Only 5% of audience members remember statistics, while 63% can repeat back a story.

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"Who here feels good about the story they are telling about their startup?"

Every time we host a session on building your narrative at Forum, we start by asking that question. Almost no one puts their hands up.

Building a narrative is hard - but every startup is a story. Especially in the early days, when you don't have the metrics, traction, or proof points yet, your story is what will help build the momentum of your startup.

Storytelling is important - research shows that only 5% of audience members remember statistics, while 63% can repeat back a story. Stories are the bonds of culture - they create trust, respect, and connection.

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So, how do you tell a really good story?

You'll have different versions of a story for different people. The story you tell your investors should be centered around how you will become a $100M company in the next 5-7 years. The story for your customers is about how you will transform their lives or their businesses, while the story for your prospective employees is about how you will be the next rocket ship that they can get on now.

Start by understanding the motivation of your listeners: what do they care about, and what's exciting for them? What do they need to hear or understand from your story to help them connect?

Every story has a "what's the point" that keeps people listening. Write these out as checklists that you can use to ensure you hit the key elements each time you tell your story.

The real magic, however, is in the feeling. Think about the specific emotions you want the audience to feel - excitement, hope, curiosity, trust.

Craft your story to evoke those responses.

Make it personal for them by leaning on the same language your customers use to describe their current experience or the feelings you felt that led you to start a business in this space. What pain points, frustrations or unmet needs exist for your customers? Help the audience feel the weight of the problem you're solving.

Then, introduce the future vision. How could the world be different? How will it feel for them to have this problem solved? Use imagery and connect it back to a feeling to make it tangible.

Most importantly, center the character's success in your narrative. Your audience should be able to picture themselves as the hero, achieving the positive outcome you've described. This will create a powerful emotional connection and make your story truly memorable.

The final step is to test. Stories are iterative, they will change as you get more information or as the landscape around you changes. Refine your story based on feedback, watch people's reactions, and keep iterating until it lands with impact every time.

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