Share Dialog

You've poured your heart and soul into your startup.
Countless sleepless nights, endless iterations, and a burning passion to change the world. You know your product inside and out, every feature crafted with painstaking attention to detail. Launch day arrives, and... silence.
The market's response is lukewarm at best.
This scenario plays out far too often.
The culprit? A profound disconnect between how founders view their creation and how potential customers perceive value. It's not that your product lacks merit - it's that you may be telling the wrong story.
At the heart of this issue lies a fundamental misalignment between a company's mission and its messaging. Founders, deeply immersed in the minutiae of their product, often lose sight of the bigger picture - the "why" that drove them to start the company in the first place.
Your mission statement isn't just corporate jargon or a feel-good slogan. It's the North Star that should guide every aspect of your communication. It encapsulates why your company exists and the value it provides to customers. When your messaging strays from this mission, you risk losing your audience entirely.
Consider these contrasting approaches:
Founder-centric: "Our proprietary algorithm leverages cutting-edge machine learning to process data 50% faster than leading competitors."
Mission-aligned: "We empower businesses to make smarter decisions faster, giving them a crucial edge in today's fast-paced market."
The first approach might impress fellow tech enthusiasts, but it fails to resonate with the average customer who cares more about outcomes than processes. The second, aligned with a mission of empowerment and competitive advantage, speaks directly to customer needs and aspirations.
As a founder, your passion is your greatest asset. It's what drives you to innovate, to persevere through challenges, and to inspire your team. But unchecked, this same passion can become your greatest liability when it comes to communication.
It's all too easy to fall into the trap of talking about what excites you - the elegant code, the clever engineering solutions, your token, or the personal hurdles you've overcome to get your build shipped. While these stories are meaningful to you, they often fail to connect with customers who are primarily concerned with their own needs and problems. (The stories do help with building trust and showing commitment to the project but they aren't the leading reason folks buy.)
This isn't to say that your journey and achievements aren't important. They are! But they need to be framed in a way that aligns with your mission and demonstrates value to your customer. Most don't align with how much code was written, how many sleepless nights you've spent, or what the tech really does as much as they want to know how it helps them.
The key to effective messaging lies in bridging the gap between your vision as a founder and the practical value customers seek. This requires a shift in perspective - from focusing on what your product is to emphasizing what it does for your customers.
Start by revisiting your mission statement. Does it clearly articulate the value you provide to customers? Is it something that resonates beyond the confines of your industry? If not, it may be time for a revision.
Next, examine your current messaging.
Does each piece of communication tie back to your mission? Are you highlighting features, or are you showcasing benefits? Remember, customers don't buy products - they buy better versions of themselves or their businesses.
Consider Airbnb's mission: "Belong anywhere." This simple phrase encapsulates not just what they do (provide accommodations), but the transformative experience they offer their customers. Their messaging consistently reinforces this idea, focusing on unique experiences and connections rather than just listing amenities.
Effective founder communication is an act of translation. You're taking your deep, technical knowledge and converting it into language that resonates with your target audience. This doesn't mean dumbing things down - it means focusing on impact rather than implementation.
When crafting your messages, ask yourself:
How does this align with our mission?
What problem does this solve for our customers?
How does this make our customers' lives or businesses better?
Frame your communication around the transformation your product enables. Instead of talking about features, discuss outcomes. Rather than focusing on the technology, emphasize the impact.
For example, instead of saying "Our platform uses AI to analyze customer data yada, yada, yada" you might say "Our solution helps you understand your customers better, allowing you to serve them more effectively and boost retention by x, y, & z."
Stories are powerful tools for communication, but the most effective stories in business put the customer - not the founder or the product - in the role of the hero.
Your product is not the star of the show; it's the magical tool that helps the hero (your customer) overcome their challenges and achieve their goals.
When you share case studies or testimonials, focus on the customer's journey. How did they struggle before finding your solution? What transformation did they experience? How has their life or business improved?
This approach not only makes your messaging more compelling but also demonstrates that you truly understand and care about your customers' needs.
Your passion as a founder is your secret weapon. It's the fuel that drives innovation and sets you apart in a crowded market. But passion alone isn't enough. The key is channeling that passion into messaging that resonates with your audience, for your audience.
Remember, effective messaging isn't about convincing customers to care about what you care about. It's about demonstrating that you care about what they care about. Master this, and you'll find that your passion becomes contagious, your message irresistible, and your success inevitable.
59 comments
Today I introduce you to: @aaronv.eth 1. WHAT IS YOUR DREAM? that web3 evolves beyond catering to our vices and we see expansion into areas of economic opportunity allowing those with disabilities better access to stable earning mechanics. 2. SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU: I enjoy working with founders and startups. All aspects: everything from operations to the philosophical. Many moons ago, I was once nicknamed “the oracle”. https://blog.aaronvick.com/founders-folly-1 3. FAVORITE SINGER OR MUSICAL BAND: That's a hard one to answer so I'll name a few: Rage Against the Machine, Johnny Cash, and Kendrick Lamar. 4. COOL PEOPLE YOU MET ON FC? I love the small town feel of FC. & I've been happy to see many of my artists frens make the leap. I hope we continue to see more creatives migrate here to keep this place weird, expressive, and vibrant. (continue 👇)
I’m grateful for folks like @hankmoody creating spaces for us to connect as I wouldn’t have met some new french teeth without these meet and greet sessions here on /live-the-same . 5. YOUR PLACE IN THE WORLD: TBD! 🤣 but I like to uncover, question, and shape ideas—so my hope is I'm leaving a mark that resonates profoundly in others.
Good morning @aaronv.eth! Coffee in hand?
@aaronv.eth would love to know about the banana! And did you ever see Rage against the machine live?
omg, i would have loved to see them live but never did. I think they are amazing! https://warpcast.com/aaronv.eth/0xa42fcf52
gmgm coffee brewing
Hahaha, I hope it's not too early for you!
good morning Aaron, have a beautiful day
@aaronv.eth. I'm going to leave the most obvious question aside.... 1) I'd like to know when and why you decided to start writing? 2) What do you hope will be generated in other people when they read what you write?
1) writing i was trying to expedite my exit from high school. I was encouraged by my summer school english teacher to do a bit more than just ace the tests & build structures at my desk with notecards while i waited for everyone to catch up. Later on, I started exploring writing a novel & sent the first piece to Penguin who replied back about what they liked. It was literally the opposite of what I enjoyed so I took the draft and put it on a website i made called something like Complete the Book. I don’t think i ever got many additions to the chapters but i still have the old draft somewhere. Then in college I published a book of poetry. I had made a deal with the teacher that if i could get a book published then I could skip the weekly classes/tests and just do one on one deep dives every two weeks. ofc, in startups we have to wear many hats so I always ended up being the one to write articles & technical copy. Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/4c5wuv7e
what a story friend! That's what I like about AMAs: you know the person behind the character.
2) ofc it all depends on what I’m writing but specific to many of my posts I blog on @paragraph, i hope it makes ppl think - i’m a thinking at heart so many of my musings there are deep dives into research articles I find based around a thought I’m having. Many times, I’ll spend a week or two trying to absorb as much content and research as I can then put together the post
Superb character 🥰
@aaronv.eth. I'm curious about this: what does @lampphotography know about you, who often claims you're a clown 🤡. Is this an old job you had? 😅
bhaha @lampphotography wishes she knew me. j/k LAMP and I have been buds from our adventures in Tezos to kicking it at a few conferences. She's an unstoppable force not to be reckoned with 😂 as for being an /assclown, it was an adventure that happened haphazardly in a few clicks before coffee one morning after a bit of baiting from my fren @spaceman-spiff - tho I've always been the court jester
A meme coin to troll the meme coins 🤣
hahaha good question
a real character our friend! great interview 🔥
Tks buddy!
ok @aaronv.eth we have started, My first question would be: Why do you take a Banana as your icon?
one day during a conference, I picked up a banana at a bodega on my walk over to the main hall. I carried it around everywhere and people started to remember me when I would see them again. So, it seemed like it was a great prop to have and stand out from everybody else just wandering around. Since then, I try to carry one everywhere I go from art shows to conventions. It's become such an icon of my brand, I even got a banana award during an event at CES last year. 😂 ofc, i also try to incorporate it into art I make as it's also a versatile prop when you're not traveling. https://blog.aaronvick.com/my-banana-the-power-of-simple-symbols
Thanks for sharing this, my friend. It's simply brilliant!! And they gave you a prize 😱😱. I love it, your creativity is amazing!
Hey, how interesting was it made as an amulet for you?
OMG that's awesome Aaron! The banana as prop!
😄 👍
hahaha! Great to know the origin story @aaronv.eth
That was the question I was wondering about 😂BTW congrats on your Banana award https://media.tenor.com/ASIVCsHaXX8AAAAC/minion-banana-gif
This week's AMA with our friend Hero Moxie @aaronv.eth is now live! will you join us? @melikapooya @joobid.eth @girl-ua @sinaver @abss @ihawaii.eth @rafaello12 We could all be next here! 😍 🔥
yes 🙃
thanks for coming 😉
I’m there
Cool interview)) Interesting person😊
Thanks Viktoria. Yes, he is great!
thanks for sharing, @hankmoody hopefully, we’ll get some good questions today! 🫶🏼
With pleasure, my friend. Thank you very much for being here and letting us question you 😂 !
Such a beautiful interview
Thanks Rafaello, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
My dream is to remain in the world of startups, working alongside founders as both strategist and therapist. I love every layer—from operations to those one-on-one moments that help bring visions to life or just work through the feels. (I & my FT holders are earning 3x rewards! cc @kevilini @betashop.eth) https://warpcast.com/kevilini/0x57a95309 https://blog.aaronvick.com/founders-folly-1
thanks aaron!
focus less on the tech and more on the experience you create https://blog.aaronvick.com/founders-folly-1
/microsub tip: 132 $DEGEN
/microsub tip: 57 $DEGEN
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V
I’d check this out fam
Great work my friend
/microsub tip: 169 $DEGEN
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/microsub tip: 40 $DEGEN
“We help founders tell their stories” is the wrong framing. It’s not about the founder. Most founders aren’t that interesting, and most users don’t care. “Founder storytelling” services are a grift that play to the founder’s ego.
interesting take. having worked with founders and VCs...maybe this practice is mostly about giving investors an emotional reason to believe, beyond the numbers?
the emotion is in the mission and the core idea, not the founder's identity and interests imo
yes, sure, yet the founder's bio is inextricably linked with the mission, no? I often work with 'source' which is about the mission and the missionary: https://workwithsource.com/what-is-source/
FACTS https://blog.aaronvick.com/founders-folly-1
big facts. study @bored https://blog.aaronvick.com/founders-folly-1
Took you two days to put this together? Very insightful and in-depth.
no but thnx. i wrote it last week and it took about a week once i had the outline
What are your favorite crypto projects right now?
Who knew being bored could lead to big facts?