Will my entrepreneurial journey resonate with others?

Buddy, you've hit on a crucial point. Whether an IT engineer's startup story is compelling isn't about how brilliant your tech is or how elegant your code is. It's about whether you can package cold technology with a warm, human story.

Don't rush to talk about the frameworks or algorithms you used; those are the "what" and the "how." Your audience—whether investors, users, or future employees—is primarily interested in the "why."

You can refine your story from these angles to truly captivate people:

1. What is your "original intention"? - The soul of the story

Don't say, "I found a market gap"; that's too dry. Instead, frame it as a personal experience:

• Was it because you or someone close to you encountered a huge problem? For example, "My mom always struggled with booking appointments on her phone; the process was too complicated. I thought, as a software engineer, why can't I build a one-click appointment booking app that even seniors can use?"
• Was there a moment that pushed you to your breaking point? For instance, "Once, I worked two weeks straight on a project, completely exhausted. I wondered, why do engineers have to suffer like this? Can't I create a tool to free us from repetitive, tedious work?"

See, this kind of expression, with specific scenarios and emotions, is a hundred times more compelling than "an efficiency-boosting SaaS tool." The core of a story is people, and emotion.

2. What "pitfalls" have you stepped into? - The flesh and blood of the story

No one wants to hear a smooth-sailing story; people love tales of heroes overcoming trials. The difficulties you faced, your struggles, your moments of despair—those are what truly resonate.

• Technical pitfalls: "At the time, to crack that tough problem, our team didn't get a good night's sleep for three months. We tried seven or eight solutions, all failed, and we almost gave up."
• Market pitfalls: "We built the product, full of confidence, but no one used it. I went to users one by one, got chewed out, and only then realized we weren't building what they actually wanted."
• Personal struggles: "During the toughest times, we only had a few thousand left in the bank, not enough to pay next month's salaries. I suffered sleepless nights, even considered closing the company and going back to being an employee."

Don't be afraid to reveal these "scars"; they are your badges of honor. They prove your persistence and resilience, and they transform your image from just a "programmer" into someone multi-dimensional and rich.

3. What was your "flash of inspiration"? - The turning point of the story

After enduring all those hardships, how did you find a way out? This turning point is the climax of your story.

• Perhaps a casual remark from a user enlightened you.
• Maybe while debugging code late one night, a brilliant solution suddenly came to you.
• Or perhaps reading a certain book or meeting someone gave you inspiration.

Share this "aha!" moment, and your audience will feel the same sense of clarity and relief as if the clouds have parted.

4. What "future" do you want to create? - The sublimation of the story

Finally, elevate your personal story to a larger vision. Your product isn't just a tool; what change can it bring to others? How can it make the world different?

• "I hope that in the future, all seniors like my mom can easily enjoy the convenience of the internet, instead of being left behind by technology."
• "I hope our tool can make every project manageable, allowing every engineer to have time to spend with family and pursue what they truly love."

To summarize:

A compelling story = an original intention rooted in personal emotion + a history of struggle and hardship + a turning point where light appears after darkness + a future that others also aspire to.

Don't be afraid of being inarticulate; sincerity is the greatest skill. You don't need fancy words; just tell your true experiences and feelings in plain language.

Try restructuring your story using this framework, then tell it to a non-tech friend. If they find it engaging, even a little teary-eyed, then you've succeeded.