One of the most common questions people ask me about my business is, “how did you get started? How did you make that transition from earning a salary and full benefits for over 20 years to one day boldly walk away from the safety of a paycheck to courageously start your journey to entrepreneurship?” My answer to that is…umm….I didn’t boldly walk away from anything. I got fired. 

Yup. Fired. It caught me totally by surprise; I was shaken. So, when people ask me how or why I started this business, I tell them it’s because I had no other choice.

For some reason, my story resonates with a lot of people. My abrupt transition, my 20+ years of slowly losing my soul in my job, my embrace of the new adventure in entrepreneurship, my will to make it work, and finally, my desire to make it meaningful. This story somehow needed to be told. Not for my own gain, but so those that relate can be inspired to figure out their own next steps. 

Here’s a 2-minute video we made that summarizes what I’m talking about:

So, why is our own story so important? 

Telling your origin story is one of the quickest ways to build a connection with your audience. Here’s how:

• Your story is your differentiator. In an ocean full of options, customers need to see right away what makes you different. There might be other companies who offer a similar product or service, but no one has your unique story. It’s what sets you apart from everyone else.
• Good stories drive business. As we discussed last week, people are hungry for ways to improve their lives, and if they find that with you, they’ll keep coming back for more. Your story builds relationships, and relationships build customer loyalty. 
• Your story can attract employees. If you do it right, your story will inspire others to join you. People will want to work with you because YOUR story feels like THEIR story.

A few tips to remember when creating your own origin story video:

• Share your history… Obviously an “origin story” should be about how your business came to be. It may not seem as epic as a radioactive spider bite, but trust me: the problems and passions that led you to this work will connect with people in ways you don’t expect.

…but keep it tight. It might be challenging to capture your life’s journey in two minutes, but think about how we all engage with YouTube – if you click on a video that’s longer than 5-10 minutes, most people won’t continue watching. Editing is your friend.

• Highlight pivotal moments… Every great story has a turning point – an epiphany moment where everything changes. When did you suddenly realize a problem that you wanted to solve, or a different way to do it? Your customer is looking for similar transformation in their own lives.

…but don’t lose sight of your audience. There’s a fine line you’re walking here. It’s your story, but it’s also for them. Focus on the details that they’ll find interesting and solve their problems.

• Connect your story to your values… In the midst of giving the background that brought you here, you’re also sharing more than that. You’re helping people understand the why behind what you do. Share more than just facts; help them understand what drives you.

…but be authentic. Don’t be afraid of honesty. If you know Pixar’s 22 Story Rules, the first one is, “You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.” Trust that people will relate to the human side of your story, with all the ups and downs. 

Which leads to the most important tip of all:

• The founder is not the hero… the customer is. This is the twist ending – ultimately your story is not actually about you, it’s about THEM. What if the mission of your business is to make your customer the hero, with you as their guide?

I can’t tell you how many people have contacted me after watching the video to say they want to work with me because they know I went through exactly what they are going through. Setting this common ground has been the foundation of our growth – sharing our failures and successes and using that knowledge to help other businesses is the number one thing that keeps me waking up every morning excited for the day.

SO – if you’re ready to make a video, I would love to be in touch to help you make it happen. That’s what BOS Media is all about – our passion is to SPREAD THE WORD about you and see more and more customers impacted by your story.

Reach out today and we’ll get ready to show the world how great you are! Looking forward to helping you shine.

Related posts:

How To Bring Your Business To Life A Video That’s Gonna Move You (And Your Business) The Next Video You Need – But Don’t Just Take Our Word For It… Pulling Back The Curtain