Storyteller vs. Expert vs. Entertainer

Most creators choose the wrong role.

Author

Stephen Stanberry
May 18th, 2025

friend!

A friend told me about this café the other day.

They lend out books.
No forms. No IDs. No fuss.
You just order something coffee, tea, a snack and take a book off the shelf.

That’s the cost of access.
A cup of something warm and you’re welcome to stay as long as you want.

Poetry. Memoirs. Fiction. Business books with folded corners.
People sit and read for hours.

No one’s glued to their phone. No one’s filming for Instagram. They’re just there engaged, present.

And I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that place, wishing I could go there.

Why? Everyone is shouting shouting for attention,
this little café earns it by being intentional.

Most creators try to be louder

I see it every day.

Founders. Coaches. Content creators.
All trying to grow online by posting more tips, more tricks, more hot takes.

The expert drops frameworks.
The entertainer delivers punchlines.
The storyteller? They pause.
And make you feel something.

The problem I see:
Most people lead with expertise or entertainment.
Because those feel “safe.”
They’re performance. Polished. Predictable.

But they’re also forgettable.

What actually gets remembered

We remember people who help us feel less alone.

The story that punches us in the gut.
The insight that feels personal.
The quiet line that stays with us long after we’ve scrolled away.

Not because it was optimized for clicks but simply because it was real.

The storyteller doesn’t try to impress you.
They try to meet you where you are."The expert gets bookmarked. The entertainer gets laughs. But the storyteller?
They get remembered."

❝

"People don’t follow you because you’re smart.
They follow you because you’re honest."

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Ask yourself before you hit publish:

Am I sharing something true or just something clever?
Would this make someone pause or just scroll past?
Am I helping people feel seen or just proving I’m smart?

Experts inform.
Entertainers entertain.
Storytellers connect.

And connection always wins long-term.

What role are you playing?

There’s no shame in being an expert.
There’s power in entertaining.

But if you’re wondering why your content isn’t landing like it used to…
check your balance.

You might be saying all the right things.
But if people don’t feel you, they won’t follow you.

And followers who don’t trust you won’t buy from you.
They’ll clap, maybe.
But they won’t commit.

Unsplash

The truth most people avoid

People are smart.
They can Google “how to build a personal brand” anytime they want.

But what they really want?
Someone who makes them feel like their story matters.

That’s your edge.
Not a better hook.
Not a prettier Canva graphic.
Just more of you.

One last thing

I’ve played all three roles:
The expert who shares tips.
The entertainer who leans into funny.
The storyteller who slows things down and speaks from the mess.

And the only one that ever felt sustainable?
The storyteller.

Because when you stop trying to be impressive…
You start becoming magnetic.

I have some time in my calendar Monday and Tuesday.

Book a call with me and lets talk

Cheers,

Stephen

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