Building a Brand, Amplifying Impact: Unlocking the Power of Storytelling to Grow Your Company
Unity Stoakes shares lessons learned from building StartUp Health’s brand, and how you can leverage media and storytelling to amplify your message to build a successful and impactful healthcare company.
Written by Nicole Kinsey
“Being a founder, being an entrepreneur, being an innovator, it's just ongoing ups and downs and flows and cycles, but it's always fun and always interesting.”
At StartUp Health, we believe in the power of stories. We believe they can inspire, connect, and ultimately, change the world. Our own story began with a simple idea: to build a brand that is synonymous with health innovation and is driven by a deep commitment to progress. Over the past 14 years, we've learned invaluable lessons about the art of storytelling, the importance of community, and the transformative potential of a shared vision. We have our story, and we're empowering Health Transformers to write theirs.
Unity Stoakes, President & Co-founder of StartUp Health, recently sat down on our StartUp Health NOW podcast to discuss the power of branding and storytelling.
As Unity shares, our journey started even before our official launch in 2011. Unity recognized early on that a brand is more than just a name or a logo – it's the essence of an organization, the feeling it evokes, the message it conveys. It's the foundation upon which everything else is built. As he says, "A brand is something that stands for something. It's something that's meant to really represent a feeling, a vibe, a message, a vision in the best sense of that concept." This philosophy has guided every decision we've made, from the careful selection of our name to the ongoing development of our identity.
From the beginning, StartUp Health has prioritized storytelling, especially through video. We were early adopters, interviewing innovators long before it became commonplace. We understood that "narrative storytelling is one of the most powerful forms of communication there is," as Unity explains. "It goes back to the beginning of humanity really. People remember stories, they remember great stories." This commitment, coupled with a consistent "drumbeat" of communication, including our weekly newsletter (a constant since our inception), has been essential to cultivating and engaging our community.
Building a brand and a media presence is an ongoing experiment. We've explored various platforms and learned from both our successes and our misses. These experiences have reinforced the need for adaptability in the ever-evolving media landscape. We embrace the concept of "multi-channel storytelling," repurposing narratives across different formats, from podcasts and blog posts to social media content and our print magazine. Our goal is to meet our audience where they are, which requires a dynamic approach.
Because, as Unity emphasizes, "streaming innovation" never stops. Platforms change, algorithms shift, and audience preferences evolve. But the core of a compelling story remains constant. We believe in the power of universal principles like authenticity, a clear sense of purpose ("knowing your why"), and consistent repetition of key messages. These principles, combined with a strong narrative framework like our Health Moonshots – which unite innovators around a shared mission – are vital for attracting support and driving progress.
Today, StartUp Health enjoys a strong presence across multiple platforms and a thriving email newsletter program. We've effectively built our own "printing press," giving us the power to share the stories of progress from the 500+ companies we've supported without relying on external media. This control over our narrative is a significant advantage, allowing us to connect directly with our audience and amplify the voices of Health Transformers in our community.
Now, we're empowering other founders to build their own "printing presses" through our Showcase membership program. Drawing on our 14 years of experience, we provide the tools and coaching necessary to develop compelling narratives and reach broader audiences. Our aim is to democratize access to effective communication strategies, particularly for early-stage founders who may lack the resources of larger organizations and can’t afford to fail in their own experimentation.
Inspired by WIRED Magazine's ability to translate complex scientific concepts into engaging stories, we strive to do the same for health innovation. We want to make the remarkable work of Health Transformers accessible and inspiring to everyone. By amplifying these stories, we help our community members attract customers, investors, and collaborators, ultimately accelerating the development and adoption of life-changing solutions.
We invite you to join us. If you're a founder or leader of a health innovation company, apply to join a Health Moonshot Community. We want to meet you, support you, and help you tell your story. We're your cheerleaders, your wing people, and we believe that together, we can build a healthier future. As Unity has been saying for 14 years, “We're stronger together.”
Listen to the full discussion to gain valuable insights from a seasoned entrepreneur and storyteller:
Call for Innovation
Are You Ready to Find Your Tribe?
We’re looking for founders and CEOs leading digital health, life science, or biotech companies that are solving the biggest health challenges of our time – and want to build a better network to change the world. Our communities include: Access to Care, Addiction & Opioid Crisis, Alzheimer’s Disease, Cardiometabolic Health, Children’s Health, End Cancer, Food as Medicine, Healthy Longevity, Maternal Health, Men’s Health, Mental Health, Oral Health, Rare Diseases, Respiratory Health, Type 1 Diabetes, Wellness, Women's Health, and more.
If you’re mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit. Learn more and apply today.
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