We’re sitting around a fire pit at my Master’s Circle retreat for speakers, looking out at the ocean as the sun is setting. One of our Mastermind members asks:

“Kymberlee, what comes before the story?”

He continues to elaborate:

“Let’s say I’m doing a Keynote. Do I walk on stage and immediately start telling the story, or is there something I say before I start the story?”

There are a few impactful ways to bridge into your story. So I start taking him through my ideas as the fire continues glowing in the background. And as I’m sharing, I begin to realize that I need to share this with you and talk about this topic on the podcast!

So in this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, we’re continuing our “So You Think You Want to Become a Storyteller” master series where you’ll learn seven ways you can transition into your story and get answers to questions like:

Why should you keep your story transition short? And what does using all of these bridging techniques do for your audience?

• How to use relevance and alignment to bridge to your story fast
• How to use a mini story to help set up your main story
• How to use a teaser or curiosity gap as a story bridge

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.