How Stories Happen

“We congregate around emotional stories” | Rand Fishkin, CEO of SparkToro

Jun 10, 2024

In this episode, Rand Fishkin, CEO of SparkToro, shares personal stories of failure and struggles in entrepreneurship, emphasizing the power of emotional narratives in connecting with audiences. The discussion touches on the importance of embracing controversy, having a compelling 'enemy,' and sharing authentic experiences to forge stronger connections and teach valuable lessons.

38:02

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Episode guests

Rand Fishkin

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Emotional stories create deep connections with audiences, emphasizing the power of vulnerability and genuine storytelling.

Venture capital involvement can lead to rigid paths and pressures, highlighting the need for entrepreneurs to weigh long-term consequences.

Deep dives

The Power of Emotional Storytelling

Emotional stories, with their underlying emotional stakes, connect deeply with audiences. Rand Fishkin's ability to reflect on personal emotional experiences amidst analytical fields like marketing and SEO allows for strong resonance with others, showcasing the importance of emotional storytelling even in seemingly technical domains.

Intro

3min

Embracing Childhood Creativity in Business Storytelling

6min

Exploring the Guest's Personal Story and Myths around VC Funding for Startups

2min

Entrepreneurial Journey, Financial Struggles, and Authentic Storytelling

21min

Encouragement to Share Personal Stories for the Greater Good

4min

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ABOUT THIS EPISODE:

The hardest question to answer when we show up publicly might be the simplest question we receive: “Tell me about yourself.” Who are you? How’d you get here? What’s your story?

We then face a choice: we can make the story about us, or we can make it about the thing we’re there to say. We can make our own stories about the audiences we wish to serve, and we can do so without feeling like we’re bragging and even without any newsworthy moments in our past.

Meet Rand Fishkin, cofounder and CEO of two companies (audience research platform SparkToro and indie video game maker Snackbar Studio). He’s an entrepreneur who’s navigated the roller-coaster of startup life, written an incredible book about it (Lost and Founder), and gone on the journey with hundreds of thousands of professionals following his every move. Rand has spoken at countless events, sharing his (often difficult) journey with audiences ranging from fresh-faced founders to seasoned veterans.

In this episode, Rand shares his personal story as he’d present it from the stage, illustrating for us the power of stories the more “strategic” thinkers among us might think unwise to share: stories of failure, struggle, and genuine emotional turmoil. You’ll hear the power of having an "enemy" to galvanize your cause and attract your tribe, and why sharing failures and other difficult experiences can forge stronger connections and teach more valuable lessons than sharing wins and case studies.

Rand’s style is a breath of fresh air in communities that rarely get so real, and it’s a big reason he resonates deeper than most.

Jump into the conversation:

(01:14) Meet Rand
(10:43) Rand’s Story
(18:46) Dissecting the Story

Resources:

⚫ Follow Rand on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randfishkin/

⚫ Follow Rand on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@randderuiter

⚫ Visit SparkToro: https://sparktoro.com/

⚫ Visit Snackbar Studio: https://snackbarstudio.com/

🔵 Follow Jay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo/

🔵 Subscribe to Jay’s newsletter: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter

🔵 Learn about Jay’s coaching and consulting: https://jayacunzo.com/

🟢 Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: https://shareyourgenius.com/