So You Think You Want to Become a Storyteller… Stories In Business

I’m teaching a storytelling workshop to 100 non-profit executive directors when one of the CEOs raises her hand. She says, “I don’t have a story. I run the local Humane Society and we depend on donations. None of the donors care about my personal story. They want to hear about the animals.” 

So I ask her why she wanted to become CEO in the first place.

“That’s easy,” she says. “I rescued a kitten when I was young and from then on I knew I wanted to spend my life helping animals.”

Her answer to my question is her story. 

It’s the one she goes on to tell donors who get to know, like, and trust her on a level like never before. And in the months that follow, sharing that story creates a huge competitive advantage in raising money for her local branch of the Humane Society.

That’s the name of the game, folks! And it’s what I’m digging into in this episode as the podcast series “So You Think You Want to Become a Storyteller…” continues. This time we are focusing on how and why to use stories in business.

In the episode, I discuss why using personal stories for business matters, even when dealing with serious issues. I cover the trust factor that stories engender, using story in an environment unaccustomed to it, experimenting with story length, the importance of crafting your story instead of just shooting it from the hip, and much more.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why stories are applicable in any type of business communication
• How to come up with stories for specific business purposes
• How to trim your story down to three minutes or less

Hi there. I’m Kymberlee.

As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I’ve had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I’ve seen what works when influencing change and what doesn’t. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That’s why I’m building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell real stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people’s lives.

Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You’ll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teaching my clients to do the same.

If you think business owners can’t tell stories or don’t have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There’s no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value.

Now it’s your turn... If you’re ready to become a master storyteller and affect change in our world, you’ve come to the right place.