Folklore Debt: The Stories That Build B2B Companies — and the Ones That Hold Them Back

saraboostani

Hi all,

Yesterday we teased the release of our new framework Folklore Debt. We're really excited to be sharing it with you today.

Like technical debt, folklore debt accumulates when the stories that once drove success outlive the conditions that made them true — quietly shaping decisions long after they should have been retired.

We explore it in four parts:

• The origin of folklore debt — how early wins harden into operating principles, and why that becomes a constraint
• Folklore debt from the seller side — four GTM myths most orgs have lived through: founder-led sales, the MQL origin story, the tool-as-savior, and the "great seller" archetype
• Folklore debt from buyers — buyers carry stories from past jobs and vendors that shape shortlists and evaluation criteria before sellers ever engage
• How to achieve narrative hygiene — a practical process for keeping your stories time-stamped, contextual, and open to revision

Need help understanding how folklore debt might be operating within your own org? There's a free assessment included at the top to help you work through it. As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Read it here!

@Kerry

Kerry

It eventually adds up in every organization. The weight of folklore debt can do serious harm. We tell some of those stories in the report, and we'd love to hear yours.

Kerry