cover of episode #424: Why It Is Time To Tell YOUR Story with Kindra Hall Bestselling Author, Renown Keynote Speaker, & President & Chief Storytelling Officer at Steller Collective

#424: Why It Is Time To Tell YOUR Story with Kindra Hall Bestselling Author, Renown Keynote Speaker, & President & Chief Storytelling Officer at Steller Collective

2024/5/7
logo of podcast Creating Confidence with Heather Monahan

Creating Confidence with Heather Monahan

Chapters

Shownotes Transcript

When I started podcasting, an online store was the furthest thing from my mind. Now I'm selling my group coaching on the regular and it is just so easy all because I use Shopify. I think that's the big thing that we're missing right now. That's why we have a crisis of leadership. One of the big reasons is a lack of trust and a justified lack of trust. We've been lied to over

Over and over again, sometimes we know it, sometimes we don't. And I don't think anyone takes a message at face value anymore. Come on this journey with me. Each week when you join me, we are going to chase down our goals, overcome adversity, and set you up for a better tomorrow. I'm ready for my close-up.

And welcome back. I'm so glad you're back with me this week. Oh my gosh, I'm so excited. We have a return guest, Kendra Hall. She's a bestselling author, business storytelling advisor, and internationally sought after keynote speaker, trusted by global brands to deliver presentations, trainings, and inspire teams and

individuals to better communicate the value of their company, their products, their individuality through strategic storytelling. What began as a fifth grade language arts assignment grew into a passion for not only telling stories, but a mastery for teaching others the methods and science of storytelling so they can better tell their own. Your first two books were Wall Street Journal bestsellers. You've got a new book out now. Kendra, I'm just so excited that you're here and to get into your story and how we can help others tell their story. Thanks for being here.

So happy to be here. So happy to be back. It wasn't that long ago we were together, but I am happy to be back. I'm so happy that you are back. So for anyone that's listening right now, to me, storytelling is such a big part of everything. Social media, using a podcast, giving a speech. But for people who are listening right now, they're saying, the heck does storytelling have to do with my life? Because you know there are people out there that just don't get it. How do

you get them up to speed on what you do? It sounds like a made up job. I know, like being a storytelling expert and it is, I made up my job, but really the truth is, and you're absolutely right. The power of storytelling permeates all angles of business, especially in this day and age, especially, and usually we think about it in terms of like a marketing strategy, right? Getting your story out there. I need to tell my story. But if you think about it, stories really are the original story

human currency, like stories were the original way that we were able to organize and share knowledge and communicate in a way that no other animal or species could. It's what made humans what we are today from the very beginning of time. So

You know, when you think about all the hot new strategies in business, you don't really think of storytelling as a hot new strategy because it's literally the oldest thing we have. And yet, since stories are a part of our DNA, our biology, who we are as humans, it's still the most important. You know, it's interesting as you're telling that, I just popped into my head, the Bible is basically stories. It's storytelling, basically.

Absolutely. The stories that are in there have become the blueprint for morality for millions and millions of people over, you know, hundreds of thousands of years. People say, well, like, who is the greatest storyteller? And it would be, you know, Jesus is definitely at the top of the list. And we use stories to understand who's

who we are. We use stories to understand the situations around us and what has gone before us. So yeah, I mean, what is that? That's the number one bestseller, I think, is the Bible. So...

And the last original work of art that was ever created. Okay. So everything else is just re-imagined in my opinion. So let's talk a little bit briefly about your first two books and why they were important to bring forward. Yeah. So my first two books were, oh, I'm so proud. I love them so much. I feel like someone's saying, talk to me about your kids. I'm like, oh, let me talk

all my books. So my first book was Stories That Stick, How Stories Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business. That was released in September of 2019. And you can tell right there in the title, that book was about...

the outward stories that we tell and how we can use that for messaging, for marketing, for influence, for customer engagement. And I was so thrilled to be able to bring that book to the marketplace as someone, I mean, as you said in the bio, right? Like I told my first story when I was 11. So it's been three decades and then some for me that I've been working on the power of story. So

And knowing that storytelling had become a buzzword, certainly at that time, I was feeling really frustrated that though people were talking about the importance of storytelling in business, in marketing, nobody was really showing anyone how. Like, what is a story? How do we do this? What makes a story great? And so it was thrilling for me to have people...

buy that book, read that book, share that book. And most importantly, I'll still have people come up to me with like, the whole book is highlighted and there's post-its all over. So that was the first book. I want to jump in and say something because my memory, you just triggered my memory. Was that the book, this is so wild, that had the perfume story of you guys in France? It was. It was.

That is so wild. But Kindred, that's just such a testament actually. And this is not a stage. That's a testament to the power of storytelling that when I hear you talking about that book, that's what I remember. You remember that story. I mean, the number of bottles of that cologne that I have sold, that was before affiliate marketing, I feel like was really a thing. I really wish I had gotten a cut of that. Like, here's the link, buy the bottle using my code. But exactly, you can see right there that...

You remember a story that you read in a book five years ago, right? And that's the power of a story right there. That's just how they work with us. And stories stick with people, hence...

the title of the book. Yeah, that's the one. That was a good story too. It's a great story. And guys, if you haven't read it yet, I mean, you got to go back and read these first two books. They're incredible. All right. Tell us what the second book. The second book came out in January, 2022, which is such an interesting time. That book was called choose your story, change your life. How to silence your inner critic and rewrite your life from the inside out. Whereas stories that stick. And of course the book,

that is just now coming out the story edge, while those are about business and storytelling, choose your story was really more about the stories we tell ourselves and how the stories we tell ourselves. So more personal development book than anything. And whether you're an entrepreneur, whether you're a mother, whether you're no matter who you are,

Because we are storytelling creatures, we're not only telling stories outwardly, we're not only listening to stories, but we're telling stories to ourselves. And these stories that we tell ourselves happen automatically. It's just a built-in biological function, right? So we don't even notice that they're there. As a human, our stories are often negative because they're designed to keep us safe because we want to just create more humans, right? Our ancient brains want us to live to see another day.

And so we tell ourselves these stories that then dictate the actions that we take. And if we keep those stories on autopilot, often they cause us to hold ourselves back, to not take the risks, to get caught in self-doubt loops. The good news is knowing this about ourselves, you

you can choose which stories you tell yourself, like stopping at the automation and saying, when I feel this way, or like when the moment comes that I'm supposed to go work out. And usually I tell myself the stories of why I should just stay in bed or I feel uncomfortable. I don't want anyone to like be looking at me weird at the gym. Instead, you could tell yourself a different story that would motivate the action that would get you out of bed and exercising. That book, I am

am just now sharing that message on stages more often. And it is such an honor to be able to share that message. It's a sensitive one, but then to hear the stories of the stories that people have changed. It's pretty exciting. Yeah.

When I started podcasting, an online store was the furthest thing from my mind. Now I'm selling all my digital courses and coaching on Shopify. It's so easy all because I use Shopify.

Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business from the launch your online shop stage to the first real life store stage all the way to the did we just hit a million order stage? Shopify is there to help you grow. Whether you're selling scented soap or offering outdoor outfits, Shopify helps you sell everywhere from their all in one e-commerce platform to their in-person POS system, wherever and whatever you're selling. Shopify's got you covered.

Shopify helps you turn browsers into buyers with the internet's best converting checkout, 36% better on average compared to the other leading commerce platforms and sell more with less. Thanks to Shopify magic, your AI powered also star Shopify is constantly teaching me so much things that I never knew about conversion. I am not a master on any of this selling online. I'm a master in coaching people in the things I do, but I did not know how to convert it. Shopify is always sending me tips, tricks,

and offering different partners and solutions for me to improve my conversions, which means ultimately drive more revenue for my business and diversify my business. Thank you, Shopify. Shopify powers 10% of all e-commerce in the U.S. and Shopify is a global force behind Allbirds, Rothy's, and Brooklyn, and millions of other entrepreneurs of every age.

every size over across 175 countries. Plus Shopify's award-winning help is there to support your success every step of the way. And it's so good because businesses that grow, grow with Shopify. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at shopify.com slash monaghan, all lowercase. Go to shopify.com slash monaghan now to grow your business no matter what stage you're in. Shopify.com slash monaghan.

Your business gets to a certain size and the cracks start to emerge. Things you used to do in a day are taking a week. You have too many manual processes. You don't have one source of truth. If this is you, you should know these three numbers. 37,025. One.

37,000. That's the number of businesses which have upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle. NetSuite is the number one cloud financial system, streamlining accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, and more. 25. NetSuite turns 25 this year. That's 25 years of helping businesses do more with less, close their books in days, not weeks, and drive down costs. One, because your business is one of a kind. So you get a customized solution for all of your KPIs, key performance indicators, in one efficient system with one source of truth.

Manage risk, get reliable forecasts and improve your margins. Everything you need to grow all in one place. There is so much power in having all the information you actually need to run your business in one place to make better decisions, better

efficiently, effectively, and move much faster. And the unprecedented offer NetSuite is providing to make that possible is incredible. Right now, download NetSuite's popular KPI checklist designed to give you consistently excellent performance, absolutely free at netsuite.com slash monaghan. That's netsuite.com slash monaghan to get your own KPI checklist. netsuite.com slash monaghan.

Okay. So for anyone that has been listening to this show for a long time, you've heard me talk about this before, but this is my version, you know, to your point of your second book and what you're teaching that book is for me, I didn't realize it, but I had been hanging onto stories from my childhood that my sister was a smart one. You know, she was labeled a smart one and I was labeled a social one. And I had,

had forgotten about these stories because it was in my subconscious, right? It wasn't something that I thought about in my day-to-day life. However, when I got fired and I was on the Elvis Duran show, he looked at me and said, Heather, obviously you're writing a book. And I said, well, obviously I wasn't of course, but he spoke a belief and a conviction into me that in that moment I accepted. But when I got on the plane to fly home, I Googled, how do you write a book? And that's when it hit me. You can't write a book. And I started telling myself the

And I didn't realize at the time, but I love that you've written a book about this. I didn't even know I was doing this. I was stopping myself now that I had left this person's aura. Now I was on my own to tell myself my negative self stories. Heather, you're not smart enough to write a book. Heather, you can't do that. You're supposed to be in sales. You're supposed to go back to your lane. And I had to pump the brakes and actually dismantle that story and say, is this even true? Is there any fact to this? Who cares?

Maybe she's smart and I'm smart too. And then I took it a step further. I'm like, maybe I don't even have to be smart to write a book. Has any jackball ever written a book? And there's millions of them. And so I dismantle that story and start telling a new one. And this is the fundamental, you know, regardless of which book it is,

Stories are just those are our building blocks. We're like we're DNA, we're cells and we're stories. And so no matter how you come at it, no matter what facet or function of business or just your own personal well-being, it is all stories. Right. And so your ability to identify that, be like, wait, this is an old story and it is interesting.

for that book too, when people go back and think, oh my gosh, like I can't believe that I tell myself a story from when I was 11. Like I can't believe that I'm allowing these. And so, yeah. And then I would say even take it one step further. Something I've been working on lately is, yeah, maybe I don't have the stories that I can choose that can prove that I can do something. So I set out

to experiment and be like, okay, can I experience a new story here? And then use this story when I think that I can't do something else. Be like, wait, but I did that. Now I can do this. It's like future casting. I love that. So, so good. All right. So now I'm so impressed that you've written three books that I've not done that yet. Yet. Talk to me about this new book and what we're getting into.

It's wild how you can hear conversations changing. There's different data, statistics, you know, trends that you can see in the marketplace. And now we really are in a crisis of leadership, I would say. Like it's how do I raise leaders? How do I lead these people? Who am I as a leader? And then you couple that with all of this,

I mean, just the baseline challenge of leading a team is one thing. And then you couple that with all of the chaos. And we've just been in crisis mode for so long and changes. And like, this is going to take over the world and this is going to take over the world. And how do you find any solid ground to stand on? And for me, it was really important that people understand that your story's

stories are going to be the solid ground. Like when in doubt,

story is going to be the way forward. This is, and if you as a leader, it's actually a phrase that I use in there is this mantra or really more a description, a title, a story forward leader that at any problem, at any situation you face or approach, you see it as a storied situation and seeing it that way can help you store your way through it.

I don't understand what that means. Let me break it down. The first thing when it comes to leadership, here's what I would recommend is to say to yourself, but first story before I take action, before I make a decision, before I claim something to be true or instruct someone to go a certain way.

I need to take a look at this from a story approach. And there are three fundamental truths that I then outline in the book that kind of go into this, but first story that also supports that like every problem is a story problem. And the first one is,

There is always a story in any situation, in any challenge, in any person, in any opportunity. There is a story there. And especially if you feel like you're misunderstanding something or you're missing something, chances are you're right. You're missing the rest of the story and a leader's ability to see that, to pause for a moment and be like, wait,

Something's not right here. There's a story here and I need to figure out what it is, is essential to leading in times of chaos and confusion. So that's one of the first fundamental truths.

Second fundamental truth is for a leader to say to themselves is this situation needs a story. So if there's something you want to make happen, if there's an initiative you need to get through, if there's a challenge you need to overcome or even, you know, back to the message of stories that stick, a sale you need to make.

A story is the thing that is going to move the needle. A story is the thing that will get the job done. And then the third fundamental truth. So we have, there's always a story. This needs a story. And you're always in the middle of a story, which means I think the crisis of leadership has to do with the chaos that is all around us. And it just feels like there's never a dull moment. Every day you come home from work and you're like,

It was something else today or a continuation of the thing that it was yesterday. And the importance for a leader, an entrepreneur, anyone to understand that this is always the middle of a story. And middles by default are challenging, they're confusing, they're chaotic. And if you can remember that you're at the middle of a story, not at the end of a story, or also not at the beginning, you're at the end of a story.

You can maintain the mindset that, okay, let's see how this story will turn out. And then this will be a story that I can tell back to myself, to my team members that we can learn from and use to move ourselves forward. That was a long answer to a short question. It's good though. I love it. And it just reminded me of something my pastor said last Sunday in church.

That the most impactful stories start from a place of struggle and weakness, not from strength. And just like to your point of being in the middle. So often when we're living the story, when we're in it, we don't realize to your point that we're just in the middle of this is not how it ends. And you posted on Instagram, if you haven't followed Kendra yet, follow her at Kendra Hall on Instagram.

You posted a couple of times and I loved it because it always hit me on days that I'm like, thank you for the reminder. Like, this is not the end of the story. You are just in the middle of it. We don't know where it's going yet. So I love that idea because it gives you so much hope.

Well, and it's important too. So imagine that you are, whether you're a one woman or one man team, right? The importance of you staying in that place, right? And whether it's a big thing or a small thing. I remember one day I was trying to get back home. My flight got canceled. I had to move and, you know, like get on different flights and different airlines. And that's a small inconvenience, right? But I remember sitting at the airport. It was a tiny airport too. I think it was in like Tucson or something.

And I just said, this is the middle of a story. Let's see how this story turns out. And I ended up because I sat, I believe in that space of this is the middle of a story. You can, it's a main character energy, right? I'm so suddenly that I'm sitting there to be like, Oh, let's see how this script writes itself. And sure enough, don't you know that I sat next to the most fast

man on the one flight. And I sat next to this woman who I have been wanting to meet for years. And we're sitting across the aisle from each other. So if I hadn't had that flight canceled and gotten moved from a connection in Dallas to Phoenix, I never would have sat across from her. We never would have connected. You know what I mean? And so it is hard to remember that that's

how it works, but it is. And from an individual perspective, fine. But from the perspective of a leader, okay,

In these times where it feels like such a slog, where your team is frustrated and, you know, demoralized or whatever, feels like they're facing this big loss, your job, because to keep them performing at their best, they can't be sitting there like, oh, this is such a fit. Like you can't feel that way. Your job then is to help remind them that no, no,

This is where we are in the story. We are going to tell this story someday. And the importance, the value of keeping them in that mind space is extremely important. If you're like me, then you are getting so hyped for fall dressing. Now that fall is right around the corner. I'm so thrilled to hear from one of our favorite sponsors, Jenny Kane. They are the experts in classic elevated wardrobe essentials, especially iconic and super

super luxe sweaters. Jenny Kane is a California brand through and through, and their staples make getting dressed effortless. Think minimalist and refined with pieces like cozy cashmere sweaters and noteworthy accessories to elevate versions of your everyday basics. Jenny Kane has everything you need to take the guesswork out of getting dressed, not to mention the most incredible home essentials, too. Their sweaters are the quintessential must-have item, and I'm eagerly stocking up on all their transitional knits and fall-ready basics like

the cashmere cocoon cardigan. The cocoon is the perfect cardigan. It's oversized, super soft, and goes with everything. Find your new uniform at JennyCain.com. Our listeners get 15% off your first order when you use code CONFIDENCE15 at checkout.

That's 15% off your first order. J-E-N-N-I-K-A-Y-N-E.com. Promo code confidence15. Let getting dressed be one of the things that you worry much less about. Embrace your summer aesthetic with Jenny Kane. Find your new uniform at JennyKane.com. 15% off with your first order. That's code confidence15 at checkout.

I love that idea of what you did in the airport. It reminds me of Joe Dispenza's work where he talks a lot about the power of sitting in total uncertainty and embracing it as total possibility that there's all these opportunities now all around you and be open to whatever, you know, in a positive way like you did, but that will bring about more opportunity that's going to be more

positive and that, you know, it's going to take you to a better place. When you were speaking, you were also making me think of the importance of being a leader to our family and to our children. I feel like this is the most important leadership role is as a parent and the importance of when your kids are in a middle of a story to help them understand

see it as a middle of a story. So can I share a quick story here? I have a son. He's currently in seventh grade. I have a daughter who's in sixth grade. Several years ago, and we had talked about this, Heather, you know that my daughter dances at a very prestigious ballet school. Did not get that talent from her mama. We are not sure where that came from. I'm more like Roger Rabbit, right? So she...

My daughter is in this prestigious ballet school where basically at the end of each level, they either invite you back to go up a level. They invite you to stay at the same level or they excuse you. And, you know, of course, everybody hopes that they get moved up. Well, my daughter, they wanted to keep her at the same level and she was devastated. She just she didn't want to have to repeat the level. She already learned all those things. And I mean, she's

seven at the time, eight, maybe years old. And my husband took her and it was a decision that she had to make. Like, was she going to go continue or did she want to part ways and do something else? And he took her out to dessert because she has a huge sweet tooth and

He told her his story of having to make an athletic decision like that, that he chose to leave and how he now looks back and wonders what would have happened if he had stayed and told her, you know, this is the middle of your story and you have authority to choose whether you make the decision to leave or to stay. But know that right here in this middle, this decision matters. And she said, yes.

I'll stay. I want to stay. And drawing her attention to like, this doesn't have to be the end of this story. It could just be the middle. And now she's thriving. It was actually the best decision for them to hold her back because she needed the extra year of gaining strength. But I don't think she would have approached that situation. She would have been like, I don't want to do it and would have just left instead of saying, hey, this is where you're at. You're in this middle of a story.

the more we can do that. And it really does. We say, you know, like hardships are what make you and, you know, nothing's a failure. If you learn from it, fine, those all look good on coffee mugs, but like,

What does that actually look like? Yeah, it's the most important leadership role we have. It reminds me, I did not do this strategically, which I had. I'm going to now after we have this conversation. But I remember when my son was younger, he was in elementary school, came home heartbroken first time, you know, that a girl broke his heart. Actually, the only time that's happened thus far or to that story. But anyhow, so he came home, he's crying, devastated, you know, end of the world, devastated.

And I went into his room and sat on the bed with him. And I said, what is going on? And he starts telling me. And for whatever reason, I went right into the story of when this guy broke my heart, my ex-boyfriend that I lived with, I thought I was getting married to. I started telling him the whole story. I was in my twenties. And,

And I tell him, you know, he ends up cheating on me and we break up and I get on a plane and I have to move. And it actually led to like the biggest business opportunities of my life. And, you know, catapulted me in business and took me to a totally different place, which ultimately led me to meet his father, to have my son. And I said, and then cut to two years ago, I ran into this guy that cheated on me years before at a wedding. And he was wearing blue sunglasses and like I had fallen apart, like a guy like that.

Yeah, not a good look at night. No, but it was so clear to me now. I said, Dylan, this guy was the one standing there looking at me saying, look what I messed up. And I was one saying, what a blessing that this all happened. And he said, he looked at me and said, do you think one day she'll look at me like that? And I said, absolutely. And the story hit him and like gave him that hope that,

wait a minute, it just doesn't end with me being alone crying. Actually, this is potentially a positive, but the story is really what gave him that hope to get up. Well, and here's actually one of the strategies that I discuss in the story edge. So it's funny to think that like a discussion with your teenage son could be related to a business strategy, but it really is. And as a matter of fact, just last night, my son who's in

seventh grade. So we're in it. You know what I mean? Like we've got a rough couple of years and then I'm hoping it gets a little bit better. Right. But this is a, it's a time. And I was putting him to bed and he said, he was like, mama, can you tell me a story about when you were in middle school? And it just sucked. We also talk in the book about the importance of transparency. So full transparency, probably what I should say here as the storyteller is that

Then I told him this big, long story. But no, my first response was, dude, I'm exhausted. I'm putting you to bed. And then I'm going to go sit and catch up on a show on Bravo. And then I'm going to bed. Like, I cannot tell you a story right now. Because

Because he's like, oh, come on, please. He needed it, right? He needed the story of when it sucked for me. Now, here's how this is applicable as leaders in business. And there was actually a study done, a really fascinating article published in a reputable medical journal where they were saying the training that up,

and coming physicians are missing are the stories from the teaching physicians. They need to know the two biggest crises that

These young doctors are going to face in their career because what we're doing is we're teaching them all of the things that you're supposed to do and the body parts and the procedures and everything. But the hardest part about the job are these two things that they're going to encounter. And the article goes into what they are, but they were like, you need to sit down and tell the up and coming physicians your stories of the worst parts of

of this job so that they know what they are, so that they're prepared for it. So that when they're encountered with it, they're not like, I don't know what to do about this. I didn't know that this was here because they know that someone they trust has also experienced it. They now have the story. So they know how maybe they can navigate themselves through it. And they also know that on the other side of these difficult moments is the rest of the career that can be very fulfilling. And this is just a part of it.

How this translates into business, no matter what your business is, it is really important as leaders. And it sounds like a bad idea, but done with some balance is actually a really important one is if you know, like, let's say you're in a really high intensity, high pressure sales organization, and you have these people that are coming in and they're wide eyed and they're so excited and you never tell them.

that this is going to be so much travel that they are going to know the TSA agents better than they know their own friends. But you never tell them that because you're afraid it will scare them away. It's important that you tell your own stories, not just say this is going to be really hard, but your stories of...

crazy travel stories, or maybe the worst part of your job is that you're constantly having to deal with the legal department and they're so frustrating and like tell your story of dealing with that so that a

They're prepared for it. And B, they have the stories of what to do in those situations. Stories are such an important way, whether you're dealing with children or whether you're dealing with the children in the office, of equipping people with the way to think about the problems that they're either encountering or that they're going to encounter.

If you're like me, then you are getting so hyped for fall dressing now that fall is right around the corner. I'm so thrilled to hear from one of our favorite sponsors, Jenny Kane. They are the experts in classic elevated wardrobe essentials, especially iconic and super luxe sweaters. Jenny Kane is a California brand through and through, and their staples make getting dressed easy.

effortless. Think minimalist and refined with pieces like cozy cashmere sweaters and noteworthy accessories to elevate versions of your everyday basics. Jenny Kane has everything you need to take the guesswork out of getting dressed, not to mention the most incredible home essentials too. Their sweaters are the quintessential must-have item, and I'm eagerly stocking up on all their transitional knits and fall-ready basics like

the cashmere cocoon cardigan. The cocoon is the perfect cardigan. It's oversized, super soft, and goes with everything. Find your new uniform at JennyCain.com. Our listeners get 15% off your first order when you use code CONFIDENCE15 at checkout.

That's 15% off your first order. J-E-N-N-I-K-A-Y-N-E.com. Promo code confidence15. Let getting dressed be one of the things that you worry much less about. Embrace your summer aesthetic with Jenny Kane. Find your new uniform at JennyKane.com. 15% off with your first order. That's confidence15.

code confidence 15 at checkout. If creating content is more than a just passion project for you, it's time you make your passion profitable with

With Kajabi, you can easily diversify your revenue, build your own brand, and turn your audiences into customers. This is something that I wish I had known years ago. Because if you're a content creator, you're probably a one-person show. Sometimes you just need a helping hand to grow your business. But you don't need to hire a full team. You only need Kajabi. Kajabi is the leading all-in-one platform.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That's K-A-J-A-B-I dot com slash confidence. Kajabi.com slash confidence and join the creators and entrepreneurs who have made over $7 billion.

- You brought up transparency and the importance of transparency in storytelling in business. Why is that important?

I think now more than ever, our sensors are up, right? Like we know it's no longer like put out this press release and we don't see any of the behind the scenes of any organization. That's just the nature with social media, with the access that,

We have with anything that could be recorded at any time, we have access to a lot of people's stories. And so we're much better at sniffing out when something doesn't quite seem like the real thing.

That alone is enough to know that unless you're a really great actor, which I'm sure there are some leaders who are, people are onto you, whether it's within your organization, certainly within your organization or out in the general public. And so just by default, transparency is a better option. Now, I'm not saying that you need to tell every dark and dirty secret that there is. Vulnerability exists.

doesn't have to mean like bawling your eyes out like a girl on The Bachelor, right? And in some cases, it could be the extent of the transparency is,

is there is more to the story here and I'm not at liberty to tell you what it is. What a powerful phrase, right? There is more to the story. I'm pretty sure you can tell that there's more to the story. I'm not at liberty to tell you what it is. But like the amount of trust that someone will have for you even acknowledging that yes, there are things that I can't tell you right now. It's so valuable. And I think that's the big thing

that we're missing right now. That's why we have a crisis of leadership. One of the big reasons is a lack of trust and a justified lack of trust. We've been lied to over and over again. Sometimes we know it, sometimes we don't. And I don't think anyone takes a message at face value anymore. So the more you are willing to share your stories, there's an example in the book about, have you tried that Graza olive oil?

The one that comes in the squeeze bottle. Oh, it's such a great. Well, now you're going to see it everywhere you go. But it was the startup olive oil company that just like ended up at Christmas time sending out a bunch of like they were supposed to be these gift boxes, but they were terrible. Like they were dented. It was just a disaster. The CEO just wrote this email, didn't even spell check it and like just said, I'm very sorry.

This happened because of this and this happened because of this and we're a mess and we're going to be better. We're growing really fast. So what I'm going to do for you is give you a $6 and like 33 cents credit for your next order. Like he was just so transparent with what was going on. He owned it and he got thousands of emails back.

thanking him for his transparency and, you know, dissatisfied customers who got dented bottles of olive oil and promising to stay loyal customers. So the benefits of transparency are so much greater than the drawbacks. And through stories, you can effectively share the parts that you can. Talking about the importance of transparency, what,

popped into my mind was AI. And, you know, I could be writing a story on LinkedIn, creating a post, and it says to me, would you like me to update this with AI? How does AI impact storytelling or how does storytelling thrive in an AI world? One of the appendices in the book is a story written by AI about Rocky the raccoon.

who wanted to be a human. And it was so funny because it was like a 350 word story and it was not bad, right? Like we just said, write a story about a raccoon who wants to become human. And they named it Rocky.

but it wasn't great. But here's the thing. I think AI personally is an incredible opportunity. It's such an incredible tool. I mean, I use it, right? I put out a video weekly newsletter every week. And sometimes I already filmed the video. Like I don't want to rewrite the video in a blog post so I can use AI to help me out. Right? Like it saves so much time.

But when people say that AI is going to take over or impact storytelling, we still have to remember that maybe online, like AI will help.

But a lot of your work is still face to face with humans, right? Like unless you're literally writing the copy for the website or the social media post, right? There is still an aspect of your job that requires you to interact with other humans face to face or face.

you know, over Zoom, virtual, whatever. And I couldn't AI myself right now, Heather, right? It hasn't gotten to that point yet. And so still, I think AI is not going anywhere. Use it as a tool. There's so many fun ways to use it. And thinking that AI is going to solve all your problems, like you're not going to a networking event with a bunch of robots. Like that's just not happening. You still have to be able to interact with people.

I mean, maybe that's how the people who know that you still have to be able to interact with people are the people who are really going to rule the world, right? Well, I think that's even more than ever. Storytelling is a differentiator because it is your real life, because it can't be AI, because it actually has to happen with real people. That is going to make the stronger, better, more transparent you are at storytelling is going to make you more likable, more trustworthy, you know, all the things. Tell us...

Who did you write this book for? I wrote this book, honestly, for a couple of my friends who are leaders right now.

and are trying to figure it out because it's different than it was. It's different than it was 10 years ago. It's different than it was four years ago. It's different than it was 20 years ago. And that sometimes, and you just said it there, when everybody else is focusing on this and that and this and that, if you're the one focusing on this one thing that nobody else is paying attention to,

but that we know is our superpower. Like this is the thing that humans do. I mean, you said you read that book five years ago and remembered that story. You think about the stories that important people in your life have read to you, the stories that you've taken from the Bible or the stories that your pastor has shared that are related to the teachings of the Bible, like all of this.

And my friends were getting frustrated and they were having a hard time. And I mean, for me, stories have always been my thing. And so, you know, whatever they say to the person holding the hammer, everything's a nail. And so for me, it's always going to be a story. And I hoped that when they read this.

that maybe it would give them just a strategy or two, even just a perspective to say, okay, here's how I can use who I already am, the stories I already have, at least make the job a little bit easier to feel a little bit more effective.

Well, and like we discussed, I mean, everyone's a leader at some level in their life, whether you're parenting, whether you're leading one person, whether you're leading a team. So get the book, The Story Edge. Where can people find it and where can they find you? It is wherever books are sold. So Amazon, Barnes & Noble, bookshop.org, I think is where you can get it on individual bookstores. You can also get it on Audible and I will read it to you. And

And then you can find me online at Kendra Hall. I'm not on TikTok, but you can find me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn. My website is KendraHall.com. Oh, and if you order the book, I'll send you an autograph. If you go to, I think it's storyedgebook.com is the website. Enter your info and then I'll mail you an autograph so you can have a signed copy. We will link that in the show notes below. Kendra, thank you for sharing your story and teaching others how to do the same. Always happy to be with you, Heather.

All right, guys, go get the book, The Story Edge. Until next week, share your stories and keep creating your confidence. You know I will be. I decided to change that dynamic. I couldn't be more excited for what you're going to hear. Start learning and growing. Inevitably, something will happen. No one succeeds alone. You don't stop and look around once in a while. You could miss it. I'm on this journey with me.

What's up, everyone? I'm Hala Taha, host of Yap Young and Profiting Podcast, a top 10 entrepreneurship podcast on Apple. I'm also the CEO and founder of the Yap Media Podcast Network, the number one business and self-improvement podcast network. That's why they call me the podcast princess. On Young and Profiting Podcast, I interview the brightest minds in the world,

offering actionable advice to level up your life. I've interviewed marketing legends like Gary Vee and Seth Godin, serial entrepreneurs like Alex Ramosi and Damon John, and even the godmother and godfather of AI, Fifi Lee and Stephen Wolfram, respectively. I've interviewed so many inspiring guests, and I don't really like to put my podcast in a box.

We talk about anything that will improve your life as an entrepreneur. I tend to talk a lot about brand, marketing, sales strategies, and better understanding psychology and human behavior to get what you want. But we also cover things like balance, biohacking, and mental wellness, and of course, hot topics like AI.

One thing my listeners always say is that my podcast is highly motivational. If you want to get pumped up and take your life and business to the next level, come listen, learn, and profit with the Yap fam. We're young and profiting not because of our age, but because we're committed to ongoing learning and self-improvement. So join podcast royalty and subscribe to Yap, Young and Profiting on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.