Storytelling School

You’re sitting in the audience at an international technology conference. So far, it’s a never-ending carousel of charts, graphs and statistical data from every speaker who walks onstage. 

But then one guy changes the game. Instead of throwing information at you, he uses a meaningful and very personal story to tie his presentation together. You find yourself engaged in his story. You can see yourself in his story and relate. You feel more connected to this speaker at this moment in time than any of the others at the entire conference. And that right there makes his talk a huge success.

That guy, by the way? He just so happens to be a new client I’ve been helping to develop that speech. His original plan was to be like the other speakers because he thought that was what the audience would want. But when I tell him, “No one cares about your bar charts. They care about you and your perspective on artificial intelligence and where it's going,” we restructure his talk accordingly.

So why did his would-be dud of a speech turn into a winner? It happened because we used Applied Storytelling: purposefully telling a story with a specific result in mind or in a specific situation or scenario. 

Today, I’m back with my partner in crime (aka awesome husband) to continue our “So You Think You Want to Become a Storyteller” podcast series. Mark asks me:

How do you balance being personal and vulnerable with being your best self in a professional setting? How important is story in scenarios that happen on a regular basis, like team meetings? How do you tailor your story in a very serious situation?

In this episode, I answer those questions and, in the process, reveal how you can choose different stories for different work or business-related scenarios. We talk about stories in the context of job interviews, boardroom meetings, fundraising, social media and email marketing, and more!

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why storytelling gives you the edge in job interviews and the workplace
• What questions to ask yourself when preparing stories for social media
• How to make stories as effective in written form as they are in verbal form

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 teaching 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
• Skyrocket Your Success With Storytelling Masterclass

I’m visiting my grandma and she’s totally focused on a piece of paper. Naturally, I ask her what she’s looking at. 

She tells me they’re letters from my grandfather to her and her to my grandfather during wartime. Some are torn, some are yellowed from age, some are typed and some handwritten. I notice there’s a suitcase next to her filled with hundreds of these aged letters.

I’m curious, so I ask if I can read one. “Oh no no no,” she quickly responds. “A few of these are a little too risqué for you.” 

She promises that these letters will be mine one day…  when she’s gone.

I’ll never forget that conversation with her that afternoon. My grandparent’s love story during wartime, the legacy of that love, and the way they saw the world are encapsulated and preserved in those letters forever.

My guest today on the Storytelling School Podcast knows and appreciates the power of the written word. Tricia Lee is not only recognized as one of the new top writers in Hollywood with many accolades for writing (and directing) to her name already, but her stories stick with you long after you hear them.

If you’re curious to know:

How can a different perspective influence stories you’ve seen a lot of times already? How did a wrong number become the impetus behind an award-winning feature film script? What can the animal world teach us about humanity?

Then listen in as we discuss family and life incidents, unlikely friendships, the impact of putting meaning and feeling into your stories, overcoming writer’s block, and more!

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why truth (not necessarily facts) is key to a great story
• How journaling can help you solve “blank page syndrome”
• Why your story matters, even if you think it doesn’t

Who is Tricia?

Tricia Lee is an AAPI female filmmaker who grew up in Toronto, Canada. She specializes in creating both heart-warming and heart-breaking but also humorously uplifting films. With her Canadian perspective, she likes to tell stories that look at the American Dream and explore ideas around voicelessness, belonging, and shared humanity. 

Tricia’s Good Chance feature script, which is being produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way and Janet Yang, was on the CAPE LIST and was also the Francis Ford Coppola’s Zoetrope Screenplay Competition grand prize winner and the Cinequest Best Feature Screenplay winner. It was also a top 50 finalist in The Academy Nicholl Fellowship, a top 14 finalist for the Universal Studios Writer's Program, and was selected for the prestigious Producers Guild of America Power of Diversity Master Workshop.

In addition to these accolades, Tricia has directed three award-winning features such as Blood Hunters and Silent Retreat, with the former sold to Hulu and presented at Cannes and the latter released theatrically across Canada and sold to NBC Universal’s Chiller Network. Currently, she’s the showrunner and sole writer of eight episodes of 108 Media’s animated anthology, A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts. Soon, she will direct a biopic about William Hung (of American Idol fame) that she wrote with Don Handfield, and Tony and Tim Bui serving as producers.

Links and Resources:

• Tricia Lee
• @tricialdirector on Twitter
• @tricialeedirector on Instagram
• @tricialeedirector on Facebook
• @tricialeedirector on LinkedIn
• Storytelling School Website
• @storytellingschool on Instagram
• @storytellingSchool on Facebook
• Skyrocket Your Success With Storytelling Masterclass

I’m working with a new client on a high-stakes speech about an unprecedented business idea. As we’re working together, I show him how he can use storytelling to help his idea come to life and connect to his audience. So he sends me his first draft... and boy, is it a surprise!

In our sessions, he is always direct and to the point. But while reading his speech, I realize he’s also freaking hilarious! Not only will the audience be rolling on the floor laughing at his humor, his storytelling will help his business idea to really take hold. 

It’s this pairing of comedy, storytelling, and innovative ideas that audiences will not be able to forget.

My guest today on the Storytelling School Podcast, Anna Keizer, lives her life in story. In this episode, we’re going to dig into comedy and so much more! We answer questions like:

Why is there such a misconception about comedy’s place in the world? What’s the difference between forcing humor and just letting it come naturally? What makes The Office work so well as a comedy show? How do background and character perspective affect story quality? How can “forced fun” be a good thing?

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why comedy is necessary in our lives
• What two storytelling elements make a story great
• Why escapism through storytelling is valid, healthy, and boosts creativity

Who is Anna?

Anna Keizer is a writer, film producer, and podcaster. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Film/Video from Columbia College Chicago, finished her Master of Arts in Film Studies at Chapman University, and graduated from UCLA’s Writing for Television Professional Program. She also wrote and executive produced the dark comedy short “She Had It Coming” which was an Official Selection of over two dozen film festivals and won several awards on the festival circuit.

Originally from Chicago, Anna moved to California and now calls Los Angeles home. She currently co-hosts the podcast ‘80s Movie Montage in her spare time, alongside her husband, Derek Dehanke. 

Links and Resources:

• @annakeizer on Twitter
• @annakeizer on Instagram
• ‘80s Movie Montage on Twitter
• ‘80’s Movie Montage on Instagram
• “SHIC” on Twitter
• “SHIC” on Instagram
• Storytelling School Website
• @storytellingschool on Instagram
• @storytellingSchool on Facebook

I’m texting back and forth with my oldest friend Jeff when he says, “We saw a clip yesterday of The Blob. Do you remember us watching that as kids?” 

Boy, do I! Just the mere mention of the title and all of these emotions come flooding back. I was around 11 when I saw that movie, and it was so terrifying that it has stuck with me to this day.

Why can I remember that movie so vividly? I can remember the pictures, what I felt, and even exactly where I was sitting (or hiding) when I watched it. 

The ability to tell a story that evokes such strong emotions is what makes your story memorable. And my guest today is incredibly skilled at doing just that. Gus Krieger writes, produces, and directs and is here to talk about all the things!

What should you not do when describing moments or characters? What do a street vendor and Luke Skywalker have in common? Why do stories have the ability to drive others to action, both small and grand? In this episode, Gus and I discuss and answer these questions, his technique for battling the “blank page blues”, and much more!

What you will learn in this episode:

• How to dramatize true life experience in storytelling
• How to know if your protagonist is relatable to your audience
• What insultingly common mistake new storytellers must avoid

Who is Gus?

Gus Krieger is a producer, director, screenplay writer, and author. His first original screenplay production The Killing Room stars Academy Award winner Timothy Hutton and nominee Chloe Sevigny. Directed by Jonathan Liebesman (Halo, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), it premiered in 2009 at the Sundance Film Festival.

Gus also wrote and directed the horror short “Ol’ Stan Levid” which premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre for Screamfest. He also carried out rewrites on the feature film Operation Endgame which stars Bob Odenkirk and Zack Galifianakis. He went on to write, produce, and direct The Binding, a feature thriller starring Amy Gumenick (Arrow), Max Adler (Glee, Sully), and Leon Russom (True Grit, The Big Lebowski).

My Name is Myeisha, Gus’ sophomore feature film, received worldwide acclaim and took home Slamdance, Seattle, and Boston Underground awards, among others. Warner Bros. Entertainment plans to adapt his debut novel Superworld into a feature film directed by Jason Bateman.

Links and Resources:

• @MrGusK on Twitter
• My Name Is Myeisha 
• The Great Family short film
• Storytelling School Website
• @storytellingschool on Instagram
• @storytellingSchool on Facebook

I am at a speaking event with my friend Chris who is an incredible photographer. As we’re chatting, I ask him, “How do you take the amazing pictures that you take?” 

He says, “It’s easy. If you want to take interesting pictures, be interesting.” 

Whoa.

It sounds so simple, and yet at that moment it completely changed my perspective.

It’s a lesson I apply to storytelling too. The more you design your life to be interesting, the more you give yourself the opportunity to collect better stories for your arsenal. And as you collect those stories, your creativity kicks in.

My guest Mari Reisberg, MA, LPC knows all about tapping into creativity in storytelling and beyond. She joins me today to cover questions like:

How can creativity influence the stories you tell? What’s the link between mundane activities (or even doing nothing) and creative thinking? And what questions can you ask yourself to transform into a more creative storyteller?

Listen in as we take a deep dive into preconceived notions about creativity and the role that playfulness and safety play in creative expression.

What you will learn in this episode:

• How to tap into your innate creativity as a storyteller
• What you can do to bring more play into your life
• Why safety is the foundation of creativity

Who is Mari?

Raised in Portland, Oregon, Mari Reisberg, MA, LPC has always embraced life creatively. She’s a licensed professional counselor, performer, podcaster, and creativity coach who’s lived in New York City, studied angel therapy in Hawaii, sang with an Irish band, and taught graduate-level psychology classes. Through it all, she’s continued her own creativity and personal growth journey while being a lifelong mindfulness and meditation student and teacher.

Mari also holds a BFA in Acting from the Hartt School and an MA in Somatic Counseling Psychology, Dance/Movement Therapy from Naropa University. Currently, she works for a substance abuse treatment center as the director of utilization review and internship programming while also running her Sustaining Creativity business. Her company is about discovering a safe and trustworthy foundation within yourself to take creative risks. Working with performers and non-performers alike, she helps them spark, grow, sustain, transform, and share their creativity because she believes that life is just more fun when you tap into that internal resource.

Links and Resources:

• Sustaining Creativity
• Sustaining Creativity Podcast
• @sustainingcreativity on Instagram
• @sustainingcreativity on Facebook
• Mari Reisberg on LinkedIn
• Storytelling School Website
• @storytellingschool on Instagram
• @storytellingSchool on Facebook

I’m teaching a storytelling workshop to 100 non-profit executive directors when one of the CEOs raises her hand. She says, “I don’t have a story. I run the local Humane Society and we depend on donations. None of the donors care about my personal story. They want to hear about the animals.” 

So I ask her why she wanted to become CEO in the first place.

“That’s easy,” she says. “I rescued a kitten when I was young and from then on I knew I wanted to spend my life helping animals.”

Her answer to my question is her story. 

It’s the one she goes on to tell donors who get to know, like, and trust her on a level like never before. And in the months that follow, sharing that story creates a huge competitive advantage in raising money for her local branch of the Humane Society.

That’s the name of the game, folks! And it’s what I’m digging into in this episode as the podcast series “So You Think You Want to Become a Storyteller…” continues. This time we are focusing on how and why to use stories in business.

In the episode, I discuss why using personal stories for business matters, even when dealing with serious issues. I cover the trust factor that stories engender, using story in an environment unaccustomed to it, experimenting with story length, the importance of crafting your story instead of just shooting it from the hip, and much more.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why stories are applicable in any type of business communication
• How to come up with stories for specific business purposes
• How to trim your story down to three minutes or less 

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 teaching 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 affect change in our world, you’ve come to the right place.

Links and Resources:

• “How Story Can Directly Enhance Your Business Success” with O.P. Almaraz
• Storytelling School Website
• @storytellingschool on Instagram
• @storytellingSchool on Facebook

As my birthday approaches, my husband suggests a really nice dinner. I (half) jokingly respond with, “New choice!” 

He ups the ante to a theme park visit. I quickly respond with, “New choice!” 

Then he says, “How about we go to Japan?” I am ALL IN on that idea.

You know you’ve found the love of your life when you and your spouse play improvisation games in normal conversation. (Well, that or you’ve been doing Improv for a long time). 

My guest, Rick Hall, also knows all about Improv. He’s an actor, writer, and great storyteller himself (as you’ll discover with the many enthralling stories he shares on the show today).

If you want to know:

Why choose to sing a story as opposed to just talking it out? AND Why does it better benefit your story to be more ruthless in your editing? Then you’ll enjoy my discussion with Rick as we dip our toes into the world of musical Improv and storytelling lessons from growing up in a small town, including the importance of cutting off the fat and removing distractions in your stories.

What you will learn in this episode:

• How to edit your story to include only what belongs
• How stories can change over time while the core still remains
• How to pull a life lesson out of a story

Who is Rick?

You may recognize Rick Hall. He’s an actor, writer, and storyteller who has appeared on stage and in commercials, movies, and TV Shows. He’s graced audiences with his presence on shows like 24, Arrested Development, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, NCIS, and The Middle.

Rick has a passion for writing and telling original stories. He developed many of these stories into his award-winning independent short film “Slice of Pie” and a one-man show called “Pigboy”. Currently, he coaches storytellers and helps ministers hone their sermon delivery skills. You can listen to his stories on his podcast and visit his website for more information.

Links and Resources:

• Rick Hall
• So Sez Rick
• Storytelling School Website
• @storytellingschool on Instagram
• @storytellingSchool on Facebook

I’m in an incredible business as the director of the International Flash Forward Film Festival. Yet, I look around me and notice that the majority of the speakers and attendees are male. 

“No problem,” I tell myself. “I’ll just get my MBA, and they’ll take me seriously in this male-dominated tech industry.”

So I do that. 

Then I decide, “They’ll take me even more seriously if I become an author.”

So I do that. Twice.

A few years later, I’m at my first TED conference and see plenty of men and women. 

And I discover that those external validations don’t drive them. They don’t care who wrote what or who has what degree. Instead, they’re driven by ideas, insight, and creativity that can change the world. 

My experience of the story I was telling myself completely shifted that day. I already had everything I needed inside of me.

My guest today, Elena Daccus, has also experienced being the only woman in a male-dominated environment. She went from being the sole woman in the boardroom to helping people worldwide find their voice. In this episode, she and I discuss questions like:

What story do you tell yourself when you stand out among those around you? How can you start breaking down stories you tell yourself that no longer serve you? What’s the biggest mistake people in business make?

You’ll also hear us talk about the teacher who tried to impose their limited reality on others, stories you’d like others to tell about you when you die, and the power of seeing the success you want to attain in your mind’s eye.

What you will learn in this episode:

• How you can begin to overcome stories that source your limiting beliefs
• What extremely successful people have in common with each other
• Why storytelling is key to your business messaging and success, especially now

Who is Elena?

When she was a girl, Elena Daccus wanted to be the head of a large company. When revealing this, she was told that the best thing she could be was the local factory secretary. For years, this story someone else told her about herself held her back. Years later, she went from being a girl with limiting beliefs and mindset issues to the youngest and only female across the world’s largest boardroom tables.

Elena is the go-to high-ticket messaging and sales expert who’s bought and sold over 50 companies worth $10 billion and opened the lids to hundreds of businesses online. With 20 years of mergers and acquisitions experience under her belt, she knows exactly what does and doesn’t work, what does and doesn’t sell, and how to create a business that thrives with or without you. She can show you how to drastically simplify your business and put a halt to 90% of what’s keeping you stuck, so you can reach the next level with one powerful message on the virtual stage.

Links and Resources:

• Bossy Heels Podcast
• @bossyheelsclub on Instagram
• Storytelling School Website
• @storytellingschool on Instagram
• @storytellingSchool on Facebook

A theater friend of mine sends me an email. He’s directing a play and wants me to be in it. Yet my schedule is so crazy, I don’t think I can fit it in, and I definitely don’t want to let the other actors down. He insists that we can work around my schedule and then drops a bit of a bombshell. It’s a one-act play, and I’m the only actor in it.

My internal dialogue starts dialing up the panic mode almost immediately:

“Sure, I’m a speaker. I’m an Improv performer. I’ve acted in plays, but I’ve never been in one by myself! Can I really do this?”

The more the fear sets in, though, the more I realize I have to do this. So I tell him I’ll go for it, and we create this crazy character without constraint. I push myself in ways I never have before to bring this character to life.

My guest today, Leah Sprecher, lives her life in stories. She is equally at home on stage and screen, touring the country performing in musicals and in guest stints on popular TV shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live and Blackish. What I’m most excited to talk with her about in this episode, however, is her experience debuting two original one-woman shows as the character of Barbara.

If you’re curious to know:

Why might it be easier to express feelings and vulnerability as a character rather than yourself? And how can characters help you overcome stage fright? You’ll hear about all of this and why you don’t need to start from scratch when building a character, the battle between responding to fans as a character versus yourself, and more!

What you will learn in this episode:

• How to infuse characters with real-life feelings
• Why collaboration can make a world of difference in your performance
• Why relatability and joy are essential for great storytelling

Who is Leah?

Leah Sprecher earned her B.A. in Theatre from UCLA’s Ray Bolger Musical Theatre Program. She has multiple stage, television, and musical credits to her name. Her tours around the country include Broadway musicals like 42nd Street, Happy Days, and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. She’s also performed in Cinderella at Papermill Playhouse and in Pirates of Penzance, Happy Days, and Darling Grenadine at Goodspeed Opera House.

In addition, Leah has done guest stints on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live and Blackish and IFC’s Maron. She also performs as her alter ego Barbara Dixon, a character who satirizes autobiographical cabaret shows that starred people like Barbara Cook, Elaine Stritch, and Liza Minnelli. She debuted original one-woman shows Old Lady Parts and Everything’s Coming Up Barbara as an alumnus of the Groundlings Sunday Company. And recently, she’s sung and toured as a member of The Bombshells, which blends Top 40 hits with tight harmonies popularized by The Andrews Sisters.

Along with her acting work, Leah has written songs for institutions like Invisalign, Funny or Die, and Betch: A Sketch Show. And as a co-founder of Broadway Babies, she teaches classes and performs shows for kids of all ages.

Links and Resources:

• Broadway Barbara
• @broadwaybarbaraofficial on Instagram
• @broadwaybarbaraofficial on TikTok
• @broadwaybabiesshow on Instagram
• @leah_sprecher on Instagram
• Storytelling School Website
• @storytellingschool on Instagram
• @storytellingSchool on Facebook

“What’s one of your earliest memories?” my friend Darrell asks me. At first, it’s hard to remember. As I’m thinking back and back… I finally have one. Poetry! My grandmother and I loved to (and still do!) write, recite, and memorize poems.

I remember one poem in particular to this day: “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out” by Shel Silverstein. 

Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout would not take the garbage out
She'd scour the pots and scrub the pans
Candy the yams and spice the hams
And though her daddy would scream and shout
She simply would not take the garbage out
And so, it piled up to the ceilings
Coffee grounds, potato peelings…

It continues on and I know the whole poem by heart to this day.

What’s really crazy though? It isn’t just the poem I remember – I can still see the accompanying image of a looming, tottering garbage pile threatening to fall over.

Even as an adult, that poem and image are etched in my memory. 

My special guest today, Mike Gordon, has spent a lifetime illustrating books of all kinds. For 36 years, Mike has illustrated over 400 books and brought words to life in the form of images. 

In this episode, we’re taking the story and going beyond the words! We discuss going from blank page to the first drawn line, knowing when you’re done drawing a character, the desire (or lack thereof) of recreating past characters, and the love for being an illustrator.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why quality can sometimes take a back seat to quantity
• What does NOT need to be in a story
• Why looking back might actually slow you down

Who is Mike?

British-born Mike Gordon is a designer, illustrator, and caricaturist who brings original, sophisticated styles and techniques to his work. In 1983, the talented and highly experienced artist started freelance illustrating and has illustrated over 150 books. He draws from his international experience in publishing, public relations, journalism, and advertising to aid his projects and improve his skill set.

Mike’s work incorporates fiction and non-fiction and has been seen in over 18 countries. He illustrates and designs for major publishers like HarperCollins, Penguin, Simon & Schuster, Random Century, Western Publishing, Walker Books, Reed International, Ladybird, Longman, and Wayland. In addition, he’s produced hundreds of greeting card designs for Hallmark in the U.S. and Gordon Fraser in the U.K., among other international giants.

In his spare time, Mike enters cartoons in worldwide competitions which has added to his global reputation as a top humorous illustrator. Ever since 1993, he’s set up operations in California where he’s continued his stellar career, even gaining a nomination in the National Cartoonists Society Awards.

Links and Resources:

• Mike Gordon Illustration
• Mike Gordon on Amazon
• Breadcrumb Books
• Storytelling School Website
• @storytellingschool on Instagram
• @storytellingSchool on Facebook