A friend and I were catching up and reminiscing on where we’ve been to where we are when she paused mid-convo and said, “Someone would really benefit from hearing your story.” I felt confused. I didn’t think I had been telling my story at all; I was simply talking about my life.
Everyone has a story. Duh. We’ve heard that before.
But sometimes, we forget to include ourselves in that “everyone”.
When you’re living it, your everyday often doesn’t feel like anything special.
Reminder — none of us are living the exact same life. One person’s status quo may be another person’s dream, or at least, it something that piques their curiosity.
When you undermine your story, you undermine everything that’s an extension of you; that includes your business.
Because your story is the one thing that no one can replicate (not even AI — take that, ChatGPT!)
Your services? Someone else is doing them, too.
Your technology? It could be the slickest tech around and be outdated in a few months.
Your expertise? Impressive, but there could always be someone more knowledgeable.
Your story is your game-changer. And the best part is: you can write and rewrite it at any time.
So think about yours. What got you here? What was the moment – the spark – that brought you to this point in your life; to building your business and brand? Here are some of our favorite toth shop client stories to help inspire:
Susan Carson of Design Authentic knew from her calling was to pursue the arts and interior design. What was her lightbulb moment? Read her story on her About Us page.
Boundary Street Advisors is more than full-service commercial real estate; it’s a testament to those who came before them. Read the story here.
Renee from Read Write Think Renee hated school; so how did she end up becoming an education consultant? Find out here.
If you’re still feeling stuck, here are some questions to get you thinking about where your story began. Also - you likely have MANY one-off stories you could share, so let’s dig deeper and follow the thread that links them. Grab a pen and paper; that’s the best way to get your ideas out.
What did you love doing as a child? Your hobbies, how you spent your time, jot down anything that comes up, even if it seems insignificant to you now.
Identify one commonality between your professional experiences. Maybe it’s as obvious as you’ve always worked in marketing; maybe it’s more vague in that you’ve always loved connecting with people. What’s the throughline?
What about your personal experiences? How have you chosen to spend your free time throughout your life? Where do you vacation? What makes you come alive outside of work?
What’s a moment or memory you often refer back to when something changed for you — where you pivoted or redirected? Don’t overthink it — just name the first thing that pops into your head. What happened?
What does everyone tell you you’re great at?
Hopefully, this stirred some juices for you and got you realizing you’ve done some cool sh*t, you’ve seen some things, and there’s a bigger reason behind why you do what you do.
Now, go on — tell your story.
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