TL;DR: The Dare to Dream Challenge is here, and we’re giving one Creator $100,000 (plus five runner-up prizes) to bring their dream to life. This guide breaks down the key elements of a great story, what to say, and how to film a compelling two-minute video. Want to create an entry that truly stands out? Keep reading to learn how.

Imagine you had a chance to win $100,000 to pursue your dreams in 2 minutes.

You can—and I’ll show you how.

We recently launched our second Dare to Dream challenge, inviting Creators like you to share your dreams in a video for a chance to win a grand prize of $100,000.

As a Creator-led company, we know the biggest obstacle for aspiring entrepreneurs isn’t talent or motivation. It’s access to time, money, mentorship, and community. That’s why we’re giving one Creator a full year’s salary along with structured support to build a business.

We want 2026 to be the year you go all-in on your dreams. And there’s not just one winner—there are also five runner-up prizes you could take home.

All you need to do to enter is create and share your story in a two-minute video. It might sound simple, but after last year’s Dare to Dream challenge, we heard participants loud and clear: many struggled with what to say, how to say it, and how to condense everything into a compelling video.

So this year, we’ve created this guide to help you make a video that doesn’t just state your goals, but rallies people around your story. We’ll cover:

• Four core elements every story should have
• Examples of how to answer the Dare to Dream prompts
• How to turn your story into a two-minute video
• Filming tips to make your submission stand out

Our hope is that you’ll walk away feeling inspired and clear on exactly how to create a winning Dare to Dream video.

Let’s dive in.

What Makes A Great Story?

Before you think about filming, you need to start with the foundation: your story.

Storytelling helps make facts—like who you are, what you do, and why you do it—22 times more memorable. And the most compelling stories take fragmented details and weave them into a single inspiring message.

A great story doesn’t need to be long or dramatic to be impactful. It just needs to tell a cohesive narrative that moves people.

And the best stories almost always share these core elements:

1. The Spark: Your “Why”

This is the emotional anchor of your story—the deeper purpose that drives you. Your “why” gives people something meaningful to connect with. And in your Dare to Dream video, clearly defining your purpose will help viewers understand what’s at the heart of your dream.

Ask yourself:

• What set my Creator journey in motion?
• When did I first start dreaming about this?
• Why does this dream matter to me on a personal level?

If viewers understand your “why,” they’ll be more inclined to root for you.

2. The Struggle: What’s Standing in Your Way

Every great story has friction–that little bit of tension that pulls you in and makes you want to listen. Your struggles are what make your story compelling and relatable.

You can add tension to your story by naming the specific internal or external forces that are preventing you from achieving your dream.

• Internal challenges could be fear, imposter syndrome, identity shifts, lack of confidence, or burnout.
  
• External challenges might include financial struggles, a lack of resources, caretaking responsibilities, life events, a 9-5, or anything else standing in the way of pursuing your dream.

You don’t need to share every detail—just the ones that help people understand what you’re up against and why now feels pivotal.

3. The Stakes: Why Now Matters

The stakes give your story urgency, helping viewers feel the gap between the life you’re living and the life you could build.

This is where you show people what you stand to lose if nothing changes, and what you stand to gain if you’re given a chance.

You’ve already shared your “why” and what’s holding you back. The stakes are where you answer: Why does this moment matter right now?

Maybe winning Dare to Dream would finally give you the financial stability to leave a full-time job and double down on content creation. Or invest in tools, mentorship, and communities to take your existing Creator business to the next level—impacting more lives in the process. 

The stakes don’t have to be dramatic to be compelling. They just have to feel authentically yours.

Here are a few examples:

• “My community is growing faster than I can support it. Without the resources to scale, I’m watching opportunities pass me by that I know could change lives—including mine.”
  
• “I’ve hit the ceiling of what I can do with the time and money I have. If nothing changes, I’ll have to put my dream on hold again, and I’m scared that walking away now might mean walking away for good.”
  
• “This is the first time in my life where my dream finally feels within reach. I just need help closing the gap.”

4. The Shift: What You’ll Create or Become

The best stories paint a vision of transformation. Think about your favorite YouTube Creators—most of them lead with what you’ll gain just by watching a video upfront. That early promise keeps you invested.

Your Dare to Dream video needs its own promise:
What future are you building toward, and what could $100,000 unlock for you?

You only have two minutes, so clarity matters. Spell out how this opportunity would impact your life, your content, and your business.

And don’t just focus on what the prize money could do for you—we want to hear about its broader impact. What’s the ripple effect? Who else benefits if you receive support? 

The shift is where you take your dream from a wish to a believable future and tangible impact.

Applying Your Story to the Dare to Dream Prompts

Now that you understand how to craft a strong story, let’s apply that framework directly to the Dare to Dream prompts you’ll answer in your video. Each question is an opportunity to reveal a different part of your journey—and together, they’ll shape the full picture of your dream.

1. What’s your dream, and how does it fire you up?

We want you to say your dream out loud and tell us why you’re passionate about it. We’re looking for depth, sincerity, and vulnerability, so prioritize showing up as your authentic self over crafting a perfectly scripted video.

Our goal is to support Creators who embody Stan’s values and want to make the world a better place. We’re not looking for a specific niche, background, or personality—just heart-led Creators who are passionate about what they do.

Take BC’s video, for example. Last year, his openness and raw storytelling captivated our team’s hearts. He dug deep into his “why” and unveiled a deeply rooted desire to continue helping others make their dreams a reality—explaining how his whole life has led to this moment, and how the challenge could help him keep momentum.

2. How will $100K help make your dream a reality?

Get specific about how winning would change things for you. Tell us how you’d plan on spending the next year of your life if you had your finances covered. 

Cait, one of our 2025 Dare to Dream winners, did a brilliant job of explaining this in her submission video. Instead of giving broad generalizations about what $100,000 could do for her, she broke down her specific action plan if she were to win.

3. How will your dream impact your life and your community?

We want to hear about the broader effect your dream could have on the world. Not just on your life personally, but on how many people it could impact, how deep and lasting the change could be, and how these cumulative changes can support your community at large.

For example, if you’re a Career Coach, you might share how helping people land aligned jobs can uplift their confidence, income, and families. 

Or if you’re a fitness Creator, you could explain how supporting someone’s health journey can inspire their friends, families, and wider community to make positive changes too. 

Whatever your mission, we want to hear how Dare to Dream could amplify it.

Last year, Chelsea captivated our team by beautifully showcasing the ripple effect her dream could have. She didn’t center her submission video solely on its impact on her life—she also talked about how it would change the lives of other women and their communities.

How to Turn Your Story Into a Compelling 2-Minute Video

1. Be Personal, Not Perfect

Remember: your video isn’t meant to be a movie trailer—it’s a window into who you are. Sure, a cinematic-style video is one compelling way you could tell your story. But it’s not what matters most.

Authenticity matters way more to us than polished storytelling. We want to get to know YOU—not an overly produced version of you.

Rather than focusing too heavily on making the ‘perfect’ video, prioritize creating a story that feels personal. Speak conversationally, as though you’re talking to one person. Tell us who you are and why you’re passionate about what you do.

2. Keep It Clear and Focused

A compelling story is a simple one. It can feel tempting to cram as much information into your video as possible, but try zooming out and keeping things concise. Avoid sharing long backstories—every detail should feel hyper-relevant to your dream.

I recommend using this simple four-part structure:

Hook → Challenge → Dream → Impact

Your hook is what instantly grabs people’s attention and pulls them in. Start in the middle of the action with a bold statement, question, or surprising fact.

Then, introduce who you are and the challenges you’re facing. What’s holding you back from taking the next step toward your dream?

Once you’ve created tension, raise the stakes by getting specific about your dream and the life you want to live.

This gives you the perfect segue to talk about the impact you want to make on the world, and how $100,000 will help you do it. Again, try not to drone on with a detailed backstory. Instead, concisely explain the future this opportunity could create.

Last year’s Dare to Dream grand prize winner, Joel, illustrates this framework perfectly:

• He opens with a thought-provoking hook
• Drills directly into the challenges he’s been facing
• Shares what inspired his dream in the first place
• Closes with an explanation of what he dreams of building—not just for himself, but for Creators around the world

3. Show Emotion and Vulnerability

People connect with feelings, not facts. And the best way to make people feel something when they watch your story is to get vulnerable. Don’t shy away from sharing fears, turning points, or personal obstacles that have shaped your journey.

Being vulnerable online can feel intimidating, but it’s what helps people connect with your story and root for you. Just remember: vulnerability doesn’t mean manufacturing drama.

We want to see your genuine passion, excitement, struggles, and humanness—so show up as your authentic self and let your true emotions shine through.

4. Use Specifics, Not Generalities

The more specific you can be about your dream, the more compelling it will feel for your audience. For instance, a generic statement like “I’ve always wanted to be a Creator” feels vague and uninspiring. 

You can paint a much more vivid picture by getting specific, sharing statements like, “I’ve spent the last year filming videos after my night shifts because I want to help new moms navigate postpartum and turn content creation into my full-time career.”

Marissa’s submission video perfectly exemplifies this. From start to finish, her video shares specific metrics, examples, and relatable anecdotes that help illustrate what she does and why it matters. It’s one of the things that helped her video stand out from the masses, landing her a runner-up prize in last year’s Dare to Dream Challenge.

5. Let Your Energy Shine Through

When you’re excited about something, your audience can feel it. Likewise, when you show up nervous or scripted, it usually shows. 

While filming your video, try to remember that this is an exciting moment—you’re speaking your dream into reality, and might even win $100,000 to bring it to life! 

So take a deep breath, quiet your fears, smile, and bring your natural personality to the camera. Warm, natural lighting, simple framing, and genuine excitement can go a long way in making your video stand out.

6. Include Visual Touches (Optional)

A simple talking-head video is more than enough for your Dare to Dream video. Some of last year’s standout submissions were filmed in a single shot with nothing but a camera, a window, and a Creator speaking from the heart.

That said, if you want to say more with fewer words or make your story feel even more vivid, adding a few visual touches can help bring it to life.

If you do want to layer in visuals, here are a few ideas you can use:

• Short clips of your workspace—your desk setup, your kitchen-table editing station, the corner of your room where you film.
  
• Shots of the tools you use—your camera, laptop, microphone, sketchbooks, or even the sticky notes on your wall.
  
• Behind-the-scenes moments—you filming, editing, brainstorming, packaging orders, or interacting with your community.
  
• Photos or clips that show the “before” and “after”—your earliest content, your progress, or the first moment this dream clicked.
  
• Testimonials or comments you’ve received—screenshots can help show the real people your work impacts.
  
• B-roll that reflects your story—walking into your 9–5, commuting, buying equipment you saved up for, or balancing your Creator work with daily life.
  

You don’t need fancy editing software to apply these ideas. Many Creators use beginner-friendly tools like CapCut and Descript for editing, captioning, and cutting together clips. 

6 Simple Filming Tips to Elevate Your Video

Once your story is clear and mapped to the three prompts, the next step is bringing it to life on camera. You don’t need fancy equipment or a big setup—just a few intentional choices that will make your video shine.

1. Use natural light whenever you can

The easiest way to elevate your video is simply to face a window. Natural light softens your features, brightens the frame, and instantly makes your video feel higher quality.

If you can, avoid filming with a window behind you—it tends to cast shadows and wash out your face.

2. Prioritize clean, clear audio

People will forgive imperfect visuals, but they won’t stick around for muffled or echoey audio. Here are a few simple tips to make sure your video sounds great:

• Film in a quiet room with soft surfaces (think: carpet, curtains, couches)
• Avoid recording outdoors when it’s windy or indoors near noisy appliances
• If you have a plug-in mic, use it. If not, your phone mic is perfectly fine
• Speak a little closer to your phone than usual—it can make a big difference

3. Choose a filming style that feels natural to you

There’s not one specific style of video you should use for Dare to Dream. We want to see your personality and creativity shine through, so choose the method that makes you feel the most confident and expressive.

For example, here are a few popular filming styles you could use:

• Face-to-camera talking directly into the lens, as though you’re FaceTiming a friend
• Narrated B-roll that overlays clips or photos with your voice
• Location-based storytelling, where you film from locations that hold meaning to you
• Process-style clips to show yourself creating while adding short text overlay

4. Shoot in short sections (not one long take)

Most Creators feel pressure to deliver a perfect two-minute monologue from start to finish, but you really don’t need to. Instead, film one idea at a time and pause before moving on to the next idea.

Then stitch the pieces together in CapCut or Descript. This will make recording feel easier and help you stay clear, concise, and comfortable on camera.

5. Script, but don’t memorize

Jot down a few bullet points of what you want to say, then film it loosely. Using notes to guide your video is totally fine—just avoid reading from a full script, which can make you sound less natural while hiding your true passion and personality.

6. Stay within the two-minute limit

Your submission can’t exceed two minutes, so every second counts. Keep yourself on track by:

• Only focusing on moments that are hyper-relevant to your dream
• Cutting anything that feels repetitive or overly detailed
• Timing yourself once so you can quickly see what needs trimming

Brevity won’t weaken your story—it’ll sharpen it.

Ready to Share Your Dream With the World?

You’ve got the story. The dream. The talent. All you have to do is share it.

Dare to Dream is here, and we’re calling on Creators like you to step forward and tell the world what you want to build. All you need is a two-minute video and the courage to go for it.

This is your chance to win $100,000, plus a full year of support, mentorship, and momentum to bring your vision to life. And with five runner-up prizes, there are even more opportunities to win.

Give your dream everything you’ve got. Join the Dare to Dream Challenge today.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
For full Official Rules, visit daretodream.stan.store/officialrules.