Épisodes

  • #557: How to Be Heard: Turning Audience Pain into Business Impact, with Dan Manning

    #557: How to Be Heard: Turning Audience Pain into Business Impact, with Dan Manning
    Mar 2 2026

    Discover how to make your message truly heard with Dan Manning, former fighter pilot, speechwriter, and military diplomat turned professional storyteller. In this episode, Dan reveals his simple, repeatable "Before, Change, After, Meaning" framework that helps founders and executives communicate ideas that move people to action.

    Learn why understanding your audience's pain is the secret to engagement, how scenes—not just stories—create connection, and what military storytelling can teach you about clarity and impact. Dan's clients have raised millions in investment, sold millions in products, and landed dream jobs at Fortune 10 companies—all by using stories that stick.

    If you want actionable steps to clarify your message, inspire your audience, and drive real results, this episode is for you.
    Tune in to hear practical frameworks, high-stakes lessons, and storytelling secrets that will transform the way you communicate and lead.
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    Indisponible
  • #556: From Clicks to Conversions: Fixing Your Post-Click Story, with Shamir Duverseau

    #556: From Clicks to Conversions: Fixing Your Post-Click Story, with Shamir Duverseau
    Feb 23 2026

    Unlocking Post-Click Success: How to Convert Clicks into Customers with Shamir Duverseau

    Are you pouring budget into digital ads, getting plenty of clicks—but not enough conversions? You're not alone. Most marketers focus on getting the click, but the real opportunity comes after.

    In this episode of the Business of Story, Park Howell sits down with Shamir Duverseau—founder of Smart Panda Labs and former marketing leader at Disney, Marriott, Southwest Airlines, and NBC Universal—to reveal why the post-click experience is the most overlooked (and profitable) part of your marketing funnel.

    Shamir shares his journey from running campaigns for iconic brands to building a framework that helps businesses turn website visitors into loyal customers. You'll learn:

    • The psychology behind why prospects vanish after the click
    • How to align marketing, IT, and product teams for seamless digital journeys
    • Simple tweaks that can dramatically increase your conversions
    • Proven strategies for building trust and removing friction on your site
    • How to use research and feedback to continually improve your results

    Whether you're a startup founder or an enterprise marketer, you'll discover actionable steps to transform your website into a conversion engine and get more from the traffic you already have.
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    59 min
  • #555: Which Story Should You Tell and to Whom, With Lee Schneider

    #555: Which Story Should You Tell and to Whom, With Lee Schneider
    Feb 16 2026
    Finding the Right Story for Your Audience with Lee Schneider

    Are you telling your story in a way that truly connects with your best customers? Most businesses try to be everything to everyone, but the real magic happens when you focus on the 20% of your audience that delivers 80% of your results.

    In this episode of the Business of Story, host Park Howell welcomes Lee Schneider—founder of Red Cup Agency, award-winning podcast producer, USC professor, and veteran storyteller whose credits include Good Morning America, Dateline NBC, and documentaries for the History Channel, Court TV, and more.

    What you'll learn:

    • How to identify and tell the right story for your specific audience
    • The three essential stories every business needs to win trust and drive action
    • Practical ways to test and refine your narrative for real-world impact

    Whether you're a startup founder, entrepreneur, or creative professional, you'll discover actionable storytelling techniques to help you stand out, build credibility, and grow your business.

    About Lee Schneider:
    Lee draws on decades of experience in media-making, screenwriting, and education to help leaders transform complex concepts into projects that get funded. He's also the creator of the Storyline Sessions masterclass and a leading voice in podcast production.

    Related Episodes:

    • The Writer's Journey with Christopher Vogler
    • How to Build a Story Library for Your Brand
    • Making Your Customer the Hero

    Connect with Lee:
    Get Lee's free storytelling starter kit at redcupagency.com/storybusiness
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    1 h et 1 min
  • #554: How Great Brand Storytelling Helps You Recruit Rockstars, With Jeff Hyman

    #554: How Great Brand Storytelling Helps You Recruit Rockstars, With Jeff Hyman
    Feb 9 2026

    Unlock the secret to recruiting top talent with storytelling! In this episode, Park Howell welcomes Jeff Hyman—author of "Recruit Rockstars"—to reveal how the ABT narrative framework can transform your hiring process. Discover why stories attract missionaries (not mercenaries), how to make your job postings irresistible, and the role of AI in scaling your employer brand. Whether you're an HR leader, hiring manager, or job seeker, you'll learn actionable strategies to build a team that stays for the mission, not just the money. Listen now and make your next hire a rockstar!

    Test the strength of your brand story on the StoryCycle Genie® for FREE.

    Story on!

    ≈Park
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    57 min
  • #553: How to Turn AI Into Artful Intelligence That Inspires Your Brand Storytelling, With Jen Perry

    #553: How to Turn AI Into Artful Intelligence That Inspires Your Brand Storytelling, With Jen Perry
    Feb 2 2026

    Discover how to transform "artificial intelligence" into "artful intelligence" and inspire your brand storytelling in this must-listen episode of the Business of Story. Park Howell is joined by Jen Perry, Executive Creative Director at Vagrants, who shares her journey from building creative teams for brands like JetBlue, IKEA, and Dunkin' Donuts to leading Vagrants' evolution into a creative powerhouse.

    You'll learn why "artificial intelligence" is a branding problem, and how reframing it as "artful intelligence" helps you keep your storytelling human, emotionally resonant, and truly impactful—even as you embrace the latest technology. Jen reveals practical strategies for using emotional intelligence in your creative process, building lasting client relationships, and coaching teams to bold, effective ideas.

    Plus, you'll hear a real-world case study from Tom Schwab of Interview Valet on how the StoryCycle Genie™ platform delivers artful, brand-aligned content that saves hours and elevates quality.

    Listen now to discover:

    • How to blend AI and empathy for better brand stories
    • Why artful intelligence is your creative edge
    • Actionable steps to inspire your team and audience

    For more insights and resources, visit businessofstory.com.
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    54 min
  • #552: How Stories Are Alive And Energize Your Brand, With Christopher Vogler

    #552: How Stories Are Alive And Energize Your Brand, With Christopher Vogler
    Jan 26 2026

    Chris Vogler, legendary story consultant and author of The Writer's Journey, joins Park Howell to reveal how the Hero's Journey is more than a Hollywood formula—it's a living, breathing blueprint for personal and brand transformation.

    You'll discover why wish fulfillment is at the heart of every great brand story, how to turn obstacles ("threshold guardians") into opportunities, and why stories have the power to heal, orient, and energize us in a chaotic world.

    Chris shares behind-the-scenes stories from Disney, explains the science of story energy, and offers practical advice for marketers, leaders, and anyone looking to create deeper connections with their audience.

    Whether you're building a business, leading a team, or searching for your own path, this episode will help you unlock the universal patterns that move people—and move the world.

    Related Episodes:
    • How to Use The Hero's Journey in Business and In Life, With John Bucher
    • Robert McKee: The Science of Story
    • Park Howell: The ABT Framework for Business
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    1 h et 3 min
  • #551: Why Building Your Audience Now is the Only Moat Against AI, With Joe Pulizzi

    #551: Why Building Your Audience Now is the Only Moat Against AI, With Joe Pulizzi
    Jan 19 2026

    The content marketing pioneer who coined the term in 2001 reveals the urgent reality: creators have 12-24 months to build discoverable human audiences before AI-generated synthetic content makes it nearly impossible.

    The 99% Problem and the Vinyl Solution

    Joe Pulizzi drops a startling statistic: 99% of content being created today is heavily influenced by AI. Instagram recently admitted they can't keep up with the flood of AI content and won't even try to block it.

    But Joe isn't running from AI—he's running WITH it while building something AI can't replicate: authentic human relationships with loyal audiences.

    His "vinyl strategy": While 99% of content becomes synthetic commodity, human creators can become the premium 1% that builds small audiences who know, like, and trust them.

    What You'll Learn

    In this episode, discover:

    • Why being KNOWN (not famous) is your only competitive moat in the AI age

    • The urgent 12-24 month window to build your audience before discoverability becomes impossible

    • Joe's 30-minute daily AI practice using ChatGPT as co-CEO, health coach, and financial advisor

    • How to find your "tilt"—that one thing you're exceptionally good at for a specific audience

    • Why email and owned audiences matter more than algorithm-dependent platforms

    • Why Joe stopped his 527-episode podcast to focus on ONE thing: his newsletter The Tilt

    • The generational advantage Baby Boomers and Gen Xers have (and how to leverage it)

    • How to use AI as collaborator while maintaining your authentic voice

    About Joe Pulizzi

    Joe Pulizzi is founder of Content Marketing Institute and The Tilt, bestselling author of seven books including Epic Content Marketing (named a Must-Read Business Book by Fortune Magazine) and Burn the Playbook. He coined the term "content marketing" in 2001 and received the Content Council's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. He successfully exited CMI in 2016.

    His two weekly podcasts include the award-winning This Old Marketing with Robert Rose (the longest-running marketing news podcast) and Content Inc. (recently concluded after 527 episodes).

    His foundation, The Orange Effect, delivers speech therapy and technology services to over 450 children in 40+ states.

    Key Takeaways

    Curiosity is one of the most human traits—point it in the right direction and opportunities emerge. Block 30 minutes daily for AI experimentation. Write down the 10 things that make you uniquely you. Then start building your audience on ONE platform where you own the relationship.

    The future belongs to the curious and the known.

    Episode: 551

    Guest: Joe Pulizzi

    Host: Park Howell

    Show: Business of Story

    Topics: AI, Content Marketing, Creator Economy, Audience Building, Synthetic Content, Personal Branding, Newsletter Strategy, Career Development, Retirement Planning
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    59 min
  • #550: How to Use The Hero's Journey in Business and in Life, With John Bucher

    #550: How to Use The Hero's Journey in Business and in Life, With John Bucher
    Jan 12 2026
    Why This Episode Matters This milestone 550th episode brings the Business of Story full circle to its foundational inspiration: Joseph Campbell and the Hero's Journey. Host Park Howell interviews John Bucher, PhD, Executive Director of the Joseph Campbell Foundation, revealing why the Hero's Journey is more than a story framework - it's a neurological blueprint for business success. What You'll Discover The Neuroscience of Storytelling Modern research shows the Hero's Journey mirrors the exact neurological patterns your brain uses to solve problems. When you structure business communications around this framework, you're speaking the native language of human decision-making. How Customers Really Make Decisions John Bucher reveals the truth most businesses miss: Customers make emotional decisions first, gather evidence to support those feelings second, then justify logically third. As Robert McKee said, "The conscious mind is simply the PR department that justifies all the decisions the emotional subconscious mind makes." This is why stories (which communicate feelings) are more powerful than data alone. The Two Paths to Business Transformation Discover how the "Call to Adventure" manifests differently for entrepreneurs versus managers: • Entrepreneur's Journey: Driven by dissatisfaction, voluntarily leaves comfort zone, proactively pursues opportunity • Manager's Journey: Forced by circumstances, faces organizational changes, adapts to involuntary transitions Understanding both paths helps you connect with any audience. Your Customer Is the Hero (Not Your Brand) The positioning shift that transforms marketing from pushy to magnetic: Your brand is Yoda, not Luke Skywalker. You're the mentor providing guidance, not the hero seeking glory. John explains: "We all trust ourselves more than we trust anyone else. When we create the framework for listeners to tell themselves the story, it's so much more powerful." What You're Really Selling "Chevrolet doesn't sell automobiles, they sell freedom." Customers don't buy based on specifications - they buy emotional stories about what products enable in their lives. You're selling transformation, not products. From Intuitive to Intentional Storytelling We're all natural storytellers, but there's a difference between intuitive and intentional storytelling. Learn how to replicate storytelling success consistently without becoming a story theorist. The Hero's Journey as Life Instruction Manual Christopher Vogler calls the Hero's Journey "an instruction manual for life." John Bucher agrees: "No matter how good things are going, bad times always come. That road of trials is something we all keep returning to." The framework helps you recognize patterns, identify mentors, and embrace transformation as natural. Guest Expert John Bucher, PhD, is a renowned mythologist and story expert who has been featured on the BBC, the History Channel, the LA Times, The Hollywood Reporter, and numerous other international outlets. He serves as Executive Director for the Joseph Campbell Foundation and is a writer, storyteller, and speaker. John has consulted and worked with government and cultural leaders around the world, as well as organizations such as HBO, DC Comics, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, A24 Films, Atlas Obscura, and The John Maxwell Leadership Foundation. He is the author of six influential books on storytelling and has worked with New York Times best-selling authors, YouTube influencers, Eisner winners, Emmy winners, Academy Award nominees, magicians, and cast members from Saturday Night Live. Holding a PhD in Mythology & Depth Psychology, he integrates scholarly insights with practical insights, exploring the profound connections between myth, culture, and personal identity. His expertise has helped shape compelling narratives across various platforms, enriching the way stories are understood, told, and experienced globally. Website: tellingabetterstory.com Episode Highlights • The Deathbringer and Lifebringer Native American story that illustrates what you're really selling in business • Why Joseph Campbell opposed dogmatic application of the Hero's Journey (and championed diverse adaptations) • Park Howell's synchronicity experience: Lights flickering when mentioning Campbell's death anniversary • How Park's career demonstrates multiple hero's journeys (agency founder at 35, story consultant at 55) • The Refusal of the Call in sales: Why customer resistance is a natural stage, not permanent barrier • John Bucher's accidental hero's journey (enrolled in music program, ended up in film/TV by mistake) • The Fundamental Attribution Error and how it affects business communication • Why the Hero's Journey is a form (not formula) - the tango dancing metaphor • How to use storytelling language to create deeper listening and engagement Resources Mentioned Quick Introduction (3 minutes): "What It Takes to Be a Hero" by Matthew Winkler (TED-Ed video) - ...
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    1 h et 11 min