The Business of Stories with Susan Payton

What would you think if you made an offer and only 2 or 3% of the people you offered it to, bought it?

Would you think that was a success – or a failure?

In this short Just Saying episode, Susan challenges the idea that once an offer or launch or programme closes - the measure of whether or not it was a success is how many people bought it.

And yes, of course, the whole point of putting an offer out is to make sales ...

But, the story doesn't end there.

Th...

You know you’re good at what you do. You know you can make a real difference to the people you work with. And you want more clients. But what happens when so much of the marketing advice out there just feels … icky?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan chats with Lizzy Kurtzer about her journey from struggling to talk about her business and attract clients, to finding a way to market herself that feels natural, authentic and aligned with her values.

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Have you ever looked at other business owners who seem to be making sales on autopilot and wondered what you're doing wrong? Why does it all seem so effortless for them, when you're working so hard to make things happen?

In this episode, Susan shares something she said that nearly brought a client to tears - with relief - and why the stories we don't see behind other people's success can leave us feeling like we're falling behind.

Because there's often a lot more going on behind the scenes than anyone talks about.

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If you sell to organisations, you might struggle with knowing whose story your content should be speaking to.

The person who benefits from your work? The person inside an organisation looking for someone like you? Or the person who ultimately holds the budget?

And how do you connect with all of them without your content feeling scattered or disconnected?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan chats with June Hogan, founder of Wildwood Coaching, about how she uses storytelling to connect with three very different audiences, build trust - and even ‘se...

It can be hard to know what stories to share, when you have more than one ideal client.

Maybe you work with both individuals and organisations. Or the person who pays you isn’t the person you actually work with. Or you have several audiences who all seem to want different things.

If so, this episode of The Business of Stories is going to help you stop focusing on everything that makes your audiences different and uncover the golden thread that connects them.

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When you think about using storytelling in your business, you probably think about content. A social media post. An email. Maybe a client story on your website.

But what if stories could be doing far more of the heavy lifting in your business - in places you might never have thought to use them?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan explores some of the most underused places to use storytelling, from your website and lead magnets to your courses, presentations, launches and sales conversations.

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When you’re looking for clarity in your business, it’s easy to assume the answers are somewhere outside of you. In another strategy, course, or expert telling you what your niche, message or offer should be.

But what if the answers you’ve been searching for have been hiding in your stories all along?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan explores one of the most powerful, and underused ways to use storytelling in your business.

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What if the things you’ve spent years trying to hide, change or smooth over are actually the very things that could help you stand out?

What if the qualities you dismiss as flaws, quirks or weaknesses are exactly where your greatest strengths are hiding.

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan talks to Crazy Successful author John Spencer Williams about why success doesn’t always happen despite the things that make us different - sometimes, it happens because of them.

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Hands up if you started your business because you wanted more freedom and flexibility?

I’m hazarding a guess you’ve got your hands up right now. I think we all did.

But, have you now got the ‘freedom’ you dreamed of?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan talks to Emma Hine, who built a seven-figure business that looked incredibly successful from the outside, while behind the scenes she was working 90 hours a week - and had created what she describes as a “monster”.

Emma shares the deeply personal jou...

Starting a podcast can feel exciting - until you start thinking about how it’s going to actually work?

What topics will you cover? What do you want people to get from it? And how do you create something that your listeners will want to come back to again and again?

As The Business of Stories celebrates its first birthday, Susan looks back on a year of podcasting and shares what went into creating it, what she’s loved, what she’s struggled with, and why having somewhere people can really immerse themselves in your world...

In this final Summer Rewind episode of The Business of Stories, Susan revisits one of the most important conversations of the series - exploring the stories we tell ourselves and the impact they have on the way we show up in our business.

Through honest personal stories and practical mindset shifts, you'll discover how changing your inner narrative can help you become more visible, more confident, and more focused on the people you're here to help.

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In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan revisits one of the podcast's most inspiring episodes, exploring what happens when your business becomes about something bigger than the products or services you sell.

Through powerful real-life stories, you'll discover how the businesses people remember aren't just known for what they do, but for what they believe, the change they're creating, and the future they're inviting others to be part of.

You'll discover:

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan revisits one of the podcast's most thought-provoking episodes, exploring why your pricing is about so much more than numbers.

Through powerful stories and real client examples, you'll discover how your prices shape the way people perceive your value, the clients you attract, and the confidence you bring to your business.

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In this episode of The Business of Stories Susan revisits 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 understanding your role in your client’s story can transform not only the way you show up, but also how your audience perceives you.

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It’s so easy to believe you need more experience, more clients, bigger results or a longer list of testimonials before you have anything worth sharing.

But the truth is, your stories didn’t begin when your business did. They started long before that.

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan shares why every stage of your journey is filled with valuable stories, even if you're only just starting out, pivoting in a new direction, or building something completely different.

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As part of the Summer Rewind series, we're revisiting some of the episodes that have resonated most over the past year - and contain ideas every business owner needs to hear more than once.

This episode is for you if you've ever worried that your stories feel too long, too complicated, or are hard to follow.

Join Susan 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...

What makes someone choose you - instead of the other 18 tabs they've got open?

If you've ever wondered how to stand out in a world that is getting noisier and noisier, this conversation will reframe the way you think about positioning.

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan sits down with entrepreneur Olly Richards to explore how building a "One Person Empire" isn't about working harder - it's about knowing what to leverage and becoming impossible to ignore.

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What do you do when you wake up and realise your business bank account doesn't have enough money to cover next month's expenses?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan shares a very honest story about being faced with a frightening cash flow situation. And the simple exercise that helped her stop making decisions from fear, and gave her the clarity to create £20,000 in under 30 days.

Susan takes you behind the scenes of exactly what happened, what she did differently, and why writing one email became the turning point that changed everything.

If you've ever wondered how to tell stories that truly connect with the people you want to help - without overthinking, oversharing, or wondering whether you're doing it ‘right’ - this episode is for you.

For the first time, Susan shares the simple 7-step storytelling process she’s previously only taught inside her live five-day challenges. This practical framework is designed to help you turn everyday moments into powerful stories that do the selling for you.

Think of it as a mini storytelling masterclass, complete with a free workbook you can download at thebusinessofstories.com/bluepr...

If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t have enough interesting stories to share”, you’re not alone.

So many business owners hold back from making storytelling a key part of their marketing strategy because they think their stories need to be dramatic, life-changing or show-stopping.

But what if the problem isn’t that you don’t have enough compelling stories - but that you just don’t know where to find them?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan is joined by journaling coach Sally German, who shares how journaling helped her navig...

How do you build a business around one clear message when your brain is constantly bursting with new ideas, opportunities, and directions to explore?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan answers a question so many entrepreneurs struggle with: How do you stay consistent enough to get known for one thing - when you have an ADHD brain that craves variety, creativity, and fresh challenges?

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Have you ever wondered why some stories capture your heart, resonate deeply, or feel so familiar?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan explores the seven basic story plots that sit behind some of the world's most loved books and films, and shows how they show up in your business too.

From the challenges you've overcome and the milestones you've reached, to the mission you're on and the person you've become along the way, you'll discover how these timeless story patterns can help you uncover more powerful stories, create deeper connection, and share...

So many business owners know that LinkedIn could be a powerful platform for their business - but they’re not sure how to create the kind of posts that lead to real connection, conversations and opportunities.

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan sits down with Niall Ratcliffe, CEO of Noticed, the UK’s number one LinkedIn agency, to explore what’s actually working on LinkedIn right now - and why human stories, vulnerability, and honest conversations matter more than ever in a world of AI-generated content.

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• The tiny daily...

There’s nothing more frustrating than knowing you could be making a HUGE difference to the people you help … but feeling invisible.

Watching other people become the go-to expert, while you wonder, “Why isn’t that happening for me?”.

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan shares the real reason some people become known for what they do - and why others stay forgettable, even when they’re incredibly talented.

You’ll discover:

• Why you need to decide what you actually want to get known for

• The secret weapon most...

One thing I’ve noticed, after years of working with business owners on their messaging and storytelling, is that very few people find clarity in a straight line.

Most people don’t wake up one morning with a perfectly polished niche, a crystal-clear message and a business that suddenly makes complete sense.

Often, it’s a messy journey full of pivots, doubts and false starts.

In this honest conversation, Susan sits down with her client Lema Wiffen to explore the twists and turns of refining your niche, understanding your value, raising your prices, and un...

If you’ve ever held back from making an offer, avoided talking about your prices, or worried that selling somehow makes you come across as pushy, this episode will deeply resonate.

Susan is joined by Catherine Watkin to explore what really needs to shift if you want to sell in a way that feels natural, aligned, and genuinely good - for you and your clients.

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So many of us have fallen into the trap of trying to sound ‘professional’ when we write … only to end up sounding like everyone else …

And completely disconnected from who we really are.

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan shares what she’s been noticing behind the scenes - from AI-written podcast pitches to messaging that has lost its human touch … and why personality is the one thing you can’t afford to edit out.

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What do 21,537 days of living, learning, stumbling, growing and figuring it out teach you?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan celebrates her birthday by reflecting on three lessons she knows to be true after 59 years on the planet.

Lessons about being seen, judging yourself less harshly, and reframing the stories that hold you back.

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Behind every business are the stories of what it took to get there.

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan has an honest and unfiltered conversation with Cara Sayer, founder of SnoozeShade, about what scaling really looks like behind the scenes - from product creation and purpose-led growth to overwhelm, setbacks and having her product ripped off by a major supermarket.

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If you’ve ever felt like you’re showing up, doing the posts, writing the emails … and still not seeing the results you want, this episode of The Business of Stories is for you.

Susan walks you through her 90-day roadmap to turn your stories into a powerful, consistent sales system.

From building strong foundations with your core story and ideal client, to refining your message, creating aligned content, and developing a clear sales strategy - this episode shows you how to bring it all together in a way that feels natural, authentic, and effective.

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Need some more inspiration for stories you could share over Easter?

In this light-hearted Easter episode of The Business of Stories, Susan pulls more unexpected questions from the hat - and uses them as a springboard for honest reflection, personal insight, and easy content ideas you can borrow for yourself.

From talking openly about ADHD to the pressure to do business like everyone else, and what people often assume from the outside looking in, this episode is a reminder that simple questions can uncover stories, memories and insights you might never have thought to share<...

Need some inspiration for stories you could share? Or easy content to post over Easter?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan lets her family choose some topics for her to discuss - unplanned, unscripted, and surprisingly revealing.

Along the way, she shows you just how many stories you already have … and how quickly they appear when you stop overthinking.

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An important part of sharing your stories, being visible, and showing up as the Guide for your people … is understanding yourself first.

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan is joined by Kelly Vikings, founder of New Earth Business, to explore what changes when you stop trying to run your business like everyone else.

Together, they talk about the cost of fighting your natural rhythm, and how learning your design can help you show up with more ease, self-trust, and confidence.

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As your business grows, your voice, your confidence, and your leadership evolves - so your storytelling needs to reflect that.

In this episode, Susan explores how your stories need to grow with you.

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This ref...

Writing a business book isn’t just ‘a marketing tactic’ - it can be a turning point. A moment where you stop keeping your work in your head … and start owning it on paper.

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan is joined by her publisher, Lucy McCarraher MBE, to explore what really happens when you write the book that builds your business. From credibility and clarity to becoming the Guide in your customer’s story, you’ll hear why a book can shift how people see you … and how you see yourself.

You’ll discove...

When you’re just starting a new business - or pivoting, niching or changing direction - it can feel like you have no stories to share yet.

No testimonials.

No case studies.

No long list of client wins.

And yet, this is exactly the moment to lean into all the stories you have about everything that has led you here, doing what you now do.

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan explores what to share when your business is new, or has changed - and why yo...

It’s tempting to believe that faster, smarter tools will solve everything. Especially when content feels exhausting and visibility feels harder than ever.

But what happens when there’s a disconnect between the content someone puts out and who they really are?

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan explores where storytelling, connection and authenticity fit in a noisy, AI-powered world - and why your real voice, lived experience, and human stories matter more now than ever.

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Running a business can feel lonely, messy, and completely overwhelming - especially when you’ve got a head full of ideas and no clear sense of what to focus on next.

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan opens up about her own very organic business journey - from years of offering 1:1 Done For You work, to creating a book, a process, and eventually a scalable business rooted in her unique IP.

She shares what she did at each stage, why she made those decisions, and how one foundational process became the catalyst fo...

So many business owners want to share stories in their content - but something keeps stopping them.

And sometimes, that barrier is the act of writing itself.

In this episode of The Business of Stories, Susan sits down with long-time Storytelling Mastery member Sue Hall - whose relationship with writing was shaped by years of red pen corrections, criticism, and an undiagnosed dyslexia.

What changed everything wasn’t learning how to write ‘better’ - it was learning who she was writing for, and how to use simple storytelling frameworks to get her ideas out of...

In this super practical episode of The Business of Stories, Susan shares why simplicity is what makes stories compelling - and how packing too much into your story is one of the fastest ways to disengage your audience.

She walks you through six clear, easy ways to shorten your stories without losing the meaning, emotion, or message that matters.

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