I was wrong about growth

Author

Stephen Stanberry
December 11th, 2025

In partnership with

Hey friend!

In 2024, I tried to grow my brand by posting the best “storytelling tips” I knew.

I wrote threads every day.
I broke down frameworks.
I shared the lessons I learned from journalism and being fired twice.

But something felt off.
And the growth showed it.

Across six months, I gained 219 new followers on LinkedIn.
And 311 on Threads.
Most of them silent.
Most of them not the clients I wanted.

Meanwhile, creators with simpler content, lighter stories, and zero frameworks were gaining traction.

It did not make sense.
I was frustrated.
I felt like I was shouting into the void.

So I stopped posting for a while.
Not because I was tired, but because I was confused.
I wanted to understand what I was missing.

Six months later, I figured it out.

The problem was not storytelling.
The problem was the type of storytelling I chose.

I was teaching people story structure, but I was not letting them feel the story.

And that is what the market wants now.
We are entering a new era of content.

Storytelling is no longer about “tips.”
It is about identity.
It is about lived moments.
It is about why you see the world the way you do.

Once I understood that, everything shifted.

I rebuilt my content around my real life in Jamaica.
The long commutes I did when I worked in radio.
The mornings when my son watched me write before school.
The years I spent rebuilding after being fired.
The quiet guilt that followed me around.
The moments that shaped my voice.

And that is when people started to respond.

Not to the frameworks.
Not to the tips.
To the truth.

Creators who lean into this type of storytelling will win in 2025.
Creators who do not will get washed out.

So in this newsletter, I will share 7 reasons why your storytelling content is not landing anymore and how to fix it before January hits.

Let’s get into it.

Reason #1: Your content does not feel lived in

Most people tell stories like case studies.
Clean.
Safe.
Predictable.

But stories are supposed to make people feel something.

Pull readers into a moment.
Tell them what you saw.
Tell them what you feared.
Tell them what it cost you.

Your story is your leverage.

Reason #2: You are writing to everyone

When I wrote for “entrepreneurs,” I attracted no one.

The shift came when I wrote for the version of myself who was rebuilding in 2023.

The man who feared failure twice.
The father who wanted freedom but did not know how to get it.
The writer who wondered if consistency alone could save him.

Write to one person.
Your content will land deeper.

Reason #3: You are hiding the real transformation

People do not follow information.
People follow identity shifts.

Show them:

Before
Crack
After

That is what moves people.
That is what builds trust.
That is what builds brand.

Reason #4: Your stories feel too polished

Jamaica taught me that people respect honesty.

The power cuts.
The missed taxis.
The days I wrote with two kids crying in the background.
The moments I doubted everything.

Readers want real, not perfect.

Reason #5: You separate storytelling from your offer

Your story is the bridge to your offer.
Not a bonus.
Not a side dish.
The bridge.

People buy when they understand the journey that shaped your insight.

Tie your story to your solution.
Every time.

Reason #6: You teach before you connect

Connection first.
Teaching after.

Your audience must feel you before they follow you.
They must trust you before they buy.

Connection is the strategy.

Reason #7: You underestimate how long storytelling takes to work

Most creators quit too early.
They expect one story to change their brand.
But stories stack.
Identity compounds.
Trust grows quietly.

That is the part nobody tells you.

In short

2026 will reward:

Writers who tell the truth.
Creators who show their life.
Entrepreneurs who lead with identity.
Brands that feel human.

And Jamaica will always be the root of my voice.
Every story comes from here.
Every lesson comes from here.

If you do this right, your next year will look different.
Not because you posted more.
But because you finally posted you.

If you enjoyed this, reply and tell me which point hit you the hardest.

Talk soon
Stephen

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