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- Most people inherit a business. He inherited a legacy.
Most people inherit a business. He inherited a legacy.
A storytelling Masterclass!
Stephen Stanberry
May 1st, 2025
In partnership with
What happens when your father builds an empire and you’re next?
Adam Stewart wasn’t just handed a business.
He was handed a weight.
A billion-dollar brand.
A father the entire Caribbean revered.
And a legacy the world expected him to protect.
When Gordon “Butch” Stewart passed in 2021,
the question wasn’t who would take over.
It was how Adam would carry it.
Here’s the wild part:
He didn’t just carry it.
He elevated it.
Photo Credit: Our Today
Meet Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International and ATL Group.
But what makes Adam’s story worth studying isn’t just the title.
It’s how he balanced legacy with reinvention.
How he honored what came before, while boldly building what’s next.
And the way he’s doing it?
That’s the lesson.
He walked into a room where every wall was already painted…
and somehow made it feel like his own.
Photo Credit: Sandals Resorts
How? Three things that made the difference:
→ He led with legacy, but spoke in his voice.
He never pretended he started the story.
But he made sure he was part of it.
He kept the soul of the brand,
while updating the language, vision, and direction. As storytelling currency.
You can do the same. Your origin story is your unfair advantage.
→ He made himself visible, and vulnerable.
Adam showed up.
On stages. In videos. In the press.
Not with ego, but with presence.
Because people don’t trust brands.
They trust the person behind them.
Especially when they can see that person grow.
→ He used purpose as his compass.
From education programs to the Sandals Foundation to community-led tourism…
Adam doubled down on impact.
Not as a side project, but as the business model.
That’s what makes a brand unforgettable:
When the story touches people beyond the sale.
You don’t need a billion-dollar brand to use these moves.
You just need the mindset.
→ Tell your origin story (don’t hide it).
→ Show your face (not just your product).
→ Align your values with what your audience cares about.
Because in the end?
People don’t buy from brands. They buy from stories.
See you tomorrow,
Stephen
PS: Struggling to tell your story in a way that moves people and moves your business forward?
Hit reply. I’ll send you my free storytelling guide.
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