Storytelling in Pop Culture: The Breakfast Club, Rep. John Lewis, and Angela Stanton-King

I'm pleased to announce the launch of my new blog series, Storytelling in Pop Culture. In this series, I’ll be highlighting news in pop culture from a storytelling perspective. I'll further point out interesting moments that bring the power of storytelling to the forefront and give unique insights that we all can use for our professional and business endeavors. Just to be clear this is not about taking a personal stance, entertainment news, or gossip. Instead, this is about emphasizing moments in current affairs that have put the skill of storytelling to the test.

Sadly this series starts off with the death of a civil rights icon and American hero, Rep. John Lewis. As the country celebrates his heroic contributions towards civil rights and democracy, the Georgia voters must now consider their options for representation that are now void of such a big voice. One of those options is Angela Stanton-King, who was recently interviewed by Breakfast Club.

As a storyteller actively working with citizens returning from the criminal justice system, I was fascinated by the interview. While the interview explored several hot button topics (abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and the Trump administration), Angela successfully navigated the storytelling world by making sure her story was forward-looking and not tied down by her past realities. As a story coach that has helped returning citizens change their narratives from one of pain to purpose, it was clear Angela deftly navigated this skill and, it allowed her to pivot the conversation her to message.

Here are two key takeaways from the interview from a storytelling perspective:

Every opportunity to introduce yourself is an opportunity to tell your story. Angela did not miss the chance to take advantage of this opportunity. Instead, she made the most of it. She did this by telling the story of her incarceration and how it led to her finding her purpose/calling as a writer, achieving financial freedom, and going into public service.

Use your story to stamp your credibility and expert status. I refer to this as establishing your points of credibility. Let's face it, Angela is relatively unknown in the political arena. However, by owning her experiences as someone previously marginalized, she referenced specific government policies that harmed her at her lows or helped her at her highs. By doing this, she was able to establish a certain level of credibility. Not only did it change the power dynamic during the conversation, but she left the audience with the impression that she truly has a shot and is a candidate to be reckoned with despite her relatively unknown status.

Check out the Breakfast Club interview here to see the powerful storytelling moments mentioned above.

How to Craft Your Personal Mission Statement (Using Your Story)

My job description as a story coach boils down to these two things, 1) helping leaders articulate their purpose and 2) helping them live out that purpose. However, very few leaders I serve can define their exact mission statement (otherwise known as a purpose statement). While they lead a successful life, and even anchor their life choices on certain uncompromising values, stating one’s mission is not something many leaders find easy to do at all.

As a result, I decided to create a simple process for anyone to articulate their personal mission statement:

1. Identity – If I were to relieve you of all your professional titles, what is one word you still find a sense of identity in? This is key because as leaders we attach our identity to our accomplishments and performance. The idea here is to have a change in perspective and grasp the idea that you are not what you do but instead, what you do is only an expression of who you are.

After identifying your one-word, think why this word is important to you.

2. Core values – What are your top three values? These are the guiding principles you live and pattern your life by. They are the overarching principles responsible for your life choices and decisions. Examples are - Integrity | Security | Creativity | Collaboration | Growth | Relationship | Service | Family | Freedom | Generosity | Spirituality | Wealth.

Which of these ranks the highest (this answer should be identical, or close, to question number 1)?

3. Story – Think about an experience that shaped or brought your core values to the forefront. This is called a defining moment: it is a life-changing or life-altering event that, after its occurrence, continues to have a lingering impact on your life. Authentic mission statements often come from our defining moments and allow us to discover the overarching purpose of our lives.

This story should have an identical theme to both questions 1 and 2.

4. Service – Identify a community or a demographic in your world that share the same need? Your mission statement should be service-oriented and not just self-serving. While life’s purposes do come from personal defining moments, their impact should be far-reaching and should connect with a real need in the world. That said, you must start from your immediate environment by identifying the needs closest to you. Over time there will be more opportunities to expand this scope of influence.

The community you identify with should connect to those [defining moments] in your story.

5. Introduction - After completing these steps, now go ahead with crafting your mission statement, and display it boldly in your home, bio/resume, website or place of work. Whenever you are called to introduce yourself, whether as a speaker or even at a job interview, start by boldly stating your personal mission statement – because this is your superpower.

Examples of popular mission statements include:

"To be a teacher. And to be known for inspiring my students to be more than they thought they could be." — Oprah Winfrey

"To have fun in [my] journey through life and learn from [my] mistakes."
— Sir Richard Branson

Examples of business mission statements include:

“Give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.” — Facebook

“To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.” — Starbucks

Client Story Unveil: Filippo’s

We hear a lot of startup stories but stories of legacy businesses that outlive their founders aren’t one that we come by all the time. GO Global is proud to tell the story of Filippo’s Italian Specialties, a local food business that has been around for 60 years and a staple in the Wheaton community of Maryland. Filippo’s is proof that behind every successful business is a powerful story.  

Filippo’s Italian Specialties – Our Story

Our story began in 1955 with a simple idea and purpose – to create a space that brings people together around good food and a positive, home-like environment. More than 60 years later, this idea is still very much alive when you walk through our doors. To us you are not just a customer, you are family. 

Owner Leo Filippo came to the Wheaton area of Maryland as an immigrant from Sicily, Italy. He had the vision of creating an unconventional food establishment that provides a community-like experience. He got his start at a pizzeria where he learned the ins and out of running a successful food business. In 1989 he found the opportunity of making his vision a reality by becoming a partner with Frank Marchone of Marchone Place, a local deli run by his uncle which had become a staple in the Wheaton community. In November 2013, Leo Filippo became the sole owner of business. Since then, Marchone Place has been renamed the business Filippo's Italian Specialties and even with tremendous growth, Leo and his team have been able to maintain the family legacy of food and community.

At Filippo’s we believe local delis like ours remain as strong pillars in the community. We do this by providing a thriving space for connection, a family-like experience and obviously great food. From the beginning, Filippo’s set out to be a different kind of food establishment - our core asset is not our food but instead it is the people we serve. Today, more than 60 years since our doors first opened, we are proud to keep serving you - our customers, our family. And with every sub, cookie or cannoli, we will continue to do just that.

When saying the right words goes wrong (and can even cost you)

Last week I had the great honor of speaking at a conference at Johns Hopkins University. Before my talk was a power panel of social innovators leading companies that were working on services from health equity to financial inclusion. As my session approached, I felt more pressured and conflicted about how to proceed with my presentation. I felt pressured because international development used to be my world and I was invited to the conference in part due to this history. I felt conflicted because it was no longer what I do, my purpose is now in the business of storytelling. 

Sadly, I yielded to the pressure and introduced myself as a fellow changemaker and not a storyteller. I proceeded to recount my experiences and impact in the field of social change. As you might expect, I was saying all the right things but I was also innately drifting away from my now true voice. The result was an average rapport at best with the audience. I captured the attention of a few while others reached for their phones or flowed in and out of the room for coffee. 

Finally, I decided to come from the spirit and began to speak in my now true voice as a storyteller. Unexpectedly and almost instantaneously the response of the audience shifted and everyone's attention became intently focused on me and what I had to say. The reception was so strong that several people from the audience approached me afterward inviting me to speak to their organizations or to serve as a personal/corporate coach. 

There were several opportunities in the room tied to me speaking in my true voice. Had I not shifted to this, those opportunities would have been lost and at best I would've been invited back to speak next year. Instead, I left with an unprecedented amount of new business leads. The moral of this story is this - never let who you used to be stand in the way of who you are becoming and never let the pressure of an environment hold you back from speaking in your true voice.

Leave Your Resume at the Door

Whether you're interviewing for a job, consulting gig, or fellowship program, 10 times out of 10 the conversation will start with, "Can you tell me about yourself?" The answer to this question should be your brand story. 

Instead, what most people do is this:

• They give an executive summary of their resume.

• They highlight their professional experiences.

• They show interviewers why they will be an asset to the company.

• Some will even talk about their most recent experiences and how they are relevant to the position or opportunity. 

While these are all good answers, they are generic and average at best. Moreover, chances are high that each of your competitors had the same responses. Unfortunately, your interviewers want more - they want to meet to real you and what they truly want to hear is your brand story. 

A great brand story should be comprised of the following:  

• The intrinsic qualities that set you apart from your competition,

• Your hero/shero journey,

• Your professional defining moments,

• Your purpose statement, 

• Your professional identity, 

• Your core values,  

• Your superpowers and, 

• Your industry-specific vision. 

Why is this important? It is important because in today's globally competitive world, companies are not just hiring you as a professional, they are hiring and doing business with your personal brand. So the next time you go into an interview, leave your resume recital at the door, and instead go in with your personal brand story.

PRESS RELEASE : GO Global Launches Business & Stories Series

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
GO Global , info@globalgoinc.com , (202) 496-9220

WASHINGTON, DC, November 26, 2019 – GO Global is proud to announce the launch of Business & Stories, an event series that spotlights local entrepreneurs telling the story of how they built their business from the ground up. The kick-off series features Anika Hobbs of Nubian Hueman located in the historic Anacostia community of Washington DC and Baltimore Maryland. The event is scheduled to hold on December 19, 2019 and will feature a gathering of investors, media and local entrepreneurs. Participants will not only hear the powerful business stories but will also learn how to use storytelling to power their own businesses.

According to Gbenga Ogunjimi, Chief Storyteller at GO Global: “After working on the stories of several entrepreneurs in communities of color, I have realized storytelling is a widely untapped resource for business growth. The Business & Stories event series is a wonderful opportunity to show the world how these business and social entrepreneurs are changing the narrative of their community from struggle and scarcity to that of opportunity and wealth.”

About Nubian Hueman

Founded by Anika Hobbs, Nubian Hueman is a social enterprise that specializes in sourcing and curating unique goods, fashion, and art by designers representing the global Diaspora. Since inception, the business has partnered with close to 400 artists and designers, from 6 different continents, and over 25 countries. Nubian Hueman is the only digital and brick-and-mortar store with 99% of its products made and purchased by people of color. For more info, please visit www.nubianhueman.com

About Gbenga Ogunjimi

Gbenga Ogunjimi is an author, speaker, and storyteller. Gbenga has coached hundreds of business and nonprofit leaders at organizations like Verizon, American Express, Teach for America, and UN Foundation. His book, Borderless Voice: The Power of Telling Your Story and Defining Your Identity, is a compilation of stories and strategies that shows readers how to harness the power of their story. Gbenga believes telling one's story is not only everyone’s greatest asset, but it is also a conduit to all of life’s highest aspirations. For more info, please visit www.gbenga.org

Join the GO Global Team!

Join the GO Global Team!

Job Description – Admin & Editorial Specialist Position

GO Global is a leadership coaching and consulting firm. Our sole purpose is to elevate thought leaders from good to great. We offer life, career and business coaching services for thought leaders, non-profits and businesses.

Since its inception in 2016, GO Global has established three national series Tell Your Story, Find Your Core, & Activate Your Tribe. These combined efforts have elevated GO Global from the personal brand of Gbenga Ogunjimi to an enterprise recognized in the field of life coaching, business coaching and consulting.

In 2020, CEO and Chief Storyteller, Gbenga Ogunjimi has big plans for GO Global’s growth including establishing an international presence. He is looking for a hardworking, entrepreneurial, changemaking, action-oriented individual to join his team. He needs an Administrative & Editorial Specialist to assist with organization, marketing, event planning, and growth while offering one-on-one mentorship and leadership training.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

•          Act as point of contact for all information flowing to and from GO Global

•          Set up and maintain logistics between CEO and clients

•          Research potential new clients, book vendors, and speaking opportunities

•          Edit published content on website, social media and newsletter

•          Facilitate, coordinate, and co-organize events.

REQUIREMENTS

•          Interest in and passion for business coaching, professional, and leadership development

•          Ability to travel to offices in Southeast Washington, DC

•          Strong verbal and written communication skills

•          Strong social media skills

•          Organized, strategic and detail-oriented

•          Excellent understanding of big-picture concepts with the ability to extract the most important information

BENEFITS

•          Meaningful work

•          Flexible schedule  

•          Professional development  

TO APPLY

Email your resume and a cover letter stating why you believe you will be the right fit for this position. Include “Admin & Editorial Specialist Position” in the subject line. Resumes without cover letters will not be considered. Send application to info@globalgoinc.com or call (202) 496-9220 for inquires.

A Breakthrough Story

I caught up with Augusta Massey, a participant of my recent Tell Your Story Coaching Intensive to hear how she has been able to use her newly found insights in her professional and personal life.

Describe the Tell Your Story Coaching Intensive in three words?

Emancipating. Thoughtful. Focused.

What was your biggest challenge before participating in the program?

My biggest challenge was accepting that I needed professional help to rescue me from the quagmire I was in. Every successful athlete, speaker, etc. has a coach. It took a while for me to accept my limitation. 

At what point during the program did you have an aha moment?

I had several aha moments throughout the program, but my favorite was week one when we had to create a 360-life plan. Boy, was that liberating! It put me back in the driver seat of my life and changed my whole perspective. The class made me see how everything in my life was connected and useful! Everything is by design. I love vision boards and it was like making a vision board on steroids. Being back in the driver seat, I could "reverse" and see how my family heritage and power networks all contributed to who I am today. I could then get into "drive" mode and propel my dreams forward, armed with the knowledge of my ancestral lineage. Life always leaves clues and this class helped me see what was right underneath my nose all along. With my hands firmly back on the "steering wheel" of my life, things just became so crystal clear and I knew instinctively what I needed to do next. 

How have you been able to put the program to use?

Since the program, I have tweaked my LinkedIn page and put myself out there under my new, re-branded and improved professional identity. I have started working internationally, I have been certified by the Better Business Bureau, I have launched an online course to help new start-ups and business owners called "The Legal Advantage" which you can find at www.theaugustamassey.com  and I just got back from an international speaking engagement!

How did you professionally identify yourself before the Intensive and how do you identify yourself now?

Before the program, I was lost to be honest. I wasn't sure what my identity was. I am an award-winning lawyer turned into a Judge Pro-Temp, living in Las Vegas, Nevada. I also wanted to be a speaker but was not sure how to pursue that in addition to everything else I was doing. I had a vision to work with government leaders on sustainable government policies and did I mention I was a mother of two small children. I was finding it hard to juggle it all and pivot and combine all my passions. After the Intensive, I saw how all my skills and talents and multi-potential qualities made me a unique thought leader on succession planning and legacy building. I have been able to transfer these skills to help small businesses and countries alike. 

What is the biggest insight you discovered about your story/brand during the program?

Using one of the several powerful techniques I learned in the Intensive, I have been able to clarify or illuminate the qualities that make me a thought leader, speaker and author. One of such qualities is my core value of legacy; through the coaching intensive I was able to grasp how transferable this core value is to my speaking, consulting and coaching businesses. This singular insight helped me to reposition my brand as succession planning expert for business entities both locally in the United States and internationally.