Blog Post 6: Tell Your Own Story
In the nonprofit and rescue world, stories are everything. They’re how we connect, how we explain what we do, and how we invite others in. And yet, over the years, one of the most consistent frustrations I’ve faced is watching people—especially board members and volunteers—step back from sharing simply because they don’t feel they "know all the stories."
I’ve had people ask me to write them all down. As if the details of every horse, every intake, every adoption could somehow be compiled into a script they could recite when needed. But that’s not how this works. That’s not how connection works.
The most powerful stories aren’t the ones passed down—they’re the ones lived. You don’t need to know every detail about every animal we’ve saved to speak with conviction. You need to speak from your own experience. The first horse that made you cry. The moment you saw a neglected animal take a first breath of safety. The time you stayed late to help, or watched an adoption unfold, or found yourself unexpectedly attached.
That’s your story. That’s the one that matters. And that’s the one that resonates.
In rescue, and in nonprofits in general, we can get caught up in trying to emulate others—mirroring their fundraising strategies, mimicking their social media voice, trying to sound "professional" or "inspiring" the way we think we should. But your voice, your truth, your why—that’s what people want to hear. That’s what builds trust.
I’ve seen too many people silence themselves, assuming they don’t have enough experience or knowledge to be the one to speak. But we don’t need spokespeople. We need storytellers. And the best ones speak from where they stand.
So tell your story. Even if it’s small. Even if you think it doesn’t matter. Even if you’re still living it.
Because someone out there needs to hear it—from you.