HARO Pitch Template for Startups

Founder Expert Commentary

Answer a trend query with sharp, first-hand founder insight the reporter can attribute to a named, credentialed source.

Subject: Founder source for your [Publication] story on [Topic]

Hi [First Name],

Responding to your source request on [Topic]. I am the founder of [Company], a [Category, e.g. B2B SaaS or DTC brand] startup I have run for [Number] years, so I can speak to the exact point you raised from the operator seat and get it back to you on deadline.

Here is a quote you can drop in as-is, no editing needed:

"[One sharp, jargon-free sentence answering the exact question from your own experience building the company]"

Attribute it to [Full Name], Founder and [Title] at [Company]. If it helps, I can add a contrarian angle, react to a competitor viewpoint, or hop on a five-minute call before you file.

To keep it clean for your readers, everything here is my first-hand view rather than industry-wide data, and I am happy to point you to a public source if you need hard figures for the piece.

A short bio and headshot are ready if you need them for the credit line.

Best,
[Your Name]
[Title, Company]
[Email / Phone]

First-Hand Operator Data Reply

Share qualitative results and lessons from running the startup, in ranges and direction with no invented numbers.

Subject: What actually happened when we [Action], for your piece

Hi [First Name],

Saw your request for founders who can share real results on [Topic]. I run [Company] and we lived through exactly this, so here is a first-hand account your readers can trust.

What we tried and what it taught us:

• What we changed: [the specific move, e.g. shifted onboarding or repriced a plan]
• What shifted: [the result in direction or a rough range, e.g. churn dropped noticeably in the first quarter]
• The lesson: [the takeaway another founder could act on]

I am giving you direction and ranges rather than a precise figure I would have to reverse-engineer, because a made-up number helps neither of us. If you need an exact metric, I can check what we can share publicly and confirm it before you file.

Attribute the account to [Full Name], Founder of [Company]. Glad to go deeper on any point on a quick call.

Best,
[Your Name]
[Title, Company]
[Email / Phone]

Contrarian Founder Take Reply

Give the reporter a defensible contrarian opinion that stands out from the generic founder replies on the query.

Subject: A contrarian founder take on [Topic]

Hi [First Name],

Your source request on [Topic] gave me an angle most founders replying will not offer you. The popular advice says [the common assumption], and running [Company] for [Number] years taught me it often backfires.

What I actually believe: [your contrarian position in one or two plain sentences]. We learned it the hard way when [the concrete experience that changed your mind], which is the kind of thing a reader chasing the same advice would want flagged.

I can stand behind this on the record and defend the nuance if an editor pushes back, because it is drawn from lived experience rather than a hot take. To be fair to your piece, it is my opinion as one operator, not a universal rule.

If a contrarian pull-quote fits, attribute it to [Full Name], Founder of [Company]. Happy to add the counterargument too so you have both sides in one email.

Best,
[Your Name]
[Title, Company]
[Email / Phone]

Product or Tech Expertise Reply

Position the founder as a technical or product expert when the query wants a builder who knows the how.

Subject: Product source for your explainer on [Topic]

Hi [First Name],

Saw your request for someone who can break down [Topic] for readers. I am the founder of [Company] and built our [Product or Feature] hands-on, so I can explain how this actually works rather than repeat the marketing version.

1. [The core concept, e.g. what the technology does]: [one plain sentence]
2. [Where teams get it wrong]: [one plain sentence]
3. [What we do differently and why]: [one plain sentence]

One nuance worth a line: [a subtle point most coverage misses]. I have kept this vendor-neutral so it holds up for your readers regardless of what tool they use.

If a quote would anchor the section, attribute it to [Full Name], Founder and [Title] at [Company]. I can also send a simple diagram or a short technical review if that helps you file with confidence.

Best,
[Your Name]
[Title, Company]
[Email / Phone]

Fundraising or Hiring Insight Reply

Comment on raising, hiring, or remote work from lived experience when the reporter wants a founder who did it.

Subject: Founder perspective on [Fundraising, Hiring, or Remote Work]

Hi [First Name],

Responding to your source request on [Topic]. I raised [Round Stage, e.g. a pre-seed or seed round] for [Company] and built the team from the ground up, so I can speak to this from the inside rather than in theory.

What I learned that a reader would find useful:

• [Insight one, e.g. what investors really pressed on]
• [Insight two, e.g. the hire that mattered most early]
• [Insight three, e.g. what remote actually cost or saved us]

I am describing what happened for us in qualitative terms, not quoting a valuation or a headcount figure I would rather not misstate. If you need a specific number, I will confirm what we can share publicly before you print it.

Attribute the commentary to [Full Name], Founder of [Company]. Glad to expand on any one of these on a quick call before your deadline.

Best,
[Your Name]
[Title, Company]
[Email / Phone]

Fast Deadline Founder Reply

Reply in seconds when the query is closing soon, with one usable quote and nothing else to slow the reporter down.

Subject: Quick founder source for [Topic] - on deadline

Hi [First Name],

Fast reply since your deadline is close. I am the founder of [Company], a [Category] startup I have run for [Number] years, so I can go straight to the answer.

Usable quote, on the record:

"[One sharp sentence answering the exact question from first-hand experience]", [Full Name], Founder of [Company].

If you need a second line for context: [one optional supporting sentence]. This is my first-hand view, not industry data, so I have kept it to what I can actually stand behind.

I am reachable at [Phone] right now if you want it verified, tightened, or expanded before you file, and I can turn a follow-up around in minutes. Bio and headshot are ready if you need them for the credit.

Best,
[Your Name]
[Title, Company]
[Email / Phone]

Relationship Follow-Up Note

Thank the reporter after they publish and stay on their source list for future startup and founder queries.

Subject: Thanks for the mention in [Article Title]

Hi [First Name],

Thanks for including my quote in [Article Title]: the piece read well and you framed the [Topic] point more cleanly than I did. I shared it with our team and a few founders in my network, so it got a second life.

If it is ever useful, I am glad to be a standing source when you cover [Beat, e.g. early-stage startups, SaaS, or fundraising] and are up against a deadline. I keep answers first-hand and quotable, stick to what I can actually back up, and never invent a number to sound more impressive.

I can also give you a heads-up on what I am seeing before it hits the mainstream: [a shift in your market, a product launch, or a fundraising trend worth watching] is one I am close to right now, if you want to get ahead of it.

No need to reply. Mostly wanted to say thanks and leave the door open for the next story.

Best,
[Your Name]
[Title, Company]
[Email / Phone]

Is HARO still around, and where do I find these queries as a founder?

The original HARO wound down, and Connectively followed. The model lives on. Reporters now post source requests on Qwoted, Featured, SourceBottle, and ResponseSource, plus X and LinkedIn. Set alerts for your market and follow the journorequest tag.

What makes a founder a strong source versus just another reply?

First-hand experience the reporter cannot get elsewhere. Answer from the operator seat, share a lesson from building the company, and give a named, quotable line. Generic advice is ignored; a specific story from a real founder gets published.

How do I share startup results without exposing private metrics?

Speak in direction and ranges rather than exact figures. Say churn dropped noticeably or revenue roughly doubled instead of quoting numbers you would rather keep private. Offer to confirm anything shareable before print so they still get substance.

Should I ever make up a statistic to sound more credible?

Never. A reporter who catches a fabricated number will cut you and may not use you again, and it can damage your company's reputation. Stick to qualitative claims you can defend, and point to a public source when the story needs hard data.

Why do journalists keep ignoring my founder source pitches?

Usually the reply is late, too long, or does not answer the exact question. Respond within a few hours, lead with your founder credentials, and hand over a clean, paste-ready quote. Reporters pick whoever makes their job easiest on deadline.

How does landing these mentions actually help my startup's SEO?

A quote in a credible publication often earns a byline link or company mention, which builds authority and topical relevance for your site. Track which pitches convert to links, screen the linking domains, and follow up to earn repeat coverage.