In the last post, we broke down how to frame your launch as more than just a market entry. But once you’ve nailed the “why now,” the next question reporters will ask is: who’s making it happen?
In startup PR, products don’t get covered as much anymore, but people’s stories do. Your team, your story, and your early adopters are the real credibility builders. It’s time to shine a light on the people behind the tech.
Not just who built the product, but who’s behind the company’s vision. That means your founding team, your executive leadership, your investors and board, and yes, your early customers. Stop letting this voices hide from PR.
Who are the people behind the technology?
A few years ago, I worked with a fast-scaling fintech startup that had everything going for it on paper: strong growth metrics, recent funding, and a clear U.S. expansion plan. But press interest stalled. Why? We were leading with the standout product and completely forgetting the people.
Once we pivoted and put the spotlight on the CEO’s story: a former community banker turned founder after watching underserved small businesses struggle to access capital; everything changed. And the press had something real to write about.
Five Qs to help you highlight people, not product
1. Why are you the right person to build this now?
Reporters want more than credentials, they want a connection. What in your background, experience, or values makes this company your calling?
What to prep: A compelling personal story or industry insight that shaped your decision to start or join this venture.
2. Who’s leading your next phase of growth and what’s their edge?
Investors and press want to know who’s operationally leading your U.S. rollout, product evolution, or sales expansion, and why they’re qualified.
What to prep: Leadership bios with traction, plus any expansion plans and details you can share.
3. What do your early customers say about working with you?
Nothing builds credibility faster than customer proof. Expect journalists to ask for user feedback, case studies, or direct quotes.
What to prep: Testimonials, feedback loops, or a customer willing to be interviewed.
4. Who’s backing you and why does that matter?
Investors, board members, and advisors are more than just names. If they’re strategic to your growth, signal it. If they’ve had past wins in the space, highlight that pattern.
What to prep: A short list of notable backers and what value they bring (beyond the check).
5. How is your team built to scale, now and long-term?
Reporters want to know if you have staying power. That means people, not just plans. Who’s in place now? What hires are next? What culture are you building?
What to prep: Headcount, hiring goals, geographic strategy, and values that shape your team.
It’s not enough to say you have a strong team… Journalists want proof. They want to see the faces, hear the stories, and understand who’s driving your business forward.
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So how do you turn your people into press-ready assets? It starts with storytelling, prep work, and a few strategic materials that can put the spotlight on the humans behind your headlines.
Here’s how to bring the “who” into your PR strategy, and make sure the people powering your company get the recognition (and trust) they deserve.
Putting “people behind the tech” into PR practice
Journalists want real stories, faces, and voices into your press strategy from day one. Here’s how to do it.
1. Write a founder origin story that goes beyond your resume. Turn your “why now, why me” answer into a 2-paragraph narrative you can use in pitches, press kits, and interviews. Take a video of your founder telling this story. It should include a personal hook and a clear industry insight.
2. Create a cheat sheet of leadership soundbites. Pull 1-2 media-friendly lines from each key executive that capture their role, experience, and why they’re uniquely positioned to lead this phase of growth. You should be creating cheat sheets for all common journalist questions, that you can customize based on each reporter’s request.
3. Build a “faces of the company” slide in your digital press kit. I’ve talked before about the value of a digital press kit, in my “Calling for 2025 Press Kits” post. Be sure to include headshots, titles, and one-sentence bios for your founders and top execs. Bonus: Add a brief “Why they matter now” blurb to give journalists immediate context.
4. Secure one customer willing to go on the record. Identify and nurture at least one happy early adopter who’s comfortable being quoted by the press. Prep them with talking points, or better yet, get a written and video testimonial ahead of time.
5. Develop short, punchy case studies. Create 1-pagers or internal slides that outline key customer success stories. Focus on the problem, the implementation, and measurable results (with real names if possible). Try to get your customer to be as specific as possible on benefits and favorite use cases. The more hard data and metrics, the better.
6. Curate a list of strategic investors and advisors. Drop marquee logos and explain why these individuals or firms matter. Did they lead similar companies? Have they helped with go-to-market or hiring? Try to get an investor to go on record with the media or provide a quote in a press release. Explore how they will help establish you as a key player in the industry.
7. Publish a “where we’re headed” section on your about page. Include team growth plans, open roles, and geographic targets. This shows scale and signals long-term commitment, especially if you’re building a new regional market presence.
8. Record a 1-minute founder video. Great for LinkedIn, pitches, and media kits. Focus on the “why you built this” and “why now” narrative. Keep it raw and real, though, journalists love unpolished passion.
9. Add culture and values to your press narrative. Make sure journalists know how your team works, not just what you’re building. Include this in your boilerplate, website, or by weaving it into interviews.
10. Host a virtual “meet the team” press briefing. Even with no major news, you can offer reporters access to key execs, investors, or even power customers. Position it as a behind-the-scenes on the people building something big, and tie it to a trend with data.
The best PR isn’t just about showcasing what you’ve built, it’s about showing who’s behind it and why they’re the ones to trust. If you want media coverage that lasts longer than your launch day, start investing in your people’s story now.
In the next post, we’ll move from who is behind your company to what proves you’re ready. We’ll break down what kind of traction and proof points reporters are looking for, how to present them clearly, and how to turn your funding, customers, and growth into newsworthy validation.
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