As time marches on, you need to be able to evolve your story.What was the best job you ever had in your life? Mine is an easy one. During my junior year of college I was hired as the first marketing intern at Harpoon Brewery in Boston. This was in their very early days, and my job responsibilities included things like:Driving around in the Harpoon van (which was a beat up yellow Ryder van that was spray painted black and had a tricky timing belt that regularly backfired)Doling out swag in local bars, restaurants and package stores to drive awarenessTalking up our beers on street corners with young professionalsConducting tours at the brewery over the summer where I educated patrons on the craft brewing processRecruiting friends to work as ID checkers at eventsFinding ways to dispose of "cloudy" kegs of beer that were drinkable but unable to be sold. Needless to say, I worked hard for little pay, learned a ton about entrepreneurship and brand building but had even more fun in the process.Flash forward to this week -- I found myself once again back at a much bigger, expanded Harpoon Brewery, this time catching up with its CEO over some fresh summer brews, reminiscing about the company's early days, and talking about how the business has evolved since I was there. Harpoon (and the craft beer industry) has experienced significant growth in New England over the past 20+ years, particularly in sales, brand awareness, and product offerings. All the while it has maintained the same entrepreneurial, collegial, work hard/play hard culture that was present when the company was a fraction of the size.Along those lines, we began to talk about the challenges they now face in an uber competitive, segmented industry with rapidly changing customer tastes. Despite the accessibility of social media, distinctive product marketing and branding is huge ongoing concern. And that is when our conversation turned to the topic of storytelling.Back in the day, the Harpoon story was a simple one. A bunch of college buddies simply decided they would create a beer that was better than the mainstream offerings from Budweiser, Coors, etc. But now, after over 30 years since they started, a number of acquisitions, and a lot of success, the story was much more complicated. That's when I said, "I knew what the story was years ago, but what is Harpoon's story today? Why does it still exist?"Whether you are a company selling beer, you are making a presentation at an important internal meeting or you are seeking your next job, crafting a succinct, logical narrative has become essential to getting your message to cut through the noise and to hit home. I mentioned this a few weeks ago when I talked about engagement -- it's like we have become a population of multi-tasking kindergarteners or like cats chasing a laser pointer. People want to be entertained. They need a story. So take a minute to think about your company's story. Think about your own story. Look at your website, your sales presentation deck or even your LinkedIn profile. Has the story evolved over time? Is it simple, logical and accurate? More importantly, does it paint a unique, compelling picture that sticks with your audience? Mastering the art of storytelling goes beyond just sound sales and marketing strategy and tactics. It may require some extra investment of thought and organization, but, trust me, it is worth it. And it can yield a significant return if done right. You know what else will yield a significant return? This week's articles. Check them out and maybe share a few of them with a Dad you know as a Father's Day gift. No matter what you do, I hope you are able to enjoy this last official weekend of Spring. Best to all of the Dads.XOXODave