How do you get an entire country to get slave-free chocolate? Journalist Teun van de Keuken did it. His idea grew into the successful Tony's Chocolonely brand. The secret? A powerful business story. In this blog, you'll discover exactly what an entrepreneurial story is, why it's so important for your company and how, like Tony's, you can use your story to create success and PR value.
An entrepreneurial story is the personal story of the entrepreneur behind a company. It describes the motivation, the goal, the obstacles and how the company ultimately came about. Popular business stories are often inspiring and show that one idea, driven by personal conviction, can grow into a strong brand.
An appealing example is the successful business story of the Dutch chocolate company Tony's Chocolonely. In 2003, journalist Teun van de Keuken came across a small article saying that slavery still existed in the cocoa industry. That discovery got him thinking. At first, he wanted to sue large chocolate companies, but it soon became clear that these multinationals could hide behind armies of lawyers. He needed a different plan.
Van de Keuken invoked the Dutch law on 'healing': anyone who buys a product that you know was made illegal is complicit. In front of the camera, he therefore ate a piece of chocolate that was probably produced with the help of slavery and called the police to report himself as a “chocolate criminal”. His point: if one consumer is punishable, they are all punishable. The case was dropped, but Van de Keuken did not give up.
His latest plan proved brilliant. He produced 5,000 Fairtrade bars in a red wrapper named Tony's Chocolonely. 'Tony' as an English version of Teun and 'Chocolonely' because he felt lonely in his struggle. What started as a temporary project grew through its success into a permanent organization, born from the personal mission of one journalist who did not resign himself to injustice.
Of course, not every business story is so spectacular, but they are all unique. And that is precisely where the value lies. A strong entrepreneurial story not only sets you apart from your competitors, but also creates trust and a personal relationship with your target group.
The way you deliver your story is at least as important as the content itself. Stay authentic and, above all, try not to look at others too much, because after all, their story already exists. Tell your own unique story and dare to show the emotions you experienced during the process. Whether it's fear, joy, sadness or frustration... emotions give your story depth and credibility!
Do you find it difficult to start writing? Then tell your story out loud to a family member or friend first. Ask them which moments touched or remembered them the most. Use those highlights as a basis to create a timeline and then write out your entrepreneurial story in chronological order, step by step.
A strong entrepreneurial story deserves to be seen. So start with your owned media such as your website, social media channels and — if you have one — your newsletter. This way, you can immediately reach your existing network and create engagement with your current target group.
If you then want to go a step further, it is time to become visible outside your own channels as well. A properly placed business story can provide a lot of publicity and brand awareness. Think about offering your story to professional media, news sites or newspapers. Entrepreneurial stories in The Telegraph, The Entrepreneur whether Netherlands Enterprise Agency are good examples of this.
Not sure how to approach the media or how to best bring your story to the attention of your story? Then we help with nxt agency you would like to get your entrepreneurial story out in the best possible way.
The Tony's Chocolonely entrepreneurial story shows how important authenticity is. Their success is not only built on delicious chocolate, but above all on a personal mission that touches and inspires people. By this story Consistently woven into their branding and communication, they have built a brand that is globally recognisable.
Are you thinking, I don't have a story as impressive as Tony's? Then don't worry! You don't have to have an earth-shattering story to make an impact. What matters is that your story is unique, your motivation is clear and that you consistently share it with your audience. This sets you apart from competitors, builds trust and creates more PR value.
Do you want to create your own entrepreneurial story powerfully and bring it out optimally? Bee nxt agency we help entrepreneurs and organizations write and spread their story.
