Prateek Mathur had an idea he thought would make him rich.

It didn’t.

He had another idea that was a surefire moneymaker. Again, he struck out.

That’s often the life of a startup founder. It’s a life Prateek knows well. On LinkedIn, Prateek jokingly shared that he spent 20 years with “too many failed attempts at starting up,” including an international DJ production company and a coaching marketplace for first-time sales managers.

What he discovered during that journey was you have to build something people will pay for, not something you think people will want. You need to validate your product or service with real prospects, not just family and friends.

Most importantly, you need a compelling story to tell.

“Founders are building something from absolutely nothing,” Prateek said. “All they really have is their story.”

In 2021, Prateek finally found his own story.

Launching Activated Scale

Prateek’s attempts at building a startup were always a side project to his day job in sales. He’s spent more than two decades in sales, from an executive role at Coca Cola in India to selling life insurance, IT solutions, catering services, and digital products in the United States (not all at the same time!).

He’s always enjoyed talking with people. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, he began talking more intentionally with startup founders, trying to learn about their go-to-market strategies and their hiring and outbound sales processes.

What he found was while every startup is unique, their sales challenges were often very similar. They struggled to find the right talent to sell their product or service and tell the company story.

Prateek thought he had a solution to offer.

One year into the pandemic, he launched Activated Scale, a network of fractional sales and marketing professionals who work alongside startup founders and help them scale their businesses.

Every person in the network is an experienced salesperson who can build strategy and execute sales tactics. They are pre-vetted before gaining access to opportunities. Most significantly, they work on a fractional, or part-time basis.

“Traditional sales hiring is focused on hiring full-time sales employees and hoping they will work out. Hiring fractional sales talent helps startups de-risk their sales hiring,” Prateek said. “With the Activated Scale fractional model, startups can hire more than one person for the same full-time budget. Founders can then hire them as their employees after trying them for skills and cultural fit.”

Selling the future state of the world

One of those skills founders should look for, Prateek said, is storytelling.

“Sales is all about storytelling,” he said. “If you can’t tell your story of how your product or service addresses the pain of your customer, then your customer won’t buy.”

That story starts with the founder themselves. That person needs to be able to communicate the need for and impact of their company, whether they’re talking with investors to raise capital, customers to increase revenue, or potential employees to build a team.

“Founders need to sell the future state of the world with their business,” Prateek said. “They should focus on how their startups will reimagine the world we live in.”

That’s what Prateek’s been able to do. When he talks with potential clients, he explains the challenges of looking for a full-time hire before highlighting how his company alleviates those difficulties.

And it’s not just a sales pitch. Prateek is a consumer of his own product with three fractional sales employees. His company is also backed by Techstars, a global startup accelerator and venture capital firm.

He still loves talking with startup founders — not just to promote his business, but to continue understanding the challenges they face. In 2024, he launched “How I’m Building This,” a weekly podcast that features founders sharing their professional journeys, lessons they’ve learned, and tactics they’re utilizing for growth.

Startup life isn’t for everybody. But for Prateek, he wouldn’t have his story any other way.

“I’ve had a lot of instances where I wanted to give up,” he said. “Staying in the game and overcoming the highs and lows of building is what I’m the most proud of.”

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3 storytelling tips for you

1) Introduce conflict

Prateek tells potential clients the challenges that will arise if they don’t buy his service. It’s a classic example of introducing conflict. Conflict is one of the most powerful tools for storytellers because it keeps audiences engaged. People don’t want to leave unresolved conflicts.

2) Believe in your story

Prateek doesn’t just sell his fractional sales services. He uses them himself. In doing so, he shows confidence in his product. The same should be true for storytelling. When you have a story to share, show confidence in your delivery, be it the way you present or the words you use.

3) Focus on growth

Prateek’s business helps startup founders grow their business, but his professional journey is also an example of how you learn from mistakes in order to grow. The best stories showcase growth. The best storytellers are also always looking to grow in the way they share their stories.