I had one of those light bulb moments this weekend on the plane ride home from Washington, DC. I was put in a window seat (I prefer the aisle) and was watching the clouds when it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Months of contemplation, conversations and clients all rushed together into a mini eureka that I knew I couldn't ignore. I finally figured out how to tell people what I am best at and how I can help them. I am going to help the world tell their stories.
One of the very first reviews of Content Rules said the following which has always stuck with me:
"Though they offer storytelling as the primary answer to the question of how to create compelling content, the authors are equally unable to impart enough wisdom to make great yarn-spinners of most people who study their discussion of the elements of a good story."
I giggled a bit when I first read that because while I understand what they are saying, I think is next to impossible to teach someone how to be a natural storyteller. Yes, the skill can be refined and improved, but it is something that comes from inside of you and I firmly believe everyone can tell a story about anything they are passionate about.
As I looked back on my career, I realized that it didn't matter if I was helping scare people into watching Shark Week, part of the team bringing The Coca-Cola Company into a virtual world or telling families about the fun at Atlantis, everything I've been doing is helping people tell their story.
It doesn't matter if I'm working with an agency, consulting directly with an individual or working along side a non-profit, at the end of the day it all boils down to making sure that my client is comfortable with their story and that all of their marketing and communication helps tell it to the world.
I want to work with people and organizations to help find their story. I want to sit down with team members and executives to get at the heart of what makes them so special and then craft programs and initiatives that will share that with everyone. The best stories are ones that other people can be inspired by and then re-tell it in their own words. THAT is what I want to do.
Need help finding and telling your story? I'm only an e-mail away.
Photo Credit: Jeremy Lim
