When you give a presentation of any kind, you don't actually have a captive audience. YOU need to captivate. This is a story structure that can both captivate your audience AND deliver the message or lesson they most need (and you need to distribute to do your job).

As mentioned, there are just a few spaces left in the next cohort of my public speaking accelerator. Grab yours here:

Join the next cohort of Design My Signature Talk (starts Feb. 23, 2026)→

***

ABOUT ME, JAY ACUNZO

I work with entrepreneurs, execs, and teams on the journey from competent to resonant. To do that, I help transform your thinking into clear, captivating ideas, speeches, and IP. Stop chasing attention. Become the one others seek.

I’m a former marketing leader at Google and HubSpot and globally touring speaker and author. I've spent 20 years building the exact thought leadership I now help clients create—as a practitioner-peer, not a coach with templates.

Work with me 1:1, book me to speak, or explore free resources at jayacunzo.com

Don't market more. Matter more.

Think resonance over reach.

Don't be the best. Be their favorite.

***

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Thanks for listening!

Go inside inside my public speaking accelerator, Design My Signature Talk, with this clip from our final group call.

Watch the full video of this episode→

Join the next cohort of Design My Signature Talk (starts Feb. 23, 2026)→

In this episode, hear Brian Piper deliver his brand new signature story as a reliable opener of his brand new signature talk that we developed in the cohort. He used this material to get 3 brand new client leads from his first attempt.

Brian is a marketing consultant and an author who works with people in higher ed. He helps them embrace AI and become more analytical and data led. But for years, he struggled with developing a SIGNATURE speech, instead building new talks every talk. He also struggled to draw from a major source of ideas and identity and stories in his life, refusing to put that material on stage -- a problem we navigated in the cohort to finally crack the code on a stronger opening story for him.

***

ABOUT ME, JAY ACUNZO

I work with entrepreneurs, execs, and teams on the journey from competent to resonant. To do that, I help transform your thinking into clear, captivating ideas, speeches, and IP. Stop chasing attention. Become the one others seek.

I’m a former marketing leader at Google and HubSpot and globally touring speaker and author. I've spent 20 years building the exact thought leadership I now help clients create—as a practitioner-peer, not a coach with templates.

Work with me 1:1, book me to speak, or explore free resources at jayacunzo.com

Don't market more. Matter more.

Think resonance over reach.

Don't be the best. Be their favorite.

***

ENJOY THE SHOW? PLEASE SAY THANKS!

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 

Leave a rating on Spotify 

Thanks for listening!

If you want to book more and better speaking opportunities, this is the episode for you.

I take a closer look at the process most speakers miss, not because they haven't had any success selling their offerings, but precisely because they have. Speaking works in the opposite way to almost everything else. It's an inverted commercial model. We need to embrace this fact and invest our time, energy, and budget accordingly, if we want to book more and better stages, charge or raise our speaker fees, and develop a sustainable pipeline of keynotes and speaking engagements.

There's a paradox at the center of what it takes to do this well. Get ready to reverse your process!

Join the next cohort of Design My Signature Talk (starts Feb. 23, 2026)→

Get the full transcript and visual model from this episode→

Get my best resources for keynote speakers→

***

ABOUT ME, JAY ACUNZO

I work with entrepreneurs, execs, and teams on the journey from competent to resonant. To do that, I help transform your thinking into clear, captivating ideas, speeches, and IP. Stop chasing attention. Become the one others seek.

I’m a former marketing leader at Google and HubSpot and globally touring speaker and author. I've spent 20 years building the exact thought leadership I now help clients create—as a practitioner-peer, not a coach with templates.

Work with me 1:1, book me to speak, or explore free resources at jayacunzo.com

Don't market more. Matter more.

Think resonance over reach.

Don't be the best. Be their favorite.

***

ENJOY THE SHOW? PLEASE SAY THANKS!

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 

Leave a rating on Spotify 

Thanks for listening!

There’s this THING that happens to a public speaker and storyteller that feels addicting. It happens after you’ve internalized your content and put in the reps. You’re no longer consciously thinking about what to say next or how to say it. Instead, you can just walk up on stage, or fire up the camera, or switch on the mic, and just BE.

Few speakers and storytellers have achieved that level of internalized, authentic performance like Scott Stratten (LinkedIn).

Scott is a Hall of Fame public speaker and the founder of UnMarketing. He believes we can build a better business world based on integrity, community, and authenticity. Together with his wife and business partner Alison, they’ve written 6 bestselling business books, while Scott travels the world performing from stages to thousands of people at a time. 

To hear Scott is to experience just that. A performance.

Today, we’ll hear an incredible story Scott tells in his keynotes, then we’ll talk shop about the mechanics of storytelling, the misnomers and opportunities in becoming a stronger public voice, and frankly, we have some of the most fun I’ve had on this show … ever.

***

ABOUT ME, JAY ACUNZO

I work with entrepreneurs, execs, and teams on the journey from competent to resonant. To do that, I help transform your thinking into clear, captivating ideas, speeches, and IP. Stop chasing attention. Become the one others seek.

I’m a former marketing leader at Google and HubSpot and globally touring speaker and author. I've spent 20 years building the exact thought leadership I now help clients create—as a practitioner-peer, not a coach with templates.

Work with me 1:1, book me to speak, or explore free resources at jayacunzo.com

Don't market more. Matter more.

Think resonance over reach.

Don't be the best. Be their favorite.

***

ENJOY THE SHOW? PLEASE SAY THANKS!

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 

Leave a rating on Spotify 

Thanks for listening!

The more experienced and accomplished my guests are, the more they tend to care deeply about the little things. They're the ones who could "wing it" and actually get away with it, and yet, they don't. In their speeches, stories, messages, and everywhere they show up, they focus on the tiny details that make their words resonate.

My guest in this episode is the perfect picture of this phenomenon. It's David Burkus.

David is the bestselling author of 5 books, including his latest, a national bestseller: Best Team Ever: The Surprising Science of High-Performing Teams. David's TED Talks have amassed more than 4 million views, and he's given nearly 300 keynote speeches around the world.

In this episode, we hear and dissect a story about the CEO of Ford which David tells on stages. He's made it his own, finding details nobody else has and crafting a narrative nobody else can. Plus, we discuss:

• Why you shouldn't purely or even mainly tell stories from inside your own industry
• How to calibrate your voice for different audience sizes
• And the tiniest details which add up to make the biggest impact when you communicate

I've always appreciated his thoughtfulness about speaking and storytelling behind-the-scenes

This is an ADDICTING exploration of the craft of business storytelling... with the wise and wonderful David Burkus!

***

ABOUT ME, JAY ACUNZO

I help experts and entrepreneurs win more and better clients, at higher prices, with less friction. To do that, I help transform your thinking into clear, captivating ideas, speeches, and IP. Stop chasing attention. Become the one others seek.

I’m a former marketing leader at Google and HubSpot and globally touring speaker and author. I've spent 20 years building the exact thought leadership I now help clients create—as a practitioner-peer, not a coach with templates.

Work with me 1:1, book me to speak, or explore free resources at jayacunzo.com

Don't market more. Matter more.

Think resonance over reach.

Don't be the best. Be their favorite.

***

ENJOY THE SHOW? PLEASE SAY THANKS!

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 

Leave a rating on Spotify 

Thanks for listening!

When you’re an expert in something, it’s tempting to assume the role of your communication is to deliver something in an academic way. Instruct, advise, and teach. Sometimes, this devolves into shoving a wall of smarts *at* the world. But you need to translate what you know into language that causes others to care. That's something today's guest embraced 10 years ago, and the combination of his ideas and his influence have put him in rare company.

Today's guest is David C. Baker, a 7-time author which the New York Times once called "the expert's expert." His business, Punctuation, and his seminal books like The Business of Expertise and Selling Your Professional Service Firm help business owners achieve their next milestones with clarity and confidence. 

Today, we hear from David about why the EASY part of our work as experts is the insight. The hard part is wrapping insight into something delicious others want to eat.

Plus, he shares a rare kind of story he wrote, and we break it down together, and you'll get a fascinating look inside the thought process and creative practice of one of the world's top voices in the business of expertise.

This is a great one with the great David C. Baker!

***

ABOUT ME, JAY ACUNZO

I help experts and entrepreneurs win more and better clients, at higher prices, with less friction. To do that, I help transform their thinking into resonant, repeatable ideas that define categories, build movements, and make them the favorite voice in their space—not just another option. Stop chasing attention. Become the one others seek.

I’m a former marketing leader at Google and HubSpot and globally touring speaker and author. I've spent 20 years building the exact thought leadership I now help clients create—as a practitioner-peer, not a coach with templates.

Work with me 1:1, book me to speak, or explore free resources at jayacunzo.com

Don't market more. Matter more.

Think resonance over reach.

Don't be the best. Be their favorite.

***

ENJOY THE SHOW? PLEASE SAY THANKS!

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 

Leave a rating on Spotify 

Thanks for listening!

Very excited for this one, my friend: I'm releasing a recording of a coaching call I had with entrepreneur Michelle Florendo, who runs a business called Powered by Decisions. You'll hear us walk through frameworks you can use to turn messy or scattered thinking into a clear and differentiated premise Michelle can use to strengthen her messaging and thought leadership.

First, I share a primer on premise development. What's a premise, and what makes a premise effective?

Then, you'll hear the full call with me and Michelle.

Michelle is a decision engineer, which is an entire academic field of research and knowledge which frankly most of us need to understand more about!

This is a fascinating look inside my process with clients and the process of turning your expertise into repeatable, powerful IP.

Learn more about Michelle's work at poweredbydecisions.com.

***

ABOUT ME

Hello! I'm Jay Acunzo. I help experts and service providers clarify their ideas and create sustainable momentum. Together, we turn your expertise into a distinct premise, clear message, owned IP, and signature speeches. Stop chasing attention. Become the one others seek.

You’ve done lots of things. Now it’s time to [be] a thing. It's time to stop chasing attention and become the one others seek.

Work with me 1:1, book me to speak, or explore free resources at jayacunzo.com

Now here's a technique called "laddering down your message" which I use with clients and my own message to the world. You can understand me in three simple phrases, in order. Try crafting your own!

• Don't market more. Matter more. (<-- what we want; a moment to align with you)
• Think resonance over reach. (<-- what we need, i.e. the premise I'm asserting)
• Don't be the best. Be their favorite. (<-- what we hope, aka our aspirational outcome)

That's called "laddering your message," and it's something I help clients do as part of my 1:1 advisory process. 

***

ENJOY THE SHOW? PLEASE SAY THANKS!

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 

Leave a rating on Spotify 

Thanks for listening!

It's one thing for a solopreneur with a microphone to tell you to trust your own lived experiences to differentiate, resonate, and tell stronger stories. But what happens when there are millions of dollars at stake and millions of viewers consuming your work? 

Meet Jordan Geary, an Emmy Award-winning producer and storytelling expert. As the Senior Creative Producer of Current Series at Sesame Workshop, he helped shape iconic live-action and animated shows, including Ghostwriter and Helpsters for Apple TV+, Sesame Street Mecha Builders and Bea’s Block for HBO Max, and over 300 Sesame Studios shorts for YouTube.

In this episode, we hear and discuss a personal story of his, and you'll also hear:

• How Sesame Workshop ensures their stories connect (it actually involves ONE specific kind of moment they intentionally include each time)
• The questions you can ask yourself to resonate more consistently
• The 1 thing Jordan previously believed about storytelling which his career experiences have forced him to rethink

Learn more about Jordan's work at jordangeary.com or follow him on Instagram.

***

ABOUT ME

Hello! I'm Jay Acunzo. I help experts and service providers clarify their ideas and create sustainable momentum. Together, we turn your expertise into a distinct premise, clear message, owned IP, and signature speeches. Stop chasing attention. Become the one others seek.

You’ve done lots of things. Now it’s time to [be] a thing. It's time to stop chasing attention and become the one others seek.

Work with me 1:1, book me to speak, or explore free resources at jayacunzo.com

Now here's a technique called "laddering down your message" which I use with clients and my own message to the world. You can understand me in three simple phrases, in order. Try crafting your own!

• Don't market more. Matter more. (<-- what we want; a moment to align with you)
• Think resonance over reach. (<-- what we need, i.e. the premise I'm asserting)
• Don't be the best. Be their favorite. (<-- what we hope, aka our aspirational outcome)

That's called "laddering your message," and it's something I help clients do as part of my 1:1 advisory process. 

***

ENJOY THE SHOW? PLEASE SAY THANKS!

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 

Leave a rating on Spotify 

Thanks for listening!

If you’re an expert in something, chances are, you share content about that something. But so does everyone around you. Merely sharing your expertise makes you a commodity. I can get it anywhere, and I guess you’re anywhere. That’s why I routinely say, you need to stop creating content and start creating IP.

Your IP is built on top of your premise, the core idea informing the rest, but more experts should also develop their signature frameworks, or what our guest today calls "contextual models." Your contextual models help turn complexity into simplicity, so people go, "Wow, I get it, and I see how much more there is to know. Take me through it."

Today's wonderful guest (and a master of contextual modeling) is Neen James.

She’s a leadership strategist who has worked with brands like Viacom, Comcast, and the Four Seasons, a fantastic keynote speaker, and the author of multiple books, including Folding Time, Attention Pays, and her latest: Exceptional Experiences: Five Luxury Levers to Elevate Every Aspect of Your Business.

In our episode, Neen shares how she develops her frameworks, then delivers a signature story from her speeches and her new book which we dissect and celebrate piece by piece.

This is a rare and generous look at the process of one of my favorite business authors and speakers.

***

ABOUT ME - IN 3 PHRASES

• Don't market more. Matter more. (<-- what we want, i.e. our new focus)
• Think resonance over reach. (<-- what we need, i.e. my premise)
• Don't be the best. Be their favorite. (<-- what we hope, i.e. the best case outcome)

That's called "laddering down your message," and it's something I help clients do as part of my 1:1 advisory process. I help experts differentiate and resonate by becoming stronger public voices. We begin by developing a clear premise for your platform and projects, then turn your expertise into IP and deliver it to the public through stronger speeches and stories.

You’ve done lots of things. Now it’s time to [be] a thing. It's time to stop chasing attention and become the one others seek.

Work with me 1:1, book me to speak, or explore free resources at jayacunzo.com

***

ENJOY THE SHOW? PLEASE SAY THANKS!

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 

Leave a rating on Spotify 

Thanks for listening!

One of the hallmarks of great business storytellers is something called the catalyst story. They don't just shove their expertise at you like a wall of smarts. They take you on a journey.

Often, in a speech, a book, or even just a single piece or post, they can retrace their own journey of discovery to ensure the audience cares and understands. Because you might be at letter Z of your understanding of something, but others start at A. You need to meet them in that reality, then move them to something better, beat by beat. That often starts at the start, with a story to catalyze it all.

Today, we’ll hear and analyze a great one, shared with us by the great Chris Ducker. Chris is a serial entrepreneur most known for founding the business Youpreneuer and his book, Rise of the Youpreneur, which helped people become known leaders in their industries.

Over the past two decades, Chris has started, grown, bought, and sold a number of multi-million pound businesses, and his latest book is The Long-Haul Leader: The Strategies to Work Smarter, Live Better, and Achieve Lasting Success.

He’s spoken on countless stages, guested on infinite shows, and created a huge body of work online, but today, it’s a closer look at his process like never before.

***

ABOUT ME - IN 3 PHRASES

• Don't market more. Matter more. (<-- what we want, i.e. our new focus)
• Think resonance over reach. (<-- what we need, i.e. my premise)
• Don't be the best. Be their favorite. (<-- what we hope, i.e. the best case outcome)

That's called "laddering down your message," and it's something I help clients do as part of my 1:1 advisory process. I help experts differentiate and resonate by becoming stronger public voices. We begin by developing a clear premise for your platform and projects, then turn your expertise into IP and deliver it to the public through stronger speeches and stories.

You’ve done lots of things. Now it’s time to [be] a thing. It's time to stop chasing attention and become the one others seek.

Work with me 1:1, book me to speak, or explore free resources at jayacunzo.com

***

ENJOY THE SHOW? PLEASE SAY THANKS!

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 

Leave a rating on Spotify 

Thanks for listening!