When you're a solopreneur or small service-based business, the brand is YOU. The stories you tell will contribute to your brand and position, even when you're not intending to brand with them. A casual story gets remembered and follows you everywhere. I've observed several business owners over the years. As their businesses grow, they become more established. They develop a group of loyal followers who respect them as professionals.   With this new position comes a certain freedom. Over and over, we see established professionals sharing details of their personal lives.  These people are smart. If they'd shared too much too early, their audience would have been turned off quickly. They'd have been labeled as unreliable or worse. Now these stories add a new dimension to their brand. They seem more approachable and more relatable.  In this podcast episode, you'll hear about some business owners who made the shift in their storytelling as they became more established. One business owner, Connie Ragen Green, is particularly easy to follow because she's written so many books. We can see how she goes from being "strictly business" to combining business with personal stories, and ultimately to books that totally focus on the personal. In my own world, I was "strictly business" myself. However, last year I wrote a book about fighting the stereotypes of aging. This book grew out of my experience as a marketer and writer, but it's not about business.  I'd be interested to hear your experiences as a business owner who's experienced growth.  Do you find yourself sharing more comfortably (and more personally) as you grow your business? Resources and references Learn about story archetypes here. Connie Ragen Green has many books on Amazon.  Connie Ragen Green - The Road Trip: An Entrepreneur’s Journey of Self-DiscoveryConnie Ragen Green - In Pursuit of Healthy-ness Connie Ragen Green- Intersection of Hope and Synchronicity Dorie Clark - The Long Game Angela Duckworth - Grit Cathy Goodwin - Aging in Sneakers