Your Story is the Key to Your Next Opportunity — Anouk Pappers
Over the past two decades, I’ve interviewed more than 900 CEOs, CMOs, and senior leaders across industries. I’ve seen firsthand how the right story can open doors — and how a missing story can quietly close them.
Recently, I had the opportunity to conduct a webinar as part of the Harvard Club of San Francisco’s Career Series. We explored how your personal brand and professional narrative can shape the trajectory of your career. Here are a few takeaways from our session.
When it comes to professional growth, most of us are focused on the next step. A new role, a promotion, a board seat, a client relationship that could transform our work. Too often, we overlook the most powerful tool in creating these opportunities: our story.
Networking is essential, but it’s not enough to meet people. You need to give them something to remember. Titles and résumés don’t stay with us. Stories do. Your story is what helps people recall you, advocate for you, and connect you to opportunities when you’re not in the room.
Your online presence is no longer a nice-to-have — it’s your first impression. Whether you realize it or not, people are Googling you. They’re looking at your LinkedIn profile. They’re forming an opinion long before they meet you. And here’s the gap: many of us don’t know what we look like online. We’re so focused on the next opportunity that we forget to prepare for the moment when someone looks us up and asks, “Does this person align with what I need?”
This disconnect can cost you opportunities you’ll never even know you missed. How can you prevent this?
· Your story is your superpower. Titles don’t stick. Stories do. When you share who you are and where you’re headed, you give people something to remember — and something to repeat.
· Your story fuels your network. People need a simple, memorable way to talk about you. Without it, they can’t refer you, recommend you, or open doors for you.
· Your online presence shapes first impressions. If what people find when they Google you doesn’t support your next step, you may never get the call.
When you take the time to craft your professional narrative and ensure it shows up consistently in the places people look, you create alignment. You make it easier for others to understand and talk about you with confidence.
The goal isn’t to be everywhere. It’s to be intentional about how you show up and what you want to be known for.
If you’re wondering where to start, begin here:
· Practice your introduction. Can you tell your story in 30 seconds? Not your job title, not a list of past roles — but who you are, what you’re working toward, and why it matters.
· Google yourself. See what shows up and ask if it represents who you are today and where you want to go next.
The question is: when someone looks you up, will they find the story you want them to tell?
A brand anthropologist who has been storytelling for brands since 2002, Anouk Pappers has interviewed over 900 CEOs, CMOs and business owners and published 15 books. Anouk’s primary focus is on working with leaders to define their personal brand and pinpoint their professional narrative. Her company, Signitt, enables people to align their online presence with their personal brand. This positions them for their next professional goal, including board seats, promotions, client acquisitions, investor relations, and career transitions.
Connect with me on LinkedIn.
