Storytelling School

I’m in the final planning stages for Story to Standing Ovation, our annual live event, when my dad randomly stops by to drop something off. He comes toward my office, stops in the doorway, and says, “What the heck is that?” As he points at my sliding glass doors, I tell him, “This is my brain on sticky notes.” What he’s looking at is three days of our event broken down, sticky style.  These aren’t just randomly placed sticky notes, either. I have these organized in full outline form and broken down into topics and categories. Some of the sticky notes are in bold, others are in different colors, and still others are highlighted. Whenever I plan an event, a Talk, or even a story, I need to visually see the pieces. And even though I’ve tried other ways, this adhesive square playground is the planning method that works best for me. In this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, you’ll learn how a simple tool like sticky notes can revolutionize the way you plan your stories, speeches, workshops, and other events and get answers to questions like: What are the advantages of using sticky notes for story and other event planning? What do you need to consider when choosing your workspace for sticky notes? And what two things must you do to eliminate the confusion of working with your sticky note outline later on? What you will learn in this episode: How to brainstorm and categorize ideas on sticky notes How to structure your sticky notes in the outlining process How to use sticky notes to help you transition between sections A little about me: Hi there. I’m Kymberlee. As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I’ve had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I’ve seen what works when influencing change and what doesn’t. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That’s why I’m building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell real stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people’s lives. Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You’ll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teach my clients to do the same. If you think business owners can’t tell stories or don’t have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There’s no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value. Now it’s your turn... If you’re ready to become a master storyteller and effect change in our world, you’ve come to the right place. Links and Resources: Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingSchool on Facebook

One sentence from a stranger is all it took to ignite the biggest epiphany of my life.  I’ll explain. I’m sitting in the audience at my first TED conference, enraptured by all the speakers when a guy comes on stage who I’ve never heard of before. He starts showing some of the most beautiful and haunting images I’ve ever seen. Then he says something offhand that gives me chills… Speaking of the impact of words, welcome to the next episode in our “Storytelling Seven” series! Today on the Storytelling School Podcast, you’ll learn about how to capture your audience’s attention from the very beginning by starting your story off with a bang. I unpack the power of using hook statements by answering questions like: What is a hook, and how does using one in your story engage your audience? How do you craft an effective hook statement? How does FDR’s first inaugural address illustrate the power of a great story hook? What you will learn in this episode: What a well-crafted hook does for your story and presentation What different forms hook statements can take in your story How a memorable story hook impacts your listeners A little about me: Hi there. I’m Kymberlee. As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I’ve had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I’ve seen what works when influencing change and what doesn’t. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That’s why I’m building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell real stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people’s lives. Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You’ll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teach my clients to do the same. If you think business owners can’t tell stories or don’t have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There’s no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value. Now it’s your turn... If you’re ready to become a master storyteller and effect change in our world, you’ve come to the right place. Links and Resources: Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingSchool on Facebook

I’m catching up with my Aunt Marie about everything that’s happening in life. She asks me, “Do you have any performances or events coming up?” I do. Our annual three-day immersive speaker bootcamp is coming up at the end of February. For those three days, I get to be on stage helping people take their speaking to the next level. “I don’t know how you do it,” my aunt replies. “Growing up, you were always so good in front of a crowd. You had no fear. I could never do that.” And the more we talk about all the times I was in the spotlight growing up, the more I think, “Is confidence really cultivated? Is it a natural ability we’re born with, or can it be learned?” In my most recent Masterclass, too, quite a few attendees expressed a desire to be more confident. So in this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, we’ll explore confidence in relation to communication, storytelling, and public speaking and get answers to questions such as: What two elements does confidence as a speaker or storyteller really come down to? What does having confidence as a speaker or storyteller really mean? What three areas will help you cultivate your confidence when speaking or telling stories?  What you will learn in this episode: How to visualize your success as a confident speaker or storyteller Why telling true stories helps raise your confidence level How embracing your speaking or storytelling mistakes builds confidence A little about me: Hi there. I’m Kymberlee. As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I’ve had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I’ve seen what works when influencing change and what doesn’t. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That’s why I’m building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell real stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people’s lives. Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You’ll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teach my clients to do the same. If you think business owners can’t tell stories or don’t have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There’s no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value. Now it’s your turn... If you’re ready to become a master storyteller and effect change in our world, you’ve come to the right place. Links and Resources: Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingSchool on Facebook

It’s 2016 and I’m putting on a high-stakes speaking and storytelling workshop. One of the attendees “Shawn” is the CEO of a tech company, and he’s not buying the idea of using storytelling to raise money and land deals. I say to him, “Give me two days. But you’ve got to play all in. Are you in?”  Despite his skepticism that anything will drastically change for him, he reluctantly agrees.  When the workshop concludes, he feels this storytelling knowledge has given him a new competitive edge. Fast forward in time a few years later when we run into “Shawn”. He reveals that he’s practiced that workshop training ever since it ended and landed a life-changing deal with one of the largest software companies in his industry! He completely attributes his success to his ability to apply what he learned at my workshop:  How to tell a great short story. So if you want to know: How can you use storytelling as your superpower and get others to choose you in a highly competitive playing field over your competition? And what powerful insider techniques do great storytellers use to get such great results?  Then I’ve got you covered! Today’s episode switches things up a bit. It’s very short and all about the Masterclass I’m offering that teaches you how to skyrocket your success with story. What you will learn in the Masterclass: Why stories matter (with proven results) How stories work (with a behind-the-scenes unpacking) What change you can make to any story for dramatic effect What crucial element every story needs What essential question you must ask when using stories for business A little about me: Hi there. I’m Kymberlee. As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I’ve had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I’ve seen what works when influencing change and what doesn’t. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That’s why I’m building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell real stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people’s lives. Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You’ll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teach my clients to do the same. If you think business owners can’t tell stories or don’t have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There’s no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value. Now it’s your turn... If you’re ready to become a master storyteller and effect change in our world, you’ve come to the right place. Links and Resources: Free Masterclass: Skyrocket Your Success With Storytelling Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingSchool on Facebook

It’s 2015, and I’ve just started training in Improvisational comedy. Every Wednesday night, I attend Alan Irwin’s Improv classes at Santa Barbara Improv. Weeks turn into months, and my fondness for Improv grows into an addiction. I want to learn more, absorb more, and grow faster!  So I start keeping a notebook of all the games we play and capturing all the critical class lessons and sound bites. I even stay after to ask for notes on my performance. Yet, I still crave more and want to accelerate my learning beyond the pacing of one class a week. I ask Alan for private coaching and, while he doesn’t do it very often, he agrees.  Those one-on-one sessions are a game changer for me. They help deepen my understanding of the craft of Improv and allow me to significantly expand my knowledge. Thanks to his feedback from just a few of these private lessons, I end up at a completely different level. So many of us want to accelerate our growth, amplify our learning, and expand our skills fast. How do we do that as speakers and storytellers?  In this continuation of our “So You Think You Want to Become a Storyteller” series on the Storytelling School Podcast, you’ll learn where to start, how to accelerate your learning and grow with your audience, and how to keep track of your progression as you amplify the expansion of your speaking craft. I’ll answer questions like: How do you personalize your development plan to become a master storyteller or speaker? How can you accelerate your success and make stories more engaging and memorable? How can you leverage digital platforms, networking, and collaborations to become more visible and expand your reach? How can you get more opportunities to practice storytelling and teach your expertise? And how do you integrate continuous learning into a busy schedule? What you will learn in this episode: How to come up with a development plan for mastering storytelling How you can use your audience to help you accelerate your growth What to look for to assess your storytelling and speaking progress over time A little about me: Hi there. I’m Kymberlee. As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I’ve had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I’ve seen what works when influencing change and what doesn’t. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That’s why I’m building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell real stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people’s lives. Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You’ll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teach my clients to do the same. If you think business owners can’t tell stories or don’t have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There’s no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value. Now it’s your turn... If you’re ready to become a master storyteller and effect change in our world, you’ve come to the right place. Links and Resources: Santa Barbara Improv Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingSchool on Facebook

I’m at the main TEDx event, sitting in the theater next to a lady who’s captured my attention. Her name is Carrie, and she’s impeccably dressed. I can’t help but fixate on her outfit! So as I’m chatting with her, I compliment her on her dress. She thanks me and says she’s a designer who makes custom dresses for her clients based on their unique measurements. In addition to wanting to get a tape measure and order a custom-made dress of my own from her right then and there, I have to ask her out of curiosity, “How did you get started in the fashion business?” “I believe the fashion industry has it wrong,” she responds. “It should be about role models, not runway models.” She feels fashion needs to highlight the humans wearing the clothes, instead of the clothes themselves. Not only does she go on to debut at New York Fashion Week with this campaign, she’s also one of the first designers to feature a model in a wheelchair on the runway. She’s challenging societal norms and giving voice to a segment that doesn’t always have a voice and doing so in an industry that is set in its ways in certain aspects. As someone who identifies as a non-binary gay cowboy, my special guest today also highlights marginalized voices in his work. Shawn-Caulin Young is an acclaimed LGBTQ+ actor, writer, director, and film and TV producer. In this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, he’s here to talk about the importance of authenticity and vulnerability in his storytelling journey and the impact these qualities have in storytelling to bring to life the experiences of marginalized communities. He also answers questions such as: What story imprisons too many actors, writers, and other artists? How can you get to your breakthrough moment of authenticity as a storyteller? What’s one thing that instantly disarms any resistance others might have to sharing their stories? And how can you use the breath to help you handle fear and enhance your presence and creativity with storytelling? What you will learn in this episode: Why stories have the power to keep you safe (or cause self-inflicted harm) What impact embracing authenticity, vulnerability, and dis-likability have in storytelling How you can create a safe space for others to share their story Who is Shawn-Caulin? Shawn-Caulin Young is an acclaimed LGBTQ actor, writer, director, and film and TV producer whose storyteller roots extend deep into the arid expanses of Farmington, New Mexico amidst the vibrant tapestry of the Navajo Nation. He’s the youngest of four whose distinct, artistic voice has been shaped by his unique upbringing amidst the professional horse racing world where he identifies as a non-binary gay cowboy. As a beacon for LGBTQIA+ narratives, Shawn-Caulin has garnered acclaim across the spectrum of his various roles. His artistic voyage began in the corridors of high school drama, eventually propelling him to the prestigious Hartt School (UHA) in Connecticut, culminating in a BFA in Acting. His journey, enriched by classical training in England, led him to the vibrant streets of New York City, marking the beginning of an illustrious career in film and television. Known for his transformative and heartfelt performances in Godless, Santa Clarita Diet, True Detective, and notably in the film The Hammer, Shawn-Caulin has etched a place in the hearts of audiences worldwide. He also received the esteemed Screencraft Fellowship in 2022 for his work delving deep into the fabric of the Southwest (and beyond) and championing the untold stories of underrepresented communities with a keen eye on identity and perseverance. His scripts are not just tales but lifelines to the unsung experiences echoing from the underdog's world. Beyond the camera, Shawn-Caulin is a seasoned horseman and a devoted mentor, guiding young artists in the art of storytelling and filmmaking. His artistic journey, dotted with significant accolades and an undying passion for storytelling, continues to push the boundaries of creative expression. His commitment to diversity and authenticity makes his body of work not just entertaining but profoundly impactful and inspiring for storytellers and audiences alike. Links and Resources Shawn-Caulin Young @shawncaulinyoung on Instagram Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingSchool on Facebook

Learn how to craft compelling stories for your business or brand, and use an exercise called 'Headlines' to set future goals. Take action on your ideas and celebrate your achievements along the way.

I’m working with a new client who is getting ready for a huge keynote speech. He tells me that he felt like his last speech completely fell flat and the audience felt disengaged. So I ask him: “Did you use storytelling in any way in your last speech?” “No, of course not,” he responds. In his view, story wasn’t appropriate for his last talk because it was very data-heavy. So I challenge him. “Since you are in the scientific community,” I say, “what if, as an experiment, you add a story to this upcoming Keynote to bring the data to life?”  I give him some background about why and how story works. And in the end, he trusts me and delivers his Keynote to a huge standing ovation. To this day, he continues using story in his scientific presentations. We might think we need to deliver data in a straightforward way. Yet our brains are wired to remember stories so much better than facts. There are studies that show people retain up to 70% of the information shared through story, as opposed to only 5-10% when it’s just presented as data. My special guest today, Genein Letford, deals in data through her work in Brain-Centric Design and a curriculum rooted in neuroscience and cognitive psychology. And in this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, you’ll hear about the connection between the brain and storytelling and narrative, as well as get answers to questions like: How does your brain respond when you hear a story? What is intercultural creativity, and how does it tie into story? How does your cultural development and competency impact your creative thinking and agility in various aspects of life? And how can you use the arts to increase your ability to tell stories? What you will learn in this episode: How your creativity identity is driven through narrative and can influence others Why creative agility is necessary for everyone in a changing world How relatability helps your story reach a new level for your audience Who is Genein? Genein is a national thought leader and creator of the concept of Prismatic Leadership, Intercultural Creativity®, and NeuroSomatic Creativity®.  She is the founder and Chief Creative Officer of CAFFE Strategies, LLC which is a consulting, coaching, and training company that trains C-Suite executives and employees to create sustainable organizational equity and inclusion strategies based on neuroscience while unleashing their innovative thinking for themselves and in their businesses. Her 7 Gems of Intercultural Creativity is a leading framework that supports organizations and corporations in their diversity and inclusion development while developing critical cognitive tools for creative thinking.  Genein holds degrees in psychology and educational development from UCLA and CSUN, is certified in Brain-Centric Design, and roots her curriculum in neuroscience and cognitive psychology. She believes creative thinking thrives best in an inclusive environment, and she is often called ‘America’s Creative Coach’ for her work in reigniting intercultural creativity within our workforce. Links and Resources CAFFE Strategies, LLC Genein Letford @genein on LinkedIn @geneinletford on Instagram @GeneinLetford on Twitter @GeneinSpeaks on Facebook Hidden Potential by Adam Grant Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingSchool on Facebook

Explore the power of persuasive storytelling through the classic fable of 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf.' Learn about emotional engagement, common pitfalls to avoid, and key strategies for crafting compelling and impactful narratives.

It’s 1990. Five days after my moped accident with a cement truck, I wake up in my hospital room. The doctor comes in and says, “Kymberlee, you’re going to have headaches for likely the rest of your life. You’ll probably have trouble with balance too. You’ll need plastic surgery on your face. And you may have lost your sense of taste and smell forever.” I’m thinking, “How is this possible?” I can deal with all the other things he said and anything else I have to do. Yet how could I have lost two of my senses forever? I spend weeks and months trying to make sense of it and trying to get my senses back. I’m doing everything I can to taste or smell something--anything--again. Nothing works. A few more months go by when I’m at a different doctor’s office for a checkup. I tell him what’s going on and ask why it’s happening to me. He explains to me: “Our brains are connected to cranial nerves that affect our taste and smell. If those nerves are slightly damaged, they can grow back. If they’re severed, however, there’s nothing that can be done.” So my cranial nerves are severed. Despite not liking hearing that news, it finally helps me understand the story of what’s going on in my body. And knowing that… changes everything. My special guest today, Amy Zolotow, is a healthcare operations leader who thrives on finding the real story in the data. In this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, you’ll learn about storytelling within the healthcare space as it relates to data, connections, and humans in the medical field. You’ll also get answers to questions like: How does learning the stories of the people around you in a time of crisis help you (and them) after? How does story help bridge the disconnection gap people have with data in the healthcare industry? What role does artificial intelligence (AI) play in the story of patients and practitioners in healthcare? What you will learn in this episode: How a deceased loved one’s story can be changed through your memories Why you sometimes need to dig beyond the data to find the full story How important AI is for the story of the healthcare industry, now and in the future Who is Amy? An accomplished healthcare operations leader, Amy Zolotow thrives in complexity. Whether leading cross-functional teams or finding the real story in data, Amy drives lasting change in dynamic, matrixed healthcare environments. She consistently strives for shared language, community building, and technology adoption--all with an eye on the most effective patient and employee experience. Amy’s work at the operational level has explored the impact of AI, matching organizational and human needs to technological merit. She has lent her expertise as a moderator and speaker at Ai4 and a panelist and Ambassador for AIMed, leading vital discussions on the importance of responsible and thoughtful AI adoption and implementation in healthcare. Her career includes business and operational leadership roles at Johns Hopkins International, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Mercy Personal Physicians. Currently, she also serves as a Healthcare Advisor at ScaleHealth and Principal Solutions Architect, Healthcare and AI at Synthminds. Links and Resources Amy on LinkedIn Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingSchool on Facebook