In early 2024, two friends left their corporate jobs to launch a startup they swore would “revolutionise personal productivity.” They poured their savings into sleek branding, a website full of buzzwords, and a launch event with craft beer and kombucha on tap.

But when attendees asked what the product actually did, the founders stumbled; they talked about “workflow alignment” and “cognitive efficiency.”

Investors smiled politely. Beta users ghosted. Tension built between the friends as one insisted they needed better marketing. The other finally admitted they weren’t solving a clear problem, because they’d never properly researched one.

The breakthrough came when a mentor bluntly told them:

“You have Fantasy Island Syndrome.”

Naomi Timperley FRSA didn’t set out to rescue founders from jargon. As co-founder of Tech North Advocates and a repeated Computer Weekly Top 50 Most Influential Woman in UK IT, she’s an experienced growth and innovation consultant with strong UK networks. After working with hundreds of startups, Naomi noticed that the biggest barrier often isn’t product, market, or budget, but B2B tech messaging.

In a recent edition of the Proof Over Hype newsletter, Naomi joins me to discuss why founders get stuck, why buzzwords hurt B2B marketing, and why emotion, not data, is what gets you chosen. You’ll discover:

• The trap of building messaging for investors instead of customers
• Why “innovative” is meaningless unless you can prove it
• How to explain a B2B product simply without dumbing it down
• How to turn founder-speak into a conversation
• The role of emotion in even the driest B2B pitch

Fantasy Island Syndrome: A hobby with a marketing budget

It’s easy for founders to get swept up in the magic of what they’ve built and forget to check whether anyone needs it. And it’s not rare. Forbes found that:

“Many startups fail by rushing to build without validating if they’re solving a real problem, falling for the ‘if we build it, they will come’ myth.”

The danger isn’t just wasted time and money. It’s the false confidence that comes from enthusiasm, the belief that if you talk loudly enough about your product, the right audience will magically appear. The result? Messaging that’s all “look what we made” and not “here’s how it makes your life better.” This is a classic B2B tech messaging failure.

Naomi’s advice is blunt:

“It’s not about shouting the loudest. It’s about showing you understand the audience better than anyone else.”

The fix? Flip the script:

• Start with real conversations, not assumptions.
• Identify the one problem your target customer would pay to solve today.
• Build your message and your product around that.

Because a solution in search of a problem isn’t a business. It’s a hobby with a marketing budget.

Founder confesses confusing pitch cost major deal

In 2024, The Guardian revealed a common pitfall: startups losing investor interest due to “buzzword-heavy pitches” that fail to resonate with real users.

Here’s a textbook example of why buzzwords hurt B2B marketing.

Set a timer. How long does it take you to understand this fictional pitch intro?

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This means you can unlock cash when you need it most – without long waits or complicated paperwork – so you can keep your business running smoothly, even on your toughest days.

Communicate simply, convert consistently

There is a strong consensus across UK industries calling for the abandonment of buzzwords in favour of language that “delivers substance over hype,” with widespread agreement that excessive jargon hinders engagement from both investors and customers. Naomi talks about cardboard words: terms, acronyms, and jargon that don’t hold up under scrutiny. Her simple question is – If you couldn’t use buzzwords or jargon, how else would you explain what you do?

This isn’t just a stylistic preference; it’s a commercial necessity. Clear B2B tech messaging builds trust, and trust leads to conversion. The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer UK report shows that regaining trust requires leaders and companies to genuinely understand what people want and need and to use clear language their audience can relate to, with communication that is accurate and transparent. This reflects the broader sentiment that businesses must avoid jargon and provide tangible, relatable information to build and sustain trust.

Yet Naomi has seen founders and marketing directors pitch for ten minutes without anyone, including herself, understanding what the business actually does.

Beyond logic, emotion plays a crucial role. Logic gets you considered, but emotion gets you the yes. 77% of UK adults think it’s a good idea for brands to tell stories*, reflecting strong consumer preference for narrative-based brand communication. Naomi agrees: “Even the most rational buyer is still a human being.” That means telling the story of a customer’s worst workday, and how you fixed it, or showing how your product helps someone feel in control again.

The Power of Belief and Simple Messaging: Lessons from Nike and Reebok

In 1988, two brands – Reebok and Nike – stood head-to-head in the same market, with similar shares. Reebok’s tagline was “Because Life Is Not A Spectator Sport.” Nike’s? Simply, “Just Do It.”

What happened next tells a powerful story. Reebok changed its message 14 times over the years. Nike? They never wavered.

Today, Nike is worth $31.3 billion—ten times the value of Reebok.

It’s tempting to constantly rebrand, reposition, or redesign—especially when markets shift, leadership changes, or a new CMO wants a fresh slogan. But great brands aren’t built on novelty; they’re built on commitment to an idea, to a belief.

Nike didn’t just stick to a catchy line; they turned “Just Do It” into a mindset that infused every part of their business.

Alignment Starts With Brand Belief

Brand belief doesn’t just live in marketing; it has to resonate deeply across every team and employee. When messaging fragments – marketing, sales, and tech teams all speaking different languages – the brand’s core belief gets lost. This disconnect weakens authenticity and confuses customers.

Naomi’s solution is to bake your brand story, mission, and values into employee onboarding and culture. When everyone understands and believes in the core purpose, it shapes consistent language and actions at every level. This shared belief turns employees into authentic brand ambassadors who live the message, not just repeat it.

Walking the talk builds trust: Patagonia as the gold standard

Marketing insights for 2025 stress that UK consumers are shifting toward values-driven purchasing, considering durability, sustainability, and emotional satisfaction as part of brand value beyond price alone.

According to Naomi, Patagonia exemplifies this perfectly. Their commitment to environmental activism isn’t just marketing – it’s embedded in every decision, from supply chains to employee programs. Patagonia’s employees deeply believe in this mission, making the brand’s values authentic and unmistakable. This alignment creates fierce customer loyalty and a brand reputation that feels genuine and trustworthy.

As Naomi puts it,

“Differentiation only matters if it matters to the people you want to reach.”

And true differentiation comes from living a belief that connects emotionally with your audience.

The One Sentence Pitch Test

Here’s a one-sentence “Anti–Fantasy Island” test founders can use internally before pitching, publishing, or scaling:

“If I had 10 seconds to explain this to a smart friend outside my industry, could I clearly say who it’s for, the painful problem it solves, and the real-world outcome, without using buzzwords?”

Founder FAQs: B2B Messaging That Actually Converts

Why don’t people understand what my B2B startup does?
Most founders explain how their product works before explaining why it exists. If your message starts with technology, features, or vision rather than a clear customer problem, people tune out. Confusion usually signals that the problem hasn’t been defined sharply enough.

How do I explain my startup in one sentence without using buzzwords?
Describe the problem your customer has on their worst day, then explain how you remove it. If you can’t explain your product without words like “innovative,” “platform,” or “ecosystem,” the value isn’t clear yet.

Why does my pitch sound impressive but fail to convert?
Impressive language doesn’t equal persuasive messaging. Many pitches are built for investors, not buyers. If your audience can’t immediately see themselves in the story, they won’t take the next step—no matter how polished the deck looks.

How do I know if my messaging is the real problem, not my product?
If prospects ask follow-up questions like “So… what do you actually do?” or deals stall after first meetings, messaging is likely the issue. Strong messaging reduces explanation time, increases confidence, and makes buying feel obvious.

What’s the biggest messaging mistake B2B founders make early on?
Talking about the product instead of the customer. Early-stage founders often default to features and vision, when buyers care more about outcomes, risk reduction, and proof that you understand their world.

Should B2B messaging focus on logic or emotion?
Both – but in the right order. Logic earns credibility; emotion drives action. Buyers need to feel that you understand their pressure, risk, and responsibility before they believe your solution is worth choosing.

Why does simple messaging work better than detailed explanations?
Simple messaging builds trust. If you can explain a complex idea clearly, it signals confidence and mastery. Overly detailed explanations often hide uncertainty and force buyers to work too hard to understand the value.

How do I stop my startup sounding like everyone else in my market?
Stop describing what you built and start describing what you believe. Differentiation comes from a clear point of view about the problem, not from feature lists or market jargon.

When should founders change their messaging?
When customer insight changes, not when confidence dips. Constantly rewriting your story creates inconsistency and weakens trust. Strong brands commit to a belief and refine how they express it over time.

What’s the fastest way to test if my messaging is clear?
Explain what you do to someone outside your industry. If they can repeat it back accurately in their own words, your message is working. If not, simplify again.