Building Startup Brands in Times of Constant Change Telling Startups' Survival Stories Storytelling

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BUILDING BRANDS
IN TIMES OF
CONSTANT
CHANGE
L A R S V O E D I S C H
F O U N D E R , M A N A G I N G D I R E C T O R
P R E C I O U S C O M M U N I C A T I O N S
TELLING
STARTUPS
SURVIVAL STORIES

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STARTUPS START WITH THE WHY!
Passion
A startup is created out
of passion
Passion is what drives
entrepreneurs to
embark on this long
journey
Passion drives success
Solving a Problem
Every startup is created
the clear idea of solving
a problem – what do we
want to achieve with
this project? Why?
How can we achieve our
goals?
Story
”Do what you love, and
you will never have to
work again” A startup is
an embodiment of a
young entrepreneur's
dreams
Passion and Vision
together make a great
story
WHAT’S THE STORY SURVIVING THE STORM?

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Business Model / Market FitProduct / Market FitVision / Founders Fit
Levels of validation
Problem / Solution Fit
Minimum Viable
Product
Validate / Iterate
(or pivot)
Ideating Concepting Committing Validating Scaling Establishing
VALIDATION
Lean Startup
FORMATION
Mission > Vision > Strategy
GROWTH
Scale Up
● Idea and co-founder team formation
● What, to whom, why and how?
Establish &
Strengthen
Source: Startup Commons
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Idea
Business
Processes &
KPI’s
L A R S V O E D I S C H | P R E C I O U S C O M M U N I C AT I O N S
Series A FundingPre - Series A Funding Series B+ Funding
Regional / Global PR SupportLocal PR Support
Personal Funds / Bootstrap
THE LIFE OF A STARTUP

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Compelling stories to
engage the audience
C O M M U N I T Y
Why is your business
relevant to the industry?
C O R P O R A T E
Creative ideas to address
the market need
C O N C E P T S T A R T U P
B R A N D
SBC C C
BUILDING A STRONG STARTUP BRAND
T H E T H R E E C ’ s O F C O M M U N I C A T I O N

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DURING ‘C-19’
T E L L I N G Y O U R S T O R Y
Assure customers that
they are not alone in this
Keep them engaged in an
authentic manner
U N I T Y
People are paying
attention to business’
response to the outbreak
Be empathetic
P U R P O S E
Share your survival story!
What did you do to keep
the business running?
How did you help people?
C 1 9 A F T E R M A T H
The pandemic has brought about a huge SHIFT on
the way brands communicate. This change might
not be temporary, making it even more important
to learn to communicate during these times.
• Maintain Unity
• Be true to your purpose
• Share your survival journey

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99 PROBLEMS
I T ’ S J U S T B U S I N E S S
Nobody needs a solution if they
aren’t aware of the problem. Make
sure your audiences are clear about
the issue you solve.
W H A T ’ S T H E P R O B L E M
Who connects to your vision, is
intrigued by your proposition? It needs
a village to build a successful startup.
Ecosystems help amplify and accelerate.
W H O C A R E S E N O U G H
Your cofounder quits, the code
doesn’t work, your customer churn
way is too high… Startups are a
constant trial-and-error process!
A L W A Y S C H A N G I N G
In this environment, not losing is
winning. Growth plans need to be
hauled, and focus should shift on
profitability and financial survival
T H E C - 1 9 E F F E C T

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THE PERFECT STORM FOR STARTUPS
Storms Create
Losers…
and Winners
70/80s: Apple, Microsoft
90s: Amazon, Paypal
08/09: Airbnb, Alibaba
2020: Netflix, Zoom
Today's giants were
yesterday's survivors
Say What?!
Are you alive?
What’s the next step?
Who’s with you?
“I don’t want to be
pitched, I want to be
assured”
Leadership Makes
the Difference
Setting the course – and
adjusting it when needed
Taking tough actions – and
talking about it
Survival ain’t no beauty
contest
P L A Y T I M E I S O V E R

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© PRecious Communications 2020
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