We all want the one-liner. That perfect phrase that sums up who we are and what we do. The tagline that fits on a homepage or business card, sounds smart, and makes people remember us. It feels like the mark of a “real brand.”

The problem with the one-liner is that slogans don’t build trust on their own. They’re too small to carry something as big as your purpose. So, they might catch attention, but without a story behind them, they’re just a few words.

Stories are what make people feel connected. They give your brand a spine. A voice. A reason to care. There’s a quote from Philip Kotler that says, “Marketing is the creative use of truth.”

That’s what people come back for. A story works when it rings true, and people will come back for that meaning behind it.

Rewriting Your Narrative

It can feel uncomfortable to revisit your story, especially when it no longer feels as clear to you as it once did. You start to question whether the way you talk about your work still fits. Maybe it did a year ago. Maybe it doesn’t now.

This happens to a lot of people. Not because they got it wrong the first time, but because they moved forward and the language stayed behind. That doesn’t mean your brand is broken. It means you’re growing into a new level of clarity.

Your story is allowed to shift. It’s allowed to stretch. It’s even allowed to contradict some of the earlier versions you shared. The work here is recognizing the moment when it’s time to rewrite it, because at some point, it’s worth asking: Would someone I care about recognize me in this voice?

If the answer is no, it might be time to write something more honest.

Slogans are easy to admire from a distance. Stories require you to show up. They’re belief, expressed. If something in your messaging feels off, maybe the question isn’t “How do I make this catchy?”

Maybe it’s “What’s actually true now?”

That’s the story worth telling.

This conversation was front and center during our latest JHD Day—a time when our team steps out of the day-to-day to work on the business, not just in it. We gathered at The Nexus to reflect, realign, and write together—because this isn’t just my story. It’s ours.

And if you’re craving more thoughtful dialogue like this, don’t miss events like Tuesday’s StartUp Fayette where we explored work-life balance for entrepreneurs—a powerful reminder that you’re not building alone. These communities are here for you.

Want more thoughtful takes like this? This is the kind of content you’ll find in our Fresh Look Friday blog, written for business owners like you who are building something meaningful.

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