The Storytellers Network

Is there any type of storyteller “bigger” than someone who creates and writes a television show in prime time? We’re obsessed with our TVs and the characters who move us. Even in the world of streaming, network TV is still a juggernaut.

A Million Little Things, on ABC, tackles everything from suicide to infidelity to a man overcoming breast cancer (but who is far from a saint). On this episode of The Storytellers Network, the creator and showrunner DJ Nash (also a writer and executive producer of the series) takes time to explore storytelling at a whole new level.

“Every single one of them is broken because all of us are broken in different ways. Don’t let that be your limitation. Let it be your inspiration.” - DJ Nash on his characters

Connect with DJ and A Million Little Things:

DJ on Twitter

Show Website

Show Fan Wiki

A Million Little Things Fans on Facebook

If you liked the show, please consider sharing this podcast with your friends, family and network. Your stamp of approval is more valuable than anything I can offer to your network. I appreciate your sharing! Also, leaving a review (and rating) helps spread the word. And just makes me feel warm and squishy.

The Storytellers Network with Dan Moyle publishes every Monday at 7 AM EST.

Storytelling with Faith and Fiction Author Michelle Keener

Today’s guest is author Michelle Keener. Writers definitely entertain us, and Michelle does so with purpose-driven stories like Mission Hollywood and her memoir Shared Courage.

Michelle describes herself as a wife, mom, homeschooler and an author of inspirational fiction and nonfiction… whose books are fueled by Jesus and caffeine.

She’s been involved in ministry for over a decade, including serving in prison ministry, evangelism, women's ministry and youth groups. She currently leads workshops for Christian writers and enjoys encouraging writers and artists to use their gifts to impact the world and glorify God. She has several new books either recently published or getting ready for publication. When she isn't writing, Michelle is reading, baking or eating chocolate… or hanging out on Twitter.

Michelle and her husband Paul have two amazing children and one spoiled dog.

“In my head I know the scene. I know what’s happening. I know what people are wearing. I have to go back and think, ‘Dan might not know these things.’ For me, it’s important to be deliberate about world building.” - Michelle Keener on storytelling

Connect with Michelle:

Michelle’s Website

Michelle’s Amazon Author Page

Facebook

Twitter

If you liked the show, please consider sharing this podcast with your friends, family and network. Your stamp of approval is more valuable than anything I can offer to your network. I appreciate your sharing! Also, leaving a review (and rating) helps spread the word. And just makes me feel warm and squishy.

The Storytellers Network with Dan Moyle publishes every Monday at 7 AM EST.

Voiceover Director Ryan Johnston Shares His Story

Today’s guest works in Hollywood behind the scenes. He’s worked in sound for television series’ like Ultimate Spider-Man, Hulk and the Agents of SMASH, and Sailor Moon. Sound recordist, recording engineer, dialogue recording mixer … there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes on some of our favorite stories.

So today we get to hear some of those behind the scenes stories from Ryan Johnston. Ryan has worked in entertainment for more than a decade, and today he’s sharing his journey, his moments… his story.

“Sometimes I’m working with voice actors I’ve been listening to since I was a kid. Right away it transports me back to Saturday morning cartoons… now I’m in a position to help mold those stories, and pass them along to the next generation. You can’t put a price on that.” - Ryan Johnston on voiceover storytelling.

Connect with Ryan

Ryan’s IMDb page

Instagram

Twitter

If you liked the show, please consider sharing this podcast with your friends, family and network. Your stamp of approval is more valuable than anything I can offer to your network. I appreciate your sharing! Also, leaving a review (and rating) helps spread the word. And just makes me feel warm and squishy.

The Storytellers Network with Dan Moyle publishes every Monday at 7 AM EST.

In his debut book, former Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Chick-fil-A, Steve Robinson shares with readers the secret to the growth and success of one of the nation’s fastest growing fast food restaurants. In Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A: How Faith, Cows, and Chicken Built an Iconic Brand, Robinson takes people behind the scenes to show them how Chick-fil-A scaled up from 184 stores and $100 million in annual sales to more than 2,100 stores and $6.8 billion in annual sales during the 34 years Robinson served as CMO. Read that again marketer. 34 years as CMO.

With an emphasis on building relationships rather than focusing on transactions, Robinson shares some of the philosophies Chick-fil-A employs that may seem counterintuitive to business…and why it has worked so well.

In our conversation, Steve and I also talk about how advertising that entertains is more powerful than just average interruptive advertising.

Connect with Steve:

Steve’s Website

Steve’s book Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A

LinkedIn

If you liked the show, please consider sharing this podcast with your friends, family and network. Your stamp of approval is more valuable than anything I can offer to your network. I appreciate your sharing! Also, leaving a review (and rating) helps spread the word. And just makes me feel warm and squishy.

The Storytellers Network with Dan Moyle publishes every Monday at 7 AM EST.

Author, Podcaster, Audio Drama Creator Paul Sating

Paul Sating is an author and creator of five audio drama podcasts, including Subject: Found, Diary of a Madman, Who Killed Julie?, YOU, and Atheist Apocalypse. He is also the host of Horrible Writing, a podcast where he shares his journey toward being published, along with candid interviews with other writers.

His first three books were published in 2018. Chasing the Demon (a thriller), 12 Deaths of Christmas (a horror anthology), & Novel Idea to Podcast (nonfiction) helped him realize his childhood dream of becoming a published author.

In addition to those ventures, he is the co-creator of an upcoming horror audio drama titled Family Portrait and, when he's not writing books or podcasts, he's punching out short stories for his Patrons and perpetually working on his novels.

“Apple could get out of digital media completely. Then what do you do? You need a newsletter. You don’t control Twitter, Facebook, Spotify… nobody.” - Paul Sating on owning your content.

Connect with Paul:

Website

Paul’s Podcasts

Paul on Patreon

Twitter

Paul’s Amazon Author Page

If you liked the show, please consider sharing this podcast with your friends, family and network. Your stamp of approval is more valuable than anything I can offer to your network. I appreciate your sharing! Also, leaving a review (and rating) helps spread the word. And just makes me feel warm and squishy.

The Storytellers Network with Dan Moyle publishes every Monday at 7 AM EST.

JC Little is a mom, an animator, a humorist, an award-winning story artist, a compelling public speaker and a social media minx! Always playful and often poignant, JC Little blogs her eclectic slice-of-life stories with unique drawings and animation at TheAnimatedWoman.com. She's a happily married mother of three and a director whose 30+ year career in animation has spanned commercials, feature films, TV series, new media, mobile apps and picture-books.

JC is a two-time BlogHer Voice of the Year honoree, and winner of three Canadian Weblog Awards. She's on the Wacom site as a Wacom Ambassador, and delivers highly illustrated keynotes (she what she did there…) on leadership, visual storytelling and empathy. JC is the creator and director of the Disney-syndicated, Gemini-nominated kids TV series, My Life Me, and has animated over 30 short films, the latest of which is the award-winning Papa Pasquale.

She also drew my bride and me for our wedding back in 2011. Look in the show notes for those very special illustrations.

I’ve known JC for a few years now and have followed her story through a couple chapters. Now I want to share her stories with you.

Connect with JC Little:

JC’s Website

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

YouTube

Photojournalism to Comedy with Rich Prange

Rich Prange is a stand-up comic in Phoenix, Arizona. He’s also an award-winning photojournalist. Which is why I know him. We worked together at a TV news station in Kalamazoo, Michigan years ago. And it’s been fun to watch his story unfold, to where he’s now performing his comedy on stages. Rich sees comedy as a storytelling art form much like music.

“People will say they saw a comedian and it’s the same as they saw in a video. That’s because it’s scripted. It’s like a concert. They aren’t just going off the top of their head. It’s a song they wrote.” - Rich Prange on comedy performances.

Connect with Rich:

Rich Prange Comedy on Facebook

Rich Prange Comedy on Twitter

News story on Rich

Telling the Story of the Antwerp Zoo and Convention Center with Anja Stas

Anja Stas creates meaningful marketing with campaigns such as A Room with a Zoo / Zoo of Life/ Kai-Mook. Anja Stas is an award winning marketer with a passion for the possible; bridging ecology and economics. She works for the Flanders Meeting & Convention Center of Antwerp – which is the Antwerp Zoo in Belgium. But it’s so much more than a zoo. It’s a story. And for Anja, being a storyteller is in her makeup.

“We have winter and summer. We have ups and downs. Work, for me, is like that. When you’re an artist, which you are when you’re a storyteller, it’s not about being in balance everyday. It’s from a balanced self within.” - Anja Stas on balancing life and work.

Connect with Anja:

Anja on Twitter

Anja on LinkedIn

A Room with a Zoo

“Room” on Twitter

“Room” on Instagram

“Room” on Facebook

"Flanders Meeting and Convention Center on LinkedIn

If you liked the show, please consider sharing this podcast with your friends, family and network. Your stamp of approval is more valuable than anything I can offer to your network. I appreciate your sharing! Also, leaving a review (and rating) helps spread the word. And just makes me feel warm and squishy.

Telling Stories Through Music with Willie Wisely

Today’s guest is… a musician whose music is hyper-personal, and by turns quirky and unexpectedly profound. On stage he delivers much more than just song. He plays and moves in a can’t-take-your-eyes-off him style that reminds you why leaving the house for live music is so critical to understanding the pop music art form.

I first heard of Willie Wisely when I discovered James Gunn’s Tromeo and Juliet. Willie was the film score composer. I dove into his music from there, had a few conversations, and even tried to help get him to my hometown with a living room concert. If you don’t know what that is, look it up. Unfortunately, it didn’t work, but I’ve kept in touch with him and followed his career. His albums Parador and She have been staples for me over the years. I’m stoked to bring you Willie Wisely on today’s episode.

The longtime Los Angelino (and now prodigally-returning son to his native Minneapolis/St. Paul), has surprised the LA songwriter scene with a recent career rebirth. He brings with him a decades-long, criminally overlooked catalog of pop recording and songwriting that might leave any Paul McCartney & Wings fan wondering why the hell Wisely isn’t opening at Dodger Stadium for Macca in July. Wisely’s love of music permeates his everyday life, including how he decided to cover a Jackie Lomax tune from an obscure Beatles era story.

“We were convinced we were the only people in the world who knew him [Jackie Lomax]. His obscurity was so deep, that when we played his tracks live at our shows we just said we wrote them.” - Willie Wisely on performing.

Connect with Willie:

Willie Wisely Website

Willie on Bandcamp

Twitter

Facebook

If you liked the show, please consider sharing this podcast with your friends, family and network. Your stamp of approval is more valuable than anything I can offer to your network. I appreciate your sharing! Also, leaving a review (and rating) helps spread the word. And just makes me feel warm and squishy.

The Storytellers Network with Dan Moyle publishes every Monday at 7 AM EST.

Using Story to Entertain Baseball Fans

Jesse Cole is the founder of Fans First Entertainment and owner of the summer league baseball team the Savannah Bananas. The Savannah Bananas currently have sold out every game for 3 straight seasons and have a waiting list in the thousands for tickets.

Jesse is an in-demand speaker and released his first book “Find Your Yellow Tux – How to Be Successful by Standing Out” in 2018. He's been featured on MSNBC and as a keynote speaker all over the country, promoting his motto "If it's normal, do the exact opposite."

“Contagious caring creates a ripple effect. All of us need to care more. You can talk about caring til you’re blue in the face. But how do you show it?” - Jess Cole on sharing your wins

Connect with Jesse:

The Savannah Bananas Website

Jesse’s book Find Your Yellow Tux

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Jesse in Forbes

If you liked the show, please consider sharing this podcast with your friends, family and network. Your stamp of approval is more valuable than anything I can offer to your network. I appreciate your sharing! Also, leaving a review (and rating) helps spread the word. And just makes me feel warm and squishy.

The Storytellers Network with Dan Moyle publishes every Monday at 7 AM EST.