What do a brothel in Thailand, ancient Egyptian tombs, and Hollywood’s lightsabers have to do with the world’s most successful innovators? More than you’d ever imagine.

In this jaw-dropping episode of Thrive LouD with Lou Diamond, host Lou sits down with the remarkable Susan Lindner—global keynote speaker, founder of Innovation Storytellers, and a woman whose journey to innovation storytelling began in the most unexpected of places.

Episode Highlights:

• From Brothel to Boardroom: Susan shares her origin story as an HIV educator in 1990s Thailand, working with brothel owners and sex workers to reimagine their roles as heroes of their own stories—a lesson that transformed how life-saving innovations can change behavior and lives.
• The Real Role of Storytelling in Innovation: Discover why most innovators fail at storytelling, focusing on their inventions instead of the impact they have on actual people. Susan reveals the secret: make the listener the hero, not the creator.
• Hollywood, Prophets, and Going Viral: What can innovators learn from religious prophets and Star Wars? Susan breaks down how innovations (just like lightsabers) are only as good as the stories told about them—and those stories must be simple, repeatable, and transformative.
• Overcoming Ego & Building Empathy: Explore the practical exercises Susan uses to help scientists, executives, and even Air Force leaders shift from ego-driven narratives to human-centered stories of struggle, triumph, and transformation.
• The Power of Distribution: It’s not just about telling your innovation’s story—it’s about getting others to tell it for you. Learn Susan’s “prophets’ playbook” for building a tribe of storytellers inside and outside your organization.
• Keep Learning: Subscribe to Susan’s newsletter (innovationstorytellers.com) and check out the Innovation Storytellers podcast for weekly inspiration and how-tos from global innovation leaders.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, scientist, exec, or just someone trying to make your idea stick, this conversation will forever change how you see—and tell—the story of innovation.

Listen now and start transforming how you share your ideas, influence others, and make your innovation go viral.

Timestamped Overview

00:00 Fighting HIV in Thailand's Brothels

03:47 Transforming Brothels: Heroes and Change

10:02 Overcoming Ego in Innovation

11:45 "Understanding Innovator's Humanity"

16:38 "Shifting Perspectives: Gaining Early Adopters"

19:58 High Risk, High Innovation

23:20 Training Air Force Storytellers

24:20 Innovation Storytelling Tips

28:26 "Innovation Storytelling Podcast Launch"