, just like Tricia Levasseur says building your business on a story foundation helps on many fronts:

• Story helps you have a website with a clear message.
• Story helps create nailing presentation backed by metrics and data
• Story showcases customer testimonials that actually sell products.
• Story helps you stay profitable — and grows your business.
• Story showcases customer testimonials that actually sell products and/or services
• Story helps you stay profitable — and grows your business.
• Story helps connect people and expand your strategic presence both online and offline.

Without further due, let’s now dive into the much-coveted step-by-step guide to crafting a compelling story for your WEB 3 startup.

Belief Statements: Stand Up to Stand Out.

In a world where an average person is exposed to over 6,000 messages daily, your brand needs to stand for something in order to stand out. So, what are you for and against? Tap into the deeper philosophical side of your cause. These statements provide a roadmap for decision-making, help your team stay on the same page, and attract folks who are passionate about your cause.

For example, AirBnB believes ‘no matter where you’re from or where you travel to, you should be able to truly belong’. And every aspect of their brand and business is centred around that. In a sea of messages, a brand that stands for something will always rise above the rest.

Purpose Statement: Why Do You Exist?

Look around the industry you’re disrupting. What’s broken, outdated, or holding progress back? Now envision a world where those issues are resolved. What becomes possible? Craft a purpose statement that encapsulates the change you seek to bring about. This is your rallying cry, your driving force, and your North Star.

In the Web3 era, brand purpose is crucial. Consumers and investors crave more than just products — they seek purpose-driven brands aligned with their values. Web3 startups have a unique opportunity to champion transparency, inclusivity, and social impact. Not only that, studies reveal that purpose-driven businesses have the potential to increase shareholder value by a staggering $1 billion.

The Value Proposition: It’s Not About the Tech!

That’s right: It’s not about the tech! Your value proposition should never be a laundry list of features and jargon. Instead, it must directly address the needs and pain points of your target audience. Identify those critical pain points and link them to the transformative power your technology brings. Craft a compelling story that showcases the real-world impact, weaving together a maximum of 3–4 pillars.

Brave Browser is a brilliant example of effectively communicating its value proposition by addressing its target audience’s pain points and needs. Rather than getting caught in the “tech trap,” Brave Browser focuses on the tangible real-world value it provides. It understands the audience’s concerns around privacy and the challenges faced by content creators. Remember, it’s all about what the tech makes possible in people’s lives!

Manifesto: Join Our Quest for Change!

Now it’s time to issue a call to arms. Your manifesto is more than mere words — it’s a powerful call to arms. Embody your beliefs, purpose, and unyielding passion in a bold declaration that demands action. Confront the industry’s tensions head-on and reveal how you’re blazing a trail for change.

Apple’s iconic manifesto “Think Different” challenged the industry’s limitations and called for a new era of innovation. It resonated with dreamers, rebels, and visionaries who refused to accept the status quo. Apple’s manifesto rallied a global community united by a hunger for change, a thirst for creativity, and a desire to make a dent in the universe. That’s the power of a manifesto!

One more thing…

We always collect, analyze, educate and train ourselves along with our partners to become inspiring, thought provoking and social impact centric storytellers, get inspired by some of our hand picked stories that we hope you will enjoy watching.

Brian Chesky on Launching Airbnb and the Challenges of Scale.

Brian Chesky, the co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, has been a pivotal figure in the sharing economy and the global hospitality industry. The story of how Airbnb came to be, along with the challenges it faced as it scaled, is a testament to Chesky’s entrepreneurial spirit and innovative mindset.

Bryan Stevenson: We need to talk about an injustice

In an engaging and personal talk — with cameo appearances from his grandmother and Rosa Parks — human rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson shares some hard truths about America’s justice system, starting with a massive imbalance along racial lines: a third of the country’s black male population has been incarcerated at some point in their lives. These issues, which are wrapped up in America’s unexamined history, are rarely talked about with this level of candour, insight and persuasiveness.

The Death of Socrates: How To Read A Painting, by Nerdwriter.

Title speaks for itself and all it does is invite to watch 7 min video, one of the outstanding storytelling experience we truly enjoy.

In conclusion, storytelling is the universal, precious and most importantly practical tool applicable across scores of industries, startups in particular.

In an industry driven by innovation and rapid change, it is storytelling that helps companies transcend the realm of products and services and connect with their audience on a deeper level.

By harnessing the power of storytelling, startups can effectively communicate their vision, values, and purpose, making them relatable and memorable in the minds of customers, investors, and stakeholders.

Storytelling humanizes technology, enabling startups to present complex concepts and technical jargon in a compelling and accessible manner. It allows them to craft narratives that capture the imagination, generate excitement, and inspire others to join their journey. Through storytelling, startups can create an emotional connection with their target audience, instilling trust, loyalty, and a sense of community.

In essence, storytelling for tech startups is not just about promoting products or services; it is about creating an immersive narrative that engages, inspires, and motivates stakeholders.

By leveraging the power of storytelling, tech startups can shape their brand identity, build strong relationships, and ultimately propel their success in the dynamic and ever-evolving world of technology.