Shows
How Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoHow to resonate with experienced pros (stop being tricked by the internet)How to resonate with better clients and buyers—people with experience and taste who hire you for everything that makes you unique. This is different than almost everything the owners of search engines, social networks, and AI tools have taught us. So we first need to unlearn a lot of what's popular on the internet today.***ABOUT ME, JAY ACUNZO:Strategic Storytelling & Speaking Advisor to Experienced ProsI help my clients package and communicate their expertise to differentiate & resonate as stronger stories, speeches, and messaging, so it’...2025-06-0422 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoSteve Pratt: Storytelling lessons from the MTV of Canada and #1-ranked podcastsSteve Pratt has spent a lifetime earning attention, from his time working for "the MTV of Canada" (Much Music) and as the co-creator of the most popular podcast in Canada, then as the cofounder of Pacific Content, which created podcasts for DELL, Charles Schwab, Zendesk, Slack, Atlassian and more.Steve is a past client of mine, as I helped him develop his keynote speech associated with his book, Earn It: Unconventional Strategies for Brave Marketers. When he's not traveling the world speaking, Steve is consulting his clients on how to differentiate through their creative bravery.2025-05-2938 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoBEST OF HSH: Andrew Davis on figuring out your storyI know a ton of storytellers and creators and entrepreneurs, but I know exactly zero other people who have learned how to do what they do from both legendary news broadcasters and Kermit the Frog.Meet Andrew Davis. He is a powerhouse business speaker who’s given speeches in 35 different countries, at more than 50 events every year. He speaks to audiences ranging from marketers and entrepreneurs to plumbers and physicians — and there may not be a storyteller who is this craft-driven and obsessed with telling amazing stories in the worlds of business, marketing, and customer experience.2025-05-2142 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoMake me care: Lessons from Roy Kent and Seth GodinThere's a big difference between people hearing your words and understanding you. There's an even bigger gap between understanding and caring. How can we communicate in ways that ensure others care about our ideas, our messages, our businesses? In this solo episode, a look at two moments involving two very different communicators: Roy Kent, the character from Ted Lasso, and author and speaker Seth Godin.We'll dissect both moments and make sense of what they do differently. It's a stark reminder that communicating in ways that resonate is available to us all, if only we'd m...2025-05-0715 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoDorie Clark: How to turn expertise into breakthrough ideasThis episode is a total blast and tour de force from one of the world's foremost business communicators, Dorie Clark! Dorie is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, a contributor to the Harvard Business Review, a communication coach and mentor for world-class leaders, and a keynote speaker who has consulted with or spoken for Google, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Yale University, and the World Bank.In this episode, you'll hear a signature story Dorie uses in support of her premise and her book, The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World. Together, we...2025-04-3038 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoJustin Moore: How he altered his storytelling to resonate with more people"Reworking in Realtime." That’s a phrase I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. How often do you get to sit with a peer, a colleague, a mentor, a coach, and go through something to improve in realtime? Why don't we? Athletes do it. Comedians. Musicians. Filmmakers.We should too, and lately, on my YouTube channel, I've been building a playlist of publicly available coaching calls to put the process on display of developing stronger speeches and stories. Justin Moore was the first to kick things off about a year ago, and I invi...2025-04-1845 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoNeal Foard: How to tell small stories with big meaning to persuade and inspireAI and people both run on LLMs. AI has large language models. People have little life moments. But mostly, we don't draw on our LLMs confidently or consistently enough.Neal Foard does, and that's made him one of the most exceptional (and viral) storytellers in the business world.  Neal joins me today to lay it all out: we talk about constructing stories, practicing and rehearsal, and how to shape a true story into something entertaining. Together, we hear his famous story of "the best bartender in Chicago" and talk about the little m...2025-03-2740 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoJay Answers Your Questions about Public Speaking as Marketing Approach, Revenue Engine, and Creative CraftIn this special bonus episode, I take your questions about public speaking. We talk about the craft, but also the way we can better approach our speaking as a marketing strategy and approach, how to think about whether to charge for public speaking (and how much), and a lot more!Whether you've got a speaking engagement coming up, give tons of talks each year, or you're just thinking about becoming a stronger and more strategic speaker to support your business and message, this episode will help you rethink some important pieces to the puzzle.***2025-03-1930 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoHow to find powerful stories everywhere | Jay Baer, hall-of-fame speaker & NY Times bestselling business authorInspiration is everywhere -- if you're paying attention.Today we’re resharing a slightly modified version of an episode I used to help pilot How Stories Happen, back inside my old show called Unthinkable. (You’ll hear me reference the “miniseries,” which is what I used to craft this show and test various elements.) In this episode, bestselling author and Hall of Fame keynote speaker Jay Baer brings one of his oldest, most proven stories to the show -- and we learn the two psychological concepts we can embrace to craft...2025-01-3146 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo"Specific moments make it feel real" | Natalie Taylor, B2B marketing leaderWhen we communicate with business results in mind, whether we work in-house on a team or we ARE the business, it's so common that we omit specific details. We want to rush to stuff things full of our ideas and make our value clear instantly. The thing is, only when we slow our stories down, include specific details, and describe one or two tiny moments, do others start to care.Because the goal isn't to say everything all at once. The goal is to find the touchstones of the story that bring it all to life, allowing...2024-12-2341 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo"The personal is more universal than we think it is" | Sarah Stockdale, CEO of GrowclassWelcome to one of the more inspiring episodes of the show! Entrepreneur and growth marketing expert Sarah Stockdale is one of the most nuanced, capable, and generous voices in the industry. When she shows up, she resonates, no matter what she's creating or where she's appearing. Today, both of us commiserate over being dedicated parents learning to be parents, informed citizens struggling with so many things in society, and being public voices with pressure to deliver ... all at the same time.This frames our conversation into the subtleties of storytelling. How do we show up...2024-12-1639 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo“Now is the time to double down on your story” I Shez Mehra, creative entrepreneur and DJThis is a special episode of the show. I’ve partnered with Intuit Mailchimp as part of a limited series called B2B Storytelling Stars. You can watch as I coach 3 marketers and experts on group calls and 1:1s, helping them craft their premises, messages, and stories. Get all 6 videos plus a storytelling template, free and ungated, at https://jayacunzo.com/starsTo cap off the series, each storyteller will appear on How Stories Happen for their very own episode, featuring the story we began developing behind the scenes together. K...2024-12-0937 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoThe 2 questions (and a quote) that helped me most in 2024As another year comes to an end, we often reflect backwards, because hindsight is 20/20. But what we don’t often realize is that sometimes when you have that clarity of sight, you'll want to close your eyes, rub your temples, maybe let your head fall to the table. Because you’re amazed at how you just… couldn’t… see it. That was me, all year long, but I finally see clearly again, and I want you to avoid the same frustrating slog I endured between 2020-2023.That’s why in this solo...2024-12-0218 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo"Your brain is a straight line machine" I Melanie Deziel, author and speakerSignature stories aren’t just stories you tell a lot. They’re stories you’d sign your name to. In this episode, author and speaker Melanie Deziel shares a story that went from nerve-wracking to heart-wrenching the more she told it, as she found ways to tell it her own way (and as new details emerged from the story).Mel is my cofounder in our Creator Kitchen membership, and this interview was part of the miniseries that helped me pilot How Stories Happen. The thing is, when you pilot something, you’re often piloting THREE so...2024-11-2541 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoA repeatable system for stronger ideas and stories"You have a real gift," we say to our storytelling heroes. But do they? Storytelling is a skill. Communicating with greater impact is a craft. It’s not something anyone is gifted. It’s something we all can master.Today, it’s just me, Jay. Hello! I’m trying a solo episode, sharing my favorite trick for stronger ideas and stories.Be forewarned: this trick involves sharing your thinking publicly. Not “building in public,” as many like to talk about doing, but by aerating your thinking to sharpen it.2024-11-0423 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoDesigning a New Signature Talk Beat by Beat with Justin Moore (Founder of Creator Wizard, Author of Sponsor Magnet)It's time for a new edition of "Is This Anything?", the miniseries where friends and clients join me to work out new drafts and ideas for upcoming pieces and projects. In this episode, I help Justin Moore design his signature talk, beat by beat.Justin is the founder of Creator Wizard, which helps creators secure more and better brand deals to grow their businesses. Through trainings, coaching, and his signature course, Justin has made a name for himself in the creator economy.For both his book and for the next wave of growth that he...2024-10-2843 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoSeth Godin Dissects a Signature StoryToday, it's a total treat as the one and only Seth Godin takes us into how he thinks about storytelling and the intersection of strategy and story, and then we hear him dissect a signature story. Plus, Seth and I trade stories in the back half of the episode—business storytelling nerdery on full display.Seth is a world-renowned storyteller and thought leader, a legendary keynote speaker who helped disrupt the format, and the bestselling author of more than 20 books, including Purple Cow, The Practice, and This Is Marketing. His brand new book, This is Strategy, is av...2024-10-2143 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo“Is this ANNything?” Ann Handley and Jay Acunzo Work Out New DraftsThis week, we’re joined by our first-ever recurring guest. The brilliant Ann Handley (WSJ bestselling author of Everybody Writes and globally touring keynote speaker) joins us for a very special episode of “Is This Anything?”, the mini-series, where friends and collaborators join me to work out new ideas, unproven drafts, and hidden ideas to see if it is, in fact, anything.But because it’s Ann, we’re renaming it Is This ANNything. Get it? Do you get it? (If you didn’t like that, you’re really not gonna like this episode…)...2024-10-1448 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo“We’re both the heroes and the villains in our own stories” | Chase Jarvis, Photographer + Entrepreneur + Author of Never Play It SafeWhy is candor essential for a good story? How brutally honest should you actually be in sharing a story with the world? The great Chase Jarvis brings us into his story of self-discovery, with the many twists and turns his professional career has taken, as he works through how to best tell that story ahead of his next book tour. Starting in second grade when his entrepreneurial spirit was snuffed by his teacher, Chase works to find acceptance by pursuing the “best” path forward, before realizing that maybe it’s not the best pat...2024-10-0738 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo"If all knowledge is experience, all wisdom is framework" | Laura Gassner Otting, Keynote Speaker & AuthorWhat is a super-story? And how can you flex yours to fit different audiences, mediums, or conclusions? That’s what we dive into today with powerhouse storyteller, Laura Gassner Otting.Laura takes us into a small story about her first time decorating a Christmas tree with her husband’s family. Initially horrified by the chipped ornaments and tattered boxes, she grew to love these mismatched decorations. It’s a story about finding meaning in often unexpected, imperfect places—and it's full of callbacks and insights helping LGO serve thousands of attendees at events across the glob...2024-09-3043 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoWorking out a new TED Talk with Simone Stolzoff, Author & JournalistGo inside the development of a brand new TED Talk, as Jay offers notes to friend Simone Stolzoff on his v1 draft. Simone is the author of The Good Enough Job and a journalist whose writing has been featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and more. This is the first episode of a new bonus episode of How Stories Happen called "Is This Anything?" which we'll occasionally run in our off weeks. During this miniseries, you'll hear Jay and friends actively develop and work through new material for stories, speeches...2024-09-2549 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo“A perfectly competent character is boring” | Nat Eliason, Author & EssayistTelling stories about your life feels fraught. How do you weave together a story that is deeply personal to you and others, contains the right amount of tension without being too dramatic, and feels both gripping and accessible for your audience? In the case of our guest today, Nat Eliason, his story is about the moment he went from investing hundreds of dollars to having $10 million of his own money on the line, plus more than $100 million of others under his purview, when the whole system was hacked.Nat r...2024-09-1642 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoIs This Anything? with Simone Stolzoff, Author & DesignerYou know how a comedian will test out new material, and turn to their colleagues and ask, “Is this anything?” Welcome to a new bonus episode series—aptly named just that (Is This Anything), that will run on our off weeks from the traditional show, where a guest and I will take their ideas, put it under a storytelling microscope, and find out if these ideas have legs. So what do you get? A front row seat on how the pro’s develop and evolve their stories.So for this episode, meet my friend...2024-08-2656 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoWhat it takes to craft a signature story | Susan Boles, CFO, Business Strategist & PodcasterWhat should you include or omit to ensure your stories carry your message, resonate with others, and deliver something that could only come from you? That’s the challenge we encounter today. In this special episode, Jay is joined by a favorite client, Susan Boles, to work through a draft of a signature story, which emerged on the back of their months-long work together developing Susan’s premise of “calm is the new KPI.” They apply Jay’s Align-Agitate-Assert structure, and they find the two biggest opportunities to improve the story.Susan is the founder of...2024-08-1953 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoTo tell stronger stories, understand yourself first | Ryan Hawk & Brook Cups, Coauthors of The Score That MattersStorytellers often face a paradox: to connect deeper externally, you have to turn deeper internally. You have to know yourself and get more honest with how you think and feel than others might be comfortable doing themselves. That often means we have to stop caring what people think of us quite as much.In this episode, we meet Brook Cupps and Ryan Hawk, coauthors of the book The Score That Matters. We talk about how they collaborated on their book together and how they use stories to inspire and lead others. Brook is the head boys basketball...2024-08-0542 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo“You have to work against people assuming they know how this goes” | Danielle Bayard Jackson, Author of Fighting for Our FriendshipsHow do we compress our lifetime into their runtime? When we’re asked to explain our backgrounds and bios, we need a structure, some practice, and a few anecdotes at the ready. Because our story has to pull triple-duty: clarify who we are, build credibility, and teach whatever it is we’re there to teach.In this episode, author, PR agency founder, and friendship expert Danielle Bayard Jackson reveals the simple way she responds to that simple question: “How’d you get here?” Together, we break it apart into component pieces and re-build certain aspects, spotting ways to customi...2024-07-2250 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo“I could tell this story in 1950 or 2024” | Scott Monty, Exec. Coach and SpeakerWhile everyone scrambles to learn the new trends and act like a futurist, it’s the folks who understand what parts of this work are timeless – because they’re based on human nature – that are most powerful of all. Storytelling is one such thing. It’s been a constant throughout the history of humanity. Why? Because although the world changes in many ways, human nature is one thing that doesn’t change much at all.So says our guest today, Scott Monty, and it’s part of what makes Scott such an inspiring storyteller – and a leadership advi...2024-07-0853 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo“Words can do WHAT?! Are we serious right now?!” | Tucker Bryant, Poet & Keynote SpeakerHow do we craft a metaphor that works? More importantly, perhaps, how do we ensure the metaphors we use pivot to the audience to teach them something in their lives or work, without them getting lost? Do we overtly explain the lesson? Imply it? Some combination? It’s a delicate dance, and few do it like Tucker Bryant.Tucker isn't just a keynote speaker; he's a poet who has taken the stage everywhere from corporate boardrooms to major conferences, importing what he knows from the world of verse to the world of business innovation. After working at Go...2024-06-2447 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo“We congregate around emotional stories” | Rand Fishkin, CEO of SparkToroThe hardest question to answer when we show up publicly might be the simplest question we receive: “Tell me about yourself.” Who are you? How’d you get here? What’s your story?We then face a choice: we can make the story about us, or we can make it about the thing we’re there to say. We can make our own stories about the audiences we wish to serve, and we can do so without feeling like we’re bragging and even without any newsworthy moments in our past.Meet Rand Fishkin, cofounder and CEO of t...2024-06-1035 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo“How do we all sign our work?” | Ann Handley, Author & Keynote SpeakerWhen so many people are excited to create a higher volume of content, shouldn’t we think more about what gives our work greater power? That’s what our guest today understands better than most, and she draws that power from everyday moments she hunts out, like a squirrel finding nuts in the yard.Meet Ann Handley—she’s a best-selling author, a pioneer in content marketing, and a popular B2B speaker with a knack for imbuing ordinary moments with extraordinary meaning.Ann reveals her morning routine, her idea capture system, and most imp...2024-05-2745 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo“A story needs a job to do” | Michelle Warner, Business Designer & StrategistOur guest for this episode is rarely online. But when she is, she’s telling small stories with big meaning.Meet Michelle Warner—she’s a business strategist and consultant who architects business models and marketing strategies for clients who sell high-priced services. She also hosts the podcast Sequence Over Strategy—an idea that represents her entire platform’s differentiated premise, and one the story she brings to us today reflects.Michelle has founded multi-million dollar startups, raised capital the traditional way, and generally followed “the blueprint” for business growth before burning out and finding a new path for...2024-05-1352 minHow Stories Happen with Jay Acunzo“The only way to figure out a story is to tell it” | Andrew Davis, Keynote SpeakerI know a ton of storytellers and creators and entrepreneurs, but I know exactly zero other people who have learned how to do what they do from both legendary news broadcasters and Kermit the Frog.Meet Andrew Davis. He is a powerhouse business speaker who’s given speeches in 35 different countries, at more than 50 events every year. He speaks to audiences ranging from marketers and entrepreneurs to plumbers and physicians — and there may not be a storyteller who is this craft-driven and obsessed with telling amazing stories in the worlds of business, marketing, and customer experience.2024-04-2947 minHow Stories Happen with Jay AcunzoIntroducing How Stories Happen: Business Builders Dissect Their Signature Stories Piece by PieceWelcome to How Stories Happen, a show for business storytellers focused on standing out easier and resonating deeper through substance and stories, not hollow stunts. Each episode, an expert, entrepreneur, or world-class communicator breaks apart a single story piece by piece, sharing how they developed it and how they're using it to grow their brand and leave their legacy. Hosted by Jay AcunzoAs Ira Glass said, “Great stories happen to those who can tell them.” He doesn’t mean worthy things only appear to those who are already masters of the craft. He means, this is in fac...2024-03-1809 min
Unthinkable with Jay AcunzoGoing Streaking: the Relationship Between Creative Ambition, Quality, and ConsistencyWhy do we constantly underestimate how long something will take in the short-term? In other words, we tend to over-estimate just how much we can achieve right now. Then, when we think long term, the reverse tends to happen: we actually UNDER-estimate what we're capable of achieving over time. Today, we want to know more about the promise of a popular trend, the creative streak, and whether they can help us overcome our constant battle with planning our time and achieving something greater.This week, Grant Faulkner, Executive Director of the world-wide phenomenon NaNoWriMo (aka N...2024-02-2649 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoHow to Find Great StoriesAs Ira Glass said, "Great stories happen to those who can tell them." This idea says everything we need to know to develop stronger stories in our work, so we can stand out easier and resonate deeper.But we're asking the wrong questions and searching in the wrong places. Let's rethink some things together...For the full transcript of this episode, read the original article.***SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:💌 Playing Favorites is the newsletter from Jay about resonance, storytelling, differentiation, and getting off the content hamster wheel to make thi...2024-02-0716 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoThe Difference Between Forgettable and FavoriteThe story of a surprisingly dynamic and captivating idea from a (sometimes) bland and boring space -- and what we can learn about crafting more resonant work.What does it look like when an organization, project, or individual’s work resonates so deeply that they have passionate fans and loyal followers who declare them a favorite? This week we start in the sometimes bland, boring space of team training software and follow the story of a surprisingly dynamic, brilliant and captivating idea from 360Learning -- an original series called Onboarding Joei. This short docuseries follows Joei Chan, a...2024-01-2954 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoBe Honest | One-Shot #26No matter your craft, when you develop an idea, a project, or a key moment within a piece, the power of what you're sharing tends to start with the same question:Can you be more honest with yourself?In this one-shot episode, a dense dose of a single idea that can help us become stronger storytellers and produce higher-impact content, so we can get off the hamster wheel and produce more work that actually works. Plus, the backstory of a high-stakes moment when this question was put to the test.***SUBSCRIBE...2024-01-1816 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoCreate to Find Your Answers (Overcoming the Gap)We want to make things that matter. To our careers, companies, and communities. When THAT is our aim and THAT is our driving belief, and yet our work comes out feeling like THIS? The way it is right now? Oof, that can cause all kinds of existential crises or at least panic-induced researching and debating and analyzing and asking.It's time to get to the next rep. It's time to cross the gap.***SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:💌 Playing Favorites is the newsletter from Jay about resonance, storytelling, differentiation, and gett...2024-01-1038 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoCreate to Find Your AnswersWe want to make things that matter. To our careers, companies, and communities. When THAT is our aim and THAT is our driving belief, and yet our work comes out feeling like THIS? The way it is right now? Oof, that can cause all kinds of existential crises or at least panic-induced researching and debating and analyzing and asking.It's time to get to the next rep. It's time to cross the gap.***SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:💌 Playing Favorites is the newsletter from Jay about resonance, storytelling, differentiation, and gett...2024-01-1039 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoTwas the Night Before Launching (2023)Have a wonderful holiday season and a beautiful start to your 2024! Back in the new year with more...UNTHINKABLE IS TAKING A BREAK -- BUT DON'T UNSUBSCRIBEWe're back with more soon. In the meantime...BECOME A STRONGER STORYTELLER:Subscribe to Jay Acunzo's free newsletter, Playing Favorites, and learn what it takes to stand out easier and resonate deeper by communicating with greater power, everywhere you show up. Join free at  jayacunzo.com.Join the Creator Kitchen, a mastermind of smart experts learning to become more influential voices -- NOT by relying o...2023-12-1804 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoSignature Stories: Jay BaerSignature Stories is a miniseries where world-class business storytellers take us inside one important story and dissect it with us. It's like Song Exploder meets storytelling for our work! In our sixth and final episode of the series, bestselling author and Hall of Fame keynote speaker Jay Baer brings one of his oldest, most proven stories to the show -- and we learn the two habits most driving effective storytellers like Jay. And also Jay. Both Jays. (There are two Jays on this episode, is what I'm saying...)Collecting stories regularly, in the seemingly mundane moments of lifeDesigning...2023-11-2052 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoSignature Stories: Amanda NatividadIn this episode, we're joined by Amanda Natividad, the VP of marketing at SparkToro, who shares a story about the time she met her marketing hero: her now-boss, Rand Fishkin. Amanda is a former tech journalist and also a former test kitchen cook for the LA Times. She writes the newsletter The Menu which includes marketing advice and delicious recipes (for actual food, not marketing). And she takes us inside three different drafts for potential intros of this signature story, where we learn about the paradox in our storytelling: to connect deeper externally, we need to go deeper internally.2023-10-1842 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoSignature Stories: Jenny BlakeUp next in Signature Stories, we're joined by Jenny Blake, author, speaker and podcaster. She's written three books and hosts the wildly popular podcasts "Free Time" and "Pivot." Jenny sits down with Jay to share a story about a walk with her dog. Jay and Jenny unpack how we can pull out moments of meaning from a small interaction, and how to reshape a story for an audio-only medium versus video. Throughout this series, we'll learn from how inspiring creators and experts craft their most valuable, most original stories that build connection and resonate deeply. We're putting o...2023-09-2544 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoSignature Stories: Michael Bungay StanierUp next in Signature Stories, we're joined by Michael Bungay Stanier, speaker, coach and author of the wildly popular book "The Coaching Habit" and the brand new book, "How to Work with (Almost) Anyone." Michael sits down with Jay to share a story about a very bad job. Jay and MBS dive into how to use open loops, comedy in storytelling, and crafting tiny stories to create a sense of safety for your audience -- plus, they add some seasoning to the main ingredients of Michael's story to make it tastier.Throughout this series, we'll learn from...2023-09-1142 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoSignature Stories: Melanie DezielUp first in this mini-series, Creator Kitchen co-founder and author Melanie Deziel sits down with Jay to share a story about her time as the first-ever editor of branded content at the New York Times. Jay and Mel dive into the messy reality of crafting resonant narratives -- and using them to serve an audience and build your business.Throughout this series, we'll learn from how inspiring creators and experts craft their most valuable, most original stories that build connection and resonate deeply. We're putting on display the hidden details, tiny choices, and emotional moments, as we...2023-08-2843 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoTasty | One-Shot #25What is taste? And once we understand it, how do we use our own taste? In this one-shot, Jay dives into they days before dating apps to find something unexpected - Bryan Cranston showing us just want the power of having taste can do. ***KEEP MAKING WHAT MATTERS:1.  Learn more about Jay's 1:1 coaching and collaboration: https://jayacunzo.com/accountability-group-for-b2b-marketers-creators2. Get a new story/framework from Jay every other week for making things that matter more to you and others: jayacunzo.com/newsletter3. Join the Creator Kitchen, a membership pr...2023-08-1417 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoWriter’s Block (Maker Monsters 4)Writing matters... a lot. You don't need us to tell you that. But what happens when you feel like you can't write? Yes, on this episode we're talking about writers' block - what it feels like, how it shows up, and how we can tackle it once and for all. SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for c...2023-07-3135 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoFun with FormatsIn this episode of Unthinkable, why formats matter so much. If you want listeners to stay engaged, for readers to finish an article, for your whole experience to resonate deeply, then we need to go beyond grabbing attention to genuinely HOLD it.Today, we focus on why formats are mission critical to creative work, and how you can search them out for yourself and craft your own to hook an audience and get them to the end.We’re joined by the most format-obsessed person out there: Hugh Garry, co-founder of Storythings. Hugh and his te...2023-07-1339 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoHow to Define Quality | One-Shot #24How you define quality is contextual, it's in the eyes of the beholder. In this one-shot, Jay breaks down the three questions we each need to ask to define quality - Who is it for? What is it for? How will I know if it's working? - and then shares the two habits that can help us to create quality content. ***KEEP MAKING WHAT MATTERS:1.  Learn more about Jay's 1:1 coaching and collaboration: https://jayacunzo.com/accountability-group-for-b2b-marketers-creators2. Get a new story/framework from Jay every other week for making things that ma...2023-06-1917 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoSpeakeasy BusinessIn marketing today, there's the widely used, noisy way to market yourself and your business, but then, just maybe, there's a calmer, quieter, perhaps more effective way.Stories from one of the world's most surprising speakeasy lounges, based in London, as well as one of Jay's favorite marketers who doesn't show up much publicly -- least of all on social media -- yet has found a way to build a business which is in-demand and even overbooked. (Now that sounds pretty unthinkable.)In this episode: speakeasy business! Why going deeper instead of broader, emphasizing value...2023-06-0545 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoBeware this Storytelling Advice | One-Shot #23A list of steps isn't helpful if you're facing the wrong way. That's why in this one-shot, we try to pivot the right way... as it relates to story. Jay unpacks three common misconceptions about how we understand story and why it's actually more important to understand how to be storytellers than to understand story. ***KEEP MAKING WHAT MATTERS:1.  Learn more about Jay's 1:1 coaching and collaboration: https://jayacunzo.com/accountability-group-for-b2b-marketers-creators2. Get a new story/framework from Jay every other week for making things that matter more to you and others: ja...2023-05-2218 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoMINI-Series: Copywriting with Margo AaronIn a 4-part Mini Series, we're unpacking how we create little pockets of resonance. Through conversations with sound designers, copywriters, comedians, and creatives, we are mapping out how we can create work that can make audiences feel connected, validated, and seen. First up is a conversation with brilliant copywriter Margo Aaron who walks us through some of her most powerful copywriting blogs, her opinions on watching the news (links below) and what copywriting can feel like when it’s done right.  SHOW LINKSMargo's essay on watching the news: https://www.thats...2023-05-1051 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoYou Are Wu-Tang | One-Shot #22In 2016, Pharrell Williams dropped by NYU's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music to speak to a class. There, he met a young Maggie Rogers and sampled her song "Alaska." His reaction, captured on camera, went viral. This is a relatively known moment on the internet.What's not known is just how the words Pharrell shared and the element he noticed from Maggie's work can be applied to the work we do.In this shorter, monologue episode, we take a closer look.***KEEP MAKING WHAT MATTERS:1. Get a new story...2023-04-2416 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoIn on the SecretIf you're going to reject conventional thinking and instead trust your intuition, you'll find yourself sharing tons of ideas with others. But this can feel scary, like our ideas are secrets we'd prefer to keep inside. And when someone shoots them down, we assume they just don't "get it."But what if the point of sharing our ideas is NOT to get the approval of others?Today, we go outside our echo chamber with Unthinkable contributor Andrew Littlefield to hear the story of an unusual art project in Brooklyn. Then, we talk to internet legend...2023-04-1023 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoWhat Do You See When You See an Elephant? | One-Shot #21Any story you find can serve your cause -- if you know how to mold it and change it appropriately to tell it your way, for your specific goals.  Today, the four things we can change in any story we find to tell it better."Better" doesn’t mean more epic or popular. It means more purposeful, more customized to your specific situation and needs — your audience, your goals, your desire to express yourself a certain way, to connect deeper with the world and others around you, and get your creative fingerprints all over the work. “Better” here mean...2023-03-2725 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoSong Exploder Exploder (ft. Hrishikesh Hirway)Hrishikesh Hirway is a musician and creator/host of the popular podcast Song Exploder. The show has a simple but powerful premise: each episode, a musician breaks apart a single track and, piece by piece, tells the story of how it was made. He's interviewed Madonna, Billie Eilish, Rick Astley, Lorde, U2, Yo-Yo Ma, and plenty of lesser-known artists creating beautiful music. Vulture even called the show "the best use of the podcast medium ever," and in 2020, Song Exploder became a TV show on Netflix, running for two seasons.Today, we turn the tables on Hrishikesh and...2023-03-1350 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoFine, I'll Talk About AI | One-Shot #20In this shorter, monologue episode,  we explore how we arrived at a place where so many creators view AI tools like ChatGPT at a killer robot coming to beat down their doors and crush them and why we worry that these tools are greater masters of our craft than we are.  We're obsessed with only one part of the craft, and it's the same part AI is getting alarmingly good at owning. What if we focused on the 3 Ps instead? Posture, process, and practice. For a full written version of this episode, read the original stor...2023-02-0922 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoHow to Write and Speak with Greater Impact | One-Shot #19In this shorter, monologue episode, we learn from storytellers like Kazuo Ishiguro and Ira Glass just what it takes to speak and write in ways that instill the urge to act in others. Why would anyone pick you or stick with you? Why would they refer you to their peers or friends? What makes something truly resonate beyond simply holding your attention?After all, our jobs as communicators and storytellers isn't to "get in front of" them. It's to ensure they care.In this episode, you'll learn a simple but powerful technique to speak and...2022-10-1917 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoExpect the UnexpectedIn this story, we hear from Chris Lavigne, the head of production at video software company, Wistia. His story helps reveal what it really means to build a big, meaningful body of work -- no matter where you work -- and how, maybe, the worst thing you can do is focus on the expectations of others.Instead, what if your entire aim was something else? Paradoxically, focusing there might THEN help you exceed others' expectations with your work.Plus, we go inside the projects that Chris says keep coming back to him, even years after...2022-10-0542 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoHow to Tell Gripping Stories About the Seemingly Mundane | One-Shot #18One-Shots are monologue episodes complementing our longer-form narratives, which all seek to explore ideas like resonance, storytelling, and creativity in our work.Today, we learn how to tell stories about the seemingly mundane details in our lives.For a full written version of this episode, read the original story.REFER A FRIENDLove the show? Help others find us in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: jayacunzo.com/unthinkable-podcast***MORE FROM JAY:Playing Favorites newsletter: stories and frameworks for creating work that resonates.2022-09-2118 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoGoing BananasThis story is a surreal, escapist journey into the true story about how the Savannah Bananas became exceptional by being the exception. This minor league baseball team has majorly passionate fans -- with more social media success than some of the biggest teams in the Major Leagues, and a plan to disrupt the MLB itself. This story is told through the ever-optimistic, yellow-tux wearing Jesse Cole, the owner of the team.Not a fan of the sport? No worries. This isn't really a story about baseball. It's a story about our collective desire to make t...2022-08-3150 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoAn Ode to the Asterisk | One-Shot #17One-Shots are complementary episodes to our longer-form narratives, which all seek to explore ideas like resonance, storytelling, and creativity in our work. As we continue our exploration, we have to stop to appreciate the tiniest mechanic that enables us to tell stories with the biggest impact.The more we master open loops, the more gripping our communication becomes -- and the more we inspire action in others. Isn't that our jobs?REFER A FRIENDLove the show? Help others find us in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: jayacunzo.c...2022-08-2515 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoWorking BravelyIn this episode of Unthinkable, the story of two marketers and community leaders, Andrew and Pete, of the brand ... Andrew and Pete! They were heading down that now-familiar creator path of digital fame and fortune -- the speaking, the books, the followers -- when they decided to leave that behind. Instead, they've been helping OTHERS conquer fears and make leaps in their small businesses. So often, what we need to see greater results in our business isn't an improvement in productivity. It's not about just working harder, or even working smarter. Instead, often, it's about co...2022-08-0950 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoSpecial Episode: Jay on 2 Pages with MBSWhich books have shaped minds & changed lives? 2 Pages with MBS is described as a show where "brilliant people read the best two pages of a favorite book … a book that’s shaped them and changed them. Listen as authors, leaders, activists, academics, entrepreneurs, change agents and celebrities dig into the ideas that matter the most."This is the episode featuring Jay, only lightly edited to replace the intro and outro.It's unlike any other appearance you'll hear. Enjoy!SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast playe...2022-07-2249 minUnthinkable with Jay Acunzo10 Questions to Ask Creative People | One-Shot #16In this One-Shot, a list of better questions to ask others to learn from them (whether you want to hire them or publish their thinking) than the typical conventional wisdom provides us. Interviews are too important to drift through them, unhinging our brains in favor of the basic questions that yield basic answers. We need to dig deeper.We also talk about how to create an inviting, comfortable space for others to share more personally, as well as suggestions for unpacking responses to really assess what they're saying truthfully. SHARE THE SHOW:Help o...2022-07-1323 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoMINI-Series: Sound Design with James T. GreenIn the fourth and final MINI-Series episode, we learn from sound designer, artist, and brilliant documentarian James T. Green about their philosophy and practice around sound design and creation.  James is the founder of the studio Molten Heart, and their work has been heard in 99% Invisible with Roman Mars, The Met, Pop Up Magazine, and more.By unpacking and dissecting small pieces of sound and music from James, we learn the thoughtful, intentional art of sound design and the power that small amounts of sound effects - or silence - can hold. Sound can make us...2022-06-3056 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoMINI-Series: Jokes with Matt Buechele (The Tonight Show, Netflix)Creativity doesn't mean BIG, and so we're exploring the tiniest pockets of the created work -- small bursts of making, or projects that fit neatly into the  nooks and crannies of the internet.Today, joke writing and comedy songwriting with Matt Buechele. Matt is a writer, musician, and hilarious human who's performed original songs for Netflix commercials and worked as a writer on The Tonight Show, where he wrote jokes and music for the likes of Jimmy Fallon, Matthew McConaughey, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.Together, we explore some of Matts projects, including his viral social media v...2022-06-1639 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoMINI-Series: Copywriting with Margo AaronIn a new 4-part Mini Series, we're unpacking how we create little pockets of resonance. Through conversations with sound designers, copywriters, comedians, and creatives, we are mapping out how we can create work that can make audiences feel connected, validated, and seen. First up is a conversation with brilliant copywriter Margo Aaron who walks us through some of her most powerful copywriting blogs, her opinions on watching the news (links below) and what copywriting can feel like when it’s done right.  SHOW LINKSMargo's essay on watching the news: https://www.t...2022-05-0454 min
Creator ScienceJay-Talking about Memberships with Jay AcunzoOver the last month, Jay Acunzo and I have both launched our own membership programs. And while we were in the thick of designing and launching those programs, we thought it would be a good idea to record a podcast about it.This episode is part of “Jay Talking,” a series of conversations with my friend Jay Acunzo that are less of an interview, and more of a conversation between two creators in the trenches of building their businesses.Jay is an author, a speaker, and a showrunner. He started his career in marketing working with...2022-04-121h 07Unthinkable with Jay AcunzoAnnouncement from JayLearn more about Elevate and apply here: https://jayacunzo.com/accountability-group-for-b2b-marketers-creatorsThe first group begins work April 11.MORE DETAILS:Achieve your creative goals with small working groups of B2B creators and marketers, led personally by me, Jay Acunzo.8 weeks of guided work on your existing, most important projects, with 1:1 and 1:few time with me.Sharpen your ideas, be more creative, and earn more passionate fans and customers.Connect with successful, generous, creative peers, vetted by me personally. (The first group will be limited to 9 people, at most.)ELEVATE is...2022-03-2403 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoIn the Margins | One-Shot #15In this one-shot, Jay reflects on a childhood writing lesson that continues to impact how he approaches his work today.  SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, Hu...2022-03-2314 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoWhat You Need to Know About Rocky | One-Shot #14In this one-shot, Jay unpacks one of Rocky’s most iconic scenes to better understand how we can approach our own constraints and begin to use them to our advantage.SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at br...2022-02-0216 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoThe Concept: TelicIn the first installment of The Concept, we learn about telic and its opposite, paratelic. These ideas inform our own internal motivations -- or that of our teams -- and they can radically change the results we see from our work.SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging...2022-01-2650 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoThe Battle for the Soul of the InternetToday, we hear the story of Patreon, as told by cofounder and CEO Jack Conte. More pressing for our purposes as makers, however, is the driving belief Jack shares which is the beating heart of the creator economy -- or should be.There's a coming fork in the road we'll face if we want to create for a living and thrive. The decision is embedded into the very name of the movement: creator economy. I think the pendulum has swung too far towards the economy part, and we need to remember what this is for: f...2022-01-1926 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoEvery List is a Lie | One-Shot #13In this one-shot, we unpack how we can become more discerning about the real intent behind lists. Jay walks us through a very special ingredient list for his mom’s famous green bean casserole to give us a real-life example of how sneaky lists can be.  SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to t...2022-01-1219 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoGoing BananasIt’s a team that borders on a circus, bucks baseball traditionalists, and is unapologetically authentic. It’s a team that deeply resonates with fans both near and far, whose players go through “Fan First U” to join the team, and then try all kinds of atypical things to entertain fans -- sometimes off the field, and often, on it.What’s the difference between a fan and a customer? Why should baseball's walks be sprints? From dancing grandmas to babies in banana gear, hiring people using "future resumes" to asking fans for THEIR autographs instead. Even championsh...2022-01-0547 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoResonance Revisited with Jay ClouseWhat does it take to create work that resonates? This week, Jay unpacks his framing of resonance - why it matters, why we should prioritize it, and how to build it - with one of his creative sparring partners, Jay Clouse. From dissecting how competition comes into play to analyzing how it differs from reach, they look at resonance from all angles. It’s a raw, messy, and unfiltered conversation that gives listeners a behind the scenes look at being an investigator in our own daily work. SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unth...2021-12-2958 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoMy Weekly Constraint | One-Shot #12Every week Jay waits until the last minute to write his weekly newsletter, why?  In this short episode, Jay unpacks why he puts a weekly constraint on himself and how that has served as a tactic to wrestle with, dance with, and address his persistent maker monster. SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant wo...2021-12-2213 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoOne Person, Ten Million TimesWe often hear one word used to describe a person or team that's built something big: empire. They've built a business empire.For Chris Sharpe and Adriene Mishler, the idea might have applied ... but only at first. Chris (as CEO of YWA's company, Find What Feels Good) and Adriene (as the performer and personality) co-founded something that did expand in such a way that it felt empire-bound.But then they decided to make a switch.The reason why can be found hidden in how they speak to their audience.Today, a...2021-12-1648 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoMaker Monsters 3No matter how new or experienced we are at the craft, inevitably, we face maker monsters -- these internal barriers that hold us down and prevent us from doing our best work. These aren't external factors like budget, time, team, or tools. Instead, they sound like imposter syndrome or fear of rejection or procrastination.Today, we explore the fear of being unoriginal. In the working world, that might sound like "differentiation." Regardless of how it shows up, all we can do is learn to confront it.SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable...2021-12-0844 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoI Feel SeenWhat does it look like when an organization, project, or individual’s work resonates so deeply that they have passionate fans and loyal followers who declare them a favorite? This week we start in the sometimes bland, boring space of team training software and follow the story of a surprisingly dynamic, brilliant and captivating idea from 360Learning -- an original series called Onboarding Joei. This short docuseries follows Joei Chan, a new employee, as she navigates her first 3 months on the job. The docuseries has become a phenomenon for the brand, earning Joei Chan devout fans and 360Lea...2021-12-0159 min
Creator ScienceJay-Talking about Speaking with Jay AcunzoJay Acunzo is an author, a speaker, and a showrunner. He started his career in marketing working with ESPN, Google and HubSpot. He currently hosts two podcasts. One is called 3 Clips, which was recently acquired by a podcasting platform called Castos, and the other is called Unthinkable, a storytelling podcast about creative people who break from conventional thinking to make what matters most.I recently reached out to Jay to ask him questions about speaking, and we decided to turn that conversation into a podcast episode to help others too.I’m calling this “Jay Talk...2021-11-301h 10Unthinkable with Jay AcunzoThe Science of Resonance | One-Shot #11What does resonance really mean? In this short episode, we explore the science of resonance and how understanding the definition of the word can help us to focus on making content that matters. SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers a...2021-11-1013 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoMaker Monsters 2In this episode, we follow multimedia journalist Natalia Aldana, organizer and artist Aisha White, podcaster and indie creator Jay Clouse, and we hear from marketing legend Joe Pulizzi as they (and me, Jay Acunzo) learn to navigate how these maker monsters attempt to take hostage their (and our) sense of self worth. So many of us conflate our professional success with personal worth, so what happens when we don’t believe in ourselves or we are paralyzed by potential rejection? And how can we all keep fighting back and overcome our own maker monsters? SHARE THE S...2021-10-2734 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoThe Thing About Art | One-Shot #10The word "art" is often misunderstood, especially by those who don't consider themselves artists. But make no mistake, if you're in the change business, you're in the art business. In this episode, a short but inspiring look at how.SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs...2021-10-2011 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoLeaving ExpertvilleSo many of us focus on becoming an expert in our professional field. But what if instead, we wanted to become visionaries? Not THAT kind of visionary, mind you -- the over-hyped media machines that become the business world equivalents of the Kardashians. But instead, a type of useful, practical, attainable, and much-needed visionary. On this episode we begin to unpack what it means to be a visionary. We learn about the “Quest Matrix,” and we begin to chart a path away from Expertville toward some new territory.Along the way, we hear from John Bonin...2021-10-1455 min
Creator ScienceJay Acunzo – How to tell great stories with a professional speaker and veteran podcasterJay Acunzo is an author, speaker, and showrunner. He's the host of 3 Clips (recently acquired by Castos) and Unthinkable, which he describes as Radiolab for creators.Jay writes a weekly newsletter called Playing Favorites, a membership called Make What Matters, and in 2018 he published his book, Break The Wheel: Question Best Practices, Hone Your Intuition, and Do Your Best Work. With a combined 15+ years of public performance and creative projects working with companies like Google, ESPN, and HubSpot, Jay's goal is to demystify the creative process – because anyone can make things that make a difference. 2021-06-291h 04
"You're In Charge" with Glenn PaschWhy Curiosity is a Key Leadership Skill with Jay AcunzoIn episode 49, Glenn Pasch interviews Jay Acunzo, author, speaker and business owner regarding curiosity being a key trait for successful leaders. They also discuss how Entrepreneurship is the "cool" thing to do versus how all encompassing this is. Is this style of work right for everyone? Jay shares his journey from working for someone and then working for himself. Love his take on these topics. Hope you enjoy as well. About Jay Acunzo: Jay Acunzo is waging war on conventional thinking. As a digital media strategist at Google, he was responsible for pushing mar...2021-02-2429 min
Optimal AgingTo Sell Fitness after 50, Focus on Improving Customers’ Lives, with Marketing Guru Jay AcunzoJay Acunzo helps people navigate a problem that hurts careers and companies alike: In a world of infinite information and endless advice, it has never been easier to be average. If we don’t have an idea or an answer, we can follow someone else’s.So what’s the difference between settling for the average approach … and doing something exceptional instead?A former digital media strategist at Google, Jay is the author of the book Break the Wheel and the host of the podcast Unthinkable. When he’s not telling innovation stories, he’s leading the...2020-10-2740 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoA Small FictionInside the internet's smallest creative project (which is having a massive impact on its audience) through the eyes of its creator. Together, we uncover the two component parts to creative work that we can use to constantly exceed expectations over time.
Buy a copy of James Miller's book and share your receipt with Jay Acunzo for a copy of HIS book, Break the Wheel, signed, with stickers, for free.. Find James's book, A Small Fiction, here: https://www.amazon.com/Small-Fiction-James-Miller/dp/1783526874/
GET WEEKLY STORIES & INSIGHTS ON THE NEWSLETTER: http://bit.ly/DamnTheBestPractices.
...2019-03-1841 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoThe Paradox of Exceeding ExpectationsJOIN THE NEWSLETTER to get weekly inspiration and insights to help you challenge conventional thinking and create your best work: http://bit.ly/DamnTheBestPractices.
WORK WITH ME
Keynote Speaking: jay@unthinkablemedia.com or jayacunzo.com
Creating shows for B2B clients: unthinkablemedia.com
Get my book, Break the Wheel: Question Best Practices, Hone Your Intuition, and Do Your Best Work: http://bit.ly/BTWbook
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Hosted by author and keynote speaker Jay Acunzo, Unthinkable is a sweet-sounding, story-style show exploring conventional thinking that forms in...2019-03-0518 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoBad Different | Eye-Opening Stories about Being UniqueJOIN THE NEWSLETTER to get weekly inspiration and insights to help you challenge conventional thinking and create your best work: http://bit.ly/DamnTheBestPractices.
WORK WITH ME
Keynote Speaking: jay@unthinkablemedia.com or jayacunzo.com
Creating shows for B2B clients: unthinkablemedia.com
Get my book, Break the Wheel: Question Best Practices, Hone Your Intuition, and Do Your Best Work: http://bit.ly/BTWbook
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Hosted by author and keynote speaker Jay Acunzo, Unthinkable is a sweet-sounding, story-style show exploring conventional thinking that forms in...2019-02-2525 minUnthinkable with Jay AcunzoMade to Stick | Anthony Constantino, CEO of Sticker MuleAnthony Thomas, the CEO of Sticker Mule, adores operations and manufacturing. Those are decidedly not-creative areas to adore. Or so I thought.
JOIN THE NEWSLETTER to get weekly inspiration and insights to help you challenge conventional thinking and create your best work: http://bit.ly/DamnTheBestPractices.
WORK WITH ME
Keynote Speaking: jay@unthinkablemedia.com or jayacunzo.com
Creating shows for B2B clients: unthinkablemedia.com
Get my book, Break the Wheel: Question Best Practices, Hone Your Intuition, and Do Your Best Work: http://bit.ly/BTWbook
ABOUT...2019-02-1830 min
Unthinkable with Jay AcunzoCreative Cafe: Dan Mills, Creative Director at WistiaIntroducing a new miniseries running within Unthinkable: Creative Cafe, the kind of emotional, insider, and cathartic conversations creative people always have over drinks that microphones usually ruin when we try to record them. In this first episode of the series, we talk to one of the most creative honey badgers around, Dan Mills, creative director at Wistia. We cover things ranging from careers in music, how art and business collide (and why art is taking over), and why Wistia chose to reinvent itself as a company that makes far more than short, educational videos with the launch of One...2019-02-1347 min
Unthinkable with Jay AcunzoResonance vs. Reach | Jack Conte, CEO of Patreon | Season 5 PremiereA plea about creativity in the workplace, and a brief exploration of the evolution of the internet to learn why we should change how we communicate our value to others as creators. We're joined by Patreon's CEO, Jack Conte, as well as a collection of creative voices: Chase Jarvis (CEO of CreativeLive), Deb Aoki (Sr. Experience Designer, Adobe), Josh Bernoff (author, editor, and blogger at Without Bullshit), Juliana Casale (Head of Marketing, CrazyEgg), Angela Schneider (writer and photographer), Macaela Vandermost and Corey Fanjoy (both from Newfangled Studios).
JOIN THE NEWSLETTER to get weekly inspiration and insights to...2019-02-0419 min
Unthinkable | Trust Your IntuitionKicking and Screaming into the Future [5.2]Robby Novak's most popular video has been seen over 44 million times, and even though it's his face, his words, and his VIDEO, almost nobody watching knows his name is Robby Novak. Instead, they call him something else: Kid President. In this episode, hear why even the most enjoyable of videos KP has created -- and the best work from the best creators on the planet -- suffers from one issue that we must face as well. Watch Kid President's Pep Talk video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-gQLqv9f4o  JOIN THE NEWSLETTER to get weekly inspiration and in...2019-01-2112 min
Unthinkable with Jay AcunzoKid President's BattleÂ
Robby Novak's most popular video has been seen over 44 million times, and even though it's his face, his words, and his VIDEO, almost nobody watching knows his name is Robby Novak. Instead, they call him something else: Kid President. In this episode, hear why even the most enjoyable of videos KP has created -- and the best work from the best creators on the planet -- suffers from one issue that we must face as well.
Watch Kid President's Pep Talk video here:Â https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-gQLqv9f4o
Â
J...2019-01-2112 min