Business of Story

You grow up in school writing stories paying attention to the structure of the stories you're telling. But when it comes to business, you may need to be doing just the opposite. Have you ever sat through a presentation that is packed full of statistics and numbers that it nearly puts you to sleep? We've all been there. Sometimes, no matter how passionate the presenter actually is, it gets drowned out by all of the numbers and statistics. And that's because they are too hung up on the structure of the story rather than the story itself. Today, Lynn Ferguson, self-proclaimed "Entertainment Mongrel," with her eclectic background as a comedy writer, stand-up comedian, playwrite, director, producer and sister of the former host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, helps you go beyond that structure and find the heart and soul in your business storytelling. Lynn says that in business, it all comes down to honesty. Successful stories come from a place of truth. If you are honest in your storytelling, people will care. It's time you embrace your story and use it to dig deep and use your story to your business' advantage.

Nick Westergaard, author of Brand Now: How to Stand Out in a Crowded, Distracted World, describes how to craft a brand story that will help you rise above the noise using seven brand storytelling dynamics.

In 2011, Kelley O'Brien made an ironic transition: she left her career at a health agency to work for one of America's favorite guilty pleasures: Krispy Kreme. That's because Kelly, the former Director of Social Media at Krispy Kreme, is all about bringing joy to her customers, whether through an inventive community health center promotion, or planting a donut Easter egg in your Instagram feed. Any business can hop on Instagram and post a photo of their product in hopes of reaching a customer. But it's through storytelling that you give the customer something to really connect with, beyond just that photo. My mom always said, "Everything in moderation." But when it comes to a brand's digital storytelling, believe me, there is no moderation to be found. On this week's episode, Kelley shows you how the doughnut giant uses entertaining digital storytelling to connect with 11 million people through branded social media channels to live out the brand's mission of bringing joy to fans. Become a Master Storyteller Grab your free copy of The 5 Stages of Grief in Telling YOUR Business Story: https://businessofstory.com/telling-business-story-ebook/ Like what you hear? Bring Park to your next event.

The power of anecdote is so great that it has a momentum all its own. No matter how boring the facts are, with a compelling brand story, you feel like you're on a train that has a destination. Those anecdotes are told using stories. Stories sell. And as an entrepreneur, your #1 job will be to sell yourself and your services or products to potential clients. There is no doubt that storytelling works to connect with people on a primal level and move them to action. Telling your story in an enticing and compelling way is half the battle. So forget about what you believe your "story" is right now and find your scenes: those moments that have shaped who you are today. Our guest today is all about enabling your superpower through embracing the unique scenes that have made you, you. Michelle Weinstein knows how to use a story to sell. She's an entrepreneur extraordinaire and survivor of the infamous show Shark Tank. Michelle also runs ThePitchQueen.com, where she works with entrepreneurs to teach them how to sell themselves and their services effectively without annoying prospects or driving them away with boring sales pitches. In this episode, Michelle will show you how to close any deal that comes your way, sell more of your products or services, and turn a NO into "YES" so that you can serve more people and make a bigger difference in the world. It all starts with finding your superpowers, forged from your experiences, moments, and scenes. Remember: Compelling storytelling is ALWAYS about the moments. Your moments or are composed of your experiences that define your beliefs, which lead to your truth. When you unwrap your truth, you'll find your superpower. Become a Master Storyteller Grab your free copy of The 5 Stages of Grief in Telling YOUR Business Story: https://businessofstory.com/telling-business-story-ebook/ Like what you hear? Bring Park to your next event.

By now, you know the importance of using inspiration, relatability in your stories. Still, it can be difficult to combine all three. Yet our guest, Michael Backes, has mastered it through the art of surprising and suspenseful story structures. Michael Backes is a brilliant man with many areas of expertise. Not only is he a storyteller, he is a screenwriter, co-founder of the American Film Institute Digital Media Studies program, Hollywood digital pioneer, special effects artist and author of Cannabis Pharmacy: The Practical Guide to Medical Marijuana. Though Michael has experience in many fields of work, they all can relate back to storytelling. He's currently working with a consultancy in Southern California that specializes in cannabis science and policy issues worldwide, helping change the narrative around cannabis to help people with chronic pain. Michael may be one of the most articulate geniuses we've had on the show exploring how the power of story mesmerizes and moves us. On this week's podcast, Michael will share his eclectic background in storytelling and what it takes to truly connect with an audience. We'll discuss how to construct engaging story structures that make your message incredibly easy for your audience to understand. Become a Master Storyteller Grab your free copy of The 5 Stages of Grief in Telling YOUR Business Story: https://businessofstory.com/telling-business-story-ebook/ Like what you hear? Bring Park to your next event.

If you are a leader of a purpose-driven brand, then you appreciate the growing industry of sustainability. But many brands are still struggling with how to tell their corporate social responsibility narratives and their stories of sustainability - because they're too often focused on their efforts rather than their outcomes. Remember, your brand stories are not about what you make, but what you make happen. In 2006, Freya Williams stood in a grocery store staring at the toilet paper aisle. All of that toilet paper in front of her, and she couldn't find the one thing she wanted; toilet paper made from recycled materials. It was in that moment that she came to a realization that something needed to change. Freya is now a seasoned brand planner who's focused her career on harnessing the power corporations have to transform the world for the better. Freya, author of Green Giants: How Smart Companies Turn Sustainability Into Billion-Dollar Businesses, and CEO of Futerra North America, believes that sustainability should not be something that you sideline in times of economic hardship, but rather something that you lean into and look to for innovation and growth opportunity. Just look at the mission of Freya's organization, Futerra, an independent global change agency that helps unlock sustainability as a multi-billion dollar opportunity. In this episode, Freya Williams explains how the perfect combination of logic and magic in your brand storytelling can quite literally change the world. Become a Master Storyteller Grab your free copy of The 5 Stages of Grief in Telling YOUR Business Story: http://bit.ly/getyourbrandstorystraight

Shawn Callahan, co-owner of Anecdote and co-creator of the Storytelling for Leaders and Storytelling for Sales deliberate practice programs, is an expert at helping people explore ways to put stories to work for their brand and in their business. In this week's episode, we're sharing ways to create a courageous and compelling business strategy story to take your brand and your people into new, exciting and often scary directions. Plus, Shawn and his business partner, Mark Schenk, have a new podcast called Anecdotally Speaking, that you'll want to add to your library. Because if you want to be a good storyteller, you first must become a good story listener. Their new podcast shows you how through true stories well told. Become a Master Storyteller Grab your free copy of The 5 Stages of Grief in Telling YOUR Business Story: http://bit.ly/getyourbrandstorystraight Like what you hear? Bring Park to your next event.

We're all guilty of putting profits above people at some point in our lives. All too often, brand marketers forget that we're communicating with humans, not numbers. But success is often measured by how we impact the lives around us, and as storytellers we should always aim to connect with and help one another. Our guest today, Kris Herbert of Kingswood Skis, is extremely talented at bringing people together through story. I was first introduced to Kris when she downloaded our DIY Story Cycle workbook. After witnessing her beautiful storytelling skill and how she was able to connect people through it, I knew we needed her to come on the show. In this episode, Kris shares how small batch storytelling can effectively change the world. Listen to the engaging story she's developed for Kingswood Skis, and you'll soon understand how to better portray your brand's personality and solve real-world problems with your product or service. Become a Master Storyteller Grab your free copy of The 5 Stages of Grief in Telling YOUR Business Story: http://bit.ly/getyourbrandstorystraight

recognize when a story isn't authentic. But many storytellers struggle to find a narrative that they think is engaging and effective without resorting to fiction. Our special guest explores the intersection of journalism and storytelling, and the fine line between fact and fiction. Robert Siegel is a world-renowned storyteller. For over 30 years, Robert was the iconic voice at National Public Radio (NPR) who co-hosted the network's flagship news program All Things Considered, a series that focused on telling the most important stories of the moment. Every day his voice with co-host Linda Werthheimer would reach over ten million people, informing them of culture, politics, news and more. I was blessed to have this rare occasion to interview Mr. Siegel during the 43rd Annual Murrow Symposium for the Edward R. Murrow College of Communications at Washington State University. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his more than 40 years in radio journalism. I had the honor to lead a Business of Story masterclass and be part of panel discussion on personal branding for communications majors, plus interviewing Robert as we stole away in a small conference room in the basement of the CUB student union building. Robert shares his approach to turning ordinary journalism into a powerful, fully immersive sensory experience using the theater of the mind. We are honored to have him join us to teach us his methods to crafting powerful stories out of everyday events. Become a Master Storyteller Grab your free copy of The 5 Stages of Grief in Telling YOUR Business Story: http://bit.ly/getyourbrandstorystraight

In the age of the internet, we have endless story-sharing opportunities at our fingertips. With the click of a button, your brand story can be easily accessible to anyone, anywhere, at any time. But with this connection comes competition, especially when it comes to SEO. There are countless stories being told by millions of organizations, and it's a struggle to get noticed amongst your target audiences searching for content like yours. I know what you're thinking, "How can I publish what I think are fun, interesting and emotional headlines to draw a reader in, while also playing to the intellect of the internet search bots?" In this episode, we're sharing how to balance the heart of storytelling with SEO. Joining us is Arnie Kuenn, CEO of Vertical Measures and author of Accelerate! and the online marketing ebook The Future of SEO Trends in 2018 & Beyond. Arnie is an expert on finding the link between customer's questions and how to make your business the answer. By utilizing search engine optimization, Arnie helps you bring your content to the top so that your brand story gets heard. Tune in today to learn about the power of SEO storytelling and how it can take your content marketing to the next level. Become a Master Storyteller Grab your free copy of The 5 Stages of Grief in Telling YOUR Business Story: http://bit.ly/getyourbrandstorystraight Like what you hear? Bring Park to your next event.