Business Storytelling Applications

𝟭 𝗶𝗻 𝟰 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱. 𝟭 𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟬 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻. Together with Laura Koch and Elisabeth Berger (JKU - Institute for Entrepreneurship), I surveyed 361 international VCs using a randomized response technique to bypass social desirability bias. The results aren't unconscious bias. The results are open discrimination. And it’s personal. Some of the strongest startups I’ve seen at the University of Hohenheim were women-led, such as Holiroots or Viva la Faba. What a waste of potential. We knew gender bias existed in venture capital. Now we know how much — and where. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄? One recommendation from our findings that’s both practical and powerful: 👉 Increase the share of women in venture capital. Why it matters:  • Women VCs show significantly less bias.  • Diverse teams make better decisions.  • Mixed teams perform better. If we want fairer funding decisions, we must rethink who’s making them. 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗶𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 “𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.” 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁. The paper is open access in Venture Capital—An International Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance. Feel free to share it or use it in teaching, workshops, or policy work. 📄 https://lnkd.in/eN4jfJQx

You cheer for women one day and ignore them tomorrow. Two weeks ago, my LinkedIn was flooded with brands paying anything to book women creators for Women’s Day. It happens every year. The grand celebrations, the inspiring quotes, the LinkedIn love. But what happens on March 9th? As a woman entrepreneur, I don’t just deal with challenges once a year, I fight them every damn day and every woman entrepreneur will relate to it. The funding battles, the societal expectations, the constant need to prove myself. And yet, once the hashtags stop trending, nobody talks about it. Here’s what people conveniently forget: → Investors hesitate when they see a woman at the helm. Less than 2% of VC funding goes to women-led businesses. The bias is real. We’re told to “think big,” but when we do? We’re “too ambitious.” → Women are expected to run businesses like they don’t have families and manage homes like they don’t have businesses. The pressure is relentless and the guilt is huge. → Speak up, and we’re “aggressive.” Play it safe, and we’re “not leadership material.” We’re stuck in a game where the rules were never made for us. Women don’t need a holiday. We need funding, hiring, investments, opportunities and recognition EVERY DAY. Not just when it’s trending. So if you really want to support women in business, put your money where your mouth is. Invest in them. Hire them. Fund them. Amplify their voices. And don’t just remember us when it’s convenient. #womenentrepreneurship #womencreators

After decades of working with leaders at companies like Apple, Salesforce, and Cisco, we've identified 4 storytelling techniques that consistently work to deliver important messages in high-stakes settings: 1. Start with the unexpected Don’t begin your presentation with context. Instead, begin with the moment that makes people think, “Wait…what?” Instead of something like: “Here’s an update on our September campaign…” Try starting with the most interesting detail: “I broke our biggest marketing rule last month, and it worked.” Lead with the surprise. You can add context later. 2. Let people feel the tension After the surprise, don’t rewind to the beginning. Take your audience to the moment where things weren’t working. Flat numbers. Missed goals. Stalled progress. Instead of: “The campaign was underperforming, and our team went back to the drawing board.” Try:  "We were two weeks out from the end of the quarter. The campaign wasn’t producing results, and the team was out of ideas. That’s when I decided to take a risk...” You don’t need to explain the problem. You need to make people feel it. 3. Use real dialogue When your audience hears what was actually said, they stop listening to you and start visualizing the moment. This helps them connect emotionally with what you’re saying. Instead of: “The campaign manager said team morale was low and they were struggling to find a solution.” Try: “My campaign manager pulled me aside in the hallway and said, ‘We’ve tried everything. The team has been working overtime, and we don’t know what else to do.’” Dialogue brings listeners into the moment with you. It makes the story real. 4. Share the lesson Never assume people will infer the meaning you intended. End your story by answering: - What does this mean? - How should someone act differently now? Example: “Breaking our biggest marketing rule helped us turn this campaign around and hit our numbers. I strongly suggest we revisit our marketing guidelines. We could be leaving a ton of revenue on the table.” Without the lesson being clear, even a good story feels unfinished. These are the same techniques we teach to our clients at Duarte. Try them out during your next presentation and watch how people lean forward and tune in to your message. #ExecutivePresence #BusinessStorytelling #PresentationSkills

3 years ago, I quit my job at a London start-up to start a business with my brother. No clients. No investment. No plan. Here are the results we’ve generated since: 💷 £4.25 million in attributable revenue. 👀 165 million content impressions. 🤝🏼 140 clients managed. How are we getting results like these? ↳ Storytelling. Here are 7 dead-simple tips to make you a better storyteller: (Use these to improve your marketing.) —— 1/ Obsess Over Contrast I have never written a viral story that didn’t have contrast. Here’s how to use it: 1. Find something positive 2. Find something negative 3. Put them next to each other Example: “In 2016, I was $20,000 in debt and was happier than ever.” —— 2/ Don’t Be Perfect. When sharing stories in your marketing, you need to show enough success to be credible but enough failure to be relatable. Too much of either can lead to disaster. The right amount of both? ↳ That can build a cult. —— 3/ Start With The End The most exciting part of a story is the end. ↳ But that’s what will hook people. So use it first. Example: “I just sold my company for $10M” —— 4/ Where, Who, What There are 3 simple things the reader needs to know in the first few likes. - Where the story is taking place - What is happening. - Who is involved. If you miss these, it will be a confusing mess. —— 5/ Think In 3 Acts 99% of story frameworks are overrated. ↳ This one isn’t. Act 1: Set Up Act 2: Confrontation Act 3: Resolution Example for written content: Act 1: The hook of the piece Act 2: The story unfolds Act 3: Key takeaway —— 6/ Worship Intention + Obstacle All great stories have 2 important things: Intention: Where you want to go. Obstacle: What’s stopping you from getting there. Think of your favourite movie, it has both of these. —— 7/ Don’t Be The Main Character Want to get attention → Talk about your company. Want to get sales → Talk about your clients. Simple case study story: - Where client was when they came to you? - Where are they today? - What did you do to help them? We call this “Guide Positioning”. —— I’m a firm believer that storytelling is the best skill you can learn in business. If you want to: - Sign more clients. - Attract better talent. - Get more opportunities. It all starts by telling a great story. P.S. Follow me to learn how to use stories to help your company get noticed Niall Ratcliffe 📚

Why we just make it harder for female founders to get funded. Less than 5%. That’s the percentage of VC funding that goes to all-female founding teams. It hasn’t moved in over a decade. So no… this is not a dealflow problem. And it’s not a talent problem either. It’s something much more subtle and much more uncomfortable. In pitch meetings, we don’t ask the same questions. Not consciously. But consistently. Female founders get more prevention questions: -  “How will you avoid failure?” – “What are the risks?” – “How will you defend against competitors?” Male founders get more promotion questions: – “How will you scale?” – “What’s the upside?” – “How big can this get?” This has a direct impact. Startups asked mostly prevention questions raise 7x less capital. Those who manage to reframe the conversation raise up to 14x more. This is not about blaming investors. The bias is systemic. It affects men and women equally. But ignoring it doesn’t make it disappear. If you invest, try this: Before asking your next question, pause. Would you ask the same thing to a male founder? Because capital doesn’t only follow performance. It follows perception. And perception starts with the questions. Sikili Women for STEAM Sylvie Lemaire

When I first started my personal brand, I received zero traction. Now, my posts reach thousands within hours. I've switched from focusing on 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 I posted to 𝘩𝘰𝘸 I told my story. Storytelling doesn’t just engage—it connects. It’s the difference between a good post and a great one. A story that makes people stop scrolling, pay attention, and leave feeling a sense of desire, motivation, or direction. Here’s how you can master storytelling in your LinkedIn posts: 1️⃣ Start with a Hook Open with a question, surprising fact, or challenge your audience is facing. 2️⃣ Focus on Conflict & Resolution Every good story needs tension. Present the problem first, then show how you overcame it to keep the audience engaged. 3️⃣ Make It Relatable Share stories that resonate with your audience’s pain points or aspirations. If they can relate, they’ll engage. 4️⃣ Use Emotion Don’t just tell facts—make them feel something. Emotion drives action and makes your story memorable. 5️⃣ Keep It Simple Stick to one core message or takeaway. Simplicity is powerful. 6️⃣ Create an Actionable Ending Leave your audience with something they can act on. Ask for their take, challenge them, or prompt reflection. 7️⃣ Be Authentic Share your real, raw experiences. People want to connect with 𝘺𝘰𝘶, not perfected stories. Turn your posts into conversations to skyrocket your engagement. It worked for me, and it can work for you too. 👉 What’s your hardest challenge when it comes to storytelling? #storytelling #personalbranding #engagement

You can have the best change strategy in the world… but if people don’t understand it, trust it, or believe in it—it will fail. Change isn’t just about processes and plans—it’s about people. And people don’t buy into facts alone—they connect with stories. Here’s how great leaders use storytelling to drive successful change: 📌 Start with WHY. Facts inform; emotions inspire. People need to know why change matters—not just for the company, but for them. 📌 Make employees the heroes. Change isn’t about a leadership mandate; it’s about empowering teams to solve challenges and drive impact. 📌 Acknowledge the fear. Every great story has obstacles. Address the uncertainties head-on, and show how the journey leads to something better. 📌 Paint a clear vision of the future. Help people see themselves thriving in the new reality—make it tangible, not abstract. 📌 Keep the conversation going. Change isn’t a one-time announcement. Great storytelling evolves, responds, and adapts as the journey continues. If you want people to embrace change, give them a story they want to be part of. How do you use storytelling in your role? #Leadership #ChangeManagement #Storytelling #Communication #FutureFit #OrganizationalChange #BusinessGrowth

15 mins into the call, I realised I was completely wasting my client’s time May 7th: We onboarded a nutrition coach from Dubai. Everything looked perfect on paper: ➡️6-figure business owner ✓ ➡️Paid in full, upfront ✓ ➡️Detailed questionnaire completed ✓ But 15 minutes into our strategy call, I was mentally drafting a refund email. Despite her success helping women lose post-pregnancy weight, every answer she gave was generic responses to my questions that you could Google in seconds. I couldn't ghostwrite content that would stand out. We were both wasting our time. Instead of asking about her business methods for the tenth time, I tried something completely different: "How are you able to run a 6-figure coaching business in Dubai while being a breastfeeding mother?" Then she started talking. Really talking. Suddenly I was hearing about: 🪴Her own 42-pound weight gain during pregnancy 🪴How expat community pressured her to "bounce back" 🪴Developing her methodology between 3 AM feedings The moment she realized her struggle was actually her superpower This single question opened up : - 5 distinct content pillars - 27 unique story angles - The authentic voice I'd been searching for After implementing our new approach: ✅Her Linkedin engagement jumped 47% ✅Post repost 2xed on personal story content ✅3 new clients specifically mentioned her pregnancy journey Most importantly, my formerly reluctant client started sending me voice notes with new stories and ideas. She was finally excited about her content. Next time, Ask these instead of generic business questions: 🤯 "How did you manage [achievement] while dealing with [personal challenge]?" 🤯 "What's something everyone in your industry gets wrong that you learned the hard way?" 🤯 "When did you first realize you could help others with this problem?" 🤯 "What would your younger self be most surprised about in your current work?" 🤯"What personal struggle made you better at what you do professionally?" As ghostwriters, our job isn't just to write, it's to ask the one question that connects these worlds. That's when generic content becomes a story only your client can tell.

There’s storytelling, and then there’s business storytelling. Both draw from the same ingredients: real moments, human emotion, lived experience. But business storytelling is more intentional. It is crafted to influence decisions, build trust, and drive action. I once worked with a founder who was struggling to get clients excited about his SaaS product. He kept pitching features. I asked, “What problem made you build this?” He shared how the tool he had relied upon failed him when he needed it most. That frustration was the spark. His solution came from lived experience. We rebuilt his pitch around that story. Same product. Same price. But this time, three prospects followed up immediately. Because people weren’t just buying a tool. They saw themselves in his story. That’s the shift. A good story makes you feel something. A good business story makes you do something. It doesn’t just explain. It connects and converts. Not with drama. But with relevance, clarity, and truth. Next time you craft a post or pitch, ask: What shift do I want to create? And what story would earn that shift? #Storytelling #Communication #Leadership #ThoughtLeadership #B2B

🎙️ Storytelling for Influence: The Balance of Personal, Authentic, Vulnerable, and Professional Ever since I first wrote about “the storyteller’s dilemma - to influence or manipulate” I’ve been in knee deep in storytelling for influence. In leadership, storytelling is more than a skill—it’s a strategy. I’m all about unleashing the power of personal narratives. So how can we make our stories personal and authentic without crossing professional boundaries? Let me show you! 👥 Influence Through Relatability Being personal helps you connect. Trust is the cornerstone of influence. If people see themselves in your story, they’re likely to engage with your message. ✅ Authenticity Equals Credibility A believable story boosts your credibility. Be genuine, but keep it relevant. 💪 Vulnerability Humanises Show you’re human, flaws and all. This creates a deeper emotional connection, extending your circle of influence. 🔒 Professionalism: The Safeguard Professionalism is the filter that keeps your story effective. It ensures the focus stays on a constructive message, safeguarding your influence. 🎯 Tailor to Audience & Objective Your story should align with both your audience’s expectations and your goals. Misalignment can backfire. ⚖️ Emotional Equilibrium Keep emotions in check. Let them enhance, not overpower your story. ⏳ Be Brief, Be Focused Influence also hinges on respecting people’s time. A crisp, well-told story can be more powerful than a drawn-out one. Balance is key. Your narrative can be a powerful asset for influence when you skillfully juggle the personal, authentic, and vulnerable elements within professional boundaries. Are you ready to share your story? #whatsyourstory #storytelling #PersonalBranding #LeadershipDevelopment #Authenticity #Influence #Professionalism #EmotionalIntelligence #PublicSpeaking #CorporateTraining 📸 Gabriel Aiden Ng