FounderMail 11th Edition: The Craft of Startup Storytelling
👋 Hey there! I’m Ilan. This is FounderMail, your monthly dose of startup insights that helps founders hire top talent, raise capital, and stay informed. Your story, your superpower. Ready? Let’s go!
First time? Let us introduce ourselves…
Unstacked Startups is building a community of tech founders, early employees, leaders, and VCs uncovering the 'secret sauce' to startup growth. We want to share the insights with you through real conversations on our podcast (subscribe on YouTube or Spotify) live events, and our newsletter FounderMail.
In This Edition:
Shower Thoughts: The Art of Rap (and storytelling) with Ben Horowtiz
What’s Got Our Attention
Unstacked Podcast: Sunil Singh Explains Inspiration Capital
The MVP Play with Sam Faycurry, Co-Founder & CEO of Fay
Shower Thoughts
Soak up insights from our network’s top investors, founders and tech influencers.
Fun Fact: Did you know Ben Horowitz of Andreessen Horowitz loves rap music? It makes sense—rappers and entrepreneurs have a lot in common. Both can have a tremendous impact on culture but more importantly, they need to tell compelling stories that resonate with others.
What if you used rap music as inspiration for hiring your founding team?
Be Creative: Use punchy, memorable lines. Like rap, make your story stand out with clever wordplay and vivid imagery.
Confidence and Boastfulness: Just like in hip-hop, founders need to sell their ideas with conviction. Believe in your brand and show it.
Vulnerability: On the flip side, balance confidence with personal connection. Show your human side to build trust and rapport with candidates. Don’t be afraid to get personal.
TL;DR: The best founders and CEOs are master storytellers who captivate hearts, minds, and bottom lines.
What’s Got Our Attention
The latest startup news and research you can’t afford to miss.
Advice from 5 Experts on How to Tell a Compelling Business Story
Want to tell a compelling story about your brand? Here’s how, says this Hollywood veteran
Unstacked Startups Podcast Recap
Check out our favorite insights from a recent episode of the Unstacked Startups Podcast. Every episode, Unstacked host, Ilan Saks, chats with startup founders, early employees, leaders, and VCs to uncover the 'secret sauce' of startup growth.
Sunil Singh
Sunil Singh, Founder & CEO of Tallied, shares his understanding of leadership as starting from the individual leader's self-awareness and understanding of the world around them.
Inspiration Capital
The idea of inspiration capital emphasizes the importance of a leader's presence, actions, and ability to connect with others in a way that motivates and inspires them. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, serves as a role model for this leadership approach, demonstrating how passion, compassion, and dispassion can create a culture of inspiration and growth within an organization.
Three key components: passion, compassion, and dispassion. Passion drives the leader's vision and motivation, while compassion involves trust, authenticity, and collaboration with others. Dispassion, on the other hand, allows the leader to remain humble, grounded, and resilient in the face of failures and setbacks.
Importance of not only achieving success but also maintaining humility, resilience, and a sense of purpose throughout the journey.
The MVP Play
Unlocking the playbooks of startup MVPs, one question at a time.
Checking into the game? For this edition, we chatted with Sam Faycurry, Co-Founder & CEO of Fay.
MOTIVATION
Why are you building Fay and what’s the driving force behind your willingness to endure the challenges of founding a startup?Â
Nutrition spans nearly every health topic and is critical in determining our quality of life. Growing up with a mother and sister who are dieticians, I noticed a significant lack of public awareness about accessing dieticians and their positive impact.
We’re building Fay to break down barriers and shift the American healthcare system from a reactive model that treats sickness to a proactive one focused on achieving optimal health.
Health is a human right and we deserve better. I believe deeply in proactive healthcare and am driven to help people live longer, happier, and healthier lives.
VENTURE
What advice do you have for founders to ensure a good fit between them and potential VC partners?Â
I look for two things in VC partners:
Culture fit: Would you hire this venture partner? Are they committed to the long-term vision, and can you trust them?
Value beyond capital: Look for VCs with industry knowledge, connections, customer access, or operational expertise.
PEOPLE
How do you identify truly bar-raising talent?
We intentionally hire curious, low-ego people eager to build a purpose driven platform. We want our team to question everything, seek the truth (even when it hurts), and engage in thoughtful discourse.
The PLAY
Unstacked’s cheat code for early stage founders.
Become a great storyteller by discovering the personal connection to your startup.
Sam’s personal connection to his mom and sister sparked his mission in healthcare, naturally attracting others to join the journey.
Incorporate ‘your’ story, and watch as it builds a community around you.
How We Can Help You Grow Your Startup
Need help hiring elite talent? We’ve built the talent firm for startups.
Raising Capital? Drop us a line, we’d love to discuss what you’re building and how we can help.
Are you an engineer considering your next gig? Check the open startup roles in our network!