Getting comfortable telling your story does not happen overnight.
For Laura Wilber, it came from consistently showing up, raising her hand and getting involved. What started with listening to conversations during the Clubhouse days eventually led to becoming an active member of the Rising Tides community, leading conversations and speaking at industry events.
“I believe showing up is 80% of success,” Wilber said. “And when we show up consistently, success is inevitable.”
Getting the Reps
Wilber believes one of the biggest barriers to storytelling is worrying about what other people might think.
The first smartphone video, podcast appearance or time speaking in front of a group might feel uncomfortable. The only way to make the next one easier is to do the first one.
“It’s the reps,” Wilber said. “The more that you show up and the more that you practice a skill that you want to be better at, the more comfortable you get at it.”
That willingness to build relationships has also become an important part of Wilber’s work with Dinova, where she helps connect restaurants with business diners using company-issued credit cards.
For restaurants, those diners can be especially valuable because they often:
- Spend more when dining out
- Visit during early and midweek periods
- Are less price sensitive
- Look for restaurants where they can connect and entertain
But Wilber does not believe every relationship needs to begin with a sales pitch.
“If we become friends and get to know each other on a personal level, if we’re meant to do business together someday, we will when the time is right,” Wilber said.
Whether she is telling her story, developing a business relationship or participating in the Rising Tides community, the approach is the same: show up, build trust and keep getting the reps.
