The IMPACT Model: A simple and strategic way to tell your founder story
A few months ago, I met a founder who was quietly building momentum in her two-year-old coaching business. On our first call, she mentioned she just hired her fourth employee and signed her biggest contract, but her goal for 2025 is to tap into speaking gigs.
The problem was she didn’t feel confident in how she talked about herself. Every time she tried to write about her business growth, it came off too stiff and too scripted.
"I don’t want to sound self-indulgent," she told me. "But I don’t want to feel fake, either."
This tension is common for founders. You’re so passionate about what you’re building, yet the thought of putting yourself at the center of your brand feels uncomfortable.
I had to remind my client that people connect with people. And founder-led marketing has proven to be one of the most effective growth drivers for startups, simply because consumers want to know who is behind the thing they’re buying.
That’s where your founder story comes in. It’s what shapes people’s first impressions of you:
Clients hear your story on sales calls and wonder if you’re the right partner.
Customers want to feel good about where their money’s going and who it’s supporting.
Investors read your pitch deck and decide whether your vision is worth backing.
Sponsors and donors browse your website to see if your mission aligns with theirs.
Future hires check your LinkedIn to get a feel for your leadership and company culture.
Journalists and podcast hosts look for a story angle their audience will care about.
People online read your posts and decide to either follow you or keep scrolling.
You want people to trust you? Get clear on your founder story and give people a reason to believe in you and what you’re building.
So, how do you write a compelling founder story?
Simple: use the IMPACT Model. It’s a six-part storytelling framework I created to help founders turn their vision and lived experiences into a story people want to be part of.
I – Ignition → What moment made you realize you needed to start your business?
M – Motivation → What personal beliefs or lived experiences drive the work you do today?
P – People → Who are you serving?
A – Approach → What’s your unique take or process for solving the problem you identified?
C – Credibility → What proof (big or small) shows you can deliver results?
T – Transformation → What shift are you helping people create in their life, work, or world?
I’m going to break down each part in detail with reflection prompts to help you write a story that’s clear and actually sounds like you.
The IMPACT Model: A Founder Story Framework
Ignition: What sparked your idea
Every founder has a moment that pushes them from idea to action. That moment is your ignition point. Sometimes it’s bold, and other times it’s quiet.
This part of your story tells your audience you didn’t just wake up one day and decide to start a business. You saw something broken, outdated, or missing, and you chose to build something as a solution.
When you include this in your story, it adds clarity and relatability. It shows your audience that your business was born out of real experiences.
Your ignition point could be:
Your corporate job limited your potential and you wanted to build something with more room for growth.
You watched people around you burn out doing things the hard way and realized you had a better approach.
You became a parent or moved to a new city and wanted to start a business that’s more aligned with your new lifestyle.
Reflection question:
What moment made you realize you needed to start your business?
Motivation: Why this work matters to you
Your motivation is where your values, identity, and personal background start to shape your brand, giving more personal insight into your mission.
This part of your story matters because it creates emotional depth and trust. It gives people a reason to root for you and believe you’re driven to solve a problem for them.
Your motivation could be:
You grew up watching a parent navigate broken systems and now you’re building tools to fix them.
You spent years working in an industry where certain voices were excluded and now you’re building a platform that centers them.
You saw the impact of burnout in your community and now you create systems that make room for rest and sustainability.
Reflection question:
What personal beliefs or lived experiences drive the work you do today?
People: Who you’re building this for
The best founder stories connect outward just as much as they focus inward. Your audience wants to know you understand them, and when you speak directly to their challenges, frustrations, or desires, it makes your work feel relevant.
This part is all about who you're building for and what they need.
Your people could be:
Women in leadership who need help navigating corporate spaces with confidence.
Independent creatives who are struggling to grow and generate revenue.
New moms who are overwhelmed by all the rules and just want products that are safe for their babies.
Reflection question:
Who are you serving and why them?
Approach: Your process for getting results
This is where your story meets your solution. It shows people what to expect when they work with you and why your way is the best way.
You don’t need a trademarked method. Just highlight a clear take on what leads to results and what makes your process special.
Your approach could be:
You built a tracker that helps HR teams document employee growth in real time.
You created a visual decision-making matrix to help your client prioritize tasks in their strategic plan.
You outlined a step-by-step morning routine for busy entrepreneurs who want to improve time management.
Reflection question:
What’s your unique take or process for solving the problem you identified?
Credibility: Why people should trust you
Don’t overthink this part. You don’t need to list off your résumé or every metric you’ve ever hit. But you do need to show people why they can trust you to deliver.
Credibility can come from your lived experiences, your past results, your POV, or your track record of showing up consistently.
Yours could be:
You’ve led teams, launched campaigns, or built communities that saw real results.
You’ve lived the problem your audience is facing and figured out how to move through it.
You have repeat clients, testimonials, or organic referrals that speak for themselves.
Reflection question:
What proof (big or small) shows you can deliver results?
Transformation: Your bigger vision
Every founder has to paint the big picture and invite people into the future they’re building.
Whether you’re speaking to clients, collaborators, funders, or future team members, this part of your founder story shows what’s possible when someone says yes to working with you or supporting your brand.
Your transformation could be:
Working moms no longer have to choose between their well-being, their career, and their family because they’ve found balance in their routine.
Artists feel confident sharing their work and aren’t held back by self-doubt or the fear of being perceived.
HR leaders spend less time buried in admin and more time leading people because they have the tools to automate the busywork.
Reflection question:
What shift are you helping people create in their life, work, or world?
Here’s how I started using the IMPACT Model in my own story
Whether you're a founder, company leader, or freelancer building a solo business, this model can help you communicate what you do, who you do it for, and the impact you’re here to make.
If you’re curious how it all comes together, see how I’ve applied it to my LinkedIn bio below.
Want help with this?
If you want to use your story to get more visibility and open doors, I’ve got you. I help founders clarify their brand messaging, build a strategy that supports growth, and create content that’s authentic to their voice.
You can check out my services here or book a free 20-minute discovery call.
And if you’re not there yet, be sure to connect with me on LinkedIn. I’d love to learn more about what you’re building!
