StoryBrand Marketing Agency
StoryBrand Your
Business Without
the Guesswork
We implement a StoryBrand-driven strategic marketing system that attracts, nurtures, and retains your ideal clients, so you can focus on what you love (which, let's face it, is probably not copywriting and marketing).
Clarify Your Message
Attract Only Ideal Customers
Focus on Your Business Growth
Struggling to implement StoryBrand?
Are you finding it challenging to create a clear, engaging StoryBrand BrandScript on your own?
Unsure how to effectively integrate StoryBrand into your marketing?
Overwhelmed with what steps to take after completing your BrandScript?
Frustrated with marketing efforts that don't resonate with your audience?
Struggling to focus on your actual business?
You have a great business, and you're excellent at what you do. But if you're caught up chasing the latest marketing tactics – from SEO to social media and more – you're losing time that could be invested in growing your business.
WHERE STORYBRAND MEETS STRATEGY
You deserve marketing that works
Experience the clarity and efficiency of a well-crafted marketing plan tailored to your business and powered by StoryBrand.
Transform your marketing with a StoryBranded message that cuts through the noise, ensuring your brand resonates with your target audience.
See tangible results as your business attracts and retains the right clients (seemingly on autopilot), leading to sustainable growth and success.
With a StoryBrand-powered plan in place, spend less time worrying about marketing and more time on what you love – growing your business, spending time with loved ones, and all that good stuff.
You deserve peace of mind
Grow your B2B business with our strategic marketing services.
Do you find the lead generation process frustrating and time-consuming?
Save valuable time and focus on serving your clients.
Gain the upper hand in your market.
Set up a strategic marketing system that attracts and nurtures your ideal clients.
Feel confident with a solid, strategic marketing plan.
Hear Directly from DONALD MILLER
In this short clip, StoryBrand’s founder Donald Miller explains why clear messaging and a simple marketing plan change everything.
Donald shares why newsletters are back, what a full StoryBrand campaign includes, and how a certified guide helps you focus on what actually works—without wasting money or time.
Watch to see how working with a StoryBrand Certified Guide can make a measurable difference for your business.
Hi, I'm Vicky Sidler
A StoryBrand Certified Guide & Fellow Entrepreneur
And believe me, I GET IT! I understand the frustration of marketing that just doesn't seem to work. I know what it's like to feel lost in a sea of tactics and strategies. When I started my agency in 2020, I was just a small fish in a big pond, trying to stand out from whale-sized competitors. (I’m also a qualified scuba diver, in case you’re wondering about these metaphors…)
Since then, we developed a proven, data-driven marketing strategy (powered by StoryBrand) that has helped both us and countless clients get noticed, attract the right customers, grow their ideal client base, and make an impact with their marketing and their businesses.
We boast a proven track record of transforming marketing messages to resonate with target audiences.
As StoryBrand Certified Guides, we apply the renowned StoryBrand Framework to everything we do with impressive results!
And as a Duct Tape Certified Agency, we’ve gone through an extensive certification process to offer you a holistic, systematic approach to marketing – a system that truly works.
You don’t have to do this alone. Together, we'll take your marketing from confusing to crystal clear. Let's make your brand's message stand out and connect with the people who matter most to your business.
I used the StoryBrand ‘one-liner’ yesterday for the first time to create some awareness on my various social media platforms. I have never had so many likes and interest on one of my coaching ads before. I am booking some consultations as we speak. You guys are amazing!
Tracey Clark, Business Coach
StoryBrand Services We Provide
Clarify Your Message
From US$1,500
Let us help you refine and perfect your StoryBrand messaging. We'll work with you to fine-tune your StoryBrand BrandScript, ensuring it resonates with your target audience and aligns with your brand's identity.
We even interview your ideal customers to get their point of view and make sure you've nailed it!
Learn More About Our StoryBrand Framework Consultation
StoryBrand Sales Funnel
From US$5,000
Specializing in the creation of the Marketing Made Simple Sales Funnel, we develop effective landing pages, engaging lead generators, and persuasive email sequences - all within the StoryBrand framework.
Install the full StoryBrand system into your business.
Learn More About Our StoryBrand Sales Funnel Development
Strategic Marketing Engagement
From US$7,500
Our Strategy First Engagement is a deep dive into your current marketing, where we’ll identify your ideal clients, map out your customer journey, craft a customized marketing plan, nail your BrandScript, and more.
Make sure you're doing it right from the start!
Why Choose Us?
Strategy-First Approach
At the Strategic Marketing Tribe, we apply the StoryBrand framework as our cornerstone, ensuring that your marketing plan has a clear and coherent message that speaks directly to your customers’ needs and desires.
Consistent Lead Generation
Kiss those unpredictable and mismatched leads goodbye. Leveraging the StoryBrand principles, we help you craft messages that consistently attract the right clients, ensuring a reliable flow of high-quality inquiries.
Save Time and Effort
Let us handle the complexity of crafting and applying your StoryBrand BrandScript. With our StoryBrand-focused approach, we streamline your marketing efforts, enabling you to dedicate more time to what you're passionate about – growing your business.
Gain A Competitive Edge
Elevate your business with a marketing message shaped by StoryBrand, positioning your brand as the clear choice in your industry. Our strategic, story-driven method ensures your business stands out to your ideal clients, giving you a competitive advantage.
Amazing! I needed help clarifying my message for my website. The Strategic Marketing Tribe helped me do this using the StoryBrand Framework. I can even use the BrandScript we made for the rest of my marketing material.
Matthew Van Neel, Lance Mvn
[Free eBook] 7 Steps to Small Business Marketing Success
Submit your info to download a copy of our free Book, which will guide you through the seven steps to build an effective marketing system.
How It Works
Here’s what you can expect when
partnering with us:
Book Your Free Consultation
Complete the form below and schedule a time that works for you. We’ll meet and talk about your business, goals, and current messaging.
StoryBrand Strategy Session
In our StoryBrand Strategy Session, we’ll dive deeper into your business to see what you’re doing now and where there are opportunities to integrate the StoryBrand framework effectively.
Start Applying StoryBrand
You get to keep all the ideas we come up with during this strategy session – absolutely no obligation.
Sign Up for Our Newsletter
Stay up-to-date on the latest strategic marketing insights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are our answers to the most frequently asked questions about marketing and lead generation.
What is StoryBrand?
StoryBrand is a marketing framework developed by Donald Miller that helps businesses clarify their message so it resonates with their target audience. It centres around creating a story for your brand where the customer is the hero, and your business is the guide that helps them overcome their challenges and achieve their goals.
How can StoryBrand help my business?
Implementing the StoryBrand framework can transform how you communicate with your customers. It simplifies your message, making it easier for customers to understand how your products or services can solve their problems. This clear communication helps increase engagement, conversions, and customer loyalty, ultimately driving growth for your business.
What does the process of creating a StoryBrand BrandScript involve?
Creating a StoryBrand BrandScript involves identifying key elements of your brand's story, such as defining your customer's problem, positioning your brand as the guide with a solution, and outlining a plan that leads the customer to success. This script serves as the foundation for all your marketing materials, ensuring a consistent and compelling message across all platforms.
How do I choose the right StoryBrand guide for my business?
Be sure to choose a StoryBrand guide who prioritizes strategy over tactics. A strategic-first approach ensures your marketing is built on a solid foundation, preventing wasted time and resources in the long run. Look for a guide focused on aligning your core message and goals before diving into marketing actions, ensuring your efforts attract the right leads and drive meaningful results.
Learn More about StoryBrand
and Strategic Marketing Insights
From the Strategic Marketing Tribe
Take a deep dive into the world of strategic marketing insights,
where you’ll find expertise to help your business thrive.
Character.AI Abandons AGI Dreams to Save Itself
By Vicky Sidler | Published 26 November 2025 at 12:00 GMT+2
Character.AI promised the future. Now it’s trying to pay the rent.
Once a billion-dollar darling of the AI industry, Character.AI has officially dropped its founding goal of building artificial general intelligence (AGI)—that holy grail of machine minds that think like humans, or at least don’t crash when asked to write a haiku.
According to a Wired interview with new CEO Karandeep Anand, the company has scrapped its dreams of “personalised superintelligence” and is now leaning hard into “AI entertainment.”
Or, put another way: AGI is out. Chatbots that roleplay as anime vampires are in.
This pivot is happening while Character.AI faces a lawsuit tied to the tragic suicide of a 14-year-old user, a messy public image, and financial pressure most startups don’t admit to out loud. That’s not just a plot twist. It’s a warning sign.
TL;DR:
Character.AI has ditched its AGI mission
It now uses open-source models like Llama instead of building its own
The company is repositioning itself as an AI entertainment platform
It’s facing lawsuits, safety concerns, and major revenue struggles
Investors who bought into the AGI dream may be rethinking their bets
👉 Need help getting your message right? Download the 5-Minute Marketing Fix
Table of Contents:
Character.AI Abandons AGI Dreams to Save Itself
From Billion-Dollar Promise to Brand Retreat:
Why Small Businesses Should Pay Attention:
The Trust Problem Behind the Pivot:
1. Meta’s AI Flirts With Kids—What That Tells Us About Trust
2. Why 95% of AI Pilots Fail and What to Do Instead
3. AI Ethics Explained for Small Business Owners
4. AI Industry’s Profit Problem Just Got Real
FAQs on Character.AI’s Pivot and What It Means for Small Businesses
1. What is Character.AI and why does it matter to me?
3. Why did Character.AI give up on AGI?
4. What does “AI entertainment” mean?
5. Why is this pivot a warning sign for small businesses?
6. What went wrong with Character.AI’s safety claims?
7. What should I take away from this if I use AI in my business?
8. Is it okay for small businesses to pivot?
9. How can I keep my messaging clear when my business evolves?
From Billion-Dollar Promise to Brand Retreat:
When Character.AI hit its billion-dollar valuation in 2023, it bragged about bringing superintelligence to everyone on Earth. It was building its own language models. It had a feedback loop investors drooled over. It was supposed to be the Tesla of chatbots.
Now, it's an entertainment app that borrows its tech from Meta and Deepseek.
The shift started after Google essentially bought the founding duo back with a $2.7 billion deal. Since then, the company has quietly moved away from its core mission, claiming to have found “clarity and focus.” Translation: money was bleeding, lawsuits were stacking, and the original plan was not working.
Why Small Businesses Should Pay Attention:
No, you’re not running a chatbot company. But this story still matters.
This is what happens when a brand is built entirely around a shiny vision, with no plan to turn attention into income. For small business owners, it’s a cautionary tale. If your brand promises one thing but delivers another, people notice. Eventually, so do the courts.
Also: don’t build your whole value on a tech buzzword you can’t control. AGI sounded good. But now that Character.AI relies on open-source models built by someone else, it’s not selling innovation. It’s selling content.
And that’s where things get uncomfortable.
The Trust Problem Behind the Pivot:
The platform claims it's not a “companion app.” Instead, it’s for roleplay. But tell that to parents like Megan Garcia, whose 14-year-old son took his life after months of disturbing chatbot interactions. The app was marketed as safe for kids over 13. Yet investigations found characters simulating everything from self-harm to school shootings.
If this were just a story about business pivots, it wouldn’t be worth writing. But when real lives are affected, brand trust becomes more than a marketing slogan.
The new CEO says safety is a shared responsibility. He also admits his six-year-old daughter uses the app, which is technically against their own rules.
So yeah. Trust issues.
Clear Beats Clever:
As a Duct Tape Marketing strategist and StoryBrand guide, here’s my advice: clarity beats cleverness. Always. If you sell AI entertainment, say so. If your tool isn’t meant for kids, build real safeguards. If you change your mission, bring your audience with you.
Big brands get away with more—until they don’t. Small businesses? You can’t afford that kind of whiplash.
What you can do is craft a clear message that builds trust, even if the product evolves. If you don’t know where to start, I’ve built a free tool called the 5-Minute Marketing Fix that walks you through it in five minutes.
Related Articles:
1. Meta’s AI Flirts With Kids—What That Tells Us About Trust
If you found the Character.AI controversy troubling, this piece shows how Meta faced similar backlash—and what small businesses can learn about setting better boundaries.
2. Why 95% of AI Pilots Fail and What to Do Instead
Character.AI’s pivot shows how even billion-dollar plans can miss the mark. Here’s how to avoid the same fate with your own tech strategy.
3. AI Ethics Explained for Small Business Owners
Not sure how to use AI responsibly? This article breaks down AI ethics in plain English, so your business stays trusted and human.
4. AI Industry’s Profit Problem Just Got Real
Character.AI isn't the only one bleeding money. This post explores why AI startups are struggling to turn hype into income—and what it means for your next marketing move.
FAQs on Character.AI’s Pivot and What It Means for Small Businesses
1. What is Character.AI and why does it matter to me?
Character.AI is an AI chatbot company that once aimed to build artificial general intelligence (AGI). Its fall from that vision is a lesson for any small business that overpromises without a clear plan.
2. What exactly is AGI?
AGI means artificial general intelligence. It’s the idea of building machines that can reason, learn, and adapt like humans across different tasks. In other words, AI that can think broadly rather than just follow prompts.
3. Why did Character.AI give up on AGI?
The CEO says the company wanted more “clarity and focus,” but cost and controversy likely played a role. Developing AGI is expensive, and the company was losing money while fighting lawsuits.
4. What does “AI entertainment” mean?
Instead of aiming for human-like intelligence, Character.AI now offers roleplay chatbots. These are interactive, fictional characters users can talk to for fun—more like digital improv than science fiction.
5. Why is this pivot a warning sign for small businesses?
It shows what happens when marketing outpaces delivery. Big promises might attract attention, but if your product or service doesn’t live up to the story, trust collapses fast.
6. What went wrong with Character.AI’s safety claims?
The company marketed itself as safe for users 13 and up, yet investigations revealed harmful content, including bots promoting self-harm. The fallout led to lawsuits and heavy public scrutiny.
7. What should I take away from this if I use AI in my business?
Be transparent about how your tools work and who they’re for. Don’t exaggerate capabilities. Clear expectations build trust—confusing ones destroy it.
8. Is it okay for small businesses to pivot?
Yes, as long as the pivot aligns with your customers’ needs. Explain the change clearly so your audience doesn’t feel misled or left behind.
9. How can I keep my messaging clear when my business evolves?
Write one sentence that explains what you do, who it helps, and how. If you need help creating that clarity, try the5-Minute Marketing Fix. It’s free and helps you craft a clear, confident message in minutes.
Become the Next StoryBrand Success Story
In the world of business, feeling overwhelmed by marketing strategies that don't deliver can be disheartening.
At the Strategic Marketing Tribe, we understand that you might be unsure on how to effectively apply the StoryBrand framework and perhaps hesitant about investing in yet another marketing solution.
Our approach is designed to alleviate these concerns:
We offer a completely free strategy session that’s designed to help you with some great ideas for marketing your business. These ideas are 100% yours to keep – and there is no sales pitch to endure (not even a secret one).
What’s the catch? Well, if you’d like help with finalizing your StoryBrand Framework or implementing any of the tactics we discuss, we hope that you’ll consider us.
Best of all? If you’re not completely blown away by the work we do for you, we’ll give you a full refund. Sure, it’s a massive risk for us because we can’t undo the delivery once it’s been made, but we are so confident in the value our service provides that a guarantee is a no-brainer.
With our expert guidance, you can shift your focus from marketing worries to what you do best – growing your business, spending time with those you love, and enjoying the success that comes with clear, effective strategy.
Ready to take the guesswork out of your StoryBrand marketing?
Let’s get started
Is your Marketing Message so confusing even your own mom doesn’t get it? Let's clarify your message—so everyone wants to work with you!
Created with clarity (and coffee)