Strategic Entrepreneurial Storytelling: An Applied Framework for Better Pitches

Authors

  • Thomas Martin Key University of Colorado Colorado Springs
  • Thomas N Duening University of Colorado Colorado Springs

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7903/cmr.19684

Keywords:

Storytelling, Entrepreneurship, Resource acquisition, Investment pitch, Angel investors

Abstract

Entrepreneurs are responsible for bringing innovative products and services to market. However, in order to bring new value to consumers, most entrepreneurs must secure funding. An integral component in the process of resource acquisition is the entrepreneur’s story. Very little research has dealt with the storytelling structure that a good pitch should use. Stories are a fundamental part of the way human beings understand themselves and the world around them. This paper synthesizes the current state of entrepreneurial storytelling and builds a parsimonious framework for strategic entrepreneurial storytelling (SES) through qualitative analysis of actual pitches. Our framework will help entrepreneurs build intentional and compelling stories for their investment pitch through the concepts of SES context, content, and execution.

Author Biographies

Thomas Martin Key, University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Dr. Thomas Martin Key  (Corresponding author) is an associate professor of Digital Strategy & Marketing at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. His research primarily deals with digital and strategic marketing issues at the executive level and the study of marketing’s role in the firm. He is a Daniels Ethics Initiative Fellow and Cybersecurity Fellow and frequently works with new startups as well as established firms to help them create plans to grow and create value for their customers.

Thomas N Duening, University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Dr. Thomas Duening is the El Pomar Chair for Business & Entrepreneurship, and Associate Professor of Management at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. His current research interests are in entrepreneurship education, cognitive science, and the predictive brain. His most recent book, Technology Entrepreneurship: Taking Innovation to the Marketplace was published by Academic Press in December 2020.

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Published

2020-12-31

How to Cite

Key, T. M., & Duening, T. N. (2020). Strategic Entrepreneurial Storytelling: An Applied Framework for Better Pitches. Contemporary Management Research, 16(4), 279–300. https://doi.org/10.7903/cmr.19684

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 4 (2020)

Section

Business management enabled by technology, entrepreneur and innovation.