This Week’s Episode:
It’s my first ever Improv class and because I’m so nervous, I don’t want to be there by myself. So I have my husband Mark sitting next to me after I’ve (ahem) tricked him into coming.
Our teacher Alan Irwin starts the intro, and I listen as he goes through the basic rules. But I’m thinking, “Hang on. Isn’t Improv comedy supposed to be made up on the spot? You’re not supposed to have rules in your head the whole time!”
All of this is just making me even more nervous. So I approach Alan after class and he says, “Kymberlee, these rules are there to give us a foundation. In Improv, we need a common language as we train. Then from there, we can play with it and bring our own style to the stage.”
A few classes later, after I get some training under my belt, I realize Alan’s right. With any new skill, you have to learn the fundamentals. Once you have those, you can make the skill your own.
That’s what we’re doing today in the first episode of a new series I call, “So You Think You Want to Become a Storyteller…” And we’re turning the tables a little bit, as I’m the one in the Hot Seat. I’ve invited my husband (no tricks this time) to take over interviewing duties.
In this episode, I look at a foundational question people ask me all the time: Where do I start if I want to become a storyteller?
To help me answer this, we cover why stories work, whether stories can be made up, what being “story curious” means, why people feel resistance when telling their stories, where you can tell stories, and how I always have a story ready to tell.
What you will learn in this episode:
- How stories help you build trust and rapport fast
- What it means to purposefully tell stories and be a story detective
- How to get better at storytelling and overcome the fear of telling your stories
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 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 teaching 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 affect change in our world, you’ve come to the right place.
Links & Resources
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"Storytelling is an art form - and Kymberlee Weil is the master! I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some of the most talented creatives in the world, and Kymberlee is close to the top of that list.”
JULIAN REEVE
SPEAKER, AUTHOR, FORMER MUSIC DIRECTOR OF HAMILTONJUNA KOLLMEIER
ASTROPHYSICIST, TED SPEAKER"I thought I had public speaking down pat. As a former Green Beret, I have followed a lot of quality leaders and coaches, and I would follow Kymberlee anywhere… Especially onto the red circle."
LTC (RET.) SCOTT MANN
GREEN BERET, ENTREPRENEUR, STORYTELLER, TRAINER, COACH, AUTHOR