The Storytelling Lab

On this week's episode of The Storytelling Lab, Rain dives into a concept of his own creation called, "The Storytelling Cocktail." You may have heard Rain speak live about this particular concoction before, but on this episode, he spends time thoroughly explaining how each individual ingredient makes a recipe for success when it comes to your brand storytelling and marketing strategy. Hosted on Ac...

This episode of The Storytelling Lab is chocked full of gold nuggets from the one and only, Troy Sandidge, or he's better known as on social media, #findtroy. Troy has been in the marketing space for over a decade and on this episode, he goes in-depth on how to navigate the marketing space within our current culture. Whether you're beginning your entrepreneurship or you're a seasoned marketing pro...

On this episode of The Storytelling Lab, Rain enters the realm of story structure and implements the "Story Spine" method from our most recent episode. Rain hones into the "spines" of a couple of our most beloved films and how to achieve their same compelling effect in your own work! This episode is perfect for anyone looking to understand why certain brand storytelling methods are more effective...

This episode of The Storytelling Lab features none other than Kenn Adams, a.k.a the inventor of the "Story Spine." Don't know what the Story Spine is? If you've seen any Pixar film, then you unconsciously know what it is. On this episode, Rain takes Kenn back in time to when and how the Story Spine was born, the art and structure of improv, and the importance of rules and balance within storytelli...

On this episode of The Storytelling Lab, Rain dives into the art and science of character and story development and explains the critical role they play in telling YOUR brand story. Rain discusses a variety of topics such as the 3 act structure, character archetypes, and draws on some of the most classic, "hero-driven" movies to explain how you can make the same impact on your audience. This episo...

We're back this week on The Storytelling Lab with another incredible guest who decided very early on that her mission in life was to help others. Julia Campbell is a social media marketing expert, speaker, author, and online teacher whose passion is helping nonprofits tell the best version of their brand story. Tune in to hear Julia discuss why connecting through stories is a vital part of success...

We’re changing things up this season! This episode of The Storytelling Lab features none other than your host, Rain Bennett. Rain has a rich background in storytelling and speaks directly to his audience, diving into the five brand stories that he uses to help his clients. This episode is perfect for anyone looking to flesh out their brand marketing strategy.  As always, follow Rain on Instag...

We’re back with Season 5 of the Storytelling Lab and kicking it off with Scott Dawson, a local historian, author, amateur archaeologist, and expert on the mysterious Lost Colony. Scott is a native of Hatteras Island whose family roots on the island trace back to the 1600s and his mission is to tell the true story of 'America's oldest mystery.' In this episode, Scott takes us back in time to discus...

The Season 4 recap is here! Rain discusses our favorite and most actionable storytelling tips and tricks from our Season 4 guests. We focus on storytelling fundamentals, basics of content marketing, interacting with your audience, and making a plan! Listen now to catch up on anything you may have missed or guests you just couldn’t get enough of. Guests include Paul J Zak, Brant Pinvidic, John Live...

We’re rounding out our 4th season with a very special interview from one of America’s most highly regarded photographers, Burk Uzzle, and filmmaker, Jethro Waters. We discuss truthfully portraying a subject, leading with your heart, and learning from people with whom you disagree. This interview was recorded after the screening of F/11 and Be There , Jethro Water’s documentary on photographer Burk...

This week’s Health & Happiness story is from Joshua Gunn, aka J. Gunn, a Durham native, North Carolina rapper, and community leader. Joshua tells his story of growing up in Durham and what led him to run for city council. With experience in and love for both the “old” and “new” Durham, Joshua strives to create economic and racial equity within our growing community.  Follow Joshua Gunn on...

This week’s guest is Grant Baldwin, entrepreneur, speaker, and author of The Successful Speaker: Five Steps for Booking Gigs, Getting Paid, and Building Your Platform. This episode is all about demystifying the world of speaking! We discuss the Speaker Success Roadmap, using storytelling in your speaking gigs, and finding the courage to share personal stories.  Follow Grant on Twitter @ grant...

It’s our 50th episode and we’re bringing you a truly special guest! This week we’re joined with Shirlette Ammons, Poet, Musician, Producer, and native Eastern North Carolinian, to discuss something near and dear to our heart: Stories of the South. We dive into the multifaceted world of Southern food, culture, and music & discuss how to tell authentic stories of the people and places we love.&n...

This week’s Health & Happiness story comes from Naya Powell, Holistic Lifestyle Strategist and Founder & CEO of Spa Utopia. Naya discusses her experience growing up in a household of entrepreneurs and how her parent’s success and lifestyle inspired her to quit her corporate job and start a spa company. Naya has personally experienced the stress and burnout many entrepreneurs face and is co...

This week is all about perfecting the art of the interview with Rob Simmelkjaer, journalist and CEO & Co-Founder of Persona. Everyone has a story to tell, but it can be difficult to know how to share your story or how to extract stories from others. Rob has created the solution: Persona App makes interviewing easy for anyone. Listen in to hear Robs top interviewing tips and get a sneak peek in...

This week’s Health & Happiness story is from Dee McDougal, SVP of Inclusion and Diversity at Pacific Western Bank. Dee shares her experience growing up as an “Only” and of how she learned to lean into her true identity as she paved her career in the financial industry. Dee shares her story to spread awareness and to increase diversity in stereotypically white, male dominated business. Follow D...

This week’s guest is Kathy Klotz-Guest, Keynote Speaker, Story Strategist, Author, and Improv Comedian. You may not think about it but comedians are some of the best storytellers on earth! Kathy and Rain discuss how to raise the stakes in your storytelling, yes-and-ing your clients, and incorporating comedy and improv into your marketing strategies. Follow Kathy on Twitter @kathyklotzguest And lea...

This week’s Health & Happiness story comes from Lauren Erickson, CFP, Financial IMPACT Advisor, and managing partner at Erickson Advisors. Lauren loves to see people build and sustain a financial confidence that will resonant throughout their lives. Lauren tells a deeply personal story of how family can dramatically affect your financial health (for better or for worse), if you wait too long t...

This week’s guest is Jay Acunzo, Speaker, Author, Podcaster, and Founder of Marketing Showrunners, a media company committed to helping brands grow their audiences. Rain and Jay discuss discovering your best practices, creating a series for your business, and turning your audience into a community. This episode is perfect for anyone wanting to go deeper in their marketing strategy.  Follow Ja...

We’re moving into Financial Health with this week’s Health & Happiness story from Keith Beverly, Chief Investment Officer and Founder of Grid 202 partners. Keith is passionate about closing the racial wealth gap & promoting financial education in low-income communities. In this story, Keith discusses his experience growing up amidst financial hardship and how it inspired him to go into his...

This week’s guest is Denise Withers, a filmmaker, story strategist, and author of Story Design: The Creative Way to Innovate. Denise seeks to create world change through her stories & strategies. In this episode, we discuss Story Design, the combination of storytelling and design thinking; how to use story as a sense-making tool; and how to continue serving our communities in the midst of the...

This week’s Health & Happiness story comes from Shelda Askew, a recovered addict and spokesperson for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Shelda shares her recovery story, her experience of finding hope in prison, and her decision to start helping others once she helped herself. The world seems upside-down right now -- it’s such an important time to practice empathy and connect through st...

This week’s guest is Melanie Deziel, keynote speaker, author, and founder of Storyfuel. Rain and Melanie discuss keeping up with communications & marketing in the midst of a crisis, Melanie’s content creation framework, and unique & creative ideas to use in your marketing today. With all the craziness going on, we are committed to bringing you quality storytelling content & will contin...

It’s another Health & Happiness week! This story comes from Dr. Nicole Cranley, AKA the Doctorette, a behavioral scientist and lifestyle blogger. Nicole shares her personal story of burnout, an abusive relationship, losing herself, and making the choice to find herself again. This talk is from Health & Happiness: A Storytelling Series on Living Your Best Potential, hosted in Durham, North...

This week’s guest is Brant Pinvidic, documentary filmmaker, producer, speaker, and author of The 3-Minute Rule. Brant is an expert at using short form storytelling to capture attention. Rain and Brant discuss the 3-step decision making process, how to use storytelling to feed information to your audience, and how to say less & get more! Follow Brant on Instagram @brantpinvidic And visit his we...