How to Share Your Story with Purpose with Bill Blankschaen

Aug 12, 2025

Bill Blankschaen, the Founder of Story Builders, shares his expertise on impactful storytelling. He emphasizes that a compelling narrative should connect with the audience, solving their problems and helping them see themselves in your journey. Bill discusses the importance of clarity, crafting messages that matter, and understanding your audience. He offers practical tips to overcome self-doubt and navigate opportunities in storytelling. Tune in for valuable insights on building a meaningful platform around your story!

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INSIGHT

Find The One Memorable Idea

Ask yourself: if readers forget 99% of your book, what's the one thing they must remember.
That single focus surfaces the core of your message and clarifies purpose.

ANECDOTE

Leaving Security To Follow Story

Bill left running a private school to pursue storytelling despite fear and six kids and no income.
That risk led to his first published book and launched StoryBuilders.

INSIGHT

Message As An Ecosystem

Treat your message as an ecosystem: message maker, multiplier (book), then IP and products.
A book multiplies reach and becomes a catalyst for courses, workshops, and income.

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“If your heart is genuinely how do I care about people by doing what I love to do, if that’s the driver of it, I don’t see how you can not end up in a place that is rewarding, fulfilling, and doing something that makes the world a better place.”

Ever wonder if your story is worth sharing or how to even start turning your experience into a book, speech, or brand? In this episode of The Speaker Lab, Grant Baldwin chats with Bill Blankschaen, founder of Story Builders, for an honest look at what makes a story truly impactful.

Bill’s approach is all about clarity and service. He urges aspiring speakers and authors to ask what the one thing they want their audiences to remember. If they’re unsure about that, their message probably needs fine-tuning. Importantly, Bill reminds us that while your story is about you, it’s meant for others. The value lies in helping your audience solve real problems or see themselves in your journey.

Grant and Bill also unpack practical tips and frameworks for how to test if your story is more than a personal anecdote, why defining your audience is crucial, and how to avoid overwhelm from too many tempting opportunities. If you’ve struggled with self-doubt or aren’t sure where to start, this episode is a pep talk and a toolkit rolled into one. Listen in for real-world advice on making your story stick and building an authentic platform around it!

You’ll learn:

Storytelling and its role in thought leadership
Evaluating the value and viability of your story
The SPEAK framework
Sustaining passion behind your message
Connecting through reliability, not novelty
Adding value rather than outdoing competition
Developing intellectual property from foundational ideas
Choosing the right medium for your message
The role of mindset in success
And much, much more!

“Your story may be about you, but your story ultimately isn’t for you, it needs to serve a greater purpose to help more people.”

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