How to Talk About What You’re Building With Confidence

If you had 240 characters to tell someone what you’re building, could you do it?

This isn’t just a fun exercise. It’s one of the most important tools you’ll develop as a founder, small business owner, or creative entrepreneur. Because whether you’re hiring, pitching, fundraising, or explaining your idea to your cousin at dinner, you need to be able to clearly and confidently say:

1. What Are You Building and Why?

Can you describe your business in one or two sentences without any jargon or filler words?

We’re not asking for a full business plan here. Just a simple, clear answer to:

• What problem are you solving?

• What solution are you offering?

• Why does this matter?

  
  

This is about more than making money (though that’s important too). It’s about having a purpose behind the product. This is your reason to keep going when things get tough, because they will.

Pro tip: Your mission doesn’t have to be world-changing. But it should be clear and easy to understand. Bonus points if it's relatable. Your audience should feel like you’re speaking to them, not just about yourself.

2. Who is it For?

If you’re building something for everyone, you’re actually building it for no one.

Your business will evolve as you learn from your customers, but you should still have a clear understanding of:

• Who you’re trying to help

• What they need

• How your offer fits into their world

  
  

The better you know your people, the easier it will be to build something they actually want and talk about it in a way that resonates.

Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to talk to your users. Actual conversations will teach you more about your customers than any persona worksheet ever will. Use surveys, interviews, or even DMs to uncover language, pain points, and priorities straight from the source.

3. What is the Vision for Growth?

Whether you want to stay sustainable or scale into new markets, it’s helpful to understand:

• What’s the long-term potential of your idea?

• How could it grow over time?

• What’s shifting in the world that makes your business needed now?

  
  

You don’t have to have all the answers today. But showing that you’ve thought about what’s possible builds credibility and can open doors to collaborators and funders.

Pro tip: Scalability doesn’t always mean going bigger. It can also mean going deeper. Growth might look like better margins or reaching a more aligned audience.

It’s Not Just the Idea. It’s What You Do With It.

Having a great idea is the easy part.

What matters is what you do with it.

Execution is the real differentiator and it’s where most people stall. It’s not about getting it perfect. It’s about showing up consistently, especially when it’s uncomfortable, unglamorous, or unclear.

And along the way? You will get feedback. Some of it will be helpful. Some of it won’t. You don’t have to take every opinion to heart. But do stay open because the ability to adapt without losing your core vision is what will keep you in the game. And remember, the people who succeed aren’t the ones who never get criticized. They’re the ones who keep going anyway.