What should I say when someone asks, “So what do you do?”
Start with the outcome you create, not your title or process. Your answer should make it easy for someone to immediately understand who you help and why it matters.
This question shows up everywhere. Networking events. Sales calls. Family dinners. And it catches founders off guard because it feels casual—but it’s not.
“So what do you do?” is a positioning moment.
Most founders answer by listing roles, tools, or activities. That forces the listener to do the work of connecting the dots. And most people won’t.
A better approach is to answer with impact.
Instead of saying what you are, say what changes because you exist.
This does two things:
- It makes the conversation easier
- It gives the other person something to respond to
Good answers invite curiosity.
Bad answers invite silence.
You don’t need the perfect script. You need a default answer you can trust—one that works in most rooms, with most people.
When founders don’t have this, they ramble. They over-explain. They apologize for their answer. And that uncertainty is felt, even if the listener can’t name it.
Confidence doesn’t come from delivery.
It comes from clarity.
When you know exactly what problem you solve and for whom, this answer becomes simple—and repeatable.
Lock your pitch in 90 minutes.
The Ignition Sprint is a single focused session. Walk out with a story pitch, a written pitch, and a one-pager you can use the same week. $1,500.
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