Lee Gutkind – Author of You Can't Make This Stuff Up

#8: How To Create An Epic Business Narrative

#8: How to Create an Epic Business Narrative

Anybody can tell a story. Whether it’s a million-dollar Super Bowl TV Spot, or your child telling you about their day, every person on earth is capable of storytelling. It’s what humans have been doing since we’ve been able to talk. But for your businesses, there are important distinctions that mean the difference between success and failure. Anyone can tell a story, but to rise above the competition you need to tell a great story.

Today’s episode features a guest that will help us learn to tell that story. He’s been on The Daily Show, NPR, the BBC, and Face the Nation. He is the author of over twenty books, and the founder of Creative Nonfiction Magazine, Lee Gutkind. Lee has been working in storytelling for years and knows exactly what it takes to make an enticing brand narrative. For over twenty years, Lee and his team have been taking facts and stats and turning them into interesting, conflict-filled stories to reach audiences far and wide. If your brand storytelling seems to be missing something, Lee Gutkind has some great advice for you.

What You’ll Learn

• Importance of conflict and resolutions
• Making the audience a participant in story
• Power of explaining facts through a narrative

Key Quotes

• “Despite telling them every day, most people fundamentally don’t know what a story is.” – Park Howell
• “What we really do is listen for something that we can deeply connect to, and that’s the story. That’s the scene.” – Lee Gutkind
• “The whole idea is to write a true story that is accurate, that is believable, and communicate your information through that true story.” – Lee Gutkind
• “People keep facts much longer when they’re wrapped in a story.” – Lee Gutkind

In this Episode

• Hugh Downs School of Communication
• ASU
• Creative Nonfiction
• Carnegie Mellon
• Executive Master’s Program
• Executive Master’s for Sustainability Leadership
• Daily Show
• Jon Stewart
• Good Morning America
• Face the Nation
• All Things Considered
• NPR
• BBC
• You Can’t Make This Stuff Up
• Tom Hanks
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
• John Hopkins Hospital
• Robert McKee

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