How Stand-Up Can Help Your Stories Stand Out
11/20/24 • 27 min
I’m on the East Coast about to speak at a corporate event filled with tech leaders of a very large company. As I’m backstage, the CEO comes up to me and says, “Remember Kymberlee, these are incredible people who are amazing at what they do, yet they aren’t really bought into the idea of storytelling in the business environment.”
With that, I’m introduced and take the stage. After the applause dies down, I can tell the mood in the room is quite serious. So I have everyone stand up and start an icebreaker exercise.
That’s when I hear the first person laugh. And then the next, and the next, and pretty soon the whole room is laughing, connecting, and having fun. The energy in the room has shifted.
At the end of the session, I ask them what some of their most memorable moments from the day are. Without skipping a beat, they pointed out the laughter during the icebreaker changed their internal story.
We know that laughter does a body and a brain good. Jason Love spreads that joy everywhere he goes. He’s a nationally touring standup comedian who has appeared on TV in a few places you may have heard of, like Comedy Central and HBO. In this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, you’ll hear his insights on connecting with diverse audiences in storytelling through devices like humor and lessons we can learn from comedic storytellers, as well as get answers to questions like:
How can you begin testing new material for a story, Talk, or performance? Why are people drawn to comedic storytellers like Dave Chappelle and Martin Lawrence? And what’s it like to navigate in the world currently as a comedic storyteller or performer?
What you will learn in this episode:
- What attitude you can take with you anytime you perform or tell a story
- How you can adapt your story or Talk to diverse audiences
- How you can be completely present before a story or Talk
Who is Jason?
Jason Love is a nationally touring headliner who has appeared on HBO, Comedy Central, America’s Got Talent, and Dry Bar Comedy. His clips are played daily on Sirius XM, and he is a crowd favorite on cruise ships. L.A. Weekly named him “one of the top ten comics to watch.” His non-profit, Love & Laughter, brings free shows to the cancer support community, and he’s represented by Levity Entertainment and 800 Pound Gorilla.
Links and Resources
I’m on the East Coast about to speak at a corporate event filled with tech leaders of a very large company. As I’m backstage, the CEO comes up to me and says, “Remember Kymberlee, these are incredible people who are amazing at what they do, yet they aren’t really bought into the idea of storytelling in the business environment.”
With that, I’m introduced and take the stage. After the applause dies down, I can tell the mood in the room is quite serious. So I have everyone stand up and start an icebreaker exercise.
That’s when I hear the first person laugh. And then the next, and the next, and pretty soon the whole room is laughing, connecting, and having fun. The energy in the room has shifted.
At the end of the session, I ask them what some of their most memorable moments from the day are. Without skipping a beat, they pointed out the laughter during the icebreaker changed their internal story.
We know that laughter does a body and a brain good. Jason Love spreads that joy everywhere he goes. He’s a nationally touring standup comedian who has appeared on TV in a few places you may have heard of, like Comedy Central and HBO. In this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, you’ll hear his insights on connecting with diverse audiences in storytelling through devices like humor and lessons we can learn from comedic storytellers, as well as get answers to questions like:
How can you begin testing new material for a story, Talk, or performance? Why are people drawn to comedic storytellers like Dave Chappelle and Martin Lawrence? And what’s it like to navigate in the world currently as a comedic storyteller or performer?
What you will learn in this episode:
- What attitude you can take with you anytime you perform or tell a story
- How you can adapt your story or Talk to diverse audiences
- How you can be completely present before a story or Talk
Who is Jason?
Jason Love is a nationally touring headliner who has appeared on HBO, Comedy Central, America’s Got Talent, and Dry Bar Comedy. His clips are played daily on Sirius XM, and he is a crowd favorite on cruise ships. L.A. Weekly named him “one of the top ten comics to watch.” His non-profit, Love & Laughter, brings free shows to the cancer support community, and he’s represented by Levity Entertainment and 800 Pound Gorilla.
Links and Resources
Previous Episode
How Thinking Like a Magician Can Create Captivating Stories
It’s the early 2000s, and I’m between sessions at the TEDx conference. As I go to grab a coffee, I notice this crowd forming nearby. Naturally curious, I wander over there to see what the fuss is about.
In the middle of this crowd is a guy with a deck of cards doing a magic trick. But it’s not just the trick itself that’s amazing; it’s the effect it’s having on everyone around him. None of us can take our eyes off of him. It’s like we’re collectively holding our breath being caught in the moment as he performs trick after trick after trick.
Like everyone else around me, I’m completely captivated, marveling at what’s happening. “How does he do this?” I think to myself. I don’t know how one person with just a deck of cards can make an entire group of strangers feel so connected, so in awe together.
I realize at this point that it’s not all about the magic. It’s like this magician has created a shared experience of wonder for all of us and telling a story without even saying a single word.
He wraps up the show, the crowd disperses, and I go stand in line to get my coffee still buzzing from the experience. I turn to my husband Mark and ask, “Who is that guy?” Mark smiles and says, “That’s David Blaine.”
Wow, I was completely unaware that I’d been watching one of the most famous magicians in the world! Yet what sticks with me, even all these years later, isn’t just who he is; it’s that unforgettable feeling of awe he created for everyone in that moment.
So many magicians have that same capacity to captivate their audience. Rick Gerber is a professional magician who has been spending his entire life performing in multiple countries and every state in the U.S. In this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, you’ll hear about how thinking like a magician can help you discover creative solutions that’ll create astonishing stories that linger in people’s minds. You’ll also get answers to questions such as:
In what ways can you creatively engage with your audience to enhance the storytelling experience? How can you get into the flow state as you perform your Talk or story? And how can embracing the unexpected lead to surprising discoveries that create unforgettable stories for your audience?
What you will learn in this episode:
- How closely observing your audience for clues benefits your storytelling
- How you can captivate your audience with a shared experience at the very beginning
- Why you need to know your audience to set the right tone from the start
Who is Rick?
For over 40 years, Rick Gerber has been traveling the world creating laughter and gasps of astonishment at high-profile special events, trade shows, and as the headliner aboard some of the world’s most prestigious cruise ships. He has performed his incredible magic in all fifty states and over forty-five countries. Presidents, kings, and megastars in movies, TV, and music have witnessed firsthand his ability to distort reality before their watchful eyes.
Rick became the youngest performer at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood at 10 years old. At age 21, he was put under contract with Budweiser and performed for them full-time at trade shows and special VIP events around the globe for decades. Most recently, he was elected by his magician peers to the Board of Directors of the prestigious Academy of Magical Arts--home at the World-Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA.
Today, Rick’s Fortune 500 clients read like a Who’s Who of the corporate world--Monster Energy, T-Mobile, GE, Acura, DIRECTV, Coca-Cola, Dell Technologies, Nestlé, and hundreds of smaller businesses as well. Whether it's attracting crowds and gathering leads at trade shows, performing at special events, mingling in VIP hospitality suites, producing magic-themed events, or performing his stage show at corporate sales meetings for hundreds or thousands of attendees, companies can always count on him to deliver.
Links and Resources
Next Episode
How to Find Stories Hiding in Plain Sight
A few years ago, I’m coaching a speaker for her first big keynote. We rehearse endlessly, tweaking every word and gesture. On the day of the event, I’m sitting in the audience feeling a mix of pride and nervousness for her.
She walks onto the stage confidently. Just as she starts her opening story, the microphone cuts out, and the room goes silent. All you can hear is the awkward shuffle of the tech team rushing around to fix it.
She freezes for a second, and I can see the panic in her eyes. She glances at me, and I give her a small nod; that’s our code for, “You’ve got this.”
After taking a deep breath, she raises her voice and speaks to the room. Without a working mic, she owns the silence and wins back the audience with confidence and a bit of humor.
The tech team gets the mic working halfway through her presentation, yet by this point, she already has the room in the palm of her hand. She ends her keynote and receives a standing ovation.
You don’t have to be flawless to be a great speaker. It’s how you handle the unexpected that makes you memorable which is a storytelling lesson everyone can learn.
In this installment of the “Storytelling 7 Series” on the Storytelling School Podcast, you’ll learn how to find stories like these hiding out in the open. I’ll also answer questions like:
What do the biggest speeches, most viral videos, and most shared social media posts have in common? And where are stories hiding and waiting to be told?
What you will learn in this episode:
- Why small, ordinary stories matter so much
- What questions to ask yourself to help uncover hidden stories
- What to do once you’ve found one story in plain sight to tell
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 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.
Links and Resources:
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/storytelling-school-512397/how-stand-up-can-help-your-stories-stand-out-78600595"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to how stand-up can help your stories stand out on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy