Storytelling School

It's my very first time at Comic-Con. I'm with my dear friend Denise, and it's her first time, too. The second we arrive in downtown San Diego, we're hit with a wave of everything - cosplayers everywhere, camera crews darting around, and volunteers all over the place. There are 135,000 people moving in every direction at once. It's buzzing, massive, and honestly thrilling! Since it's Day One, we find our way to the convention center and step onto this long escalator. We're heading up to the top, and I'm trying to act calm - for Denise, sure, but really for myself, too. Inside, my mind is racing: Are we in the right place? Did we come in the right entrance? Where do I get my badge? What should we do first? I don't want to miss a thing! That low-level panic kicks in because if we don't figure this out fast, we'll waste time and miss something amazing. Excitement and chaos collide, and my brain is ping-ponging: Logistics Priorities Schedules Locations …all while I'm trying to look completely unfazed. The escalator keeps climbing, steep and endless. Then we reach the top, and there he is standing right in the middle of all the noise and commotion: Alan Irwin. He makes eye contact, smiles, and says, "Welcome to Comic-Con!" That one sentence shifts everything. The noise is still there; the crowd hasn't changed… but I have. I suddenly feel grounded. I know that we're in the right place and that everything is going to be fine. Alan didn't give instructions or solve anything in that moment; his presence did all the work. In a sea of overstimulation, he connected with a simple smile and eye contact, and I thought: Of course. That's why he's here. Out of all the volunteers, they placed Alan at the top of the escalators. He goes beyond crowd management—he meets people where they are. He reads the energy and centers the entire room. That's crowd work at the highest level, and today, I have Alan Irwin on the Storytelling School Podcast so we can talk about exactly how he does this! You'll learn how simple eye contact can instantly shift someone's entire state of mind, how powerful confidence can be (even when borrowed from a "character"), and so much more. We'll also answer questions like: What makes storytelling the fastest path to building trust? Does true "crowd work" mean co-creating the experience with the audience? How is it that a speaker's resilience is measured not by avoiding mistakes but by how they recover from them? What could possibly be more essential than finding the joy or purpose in your own message before you even share it? What you will learn in this episode: Why speakers borrow traits from admired figures, stepping into a "character" to project confidence How great speaking isn't talking at people Why resilience matters more than perfection and how mistakes and technical failures are inevitable What about joy makes it the ultimate anchor Who is Alan? Storytelling has played a role in both of Alan Irwin's careers in different ways. He recently retired from a career spent in the infrared industry as a senior software engineer by day. However, he stumbled into Improvisational Comedy in his 30s and by night has performed it for over 30 years, while also spending most of that time teaching Improv. Improvisation has transformed Alan's teaching. His secret weapon lies in his penchant for making complex subjects accessible and fun. It has served him well worldwide in speaking engagements on a wide range of other topics, from robotics to crisis intervention (including suicide prevention). He's taken on the task of communicating very complex ideas to others in tech (and his interests, like geek culture and cheesemaking). Links and Resources: Santa Barbara Improv Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingschool on Facebook

It's a Tuesday morning. I am sitting in front of my computer, matcha tea in hand, staring at my podcast dashboard. A little number in the top corner catches my eye. 200 episodes, 200! Part of me can't even believe it. I think back to those first recordings; I was so nervous, wondering if people would care about storytelling the way I do, yet week after week, I kept going. I didn't always know if I'd have the time, the stories, or the right guests to keep it fresh. But every single conversation, every solo episode, every moment behind the mic has taught me something. And at each milestone, I've marked it by pulling together the best mic drop moments into one ultimate storytelling highlight reel. I did it at episode 100. I did it at 150. And today, at 200, we're doing it again! You're about to hear unforgettable moments from episodes 151 to 200. These insights can change the way you tell stories, the way you speak on stage, and help you be the one who's unforgettable. If you've been with me since the early days, thank you. Listeners, you know the drill: this is where the wisdom comes fast and furious. And if you're new, welcome! A little about me: Hi there. I'm Kymberlee. As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I've had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I've seen what works when influencing change and what doesn't. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That's why I'm building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell real stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people's lives. Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You'll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or, as I discuss in this episode, the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teach my clients to do the same. If you think business owners can't tell stories or don't have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There's no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value. Now it's your turn... If you're ready to become a master storyteller and effect change in our world, you've come to the right place. Links and Resources Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingschool on Facebook

I am standing on a court in Santa Barbara, and it's my very first pickleball lesson. I arrived early and I'm already warmed up, focused and ready to do everything exactly right. In fact, even before booking this lesson, I researched every single coach in town. I landed on Richard Pastoria because he's the real deal: a professional coach for over 25 years, the resident pickleball pro at the Valley Club of Montecito, and - not only that - he also has a military background. That combination of structure and discipline and high standards speaks to me because I've been an athlete my entire life, and I take performance seriously, so I want to work with someone who brings that level of excellence and who understands focus like I do. I'm thinking we are going to be perfectly aligned. A few minutes into the lesson, we are already deep into a drill, and Coach Richard feeds me a ball. I move the way I think I'm supposed to and swing the way I think I'm supposed to… and I completely miss. Instantly, I feel my entire body tighten. I start analyzing. What did I do wrong? Was it my grip, or maybe it was my footwork? Or it could be my timing… I replay this moment in my mind, and I start getting mad at myself because I'm doing what he's telling me to do. I can feel myself spiraling faster and faster. I am an athlete. I should be able to do this. I should be able to pick this up. I want so badly to get this right. It's at this moment that Coach Richard can see me spiraling. Across the court, I hear him yell out, "Kymberlee!" Okay, here it comes. I'm bracing myself, thinking that it's going to be a technical adjustment, another drill, and he says, "It's just pickleball." That's it. No lecture, no overanalysis, just those three words. At that moment, I laugh. My shoulders drop, and I stop holding my breath because he's right; it is just pickleball. All of a sudden, I think, what if this were fun? Everything shifts. I keep playing, but now I feel lighter, looser, still focused but not robotic. I start laughing when I miss. I reset faster and strangely start hitting the ball better, and I realize that I don't have to choose between working hard and also having fun. I can actually care deeply and enjoy myself at the exact same time, and that paradox, that is where the power is. In this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, I discuss what you can do to make your story truly land, why too much control kills connection, and so much more. You'll get answers to questions like: How can you be both serious about your performance and still have fun at the same time? What elements need to be in alignment in order to deliver a memorable Talk? How can you tell a compelling story without sounding robotic or rehearsed? What you will learn in this episode: How mastery over your Talk is in the balance between effort and ease Why your energy should be in sync with your story Why perfection is not persuasive Why letting go just enough creates the necessary space for authenticity, flow, and real impact A little about me: Hi there. I'm Kymberlee. As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I've had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I've seen what works when influencing change and what doesn't. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That's why I'm building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell real stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people's lives. Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You'll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or, as I discuss in this episode, the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teach my clients to do the same. If you think business owners can't tell stories or don't have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There's no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value. Now it's your turn... If you're ready to become a master storyteller and effect change in our world, you've come to the right place. Links and Resources Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingschool on Facebook

I'm on a Zoom call with one of my private clients. She is a powerhouse executive and is preparing for a TED-style keynote. Her ideas are solid, and her story is incredible; it's emotional, has high stakes and everything you would want in an opening story. And the rest of her Talk? That's epic as well. Plus, she's done the work and is ready to go. We start rehearsing and everything… falls flat. Her delivery is kind of robotic, and there's no energy in her voice. Even the transitions between her story and her insights kind of feel like speed bumps. She is reciting her script but isn't truly owning her message, and I can see it in her face - she's frustrated. She feels the pressure, and the doubt starts creeping in. I stop her right in the middle of the rehearsal and say, "All right, let's forget the script. Instead, just tell me your story and share your Talk with me as if we're at dinner." So she starts over, and everything changes. Even her body shifts and changes. Her words flow, and her transitions feel human. Instead of presenting, she's now actually connecting with me. That's the difference between reciting a Talk and owning every single moment of it. In this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, I discuss how truly effective rehearsing isn't about memorizing a script, why emotionally and physically integrating your message can truly connect you to your audience, and so much more. You'll get answers to questions like: What makes presence so much more important than perfection? How does mental rehearsal increase confidence and clarity? How can you rehearse in a way that helps your audience feel that you're speaking with them instead of at them? What you will learn in this episode: Why rehearsing effectively means integrating your message and not just memorizing your words How to strengthen your emotional connection to prevent your Talk from falling flat Why it's essential to rehearse your full Talk and not just your story to create maximum impact A little about me: Hi there. I'm Kymberlee. As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I've had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I've seen what works when influencing change and what doesn't. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That's why I'm building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell real stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people's lives. Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You'll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or, as I discuss in this episode, the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teach my clients to do the same. If you think business owners can't tell stories or don't have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There's no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value. Now it's your turn... If you're ready to become a master storyteller and effect change in our world, you've come to the right place. Links and Resources Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingschool on Facebook

I'm working with my client on a TEDx Talk. In her opening story, she shares a vivid moment from her childhood: She is standing on a stranger's doorstep, completely nervous and uncertain if anyone is going to answer at all. It's a small detail yet it's emotionally powerful and completely gripping. After the story, we go ahead and develop the rest of the Talk. And as a whole, her Talk is strong. It's structured and meaningful… except when we get to the end. Something is missing. Her idea and her content are clear, but there isn't really an emotional lift at the end. I suggest going back to that moment at the doorstep and bringing the story full circle, reconnecting the audience with that feeling of standing on that doorstep. So she tries it, and guess what? It changed everything. At the end of her Talk, the emotion rushes in, and suddenly, we, the audience, go from being in listener mode to actually feeling the story and reconnecting to that feeling that we felt in her opening story. We can actually see the story in our mind's eye. That one callback ends up transforming her Talk, which has now been viewed over a million times. In this episode of Storytelling School, I explain how a well-placed callback can truly transform your Talk by creating satisfying closure and leaving a lasting impression on the audience. You'll get answers to questions like: What is a callback, and why is it important? How does using a well-placed callback in your Talk strengthen its impact? How can even just one powerful detail from your story be the key to making your ending unforgettable? What you will learn in this episode: Why repeated emotional cues create deeper audience engagement How to find and evolve a meaningful moment in your story Why one callback is more powerful than many A little about me: Hi there. I'm Kymberlee. As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I've had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I've seen what works when influencing change and what doesn't. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That's why I'm building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell real stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people's lives. Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You'll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or, as I discuss in this episode, the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teach my clients to do the same. If you think business owners can't tell stories or don't have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There's no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value. Now it's your turn... If you're ready to become a master storyteller and effect change in our world, you've come to the right place. Links and Resources Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingschool on Facebook