Knowing And Leveraging Your Personal Story In Business

Have you ever thought of how your own personal story can make a big difference in your business? Learning how to leverage your unique experiences, challenges, and successes can help you better connect with your audience, gain their trust, and grow your business faster. 

Want to learn more about storytelling? Start by downloading the first chapter of The Storytelling Series for Small Businesses.

Today’s short read is from book three of The Storytelling Series for Small Businesses and Content Creators. The book is titled: How To Tell Your Personal Story: The Essential Guide To Memorable Storytelling and it’s available on Amazon if you want to get a copy for yourself and read along. 

We are in Chapter 2 of the book. Now, the reading:  

“Do you know your personal story? Yes, I mean that because many of us do not. We simply live in a bubble, doing what we see others do, without being intentional about our lives and that is not good enough if we want to stand out from the noise around us. This is also why stories are important irrespective of what your purposes might be. 

Now, here are five benefits of knowing your personal story in case you haven’t given serious thought by now. I encourage you to reflect on every single one of them: 

1. It helps you to understand yourself better: By understanding your personal story, you can gain a greater insight into who you are, your strengths, your weaknesses, and your motivations and desires. 

2. It helps you to make sense of your past: Knowing your personal story can help you to make sense of your past experiences and how they have shaped you into the person you are today. 

3. It gives you a sense of purpose: Another thing knowing your personal story can do for you is a sense of purpose and direction. It helps you see how your experiences and challenges have prepared you for the future. 

4. It can help you to overcome challenges: By understanding your personal story, you can gain the insight and perspective needed to overcome challenges and adversity. If you think about it, these are never lacking in our lives. 

5. Understanding your personal story can help you connect with others: Sharing your personal story with others can help you to connect better with them on a deeper level and build stronger relationships. 

Always remember this: a personal story is a way of organizing the chaos of our past lives. It can be seen as a reflection of who we are and what we have experienced through life and how it has altered our worldview. Being able to capture your personal story will truly separate you from the crowd.  

Yes, we are over 8 billion people in the world today but that should not take away your uniqueness because we are all unique and individual. We need this knowledge of uniqueness before we can be useful to our different groups and social stratifications. 

Check out this short piece from John C. Maxwell, a New York Times bestselling author, coach, and speaker who has sold over 24 million books in 50 languages: 

“For speakers, personal stories demonstrate your authenticity, they demonstrate your desire to connect. They demonstrate that you aren’t afraid of being real, of standing up and showing your soul. They also show your humanity, with fierceness and frailties just like everyone else.” 

That quote is worthy of reflection, at least, in my view. Our stories can also be an alternative account of the events that occurred. They help us explore new perspectives or truths of the original events. Are you ready to embark on that journey? Because that might provoke some questions. 

You see, the little chick inside the egg will die if the egg does not break. That is the same for the seed you plant in the soil. So, a new life can only form after cracking the old one.  

That is what we are talking about. And like Maya Angelou, the famous American poet, and civil rights activist once said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” So, know yourself through a deliberate self-discovery. Don’t leave that to others to do for you.” 

End of reading, but what do we really mean by the term leverage? Let’s see to that.  

Understanding leverage in your business 

Leverage is a concept that involves using various resources, strategies, or tools to gain an advantage and achieve a desired outcome. It is a way of amplifying the impact of your actions to produce greater results. In essence, leverage allows you to do more with less, which is what knowing your personal story can do for you and your business. 

In a literal sense, leverage refers to the use of a lever to exert force and magnify its effect on another object. In a broader context, leverage can be applied to different areas of life, including business, finance, relationships, and personal development. 

In business and finance, for example, leverage often involves using borrowed funds or other people’s money to invest and potentially increase returns. It can also refer to utilizing fixed costs and operational efficiencies to improve profitability.  

Time leverage, on the other hand, involves delegating tasks or using technology to accomplish more in less time. Personal leverage focuses on building relationships, connecting with the right people, and utilizing their support, knowledge, or influence to achieve greater goals. 

To take this further, I want you to consider a post by Anthony Jay Robbins, the American author, coach, and motivational speaker on the topic. Anthony Jay Robbins or Tony Robins, for short, is best known for his infomercials, seminars, and self-help books, including “Unlimited Power” and “Awaken the Giant Within”. So, he does have a lot to say on the topic. The article is titled: The Power Of Leverage and it’s available on Tonyrobbins.com. 

What was primarily discussed in the article was the concept of leverage and its potential benefits, in both business and personal life. The article cited a Marketing expert, Jay Abraham, who promotes “leverage marketing” as a foundational principle of business success.  

“By optimizing your company”, added the article, you can outperform yourself. I want you to think about that for a moment, “outperform yourself”. 

In business, leverage can be applied to various aspects such as marketing, business plans, human capital, business models, and products or services. By optimizing these areas, businesses can save time, find efficiencies, increase productivity, and achieve more growth.  

Leverage can also be used in personal life to increase self-confidence and overcome limiting beliefs. Personal experiences and achievements can be leveraged to drive personal growth and improve the overall outlook on life. 

By understanding and harnessing the power of leverage, individuals can make the most of their existing resources and expand their opportunities for fulfillment and achievement. 

How can this be applied to the importance of knowing and leveraging your personal story in business? You might want to ask.  Well, let’s check that out. 

Leveraging Your Personal Story In Business 

Knowing and leveraging your personal story in business can be a powerful way to differentiate yourself, build connections, and create opportunities. Your personal story is the unique narrative of your background, experiences, challenges, and successes. By understanding and harnessing the power of your personal story, you can effectively communicate your values, strengths, and expertise to others in the business world. 

One way to apply leverage to your personal story in business is through branding and marketing. By crafting a compelling narrative that aligns with your brand, you can attract customers, investors, and partners who resonate with your story. Sharing authentic stories about your journey, including the challenges you have overcome and the lessons you have learned, can create a sense of trust and authenticity that will easily differentiate you from competitors. 

Leveraging your personal story also involves using it as a foundation for networking and building relationships. When you share your story with others, it creates opportunities for connection and empathy. People are more likely to remember and support those whose stories they connect with on a personal level. Your personal story can serve as a conversation starter, allowing you to forge meaningful connections and open doors to new business opportunities. 

What about leveraging your personal story to inspire and motivate others? By sharing your experiences and the lessons you have learned, you can become a source of inspiration for your team, clients, and colleagues. Your story can demonstrate resilience, determination, and the ability to overcome obstacles, which can inspire others to believe in their own potential and strive for success. That should not be underestimated. 

In summary, knowing and leveraging your personal story in business allows you to easily differentiate yourself, build connections, and inspire others. By effectively communicating your values and experiences, you can attract opportunities, create meaningful relationships, and make a lasting impact in the business world. 

The five-part book series is also available on Amazon so you can order your copies from there. Have a good reading and remember to share your thoughts and inspirations about the series. 

Want to learn more about storytelling? Start by downloading the first chapter of The Storytelling Series for Small Businesses.