Speak for Yourself

Just as every picture tells a story, every story paints a picture. In the great gallery of business ownership, what does your picture look like? Is it vibrant, colorful, and interesting? Or, is it bland, abstract, or even haunting? If examined closely, does it bear the unmistakable markings of the original artist? Or, does it look more like a copy, a cheap imitation, or worse, a forgery? Perhaps the biggest question of all is: Why should anyone stop and take a look?

As business owners, we may not think of ourselves as artists, but in reality that is exactly what we are. We take a blank canvas and from a private world no one else has ever really seen, we draw the images and mix the colors. We design, create, shape, and mold an idea or a persistent dream into a viable, marketable, and hopefully profitable small business. We breathe life into it with all our heart, all our soul, and in most cases, every ounce of our physical, mental, and emotional energy. You get the picture. Does everyone else? Are you telling the story that paints the picture? Because, truth be told, no one tells it quite like -- you!

A great example of this truth is Kate McCarty of Embassy Title Agency. Kate's story is  one of success and inspiration, and there is no one who tells it better than Kate. Starting as a single mom with little more than a dream and the unwavering courage to pursue it, she has created so much more than a successful title agency. She has created a picture of hope, and a story of determination and persistence. It's a story that's making a difference in the lives of others every time she tells it. It's also a story that defines her business and brings intense color to the picture she's painted, not to mention the many lives that have been touched in the pursuit of home ownership and in the desire for gainful employment.

So, what's your story? How does it color the picture of your business and of you? I encourage you to take the time to craft it, and then make the time to tell it.

Note: Kate McCarty and Embassy Title Agency is the 2016 recipient of the Livonia Chamber of Commerce's 2016 Outstanding Small Business of the Year. 

Also published on LinkedIn Pulse, August 23, 2016