Stories That Work

What Stories That Work does

Stories That Work is a Philadelphia-based, solo-practitioner brand storytelling consultancy founded by Gerry Lantz around 2000 after a 30-plus-year career as an officer at Ogilvy and DDB and as Chief Marketing Officer of Ferrero USA. The firm operates four engagement tiers built around its proprietary 5 Step BrandStory Process: a three-hour BrandStory Quick Start session, a full-day BrandStory Workshop, an intensive BrandStory 360° Execution for brand launches or re-stages, and ongoing BrandStory Lifecycle Management. Supporting frameworks include the ABCD Formula (Action, Backstory, Climax, Destination) and the 3×3 Strategic Story structure, all packaged under the registered STORIES THAT WORK™ and The 5 Step BrandStory Guide trademarks. The methodology is delivered through facilitated workshops, written reports, and ongoing advisory engagements rather than through any software product.

The firm's client base spans B2B brands, non-profit organizations, B2C companies, and professional service providers, with named engagements including Ogilvy and Mather, Black & Veatch, PICPA, Living Branches, Innovative E-Discovery, LCPA, and Busboss. Stories That Work generates revenue entirely through professional services fees on a quote-based, project-by-project basis; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Customer acquisition relies on a mix of founder-led speaking engagements, LinkedIn presence, video content hosted on Wistia, website lead capture (including a free BrandStoryExpress Guide), and client referrals. The firm carries 1-10 employees and operates as a privately held, founder-owned practice with no institutional funding, parent company, or acquisition activity. Industry recognition includes an Effie Award, a David Ogilvy Award, and a Toy Marketing Association Award for Best Marketing, Advertising & Promotion.

Name

Stories That Work

Legal name

Stories That Work

Website

https://storiesthatwork.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stories That Work is a Philadelphia-based, solo-practitioner brand storytelling consultancy founded by Gerry Lantz that serves B2B, non-profit, B2C, and professional service clients through four-tiered engagements built on its proprietary 5 Step BrandStory methodology, ABCD Formula, and 3×3 Strategic Story framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brand Storytelling Consulting

NAICS

Marketing Consulting Services (541613), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Brand Strategy & Positioning (BPAFAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brand Experience (BX) & Service Design (BPAFAEAI), Content & Messaging Strategy (Positioning, Narrative) (MPAAAFAK), Content Strategy & Planning (BPAFAIAG)

Keywords

• Brand storytelling consulting
• Narrative branding services
• Brand messaging strategy
• B2B brand workshop
• Brand identity development

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Services / Consulting: Four engagement tiers: (1) BrandStory Quick Start - 3-hour facilitated session with written report, 30 days of support, includes The 5 Step BrandStory Guide; (2) BrandStory Workshop - full-day workshop with comprehensive deliverables and recommended next steps; (3) BrandStory 360° Execution - intensive engagement for brand launch, re-stage, or update including customer sampling; (4) BrandStory Lifecycle Management - ongoing brand governance and evolution support. Revenue generated through consulting fees, workshop fees, and ongoing retainer engagements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stories That Work is a consulting practice that helps B2B, non-profit, B2C, and professional service clients develop and operationalize authentic brand narratives through four engagement tiers: BrandStory Quick Start (3-hour facilitated session), BrandStory Workshop (full-day workshop), BrandStory 360° Execution (intensive multi-stakeholder engagement for brand launch or re-stage), and BrandStory Lifecycle Management (ongoing brand governance). Deliverables are grounded in the firm's proprietary 5 Step BrandStory Process, ABCD Formula, and 3x3 Strategic Story frameworks, delivered by founder Gerry Lantz.

Product overview

Stories That Work offers a suite of narrative-based branding services centered on its BrandStory methodology. The core offering consists of four engagement levels: BrandStory Quick Start (a three-hour facilitated session), BrandStory Workshop (full-day engagement), BrandStory 360° Execution (intensive multi-stakeholder engagement for brand launches or re-stages), and BrandStory Lifecycle Management (ongoing support). The BrandStory Marketing Communications Guide serves as the strategic framework within these engagements. These services help B2B, Non-Profit, B2C, and professional service clients develop authentic brand stories that drive connection and sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BrandStory: A narrative-based branding methodology and process including BrandStory Audit, BrandStory Inventory, Brand Values Identification, BrandStory Marketing Communications Guide, and BrandStory Implementation.
• BrandStory Quick Start
• BrandStory Workshop
• BrandStory 360° Execution
• BrandStory Lifecycle Management
• BrandStory Express Guide

Products and services

• BrandStory Quick Start A three-hour facilitated session with the client Leadership Team that includes a BrandStory Audit (T-O-M impressions), Brand Values Identification, and a customer Reward Statement, delivered as a written report with branding implications and recommendations plus 30 days of phone/email support and The 5 Step BrandStory Guide. Designed for B2B, non-profit, B2C, and professional service clients who want a fast diagnostic of their brand narrative.
• BrandStory Workshop A full-day facilitated workshop with client Leadership and customer-facing personnel that completes a BrandStory Audit, BrandStory Inventory, Competitive BrandStory Perception Scan, Brand Values Identification, and BrandStory Marketing Communications Guide, with finalized report documents and recommended next steps. Targets B2B, non-profit, and professional service clients that need a comprehensive brand narrative diagnostic in one session.
• BrandStory 360° Execution An intensive engagement that includes all internal brand stakeholders and a sampling of customers, clients, and prospects, resulting in a new brand launch, brand re-stage, or brand update. Scope includes BrandStory Audit, Brand Values Identification with proof stories, and a Competitive BrandStory Scan. Aimed at clients needing full brand launch or repositioning rather than a diagnostic.
• BrandStory Lifecycle Management Ongoing brand story management that provides continuous guidance and support for maintaining and evolving the brand narrative over time. Acts as a retainer-style engagement for clients who need ongoing governance after a Quick Start, Workshop, or 360° Execution.

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• StoryBrand: Founded by Donald Miller, StoryBrand is a narrative-based branding and messaging framework (the StoryBrand 7-part framework) sold through workshops, certifications, and agency services. It is the most direct functional competitor to Stories That Work's narrative-based B2B positioning work.
• BrandExtract: Brand strategy and messaging consultancy that helps B2B and B2C organizations articulate brand positioning, messaging frameworks, and value propositions. Overlaps with Stories That Work in delivering strategic brand and messaging deliverables to mid-market clients.
• Melsius: B2B messaging and brand storytelling consultancy focused on helping technology and professional services firms clarify positioning and narratives. Closely comparable in service line, niche B2B focus, and founder-led delivery model.
• Hinge Marketing: B2B marketing and branding consultancy that delivers brand positioning, messaging, and visibility programs for professional services firms. Overlaps with Stories That Work's focus on B2B and professional service provider audiences.
• Velocity Partners: B2B marketing agency for technology and professional services firms, specializing in brand messaging, content strategy, and go-to-market narratives. Comparable in target buyer (B2B, professional services) and brand storytelling deliverables.

Broad incumbents

• Siegel+Gale: Global brand strategy and design firm specializing in simplicity-driven brand positioning, naming, and messaging. Offers overlapping brand strategy and messaging services to enterprise clients as part of a broader portfolio.
• Landor & Fitch: Large global brand consulting and design firm covering brand strategy, identity, and experience design. A broader incumbent that competes for brand storytelling and positioning assignments at enterprise scale.
• The Brand Union: Brand strategy and design consultancy operating across multiple geographies, offering brand architecture, positioning, and messaging services. Comparable in deliverable space but with significantly larger scale and resources.
• Jack Morton Worldwide: Global brand experience agency offering brand storytelling, content production, and experiential campaigns. Overlaps with Stories That Work's brand narrative and experience work, but at a much larger scale and broader scope.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm whose brand and marketing advisory practice helps leadership teams with brand narrative, culture, and employee engagement. A broader incumbent that touches adjacent storytelling and narrative work at enterprise scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stories-that-work

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stories That Work