The Story Craft Podcast

What if growing your business didn’t require louder marketing, trend-chasing, or burning yourself out—but instead, clarity, alignment, and better listening?

In this episode of The Story Craft Podcast, Dr. Meg Adams sits down with Amy Traugh—bestselling author, business strategist, and founder of The Metrics Maven—to explore how data, storytelling, and authenticity work together to create sustainable business growth.

Amy has built and scaled three businesses in under five years without a business degree or burnout by doing what most online “gurus” overlook: paying attention to metrics that actually matter. In this conversation, she challenges outdated growth tactics and invites solopreneurs to stop guessing—and start leading with clarity, confidence, and ease.

Through a Whole Story Living lens, this episode explores what it means to portray yourself honestly, curate a brand that feels aligned with who you are, and use metrics not as pressure—but as feedback. Amy reframes data as a form of listening: to your audience, your energy, and the story your business is telling over time.

• Why buyer behavior has changed—and why old growth strategies no longer work

• What it means to curate a brand that feels authentic and honest to you

• How solopreneurs can align numbers, narrative, and values

This episode is especially for solopreneurs, creatives, and service-based business owners who want to grow without losing themselves—and who believe that success should feel aligned, not exhausting.

If you’ve ever felt tension between “being yourself” and “doing what works,” this conversation brings those two worlds back together.

Some of the strongest leaders don’t command the room.
They hold it.

In this episode of The Story Craft Podcast, Kyle Adams talks about confident, quiet leadership, and why listening may be the most underrated leadership skill we have.

Kyle draws from his decade-long career as a television journalist and meteorologist, where listening carefully—to people, to context, to what’s unsaid—was essential. From live broadcasts to documentary storytelling, Kyle learned that trust isn’t built through volume or performance, but through presence and discernment.

Through the Whole Story Living framework, this episode centers on relational intelligence: the ability to lead with empathy, attunement, and intention in a world that often confuses speed with wisdom.

This conversation is an invitation to rethink leadership, not as something we project, but something we practice in relationship with others.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to be louder, faster, or more visible to be taken seriously, this episode offers a different—and deeply human—path forward.

What if 2026 isn’t about more content—but about more connection?

In this episode of The Story Craft Podcast, Dr. Meg Adams is joined by Amber Zaricor, one of Tennessee’s Top 10 Designers and the founder of Copperheart Creative.

Amber is also the creator of the Fill Your Cup Conference, an in-person experience designed to help career women slow down, reconnect, and rediscover what lights them up. As host of the Small Business Big Heart, Amber has spent years listening to the stories of entrepreneurs who lead with empathy and heart.

Together, Meg and Amber explore why thoughtfully designed in-person events are essential for real connection, creativity, and sustainable leadership, especially as our lives become more shaped by screens and algorithms.

Through a Whole Story Living lens, this conversation invites leaders, creatives, and entrepreneurs to rethink what it means to gather and how shared stories can help us feel more human again.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why in-person gatherings are critical for connection in 2026

• What makes an event feel meaningful, not transactional

• How storytelling creates trust and belonging in shared spaces

• Why slowing down is a leadership skill—not a luxury

• How to design experiences that people remember long after they leave

If you’re craving deeper connection and more intentional community, this episode is for you.

In this compelling conversation, Kyle Adams, co-founder of Homeplace Creative and award-winning filmmaker gets real about what it takes to lead like a human in a world obsessed with efficiency. Drawing from his work as a coach and entrepreneur, Kyle explores practical, everyday actions that help teams slow down, connect deeply, and build cultures of belonging.You’ll learn how to:

• Recognize when “efficiency” is eroding empathy
• Lead relationally, listening, noticing, and responding instead of optimizing
• Create human-centered rhythms that foster trust and creativity
• Reimagine leadership as the art of attention, not control
  

This episode challenges the machine-like models of leadership that burn people out, and offers a grounded, hopeful alternative: leadership that feels alive.

Bring Whole Story Living to your organization. Hire Meg and Kyle Adams for keynotes, leadership workshops, or storytelling consulting at Homeplace Creative

In this solo episode, Dr. Meg Adams, TEDx speaker, professor, and founder of Homeplace Creative, shares how we can stay fully human in an age shaped by algorithms. Drawing from her Whole Story Living framework, Meg explores how storytelling, reflection, and relational intelligence help leaders and creators thrive, not just survive, in a world where AI often moves faster than our hearts can follow. You’ll learn:

• Why slowing down is the most radical act of leadership in a speed-driven culture
• How to use AI thoughtfully—as a creative companion, not a replacement for human connection
• Simple Whole Story Living practices to help you reconnect to meaning, authenticity, and presence
  

This episode invites you to step off autopilot and back into authorship, to live a story that feels like yours. Bring Whole Story Living to your team or event. Book Dr. Meg Adams and Kyle Adams for keynotes, leadership workshops, or storytelling consulting at Homeplace Creative

In this insightful episode, Dr. Meg and Kyle Adams talk with Jeneanne Ballos, Chief Operating Officer at Digital River Media and Founder of Garden Variety Consulting, about how to live with AI in ways that make us more human.

With decades of experience leading large, cross-functional teams and driving multimillion-dollar efficiencies across industries, Jeneanne brings a rare blend of operational precision and human-centered wisdom. She shares how organizations can:

• Form an AI Council to guide ethical and strategic AI use
• Balance innovation with trust when it comes to data collection and information sharing
• Encourage teams to “play” with AI—to experiment, learn, and stay curious—without losing their humanity in the process
• 
  

Connect with Jeneanne on Linked In.

Together, they explore what it means to build systems that serve people, not the other way around.

Listen to learn how AI can enhance empathy, conversation, and creativity, when used with intention.

Bring Whole Story Living to your organization. Hire Meg and Kyle Adams for keynotes, leadership workshops, or brand storytelling consulting at Homeplace Creative

What does it really mean to live your whole story in a world that’s moving faster than ever? In this season premiere, Dr. Meg and Kyle Adams, founders of Homeplace Creative and hosts of The Story Craft Podcast, reintroduce their show with a fresh perspective: Whole Story Living.

They unpack how this framework helps leaders, creators, and teams reconnect to what makes them human in an age of algorithms. From digital overwhelm to authentic storytelling, Meg and Kyle explore the art of leading with presence, building trust through story, and communicating with purpose.

Whether you’re leading a business, a brand, or a classroom, this episode will help you slow down, show up, and craft stories that move people, not just platforms.

Hire Meg and Kyle to bring Whole Story Living to your next keynote, leadership retreat, or brand storytelling project at Homeplace Creative

How do we stay human in an AI world? That’s the question at the heart of Season Two of The Story Craft Podcast where storytelling researchers, filmmakers, and communication strategists Dr. Meg and Kyle Adams explore what it means to live, lead, and create from a place of wholeness.

Each episode unpacks the craft of story through the lens of Whole Story Living,  a framework for authentic leadership, human-centered communication, and meaningful connection. You’ll hear conversations about narrative identity, creativity, digital wellness, and how to build trust and belonging through story.

From university classrooms to television studios, Meg and Kyle have spent over a decade helping leaders and organizations craft messages that move people  not just algorithms. Whether you’re a brand, a team, or a thought leader, their work bridges the gap between strategy and soul.

Ready to bring Whole Story Living to your company or event? Book Meg and Kyle for keynotes, leadership workshops, or brand storytelling consulting at

homeplacecreativeco.com

In this episode, host Dr. Meg Adams, a digital storytelling expert and community-building advocate, dives into the art of listening without judgment, especially in the wake of divisive events like elections. With a Ph.D. in Rhetoric & Writing and a background in journalism, Dr. Adams brings a unique perspective to how thought leaders and professional storytellers can bridge divides and connect with those who hold different viewpoints.

Dr. Adams discusses why it's essential to "listen for the story behind the story," urging us to go beyond surface-level opinions to uncover the deeper narratives that shape people's choices. She explains that when we approach others with empathy and curiosity, we’re better equipped to foster true community, even in polarized times. This approach, she argues, is a vital skill for anyone aiming to build an inclusive, story-driven brand that resonates across diverse audiences.

Listeners will gain practical tips on:

Dr. Adams’ insights are a must-listen for thought leaders, brand storytellers, and anyone committed to building connections that endure. By embodying empathy and storytelling, we can transform how we engage with others—and ultimately create communities that thrive through understanding, not division.

SHOW NOTES:

- Connect with Dr. Meg Adams here: https://www.drmegadams.com/

Welcome to The Story Craft Podcast—I’m your host, Dr. Meg Adams, co-founder of Homeplace Creative.

Today, we’re diving into one of the most powerful tools in communication: story exchange. When we share our stories with others and listen to theirs, we open the door to deeper understanding, empathy, and trust.

In this episode, we’ll explore why exchanging stories is essential for meaningful communication—whether you’re leading a team, connecting with an audience, or building relationships.

Join me as we uncover how storytelling helps bridge gaps, break down barriers, and create connections that go beyond surface-level interaction.

If you're looking to improve how you communicate and engage with others, this episode will provide valuable insights into the transformative power of story exchange!

Show Notes

Connect with Dr. Meg Adams: