I Used to Be Afraid to Say What I Thought

I'm Eric Yim, the person behind Protocol Text. Helping people share their stories matters to me because I remember having so much I wanted to say and being too afraid to say it. As I got older, I started seeing how much my words could actually impact someone. That's part of why I do this work.

Having something to say and keeping it to myself

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 it at all.

I had trouble talking with other people, and I had an older brother who always talked for me. In high school, I got involved in theater and speech. I could put on these performances and tell these stories. It made me come out of this little bubble.

That was my first interaction with storytelling, and I really enjoyed it. As I got older, I began to see that something I said could affect another person. Something that had stayed in my head could become something someone else connected with.

That experience helps explain why I care about helping someone gain the confidence to speak. I know what it feels like to have something to share and leave it unsaid.

What I mean by a duty to share our message

I think it's partially like our duty to share our message. You never know how much the things you care about, the experiences you've had, or the values you have could touch somebody else in this world.

That doesn't mean every thought needs to become a public post. You can keep parts of your life private. But something you understand may be useful to a person who hasn't had your experience yet. Sharing it gives them a chance to learn from you.

For an independent service business owner, that might be an explanation you give customers all the time. You may understand why a certain question matters before someone chooses a service. A prospective customer may not even know to ask it.

Putting that explanation into words gives someone a better place to start. You don't have to tell your whole life story for your message to help.

Why helping someone else tell their story matters to me

I've found that I'm a lot better at helping other people tell their story than figuring out how to tell mine. That's an important part of my perspective at Protocol Text. Caring about communication doesn't make explaining yourself easy.

There's something really cool about helping someone share their story, helping them gain the confidence to speak, and amplifying that. The experiences and values are already theirs. The work is helping them put those things into words another person can understand.

I think it's important to share what you know. That's how we've progressed as a society: sharing the things we know. For a service business owner, a useful place to begin is the knowledge you already use when you're talking with a customer.

An exercise for the owner who doesn't know what to post

If you're hesitant to post, try starting with one real customer question instead of a broad introduction to your business. This is a proposed exercise, not an account of client work.

Write down the question exactly as someone might ask it. Then record yourself answering out loud, using the words you'd use in a conversation. Explain what the person needs to understand and why it matters.

Here's an illustrative question: What information should I have ready before I contact a service provider? A draft answer might be: Describe what you need help with and when you need it. If you're unsure what the work involves, explain what you've noticed rather than trying to name the service yourself.

That example gives the reader something they can do. To make it your own, replace it with the information you actually need from customers. Explain how that information helps you answer their question. Don't add a process or promise your business doesn't offer.

Listen back to your recording and keep the clearest sentences. Remove the repeated setup, but keep the words that sound like you. Then read it aloud and ask: would I comfortably say this to one person?

You can let that one answer stand on its own. It doesn't need to explain everything about your business at once.

Frequently asked questions

Can I share something useful without sharing my personal life?

Yes. You can explain a customer question, a decision in your work, or a value that guides how you approach a service. Decide which details you're comfortable making public. A useful explanation doesn't require a personal disclosure or identifying details about a customer.

What if my answer depends on the customer's situation?

Say what it depends on. Explain which details would change your answer and what you'd need to know before recommending anything. That gives the reader useful guidance without turning a general post into a promise about work you haven't assessed.

How can someone help me write without making it sound unlike me?

Start with your spoken answer rather than asking them to invent a message. Have them keep your familiar words and ask follow-up questions where the explanation is unclear. Before using the draft, check that every claim is accurate and read it aloud. Change anything you wouldn't say to a customer.