Unconventional Leaders

If you struggle with promoting yourself or your work, listen to this. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady   CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/   Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherpar  ady.com/blog/123

Noro Kocharyan spent a decade building brands for Red Bull, Jameson, and Absolut Vodka, learning how global companies create consistency, culture, and authentic connection at scale. But when he launched his own creative studio, Moons, he discovered that most creators and small businesses struggle with the fundamentals that big brands master: how to package their vision, build real identity (not ju...

If you feel like you're in a season where it's time to evolve and change, but you feel massive resistance, this is for you. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady   CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/   Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/121

Jenny Hoyos built 10 million YouTube subscribers by age 20, not through luck, but by mastering storytelling craft. She's a content strategist who studies story structure and viral mechanics to create videos that consistently engage millions of viewers. In this episode, Jenny reveals her storytelling secrets: the B-storyline technique for short-form content, how to create memorable characters for y...

At 13, Zach W. Lambert was kicked out of youth group for asking too many questions. Years later, the church he leads was removed from its denomination for fully embracing LGBTQ+ inclusion. Instead of walking away, Zach doubled down. He continues to pastor Restore Austin Church and co-founded the Post-Evangelical Collective …a growing movement reimagining what faith can look like when empathy, equi...

Today’s guest is Alex Portillo, a pastor and content creator who is on a mission to help folks read the Bible with new eyes. Instead of clinging to black-and-white answers, Alex invites us to explore nuance, contradiction, and the uncomfortable beauty of not knowing. We talk about why doubt isn’t the opposite of faith, how “bad religion” doesn’t have to drive you away from “good religion,” and wha...

There are stories we “think” we should tell… and then there are the ones that won’t stop tapping us on the shoulder. From raw advice by singer-songwriter Yungblud to a powerful reminder from storyteller Neal Foard, this episode is a call to stop hiding behind trends and start sharing the kind of truth that truly connects. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady   EPIS...

Ray Edwards is one of the world’s top copywriters. His words have generated over $500 million for clients like Tony Robbins, Michael Hyatt, and Jack Canfield. But his most powerful story isn’t about marketing. In 2011, Ray was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He prayed for healing…and it didn’t come. What happened next led him to deconstruct everything he believed, rebuild his faith from the gr...

What’s the BEST way to capture attention…and keep it? I asked pro storytellers in Atlanta, content creators in Austin, and even sat down with a Pixar storyteller who worked on Toy Story. Here’s what they told me… and their answers might surprise you. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady   CONNECT WITH THE STORYTELLERS Eldon Smith: https://www.instagram.com/eldonosm...

Fredrik Haren has spent the last 25 years traveling to more than 75 countries asking one question:  How does creativity differ around the world? He’s interviewed thousands, from Silicon Valley executives to Mongolian nomads, and what he discovered might surprise you. From his geometric dome on a private island, Fredrik shares why his new book The World of Creativity might just convince you to...

Want to become a better storyteller? You HAVE to master the science and art of LISTENING. Today, I’m sharing 4 clips from 4 different storytelling experts, each showing how they use listening in their craft. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady   EPISODES MENTIONED: How to Captivate an Audience & Be More Confident | René Rodriguez https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Brian Recker is a former evangelical pastor turned public theologian who's challenging the very foundations of Christianity. In his viral content and new book Hell Bent , Brian unpacks why so many of us were handed a spirituality rooted in punishment and how that’s distorted our relationships with God, others, and even ourselves. In this conversation, Brian shares his personal story of deconstruct...

Here are three clips from storytelling experts on why showing weakness not only improves your stories…but also builds your credibility. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady   EPISODES MENTIONED: Storytelling Expert: Science of Emotions and Backstory | Lisa Cron https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4pb41H6OR4 The Storytelling Process: Deep Dive with Screenwriter & D...

Story coach and author Lisa Cron ( Wired for Story , Story Genius , Story or Die ) joins us to unpack the neuroscience behind powerful storytelling—and to challenge some of the most common (and misleading) advice writers are given. In this episode, Lisa shares how our brains are literally wired for story, the three key brain chemicals that great narratives activate, and why most people misundersta...

I want to share a personal story about the time I cussed out a real-life angel. Sometimes we think our message isn’t landing…but we never really know the impact our words can have. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady   CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/   Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady....

Trey Pearson, front man of the Christian rock band Everyday Sunday, sold hundreds of thousands of records, amassed millions of streams, and toured all over the world. Then, he came out of the closet and made national headlines. Trey's announcement sparked a national conversation, including a television appearance on The View and coverage from The New York Times , Billboard Magazine , CNN, and more...

I asked Michael Gungor how to find your calling…and I loved his response. Enjoy this short clip featuring singer-songwriter Michael Gungor. Watch our full conversation (Reconstructing Through Creativity) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJVMVwLEIMQ&t=164s CONNECT WITH MICHAEL GUNGOR: Website: https://www.michaelgungor.com/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelgungor/ CONNECT...

Michael Gungor is a Grammy nominated singer-songwriter, producer, author, and co-founder of The Liturgists . Once known for leading worship in megachurches and writing anthems like Beautiful Things , Michael became a defining voice in the faith deconstruction movement. In this conversation, we explore how he found connection to the divine outside of religious systems…through creativity, mysticism,...

Lauren-Michael Sellers is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter whose music I first heard on Season 26 of The Voice . But it wasn’t just her voice that struck me…it was the presence behind it. In this conversation, Lauren-Michael opens up about trauma, faith, and finding God in the middle of suffering. She shares why those who suffer are anointed, and why pain isn’t something that should push us awa...

When it comes to sharing our story, we’ve all heard the advice: “share from your scars, not from your wounds.” But Renee Frojo, a brand and content strategist, makes a bold case for doing the opposite. In this episode, Renee discusses the power of speaking from your pain before it’s polished, how vulnerability builds real credibility, and why the future of storytelling might actually make us more...

In this episode, we have with us Amie McNee (@inspiredtowrite), the author of We Need Your Art and the voice behind the wildly popular community, Inspired to Write, where she helps her global audience of creatives dismantle limiting narratives and start taking their work seriously. CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Ask Heather a Question: https://www.heatherparady.com/ask   Follow Heather on IG: https://...

Terry Rice is a keynote speaker, author, and coach for high performers and teams, specializing in storytelling for influence, impact, and income. He had a major breakthrough in his work when he learned to lean into the dark side of his story instead of shying away from it. In this conversation, Terry opens up about the power of storytelling, how to know when to share your truth, and how to transfo...

Today we’re revisiting two conversations, one with Matthew Lunn from Pixar and another with Todd Herman, author of The Alter Ego Effect , to explore how we can develop our imagination. TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: How Matthew Luhn’s parents nurtured his imagination What happens in our brain when we are in a state of play The power of letting go of outcomes to unleash your best ideas. PREVIOUS INTERVI...

Powerful storytelling is not just about what you choose to say, but HOW you say it. Mike Ganino, the secret weapon behind some of your favorite professional speakers, joins us today to walk us through how to use our physical bodies to tell parts of the story that words alone never could. Mike shares what it takes to go from a “good” speaker to a great one, how to use your quirks as strengths, and...

If you feel a deep calling but are absolutely terrified to switch careers, this is for you. Mark Shiiba was working on nuclear reactors aboard an aircraft carrier when he made the bold decision to leave the Navy and share his music with the world. I discovered him on Season 26 of The Voice , fell in love with his music, and immediately noted his old soul. I had to bring him on to talk about all th...