The Business of Stories with Susan Payton

So many of us move through our days feeling rushed, stretched, or a little bit unseen. And then, every so often, a moment stops us - and reminds us that we matter.

In this reflective festive episode of The Business of Stories, Susan speaks to something every human longs for: to be noticed, understood, and held with kindness, even for a second. And how simple acts of connection can shift everything.

You’ll hear why your stories matter more than you realise, why your impact extends far beyond what you can measure, and why ‘being seen...

What if you’re doing more than building a business? What if you’re building a movement?

So many of us have a chapter or conflict in our story that changed us. A moment we wish had been different, or a belief we couldn’t ignore any longer.

And yet, we rarely see how that tension is often the very thing that reveals what we stand for - and the beginnings of a movement we may already be leading.

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan explores how the friction inside your s...

What happens when the story that shaped you is also the one you’re most afraid to share?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan sits down with Storytelling Mastery member Jen Neil, who spent years hiding - held back by a chapter of her life that carried deep shame, grief, and a sense of failure.

Jen opens up about walking away from everything - her home, her business, her identity - and the long journey back to herself. You’ll hear how she rebuilt from the ground up, found the courage to tell...

So many of us have chapters of our story that we feel uncomfortable sharing; moments we wish had gone differently or that we fear people might judge us for.

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan shares why those very chapters often hold the most strength, the most connection, and the most gold. 

Through real life stories of celebs and clients, Susan shows how the hardest seasons can shape who you become and why sharing the challenging times (when you're ready) can deeply resonate with the people you want to help.

Y...

What do you do when your offer gets crickets, your posts fall flat, or people say they’re interested - and then disappear?!

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan shares the honest truth about what these moments mean, and why they’re rarely a reflection of your ability or the value you bring. She also opens up about her own journey of experimenting, refining, and slowly building a business that feels aligned, sustainable, and right for her.

You’ll learn how to take the emotion out of ‘things not working’, how to read feedb...

What truly sets you apart when others are offering the same?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan shares why everything from your background, values and quirks to your lessons and lived experiences create a unique blend no one else can replicate. And, how you can use that to make sure your positioning feels aligned, your messaging gets easier, and clients see the real value you bring.

Susan also shares practical places to look for your uniqueness and how to thread what’s different about you into your offers, content, and conversations - wi...

If keeping your stories simple, concise and compelling is a challenge for you, and you struggle to know what to cut out, what to keep in, and how to make sure you don’t lose the emotion in your posts or emails, then this episode of The Business of Stories is for you.

Join Susan Payton as she shares one of the most simple structures in storytelling, that sits at the heart of almost every story you already know and love. With stories and examples that bring every step of this simple framework to life, you’ll be p...

If you’ve ever felt awkward about showing up online, uncomfortable promoting your work, or worried about coming across as ‘salesy’, this episode of The Business of Stories is for you.

Join Susan Payton as she shares one of the most powerful storytelling concepts of all - the Hero and the Guide. Through stories from Star Wars to a vivid jungle metaphor, you’ll discover why your clients don’t need another hero in their story - they need you, as their guide.

Susan reveals how understanding your role in your client’s story can transform no...

If you’ve ever felt held back in your business by self-doubt, fear of visibility, or those relentless “what ifs,” this episode of The Business of Stories is for you. Join Susan Payton as she shares her own powerful journey of overcoming a debilitating fear of public speaking, and learn how YOU can change the inner story that’s keeping you stuck.

From sweating hands and panic attacks to speaking calmly on big stages, Susan reveals the pivotal moments (including an unexpected public challenge from Daniel Priestley and a career-making five-day launch) that helped her rewrite her ‘inner narr...

You’ve made it to the last step of Susan Payton’s transformative storytelling process and it might just be the most powerful yet. In this must-listen episode of The Business of Stories, Susan guides you through Step 7: Your Sweet Spot - where your personal journey and your client’s story connect, align, and unlock marketing magic.

Discover how sharing your real, lived experiences can set you apart, create deep resonance, and show your clients exactly why YOU are the guide they’ve been searching for. Susan shares the story of a brand photographer who thought her personal...

If you’ve ever struggled to sell your services, felt stuck in the ‘time for money’ trap or found yourself competing on price, this episode of The Business of Stories is a must-listen. Host Susan Payton lifts the lid on Step Six of her signature storytelling framework: Your Value. She reveals how powerful transformations happen when you shift your focus from promoting your process to celebrating the outcomes you help your clients achieve.

Using vivid examples from a personal trainer who ditched hourly rates for a high-ticket, high-impact health concierge for CEOs, to financial planners and business coache...

Are you struggling to cut through the noise and truly connect with your ideal clients? In this episode of The Business of Stories, host Susan Payton dives deep into Step Five of her signature storytelling process: Your People. Susan shares why narrowing your focus and getting crystal clear on who you serve isn’t just good for business, it’s a game-changer for your messaging, your marketing, and your sense of purpose.

Drawing on real stories from her own book launch to client breakthroughs, Susan illustrates the power of specialist positioning. She reveals how documenting your own jour...

What makes you get up and do what you do every day? And why should your clients care?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, host Susan Payton explores the crucial fourth step of her signature storytelling process, uncovering and sharing Your Why. Susan breaks down the difference between your personal why and your big why, and how sharing your own motivations can inspire action, attract like-minded clients, and set your business apart.

You’ll discover how your own journey holds the seeds of inspiration for your audience and why what you’re tempted to h...

How do you make sure your stories are actually speaking to the people you want to reach? 

In this episode of The Business of Stories, host Susan Payton reveals the crucial third step of her process: deeply understanding your customer’s story, so your content can finally land, connect, and sell without ever feeling pushy or salesy.

You’ll learn Susan’s Three Ps of Content (personality, positioning and purpose) and why each one relies on real insight into your audience’s lived experiences, desires, and frustrations. Susan shares practical, actionable ways to uncover your ideal cli...

How do you choose between businesses that look the same on paper? 

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan Payton reveals why your business journey and the stories only you can tell are the secret to standing out, building connection, and winning trust.

Susan opens up about her own experience searching for a care agency for her mum, and how a simple story was the deciding factor. She explains why facts and figures matter, but stories are what move people to act. 

You’ll get practical advice on how to unpack and...

What if the part of your story you’re hiding is the part that connects most? 

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan Payton shares a personal moment watching her daughter run the London Marathon, and how it revealed something powerful about storytelling in business.

It’s a reminder that the moments which move people most aren’t always the loudest or most dramatic - and that the right story, told well, can spark connection in ways you’d never expect.

Susan reflects on why your own experiences, even the quiet or messy...

What actually makes people stop, listen and buy? 

In this second episode of The Business of Stories, Susan Payton shares a simple moment at a local craft market that shifted how she sees storytelling in business.

It’s the kind of story you’d easily overlook, until you realise how deeply it speaks to what customers really care about: connection, meaning and truth.

Susan also walks us through her seven-step storytelling framework, built to help you find and share the stories that matter, from your personal journey, to the purpose behind your work, to th...

What if the thing holding your business back isn’t your offer but the way you talk about what you do – and why? 

In this first episode of The Business of Stories, host Susan Payton takes us back to where it all began, her kitchen table in 2015. She had ideas, ambition, and a group of people who believed in what she was doing. But something wasn’t clicking.

Susan shares what it really felt like to build a business from scratch, the frustration of blending into the noise, and the moment she realised she wasn’t running...

In 2015, Susan Payton shared her ‘ordinary’ story with 1,500 women in business and the response blew her away. So many people resonated, connected, and reached out. That moment completely changed her business … and her life.

Since then, Susan has worked with entrepreneurs all over the world, written the international bestselling book The Business of Stories, spoken on stages from Brighton to Barcelona, and become a leading authority on how to use storytelling to stand out in your industry.

Thousands have used her simple framework to share their message with impact, attract their ideal clients and grow their...