The Storytelling Lab How a Local Utility Company Became a Storytelling Powerhouse with Krystal Phillips
Dec 8, 2025
Join Krystal Phillips, Communications and Community Relations Manager at Jones-Onslow Electric Membership Corporation, as she reveals how a rural utility company transformed into a storytelling powerhouse. Krystal discusses the importance of building relationships beyond just service, highlighting innovative internal programs that cultivate storytellers. She emphasizes the value of authenticity over production quality and shares how storytelling metrics extend beyond sales, including member engagement and trust, especially during crises like Hurricane Florence.
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Community Ownership Shapes Strategy
- Jones-Onslow EMC is a member-owned cooperative built on community-first principles.
- That ownership model shapes communications and makes storytelling a natural fit for their mission.
Authorize Small Bets Quickly
- Embrace new ideas and give communicators freedom to experiment without rigid approval.
- Let leaders say "what do we have to lose?" and support pilots like podcasts and videos early on.
Build Storytellers Internally
- Run an internal leadership program that rotates employees through departments to build relationships.
- Use that cross-department exposure to create trust and a pipeline of collaborators for storytelling projects.
