The right way to share a story that supports your personal brand

A story from a well-known influencer

Just today I came across a Ted talk from Dorie Clark, one of my favorite business authors. I particularly liked her book Entrepreneurial You. Dorie is clearly a thought leader and an Educator archetype. Of course, Dorie (like most people in the world), is completely unaware of my framework of marketing archetypes.

However, as I apply this framework, I see most successful business owners, who engage in consistent marketing, fit extremely well into one archetype or another.

Owning A Cat: A Personal Story Or A Purposeful Business Story?

As usual, Dorie’s talk was original and down to earth. She talked about why we’re really busy. She noted that being busy can come from trying to do something we have no idea how to do (“increase sales by 30%) or spend time in meetings and emails. Being busy can reinforce a feeling of being “in demand” in one’s field.

But she also noted that being busy can become an escape. As an example, she shared a personal story. She’d lived with her cat, Gideon, for 17 years. When the cat died, she didn’t want to go home. She spent two years traveling because she just didn’t want to spend time in her apartment that…