Why I Became a StoryBrand Certified Guide

0 to 1

These are the side hustlers and startups with a passion and purpose who are creating something new. Whether it's a new business or a new nonprofit, they’re building something to create a new and better future for themselves and others.

Lightbulb Moment

And here’s where the lightbulb moment came for me. 

As I worked with both groups of entrepreneurs, I found they each had two critical needs to be met to move forward. 

1. A Clarified Message
2. A Focused Strategy

They were both so immersed in their vision it was difficult for them to parse all the ideas and possibilities to a point where they could achieve clarity and focus.

Most entrepreneurs get bombarded daily with pitches for various marketing tactics to grow their businesses. What criteria should they use to choose the right marketing action?

A Clarified Message

How to tackle the need for a clear message had an obvious answer for me. It was time to double down on my StoryBrand expertise. I applied to become a StoryBrand Certified Guide. 

I had already seen how powerful the StoryBrand framework could be for businesses and nonprofits of all sizes. I’d already been practicing applying StoryBrand for seven years. However, I didn’t have a community of other StoryBrand guides with which to collaborate and learn.

The guide program has deepened my understanding of the StoryBrand framework and further sharpened my skills in creating clear and compelling stories for purpose-driven entrepreneurs.

A Focused Strategy

Clarifying the message for purpose-driven entrepreneurs was always a huge win. But it was also always followed by the question, “Which thing do I build or do first?”

As a business owner or leader of a nonprofit, there are already more responsibilities than any one person can handle. Layered on top of that is the reality that most entrepreneurs get bombarded daily with pitches for various marketing tactics to grow their businesses. What criteria should they use to choose the right marketing action?

My energy has focused on finding good people who are doing good work and then helping them win.

And here is where some really cool convergence happened for me. 

About a year before I learned about StoryBrand, I learned about design sprints from Jake Knapp’s book Sprint. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of design sprints, it’s a framework for facilitating a team in a short time to learn, ideate, design, prototype and test solutions to a specific problem space.

A design sprint is a longer, typically 4-day, more involved process. But, I’ve been able to draw upon my experience to adapt many of the same methods and combine them with StoryBrand to create what I call a Brand Foundation.

Brand Foundations

Marketing doesn’t have to be rocket science, and you don't necessarily need to do all the new and trending things.

You'll get business results from effectively executing the basics.

1. Identify your business goals
2. Clarify your message
3. Map your customer journey
4. Focus on the strategies with the greatest ROI

I really love facilitating these Brand Foundation Sessions. Entrepreneurs not only leave with a messaging framework and a marketing playbook, but they also gain clarity and confidence about how to grow their business or nonprofit.

I initially pursued becoming a StoryBrand guide because I knew I wanted to help purpose-driven entrepreneurs win. And since then, I’ve watched how it’s helped move others forward at critical moments in their business or nonprofit journeys.

If you’re considering the StoryBrand Guide program or just applying the StoryBrand framework to grow your business or nonprofit, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m happy to share my experience with anyone walking along this common journey.