Is your business
telling its best story?
The story behind
CompellingStory
CompellingStory has been 35 years in the making but began by asking one question.
What makes a business truly unique?
Not the products or services. Not the credentials.
But the story beneath the surface that no competitor can replicate.
That question inspired everything.
The founder
Simon Saunders
CompellingStory is the culmination of 35 years of career dots finally connecting.
Although I studied Graphic Design, it was sales where my interest in business was allowed to flourish. I wasn't a natural, which meant I had to make more calls than others to hit my targets.
Somewhere in those extra conversations is where I discovered it wasn't sales I was passionate about, but a curiosity about business. Sales, though, was the perfect vehicle for that curiosity. Asking questions, building rapport, uncovering what made each business stand out.
That inspired my first entrepreneurial journey, which ran for twenty years, providing event printing for organisations including the House of Parliament, BT, Rolls-Royce, Braun UK and Deutsche Bank.
My career continued in sales. First in exhibitions, delivering the UK's largest workplace event at Olympia and Clerkenwell Design Week, before a return to print and a brief stint in the charity sector.
In 2024, a health scare stopped everything for three months. As I recovered, I looked at the domain name I had registered during COVID and realised it was finally time to connect those dots and launch CompellingStory.
Every business has a story that goes back further than its founding. The curiosity, the experience, the people. That is what makes it unique. And that story is the greatest business advantage every business founder has.
Marketing is no longer about the stuff that
you make, but about the stories you tell.
Seth Godin
Saying what we mean
No jargon, no false promises. Just honest conversations about what works — and the confidence to tell you when something won't.
Asking the right questions
We ask the questions others don't. The ones that help you see your business the way your best customers do — and uncover what makes you genuinely different.
No marketing jargon
No marketing speak. No complicated frameworks. Just clear, plain English that makes the right people stop, take notice and choose you.
Building for today and tommorrow
We build for lasting growth, not quick wins. Every story we help you find is designed to keep working long after our first conversation.
It’s about you, not about us
Your knowledge of your business. Our experience finding the story inside it. Together — that's where your Business Advantage lives.
Businesses I've worked with
During my time as Director of Operations at Kisharon, Simon provided support with social enterprises, created new work opportunities, established a retail buying group that increased revenue, and developed comprehensive KPI’s.
He brought commercial expertise while maintaining the charity's social mission - delivering results through professional, entrepreneurial, and reliable leadership.
Julia Brown
CEO
Simon joined Media 10 to support the sales team and, following an internal reshuffle, became the sole salesperson responsible for selling exhibition stands worth £500,000.
He secured leading brands in the luxury office furniture sector in key positions at the exhibition.
Mark Gorden
Head of Sales
As Marketing Events Manager at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Simon provided all our event marketing collateral and invitations.
Simon consistently delivered efficient, prompt service with quality results, proving to be a trusted and reliable partner over several years.
Alison Fiander
Marketing Manager
I worked directly with Simon at BT directory sales. A tough sales environment to be in, but Simon’s conduct, integrity, and work ethic were outstanding, regularly helping our team to achieve sales targets in what was a very demanding role.
Simon is the type of professional every sales manager wants on their team.
Alistair Brett
Head of Sales
Meet the team
-
![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 makes sure every online touchpoint 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 has designed everything you see — from our brand identity to our marketing collateral — with the same care and attention every time. -
![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.
