Two Storytelling Lessons from My Grandfather (527)

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Dec 22, 2025

In a heartfelt reflection, Joe shares lessons learned from his grandfather's funeral home. He highlights the importance of empathy and service in storytelling. One memorable tale revolves around accepting jewelry as payment during tough times, emphasizing respect for clients' dignity. Joe reminds us that true connection is built through authenticity and usefulness, not just marketing strategies. The core idea? Helping others is central to meaningful business.

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ANECDOTE

Funeral Home Lessons From Grandpa

Joe Pulizzi grew up around his grandfather's funeral home and listened to his stories over lunch.
During the Depression, his grandfather accepted jewelry in lieu of payment and kept the items as reminders of service.

INSIGHT

Helping First, Storytelling Second

Joe learned that helping others is everything and that storytelling opens doors.
He ties these lessons directly to the purpose and practice of content marketing.

ADVICE

Make Content More Important Than Offers

Prioritize content over the offer and focus on usefulness rather than interruption.
Build trust by consistently delivering useful content before pitching sales messages.

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In this special year-end episode, Joe revisits one of the earliest Content Inc. podcasts, originally recorded in December 2014. It's a deeply personal reflection on growing up around his grandfather's funeral home in Sandusky, Ohio, and the unexpected business and storytelling lessons that came from those years.

At the heart of the episode is a simple truth. Great storytelling is not about performance or persuasion. It's about service, empathy, and meaning. Through one powerful story from the Great Depression and a set of foundational content marketing principles, Joe reminds us why helping first and communicating well still matter more than ever.

This is a no-video episode, shared intentionally as a reminder of how far the podcast has come and what has remained constant.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

Why helping others is the foundation of meaningful business
How a single story can communicate values better than any strategy deck
What great storytelling actually does for trust and connection
Why usefulness always beats interruption in marketing
The core Content Inc. beliefs that still hold true more than a decade later

Key Takeaways

Helping people is not separate from business. It is the business.
Storytelling works best when it is grounded in empathy and service.
Content is more important than the offer.
Trust is built over time through consistency, usefulness, and direct communication.
Brands can be copied. The way you communicate cannot.

Content Inc. Principles Mentioned

The content is more important than the offer
Customer relationships do not end with the transaction
Being the content is more important than surrounding the content
Focus on what the customer wants, not just what you have to sell
Build your content on owned platforms, not rented land
Culture comes before strategy
Customers want inspiration, not sales messages

About This Episode

This episode originally aired on December 16, 2014. It is being reshared to mark the anniversary of Joe's grandfather's passing and to close out the year with a reminder of why Content Inc. exists in the first place.

There will be no new episode next week. Content Inc. returns with all-new episodes on the first Monday of 2026.

If this episode resonates, share it with one creator who is doing too many things out of habit instead of intention.

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