Pixar tells the most popular stories on the planet.

For 22 reasons.

Here's their list of rules that'll make you a master storyteller: Rule #1: You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.

Rule #2: You gotta keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun to do as a writer. They can be very different.

Founders need to have a great elevator pitch ready to go.

Let's break down a perfect elevator pitch from the movie Gladiator.

Now I bet this isn't where you expected to learn a perfect elevator pitch.

That's why this is such magic. It comes in the scene when Maximus gets asked by the Emperor to remove his helmet and share his name.

What happens next is this classic "elevator pitch"...

Trial lawyers play the high stakes game called Competitive Storytelling.

To start a trial 80-100 people come to listen.

None of them want to be there.

None of them know anything about the case.

So how do lawyers win?

-a short 🧵- Step 1: Disarm and anchor

There was a trial lawyer that brought a wooden stool.

He’d sit on it and turn on his laid back charm.

He’d listen and connect someway with every potential juror.

He would recall those conversations throughout trial.

Steven Spielberg is one of the greatest storytellers of all time.

You know his movies like Jurassic Park, ET, and Saving Private Ryan.

But what's his origin story?

-A thread- 1/ He wanted to be an Eagle Scout

As a kid, he wasn't interested in storytelling or directing.

All he wanted was to be an Eagle Scout.

This is what is called the setup in an origin story.

In 2005 Steve Jobs gave the Stanford Commencement Speech.

The speech has over 40 million views on YouTube.

What makes it so powerful?

A combination of storytelling, rhetorical devices, and a clear theme.

Let's break it down.

-A thread- 1/ The opening

"Truth be told this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation."

This line serves as the hook.

It's playful, funny, and also sets up the rest of his talk.

Being a trial lawyer taught me what I call "Competitive Storytelling".

Working with Founders and Startups taught me what I call "Conversational Storytelling Fluency".

What are some of my favorite resources to learn the art and science of storytelling?

-A thread- 1. Classic 22 Rules of Storytelling by Pixar's Emma Coates

This came out in 2011 and continues to be a wealth of inspiration.

Highly encourage you to check out @dickiebush thread breaking it all down.

https://twitter.com/dickiebush/status/1453725972876775424?s=20

Over the past year I’ve worked with dozens of startup founders.

Some in a group coach setting.

Others in 1 on 1 coaching.

They’ve raised between $500k up to tens of millions for their startups.

Here’s what I’ve learned to help you for 2022.

-A 🧵- 1. They all have a personal reason why they care.

Too many founders search for a problem instead of tackling something they have unique insight on.

A founder’s why is what let’s them devote everything to the startup.

Most speakers fail to hook the audience.

That means the rest of your message never gets heard.

Want to fix this?

Here’s 5 perfect starters for presentations, talks, and pitches.

-A thread- 1. A question

Why does this work?

Because people hate not knowing the answer.

It opens a curiosity loop that the listener wants to close.

Make it a big question that’s hard to answer.

Everyone tells you that you need a story.

But the vast majority of people have no idea where to start.

Here are 5 examples of hooks to get you started... 1. "You won't believe what happened"

Why does this work?

This opens up a curiosity loop for the listener.

Humans hate when their curiosity is piqued but left unanswered.

Once you have this hook, jump right into the action.

Here's 8 tactics to make you a better speaker.

-A Thread- 1. Pace

This signals to your audience how to feel.

Slow can signal control, confidence, or even drama.

Fast can signal excitement, passion, or even nervousness.

There's a reason McConaughey's pacing stands out when you hear him.

The biggest leverage for a founder or aspiring founder comes from one skill...

Spoken Storytelling.

It's the key to fundraising, attracting talent, and connecting w/ customers.

But so many people feel lost.

Isn't it time you mastered this skill?

performativespeaking.disco.co/p/performative… This is the 3rd cohort of Performative Speaking.

Past alums have done some of the following:

•Raise tens of millions of dollars in venture capital
•Step into the Founder role for their own startup
•Speak at TedX
•Land paid keynote talks
•Even crush their wedding toasts

The Practical Guide to Storytelling.

Everyone hears the buzzword storytelling these days.

The best business leaders, directors, and politicians all wield it with power.

But nobody talks about the how to do it.

Time to change that...

-A thread- 1. Start like a cold open

Think of The Office or It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

The beginning of your story has to hook the audience and that means putting them directly in the scene.

No context needed.

Persuasion 101

Every person needs to know how to persuade.

No better place to start than with Dr. Robert Cialdini who wrote Influence.

Here are his 7 fundamental principles.

-A thread- Originally published in 1984 this book became the bedrock of persuasion over the next 4 decades.

Dr. Cialdini is a psychologist that wanted people to understand the tactics used against them.

But quickly marketers, salespeople, and leaders in a wide range of fields took note.

How to create rhythm when you speak.

-A Thread 🧵- 1/ Why this matters

Rhythm is the way to make your message sticky when your audience hears the talk.

JFK's "We are going to the moon" speech that he gave at Rice University is a classic example of beautiful rhythm.

These were tactical choices he made to connect.

Want to crush it on Clubhouse?

Here are 5 ways to stand out as a speaker.

-A Thread 🧵- 1. Be Elon Musk...

But since @elonmusk isn't reading this let's get to the real 5 ways to crush it.

1. Bring the energy

If you want people to stick around, they need to feel something from you the speaker.

Energy=Passion on Clubhouse.

Want to be a better speaker over Zoom?

Here are 10 tactics to help.

-A thread 🧵- 1. Body positioning

You need to let your audience see most of your torso.

This allows your audience to gauge whether you have an open and inviting presence.

Not only that, but you will be able to use your hands.

From 200 followers in June to 10k followers in February

Here's how I thought about this journey.

-A Thread 🧵- There are plenty of great Twitter guides out there.

You can learn from @david_perell and @mkobach in their How to Crush it on Twitter YouTube video.

You can learn from thread masters like @SahilBloom and @Julian

But I want to talk about the phases of Twitter growth.

Want to know what makes @BreneBrown such a captivating speaker?

Here are 5 things she does brilliantly in the first 90 seconds of her Ted Talk on vulnerability.

It's a masterclass so let's get to it.

-A Thread 🧵- 1. Personal story

Brene opens with a personal story which immediately tells the audience a few things.

Get ready for entertainment and get ready to learn from Brene's experience.

Great extemporaneous speaking 101

The rise of @joinClubhouse means this skill is more valuable than ever before.

Here are lessons from my years as a trial lawyer and teacher of public speaking.

-A thread 🧵- 1/ Read your audience

Speaking is about connecting with the audience you speak to.

The goal is always to move the audience to adopt your belief or create action.

So this plays out in a few ways when it comes to reading your audience...

The 5 best ways to open a speech.

Different audiences need different opens so here's a list to help.

-A Thread 🧵- 1. Personal story

You can always start with a personal story to create a connection with your audience.

Stories help speakers build credibility and likeability.

Or another way I say it...

Brag without bragging.

What are some of the best ways to appear more confident as a speaker?

Here's 5 of them.

-A thread 🧵- 1. Let your body language do the talking

Think about James Bond and how calm and cool he always appears.

Shoulders back and relaxed. Arms and hands moving naturally.

Another way to put it...

Act like you've been there a thousand times before.