Bright Trail Customer Development

08/28/2026

I think mistakes are the best part.

Because they’re real.

I recently did a quick demo for my Business Connects NJ group to show how simple video storytelling can be.

And it was simple... once I found the right elevator door.

A beginning. A middle. An end.
Three simple shots.
One authentic story.

That’s all you need to get started.

If you want to learn how to define your brand story and turn it into video chapters that build trust, join me on October 14 at Rutgers University.

07/11/2026

Had a great chat with Vicky Bastidas on Friday on why she’s attending the Founder’s Story Workshop at Rutgers in October. Her charity The Local Lift, does amazing work. But it’s not always easy to explain it.

06/15/2026

I’ve talked to a lot of brilliant founders, who haven’t shared their real story. It’s a shame, but easily fixed.

04/06/2026

From my talk at the Philly Small Business Expo:
The #1 reason founders don’t tell their origin story?
They think people won’t care.
They’re right.
Most won’t.
But your story isn’t for everyone --
it’s for the people you help the most.
If it worked for everyone, it wouldn’t be a story.
It would be a slogan.

03/18/2026

I’m speaking at the Small Business Expo in Philly next week.

Sharing one overlooked pattern that trips up many founders:

That customers don’t trust marketing — they trust people.

If your business is great but hard to explain, a clear, compelling founder story that builds trust can change that.

That’s what I’ll be sharing.

If you’re in the area, I hope you drop by.

Workshop: Build the Story Your Customers Actually Trust
March 25, 2026 | 4:15 PM
Small Business Expo 2026
Greater Philadelphia Expo Center

02/10/2026

Once upon a time writers were told, "We don't need your stories as much anymore." But The Wall Street Journal, disagrees, stating jobs more than doubled last year.

01/19/2026

I’ve tried it, it doesn’t work.

Sounding smart doesn’t sound complicated.

Simple means you did the hard work of understanding something well enough to explain it.

I learned this watching two world-class “plain talkers” up close:
and .

They didn’t win trust by using bigger words.

They won trust by making big ideas feel easy.

10/29/2025

I've seen it too often.

A CEO is thrilled with their story.

It portrays them, their success, their product, their history, their brand.

But [chirp, chirp🦗] crickets.

The problem?

They're describing the wrong hero.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-your-story-isnt-landing-how-fix-jim-thompson-qyioe/?trackingId=nGb5oR9BRjOsndr%2FPBT1Rg%3D%3D

By Jim Thompson / Bright Trail Founder I’ve seen it so often it makes me want to cry. A business owner is thrilled with how their story portrays them — their success, their product, their history, their brand.

06/18/2025

The only fear business owners whisper to me,

makes their nose wrinkle.

They don’t like to talk about it.

What they’re really afraid of is …

that people will call them “salesy”.

And think they are: pushy, manipulative, fake and self-centered.

But that’s not how the best do it.

In this month’s newsletter I explain how and even include a “salesy-free” script you can steal, test, rewrite, and make your own.

Give it a whirl.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jim-at-brighttrail_the-only-fear-business-owners-whisper-to-activity-7341107544943210496-gayq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAABhpAQByaGrnrLSAZoN7Ugl0LDowxnQZ1Q

05/01/2025

I’m not exhibiting on my back deck.

But next week, I’ll be at the Small Business Expo in NYC at the Javits Center on May 7 with my colleague Mark Weinman .

Some of you may not be aware -- I launched my own company last year and we’re building personal media brands exclusively for business owners that grow their customer base.

I'll be sharing exactly how I do that (and the fancy new booth No. 339 on your show map) so if you’re in the city, drop by.

Plus, if you own your own brand in the tri-state area, the show is absolutely worth a visit … 💙would love to see you there.