The Everyday Storyteller

This episode is the final part of my special Brand Story Masterclass dedicated to getting your brand story written once and for all and giving you the confidence and know-how to get out there and tell it. If you get your brand story straight, you'll have a whole heap of content ready to go. It's perfect for your website - a refreshing change to an About Me page. Check out Lucy and Yak for a great...

Ok, this is simple. We, as people, look to work with others or buy from brands that share the same values. If you don't talk about your values, how will we ever know what you stand for? It sounds like a lost opportunity to me… As a brand, your values are the principles that guide you in everything you do. And, if you have people working for you or plan to bring them on board in the future, they al...

If your vision is where you'd like to get to one day, your mission is what you're going to do every day to achieve it. It describes how you'll act on purpose to deliver your vision and - most importantly - imparts a whole heap of handy information to your audience to attract them to you in the first place and get them to hang around for longer too. If you listened to my last episode, you're hopefu...

If you want to feel confident, you know where you're heading and be motivated to keep going, even on a bad day. Or if you want to feel fulfilled and understand why you get out of bed every day. If you wish to stop chasing every brand new sparkly thing that comes your way, then, my dear friends, it's time to figure out your vision. In the last episode, we examined your purpose - why you do what you...

When outdoor clothing company Patagonia say, 'we're in business to save our home planet', wow, do they mean it. They epitomise what it means to be a purpose-led brand and demonstrate it relentlessly. You may not be a multi-national brand (yet), but in the words of Patagonia's founder Yvon, when figuring out your purpose, "you have to start right from the beginning." I share three questions to help...

If you want to attract your dream clients, create an audience full of engaged, wonderful people or even land that killer job you've set your sights on, figuring out your brand story is one of THE most important things you can do. To mark National Storytelling Week (30 Jan - 5 Feb), the podcast is transforming into a step-by-step, day-by-day masterclass that will allow you to talk confidently about...

Did you know that research shows 62% of customers actively seek out brands whose values align to theirs? There's no getting away from it. We want brands to do do better. And we only want to give our money to those that do.  By sharing your higher purpose - the things that really matter to you, above and beyond making money, your customers can make an easy choice about working with you.  Sharin...

Let me blast a common misconception out of the water. You don't need some 'I was down to my last 20p before I spotted a massive opportunity and now I'm a squillionare' tale of inception to have something interesting to say. Talking about how you started your business works on many levels First up.  It helps your ideal client understand more about the person behind the brand i.e. yo...

You want to make it super easy for potential customers to know whether you can help them or not. Like instantly. Or else they're likely to look elsewhere until they find their answer. Of course this does rely on one thing. You understanding what the problem is you solve in the first place.  Stories that describe your ideal client and the problems you solve for them helps others quickly see whe...

How do you go about introducing yourself and your business to the people you want to work with?  HERE’S THE TRUTH: Whatever your imposter syndrome is telling you, y our customers want to learn about the person behind your brand AND how that person can help solve their problem.  WHY? Because they want to be able to trust you. They want reassurance you believe in the same things as them. And they wa...

Being a female business owner, you can sometimes feel like you’re a square peg in a round hole. But when you find others just like you, that changes everything. Suddenly, you're not alone in your journey; you're part of a collective force, each with your own unique experiences and stories. So, how do you spot when a group of people are right for you? Here are 5 green flags to look out for:...

How many times how you found yourself stuck to the same script in your business? Saying the things you think you should instead of sharing your unique story.  I get it. We stick to the script because it feels safe but what if there’s more power in breaking free? Instead of same old, same old, consider this: your story is your strength. Break free and share what makes you, your journey and your bus...

If you’ve ever felt a little stuck when it comes to storytelling for your business, today I’ve got a game changer for you - customer success stories.  Every time you share a story talking about how you’ve helped a customer, you’re achieving three incredible things: You’re building unbeatable credibility You’re reinforcing your relationship with your customers You’re reducing the fear factor for po...

A lesson in getting the basics right when launching your website.  All too often I have business owners coming to me because they’re struggling to write their website copy. So what, I hear you say, that’s not particularly unusual. I guess not, but what if I was to tell you that a high proportion of them are struggling because they don’t actually know what their business is? So before you tie yours...

Creatively do we ever reach a point when we’ve said it all? Maybe, maybe not. But as long as we’re experiencing things, meeting people, growing our businesses, living our lives, surely there is always a story to tell? In this episode I challenge you to pick 5 pieces of content you’ve shared over the last year and see if you can make relevant again by applying to it something going on right now or...

Thinking about the impact we want to leave on the world can feel like a super big topic but it doesn’t need to.  Sure some business owners leave monumental legacies but for us mere mortals, what we leave behind can be far more achievable. For me my legacy would be more women in business telling their stories with unashamed confidence. Notice that I don’t quantify how many - just 1 more woman doing...

In this episode I examine a headline grabbing article I read recently and unpick the useful lessons it provides about business storytelling.  The power of an intriguing headline that taps into an emotion we can all recognise. Can you take a functional piece of content and turn it into a story by tapping into your own emotions, those off the people in your story or the shared emotions of your audie...

One of the biggest hurdles the women I meet have with sharing their story is fear. Fear of judgement, being laughed out, failing to be heard, getting it wrong.  If you take the time to break these down, are they real fears or just the result of panic? If you were able to approach storytelling calmly and just go about sharing your experiences building your business, helping your customers, making a...

In this episode I reflect on why I don’t lose any sleep over not winning awards. And I share the 3 reasons why entering anyway can be really great for your business story: Submitting an award entry is a great opportunity to spend time refining your story. The questions that often get asked - who is your audience, what problem are you solving for them, why are you better than anyone else at doing i...

A few months ago, I preached on this very show about avoiding family opinions on your business ventures. Well, I made a colossal mistake and asked my mum to review the early chapters of my draft storytelling self-help book, "The Roar of Her Story." Disaster ensued. Lesson learned: seeking business advice from friends and family rarely leads to anything fruitful unless they align with you...

In this episode, I open up about the unplanned break I took and how surprisingly, the world didn't fall apart. No flooded inboxes or Twitter rants – just a much-needed breather. Being a good storyteller doesn't mean constant output; it's about understanding your audience and providing value. Consider what you could pause or stop doing to create some breathing space. For women with some...

Does spending time with your family in the holidays turn you into a person you don’t recognise? Or maybe someone you had really hoped you’d seen the back of? I share a little bit of advice to get you through the festivities. For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time. 5 Star ratings and reviews help other women discover...

I’m not going to lie. After taking an extended break, gearing my brain back up creatively has been a tad painful. So what do you do when your creative juices run dry and you’re staring down at a very blank, very empty sheet of paper? I share how I tackle writers block and some practical steps you can take to make sure you’re never short of storytelling inspiration.  For women with something to say...

If you’re struggling to find your voice after returning to work having had children, changing careers after redundancy or simply doing something you haven’t done for a while, you are far from alone.  In this episode I share my experiences of returning to my corporate career after 12 months maternity leave and the impact this at on my sense of purpose and voice. And I provide some practical guidanc...

In the last episode, I shared 5 shortcuts to help you get your stories out into the world easier and faster. But not every quick fix is quite what it seems.  Here are 5 potential shortcuts you’d be best to avoid: Copying other people’s work. It’s an absolute no-no. You will be caught out and it won’t be fun when you do. Being inspired by others is fine - but always make sure you credit them.  Stic...