Matthew Dicks (Storyworthy)15 December 2023

How to tell better stories

10Frameworks

15Insights

Episode overview

Matthew Dicks explains that memorable stories center on a brief moment of transformation or realization, with the beginning and ending placed in meaningful opposition. He gives tactical methods for holding attention—stakes, surprise, suspense, humor, and devices such as elephants, backpacks, breadcrumbs, hourglasses, and crystal balls—and shows how personal vulnerability makes business communication more memorable. He also recommends the daily “Homework for Life” practice for capturing meaningful moments, advises speakers to rehearse transitions instead of memorizing scripts, and argues for saying yes to frightening opportunities while retaining the option to step back.

Key ideas

Every effective story centers on a short moment when the storyteller changes or realizes something new.
Start from the ending's moment of meaning, then choose an opposing beginning and remove context that does not serve that movement.
Stories should pass the dinner test: sound natural, remain personal to the teller, and reveal genuine vulnerability.
Maintain attention through stakes, surprise, suspense, and humor; distribute new stakes across the story instead of front-loading them.
In business, connect stories by adjacent theme, meaning, or message rather than forcing a literal content-to-content analogy.
Build a reusable bank of stories through Homework for Life: record at least one meaningful moment from every day in a spreadsheet.
For public speaking, record and repeatedly listen to the talk, focus rehearsal on transitions, and avoid word-for-word memorization.
Begin stories with location and action so listeners can immediately visualize a scene and recognize that a story is underway.

Transcript available · source text is retained privately and is not published

Frameworks in this episode

Peak Performance3 steps

Beating Pre-Talk Nerves

Almost all speaking anxiety is before you start — reframe it, then rehearse by passive listening and transition drills.

Read →

Self-Mastery4 steps

Homework for Life

Capture one story-worthy moment every day to build an endless bank of stories and slow down time.

Read →

Communication3 steps

Location and Action Openers

Start every story with where you are and what's happening — it activates imagination and silences the room.

Read →

Communication4 steps

Speaking with Adjacency

To explain something dull, tell a story about something else, then snap it into place.

Read →

Communication3 steps

The Five-Second Moment

Build every story around one instant of transformation or realization, and start at the end.

Read →

Communication5 steps

The Five Stakes Tools

Five devices — elephant, backpack, breadcrumb, hourglass, crystal ball — that make an audience wonder what happens next.

Read →

Communication4 steps

The Four Engines of Attention

Stakes, surprise, suspense, and humor are the only four things keeping a business audience listening.

Read →

Influence4 steps

The Personal Interest Inventory

Catalog the facts about yourself by reach and intensity, then weave them strategically into how you speak.

Read →

Mindset3 steps

The Power of Yes

Say yes to what scares you — a yes can always become a no, but a no forecloses the door forever.

Read →

Communication3 steps

The Three-Point Story Test

A real story must contain change, pass the dinner test, and be about you.

Read →

People & resources mentioned

Attributed to the moment in the episode. Timestamps are approximate.

People · 14

Matthew DicksMentionshe helps people create their eulogy ahead of time before somebody passes away
“Today my guest is Matthew Dicks.”
▶ Watch at ~0:30approx.
Lenny RachitskyRecommendstoday we've got another very special compilation episode something I've been pulling on more and more with the podcast and the newsletter
“Matthew is the author of my all-time favorite book on storytelling, Storyworthy”
▶ Watch at ~0:30approx.
Matthew DicksMentionshe helps people create their eulogy ahead of time before somebody passes away
“In his day job, he is an elementary school teacher”
▶ Watch at ~1:00approx.
EileenMentionsa student in Matthew Dicks's elementary-school class
“And I have a student in my class, her name is Eileen.”
▶ Watch at ~7:00approx.
Kurt VonnegutCoinedmentioned
“Yes, Kurt Vonnegut said that. Kurt Vonnegut said start as close to the end as possible.”
▶ Watch at ~22:30approx.
David MametCoinedmentioned
“I was just listening to an interview with I think his name is David Mamet”
▶ Watch at ~29:00approx.
David SedarisRecommendsmentioned
“Jesse Klein and David Sedaris. Go read those two people, too.”
▶ Watch at ~32:00approx.
Boris LevinMentionsa factory owner in Connecticut who applies personal stories in his business
“One of them is named Boris. His name is Boris Levin. He is a factory owner here in Connecticut.”
▶ Watch at ~37:30approx.
Masha RatnerMentionsformer director of corporate communications at Slack
“the other star of my book is a woman named Masha Ratner. She used to be the director of corporate communications at Slack.”
▶ Watch at ~42:00approx.
Steve JobsMentionsSteve Jobs is just uh the bar he held for the company and for technical talent and for excellence was not uh wavering.
“Steve Jobs was a master of it.”
▶ Watch at ~49:30approx.
Nathaniel PhilbrickCoinedmentioned
“Nathaniel Philbrick's Heart of the Sea, which is a non-fiction account of the whaleship Essex”
▶ Watch at ~1:31:00approx.
Jesse KleinRecommendsmentioned
“And then anything by Jesse Klein. Just go She has two books.”
▶ Watch at ~1:31:30approx.
Herman MelvilleCoinedmentioned
“The sinking of the Essex is what gave Melville the idea for Moby Dick.”
▶ Watch at ~1:31:30approx.
Maria BamfordRecommendsmentioned
“Maria Banford's memoir right now I'm reading. Also extraordinary”
▶ Watch at ~1:32:00approx.

Resources · 38

AmazonMentionscompany · Jeff Bezos
“companies like Slack, Amazon, Lego, and Salesforce”
▶ Watch at ~1:00approx.
The Moth StorySLAMMentionsevent · The Moth
“Matthew is a 59-time Moth Story Slam winner and nine-time Grand Slam Champ.”
▶ Watch at ~1:00approx.
Speak UpCoinedcompany · Matthew Dicks
“through his company Speak Up.”
▶ Watch at ~1:00approx.
SlackMentionssoftware · Slack Technologies
“companies like Slack, Amazon, Lego, and Salesforce”
▶ Watch at ~1:00approx.
SalesforceMentionscompany · Salesforce
“companies like Slack, Amazon, Lego, and Salesforce”
▶ Watch at ~1:00approx.
LEGOMentionscompany · The LEGO Group
“companies like Slack, Amazon, Lego, and Salesforce”
▶ Watch at ~1:00approx.
StoryworthyRecommendsbook · Matthew Dicks
“If you're interested in this topic, definitely pick up his book Storyworthy. It'll change your life.”
▶ Watch at ~1:30approx.
OneSchemaMentionssoftware · Christina Gilbert
“Today's episode is brought to you by OneSchema, the embeddable CSV importer for SaaS.”
▶ Watch at ~2:00approx.
The Tim Ferriss ShowMentionspodcast · Tim Ferriss
“after hearing their ad on the Tim Ferriss podcast”
▶ Watch at ~3:00approx.
Maui Nui VenisonUsescompany
“My wife and I make stew and steaks and all kinds of grilled goodies with the meat.”
▶ Watch at ~3:30approx.
Maui Nui VenisonRecommendscompany
“I highly recommend trying their all-natural venison jerky sticks for an optimal protein snack”
▶ Watch at ~4:00approx.
StoryworthyCoinedbook · Matthew Dicks
“I tried to make my book as sort of actionable as possible.”
▶ Watch at ~4:30approx.
Star WarsMentionsfilm · George Lucas
“if you think about a movie like Star Wars, the first Star Wars that came out”
▶ Watch at ~9:00approx.
When Harry Met Sally...Mentionsfilm · Rob Reiner
“When Harry Met Sally, that movie, when it begins, Harry and Sally actually say they hate each other”
▶ Watch at ~12:00approx.
Ocean's ElevenMentionsfilm · Steven Soderbergh
“Like if you watch an Ocean's 11 movie, right? You know what the plan is before they go into the casino.”
▶ Watch at ~26:30approx.
Pulp FictionMentionsfilm · Quentin Tarantino
“I think of Pulp Fiction and Tarantino in this often”
▶ Watch at ~30:30approx.
Charity ThiefRecommendsother · Matthew Dicks
“the one that I reference in my book, which you can go watch online, is Charity Thief.”
▶ Watch at ~32:30approx.
SlackMentionssoftware · Slack Technologies
“She used to be the director of corporate communications at Slack.”
▶ Watch at ~42:00approx.
Microsoft TeamsMentionssoftware · Microsoft
“She had to create the narrative that was going to compete against Microsoft Teams.”
▶ Watch at ~42:00approx.
VantaMentionssoftware · Christina Cacioppo
“This episode is brought to you by Vanta, helping you streamline your security compliance to accelerate your growth.”
▶ Watch at ~52:00approx.
Stranger ThingsMentionstv show · The Duffer Brothers
“Stranger Things was the biggest television show on television at the time”
▶ Watch at ~56:00approx.
1989Mentionsother · Taylor Swift
“Taylor Swift put out an album called 1989.”
▶ Watch at ~56:00approx.
Sesame StreetMentionstv show · Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett
“a simple one is a game they used to play on Sesame Street, which is one of these things is not like the other.”
▶ Watch at ~56:30approx.
Homework for LifeCoinedother · Matthew Dicks
“It's a process I came up with, you know, maybe 15 years ago now.”
▶ Watch at ~1:07:00approx.
ExcelUsessoftware · Microsoft
“What I do is I took an Excel spreadsheet, two columns”
▶ Watch at ~1:07:30approx.
Matthew Dicks's Homework for Life TED TalkRecommendsother · Matthew Dicks
“And I have a TED Talk about it that I go on for 17 minutes about. So, I suggest watching it”
▶ Watch at ~1:15:30approx.
Google SheetsMentionssoftware · Google
“open up Google Sheets on their phone and just add something?”
▶ Watch at ~1:17:30approx.
Happy-Go-LuckyRecommendsbook · David Sedaris
“Sedaris's Happy-Go-Lucky which is a great book.”
▶ Watch at ~1:25:30approx.
In the Heart of the SeaRecommendsbook · Nathaniel Philbrick
“Nathaniel Philbrick's Heart of the Sea, which is a non-fiction account of the whaleship Essex”
▶ Watch at ~1:31:00approx.
Moby-DickMentionsbook · Herman Melville
“The sinking of the Essex is what gave Melville the idea for Moby Dick.”
▶ Watch at ~1:31:30approx.
The Last of UsRecommendstv show · Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann
“for TV shows I enjoyed The Last of Us, which is based on a video game I've never played in my life.”
▶ Watch at ~1:32:30approx.
BarbieRecommendsfilm · Greta Gerwig
“the Barbie movie is better than I ever expected it to be”
▶ Watch at ~1:33:00approx.
Krinner Tree GenieRecommendsproduct · Krinner
“The Krinner Tree Genie is extraordinary. It's exactly what I would have designed”
▶ Watch at ~1:34:30approx.
Power PodRecommendsproduct
“The power pod's the one you want.”
▶ Watch at ~1:35:00approx.
Nostalgia Hot Dog ToasterRecommendsproduct · Nostalgia
“I fully support the Nostalgia Hot Dog Toaster.”
▶ Watch at ~1:35:30approx.
MatthewDicks.comRecommendswebsite · Matthew Dicks
“you can find me at matthewdicks.com”
▶ Watch at ~1:41:00approx.
StoryworthyMD.comRecommendswebsite · Matthew Dicks
“I also have storyworthymd.com. My initials MD. And that's where I sort of have courses and online training”
▶ Watch at ~1:41:00approx.
Lenny's PodcastCoinedpodcast · Lenny Rachitsky
“You can find all past episodes or learn more about the show at lennyspodcast.com.”
▶ Watch at ~1:42:30approx.

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Insights & moments

The myth-busts, hot takes, explainers, and tools worth keeping.

Myth Buster· 1

Myth Buster1:19:30

98% of Your Stage Fright Happens Before You Speak

Dicks reframes public-speaking nerves: almost all of the fear is pre-talk, and once you start speaking it largely falls away. Realizing this is a relief, especially if you're prepared and know your material. He adds the reassurance that everyone is nervous — even a very famous person he performed with who begged him to stop talking backstage — so if you're nervous, you're in the same boat as everyone else.

98% of nervousness is before you begin speaking, not during
Nerves largely fall away once the talk starts, especially if you're prepared
Believing this is itself a relief that reduces the fear
Everyone is nervous, including famous performers — you're not alone

“98% of your nervousness is actually before you begin speaking.”
Matthew Dicks · 1:20:00

“everyone's nervous except for me. I'm the only monster in the world.”
Matthew Dicks · 1:21:30

#public speaking#confidence#psychology

Hot Take· 4

Hot Take13:30

You've Never Asked to See a PowerPoint Twice

Dicks makes the case that human minds are built for story and not for slides, facts, or statistics. Nobody rewatches a keynote or dreams about a deck, but people watch the same movie a hundred times and children demand the same book fifty times. Story is the format the brain wants to revisit.

No one asks to see a PowerPoint a second time or dreams about a keynote
People happily rewatch movies like When Harry Met Sally even knowing the ending
Kids wanting the same book 50 times shows we're wired for repetition of story
Our minds don't remember pie charts, facts, or platitudes not attached to imagery

“You've never asked to see a PowerPoint presentation a second time.”
Matthew Dicks · 13:30

“We're wired for story. That's why it's so important.”
Matthew Dicks · 14:00

#storytelling#communication#business

Hot Take20:00

Nobody Cares About Your Vacation

Dicks's blunt advice on vacation stories: don't tell them. A recounting of your trip is just reliving it at the listener's expense. If a genuine moment of change happened, tell only that moment — the fact that it took place in Aruba is usually irrelevant and should probably never even come up.

Most vacation stories are just a recounting at the expense of the listener
Only tell a vacation story if a genuine five-second moment of change happened
If it did, tell only the moment — the location is almost always irrelevant
Insisting people know you were in Aruba just wastes their time to relive your fun

“Do not tell vacation stories.”
Matthew Dicks · 20:30

“nobody cares about your vacation.”
Matthew Dicks · 20:30

#storytelling#social#advice

Hot Take49:30

People Don't Want to Be Funny — They Want to Have Been Funny

Dicks observes that nearly every business person he works with wants humor, but what they actually want is to have already been funny, without the risk. Being funny means saying something you believe is funny and hoping the audience agrees; if it fails, it hurts. He tells of an executive who cut all his jokes at the Javits Center because the prior speakers were dull — when landing them would have made him rise 'like a phoenix.'

Everyone wants to be funny, but really they want to have been funny without the risk
Being funny requires expecting an audience to share your judgment, which can hurt if it fails
An executive pulled all his jokes because earlier speakers weren't funny
Following dull speakers with jokes is the best position — you rise like a phoenix

“They want to have been funny.”
Matthew Dicks · 50:00

“humor is a brilliant and beautiful and simple way to differentiate yourself”
Matthew Dicks · 51:30

#humor#public speaking#business

Hot Take1:25:30

Say Yes Because a Yes Can Always Become a No

Dicks pushes back on the fashionable advice to say no and protect your time. Saying no presumes you already know what's behind a door you've never opened — arrogant and limiting. A yes can always become a no after you step through and decide it's not for you. He credits saying yes to a terrifying stand-up invitation for a whole new pursuit, while the friend who challenged him has still never done it out of fear.

Saying no presumes you already know what's on the other side of a door you've never opened
A yes can always become a no — step through, try it, and leave if it's not for you
Learning to say no to protect your time leaves you at 100 regretting the doors you skipped
He runs toward what scares him because those things are often best for him

“the things that frighten me are often the things that are the best for me.”
Matthew Dicks · 1:29:00

“the cave you fear contains the treasure you seek.”
Lenny · 1:29:30

#mindset#risk#career

Explainer· 3

Explainer05:00

Every Story Is Really One Five-Second Moment

Matthew Dicks argues that every good story hinges on a single moment of transformation or realization — a second where a person went from thinking one thing to thinking another. The rest of the story exists only to bring that moment to maximum clarity so the audience can experience the flip alongside the teller. He illustrates it with a moment from his classroom and with Luke Skywalker's shift from technology to the Force in Star Wars.

A story is about one moment of transformation ('I became a new person') or realization ('I used to think X, now I think Y')
That moment feels like it took a long time but really happened in a single second
98% of the story is context that exists to bring the one moment into clarity
The point of a story is to let the audience experience that flip with the storyteller

“every story is about a singular moment. I call it five seconds. It can be one second, honestly.”
Matthew Dicks · 05:30

“98% of the story is the context to bring that singular moment into fruition.”
Matthew Dicks · 06:30

#storytelling#narrative#public speaking

Explainer14:30

Why Change Is What Makes an Audience Connect

Dicks explains why the moment of change is the engine of connection. Reporting the literal content of your day rarely connects — his kindergarten-teacher wife and his fifth-grade-teacher self can't even relate to each other's days. But a story focused on change (someone finding confidence) has universal appeal, because the audience has felt that same emotional arc even if they've never lived your specific circumstances.

Reporting the events of your day only connects with people who did the same thing
Change has universal appeal — most people have experienced gaining confidence, etc.
Focusing on the change exponentially increases the story's ability to connect
The emotional arc connects even when the literal content has nothing to do with the listener

“reporting on the moments that you have experienced in the day is not a way to connect to people.”
Matthew Dicks · 15:00

“When we do change, when we're focused in on that change, we increase exponentially the universal appeal to the story”
Matthew Dicks · 15:30

#storytelling#connection#psychology

Explainer28:30

The Best Surprise Is Inevitable Yet Unseen

Dicks describes the hardest and most rewarding storytelling move: a surprise the audience never saw coming that, once it lands, feels inevitable. You accomplish it by hiding the information the audience needs (A, B, C, D) so they can't connect the dots until you want them to. Every story contains at least one surprise, because realizing something for the first time is itself a surprise.

The ideal ending is both inevitable and a complete surprise (echoing David Mamet)
Plant enough information earlier that the surprise feels earned when it lands
Hide that information so the audience can't connect the dots prematurely
Every story has at least one surprise — the moment of realizing something new

“every story has a surprise, at least one”
Matthew Dicks · 28:30

“You build information into the audience's mind that will allow the surprise to land in an inevitable and yet surprising way.”
Matthew Dicks · 29:30

#storytelling#craft#narrative

Story· 4

Story34:30

The Lunchbox Speaker Nobody Forgot

Dicks contrasts two conference speakers to show the cost of being forgettable. One walked out with his childhood lunchbox and told a vulnerable story about his parents having nothing yet keeping him in new shoes — unforgettable. The other was fluent, confident, and amusing, yet fifteen minutes later neither Dicks nor his teacher wife could recall a single thing he said, because minds don't retain facts not attached to imagery.

Most business communication is 'round, white, and flavorless' — intentionally, out of fear
The lunchbox speaker's vulnerable story was remembered; the polished executive was forgotten within 15 minutes
Even a teacher invested in communication couldn't recall a single point from the fluent speaker
Not telling stories guarantees you'll be forgotten

“most communication in business is round, white, and flavorless”
Matthew Dicks · 34:30

“I'm never going to forget that guy with the lunchbox.”
Matthew Dicks · 36:00

#storytelling#business#public speaking

Story37:30

Boris, the Strikeout Story, and Bricks vs Band-Aids

Factory owner Boris Levin crafted a story about watching his son strike out in a Little League championship — then seeing the boy laugh and move on with his friends minutes later. Boris deploys it to his sales team when they sulk for days after losing a big account. Dicks uses it to draw his central distinction: 'bricks' storytellers build a vault of stories to deploy, while 'band-aid' people just need a story to patch one problem and will keep needing help.

Boris built a moving story about his son's strikeout and quick recovery
He deploys it to a sales team that sulks for days after losing a deal
The story works because it reveals Boris as a caring father, not a scolding boss
'Bricks' = building a reusable vault of stories; 'band-aids' = one-off fixes that keep you dependent

“I say Band-Aids versus bricks.”
Matthew Dicks · 41:00

“Boris is building bricks. He is building a vault of stories that he can then deploy into his business”
Matthew Dicks · 41:30

#storytelling#business#leadership

Story42:00

How a 30-Second Personal Anecdote Beat Microsoft Teams

Masha Ratner, then Slack's director of corporate communications, built the narrative to compete against Microsoft Teams — an idea that came to her alone on a Tuesday night after a breakup, two glasses of wine, three words on a napkin. She initially refused to include that personal backstory ('we do not insert ourselves into our narratives'). When she finally added a 30-second version, people wanted to talk to her afterward, connecting over their own pandemic loneliness.

Slack needed a story to counter Microsoft Teams being copied, free, and everywhere
Masha resisted inserting her personal Tuesday-night backstory, per corporate norms
Adding a 30-second personal anecdote transformed audience response
People connected because she became a human being, not a corporate monolith

“We do not insert ourselves into our narratives.”
Matthew Dicks · 43:00

“I can't believe the difference that that 30-second anecdote meant to the narrative because suddenly, when I reached the end of the narrative, people wanted…”
Matthew Dicks · 43:30

#storytelling#business#marketing

Story58:30

The Scientist Who Sold Tubes by Talking About Apples

At a conference, five scientists from a lab-tube company were coached to tell stories. One presented no data at all — just a story about the chaos of buying different apples for each family member, then snapped it to 'that's what my company does: you deserve to get the exact tube you want.' He generated more leads than the other four scientists combined, and left everyone associating grocery-store apples with his company.

One scientist told only a story — buying different apples for each family member — and no data
He 'snapped' the apple theme onto the company's properly-sized tubes
He got more leads than the other four scientists combined
The story built lasting positive association: buyers now think of the company when picking apples

“One guy, though, doesn't present any data whatsoever. He just tells a story.”
Matthew Dicks · 59:30

“He got more leads at the conference than the other scientists combined”
Matthew Dicks · 1:00:30

#storytelling#sales#business

Takeaway· 3

Takeaway10:30

Start at the End: Beginning and End in Opposition

Because you already lived the moment that matters, you should build a true story backwards from its ending. The beginning and end operate in opposition to each other — Eileen lacks confidence versus Eileen has confidence — and knowing the end guarantees you have something of import to say rather than just reporting events chronologically.

For true stories, start at the end because you've lived the moment and the end informs everything
A story is two moments in time — a beginning and an end — operating in opposition
Knowing the ending tells you how the story should start
Most people just 'report on their lives' chronologically, which leads nowhere

“we start as storytellers at the end.”
Matthew Dicks · 10:30

“every story should be essentially a beginning and an end in opposition to each other”
Matthew Dicks · 12:30

#storytelling#structure#narrative

Takeaway47:00

'I'm Doing Great' Is the Worst Possible Answer

Dicks argues that everyday questions are chances to make yourself memorable, and 'I'm doing great' wastes them. When asked how he's doing, he slips in that he's an elementary school teacher — 'my fifth-graders didn't try to kill me' — delivering amusing, self-deprecating content while answering. Every question is an opening to include something interesting about yourself without sounding self-absorbed.

'I'm doing great' is the stupidest answer to 'how are you' — it reveals nothing
Answer questions in a way that slips in something interesting about you
Being an elementary school teacher earns instant goodwill, so he works it in
The trick is including a personal item while still answering the question

“That's the stupidest answer you can offer”
Matthew Dicks · 47:30

“whenever I'm asked a question, I am trying to include an item of my personality, my life, something that might be of interest to people…”
Matthew Dicks · 48:00

#communication#relatability#advice

Takeaway1:38:00

Start Every Story With Location and Action

Dicks's single most tactical tip: begin every story with location and action. Naming a location ('I'm standing in the kitchen') is one word that arrives imbued with a thousand adjectives the listener supplies. Starting with action signals the story is moving forward. He notes this opening also visibly signals 'a story is starting,' which he's been told helps people from marginalized groups claim the space to be heard.

Begin with location — one word that activates the listener's imagination with a thousand adjectives
Begin with action — something is already happening, like the spaceship opening of Star Wars
The 'I'm in a place doing a thing' opening signals to a room that a story is starting
That signal helps quiet a room and grant the teller space to speak

“Location activates imagination.”
Matthew Dicks · 1:38:00

“start every story you ever tell for the rest of your life with those two things and you're already going to be like 50% better…”
Matthew Dicks · 1:40:30

#storytelling#craft#advice

Key ideas

Frameworks in this episode

Beating Pre-Talk Nerves

Homework for Life

Location and Action Openers

Speaking with Adjacency

The Five-Second Moment

The Five Stakes Tools

The Four Engines of Attention

The Personal Interest Inventory

The Power of Yes

The Three-Point Story Test

People & resources mentioned

People · 14

Resources · 38

Insights & moments

⚡Myth Buster· 1

98% of Your Stage Fright Happens Before You Speak

◆Hot Take· 4

You've Never Asked to See a PowerPoint Twice

Nobody Cares About Your Vacation

People Don't Want to Be Funny — They Want to Have Been Funny

Say Yes Because a Yes Can Always Become a No

✶Explainer· 3

Every Story Is Really One Five-Second Moment

Why Change Is What Makes an Audience Connect

The Best Surprise Is Inevitable Yet Unseen

❝Story· 4

The Lunchbox Speaker Nobody Forgot

Boris, the Strikeout Story, and Bricks vs Band-Aids

How a 30-Second Personal Anecdote Beat Microsoft Teams

The Scientist Who Sold Tubes by Talking About Apples

▲Takeaway· 3

Start at the End: Beginning and End in Opposition

'I'm Doing Great' Is the Worst Possible Answer

Start Every Story With Location and Action

Myth Buster· 1

Hot Take· 4

Explainer· 3

Story· 4

Takeaway· 3