Telling your startup’s story when the world is watching

As Vancouver gears up for the inaugural Web Summit on Canadian soil, the spotlight is on BC’s tech founders—and how they choose to tell their stories. With more than 600 global journalists descending on the city, the stakes (and opportunities) are high.

That was the backdrop for Beyond the Pitch: Crafting Your Startup’s Media Story, a recent panel hosted by Innovate BC. The session brought together PR pros and journalists to help founders answer one critical question: how do you stand out when the world is watching?

Why media matters—more than ever

“It is so hard to break through,” said Nicole Brassard, vice president at Global Public Affairs. “But I think if you can match what you are trying to get out into the world with an outlet that makes sense, they can really help you break through.”

Kate Wilson, a former editor at Vancouver Tech Journal and the Georgia Straight, added that media offers credibility few other channels can. “It’s going to give you credibility, and that credibility is going to afford you potentially more intros for funding... so definitely take the leverage while you can.”

Robin Gill, who now straddles journalism and communications, emphasized that media outlets are just as eager for content. “There is a need to fill—we’ve got to fill pages, we’ve got to fill radio, we’ve got to fill television… there is a huge demand for content, and that’s where you come in.”

How the media landscape has changed

The panel didn’t shy away from the industry’s challenges. “Reporters are required to do more with less all the time,” said Gill. “There are layoffs constantly with every single outlet.”

That pressure has changed how stories are sourced—and what lands. “We try to make it as easy... to write the story,” said Brassard. “Include graphics, if you’ve got a video include that too... offer them a time if they want to meet with you.”

Wilson added: “Pitching is kind of an exercise in empathy. You have to put yourself in the journalist’s shoes and think: what would they want that’s going to make this a story?”

Natalie Korenic, communications lead at Aspect Biosystems, agreed. “It’s really important to know that going into an interview—who are you talking to, what do they know, what will they not know.”

What makes a pitch work?

“A good pitch,” said Wilson, “has the basics—who, what, when, where, why.” She pointed to a recent standout: “They sent it under embargo, so I had lots of time to look at it… and in the ‘why,’ they did a fantastic job of making it sexy. They’re a cybersecurity company, but the way they pitched it was, ‘Hey, we can stop deepfakes.’ That’s so much more attractive.”

Press releases still matter—but context matters more. “We definitely try to make sure that we have something in the email that’s not the same as what’s in the press release,” said Korenic. “Try to have something that’s a little more personalized.”

Timing is critical too. “Don’t pitch on a Monday,” said Gill. “Tuesday is a slow news day.”

“And always pitch in the morning,” added Wilson. “If it’s something that’s well-pitched and it’s relevant... comes into your inbox right when you’re having your coffee—that’s going to be the thing that they work on first.”

And what doesn’t work?

Panelists were clear about what to avoid. “Don’t spell my name wrong,” said Wilson. “Make sure you actually write the correct media outlet… lots of people do a mass pitch and forget to change that.”

Gill recalled a misleading pitch that derailed fast: “They said, ‘Oh, we have all this data, we have this great survey, we have this great study,’ and... within two minutes, they were basically selling their business. That’s awkward for me.”

The consensus: be honest, clear, and concise.

Also—don’t rely entirely on AI. “If you’re not a writer, and you can’t write, then run it through ChatGPT to put full stops in the right place,” said Wilson. “But you need to be doing the work.”

Beyond the release: building real relationships

Relationships were a recurring theme. “Journalists are really good at evaluating pitches in a balanced and fair way,” said Wilson. “But I guarantee you, if they’re trying to decide between two pitches… and they know you, they’re going to read your pitch and they’re going to cover your pitch all day.”

“LinkedIn is the Rolodex as far as I’m concerned,” added Gill. But boundaries still apply: “I don’t like you in my Instagram. That’s private. That’s just for me and my friends.”

What if you don’t have a big announcement?

“You don’t need a gigantic press release,” said Brassard. “We’ve identified problem X, we’re solving it with Y, here’s why we’re cool. We are Canadian. That’s big right now.”

And if all else fails, look to the news cycle. “If you’re affected by the tariffs, everyone wants to talk to you right now,” said Gill.

And if you land an interview?

“Three key messages. That’s all you really need,” said Gill. “Tell us what you do, what you’re solving, and really use simple language.”

Wilson offered a caution: “Everything is on the record. Be careful about what you’re saying.”

The final tip came from Brassard: “Stop talking once you’ve said your three key messages. Journalists often will just stop talking themselves and let you fill the void… and if that’s not your intended message, maybe that’s what gets written about.”