Your business,
our know-how.
Real people with
real experience.
The story behind
CompellingStory
Hi, I am Simon Saunders, founder of CompellingStory, a culmination of 35 years of career dots that I finally connected.
I studied Graphic Design, but it was sales where my interest in business flourished. I wasn't a natural so to hit targets, so I had to make more sales calls.
Somewhere in those extra conversations, I realised I didn’t love sales, but it was business that got my curiosity. Sales gave me the perfect platform to speak to so many business founders and leaders, asking questions, building rapport, and uncovering what made each business stand out.
Thirty-five years of those conversations taught that every business has a story, often hidden, but when you ask the right questions, it brings the story to life.
That same curiosity inspired my first entrepreneurial journey, twenty years providing event marketing for organisations including the House of Parliament, BT, Rolls-Royce, Braun UK and Deutsche Bank.
After my business closed, my career remained in sales: first in exhibitions, delivering the UK's largest workplace event at Olympia and then a return to print with a brief stint in the charity sector too.
At the start of 2025, I suffered a health scare that stopped everything for three months, and as I recovered, I remembered the domain name I'd registered during COVID and realised it was finally time to now launch CompellingStory.
Every business has a story that goes back further than its founding: the curiosity, the experience, the people. That's what makes it unique. And telling that story is the greatest business advantage every business founder has.
Saying what we mean
doing what we say
Open and honest
No false promises, no overselling. Just honest conversations about what works, and the confidence to tell you when something won't.
Asking the right questions
We ask the questions that help you see your business the way your best customers do, and uncover what makes you different.
Jargon free
No buzzwords, no complicated frameworks. Just clear, plain English that says what you do, so the right people choose you.
For today, and tomorrow
We build for lasting growth, not quick wins.
Every story we help you find is designed to keep working long after our first conversation.
You first, always
Your knowledge of your business. Our experience finding the story inside it. Together, that's where your competitive advantage lives.
The people behind CompellingStory
-
![A smiling woman with glasses and shoulder-length hair, wearing a perforated light-colored top, sitting at a table with a glass of drink and a straw against a plain, mustard-colored background.]()
Rachelle Bookatz
EA TO FOUNDER
Rachelle keeps CompellingStory running smoothly behind the scenes. With a background in property and entrepreneurship, she brings energy, initiative and a genuine passion for the business to everything she does. -
![Black and white photo of a man in a suit, smiling in profile, holding a cleaning cloth against his face, against a solid light yellow background.]()
Jordan Daniels
DIGITAL EXPERIENCE
Jordan built the CompellingStory website and continues to shape our digital presence. An experienced creator with a sharp eye for UX, he helps make sure every online touchpoint, ours and our clients', tells the right story. -
![Black and white portrait of a smiling woman with short hair, wearing a collared shirt, against a solid light brown background.]()
Amar Lall
SENIOR BRAND DESIGNER
Amar brought CompellingStory to life visually. With 25 years of creative experience, she designs everything from brand identity to marketing collateral, bringing the same care to our clients' brands as she has to our own. -
![A woman with shoulder-length dark hair, smiling, wearing a black dress with a pearl necklace, against a beige background.]()
Renée Waillen
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST
Renée manages our social presence and supports our clients with theirs. An experienced strategist with a practical, no-nonsense approach — she knows what works and isn't afraid to say what doesn't. -
![Black and white portrait of a smiling middle-aged man with a beard and short hair, wearing a collared shirt, against a yellow background.]()
Simon Saunders
FOUNDER
Simon started CompellingStory after 35 years of noticing the same pattern. Businesses with a clear story grow. Those without one compete on price. He works with ambitious founders and leadership teams to discover the story that makes them the choice, not the comparison.
