Presentation Thinking™

Continuing our journey in analyzing every Steve Jobs keynote ever given, Mikey and Molly re-visit the talk that would change the way we consume music forever—the introduction of the iPod in 2001. Steve utilizes a classic Problem and Solution strategy in showing the various ways which 2001 offered music listening experiences (remember flash drives!?) and which route Apple endeavored to improve upon. For each pain point (memory, portability, etc.), Apple develops a clear and stylish solution. Most interestingly, he saves the reveal of the device itself until much later than he typically does with product launches. As the first music listening device of its kind, Steve first compares it to a deck of cards—a universal size and feel most people can understand—before pulling the device out of his pocket. The rest is music history. This is an episode for: keynote speakers, C-suite presenters and Apple/tech nerds. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Watch Steve’s 2001 introduction of the iPod, and explore Steve’s other keynotes:All About Steve JobsOther episodes where we’re talking about Steve’s presentation skills:#197 - Damage control at Macworld Boston (1997)#192 - Steve Jobs film (2015)#187 - Steve introduces iMac (1998)#72 - Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Speech (2005)Get your hands on some vintage iPods:On eBay!

When you hear the phrase “timeless presenter”, you might think of MLK, Steve Jobs, Oprah... For us at Presentation Thinking, we’re adding Andrea Pacini to that list. Andrea Pacini is the head of Ideas on Stage UK and a decorated presentation coach with a slew of cool awards.Having already had a few epic conversations together on the pod, we were excited to hear all about Andrea’s latest book, Timeless Presenter. This book is not a one-size-fits all framework, nor is it a recipe for success. It’s a bullet journal-like presentation of some of the most core principles in presenting. From data viz examples that work to research-backed audience psychology to real-life anecdotes, Andrea has put together something truly—all together now—timeless. This is an episode for: storytellers, presentation designers and speakers of all levels.What’s in the Spice Cabinet? A couple of ways to get your hands on Andrea’s book, Timeless Presenter: Principles for Making Your Ideas Impossible to Ignore:Purchase hereGet a FREE copy hereAssess your presentation skills in less than 3 mins: The Confident Presenter ScorecardWant to take it a step deeper?Sign up for Andrea's web class hereWhat’s next for Andrea Pacini?“I’m thinking about a book for kids—but it has to do with communication. I’m thinking ‘empathy’...It’s just an idea for now.”Recommended speakers to go with Timeless Presenter?Andrea emphasizes that Science Thinkers make for great presenters like:Neil deGrasse TysonBrian CoxAndrea’s walkout song?Don’t Stop Me Now - QueenWhen I mention that’s the song he selected in previous episodes, Andrea says “What matters is not what’s new, it’s what lasts.”

Montana Von Fliss exudes confidence…even if she’s not actually feeling confident. How? Like any good actress and executive speaker coach, she’s got a secret sauce—or, silent sentence—to share with us Presentation Thinkers. In her 2025 TED Talk called How to Be Confident (even if you’re not), Montana runs through her tried and true tips for oozing confidence on any stage. Things like pausing for emphasis and employing the Superhero stance may sound like familiar wisdom, but Montana’s “Silent Sentence” is the piece tying all standard presentation advice together. When utilized strategically, it’s the thing you don’t say out loud that can have the loudest impact. Understand your presentation purpose and craft your own Silent Sentence with Montana.This is an episode for: strategic storytellers and presenters of any kind. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Watch Montana’s TED Talk for yourselfHow to Be Confident (even if you’re not) 2025Follow Montana for more of her workMontanaVonFliss.comOn LinkedIn!Sign up for Story Camp 2026StoryCamp.com

Rick Altman has been around PowerPoint since its inception. As an early adapter of graphics and publishing software and later the founder of the Presentation Summit, Rick’s experience with presentations has amounted to an expert-level body of experience.The latest installment comes with his new book, Crush Your Next Virtual Presentation: A Modern Guide for the Modern Communicator.Seeing a serious lack in the presentation advice space for virtual versions, which only grow each year, Rick has stepped up with an insanely useful guide. There are visual examples at every turn, technical advice for ways in which to upgrade your camera, and breakdowns of the physicality (and psychology) of virtual spaces—all written with Rick’s witty wry voice, making the book anything but boring.  Zoom webinars and virtual conferences aren’t going away and Rick, as usual, finds himself thriving on the wave of adaptation. This is an episode for: presenters of all kinds, but especially anyone that has to present virtually. What's in the Spice Cabinet?Get Rick’s book for yourselfCrush Your Next Virtual Presentation: A Modern Guide for the Modern CommunicatorAttend the virtual Presentation Summit:Presentation Summit 2026: September 13th-16thWhere is Rick getting inspiration right now?Project Hail Mary - Andy WeirFollow Rick:BetterPresenting.com - “That’s my front door”On LinkedInRick’s walkout song?Midnight at the Oasis - Maria Muldaur

Angus Fletcher is the ultimate Presentation Thinker. Currently the Professor of Story Science at Ohio State University’s “Project Narrative”, the world’s leading think-tank for the study of how stories work, Angus started out in neuroscience, realized the brain isn’t data-driven, got into the story science and walked away with a PhD in Literature from Yale. (Phew!) He worked in Hollywood, helped design AI and now writes books and teaches.This varied background provides unique insights into niche perspectives such as the one provided in this 2025 TED Talk, Twist Your Fate: Overcoming Adversity with Your Story. Angus shares that a group of veterans were working through depression and PTSD and it wasn’t until trying journaling that there was a breakthrough. It wasn’t necessarily the content of this veteran’s particular story, but the plot twists that allowed its author to realize what they were capable of. Angus dives into the science behind this story device and how it can help us in work and life—and, of course, presentations. This is an episode for: speakers, writers and story nerds of all kinds.What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Watch Angus’s TED TalkTwist your fate: Overcoming Adversity with your storyFollow Angus’s work:His websiteWe’re particularly obsessed with his FAQ page

While the biggest Oscar buzz is reserved for flashy celebs and viral moments, a category usually overshadowed by those little golden statues is “Best Animated Short Film.”Animated shorts provide a masterclass in highly efficient storytelling, interesting visuals and proof that a film's runtime doesn't have to be over 2 hours to win an award (THERE, I said it!!). Ranging from silly to heavy to wholesome, this year's nominees include incredible Wallace & Gromit-style stop-motion (The Girl Who Cried Pearls) and Domhnall Gleeson's sweet Irish voice narrating a classic 2D hand-drawn style (Retirement Plan). Filmmaker and Designer Asha Alaji-Sharif joins Molly on this special podcast episode to dissect the storytelling strategies—both visual and structural—employed in these films and what we, as business-minded presentation enthusiasts, can learn from them.This is an episode for: designers and visual strategists, animation fans and anyone that gets inspired by film.What’s in the Spice Cabinet? The five Oscar-nominated Animated Short Films from 2026The Girl Who Cried PearlsRetirement PlanForevergreenButterfly (Papillon)The Three Sisters (We don’t believe this is anywhere online so we didn’t watch. If you have a link or know where to stream, please reach out!) Where to follow Asha’s work:On InstagramAt the Atlanta Film Festival - she is starring in 500 Seconds To Tell YouHer own film, The Four Noble Truths, just won the award for Best Social Impact Documentary at the Atlanta Documentary Film Festival 

What type of presentation podcast would we be if we didn’t discuss the actual presentations that we gave?? We’ve been tracking Mikey’s Road to the TED Talk since the inception of this podcast—and a few weeks ago, he got one step closer. Invited to speak at his Alma Mater, DePauw University in Indiana, Mikey infused today’s liberal arts pupils with a manifesto keynote in letting your creative pursuits fuel everything else in life. Inspired by Nike’s tagline story and (of course) Steve Jobs’ quote that says “Creativity is just connecting things”, Mikey shares how he went about putting together this fresh talk, his implementation of Claude as a research partner, and how it all landed with the students in the room. This is an episode for: emerging speakers and anyone putting together a new talk.  What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Follow more of Mikey’s writingVia “The Dispatch” on LinkedInJoin us at Story Camp!November 3-6, 2026 in Boulder, COMikey’s walkout song (for this particular talk)?Steely Dan - My Old School(Or anything Beastie Boys)

World’s funniest conversion copywriter Lianna Patch and founder of Punchline Copy joins Presentation Thinking (again!) to revisit our conversation from the early days of the podcast (Episode #39). We get into what’s changed in the presenting world, what’s constant, and her latest talk called “Stage Presence in a Can.”  We also discuss the ways AI is affecting both copywriting and presenting and how best to leverage it as a tool.If you want to infuse your brand with a more authentic (and funny) voice and bring JOY to corporate culture, start with Lianna’s advice. Sonic signatures, dynamic voice, establishing rapport with the audience—Lianna has tons of real-life experience and really funny anecdotes. This is an episode for: copywriters, presenters and comedy fans. Find more of Lianna’s funny workPunchlineCopy.comFollow her on LinkedInListen to the first time Lianna joined us on Presentation Thinking: Episode #39Recent comedy faves:“Prodigal Daughter” - Taylor TomlinsonBook and podcast reccos mentioned:Death, Sex & Money (podcast)Bad at Keeping Secrets (podcast)David Nihill - Do you talk funny? (book)Advice for nervous presenters?“Everybody there wants to see you win.”Lianna’s walkout song? “Anything VULFPECK” - consistent with her answer in Episode #39! The Birdwatcher

“What can screenwriting teach us about presentations?”That’s the question Mikey and Molly continue to answer in Part 2 of their Book Club style episodes on Blake Snyder's famous Save the Cat! Screenwriting book.In this episode, they break down Snyder’s 15 beats of storytelling and equate each to a “Beat Sheet for Business Storytelling.” A “beat” can be interpreted as a slide or handful of slides that establishes an “emotional change” within a presentation, moving your narrative forward. Snyder’s storyboarding advice in Chapter 6 and his “immutable laws of screenplay psychics” in Chapter 7 are also very useful for real world presentation applications. This is an episode for: film nerds, writers, presenters and anyone working with slideware. What’s in the Spice Cabinet?Read Save the Cat! For yourself:Get the book (on Bookshop.org!)Another screenwriting classicSyd Field’s Screenplay: The Foundations of ScreenwritingCheck out Blake Snyder’s “Beat Sheets”Beat Sheet AnalysisBlake’s Walkout Song? (According to Mikey)Beat It by Michael JacksonClaim your spot for Story Camp 2026November 3-6 in Boulder, CO

If you’ve ever been in a film studies class, you might’ve heard of Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat! billed as one of the ultimate guides to screenwriting. As students of storytelling, Mikey and Molly finally dive into this 2005 guide to see what’s still useful for storyboarding, visual storytelling strategy and how to keep an audience engaged throughout a film or presentation.Now, you may be wondering: “What can screenwriting teach us about presentations?”Since the dawn of cinema, screenwriting has become one of the most effective mediums of storytelling, creating universal classics that are quoted and referenced for years. If even a quarter of PowerPoint presentations had that kind of impact, we wouldn’t have the phrase “Death by PowerPoint.” Join Part 1 of this Book Club style episode to learn more! This is an episode for: film nerds, writers, presenters and anyone working with slideware. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Read Save the Cat! For yourself:

As SKO (Sales Kickoff) season falls behind us in the calendar year, GhostRanch reflects on the amazing opportunities provided to us by clients to support their large-scale SKO storytelling. THEMES are a common storytelling device for SKOs because they can help introduce a new product or hone in on an area of focus while still tying into an over-arching brand story. Such was the case for Associate Creative Director Kaitlyn Hines who helped to create a cool series of themes like mountain climbing and F1 racing for a tech client. We dig into Kaitlyn’s design process for strategic visual storytelling, as well as show off some slide-specific examples to serve as inspiration for your next presentation! This is an episode for: slide designers, big conference storytellers and anyone that touches SKO planning. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? What tools are you using for inspiration collection these days? “Pinterest—I use if for my DIY and I use it for my design thinking…it’s just the easiest to stay organized.”Favorite designers or people to follow? Steven Harrington - fun, creative illustrator. LA-based.Aaron Draplin - “great designer and killer presenter”Walkout song? The SpongeBob Squarepants Theme Song

Dr. Nat Kendall-Taylor is a psychological anthropologist—meaning, he studies the way that culture influences how we think. One such concept in his field of expertise is called “framing”: how variations in the way that we present information can lead people to drastically different outcomes and behaviors. In the business world, we might know this as strategic messaging. Who are we talking to? How are we appealing to them? What will move them to act?The science behind this is useful for communicating as humans, storytelling and crafting messages we want to be effective.Although this is a TED Talk from 2018, understanding how to successfully frame and work through implicit biases may be more relevant than ever! This is an episode for: narrative strategists, speakers and anyone that wants their message to land effectively.What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Watch Dr. Nat's TED Talk:How words change minds: the science of storytelling (2018)See how framing is used in Dr. Nat's work:FrameWorks Institute

Carmen Sederino is here to help you figure out what to do with your hands onstage. Carmen may have been a shy kid, but through theater and performing she grew to love the stage. After excelling in a career as a Brand Manager for years, Carmen found herself as the point person that supported whoever would be giving the next presentation. An “a-ha” moment arrived in Carmen realizing how valuable her set of skills is for keynoters, thus, founding her own business, Illuminated Story. Whether it’s big picture execution like lighting design and blocking movement across the stage, or more micro presence tools such as integrating voice control, Carmen’s niche background supports high stakes presentations come to life.   Molly and Carmen dive into her story, her process and how to transform any presentation into something that can move people. This is an episode for: keynote speakers both experienced and new, plus, anyone that is afraid of being onstage. What’s in the Spice Cabinet?Find more of Carmen’s workIlluminated Story - hire her! LinkedInTune into Carmen’s new podcastBeyond the KeynoteBiggest source of inspiration?“It’s live theater. I love going to the theater and just looking at what’s possible. Music concerts as well…that is a production. Imagine if business conferences could start taking on that type of model and how much more exciting and interesting it could be.” Fave books, podcasts or people to follow?Carmine Gallo - The Presentation Secrets of Steve JobsRobert Iger - The Ride of a LifetimeFave TED Talk?Sheryl Sandberg’s “Why we have too few women leaders”Carmen’s walkout song? “Fame” from the movie/musical by Irene Cara

It’s that time of year—where brands spend a big chunk of their advertising budget for 30 seconds of your attention during the biggest game of the year: the Super Bowl. While Bad Bunny might’ve secured himself as the Halftime highlight, we were keen to see which brand stories stuck out during commercial breaks. After covering some of the most noteworthy Super Bowl ads in Episode #54, we pick up on the common story shapes, tropes and visual tools that these shiny ads utilize. What still works? What is getting stale?We invite GhostRanch Creative Director Jeff Carter and Technical Director Steve Sheets to weigh in on this and dissect a few of their favorites.This is an episode for: advertisers, Super Bowl fans and haters.What’s in the Spice Cabinet? ALL the ads we reference:MANSCAPED - “Hair Ballad” Budweiser - “American Icons”Xfinity - "Jurassic Park…Works”Coinbase - “Everybody”Dunkin’ Donuts - “Good Will Dunkin”Apple - “1984” (1983)Pepsi - “The Choice”Squarespace - “Unavailable”GrubHub - “The Feest”State Farm Insurance - “Livin’ on a Prayer”Mountain Dew - “Puppy Monkey Baby” (2016)InstaCart - “Bananas”National Kidney Foundation - “Detect the SOS”And of course:Bad Bunny’s Halftime Show

If you were part of the debate club in school, chances are you might be more confident or have stronger leadership skills than the average person. Corporate leadership training and workshops have long gone stale. Managers are wondering what motivates and increases both confidence and leadership skills?  A group of researchers from MIT conducted a study in 2025 that measured the effectiveness of debate training. “Breaking Ceilings: Debate Training Promotes Leadership Emergence by Increasing Assertiveness” studies participants over the course of an intensive 9 week debate program and another larger group after 30 minute sessions.Mikey and Molly put their academic hats on to dig into these really cool experiments and understand how debate training could impact presentation skills and managers’ options for expanding team capacities. This is an episode for: debate nerds, non-confrontational people and managers looking for fresh leadership training. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Get your own academic vibe going:Read the report highlights hereYou can see the full study with a Harvard Business Review subscriptionStory Camp has been announced! Claim your spot for November 3-6, 2026 and learn more here You think we wouldn’t give this research a walkout song? Think again. Demi Lovato’s Confident

We’re on a mission to watch every Steve Jobs keynote ever and we’re deep down the rabbit hole now. To understand the context of this talk at MacWorld in 1997, Steve Jobs had recently returned to Apple after some drama (you can listen to our episode on the “Steve Jobs” film to learn more - linked below) and was working to get Apple back on track. This particular keynote was one in which some “damage control” had to be employed. It was restrained from Apple’s usual theatrics, demos and not a product launch in sight. Instead, Steve starts the talk with the three biggest criticisms of Apple displayed on the screen and proceeds to address each one head-on. He also reveals a major collaborator for Apple’s future, Microsoft, which is met with loud boos and dropped jaws. It’s a really fascinating moment in time for the tech world and even more so now from a presentation standpoint. This is an episode for: Apple fans, haters and anyone that has to give a talk in which they address the elephant in the room. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? What we’ve covered so far in the Steve Jobs keynote multiverse:iMac product launch (1998)Stanford Commencement Speech (2005)“Steve Jobs” - film directed by Danny Boyle (2015)This episode covers the 1997 keynote at MacWorld in Boston:Watch it for yourself, here. Check out that website, AllAboutSteveJobs.com while you’re at it! What’s the actual walkout song Steve plays?Ripple - Grateful Dead

It’s clear why Sir Ken Robinson’s 2006 TED Talk is THE most popular TED Talk of all time. The author, researcher and coach posits an ultimate question, “Do schools kill creativity?”, that still circulates the TED stage in new ways today. With no slides or props, Robinson provides a masterclass in keeping an audience engaged, utilizing humor and strategic pacing. Robinson’s storytelling skills are so good it’s impossible not to be able to leave his nineteen minute talk without being able to repeat some of the persuasive anecdotes and new ideas he offers. This is an episode for: TED fans, people in education and anyone looking to improve their public speaking skills. What’s in the Spice Cabinet?Watch Sir Ken Robinson’s talk for yourselfDo schools kill creativity? (2006)Find more of Robinson’s work and booksHis website hereOur take on Ken’s walkout song?Baba O’Riley - The WhoRevolting Children - The Matilda MusicalKids in America - Kim Wilde

Cameron Magee, Founder of the avad3 event production company, returns for the final installment of our “Some Guy from the Crew” trilogy peeling the curtain back on everything you need to know about planning events. For this episode? We’re talking openly about money: what you can get for your budget, general allocations for event sizes Small, Medium and Large and what unanticipated costs people often forget about. Cameron also maps out the ideal production team for each size event and the roles you can expect to see them take on. With hundreds of experiences under his belt, Cameron makes you feel like he’s got the often unpredictable event industry down to a pretty perfect science. This is an episode for: first-time event planners, the production team or whoever’s in charge of the SKO budget. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Tune into the rest of the series here:“Some Guy From the Crew” Part 1: The importance of rehearsals with Cameron Magee“Some Guy From the Crew” Part 2: Live events with Cameron MageeCameron’s favorite resources for event production? [When asked by a young person for the best apps in event production, Cameron replied]: “I got good news and bad news. The good news is they're already on your phone. The bad news is this is not going be a very sexy conversation.” Shoutout Notes app and Google Suite.Book reccos?Dale Carnegie - How to Win Friends and Influence People“…because almost everything in this industry, as you alluded to earlier, it’s note regulated. It's actually quite negotiable. But negotiation hinges on being relational.” Atul Gawande - The Checklist ManifestoEdgar Papke - True AlignmentGoal for 2026?Encourage more live music at events!

During the first week of December 2025, GhostRanch Communications hosted its 10 year anniversary offsite retreat in Santa Fe, New Mexico! In honor of turning a decade old, founder and CEO of GhostRanch Mikey Mioduski has some wisdom to share about how to plan, host and present at an offsite retreat. While this particular case study is for a company with a relatively small number of employees, Mikey’s experience in supporting clients to put on events of all sizes is universal. From presentation files to venue room sizes, we share some of the nitty gritty details you won’t want to forget. Oh, and if you need to hire live music, consider an ABBA cover band!This is an episode for: friends of the Ranch, Georgia O’Keeffe fans and whoever on the team is planning the offsite retreat.

End of the year means a look back at the 12 months and many more episodes that made up the Presentation Thinking pod in 2025. Mikey and Molly peel back the curtain on their Spotify Creator Wrapped with analytics and analysis on how we’ve grown in three years and where we’re headed. Of course, we recap the top five episodes of the year, best resources for you to carry on into 2026 and our walkout songs. But we also examine what we feel are some pretty clear trends in B2B, storytelling and how to get attention if you’re also producing a podcast and/or making content.This is an episode for: Growing podcasters, product marketers and everyone that loves an end-of-year review. What’s in the Spice Cabinet?Watch the original “How to avoid death by PowerPoint"David JP Phillips’ TED Talk (2014)Top 5 episodes released in 2025#157. Making messaging PUNCHY with Emma Stratton#179. The power of visual storytelling with “Chief Doodler” Hayley Langsdorf173. Presentation Party Time: Scott Hull & the importance of human-made stories #183. Founder Krislam Chin’s creative approach to teaching creative work#169. Establishing “rules” of visual storytelling: How to avoid Death by PowerPointResources to take into the New Year:Prezent has a great blog - “10 powerful visual storytelling examples for successful presentations”What GenAI Tools Can and Can’t Do for PresentationsFor the story pros - Aaron Sorkin’s Masterclass

The 2015 film Steve Jobs is the perfect overlap of three key areas of interest for Presentation Thinking:Steve Jobs’ life and presentation skillsAaron Sorkin’s writing and storytelling (he wrote the script)AristotleIn our quest to watch every keynote Steve Jobs ever gave, we realized the 2015 Danny Boyle-directed film centers around 3 important product launches in Jobs’ life. A 3 act structure told with product launches, if you will.Mikey and Molly host a film club episode to dissect the structure as it holds up to Aristotle’s Poetics and the Aaron Sorkin masterclass they took earlier this year. From the simple but clever formatting to the presentation preparation (and insane asks Jobs often made), Sorkin’s cutting dialogue keeps you gripped along the way.Jobs was far from perfect but the story does humanize a larger-than-life figure that left a lasting legacy in the tech world. This is an episode for: film/story structure nerds, Apple aficionados and Steve Jobs fans (and haters!)What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Watch the Danny Boyle film for yourself! Letterboxd linkMore about the 1998 iMac launchEpisode 187The Super Bowl ad Apple ran in 1984 that had everyone buzzing?1984Tune into Mikey and Molly’s Aaron Sorkin Masterclass experienceEpisode 163Read Lisa Brennan-Jobs’ memoirSmall Fry

Gerard Clarke is going to be your next favorite filmmaker. As a director and creator based in Atlanta, Gerard has been involved in a countless variety of projects both creative, commercial and a blend of both.  He joins the ‘cast to discuss his experience in pitching (and selling) creative work, building out a visual story and the process that went into his latest short film, 500 Seconds to Tell You.Filmmakers have a lot in common with the creative visionaries of B2B marketing. There’s typically a storyboard, a shot list and a kickass creative crew assembled to execute a vision—not unlike a big product launch, rebrand or narrative deck. From Blockbuster memories to strategic storytelling advice, Gerard offers a unique perspective into the Presentation Thinking world.This is an episode for: visual storytellers of all kinds, anyone that has to sell creative work and film geeks. What’s in the Spice Cabinet?Follow more of Gerard!His websiteLinkedInSome of Gerard’s favorite films & media?Vanilla Sky (2001)He’s also a big Stranger Things fan for those watching the final season!A fave director - Darren AronofskyBook recommendations?Steal Like an Artist - Austin KleonPi Screenplay and The Gorilla Diaries - Darren AronofskyRebel Without A Crew - Robert Rodriguez What is Gerard listening to? Team Deakins podcast - brings in folks in the film biz! Favorite talk?Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk, Do schools kill creativity? Walkout song? Summer Sun by Common SaintsParting shot? “To quote the Shawshank Redemption, ‘get busy living or get busy dying.’”

PMM, Navy vet and overall cool guy Langley Barth joins the pod after Mikey and him connected at a Product Marketing Alliance summit in San Francisco (shoutout PMA!). Langley is full of GREAT PMM advice—from becoming a subject matter expert on your product to getting to know the customer journey, he’s an expert at guiding conversations that “unlock the unknown unknowns.”Langley also shares how his experience giving presentations in the Navy (who knew!) has informed his career. In addition to being a PMM, he connects veterans to purpose-driven careers through his organization, Civilian Compass.This is an episode for: the product marketers, the sales team and any vets looking for new career inspo! What's in the Spice Cabinet?Find more of Langley’s workOn LinkedInCivilian CompassPMM inspiration & shoutouts?Elle Grossenbacher’s podcast - Product Marketing AdventuresMichele Nieberding - The AI PMMBook reccos?Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. MooreSan Diego reccos?Taco Surf Taco Shop“Fancy Mediterranean fusion” - CallieWalkout song? Fluorescent Adolescent - Arctic Monkeys

Our third annual installment of “PrezThanking” brings you a Spice Cabinet brimming with presentation resources, tech tips, people to follow and highlights from this year in recording.Dig in with your pie and ice cream to this short n spicy episode.What’s in the Spice Cabinet?Presentation TOOLS n TIPS we’re thankful for Riverside technology! NOT AN AD but we’re loving itAudacity - forever free recording toolFigma Slides - it keeps growing! LIVE EDIT PowerPoint files in Dropbox - we use this hack all the timeData visualization is more important than ever in the age of AITED Talkin’: Ben Wellington’s NYC data story (Episode #174)Dr. Steven Franconeri tells data stories—and you can too(Episode #176)GhostRanch YouTube QuickTip Tutorial Series! Created by Technical Director Steve SheetsDon’t forget to GROUP objects!Presentation PEOPLE we’re thankful forJay Schwedelson - email marketing Guru and founder of Guru ConferenceTom Fishburne’s “Marketoonist” cartoonsIvan Wanis Ruiz - Presentation Coach & Founder of Public Speaking LabKrislam Chin - employing and enabling the next generation!! Looking for a career in design? Check her out Hello World StudioHayley Landsdorf for doodling by hand (not AI! Her clients particularly seek her out for this). Consider a “live scribe” at your next event! Thoughts Drawn OutCameron Magee for our “Some Guy from the Crew” series - founder of avad3, the AV and event production companyHattie the PMM - If you’re a product marketer, follow her immediately! Making marketing magic with Jimi Gibson (Episode #175) - the magician POV you didn’t’ know you needed for marketingPresentation BOOKS we’re thankful forSay it Well - Terry SzuplatPresence - Amy CuddyShoutouts!John Harton, our amazing editor bringing our mic settings in syncNoNo Flores, our episode illustrator giving our ideas visual life

Our previous episode (#186) with Cameron Magee covered the importance of rehearsals and the lead-up to an event or conference. This time, we’re talking about what’s going on AT the live event. Continuing our “Some Guy From the Crew” series, Cameron Magee joins the podcast again to discuss live events, the layout of the room, stage, event trends and more! As the Owner of avad3, a rad AV and event production company based in Arkansas, Cameron supports events of all kinds throughout the country. From LED screens to “the show must go on” moments, Cameron gives us more invaluable behind the scenes intel for anyone working in events. This is an episode for: event planners and teams, AV nerds and conference speakers.What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Tune into Part 1 of our Guy From the Crew series with CameronEpisode #186Hire Cameron and his team!And learn more about their production work here: avad3Craziest live event storyNot knowing if an event was indoors or outdoors, how many people would be showing up, where the speaker (ahem, the President) would be standing, etc. Biggest piece of advice for live events?Bring production on the site visit!

Mikey and Molly might be the first-ever students of storytelling to embark on a curious journey of studying every talk and keynote that Steve Jobs has ever done. When discussing the greatest speakers of all time, the general B2B world typically includes Steve Jobs somewhere in the list and we nod our heads in agreeance. But aside from a few highlights of his talks (and what’s portrayed in various biopics of his life), we realized we weren’t super familiar with his “game” when it comes to the STORY, SCREEN & STAGE elements we typically break down.So we’re off! We begin with one of Apple’s earlier “inciting incidents”: the introduction of the iMac computer in 1998. (You might recall this slick teal desktop setup in your school’s old computer lab).For this talk, Steve has a combined goal of sharing “the state of Apple today” (Steve had just returned to the company) and a launch of this pretty revolutionary technology. Steve’s skill in painting the world as is and presenting an alluring what it could be is absolutely “screamin’”. The 1998 visuals are nostalgic but still powerful. And Steve’s presence is a blast.This is an episode for: Steve Jobs/Apple fans, fellow presentation nerds and anyone that is trying to make their product launch more compelling.What’s in the Spice Cabinet?? Watch the talk for yourself:Steve Jobs introduces the iMac in 1998 - be sure to explore AllAboutSteveJobs.com Not necessary but fun viewing:iMac evolution supercutSteve’s walkout song? (Cheesey version, according to Molly)Jonas Brothers - Year 3000  

Cameron Magee knows the ins and outs of an event’s backstage area. Having led his production and AV company, avad3, for almost 15 years, they’ve produced over a thousand events all over the country. Trusted by Walmart, The White House and many more—Cameron is passionate about serving these events for their varying needs as an “event production partner.” Cameron joins the ‘cast for the first of a several installment series taking an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the intersection of presentations, production and events. While no two days look exactly the same in the event business, rehearsals are a consistent priority for Cameron and his team. Our discussion dives into the importance of rehearsal time, to-do’s and don’ts for event speakers (both beginners and pros!) and what to expect from the production team if it’s your first time speaking at an event.This is an episode for: speakers of any kind, event professionals and anyone that gets intimidated by the tech side of events. What's in the Spice Cabinet? Hire Cameron and his team!And learn more about their production work here: avad3Fave speakers:Terry Szuplat, former speechwriter for ObamaPodcast recommendationsFor business? 2 Bobs—with David C. Baker and Blair EnnsFor faith? First15 “This book changed my life”Anything by Dan Sullivan - Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating TeamworkCameron’s walkout song? Brooks & Dunn - Brand New Man

Sugata Mitra is one of the few people to have five TED Talks. Why? He’s a perfect combination of scientific, challenging norms and soft-spoken charm. As a theoretical researcher with an interest in education and the role of the internet, Sugata’s “Hole in the Wall” experiment has become a famed example in how kids can self-organize and essentially teach themselves anything with access to the internet. And no, that’s not a bad thing at all. He first tried this in remote areas in India and has since replicated it all over the world. Sugata’s conclusions from these experiments vary, but they all challenge traditional education teachings. Mikey and Molly dive into Sugata’s quietly powerful stage presence, minimal visuals and storytelling skills to understand how he’s accrued some of the most famous TED Talks ever. This is an episode for: People that give talks that challenge norms and anyone with an interest in education.What’s in the Spice Cabinet??Hear & see Sugata for yourselfWatch the talk we get into here, The Future of Learning (2018)Watch Sugata’s other TED Talks hereInterested in his research on education and the internet? Follow Sugata online hereHis latest book - The School in the Cloud: The Emerging Future of LearningSugata’s Walkout song (according to Molly)?We Don’t Need No Education - Pink Floyd

Ivan Wanis Ruiz is ready for us to never be bored during presentations again. Returning to the podcast for a Book Club style episode we dive into his book, End Boring: A Tactical Approach to Public Speaking and Communication.For his research, Ivan speaks with buskers, professional wrestlers and police interrogators to study the neuroscience of why people absorb information the way they do. This is counter to a lot of public speaking advice out there, learning only from experts, gurus and elite keynoters. Ivan brings in simple truths like acknowledging you might never not be nervous during a presentation—so how can you work around that? Understanding our limitations and digital-age attention spans is something we need to evolve with, not against. All of Ivan’s ideas circle back to the one core goal of any presentation which is to create curiosity—to get the audience asking for more (following you online, ordering a product, asking for demos, etc.). Through clear case studies and tactical tips that hold up to today’s world of rapid content creation and AI-generated thoughts, Ivan’s book reads like a relevant kick-in-the-ass towards presentation excellence.This is an episode for: Leaders, managers, webinar creators/hosts, and presenters of any variety (especially those that get nervous). What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Read for yourself (or listen via Audiobook!)End Boring: A Tactical Approach to Public Speaking and CommunicationWant more of Ivan?Tune into our previous episode with Ivan, #180 - Ivan Wanis Ruiz is here to revolutionize your public speakingFollow him on LinkedInAnd his company, Public Speaking LabIvan’s reccos?Unexpected book reccos: Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan & Anne Druyan Thirteen Steps to Mentalism by Tony CorindaPropaganda by Edward BernaysGreat speakers:James BaldwinGil Scott-Heron

Founder of Hello World Studio and Professor of Graphic Design at Mt. San Antonio College in California, Krislam runs their graphic design program, inspiring new waves of creators stepping into our visual storytelling world. Krislam joins Presentation Thinking to discuss her favorite parts about teaching such a creative craft, how students transition their concepts into presentations and the value of learning how to present creative work so that concepts can sell.She also shares the ethos around Hello World in allowing students to lead client projects and understand the ins and outs of a professional creative process. This is an episode for: creative leaders, teachers and designers of all kinds. What's in the Spice Cabinet? Follow Krislam’s work (she does professional development workshops on the regularLinkedInHello World Studio - they have monthly gatherings! Join them.Krislam’s favorite LA things?Bookstores! Village WellSkylight BooksArcanaCulver City StepsIn-N-OutFavorite books, resources?Anything published by Victionary AIGA LA Design FestivalFavorite font?“I’m a serif girlie. Out the box, I have to give it up for Baskerville…that and then there’s also Garamond as a second choice.”Walkout song? This Is What It Sounds Like - from the K-Pop Demon Hunters Soundtrack

Listen up!Julian Treasure is a communication expert and sound researcher, interested in harnessing the power of voice and sound for speakers, listeners and learners. His TED Talk, How to speak so that people will want to listen, from 2013 is one of the most-viewed TED Talks of all time (a measly 47 million views and counting on YouTube). Upon first listen you might think “huh”—he gave me a few lists about ways that we misuse the voice, how powerful it actually should be and a handful of “tools” of the voice in order to execute our meaning more strategically. Big whoop.But Mikey and Molly are here to recognize the storytelling that Julian employs is extremely powerful. He first sets up the world as is: the “deadly sins” of misusing speech and language—we’re all familiar with these and it builds rapport. Then he presents an idealized utopian vision with his acronym “H.A.I.L.”—the promised land for better use of language. But how do we get there? Well, next he provides the tools to unlock the “Happily Ever After.” Julian studies intricacies of how our brain takes in sound—down to details like the architecture of open-office plans and classrooms. So it's rare to see such complex subjects so well executed in under ten minutes.Julian’s stage presence, pace and masterful economy of language (ie: says a lot in just a few words) have all earned him a spot as one of the most viewed TED Talks ever. This is an episode for: speakers, sound/audio nerds and anyone just wanting to communicate more effectively. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Watch Julian Treasure’s famous 2013 TED Talk:How to speak so that people will want to listenCheck out Julian’s books and other work on communications and sound researchHereKeep going down the rabbit hole! Julian’s 4 other TED Talks:The 4 Ways sound affects us (2009)Shh! Sound health in 8 steps (2010)5 Ways to listen better (2011)Why architects need to use their ears (2012)Julian’s walkout song? (according to Molly)The Sounds of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel

Stories and messages are best remembered with visuals. We’ve used countless examples of iconic movies to demonstrate this concept. But what about music videos? After the VMAs (Video Music Awards) were held a few weeks ago, it got us thinking about classic arcs, story shapes and how they might show up in our favorite music videos. Songs already tell stories themselves but when paired with a memorable dance, schtick or cultural moment, it makes the message that much stickier.To tackle this episode, Molly brings in a few friends of the pod: filmmaker Asha Alaji-Sharif and Account Coordinator, Bridget Welch. From Madonna to Michael Jackson to Miley Cyrus—we dive into the most popular, most controversial and most memorable music videos of all time. Music videos do indeed carry their own kinds of story archetypes that we can learn from in the B2B world. This is an episode for: product marketers who like pop culture, music fans and anyone dealing with their nostalgia for MTV of the 80s & 90s. What’s in the Spice Cabinet?The “Best Of” lists we reference:Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest Music VideosBusiness Insider: 60 of the Most Iconic Music Videos of All TimeA handful of the heavy-hitter music videos we get into detail Michael Jackson - ThrillerMadonna - Voguea-ha - Take on MeMiley Cyrus - Wrecking BallKendrick Lamar - AlrightOK Go - Here It Goes AgainBritney Spears - …Baby One More TimeHer iconic VMAs performance (2001)Beyonce - FormationWhere to study the “shapes” of story:Christopher Booker’s 7 Basic Plots: Why We Tell StoriesOur personal picks for fave music videoAsha: Beyoncé, Shakira - Beautiful LiarBridget: Taylor Swift - Love StoryMolly: Boygenius - True Blue

Ivan Wanis Ruiz thinks bios are boring—but we’ll do our best to introduce this founder of Public Speaking Lab and the guy challenging all the presentation advice you’ve ever been taught.Ivan’s background brings a little bit of everything. Event MCing, acting, marketing, finance and presently a founder and coach have all contributed to his adaptable presentation skillset—and he’s determined that the best and most memorable presenters don’t necessarily follow traditional public speaking advice.From leveraging basic conversational networking skills to zero-ing in on how to keep audiences engaged in virtual webinars, Ivan emphasizes a much more natural approach to the ways we present and how we absorb information.This is an episode for: keynoters, people that have to give presentations (but don’t want to) and anyone growing bored of virtual webinars. What's in the Spice Cabinet?Find more of Ivan:On LinkedInAt Public Speaking LabGet his BOOK, End Boring: A Tactical Approach to Public Speaking and CommunicationOur episode featuring Dr. Steven Franconeri:#176 - Dr. Steven Franconeri tells data stories—and you can tooIvan’s YouTube recommendations for what we can learn from Gen Z content creators:Jenny HoyosFave wrestler? Macho ManAll-time favorite speaker?Watch Sugata Mitra’s TED TalksIvan’s walkout song? Method Man - Bring the Pain

Visual thinker, founder and “Chief Doodler” Hayley Langsdorf can capture more with a sharpie than any bulleted list of meeting notes. If you’ve never heard of a “live scribe”, neither had Hayley a few years ago. This is someone that sketches out important ideas from board meetings or keynotes at a conference in real-time. Having studied English literature and worked in communications, Hayley maintains that visual thinking has been a core piece of the way she’s been able to process and understand the world around her. After realizing how live sketching could contribute to corporate communications, she founded her own company, Thoughts Drawn Out.Hayley joins the ‘cast to discuss storytelling and memory, what she provides for clients, her TED Talk experience, AI and more.This is an episode for: visual thinkers, NON visual thinkers and anyone that doodles in meetings. What's in the Spice Cabinet??Watch Hayley’s 2019 TED Talk: Visual Storytelling: Drawing out our collective intelligenceMikey and Molly talk about it in Episode #171Find and follow more of Hayley’s work:Thoughts Drawn OutFind Hayley on YouTube for behind the scenes information and visual storytelling tips LinkedInFavorite speakers & creators?Beau MilesBusiness of Story podcast with Park HowellPodcaster? Rich RollBuilding a deck: PPT or Google Slides?“PowerPoint gets a bad rep but it’s still quite universal…I find PowerPoint to be the most accessible way to build stuff that people can continue to play with and manipulate and use and craft.” Favorite childhood story? Oh the Places You’ll Go! Dr. Seuss“I was also a big Roald Dahl fan”Walkout song?Thunderstruck by AC/DC

Originally built as the GhostRanch company retreat, Story Camp has been brewing for a few years. It’s a concentrated three day series where the company gets to focus, relax and level up on presentation skills. This summer was different - we set our sights to invite clients and the public to join in on what we feel is a secret formula for blending professional presentation development and inner child camp joy. With the help of some stellar keynote speakers—Social Psychologist Amy Cuddy, Data Expert Steven Franconeri and former speechwriter for President Obama, Terry Szuplat—Story Camp achieved that rare event magic where everyone felt like friends by closing time. The architects behind this, of course, were Founder and CEO Mikey Mioduski and Executive Creative Director Allie Wilson. They both join this episode to talk about what went into the planning process, building the “Story, Screen and Stage” conference structure and how it felt hiking with our keynoters in beautiful Park City. This is an episode for: the team planning a big event, professionals looking for their next conference and anyone with summer camp nostalgia. What’s in the Spice Cabinet?? Follow Story Camp to stay in the loop for next year’s retreat! StoryCamp.comLinkedInGet inspired by the Story Camp 2025 KeynotersAmy CuddyTerry SzuplatDr. Steven FranconeriMontana von FlissNeed an amazing AV crew for your next event? AVAD3

Dr. Christopher Cummings may have started his career in the classroom but he would eventually find himself in the “COVID-19 war room” during the global pandemic in 2020.A high stakes job you may never have considered, Chris is a behavioral theorist and Research Social Scientist. He’s in the business of understanding—scientifically and psychologically—how we perceive risk. How do you convey complex concepts in sometimes scary times? How do you act swiftly while information is rapidly changing? Many of Chris’ answers share core concepts with the B2B world.After watching Chris’s 2017 TED Talk, The Dark Magic of Communication (and talking about it in our subsequent episode #167), Mikey and Molly knew they had to get Chris on the ‘cast to confirm what they already suspected—Chris is the most interesting man in communications.Together, we dig into Chris’s unique journey, navigating international comms on emergency vaccine research, presentation skills, his TED Talk experience, mold spores and more.This is an episode for: speakers with high stakes presentations, anyone interested in social science and everyone still processing their pandemic lockdown.What's in the Spice Cabinet? Tune into Chris’s 2017 TED Talk:The Dark Magic of Communication: How we manipulate othersMikey and Molly talk about this pre COVID prophetic TED Talk in Episode #167 of Presentation ThinkingFavorite speakers you’ve admired that led you to your communications journey? “ When I was a young child like 7, 8, 9, 10 years old, my parents had gotten me a set of audio cassettes. And I would fall asleep every night listening on my little boombox, you know, in the late 80s to the classic golden age of radio.And so these were pre television comedy shows. Jack Betty, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Amos ‘n’ Andy, Abbott and Costello.  So they had incredible uses of voice because they had to, right? It’s radio. And so, you know, they, brought in props and made sounds that emulated like they were on a street corner in New York, yet they're in, you know, a phone booth sized, you know, recording studio. And I fell in love with language and communication at that age.” Other comedy shoutoutsRodney DangerfieldRichard PryorIn the science worldDavid Attenborough In the political worldFormer President ObamaBook reccos? Persuasion, Social influence and Compliance gaining - John Seiter, Robert GassInfluence: Science and Practice - Robert CialdiniNudge - Richard Thaler & Cass SunsteinRumors: Uses, Interpretations and Images - Jean-Noel KapfererDream presentation venue?Maybe a major American monument like the Lincoln Memorial Walkout song? MGMT - Electric FeelJack Johnson - Inaudible MelodiesWhere to find and follow Dr. Christopher?LinkedIn!PowerPoint? Google Slides? Canva?“To me, they’re all poison.”

Dr. Steven Franconeri is a leading speaker and teacher on data storytelling, a professor at Northwestern University and the Founder of Becise - a platform helping people transform their data into compelling narratives. (Steven ALSO just so happens to be one of our guest speakers of our first-ever Story Camp—an annual presentation thinking skills summit that you should definitely check out next year.) Steven joins the pod to discuss why we should take PowerPoint more seriously, his consulting experience, how decks differ dependent on audiences and how to avoid the curse of expertise in data storytelling. With his professorial experience and research, Steven has seen validation after validation wherein data and debate presented with stories always resonate better than those without. This is an episode for: data viz nerds, the family “debater” and storytellers of all kinds.What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Where to find Steven and his work: LinkedInFollow BeciseCheck out his newest creation, Point Taken Game—A writing-based conversation game that turns heated topics into moments of reflection, connection, and claritySteven’s walkout song? “Something electronic and melodic like house or funk”Parting shots for Presentation Nation?“Beware the ‘curse of expertise.’ …We're all overconfident, we're all seeing the world through a certain perspective, and if you haven't gotten that perspective sharpened by having other people argue with you. And if you haven't had your presentation vetted by others to make sure that it makes sense to them—be uncomfortable.”

Jimi Gibson is the VP of brand communication at Thrive Internet Marketing Agency, TEDx speaker and also, a magician (amazing combo, right?).After starting a career in magic as a young kid receiving Merlin’s Mail-Order Magic, Jimi was introduced to marketing through an advertising agency. He realized the structure of a magic trick is not unlike a successful marketing message and Voila—his Magic Script framework was born. Molly and Jimi sit down to discuss his journey through magic, marketing, brand storytelling, preparing and presenting a TEDx talk and how to be a more confident speaker. And of course, there is a magic trick!! (Tune in at minute 13:45). This is an episode for: marketers of all kinds, anyone in brand comms and magic enthusiasts (or skeptics).Fave speakers, marketers or magicians that Jimi is inspired by?Kevin Brown “Apple Pancakes” (talk)Unleashing Your Hero (book)David CopperfieldBooks and resources for presenting and storytelling?Matthew Dicks - won many Moth Grand SlamsStoryworthyTED Talks by Chris Anderson Watch Jimi’s TEDx TalkYou Have Magic Power - Use it for goodFavorite childhood books?Dr. DolittlePeter PanIdeal venue and walkout song?Venue: A classic Vaudeville theaterSong: Yello - Oh YeahWhere to find and follow JimiThrive Internet Marketing AgencyLinkedIn

If you’ve ever had to stare at a data set and wonder how to make meaning of it, this is for you. Ben Wellington is a teacher, researcher and the creator of a little blog called “I Quant NY”. With the release of NYC Open Data, there were hundreds of data sets newly available to the public for anyone to view and use. To learn data mapping tools and combine his interest in urban planning, Ben started mapping quintessential Big Apple experiences like parking tickets, bike accidents and where New Yorkers hail cabs. In his TED Talk, Making data mean more through storytelling, Ben interrogated what it was about his data “stories” that caught the attention of publications as well as the Metro Transit Authority. His conclusion? Not unlike his passion for improv—good storytelling. Though this TED talk is a decade old, building a good data story takes the same elements today. The tools may look different but relating to people, keeping it simple and making an impact are still part of the data viz picture.This is an episode for: Data viz nerds, people that hate data but have to work with it and New Yorkers. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Watch the TED Talk for yourselfMaking data mean more through storytellingCreate your own NYC data story! NYC open data - there’s even a Central Park squirrel censusWhere to find more of Ben’s workLinkedInI Quant NY (blog)Dream Venue? Molly says Times Square (probably not though lol)Walkout song?Empire State of Mind - JAY-Z ft. Alicia Keys(Theme from) New York, New York - Frank Sinatra

You’re Invited…to Presentation Party Time! Presentation Party Time is a deep-dive type episode dedicated to a specific project so that we can understand the inception, development and execution of the presentation process. For this episode, it’s a sales deck GhostRanch worked on with Scott Hull + Associates—an artist agency helping get creatives hired. And in an age of GenAI, this is a super interesting and complex space to tell a story.Scott joins Mikey, along with copywriter Colin Dullaghan who worked on the story, to discuss the skeleton, the story mining and the creation of the deck’s look and feel (with the help of talented illustrator, Penelope Dullaghan).AI is here to stay but does generic art kill brand credibility? What’s unique about human storytelling and how we can work with AI as creatives?This is an episode for: creatives, storytellers and anyone that builds decks with (or without) AI.What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Learn more about Scott’s work on his siteScottHull.comTeam PowerPoint or Google Slides?Scott - I would say PowerPoint but it’s dependant on who I have supporting meColin - PowerPointWalkout songs? Scott - Blow Wind Blow by Jimmy Rogers or Jump Into the Fire by Harry NilssonColin - Minor Swing by Django Reinhardt

Mikey’s Resource Roundup: AI for presentations, Better comms for managers & a Brad Pitt throwback.In this short n sweet episode, Mikey clues us in to the Presentation Thinking beat with an article he just read, a course he just took and—naturally—one of his favorite movie clips of all time.This is a Spice Cabinet-esque episode that’s chock-full of goodies on how AI can best help to create powerful presentations, professional education greatness from West Kao and a throwback movie clip on the importance of the process via 1992’s favorite Brad Pitt film, A River Runs Through It. “In order to be clear in our communication or clear in our writing, you must be clear in your thinking.” —Wes KaoThis is an episode for: anyone that designs presentations, folks looking to integrate AI, managers looking to improve comms and 90s films fans.   What’s in the Spice Cabinet?Article by Nancy DuarteWhat GenAI Tools Can and Can’t Do for Presentations Follow Nancy Duarte for moreCourse that I just tookWes Kao’s Executive Communication and Influence for Senior ICs and ManagersCheck out more of Wes Kao’s work here One of Mikey’s favorite movie clipsA River Runs Through It (1992)You know the scene where Norman gets his paper edited further and further down to a quarter of its original length by his dad? Mikey says: “ To me, it highlights that importance of process and skill and craft and brevity, you know, and clarity. This stuff doesn't just happen.” Want to improve your storytelling skills on a holistic level? Join us at Story Camp July 23-24 in Park City, Utah!

Hayley Langsdorf is an artist that uses Sharpies to illustrate big ideas from board rooms and beyond. She is a self-described “live scribe” for events, meetings and conferences. Hayley’s 2019 TED Talk, “Drawing out our collective intelligence", draws out—literally—the power of the pen. As humans, we’re all moved by story; and when visuals are added, it’s extra memorable. Even simple figures and shapes—doodles during meetings to help illustrate what was talked about can create a more powerful record than a list of bullets. Hayley’s talk reminds us that simple visual storytelling can help support day-to-day communications. She argues that drawing out ideas to get on the same page could help reduce over-used jargon, excess emails and even combat stifling office environments. Business communicators, consider this your cue to get the colored pack of Sharpies. This is an episode for: doodlers, communicators of all kinds and self described “non creatives”. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Watch Hayley’s talk for yourself:“Drawing Out Our Collective Intelligence”Find more of Hayley’s workThoughts Drawn OutLinkedInThis TED talk reminded us of…The “Marketoonist” extraordinaire, Tom Fishburne - author of Your Ad Ignored Here Tim Pollard’s work- author of The Compelling CommunicatorWes Kao’s work on keeping people engaged Hayley’s dream talk (according to us)Venue? - Something hosted by Bic or Micron or Sharpie?? Walkout song? Beautiful World by Colin Hay

If you are interested in presentation design, you might already know Mike Parkinson—founder of Billion Dollar Graphics, speaker, trainer and self-described “visualization and graphics geek”. Mike joins Mikey to chat about how he got into such a niche business, his “M&M” approach, visual storytelling through data and, of course, how AI is shaping the design landscape. In Mike’s realization that AI isn’t going anywhere and his feeling that designers should embrace that fact, he’s developed 3 truths around this:Designers or creatives who embrace AI will thrive AI might always be part of the process—but it won’t be the productAs designers, we want to be able to learn to use the right tool the right way. Use your tools accordingly! This is an episode for: designers of all kinds, data viz nerds and anyone curious how to work with AI, rather than against it. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Where to find Mike’s work:Billion Dollar GraphicsFollow Mike on LinkedInHe may or may not be working on a new book…stay tuned! Rapid fire round:Google Slides or PowerPoint: [no hesitation] PowerPoint!!! Fave color? Blue - apparently the most universally appealing colorDream presentation place? Croatia Go-to walkout song?Titanium - David Guetta, Sia

After exploring WHAT Visual Storytelling is with Creative Director Allie Wilson in Episode #166, we thought it’d be useful to establish exactly HOW to achieve successful Visual Storytelling. What are the “rules” to implement in each of your slides?In this episode, Molly sources data directly from presentation designers of GhostRanch to inform several clear “rules” for visual storytelling—keeping ONE idea per slide, establishing a clear hierarchy of information, being intentional with content and keeping your style consistent. While these may seem like simple concepts, breaking out of the typical Header + Bullets style can go a long way.In our continuous journey for Presentation Excellence, we talk about avoiding the dreaded “Death by PowerPoint” a lot. By establishing these clear parameters, Molly also gives context and a 2025 update to that constant corporate phrase.This is an episode for: non-designers, visual storytellers and anyone that creates presentations. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Watch David JP Phillips’ OG TED Talk:“How to avoid death by PowerPoint”Listen to Mikey and Molly discuss it in Episode #67Want to dig into DEFINING what Visual Storytelling is? Queue up Episode #166 with Creative Director Allie WilsonNeed help establishing the type of slide you’re working with to get started?Prezent has a great blog - “10 powerful visual storytelling examples for successful presentations”Want to improve your storytelling skills on a holistic level? Join us at Story Camp July 23-24 in Park City, Utah!

We finally got around to talking about who some refer to as the “father of storytelling”—and the 3 Act Structure—the one and only Aristotle.In this “Book Club”-esque episode, Mikey and Molly read “Poetics”—an exploration of genre and the elements that make a great story all that it is. Film buffs and students of storytelling have been examining it for years and we’re here to make our own Presentation Thinking connections. From the “tragic beats” in a plot, to character arc, to the “cherry on top” that is song and spectacle—Aristotle’s early mappings of storytelling still resonate strongly today.This is an episode for: film buffs, story nerds and Aristotle fan-girls.What's in the Spice Cabinet?Read Aristotle's “Poetics” for yourself. Note that quotes and experience will vary slightly depending on the translation you read Buy the book (from a local bookstore!)Read it onlineSome helpful extras summarizing “Poetics”Ask Literature (YouTube)StudioBinder - tons of film references! (YouTube)Study.com SummaryScreencraft (Blog)How did we get into this again?Aristotle’s rules of storytelling come highly recommended by award-winning writer Aaron Sorkin his MasterclassWant to improve your storytelling skills? Join us at Story Camp July 23-24 in Park City, Utah!Aristotle’s walkout song?Molly says that country music is full of good storytelling so—Goodbye Earl by The Chicks 

Social scientist Christopher Cummings takes the TED stage with his talk “The dark magic of communication: how we manipulate others” to show us that communication is like magic—and magic can be used for good or evil. (Dun dun dunnnnnn!)What kind of “dark magic” could we be talking about? As a social scientist and health/risk communicator, part of Christopher’s job is assessing risk and just how dangerous or risky something actually is. We all know there’s a difference between perceived risk and actual risk but how does that get determined? Christopher walks us through synesthetic ideation, the risk algorithm, how ‘affect’ and ‘fear’ both play a role in communicating risk and why it’s important to be critical of headlines and overly hyped media.Mikey and Molly have seen their fair share of neuroscience-backed communication TED Talks but this was a fun (and important) new spin. This is an episode for: neuroscience nerds (Christopher makes it digestible!!), journalists and communicators or presenters that relay important or sensitive information. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Watch Christopher Cummings’ 2017 TED TalkThe Dark Magic of Communication: how we manipulate othersWho did Christopher remind us of?“Pete” from Hulu’s The Bear - played by Chris Witaske(What we think) Christopher’s walkout song is? Evil Woman - ELOHave a fave TED Talk we haven’t talked about yet? Send it our [email protected]

B2B folks everywhere:You’ve probably heard of “visual storytelling” and how important it can be for your brand and for your presentations. However, like many a buzzword, we’ve seen the phrase thrown around so much, we fear its true meaning is often confused with a focus on style, rather than substance. Visual storytelling goes beyond decoration, embellishment and off-brand AI imagery. True visual storytelling helps marketers achieve clarity in their communications—it helps to bring the core of our messages to life with meaning and memorability.To join us in this Visual Storytelling deep dive, we invited Creative Director of GhostRanch Communications, Allie Wilson, to unpack its definition, how it works, why it matters now and the immense value of investing in it at all.Because Allie presented on the same subject at the PMA Summit in NYC in March, we also get into her own Visual Storytelling methods, design red flags and how she put together her presentation.This is an episode for: brand strategists, graphic designers and anyone that has to put together presentations.

experience of all varieties (we’re talking Oracle, Q2 and more). The throughline of her work? Communication is everything—and she joins the pod to share her perspective on how these soft skills (like presentations!) have evolved and shifted with the growth of product management in general. From establishing clear and consistent messaging to selling a vision, April doles out many a word of wisdom. (Ahem, expert alert!!) This is an episode for: product marketers, managers, presenters & communication nerds. What's in the Spice Cabinet?Find April and connect! On LinkedIn! Via the Women in Product GroupPowerPoint or Google Slides?PowerPointProduct Marketing leader to learn from?Marty Cagan of the Silicon Valley Product Group - “he’s kinda like the Godfather of product”Check out his books and more hereApril’s walkout song? Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N’ RosesFinal words of wisdom for Presentation Nation?One thing I always tell everybody that's ever worked for me when you're presenting: nobody probably knows more about this than you. So don't stop. Like when you mess up, nobody knows. You know?...The soft skills, the presentation—it's the future. You know, it's one of the core things I look for and I know a lot of the other leaders I work alongside and have worked alongside with, look for. You can be the smartest person in the room, but if you cannot articulate what you're doing, that is a problem.

At this point in our storytelling journey, Mikey and Molly have learned a lot about the “science” of storytelling and why our brains click so well with remembering (and being moved by) narrative. However, journalist, author and teacher Will Storr’s 2018 TED Talk “The Science of Storytelling” presents something we haven’t heard yet. From understanding how our eyes are constantly evaluating for change with movements called “saccades” to understanding all stories as gossip—a means for survival and sharing of information—Will’s 6 elements of the science behind storytelling are truly unique.Will helps to understand that through our personal “hero’s journeys”, living with purpose and applying purpose to any story is the thing that brings resolve and a “eudaemonic happiness.” In other words, the pursuit of happiness in life is part of the reason that stories can resonate so well. This is an episode for: Brand managers, big thinkers and story nerds.  What’s in the Spice Cabinet?Listen to Will’s TEDxManchester yourselfTune in hereFind more of Will’s work OnlineOn InstagramHis newest book released February 2025 is called A Story is a Deal: How to use the science of storytelling to lead, motivate and persuade

The one where Mikey and Molly embody their role as “students of storytelling” by taking Aaron Sorkin’s Masterclass on screenwriting. Aaron’s writing is literally award-winning—think A Few Good Men, The Social Network, The West Wing—so this online class seemed like a more affordable option than film school.We dig into Aaron’s teaching style, his reverence for Aristotle and what can be gleaned in our presentation and marketing world from screenwriting tips. From story sequencing to letting the audience in on the secret to the importance of research (hello, win-loss interviews!)—Aaron’s advice is applicable to a broad range of mediums.This is an episode for: storytellers of all kinds, writers and of course—film nerds. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Don’t just take our word for it! Take Aaron’s class yourselfAaron’s an Aristotle fan and so are weCheck out the classic PoeticsAaron’s walkout song? (He said it himself in class!)Dire Straits - Brothers in ArmsJoin GhostRanch at Story Camp this summer and practice your presentation skills!Learn more here