Your business is unique – and so are YOU! – but many founders struggle to clearly and confidently share their (personal) brand story with their audiences.

And with a neurodivergent brain, challenges like imposter syndrome as well as difficulties with interoception, memory and words can make it feel even MORE difficult to pick out the parts of our stories that are relevant, interesting and relatable to others.

In this workshop, you’ll discover why YOUR story matters, how to tell it, and how to get it out there to journalists.

Because, the good news is that storytelling is a skill you can learn!

In part one of this creative workshop, led by Roxy van der Post, you’ll understand:

• The narrative framework
• The pillars of storytelling
• How to share your story impactfully

Once you’ve created your story, what do you do with it? How do you get it “out there” in a way that feels authentic?

In part two of the workshop, led by Greta Solomon, you’ll learn:

• Dos and don’ts of pitching to magazines, newspapers, and podcasts
• What makes an effective pitch
• Six types of headlines and how to use them
• How to create compelling openings and endings
• How to piece together your pitch

The aim is to demystify the pitching process, so that you can contact journalists confidently and get your stories published.

Agenda

Part 1: 10:00-11:30

• The power of stories
• Four pillars of story: purpose, people, plot, and place
• Purpose of your brand story (with task)
• Your personality and uniqueness (with task)

Short break

• Plot structure (with task)
• Place and visualisation (with task)

At the end of Part 1, you’ll have an outline for your brand story, which you can add to the end of every pitch.

Lunch: 11:30-12:30

• Break for lunch (with option to ask questions to both Roxy and Greta)

Lunch will not be provided, so please bring lunch with you – or alternatively, there are plenty of places to buy food nearby.

Part 2: 12:30-14:00

• Overview of newspapers, magazines, and podcasts (and how they work)
• Dos and Don’ts
• Three examples of successful pitches (a first-person piece, a feature, and a podcast pitch)
• How to write a good headline
• How to write openings and endings

Short break

• Write your own pitch (with task)

We will end on a Q&A with both Greta and Roxy

About your trainers

Roxy van der Post is the proud founder of independent business Myosotis Film & Photography, which is all about visual storytelling as a force for social and environmental change. Set up in the midst of the pandemic in 2020 to empower changemakers across sectors to embrace their uniqueness, Roxy has since supported hundreds of people to (re)connect with themselves and their audience(s) through confident, compelling, and inspiring storytelling. To find out more, visit myosotisfilmphotography.co.uk

Greta Solomon is a business writing trainer, a freelance journalist, and the author of Heart,

Sass & Soul: Journal Your Way to Inspiration and Happiness (Mango, 2019). Her passion for creative self-expression informs all her work. This includes delivering writing workshops for clients including Zalando and Wallenius Wilhelmsen, and writing for Red, Breathe,

Psychologies, Stylist, Mslexia, and The Author. To find out more, visit gretasolomon.com

What makes our workshops neurodivergent-friendly?

• There’s no expectation to stay in your seat, you’re free to get up and move around
• Fidget toys and doodle materials will be provided to help you focus
• Colour-coded lanyards are provided for you to indicate your communication preferences
• No pressure to participate in group activities or ice-breakers
• No expectation to stand up and share your work with the room if you don’t want to
• Freedom to ask as many questions as you need to ensure you understand what you’re learning and can apply it with confidence

Event details

Date: Friday 3 May 2024

Time: 10:00-14:00

Duration: 4 hours with a break for lunch

Location: PLATF9RM, Tower Point, North Road, Brighton, BN1 1YR

Cost: £15 to Joyfully Different community members, £30 for non-members

Want to join this session for the member price and access more events for neurodivergent business owners and leaders for FREE? Sign up for monthly membership here and get your first month free*

*Or contact hello@joyfullydifferent.co to explore pay-what-you-can pricing

Venue Accessibility

Our event venue is PLATF9RM (pronounced ‘platform nine’) which is located on the fifth floor of Tower Point at the top of North Road in Brighton, next to the North Road Car Park Entrance and close to the junction with Queen’s Road.

The venue is fully wheelchair accessible, with a lift up the steps to the main entrance and elevators to the fifth floor. Find more accessibility info here.

About Joyfully Different

Our mission is to make business joyful for neurodivergent founders. We’re a non-profit business community and learning hub for neurodivergent business owners, leaders and future founders. We believe self-diagnosis is completely valid – we aim to support everyone who needs us.

Want to find out more about our mission and how to sign up as a member? Head on over to joyfullydifferent.co