Your Business Needs A Story System

by Lynn Sanders | Jan 19, 2026 | DMM Blog

Creating a System for Capturing Stories

Why Your Business Growth Depends on It

Stories are happening all around us—every client conversation, every challenge overcome, every small win that quietly shifts our confidence. The problem isn’t that we don’t have stories.
The problem is that we don’t capture them while they’re alive.

For years, I believed storytelling was something you did after success—once things were polished, packaged, and proven. What I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) is that the real power of storytelling comes from building a system that captures stories as you live them.

Why Stories Slip Away

If you’re a purpose-driven entrepreneur or nonprofit leader, your days are full. You move from meeting to meeting, client to client, idea to idea. Powerful moments happen—and then they’re gone.

I’ve lost count of how many times I thought:

“I’ll remember this later.”

I didn’t.

And those forgotten moments weren’t small. They were lessons, turning points, and insights that could have:

Strengthened my message
Deepened my confidence
Become content, talks, posts, or programs

The Shift: From “Someday” to a Story System

Everything changed when I stopped treating storytelling as a creative mood and started treating it as a practice.

A story system doesn’t need to be complicated. It simply needs to be intentional and repeatable.

Here’s what works—and what I personally use.

Step 1: Choose One Place to Capture Stories

Not five. Not ten. One.

This could be:

A dedicated notes app
A simple Google Doc
A physical journal
Voice memos on your phone

The format doesn’t matter as much as the habit. Your brain needs to know: “This is where my stories live.”

Step 2: Capture the Moment, Not the Masterpiece

You’re not writing a blog or a speech in the moment. You’re collecting raw material.

After a conversation, ask yourself:

What surprised me?
What challenged me?
What moved me emotionally?
What did I learn about myself, leadership, money, visibility, or service?

Even three bullet points are enough.

Some of my most meaningful stories began as a single messy sentence written at the end of a long day.

Step 3: Name the Lesson

This is where business storytelling becomes transformational.

Every story carries a lesson—and lessons are what your audience is really listening for.

Try finishing this sentence:

“This experience taught me…”

That lesson becomes:

A social media post
A blog theme
A keynote insight
A coaching moment

Without naming the lesson, the story stays personal.
With the lesson, it becomes purposeful.

Step 4: Review Weekly, Reflect Monthly

Once a week, skim what you’ve captured. You’ll start to see patterns:

Recurring challenges
Repeated breakthroughs
Messages you’re clearly meant to share

Once a month, choose one story and ask:

“How can this serve someone else?”

That question alone turns lived experience into leadership.

My Reflection

I wish I had captured more of my journey earlier—not because I wanted content, but because I wanted clarity.

Story systems don’t just help you market better.
They help you see yourself more clearly:

How far you’ve come
What you’ve overcome
What you’re uniquely qualified to teach

Your story is already working in your business—whether you acknowledge it or not. A system simply allows you to work with it, instead of letting it slip away.

Reflection Question for You

👉 What is one story from this past week that taught you something—and where will you write it down today?’

Let’s explore how to turn everyday stories into powerful content that attracts the right clients without feeling salesy.

Your story matters. Capture it while it’s still speaking to you.

To Your Success,

Lynn Sanders

P.S. News Flash! Circle your calendar for Jan.24th, 10 am ET for the first Global broadcast about The Great Discovery Global Founders Launch — unveiling a first-of-its-kind worldwide education and affiliate marketplace. Meet the founders, see the vision, connect with people globally, and explore the possibilities to bring YOUR stories out into the world. Register: https://thegreatdiscovery.com/courses/696526a093e31?affiliate=lynnsanders

Being Grateful Involves More Than Words…

by Lynn Sanders | Nov 27, 2025 | CTA, Personal Stories

🍁. Happy Thanksgiving!

As we reflect on what truly matters, let’s take a moment to remember the importance of taking action.

Gratitude is more than words. It’s taking action.

It can be as simple as picking up the phone to call a friend. A relative. A business contact.

Or as simple as sharing your story with its messy challenges, so others don’t feel alone in their journey.

As a business leader, Gary Ryan Blair shared, “Hemingway lived boldly before he wrote bravely. Our greatest stories aren’t told from the sidelines—they’re created when we step in, show up, and do the work.”

This season, let’s be grateful not just for our blessings, but for the opportunities we have to act on our dreams, lift others, and take the next step—even if it’s imperfect.

So whatever you’ve been thinking about doing—launching that idea, writing your story, helping someone in need—don’t wait.

Do it imperfectly.

But do it.

Take ACTION!

If you’re ready to make a bigger impact, I invite you to join my team on The Great Discovery.

It’s for those who want to accelerate their business growth. Those who want another income stream. Those who are willing to commit to taking action.

You’ll enjoy the most advanced tools, a committed team and a community.

Best of all, affiliates can now join for free.

And for those who want to share their coaching, courses, books or events to a global, e-learning platform with free language translation, there is nothing like it. You can even enjoy a Black Friday Special till December 1st.

The Code Word is “BLACKFRIDAY” at checkout for those who want to be a creator.

Visit The Great Discovery to Learn More*

One tiny step leads to another. Contact me to learn more.

Wishing you a Thanksgiving filled with bold action toward your dreams.

Warmly,
Lynn Sanders

Includes an affiliate link

A Great Lesson: Progress, Not Perfection

by Lynn Sanders | Oct 10, 2025 | DMM Blog

The Day I’ll Never Forget

When I was in fourth grade in Mrs. Fogg’s Chicago classroom, each of us had to do a science project.

I decided to demonstrate the “cup and paper” trick — showing how a simple piece of paper could hold water in an upside-down cup. I knew it had to do with a combination of atmospheric pressure, surface tension, and adhesion. The science behind it fascinated me. But I wasn’t exactly sure if I could do it in the classroom. (I had just practiced over our bathroom sink at home!)

This trick is supposed to work. The pressure of the air pushing up on the paper from the outside is stronger than the pull of gravity trying to bring the water down. In theory, it should have worked perfectly.

Here’s a photo of me (2nd row, 3rd from the right) in my 6th-grade classroom at Amelia Earhart Elementary School. I didn’t have my 4th-grade photo handy!

But when my big day came, my project didn’t work!

I turned the cup over confidently—and water splashed everywhere. The paper flew off.

Mrs. Fogg, in her gentle wisdom, gave me another chance. I tried again, this time over the classroom sink.

And again, it failed. More water spilled. My cheeks burned.

My classmates gasped. I wanted to sink into the floor.

Instead, I quickly said, “I’ll clean it up. Can I try again? I think I can do it…”

But Mrs. Fogg smiled kindly and said, “You can try it again.”

You can imagine how nervous and frustrated I was. I HAD to try again. I had to redeem myself.

On that third attempt—finally—it worked! The paper held firm, and the class erupted in applause. I’ll never forget that moment of relief and joy.

The lesson I learned that day went far beyond science.

It taught me perseverance, patience, and self-belief.

It reminded me that failure is not the opposite of success—it’s part of it.

Even now, I remind myself (and my clients) that perfection is not the goal.

Progress is. Every mistake, every misstep, every “spilled water moment” is simply feedback on the path forward.

We all need to allow ourselves to fail forward—to learn, adjust, and try again.

Because in the end, it’s not about getting everything right the first time.

It’s about showing up, learning, and growing with each new attempt.

That’s the real formula for success: Progress, not perfection.

To Your Success,

Lynn

P.S. Here’s a short video of how this experiment works:

How A Photograph Can Create A Legacy Story…

by Lynn Sanders | Sep 3, 2025 | DMM Blog

Have you ever discovered an old ancestor’s photograph and wondered — what was that person thinking about?

What was their life like? How did they overcome obstacles?

After unpacking and repacking boxes for our upcoming move, my husband and I came across a number of photographs and an old suffragette card from his grandmother Fanny.

Wow! I was so impressed — Fanny was a suffragette! I never knew that. As I curiously perused photographs that I had never seen before, I thought it would be fun to experiment on a story — and partner with my AI friend, Chat GPT.

Together, we wrote this imaginary letter, based on facts, that Fanny really could have written to her sister, Bessie.

An Imagined Legacy Story In A Letter
(From Fanny (Schaefer) Schwarzbach to Her Sister Bessie)

My Dearest Bessie,

I hope this letter finds you in one of your better moods, perhaps perched near a window with a cigarette in hand, watching the world go by.

I always admired your independence — even if Papa didn’t approve of your beau. I still feel heartbroken that he was killed in that carriage accident.

Truth is, we both lived with more fire in our hearts than many knew what to do with.

I’m writing today not because I’m lonely — though I won’t pretend the nights aren’t long — but because I needed to put these words somewhere. Somewhere safe. Somewhere real.

Raising Harlan and Jerry alone after Louis left hasn’t been easy.

The decision to get a divorce was a hard one. Louis enjoyed traveling out of town as a salesman for a sewing machine company. I didn’t like having him gone so often.

We felt it was best if he went on his own. I didn’t know he’d choose to move to California.

While Louis keeps in touch with the boys from time to time, I know I’ve got to be strong inside myself.

Bessie, I don’t like the feeling of being divorced. Hardly anyone around here is divorced, and I think it’s hard for our boys. I’m doing the best I can, and I think I’ve been learning a lot.

What I’ve Learned As A Single Mother

You know what, Bessie? I’m not letting the status of “single” stop me. I’m telling myself that I can do it… and I do.

The boys need more than food and clothes — they need strength. Steadiness. Someone who believes in their future when their own father is gone.

Do you remember that card I kept from the Woman Suffragette Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska?

“Up with the Petticoats and Down with the Pants!” I can still hear the howls of applause. We meant every word.

And I’ve lived those words every day since — speaking up, showing up, and making sure my voice — and our voices — are never silenced again.

Even now, I find myself surrounded by good women. Strong women. Some widowed, some divorced like me — all of us bound by resilience. And yes, a few kind gentlemen have come calling.

I’ve learned that love doesn’t need a license to matter. And dignity isn’t given — it’s claimed.

We’ve been underestimated all our lives, Bessie. Yet we keep going. You with your books and students. Me with my babies and ballots. Maybe we didn’t get the lives we thought we’d have… but perhaps we’re living the ones history will remember.

So let the men scoff. Let them mock our petticoats or deny our place.

One day, stories like ours will be told — perhaps even from an old photograph, held by a granddaughter or great-niece, who sees not just our faces but our fight.

Write back soon. Or at least send a photo of those nieces of yours who always brighten up the house when you visit. And if you come by this fall — I’ll make your favorite appie pie and cookies.

And we’ll laugh like we used to.

With love always,
Fanny

P.S. Even though I’m keeping my married name, I’ll always stay a Schaefer at heart…

🌿 Reflection

P.S. This fictional letter is inspired by real vintage photos and artifacts passed down through generations.

Fanny Schaefer Schwarzbach, a woman I never met, left behind more than just images. She left behind courage. Resolve. And proof that our stories can live on — even when we’re gone.

📸 What stories live inside your family photos?

💬Have you ever imagined the life behind the smile? The silence?

Let’s preserve those legacies — one story at a time.

P.P.S. Ready to bring more of your stories into the world? Feel free to schedule a complimentary story strategy session at: https://calendly.com/lynnsanders

The Ripple Effects Of Storytelling Makes A Difference

by Lynn Sanders | Aug 18, 2025 | Personal Stories

I’ve often said, “Your inner story affects your outer story.”

What you say to yourself affects your outcomes.

Before we share a message with the world, we choose the meaning we give to our experiences. And I urge you — believe in yourself!

You never know what can happen when you choose to connect with people at a deeper level and share their stories.

When we tell stories, that choice fuels our tone, our courage, and our results. We don’t control every outcome—but we do control our perspective, and perspective changes everything. I want to share a story that carried many ripples — just through a spontaneous decision to capture a story.

It started when I met a fascinating man — Mac Davis from Nigera — who contributed $18 to my crowdfunding site. I was raising money to self-publish my children’s book, “Dancing With Tex: The Remarkable Friendship To Save The Whooping Cranes.”

When I noticed that Mac — a complete stranger — decided to support my book, I searched for his project and contributed back $18 to him.

Then — with my curiousity raised, I HAD to contact him to learn more. Since Mac lives in another country, we arranged a Zoom meeting — no charge. And it gave me a chance to see him — face to face. I was so impressed by his compassionate work to help others, that I decided to interview on the spur of the moment. I even honored him with the Blue Ribbon, “Who I Am Makes A Difference.” (You can watch that spontaneous interview here!)

That simple interview we did together set off a quiet ripple…

it helped open a door for Mac to receive 1000 Blue Ribbons as a gift!

To receive a Blue Ribbon Ambassador scholarship.

AND — best of all, thanks to generous sponsors from the United States, Mac was recently flown to the U.S. from Nigeria for several weeks. He was given the opportunity to be a featured speaker, and help men who had been in prison get inspired to live their lives positively. Mac became their hero!

One conversation… many lives touched. That’s the power of an aligned inner story resulting in an outer story that touches many lives.

If you’re a cause-focused leader—author, speaker, coach, or nonprofit leader—start by clarifying the story you’re telling yourself.

When your inner story is grounded in purpose, your outer story invites action, partnership, and real change.

When have you seen your storytelling create unexpected ripple effects that uplifted others?

I’d love to hear from YOU!

Contact me at: Lynn@DifferenceMakersMedia.com.

#StoryLeadership #CauseDriven #StrategicStorytelling #SocialImpact #NonprofitLeadership #AuthorSpeakerCoach #BlueRibbonAmbassador #RippleEffect #DifferenceMakersMedia #YouMakeADifference #MakeADifference #YourStoriesMatter

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