both of us
about podcast icon
Under The Hood: Automotive Storytelling
January 30, 2026

The Evergreen Framework: How Positioning-First Thinking Rebuilt a Founder’s Story

- Stef Balkowiec S2E02

Behind every automotive innovation lies a human story. Hosted by Stéphane Lagresle, founder of The Storytelling Tribe, this podcast reveals how industry leaders translate complex technologies into compelling narratives. Through conversations with automotive executives, discover practical frameworks for making automotive innovations relatable and meaningful. For executives, product leaders, and marketers transforming mobility through better communication.

Follow
us on

See All

Share
Episode

The Pitch Deck Problem

In this focused case study from "Under the Hood: Automotive Storytelling," host Stéphane Lagresle reveals what happened when Stef Balkowiec, Co-Founder of GraphDome and former Managing Director at Cosworth Electronics, put his company presentation through the Evergreen process. This shows how strategic feedback transforms technology-focused decks into positioning-driven narratives that actually land with decision-makers.

Key
Insights

  • The Trust Trap: Why Credibility Can’t Be an Afterthought

    Most founders bury their strongest asset—experience—at the end of their decks. Stef and his co-founder have 60 years of combined expertise that should have opened his presentation, not closed it. Learn why trust must be established in the first 90 seconds, not earned after 20 slides.

  • From Features to Feelings: The Transformation Question

    Stef discovered that his original deck answered “what does GraphDome do?” when decision-makers needed to know “how will I be better off?” The breakthrough came from one question: “How are they going to feel?” This single insight triggered a complete rebuild.

  • Your Deck Is the Output, Not the Input

    Stef spent a full week reconstructing his presentation after gaining positioning clarity. The result? Technology moved to the appendix, the story led with human impact, and every slide answered: Why do we exist? Why should you care? What makes us different?

Key Learning Icon

Practical
Takeaways

  • Audit your first three slides today: If they don’t establish credibility, articulate customer pain, or promise transformation, you’re leading with the wrong story
  • Apply the Evergreen three-step process: (1) Live presentation to target persona, (2) In-depth analysis on feedback board, (3) Strategic repositioning session.
  • Test the “feel” versus “feature” ratio: For every technical capability you mention, articulate one emotional or business outcome your audience will experience
  • Seek outside feedback before investor meetings: Founders can’t see their own blind spots after internal iterations—strategic critique reveals gaps you’ve stopped noticing
Practical Takeaways Icon
Podcast CTA Left Image
Podcast CTA Left Image
pcbg right img

Where Technology Meets Narrative

Under the Hood: Automotive Storytelling uncovers the human narratives driving innovation in an industry that impacts lives worldwide. Hosted by Stéphane Lagresle, this podcast explores how the power of storytelling ultimately connects technology to humans.

Contact