What's Your Story? Storytelling as a Tool to Connect and Inspire with Anna Ong

1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,960 We all have walls with us. 2 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:05,600 And when we tell stories, we build bridges instead of walls. 3 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:08,480 So imagine it like as a drawbridge. 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,040 You know, you have a castle, you have a moat. 5 00:00:11,040 --> 00:00:14,200 So when you're telling a story, you lower down the bridge 6 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:16,360 so somebody else can cross over. 7 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:19,320 But you can always lift it up at any time. 8 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,720 Hello, and welcome to Every Moment is a Choice. 9 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,080 I'm your host, Erica Behel, and I 10 00:00:25,080 --> 00:00:27,560 invite you to join me on a transformative journey 11 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:29,640 to uncover the extraordinary potential that 12 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:32,640 lies within every single moment of our lives. 13 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:36,040 From the choices we make in our relationships, careers, 14 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:38,520 and personal growth, to the mindset 15 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:40,840 we embrace in the face of adversity, 16 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,640 this podcast will empower you to embrace the notion 17 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:45,800 that every moment holds a choice, 18 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:48,520 and it's up to us to seize it. 19 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:50,880 Join me as we engage in insightful conversations 20 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,360 with thought leaders, experts, and everyday people who 21 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:57,160 have harnessed the power of choice to achieve greatness, 22 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:01,200 overcome obstacles, and create extraordinary lives. 23 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:03,320 If you feel inspired by this episode, 24 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:05,920 please read it and consider subscribing. 25 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,880 I'm keen to know how it's impacted you. 26 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:13,240 Today, I am thrilled to have my friend, Anna Ong, 27 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:14,000 on the podcast. 28 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:15,040 Hi, Anna. 29 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:16,360 Hi, Erica. 30 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:17,040 How are you doing? 31 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:17,680 I'm great. 32 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:19,480 Thanks for having me. 33 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:20,440 Perfect. 34 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:25,720 So for the listeners, Anna has a very fascinating career, 35 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:29,400 and she's here to talk today about storytelling. 36 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:33,200 Anna is an ex-banker turned storyteller. 37 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:37,800 She's also a keynote speaker, a storytelling and communications 38 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:39,240 coach. 39 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:41,720 She's a professional speaker and emcee. 40 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,280 She's an entrepreneur, so she's built a business 41 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:46,560 around storytelling as well. 42 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:50,920 She's a social impact investor and advisor and adventurer, 43 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,200 I would say, because I've seen some of the adventures 44 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:54,560 that she's been on. 45 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:57,120 She's an aspiring stand-up comedian, 46 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,040 which is fascinating to me as well. 47 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,800 And she is all around a fascinating person. 48 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:07,360 I first met her when she curates a show called 49 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:11,680 What's Your Story Slam, which is a curated storytelling 50 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,920 competition in Singapore held a couple of times a year, 51 00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:16,520 a few times a year. 52 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:19,240 And I took part in this competition last year. 53 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:22,040 And what struck me about Anna is her ability 54 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:25,840 to not only entertain, but really enable 55 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:27,920 people to tell their stories. 56 00:02:27,920 --> 00:02:30,720 And I know that she's on a mission to help people tell 57 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:32,520 their stories as well. 58 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:34,320 So welcome, Anna, today. 59 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:36,720 And like I said, happy to have you. 60 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:38,200 Well, thanks, Erica. 61 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:39,840 I'm very happy to be here. 62 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:44,680 And you forgot to mention that not only did you 63 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,840 tell stories at my stage not once but twice, 64 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:51,360 she also won the second time. 65 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,360 She placed second the first time she told her story on stage. 66 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:56,800 And then she won the second time she 67 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:02,640 decided with her determination to win the Story Slam. 68 00:03:02,640 --> 00:03:04,560 She did. 69 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:05,160 What can I say? 70 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:06,960 I'm a goal-oriented person. 71 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:09,720 And so I did want to compete and win. 72 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:10,880 We'll talk about that later. 73 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:15,680 But it was a kind of thing where I feel like storytelling is not 74 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:17,360 just for the storyteller themselves. 75 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:20,760 It's also for the audience and making people feel. 76 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,120 And I think that's something we can explore 77 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:24,320 in our discussion today. 78 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:26,800 So I want to start with a question. 79 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,240 Because you are a storyteller, what 80 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,880 is a story in the corporate world today 81 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:34,080 in many people's occupations? 82 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:35,280 They talk a lot. 83 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:37,120 They have to give presentations. 84 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:38,760 There is keynote speaking. 85 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:40,520 There is stand-up comedy. 86 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:42,040 There is improv. 87 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:43,800 What differentiates storytelling 88 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:45,340 from all those different things? 89 00:03:45,340 --> 00:03:47,120 I would start first in terms of how 90 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:51,520 I would define storytelling or what storytelling is for me. 91 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,720 So I focus a lot on personal narratives. 92 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,600 And when we say we're sharing a personal story, 93 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,000 it often revolves a moment of change 94 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:06,600 in terms of how an event has changed you as a person 95 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,240 for better or worse. 96 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:13,000 So if we're going to define stories specifically, 97 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:15,800 stories are a series of events that 98 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:20,520 talk about a change that has happened. 99 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:24,000 So there are stories in keynote speeches. 100 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:27,120 There are stories in presentations and stories 101 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,160 in stand-up comedy sets. 102 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,800 If you listen closely, oftentimes, it's 103 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,240 very popular now to see stand-up comedians also 104 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:36,560 narrate about a certain event. 105 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:38,960 So there's a bit of a story there, 106 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:41,360 but not the kind of storytelling I 107 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,760 like people to share on stage. 108 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,800 OK, so stories can be an element of those different things. 109 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:48,300 Yes. 110 00:04:48,300 --> 00:04:50,800 But tell us more about what is the type of storytelling 111 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:52,960 that you like to focus on. 112 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:54,880 So I often tell each storyteller, 113 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:56,880 when they're going to tell a story on stage, 114 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:02,800 to imagine it as like a movie in your audience's mind. 115 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:06,960 So you're telling your stories verbally. 116 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:10,200 So you need to be able to create a setting. 117 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:13,200 The audience needs to be able to imagine your story 118 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:16,560 as if they are living inside your head, too. 119 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,080 They're seeing the world through your eyes. 120 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:21,080 They're feeling what you're feeling. 121 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:22,960 And in order for them to do that, 122 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:26,920 you have to use the senses to explain how you feel. 123 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:28,920 Don't say, I feel scared. 124 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,640 Scared means different things for different people. 125 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:33,760 What does scared mean for you? 126 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:39,440 Is it like, I can feel the hair on my arms start to rise up. 127 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:40,880 I start feeling goosebumps. 128 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:45,200 My heart starts beating faster and faster. 129 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:46,640 And I suddenly feel cold. 130 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:53,520 Then you don't understand what scared means for me. 131 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:54,080 Yeah. 132 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:55,080 And you can feel it. 133 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,040 And you can feel it. 134 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,560 So when we use sensory words, the audience 135 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:06,560 can start feeling it, too, as if they're living it, which also 136 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:10,400 is how stories create empathy. 137 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:15,800 So I'm picking up on the sensory element of good stories, 138 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,360 in that you're not just telling, but you're kind of showing 139 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:22,320 or making somebody feel what you felt. 140 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:24,480 And tell us more about that empathy, 141 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:25,800 because I can see connection. 142 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:28,680 But how does that evolve into empathy? 143 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:31,160 So empathy happens when people start 144 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:32,880 understanding how you feel. 145 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:38,320 So often, it is about describing how it affects you physically. 146 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,760 I often find we like to take shortcuts 147 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,080 by saying the emotion. 148 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:46,680 But emotion feels different for different people. 149 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:50,080 So we need to be able to show, what does it look like? 150 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:52,200 What does it feel like? 151 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:55,880 And for people who are struggling to express the words, 152 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:59,120 I always say, then let's start first with the body. 153 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:01,440 What does your senses tell you? 154 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:05,000 Because often, it's almost like listening also 155 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:06,880 to how your body talks. 156 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:11,280 So the kind of storytelling I encourage most storytellers 157 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:16,480 to tell is to really get in touch with your physical senses 158 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:17,000 as well. 159 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,640 Because often, we tell stories with our head. 160 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:20,360 And you see it. 161 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:24,600 You hear it in almost every story that they pitch to you, 162 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:25,960 whether it's in a presentation. 163 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:27,920 It's all stories from the head. 164 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:29,720 But if you want for people to feel, 165 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:34,040 it has to be both the head, the heart, and the body. 166 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:36,640 Sometimes they go, we just need the head and the heart. 167 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:38,400 No, you need the body too. 168 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:39,400 Wow. 169 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:41,080 This is fascinating to me. 170 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:45,320 I have never gone so in-depth into the somatic experience 171 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:48,840 of storytelling as well and how people experience it. 172 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:51,120 OK, so this is interesting because you're 173 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:57,000 talking about having someone experience what you experience, 174 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:00,480 demonstrating that, having them feel it. 175 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:01,720 In order to do what? 176 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:03,720 In order to make them think differently or feel 177 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:05,120 differently? 178 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:08,560 So it depends on your goal as a storyteller. 179 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:12,360 It could only just for them to understand what you've been 180 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:16,800 through or to see the weight that you carry. 181 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,840 So every storyteller has a different goal 182 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:21,360 when they're up on stage. 183 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:25,520 It's either to engage, to entertain, to inspire. 184 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:30,000 Often, for funny stories, it's to entertain. 185 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:34,160 Keynote speakers often want to inspire. 186 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:37,240 So it depends on what your intention is. 187 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:40,560 And for my stage, it's open-ended. 188 00:08:40,560 --> 00:08:42,600 Each storyteller gets to decide on what 189 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:44,600 they want to do with that story. 190 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:45,480 Yeah. 191 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,560 So for people who haven't attended one of her shows, 192 00:08:48,560 --> 00:08:51,960 and I highly recommend you do if you're located in Singapore. 193 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:53,960 Or in the Philippines, Manila. 194 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:55,200 Yes, because it's expanding. 195 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:56,720 It's going global now. 196 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,200 One of the things is that Anna chooses 197 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,880 a theme for each of the shows. 198 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:05,600 But the theme can be something that is quite high level 199 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:09,120 and allows interpretation amongst the storytellers 200 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:12,480 to kind of think of a story that relates to that 201 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:14,640 or interpret it in their own way and then come up 202 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:16,000 with their own story around that. 203 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,960 And I've attended several of these shows. 204 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:21,920 And I've heard, like you're exactly right, 205 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:27,040 stories that are meant to elicit an understanding of a hardship 206 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:28,440 that someone went through. 207 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,080 Or it could be a purely funny story. 208 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:32,640 It could be an embarrassing story. 209 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:34,880 And I've seen people do all types of things 210 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:37,040 with that format. 211 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:40,280 And what do you think the audience takes from it? 212 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:42,960 I mean, you're giving an opportunity to storytellers. 213 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:45,480 What are you doing for the audience? 214 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:49,080 So for the audience, they take what's useful for them. 215 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:52,600 Because a story is unlike a keynote. 216 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,000 You don't drill down on a main point. 217 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:59,320 Every audience member listens, experiences your stories 218 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:00,960 through their own lenses. 219 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:02,960 So they see things, they feel things 220 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:04,840 from their own experiences. 221 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:07,360 So it's already filtered as it goes through them. 222 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:09,560 So they take what's useful for them. 223 00:10:09,560 --> 00:10:13,320 And you'd often be surprised at what inside people get out 224 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:15,920 of your story that you may not even see it yourself. 225 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:18,320 That you're, huh, I never thought about it that way. 226 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:20,320 But yeah, you're right. 227 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:23,400 Because they see things through their own lens. 228 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:25,840 So that's why I always encourage storytellers 229 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:28,560 to not drill home a point. 230 00:10:28,560 --> 00:10:31,480 Because it's not a keynote. 231 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:34,720 Let them take what's useful for them. 232 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:37,400 And let them figure out how the rest of your story 233 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:40,720 goes if you ended it up on a cliffhanger. 234 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:41,840 Right. 235 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:43,000 Interesting. 236 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:45,040 Because it's true, everybody interprets something 237 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:46,360 a different way. 238 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:49,480 And at your shows, when a person is telling a story, 239 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:52,720 it's not like, OK, and here are the three main takeaways. 240 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:53,960 There's no takeaways. 241 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:56,640 The takeaways are up to interpretation. 242 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:59,520 The takeaways are up to the audience, actually, 243 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:02,120 the listener, if they want to even have a takeaway. 244 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,280 Or they were like, oh, that was a fun story. 245 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:08,480 But everybody has different reasons 246 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:12,000 of wanting to listen to other people's stories. 247 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:15,720 Some people do it because they look for connection. 248 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:17,120 They just don't want to feel alone. 249 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:19,920 Some people do it because it's like gossiping, right? 250 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:21,720 Listening to somebody tell you their story. 251 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:24,720 So everybody has different reasons for being there. 252 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:28,000 And what I like about when people come to storytelling 253 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:29,960 shows, and I've gone to storytelling shows 254 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:34,840 other than my own, is that it's a place where you can go alone 255 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:36,080 and not feel alone. 256 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:38,840 Because as you're listening to someone tell a story, 257 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:41,920 there is that magic of suddenly you feel connected, 258 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:44,880 not just to the storyteller, but with everybody else 259 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,200 in the room because your brain waves start to match. 260 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:50,280 And there are studies that shows that. 261 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:52,360 I'll share with you some from Harvard Business. 262 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:57,320 I think it's Harvard or Stanford, one of the schools in the US, 263 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,960 have done research in terms of brain waves and storytelling. 264 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:01,880 Wow. 265 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:04,160 There's a whole psychological element to this. 266 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:05,560 I mean, there's definitely, you can 267 00:12:05,560 --> 00:12:09,000 understand that there's formulas to good storytelling 268 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:11,240 and everything and different elements. 269 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:13,120 But it's really that connection and kind 270 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:15,400 of a shared experience behind it. 271 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:18,240 So you talked a little bit about why audience members go 272 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:20,760 and like to listen to stories. 273 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:22,440 Now that you've had so many storytellers come 274 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:25,240 through your workshops and come through your show, 275 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,040 why do people want to go up on stage, 276 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:29,560 sometimes for the first time, and tell their stories? 277 00:12:29,560 --> 00:12:30,920 What is their motivation? 278 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:34,080 So people come up on stage and do it different 279 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:35,680 for various reasons. 280 00:12:35,680 --> 00:12:38,320 Some have a fear of public speaking. 281 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:42,840 And I often say storytelling is probably the most fun way 282 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:46,440 to do public speaking because nobody's judging you. 283 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:49,400 They're grateful that you're opening up to them. 284 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:53,400 You're honoring them with sharing your gift of stories. 285 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:57,160 Others want to get better at being a better storyteller. 286 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:59,520 So others are like, this is going to be another tool 287 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:00,920 for my tool belt. 288 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:02,880 I need to do more presentations. 289 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:04,400 I want to be a better speaker. 290 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:06,680 I want to be a better storyteller. 291 00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:08,960 Others is like, I have something really funny 292 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:10,640 and I really want to share it. 293 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:13,880 So others just want to entertain. 294 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:17,520 And some people also feel almost compelled. 295 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:20,800 Like there's a story that's burning inside them. 296 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:25,480 And the show is a vehicle for them to empower them 297 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:28,160 or give them permission to share it. 298 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,360 Actually, the heaviest stories probably that I have 299 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:35,520 would be on my, when I used to have Mixtape, 300 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:38,160 which is a storytelling showcase of people 301 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,920 who have attended my workshops, my storytelling course, 302 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,600 because they get to choose what story they want to work on. 303 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:45,880 So I don't give a theme. 304 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:47,320 They decide on what they want to work on. 305 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:50,240 And some work on really heavy stories 306 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:53,320 and others, the things that they have gone through, 307 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:58,320 but wanna process more, whether it's leaving a relationship 308 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:02,920 or a death of a parent or overcoming a disability. 309 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:04,800 So these are heavier stories. 310 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:08,440 And I call it Mixtape because there is no theme. 311 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:10,360 The theme is Mixtape. 312 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:13,560 Of course, I don't know if young people 313 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:14,720 would understand what Mixtape is, 314 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:16,440 but I know what a Mixtape is. 315 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:19,080 Yes, it became a CD. 316 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:21,280 It was a cassette tape when we were younger, 317 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:24,080 where you record your favorite songs. 318 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:26,440 Oh, and if you like someone, you give it to them as a gift 319 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:28,200 to express how you feel. 320 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,080 And it became CDs and it became mp3 players. 321 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:34,240 And now it's called the Spotify playlist. 322 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:35,720 I know, but that's not as, no. 323 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:36,560 It's not the same. 324 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:37,800 That's not as much effort 325 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:38,960 that had to go into that Mixtape. 326 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:41,400 That was a pure expression of love. 327 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:44,320 Yeah, because you have to be patient in recording 328 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:46,880 and taping and compiling it. 329 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:50,480 Awesome. 330 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:52,320 So from having told stories on stage, 331 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:55,920 it can be a very, almost a therapeutic experience, 332 00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:59,320 but it's not necessarily therapy, right? 333 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:02,520 I mean, it's therapeutic for the storyteller, 334 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:07,440 but something I believe about telling heavy stories 335 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:10,920 is that an audience wants to root for you. 336 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:15,160 They want to find that I went through something very hard, 337 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:16,440 but now I've beat it. 338 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:17,280 Yes. 339 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:19,360 Or now I am a whole new person. 340 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,600 Yes, so the only heavy stories I allow in the show 341 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,280 is the ones that you have already come to terms with 342 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:27,160 and have a resolution. 343 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:29,880 Stories that are not resolved, 344 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:33,000 I tell the storytellers to work with a professional 345 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:35,440 and come to terms with it. 346 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:39,720 And once they have, I will help them turn it into a story 347 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,760 that they will be able to use to empower themselves 348 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:45,040 and also perhaps someone in the audience 349 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:46,040 who needed to hear it. 350 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:47,960 Yes, I think that's so important. 351 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:51,240 There's probably a time and a place for every story. 352 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:55,320 And if you can resolve it and then tell that story 353 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:58,280 and have someone feel motivated 354 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:00,960 by the fact that you got through it, it's a gift. 355 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:01,800 It is. 356 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:02,640 It's really a gift. 357 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:06,080 Yeah, so that's why also I call it the curated story stand 358 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:10,000 because I have received pitches where it's not resolved yet 359 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:11,360 and I have to turn them down 360 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:14,240 because I have to protect the audience as well. 361 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:15,080 Yeah. 362 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:16,840 Because as I explained it, 363 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,720 we have a heavy ball that we carry. 364 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:21,040 When we're telling a story, 365 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:22,560 we pass the ball to the audience 366 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:25,720 so that they can feel the weight of your burden. 367 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:27,880 But then we take it back 368 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:31,080 because the audience is not supposed to carry it for you. 369 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:33,600 They're just supposed to be able to feel it, 370 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:35,400 to understand what you're going through, 371 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:37,760 but not have to actually be left with it. 372 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:40,400 That is so profound, Anna. 373 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:42,920 I've never thought of it that way, 374 00:16:42,920 --> 00:16:45,720 but now it makes total sense 375 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:46,960 that they can carry the weight, 376 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:48,480 but then they give it back to you. 377 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:49,920 And you can take it back too. 378 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:50,760 You can take it back 379 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:53,280 because you already have dealt with it. 380 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:56,480 You know, that's part of your superpower now. 381 00:16:56,480 --> 00:16:57,320 So amazing. 382 00:16:57,320 --> 00:16:58,600 I love that insight. 383 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:01,840 So we've talked about the storytellers 384 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:03,960 who come onto your show, 385 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:07,880 but you also, you go into multinational corporations, 386 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:10,240 you go into different organizations. 387 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:13,200 Why are they interested in learning about storytelling? 388 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:17,280 So for most organizations, 389 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:21,680 they want to level up their employees' communication skills, 390 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:24,880 and storytelling is one of the best ways 391 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:27,760 for their employees to get there. 392 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:29,960 They can use the storytelling framework 393 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:32,080 to style their presentations. 394 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:35,880 They can use stories to bring some of their presentations 395 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:39,560 to life in terms of when they have to make an explanation 396 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:43,320 as to why this happened or why we need this. 397 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,000 You can do it in the form of a story. 398 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:47,920 But often I would tell leaders, 399 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:49,920 what's more important as leaders 400 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,800 is for you to be able to tell your story. 401 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:56,720 Because as leaders, you need to be able to build trust. 402 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:59,160 And what is the formula for trust? 403 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:04,160 Trust is credibility plus vulnerability, 404 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:07,560 you know, in parentheses, over risk. 405 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:11,680 The higher the risk, the greater your credibility, 406 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,600 which we can see from your CV or your track record 407 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:18,960 or whatever experiences you have, and vulnerability. 408 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:23,280 Vulnerability is about how well do we know you as a person? 409 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:25,000 What's the best way to do that? 410 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:26,480 Through stories. 411 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:30,080 So I often also work with a lot of leaders 412 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:33,280 in terms of being able to share stories about themselves, 413 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:35,400 not just about their triumphs, 414 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:39,520 but about their pivotal moments when things did not go right. 415 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:41,120 What did they learn from it? 416 00:18:41,120 --> 00:18:43,920 How did they rise from it? 417 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:46,480 When did they realize they needed to ask for help 418 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:48,320 and that they can't do things alone? 419 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:51,640 These are stories that can engage, inspire, 420 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:56,640 and make people follow you even in the hardest times. 421 00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:57,480 Wow. 422 00:18:57,480 --> 00:18:59,280 They're great also to connect, 423 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:03,000 make connections, instantaneous connections with people 424 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:04,400 when you start sharing your stories. 425 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:07,480 Because we all have walls with us. 426 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:11,120 And when we tell stories, we build bridges instead of walls. 427 00:19:11,120 --> 00:19:13,800 So imagine it like as a drawbridge. 428 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:17,280 You know, you have a castle, you have a moat. 429 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:19,120 So when you're telling a story, 430 00:19:19,120 --> 00:19:22,640 you lower down the bridge so somebody else can cross over. 431 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:24,920 But you can always lift it up at any time. 432 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:26,200 I love that analogy. 433 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:30,280 I'm already just floating in all these insights and I love it. 434 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:34,360 So when you work with leaders and you work on storytelling 435 00:19:34,360 --> 00:19:37,640 and maybe incorporating storytelling into their leadership, 436 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:39,240 what kind of feedback do you get? 437 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,600 Do you hear back from them? 438 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:42,520 So yes. 439 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:45,560 So I remember the very first leadership team 440 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:47,200 I've worked with here in Singapore, 441 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,400 and nobody really understood what I was trying to do 442 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:50,240 in storytelling. 443 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:53,760 And they were the first organization to take a chance on me. 444 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,800 And they even watched Watch Your Story, Slam. 445 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:59,720 And I had them working on their career stories 446 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:01,160 and told them like, hey, you know, 447 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:03,960 work in pairs, exchange stories. 448 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:06,080 And one of the insights they told me was, 449 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:09,360 Anna, I learned more about her in the 15 minutes 450 00:20:09,360 --> 00:20:13,480 you had us exchanging stories than in the 10 years I had 451 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:15,320 working with her. 452 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:16,160 Yeah. 453 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:19,800 And I go, wow, I gave myself a pat in the back. 454 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:21,440 Yes, I was able to build bridges, 455 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:26,000 but also felt a little sad that this is what professional life 456 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:26,840 is like. 457 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:28,200 We don't talk about ourselves. 458 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:29,840 We are afraid to share. 459 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,720 And I still work with that organization. 460 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:35,720 And I did ask, so how did it go? 461 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:38,360 And they go like, we work better as a team now, 462 00:20:38,360 --> 00:20:40,880 because after hearing each other's stories, 463 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:44,240 even if it is what at first career stories, 464 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:47,440 we stopped seeing them as their job titles, 465 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:51,920 but start seeing them as people with wants and needs 466 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:53,560 just like me. 467 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:56,760 And it's funny because I work first with the leadership team, 468 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:59,160 then I work with Derwan Downs, 469 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:00,760 and now I work with other departments 470 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:02,360 in that organization. 471 00:21:02,360 --> 00:21:03,200 Wow. 472 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:05,880 So there's tangible benefits to telling stories 473 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:09,080 and mainly building those bridges and building connections 474 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:10,960 that you wouldn't have otherwise had. 475 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:12,680 Yeah, we can tell personal stories 476 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:13,880 and still stay professional. 477 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:15,760 Because most people are afraid 478 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:17,920 when they start telling personal stories, 479 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:19,360 they lose their privacy. 480 00:21:19,360 --> 00:21:24,360 But oftentimes it's enhancing your professional capabilities 481 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:26,120 when you're sharing something personal. 482 00:21:26,120 --> 00:21:28,920 So an example of a personal story 483 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,480 is the story of your name. 484 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:33,640 Like, you know, Erika Bell. 485 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:36,520 What is the story behind Erika Bell? 486 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:39,720 Or where does the last name Bell come from? 487 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:42,200 Or Erika, how did you feel about your name? 488 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:44,520 What did your mom think when she named you Erika? 489 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:48,160 Were you named after a certain relative? 490 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:50,080 Like for me, I go by Anna Ong, 491 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:51,880 but Anna Ong is actually, 492 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:56,080 I only started being called Anna Ong in university. 493 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:59,240 Before that, everyone called me Annalisa. 494 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:02,160 And Annalisa came when I was about three, 495 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:04,360 I asked my mom like, why am I Annalisa? 496 00:22:04,360 --> 00:22:06,720 There's like three or four Annalisas in my school. 497 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:10,840 And my mom said, oh, so you were named 498 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:14,000 after your grandmother's favorite soap opera, 499 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:15,720 which was Annalisa. 500 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:19,120 And I had to think about it 501 00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:22,240 amongst my cousins and my siblings, 502 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:26,400 I was the only one my grandmother had an influence 503 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:27,720 in naming. 504 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:29,840 So I like to think amongst everybody, 505 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:32,920 amongst her, you know, 20 something grandkids, 506 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:34,040 I was the favorite. 507 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:37,000 That's such a cute story. 508 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:40,280 And it does, it does give me insight into you. 509 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:42,080 Just, you know, hearing that story. 510 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:44,200 And yes, it is personal, 511 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:47,360 but I think it doesn't cross the line over private. 512 00:22:47,360 --> 00:22:48,640 There's personal and private. 513 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:50,280 And I think that that's sometimes what people 514 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:52,120 and leaders especially struggle with. 515 00:22:52,120 --> 00:22:53,200 I don't wanna overshare. 516 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:54,320 Correct. 517 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:57,720 And it's not oversharing when you're sharing something that, 518 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:00,400 I mean, my story of my name, it's not common knowledge, 519 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:02,480 but it's not something I hide either. 520 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:06,040 It's just more like, it's normally a story you told with, 521 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:09,080 or your family knows, but you never really think about 522 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:11,000 sharing it with anybody else. 523 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,120 And yet by sharing that, 524 00:23:13,120 --> 00:23:15,280 you feel closer to the person who opened up 525 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:17,720 because they told you something that you can't see 526 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:20,880 on their LinkedIn profile or in their CV. 527 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:22,080 Yeah, yeah. 528 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:24,680 So if there was a leader out there listening to this, 529 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,120 one or doing like, how do you know what the threshold is 530 00:23:27,120 --> 00:23:29,320 between personal and private? 531 00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:30,600 What is that? 532 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,480 So if you say it's a secret, it's private. 533 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:36,560 There are also stuff you do professionally 534 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:37,560 that you can't talk about. 535 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:40,520 It's when you have an NDA, that's private. 536 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:42,960 So there are professional and yet private. 537 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:45,440 When you say like, oh, you know, it's confidential. 538 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,480 I have to sign an NDA, we have this Chinese wall. 539 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:51,240 You already know what's professional and private. 540 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:53,920 Same thing goes for personal and private. 541 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:56,480 If it's a secret, if it's a family matter, 542 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:58,320 then perhaps, yes, it is not something 543 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:00,640 you will talk professionally with your peers. 544 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:01,920 Yeah, yeah. 545 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:04,640 But everything else, what your favorite cuisine is, 546 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:07,920 or like one of your favorite travel destinations, 547 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:09,920 I think that's okay to share. 548 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:11,320 Yeah, and it makes you human. 549 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:12,560 It makes you human, makes you like, 550 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:14,640 oh, you love Japan too, oh, me too. 551 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:17,880 Awesome. 552 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:19,960 So I mean, you came from, 553 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:21,680 you haven't been a storyteller all your life. 554 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:23,360 I mean, maybe in certain aspects, 555 00:24:23,360 --> 00:24:27,000 but professionally, you came from banking. 556 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,600 You know, you came from a very hardcore 557 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:32,320 professional environment where I think they, 558 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:34,480 you know, the line between personal and professional 559 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:37,360 is usually very, very rigid. 560 00:24:37,360 --> 00:24:39,640 And you came from that. 561 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:40,880 Tell us about your background. 562 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:42,560 How did you get into storytelling? 563 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:44,840 Well, storytelling was more like something 564 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:46,640 that I've always enjoyed as a kid. 565 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:48,280 Like I love reading books. 566 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:50,320 Since I discovered young adult novels, 567 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:53,160 I think, I don't know if you remember Sweet Valley. 568 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:54,960 Sweet Valley High, and Sweet Valley Twins? 569 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:55,800 Yes. 570 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:56,640 Oh yeah. 571 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:58,680 So when I discovered that, 572 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:01,240 it's as if a whole new world opened up for me 573 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:02,680 that I didn't know existed. 574 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:04,120 I mean, I grew up in the Philippines. 575 00:25:04,120 --> 00:25:06,880 So this was like life in California. 576 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:09,920 So, you know, being blonde and a twin in California, 577 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:13,160 I wanted a twin when I was reading those books. 578 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:15,560 So I think I always like stories 579 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:18,880 because they offer a chance for me to travel. 580 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:22,400 I travel through time when I read historical stories. 581 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:24,920 I travel to different places when I read stories 582 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:26,720 look in various settings. 583 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:29,720 So it's a form of escape for me. 584 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:32,040 And when I ran out of books to read, 585 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:33,960 because growing up in the Philippines at that time, 586 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:35,920 it was limited, not like now 587 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:38,720 where everything is at your fingertips. 588 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:41,080 I wrote my own stories. 589 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:43,680 And that's pretty much how I started it. 590 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:46,440 I kind of lost it when I went to university 591 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:50,680 because, you know, had a life, then got a job in banking. 592 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:53,280 And I only reconnected with storytelling 593 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:57,560 was when I quit banking and decided to spend a year 594 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:01,080 living it as if it were my last. 595 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:02,520 That was the goal of the year. 596 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:05,600 Live the year as if it were your last, 597 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:10,160 which means not thinking about future or serious things 598 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:13,800 like a job or a career. 599 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:15,960 And so it was through exploration, 600 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:19,880 I discovered a comedic art form called storytelling. 601 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:20,920 Wow. 602 00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:22,480 It was during improv. 603 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:26,000 At an improv show, we were doing a format called the Armando 604 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,760 where someone has to tell a personal story 605 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:30,000 and then the rest of your team 606 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:31,800 creates scenes inspired by the story. 607 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,680 So the Armando is you don't have a monologist, 608 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:37,440 one of the team members becomes whoever is inspired 609 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:38,920 to tell the story. 610 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:43,920 And what's funny was when I was training in improv, 611 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:48,000 I never could even tell a monologue or a story 612 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:50,680 because I felt like, oh my God, these Americans, 613 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:52,560 they like to overshare. 614 00:26:54,360 --> 00:26:57,160 And my brain would freeze, I had zero. 615 00:26:57,160 --> 00:26:59,840 And my coach was saying at the night of our show, 616 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:02,640 he says like, you know, in improv, there's something magical 617 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:04,240 that happens. 618 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:06,160 When you feel your body move, 619 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:08,640 don't let your head question it, just go with it. 620 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:12,560 And that night was like, we did one monologue, 621 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:13,680 we did three scenes, 622 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:15,600 and then we were just all staring at each other. 623 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:18,200 Then I felt my feet just go up in the middle of the room 624 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:20,640 and I started telling a story. 625 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:24,800 And that was when I knew I wanted to be a storyteller 626 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:28,360 because it is as if the feeling I had, 627 00:27:28,360 --> 00:27:31,600 if I were to say it in a word, is ecclesiastical. 628 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:35,800 It's as if the skies opened up 629 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:38,320 and the angels started singing hallelujah. 630 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:39,880 Like I could hear it in a head. 631 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:43,320 And I think it was my brain synapses on fire 632 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:47,240 that I found that it was that sheer joy 633 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:49,800 of being able to tell my story. 634 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:52,880 And then hearing the audience laugh 635 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:54,160 in moments of the story, 636 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:56,920 and then getting to see my improv team create scenes 637 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:59,880 inspired by it, that was super fun. 638 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:00,720 Yeah. 639 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:02,600 And what was the story you told? 640 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:06,560 It was a time when I was at the back of a motorbike 641 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:09,760 going up to a hostel that's on top of a mountain 642 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:11,720 with my Samsonite carry-on. 643 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:13,640 I don't travel like a backpacker, okay? 644 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:16,360 I had a carry-on, four-wheel carry-on. 645 00:28:16,360 --> 00:28:18,800 And apparently going to these places, 646 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:21,480 everybody has these 50-liter backpacks 647 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:23,360 and I had my wheelie. 648 00:28:23,360 --> 00:28:28,360 So the guy had to put the carry-on 649 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:30,400 in the middle of the handlebars. 650 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:33,280 And so I was holding to the back of the bike 651 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:34,560 and we're going up the mountain. 652 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:36,240 It was rainy, it was muddy. 653 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:38,400 And then my Samsonite bag was right there 654 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:39,960 in the middle of the handlebars. 655 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:40,800 Nice. 656 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:43,240 And people responded to that, right? 657 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:44,600 Is that what you felt? 658 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:45,520 Yeah, they responded. 659 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:47,720 I think it was because it was in New York. 660 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:50,320 And so they understood like the city girl, you know, 661 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:54,160 the parody of being in the middle of a jungle, 662 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:56,760 going up a mountain with a carry-on. 663 00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:58,280 Yeah, they could relate to it. 664 00:28:58,280 --> 00:28:59,200 Yes. 665 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:00,040 That's amazing. 666 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:00,920 So you told the story there, 667 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:04,120 and this was during your year of kind of 668 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:05,720 living like it was your last. 669 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:06,560 Yes. 670 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:08,080 So did you continue to explore this? 671 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:10,960 Did you start to tell stories in New York? 672 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,080 Yeah, so I started telling stories in New York, 673 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:15,880 Washington, D.C., and I started working with startups 674 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,000 on the social impact space, 675 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:21,440 working with the personal narratives of the founders 676 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:22,920 and their founding team, 677 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:26,000 and tying it up with their company's mission and vision. 678 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:27,840 Because these are the stories, 679 00:29:27,840 --> 00:29:30,400 so we work on it to have these stories be done 680 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:32,000 in three minutes under. 681 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:35,120 Because these are the stories they can use for recruitment, 682 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:37,400 for pitching, to get the point across 683 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:39,360 at the shortest amount of time possible 684 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:40,600 as to why I'm doing this, 685 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:42,640 why I gave up my job in Wall Street, 686 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:44,360 to work on this startup 687 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:46,920 that's supposed to help solve a problem. 688 00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:48,440 Why am I taking this risk? 689 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:50,800 Why am I risking my career for this? 690 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:52,280 So how they do it is through stories. 691 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:53,960 And when they meet VCs, 692 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:55,480 and they meet the founding team, 693 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:57,080 and everyone shares their stories, 694 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:58,560 and it's all different, 695 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:00,240 then they can see the picture 696 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:02,200 why this team belongs together, 697 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:04,800 and why they can trust our organization. 698 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:07,320 My mistake was how I charged my fees. 699 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:08,800 I should have asked for the percentage 700 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:10,320 of amount of money they raised. 701 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:14,240 When I found out how much money they raised 702 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:16,000 from the stories I worked with them on, 703 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:20,040 I go, should have charged it differently. 704 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:21,600 Yes, yes. 705 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:23,720 So obviously it was a success. 706 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:25,560 At what point did you start to think, 707 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:27,800 this is not just something that I enjoy doing, 708 00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:31,360 but this is maybe something I can build a career around. 709 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:33,440 Oh, it was the moment actually on stage 710 00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:35,200 when I decided I wanted to be a storyteller. 711 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:36,720 That's it, I just need to figure out 712 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:38,000 how to make money from it. 713 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:38,840 Wow. 714 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:40,600 I already knew I was gonna be in storytelling. 715 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:41,680 I was doing storytelling. 716 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:44,160 I don't wanna do anything else but storytelling. 717 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:46,680 I just need to figure out how to monetize it. 718 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:49,240 And so you've built a, now, 719 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:51,880 I mean people talk about things like portfolio careers 720 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:54,080 with different sources of income. 721 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:56,560 You've really taken this theme of storytelling 722 00:30:56,560 --> 00:31:00,000 and you've branched out in several areas. 723 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:01,800 Tell us more about how you've done that. 724 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:03,600 At first, all I wanted to do 725 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:06,160 was help people tell better stories. 726 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:07,880 When I moved to Singapore, 727 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:09,280 it was because my friends, 728 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:12,240 after hearing what I was doing in the US with the startups, 729 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:14,480 said that I can make a bigger impact in Asia 730 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:15,720 because I'm Asian, 731 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:19,120 plus Asians need to be better communicators. 732 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:21,360 Compared to our Western counterparts, 733 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:25,600 we struggle in Asia to tell stories, better stories. 734 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:27,000 But when I came back to Singapore, 735 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:29,080 nobody understood what I was trying to do. 736 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:32,440 They thought I wanted to become an actress 737 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:37,240 or work for Universal Studios in a costume. 738 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:39,880 But my friends' kids thought I had the coolest job 739 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:42,360 because I was the storyteller. 740 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:47,360 So it was until I started What's Your Story Slam, 741 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:51,800 that people start to get the power of personal narratives. 742 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:56,160 Because then they can see what personal stories is about. 743 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:57,920 Before What's Your Story Slam, 744 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:00,320 there were no storytelling shows in Singapore. 745 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:02,160 If they had, they disappeared 746 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:04,920 because there's no money in showbiz. 747 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:09,760 So I would go to stand-up comedy open mic nights 748 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:11,120 and tell stories there. 749 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:13,600 But my stories would often fall flat 750 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:15,080 because the audience in stand-up 751 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:17,440 are expecting jokes and laughs, 752 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:18,840 and they don't get, 753 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:19,720 your story's funny, 754 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:21,920 but couldn't you get to the joke faster? 755 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:24,560 So I was unhappy, 756 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:25,840 and so my friends said, 757 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:28,000 well, what's stopping you from starting your own show? 758 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:30,800 And of course the answer was nothing. 759 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:33,880 So I started What's Your Story Slam. 760 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:35,440 Not the most original idea 761 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:36,520 because to be honest, 762 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:38,080 when they named What's Your Story Slam, 763 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:40,640 I thought it was gonna be your one show thing. 764 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:42,200 So I figured, 765 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:44,280 I'll figure out a more clever name, 766 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:46,840 but then I just continued on. 767 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:48,240 So yeah, What's Your Story Slam? 768 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:49,280 So I started it, 769 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:51,640 and my first show was mostly my friends, 770 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:52,720 who I asked, 771 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:54,040 hey, can you tell the story? 772 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:55,200 I'll help you. 773 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:57,920 Because at least I know my friends have interesting stories. 774 00:32:57,920 --> 00:32:58,760 And our first show, 775 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:00,040 the theme was risk. 776 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:01,400 Stories of taking chances 777 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:04,840 because I was taking a chance as well, 778 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:06,040 doing a show. 779 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:07,600 I had major imposter syndrome 780 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:09,080 because I was a banker. 781 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:11,440 What the heck do I know about producing shows? 782 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:12,600 None. 783 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:14,600 And so most people in the audience 784 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:16,960 were everyone who knew me personally and professionally. 785 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:19,320 So if the show tanked, 786 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:20,720 there is no place for me to hide 787 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:23,000 and I really need to leave Singapore again. 788 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:27,360 So I had a lot riding that night 789 00:33:27,360 --> 00:33:30,840 and I've never even hosted an event in my life. 790 00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:33,000 So I was terrified, 791 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:35,400 could not even make eye contact with the audience. 792 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:37,240 I was so scared. 793 00:33:37,240 --> 00:33:39,200 And we had this horrible lighting too, 794 00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:42,200 because we had to use the movie screen projector light 795 00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:43,960 as our spotlight. 796 00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:46,640 So talk about the really bad lighting. 797 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:48,600 That was the first show. 798 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:51,760 Thankfully, the show went well. 799 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:53,720 Everyone came up to me intermission saying, 800 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:55,680 we've never seen anything like it. 801 00:33:57,160 --> 00:34:00,640 All the storytellers were so vulnerable on stage. 802 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:04,880 And I could see also like people just talking to each other. 803 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:05,960 They don't know each other. 804 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:08,360 They're talking to the storytellers, 805 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:10,680 as if they knew them because they heard their story. 806 00:34:10,680 --> 00:34:12,400 And you must have experienced that as well 807 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:14,120 when after you tell your story, 808 00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:15,280 people are talking to you as if, 809 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:18,280 I don't know you, but you seem like you know me. 810 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:20,000 Yeah, absolutely. 811 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:22,240 And so at the end of the night, actually, 812 00:34:22,240 --> 00:34:23,240 when I was thanking everyone, 813 00:34:23,240 --> 00:34:24,400 I decided to just announce 814 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:26,840 and we're having our show in the next two months. 815 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:28,880 And the theme is, yeah. 816 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:30,840 And it grew from there. 817 00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:33,080 People started helping me find other people 818 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:34,840 who can tell stories at the show. 819 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:36,480 Some volunteered. 820 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:40,280 And I do coach every person, 821 00:34:40,280 --> 00:34:42,400 give feedback to the stories for every person 822 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:44,080 going up on stage, 823 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:47,880 because you're sharing something personal, very vulnerable. 824 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:49,800 And I wanna set you up for success 825 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:52,840 and also make sure that somebody's holding your hand 826 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:56,920 along the way, because this is often something new. 827 00:34:56,920 --> 00:34:59,840 And in a way, giving the support that I never had 828 00:34:59,840 --> 00:35:02,160 when I was doing storytelling. 829 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:04,600 It was everything that I wish I had. 830 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:06,680 Good lighting, photography. 831 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:09,720 So it's everything I wish, like nice pictures. 832 00:35:09,720 --> 00:35:11,880 I never had that when I was doing it in New York 833 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:13,600 and Washington and D.C. 834 00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:16,760 And also nobody to give me feedback and guidance. 835 00:35:16,760 --> 00:35:18,720 So that's what I wanted for myself. 836 00:35:18,720 --> 00:35:21,840 So that's what I put into What's Your Story, Sam. 837 00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:23,400 That's so beautiful. 838 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:24,800 I've experienced that, 839 00:35:24,800 --> 00:35:27,120 because I know that one thing that you do 840 00:35:27,120 --> 00:35:31,520 at every single show is you get the audience ready. 841 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:33,880 You go up there and you say, you know what? 842 00:35:33,880 --> 00:35:35,520 When I call this person's name, 843 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:37,920 you're gonna start clapping as soon as they stand up 844 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:40,160 out of their seat and walk up to this stage. 845 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:41,480 Because it's about that support. 846 00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:44,200 It's creating an environment where you know, 847 00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:47,200 okay, these people are gonna at least root for me. 848 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:48,680 My story might flop in the end, 849 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:53,400 but Anna's there to make sure that everybody goes up there 850 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:54,840 in a positive mindset. 851 00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:55,680 I love that. 852 00:35:55,680 --> 00:35:58,080 Yeah, and I also want them to feel that, 853 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:00,320 especially for people who are doing it for the first time, 854 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:02,280 especially afraid of public speaking, 855 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:04,680 I want this to be a positive experience. 856 00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:07,080 To feel what it's like when everyone's clapping for you 857 00:36:07,080 --> 00:36:09,840 and clapping as when you're finished with your story. 858 00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:12,280 Because it's showing support. 859 00:36:12,280 --> 00:36:14,200 But also so that you realize like, 860 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:16,440 hey, it's not so scary. 861 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:18,440 I actually enjoyed it. 862 00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:19,880 Maybe I'll do it again. 863 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:20,720 I love that. 864 00:36:20,720 --> 00:36:22,080 I mean, this show is still ongoing 865 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:25,000 and it sells out every time. 866 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:26,520 But I remember you said like, 867 00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:28,560 there's not a lot of money in this. 868 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:30,680 So then getting back to your own career 869 00:36:30,680 --> 00:36:33,280 and how you're making this, you know, you're an entrepreneur, 870 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:34,480 you need to make money. 871 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:36,440 How did you then expand on this? 872 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:39,360 So through the show, the show is a great marketing arm 873 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:43,040 because then it's a showcase on my skills as a coach, 874 00:36:43,040 --> 00:36:45,960 as a host, also in terms of crafting the stories. 875 00:36:45,960 --> 00:36:48,640 Because I have a hand in helping each storyteller 876 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:50,240 craft the stories. 877 00:36:50,240 --> 00:36:53,280 So to fund the show, I do corporate work. 878 00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:56,800 So I do a lot of, I design workshops, 879 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:58,880 but I've expanded to not just storytelling, 880 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:01,240 but also in terms of communication skills 881 00:37:01,240 --> 00:37:05,800 because people see how do we then project confidence 882 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:07,600 when we're up on stage? 883 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:09,440 Or how do we think on our feet? 884 00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:14,440 Or how do we stay calm even when things are not going right? 885 00:37:14,440 --> 00:37:18,040 So I incorporate improv and storytelling 886 00:37:18,040 --> 00:37:20,160 in all my communications workshop. 887 00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:23,960 Also now working a lot with presence, 888 00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:26,120 how you hold yourself and ground yourself 889 00:37:26,120 --> 00:37:27,560 when you're on stage. 890 00:37:27,560 --> 00:37:31,280 So a lot more focus on body work in terms of the senses. 891 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:35,480 So it's, I don't teach people to look polished 892 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:37,040 or something like showmanship. 893 00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:41,080 It's more about feeling comfortable in your own skin 894 00:37:41,080 --> 00:37:44,680 in a way, but performing at an amplified level. 895 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:48,720 Because when you're speaking or when you have the microphone, 896 00:37:48,720 --> 00:37:50,760 whether you like it or not, you're performing. 897 00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:53,200 And you have to treat it as a performance 898 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:55,880 or even like when you're competing as a sport, 899 00:37:55,880 --> 00:38:00,280 you rest and you have to make sure you're doing your best. 900 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:04,240 So that's what I train people to do is to treat it as that. 901 00:38:05,120 --> 00:38:08,200 And I go, I'm not teaching you to be somebody or not, 902 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:10,760 but I am helping you amplify yourself. 903 00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:15,080 Like how the microphone amplifies your voice. 904 00:38:15,080 --> 00:38:15,920 Right. 905 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:20,400 Do you find that most people need a bit of support 906 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:21,240 in that area? 907 00:38:21,240 --> 00:38:24,040 I mean, there are natural storytellers out there. 908 00:38:24,040 --> 00:38:24,920 Since the beginning of time, 909 00:38:24,920 --> 00:38:27,880 there's been people who are great at telling stories, 910 00:38:27,880 --> 00:38:31,640 but do most people actually need a bit of help or coaching 911 00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:34,720 in order to have that presence? 912 00:38:34,720 --> 00:38:38,040 Yes, there are some people, it comes naturally for them 913 00:38:38,040 --> 00:38:42,000 to own the stage, but for most, it needs to be trained. 914 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:44,120 And it needs about awareness 915 00:38:44,120 --> 00:38:47,560 and being able to understand how your body moves 916 00:38:47,560 --> 00:38:50,120 and also changing mindset. 917 00:38:50,120 --> 00:38:53,720 It's about reframing it because I would always tell people, 918 00:38:53,720 --> 00:38:55,640 when you have the microphone, 919 00:38:55,640 --> 00:38:58,080 you have the highest status in the room 920 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:02,160 and you gotta own it, embrace it, lean on it. 921 00:39:02,160 --> 00:39:06,160 It's when you don't, that's when you look weak. 922 00:39:06,160 --> 00:39:09,960 But let's put this way, when I'm in front of my clients, 923 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:11,800 I know like the CEO is there, 924 00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:14,600 he will have more power than me, 925 00:39:14,600 --> 00:39:17,200 but when I'm up on stage, I'm the boss. 926 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:19,480 Yes, that's so true. 927 00:39:19,480 --> 00:39:21,840 When I get off on stage, hi boss. 928 00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:23,840 Hi boss. 929 00:39:26,040 --> 00:39:27,640 Right, so do you own that power 930 00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:29,800 or do you kind of shrink away from it? 931 00:39:29,800 --> 00:39:31,960 People can tell and that's the body language, 932 00:39:31,960 --> 00:39:33,520 is that necessarily what you're saying? 933 00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:36,840 Exactly, it's your body talks louder than you. 934 00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:38,120 Yeah. 935 00:39:38,120 --> 00:39:40,960 And so often when I attend events, half the time, 936 00:39:40,960 --> 00:39:43,480 I'm just looking at how people speak, 937 00:39:43,480 --> 00:39:46,520 how people sit, how people walk. 938 00:39:46,520 --> 00:39:49,160 And my friends say, don't you even look at the content? 939 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:52,320 And I go, nah, I'm more interested in what's happening 940 00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:53,400 outside that. 941 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:56,040 Yeah, I'm taking a lot away from this. 942 00:39:56,040 --> 00:39:59,560 So you got the show, you are now working with, 943 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:01,480 you're doing kind of a coaching capacity, 944 00:40:01,480 --> 00:40:03,200 we're doing workshops. 945 00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:07,200 What else are you doing to build out your whole repertoire? 946 00:40:07,200 --> 00:40:11,040 So I also work with other schools. 947 00:40:11,040 --> 00:40:14,240 So I teach storytelling for executive education 948 00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:17,080 for other schools as well, like Ivy League schools. 949 00:40:17,080 --> 00:40:20,000 So it's good for branding and presence 950 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:22,520 and hopefully with my expansion. 951 00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:23,440 Nice. 952 00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:27,120 So what would you, you call yourself, what? 953 00:40:27,120 --> 00:40:29,520 You call yourself a storyteller, you call yourself a coach 954 00:40:29,520 --> 00:40:31,240 or you call yourself all of these things? 955 00:40:31,240 --> 00:40:33,280 I call myself, I'm all of the above, 956 00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:35,400 but often when I only have like, you know, 957 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:37,800 five seconds to introduce myself, I said, hi, 958 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:40,520 I'm Anna Ong, I'm an ex-banker turned storyteller. 959 00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:43,360 And often people will wanna go, tell me more. 960 00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:45,040 Right. 961 00:40:45,040 --> 00:40:45,880 And if I have time I go, 962 00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:48,320 I also house a show called What's Your Story Slam 963 00:40:48,320 --> 00:40:50,720 where people share personal stories on stage. 964 00:40:50,720 --> 00:40:52,360 Yeah, yeah. 965 00:40:52,360 --> 00:40:55,120 And I just realized that that snippet, 966 00:40:55,120 --> 00:40:58,200 when you say I'm an ex-banker turned storyteller, 967 00:40:58,200 --> 00:41:00,080 that's a mini story, cause that's a change. 968 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:01,520 Exactly. 969 00:41:01,520 --> 00:41:02,360 Brilliant. 970 00:41:02,360 --> 00:41:04,640 So brilliant. 971 00:41:04,640 --> 00:41:08,000 Oh, now I'm thinking about how to change my LinkedIn, 972 00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:09,880 my timeline. 973 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:12,760 Yeah, it's, cause it's like almost like a, 974 00:41:12,760 --> 00:41:14,720 it's almost shorter than an elevator pitch. 975 00:41:14,720 --> 00:41:16,360 It's like a, your handshake. 976 00:41:16,360 --> 00:41:17,480 Yeah. 977 00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:20,120 A story can be that short but powerful. 978 00:41:20,120 --> 00:41:23,120 Yeah, because the shortest story is a six word story 979 00:41:23,120 --> 00:41:24,840 by Ernest Hemingway. 980 00:41:27,320 --> 00:41:31,920 For Sale, baby shoes, never worn. 981 00:41:31,920 --> 00:41:36,120 Oh, that just hit me pretty hard. 982 00:41:36,120 --> 00:41:37,120 It is, right? 983 00:41:37,120 --> 00:41:40,120 I still get the tingles whenever I say it, 984 00:41:40,120 --> 00:41:41,720 because, you know. 985 00:41:41,720 --> 00:41:44,800 So, and I like to play this game too. 986 00:41:44,800 --> 00:41:46,800 What's Your Six Word Story? 987 00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:49,720 Cause everybody has, you can summarize something 988 00:41:49,720 --> 00:41:51,520 in six words. 989 00:41:51,520 --> 00:41:52,960 It's a great exercise. 990 00:41:52,960 --> 00:41:53,800 So powerful. 991 00:41:53,800 --> 00:41:57,080 So we've talked about kind of the craft of storytelling 992 00:41:57,080 --> 00:41:59,120 and how important it is. 993 00:41:59,120 --> 00:42:02,920 If you look at a more macro level or like meta level, 994 00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:07,320 telling our own story, as in putting ourselves out there, 995 00:42:07,320 --> 00:42:10,920 and I don't want to go call it just personal story, 996 00:42:10,920 --> 00:42:12,840 call it just personal branding or anything, 997 00:42:12,840 --> 00:42:14,960 but I've always heard that, you know, 998 00:42:14,960 --> 00:42:17,640 if you don't tell your own story, someone else will. 999 00:42:17,640 --> 00:42:20,880 And especially for women, I don't want to be exclusive here 1000 00:42:20,880 --> 00:42:22,920 and because there are a lot of men who need to learn 1001 00:42:22,920 --> 00:42:24,040 to tell their stories as well. 1002 00:42:24,040 --> 00:42:29,040 But especially for women, I feel like people make assumptions 1003 00:42:29,040 --> 00:42:33,080 about you and unless you're out there telling your own story, 1004 00:42:34,520 --> 00:42:35,920 opportunities might not come to you 1005 00:42:35,920 --> 00:42:38,400 because people are gonna make assumptions about you. 1006 00:42:38,400 --> 00:42:42,400 So how do you then encourage people to tell their own story 1007 00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:44,320 on that more meta level? 1008 00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:48,640 So it depends because, so that's why I write 1009 00:42:48,640 --> 00:42:51,400 and I have What's Your Story Slam to encourage people 1010 00:42:51,400 --> 00:42:55,600 and I find that it's a platform for people who are, 1011 00:42:55,600 --> 00:42:58,160 once they're ready, they will want to tell their story 1012 00:42:58,160 --> 00:42:59,560 up on stage. 1013 00:42:59,560 --> 00:43:04,560 But often, I would often ask women who would hesitate 1014 00:43:04,560 --> 00:43:08,360 to tell their stories, who's stopping you? 1015 00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:11,560 Who's the voice stopping you in your head? 1016 00:43:13,120 --> 00:43:17,360 Because I invite storytellers to always say, 1017 00:43:17,360 --> 00:43:20,640 and everybody actually, your story's a gift 1018 00:43:21,880 --> 00:43:25,200 and you're robbing people of the gift of your story. 1019 00:43:27,240 --> 00:43:31,640 But as I've also told some people, like gifts, 1020 00:43:31,640 --> 00:43:34,760 you may also not like, you don't have to like it. 1021 00:43:34,760 --> 00:43:35,600 Yeah. 1022 00:43:35,600 --> 00:43:36,800 You know, it's a gift. 1023 00:43:36,800 --> 00:43:39,760 They might not like it because it is a gift, 1024 00:43:39,760 --> 00:43:41,840 but it's a gift that you give. 1025 00:43:41,840 --> 00:43:44,120 So in terms of like answering, like how to get them, 1026 00:43:44,120 --> 00:43:46,000 it's living by example. 1027 00:43:46,000 --> 00:43:49,520 I find when, because I share my story, 1028 00:43:49,520 --> 00:43:53,000 a lot of people quickly open up and share their stories 1029 00:43:53,000 --> 00:43:55,080 to me without even me asking. 1030 00:43:55,080 --> 00:43:58,160 I think of one of the first shows I did in Washington, DC, 1031 00:43:58,160 --> 00:44:01,040 I told the story and I felt very raw and vulnerable 1032 00:44:01,040 --> 00:44:03,760 and at the end of the night, I was getting ready to leave. 1033 00:44:03,760 --> 00:44:05,840 I saw a group of girls waiting for me. 1034 00:44:05,840 --> 00:44:08,040 They wanted to talk to me because they felt that 1035 00:44:08,040 --> 00:44:10,960 amongst all the storytellers, I was the only one 1036 00:44:10,960 --> 00:44:13,040 whose story they could relate to because it's still, 1037 00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:16,480 it's like it's happening in their own lives as well. 1038 00:44:16,480 --> 00:44:18,760 And they were sharing all their experiences 1039 00:44:18,760 --> 00:44:20,760 and they're like, I don't know who these people are. 1040 00:44:20,760 --> 00:44:22,160 I just wanna go home. 1041 00:44:22,160 --> 00:44:23,000 Yeah. 1042 00:44:24,240 --> 00:44:26,000 Why am I listening to people's stories? 1043 00:44:26,000 --> 00:44:27,400 Why are they sharing it with me? 1044 00:44:27,400 --> 00:44:29,760 But then it's because you open up. 1045 00:44:29,760 --> 00:44:32,080 So sometimes it's about leading by example. 1046 00:44:32,080 --> 00:44:34,120 That's why we need more people, more women, 1047 00:44:34,120 --> 00:44:36,760 to share their stories so that other women will feel 1048 00:44:36,760 --> 00:44:38,920 empowered to share their stories. 1049 00:44:38,920 --> 00:44:43,120 If I see someone doing it, then it gives them permission. 1050 00:44:44,040 --> 00:44:45,200 Yes. 1051 00:44:45,200 --> 00:44:48,080 I feel like you give a lot of people permission, 1052 00:44:48,080 --> 00:44:51,120 both because you do the curated story show, 1053 00:44:51,120 --> 00:44:54,560 the storytelling show, but also because you're very vocal, 1054 00:44:54,560 --> 00:44:58,360 I mean, on your social media and everything about, 1055 00:44:58,360 --> 00:45:00,360 I don't put myself in a box. 1056 00:45:00,360 --> 00:45:03,000 I'm not just a storyteller, I'm not just this. 1057 00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:06,000 And you are very open. 1058 00:45:06,000 --> 00:45:09,920 People consider LinkedIn, this blurring between professional 1059 00:45:09,920 --> 00:45:12,160 and personal, but you share your struggles, 1060 00:45:12,160 --> 00:45:15,280 your kind of achievements, you share a lot. 1061 00:45:15,280 --> 00:45:18,240 And I think a lot of people gravitate towards that 1062 00:45:18,240 --> 00:45:21,520 because it is vulnerable and they can relate to that. 1063 00:45:21,520 --> 00:45:24,040 Yeah, and I think it's, sometimes people are tired 1064 00:45:24,040 --> 00:45:25,640 of hearing me talk about storytelling, 1065 00:45:25,640 --> 00:45:29,960 so I talk about other things too, like climbing mountains, 1066 00:45:29,960 --> 00:45:31,520 learning how to ride a bicycle. 1067 00:45:31,520 --> 00:45:34,680 That was a long story in the making as well, 1068 00:45:34,680 --> 00:45:37,920 because it was, I mean, I think in therapy, 1069 00:45:37,920 --> 00:45:40,240 they say I have to stop blaming my parents for something, 1070 00:45:40,240 --> 00:45:43,360 but I think my inability to ride a bicycle is on them. 1071 00:45:44,640 --> 00:45:47,960 They never taught me how to ride a bicycle. 1072 00:45:47,960 --> 00:45:50,520 And it's funny because when I admitted that, 1073 00:45:50,520 --> 00:45:53,160 a lot of people came up to me, admit their secret. 1074 00:45:53,160 --> 00:45:56,040 They don't know how to ride bicycles either. 1075 00:45:56,040 --> 00:45:57,480 And everyone always assumed like, 1076 00:45:57,480 --> 00:45:59,640 how could you not know how to ride a bicycle? 1077 00:45:59,640 --> 00:46:01,360 Didn't you not have a childhood? 1078 00:46:01,360 --> 00:46:03,040 But we all have different childhoods. 1079 00:46:03,040 --> 00:46:05,480 And I do have the kind of like a little small community 1080 00:46:05,480 --> 00:46:07,240 of we can't ride a bike club, 1081 00:46:07,240 --> 00:46:09,080 except now I can't be part of it 1082 00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:10,560 because I can ride a bike now. 1083 00:46:10,560 --> 00:46:11,400 Because now you know. 1084 00:46:11,400 --> 00:46:12,400 Yes, now I know. 1085 00:46:12,400 --> 00:46:13,320 Now you know. 1086 00:46:13,320 --> 00:46:16,480 And you've done some crazy adventures, like you just said. 1087 00:46:16,480 --> 00:46:20,080 I mean, one thing I've thought about is, 1088 00:46:20,080 --> 00:46:22,120 how do you come up with stories? 1089 00:46:22,120 --> 00:46:26,240 And I have read things about comedians. 1090 00:46:26,240 --> 00:46:29,320 And I heard that comedians and storytellers 1091 00:46:29,320 --> 00:46:32,680 are actually really good listeners and observers. 1092 00:46:32,680 --> 00:46:34,440 They don't necessarily have to be talking all the time, 1093 00:46:34,440 --> 00:46:36,480 but they pick up on things, 1094 00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:38,720 and then they create stories out of that. 1095 00:46:38,720 --> 00:46:40,480 So do you feel it's just as important 1096 00:46:40,480 --> 00:46:43,440 to have these continuous adventures and everything 1097 00:46:43,440 --> 00:46:46,080 so that you kind of refresh your stories? 1098 00:46:46,080 --> 00:46:47,960 So that's a very interesting point. 1099 00:46:47,960 --> 00:46:49,040 So yes, you're right. 1100 00:46:49,040 --> 00:46:52,040 A lot of my stories actually comes from observations. 1101 00:46:52,040 --> 00:46:56,160 As to it get be inspired by a conversation. 1102 00:46:56,160 --> 00:46:57,800 Like sometimes I'm having dinner with someone, 1103 00:46:57,800 --> 00:46:59,760 someone says something, made me think. 1104 00:46:59,760 --> 00:47:02,160 Like I can create a story out of that. 1105 00:47:02,160 --> 00:47:04,520 But often you hit a point like, 1106 00:47:04,520 --> 00:47:06,560 oh, do we have to go on continuous adventures 1107 00:47:06,560 --> 00:47:08,160 so that we have material? 1108 00:47:08,160 --> 00:47:09,000 Not necessarily. 1109 00:47:09,000 --> 00:47:11,200 I would invite you to think about it this way. 1110 00:47:11,200 --> 00:47:12,760 If we see life as a story, 1111 00:47:12,760 --> 00:47:15,960 because I focus a lot on personal narratives, 1112 00:47:15,960 --> 00:47:18,200 whenever I have to make a decision, 1113 00:47:18,200 --> 00:47:22,200 I ask myself, is this a story I would want to tell? 1114 00:47:23,320 --> 00:47:25,960 And often that kind of gives me a guidance 1115 00:47:25,960 --> 00:47:28,760 as to what am I going to do next? 1116 00:47:28,760 --> 00:47:29,600 Wow. 1117 00:47:29,600 --> 00:47:32,680 So if you're gonna think about what you wanna do, right? 1118 00:47:32,680 --> 00:47:36,080 If you're gonna review your life, what it is before, 1119 00:47:36,080 --> 00:47:37,840 is this a story you wanna tell? 1120 00:47:37,840 --> 00:47:39,280 And if your answer is no, 1121 00:47:39,280 --> 00:47:41,120 then what change do you need to make 1122 00:47:41,120 --> 00:47:43,480 so that you can be able to live a life 1123 00:47:43,480 --> 00:47:45,840 as a story you would want to tell? 1124 00:47:45,840 --> 00:47:48,400 I love that, and very much in theme with 1125 00:47:48,400 --> 00:47:50,600 what I'm trying to do with this podcast as well. 1126 00:47:50,600 --> 00:47:52,120 Yeah, the choices you make. 1127 00:47:52,120 --> 00:47:53,640 Actually, I remember when you said 1128 00:47:53,640 --> 00:47:55,480 every moment is a choice, 1129 00:47:55,480 --> 00:48:00,080 it reminds me of Keith Johnston, an improv guru. 1130 00:48:00,080 --> 00:48:02,440 He said that when you say yes, 1131 00:48:02,440 --> 00:48:05,040 you're rewarded with adventures. 1132 00:48:05,040 --> 00:48:09,000 When you say no, you're rewarded by safety. 1133 00:48:09,000 --> 00:48:11,480 Either choice, you get a reward. 1134 00:48:11,480 --> 00:48:14,400 But where you wanna go is up to you. 1135 00:48:14,400 --> 00:48:15,680 Yes. 1136 00:48:15,680 --> 00:48:16,760 So profound. 1137 00:48:16,760 --> 00:48:18,600 I'm just absorbing that right now, 1138 00:48:18,600 --> 00:48:21,480 because one of my learnings from doing this podcast 1139 00:48:21,480 --> 00:48:23,200 and from my own story is like, 1140 00:48:23,200 --> 00:48:26,400 a lot of society or the values 1141 00:48:26,400 --> 00:48:27,840 that our parents try to instill in us 1142 00:48:27,840 --> 00:48:30,480 tells us what's right and wrong in life. 1143 00:48:30,480 --> 00:48:33,840 When in reality, I don't think there's any right or wrong. 1144 00:48:33,840 --> 00:48:37,080 Like you said, you can be either rewarded by adventures 1145 00:48:37,080 --> 00:48:40,720 or safety or something that's aligned with your values 1146 00:48:40,720 --> 00:48:42,200 or not aligned with your values, 1147 00:48:42,200 --> 00:48:44,240 but something's gonna tell you. 1148 00:48:44,240 --> 00:48:47,720 Usually your body, in a somatic way, 1149 00:48:47,720 --> 00:48:49,560 is gonna tell you I'm on the wrong path. 1150 00:48:49,560 --> 00:48:53,040 Like why am I not choosing the path more aligned 1151 00:48:53,040 --> 00:48:56,240 to who I am and what I stand for? 1152 00:48:56,240 --> 00:48:58,040 So that's very profound. 1153 00:48:58,040 --> 00:49:01,240 So I won't ask you what's next for you. 1154 00:49:01,240 --> 00:49:05,600 I'll ask you what story do you want to tell in the future 1155 00:49:05,600 --> 00:49:07,720 that you aren't able to tell yet? 1156 00:49:07,720 --> 00:49:10,120 Oh, there's a lot. 1157 00:49:10,120 --> 00:49:11,960 So this is why I'm in therapy. 1158 00:49:11,960 --> 00:49:16,960 I would say I wanna be able, probably in the future, 1159 00:49:17,160 --> 00:49:19,320 and I'm still working up the courage to do that, 1160 00:49:19,320 --> 00:49:22,880 stories about to empower women to speak up more 1161 00:49:22,880 --> 00:49:25,560 about the things that we shy away 1162 00:49:25,560 --> 00:49:28,920 because we say that it comes with the cause 1163 00:49:28,920 --> 00:49:31,000 of being a woman in a man's world. 1164 00:49:32,000 --> 00:49:35,000 And the thing is like telling these kinds of stories, 1165 00:49:35,000 --> 00:49:38,120 you also need to prepare yourself for the backlash. 1166 00:49:38,120 --> 00:49:40,240 And preparing for the backlash 1167 00:49:40,240 --> 00:49:42,840 requires a lot of energy as well. 1168 00:49:42,840 --> 00:49:44,840 It's like breaking up with someone. 1169 00:49:44,840 --> 00:49:45,680 It's the same thing. 1170 00:49:45,680 --> 00:49:48,160 It's like when you're finally being able to speak up 1171 00:49:48,160 --> 00:49:49,640 as to what really happened. 1172 00:49:51,440 --> 00:49:53,200 So that's a story you wanna tell in the future. 1173 00:49:53,200 --> 00:49:56,120 So that's a story that I wanna tell in the future. 1174 00:49:56,120 --> 00:49:58,800 I wanna be able to empower people 1175 00:49:58,800 --> 00:50:01,080 to share more of these stories 1176 00:50:01,080 --> 00:50:04,640 so that we don't normalize keeping quiet. 1177 00:50:04,640 --> 00:50:06,440 Well, I know there is like the hashtag me too, 1178 00:50:06,440 --> 00:50:08,200 it disappeared now again. 1179 00:50:08,200 --> 00:50:10,400 So I think we have to normalize 1180 00:50:10,400 --> 00:50:13,160 being able to clearly set our boundaries 1181 00:50:14,160 --> 00:50:16,800 and not be shamed for setting boundaries. 1182 00:50:16,800 --> 00:50:20,040 I think it's so interesting that we're talking about 1183 00:50:20,040 --> 00:50:23,760 storytelling and vulnerability, but also boundaries. 1184 00:50:23,760 --> 00:50:26,360 Yes, because I think it's vulnerable 1185 00:50:26,360 --> 00:50:28,800 to say that you have boundaries, 1186 00:50:28,800 --> 00:50:31,520 to admit that there are lines that nobody can cross 1187 00:50:31,520 --> 00:50:34,080 or you're not ready for other people to cross. 1188 00:50:34,080 --> 00:50:34,920 Yeah. 1189 00:50:34,920 --> 00:50:38,440 And we often, for the sake of niceness, 1190 00:50:38,440 --> 00:50:40,240 we don't tell people our boundaries 1191 00:50:40,240 --> 00:50:43,000 and that's when we start resenting people. 1192 00:50:43,000 --> 00:50:45,600 And so I wanna be able to empower people 1193 00:50:45,600 --> 00:50:48,320 that it's okay to state your boundaries. 1194 00:50:48,320 --> 00:50:50,040 That's a real game changer. 1195 00:50:50,040 --> 00:50:50,880 Yeah. 1196 00:50:50,880 --> 00:50:52,120 Real game changer. 1197 00:50:52,120 --> 00:50:53,800 And I hope you are, I mean, 1198 00:50:53,800 --> 00:50:57,320 I'm so excited to see what you do next because- 1199 00:50:57,320 --> 00:50:58,160 Me too. 1200 00:50:58,160 --> 00:50:59,000 It's evolving. 1201 00:51:00,640 --> 00:51:01,880 I love to see the evolution. 1202 00:51:01,880 --> 00:51:03,880 I love to see your stories. 1203 00:51:03,880 --> 00:51:07,920 And I would encourage anyone who's based in Singapore or- 1204 00:51:07,920 --> 00:51:09,200 Manila. 1205 00:51:09,200 --> 00:51:10,920 Because you've taken What's Your Story Slam 1206 00:51:10,920 --> 00:51:15,280 now to Manila as well, to go out and see one of these shows. 1207 00:51:15,280 --> 00:51:17,800 Because like I said, and like Anna said, 1208 00:51:17,800 --> 00:51:19,840 there's an instant connection you feel with each other. 1209 00:51:19,840 --> 00:51:23,800 It's a very amazing environment to be in. 1210 00:51:23,800 --> 00:51:26,840 And I wanna thank you so much for being here, Anna. 1211 00:51:26,840 --> 00:51:28,080 Well, thank you for having me. 1212 00:51:28,080 --> 00:51:29,640 But can I just say something though 1213 00:51:29,640 --> 00:51:32,440 what someone told me who watched What's Your Story Slam? 1214 00:51:32,440 --> 00:51:34,560 She goes like, you know, What's Your Story Slam? 1215 00:51:34,560 --> 00:51:38,520 It's kinda like a podcast, but live on stage. 1216 00:51:39,400 --> 00:51:42,120 And I thought, I did not think about it that way. 1217 00:51:42,120 --> 00:51:44,760 That was like the first time someone gave me that perspective 1218 00:51:44,760 --> 00:51:47,800 as to What's Your Story Slam is a podcast live. 1219 00:51:48,680 --> 00:51:50,280 It's very similar. 1220 00:51:50,280 --> 00:51:53,040 And I find that, I find podcasting very, 1221 00:51:53,920 --> 00:51:56,760 a good platform for people who are introverted. 1222 00:51:56,760 --> 00:51:58,880 Because you can have deep conversations, 1223 00:51:58,880 --> 00:52:00,720 just like with a story, you're sharing something 1224 00:52:00,720 --> 00:52:03,520 that's maybe from deep inside you. 1225 00:52:03,520 --> 00:52:06,800 But in the safety of an environment of just one other person 1226 00:52:06,800 --> 00:52:08,880 and it just happens to go out to- 1227 00:52:08,880 --> 00:52:09,720 The world. 1228 00:52:09,720 --> 00:52:10,560 The world. 1229 00:52:11,400 --> 00:52:12,520 But you don't have to see them. 1230 00:52:12,520 --> 00:52:13,840 You don't have to see their reactions. 1231 00:52:13,840 --> 00:52:16,040 You're just having that conversation in the moment. 1232 00:52:16,040 --> 00:52:18,600 Yeah, but then remember in the What's Your Story Slam, 1233 00:52:18,600 --> 00:52:20,200 if you're up on stage, the spotlight, 1234 00:52:20,200 --> 00:52:21,440 you don't see anybody either. 1235 00:52:21,440 --> 00:52:22,920 You talk to the void. 1236 00:52:22,920 --> 00:52:24,320 Correct. 1237 00:52:24,320 --> 00:52:26,240 You maybe see one or two faces in the front row. 1238 00:52:26,240 --> 00:52:27,760 Yeah, exactly. 1239 00:52:27,760 --> 00:52:29,560 Yeah, but still connect. 1240 00:52:29,560 --> 00:52:30,760 Yes. 1241 00:52:30,760 --> 00:52:31,600 Lovely. 1242 00:52:31,600 --> 00:52:33,440 So thank you for having me. 1243 00:52:33,440 --> 00:52:34,280 It's a pleasure. 1244 00:52:34,280 --> 00:52:36,040 I love having you and you're always welcome back. 1245 00:52:36,040 --> 00:52:37,040 All right, yay. 1246 00:52:39,320 --> 00:52:41,320 Thank you for listening today. 1247 00:52:41,320 --> 00:52:44,480 I hope this has been a useful investment of your time. 1248 00:52:44,480 --> 00:52:46,720 If you feel inspired by this episode, 1249 00:52:46,720 --> 00:52:49,280 please read it and consider subscribing. 1250 00:52:49,280 --> 00:53:00,280 I'm keen to know how it's impacted you.