EP 238 The Power of Storytelling for Business Owners with guest Christine Innes
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Sara Mayer: [00:00:00] Welcome to the bold goal crusher podcast for anyone looking to stop letting life get in the way and start crushing bold goals. I'm your host, Sara Mayer, and I'm thrilled to navigate this journey with you because it's time to start boldly achieving without working double time. So let's dive in.
Sara Mayer: Hello, bold goal crushers. I'm super excited about this episode. I think you're going to love my guest. So let me introduce you to Christine. She is a visionary entrepreneur, storyteller, and the CEO and founder of the Corporate Escapists. A renowned media company that harnesses the power of storytelling to help entrepreneurs attract their ideal clients with a [00:01:00] deep understanding of the profound impact stories have on human connection and consumer behavior.
Sara Mayer: Christine has revolutionized the way entrepreneurs communicate. And sell their products and services. I'm so excited to have you on the show. I read your bio and I was like, Oh yes, this is going to be a great conversation.
Christine Innes: Oh, thank you so much. I was saying to you, it's taken about four years to get to it because I think we all go on a journey to not only find ourselves, but also find that sweet spot, in our business as well.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. I there's so much to unpack here in your bio. And I know many of the listeners know that I was in corporate for many years. And then during COVID I was thrown into the deep end of the pool and many of the You listening to the show are in your nine to five. You may be even in your corner office and you're looking to leave your job.
Sara Mayer: So let me tell you that there is a whole world of opportunity on the [00:02:00] other side. But Christine, it sounds like you may have a story as well, just by hearing your business name.
Christine Innes: Yeah, absolutely. I call it my not so gracious exit from corporate. I literally, I got diagnosed with two life changing illnesses that same year left a toxic, unfixable marriage and filed for bankruptcy.
Christine Innes: So it wasn't gracious at all how I had to, literally start working, but it was the best thing that ever happened to me. And then I have what I call my pity party for the next couple of years. That was the pull me, the why me, everything's happening to me. And then went on a beautiful journey of self discovery and healing.
Christine Innes: And from that, I then learned the power of owning a story, but then started to share my story. And this is how the business all started for me, simply getting to a point where I wanted to start sharing that people were recognizing the change. And from that, it has grown in the last five years to a global media company.
Sara Mayer: [00:03:00] Wow. What? What an inspiration to, I think it's always really difficult to share the story because it's easy to share the highlight reel. Here I am. It looks so great, but there's always, as my mom says, there's always a backstory. And so how did you get to the point where you felt confident enough to actually share your story?
Christine Innes: Let me just say, I wasn't, I remember this interview, I was literally, sweat was just pouring out of every part of my body because I was so nervous it just was so uncomfortable for me. But what turned that around is me thinking it's not about me anymore. This is if I could just help one person, then I would feel so much better.
Christine Innes: So amazing that everything that I'd went through was worth it. And when I started flipping the script that it was no longer about me, it was about the other people listening and what I could bring to it. It changed everything. And like I said, it's taken five [00:04:00] years. I'm very comfortable on camera now.
Christine Innes: Like I'm okay with it, but that's five years in the making. And every people see, like you're saying, they see the, after they never see the before. So you could go back, you can find it and watch that first interview. It's hilarious, but now it's. I don't make it about myself. I get here to share and show people what is possible by owning the story, but now sharing it in a way to actually inspire other people.
Sara Mayer: Wow. And I imagine that, you went on a journey, you mentioned the journey. I imagine that there were different variations. I know what it's like to have videos out there where you're like, Ooh, that wasn't so great. I don't delete them because somebody needs to see that original one. In fact, I have one mentor that has beautiful edited videos, and I found her first YouTube video and she's Oh my gosh, how'd you find that?
Sara Mayer: I'm like, please don't delete it. Cause I use it with my [00:05:00] clients. Look at her way back then. And she's still got this out there.
Christine Innes: Yeah, absolutely. I don't delete anything. I'm a big believer that with every conversation, with every experience, like every moment that we have in life, we're become a different person.
Christine Innes: So the decisions that I might make yesterday are going to be completely different to what I make today because of. Those moments that happen. So why sit back and go, Oh my God, look at that. It's awful. It's terrible. But I'm such a different person to what I was yesterday to what I was even five years ago.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. And it's so cool probably to see your journey. Do you mind sharing a little bit about your journey? What did you do to go from where you were, where you mentioned it was like a pity party to where you are now?
Christine Innes: Yeah, look, honestly I think part of my brain is blocked out some of the real hard parts of it, but a lot of it came down to finding who I was.
Christine Innes: And I [00:06:00] remember one point where somebody said to me what are you doing? And I have no problem talking. So for me to like. Clam up and it was like an anxiety attack. I couldn't answer it because I realized that I was so attached to my corporate identity that I didn't know who I was without a job title.
Christine Innes: And I had worked, for 22 years. So not having a job, not knowing who I was. It really was the first thing to start to unpack and it was then giving myself permission to ask the questions. Who are you? Who do you want to be? What do you want to do? And I don't think we've ever give ourselves that permission to be able to do that.
Christine Innes: So It was asking the questions and there was a whole heap of modalities that I started to use. In it, I got in touch with my spirituality, really started to heal. And one of the big things was forgiveness. It was not just the forgiveness of others. It actually [00:07:00] was my forgiveness of myself of, Hey, you've been in this situation, all these things that and actually forgive myself for.
Christine Innes: Knowing, Hey, I'm a human being, we make mistakes. We, the things that happen and really leaning into that. And the forgiveness side actually was one of the most profound things that I had done because I let go of what I call what were my two best friends, shame and guilt. And shame and guilt followed me.
Christine Innes: everywhere. I was ashamed that I was, about to hit my forties. I was going to sleep on my parents couch. I was ashamed that was my second marriage. I was ashamed that I had to file for bankruptcy. And then the guilt bubbled up inside. And when you forgive yourself, you can let go of that. And when you do that, you yourself allow them so much more goodness come into your life.
Christine Innes: But I remember I was literally walking with my head held down because I didn't want to look people in the eye. And now [00:08:00] I'm not scared of what people are going to say, because literally I've said the worst things that you possibly can say to myself anyway.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. Isn't that so true? We're often the biggest critics of ourselves.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. Wow. What a journey you went on and I like that you shared that your two best friends were shame and guilt. I think many people will relate to that and say, Oh yeah, that's one of my best friends too. I didn't know we were all sharing the same best friends, but now you're really working with entrepreneurs to share their stories.
Sara Mayer: So can you talk a little bit about why that's so important?
Christine Innes: Yeah, I look as business owners, you are the business, you are the brand. And if we think about, there are billions of businesses in the world, what separates you from everybody else is yourself. And if you're not sharing your why, if you're not sharing, the reason behind starting that and it does not have to [00:09:00] be like a doom or gloom or, rags to riches story.
Christine Innes: It literally could be, I'm in the shower and there's light bulb moment happened, or I was walking my kids and this is, I've found this need for it. People identify with stories and stories sell. And if you're not sharing that, why you are missing out on that human connection, you're missing out on what your marketing teachers is that no trust factor.
Christine Innes: Your people are not going to like you. They don't know you and how are they going to trust you? So you, if you can share your story, you're pretty much 10 X ing that like no trust factor to get people to buy into your business, to follow you and then to purchase your products and services.
Sara Mayer: Yeah, and I think it's really about that connection, and identifying with your story and other stories, even if it's just a loose thread, it doesn't need to be the exact same story, but, oh, somebody else out there struggle with that.
Sara Mayer: Somebody [00:10:00] else out there. Went through the same thing. Somebody else out there slept on their parents couch. And that's I think what you mentioned brings that no and trust factor, but also the feeling that, okay, what I'm going through is also normal.
Christine Innes: Yeah. Yeah. And I think, one of the key things that COVID taught us is that we love connection and we miss that so much.
Christine Innes: So we want people to have these real authentic conversations. We want to get to know, our neighbors. We want to get to know the people in our community and a business owner, you are part of that. And you need to start sharing and, be more invulnerable. And I always say to people, actually the biggest videos that I have is where I'm sitting there with no makeup on, maybe having a cry, like talking about, some real things.
Christine Innes: Because that's people relate to it. I go, Oh my God, it's not all, this beautiful roses and filters and all that sort of stuff, because it's hard work. Sometimes just life can [00:11:00] be difficult. So if we can share that journey and people can relate to it.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. Yeah. Sometimes that's easier said than done.
Sara Mayer: So how does one get the courage to be able to do that?
Christine Innes: Oh, it takes a lot. And I think everybody has the courage within themselves to do it. But for me, it comes back to the same thing. When I first did my video, it's no longer about me. It's my business is, yes, it's my business, but, for me, if I share something, it could just help one person and.
Christine Innes: I guess it's letting go of the ego that's inside of ourselves, thinking that everything has to be perfect. And when you can drop that and you can really sink into your full, true, authentic self and let go of, I guess the perfection that we all have within our side of ourselves. Yeah that's really where it comes down to.
Christine Innes: It's just letting go and [00:12:00] surrendering and, letting people know that, Hey, I could potentially help you with this one video.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. Yeah. And so now you work with business owners to tell their story. How does that work? How does that look? Like, how do you start that? If I were to know, I really need to share more of my personal story.
Sara Mayer: How does that work even begin?
Christine Innes: Yeah like our process is that we literally jump on zoom very similar to this and we have a conversation. There's I find that the more questions I send people, they overthink it. So it's us having a conversation and a lot of people go I don't know what story to tell.
Christine Innes: That's probably the hardest part. By having that conversation, we work out what the key message is that you want. So if you think of what the end goal is, do you want to just raise awareness? Do you want people to buy potentially into a product or service? And then we can work back with it and having that beautiful conversation, we tap into it.
Christine Innes: And then there is a couple of little coaching things that we may do [00:13:00] depending on sort of the level of awareness that they've got within themselves. And sometimes we have to do a little bit of coaching to allow them to really come back in and to, again, let go of the shame and guilt and then, realizing what they've got is so powerful.
Christine Innes: And then we choose which is going to be the best way for them to share it. Some people are still not comfortable being on camera. So we do an article. Some people are comfortable talking opposed to writing. So we'll do it on our podcast and our TV show. So we work out what is going to be their best method of communication.
Christine Innes: So them to really authentically shine for their business.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. And I bet you it's a lengthy process. Like it starts with the story and then it's refined and then edited and then really analyzed for impact as well.
Christine Innes: Yeah. Look, I try not to edit too much of it. I find the fact that once people have had a, those couple of calls, they can really sink into it.
Christine Innes: We might [00:14:00] take, we might say to him, look, you need to reduce the word count, all those sorts of things. But I try not to do it because when somebody is writing, It really is their energy and their essence that actually comes through and what may not make sense sometimes, but to your ideal client, it's going to make the perfect sense to them reading it.
Christine Innes: So you might go, Oh, this is, doesn't work. But if I know you really well, and we know your product and we know the end result, I'm like going, this makes Perfect sense what you're writing. So let's go with it. And then the good thing is that it actually allows us to break it down into what we call mini content then that we can start sharing.
Christine Innes: We can share, what you think is a mother piece of the the article. It actually is the golden part that we can then start to share and do the micro content for it as well.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. So it leads to a lot of different. Opportunities to share obviously beyond the full story.
Christine Innes: Yeah, definitely. And I think that's what a lot of [00:15:00] people miss is that they go, Oh, I read the writer blog article.
Christine Innes: I write this and they, they realize that there's actually probably 20 different stories within one article.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. I did something on my show a couple of months ago. I listened to somebody show where they were the hosts and then they actually had somebody interviewed them. I thought that was great.
Sara Mayer: So I did it and it's one of my most downloaded episodes.
Christine Innes: Yeah. Oh, we had that with an amazing lady and she's based in Canada and she does vision boards. And so I did her course and then I went through and she, I showed her the photos that I was going to put on there. And then we did the whole placement.
Christine Innes: And I think when people can actually see like your gifts, In action, people are going, Oh my God, I want to work with that person. And we're doing a lot more of that and, it's, it's hard sometimes for people to translate, what they do without the action [00:16:00] behind it or people watching them as well.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. And I think so many people have a lot of, everybody has a lot of different dynamics and aspects to their life, to their business, to just the essence of who they are. And we don't need to share everything, but there's a way to share the things that are important and the things that really will increase that.
Sara Mayer: No, and trust factor and resonate truly with an audience.
Christine Innes: Yeah, definitely. We're multifaceted human beings. So I think sometimes you've got to share every angle of it. Clients actually recognize my dog more than they recognize me when I'm out because I share so many photos of my dog.
Christine Innes: So I think, that's the human element to it, just to say that you're not just the dog. In business, like you talk about all different things with it. And just because say your own wellness doesn't mean that you can't talk about that you eat ice cream or, those sorts of things, because everybody's got something that [00:17:00] they, they love not out like that are outside of their business.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. My dog has. I have a boxer and she's got a ton of followers and people are like, I know your dog's birthday, but I don't even know yours. Exactly. She's a little superstar. But when she does come up every once in a while, she'll come up like right here and Oh, she's a big star on the podcast when she comes up, she's sleeping right now.
Sara Mayer: But yeah.
Christine Innes: Yeah. Yeah. Mine's down the side here. And yeah. So she's Oh, am I allowed up? No, you're not allowed up today.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. So if somebody is listening to this show and they don't even know where to start, like, where do you advise entrepreneurs get started with this process?
Christine Innes: Yeah. Let's, think about, you going back and asking yourself, why did you start your business?
Christine Innes: And a lot of the times, if we're a few years in you, you forget the why. So go back and think about why did you [00:18:00] originally start it? And why are you still doing it? Because sometimes they're going to be two completely different things. And that literally sometimes is the start of your story. Going, I started my business because of this and, five years later, it's manifested.
Christine Innes: It's turned into this, different whole business, which we never thought would happen. And that's a story within itself. And people relate to it because you grow as a person and the business grows.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's natural. There's a lot of people out there that say, when you first start, get really specific.
Sara Mayer: But what I found in what you alluded to in your five year journey is that what I first thought I wanted to do is very different than what I'm doing now. And allowing myself to explore those things has really shaped my business.
Oh,
Christine Innes: so true. I started off just as an interview series and never thought that would I have a magazine, never thought what I, self published books [00:19:00] that it just changes.
Christine Innes: And I thought originally was just going to coach people with, what I had been through. So it has changed completely, but also to when you start listening to what people are talking about and. What you think they need is actually completely different as well.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. Yeah. So how did it evolve into publishing for you?
Christine Innes: With the magazine started, I was actually doing a meditation and I saw magazine covers and, oh my goodness, I laughed so hard. I thought, oh, this is hilarious. There's just no way. And this was actually March of 2020. And I thought, oh, okay. Okay. Obviously, I'm being called to do something.
Christine Innes: Let's just put it out there. I did a social post and then somebody had been following me and she goes how much for the front cover? And I'm like, oh, okay, this is a real thing now. Let's just run with it. And within three months, we launched our very first magazine issue. So I always believe that if you obviously given something [00:20:00] that, to run with it because there's never going to be a perfect time to do it.
Christine Innes: And then what evolved is I had an opportunity to go into a co author book and there was pros and cons obviously to that whole process. And I thought I really have a platform where people are sharing their stories. Who wants to put it into a book and the book is really part of your legacy that you're leaving as well, because your story, it's here, it's in print it's the same with the magazine.
Christine Innes: It's never going away. And then that's how that all started to evolve. And it was literally just listening to people and starting to see what some of the trends that were happening as well. What I found though, it's not people wanting to leave the legacy that actually use the writing process as their healing process as well.
Sara Mayer: Wow. So say that again. It's not them trying to leave a legacy. It's them using the writing process as a healing process.
Christine Innes: Yeah, [00:21:00] definitely. Because when you are writing, it's, I'm a big believer that the energetic, when you put something down onto paper, it's a transfer of energy. And what happens is when people start to write it and they start writing it in a way where it's a really loving, nurturing process, and they're using it in a way not to go, Hey, look at me, It's more of a self love come back to me let's heal what's happened.
Christine Innes: Let's put it down. Obviously you'll work out boundaries of how much you want to share, or, what part of the story you want to share. Cause some of the things are quite traumatic that, they've shared in these stories, but that's healed them because once you've put it out there, nobody else, like it's that shame and guilt thing that all comes back again, you let go of it.
Christine Innes: Because it's out there for people to see so, we'll go ahead, say whatever you want to say, now that you're helping somebody else, you are now [00:22:00] releasing it from yourself. And. I, most of my clients have found that the very first book that they write, that's the healing process. And then they go on to write their second or third books.
Christine Innes: And that then is then starts part of the legacy. It's like letting them know what's happened before, how I've healed, and now this is why I'm in business.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. Wow. And that's gotta be such an empowering process for you to watch your clients go through that as well.
Christine Innes: Oh my goodness, I get goosebumps every time like I talk to them and I sit there and I'm like going, I feel like I get a mini coaching session myself every time I talk to them and I don't think they realize the impact that they have on me so that their stories keep actually giving me, the drive to keep going to keep sharing these stories but seeing them.
Christine Innes: Let go to see them own the different processes as well. And then to even have [00:23:00] those little light bulb aha moments within themselves going, Oh my goodness, I didn't realize that actually was part of the journey to really why I do what I do.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. And so many light bulbs for them and you, which I think is just really cool.
Sara Mayer: And I think many times entrepreneurs get really involved in the work they're doing or the thing that they've created for their business and they lose part of the reflection process or the journey. How would you suggest that maybe an entrepreneur really stay in touch with that journey that they're going through?
Sara Mayer: Yeah.
Absolutely.
Christine Innes: Oh, journaling. I journal every single day and I do it in gratitude. What am I truly grateful for? Because I think we forget like you're saying, like we, we just do, we're just always constantly doing things. But just come back to the present moment, like to remember what your values are as well.
Christine Innes: I think is super important. If you know [00:24:00] what your value is, plus what you know, what your purpose and your mission is not just personally, but also for your business, it allows you to get out of the doing mode to really come back into the creativity.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. Yeah. I have a. A planner that has during the day, it has a couple lines to jot down appointments and I don't do that.
Sara Mayer: I write in the planner at the end of the day, like how my day was some big successes. So I do a little mini journal there. And I think many times people think, Journaling needs to be this hour long process. It could be as expanded or as simple as you want to make it, but there is such power in reflection.
Christine Innes: Absolutely. And sometimes like I look back in it and it's a little squiggle and I'm like, Oh, I don't even know what that is, but obviously I had to get something out of my head and I just needed to, to write it. So yeah, it can be, I'm a dot point person, like dot points, with it. I'm truly grateful for, [00:25:00] and here's the dot points underneath.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. Yeah. It doesn't need to be a novel, but if you do want to write a book, Christine can help you out there.
Christine Innes: Absolutely.
Sara Mayer: Yeah. So if somebody is listening and they know that they have a story in them, what would you say is maybe one of the first steps?
Christine Innes: Just Think of how you want to put it out there, a lot of people, you can do a TikTok video, you can do, jump on a podcast, you can, go in a magazine or in a book think of how you want it to look and just start, I think so many people think, oh, it's going to be too difficult to do it, but we've all got access to Facebook and social media, you can literally start sharing your story, That way or even just have conversations with, either friends or, community business groups, those sorts of things with it.
Christine Innes: And then if you want to take a breather, you can come talk to me.
Sara Mayer: I love it. Yes. [00:26:00] Speaking of talking with you, if somebody is listening to this and they're like, okay, this is what I need in my business right now. How might they reach out to you? What might they expect?
Christine Innes: Yeah. Yeah. Everything is, we jump on zoom and we have a conversation.
Christine Innes: I like to work with people that, we're either match the same energy or we've got similar values. And I know that I can really help and support them as well. And it really is looking about what is their long term plan for their business with that, process. And then.
Christine Innes: But other people need a little bit of help and support and that's what I'm here for.
Sara Mayer: I love it. Yeah. Sometimes people are ready and they just know and other people definitely need that person to help guide them along. So if somebody wanted to work with you, how would they get in touch with you? What's the best way
Christine Innes: it's easier just to drop us a DM either on Facebook or Instagram at the corporate escapers And then we can [00:27:00] send you a link for you to book in a call Or you can follow me Personally and just drop into my messenger as well and we'll book in a call for you with it as well
Sara Mayer: Great.
Sara Mayer: And we'll drop those in the show notes as well. I could talk to you all day about stories and the power of storytelling. And I know that many of the listeners are out there probably thinking about their journey and have a story to tell as well. So thank you so much for being on the show and sharing your wisdom.
Sara Mayer: I just love this conversation.
Christine Innes: Thank you so much for having me.
Sara Mayer: All right, bold goal crushers. It's time to crush your goals and everything that gets in the way. So you do not have to work double time. So let's get to it.
Sara Mayer: Thank you for tuning into the bold goal crusher podcast where we crush goals and everything that gets in the way. I always love [00:28:00] to support my community.
Sara Mayer: I look forward to seeing you crush your goals this year.
