Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Business Consultant · Marketing Glossary
How Do You Write a Brand Story for a Small Business?
“Quality baked goods since 2019” is not a story. A brand story explains who you serve, why you started, and what you will not compromise. Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA, helps owners find theirs as a business consultant, and this guide gives a simple structure, a bakery example, and the mistakes that make a story sound like an ad.
Questions? Call or text (321) 948-9588. Dr. Paul answers personally.
Last Updated: 11/07/2026 · Written by Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
The Short Answer
What Is a Brand Story?
How to write one: write three sentences. Why you started, with a real moment or problem. Who you serve and the result you get them. One promise you will always keep. Then test whether a customer can repeat it after hearing it once.
Why Should Customers Care Who You Are?
In Plain English
A Few Honest Sentences Customers Can Repeat
A brand story is a few honest sentences about why you started, who you help, and what you will always do. It is short enough that customers can repeat it.
People forget slogans. They remember stories. “Quality since 2019” fades the moment someone reads it. A real reason sticks.
A Real-World Example
The Bakery That Opened for the Night Shift
A small bakery in Boca Raton, Florida has a website that says “quality baked goods since 2019.” Nobody remembers it.
The owner rewrites it. She starts baking at 5 a.m. so night-shift nurses at the hospital down the street can grab something fresh on their way home, and the first batch is out by 6. Customers start telling that story for her. A bakery business plan with a story like that has a positioning section that writes itself.
From Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest
Beatrix the Bee and Her Grandmother’s Hive
Doctor Owl was at the farmers market sampling honey when Beatrix the Bee buzzed over, frustrated.
“Customers keep picking the cheaper jar from the next stall,” she said. “Mine is better. Why don’t they see it?”
“Why did you start?” Doctor Owl asked.
Beatrix went quiet. One winter, her grandmother’s hive nearly failed. Beatrix had saved it by hand, one frame at a time, and she had been keeping bees ever since.
“Well,” she said, “that’s the bee’s buzz.”
Doctor Owl took a blank jar label and wrote three lines on it: why she started, who the honey is for, and what she will always do. Beatrix Forest Honey put the label on every jar.
The next week, a customer picked up a jar and told the story back to her.
Just one of many stories from Book 4 of Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series.
Dr. Paul’s Insight
Dr. Paul has owners write the story in three sentences before anything longer.
Put It to Work
A Three-Sentence Brand Story
“We started baking at 5 a.m. because night-shift nurses down the street had nowhere to get something fresh on their way home. Today we feed the hospital’s night shift and anyone else up before the sun. We will always have the first batch out by 6.”
The test: can a customer repeat it after hearing it once?
Watch Out
Pitfalls When Writing a Brand Story
Customers can tell, and a made-up story costs more trust than no story.
The customer should be in the story, not just your trophy case.
If it takes a page, nobody will pass it on.
The third sentence is a promise. Only write one you will keep every time.
Why It Matters
Benefits of a Clear Brand Story
- Easier to remember
- Customers share it for you
- A reason to choose you besides price
- Clearer marketing copy
In Your Business Plan
How Brand Story Shows Up in a Business Plan
A brand story gives the positioning section of a plan a real anchor, and it shows lenders why customers will pick you.
Sample plan excerpt: Marketing Plan, Positioning
“The bakery begins baking at 5 a.m. and has its first batch out by 6, timed for night-shift hospital staff heading home. This story anchors its positioning as the early-morning bakery for night-shift workers and appears on the website, menu boards, and packaging.”
FAQ
Questions Owners Ask About Brand Stories
What makes a good brand story?
How long should a brand story be?
Where should a small business use its brand story?
More From the Series
Keep Building Your Business
Every book in Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series teaches one subject through short stories, real terms, and one-page worksheets.
Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Dr. Paul is a business consultant and author with 14+ years of experience and 1,000+ written business plans. He works with owner-run small businesses on plans, financial projections, and the systems that let a business run without the owner doing everything. This page is part of the glossary for Marketing for Small Businesses, Book 4 of Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series.
This page is for general educational purposes only. It is not legal, marketing compliance, or other professional advice. For decisions about your own business, consult a qualified professional.