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“Imagine an apple. Can you see it?”
I'm sitting in a cozy Berlin flat with my friend. The room is dim, lit only by the glow of a small disco ball reflecting off the walls.
I close my eyes and try to picture the apple. I know its shape, the color of its skin, and its crisp texture. But when I focus, all I see is the shimmering blackness —no vivid image comes to mind.
“No.”
"I think you might have aphantasia."
What is aphantasia?
If you haven’t heard that word before, you’re not alone. And no, I’m not talking about the iconic Disney musical Fantasia.
Aphantasia, often called "mind blindness," describes the inability to visualize mental images.
Unlike most people who can picture things in their minds with ease, those with aphantasia experience anything from a pit of darkness to a faint outline. Only 1-4% of the population has aphantasia, but people experience it differently—some can’t visualize at all, while others have weak imagery.
So why does this matter for startups, founders, and communicators trying to solve complex societal issues?
Mindblind to mindshift: communication starts in the brain
We all perceive the world differently. Our brains are, quite literally, wired in distinct ways.
For startups, particularly those working on solutions to global problems like climate change, understanding how to reach diverse minds is critical.
Having aphantasia, I rely on external tools like organizational structures to frame my thinking since I can’t rely on mental images. Others, like my sister, make up movies in their minds and thrive on a vivid imagination.
These different ways of visualizing the world impact how we perceive it and communicate our understanding.
For businesses, recognizing these differences is essential when developing content. Tailoring your messaging to meet a variety of thought processes can ensure that your message resonates with a broader, more diverse audience.
Leveraging neurodivergence for resonance
I love words. When I think about what makes me tick, it’s the way that words can move, inspire, and unite us across distance, culture, and time.
As a neurodivergent strategist, my happy place is when I get to pursue my curiosity, jumping between my mental tabs to uncover unlikely connections, and translating ideas through narratives that connect with audiences.
That’s me.
What about you? Or your team? Is your CTO passionate about photography? Is your CFO a fan of documentaries? Do they see and frame the world in worlds, colors, concepts, or numbers?
Whatever form of content resonates most with you — be it photography or data visualization — is likely where you’ll connect best with your audience.
Startups thrive on innovation, and this innovation often stems from diverse thinking. By understanding and appreciating the neurodivergent perspectives within your team, you can foster more emotional and authentic connections with your target audience.
How to communicate complex solutions
One of the biggest challenges startups face is communicating their complex, often abstract, solutions in ways that others can understand and engage with.
Climate change, for instance, requires long-term, multifaceted thinking. It’s not just a scientific challenge; it’s about getting people to buy into solutions that don’t offer immediate payoffs and often pit stakeholder interests against one another.
There are no silver bullets. But there are stories.
And the most powerful ones are those that speak to our unique perspectives and ways of thinking.
Founders need to explain not just what their solutions do, but why they matter—especially when the rewards may be distant or hard to grasp immediately.
Embrace your unique perspective
Not everyone can picture an apple. Much less the inner workings of a carbon capture storage facility.
So, how do you create content that meets people where they are and brings them into your mission?
Take a page from the neurodivergent playbook. Open up your own mental tabs, explore them, and tease out the bits that are most unique to you. What inspires you? What makes you care? Those personal insights can help shape stories that will resonate with others.
When your stories reflect your own distinctive voice and experiences, they have the power to inspire action and investment in the causes you care about.
We may not reach everyone all the time, but by tapping into neurodivergent thinking and embracing our differences, we can uncover unexpected connections. These connections help bridge the gap between understanding, caring, and, ultimately, acting.
What startups can do to apply neurodivergent thinking:
Diverse storytelling approaches: Explore different storytelling formats to reach varied audiences.
Inclusive communication strategy: Make space for neurodivergent perspectives on your team. Understand how different individuals process information and design your communication strategy accordingly.
Personalized messaging: Lean into your own unique thought processes, and share stories that are both deeply personal and universally relatable. This can make complex ideas more tangible.
Ready to harness your team’s unique strengths and tell stories that inspire? Reach out today for a consultation.
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