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Episode 163

How to Begin Your Story With a Bang

One sentence from a stranger is all it took to ignite the biggest epiphany of my life. 

I’ll explain.

I’m sitting in the audience at my first TED conference, enraptured by all the speakers when a guy comes on stage who I’ve never heard of before. He starts showing some of the most beautiful and haunting images I’ve ever seen. Then he says something offhand that gives me chills…

Speaking of the impact of words, welcome to the next episode in our “Storytelling Seven” series! Today on the Storytelling School Podcast, you’ll learn about how to capture your audience’s attention from the very beginning by starting your story off with a bang. I unpack the power of using hook statements by answering questions like:

What is a hook, and how does using one in your story engage your audience? How do you craft an effective hook statement? How does FDR’s first inaugural address illustrate the power of a great story hook?

What you will learn in this episode:

  • What a well-crafted hook does for your story and presentation
  • What different forms hook statements can take in your story
  • How a memorable story hook impacts your listeners

A little bit 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 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.

Want to take your storytelling skills to the next level?

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Learn how to craft a story that will make your brand unforgettable


The Proven 5-step process to captivate any audience

Learn

my proven 5-step process for short-form storytelling that you can apply to your stories forever

Discover

and craft your own Spotlight Story that you can use in a plethora of scenarios

Train

on where and why to use storytelling in a variety of business situations to become unforgettable

Achieve

clarity on the most common mistakes storytellers make and learn how to avoid those

...and so much more!

I want to stand out!

The best storytellers are memorable for a reason.

Traver Boehm

2-time TEDx Speaker, Author, Coach, and Founder of the Uncivilized Movement

Mo Barrett

TEDx Speaker, Anecdotist, Connector, Mischief-maker, Retired Military Commander, Keynote Speaker

Katy Stevens

Musician, Performer, Recording Artist, Voice Teacher

Adiel Gorel


Adrienne Smith


Christina Matteucci


OPPORTUNITIES TO TELL YOUR STORY CAN COME AT ANY TIME.

WILL YOU BE READY?
I'm ready to stand out!