Podcasts about Storytelling

Writer and ecologist Sophie Strand thinks at a scale that can feel dizzying—in the best way. In a single conversation, she can move from the chemical structure of cells to mushroom spores, from ancient weather gods to mycorrhizal fungi, from Bronze Age collapse to the slow intelligence of soil.In this episode of Wonder Cabinet, we talk with Strand about wonder that doesn't float upward but roots downward—into bodies, ecosystems, decay, and deep time. We begin with her essay “Your Body Is an Ancestor,” published shortly before Halloween and the Day of the Dead, and follow her imagery into our shared prehistoric past. The conversation also explores how Strand's experience of chronic illness reshaped her understanding of nature, selfhood, and health. Rather than seeing the sick body as broken, she turns to ecological metaphors: spider webs, soil structures, caterpillars dissolving inside cocoons. What might it mean to understand ourselves not as machines that fail, but as landscapes that change?Along the way, we talk about fantasy and “romantasy,” Tolkien, Harry Potter, Dramione fan fiction and communal storytelling rituals. This is a conversation about wonder with dirt under its fingernails: embodied, mythic, ecological, and deeply alive to the cycles of death and regeneration that bind us all.---Substack: "Your Body is an Ancestor": https://sophiestrand.substack.com/p/your-body-is-an-ancestorSophie Strand's website:  https://sophiestrand.com/You can follow her work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cosmogyny/Follow her on Substack:  https://substack.com/@sophiestrandOrder her memoir:  https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/sophie-strand/the-body-is-a-doorway-a-memoir/9780762487417/?lens=running-press---Chapters:00:00:00 Meet Sophie Strand00:04:34 Body as Ancestor00:10:08 Roots of Sin00:18:21 Spores and Consciousness00:27:49 Stories We Can't Explain00:35:39 Science as Wonder---If you love Wonder Cabinet, sign up for email updates and never miss an episode. https://wondercabinetproductions.com/

Everybody kicks ass in Lee's Spin Class but Cycle 23 is out of this world. And the purrfect storm brings a mysterious cat to a house that is under a spiritual attack. Soul Cycle Everybody kicks ass in Lee's Spin Class but Cycle 23 is out of this world. Thanks Lee for sharing your story! Produced by Zoë Ferrigno, original score by Sandra Lawson-Ndu, artwork by Teo Ducot.A Purrfect StormThe purrfect storm brings a mysterious cat to a house that is under a spiritual attack. A big thank you to Jessi for sharing her story!Produced by Zoë Ferrigno, scouted by Vero Aviña, original score by Nicholas Marks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Having rejected a Creator, it's no wonder that we've lost creativity. __________ To support the prodcution of Breakpoint and receive exlusive benefits, visit colsoncenter.org/monthly

Yiddish culture has a long history in New York, and an ongoing presence in contemporary city life. Henry Sapoznik, author of the book, The Tourist's Guide to Lost Yiddish New York City, discusses some of the hidden history of Yiddish life in New York, and listeners share their favorite corner and memories of Yiddish New York history.

The new book Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in an Age of Revolution tells the story of Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy Schuyler, sisters in a prominent New York family in Revolutionary America (and of course the stars of "Hamilton"). Author Amanda Vaill discusses the book as part of our ongoing biography series 'Full Bio.' In today's installment, hear about Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. 

Tomorrow from 11am to 7pm, some of the arts' biggest names including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sara Bareilles and Constance Wu will appear on the steps of The Public to perform and protest in solidarity with the people of Minnesota. We speak to Saheem Ali and Alexa Smith, the associate artistic directors of The Public about "The People's Filibuster."

This Sunday, the Grammy Awards will recognize some of the past year's best music. Associated Press music reporter Maria Sherman talks about the nominated tracks and albums, and previews the event.

Send us a textIn this insightful episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we are joined by Brad Dude, a leadership authority with over 40 years of experience in management and consulting. Brad shares his remarkable journey from working with the Peace Corps to teaching leadership courses for prestigious organizations like NASA. We delve into his diverse body of work, including his novels that tackle pressing social issues, particularly in his book "Finding Eden," which explores the harrowing challenges faced by migrants in today's world. Brad also discusses his practical guide, "Quick I Need to Be a Leader in 30 Days," designed for new managers to hit the ground running. We explore the importance of self-awareness in leadership through his unique model of temperament based on the elements of earth, air, fire, and water. Tune in as Brad offers invaluable insights into leadership dynamics, the power of reputation, and the significance of balancing work and life. Plus, get a sneak peek into his upcoming projects, including a screenplay adaptation of "Finding Eden" and his next novel, "Leaving Eden." Don't miss this engaging conversation that inspires us all to lead with integrity and purpose. Discover more about Brad and his work at braddude.com.Support the showSupport the show

Ojibwe-Métis playwright Ian Ross brought the stage to the rez and put the rez on the stage in his Governor award-winning play FareWel. He harnessed the power of storytelling through his many plays and fiercely encouraged Indigenous creatives to do the same by sharing their own stories. Rosanna hears from Ian's friends, family and colleagues about how they'll carry his memory and legacy into the future.

In this episode of Slappin' Glass, we're joined by storytelling and communication expert Philip Humm for a deep, practical conversation on how coaches can communicate more clearly, persuasively, and memorably—especially under pressure.Philip breaks down why how you communicate often matters more than what you say, and why stories—when used intentionally—can cut through resistance, build trust, and create lasting behavioral change. He introduces his simple but powerful P.A.S.T. framework (Place, Action, Speech, Thoughts), giving coaches a repeatable structure for telling stories that actually stick rather than drifting into vague summaries or over-contextualized explanations.The conversation explores when storytelling is the right tool (and when it isn't), how elite leaders stay concise without losing emotional impact, and why vulnerability—not polish—is the engine of connection. Philip also shares why great communicators think in frameworks, limit takeaways to one clear action, and start with structure rather than circling toward a point.We then put theory into practice with live improv exercises, showing how improvisation builds communication confidence and clarity in time-compressed moments like timeouts and huddles. The episode closes with a thoughtful Start–Sub–Sit on locker-room culture tools (quotes, visuals, and physical objects), plus Philip's best investment in his own career—and why movement, presence, and emotional regulation matter for leaders navigating constant pressure.This is a must-listen for coaches looking to sharpen their communication edge, strengthen buy-in, and lead with greater clarity and intention beyond the Xs and Os.What You'll LearnHow to use the P.A.S.T. storytelling framework to make messages vivid, emotional, and memorableWhen storytelling creates more impact than direct instruction—and when it doesn'tWhy elite communicators lead with structure, simplicity, and one clear takeawayHow vulnerability and emotional honesty increase trust and retentionPractical improv techniques to improve clarity and confidence under pressureThe role of physical objects, visuals, and stories in reinforcing culture (and why quotes often fall flat)To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

Ed Morrissey, Managing Editor at Hot Air, and host of the Ed Morrissey Podcast, joins Seth to discuss the ‘end’ of good storytelling, Hollywood's malaise, whether or not the country is experiencing a “Fort Sumter” moment, and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a week where a very powerful storm swept across the US and Japan's pandas returned to China, we're going to be talking about some of the other stories that entertained and interested The Week Junior team. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the boffer brawl in the rearview, the party shifts their focus to Bulgra. Hopefully, she finds their retelling of the harrowing voyage to Guldrege just as entertaining as you, the listener.

In this episode, Monica breaks down why storytelling is one of the most effective tools in real estate today. From showings and listings to social media and email marketing, she shares how authentic stories help clients visualize homes, build trust, and form emotional connections. She covers practical storytelling techniques, visual marketing strategies, and how agents can use personal experiences and lifestyle narratives to stand out, deepen relationships, and elevate their service in 2026.

Hello to you listening in Gaborone, Botswana!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds for Story Prompt Friday and your host, Diane Wyzga.Maybe like me you have spent time looking for something even if you don't know what it is.  After feeling stuck in the cross-roads of my life where the true way was wholly lost to me, I set out on a new road. I left everything I knew: a home, a community of 20 years, a successful national litigation consulting practice and drove 1500 miles north washing up on the shores of Whidbey Island. Why Whidbey? Pretty place, nice people, good pie.Little by little over the past 7 years I've cobbled together a home, a community, my Quarter Moon Story Arts business, a global podcast (still holding in the top 3% worldwide), and being of use.I'm forging the life I want even if I don't know all that it could be.  I'm curious to learn, “What happens next? And now what?”Story Prompt: What you're looking for is looking for you. How are you preparing yourself to meet it? Write that  story and share it out loud!You're always welcome: "Come for the stories - Stay for the magic!" Speaking of magic, I hope you'll subscribe, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, bring your friends and rellies, and join us! You will have wonderful company as we continue to walk our lives together. Be sure to stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website, check out the Communication Services, email me to arrange a no-obligation Discovery Call, and stay current with me as "Wyzga on Words" on Substack.Stories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer's Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved.  If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing and attributing it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.

Illusions can be curious, whether they are literal smoke and mirrors or an entire political regime. Order the official Cabinet of Curiosities book by clicking here today, and get ready to enjoy some curious reading!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this engaging conversation, Priscilla Wedemeier shares her journey from a student involved in the Future Business Leaders of America to becoming a successful entrepreneur in video production. She discusses the importance of networking, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the value of creativity in building a portfolio. Priscilla emphasizes the need to take initiative, get involved in the community, and learn from others to grow both personally and professionally.As you listen:00:00 The Journey Begins: From Student to Entrepreneur02:48 Navigating the Challenges of Entrepreneurship05:34 The Power of Networking and Collaboration08:39 Creative Strategies for Building a Portfolio11:47 Getting Involved: Finding Community and Opportunities14:39 Learning from the Greats: Mentorship and Inspiration

The new book Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in an Age of Revolution tells the story of Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy Schuyler, sisters in a prominent New York family in Revolutionary America (and of course the stars of "Hamilton"). Author Amanda Vaill discusses the book as part of our ongoing biography series 'Full Bio.' In today's installment, hear about Angelica Schuyler Church and the 'charged' letters she exchanged with her brother-in-law, Alexander Hamilton. 

A new book tells the story of how famed baseball player Jackie Robinson ended up testifying in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee to speak against fellow Black athlete, musician, and actor Paul Robeson. Author Howard Bryant discusses his book, Kings and Pawns: Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson in America. Bryant will be speaking Thursday evening at the Jackie Robinson Museum.

Last fall, Bari Weiss, former New York Times columnist and creator of The Free Press, was hired as the editor-in-chief of CBS News. The hiring came soon after Paramount, CBS's parent company, was purchased by David Ellison, whose father is a supporter and adviser to President Trump. New Yorker staff writer Clare Malone has written a new piece, "Inside Bari Weiss's Hostile Takeover of CBS News," based on her reporting on the changes happening within CBS News since Weiss was hired. Malone discusses her findings and takeaways on the state of one of America's most storied newsrooms.

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Stephen Karafiath and Carrie Cox, two friends in a new relationship who are intentionally building love through secure attachment, emotional honesty, and nervous-system awareness.Together, they explore what it means to “wade through the muck” instead of bypassing discomfort — how trauma can be alchemized, how boundaries create safety, and how a shared relational container allows for co-regulation, depth, and intimacy. This conversation touches on vulnerability, conscious partnership, and the courage required to stay present when things get messy — because that's often where transformation lives. Timestamps[00:00:18] Scott and LaRae introduce Stephen Karafiath and Carrie Cox[00:01:03] A new relationship built on depth, presence, and intention[00:02:45] Referencing the Safe to Love podcast conversation[00:03:44] Growth, humility, and learning to soften[00:04:42] Experiencing secure attachment for the first time[00:06:25] Vulnerability, grief, and emotional safety[00:09:22] Metasound, play, and relational witnessing[00:10:31] Water rituals and nature as grounding allies[00:12:46] “Wading through the muck” and where alchemy happens[00:26:02] Alchemizing inherited shame and childhood beliefs[00:26:21] Letting water and nature help hold what can't be fixed[00:32:45] Polyamory as a doorway into deeper relational conversations[00:34:04] Creating a relationship container that doesn't leak energy[00:40:32] Exploring depth together — even where there might be dragons[00:48:17] A shared nervous system and the power of co-regulation[00:49:29] Boundaries, communication, and relational clarity[00:55:46] Relational pillars: emotional, physical, spiritual, sexual[01:10:04] Closing reflections and gratitudeNoteable Quotes “From secure attachment, for what feels like the first time in my life.” – Carrie Cox [04:42]“I love to wade through the muck because I know that's where the alchemy occurs.” – Carrie Cox [12:46]“Setting a container around our relationship that's bigger than both of us, and not leaking any energy outside of it.” – Stephen Karafiath [34:04]“We can go right back down to the depths — you're not afraid to explore coves that might have dragons.” – Stephen Karafiath [40:32]“We've created this shared nervous system, and the benefit is co-regulation.” – Carrie Cox [48:17] Relevant links:Stephen InstagramCarrie's InstagramSubscribe to the podcast: Apple PodcastProduced by NC Productions

Focus on your journey, not other's projectionText me at 972-426-2640 so we can stay connected!Support me on Patreon!Twitter:  @elliottspeaksInstagram: @elliottspeaks Text me at 972-426-2640 so we can stay connected!Support me on Patreon!Twitter: @elliottspeaksInstagram: @elliottspeaks

Send us a textIn episode 286 of Beyond The Story, Sebastian Rusk interviews Kindra Morse, a dynamic entrepreneur with over 20 years of business experience, as she shares her incredible journey from the world of real estate and network marketing to discovering her true passion for helping others create irresistible offers and build sustainable businesses.Tune in to hear Kindra's inspiring story of resilience, success, and the network marketing industry's powerful impact.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:08] Empowering women in business.[00:05:21] Network marketing mindset challenges.[00:09:10] Helping women create sustainability.[00:10:41] Irresistible offer creation.[00:15:30] Innovation in startup funding.QUOTES"I had to grieve this reality or this fantasy world that I was living in that I owned my business." -Kindra Morse"If they just learn the simple aspect of how to find problems worth solving, that they are equipped to solve based on their story and their lived experiences, you can create an offer that the world needs." -Kindra Morse ==========================Need help launching your podcast?Schedule a Free Podcast Strategy Call TODAY!PodcastLaunchLabNow.com==========================SOCIAL MEDIA LINKSSebastian RuskInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcastlaunchlab/Facebook: Facebook.com/sruskLinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/sebastianrusk/YouTube: Youtube.com/@PodcastLaunchLabKindra MorseInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kindramariemorse/ ==========================Take the quiz now! https://podcastquiz.online/==========================Need Money For Your Business? Our Friends at Closer Capital can help! Click here for more info: PodcastsSUCK.com/money==========================PAYING RENT? Earn airline miles when you use the Bilt Rewards MastercardAPPLY HERE: https://bilt.page/r/2H93-5474

Our guest on this special edition this week is Charles Melcher of the Future of Storytelling who you might know from his own podcast and who is the author of the new book The Future of Storytelling: How Immersive Experiences Are Transforming Our World which is available now.Charlie's book is really a fantastic snapshot of the world of immersive storytelling as it stands today, containing both an extensive catalog of expeirences AND essays that provide an framework to understand what makes this work… well.. work.Best of all — we've got a copy of the book to give away.Plus: an update on Season Two production!SHOW NOTES The Future of Storytelling: How Immersive Experiences Are Transforming Our WorldBook Excerpt: The Future of Storytelling (Plus Giveaway)FoSTSpotlight Series: Yannick Trapman-O'Brien Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Mission Matters, Adam Torres speaks with Marbella Avilez, writer, producer, actress, and creator of Stories of Love, Sex and Other Things…. Marbella shares her creative journey across theater, television, and books, and explains her mission to make fiction accessible as a tool for mental wellbeing, empathy, and creativity. Follow Adam on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/askadamtorres/ for up to date information on book releases and tour schedule. Apply to be a guest on our podcast: https://missionmatters.lpages.co/podcastguest/ Visit our website: https://missionmatters.com/ More FREE content from Mission Matters here: https://linktr.ee/missionmattersmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How to Use AI for B2B Storytelling Without Losing Your Brand So many B2B companies and marketing teams waste budget on generic content that fails to resonate or support core business goals. In an era where AI-generated is everywhere, smaller B2B brands often struggle to maintain a unique identity while competing against larger firms with massive content engines. The key to staying relevant lies in a B2B brand’s ability to be authentic, human-centric, and strategically consistent despite the pressure to automate everything. So how can B2B brands effectively integrate AI into their marketing workflows without losing their unique voice and brand integrity? That's why we're talking to Nick Usborne (Founder, Story Aligned), who shared his expertise on leveraging AI through the lens of strategic storytelling. During our conversation, Nick discussed the critical distinction between simple narrative and a brand’s unique story, highlighting a significant gap where only 7% of top AI prompt libraries actually focus on storytelling. He shared actionable advice on building a “story vault,” training staff to avoid “brand drift,” and enforcing consistent AI usage to maintain the trust of the audience. Nick also underscored the importance of keeping human elements at the forefront of content creation to prevent AI from feeling overly mechanical, and advocated for a balanced approach that ensures scalable growth without sacrificing a brand's authenticity. https://youtu.be/dtgvg2-XXoU Topics discussed in episode: [02:53] The “Why” Behind AI Adoption: Why companies must embrace AI not just for efficiency, but to avoid being left behind by competitors who are already scaling their reach.  [04:10] The “Moat” of Storytelling: Why narrative and voice can be easily copied by AI, but your brand's unique “lived story” is the only defensible moat you have.  [11:27] Pitfalls of Inconsistent AI Use: The dangers of “shadow AI” use by employees (e.g., Using personal accounts vs. company custom GPTs) and how it leads to brand drift.  [16:46] The Human Element vs. AI: Nick explains why AI can describe the beach but can't “feel the sand between its toes,” and why human “messiness” is key to connection.  [24:26] Building a Story Vault: Nick provides a practical framework for formalizing your brand's folklore—from founder stories to customer service wins—so they can be systematically used in AI content.  [28:17] Actionable Steps for Marketers: Three immediate steps to take: build your story vault, interview key stakeholders (founders, early employees), and analyze customer service transcripts for sentiment.  [30:11] The Problem with “Killer Prompt” Libraries: Why copying “top 20 prompt” lists is a strategic mistake that leads to generic, non-differentiated content. Companies and links mentioned: Nick Usborne on LinkedIn  Story Aligned  Transcript Nick Usborne, Christian Klepp Nick Usborne  00:00 AI can do a wonderful job in many ways, but it’s never walked down the beach and felt the sand between its toes. It’s read about it. It’s never eaten ice cream. It’s read about that, but it’s never felt it. So that’s what I mean by lived experience. I think that content and stories that truly resonate with people you use those kind of touch points the the deeply human side of being alive. And like, say, I think AI can get close when you prompt it really well, but also, there’s a messiness that makes us recognize one another, the little mistakes we make. That’s what makes us human. We are messy. AI, it’s not very good at being messy. You can ask it to be messy, and it’ll try to figure that out, but it’s really not the same. And like I say, I think people are very sensitive to this kind of nuance. Christian Klepp  00:51 When brands rely on the same AI tools and prompts, they start to sound like everyone else. That loss of voice can hurt trust and lead to something called Brand drift. So how can B2B Marketing teams scale content with AI while staying true to their story? Welcome to this episode of the B2B Marketers in the Mission podcast, and I’m your host, Christian Klepp, today, I’ll be talking to Nick Usborne, who will be answering this question. He’s the Founder of Story Aligned, a training program for Marketing teams that want to scale content using AI while protecting the integrity of their brand story and voice. Tune in to find out more about what this B2B Marketers Mission is. Mr. Nick Usborne, welcome to the show, sir.  Nick Usborne  01:32 Thank you very much. Thank you Christian. Thank you for having me.  Christian Klepp  01:35 Pleasure to have you on the show. Nick, you know we had such a fantastic pre interview call. It was a bit of a you did drop a few hints and clues about what was to come, and I’m really looking forward to this conversation. I’m going to keep the audience in suspense a little while longer as I move us into the first question. So off we go.  Nick Usborne  01:55 Okay. Christian Klepp  01:56 All right, so, Nick, you’re on a mission to equip Marketing teams to scale AI powered content while staying aligned with their organization, story and voice. So for this conversation, let’s focus on the topic of how to use AI for B2B content without losing trust. And it is at the time of the recording, the end of 2025 and of course, we’re going to talk about AI, but we’re going to zoom in on something specific as it pertains to B2B content and a little bit of branding in there as well. But I wanted to kick off this conversation with two questions, and I’m happy to repeat them. So the first question is, why do you believe it’s so important for brands and their Marketing teams to embrace AI so that they can scale? And the second question is, why does this approach require the right prompts and guardrails? I think that’s one thing that you mentioned in our previous conversation, the whole the whole piece about prompts and guardrails. Nick Usborne  02:53 Well, the first question, why do companies need to embrace AI? And the ridiculous answer to that. It’s not a good answer, but it’s true is that because everyone else is, because your competitors are, and they will create content at scale while you are not, and they will achieve reach that you can’t achieve without AI. And in fact, if they do it well, their content, their new content, will be very good, content deeply researched beyond perhaps what you can do. So it’s like everything within AI right now, like, like, Why? Why do all the companies like open AI and Google and Meta, why they all racing? Because if they don’t, someone else will get there first. And it’s, I’m not saying it’s a great reason, but I think it is the fundamental reason for companies to embrace AI, is that you will be left behind if you don’t. This is a transformational moment, and as much as we’d like to have choice, I think in this matter, we don’t have a lot of choice. So that’s my answer to that question. Repeat the second question for me. Christian Klepp  04:00 Absolutely, absolutely so based on, based on that, like, why does this approach require the right prompts and guardrails? Nick Usborne  04:10 As part of my business, I’m constantly researching this, and in particular, I’m researching the prompts people do so when say, could be writers coders, but in our world. Let’s say writers, principally, or marketers, are using AI. They’re using prompts, and they’re generally prompting about two things. One is narrative, like, what should we say? Or, you know, please write us a blog post about x. So that’s the that’s the topic, that’s the narrative. And then they’ll put in something say, oh, please do it in a voice that is authoritative and yet accessible. All right, so now that’s a voice. What they haven’t mentioned is what I think is the foundational layer, which is, which is story. And that’s important, because story is the only thing that is uniquely yours, if you have an narrative, if you, if you have voice, if you talk about something in a particular way, I can copy that with AI. I can copy it at scale. I can, I can look at the transcripts of Christian podcasts, and I can say, oh, I want to do one in exactly. Tell her the same topic. I can, you know, so when you focus on narrative, on what you write about in voice. I can copy it. There’s no moat. The only moat you have is with story, because every company’s story is unique. We can look at origin stories, foundation stories, we can look at customer stories through case studies, things like that. Those are always unique. No one else has Apple’s origin story. No one else has virgin Atlantic’s Founder’s story, etc. But we did some research recently. Actually, we did some research months ago, and I reconfirmed it earlier this week. I ran it. I ran it all again to look at the data. If you look at the top 20 prompt libraries that you know the big, trustworthy companies and organizations that put out prompt libraries for companies. If you look at the top 20 libraries and the 1000s and 1000s of prompts within there, 76% of those prompts are about the narrative. What to say? 17 are about voice. How do you sound? Only 7% relate to story. So this, to my mind, is where we have a problem. We have a disconnect. Everyone is going crazy, prompting for narrative and story, both of which have 0, zero mode, anyone can copy them at scale. And only 7% this very small percentage, are actually focusing on the one thing that is uniquely theirs and cannot be copied or challenged. So that when you say, when you, when you say I’m on a mission, that’s the mission for me to say, Hey guys, wake up. You’re You’re prompting the wrong things in the wrong way. Let’s like, go back and look at story Christian Klepp  07:12 Absolutely, absolutely. It almost sounds like an oxymoron to us to a certain degree, because you’re saying scaling B2B content using AI without losing trust. Because, you know, the narrative that I keep seeing on social media, particularly LinkedIn, is that if people are using AI, there is a bit of a trust factor there. But I think it’s to your point and correct me if I’m wrong, it’s being able to embrace AI and you leveraging it the right way, so it’s not, it’s not, it’s not to replace, it’s not to replace the writers, right, or to replace the Marketers, I hope not. Nick Usborne  07:50 It may replace some. But, yeah, yeah. I mean, I mean, you’re right, and the keyword you mentioned there is trust. I think, I think trust is going to be the most valuable commodity that a company can have in the months and years to come, because people don’t actually don’t if we’re talking about brand. So we’re trying to protect brand with story, right? And brand is something that a lot of companies have spent millions of dollars building and protecting over years or decades and well, one of the things let me come back to trust in a moment. But if I’m looking at brand, and I’m looking at all the stuff goes out there, it either builds brand or it burns brand. And if you burn brand, you lose trust. So if you’re going out with a whole bunch of content that sounds like everyone else is that it’s kind of meh. It’s ordinary. It’s in the middle, which is what AI is really good at. Without the right prompting, it will give you kind of in the middle, mediocre output. So you got to be much better at prompting than just like a, I don’t know, being careless about it, or taking a shortcut, shortcuts, or being lazy about it, because then you get brand drift, and all of a sudden the brand doesn’t sound quite right. And when that happens, you lose trust. And when you lose trust, you lose revenue. I mean, you really do. And people are getting very sensitive to brand of brand trust we saw recently. Was it tracker barrel tried to just change its logo. People freaked out. People freaked out.  Christian Klepp  09:27 It was an awful rebrand, but, yes.  Nick Usborne  09:30 Yeah, but it wasn’t. These weren’t. These weren’t. Saying is, I don’t think the design is up to snuff. It’s like, don’t mess with my tracker barrel. We actually feel very strongly about the brands. Talk to people who are absolute fans of Apple. Doesn’t matter that it costs twice as much, perhaps as not quite as good. It’s Apple. It’s my brand. Don’t mess with my brand. So we’re very sensitive to our loyalty to brands. And in fact, in some sense, it’s brand define us like a football team, a baseball team, in part, we can be defined by the brands that we support, local, Pepsi. You know, it’s like everywhere. So when a company uses AI carelessly at scale and all of a sudden that blog post, it kind of sounds like them, but something’s a tiny bit off. And then that LinkedIn update. Again, yeah, it’s them, but again, it’s, did I say is that the same as they were six months ago? You get the you get these little these little things that sound off, and now you get brand drift. And now you get people feeling uneasy, and the public are sometimes we think we can just make the public believe whatever we want them to believe, or companies to believe whatever we want them to believe, but actually, individuals, in their home lives and in their business lives are very, very sensitive to brand and they’re very, very sensitive to voice and what they hear, and if it’s off, they really don’t like it, and that does translate into loss of trust, and that does directly translate into loss of revenue.  Christian Klepp  11:07 Absolutely. I’m going to move us on to the next set of questions, particularly that one pertaining to key pitfalls that Marketers need to avoid when they’re trying to scale their B2B content using AI without losing trust. So what are some of these key pitfalls they should avoid, and what should they be doing instead? Nick Usborne  11:27 What I’m hearing from inside a number of companies is that there is an inconsistency in how people are using AI and even when systems are in place, that not everyone follows the system. So it’s early days. It is. These are messy times for, you know, working with AI within companies. So I think it’s really important that companies do have some frameworks in place, that people within the organization are using the same tools in the same way, and that they are encouraged to be consistent in what they do. So I’ve heard stories of where companies are set up, you know, they’re using Copilot, or whatever they use, and then some of the manager will walk by someone’s desk, and they’re actually, actually, they’re using Claude on their phone. That person like phone, and it’s like, well, yeah, but no, this is now, you know, you have no control. You also have to get people to do what they ask. I was talking to a Founder the other day. She has a PR (Public Relations) company, plenty of clients, and she’s smart. She’s created custom GPTs for each client. So each custom GPT is trained on with with a kind of database of information on that client and the content, so that you know when you when you ask it to do something else, it’s already has the context and the voice instructions and everything, and you can and it’s great, you get this consistency. But she says, what’s happening is some of her employees come in in the morning, they start work on client X, and they’re using that custom GPT. Then they move on to client Y, but they keep using the original custom GPT and not switching out. So the management has put in the structure in place to be consistent and to output the best, you know, the best content, but the employees are not always playing game, you know, going along with that. So so I do think we’re in a messy period now where companies are not entirely sure how to apply this, how to structure it, what kind of frameworks and guidance to put in place. What guardrails to put in place? Like? Again, I’ve heard horror stories of people grabbing content that should not be shared and putting it into a large language model and then turning that into customer facing or public facing content.  Christian Klepp  13:57 Oh, plagiarism.  Nick Usborne  14:04 So yeah, it is messy. So what I would say is, before you even try to make the best of the use of AI that you do, need to put systems and frameworks in place and educate your staff. So if you want your staff to use AI effectively give them access to training. Don’t just throw them at a tool and say, go for it, because they won’t know what to do with it, or they’ll be able to create stuff, but they won’t be able to create good stuff. So invest in the systems, invest in the frameworks and instructions, and invest in training for the people who are going to be using the tools.  Christian Klepp  14:46 Definitely some relevant points. I wanted to go back to something you said, though, because I think it’s really important. It’s certainly one thing to have the prompts and the guardrails in place and some kind of like, framework and structures. But to your earlier point, how do you enforce that? And I think you gave a really good example about like, if you have a custom GPT, and then they resort to like, using. Um Claude on their personal accounts, and then it’s a little bit like the wild west out there, isn’t it? Nick Usborne  15:06 It is, it is, and it’s and it’s, how do you enforce it? Well, that’s going to be a company by company decision. Like, like the Founder with the PR of the PR company, when she was telling me about how her employees just weren’t doing what they were asked. I was like, part of you is thinking about, why haven’t you kind of cracked down on this? But again, it depends on the company and what options you have when it comes to enforcing stuff like this. But I do think you need to, because then if we circle right back, if you have people who are untrained, and that’s the company’s responsibility to train their employees. If you have people who are untrained and they’re using these tools inconsistently, that is when you far more likely then to see errors for, you know, unforced errors like publishing stuff that you shouldn’t but you’re also going to see more brand drift, because you’re going to get this inconsistency between output and that is a disaster. Like I say, companies have sometimes spent, in a decade, several years in establishing and building a trustworthy brand. And people are very unforgiving. You can, you can lose all that goodwill very, very quickly. So, yeah, training frameworks make sure people are, you know, working within those boundaries, but as a company, it’s your responsibility to help make that happen. Christian Klepp  16:29 Yeah, yeah. Oh, absolutely, absolutely. You kind of brought this up already, but you mentioned that AI can help to scale content, but it can’t replicate your lived story, so please explain what you meant by that, and provide an example. If you can, Nick Usborne  16:46 AI can do a wonderful job in many ways, but you know, it’s never walked down the beach and felt the sand between its toes. It’s read about it. It’s never eaten ice cream. It’s read about that, but it’s never felt it. So that’s what I mean by lived experience. So I think that content and stories that truly resonate with people, you use those kind of touch points, the deeply human side of being alive and like say, I think AI can get close when you prompt it really well, but also there’s a messiness that makes us recognize one another, the little mistakes we make, that’s what makes us human. We are messy, and it’s not very good at being messy. You can ask it to be messy, and it’ll try to figure that out, but it’s really not the same. And like I say, I think people are very sensitive to this kind of nuance and the lived story. It’s the it’s the weird stuff. I think that resonates. So I’ve spent quite a bit of my career doing copywriting for companies, and for a long period, I was doing some freelance, a lot of freelance copywriting. So this is just a little side note, a little side story for you. I used to live on a hobby farm. We had some sheep and pigs and chickens and all that good stuff, the good life. And also had freelance customers. And I went in, and I was and I went, you know, you go out, you feed the animals, you come in, I sit down to work, and my client said, this is just on the phone. This is even before the internet. Client said, Hey, you’re late. I was just out farming the pig and feeding the pigs. And the guy says, what? And this, I hadn’t realized. I never told him that I lived on a farm. He thought somewhere. So anyway, we talked a little bit about the pigs, then we get to work. So the project we’re working on worked out really well, and it won an award. So we fly off to your hometown, Toronto, for the awards ceremony, direct marketing awards ceremony, and he stands up and he says, Thank you very much. Blah, blah, blah. And special thanks to Nick Usborne, the pig farming copywriter. And I’m like, I’m like, in the audience, and I’m thinking, oh, please no. This guy is like, rebranding me constantly in front of all my peers, all my potential clients for next year. Big drama turns out so, so that that’s messy, all right? AI wouldn’t do that, you wouldn’t imagine that it wouldn’t do that. That’s a deeply human moment of my humiliation and him laughing, and everyone slapping me on the back and laughing and asking about my pigs. Turns out, over the next 12 months, I got a few phone calls out of the blue. And I say, Hello, Nick Usborne. I said, Oh, is that Nick Usborne? The cover of James Barber. And I say, why? Yes. And so I actually got work out of that, because it was such a distinct difference from every other copywriter out there. I was the only copywriter who had pigs. So that was just a fun story, but it also speaks to the difference between humans and AI, and it’s a live that’s a lived experience, and it’s a lived anecdote, and I tell the story, and it’s a true story that is really important, I think so, even when we use AI, even when we use it at its best, and it can be really good when you use it well, I think everyone should keep leave space for the human in the loop, as they say, keep that human element in there, big for those stories. So I so I encourage companies to create what I call like a story vault. So there’s the obvious stories, like the Founder story, the origin story, the six original success story, also put in the little quirky stories, like that one I just described, and and make that part of your process. And also go, you know, if you’re creating something with AI and it’s a big project, take the time to go and interview someone, talk to someone, get a human story, put it in just because you’re using AI, doesn’t mean to say that everything you create has to be 100% AI, you can, you can? I do this all the time. I look for it a draft with AI, then I’d go back in and I’ll rewrite the beginning with an anecdote, like the small s story, not a big dramatic story, just a little story. And what it does then is that then connects it with us, because as people, we recognize stories. Story is profound to all of us. I think in every country in the world, parents read their children bedtime stories. It’s something we share in common. It’s how we communicate, and it’s how we recognize our humanity in a sense of like, if you tell me a story, you connect with me, and vice versa. So that’s why I think stories are so important in this world of AI, because if you just go AI, it can get a little cold, and sometimes, as a reader, you don’t quite understand what’s happening and why, but you kind of feel it. There’s an absence. There’s something missing, and that what’s what you feeling is missing is that human touch, that human element, Christian Klepp  21:59 Absolutely, absolutely. I mean, there’s like, there’s like, telltale signs, right? Like em dash being one of them,  Nick Usborne  22:06 em dash Christian Klepp  22:07 Yes, or Yeah. Or it tends to, like, regurgitate the same type of war. It’s like, I find it loves using the word landscape or navigate, you know, things of that nature, right?  Nick Usborne  22:20 Yeah.  Christian Klepp  22:21 Or uses these funny like, you know, the colon or for, for, for titles of episodes, for examples. Nick Usborne  22:30 In titles, even when I give it clear instructions, do not use them. So sometimes, when I create content like that is, I’ll create it in with one model like say, GPT5, and I’ll take it over to flawed, and I’ll say, hey, please edit and clean this up for me, and remove any, you know, repetition or whatever. And sometimes it comes back say, hey, looks pretty clean, pretty good. Other times it’ll change stuff. And then, of course, always I will, you know, I will review. And that’s the other thing that the companies need to think about. Is that, at the moment, content generation at scale within companies, it is a bit like a conveyor belt in a factory of all these boxes flying off the end into the FedEx back of the FedEx van, and without, without any kind of quality control, which, which is actually what you do have with income within you know, if you’re manufacturing, and you do have quality control, and you pick out every 20th item or whatever to make sure that it’s good, a lot of that isn’t happening, that isn’t happening with a lot of people using AI is people don’t even see it. It’s fully automated, like, like a week’s worth of social media is automated, or a month’s work worth, and no one, no human, has read it or reviewed it. It’s just flying out automatically. And that is where at some point you’re inevitably going to have a problem. And it may not be a big problem, it may be lots and lots of small problems, lots of lots of things sounding not quite right, and then all of a sudden, when you’ve got enough little things not sounding right, then you start getting a medium sized problem. Christian Klepp  24:06 Yeah, yeah. No, exactly, exactly. Okay. Now, you talked about it a little bit in the beginning, but talk to us about some of these, these frameworks and these processes that B2B companies can use to help them, you know, organize themselves and reap those benefits of AI without losing trust. Like, what are some of these processes and frameworks? Nick Usborne  24:26 I do some training, and I have done a few rubrics where people can kind of use those to formalize the process. But I think if we talk about story, and I think I already mentioned the idea of each company having a story vault, so be formal and deliberate about it. Everyone can chat about their company’s stories, but if I say to you, hey, is there a folder? Can I can I get a Google folder and find a compilation of all of these stories? And have you graded those stories in terms of how strong and relevant? And they are, and how engaging they might be, or how evocative they might be, and the answer is almost always no, the story is around. But there’s no story vault, and there’s no rubric in place to grade those stories and decide which might be the most appropriate points at which to share those stories. So it’s that, it’s that formalizing the process, and I don’t like being 100% rules based, but I think in the AI world right now, where we are in that kind of messy middle period, I think it’s really important to have some systems in place so that we do have a consistent output, so that when you so that your brand doesn’t suffer from brand drift, and that you don’t make some significant missteps along the way. So somebody within the organization needs to be responsible for this. Maybe it’s the Chief AI Officer, if you have one, or otherwise, somebody in Marketing. So yeah, help people with training, but also help them by giving them some framework, some rubrics and some just a system like, you know, hey, picked up a story from customer service, put it in the story vault, categorize it. Customer service in the story vault says someone else can come back and find it. So it’s not just word of mouth. It’s not accidental. There’s a place where people can go to and then you’re going to do the same with narrative, the things we say. And you have another vault, as it were, and another rubric to to assess voice, how we say it. So it’s just this formalization of the process, and also trying to make sure that people use these systems as you put them in place. So somebody’s got to be walking along behind, behind and sort of, and again, it’s like, I guess, like early days of anything. Not every, not everyone will love the process. Not everyone loves using AI. But it’ll come. It’ll come. People will get in their heart better, not only using AI, but doing it well and following these processes. Christian Klepp  27:02 Okay, fantastic, fantastic. Let me just quickly recap, because I was writing this down. So obviously, having a story vault, grading them if you can, if possible, having systems and frameworks in place, training the team and getting them to familiarize themselves with the systems having a vault for narrative and voice, I think was the other piece. And finally, using, using the systems, once you have them, not letting them collect dust, as it were, right? Nick Usborne  27:32 Like and it is, I get it right now. I get it. It’s hard for a lot of companies, because I think using AI has been very kind of mixed. Some companies have dived straight in. Others are resistant, particularly companies that have compliance issues, financial, medical stuff like that. They’re being very careful, very cautious, and for very good reason. So the rate of adoption is very uneven at the moment, Christian Klepp  28:01 Absolutely, absolutely, all right. Nick you’ve given us plenty here, right? But if we’re going to talk about actionable tips, like something that somebody who’s listening to this conversation that they can take action on right after listening to this interview, what are like some of the top three things you would advise them to do? Nick Usborne  28:17 Well, I guess first is just we’ve talked quite a bit about the story, the story of collecting stories. Just do that because, like I say, I think story is your is your superpower, because it is the only place where you have a moat you don’t in what you say and how you say it. Anyone can copy you, and I can automate copying you through AI as well, but I cannot steal your story, because it’s just not true if, if it’s not my story. So I’d always start there and again, start, start that. Build the vault, select the story and formalize that process. Interview the Founders, if you can, interview early employees, even if they’re retired, interview the first three clients, if you can access them, interview customer service. So often overlooked, customer service in one way or another, so long as that’s not all automated, if there’s still humans in that loop, then have conversations with them. And you can, you can, you can, get transcripts, customer service transcripts, and feed them into AI and say, hey, please analyze and summarize this. What are, what are the most powerful messages we can get from our customer service? Sort of stream of content? Do? Do a sentiment analysis? What are people upset about? What are people happy about? So, yeah, story, I think, is like, I say, it will be your motive, it will be your savior. So first start to formalize that process of getting story and then making sure that it finds a place, somewhere in your automation of, you know, AI generated content, Christian Klepp  29:58 Fantastic, fantastic stuff. Okay, soapbox time. What is the status quo in your area of expertise that you passionately disagree with, and why? Nick Usborne  30:11 I guess again, I’m just going to overlapping. I don’t know what a status quo, but the thing that I passionately disagree with is is every time you see most or a social media title that says top 20 killer, unbeatable prompts.  Christian Klepp  30:31 Oh, yeah. Nick Usborne  30:32 No, no, no, absolutely, just, just no for two reasons. One is that they’re going to be generic. They’re not going to apply to your company in particular, they’ll be generic, and just because they work for someone else does not mean they’re going to work for you. And like I say, we did, I’ve done research on those prompt libraries, and only 7% of them even touch on story. So if I’m writing stories, the most important thing almost all of those prompt libraries are missing out on that. They’re just focusing on narrative and voice and ignoring stories. So not good and and, yeah, so, so that is, I don’t know whether the status quo, but it’s something I keep seeing, and it irritates me when I get it. I understand why they’re doing it, but not helpful for your company. Christian Klepp  31:18 Yeah, you and me both. I mean, those are the those are the pulse they attempt to ignore immediately. I mean, I just skim through it and see the prompts, and I’m like, Nah, but I think it’s human nature too, isn’t it? Like everybody wants to chase the next hack. They want to find that the you know, the shortcut, like the quickest route to get something done. And I get that, but it sometimes does more harm than good. Nick Usborne  31:43 Easy button, but also to be fair and to be a little bit more generous. This is early days, and so people are looking for help. And if it says top 20, this is, oh my goodness, thank you. I’ll take that now. Over time, that’ll change, and people will become a little more sophisticated, I think, but like us, like you. You know, I get it. I understand why those those posts and titles are attractive, and that’s why people create them. But we can do better. We can do better Christian Klepp  32:12 Absolutely, absolutely we can, and we will, hopefully, all right, here comes the bonus question. I’ve been thinking about this one, but Nick Usborne  32:23 I feel strangely nervous. I feel nervous, but it’s a bonus question. Christian Klepp  32:30 Just breathe. Just breathe. I mean, clearly from this conversation, you know, writing is in your blood, right? It’s something that you are passionate about, but it’s also something you’ve done professionally for a long time, I suppose. The bonus question is, if you had an opportunity to meet your favorite writer or author, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you talk about?  Nick Usborne  32:55 One of the people, I really admire, and I’ve already spoken to him, is David Abbott. So David Abbott is a copywriter from from England, and he had an agency called Abbot Mead Vickers, and he was an amazing writer. So I’ve already met him. Who I haven’t met I would like to re write to meet is Susie Henry. She was the copywriter behind a series of advertisements in the UK for an insurance company, and she is just a delightful writer, so I told you, well, no, I hadn’t told you. Maybe I will tell you I’m like, when I started out copywriting, it was at the tail end of the Mad Men period, and creatives were the Kings and Queens, and copywriting was such a craft, it was something to be absolutely proud of, like we’d go through so many drafts, and it was, I was, you know, I was, I was a craftsman, learning from other craftsmen. And David, ever I met, he was in a fantastic writer, just written Susie Henry so good, very, very conversational writer, which was very unusual for that time. So I’d like to meet and talk with her, and I still can’t remember the fiction writer. He’s science fiction writer. I completely lost blank on his name, and I’ve actually met him once briefly, but I’d like to get back to him and chat, but I can’t, because he’s he’s since passed. Christian Klepp  34:19 Oh, I see, I see, I see. All right, well, that’s quite the list of people, but, um, but yeah. No, fantastic. No. Nick, thank you so much for coming on the show and for sharing your experience and expertise with the listeners. And please quick introduction to yourself and how people can get in touch with you. Nick Usborne  34:37 All right. Hi. My name is Nick Usborne, so my business build Story Aligned. So storyaligned.com and what we do there is pretty much, what I’ve talked about today is we train teams within companies to look at story, narrative and voice with a lot of emphasis on story, because that’s where the note is, so if you get a Story Aligned, you’ll find we have a white paper you can download. We have a blog that you can read, the description of the training. So yeah, if this interests you, if you find this an interesting topic, there’s plenty to do when you get there. So Story Aligned, A, L, I, G, N, E, D, yeah. Story Aligned. Christian Klepp  35:21 Fantastic, fantastic. And we’ll be sure to pop that into the show notes so that it’ll be easy for everyone to access. But once again, Nick, thank you.  Nick Usborne  35:28 Sorry, one last thing, if you want to please opening myself up, if you want to just talk to me directly, you can write to me at nick@storyaligned.com. Christian Klepp  35:38 Perfect, perfect. Nick, once again, thanks so much for your time. Take care, stay safe and talk to you soon. Nick Usborne  35:44 Thank you. Thank you for inviting me. It’s been a pleasure. Christian Klepp  35:47 Thank you. Bye for now. You.

Fluent Fiction - Dutch: Balancing Heritage and Innovation on the Stormy Dikes Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/nl/episode/2026-01-29-23-34-02-nl Story Transcript:Nl: De ijzige wind blies over de wadden van de Friese Eilanden.En: The icy wind blew across the mudflats of the Friese Eilanden.Nl: Bram keek naar de oude dijken die zich uitstrekten langs het landschap, silhouetten tegen de grijze lucht.En: Bram looked at the old dikes stretching along the landscape, silhouettes against the gray sky.Nl: Ze hadden eeuwenlang het land beschermd.En: They had protected the land for centuries.Nl: Nu was het zijn taak om ze opnieuw leven in te blazen.En: Now it was his task to breathe new life into them.Nl: Bram was een ingenieur, toegewijd aan het behoud van zijn Nederlandse erfgoed.En: Bram was an engineer, dedicated to preserving his Dutch heritage.Nl: "We moeten de dijken herstellen voordat de volgende storm komt," zei hij zachtjes, meer tegen zichzelf dan tegen iemand anders.En: "We need to restore the dikes before the next storm comes," he said softly, more to himself than to anyone else.Nl: Maar hij voelde zich ook vervreemd van zijn roots.En: But he felt alienated from his roots.Nl: De verbinding met traditie raakte verloren in de kantoren van moderne technologie.En: The connection with tradition was getting lost in the offices of modern technology.Nl: Liselotte stond naast hem, haar handen in de zakken van haar dikke jas.En: Liselotte stood next to him, her hands in the pockets of her thick coat.Nl: Ze was milieuwetenschapper en gepassioneerd over duurzame ontwikkeling.En: She was an environmental scientist and passionate about sustainable development.Nl: "We kunnen geen moderne technieken negeren," zei ze.En: "We can't ignore modern techniques," she said.Nl: "De natuur helpt ons, maar we moeten ook voor haar zorgen."En: "Nature helps us, but we must also take care of it."Nl: Sven, een lokale historicus, liep voorzichtig over de dijk en keek met een bezorgde blik.En: Sven, a local historian, walked cautiously over the dike and looked on with a worried gaze.Nl: Traditie was zijn passie; modernisering zijn angst.En: Tradition was his passion; modernization his fear.Nl: "We moeten voorzichtig zijn," waarschuwde hij.En: "We must be careful," he warned.Nl: "De schoonheid van deze plek mag niet verloren gaan."En: "The beauty of this place must not be lost."Nl: De drie stonden tegenover elkaar aan de voet van de dijk.En: The three stood facing each other at the foot of the dike.Nl: Elk had een ander perspectief.En: Each had a different perspective.Nl: Bram moest beslissen.En: Bram had to decide.Nl: Zijn oplossing zou de balans moeten vinden tussen het verleden en de toekomst.En: His solution would need to find a balance between the past and the future.Nl: De lucht begon donkerder te worden en een zware sneeuwstorm naderde snel.En: The sky began to darken, and a heavy snowstorm approached rapidly.Nl: Bewolking kwam vanuit het noorden dreigend aanzetten.En: Clouds gathered ominously from the north.Nl: "We moeten snel handelen," riep Bram.En: "We need to act quickly," Bram shouted.Nl: De dijk was halverwege hersteld.En: The dike was halfway restored.Nl: De tijd drong.En: Time was pressing.Nl: Plannen werden snel overlegd.En: Plans were quickly discussed.Nl: Liselotte stelde ecologische versterkingen voor, nieuw materiaal dat het water zou afvoeren zonder natuurgebieden te verstoren.En: Liselotte proposed ecological reinforcements, new materials that would drain water without disturbing natural areas.Nl: Sven fronste, denkend aan de oude manieren, maar knikte uiteindelijk.En: Sven frowned, thinking of the old ways, but eventually nodded.Nl: "Laten we hopen dat moderniteit ons nu zal helpen."En: "Let's hope modernity will help us now."Nl: De storm kwam met een brul.En: The storm came with a roar.Nl: Wind en regen sloegen tegen hun gezichten.En: Wind and rain lashed against their faces.Nl: Bram zwoegde met zijn team, het nieuwe materiaal werd snel aangebracht.En: Bram labored with his team, the new materials were quickly applied.Nl: Minuten voelden aan als uren, maar uiteindelijk hielden de dijken stand tegen de woeste golven.En: Minutes felt like hours, but eventually, the dikes held against the fierce waves.Nl: Toen de storm wegwaaide, stonden de drie naast elkaar, terwijl de zon voorzichtig doorbrak.En: When the storm blew over, the three stood side by side as the sun cautiously broke through.Nl: "Het werkt," fluisterde Sven met een mengeling van ongeloof en opluchting.En: "It works," Sven whispered with a mix of disbelief and relief.Nl: Zijn blik vertelde alles; een nieuw begrip voor moderne oplossingen.En: His expression said it all; a new appreciation for modern solutions.Nl: Bram voelde een golf van trots en begrip.En: Bram felt a wave of pride and understanding.Nl: "Misschien," zei hij, terwijl hij naar de horizon keek, "kunnen traditie en innovatie elkaar aanvullen."En: "Maybe," he said, as he looked toward the horizon, "tradition and innovation can complement each other."Nl: Sven glimlachte voorzichtig.En: Sven smiled cautiously.Nl: "Ik denk dat we dat vandaag geleerd hebben."En: "I think we've learned that today."Nl: Liselotte knikte instemmend, haar ogen zoekend naar tekenen van balans in het vernieuwde landschap.En: Liselotte nodded in agreement, her eyes searching for signs of balance in the rejuvenated landscape.Nl: Terwijl de drie de dijk afliepen, wisten ze dat de missie nog niet voltooid was.En: As the three walked off the dike, they knew the mission was not yet completed.Nl: Maar ze hadden een begin gemaakt waar traditie en moderniteit hand in hand konden gaan.En: But they had made a start where tradition and modernity could go hand in hand.Nl: Het was meer dan een herstel; het was een nieuwe verbinding.En: It was more than a restoration; it was a new connection.Nl: En zo werden de schaduwlijnen van de dijken, eeuwenoud, maar met moderne kracht hersteld, een symbool van hun gedeelde toekomst.En: And so the shadow lines of the dikes, centuries old, but restored with modern strength, became a symbol of their shared future. Vocabulary Words:icy: ijzigemudflats: waddencenturies: eeuwenlangbreathe new life: opnieuw leven in te blazendedicated: toegewijdheritage: erfgoedalienated: vervreemdroots: rootssustainable: duurzameenvironmental: milieutechniques: techniekenreinforcements: versterkingenominously: dreigendperspective: perspectiefmodernization: moderniseringrapidly: snelcautiously: voorzichtigdisturbing: verstorenpassion: passiefrowned: fronsteinnovation: innovatieappreciation: begriprejuvenated: vernieuwddrain: afvoerenlaboring: zwoegenfierce: woestelashed: sloegencomplement: aanvullensymbol: symboolshared: gedeelde

Send us a textIn this episode of Conversations with Kenyatta, Debra Britt, founder of the National Black Doll Museum, shares her powerful personal journey and the story behind her life's work preserving Black history and identity through dolls.Debra describes how her passion began in childhood when her grandmother helped her create her first Black doll — a moment that sparked a lifelong mission. She reflects on the adversity she faced, the mentors and educators who shaped her path, and how cultural pride and representation fueled her calling to collect, restore, and create Black dolls.Throughout the conversation, she explains how dolls serve as storytellers, teaching tools, and healing instruments for children and adults alike. The museum's collection preserves heritage, affirms identity, and opens important conversations about race, history, and resilience. Debra also discusses the realities of running a community-supported museum, including the ongoing need for volunteers and financial support.⏱️ Episode Timeline00:00 — Introduction and Early Inspiration Debra's childhood and creating her first Black doll with her grandmother02:03 — Facing Adversity and Finding Strength Early challenges and how resilience took shape05:38 — Family Influence and Cultural Pride The role of family, mentors, and educators09:29 — Storytelling and Education Through Dolls How dolls communicate history and identity10:11 — Dolls as Silent Historians Material culture as historical record13:44 — The Healing Power of Dolls Emotional connection and therapeutic impact17:25 — Doll-Making Traditions and History Cultural and historical craft practices20:30 — Doll Therapy and Community Engagement Programs and outreach work23:57 — Letting Go and Dealing with Bullies Personal growth and hard lessons25:32 — Teaching Children About Racism and Slavery Age-appropriate truth telling26:32 — Special Dolls and Personal Stories Meaningful pieces in the collection28:52 — Memorable Visitor Reactions Moments that stand out33:38 — Community Support and Volunteer Needs Behind-the-scenes realities of the museum40:52 — Acquiring and Valuing Dolls Collection practices and preservation44:23 — Closing Reflections Final thoughts and message to listeners If this conversation moved you, consider supporting the museum's work to preserve history, representation, and cultural identity through Black dolls and storytelling. You can help by donating, volunteering, spreading the word, or planning Conversations with Kenyatta features Kenyatta D. Berry. Music for episodes 1-76 is "Good Vibe" by Ketsa, Music for episodes 77+ is “Rheme – Afrobeat x African Instrumental x Reggae Beat,” via Pixabay.Learn more about Kenyatta and her work at KenyattaBerry.com.You can also connect with her on social media:Instagram: @Kenyatta.BerryFacebook: facebook.com/KenyattaDBThanks for listening, we'll see you next time on Conversations with Kenyatta. We are dedicated to exploring and discussing various aspects of genealogy, history, culture, and social issues. We aim to shed light on untold stories and perspectives that enrich our understanding of the world. Disclaimer: All guest opinions expressed in Conversations with Kenyatta are their own and do not reflect the views of Kenyatta D. Berry. .

Storytelling and feedback have become essential differentiators for lawyers navigating an increasingly competitive legal market. In the latest episode of the LMA Podcast, Julie Chodos sits down with consultant, author, and storyteller Anne marie Houghtailing to explore how narrative, influence, and real time communication shape trust, connection, and business development inside law firms. Tune in to learn: • How storytelling strengthens pitches, presentations, recruiting, and client conversations. • Why real time, consistent feedback is critical to culture, growth, and retention. • The myths that hold lawyers back from giving and receiving meaningful guidance. • Practical ways firms can build stronger communication habits across all levels. • How embracing authenticity and humanity leads to more influence and better results.

Tim and Ian discuss the return of Daredevil in the MCU, exploring their mixed feelings about the upcoming Season 2 of Born Again and the impact of binge-watching versus weekly releases on viewer engagement. They delve into the concept of 'invisible chapters' in the MCU's TV strategy, the excitement of reintroducing characters from the Netflix series, and the challenges of maintaining viewer interest in familiar storylines. The discussion also touches on the new Wonder Man series, highlighting its character-driven approach and humour, while speculating on the future direction of the MCU. 00:00 - Introduction and Initial Reactions 01:45 - Daredevil Season 2 Trailer Discussion 05:44 - Engagement with Marvel's TV Shows 11:08 - Character Returns and Expectations 16:49 - Familiarity and Storytelling in the MCU 24:49 - Daredevil's Narrative Challenges 27:15 - Concerns Over Familiarity and Redemption 28:32 - Cameos and Crossovers in the MCU 30:50 - First Impressions of Wonder Man 34:39 - Character Dynamics and Humour in Wonder Man 38:28 - Binge-Watching vs. Weekly Releases  

Fluent Fiction - Hebrew: Bridging Cultures: A Winter's Tale of Heritage and Healing Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/he/episode/2026-01-29-23-34-02-he Story Transcript:He: ביום קר ומשופע בשלג לבן בטריטוריית שבט מאשפי וואמפנואג, נועם הלך ביער העתיק, עיניו סרקו את הצמחים במבט חוקר.En: On a cold day, blanketed in white snow within the territory of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, Noam walked through the ancient forest, his eyes scanning the plants with an inquisitive gaze.He: מסביבו העצים זקופים, מכוסים בלובן שקט, והרוח הקרה נסחפת דרך הענפים ומשמיעה מנגינה חרישית.En: Around him, the trees stood tall, covered in quiet whiteness, while the cold wind swept through the branches, producing a gentle melody.He: מטרתו של נועם הייתה ברורה.En: @Noam's goal was clear.He: הוא רצה להבין את הקשר שבין צמחים ילידים לקהילות שלהם.En: He wanted to understand the connection between native plants and their communities.He: הוא חיפש להרגיש מחובר יותר למורשתו דרך חג ט"ו בשבט, המוקדש להכרת התודה לעולם הצומח.En: He sought to feel more connected to his heritage through the holiday of Tu Bishvat, dedicated to expressing gratitude to the plant world.He: מרים, מנהיגה מכובדת בקהילה המקומית, הביטה עליו בחשד.En: Miriam, a respected leader in the local community, watched him with suspicion.He: היא הייתה מודעת לחשיבות חילופי התרבויות, אך קשה היה לה להאמין בכוונותיהם של זרים.En: She was aware of the importance of cultural exchange, but found it difficult to trust the intentions of outsiders.He: היא הכירה היטב יתרונותיהם של צמחי המקום, אך לא הייתה בטוחה אם נועם ראוי לעזרתה.En: She was well-versed in the benefits of the local plants but was uncertain if Noam was deserving of her assistance.He: בעוד נועם התרכז בצמחים, פתאום חש צריבה בידו.En: While Noam focused on the plants, he suddenly felt a stinging in his hand.He: בתוך רגעים ספורים החלה נפיחותו לעלות, נשימתו הכבידה, והחרדה עטפה אותו.En: Within moments, swelling began to rise, his breathing became labored, and anxiety engulfed him.He: היה ברור שנפל קורבן לתגובה אלרגית מסוכנת.En: It was clear he had fallen victim to a severe allergic reaction.He: הסיטואציה הייתה דחופה.En: The situation was urgent.He: המקום היה מרוחק ושירותי החירום היו רחוקים מלהגיד.En: The location was remote, and emergency services were far from reachable.He: מרים הבינה שהיא חייבת לפעול במהירות.En: Miriam understood she had to act quickly.He: זו הייתה הזדמנות להוכיח את כוחה של המורשת המסורתית.En: This was an opportunity to prove the power of traditional heritage.He: היא הביאה מחומרים טבעיים וטיפלה בנועם, חולפת על פני ספקותיה.En: She used natural materials to treat Noam, pushing past her doubts.He: בזכות ידיעתה, נועם התאושש בעדינות ותודה הלב שלו התבהרה מחדש.En: Thanks to her knowledge, Noam recovered gently, and gratitude filled his heart once more.He: הוא הבין את הכוח הטמון במורשת ובחוכמה רבת השנים.En: He realized the power inherent in heritage and age-old wisdom.He: נועם הבטיח שיחקור את עבודתו לקדם גשר בין תרבויות, לעודד הערכה וכבוד הדדי.En: Noam promised to explore his work to build a bridge between cultures, to encourage mutual appreciation and respect.He: מרים, למדה דרך המסע האישי של נועם על הפתיחות שיש לבדוק את הכוונה מאחורי חיצוניות.En: Miriam, through Noam's personal journey, learned about the openness needed to question the intentions behind appearances.He: היא הרגישה שמחה מעורבת בשלווה, כשהם חלקו יחד את חגיגות ט"ו בשבט, בזמן שהשלג המשיך לרדת, מכסה את הארץ בשכבה חדשה של תקווה והבטחה.En: She felt a joy mixed with tranquility as they shared the Tu Bishvat celebrations together, while the snow continued to fall, covering the land with a new layer of hope and promise. Vocabulary Words:blanketed: משופעinquisitive: חוקרmelody: מנגינהheritage: מורשתgratitude: הכרת תודהsuspicion: חשדintention: כוונהlabored: הכבידהengulfed: עטפהremote: מרוחקreach: להגיעquickly: במהירותopportunity: הזדמנותprove: להוכיחdoubt: ספקותrecovered: התאוששbridges: גשרappreciation: הערכהrespect: כבודopenness: פתיחותappearances: חיצוניותtranquility: שלווהcelebrations: חגיגותfall: לרדתpromise: הבטחהscanning: לסרוקcommunity: קהילהdeserving: ראויurgent: דחוףnatural materials: חומרים טבעייםBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fluent-fiction-hebrew--5818690/support.

Fluent Fiction - Norwegian: From Market Stalls to Heritage: A Journey of Cultural Rediscovery Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/no/episode/2026-01-29-08-38-20-no Story Transcript:No: Kulden bet Sigrid i kinnene da hun åpnet døren til markedsplassen i Karasjok.En: The cold bit at Sigrid's cheeks as she opened the door to the marketplace in Karasjok.No: Det var Sámi nasjonaldag, og byen var levende med fargerike koftedrakter, samisk joik og lukten av bidos.En: It was Sámi National Day, and the town was alive with colorful traditional costumes, Sámi joik, and the smell of bidos.No: Hver vinter samlet folk seg her for å feire og handle, og hun var klar til å selge sine håndlagde produkter.En: Each winter, people gathered here to celebrate and trade, and she was ready to sell her handmade products.No: Sigrid var en reindriftssame, og hennes liv var nært knyttet til naturen og dyrene.En: Sigrid was a reindeer herder, and her life was closely tied to nature and the animals.No: Bodene var pyntet med fargerike tepper og pynt, og snøen lå som et teppe over landskapet.En: The stalls were adorned with colorful blankets and decorations, and the snow lay like a blanket over the landscape.No: Sigrid plassere sine produkter pent; vakre samiske kniver, tinnbroderte armbånd og ullhansker laget med kjærlighet og dyktighet.En: Sigrid arranged her products neatly; beautiful Sámi knives, tin-embroidered bracelets, and woolen gloves made with love and skill.No: Men hun visste at konkurransen var stor.En: But she knew the competition was fierce.No: Mange ville selge suvenirer som lokket turistene.En: Many wanted to sell souvenirs that enticed the tourists.No: Lars vandret blant bodene, med blandede følelser i hjertet.En: Lars wandered among the stalls, with mixed feelings in his heart.No: Han hadde kommet fra Oslo, nysgjerrig og litt usikker.En: He had come from Oslo, curious and a bit unsure.No: Han visste han hadde samiske røtter, men visste lite om kulturen.En: He knew he had Sámi roots, but knew little about the culture.No: Følelsen av å være en fremmed var vond.En: The feeling of being a stranger was painful.No: Språket var som en sang han ikke helt forstod.En: The language was like a song he didn't quite understand.No: Sigrid merket at folk hastet forbi, mer interessert i billige gjenstander.En: Sigrid noticed people hurrying past, more interested in cheap items.No: Hun bestemte seg for å endre taktikk.En: She decided to change her tactic.No: Til hver kunde fortalte hun en historie.En: To each customer, she told a story.No: Historier om reindriften, om vinterens styrke, om de tradisjonelle håndverkene.En: Stories about reindeer herding, about the strength of winter, about traditional crafts.No: Og sakte begynte folk å lytte.En: And slowly, people began to listen.No: Lars stoppet ved Sigrids bod, trukket av lyden av hennes stemme og gnisten i hennes øyne.En: Lars stopped at Sigrid's stall, drawn by the sound of her voice and the sparkle in her eyes.No: "Jeg er Sigrid," sa hun med et smil.En: "I am Sigrid," she said with a smile.No: "Mine produkter bærer historier - ikke bare ting."En: "My products carry stories—not just things."No: Lars kjente en lengsel.En: Lars felt a longing.No: "Jeg heter Lars," svarte han, litt nølende.En: "My name is Lars," he replied, a bit hesitantly.No: "Jeg vil gjerne lære om mine røtter."En: "I would like to learn about my roots."No: De to begynte å snakke, og Sigrid delte hennes innsikt om deres felles arv.En: The two began to talk, and Sigrid shared her insights about their shared heritage.No: Men så, som om naturen også ville delta, samlet en kraftig snøstorm seg.En: But then, as if nature also wanted to participate, a powerful snowstorm gathered.No: Plutselig forsvant strømmen, og Bodene lå i halvmørket.En: Suddenly, the power went out, and the stalls lay in semi-darkness.No: Folk samles rundt Sigrids bord for varme og fellesskap.En: People gathered around Sigrid's stall for warmth and fellowship.No: Med et bestemte Sigrid seg for å joike en gammel historie.En: With determination, Sigrid decided to joik an old story.No: Stemmen hennes fylte rommet som en varm bølge, og alle lyttet betatt.En: Her voice filled the room like a warm wave, and everyone listened, captivated.No: Lars sto der, og for første gang følte han seg ikke lenger fremmed.En: Lars stood there, and for the first time, he no longer felt like a stranger.No: Når stormen avtok og lyset kom tilbake, hadde noe forandret seg.En: When the storm subsided and the light returned, something had changed.No: Lars rakte Sigrid en håndfull mynter.En: Lars handed Sigrid a handful of coins.No: "Jeg kjøper disse," sa han og pekte på noen vakre armbånd.En: "I will buy these," he said, pointing to some beautiful bracelets.No: Det var mer enn bare et kjøp; det var et bånd til fortiden, til familien, til seg selv.En: It was more than just a purchase; it was a connection to the past, to family, to himself.No: Sigrid så etter ham, fylt med ny selvtillit.En: Sigrid watched after him, filled with new confidence.No: Hun visste nå at hun ikke bare solgte varer.En: She now knew that she wasn't just selling goods.No: Hun delte en kultur, en arv, som holdt stor verdi.En: She was sharing a culture, a heritage, of great value.No: Lars forlot markedsplassen med en indre varme.En: Lars left the marketplace with an inner warmth.No: Hvor reisen ville føre ham, visste han ikke, men han følte seg mer hjemme enn noensinne.En: Where the journey would lead him, he did not know, but he felt more at home than ever.No: Og mens solen sakte sank over det vinterkledde landskapet, gikk to sjeler styrket fra markedsplassen.En: And as the sun slowly sank over the winter-clad landscape, two souls left the marketplace strengthened.No: Sigrid, trygg på sin arv.En: Sigrid, confident in her heritage.No: Lars, på nettopp begynt oppdagelsesreise.En: Lars, on a newly begun journey of discovery. Vocabulary Words:cheeks: kinnenemarketplace: markedsplassencolorful: fargerikegathered: samletreindeer: reindriftssameherder: reindriftssameadorned: pyntetsouvenirs: suvenirerenticed: lokketstranger: fremmedhesitantly: nølendeheritage: arvpowerful: kraftigsnowstorm: snøstormsemi-darkness: halvmørketfellowship: fellesskapdetermination: bestemtcapability: dyktighetcaptivated: betattconfidence: selvtillitconnection: båndinsight: innsiktlandscape: landskapetlid: lokklonging: lengselpurchase: kjøpstalls: bodeneblankets: tepperknives: knivercoins: mynter

In today's episode we talk about Making Better Backstories With Plot Hooks.  How do you craft backstories with plot hooks?  What benefit does it give to the GM?  How can it make your players more dynamic?  We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.comor Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGamingPlease leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

MrBallen is known for his content on YouTube, focusing on true crime, paranormal, and unsettling stories. His real name is John B. Allen and he grew up in Massachusetts near Bobby Kelly. The MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious is now part of the SiriusXM universe, which makes him a co-worker. John tells how joining a riot in college almost ruined his future until he became a Navy SEAL. He details the impossible underwater training that he had to go through to be part of Team Six.| Bobby admits that he stole one of his scary stories and passed it off as his own. *To hear the full show to go www.siriusxm.com/bonfire to learn more! FOLLOW THE CREW ON SOCIAL MEDIA: @thebonfiresxm @louisjohnson @christinemevans @bigjayoakerson @robertkellylive @louwitzkee @jjbwolf Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of The Bonfire ad-free and a whole week early.  Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

#912 Perfection is out. Authenticity is in. As the world is flooded with polished content and AI noise, this is becoming increasingly true every day. That's why the more you edit yourself, the more you'll blend in. It's also why, if you show your real self, you'll stand out and attract a community of superfans! So how do you fight back against the slop and build a personal brand? In this episode, I look at the countermovement emerging in response to our artificial modern landscape. In fact, my inspiration for this episode comes from Medieval Mindset on YouTube labeling this as the Second Renaissance. I love that idea because it means that now is the best time to show up and lead the charge. You'd do exactly that by participating in something like my 30-day video challenge. So tune in because, when you don't overproduce, reality seeps in and you attract the right people! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session912.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the future of leadership is not about control, performance, or certainty but about surrender, trust, and belief?In this deeply soulful episode of Mirror Talk: Soulful Conversations, Tobi sits down with global leadership strategist, keynote speaker, and Culture Partners Chief Strategy Officer Dr. Jessica Kriegel to explore what it truly means to lead from the inside out.Jessica is the co-author of the upcoming book Surrender to Lead and has advised Fortune 100 organisations around the world. Her work challenges conventional leadership thinking by focusing on one powerful truth: culture is not what we do, it is what we believe.Together, Tobi and Jessica delve into impostor syndrome, burnout, trust-based empowerment, and the internal shifts necessary to create cultures where people can truly flourish. This conversation is a profound invitation for leaders to let go of fear, release the need to control, and lead with courage, authenticity, and meaning.In this episode, you will discover:Why beliefs, not strategies, shape leadership cultureWhat surrender really means in leadership and lifeHow imposter syndrome can become a doorway to growthWhy burnout is a personal responsibility, not just a workplace problemHow the Shift Model helps leaders move from fear to empowermentWhat trust-based leadership looks like in actionHow storytelling and experience shape mindset and resultsThis episode is for leaders, founders, coaches, and change-makers who are ready to stop forcing outcomes and start leading with alignment.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Leadership Philosophy06:30 The Concept of Surrender in Leadership13:34 Shaping Beliefs Through Experience19:14 The Power of Storytelling in Leadership19:27 Ego vs. Love in Leadership21:50 Navigating Imposter Syndrome26:25 The Shift Model: From Fear to Empowerment31:04 The 'Yes, And' Philosophy34:39 Taking Accountability for Burnout38:46 Four Questions to Overcome Limiting BeliefsGuest ResourceWebsite: https://culturepartners.comYour transformation begins the moment you decide to look within.Let this book walk with you.

Our first FULL YOUTUBE EPISODE of Stories RPG, and the start of the story of Punk Pantheon! The punks are about to discover their power - and the danger that comes with it! Eirnan lies to his mom and heads out to a Normal Stuff concert on his bike; Flutter encounters a gator-wrestling weirdo at the Donut Hole.

Ethical climate storytelling asks a hard question that most climate conversations avoid: why do so many people shut down when the science is clear and the stakes are high, and how do we tell stories that actually move people to care and act. In this episode, we explore how ethical climate storytelling can reconnect audiences to climate issues without fear, guilt, or manipulation, and why this approach matters for protecting the ocean and the communities that depend on it. Climate communication strategy often defaults to urgency and catastrophe, but our guest explains why that approach can backfire. Drawing on real-world media campaigns and public engagement work, Maya Lilly of The Years Project breaks down how human-centered narratives help people see themselves inside the climate story, especially when it comes to ocean warming, sea level rise, and coastal impacts. Hope-based climate communication emerges as one of the most emotional and surprising insights of the episode. Maya shares how ethical storytelling is not about sugarcoating reality, but about restoring agency. Listeners will hear why people are more likely to protect the ocean when they feel respected, informed, and capable, rather than overwhelmed or blamed. Connect with Maya: IG: @yearsofliving and @GunghoEco FB: @yearsofliving TikTok: @theyearsproject YT:  @Years and @GunghoEco LinkedIn: TheYearsProject BlueSky: @theyearsproject.bsky.social and @mayalilly.bsky.social Threads: @yearsofliving and @GunghoEco X:  @YearsofLiving @GunghoEco   Support Independent Podcasts: https://www.speakupforblue.com/patreon Help fund a new seagrass podcast: https://www.speakupforblue.com/seagrass Join the Undertow: https://www.speakupforblue.com/jointheundertow Connect with Speak Up For Blue Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speakupforblue Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc YouTube: www.speakupforblue.com/youtube    

The new book Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in an Age of Revolution tells the story of Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy Schuyler, sisters in a prominent New York family in Revolutionary America (and of course the stars of "Hamilton"). Author Amanda Vaill discusses the book as part of our ongoing biography series 'Full Bio.' In today's installment, hear how the Schuyler family made their fortune in colonial New York, and about Margarita "Peggy" Schuyler.

Actor Katherine LaNasa returns to her Emmy-winning role as Nurse Dana on the HBO Max medical drama "The Pitt." She discusses Season 2, which sees Dana return to the ER even after declaring she was going to quit at the end of Season 1.

Booker Prize-winning writer George Saunders returns with his first novel since Lincoln in the Bardo. Vigil follows an oil CEO on his death bed, and the spirit of a woman who had descended to help guide him through death. Saunders discusses the novel, out now.

Storytelling has the power to transform how we understand our bodies and our lives. On this week's episode, we welcome Lidia Yuknavitch, acclaimed author and editor of the new book The Big M: 13 Writers Take Back the Story of Menopause, for a bold conversation about reclaiming menopause through personal storytelling. Lidia brings together 13 raw, insightful, and deeply personal stories that challenge stigma, dismantle shame, and reframe menopause as a powerful life transition rather than something to be hidden. We explore how menopause is experienced across different cultures, the unexpected clarity and creativity that can emerge as hormones shift, and how women are redefining this phase of life on their own terms. This episode dives into menopause, women's health, aging, creativity, and identity, offering a refreshing, honest look at what happens when women take back the narrative—and discover new freedom on the other side. Show Notes/Links: www.hotflashescooltopics.com Check out the video on YouTube! We GREATLY appreciate 5* ratings and review! Find Us Here! Website I [http://hotflashescooltopics.com/] Mail I [hotflashescooltopics@gmail.com] Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/hotflashesandcooltopics/] Facebook : [www.facebook.com/hotflashescooltopics] YouTube I [https://www.youtube.com/@hotflashescooltopics

How do you build a storytelling rhythm that can fuel your fundraising efforts all year long? Max Kringen of Tellwell Story Co. is EXACTLY who nonprofits call when they want to stop guessing.We kick off by going behind the scenes of a Ronald McDonald House Charities gala where a beautiful, cinematic story helped raise more than $350,000 in one night.Max walks us through how Clara's story was selected, the meaning of narrative transportation, and how organizations can reposition themselves as the “helpful guide” instead of the hero.Once you hear Max's wildly practical “Story Seasons” framework, you won't be scrambling for stories in May or guessing what donors should hear in October. You'll be fueling generosity all year long!Resources & LinksConnect with Max on LinkedIn, subscribe to his newsletter, Start With Story, and learn more about Tellwell Story Co.Grab your ticket to Max's nonprofit storytelling conference, WellTold, on April 30, 2026. LettrLabs is the proud presenter of Missions to Movements. LettrLabs helps nonprofits build lasting donor relationships through real, handwritten mail that's fully automated - turning moments of intent into meaningful connection. From thank-yous to impact updates, they help you cut through with mail donors actually open, remember, and trust. Register now for the FREE Monthly Giving Summit on February 25-26th, the only virtual event where nonprofits unite to master monthly giving, attract committed believers, and fund the future with confidence. The Mini Monthly Giving Mastermind: A high-touch Mini Mastermind + optional in-person retreat (May 6-8) for nonprofit leaders that have an existing monthly giving program and ready to take it to the next level with 1:1 and peer support. Apply now! Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show! My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to bu...

There's a world of civic hacking where "making cool stuff" meets "making useful stuff."Hear tinkerers, gearheads and other makers share about the inventions that won them Burners Without Borders Civic Ignition Grants. These grants are little sparks that fire up the next level of open-source technology for all of our community, and for all the world.Colin Jemmott and MJ Brovold of YOUtopia, the San Diego Regional event, share about their low maintenance light source that's sturdy, solar-powered, and buildable by anyone. They're also building a huge steel pop-up book! Sam Smith and Squirtle of SOAK, the Portland Regional event, share about their deployable solar shade pavilion made of star-shapes and scissor linkages. Trash eating robots are involved, and 3D printed ‘precious plastic' art.This is not about the party. This is about practicing for a future where we won't need to poison the planet to self-express. These stories are a recipe:One part ‘for the love of it' spiritOne part skills we already haveBlend until smooth.Enjoy what new ideas can happen when we all put our heads together.https://burnerswithoutborders.org/uncategorized/2025-regional-event-granthttps://sdyoutopia.comhttps://sdcolab.orgwww.luxcapacitor.arthttps://www.precipitationnw.org/burnonhttps://soakpdx.com LIVE.BURNINGMAN.ORG

Your actions on your assumptions is ultimately what matters. So treat people with kindness.Text me at 972-426-2640 so we can stay connected!Support me on Patreon!Twitter:  @elliottspeaksInstagram: @elliottspeaks Text me at 972-426-2640 so we can stay connected!Support me on Patreon!Twitter: @elliottspeaksInstagram: @elliottspeaks

From time to time, we'll re-air a previous episode of the show that our newer audience may have missed. During this episode, Santosh is joined by Earnest Sweat, GP at Stresswood Ventures. In this conversation, Santosh and Earnest explore the evolving landscape of supply chain investment, emphasizing the importance of resilience among founders and investors. Earnest shares insights from his venture capital journey, the role of technology, and the significance of storytelling in investing. They also discuss challenges like labor shortages and opportunities in reverse logistics and labor optimization while also highlighting the need for conviction in non-AI investments, the critical role of human connection in the industry, and so much more.Highlights from their conversation include:Welcoming Back Earnest to the Show (0:45)Inspiration Behind "Stress Wood" (1:05)The Importance of Resilience (2:21)Value of Storytelling in Investing (9:17)Understanding the Supply Chain Landscape (12:27)Opportunities in Non-AI Companies (15:18)Future Investment Focus Areas (21:43)The Industrial Landscape and Labor Challenges (24:43)The Role of Investors in Series A (27:54)Importance of Industry Knowledge (30:17)Pre-Seed and Seed Investment Strategies (31:21)Customer Introductions as a Value Proposition (32:28)Future of Electrification (34:07)Best Ecosystems for Supply Chain Startups and Parting Thoughts (34:16)Dynamo is a VC firm led by supply chain and mobility specialists that focus on seed-stage, enterprise startups.Find out more at: https://www.dynamo.vc/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“I'm Nick Westergaard, and this is On Brand — helping you tell your story.” Storytelling is everything—especially for leaders and marketers navigating today's digital world. On this show, we go behind the scenes with the minds at Microsoft, Spotify, and the Mayo Clinic to see how they lead with purpose and build lasting trust. Featuring insights from global experts like Seth Godin, Nancy Duarte, and Alan Alda, we unpack the human element of brand building. We also ask every guest: “What's a brand that's made you smile recently?” If you're ready to build a brand that stands out, join us each week on On Brand. Full episodes and resources: https://nickwestergaard.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I'm joined by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic and Mike Cisneros from Storytelling with Data to talk about their new book, Before & After. We dig into where the examples came from, how they selected and refined real client work, and why the book focuses so heavily on process rather than rules or templates. We also reflect on how the data visualization field has evolved over the past decade—from best practices and chart types to iteration, audience empathy, and real-world constraints. Along the way, we talk about teaching data viz, common pitfalls, and why there's no such thing as a true “201 course”—only practice.Keywords: ddata visualization, storytelling with data, data storytelling, before and after charts, visualization process, data communication, chart design, visual analytics, design iteration, audience-focused data, PolicyViz Podcast, Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, Mike CisnerosSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthGrab the new book, Before and After - Practical Makeovers for Powerful Data StoriesFollow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

Sometimes you have to travel a very long distance to become a curiosity, as these two tales show so well. Order the official Cabinet of Curiosities book by clicking here today, and get ready to enjoy some curious reading!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tony and Academy Award-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden recognizes that, like so many of us, she is who she is because of the people that raised her. In this episode, Marcia Gay tells the story of how she's learned to reevaluate all that she inherited from her parents, and to let go of learned patterns that no longer serve her.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.