Challenge    I am the founder of a Technology based business in the United Kingdom. We deliver

Corporate Support, Accounting, HR, Legal, payroll and Insurance services through an

integrated platform. To do so, we bring people and technology together to deliver our

services. Our platform simple allow businesses to achieve what they need. In addition, we

take a hands on approach with experts in accounting, legal, HR and more to ensure that we

help you resolve our customer's business matters efficiently and effectively.    When we were launching the business and looking for growth and investment, we were not

known to neither customers nor potential investors. We had a major challenge

communicating effectively what it is that we do, how we achieve what we said we do, and

why people should trust us. People asked why some strategy consultants created a

business in areas of expertise we had no experience on. Both customers and investors were

expecting us to share with them a vision, the reason of our business existence, what was

that made us unique. Instead, what we did, was pitch what we do, ​“we deliver corporate

support, accounting…..” ​ , which raised questions as opposed to engagement or motivation.

Selection    We were selected to pitch at the Websummit, which is a 8 minute pitch in front of a large

audience. In order to simplify our pitch, instead of telling people what we do, we decided to

talk about why our business existed. What we were trying to achieve in the market. What we

believed as a business. Hence our pitch changed to: ​“We believe that running a business

should be simple. We’ll relieve business owners of their time consuming business tasks by

managing them from beginning to end, so they have more time to focus on growing their

business.”     This pitch was more engaging, but still did not answer the key question people was asking:

what made us create this business and why we were needed. Hence, without consciously

selecting the storytelling tool, we decided to tell our story by building it around our customers

in order to share our business vision.     Application    When we spoke to potential investors, partners and customers, we needed a story to explain

how we found that running a business was something complicated and very time consuming

for entrepreneurs, and why our team was uniquely positioned to deliver the change the

market needed. To do so, I told our story: ​“I started my professional career as a

Management Consultant in Accenture. At first, I worked in technology transformation

programmes which help business to become more efficient by better managing their

processes and by giving them access to the information they need to make strategic

decisions. Later, also in Accenture, I lead People transformation programmes, where we

consolidated front and back office operations in Shared Service Centres both onshore and

offshore. This is when I realised the importance of both people and technology to deliver a

great service. When I left Accenture, me and my co-founder of our business, set up our own

consulting firm focused on helping SMEs to grow their business. To our surprise, we realised

that entrepreneurs and small business directors spent a lot of their time doing admin as

opposed managing their business. Also, as strategy consultants we spent a lot of our time

finding the right data and information to help them make strategic decisions.This is when we

realised that there should and easier way to do business as a SME, and we created our

unique business with our skills.”       Insight     To write our story, we had to engage with a lot of existing and potential customers. We also

had to reflect and analyse on what made us create our business. That allowed us to realise

what was really important it was not what we do, but why we do it. And by doing so, we also

learned that some of the things that we thought were important, were not, and what our

customers were expecting and their perception of us, on what make us unique, had little to

do with some of the things we did. By telling our story, furthermore, by gathering all the

insights to tell our story, we realised what make us unique. This allowed us to engage better

with all stakeholders, and also focus on what it was important to them.     Approach     Next time, I will make sure that the vision and the story behind the existence of a new

business is one of the first things we do. Sometimes the journey of getting to a good idea is

as important as the idea itself. And the best idea in the world poorly communicated, even if

perfectly executed, has little chances of succeeding. It is important to engage and empathise

with the stakeholders, and to do that, sharing the stories of why your business is unique is

much more effective than telling them what you do.


Challenge I am the founder of a Technology based business in the United Kingdom . We deliver Corporate Support , Accounting , HR , Legal , payroll and Insurance services through an integrated platform . To do so , we bring people and technology together to deliver our services . Our platform simple allow businesses to achieve what they need . In addition , we take a hands on approach with experts in accounting , legal , HR and more to ensure that we help you resolve our customer 's business matters efficiently and effectively . When we were launching the business and looking for growth and investment , we were not known to neither customers nor potential investors . We had a major challenge communicating effectively what it is that we do , how we achieve what we said we do , and why people should trust us . People asked why some strategy consultants created a business in areas of expertise we had no experience on . Both customers and investors were expecting us to share with them a vision , the reason of our business existence , what was that made us unique . Instead , what we did , was pitch what we do , ​“we deliver corporate support , accounting … .. ” ​ , which raised questions as opposed to engagement or motivation . Selection We were selected to pitch at the Websummit , which is a 8 minute pitch in front of a large audience . In order to simplify our pitch , instead of telling people what we do , we decided to talk about why our business existed . What we were trying to achieve in the market . What we believed as a business . Hence our pitch changed to : ​“We believe that running a business should be simple . We ’ll relieve business owners of their time consuming business tasks by managing them from beginning to end , so they have more time to focus on growing their business . ” This pitch was more engaging , but still did not answer the key question people was asking : what made us create this business and why we were needed . Hence , without consciously selecting the storytelling tool , we decided to tell our story by building it around our customers in order to share our business vision . Application When we spoke to potential investors , partners and customers , we needed a story to explain how we found that running a business was something complicated and very time consuming for entrepreneurs , and why our team was uniquely positioned to deliver the change the market needed . To do so , I told our story : ​“I started my professional career as a Management Consultant in Accenture . At first , I worked in technology transformation programmes which help business to become more efficient by better managing their processes and by giving them access to the information they need to make strategic decisions . Later , also in Accenture , I lead People transformation programmes , where we consolidated front and back office operations in Shared Service Centres both onshore and offshore . This is when I realised the importance of both people and technology to deliver a great service . When I left Accenture , me and my co - founder of our business , set up our own consulting firm focused on helping SMEs to grow their business . To our surprise , we realised that entrepreneurs and small business directors spent a lot of their time doing admin as opposed managing their business . Also , as strategy consultants we spent a lot of our time finding the right data and information to help them make strategic decisions . This is when we realised that there should and easier way to do business as a SME , and we created our unique business with our skills . ” Insight To write our story , we had to engage with a lot of existing and potential customers . We also had to reflect and analyse on what made us create our business . That allowed us to realise what was really important it was not what we do , but why we do it . And by doing so , we also learned that some of the things that we thought were important , were not , and what our customers were expecting and their perception of us , on what make us unique , had little to do with some of the things we did . By telling our story , furthermore , by gathering all the insights to tell our story , we realised what make us unique . This allowed us to engage better with all stakeholders , and also focus on what it was important to them . Approach Next time , I will make sure that the vision and the story behind the existence of a new business is one of the first things we do . Sometimes the journey of getting to a good idea is as important as the idea itself . And the best idea in the world poorly communicated , even if perfectly executed , has little chances of succeeding . It is important to engage and empathise with the stakeholders , and to do that , sharing the stories of why your business is unique is much more effective than telling them what you do .