

Ellis Hamburger - Storytelling for today’s top startups
200 snips Mar 21, 2025
Ellis Hamburger, a talented storyteller and writer with a background at The Verge and Snapchat, shares invaluable insights on crafting compelling narratives for startups. He delves into the art of storytelling, outlining how to create a narrative that resonates with audiences. Listeners will discover effective copywriting strategies, lessons from Snapchat's language team, and tips for making product onboarding unforgettable. Ellis also emphasizes the power of simplicity in app design and the importance of connecting authentically with users.
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Discovering Ellis
- Rydder discovered Ellis Hamburger's work through interviewing founders who'd hired Ellis.
- Rydder was intrigued by a "guy Ellis" mentioned by Colin from Visual Electric, then found "Hamburger" on Twitter.
Headlines as Positioning
- Every headline is a positioning statement, similar to a tweet.
- Writing headlines at The Verge taught Ellis to distill a company's essence into a concise message.
Lead with Ideas
- Founders should focus on leading with ideas, not just product features.
- Ideas are more viral and allow for broader cultural participation.