Learn to package and communicate your expertise to resonate. Every episode, hear from exceptional entrepreneurs and marketers as they share and analyze real work, from signature stories to powerful premises—and the process they used to find, develop, and market their memorable messages. You'll walk away ready to build your business on the impact of your ideas, not the volume of your marketing. Don't market more. Matter more. Hosted by Jay Acunzo.
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An inside look at the unconventional choices of quality-obsessed creators – and the memorable things they made as a result. It's a show about trusting your intuition and your craft more than best practices and blueprints. Since 2016, Unthinkable has inspired creators to ship more personal, powerful work. In the era of AI and endless commodity content, that type of work is now urgent. Hosted by Jay Acunzo, founder of the Creator Kitchen.
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Make me care: Lessons from Roy Kent and Seth Godin
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15:50There's a big difference between people hearing your words and understanding you. There's an even bigger gap between understanding and caring. How can we communicate in ways that ensure others care about our ideas, our messages, our businesses? In this solo episode, a look at two moments involving two very different communicators: Roy Kent, the cha…
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Dorie Clark: How to turn expertise into breakthrough ideas
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38:37This episode is a total blast and tour de force from one of the world's foremost business communicators, Dorie Clark! Dorie is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, a contributor to the Harvard Business Review, a communication coach and mentor for world-class leaders, and a keynote speaker who has consulted with or spoken for Google, Microsoft,…
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Justin Moore: How he altered his storytelling to resonate with more people
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45:41"Reworking in Realtime." That’s a phrase I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. How often do you get to sit with a peer, a colleague, a mentor, a coach, and go through something to improve in realtime? Why don't we? Athletes do it. Comedians. Musicians. Filmmakers. We should too, and lately, on my YouTube channel, I've been building a playlist of p…
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Lessons from 20 years of storytelling through my writing, speaking, podcasting, videos, and most of all, from my Grandma. *** IMPROVE YOUR SPEAKING + STORYTELLING: Subscribe to my newsletter and learn more about me at jayacunzo.com Explore my services: jayacunzo.com/services Book me to speak: jayacunzo.com/keynotes *** CONNECT: Follow me on LinkedI…
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Neal Foard: How to tell small stories with big meaning to persuade and inspire
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40:12AI and people both run on LLMs. AI has large language models. People have little life moments. But mostly, we don't draw on our LLMs confidently or consistently enough. Neal Foard does, and that's made him one of the most exceptional (and viral) storytellers in the business world. Neal joins me today to lay it all out: we talk about constructing st…
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Jay Answers Your Questions about Public Speaking as Marketing Approach, Revenue Engine, and Creative Craft
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30:27In this special bonus episode, I take your questions about public speaking. We talk about the craft, but also the way we can better approach our speaking as a marketing strategy and approach, how to think about whether to charge for public speaking (and how much), and a lot more! Whether you've got a speaking engagement coming up, give tons of talk…
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The elements of stronger messages & how to say what they can’t unhear, with Tamsen Webster, message designer
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47:36This episode, we do something a bit different. I’m joined by the brilliant messaging strategist and pioneer of the message design industry, Tamsen Webster! We fully nerd out on crafting messaging and the elements that help you create stronger speeches, better stories, and a more effective message for your entire platform. Tamsen in not only a leade…
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A trick from John Mulaney to create better content
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18:34A technique for our work found in an incredible moment between John Mulaney and David Letterman. This is a solo episode from me to share something you can apply to your work right away to become a stronger storyteller, to differentiate your message, and to generally compete on the impact of your ideas NOT the volume of your marketing. *** IMPROVE Y…
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"Stories that inspire more stories: that's what I'm after" - Brad Montague, children's author and keynote speaker
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40:16It's hard to show up publicly at times, sharing your work, giving of yourself to others. It can be even harder given the places we mostly show up online today. But Brad Montague is here to lead a joyful rebellion—one for creatives, artists, and humans of all kinds, both kids and (in Brad's terms) former kids. And here's here to show us that celebra…
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If growth is hard, you might need your "idea before the idea"
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15:39In this solo episode, I share a storytelling concept I'm calling "the idea before the idea," which helps solve issues of growth and audience traction. *** REGISTER FOR MY NEXT BOOTCAMP: Design My Signature Talk is a virtual intensive where I help you develop and nail your next talk and elevate your speaking all year long. Register now at jayacunzo.…
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“Is this ANNything?” Ann Handley Returns to Work Out New Drafts
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52:20This week, I’m joined by my favorite recurring guest and the star of our “Is this ANNything” mini-series, the brilliant Ann Handley. Throughout this mini-series (usually called “Is This Anything?”), close friends and collaborators join me to work out new ideas and unproven drafts to see if it is, in fact, anything. Today, Ann and I start by discuss…
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“You can’t make pottery without clay” | Elise Hu dissects her TED Talk
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42:25In this episode, we go inside the delivery and construction of a popular TED Talk! Elise Hu gets real with us about the preparation and challenges that go into taking complex ideas and molding them to fit a tightly delivered speech. Elise is an award-winning journalist, podcaster, and author based in Los Angeles. She’s the host of TED Talks Daily,…
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How to find powerful stories everywhere | Jay Baer, hall-of-fame speaker & NY Times bestselling business author
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46:11Inspiration is everywhere -- if you're paying attention. Today we’re resharing a slightly modified version of an episode I used to help pilot How Stories Happen, back inside my old show called Unthinkable. (You’ll hear me reference the “miniseries,” which is what I used to craft this show and test various elements.) In this episode, bestselling aut…
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"It's not effortless, it's intentional" | Mike Ganino, keynote director & author
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41:51We’re told to steal from those we admire, but so often, we mimic the wrong things. It’s not WHAT someone does but WHY they do it (and why it works for them) which we ought to model in our own creative work and storytelling. Once we find that, we can intentionally master the craft. And this work is about exactly that: intentionality. It’s practiced.…
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“Little nuggets take your story furthest” I Veronica Romney - Author, Entrepreneur, and Marketing Leader
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45:31What does the psychology of family systems have to do with being a good storyteller? Well, according to Veronica Romney, a lot. Understanding identity and how people define theirs can make or break your ability to stand out, resonate, and earn passionate fans. In this episode, V shares the story about a funeral unlike any other. In fact, it’s 18 ye…
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“Great stories are ownable” | Ron Tite, keynote speaker and agency exec
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44:39How do you make a story truly come alive? You pace things down and focus on the small details. Everyone else might want the big, flashy story, but your most effective (and ownable) stories are from noteworthy moments, not newsworthy events. In this episode, Ron Tite puts on display his otherworldly mastery of public speaking and performance. He tak…
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A special bonus story and a crucial question to guide your 2025. This episode was handcrafted for you by Jason, with love.Av Jay Acunzo
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"Specific moments make it feel real" | Natalie Taylor, B2B marketing leader
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41:56When we communicate with business results in mind, whether we work in-house on a team or we ARE the business, it's so common that we omit specific details. We want to rush to stuff things full of our ideas and make our value clear instantly. The thing is, only when we slow our stories down, include specific details, and describe one or two tiny mom…
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"The personal is more universal than we think it is" | Sarah Stockdale, CEO of Growclass
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39:55Welcome to one of the more inspiring episodes of the show! Entrepreneur and growth marketing expert Sarah Stockdale is one of the most nuanced, capable, and generous voices in the industry. When she shows up, she resonates, no matter what she's creating or where she's appearing. Today, both of us commiserate over being dedicated parents learning to…
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“Now is the time to double down on your story” I Shez Mehra, creative entrepreneur and DJ
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37:41This is a special episode of the show. I’ve partnered with Intuit Mailchimp as part of a limited series called B2B Storytelling Stars. You can watch as I coach 3 marketers and experts on group calls and 1:1s, helping them craft their premises, messages, and stories. Get all 6 videos plus a storytelling template, free and ungated, at https://jayacun…
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The 2 questions (and a quote) that helped me most in 2024
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18:00As another year comes to an end, we often reflect backwards, because hindsight is 20/20. But what we don’t often realize is that sometimes when you have that clarity of sight, you'll want to close your eyes, rub your temples, maybe let your head fall to the table. Because you’re amazed at how you just… couldn’t… see it. That was me, all year long, …
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"Your brain is a straight line machine" I Melanie Deziel, author and speaker
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41:43Signature stories aren’t just stories you tell a lot. They’re stories you’d sign your name to. In this episode, author and speaker Melanie Deziel shares a story that went from nerve-wracking to heart-wrenching the more she told it, as she found ways to tell it her own way (and as new details emerged from the story). Mel is my cofounder in our Creat…
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A repeatable system for stronger ideas and stories
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23:36"You have a real gift," we say to our storytelling heroes. But do they? Storytelling is a skill. Communicating with greater impact is a craft. It’s not something anyone is gifted. It’s something we all can master. Today, it’s just me, Jay. Hello! I’m trying a solo episode, sharing my favorite trick for stronger ideas and stories. Be forewarned: thi…
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Designing a New Signature Talk Beat by Beat with Justin Moore (Founder of Creator Wizard, Author of Sponsor Magnet)
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43:33It's time for a new edition of "Is This Anything?", the miniseries where friends and clients join me to work out new drafts and ideas for upcoming pieces and projects. In this episode, I help Justin Moore design his signature talk, beat by beat. Justin is the founder of Creator Wizard, which helps creators secure more and better brand deals to grow…
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Seth Godin Dissects a Signature Story
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43:20Today, it's a total treat as the one and only Seth Godin takes us into how he thinks about storytelling and the intersection of strategy and story, and then we hear him dissect a signature story. Plus, Seth and I trade stories in the back half of the episode—business storytelling nerdery on full display. Seth is a world-renowned storyteller and tho…
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“Is this ANNything?” Ann Handley and Jay Acunzo Work Out New Drafts
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48:14This week, we’re joined by our first-ever recurring guest. The brilliant Ann Handley (WSJ bestselling author of Everybody Writes and globally touring keynote speaker) joins us for a very special episode of “Is This Anything?”, the mini-series, where friends and collaborators join me to work out new ideas, unproven drafts, and hidden ideas to see if…
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“We’re both the heroes and the villains in our own stories” | Chase Jarvis, Photographer + Entrepreneur + Author of Never Play It Safe
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38:22Why is candor essential for a good story? How brutally honest should you actually be in sharing a story with the world? The great Chase Jarvis brings us into his story of self-discovery, with the many twists and turns his professional career has taken, as he works through how to best tell that story ahead of his next book tour. Starting in second g…
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"If all knowledge is experience, all wisdom is framework" | Laura Gassner Otting, Keynote Speaker & Author
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43:11What is a super-story? And how can you flex yours to fit different audiences, mediums, or conclusions? That’s what we dive into today with powerhouse storyteller, Laura Gassner Otting. Laura takes us into a small story about her first time decorating a Christmas tree with her husband’s family. Initially horrified by the chipped ornaments and tatter…
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Working out a new TED Talk with Simone Stolzoff, Author & Journalist
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49:56Go inside the development of a brand new TED Talk, as Jay offers notes to friend Simone Stolzoff on his v1 draft. Simone is the author of The Good Enough Job and a journalist whose writing has been featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and more. This is the first episode of a new bonus episode of How St…
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“A perfectly competent character is boring” | Nat Eliason, Author & Essayist
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42:27Telling stories about your life feels fraught. How do you weave together a story that is deeply personal to you and others, contains the right amount of tension without being too dramatic, and feels both gripping and accessible for your audience? In the case of our guest today, Nat Eliason, his story is about the moment he went from investing hundr…
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What it takes to craft a signature story | Susan Boles, CFO, Business Strategist & Podcaster
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53:15What should you include or omit to ensure your stories carry your message, resonate with others, and deliver something that could only come from you? That’s the challenge we encounter today. In this special episode, Jay is joined by a favorite client, Susan Boles, to work through a draft of a signature story, which emerged on the back of their mont…
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To tell stronger stories, understand yourself first | Ryan Hawk & Brook Cups, Coauthors of The Score That Matters
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42:44Storytellers often face a paradox: to connect deeper externally, you have to turn deeper internally. You have to know yourself and get more honest with how you think and feel than others might be comfortable doing themselves. That often means we have to stop caring what people think of us quite as much. In this episode, we meet Brook Cupps and Ryan…
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“You have to work against people assuming they know how this goes” | Danielle Bayard Jackson, Author of Fighting for Our Friendships
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50:20How do we compress our lifetime into their runtime? When we’re asked to explain our backgrounds and bios, we need a structure, some practice, and a few anecdotes at the ready. Because our story has to pull triple-duty: clarify who we are, build credibility, and teach whatever it is we’re there to teach. In this episode, author, PR agency founder, a…
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“I could tell this story in 1950 or 2024” | Scott Monty, Exec. Coach and Speaker
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53:20While everyone scrambles to learn the new trends and act like a futurist, it’s the folks who understand what parts of this work are timeless – because they’re based on human nature – that are most powerful of all. Storytelling is one such thing. It’s been a constant throughout the history of humanity. Why? Because although the world changes in many…
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“Words can do WHAT?! Are we serious right now?!” | Tucker Bryant, Poet & Keynote Speaker
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47:28How do we craft a metaphor that works? More importantly, perhaps, how do we ensure the metaphors we use pivot to the audience to teach them something in their lives or work, without them getting lost? Do we overtly explain the lesson? Imply it? Some combination? It’s a delicate dance, and few do it like Tucker Bryant. Tucker isn't just a keynote sp…
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“We congregate around emotional stories” | Rand Fishkin, CEO of SparkToro
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35:16The 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…
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Bonus - How Stories Happen #3 - Ann Handley, Bestselling Author
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48:43🟢 Dear Unthinkable listener: Thank you SO much for your support over the years! I invite you to find and follow the new show, How Stories Happen, in your preferred podcast player in just 2 taps right here:https://episodes.fm/1736586770 Every episode, an expert, entrepreneur, creator, or communicator dissects a single story or draft piece by piece. …
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“How do we all sign our work?” | Ann Handley, Author & Keynote Speaker
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45:23When so many people are excited to create a higher volume of content, shouldn’t we think more about what gives our work greater power? That’s what our guest today understands better than most, and she draws that power from everyday moments she hunts out, like a squirrel finding nuts in the yard. Meet Ann Handley—she’s a best-selling author, a pione…
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“A story needs a job to do” | Michelle Warner, Business Designer & Strategist
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52:12Our guest for this episode is rarely online. But when she is, she’s telling small stories with big meaning. Meet Michelle Warner—she’s a business strategist and consultant who architects business models and marketing strategies for clients who sell high-priced services. She also hosts the podcast Sequence Over Strategy—an idea that represents her e…
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Bonus - How Stories Happen #1 - Andrew Davis, Keynote Speaker
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50:10🟢 Dear Unthinkable listener: Thank you SO much for your support over the years! I invite you to find and follow the new show, How Stories Happen, in your preferred podcast player in just 2 taps right here:https://episodes.fm/1736586770 Every episode, an expert, entrepreneur, creator, or communicator dissects a single story or draft piece by piece. …
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“The only way to figure out a story is to tell it” | Andrew Davis, Keynote Speaker
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47:46I know a ton of storytellers and creators and entrepreneurs, but I know exactly zero other people who have learned how to do what they do from both legendary news broadcasters and Kermit the Frog. Meet Andrew Davis. He is a powerhouse business speaker who’s given speeches in 35 different countries, at more than 50 events every year. He speaks to au…
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Keep Making What Matters | Follow My New Show, How Stories Happen
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24:19Find and follow How Stories Happen in your favorite podcast player, or visit howstorieshappen.com to learn more about the show and find the appropriate link for you. Every episode of the show, we’re dissecting stories and drafts with incredible storytellers to understand how they found their ideas, how they developed their work, and how they’re usi…
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Introducing How Stories Happen: Business Builders Dissect Their Signature Stories Piece by Piece
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9:21Welcome to How Stories Happen, a show for business storytellers focused on standing out easier and resonating deeper through substance and stories, not hollow stunts. Each episode, an expert, entrepreneur, or world-class communicator breaks apart a single story piece by piece, sharing how they developed it and how they're using it to grow their bra…
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Going Streaking: the Relationship Between Creative Ambition, Quality, and Consistency
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49:17Why do we constantly underestimate how long something will take in the short-term? In other words, we tend to over-estimate just how much we can achieve right now. Then, when we think long term, the reverse tends to happen: we actually UNDER-estimate what we're capable of achieving over time. Today, we want to know more about the promise of a popul…
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As Ira Glass said, "Great stories happen to those who can tell them." This idea says everything we need to know to develop stronger stories in our work, so we can stand out easier and resonate deeper. But we're asking the wrong questions and searching in the wrong places. Let's rethink some things together... For the full transcript of this episode…
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The Difference Between Forgettable and Favorite
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54:58The story of a surprisingly dynamic and captivating idea from a (sometimes) bland and boring space -- and what we can learn about crafting more resonant work. What does it look like when an organization, project, or individual’s work resonates so deeply that they have passionate fans and loyal followers who declare them a favorite? This week we sta…
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No matter your craft, when you develop an idea, a project, or a key moment within a piece, the power of what you're sharing tends to start with the same question: Can you be more honest with yourself? In this one-shot episode, a dense dose of a single idea that can help us become stronger storytellers and produce higher-impact content, so we can ge…
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Create to Find Your Answers (Overcoming the Gap)
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38:10We want to make things that matter. To our careers, companies, and communities. When THAT is our aim and THAT is our driving belief, and yet our work comes out feeling like THIS? The way it is right now? Oof, that can cause all kinds of existential crises or at least panic-induced researching and debating and analyzing and asking. It's time to get …
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Twas the Night Before Launching (2023)
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4:36Have a wonderful holiday season and a beautiful start to your 2024! Back in the new year with more... UNTHINKABLE IS TAKING A BREAK -- BUT DON'T UNSUBSCRIBE We're back with more soon. In the meantime... BECOME A STRONGER STORYTELLER: Subscribe to Jay Acunzo's free newsletter, Playing Favorites, and learn what it takes to stand out easier and resona…
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Signature Stories is a miniseries where world-class business storytellers take us inside one important story and dissect it with us. It's like Song Exploder meets storytelling for our work! In our sixth and final episode of the series, bestselling author and Hall of Fame keynote speaker Jay Baer brings one of his oldest, most proven stories to the …
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