Paradise Perspectives
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Paradise Perspectives
Why Your Story Is Your Most Powerful Business Tool with Stephen Stanberry
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Storytelling expert Stephen Stanberry shares his most valuable tips for creating authentic content that builds trust and drives business results. He reveals how vulnerability and genuine connection give business owners, content creators, and entrepreneurs a competitive edge to stand out in today's digital world.
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Introducing Stephen Stanbury
Speaker 2Welcome to Paradise Perspectives, the podcast for women over 40 who are ready to move past fear, embrace change and create a life they love. From a Caribbean perspective, we keep it real here, we keep it honest and unfiltered, and we talk about growth, healing and the magic of travel, because stepping outside of your comfort zone, whether it's in life or anywhere else, is where the real transformation happens. Now let's get into today's episode. Okay, this is an incredible, incredible podcast episode and I hope you are sitting down for this, because in the virtual studio with me today I have the incredible stephen. Stephen, as you just told me how to pronounce your name stephen Stanbury, stephen Stanbury, welcome, welcome, welcome to Paradise Perspectives. I am beyond happy that you are here with us today.
Speaker 1I'm so happy to be here and you know the version doesn't matter Stephen, stefan or, in Spanish, esteban. I accept all of them, but it's an absolute pleasure to be on the podcast today.
Speaker 2So, stephen, tell us a little bit about yourself, because you have been and let me just tell the listener a little bit about you. From what, from my perspective. I have stumbled on your content on social media on Instagram to be more precise and fell in love with how you tell your story and how you come across as authentic. But also, your content is just so good, it is so inspiring and you also give such good advice to content creators and business owners and entrepreneurs. It is, it is really really good. Now, tell us a little bit about you. Who is Stephen Stanbury?
Speaker 1You're putting me under so much pressure now. Like to keep up this hard.
Speaker 2Not my intention, by the way.
Speaker 1So who is Stephen Stanbury? Well, for those who don't know, I'm Jamaican, because I think you left that out of the intro.
Speaker 2Yes, I did. I'm letting you tell the story because this is your story.
Speaker 1Yeah, so I'm Jamaican. I still live in Jamaica. Currently. I'm a copywriter slash storyteller, merging the two to an extent.
Speaker 1I'm passionate about helping people tell their story using the right words, whether through video or in the written form, and, to be comfortable, you know, sharing, because I think that's what I've seen many persons do they fear in Jamaica. You'd say have pity. You don't want people to have pity on you. Probably that's a term that you use as well, but it's not a pity. It's not a pity part. It's basically telling your story, sharing the struggle, how you got from point A to point B, because all of us struggle and our story can inspire others. So that's what I do in daytime. At nighttime, I'm a daddy. Well, even though I still have to do daddy's work during the day. I have three children and I'm a stay-at home dad, and that's a story in itself, but I'm sure we'll get into that today. So I enjoy spending time with the family. I enjoy taking care of you know these amazing children.
Speaker 1Before that, before all of this fell into my lap, I was a journalist. For how long was that? Let me do some quick math right now Five years. Yeah, so five years. I was a journalist for five years sports journalism here in Jamaica on radio, and at that point you know I had the idea of storytelling but you never really understood until you left all of that and then you studied storytelling because doing journalism, to an extent, is storytelling, but transitioning to a life where you share your knowledge and to help others to share their story that's a whole different ballgame.
Speaker 1And to help others to share their story that's a whole different ballgame. So I decided to leave the journalism job in 2017 because I was fed up, right. So you want me to give you the details now. We've all been there. You're saving that for later.
Speaker 2We can get. I'm saving a little bit of those juicy parts for later in the story, because that's what we're doing today. We are telling your story, right, okay?
Speaker 1yeah, so, yeah, that. That that's me in a. I love. I love adventure, I love the outdoors. Uh, saint martin is on my list. I haven't gotten to it yet because you know caribbean traveling expensive, but yeah so it's ridiculous that's me in a nutshell yes, okay, I am actually.
Speaker 2You know, I read also. When you sent your bio to me, I read that you were a. Well, you said you were a journalist, but you were also. I think it wasn't in the bio, actually, it was one of your posts recently. You said you could go into your radio voice and then stop using your radio voice but use your real voice, and that kind of like really hit home for me exactly, so it really hit home for me, because I used to be a news anchor and I was, uh, I was on the radio, um, so that one really hit home.
Speaker 2So what is? Can you give us an example of what is the radio voice versus how to use your real voice? I just, you know, it's just for me, it's just I'm being a little selfish right now.
Speaker 1I just want to hear your radio voice, which is pretty much what it is you know, when I started the interview, when I started answering the questions I did, the radio voice did chip in. But then I catch myself and then say let me drop it and just speak normal. It's tricky, you can't really just switch it on and off, right?
Speaker 2It just like pops up in the most inopportune times.
Speaker 1Yeah, just like. Pops up in the most inopportune times. Yeah, yeah, because for years, for years, I struggled with it, Trying to separate the two, even if I got a voiceover to do. Trying to be natural in the voiceover was hard because my professional speaking sports presenter voice was coming across.
Speaker 2so yeah, I can hear that. I can hear it.
The Radio Voice vs. Real Voice
Speaker 2But it is so cute because they're like daddy yes and this is the perfect opportunity for me to share something with you that I am super duper excited about. Drum rolls, please and obviously I cannot drum roll to save my life, but I am hosting the second annual island awakening luxury retreat and it is happening from June 4th until the 8th, right here on my beautiful paradise of St Martin. If you are feeling called to be here to join us, if you have been looking to connect with like-minded women, if you have always wanted to visit St Martin but you have no one to go with, if you are struggling to start that business or to leave that toxic relationships, or to get that promotion, or if you need time to yourself you need to pour into your own cup, then this retreat in Saint Martin is perfect for you. Now I know when I start saying things like come join us in Saint Martin, there's all sorts of excuses that come up in your mind. Right, and I know how scary it can be. You're probably right now like I don't have the money for this, I can't leave my family right now, or perhaps you're thinking I can't get the time off from work. There are so many excuses, and I know where these excuses are coming from. You're probably thinking this is scary. It's a scary step, but I got you. I want you to know that you totally deserve it. You deserve this getaway, you deserve the new connections you're going to make. You deserve the beauty, the culture of St Martin. You deserve to join us in paradise.
Speaker 2So if this is resonating with you, if this is sounding like something that is right up your alley, just go to the show notes. I have left a link there and it has all of the information that you might need. And just between us girls, we are beyond the early bird special that we had, the introductory price that we came up with. But because you're a listener of Paradise Perspective podcast, I am going to extend that early bird special to you. You can save $700 if you book right now and I will upgrade you for free to the VIP package. Does that sound good, or does that sound good? All right, let's get back into the conversation with Stephen. Have you been on radio? Actually Is that why?
Speaker 2you have a radio voice.
Speaker 1You said you were a journalist.
Speaker 2Okay, so you were on the radio, yeah.
Speaker 1Okay.
Speaker 2So how hard was it for you to kind of like let go of the radio voice actually, especially in the beginning.
Speaker 1I can imagine that as soon as somebody shoves a microphone into your face, you automatically go into that anyway, public speaking an event, once I'm standing up to speak with her without a voice, without the mic, and there it is. It's there right now, um once, yeah we got it.
Speaker 2We got it. This is. This was my evil plan all along. I wanted to draw out your, your radio voice.
Speaker 1Okay, I stand up to speak, then the radio voice automatically kicks in and it took me quite a couple of years actually to separate into just speaking normal, versus presenting like I'm on radio. So even if I'm reading, I'm reading in the radio voice as well, Reading out loud, not to myself. It took a while to get away from that radio voice when talking, whether through short form content, whether through YouTube public speaking, all of that.
Island Awakening Retreat Announcement
Speaker 2You said something in the beginning. You were saying what your mission is and do you feel like you found your purpose. Is this your purpose? Do you think this? Is it Helping people with storytelling, copy copywriting help them find their voice?
Speaker 1you know. It's interesting that you ask that because you know my mother was a teacher, right, and throughout my life I realized some shape or form. I've always been teaching, helping, giving advice to people, right. So I think, to answer your question, I think, yes, this is probably my calling, this is probably my passion and the fact that I love to create that's because music was her thing. So I'm not the music type. I mean, I will listen to music and enjoy music, but my creativity comes from the side of, you know, content, storytelling, stuff like that that can grab attention and help people to grab attention in their content and their business.
Speaker 2As somebody in your position and you know now, hearing you talk about what it is that you actually teach people. I want to know from because this is one of the things that I hear a lot of people say is that whenever I talk to somebody who just opened a business, for instance, their first fear is they don't want to be on camera. Now, how important, since, especially now that you know advertising promoting is not what it used to be back in the day. It is now more about telling a story and evoking emotions. What do you say to somebody who doesn't want to show their face while they're trying to build their company? And actually I should start by asking how important is it? Do you have to show your face?
Speaker 1It's non-negotiable. You have to show your face, and there are many reasons why, but the main reason, from my opinion, is because of AI. Right, ai is being pushed in your face left, right and center, so there's AI-generated content. Before I get to that, think about the buyer or the user of the product. Right, content is in their face 24-7. So you have to do something that grabs their attention and convince them that, hey, I need this product, and the best way to achieve that is putting yourself in front of the camera and another one. Another thing that happens because of this. It helps to build trust right, and that's key in every business. And if I don't know if your culture is the same, but you know the Caribbean culture, trust is a hard thing when it comes to selling online.
Speaker 2I mean we trust amazon, we trust amazon.
Speaker 1We buy things from amazon. Amazon is all the way in america. We enter a credit card or debit card and we buy things, and we don't know who the seller is without a worry.
Speaker 1We don't even think twice about it, yeah, but yet we're buying something online in our home country and we are so skeptical and if we don't get it, we say it's a scam and all of that. So putting yourself out there allows you to build a trust and credibility, and sharing your story helps people to see that, hey, you're human, just like me. We go through the same problems, we face the same challenges and struggles, and that way, they'll be able to support you and your business can scale.
Speaker 2You are so right and thank you for pointing that out. I think a lot of people don't actually think about it that way. There's a lot of challenges. That comes with being a caribbean-based business owner, entrepreneur, content creator. It comes with its sets of challenges, but I am here to tell you that. You know I've been through the ringer and I'm sure you have as well, but there is a way we just need to work. I feel like we need to give it a little bit more of what our American counterparts do. At least, that's how it feels to me.
Speaker 2Now you started talking about AI and before we actually go into that, I just wanted to tell you something and why it was so important for me to get you on this podcast. Today I just posted a video that just showed my complete vulnerability online and for a lot of people. People came out to me like the ones closest to me in my inner circle were all like shocked. Like how can you reveal that so publicly? I've always been like. You know, my book is wide open. If you want want, you can read the whole story. I don't mind, because I feel like if I share my story, there is always somebody out there that might find it helpful. So I posted that I'm broke. I'm a week away. Today is exactly a week. While we're filming, while we're recording this, it is a week before my 50th and, um, I told everybody that I'm broke at 50. Now everybody, kind of like, lost their shit if I may say so and everybody
Speaker 2was like oh my gosh, poor result and nobody, and that's the thing, right, I posted that video right. A week after that, I posted the video on how to change your money mindset. Of course, that video went like I don't know how many hundreds of views for the I'm broke at 50. And then the one where you're actually sharing your mindset changes that might help everybody get to where they need to go, it drops to like I don't know less than 100. So I just want to you know that is exactly why it's hard to be vulnerable sometimes, because you want to help people. You have this passion for sharing your story in the hopes that you might help somebody else. But when you're actually coming with the tangible lessons and the tangible education, people are not really always keen. That's when they're like huh, I don't know if this is for me, so what advice would you have for that?
Speaker 1All right, you see, that's the thing. Broke always grabs attention, right? Anything to do with money. You have no money, you sold your car to buy food, yeah, those kind of things will always grab attention.
Vulnerability in Storytelling for Business
Speaker 1Now you might check and see where the post was shared. A lot of times, right, and knowing our human personality, we might say, oh, they're sharing it because everybody needs to see it and you know everybody in your business. But in truth, that person who they shared it to could be struggling with the same thing and they, the person who sent it to them, don't know it. Only the viewer knows it. So those kinds of content will always outperform the lesson. But one of the key things is to add the lesson in that video. So I'm broke at 50 or I'm broke whatever the hook was. That was the hook. So I haven't seen the video. Look at it when I'm finished. But in that that's where the lesson should have been Right. And then your other video is another continuation around that whole mindset. But the key to it is always have a good hook right, but don't focus on the hook alone, because that's what that's where it gets tricky, because the hook will get them in, but you need to keep them there.
Speaker 1Yeah. So you need to have the hook, you need to have the body and the lesson right, or a call to action, whichever. So you start with the hook. As you say you're broke, then you give context to whatever it is why you're broke and then you give a lesson how people you know, whatever lesson they can take from what you're sharing. So always follow that approach in every video or content, because it could be written form, whether on threads, twitter, linkedin, wherever you're posting written content. That's the same approach everywhere and one of the things especially for video, even for text too, and I'm going to tell you why you have three seconds.
Speaker 2Sorry, text. You said text. I guess you mean TikTok. No text Did you call it text.
Speaker 1No text I'm referring to text, a reference to text.
Speaker 1Oh sorry, yeah, yeah, yeah, so you have, you have three seconds to grab attention, right, one, two, three, because use the phone. For example, say I'm on linkedin, I'm just scrolling, same like I'm on tiktok and instagram, I'm just scrolling. So if the the text we're using text now. So if the headline for that doesn't grab my attention in three seconds, I'm going to scroll past it. If I'm watching a video and what you're saying doesn't grab my attention in three seconds, I'm going to scroll past it. It's just because we're so much in a consumer-based society now. Everything moves so fast. So it's not that people attention span has gotten shorter, it's just that so much information is coming out. We just scroll past it if it doesn't grab our interest.
Speaker 2Yeah, absolutely. You are right, and I have so much to learn from you. Yet, mr stanbury, that's for sure.
Speaker 1Yeah, like one of the key storytelling frameworks um that always wins is the hero's journey. Right, so the hero's journey starts from and you're not the hero.
Speaker 2It's not a superman yeah, it's not a superman or superwoman kind of thing.
Speaker 1It's more like batman, um, because batman is like the everyday person. He's not a superhero from another planet with superpowers and can beat everybody. He's just an average person. Well, he had money, so he was able to use that to help. So in the hero's journey, you position your story so that it resonates with your audience. Whatever you're struggling with, just like I'm broke, I'm broke at 50. So that is the perfect hero's journey story. So you start with in the middle, why you're broke no, not why you're broke, but I'm broke. Then you're going to the context and then you give the lesson and then when I look at it, hey, I'm going through the same thing. I'm broke and these points connected with me, so I will definitely. So that makes me the hero right.
Speaker 2So your story makes me the hero, because I realized that we're going through the same thing since we're talking about the money situation, and that is exactly why I wanted you on the podcast um right now, also because there's so much more that we can discuss. But I want to talk to that business owner, that content creator, that entrepreneur who's about to quit and it's just like you know what, I've tried everything. I don't know what else I can do. How can you use storytelling to make better content and does make content that will perform well enough to create an ROI for you?
Speaker 1All right, sure, creator, whatever your model is, you have to look at your business and then you have to ask yourself a few questions why did I start? Why am I doing this? Who am I looking to help? What is the end game? So once you can answer those questions, then you can build around that and then you focus also on your ideal client portfolio, icp. So that is important.
Speaker 1Like, whenever I have conversations, I always ask people who is your target audience? Whether you're creating skincare product, whether you are selling digital courses or you have a traditional business where you're set up a physical establishment, who is your ICP? So you cannot be selling to everybody, so you have to decide, because if you sell to everybody, then you won't get anybody right. Same thing when creating content. You can't be creating content for everybody. You have to be specific and, like you the traveler, your content is for people who are interested in traveling and want to travel, and not anybody else who wants to sit down in a cubicle every day of their life. So, going back to it, you find out your ICP. Now you write a plan around that. Now you think of your struggles, because the struggle is what makes a story. So if your business is making a million dollars a year in revenue, and let's say US dollars, dollars because what's your?
Speaker 1currency well, we use our official currency on the dutch side is the uh, the netherlands antilles, florence or guilders what we call them the antillian guilder so it's using all the dutch islands yes, but we use well most and but we use uss dollars.
Speaker 2That's actually the one that we use the most.
Speaker 1Yeah, all right, so so let's, let's work with a million dollars.
Speaker 2Yeah from us.
Speaker 1Yeah, so you're working a million us dollars a year. Now how did you get to that one million dollars a year? There was a point where you're probably making, you're pushing out content or pushing out your business for six months and you made zero dollars in revenue. So share that part of the struggle, what happened, and then the transition, what changed from the zero dollars to a million dollars, and then that will show the transformation and people connect with that, because then they'll see that, hey, this person, stephen, just didn't get up overnight and earn a million dollars from talking about storytelling. Right, he was struggling for six months, 12 months, and then it finally clicked. And that's how you share the real story. So you have to break it down. You find a problem, find a solution and then you build around that. And one of the keys to storytelling is to write your hook last Right. So, whether it's a video, whether it's written form, write your hook last Right. So you work with the content, start with a call to action.
Speaker 2Okay.
Speaker 1So what you want to happen at the end of this video, what you want to happen after you've read my post, is it that you click the link in my bio to buy? Is it to book a consultation? You start with that and work backwards until you get, and then you write the hook. So when you have all the information down, then you can write the hook, because a lot of mistake, a lot of problems that I see, or the mistakes that I see, is that we start with the hook and then the content drops.
Speaker 1Right, so you have an amazing hook and then there's nothing else after that. So work backwards and then build from there.
Speaker 2Okay, that is a phenomenal, phenomenal advice. Thank you so much for that. That is a really, really good tip. Now we spoke earlier, since we are on the topic actually of you know, business people. Doesn't matter if you're a big business owner or not. Even the biggest ones even sometimes struggle. But let's see it from like what I see from the Caribbean people especially is that a lot of them want to do their own marketing and promotion online. They want to do their own social media, which I have no problem with. But I see so many mistakes, and I'm sure you do as well. What is one of the biggest mistakes besides the one that you already mentioned that you see not only Caribbean content creators and business owners, but in general, what is the biggest mistake that you see, um, that you see they make at this time?
Speaker 1I mean, that's an easy question and I'm going to tell you, I'm going to give it. It's going to be an easy answer, right, there's? No, it's nothing to do with storytelling, um, and it's just simple pushing sales too early, right? So you open a new business and then you list the product online for sale. What is this product? You have to ask yourself these questions what is this product? Why should I buy it? Right, it goes back to the same questions that I mentioned before. So you have to look at the product and figure out who is it going to help. So, let's say, we create a. Give me a product. No, I'm going to use you. So you're starting a skincare brand for people 50 and over? Why? Yeah? So I'm switching the interviewer.
Balancing Parenthood and Entrepreneurship
Speaker 2oh, no, okay, let's, let's, yes, okay, wow, okay, I, I don't have a skincare line, but I would want to someday. But if I was in this position, like you're saying this, uh, this hypothetically what's the word? Hypothetic version of me, um, and I'm starting a skincare, I think? Well, you know, if you ask me I've already watched your videos, stephen. I know exactly what I need to answer here. So what I'm going to say is I need to sell to them the solution.
Speaker 1So who's your target audience?
Speaker 2Like wrinkles perhaps, or my target audience is women over 50, women over 50 who are in that that have an issue with their aging skin so it's yeah, so it's not.
Speaker 1We're not targeting 20 30 year olds at the moment.
Speaker 2So yeah, so continue so definitely we're not doing any dancing tiktoks, we're not doing that but but yeah, so so that's what it.
Speaker 1So you'd start with that, um, and I'd recommend, if you're doing video, use tiktok. And the reason why I said t because tiktok is such a chill platform, right compared to instagram.
Speaker 2Instagram is like it's almost like you feel like you need to be perfect at every single, every single time you're on it and like yeah, and and if you're on linkedin, you know that linkedin has introduced video content.
Speaker 1You know, and I've said to people, that instagram is like a combination of linkedin and tiktok in terms of the type of videos you see in between. Right, you know TikTok is TikTok. You won't see TikTok style videos on LinkedIn, right, but chances are you might see it on Instagram. And then LinkedIn is LinkedIn. So you won't see LinkedIn type videos on TikTok. So they meet on, they meet on instagram, basically. So, yeah, so, basically, even though instagram has been around a long time, I said if tiktok and linkedin to have a baby, it would be instagram.
Speaker 1But one of the things with tiktok is that it is so raw and it is so authentic. You don't need much editing. You just go in selfie mode and record your content. But don't focus on sales, especially for TikTok. Focus on telling the story, right? So this helps to build brand awareness through TikTok. So you want to grow your brand, you want people to know about the business. How does it benefit me? Can I help? Right, all of that? That's what you use tiktok to, and then you drive them to either your sales page, which is your website, or instagram, wherever, but it is always recommended. Well, my personal recommendation is that you drive them to your website, because the website is yours.
Speaker 1And it can't be taken down unless you don't pay for your domain. But anything can happen to the social media. So focus on the story sharing how this product helped, why you created the product. So we're working with a skincare brand.
Speaker 1I was struggling with dry skin or wrinkles I don't know wrinkles, laugh lines yeah yeah, yeah, um, and it's an all-natural product. So you said, you made, you did your research and you found and you did up some stuff at home in your kitchen, right, using aloe vera, castor, coconut oil, all of them kind of mix up, all them good stuff. Yeah, yeah and yeah. So that's one part of the story. So that's how you started. You applied it to your skin and you saw the transformation. Now you wanted to help others.
Speaker 1Number two you use behind the scenes. People forget that behind the scenes is also storytelling, right, because it's showing you or your brand or your company in its natural element. Nothing fake, you just show everything what happens while you're working, right. Another one to do is the struggle, right, not the struggle of your skin this time, but the struggle of getting from point a to point b. You were trying to get sales and nothing was working. Nobody trusted your product until one day, that transformation, right. So whether this big celebrity decided to to, to reach out to you and use your product and, yeah, everything kicked off from there, stuff like that. So right yeah, that.
Speaker 1That. That's what we have to think about with storytelling, and we have to think outside the box. And one of the reasons why because I saw something. I know I mentioned ai earlier and you said you mentioned it as well, but if you realize, ai generated content is taking over, and even up to yesterday, based on the new updates from chatGPT, you can upload your product, you can use a specific prompt and the AI can generate a real person like it doesn't look AI generated right Holding your product, yeah, and then you can also make it into a UGC style video, but if it's a UGC, you'll definitely hear the difference, because AI voice is not perfect yet.
Speaker 2Right, but you need to be really experienced to hear the difference. It's becoming more and more real.
Speaker 1It's getting better.
Speaker 2To the average ear. I don't think you can pick it up. Yeah true, not everybody can.
Speaker 1Yeah, true. So those are the key things that you have to look out for. You have to be as authentic as possible and one of the things why storytelling is winning in 2025, even though we don't reach anywhere in the year yet. But we have to go back to UGC.
Speaker 2Which is user-generated content, just for the ones who don't know.
Speaker 1Yeah, so before UGC, you had what's it called again Influencer sponsorships, right so, where you'd use celebrities to run a campaign and you pay them, but no UGC. Every jack and jill like you and I can create content that we use in our kitchen, that we use in our bathroom, that we use in our car, that that we use in our car, that we use to cook our meals, and that kind of story sells. So that's another form of storytelling. So those type of content, those are the ones that are winning in 2025 and beyond.
Speaker 2And in order for us to keep going and to stay one step ahead, you have to utilize the storytelling in your content Absolutely. Now, since you brought up this big bad monster called AI, which a lot of people find is really threatening, I want to believe that you can really really scale your business using AI just by knowing what to use it for. So a lot of people what do you, I mean? Like, of course, it depends on the type of business you have, but how can you use AI in this day and age to your advantage, rather than feeling like it's going to take over, like it's even taking over from coaches? Nowadays? You know you can ask AI anything and it can help you with any problem that you have. But how can we use AI to our advantage?
Speaker 1There's a quote that I always go by People connect with people first, right, so you can always have different variations at the end, whether it's a brand or product or people connect with people over AI, whichever. I also believe that you should work smarter and not harder. And throughout human existence we've seen our evolution. Let's go back to the time I was going to say slavery, but I won't touch any slavery topic.
Speaker 2Let's just say let's keep it fun and light.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah, let's say factories, right? So back in the day, you used to have a lot of manual labor in the factories building out whether it's clothing or car parts or the car itself. Now, with the advancement of technology, you're able to work smarter, to produce clothing quicker and cars quicker. And one of the fear back then is that people will lose their jobs. Right, their jobs. Right, it's a fear point and even with AI, people will lose their jobs. It's just been the sad reality of being a human and the human existence.
Stephen's Digital Product Launch
Speaker 1But those who study AI, those who know how to use AI to their advantage, will win. Right, You're always one step ahead. So, using it in your business, let's say, for us, this platform is powered by AI. Right, if you use ClickUp or Notion, if you're a content creator or you have clients, you're a copywriter or a video editor or a web designer, you can use platforms like Notion and the ClickUp and their AI features to make your work a lot smarter. Right, if you're doing sales, you can always brainstorm with AI ChatGPT. So one of the things I tell people don't use chat GPT as your the final what's the word that I'm looking for?
Speaker 2Not for the final product. And I think I know what you're trying to say, because don't take it literally what chat GPT tells you and copy paste it.
Speaker 1Yeah. So have a conversation, use it to brainstorm, right? So say, chatgpt, this is what I want to do. Do you think it works? Give me some better suggestions. You know stuff like that. So you're having a conversation to brainstorm the idea, and with the new feature of it pulling information from the internet, because when it started, the information yeah, so no, it can't pull accurate information.
Speaker 1Well, not say accurate, but it can pull real-time information from the internet. So use it to your advantage in that way to help build your brand, create outlines for your business plan, for your storytelling plan, and then you use your human perspective and build from there. Because ai cannot feel human emotion right hopefully it will. Hopefully it never will, because I've watched some crazy movies in the past.
Speaker 2We all have.
Speaker 1And I think whenever we start talking about AI.
Speaker 2That's what's coming to mind you know those crazy movies from back in the day which now are quite close to reality.
Speaker 1Yes, yes, they are. So always use AI to work smarter and not harder, and that's another thing that I see a lot of people. They're spending more time using AI than they would have done if they were doing it themselves.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 1Because they don't understand. So they're so consumed using AI that they don't realize they're wasting a lot of time in the platform. So work smarter, not harder.
Speaker 2I would also add be careful not to copy and just paste, because AI will come really close to telling you or making something sound like you, but it is still not you.
Speaker 2You are the one that can tell your story. Ai can come close and can give you advice on what to say, but it cannot emulate you a hundred percent, or at least not yet. So take advantage of that, let it help you. And then you still have to put in the work. It's not like you can just give it to ai. Ai runs your company for you. You could, but then you're not sounding authentic. And then then we go back to the whole point of of. You know what you were saying in the beginning.
Speaker 1Yes, you need to be authentic your authentic self exactly people want to buy from you.
Speaker 2They don't want to. They want to buy from you. They don't want to. They want to buy from you because they you have kind of like explained to them what they can get out of it. Because people want to see what results they're going to have out of something that you're trying to sell. It needs to to really like evoke the emotions, right, yeah, emotions right, yeah. So, steven, one question that I was. Really I wasn't planning on asking you this, but since you brought it up in the beginning when you were telling us your story of who you are and what you do, you said yes, yes, it's coming.
Speaker 2You said you are a stay-at-home dad. Now, this will relate to a lot of people that are listening now, because a lot of business owners want to now that have already started or are thinking of starting will start as maybe, perhaps, if they have kids, a stay-at-home parent, if they don't have kids, they will be starting it from their home and then expand after. But the majority we see so many people working from home. Now, whether you have kids or not, there are distractions. I don't have kids and I still find myself being distracted every time. So, but let's do it from a parent because, let's be honest, if I'm already distracted, what about you? It's going to be really hard to combine the two. So a lot of people quit before they even start because they were. They're just saying you know, I can't because my kids are at home. What advice would you give to somebody who's a stay-at-home parent working from their basement, their kitchen, their home office?
Speaker 1Right.
Speaker 2And just on cue, we hear the little ones in the background, which I love. I love their little screams. They're so cute yeah.
Speaker 1So, let me get it out there. I'm going to try and give you an answer, but, based on my own experience, until this day, the 28th of March, I still don't know how I'm doing it Right. When people ask me how do you do it, I said I don't know. I just do it Right. But the backstory is I started when I mentioned that I left my journalism job in 2017 and I've been working from home since then.
Speaker 1Now, during COVID, I saw a lot of persons struggle because they weren't used it's sad to say. They weren't used to being around their children so often or for so long. Right, the world was in lockdown. You have to work from home, you have kids to take care of, probably online school and all of that, so it was a culture shock for many of them, right. But for me even well, the first child, he was born during covid, so I still had to do my. That time, I was doing a remote job for a us-based company, so I still had to work while taking care of him, Right.
Speaker 1So one of the things that I can say if you're doing I'm going to break it up into two industries If you're a remote worker and remote worker, basically, you're working for a company remotely. Now, if you're a remote worker, find a space, because you know most remote jobs have a set schedule, right? They usually want you online at a particular time, right? So for that you need to find a dedicated workspace, right. Dedicated workspace right. And if your kids are young enough and will be a distraction, then you have to separate yourself from that, right? So, whether you're locked away in your room or your home office or your basement depending where you are in the world and the type of house you have then you have to do that and then you have to find the balance in between, because there are times when you might have to break to go take care of the kids. So make that known up front with your employer, right? So if, if they cannot understand, I would say forget it and move on, go, look at something else.
Speaker 1Now, the second type is for what I would say freelancers. So, whether you're a content creator, whether you're a graphic designer, web designer, everything else, right. Then balance is key. You have to focus on time management, right? So you have to have a set schedule that you know. Okay, between six to eight, I'm going to get the kids ready for school, then eight, 30 to 11 o'clock. I'm going to work on this project, and so forth. If you have kids at home, then and you're going to teach them, then you have to factor in that as well.
Speaker 1Um, and one of the things is that when you're working, get rid of the phone. There are some techniques. There are some techniques that will tell you to take your phone out of the room, because if it's in the room and you know a notification comes on, the phone will light up. Right, even if it's on silent, the phone will light up and you'll glance at it and then, based on the notification, you might open the phone. And then that takes away a lot of your time. So take the phone and even if it's beside you and it's turned off, you still might be tempted to turn it on. So take the phone out of the room, remove the phone from the room. And it's turned off, you still might be tempted to turn it on. So take the phone out of the room, remove the phone from the room completely.
Speaker 2It needs to be completely out of the room, or at least out of reach. It can be within reach.
Speaker 1But overall, when I've had conversations with people with and without children, distraction is always the biggest factor, and without children, distraction is always the biggest factor. So, especially if they don't have a dedicated workspace, they might go in the bed and work and I said that's a bad idea. Don't ever work from your bed. It's too comfortable and you'll be tempted to sleep. So you have to find the balance.
Speaker 2I don't like you right now. How could you say that I'm guilty?
Speaker 1of that. Actually, I do have my days when I don't like you. Right now, how could you say that?
Speaker 2I'm guilty of that. Actually, I do have my days when I don't want to sit and I have two designated areas that I still sometimes find myself working out from my bed. Okay, so that's a big no-no, okay.
Speaker 1Yeah, and you know one of the perks of, I mean, starting a business now is the best time in history. There's so many tools Again you can use AI. This is one of the plus of AI. The power of the internet makes it so easy for us to start an online business. So, whether you want to create products and sell online, or you want to sell your services online, or you want to create content, to be a content creator um, I'm sure, how long have you been the traveling island girl?
Speaker 210 years.
Speaker 110 years, I'm sure it's easier now than it was in 20 oh, absolutely.
Speaker 2What year was that?
Speaker 12015? Yeah, 2015. Yeah.
Speaker 2So, to be honest, it was. It is easier now just to create content, yeah, but it's also the competition is harsh right now. Right, it's, everybody's a content creator. It's not just I'm not the only Caribbean content creator out there anymore.
Speaker 1It's not just I'm not the only Caribbean content creator out there anymore. You just have to find your again, your niche and your target audience and work with that. So once people can separate the distractions from productivity, then they should be successful. Building that dream business from the comfort of their bedroom, their bathroom or their kitchen Bathroom? Very interesting. Dream business from the comfort of their bedroom, their bathroom or their kitchen bathroom? Very interesting. I'm sure. I'm sure you've heard.
Speaker 2I'm sure you've heard some of the greatest ideas come when you're in the bathroom but oh, absolutely, okay, see, so we're on the same page.
Speaker 1So, yeah, so, but you know why?
Speaker 2but you do you know why it's it's it's the quiet time. You know why, but you know why it's the quiet time, you know it's like I'm now transitioning from being a travel content creator to being a travel and transformation coach, helping women over 40 creating their best lives and help them get over their fears, et cetera, and one thing that I learned is that we are not our most creative when we are stressed, when we are anxious or when we are distracted, so you need to keep those out, and that's why the bathroom is perfect, because the bathroom is, unless you're taking your phone with you, which I wouldn't, but unless it's the quiet time. That is when you're taking your phone with you, which I wouldn't, but it's the quiet time. That is when you're the most creative. That's when those magical ideas pop into your head.
Speaker 2Now, since I am such a big mindset change junkie and I started really focusing on changing your mindset to create the life that you want, I want to know from you what is is for anybody that is listening right now, who's interested in becoming a storyteller or get better at it, to, to you know, really improve their business or their career. What mindset hack, if any, do you have for them?
Speaker 1You need to be open to being vulnerable. You cannot share your story if you're not willing to share I'm not saying every details of your life, right? Only things that relate to what you want to do and the lessons that people can learn from it. So you have to be open to being vulnerable that way. So if you can't do that, then you can't tell your story because that will be a fake story that no one will connect with, that you don't want that. So you have to be open to sharing something that broke you and you're willing, and, and the lesson that you learn from it and how that can help others go who are going through the same struggle bye, steven.
Speaker 2You know us caribbean people have a very hard time with that, because I'm I don't know how old are you just turned 38 okay.
Speaker 2So I'm a little bit ahead of you and from generation x especially. I can hear my mother in the background already screaming at me like you, do not put out your dirty laundry out there for everybody to hear. Like she would get a complete attack if she, if she saw the video that started with I'm broke at 50. She would lose her mind. Like how could you? You never tell anybody, you don't? You're just so afraid of what people would say. So, especially caribbean content creators, caribbean business people, and I think I don't think this is limited to only the Caribbean. This is just something that we all have, that, if it's something that we had to struggle with, we're always so ashamed of bringing it forward and let people know that we are not perfect. We are not Instagram. You know what you see on Instagram. That's not us. So, yeah, that is, but it is. Is so so important to be vulnerable, because without the vulnerability, you cannot tell your story. Absolutely 100 agree with you.
Speaker 1Yeah yeah, but, like I shared this story on, was it linked in our threads earlier this week? I was, it was being vulnerable and I was talking about my mother, who died in 2006 from cancer. Right again, as caribbean people, we don't talk about stuff, so when she died, it was a shocker to a lot of people because they knew she was sick but they didn't know that it was that bad Right. So, knowing her, I knew that she was again, probably it's a cultural thing, a Caribbean thing, to be secretive about things like that. So she was quite secretive about that and I vowed to myself from that point that I'll be open. So I think that's one of the reasons why I'm so open now and I would speak freely, without fear.
Speaker 1So if you're struggling, yeah, if you're broke, if you're sick, um, it's okay to share your story. Um, I have a friend who is strong well, I wouldn't say struggling scratch, that that's a bad word a friend who is battling cancer as well and she shares her story on tiktok, right. So she isn't afraid to be open, because it's not a case of people having pity. Again, as I said earlier before, it's not about pity. It's about sharing your vulnerability and showing that, no matter what you go through in life, you're able to overcome those challenges, whether it's losing your job, whether it's an illness, whether it's losing your job, whether it's an illness, whether it's being broke. As humans, we have the capacity and the capability to overcome and achieve great things.
Speaker 2Yeah, yeah, beautifully said, thank you. Thank you, stephen, before I let you go. You just announced something in your stories just today. I just read it in your stories today that you have launched a new digital product. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
Speaker 1yeah, so I launched it on my birthday. Um what's the?
Speaker 2wait a second. When's your birthday was? Wednesday, march 26th ah, so you're borderline. You're not an aries, though you're right yeah, I'm aries.
Speaker 1I'm aries, you are aries you're my people yeah, yeah you're my people.
Key Takeaways and Closing
Speaker 2That's why I was like yeah, that's why we're vibing so well yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1Um, so it's basically love, live, learn, storytelling. I'm trying to make sure I don't miss up those three L's right, because I get them confused. Even though I wrote it, can you believe it? So it's Love.
Speaker 2Live Learn.
Speaker 1Storytelling. So it's basically telling you, breaking down seven storytelling frameworks, giving examples, how you can use them in your content, as well as explaining brand storytelling, the psychology behind storytelling and how you can use it. I've also included my favorite storytelling books that I recommend from authors when I reach the level yet of writing my own book. But one day. I'm sure it's coming soon though and also I gave a notion template where you can go and create your story. So you've used notion, right, you've used use notion I haven't yet.
Speaker 2I know I'm so embarrassed to say, but I I just haven't really dived deep into it.
Speaker 1I know I should, but I haven't yet so, basically, the notion, the notion guide that I created is basically a layout that helps you structure the story. So you have a section where you write the hook, a section where you write the lesson, a section where you put the context and then you merge everything together, and it also has an option for you to show when you want to publish it and the platforms that you'll be publishing it on, so that you're able to track it. So that that's basically the bonus, but the core of it is the seven storytelling frameworks, um, such as the hero's journey, the before and after, the open loop, and I won't give it too much details, so yeah, exactly, because otherwise, yes, you need to go and buy this guy for you to get all of the other information.
Speaker 2But, steven, I was on your um website. I want to say, or at least where you have all of your services? Yes, your your linkedin bio, and I was so impressed with all of these products that you're offering, and you are also doing one-on-one as well, if I'm not mistaken correct. So where can people find you? Where can they get in contact with you If, after this, they're like you know what? That Stephen guy knows what he's talking about. I want him to help me. How can people get in contact with?
Speaker 1you All right. So you can find me on LinkedIn at I am well, not. I am at. I am on LinkedIn, stephen Stanbury, just my name. On Instagram and TikTok at I am Stephen Stanbury. One word, no space in between, and that's it, I think. Well, if you use the link in my bio, you can can book a free call with me. We can have virtual coffee or tea or anything that you want to call it, but I usually say that when you come on that call, you must have a beverage. So have a cup with some water or something, because we're having a virtual conversation Doesn't mean we have to be boring, um, so yeah, that's, that's where you can reach me okay, good, good.
Speaker 2Thank you so much for the time that you have given us today and all of that knowledge in your brain. We are so happy or I am at least very, very happy to have all, to have you, to have had you on the show, and for all of the really great information that you have shared with us today. Thank you, thank you. Okay. So what are the key takeaways from our talk with Stephen today? Be authentic and dare to be vulnerable, because being you is what sells. Don't forget to share behind the scenes. That is also very important. Share your struggle and work smarter, not harder. So, since we also discussed AI, don't get all wrapped up into the research that you can do with AI. Remember that the most important thing that you can do is to take action. So don't get lost in all of that researching with AI and finding out how it works or how it can work for you, but remember to actually take the action necessary as well. And, of course, you've heard him share about his latest digital product, which is going to catapult you into storytelling. I cannot wait to get my hands on this and I know that you're going to be doing the same if this has intrigued you as much as it did me. If you need to get in contact with Stephen, I have left all the links in the show notes. Just go there after you listen to this complete episode, get all of the information in there, get in touch with him. Book a one-on-one with him if you need to, or get your hands on any of the digital in there. Get in touch with him. Book a one-on-one with him if you need to, or get your hands on any of the digital products in which he shares all of his knowledge with you. As for me, it is time for me to say bye, bye because, girlfriend, I am about to start celebrating my 50th and I'm starting to celebrate that tonight because I don't know about you. It's a big milestone and you know some people dread it, but I am so looking forward to being 50, I'm so looking forward to it, I'm excited and I'm going to be celebrating all weekend long. I will leave all of those details. I'll share those with you in the next episode. Can you believe? The next time we get to hang out I'll be 50? Oh my gosh, this is so exciting. And, of course, if you have any interest in joining us in c martin for the island awakening retreat from june 4th until the 8th. Remember, all the information is right there in the show notes.
Speaker 2I I am extending the early bird special for you, just for you, as a friend, as a listener. So come and join us in St Martin. There is really you cannot come up with any other excuses. If this is calling your name, then you need to listen, you need to do it, okay, and I cannot wait to wrap my arms around you because I'm a hugger. I cannot wait to welcome you to St Martin and, by the way, if this is scary, I totally get it.
Speaker 2You are going to an island that perhaps you've never visited before. If that is the case, listen, my co-host and I, jen and I, will be taking care of everything for you. So all you have to do is book your ticket and book your accommodation, and even with that I can help you. You know, I am a local here on St Martin. I know the ins and outs, I know my way around, so you have to worry about absolutely nothing, all right, so we're going to take care of you. Okay, that's it for me. It is celebration time and I cannot wait to start. So goodbye to you. Bon voyage to me and we will get to hang out again next week Thursday, and I cannot wait to hang out with you again. Bye-bye for now, ciao.
