Tara Tan’s Post

As a startup founder, I have the change to refine our branding often (cuz we have near nothing now ^^"). Here's what I find effective: 1. Focus narratives on impacts beyond the product, connecting our vision and goals to broader societal or industry challenges. 2. Discuss potential outcomes, what we stand for or against, and adjust the story for varied audiences. 3. Create compelling headlines or book titles for memorable engagement. I hope these tips are useful for early-stage founders!

"Follow opportunity, not your passion" That quote reminds me of when I left Big frame / AwesomenessTV back in 2017. It was right after our parent co DreamWorks Animation was sold to NBCU. When I left... I didn’t start a digital network. Or go lead a digital team at a big-name studio or social media co. I didn't raise angel funding or venture capital for a "scalable tech co". Instead, I started a small consulting biz. Or as many at the time told me, an "unsexy services biz". Where there was "little upside", and that it wouldn't look good on my resume. But I saw a great opportunity… I knew digital-native video, and creators, were the future of storytelling and nextgen business building. But there were so many bad strategy and dealmaking decisions being made. Yet there were no advisors who were dedicated to the space, who had seasoned digital media operator and exit experience, and had Wall Street M&A training. So investors were getting burned, and founders and execs were getting disenchanted. It made me concerned the creator economy was going to grow very slowly, and not realize its massive potential. So I started RockWater Industries. Today, we're the go-to M&A and strategy advisor for the creator economy. We help founders/operators/investors earn great ROI from smart business building and dealmaking. Still no "rocket ship, tech-enabled growth", but we've carved out a great lane for ourselves. We have a steadily growing book of client business across 5 continents, and are making new investments in our team this year. We look forward to continue helping more operators and investors shepherd this industry into its incredible potential. (shoutout to Mike Rowe, of Dirty Jobs fame, who gave me the inspo)

Founders need to think about level 1 and level 2 storytelling when running an investor call. You've probably never heard these terms or thought about it so let me break it down. Level 1 storytelling is the high level stuff. Think Founder Origin Story and Startup Vision Story. These ideally are 2-4 minutes so they are clear, concise, and precise. Where most founders mess this up is they try to cram too much information into these stories and they become bloated. Level 2 storytelling is the supporting stories. Think of things like customer stories, what partners are saying, and other stories that help make your points. For example it could be you're talking about how you're hyper focused on 1 specific city as your beachhead. That would set up beautifully for the Uber story of black cars in SF as their beachhead. One of the reasons the founders I've worked with have such success raising capital is we build out both levels. This way they can maintain frame control throughout the conversations and they keep investors in their emotional brain. One of the most successful investors in the world even told a founder I work with that they expect stories in virtually every answer. This is because the language of leadership is storytelling. There is a level 3 but I'll save that for another day. #storytelling #capitalraising #venturecapital #growthcapital

The language of leadership is storytelling. If you can’t articulate it, chances are you will fail to inspire others to execute it.

🛟 only us can help us 🛟 Starting with the solution for Stage 1: organic capture of your authentic story Founder Docu-Branding Safe Space Media & Hosting Contact me to learn more or collaborate in this 501c3 venture studio model for trapped and untapped single mom founders recovering from burnout.

I'm not sure where this idea comes from. This idea that businesses are built by one person. Maybe it was the series of photos showing start-up founders in garages and basements, toiling away in the 80s. Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates - were often photographed alone in their humble beginnings. But they didn't do it alone either, did they? They had investors, partners, and employees. The trend of solopreneurs can be great. The vast amount of free online resources to help launch a new business in weeks versus years is amazing. But when it comes time to scale for greater growth, to advance beyond the hustle culture, it can be a difficult mind shift. I know I put off growing my team way too long, stuck in this idea that I needed to become expert level at every aspect of my business. When I ran across this photo of Julia Child, I loved it, but it took a moment to identify why. It breaks the single-person narrative. It shows how much more goes on behind the scenes than we are shown. But for me, it goes a bit deeper than that. I'd never considered how many people it would take to run her show, and I certainly wasn't thinking five of them would be sitting on the floor 😆 It's laughable to think of Julia Child spending a year becoming an expert cameraman before starting to film her show. It's clear to us that her doing such a thing would have delayed starting the program that made her so famous, and possibly killed it altogether. Yet, that's exactly what we're doing when we require expert-level knowledge before advancing our companies. I'm thankful for the team I'm building and for the support in all forms I've received. And I'm thankful that we can all be a little bit more real, and acknowledge that no one does it alone. #businessmindset #startuplife #buildingcommunity

Ever find yourself sitting at your desk, staring at your screen, and thinking back to the moment it all began? That spark of inspiration that ignited the idea for your company? I'm talking about that "Eureka!" moment when you realized you had a solution to a problem, a way to make the world a better place, or a product that could change lives. You see, every company has a story. And that story starts with a spark. Maybe it was a conversation with a friend, a line in a book, or a problem you faced in your own life. Whatever it was, it set you on a path. A path to creating something amazing. And here's the thing... that story, that spark, it's not just part of your company's history. It's a powerful tool for connecting with your audience, attracting investors, and driving growth. So, I want to hear your story. What was the spark that ignited your idea? How did your company come to be? Drop your story in the comments below. Let's celebrate the sparks that light the way! 💡 #TechFounders #StartUpStory #BrandStorytelling

So, I'm joining all the people posting videos on LinkedIn. Here it begins, day 1. I'll share our successes/failures and other stories once or twice a week in 1080p As Magic enables brands to create less emissions 💚 and more sales ✨ #buildinpublic #startupfounders #startuplife #founderstories

A question we are often asked by new founders is 'how should I think about funding my venture?' Of course, there is no silver bullet answer. But understanding the different avenues and ways to think about resourcing is critical to success. We were thrilled to have the formidable Arlan Hamilton share her perspective on many things to our '24 cohort. One piece of advice she gave is to tap into the world of content creation as a founder to kickstart building a foundation and earning early revenue. Yes, it takes time. But also, you are the expert in this field. You have a lot to say. So share it. Across all channels. Be present. Have a point of view. Create a space.

Can you Build Steam with a Grain of Salt? (You can tell I've been listening to a lot of DJ Shadow) Have you ever thought about the power of a small budget? The might of a single, well-spent pound in a startup's world? • Rethinking your spending strategy? • Embracing the art of storytelling? • Leveraging the vast expanse of LinkedIn? Over the coming weeks, I will focus on writing about my experiences working with #startup companies and organisations with limited budgets. I won't be talking about saving money - that isn't what it's about. It's about the ingenuity of stretching a budget to its limits. It's about being resourceful in a world that often tells you more is better. I will be writing on LinkedIn because I firmly believe this is where ideas flourish. - It's also where a startup's voice can resonate in a sea of giants. And I'll be framing everything with storytelling because that's the golden thread in the fabric of connection. A story well told can turn a grain of salt into a sea. I'll talk about finding what works – and what doesn’t. I'll also talk about crafting narratives that stick with resources that often don’t. And why so many of us should be living in 'beta', constantly adapting and evolving whilst redefining the narrative of 'limited resources'. #MicroBudgetsBigDreams #StartupStorytelling #LinkedInLeverage