What's your story?

That's the first thing I think when I meet somebody new. Because everybody has a story and most of them are great. But in our culture, we fail to value the art of storytelling. We are so busy amassing stuff and listing our accomplishments, we forget to come around the fire at night and tell our stories.

I got into journalism to tell great stories. I've spent 20 years telling the tales of farmers and bankers, waiters and artists. My specialty is business journalism and I'm drawn to the stories of passionate entrepreneurs, financial whiz kids, middle managers and support staff. I love the drama, comedy and truth of commerce. I've been a reporter for USA Today, and editor at BusinessWeek magazine. A freelance writer since 2000, my work has appeared in Inc magazine, Business 2.0, and The Wall Street Journal Online. My essays have appeared in Salon.com, Mademoiselle, Ms. and public radio's Marketplace.

Work with me and I'll turn my story telling experience in your direction. We'll discover the tale that is you and the format that will tell it to the world. A great essay happens at the junction between personal story and global experience. My job is to help you find that intersection.

My resume tells you my accomplishments: I graduated from Brown University with a BA in Classics. I'm on track to receive my MFA in Popular Fiction from the University of Southern Maine next summer. I won a Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award in 2004. I've collaborated with business professionals on four published books and I'm currently writing a novel. I'm married to a fellow writer and we have two children and a cat and live in New York City.

But that's just my list. It's not my story.