The Breakdown

There’s a familiar maxim that says, “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” This statement is an acknowledgement that, for some very important things, words are elusive. Sometimes, we lack progress or impact because we lack the language and constructs needed to effect change. 

Theresa Agresta and Cynthia Forstmann are veteran brand agency owners. Their deep work with brands uncovered clear ties between organizational culture, trust, and reputation. Clients who set out to fulfill big ambitions often fell short for lack of a way to define, measure, and grow their culture. So, Theresa and Cynthia created the framework that was needed. Today, a network of certified partners – including Stereo – are helping clients find game-changing clarity on organizational culture world wide. 

CultureTalk builds on an archetypal understanding of culture. Archetypes are symbols, themes, settings, and characters that recur in myth, literature, and society so frequently as to suggest that they embody essential elements of ‘universal’ human experience.

In our conversation, the power of story is evident though CultureTalk is a novel and fresh way of using story as a means to lead businesses and organizations to greater performance.

Bill Shakespeare wrote, “All the world’s a stage. And all the men and women merely players.” The Bard seemed to know this much: we ALL tell stories… with our lives, with our words, with our work.

Stories are unavoidable and eminently useful. Narrative is how we make sense of the world and its complexities.

Businesses tell stories to help customers find their tribe. The stories we tell as branders are an invitation to see and experience the world in a certain way. At their best, they help people make choices and align in ways that can move the planet forward.

Still, like most concepts in marketing, storytelling has become a buzzword. Its deep meaning is at risk of being lost in a marketplace with too much noise and not enough signal.

As a business leader, how might you better understand and leverage the power of story? What are the keys to telling a better story? On this episode, we explore these questions and more with John Bucher. He is a story consultant to Hollywood and serves as creative director for the Joseph Campbell Foundation. His insights have sharpened stories brought to life by HBO, DC Comics, The History Channel, A24 Films, and The John Maxwell Leadership Foundation. John is also a leading voice in the conversation around the future of storytelling through virtual reality and the metaverse.

Learn more about John Bucher and his work at tellingabetterstory.com.

Near the beginning of our conversation, we mention our shared appreciation for the legendary actor, magician, and writer Ricky Jay. Watch his one-man-show, “Ricky Jay and his 52 Assistants,” and prepare to be amazed.

In the 1987 film, Wall Street, Gordon Gecko notoriously declared, “Greed is good.” On this episode of The Breakdown, we wonder, “Is beauty better?” In recent years, purpose has moved center-stage for business leaders. Too often, the subject is approached entirely through words with little to show in the way of changed actions or behaviors.

Steven Morris is the author of The Beautiful Business – an actionable manifesto to shape any business into an unignorable entity that stands the test of time.

Lean in as we discuss these questions and more: Do the core motivations of founders matter? Can business be beautiful? Is there a way to organize and lead our companies that reliably brings fulfillment and impact beyond the balance sheet? What might happen if your business begins to operate with love at its core?

If you’re a leader who wants to break away from the dominant paradigms but aren’t quite sure where to begin, this conversation is for you.

The Beautiful Business is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books. Learn more about Steven Morris and his work at matterco.co.

Some of the world’s most famous brands are obsessed with appearance. They sell products to consumers who share the same obsession. But what is beauty? How do you know when you’ve seen it? If the saying is true and beauty is more than skin deep, then it must come down to more than looks. That means beauty might be missed if we don’t know where to look or more importantly, how to look. Katie Driscoll is the founder and president of Changing the Face of Beauty, mom to a daughter with down syndrome, and verified trail blazer. She’s helped build industry changing campaigns in advertising and media worldwide. In this episode of The Breakdown, we’ll discuss how media and advertising can change perceptions of the largest minority in the world – the disability community. Learn more about Katie Driscoll and her organization at changingthefaceofbeauty.org. Also, find her family’s purpose-driven candle business at thegraceeffect.com.

As much or more than any profession, brand strategists should understand the power of language. But when we look closely, it becomes clear that words, names, and distinctive ways of speaking are brand assets that are underplayed by most businesses and organizations. Louise Karch is working to change this. Known as the name whisperer, Louise develops strikingly sticky names and strategic taglines for brands that matter. She is the CEO of BRANDFluence – a consultancy focused on naming, taglines, storytelling, and brand performance. In addition, Louise is a coach for Seth Godin’s AKIMBO workshops serving freelancers, bootstrappers, and creative leaders. In this episode of The Breakdown, we’ll discuss what makes a brand name powerful, how to test a tagline, and how the language used by brands both influences and reflects cultural shifts.

During our conversation, Louise mentions Deloitte’s 2019 Purpose Report and an article titled The Elements of Value published in Harvard Business Review.

Learn more about Louise Karch and order her books at wordglue.co.

Two eyes. Two ears. One mouth. The design of the human body itself seems to suggest that we should watch and listen at least twice as much as we speak or express. But it can be hard to remember that. Especially in the world of corporate communications and advertising. Everyone has a message they’re anxious to share with the world. Frequently, we end up talking too much and observing too little.

My guest on this episode believes that observation – the ability to see and understand, and the discipline to do it – is essential to shaping brand messages that are worth sharing. Jennifer Wright is a strategist and innovator. She’s worked in agencies large and small, defining opportunities and solving problems for global brands – and brands focused much closer to home.

Though she never expected to have a career in advertising, it’s become part of who she is. Now, Jennifer helps brands find the stories they were meant to tell. And she believes rewriting the stories we tell ourselves is one of the most powerful ways to impact society for the better.

What might you learn from your workforce if someone were able to ask them what they really thought of your company or organization? 

Known as a Leading Authority on Employee Retention, Clint Pulver helps organizations retain, engage, and inspire their team members from the front desk to the board room and every place in between. He expertly helps audiences navigate generational complexities, communication challenges, leadership missteps, and cultural cues. And… he’s a drummer (we love that) who found his path to purpose, in part, through drumming.

Clint’s new book is I Love It Here – How great leaders create organizations their people never want to leave. Available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold. Learn more about Clint and his speaking / consulting practice at clintpulver.com.

There are 7.8 billion people in the world… and almost as many podcasts. So really, who needs another one? The answer is quite possibly you. As the leader of an expert firm for brand transformation, I see first hand how culture and mindset expand or limit the likelihood of a business or organization to achieve its goals. Building a culture-centered brand can feel overwhelming. But if we break things down and focus on the fundamentals, we can distill clarity from the complex. And when we do, the possibilities are endless.

Join me on The Breakdown podcast launching March 2021. And please, email [email protected] with topic suggestions if there are specific ways we can shape our conversations to help your business strengthen its culture, brand, and organizational mindset.