A few years ago, I wrapped a dreamy business retreat in Santa Fe — sunshine, breathwork, big ideas, the whole nine. But by the time I landed in Phoenix, I was exhausted, disheveled, and rerouted to Boise on the wrong flight.

That’s how I ended up in the last middle seat on the plane, beside a woman who, instead of popping in AirPods, decided to talk.

By the time we touched down, I had a client meeting on the books.

And not just any client. A VP of Marketing at an $80M company who needed exactly what I offer.

Here’s the wild part: she didn’t hear a pitch, see my website, or scroll my Instagram. She heard three stories. And they were enough to land the deal.

Stories Sell — But Only If You Tell the Right Ones

We talk a lot about storytelling in business. But this experience reminded me how powerful the right story is at the right moment. If you’re tired of selling strategies that feel sleazy or scattered, you need three specific stories in your back pocket:

1. The Founder Story
This one’s personal. It’s the spark that started it all. The moment you saw the problem you now solve and decided to build something around it. It’s not your résumé. It’s your ignition point. The piece that shows empathy and authority in one breath.

2. The Problem Story
Not just any problem, but the one your offer solves best. I know, you probably solve a dozen things. But this story works when it zooms in on the specific, visceral challenge your ideal client feels in their body:

• Not enough leads.
• Constant burnout.
• Chronic confusion.

Name it. Speak to it. Let them feel seen.

3. The Transformation Story
This is the proof. It’s the story of the client who walked in overwhelmed and walked out with a plan. Or the team that finally stopped treating marketing like a guessing game. A strong transformation story highlights results and creates a clear mirror for your audience. It shows them what’s possible — and what it could feel like to get there.

Build Your Story Bank Now
(Future You Will Thank You)

Here’s what I tell every client: Start a story bank.

It’s like a piggy bank, but for moments: client wins, personal pivots, hard-earned lessons, sticky conversations that unlocked something new.

Grab a doc, a Note, a whiteboard. Doesn’t matter. Just start capturing.

Because when opportunity shows up, whether it’s a podcast interview, a pitch call, or a middle seat on a tired Tuesday, you want your stories ready.

If you want help identifying which stories to tell, I made something for you:

The 8 Origin Stories Every Brand Needs to Build Trust

🎧 Want to listen to this full episode on the Business Origin Stories podcast? Tune in on Apple or Spotify.