The story is the vehicle that makes your idea accessible

I lived on a sailboat for 2 years in the Caribbean, and I LOVE to talk about it.

I don’t tell boat stories to teach you how to sail. And I don’t tell boat stories because they tell you anything about my business. I use them as analogies to teach a thousand other things.


What is the most amazing thing about boat life for kids?

I could write you a list of 20 things. I could have bullet points and slides and diagrams.

Or I could show you this photo of the quiet confidence of my then 11yr old just going about the pretty serious business off-shore boat repairs. This one photo sums up everything I could possibly have hoped and dreamed of for my kids.

I don’t have to tell you anything, I can show you a picture that tells the story of what it means for a kid to grow up on a boat.



Too many people misunderstand what storytelling really is- whether on stage or pitching your business. Telling a story is not the goal in itself.

The story is how you get people to FEEL something about your business. To have a fundamental emotional reaction to what it is you are trying to achieve.

The story is the vehicle that makes your idea accessible.

You don't tell a story because you want your audience to be engaged. You tell a story so that your audience are engaged SO THAT they can learn whatever it is you really want them to know.

If you need to take your pitching to the next level, the Pitch Gap might be for you.

You can also ask TEDx & Pitch coach Tessa Rawson about running a storytelling workshop for your team.