Every founder has a story.
To be honest, founder stories are a dime a dozen. But lean in real close, because here’s the kicker: not every story lands.
Even better, the solution is pretty simple.
When founders understand how to craft a strong narrative that truly resonates with their audience, the result is trust and momentum. Taking the focus off capital or technology, founders can reveal their purpose and the motivations behind innovation.
At Edmonton Startup Week, the panel Pitch, Purpose, Power: Stepping Up Through Storytelling brings together Tara McCarthy, Host of Edmonton AM on CBC, Mack Male (co-founder and CEO of Taproot) and Digital Journal CEO and executive editor, Chris Hogg, for a discussion designed to help founders understand how to effectively reach both journalists and audiences through storytelling.
At its core, the session — moderated by Ryan Jespersen, host of the Edmonton-based podcast Real Talk — is about what makes a story stick. How can media amplify both purpose and innovation? For founders, that means moving beyond company milestones to stories that explain change and signal why it matters now.
Going beyond the press release
“Digital Journal cares less about product features and more about context,” says Hogg. “A story lands when it helps people understand what is changing, why it matters now, and how it connects to something larger than the company.”
That perspective reflects the evolving role of storytelling in Edmonton’s startup ecosystem.
Founders are increasingly telling stories that reach beyond traditional industries, positioning their companies as part of a broader transformation in the city’s economy.
Stories today are not just about what has been built, but how that work signals larger economic and social change. How are industries diversifying? Why does the timing matter? What is at stake for both the business and the community?
Rooting stories in purpose and context help founders attract more than just attention. They create the conditions for new partnerships, investment, and talent by showing audiences why an idea matters now and where it is headed.
Innovation storytelling is central to this shift. It helps audiences make sense of change, rather than simply reporting milestones. It connects Edmonton’s ideas to national and international conversations, showing how local companies fit into broader innovation trends.
Community and connections
For their Startup Week panel, Digital Journal’s Chris Hogg is joined by Tara McCarthy, who recently hopped on the mic as new host of CBC Radio Edmonton AM.
“It’s been a long-time dream of mine to do this job,” McCarthy says. “I love it because it provides me with a platform to help share people’s stories and explore why they do what they do.”
She sees her role as helping uncover the humanity behind innovation.
“I imagine it’s not easy to be an entrepreneur, but I do know that the media can play a huge role in helping their ideas stand out from the crowd. I’m constantly looking for the humanity in what people are doing. It boils down to my earliest journalism lesson on finding the focus of a story: people doing something for a reason,” she explained.
McCarthy says she looks to understand why a startup was created, what drives the passion behind it, and how the work being done is helping, impacting or changing people’s lives.
For Mack Male, the co-founder behind Taproot Publishing, there’s an emphasis on community and connection, grounding stories in the local ecosystem.
The media business’ tagline captures this intent: “we help communities understand themselves better.”
In a recent fireside chat during Life Science’s Week, Male and Edmonton Unlimited’s Ken Bautista explored Alberta’s growing innovation ecosystem, and why Edmonton is emerging as a special place to invest.
“For Edmonton, we often hear that we’re too modest. We’re too humble. We don’t celebrate our own successes,” Mack said.
Speaking to how an event like Life Sciences Week simply wouldn’t have happened even 10 years ago, he points to the density of connections that have taken root in the ecosystem.
“There’s not just a bigger, growing community, but there’s connections within that community and to other communities. And how do we facilitate those connections, I think, is really critical for making this happen.”
These three perspectives underscore why storytelling has become essential for founders, especially in the Edmonton region.
It’s no longer enough to launch a product or announce a round of funding. To resonate with audiences, investors, and partners, stories must show why an idea matters now and how it connects to something bigger — both Edmonton’s innovation economy and the broader national conversation.
For founders looking to sharpen their narrative and step forward with confidence, this Edmonton Startup Week panel will offer practical insight into how stories gain momentum and carry further.
The discussion will highlight what makes a story resonate, how context builds trust, and why connecting local ideas to larger shifts can amplify a company’s purpose and impact.
You can sign up to see the discussion on Monday here.
Digital Journal is an official media partner of Edmonton Startup Week
