Life has a way of delivering unexpected curveballs — moments that force us to stop, reassess, and decide how we’ll move forward. In this powerful episode of The Starfish Storytellers, we welcome Heidi Siefkas, Speaker, Storyteller, Four-Time Author, and Creator of the 'Look Up' Mantra.

Heidi shares her extraordinary personal journey - from surviving a life-altering accident to rebuilding her world after profound loss - and how those experiences shaped her belief that perspective is a survival skill. What began as a personal promise to “look up” has since evolved into a global movement, bringing together resilience stories from people across cultures, continents, and lived experiences.

Together, we explore:

·How resilience doesn’t erase hardship, but helps us keep moving forward

·Why perspective is something we return to again and again — not something we “find” once

·The common threads that unite global stories of survival, healing, and reinvention

·How community, mindfulness, and choice play a role in overcoming life’s hardest moments

This conversation is an honest, deeply human reminder that even in our darkest seasons, one breath, one shift in perspective, and one story can change everything.

To read the stories about ordinary people who have been able to do extraordinary things, pick up Heidi’s book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2yGnrE2.To learn more about Heidi and the ‘Look Up’ mantra, visit https://heidisiefkas.com/.

This episode isn’t just about a man in a red suit. It’s about the art of bringing wonder, joy, and connection to life through storytelling. Santa isn’t merely a holiday figure—he’s a master storyteller, a keeper of tradition, and a living example of generosity in action.

From the sparkle in a child’s eyes to the lessons we carry into adulthood, the story of Santa reminds us of kindness, courage, and the enduring power of belief. And who better to take us on this journey than Ed Taylor, one of the most requested Santa actors in the world.

You’ve seen him on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE, The Today Show, and The Talk, and in commercials for Chrysler, Kohl’s, and Reddi Whip. For years, Ed has devoted himself to perfecting the magic of Santa—bringing him to life with authenticity and heart, and teaching others to do the same.

In this conversation, we’ll explore:

✨ How storytelling fuels the Santa tradition

✨ Why authenticity and intention matter more than perfection

✨ The power of The Golden Christmas™—when a child transitions from believing in Santa to becoming part of Santa

✨ Insights from Ed’s book, Bexley & Thayer: The Mystery of Santa Claus, which goes beyond Christmas to explore happiness, confidence, and perseverance: https://bexleyandthayer.com/

At its heart, this episode is a celebration of the stories that connect us—and a reminder that belief, generosity, and joy are gifts we can carry all year long.

In a world driven by deadlines, deliverables, and data points, it’s easy to forget that at the heart of every campaign, pitch, or press release… is a story. Storytelling is the thread that connects boardrooms and bedtime routines, brand launches and lullabies.

But somewhere along the way - especially for those of us in the business of shaping messages - we can lose touch with the purest form of storytelling: the kind that sparks wonder, invites play, and lives in the imagination of a child.

In this episode, Nancy Merrill, a communications consultant turned children’s author of the holiday book Elf Dust, shares her personal story behind the book’s creation, why she believes kids need more imagination, and how her successful PR career coaching executives on how to connect with their teams helped her step into the spotlight as an author.

Whether you're a parent, a writer, or someone dreaming of turning an old idea into something new, this conversation will warm your heart and remind you: sometimes the smallest stories have the most lasting magic.

In our interconnected world, telling a great brand story isn’t just about finding the right words. It’s about making sure those words, images, and ideas resonate across cultures. Great storytelling isn’t just about what you say, it’s about how it lands with the people you’re talking to.

In this episode, we welcomed multilingual storyteller and brand strategist Christabel Alio. A community manager, content manager, and PR manager, Christabel holds dual Master’s degrees in Corporate Communication and Brand Strategy, specializing in localization, translation, and cross-cultural communication.

The art of cultural adaptation in storytelling shapes global brand messages so they align with local values, customs, and expectations without losing their original essence. We discussed why “just translating” isn’t enough, how cultural nuances can make or break a campaign, and Christabel shared some practical strategies that brands can use to connect with audiences in meaningful, authentic ways across different countries.

Storytelling is becoming an essential leadership skill for today’s project managers. Far beyond Gantt charts and spreadsheets, effective project management hinges on the ability to communicate vision, inspire teams, and navigate change with empathy and clarity.

In this episode, host Liana Henry sits down with her husband and business partner, Phillip Henry, COO of The Black Dog Group and a certified Project Management Professional, to explore how storytelling can transform the way project managers lead.

From guiding multi-million-dollar projects to mentoring enterprise teams, Phillip has seen firsthand that success in project management isn’t just about Gantt charts and deadlines. It’s about the human element.

Phillip unpacks how narrative can communicate vision with clarity, inspire teams to work toward a common goal, navigate change with empathy and resilience, turn dry “lessons learned” into engaging, actionable retrospectives, and win true stakeholder buy-in, not just signatures on a plan.

Take a listen if you are looking for practical frameworks, pitfalls to avoid, and tips to apply whether you’re managing a marketing campaign, a software rollout, or a community initiative. If you’re ready to lead with more than timelines, this episode is your toolkit.

Great storytelling isn’t just about words - it’s about how they’re spoken. Voiceover brings stories to life, adding depth, emotion, and personality to every message. Whether it’s the excitement of a product launch, the clarity of an explainer video, or the authority of an instructional course, the right voice makes all the difference. A compelling voiceover doesn’t just inform. It connects, engages, and stays with the audience long after they’ve heard it.

In this episode, we were joined by CJ Merritt, a voice actor based out of Los Angeles who specializes in providing voiceover services to recognizable brands such as the NBA, Acura, and Snapchat. CJ shared his approach to each different project (since he is always considering the audience while delivering for his clients), how tone evokes emotions, and how AI has shaken up the voiceover industry.

In this episode, we're diving into the world of inclusive storytelling—what it means, why it matters, and how writers can do it better. When authors and creators shape more authentic characters and avoid unconscious bias, they tell stories that reflect the richness of real-world experiences.

Our guest, Stacey Parshall Jensen, a Sensitivity Reader, Diversity Editor, and Cultural Consultant, shares how she helps clients deepen character development, what happens when someone writes outside of their own cultural lens, and how she guides clients through the complexities of bias.

Storytelling is an art and a science. It shapes cultures, drives initiatives, and transforms the way we connect with the world. But storytelling isn’t just about entertainment. It’s also a powerful leadership tool.

Storytelling influences, inspires, and creates a lasting impact. To all those leaders out there - whether you are in the boardroom, in nonprofits, or in a technical field - remember: how you tell your story can determine how effectively you lead.

In this episode, Sally Amkoa, a finance leader for a national insurance company and a leadership storytelling coach, shared her deep love for African storytelling traditions, how she designs storytelling programs for executives, and how she brings impactful storytelling to local nonprofits.

Storytelling is at the heart of every great brand, and one of the most potent storytelling frameworks is the Hero’s Journey. From ancient myths to blockbuster films, this timeless structure captivates audiences and takes them on an emotional journey. When applied to branding, the Hero’s Journey turns customers into protagonists, brands into trusted guides, and products into transformative solutions.

In this episode, we hear from Doug Birnbaum, the founder of Branded Content Media - a thriving commercial video and photography production company in Hollywood, dedicated to cinematic brand storytelling. We explored how the Hero’s Journey framework influences brand storytelling and how Doug incorporates it into all his projects.

You can learn more about Doug at https://www.dougbirnbaum.com

History isn’t just a record of the past - it’s a lens through which we understand power, deception, and the patterns that continue to shape our world today. Nowhere is this more evident than in the stories of organized crime and financial fraud, where the shadows of history reveal the schemes, betrayals, and high-stakes games that still play out in modern finance.

In this episode, we welcomed Stefano Siggia, Anti-Money Laundering Consultant and historical fiction author from Belgium, and dive into the realities of his role and the historical storytelling he is doing, peeling back the layers of financial crimes and espionage to see what lessons they hold for us today.

His book “The Iron Shadow”, a wartime novel with a twist, is scheduled to be released on May 22nd and can be found on Amazon.