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In the 53rd episode of CultivatED Marketer – your go-to marketing professional development podcast – hosts Brent Bowen, Julie Masson, and Matt Tidwell are joined by Jeremy Connell-Waite, Communications Designer at IBM and an expert in strategic storytelling. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience working with global brands, executives, and organizations, Jeremy explores the art and science of storytelling and what makes a story truly memorable. From understanding story structures and audience psychology to communicating complex ideas with simplicity, Jeremy shares practical lessons for marketers, communicators, and leaders who want their words to inspire action and make a difference.

CultivatED Marketer Ep. 53 — The Art and Science of Storytelling: What Every Communicator Needs to Know with Jeremy Connell-Waite

 

Great Storytelling Starts With Understanding Your Audience 

Everyone tells stories, but understanding what makes a good story requires more than following a familiar beginning, middle, and end.

Jeremy explains that storytelling structures vary across cultures, audiences, and situations. While Western storytelling often emphasizes conflict, obstacles, and transformation, other traditions approach narrative differently. The real skill lies in understanding which structure will connect with a particular audience and move them toward a desired outcome.

For marketers and communicators, that means the audience should always be the hero. Rather than forcing every message into the same formula, great storytellers choose an approach that serves the people they’re trying to reach.

Jeremy shares more than 20 storytelling structures through his free Better Stories resource library, giving communicators practical tools to experiment with different approaches.

 

The Best Stories Create Tension and Transformation

What makes someone lean forward and want to know what happens next? According to Jeremy, some of the most compelling stories create a meaningful gap between what someone wants and the obstacles standing in their way.

He points to screenwriter Aaron Sorkin as a master of this approach, along with Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey and Aristotle’s Poetics, which continue to influence modern storytelling.

Jeremy also shares how his fascination with Sam Seaborn from The West Wing helped shape his own career. The fictional communications director inspired his approach to working with executives, where storytelling isn’t simply about writing speeches but helping shape important ideas and decisions.

For communicators interested in studying the craft further, Jeremy recommends Aaron Sorkin’s MasterClass.

Business Storytelling Is About More Than Delivering Information

Some of the most powerful storytelling doesn’t come from traditional advertising or corporate presentations. Jeremy points to nonprofit leader Dan Pallotta as an example of someone who uses storytelling to challenge assumptions and change how people think.

Pallotta’s TED Talk, The Way We Think About Charity Is Dead Wrong, questions conventional thinking about nonprofit organizations and inspired the documentary Uncharitable.

The conversation also explores how strong communicators use humor, surprise, emotion, and clarity to make complex ideas memorable. Whether presenting to executives, advocating for a cause, or developing a marketing campaign, effective storytelling isn’t just about communicating information.

It’s about changing how people see something and giving them a reason to care.

 

The Science Behind Stories That Move People

Jeremy’s approach to storytelling combines creative thinking with an understanding of how audiences process information and emotion.

He discusses the relationship between logic and emotion, explaining why even highly technical or data-driven presentations need a human connection. Facts can help people understand an issue, but emotion often gives them a reason to remember it and act.

Jeremy also introduces his Communications Thinking Framework and the principles behind his work at Better Stories. These resources emphasize transformation, attention, truth, measurable outcomes, emotion, brevity, surprise, clarity, and action.

For marketers, the takeaway is that storytelling should be intentional. Every element should help the audience understand the message, feel its significance, or move toward a meaningful next step.

 

Great Communicators Know When to Say Less

With audiences constantly competing for attention, Jeremy believes simplicity is one of the most valuable skills a communicator can develop.

Drawing inspiration from historical speechwriters and leaders, including President John F. Kennedy and his speechwriter Ted Sorensen, Jeremy explores how a powerful message can often be built around a surprisingly small number of words.

He recommends Mimi Goss’s book What Is Your One Sentence?, which challenges communicators to identify the single idea they want their audience to remember. That sentence becomes the guiding principle for everything else. If a detail doesn’t support the central message or help move the audience, it may not belong in the story.

It’s a useful reminder that effective communication isn’t measured by how much information we include, but by what people take away.

 

Your Story Has the Power to Make a Difference

As the conversation turns toward the future of storytelling, Jeremy reflects on what remains constant across different cultures, industries, and generations.

People want to believe they’re contributing to something larger than themselves. Great stories help connect that sense of purpose with the experiences and values of an audience.

Even as AI changes how content is created and distributed, Jeremy believes the ability to communicate with empathy, authenticity, and purpose remains essential.

His closing advice is particularly relevant for young professionals and anyone developing their communication skills. Storytelling isn’t reserved for charismatic executives, experienced speakers, or professional writers. Everyone has the ability to develop their voice and use words to make a difference.

The challenge is learning how to tell better stories that genuinely move people.

 

Connect With Jeremy Connell-Waite

Jeremy is a Communications Designer at IBM, creator of the Better Stories resources, and host of The Truth in Ten, a podcast exploring lessons from influential storytellers.

Explore his free storytelling resources and downloadable frameworks through BetterStories.org, learn more about his background on his professional profile, connect with him on LinkedIn, and check out his Better Words LinkedIn post for additional storytelling and communication insights.

Additional resources discussed during the episode include Dario Amodei’s Machines of Loving Grace, Katie Macaulay’s Internal Comms Podcast, and Jeremy’s Nine Principles of Better Stories.

 

Chapters

0:00 — The Art and Science of Storytelling
1:32 — Meet Jeremy Connell-Waite
4:20 — How Jeremy Became a Storyteller
8:32 — What Makes a Great Story?
11:46 — Story Structures and Free Resources
13:25 — Aaron Sorkin and the Power of Obstacles
17:08 — The World’s Best Business Storytellers
21:11 — Humor, Surprise, and Memorable Communication
23:40 — The Framework Behind Better Stories
26:26 — Storytelling, Emotion, and the Brain
31:40 — Lessons From JFK and Great Speechwriters
36:25 — Finding Your One Sentence
37:26 — Four Quick Questions
40:05 — The Storyteller Jeremy Would Study Forever
41:07 — The Universal Power of Storytelling
43:16 — Finding Your Voice and Making a Difference