Maneuvre

Investors spend, on average, less than four minutes on a pitch deck. A Dropbox DocSend study suggests that in 2023, that number dropped to just over two minutes. That’s how long you have to convince someone your company is worth their time. So, is your deck telling the right story? 👀 A good pitch isn’t just about numbers. It needs to leave them with a one-liner of who you are, what you do, and why you’re the best at it. If you don’t have a slide that has this clearly, or if it’s otherwise cluttered, missing key points, hard to read, etc… they will move on before they even know who you are. If your deck isn’t getting the responses you expected, it might be time to refine how you’re telling your story. We can help you structure it in the right way and present your company with the clarity and confidence it deserves. Check out our pitch deck design services here: https://lnkd.in/deCtDTvt

Have you ever sent a strong, relevant, well-timed email to a journalist, offering your help, only to be met with silence? You are not alone. 👀 Sometimes they're just busy, but sometimes: they aren’t buying what you’re selling. Journalists don’t just take your word for it that you’re an expert. Before replying, they will do their research—namely, who are you, and why should they talk to you? LinkedIn is one of the first stops. And if your page is half-finished, vague, or full of sales fluff, you’ve lost them before the conversation even starts. Your LinkedIn provides proof of credibility. Journalists need to see within seconds why you’re the right person to comment on a story. If they can’t, they will move on. If the last update on your LinkedIn was from three jobs ago, or if your bio is just a long-winded sales pitch, you aren’t giving them what they need. This is just one of the lessons we’ve put together to help founders take control of their PR. If your profile isn’t where it should be, now’s a good time to fix it. Check out our PR guide here: https://lnkd.in/d_-gcgPd And if you’d like some help with your LinkedIn, we've got you covered as well—look for our LinkedIn audit here: https://lnkd.in/deCtDTvt.

Visibility drives opportunities. Of course, your work and achievements should speak for themselves, but they deliver ROI when they are recognised. This is why awards like American Banker’s Most Influential Women in Payments matter. They highlight leaders who not only deliver results but also shape the industry’s future. The recognition is particularly notable in fintech, where fewer than 8% of founders are women*. One of these leaders is the unflappable Elizabeth Rossiello, CEO and founder of AZA Finance - well deserved for her 11+ years of work fixing systemic challenges in cross-border payments and financial inclusion across frontier markets, especially Africa. Visibility not only amplifies success but also creates a ripple effect, celebrating you and your employees, grabbing the attention of more clients or investors, and proving that impactful work and strong leadership can shape your position in the industry. Once again, congrats to Elizabeth and her team, as well as to the rest of the honorees! https://lnkd.in/dhWQUn9Q *Source: The triple glass ceiling: FinTech gender inequalities published by Cambridge University Press: https://lnkd.in/dFmx-rPZ

If you want to stand out, collect statistics (numbers, data, etc.) - then, share them. This will help you become part of the conversation. By providing relevant data points to the press and journalists (non-confidential, of course - don’t give away your business!), you position yourself as a knowledgeable and valuable voice in the space. In her recent article for Digital Frontier, Isabelle Castro digs into inclusivity in web3. Unfortunately, the stats are bleak: only 7% of founders in the crypto space are women, and just 27% of employees in the sector are female*. A timely read for all of us in the sector - you can find it here: https://lnkd.in/dsBw62nv (1 free read after signing up). And if you haven’t already, give Digital Frontier a follow and check their mindful insights from business, finance and culture. *2023 data published by BCG X, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)’s tech and design unit, and web3 creative agency POCLab

One of the ways to gain recognition in new markets—or markets you want to enter—is by grabbing the attention of the local/national press. Sure, securing a mention in international tier-1 media outlets in English is impressive, but let’s be honest: national press, writing in their language and speaking directly to their audience, is sometimes just as critical. How do you achieve this? Start by identifying journalists with expertise in your field and offer them insights or stories that resonate with their audience. It’s not about promoting your company—it’s about *why their readers would care*. 🧑🌾 For example, farmers in Europe might be grappling with challenges like late blight, striving to improve crop yields, or seeking innovative technologies for their farms. If you can show how your insights might be useful for an article on one of these topics, the journalist will be happy to use your help. 🥔 A great example: Hybrid potato seeds. Why would they matter? Farmers could reduce reliance on chemicals, achieve higher yields, and embrace sustainable practices. More about Solynta | true potato seeds in an insightful article from Anna Kobus for farmer.pl (mostly for Polish audience, of course, but translate tools can be helpful for those interested!) https://lnkd.in/djRMfHRP

One of the most valuable things you can do as a founder is take control of your company’s narrative. Early on, it’s tempting to think PR is something reserved for the big leagues, something you’ll pass off to an expensive agency. But the truth is, as a founder, you’re the most authentic voice for your business. When you learn how to shape and share that story, it becomes a powerful tool in helping your business grow. That’s the idea behind PR Guide for Founders. In the book, we break PR down into clear, actionable steps that you can apply immediately. One of the core lessons? You don’t need a big PR agency to make an impact. With the right strategies, you can manage your own PR and build a strong, compelling narrative for your company. We wrote this book because we’ve seen it too many times: founders eager to grow but unsure where to start with PR. PR Guide for Founders is our way of giving you the tools to confidently own your story and use it to fuel your growth. Inside, you’ll find practical advice, real-world examples, and straightforward strategies for everything from press outreach to creating content that resonates with your audience. The reality is, most founders already have everything they need to create effective PR – they just need the right framework to bring it together. The book walks you through each stage of the PR process, giving you the confidence to handle everything from writing press releases to building relationships with journalists and media outlets. Plus, we’ve kept it practical, with real examples and easy-to-understand strategies that you can put to use right away. Your story is unique, and it deserves to be told the right way. PR Guide for Founders is available now, and we can’t wait to hear how it helps you grow. You can check it out here: https://lnkd.in/d_-gcgPd

Between the holidays and New Year’s, work often feels quieter, with fewer meetings and emails flooding in. For your teams, this time can be a valuable opportunity to step back and focus on the tasks that get deprioritized during busier periods: 📁 Organize your digital workspace: Clean up databases, update tasks, and document achievements. 🗓️ Plan for 2025: Make sure your goals and strategies are in place for the upcoming year. 💾 Declutter shared drives: Streamline your Google Drive or other storage systems for efficiency. Starting the new year with a fresh and organized workspace (both virtual and physical) will set the tone for the months to come. It’s a great way to give your team clarity and focus from day one. Also, it's good to take some time to read through 2024 summaries and 2025 predictions. Depending on your industry, it's valuable to know what can work in 2025, what will be trending, or what the journalists will focus on—it can give you an edge as you strategize for the year. Check out this great piece by Sam Forsdick from Raconteur | B Corp™, complete with their signature excellent infographics (the article is not behind the paywall, you just need to log in): https://lnkd.in/dXf46eMU

For founders, there’s years where it feels like nothing happens, and then weeks where everything changes. No one was immune to the breakneck speed of change we saw this year, but we have to say: plenty of visionaries we know saw it coming, and were ready! 2025 promises to be more of the same, so here’s our advice on how to capitalize attention for your company even in the noisiest of crowds: ✅ Keep trying. Don’t just pitch one person and get frustrated when they don’t answer. Read a variety of media sources and regularly reach out to offer your support. This should mean you (or your agency) will have sent hundreds of outreach messages in the first half of the year at least! (Keep them personalized, though 😉) ✅ Figure out what events you want to go to, early. These are good in person pillars that will bring structure to your year even in highly changeable seasons. ✅ Take your holiday break seriously. 2025 will be a marathon and a sprint. Recharge so you can be first out of the gate in the new year. As the year wraps up and we prepare to go OOO for a well-deserved winter break (and eat mountains of pierogi, if you’re Michalina Brokos), we want to say a huge thank you to our clients, partners, journalists, podcast hosts, event organisers, and everyone we had a pleasure of connecting and working with this year: thank you for making 2024 a success. Wishing you a well-deserved time off to get ready for even more fun in 2025 🎉

It’s a familiar story for many companies: You aim for recognition in international tier-one media – and rightly so. It’s a key step to building a global presence. Then, often, your company becomes more visible on the international stage than in its own home market. There’s nothing wrong with that. But *local recognition matters too*. Building strong relationships with your national media is equally important. Your home ground often shapes your story, roots your credibility, and creates connections that fuel your long-term success. This is why we’re highlighting Mateja Lampe Rupnik’s recent op-ed for The Slovenia Times. It highlights how Slovenia’s innovation-driven companies, like Red Pitaya, are breaking boundaries globally while staying grounded in their local roots. Read Mateja’s full piece here: https://lnkd.in/d7i8cr9q

Our personal stories and backgrounds always make us more interesting to other people. It’s natural - it adds a human touch, sometimes helps understand our professional decisions and paths we take, helps others relate more, and so on. On the other hand, sharing more insights into our professional backgrounds, about the ways our businesses operate, what are our processes, how we select startups we invest in or make business decisions–this is also very valuable. It can help your potential partners or portfolio companies understand your mechanisms and approach better and be more prepared for collaboration with you. So, a mix of both - your personal and professional journey and insights - is a recipe for a great conversation or, in this case, for a very interesting podcast. One of these was just published yesterday - check out Sergey Jakimov's conversation with Peter Ottsjö and Ingemar Patrick Linden on their Levity podcast. The full episode is here: https://lnkd.in/dkwPYCRi