Storytelling For Entrepreneurs
"A storyteller is a life poet, an artist who transforms day-to-day living, inner life and outer life, dreams and actuality into a poem, whose rhyme schemes are events rather than words." - Robert McKee
Since I was four years old and could actually write and formulate words by myself, I considered myself an artist and storyteller. It’s been a passion of my heart to tell stories - stemming from little me creating them with my little crocheted finger puppets and bringing them to life on paper, developing to writing scripts and acting in plays from the tender age of six or seven, to continuing to work in acting and film as a teenager and young adult and well into my twenties. Story-telling is the love of my life, the passion of my heart, and something that is never far from me.
I live in a firmly planted belief that we are all storytellers. Whether true or fiction, we have the ability to tap into our inner story and the inner lives of others based on the questions we ask and the way we receive. Of course, we can also receive others’ stories through the forms of podcasts, film, art museums where artists draw or paint the proverbial stories…it’s the lens of what we see around us. It’s the way our perception of a fellow coffee drinker might differ to their perception of us. It’s what we see and what we don’t see. It’s our murmured hellos and conversations with the grocery store clerk or librarian or dog-walker. Our perception changes based on the information our brains are taking in - the world around us declaring its own rhythms and laws, singing its own melody, stampeding forward into its future, or holding back in its own apprehension.
And here we are, in the midst of it, telling our own story with our everyday existence.
As entrepreneurs in this century, we have the privilege of telling our own story through film in a more accessible way than we’ve ever had before: through platforms like instagram, tiktok, or even facebook stories, and they have become the compelling tool of influence in any business. Storytelling is the new branding. Here are my top three ways to tell your story for your business, social media, and personal love of storytelling…because passion is everything.
Share Your Character
There’s become this idea of a main character come to life lately. “Main character energy” is something I hear often, based on a person’s energy, idealism, or even the way they carry themselves. While you might be your own main character, I think it’s equally important to create a story where your main character (you) interacts with your life. On any social media platform, create a connection with those following and interested in your life. It’s more than just the pretty pictures or the reel you create, it’s starting with something that interacts and connects with the viewer, bringing them into your story. Think about this with someone in your life or that you look up to: what do you want to know about them? How do they inspire you? What do you wish they would be willing to share? Now apply that to yourself. The more relatable, the better. It’s not just how you benefit, it’s how others benefit from you. Before you seek to become an influencer, seek to become a storyteller. It changes the mindset and brings everything into perspective.
Use Visuals to Enhance the Journey
This might seem obvious, but it’s not ever about the destination. People aren’t interested in where you’re going - we’re a generation that’s interested in authenticity and the evolution from “then” to “now.” So share the everyday. Make it real, make it honest, and remember, perfectionism is a thing of the past. Talk about how you went from consistent depression or irritation to how you are now. Let’s say you start as a babysitter, you graduate to nanny while you’re studying in college, you work in retail, and you work towards starting your business while working those two jobs. Talk about it! And if you feel like you haven’t come that far and there are still things to work on, that’s okay. In fact, it’s even more relatable, which makes you more unique, which helps to bring others alongside of you as you come alongside them. This is the stuff that helps to motivate and inspire others. Before you know it, you’ve created community…which is what social media was about in the first place.
3. Say “Yes, and.”
My acting coach’s finest point was always, “yes, and.” You never leave your fellow creatives and empaths hanging; your answer is always yes, and here’s what else. You are listening, you are receiving information, you are visualizing their story, and you are bringing that information into your own story. People are meaningful. As you venture into active (not passive) storytelling for your brand or market, find your niche and bring your unique viewpoint to that angle. Don’t hesitate to to tell a story of determination - and remember, even if you never say a word, your life is talking for you. We have the opportunity to interact with people from all over the world - “yes, and,” allows you to continue the conversation; don’t leave your people hanging.
And for the writers, speakers, and those who consider themselves far from the storyteller - keep thinking in stories. We’re all creative, whether we realize it or not. It would be a shame to come to the end of your life without a collection of personal stories, ideas, or even a musical soundtrack for it. Storytelling at its heart is a form of connection - so be open to sharing wherever you can.
What was the last story you connected with?
xo,
sierra mackenzie
To read more about levels of health, storytelling, conflict management, & for an interactive test to help determine your type, my book, THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE ENNEAGRAM, based on the pillars of Home, Love, Work, & Play, is now available in North America, Australia, and Europe. Order here with my partner vendors, or pick up a copy at your local bookstore.