What do a closet full of dead closets, shark-repellent wetsuits, and selling knit hats on a street corner have in common?
They’re all unforgettable openings and they are part of founder story hooks that demand you keep listening.
This week’s Storytelling for Entrepreneurs dives into the playbook for crafting a hook that can’t be ignored. I’ll also share:
3 techniques to create powerful hooks
Why emotional content increases memory by 40% (yes, really)
A short video from Gary Vaynerchuk that shows why he’s a hook machine
Enjoy this blueprint for hooking … LG 🪝
Founder Story Tip: Part 2: How To Create A Hook For Your Story
If you missed last week’s newsletter “Part-1: Why Your Story Needs a Hook”, here’s the short version:
Your founder story needs a hook.
A hook is the first line, image, or moment that grabs your audience’s attention immediately. It’s not an optional flourish. It’s survival.
Because you have only seconds to prove you’re worth listening to. Whether you’re in an elevator pitch, an investor meeting, a customer call, or even a social post, your audience is deciding, fast, whether they’ll tune in or tune out.
Your hook is the difference between being ignored and being invested in.
OK. You're caught up.
So how do you actually create one?
There are tons of different styles and types of hooks, but to keep it simple, let’s focus on three that are often the most accessible for founders. These are proven approaches to crafting hooks that stop people in their tracks, complete with specific founder examples that show exactly how it’s done.
I’ve also got a short video on this topic:
1. START WITH EMOTION
If you want someone to care, make them feel something right away.
Facts don’t make people lean in. Emotions do. They trigger urgency, anticipation, and connection in the brain.
This is why being personal and vulnerable is one of your most powerful tools.
Tony Robbins doesn’t start with “I’m a life coach.” He opens with raw pain:
“When I was about 17 years old. My mom had just kicked my dad out of the house, and then she kicked me out because she thought I was on my dad’s side..”
You don’t just hear about his success. You feel the trauma, the pain, the confusion. He goes on to talk about this moment was burned in his memory and was part of the reason he was stuck in life.
But then he shares how this led him to a revelation that said “the secret to life is giving.” And it set off a chain of events that led him to transform his life that has led to transforming millions of lives through his coaching and other businesses.
When you are telling your story as a founder, you want your audience to feel something. Tapping into these emotional hooks is a fast track to triggering those feelings.
Jennifer Hyman of Rent the Runway doesn’t lead with
“We make luxury fashion accessible.”
She says:
“I watched my sister go into credit card debt for a $2,000 dress she'd wear once. 'My closet is dead to me,' she said, explaining why bankruptcy was worth feeling beautiful at a wedding.”
That’s not a feature list, it’s the emotional need that gave birth to the company.
Jennifer Hyman
Ask yourself: What’s the most honest, vulnerable, emotional moment in your journey? Can you lead with that?
Because if you’re brave enough to show your humanity, your audience will see themselves in you. And that’s when they really listen.
2. LEVERAGE CURIOSITY
Curiosity is the underused weapon of compelling storytelling.
We are wired to want answers. When you tease something without giving it all away, you force your audience to lean in.
A great hook makes them think: “Wait, what? Tell me more.”
Daymon John
Daymond John
Founder of FUBU, doesn’t open with, “I’m a Shark Tank investor.”
He says: “I sewed hats in my mother’s house and sold them on the street corner.”
You begin thinking, what kind of hats were they?
What kind of street corner was it?
How did that turn that into a global brand?
Ways to leverage curiosity in your hook:
Share an intriguing fact about your industry: “91% of people admit to daydreaming during meetings.”
Make a surprising claim: “Most coffee tastes burned on purpose.”
Ask a provocative question: “What if the way you’re paying your mortgage is all wrong?”
Curiosity isn’t hype. It’s about creating tension your audience needs you to resolve. A great hook is critical for your #FounderStory.
Check out this shark-repelling wetsuit curiosity invoking example for inspiration
3. USE CONFLICT
Conflict is what makes your audience care about the outcome. It’s the obstacle, the tension, the thing that was in your way.
Without it? Your journey is just a list of events.
Barbara Corcoran, from ABC’s Shark Tank, frames her founding story around conflict as well:
“I was a waitress with no money and no connections. My boyfriend told me I’d never succeed without him. So I handed back the keys to our business and swore I’d prove him wrong.”
That tension between doubt and defiance is the story. It’s the conflict that built The Corcoran Group and made Barbara Corcoran resonate with millions. (You can learn more about her inspiring story here.)
Your conflict doesn’t have to be personal hardship or trauma. It can be:
A customer’s pain point: “Most gardening advice is designed to sell you stuff you don’t need.”
A bold, contrarian truth: “Most ‘health drinks’ are just sugar bombs in disguise.”
Industry friction: “Most apps make you do 10 steps for one result. We cut it to three.”
Conflict is what makes your audience perk up—because they either agree with you, feel taken aback, or want to know what you did about it. It’s the tension that makes them lean in to hear how you solved it.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Your hook isn’t the fluff at the top of your story. It is your story.
It’s the moment you prove you’re worth listening to.
It’s the difference between being ignored and being invested in. Between talking to the back of someone’s head and watching them lean forward, eyes locked on you, waiting for the next line.
So don’t lead with your resume. Don’t lead with your product. Lead with the fire.
Because if you can make them feel, make them wonder, and make them care about your struggle, they’ll give you the most precious thing they have: their attention.
If you could get 1:1 help with your story, what would it be?
Fun Fact: You Are Being Thin Sliced
Nalini Ambady and Robert Rosenthal’s “thin-slice” research shows we make surprisingly accurate judgments about people from just 2 to 10 seconds of observation, even silent video clips! And these judgements have a long tail impact on their impression of you, regardless of what happens down the road.
That means your audience is already deciding whether they trust you, believe you, or want to hear more almost instantly (or not) right when you start sharing your story. When you craft your hook well, using emotion, curiosity, or conflict, you shape that critical first impression on purpose, instead of leaving it to chance.
Video to Watch: Have No Regrets
“The biggest poison in us is regret.” Gary Vaynerchuk doesn’t waste a second in this “One Life, No Regrets” video, hooking you immediately with raw truth that strikes deep. His no-fluff delivery, emotional honesty, and unapologetic language force you to confront what you’re avoiding. Gary is a master at using emotion and conflict to grab attention and make you think differently about your own choices, proof that a strong hook isn’t just about words, but about daring to say what most won’t.