Telling powerful and compelling business stories

We always hear about the power of storytelling in business. Everyone accepts that it is probably very powerful, but it can be hard to think of great examples. Great business storytelling is about the business itself, not a fun video or social media post.

Recently i was on a panel at a D2C conference. At the start of the session each of us gave a quick intro to our companies. Many of the founders gave standard intros - we create XYZ for ABC audience, to solve their FGH problem.

One founder began by explaining the name of this company, which created fresh food products. He had given his startup the same name as his son, as a commitment to quality and to the future. He was committing that the quality of the food he produced would be something that his son could be proud of. And he was committing that he was building a business for the future, so that he could pass the company on to his son, and it would already have the right name.

The audience was spellbound for that moment, and everyone 100% believed what he was saying.

Why was it powerful? It was a human story about real people It connected the past with the future - not just a founding story, but a reason for the company to exist and to do well It explained the vision and values of the organisation, without needed to spell them out separately. It created a sense of connection and relatability - many parents would love to do something similar for their child.