What's your Brand Story? Some people say Brand storytelling is a bit ‘fluffy’, or ‘nice to have’ for their business, but I believe digging deeper into your Brand Story has the potential to transform it into your dream business.

Far from being ‘airy fairy’, your Brand Story is the beating heart of your business, the solid foundation. And there are endless benefits to getting it right. The only brands that thrive are the ones that truly understand this. And the ones that don’t, usually fail.

That’s goes not just for global brands, but for small businesses too.

Brand Story is often misunderstood by business leaders, so in this episode I explain what your Brand Story is and why it’s essential to understand it if you are a business leader.

In this episode you’ll find out what your Brand Story is, the many benefits of getting cleary on it and why digging deeper into your Brand Story could give you the answers you didn’t know you needed.

Find out more about I can help you get clear on your Brand Story here.

Takeaways from this episode:

🟠 Brand story is everything in your business.

🟠 A Brand Story isn't 'fluffy' or a 'nice to have', it's an essential solid foundation for your business.

🟠 Brands that do not truly understand their Brand Story are more likely to fail.

🟠 Big brands need brand stories, but small businesses do too.

🟠 Your Brand Story is made up of your: Brand foundation (purpose, vision, values); Understanding your customer; understanding what you do and what makes you different from your competitors; Origin Story.

🟠 Understanding your brand story has lots of important benefits.

🟠 Your brand story helps you brief designers effectively.

🟠 Understanding your Brand Story helps you make better decisions and save time.

🟠 Standing out in the marketplace is crucial and is an important part of your Brand Story.

🟠 Knowing your brand story empowers your team to work more independently and make better decisions.

🟠 Attracting the right customers is essential for business and is an important part of your Brand Story.

🟠 A strong Brand Story makes you feel good about your business.

Story Slurp is hosted and produced by Victoria Brown.

LINKS:

• Get your Brand Story Canvas here.
• Get on the Brand Story Clarity Challenge wait list here.
• Find out how we can help you tell your story here.

Alex Merry is the Founder of MicDrop, a public speaking community that helps founders, solopreneurs, and thought leaders get clear on their message, build their personal brand, and get paid to speak.

A former start-up COO and Founder of TEDxClapham, Alex is the go-to public speaking coach for the leaders of some of fastest-growing startups and scale-ups in the world. He’s helped founders raise over £300M in funding, worked on talks that have changed government legislation, and helped craft messages that have gone viral online.

What makes him different?

His expertise lies in messaging strategy, not just stage presence - helping leaders articulate their ideas in a way that cuts through the noise, builds authority, and drives action.

In this episode Alex gives us loads of practical tips on how to be a better speaker, why he thinks most of us put too much pressure on ourselves and why the Ted events we see on our screens are never the same as what actually happens in real life.

Alex firmly believes that presentations don't have to be perfect, storytelling is vital to create engaging talks, speaking can be a tool for change and that everyone can improve their speaking skills, if they try.

In this episode Alex gives us loads of practical tips on how to be a better speaker, why he thinks most of us put too much pressure on ourselves and why the Ted events we see on our screens are never the same as what actually happens in real life.

Alex firmly believes that presentations don't have to be perfect, storytelling is vital to create engaging talks, speaking can be a tool for change and that everyone can improve their speaking skills, if they try.

If you’ve ever wanted to get better at speaking or peep behind the scenes of what it takes to do a Ted talk, this episode is for you.

Takeaways:

• Alex Merry is a public speaking coach with a unique journey - he's been a TedX organiser and has learned to speak well, despite not enjoying it himself.
• He emphasizes the importance of imperfect presentations.
• The right message can create monumental impacts.
• Storytelling is crucial for engaging diverse audiences.
• Understanding your own story enhances your communication.
• Intention behind sharing stories is key.
• Public speaking can be a tool for change.
• It's important to connect with the audience's level of understanding.
• Everyone can improve their speaking skills with practice. Understanding the purpose of storytelling is crucial.
• Personal stories should connect with the audience, not manipulate them.
• Communication should focus on the audience's needs and goals.
• Reluctance to share personal stories can indicate deeper insights.
• Coaching experiences can significantly enhance communication skills.
• Master communicators use unexpected examples to engage audiences.
• Data should be used sparingly and effectively in storytelling.
• Finding a unique voice is essential for impactful communication.
• TED talks can have a significant impact beyond view counts.
• Acknowledging one's limits can lead to growth and success.

Story Slurp is hosted and produced by Victoria Brown.

LINKS:

• Get your Brand Story Canvas here.
• Get on the Brand Story Clarity Challenge wait list here.
• Find out how we can help you tell your story here.

Ever been part of a meeting that just seemed like a huge waste of time?

Have you ever considered using visuals as a tool to create better conversations, make better decisions and help everyone to feel involved?

Meet Ellie Chapman, the Creative Director of Lim - a Graphic facilitation agency - which brings events and meetings to life, so that participants can understand the meeting on a deeper level, and get more impactful results.

So many of us learn visually, so working with a graphic facilitator can really help bring a different dimension to conversations, and help make them more inclusive.

In this episode, Ellie talks about how she started her business, why visual storytelling is essential for effective communication and how facilitation runs in the family as well as oodles of tips on how to bring your own meetings to life visually. She also reflects on her personal growth, the challenges of overcoming self-doubt, and her commitment to mentoring the next generation of communicators.

You can find out more about Ellie and Lim here.

Takeaways

• Visual storytelling is essential for effective communication in business.
• Ellie's upbringing influenced her career path in facilitation.
• Gaining respect from senior leaders requires credibility and trust.
• Visuals serve as a shared resource during meetings.
• Inclusivity in meetings leads to better decision-making.
• Values such as collaboration and creativity are crucial for business success.
• Self-doubt can be managed through positive self-talk.
• Mentoring the next generation is vital for future communication skills.
• Silence can be a powerful tool in meetings.
• Flexibility in meeting processes enhances engagement. Visualizing success can help overcome self-doubt.
• It's important to observe negative self-talk without letting it control you.
• Embracing challenges leads to personal growth and resilience.
• Building a brand requires passion and alignment with personal values.
• COVID-19 forced businesses to adapt and innovate in their operations.
• Sustainability is a key focus for modern businesses.
• Visual communication can enhance understanding and retention of information.
• Starting small with visual techniques can lead to significant improvements.
• Creating meaningful connections with clients is essential for business success.
• Having a clear vision for the future drives motivation and progress.

Story Slurp is hosted and produced by Victoria Brown.

LINKS:

• Get your Brand Story Canvas here.
• Get on the Brand Story Clarity Challenge wait list here.
• Find out how we can help you tell your story here.

You've worked countless hours.

Your team is exhausted.

You’ve put so much effort and time into creating this new website, which you're so excited about because it's gonna change everything in your business. And it looks amazing. You press go on the website and nothing. You fast forward a few weeks, even months. And still nothing happens because you have not done the foundational work you need to do before you created your website.

We've all been there and felt that pain. If you don't do the foundational work you need to do before you create that website, your website is not going to be effective. You’ve missed an opportunity to create a website that brings you sales, and wasted a shedload of money and time in the process. I want to save you that pain.

So in this episode of Story Slurp Podcast, I’ve come up the three things that you need to do before you hire that website developer to make sure your website delivers:

1. Get clear on your Brand Story - this includes things like how and why you started out, exactly who your customer is, how you help them and what makes them tick, what makes you unique in the marketplace, your values, vision and purpose. If you want more help with this then download my Brand Story Tool here, or check out my Small Business Brand Story Package where I hold your hand through the whole process.
2. Get your visuals sorted - that includes: all kinds of design work, fonts/typefaces and brand colours
3. Get professional photos taken

For more help getting clear on your brand story (and to help making the website team briefing so much easier) then drop me a line at hello@thevictoriabrown.com and I can point you in the right direction.

Episode takeaways:

• You need to do foundational work before creating a website.
• A clear brand story is essential for effective web design.
• Understanding your ideal customer is crucial for website success.
• Visual branding elements should align with your brand story.
• Professional photography can elevate your website's appeal.
• Your brand story serves as a tool for your entire business.
• Involve your team in defining your brand story.
• Unique value propositions differentiate you from competitors.
• Consistent branding enhances professionalism and trust.
• Investing in quality visuals is key to standing out.

Story Slurp is hosted and produced by Victoria Brown.

LINKS:

• Get your Brand Story Canvas here.
• Get on the Brand Story Clarity Challenge wait list here.
• Find out how we can help you tell your story here.

Meet Gus Bhandal. Gus is a brilliant Linked In Trainer - in fact his mum says he’s the best one in the country. The secret to his success? He’s absolutely nailed how to create personality led content on social media in a way that’s funny, relatable and spot on to his audience, and repels anyone that wouldn’t ‘get’ him.

Gus spills the tea (not the coffee) on some brilliant tips to create great personality content for social media, and reminds us that we should stay in our own lane and not care about anyone else.

We talked about personality vs personal content, why we should lean into ourselves more and why you should think carefully about becoming a pub landlord. There was also a fair mention of chocolate oranges.

Enjoy!

Episode takeaways

• Gus's journey into marketing was shaped by early failures in various career aspirations.
• Understanding psychology is crucial for effective marketing strategies.
• Creating content without a clear purpose can lead to wasted efforts.
• Identifying and addressing clients' pain points is key to successful content creation.
• Storytelling is essential for making a brand memorable.
• Humor can be a powerful tool in marketing and branding.
• Being authentic and intentionally yourself enhances your personal brand.
• Recurring themes in content help build a memorable brand identity.
• Engaging with your audience through relatable content fosters connection.
• Marketing is not just about selling; it's about influencing decisions. Business values should filter through your actions.
• Authenticity is key in attracting the right clients.
• Professionalism doesn't have to be boring.
• Personable content can be engaging without oversharing.
• It's important to focus on your own journey, not competitors.
• Your vibe attracts your tribe; be true to yourself.
• Content should fit into a broader marketing strategy.
• Overcoming imposter syndrome is crucial for growth.
• Teaching others can create lasting value.
• Future goals should align with personal values and authenticity.

You can find out more about Gus and The M Guru here.

Story Slurp is hosted and produced by Victoria Brown.

LINKS:

• Get your Brand Story Canvas here.
• Get on the Brand Story Clarity Challenge wait list here.
• Find out how we can help you tell your story here.

“How can I be more vulnerable and still stay professional?”

That’s one of the most common things I’m asked as a Story Coach and it’s a tricky balance.

I think jewellery consultant Jessica Steele gets it bang on in terms of being open and honest, but not oversharing. Jessica has overcome some huge challenges in her business and has always been transparent about them, and I’m in awe of her storytelling ability.
In this episode we talk about Jessica’s approach to sharing her stories, the difficult challenges she's faced and how her business and brand has evolved.

Episode in detail:

00:00 Introduction to Storytelling in Jewelry

02:39 Jessica's Journey into Jewelry Making

05:15 The Importance of Personal Connection in Jewelry

07:46 The Divide Between Independent and Traditional Jewellers

10:32 The Role of Education and Transparency in Jewellery

13:20 The Evolution of Jessica's Craft and Learning

16:04 Redefining Failure and Success in Business

18:50 The Balance of Vulnerability in Business

21:36 Motherhood and Its Impact on Ambition

24:03 Values and Purpose in Jewellery Making

27:11 Building a Legacy Through Values

28:54 The Power of Personal Branding

32:06 Meaningful Client Relationships

34:37 Navigating Challenges in Business

40:34 The Importance of Autonomy and Flexibility

42:23 Vision and Scaling the Business

Find out more about Jessica and her jewellery brand - The Jewellery Consultant - on her website here.

Story Slurp is hosted and produced by Victoria Brown.

LINKS:

• Get your Brand Story Canvas here.
• Get on the Brand Story Clarity Challenge wait list here.
• Find out how we can help you tell your story here.

Personal Branding. Heard the buzz, but not sure if it's for you?

Spoiler alert, it is (not just for shouty people). And if you don't build your personal brand, you're missing out. Whether you're an ambitious professional or business leader working inside an organisation or a founder building your own business, building your own personal brand is essential and will open up all kinds of opportunities for you.

If you don't put yourself forward and make yourself visible, how will people give you opportunities? And who's going to do it if you don't?

In this episode we chat about how personal brand isn't just for extroverts, how you can get started on your personal brand and why you're missing out if you don't.

Takeaways from this episode:

• Personal branding is essential for everyone, not just business owners.
• Understanding your personal brand can open up new opportunities.
• It's not about being loud; it's about being strategic.
• Building a personal brand helps you stand out in competitive markets.
• People connect with people, not just brands.
• Future-proofing your career requires a strong personal brand.
• Self-awareness is key to effective personal branding.
• Visibility is crucial for attracting opportunities.
• You have control over your personal brand story.
• Embrace discomfort as part of the growth process.

Find out how I can help you with your personal brand here.

Story Slurp is hosted and produced by Victoria Brown.

LINKS:

• Get your Brand Story Canvas here.
• Get on the Brand Story Clarity Challenge wait list here.
• Find out how we can help you tell your story here.

Meet Laura Tye - a former soloist at the Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Laura was with the prestigious ballet company for 20 years, leaving and returning twice to have children, something virtually unheard of in that industry. She even played a 14 year old girl, as a 38 year old woman!

Laura describes what it’s really like to be a ballerina at the top of your game, and how it feels to build a new business around your children.

We talk overcoming failure, the gruelling and perfectionistic world of ballet, having to prove yourself a second time around and building a new future on your terms.

Laura is now building a successful business of her own - running a dance, aerial yoga and pilates studio in Solihull, West Midlands.

As a little girl that dreamed of a dance career myself, I loved this sneak behind the scenes. Enjoy.

You can find out more about Laura and her studio, Pointe and Flow, here.

Story Slurp is hosted and produced by Victoria Brown.

LINKS:

• Get your Brand Story Canvas here.
• Get on the Brand Story Clarity Challenge wait list here.
• Find out how we can help you tell your story here.