My Persona

We have helped many companies and startups upgrade their business

Standpoint empowers companies to connect with their future customers through a structured, customer-centric methodology for creating compelling stories, aiming to increase engagement, build authentic relationships, and clarify positioning for success.

We envision a business world where companies effectively communicate with their target audience through impactful storytelling, fostering deeper connections and driving business growth through authentic engagement.

We have helped over 100 companies and startups, low tech and high tech, in a wide range of industries, from retail, industrial and service companies to high tech startups.

We understand new technology and societal trends and how they can affect individual businesses and whole markets.

Half coach, we accompany you. Half consultant, we get things done.

You will work with real experts in their field.

We are experts in storytelling, business strategy, (digital) marketing, entrepreneurship, and innovation management. But to understand your business, we bring broader skills: IT, finance, business models, marketing, project, and change management.

And also, empathy, workshop facilitation, tools such as Design Thinking, teaching, availability, and efficiency.

John Elbing

CSO – Chief Storybuilder Officer

iBorn in the US and raised in Switzerland, I combine my extroverted nature with a strong sense of structure. Bilingual in English and French, I hold an MS in Computer Science and an MBA in Finance, complemented by several specialized certifications.

My diverse career spans digital marketing, project and change management, and the launch of two innovative startups. With experience coaching over 150 startups and companies, I have been a catalyst for their journey to success.

I have cultivated an expansive toolkit to future-proof businesses, including expertise in Business Storytelling, Design Thinking, Where To Play™, Business Model Innovation, Value Proposition Design, The Grid, Pitch Coaching, and Slicing Pie.

My work extends beyond private enterprises, as I collaborate with several startup incubators and accelerators (Innosuisse, Fongit, HES-SO, UNIL, Platinn). Committed to social impact, I also offer pro bono support to refugees, migrants, and marginalized communities, empowering them to become entrepreneurs.

Additionally, I teach Entrepreneurship, Business Models, Digital Marketing, and Digital Transformation for various institutions.

I specialize in Business Storytelling with my unique methodology, Storybuilding. This approach uses canvas-based, customer-centric workshops to help companies craft compelling narratives that resonate with future customers. By doing so, they increase engagement, build authentic relationships, and clarify their positioning for lasting success.

Excitingly, Storybuilding is now a #1 International bestselling book!

Check out my LinkedIn profile.

Speaker for hire.

Looking for a speaker who brings clarity, energy, and stories that stick?

Explore my talks and sessions on Sessionize.

Happy Clients

Partner of Enablers, a network of outstanding professionals.

When change hits hard and fast, the Enablers are the team you want in your corner.

This global crew of sharp, creative business thinkers helps leaders turn chaos into clarity, boosting culture, unlocking strategy, and getting real results. They’re pros at making transformation stick, not just sound good.

If you’re facing big shifts and want to bring your people along for the ride, the Enablers make it not just doable, but energizing.

Entrepreneurship

Startup Coaching Organisations we collaborate with

Innosuisse is the Swiss Innovation Agency. Its role is to promote science-based innovation in the interest of the economy and society in Switzerland.

Switzerland’s premier innovation incubator. We specialize in tech innovation in Geneva and currently support over 250+ ICT, Engineering, and Life Sciences startups. 

Platinn, the innovation platform of Western Switzerland, strengthens, through coaching, the innovation capacity and competitiveness of companies.

Support for innovative entrepreneurial projects
innovative projects of students, assistants, staff and alumni of the HES-SO Geneva schools.

The HUB supports UNIL students, researchers, alumni and collaborators in interdisciplinary projects with a societal and environmental impact.

Pro Bono teaching, coaching & mentorship

The business incubator for people with refugee and migrant backgrounds.

A 6-month online programme bringing you all the support you need to launch or grow your feminist or LGBTIQ+ project.

MassChallenge is the global network for innovators who are working to solve massive challenges.

EQUALS-EU aims to build capacity in gender-inclusive innovation in Europe and partner countries worldwide.

Let’s work together

Customer needs, expectations, and behaviors are evolving rapidly. New technology and business models are disrupting entire industries. The notion of industry boundaries has become blurred, competitors can come from unexpected directions.

This is scary.

We help you truly understand your customer and build your story, which becomes the foundation for your marketing. We help you discover new high-potential opportunities to grow your business. We help you build a strong marketing foundation and level up your customer experience.

And we help implement strategically important internal processes to be ready for anything the world can throw at you.

We have packaged a series of workshops to future-proof your business.

We also are there, with you, to take on your biggest challenge. Tell us more.

Schedule a Mission so we can get started.