What do Spider-Man, the Ninja Turtles, and your law firm have in common?
They all have an origin story that explains why they exist, what they care about, and what makes them different.
But here’s the thing…
If Peter Parker never gets bitten by a radioactive spider? No story.
Turtles never get oozed? No crime-fighting pizza squad.
You never tell people why you started your business? No emotional connection.
And without emotional connection, your brand is just a list of services with a logo.
Let Me Tell You a Secret: No One Cares About What You Do (At First)
They care about:
- What drove you to start this thing
- What pain you wanted to solve
- What you were sick of in your industry
- Who you were trying to help (maybe people like you)
Your origin story isn’t about bragging. It’s about building trust.
Because the moment people hear your “why,” they start thinking,
“Oh… that’s why they get it.”
And now they want to hire you. Or refer you. Or follow your content because you’re not just another suit with a LinkedIn account.
But Jordan… What If My Story’s Boring?
I doubt it. For me, I was a Prosecutor and then realized I did not want the next promotion at the office…so I left to start a firm that did Criminal Defense (at first until we moved to PI later).
I wasn’t wrongfully charged with a crime.
I didn’t have a family member incarcerated.
To the extent that I had a long term belief in wanting to play a role in criminal cases it was on the side of the Government.
And yet…I came to realize how 99% of the people coming through the system were there because they were poor, addicted or made one bad decision.
Poor enough that they either couldn’t stay in a house and therefore missed some notices from the government, ended up having a suspended License and then got caught or couldn’t afford to keep their license or pay a fine or otherwise avoid coming to court.
I would say having handled 10,000 cases at the State I went after 5, maybe 10 truly bad people.
So when I opened my firm I thought through how I could use technology to make it easier for people (and cheaper for them too). I thought about all the good I could do helping people get their license back, getting them into rehab, helping them stay in school and be productive members of society.
Is that boring? It’s certainly not when you use it as your messaging to get it to appeal to a client (or their decision making family member).
Did you:
- Start your firm because a loved one got screwed over and you wanted to fix it?
- Go through a similar case as the client that you now want to help?
- Quit Big Law after realizing your soul had quietly left your body years ago?
- Build your business from the kitchen table between toddler nap times?
For any of these, you should have an even better story!
Real, honest, human stories. Exactly what people want to hear. Well..exactly what the RIGHT kind of client for you wants to hear.
How to Use Your Origin Story (Without Making It Cringe)
- Put it on your website. Not just your “About Me/Us” page — bake it into your homepage, your emails, your client onboarding.
- Tell it on podcasts. Short version, long version, funny version — all of them.
- Use it as content. If you’re ever stuck on what to post, tell the story of how you started and what you’ve learned since.
- Train your team on it. They should be able to tell it too — it’s part of the brand.
- Tie it into your sales. People don’t just want results — they want to know why you’re the right person to get them there.
This isn’t a Linked In Trauma dump. I don’t want to see “5 Things My Parents Emotionally Abusive Divorce Taught Me About B2C Sales,” but I do want to see you sharing your story and perspective to stand out to the right client.
Remember, they are looking for the right fit for them as much as you are looking for the right fit for you (or maybe even more).
Wrapping It Up
Your origin story is your emotional edge.
It’s what makes people lean in instead of scrolling past.
Don’t bury it. Don’t gloss over it. Don’t assume people know it.
Tell it. Own it. Use it.
Because if you don’t — someone with less experience, but more story will win the work.
Until then, share your story, no gamma rays or radioactive spiders needed!