Gone are the days of one message fits all. Improve your marketing and sales efforts by crafting powerful, compelling narratives that will effectively connect with your target markets across multiple marketing channels. In a little more than a half a day, you and your business will start the transformation from one that feels 'stuck' to one that clearly can articulate how and why it stands far above the competition. We'll focus on helping you to build powerful business narratives that will maximize audience appeal and articulate the best you have to offer in tight, targeted ways. We'll explore what it is you're really selling, why you're selling it and most importantly, why you're the one to do it. You'll explore those critical pivot points in your business journey on the Business Story Generator Canvas and we'll work together to start to find your 'secret sauce.'

1. Business Story
Generator
the
INSPIRE EVERYONE
BY CHRISTA CHAMBERS-PRICE

2. the business story generator canvas
there you are
ii
THE BUSINESS STORY GENERATOR CANVAS
INSPIRE EVERYONE
By: Christa Chambers-Price
In Collaboration with: Kayla Noelle Price

3. the business story generator canvas
there you are
i
The Business Story Generator Canvas
Copyright © 2014 by Christa Chambers-Price
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review
or scholarly journal.
Every reasonable attempt has been made to identify owners of copyright. Errors or omissions will be corrected
in subsequent editions.
First Printing: September 2014
ISBN-13: 978-0692268728
ISBN-10: 0692268723
Your Business Story Press
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105
www.businessstorygenerator.com

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Home: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
an appreciation
This book is dedicated to The Price Family:
Christopher, Maya and Kayla
It’s because of you that I get up and keep at it everyday.
I love you guys more than . . . anything.
(Please remember this page on those WTF?!’ days”)

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Appalacian Spring, Aaron Copland | Conductor: Eugene Ormandy
there you are
Your story is not just about the product or service. Your narrative is a combination of you, the product and
your perfect client. The power of your story is a celebration of your journey. Storytelling also provides an
opportunity to connect with your customers in authentic ways that builds trust and relatedness faster.
Combined with an innovative product or service, your narrative is the ‘secret sauce’, that ‘X’ factor that makes
you and what you do memorable. When you combine all three, you’ll see that your landscape is truly . . .
magnificent.

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there you are
I have mad respect for you. Anybody who is brave enough to step out on faith, take a leap and go for bringing
a big idea into the world should be saluted. It takes GUTS to blaze your own path and go out on your own. It’s
pretty ballsy to say, ‘there’s a better way,’ and then go do it. I think there should be a national holiday for
entrepreneurs. It’s a day in the year when you’re treated like a rock star everywhere you go. Local blogs and
newspapers take out full-page ads saying ‘THANK YOU!’ Contracts and checks are received on that day, bills
are put on hold, the collection phone calls get a 24-hour moratorium, and your favorite radio station calls out
your name and business for a shout out and at 12:30pm, the city bells ring to signal that it’s time to pull out
your favorite blanket and take a nap. It’s YOUR day for the world to finally turn around and really see you. It’s
your day to not feel any shame in the fact that you feel stuck in between breaking through or going under.
But . . .
In the meantime, you’re so tired that you can hardly see straight, the checks aren’t coming in, the phone isn’t
ringing (at least the calls you want to answer) and you’re starting to wonder if you’ve made a mistake. If you’re
honest, yes, you probably did make several mistakes somewhere along the line and created a mess, but who
hasn’t? If there is any place where you can keep it real, it’s right here. Use this workbook to work out your
mess. Stop being the lone ranger and take time with yourself to dissect and explore exactly what you need to
make those critical next steps. In order to go to take those next steps, you need to get crystal clear with
yourself and your business. You’re going to need to be as real as you need to be right now in order to get
down to the heart of the truth so that you can break out of this cycle of struggle and uncertainty. I want you to
break out. You deserve it. There are some clear steps for breaking out. The first step in your ‘keeping it real’
journey is to understand that nothing you do is unique. There it is. Sorry. But there is hope, love.
First things first . . .

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The Business Story Generator Canvas - An Overview
This process came out of our wild and wacky nights running Entre-SLAM, a storytelling competition for
entrepreneurs. After a couple of years, listening to and watching over 100 entrepreneurs tell stories and many of
them struggling with them, two things were clear:
Problem No. 01. Business people, for the most part, know HOW to tell a story.
This is a no-brainer. If you have a business, at some point, you have to talk to people about it and if you love what
you do, then talking about it comes pretty easily.
Advantage: Even if you're an introvert, you can generally push past the nausea and tell people about what you do.
Disadvantage: If you're an extravert, your excitement for how awesome you and your product are can lead to
diarreha of the mouth and loads of 'blah, blah, blah' will flow.
Problem No. 02. Business people, also for the most part, don't know how to tell the RIGHT story.
Ahhh...this is where things can get a bit tricky. What we've found is that the reason why the story is difficult to tell is
one of the following:
1. The owner of the idea is genuinely shy personally and that just overwhelms their ability to convey the power of
what they do to anyone. Generally, these folks hide behind the product and leave it up to the visitor to 'figure things
out' on their own.
2. The owner of the idea secretly doesn't believe what they do will work. Ugh...yeah. GUILTY. Been there and done
that. You’re in the right place to discover, fix and or adjust the chinks in your armor while discovering what makes
your potential clients say, ‘yes’.
Regardless of how your journey looks like, it’s your journey and the right narrative will connect with those relatable
moments that will resonate with your target audience. This tool, will help you create narratives that are:
1. Clear,
2. Effective and, most importantly,
3. Connects.

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Get Prepared
Print the Canvas Blocks of Time
Designate Recruit and find
A Practice Buddy
Recommended:
Because you’ll need to record
your thoughts, we’d recommend
printing the canvas at the original
size: 11 x 17 (tabloid)
1. Download and print the
Business Story Generator
Canvas.
To download the complete
canvas, go to:
www.businessstorygenerator.com/
bookdownload
Recommended:
You’ll need 6-8 hours to com-
plete your canvas.
There are a total of X sections.
The suggested amount of time
to complete each is below:
Section 1: 10-15 minutes
Section 2: .45 - 1.5 hours
Section 3: 1 - 2 hours
Section 4: 1 hour
Challenges: 1 hour
Section 5: 1 - 2 hours
Section 6: 1-2 hours
Recommended:
Ask someone who knows you
well enough to support you,
cheer you on AND call you out
on BS, if necessary. Their role
is to be a sounding board as
well as an accountability
partner.
_________________________
Has agreed to be my practice
buddy.

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Let’s Dive in.
section 01

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“All life is an experiment . . . What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt
once or twice? Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
9
Reality Check #1
We have some
good news and bad news
(which would you like first?)

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WHY YOU ARE HERE: The GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS
The Bad News is:
What you do is not unique, a game changer or the next best thing since the six pack of Ramen
Noodles for $1 was created (chicken flavored please). Jokes aside. I know it feels kind of awful to
come to this realization but the sooner you do, the better. Like we agreed at the beginning of this
workbook, however, we are going to keep it real here. Sorry, love.
Now for the GREAT, GOOD and AWESOME news:
The ONLY thing unique about your business, is YOU. Just like each of us has a unique fingerprint, you
are the magnificent, secret ingredient X. It just happens to be buried right now underneath those indi-
rect and indirect competitors. With this process of bringing that ingredient, your story out to the world,
you will slowly but surely discover your power. You are an amazing individual who I admire tremen-
dously. I’m already a fan! So, let’s go to work on uncovering your secret sauce, your story.
“. . . I work my 9 to 5, better cut my check
This goes out to all the women getting it in,
You're on your grind
To other men that respect what I do
Please accept my shine . . .”
Run the World (GIRLS): Beyonce

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Canvas Time: Section 1
What DO you do?
Let’s get the easy stuff out the way, shall we? First, let’s create your profile.
This section is exactly what you’d expect. Just answer the questions with exactly what you do and how long
you’ve been doing it. For example, if you design space shoes, the answer is: ‘Hi, name is Sam and I design
space shoes.’
How would you describe how you’re feeling right now, just stating the basics?
Your Name
The Name of Your Business
What is the business?
How long have you been in business?
How long have you had an interest in this area?
GUT CHECK
Excitement
Joy
Frustration
Fear
Confusion
Worry
Panic
Humiliation

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Canvas Time: Section 1
What DO you do?
What is it that you currently say, when someone asks, ‘What do you do?’
If you were to say in TWO or THREE words what it is you do, what you say?
What is the reaction of folks when you share this presentation/explanation?
GUT CHECK
Excitement
Joy
Frustration
Skepticism
Confusion
Eyes Glaze Over
Bored
Indifference
Add this to your canvas
Add this to your canvas

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Canvas Time: Section 1 - Complete Your Canvas
What DO you do?
At this point on your canvas, you should:
Sample Script:
Know what your core business products or services are and can say what you do concisely in one to two words.To help guide
you, this is your opening phrase before you start any conversations about what you do for a living.
Hi, I’m ______________________, the [TITLE] of [COMPANY] and I/We ______________________.

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Story Block #1
Hi, my name is ____________, the founder of _____________ and I ____________:
(Insert 2-3 word synopsis of what you do)

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Keep Going.
section 02

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What Are you
REALLY Selling?
Something for you to consider
“Why Does Coffee Cost $10?” NY Post
“What Starbucks did was change coffee from a commodity into a luxury product,” says Norton,
who explains that drinking coffee became an “experience” that showed someone was
smart and cultured.”

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TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE BENEFITS
EXAMPLES:
Tangible:
• Reduce employee turnover
• Reduce sickness and/or sick days
• Reduce injury
• Cost savings
Intangible:
• Improve morale
• Improve decision making
• Improve efficiency
• Reduce mental errors
• Improve concentration
• Improve time management
In order to figure out what it is that makes your brand/product/service stand above the competition,
figure out the tangible and intangible benefits .
Write down the Tangible Benefits
Write down the Intangible Benefits

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What is the Experience you want associated with your brand?
Write down in vivid detail, the experience that you want every person to experience. Start from the first click
or walk in the door to the final purchase.

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Snow White and Seven Dwarfs | Disney
Queen Ravenna: “Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who is the fairest of them all?”
Mirror Man: “My Queen, on this day, one has come of age fairer even than you.
She is the reason your powers wane.”
Reality Check #1
Do you know your direct
and indirect competitors?
Your direct competitors are easier to see. Know them or they will take your business out.
Knowing how to manage indirect competition is critical because they will take YOU out.

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YOUR DIRECT COMPETITORS
Have you ever noticed that you never see a particular style of a car until you’re driving one? Then you see
that style, color, etc., EVERYWHERE. Similar to your business concept, as soon as you come up with your
idea and ‘get it on the road’, somehow you then notice that what you’re doing isn’t as unique or in some
cases, not even interesting. It’s just an idea. So then you start trying to out ‘dress up’ your competitors. You
redesign your website, get premium business cards, post some stuff on Facebook, Twitter, etc., build a fun
infographic or video. Then you wait. Sure the changes gets some folks off the fence but you’re pretty much
still a fan club of one. In the meantime, you’re seeing folks moving at a steady clip with the equivalent of a
piece of notebook paper with some stuff scribbled on it and a one page website that looks half crazy, and they
are absolutely dominating!
For some of these folks, they are just plain out hustling you. They’re out
there in people’s faces and it looks like they are the prime and only
choice. They seem to be EVERYWHERE. Now, outside of this crew,
there is a smaller group who are connected to what makes them unique
and can articulate that to people in cool, entertaining ways.
Now, there is an even tinier slice of this fun pie. This group? These are
the folks who you look at and secretly admire because they are on top of
the mountain. You are so inspired by what they do, that you secretly
want to work for them. (You want to be here.)

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Evolution | Columbia Pictures
“Harry Block: I'm no biologist, but how many cells do single-celled organisms have?
Ira Kane: Harry, if we're going to be big important scientists you have to start to act the part.”
Storytelling
Basics
No, you will not learn how to do a ‘pitch’
(we’re going to show you how to fine tune it with your story)