Diversity and Inclusion

Standing up to tell your story: pitching support with Karis from Social Stories Club

Picture this: you’re standing backstage at Scottish Edge – Scotland’s biggest business funding competition – heart pounding, palms sweating. In a few minutes, you’ll walk into a room full of judges and pitch your social enterprise in front of an audience. It’s a bit like walking into the dragon’s den – these are your ideas, your passion, and your community you’re about to represent. 

And yet, every year, LaunchMe participants do exactly that. They sign up. They prepare. They walk through those doors and pitch their hearts out. 

Any support that can make that experience even slightly less scary? That’s gold dust.

Meet Karis 

This is where Karis Gill comes in. She founded Social Stories Club and is one of the external experts available as part of LaunchMe’s programme of support. We’re incredibly lucky to have her as a partner on the programme. 

Karis is bright, energetic and passionate about helping people tell their stories effectively. And she’s incredibly experienced. She’s travelled the world supporting people with pitching and storytelling. She hosted the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland. Social Stories Club, which she co-founded, has now reached £1 million in revenue with impressive profitability. She knows what she’s talking about because she’s lived it. 

Making a difference 

In the last three rounds of Scottish Edge, every winner of the Social Edge category has had support from Karis, both through her workshops and one-to-one sessions. Some of our participants have told us that her support made the difference between winning and not winning.

As one participant put it: 

“I wouldn’t have won without Karis.” 

Now, we’re not trying to take away from what our participants achieve – they’re the ones with the brilliant ideas, the courage to pitch, and the dedication to make their enterprises work. But having someone in your corner who understands the mechanics of a good pitch, who can help you structure your story, and who genuinely believes in what you’re doing? That’s powerful. 

Learning from someone who gets it 

What makes Karis special for our programme is representation. She’s a young woman. She’s neurodivergent. She runs her own successful social enterprise. For our participants, seeing someone like Karis delivering expert support sends a clear message: there’s space for you here. Success looks like lots of different people. 

This matters deeply to the LaunchMe team. Accessibility, cultural competency and inclusion aren’t add-ons to our programme, they’re embedded throughout. Having diverse experts means our participants can see themselves reflected in the people supporting them. 

You don’t have to do it alone 

Pitching will probably always feel a bit scary. That’s natural when you’re putting yourself and your ideas out there. But you don’t have to walk into that room alone. Whether it’s Scottish Edge, a conversation with an investor, or a room full of potential partners, having expert support can help you feel more prepared, more confident, and more able to tell your story in a way that lands. 

Because your story matters. Your enterprise matters. And you deserve every bit of support available to help you share that with the world. 

Want to learn more? 

Interested in joining or finding more about LaunchMe? Book in for an online chat with Renae, our Social Investment Relationship Manager.