Your ordinary story may be the thing that makes you special
Start with something that actually happened, then ask why it mattered. I think people sometimes don't understand how incredible they are. They'll rattle off stories about themselves and act like it's nothing. Hearing someone repeat a story back in different words can help them recognize a choice or a value they hadn't thought to explain.
By Eric Yim · Published by Protocol Text, a marketing services business based in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Why I listen for what someone passes over
Storytelling helped me build confidence before I understood how much it could help me appreciate other people. When I was young, I had trouble talking with people, and my older brother often talked for me. In high school, theater and speech gave me a way to tell stories and come out of that little bubble.
Later, I got to learn more of other people's stories and learn how incredible other human beings are. I think one of my gifts is being able to take another person's story and amplify it at a much, much greater volume.
That amplification needs to stay faithful to what the person means. A service owner may pass quickly over a decision because making it feels natural. I'd suggest slowing down there. What feels ordinary to the person doing the work may explain something a prospective customer couldn't otherwise see.
What the balloons and cake helped me hear
While workshopping messaging with a business owner, she told me she sold balloons and cakes and liked celebration. I dug a little deeper into what she meant and why. She described birthdays when her mother made balloons and a gelatin cake. On celebration days, the hustle slowed down, and she had extra time with her mother. Those details helped me hear why celebration mattered to her: family time and making a moment feel special. The products were easy to name. The meaning took more listening.
How to ask questions that get beyond a business description
If your own story feels ordinary, here's a way I'd suggest exploring it with someone who can listen carefully. These are prompts to try, rather than a script you have to follow.
- Invite a real event. Instead of starting with what makes the business special, describe a moment you remember clearly. What happened? What did you do? A specific event gives the conversation something to examine.
- Ask why it mattered. Stay with the details before looking for a polished message. Why do you remember that part? What were you trying to protect, change, or make possible?
- Listen for a choice or value. Notice where someone explains why they handled something a particular way. Then check whether that choice means what you think it means.
- Reflect it back and invite correction. Put the meaning into plain words. Ask which part fits and which part doesn't. The person whose story it is gets to correct your interpretation.
For a hypothetical service example, imagine an owner describing a time they paused work to explain two options before continuing. You might hear a concern for helping the customer understand a decision. But ask. The pause could have happened for another reason, and one event doesn't establish an everyday business practice.
Choose the part that helps a customer understand your work
A meaningful story doesn't need to become a complete life history. For a service business, I'd look for the part that helps someone understand a relevant decision: why you approach the work a certain way, what you pay attention to, or why a particular detail matters.
In the hypothetical example, the useful part might be the explanation before work continued. If that's accurate, describe the choice and its reason. There's no need to claim that no other provider would do the same thing.
I'd stop where the wording starts outrunning the facts. A single considerate decision doesn't prove every customer has the same experience. A personal memory doesn't establish a service guarantee. And a story doesn't need painful details to deserve attention.
The listener can help you hear meaning you missed. You still decide what belongs in public and whether the words fairly describe your experience.
Questions about sharing and checking your story
What if the story involves another person who did not agree to be featured?
Keep their private details out. Removing a name may not be enough if the circumstances make someone recognizable. Seek permission where needed, or choose a different example. You can explain your own decision without exposing another person's experience or making their private life part of your marketing.
How do I know whether a polished version still sounds like me?
Read it aloud and check both the facts and the intention. Would you comfortably say these words to someone asking about your business? Replace impressive phrasing that changes your meaning or feels unfamiliar. Clearer wording should help you recognize your own point, not leave you defending someone else's interpretation.
Can an ordinary process decision be enough for a story?
Yes, if it explains a meaningful choice and why that choice matters to a customer. You could explore why you explain an option before proceeding or handle a handoff a particular way, if that's true of your work. A dramatic life event isn't required; a specific decision can give you enough to explain.
What if I disagree with what the interviewer heard?
Correct the interpretation. Explain what you meant, what the interviewer missed, or which words go too far. Ask for another version before anything is shared. Reflection is a tool for understanding your experience, and the interviewer doesn't get to replace your meaning with a more appealing story.