Creating Connections Through Stories

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dave Bricker, CEO of Remarkable Stories, Inc., located in Coral Gables, FL, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I'm a speaker, presentation coach, and business storytelling expert. If you want to say it, share it, or sell it, bring me your story. I'll help you tell it.

I work on what to say and how to say it with visionary leaders and organizations who want to understand and communicate their value to prospects, clients, and colleagues.

Tell us about yourself

I spent years solo sailing in search of stories … and I found them. I also had a lot of time to think about stories and how they work. The result is StorySailing®, a method I've used successfully to help visionary leaders craft authentic messages, build corporate culture, and close more sales. The sharing of ideas, thoughts, and experiences through writing, speaking, imagery, gesture, music, code, or anything other medium is important, but how to share effectively is something most of us struggle with.

What motivates me is the knowledge that the people I work with will feel listened to and understood. Conflicts get resolved. Relationships grow stronger. Businesses expand.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I could quantify results and throw zeroes and commas around, but my biggest wins happen when people I work with nail their TED talk, make it to the finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking, deliver an effective pitch, publicly own a misstep with grace and dignity, or publish a powerful book. We all love to see the money roll in, but individual transformations are the real accomplishments.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

When you own your own business, everything that happens is your responsibility. There's no blaming, shaming, or gaming - it's all on you. But that's just reality. You can spend life blaming your parents, hating your boss, or wishing for something different. The responsibility ultimately falls on YOU to change and grow anyway. So the hardest thing about owning a business is also the best thing about owning a business.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Invest in coaches and mentors.
Don't waste your time pursuing a business that doesn't align with who you are, no matter how much it pays.
Master business storytelling—how to change the conversation from price to value.

Sooner or later, we all engage in some form of high-stakes communication—an important negotiation, a big presentation, a request to engage in or leave a relationship, a business offering, or a delicate matter that can prove disastrous if there's a misunderstanding. Why stumble and fumble through these situations when you can work with a professional who knows how to frame the narrative and position everyone to win? Invest some time in figuring out what to say and how to say it. Effective storytelling is your key to successful communication.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://storysailing.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaveBrickerSpeaker/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davebricker1/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davebricker
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbricker/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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