4 ways to share your origin story and why it matters

as published in Fast Company

Relationships are built on trust. Trust is fostered when you give people insights into who you are, which then inspires emotional connection.

And since emotional connection inspires loyalty—whether to brands or people—being willing to share insights into who you are should be high on the list for any leader in a world where the trust gap, whether between employees and employers, or customers and brands, is wider than ever.

So why do so many professionals present themselves, when launching into a business development session or other pitch whose goal is to influence or persuade, by leading with their nondescript labels and forgettable credentials? These may feel like safe ways to establish trust, but there is another way to consider.

One of my recent ah-has is how valuable it is to lead instead with one’s origin story. This means sharing a bit of who you really are—whether that is where you grew up (in my case, Brooklyn), what some of your earliest life experiences were that led you to where you are now (attending a very diverse inner-city public school), describing the real start to one’s career (working weekends at my dad’s corner pharmacy to save money for college), or what your family experience was like (growing up as the middle of five highly competitive children).  

I’m an introvert. Revealing personal details to people I may barely know has taken some work, made easier as I see how my own willingness to be vulnerable in this way has fostered trust and enabled deeper, more authentic relationships where there is mutuality—whether that means uncovering shared personal interests or professional goals where a common vision of success leads to supporting each other’s advancement.

My willingness to be open invites others to do the same. It creates conversations that are so much more engaging and memorable than the same-old, same-old credentials presentations. These conversations are not diversions from business goals; rather, they build bonds that become a stronger foundation to achieve business goals.

Recently, I encouraged a client to share their origin story when introducing their company to a prospective corporate customer. The founder’s story was fascinating. Their business-as-usual credential slides—years in business, industry recognition, marquee clients, satisfaction, and repeat business ratings, etc.—were superbly professional and cited great marks of achievement…but were expected. Boring. Certainly not memorable.

But so far, this client is too uncomfortable to do so. Innovation is hard, I get it. I plan to continue to encourage them to transform their corporate message into an origin story. I’m there to help grow their business, and they have special stories to tell that will separate them from competitors in a crowded category.

Whether in a business pitch, on social media, or introducing oneself at a conference, sharing an origin story may be a better way to foster connection and lead to impact, because these stories are:

• Authentic, giving insight into who you are
• Relatable, sharing moments of struggle, growth, and triumph that inspire and motivate others
• Enjoyable, providing an opportunity to share memories or passions
• A natural way to set context and provide perspective for what brought you to this point in your career
• Unique to you, setting you apart from a sea of profiles, resumes, and company “About” pages

There are four ways to approach how you share your origin story. My advice is to pick the one that feels most authentic for your story, or, if you see different angles, experiment.  

1. As an entrepreneur, talk about the early days and surprising moments of how you came upon the idea for your startup and gave it life.
2. Focus on your career path, and discuss how special moments defined your personal brand and what you stand for. 
3. Speak to your company’s mission and values, and how these relate to your own choices. 
4. Connect to audiences in public speaking by starting off your talk with elements of your origin story that lead into the topic of your presentation.

AI and TikTok are redefining what people expect and are open to business content and communications based on what they are experiencing on their iPhones before and after work activities. The implications and opportunities for how we present ourselves in the business environment are significant, and the ongoing “TikTokification” of business, accelerated by AI, will only further blur the lines between social media and corporate communications and storytelling. As a result, sharing your origin story will move from being a wonderful tactic to a basic expectation to form business relationships.

So, start crafting your origin story now. I can’t wait to read it.