Intriguing and Simple Founder Stories From 3 Startups We Can Study and Learn From
When it comes to our founder stories, complexity is the enemy. Keep yours simple so people resonate (deeply).
The best stories are simple. Yes, this principle also applies to startups. I refer to the founder stories that every entrepreneur shares with customers, investors, and business partners.
I love to hear founder stories!
The emotional why they do what they do is fully expressed in their stories. You can feel their startup vision and mission through their articulation.
Done skillfully, these stories stick.
A Lizard Household Hunter Turned Pest Control Entrepreneur
One of the simplest stories I have ever heard.
Matt is the lizard hunter in his household. His wife, Jane (a personal contact of mine), is terrified of the creepy crawlies glued to the ceiling. Apparently, once, one plump lizard lost its invincible grip, fell from the ceiling, and landed straight into her hair.
She screamed, jumped, alerted the entire condominium of disaster, and activated her pest control.
That was Matt.
Matt calmly walked towards that lizard, scooped it up, and flung it out of his window. After 300 lizard boomerangs, one question popped into his head.
“Are there any other Janes out there with lizard problems?”
That one simple question changed his life forever. Okay, not that dramatic. But it did change his 6–10 in the evening.
He became the go-to lizard hunter in his neighborhood. He was so successful that the town council (public agency taking care of the neighborhood) started taking notice. They called Matt and asked for his permission to share his number with households suffering from lizard attacks.
Matt said yes, and the rest is history.
Do not underestimate the power of Matt’s story. This story has high resonance. Many guys and girls suffering from this exact problem never failed to engage Matt. He hunts for lizards while customers hunt for him.
Today, he runs a small pest control business that focuses only on lizard hunting. Matt told me that he flung 500 lizards out from windows last month. That is a staggering 16.67 lizards per evening.
I doubt he ever has revenue drought problems.
Lucky bast**d.
There is Hope at the Turn of the Corner
Jason, a friend of mine, retired from the military forces 2 years ago. He completed a grand total of 750 kilometers of jungle trekking over 5 years of service.
Every jungle trek takes hours to complete. And each time, he would wait in anticipation for the following command over the signal set.
“Zzzzz (Distortion)… Zzzz… we will take a break at the turn of the corner.”
That message was heaven for Jason and his brother-in-arms because it stands for instant noodles campfire. They would stealthily hide in the darkest corner to set fire, boil hot water for Lipton tea, and make instant noodles to eat.
In his exact words, nothing beats having hope at the turn of the corner.
When Jason left the armed forces, he took that idea and started his all-in-one shop at the corner of our neighborhood. Jason’s Hope at the Turn of the Corner was so successful, his founder story so bewildering, that people staying far away wanted to find out where this corner is and what Jason offers.
What follows is a better story.
Jason is currently planning for the 4th Hope at the Turn of the Corner after raising funds from his investors. Yes, you read this right. He (actually) managed to raise money from investors.
There is indeed Hope at the Turn of the Corner.
Amazing, is that not?
I am Uncle Digital Agony. How Can I Help You?
Oh my gosh. I never expected this simple service to take off. We never know enough in our lifetime to judge a startup’s potential success.
Uncle Digital Agony’s real name is John. He is 60 years young and is incredibly savvy with all things digital. John was busy writing python scripts while sipping coffee when we last met.
As his founder’s story goes, John goes on with his life, busy with daily affairs. He would go around the neighborhood, find friends for morning coffee and evening tea, and listen to their stories.
Yes, he is a nosey parker.
And each time, John would hear complaints from his friends about their struggles with smart devices, QR codes, accessing the internet to order food. And they never fail to say the following.
“My children do not want to help me, and I don’t know how these things work.”
John would grab their devices, help them do what they require, and explain what to expect next. They would always be grateful.
Over time, people in the neighborhood started reaching out to John for all types of digital assistance. Friends began calling John Uncle Digital Agony. He was so happy to do what he does that he started addressing himself as Uncle Digital Agony.
That is the end of his story.
Now, you may be wondering. How much does John make, am I right?
John achieved an income of $4,000+ last month. I was so shocked that I choked on my coffee. All he does is spend 50% of his time listening to agonies of all things digital and then spend the other 50% resolving their issues.
People are willing to pay John to help them place orders for disinfectants and toilet paper on e-commerce websites. I am beyond impressed.
No one ever paid me to do this. I guess rapport and willingness to listen to grouses really matter.
Summary
Good founder stories are simple, straightforward, and come with high resonance.
These stories explain the why in an engaging manner. And they stick. I still remember these 3 stories long after I first heard of them.
I never felt sick listening to them repeatedly.
And this is the reason we spend time developing our founder’s story. We want people to remember us. When they do, potential business is not far away.
Yes. I made a long-term deal with the lizard hunter. Matt must appear at my doorstep within 30 minutes of my speed dial.
And I pay him a premium for flinging lizards.
God d**n it.
As a content contributor, I write my observations from daily life and my business exposure. Because our life experience is the bedrock of our unique perspectives.
