Signature Story Program

What a signature story is — and why it matters

A signature story is the one narrative that brings your expertise into focus when you are seen publicly. Not a summary of everything you know — the story that helps people understand how you think, what you stand for, and why your perspective carries weight.

This program uses the keynote as the method. Not because every client intends to speak on stage — though many do, and many go on to build a significant speaking career from this work. But because the keynote is the most demanding test of a story. It has no room for loose ends, over-explanation, or borrowed structure. It forces absolute precision: one through-line, one arc, one central idea that has to carry. When your story survives that test, it works everywhere — on a stage, on a page, in a room, in a conversation that changes something.

Who is this for?

You are an expert, founder, or leader with real depth — and you sense that what you know, what you've built, and what you stand for is not yet landing the way it should. Your thinking is strong. Your track record is real. But when you speak — in a board room, at a conference, in a conversation that matters — something gets lost. The signal doesn't carry.

You will recognise yourself here if any of these are true:

• Your current way of presenting your work feels broad, explanatory, or harder than it should be.
• People respond well — but they can't quite repeat what you do or why it matters.
• Your story keeps growing instead of becoming clearer.
• You're being invited into higher-stakes settings and feel your narrative isn't built for them.
• What actually matters in your work is getting buried in context, examples, or qualifications.

Clients come to this program for different reasons — a CEO preparing their first major speech, a founder shaping their founding narrative, a thought leader building a keynote career, a professional who wants to show up with precision in interviews, articles, and video. The format is the keynote. What you do with it is yours.

How the program works

A private, 1:1 co-creation process — intensive but contained, typically running over four to eight weeks. It moves from raw material to a delivery-ready keynote in clear steps.

1. 01

   Preparation

   We briefly discuss what the keynote could be about — the context, the possible direction. Then you write a first draft. Not polished, but written. It becomes the working document for everything that follows.

2. 02

   Core sessions — 8 hours of 1:1 work

   Eight hours of focused 1:1 work with ianka: sharpening the central idea, making structural decisions, refining language and storytelling, deciding what belongs in the keynote and what does not. Between sessions, you rewrite independently — processing feedback, testing what lands, thinking through what you truly want the audience to take away.

3. 03

   Rehearsal — in person

   Included in a limited and purposeful way: testing whether the keynote works when spoken, adjusting pacing and transitions, aligning delivery with the intended level of authority. The focus stays on the story — not on general speaking technique or stage confidence. Rehearsal sessions take place in person.

4. 04

   D-day Debrief

   After the first real delivery, a short focused conversation to reflect on how the keynote landed and make small adjustments where needed. Refinement, not redesign.

What you walk away with

A signature story you can trust — in every context where your authority needs to land. One that feels completely yours, holds under pressure, and carries into a keynote, a pitch, a conversation, or a written piece without losing what makes it work. Many clients use it to build a keynote career. Others use it to communicate their expertise with precision wherever it matters. Both are valid outcomes. The story comes first.

From €5,000 ex. VAT. Admission only.

Questions worth considering

Can I take this story to the stage?

Yes — and for many clients, that is exactly the point. The keynote is built to be performed. Many clients go on to build a significant speaking career from this work. The program does not assume a confirmed stage date, but it produces a story that is ready for one.

What is the difference between this and a public speaking training?

This program works on the story first — the through-line, the arc, the language, the decisions about what stays in and what comes out. Once the keynote is ready, delivery is part of the work. ianka has over thirty years of stage experience across theatre, television, and media, and has worked as a director. You will learn how to carry your story in the room — with the authority it deserves. What this program does not do is work on confidence. If you need to feel more comfortable on a stage in general, that is a different kind of work. This program assumes you are ready to perform — and builds the story that is worth performing.

What about speaker marketing?

Speaker marketing — how you position yourself as a speaker, how you approach bureaus and events, how you build a speaking career — is not part of this program. That support is available through the Authority Builders Membership, after the program is complete.

What if I do not know my story yet?

The program helps you find it. That is part of the work. If your authority fingerprint is not yet clearly articulated — if you are not sure what makes your perspective distinct or how your expertise is grounded — the Authority Brand Blueprint is the more reliable starting point. A signature story is always stronger when the foundation has been deliberately built first.

Do I need to already have a keynote?

No. Many clients start from scratch. What you do need is the ability to deliver a first draft — not polished, not finished, but written. The draft becomes the working document. It makes your current thinking visible and gives us concrete material to work with from the start.

What if I am not a good writer?

You do not need to be a good writer. The quality of the prose in your first draft is not what matters. What matters is that the thinking is yours — on the page, in your own words. Working with AI to generate your draft is not a good plan. If the story does not come from you in the writing, the work cannot make it yours in the room. That is not a technical issue. It is a foundational one.

How much work is involved on my side?

A significant amount — and that is by design. Between sessions, you write, rewrite, and sit with difficult questions about what you truly want your audience to take away. Clients consistently describe the process as demanding and, at the same time, as one of the most clarifying things they have done professionally.

In which language does the program run?

Dutch or English. The program focuses on one keynote language. A second language version can be developed through the Authority Builders Membership.

Are the sessions recorded?

Yes. All sessions are recorded and supported by a note taker. After each session, you receive a transcript and a written summary for personal reference.

When you want to go further

The Signature Story Program gives you the story. For some clients, that is exactly what they came for — and it is enough.

For others, the goal is larger. They want to build a keynote career. They want to leverage their core business into speaking, writing, video, and other portfolio assets. They want their authority to compound across formats and contexts over time. If that is where you are headed, the Authority Brand Blueprint is the natural companion to this work. It gives your signature story a deeper foundation — one that holds as you expand into new rooms, new formats, and new audiences.

Beyond the program

Ongoing support — additional rehearsal, refinement, speaker positioning, narrative decisions under real conditions — is available through the Authority Builders Membership.