Eric Yim: You never know who your story could help
I'm Eric Yim. What I care about in my work with Protocol Text is helping people share their stories and gain the confidence to speak. You never know how much the things you care about, the experiences you've had, and the values you have could touch somebody else.
Why helping someone speak matters to me
When I was a kid, there were so many things I wanted to say, but I was always too afraid to say them. So I didn't say anything at all. As I got older, I started seeing how much my words could actually impact someone. That changed how I thought about sharing what matters to me.
I think it's partially like our duty to share our message. I don't mean that every experience has to become public. I mean that when we keep everything to ourselves, somebody who might have connected with it never gets that chance.
There's something really cool about being a part of that: helping someone share their story, helping them gain the confidence to be able to speak, and amplifying that. For an independent service business owner, that can start with explaining something you care about in your work and why it matters to you.
The response you can't predict in advance
Some of the people I've interviewed have cried. People have texted me to say that when they're feeling down, they're going to look back at what we shared to remember why they're doing any of this at all. Those responses are a big part of why I care about this work.
They make me feel like I can do this and that I have to. Someone's story can matter to the person hearing it, but it can also help the person telling it recognize something about themselves.
People will rattle off stories about themselves and act like it's nothing. Then, when I repeat it back to them in different words, they're completely blown away. Sometimes another person can help you hear the significance of an experience you've gotten used to describing as ordinary.
Choose one experience that explains a business value
If you own a service business, you don't have to tell your whole life story to give someone a better understanding of you. I'd start with one experience that helps explain a choice you make in your work.
A value like communication can sound pretty general on its own. An experience gives you something concrete to explain: what happened, why it stayed with you, and how it affects the way you think about your responsibilities now.
For example, imagine an owner who remembers being left without an update while waiting for a service appointment. If that experience genuinely shaped how they communicate schedule changes in their own business, they could explain that connection. This is an illustrative example, not a client story. The useful part is the link between an experience and a present-day decision. Only describe a practice if it's something you actually do.
A short exercise to find a story worth sharing
Try answering this out loud: What is something I care about in my work that I wish people understood better? Record your answer or write it down without trying to make it sound like marketing.
Then ask yourself where that feeling came from. Look for a particular experience rather than a broad claim about who you are. You might remember a decision you struggled with, something somebody explained to you, or a moment that changed your expectations.
Read your answer and keep the details that help another person understand the connection. What do they need to know about the experience? What did it change for you? What does it help explain about your work today?
If you're comfortable, share that draft with someone you trust and ask which part stayed with them. Their answer may point to something you passed over. You still decide what to share. The purpose of the exercise is to find a true, specific thing you can say, without having to sound impressive.
Frequently asked questions
Can I share a meaningful story without talking about private parts of my life?
Yes. Choose an experience you're comfortable discussing and keep the focus on what it helped you understand. You can leave out family details, names, dates, and anything else the reader doesn't need. If removing those details makes the story confusing, choose another experience rather than pushing past your own boundaries.
What if my story involves a customer or someone I worked with?
Keep the focus on your own choices and learning. Leave out identifying details, and remember that someone can be recognizable even without a name. Ask permission before including another person's private experience. If the point depends on exposing them, find a different way to explain the value.
What if I share something and nobody responds?
A quiet response doesn't tell you everything about how someone received it. It also isn't evidence that the story helped someone. Check what you can assess: was it true, clear, and useful to the people you hoped to reach? You can ask a trusted reader for feedback without treating one post as a verdict on whether your experience matters.