The 2 questions (and a quote) that helped me most in 2024
12/02/24 • 18 min
1 Listener
As 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 episode I’m sharing the two questions (and a quote) that made all the difference for me in 2024. I hope these will help you, too. I’ve lovingly crafted these questions for you, so that you can avoid years of the being stressed out, frenetic, reactive and busy without knowing what the heck you’re doing. As for the quote? That’s from the master.
RESOURCES:
Subscribe to my newsletter at jayacunzo.com
Join the Creator Kitchen membership
Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Bluesky
This episode was produced by Ilana Nevins
Cover art designed by Blake Ink
***
ABOUT JAY:
I help business leaders become stronger speakers and storytellers. The goal isn’t to get in front of your audience. The goal is to ensure they care. While others agonize over reach, your ability to resonate helps you compete on the influence of your ideas, not the volume of your marketing.
With my clients, I help clarify + differentiate their message, craft their thinking and expertise into a distinct premise and IP they own, and develop signature speeches and stories to influence, inspire, and drive results.
After starting at brands like Google and HubSpot, I’ve helped organizations like Mailchimp, Salesforce, Wistia, and GoDaddy, plus dozens of individual authors, founders, execs, consultants, and creators with their storytelling and public speaking.
I live in the Boston area with my family as a proud Yankees and Knicks fan (yes, I’m in enemy territory). In the 60 seconds per week I’m not creating stuff for work or making my kids laugh, I like to shoot hoops, sip nice bourbons, cook with my wife, and daydream about telling stories like my storytelling hero, Anthony Bourdain. Say hi via jayacunzo.com
As 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 episode I’m sharing the two questions (and a quote) that made all the difference for me in 2024. I hope these will help you, too. I’ve lovingly crafted these questions for you, so that you can avoid years of the being stressed out, frenetic, reactive and busy without knowing what the heck you’re doing. As for the quote? That’s from the master.
RESOURCES:
Subscribe to my newsletter at jayacunzo.com
Join the Creator Kitchen membership
Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Bluesky
This episode was produced by Ilana Nevins
Cover art designed by Blake Ink
***
ABOUT JAY:
I help business leaders become stronger speakers and storytellers. The goal isn’t to get in front of your audience. The goal is to ensure they care. While others agonize over reach, your ability to resonate helps you compete on the influence of your ideas, not the volume of your marketing.
With my clients, I help clarify + differentiate their message, craft their thinking and expertise into a distinct premise and IP they own, and develop signature speeches and stories to influence, inspire, and drive results.
After starting at brands like Google and HubSpot, I’ve helped organizations like Mailchimp, Salesforce, Wistia, and GoDaddy, plus dozens of individual authors, founders, execs, consultants, and creators with their storytelling and public speaking.
I live in the Boston area with my family as a proud Yankees and Knicks fan (yes, I’m in enemy territory). In the 60 seconds per week I’m not creating stuff for work or making my kids laugh, I like to shoot hoops, sip nice bourbons, cook with my wife, and daydream about telling stories like my storytelling hero, Anthony Bourdain. Say hi via jayacunzo.com
Previous Episode
"Your brain is a straight line machine" I Melanie Deziel, author and speaker
Signature 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 somethings, so we should rethink the ways we actually test, validate, and improve those somethings.
That’s a lot of somethings, but hey, this episode has everything. Or at least a handful of really freaking good somethings.
We're putting on display the hidden details, tiny choices, and emotional moments, as we seek to go beyond telling stories to instead BECOME storytellers.
RESOURCES:
Learn more about Melanie at her website
Subscribe to Jay's newsletter at jayacunzo.com
Join Jay and Mel’s membership program for business storytellers and service providers, the Creator Kitchen
Follow Jay on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Threads
Produced by Ilana Nevins
Cover art designed by Blake Ink
***
ABOUT JAY:
Jay Acunzo is an author, speaker, and differentiation-and-thought leadership consultant on a mission to help you make what matters to your career, company, and community. He's an advisor to experts, execs, and entrepreneurs who want to resonate deeper with others, not just reach them. To do so, he helps you turn your expertise into IP and your IP into differentiated messaging, exceptional speeches, and celebrated creative projects, equipping you with the communication techniques and power of today’s top thought leaders—because he believes in standing out through substance and stories, not hollow hype.
A leading voice in B2B content marketing for many years thanks to his roles at brands like Google and HubSpot, companies like Mailchimp, Salesforce, Wistia, and GoDaddy have turned to Jay to strengthen their storytelling, while dozens of individual authors, speakers, consultants, and service providers hire Jay as their dedicated thought partner and exec. producer to help develop their premise, IP, speaking, and shows.
Jay lives in the Boston area with his family as a proud Yankees and Knicks fan. In the 60 seconds per week he's not creating stuff for work or making his kids laugh, he likes to shoot hoops, sip nice bourbons, cook with his wife, and daydream about telling stories like that of his storytelling hero, Anthony Bourdain.
Next Episode
“Now is the time to double down on your story” I Shez Mehra, creative entrepreneur and DJ
This 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/stars
To 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.
Kicking things off is Shez Mehra, one of the world’s foremost experts in sound and music used by brands to create memorable, cohesive experiences. He leads The 194 Group and has worked with Nike, Sephora, Google, Ford, Microsoft, and others. He’s also a partner in the software company Raina Music, which helps retail and hospitality brands with their music experiences.
Shez shares a moving story of the power of music, talks about his lifelong obsession with music and sound (and what we can learn from his years as a DJ crafting his sets), and together, we dissect the pieces of his signature story to get more specific, to pivot from a personal story to a relevant message to clients, and to stick the landing of a story well-told.
WATCH THE SERIES: STORYTELLING STARS
For all 6 videos (3 group coaching calls and 3 one-on-ones), plus a free template associated with each (no forms required), visit https://jayacunzo.com/stars
RESOURCES:
Connect with Shez on X, Linkedin, and Instagram
Subscribe to my newsletter at jayacunzo.com
Join the Creator Kitchen membership
Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Bluesky
This episode was produced by Ilana Nevins
Cover art designed by Blake Ink
***
ABOUT JAY:
I help business leaders become stronger speakers and storytellers. The goal isn’t to get in front of your audience. The goal is to ensure they care. While others agonize over reach, your ability to resonate helps you compete on the influence of your ideas, not the volume of your marketing.
With my clients, I help clarify + differentiate their message, craft their thinking and expertise into a distinct premise and IP they own, and develop signature speeches and stories to influence, inspire, and drive results.
After starting at brands like Google and HubSpot, I’ve helped organizations like Mailchimp, Salesforce, Wistia, and GoDaddy, plus dozens of individual authors, founders, execs, consultants, and creators with their storytelling and public speaking.
I live in the Boston area with my family as a proud Yankees and Knicks fan (yes, I’m in enemy territory). In the 60 seconds per week I’m not creating stuff for work or making my kids laugh, I like to shoot hoops, sip nice bourbons, cook with my wife, and daydream about telling stories like my storytelling hero, Anthony Bourdain. Say hi via jayacunzo.com
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/how-stories-happen-with-jay-acunzo-321085/the-2-questions-and-a-quote-that-helped-me-most-in-2024-79252318"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to the 2 questions (and a quote) that helped me most in 2024 on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy