The founder's journey

The Hero's journey, Tarot and marketing strategy

When we speak about marketing in general or marketing strategy particularly, we usually discuss a target audience and how to communicate with them. But there is one more person, maybe even more important, because on this one whole success depends.

Their fears block creating some kind of content. Their poor belief stop from doing something new or unique. Their striving for approval forbids them to make mistakes and just test hypotheses. Their deep personal involvement makes marketing not just a business thing, but a personal thing. If they can't separate their's desires from the target audience's desires, they can't build something people want, they build what they personally want.

All these things are not about marketing at all. It's psychology. But it affects marketing a lot, especially for small entrepreneurs and startups. We can't create a really successful marketing process until we solve these problems.

I assumed the founders' way to successful marketing is like a famous Hero's Journey. In its turn, the Hero's Journey matches the Tarot major arcana. I tested this hypothesis on a few last marketing strategies I created, and it seems it's true.

The final match between The Hero's journey, Tarot, and marketing strategy creation is below. This could help with both the explanation for the founder of what will going on and the more accurately leading founder through the process to good results.

1. Ordinary world;The Fool;The Hero;The current position. What is known at the present time;The diagnosis test: the current situation 2. Call to adventure;The Magician + The High Priestess;The Heavenly parents;Impulse and space of options: I want this, and there are these options to get it.;Goals: what I want and a big list of options 3. Refusal of the call;The Empress + The Emperor;The Earthly parents;Resistance to change: I can't achieve the goal, I don't know how;Resources and restrictions 4. Meeting with the mentor;The Hierophant + The Lovers;The education of the Hero. The decision;Taking that pressure off the need to change: we will help, it's not so scary.;Meeting Ugetgoal — the tool that will help you make marketing decisions. 5. Crossing the first threshold;The Chariot;The departure;Deciding on changes, signing up for changes. The decision to leave the familiar world;Red and blue buttons (like The Matrix red and blue pills). Changing the color of the app 6. Tests, allies, and enemies;Justice;Maturation;Trial and error. Facing failure;Challenges. First tasks to do, without any theory or preparation 7. Approach to the inmost cave;The Hermit + The wheel of Fortune + Strength;One’s true name + The Calling + Hubris or the helpful anima;Finding a working option. Fitting into the rules of the game.;The first results, conclusions, and the first strategy. 8. The ordeal;The hanged man;The great crisis;Finding yourself. Rethinking the found working options, alignment with internal values;Test about owner’s and company’s inner values 9. Reward;Death + Temperance;Descent into the Underworld + The guide of souls;Rejection of something that does not fit: moderation, humility, compromises. Aligning your internal with external goals and results, trying to do this.;The second strategy. Changing the strategy to fit the owner's values 10. The road back;The Devil;In the realm of the shadow;Strong temptations, imperfection, facing problems;Test about new goals and values 11. The resurrection;The tower;Dramatic liberation;The collapse of former goals and plans, stereotypical values;The third strategy 12. Return with the elixir;The star + The moon + The sun + Judgement + The world;The foundation of youth + The dangerous return + Return to the light or reconciliation + The healing + The paradise regained;New hopes, new plans, new strategy;Final action plan. You are the hero! Cheers!

The Founder's Journey could be imaged like in the picture below.