For the past two weeks we’ve had friends stay and visit us in Lisbon from NY.

My former work wife from the TODAY show came to see me. (also a coach in my premium Founder’s Fire storytelling program where we put your WHY story to video kicks off this fall…get on the waitlist!)

And my son’s bestie from Brooklyn surprised him for his 11th birthday. (promise this is not a personal diary entry so keep with me people but there is a point to my storytelling madness.)

All three of us moms are really passionate about our careers and talked about work….a lot.
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My former work wife is no longer at the TODAY show but RISING through the ranks in NYC media as an on-air reporter & my other friend is a top real estate broker in Brooklyn (getting to the top in her market 3 years after deciding to make a career pivot but that story is for another day.)
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​Both of their industries are cut throat and especially for my real estate friend -EXTREMELY crowded.
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But one thing is for certain as we chatted about our professional challenges and achievements.
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Once you hit a certain point in your industry and you crave getting “to that next level” it takes a lot more than being “good at your job.”
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My real estate friend said to me, “I am at the point where I need to be more visible and get a personal brand strategy.”
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​Which brings me to wanting to share with you a huge misconception that holds many business owners back:
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​“Telling personal stories isn’t necessary for my business success. I just need to focus on my product or service.”​
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There was a point in time that was 100% true.
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And me and my former work wife talked about how in the earlier days at the TODAY show, you could get away as a business with having a super generic “About” page and nothing of substance on it and STILL get a call from us to be on the show as long as your business checked out.

But as social media became the dominant marketing and PR force, we noticed a noticeable shift by the time 2016 rolled around.
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Us producers needed to pitch with a much more compelling story to our bosses each week in our show meetings.
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The expectation to a business and by proxy the founder was much higher.
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Ciao ciao to “I like coffee and lazy Sundays and come on down to the show” to my boss asking me, “Tell me why we should put THAT person specifically on the show.”
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In 2024, the access expectation is even higher.
The online space for most industries even more saturated.
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Which is why your stories and your unique way of connecting to your audience is the ONLY differentiator you have because most products and services are more or less…. The same.
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My friend who puts people on air daily in NYC told me this.
My real estate friend expressed she needed to do more of this.
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So in lieu of a case study audit this week, here are three quick, actionable tips to help you harness the power of storytelling for your business:​
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​1. Craft Your Origin Story​
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Action step: Write a 2-3 sentence “elevator pitch” about why you started your business. What personal experience drove you to create your product or service?
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Tell it to your phone and pin it to your Instagram or Linkedin. Don’t worry about how professional the production is, talking to the camera is fine (for now.) ​
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​2. Share “Behind-the-Scenes” Moments​
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Action step: Once a week, post a photo or short video of your work process on social media. This could be brainstorming sessions, product creation, or even your morning routine. People really DO want to see this.
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​3. Use AI to Enhance (Not Replace) Your Voice​
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Action step: Use AI as your brainstorming partner to generate story ideas, then personalize them with your unique experiences. Here’s a quick process:
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a) Choose an AI writing tool (like ChatGPT or Claude)​
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b) Prompt the AI with: “Generate 5 personal anecdote topics related to [your industry/niche].”
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c) From the AI’s suggestions, select the one that resonates most with your experiences.
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d) Ask the AI to provide a basic outline for that story.
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e) Use this outline as a starting point, but infuse it with your personal details, emotions, and lessons learned.
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f) Edit the final piece to ensure it captures your authentic voice and aligns with your brand message. Remember, AI is your assistant, not your ghostwriter.
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Remember, your personal stories and unique perspective on life is often the only thing setting you apart from competitors. It’s not just about the product anymore – it’s about the face (yours!) and your journey behind it.
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If you’re ready to dive deeper into storytelling strategies that can transform your business, keep an eye out for my upcoming “Ignite Your Narrative 2.0” workshop.
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It will be the second series of an AI storytelling workshop I ran last year that was incredibly popular.
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OK back to my last week of “summer” (I feel like I didn’t really have a normal one) before OUR SECOND YEAR OF SCHOOL IN LISBON STARTS!?!? Where does the time go.