Be The Drop - Investigating Brand Storytelling

How much do you know about where the food you eat comes from or about the people who grow it? Alarming statistics indicate that many Australian students, especially in urban areas, don't understand where their food comes from or how it's grown. My Be The Drop podcast guests this week, "George The Farmer" duo Simone Kain and Ben Hood, are on a mission to turn this around. What started as a business idea to create an informative App and an additional business revenue stream, has grown into a range of books, videos and merchandise to educate an urban audience about rural issues; something they're hugely passionate about. So passionate in fact, this year they performed 5 shows a day for 14 days straight to approximately 400,000 people at the Sydney Royal Show!  In today's episode of Be The Drop, Simone, Ben and I discuss the power of storytelling to educate, we hear an impromptu rendition of one of their most popular songs, and they reveal top tips for leaving a lasting legacy...  SUBSCRIBE to the blog here with

In Season 2 we are delving deeper into what is brand storytelling? I’m looking to build on the awesome advice that is shared by my podcast guests by really drilling down into how we can use these tips in our own marketing efforts. In today's episode of Be The Drop, I look at the power of storytelling to drive social change, I reveal 3 more reasons why storytelling is invaluable to your business, including looking at how it can increase your social engagement and search rankings... SUBSCRIBE to the blog here with the 'unlock my storytelling superpowers' form on the right! SUBSCRIBE to us in iTunes here (Android users can access via the free app 'Podcast Addict'). SUBSCRIBE to us in SoundCloud here. SUBSCRIBE to us in YouTube here. CONNECT with Narrative Marketing on Facebook, and @be_the_drop on Instagram and Twitter.  CONTACT US at podcast@narrativemarketing.com.au

Across cultures, music is universally significant in telling stories. Music can evoke strong emotions that bring us to tears, it inspire people or it might make you want to dance. Welcome to Episode 2, Season 2; Ep #54 of Be The Drop. I am joined this week, by Josh Belperio, who is an award winning music composer and celebrated cabaret performer. In June 2017, Josh premiered his original cabaret show Scarred For Life, which was sold-out and opened to unanimous five-star reviews at the Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival. As a proud gay man, Josh recently released a heartfelt and emotional song in response to the plebiscite vote on same-sex marriage; his video has been viewed over 200K times and shared over 2.5K time In today's episode of Be The Drop, Josh talks about why you must be both specific and honest in storytelling, he explains why vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness, and we discuss why music has a unique ability to communicate powerful messages... References mentioned in this episode:  > Brene

Welcome to Episode 1, Season 2 of Be The Drop - a weekly podcast that investigates how to unlock your brand story, to super-charge your business. This week I look at - what is brand storytelling? And what benefit can you, my fabulous listeners, gain from learning more about it by listening each week to this podcast? In today's episode of Be The Drop, I will review why I believe brand storytelling is THE future of marketing and why it's critical for you to use storytelling within your business or nonprofit, I’ll also explain the format for season 2 and what you can expect in future episodes... Reference links: Beerenberg video storytelling example - this is client work that we delivered; contact us if you'd like video storytelling work created for your business. Deng Adut, University of Western Sydney example. SUBSCRIBE to us in iTunes here (Android users can access through the free app 'Podcast Addict'). SUBSCRIBE to us in SoundCloud here. Get more free marketing resources on our video channel - SUBSCRIBE t

Hello and welcome to Episode 52 of Be The Drop - a weekly podcast that investigates how to unlock your brand story, to super-charge your business. We are celebrating two very exciting milestones this week! The month of September marks 3 years since I started my business journey, from humble beginnings as a sole trader to a company with two part time staff. AND this week’s episode marks one full year of Be The Drop podcast!!! So we have double the reasons to celebrate which is SUPER exciting. I’m Amelia Veale small business owner and storytelling superhero. Here at Narrative Marketing, we absolutely believe in the power of telling stories, not only to learn and connect, but also to build business relationships and drive sales. To mark these exciting milestones today I am joined by Jojo Furnival and Chris Warman the super talented team behind the scenes. We look back over what we’ve learned and sharing the insights we have developed from both the guests we have interviewed and the processes we’ve used to delive

From a simple love of chocolate, a passion for the technicality and complexity of being a chocolate focussed pastry chef, to starting a business; Marcus Booth-Remmers has built Red Cacao into a destination chocolate shop and cafe in the Adelaide Hills.    In today's episode of business podcast Be The Drop, Marcus talks about how important it is to tell a consistent brand story, how every element of your business - from staff retention to your own personal branding - feeds into that, and reveals some real nuggets of wisdom around starting a business from scratch... SUBSCRIBE to the blog here with the 'unlock my storytelling superpowers' form on the right! SUBSCRIBE to us in iTunes here (Android users can access via the free app 'Podcast Addict'). SUBSCRIBE to us in SoundCloud here. SUBSCRIBE to us in YouTube here. CONNECT with Narrative Marketing on Facebook, and @be_the_drop on Instagram and Twitter.  CONTACT US at podcast@narrativemarketing.com.au

Juliet Lever believes in second chances. In fact, her entire business is built around them. After turning her life around - quitting her high paying corporate job, leaving her husband, and totally transforming who she was - within a 12 month timeframe, Juliet now coaches others on how to let go of the past and renew their life.  Her book, Relaunch My Life, shares the story of her own personal journey, and it's also a reference manual for her and her clients as she guides them through their own transformational journeys.   In today's episode of business podcast Be The Drop, Juliet talks about getting a second chance at life, the power of story to connect with people, and the harsh reality of going from a six figure salary to starting a small business... SUBSCRIBE to the blog here with the 'unlock my storytelling superpowers' form on the right! SUBSCRIBE to us in iTunes here (Android users can access via the free app 'Podcast Addict'). SUBSCRIBE to us in SoundCloud here. SUBSCRIBE to us in YouTube here. CONNEC

Chris Hooper's story is a real love affair with business. Recognising accounting as "the language of business", he started his own firm six years ago. Then two years ago, Accodex was born, which is now an international company with multiple locations in four different countries. Headquartered in Adelaide, it's a real SA success story. Describing himself as an entrepreneur first, and an accountant second. Chris is a regular go-to for advice on start-up business - in fact I first met him in 2015 as he mentored participants, including myself, in the MEGA entrepreneur program.  In today's episode of the Be The Drop podcast, Chris talks about the emotional roller-coaster of running a business, the value of doing any business rather than waiting for a "big idea" and reveals his top tips for using social media for B2B... SUBSCRIBE to the blog here with the 'unlock my storytelling superpowers' form on the right! SUBSCRIBE to us in iTunes here (Android users can access via the free app 'Podcast Addict'). SUBSCRIBE to

It's always a pleasure talking to a business owner who is inspired by their long-term vision. Dan Giang of Mai Kitchen, Adelaide, is one such business owner.  He understands that day-to-day running of a business can be tough; focusing on the bigger picture is a positive way to help him jump those daily hurdles.   So inspired by his mum's cooking, he named his restaurant after her and has built a business entirely driven by his fond memories of good, home cooked, family meals. He's not in the food business, he's in the feelings business; and he's not without ambition either, remarking: "I wanted to have my mum's name known throughout Australia."   In today's episode of Be The Drop, Dan talks about giving back to the community, brand values, and we even got to test his amazing mock-meat and I tell you what "I can't believe it's not meat!"...   This is Dan’s version of Be The Drop… SUBSCRIBE to the blog here  SUBSCRIBE to us in iTunes here (Android users can access through the free app 'Podcast Addict'). SUBSC

You have probably heard the saying "A picture tells a thousand words" well this week we dive into the world of visual storytelling. This is a very special episode of the Be The Drop podcast because it marks the roll-out of our new visual branding for both Be The Drop and Narrative Marketing! As you know we are incredibly passionate about brand storytelling, through both our client work and the podcast, we continually investigating the most effective ways to tell your brand story. To find out more about how important it is for brands to use visual cues to connect with their audience, I caught up with Peter Rufus, Brand Strategist at Nicknack, who are the creative genius' behind our new branding, which we will be rolling out over the next few weeks. For us, there's a clear link between superheroes and business: Superheroes get results; they work hard against all the odds; they're role models and leaders; they stand out from the crowd. These are also the things that we aspire to in business. I truly believe that

Beerenberg is one of my favourite brands. An Adelaide Hills girl, I grew up with Beerenberg as local produce and their strawberry jam was always a household favourite! They have an authentic and human brand narrative, beautiful premium products, and a whole lot of heart in their family-run business. This powerful combination has seen them grow from selling strawberry jam at Adelaide's East End Markets back in the 70's to international distribution and an engaged online community of 27,000 social media followers today. For Marketing Manager Sally Paech, daughter of Grant who started the business 40 years ago, the business is almost another family member.  In today's episode of Be The Drop, Sally talks about the marketing magic of brand storytelling, shares practical examples of how to engage your staff, and recalls fond memories of how it all began...      To access the weekly podcast episodes as they are released: SUBSCRIBE to us in iTunes here. SUBSCRIBE to us in SoundCloud here. To access the weekly podca

Today I’m talking with Adelaide theatre aficionado, Ross Vosvotekas, a man of many talents. Card game inventor, app creator, and Director of production company Adapt Enterprises, he is an expert at multi-tasking. Ross is extremely passionate about local creative arts and supporting Adelaide's community of artists and performers. In today's episode of Be The Drop, Ross talks about living your passion, the power of stories to connect people, he reveals what makes live events so unique and we even touch on smashing watermelons on your head... This is Ross’ version of Be The Drop... To access the weekly podcast episodes as they are released: SUBSCRIBE to us in iTunes here. SUBSCRIBE to us in SoundCloud here. To access the weekly podcast video as they are released - SUBSCRIBE to us in YouTube here. PS: REMEMBER to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  CONTACT US at podcast@narrativemarketing.com.au

Amity Dry has been telling stories for as long as she can remember. Now recognised as a talented singer, actress, writer and composer, Amity believes that it is her ability to be honest and vulnerable in telling her stories, that has helped build her successful career.  It was an absolute pleasure to interview Amity at my recent Modern Storytelling event to raise money for Vinnies SA as part of my participation in the CEO Sleepout. I was really excited to investigate with Amity how we can use stories to create the sort of real human connection that can build into something that earns a living.  In today's episode of Be The Drop, Amity talks about the difference between fame and credibility in personal branding, we discuss how to resist falling prey to "imposter syndrome", and she reveals the importance of sharing stories that need to be told...   To access the weekly podcast episodes as they are released: SUBSCRIBE to us in iTunes here. SUBSCRIBE to us in SoundCloud here. To access the weekly podcast video a

The overnight temperature dropped to 5 degrees on Thursday 29th June. The air was cold and hung damp around me as I tried to find comfort lying on wet grass, a piece of cardboard underneath me, and one above me. I scrunched deeper into my sleeping bag seeking warmth but the overwhelming feeling was one of being wrapped in icy fingers of cold. For me, this was one night of cold and discomfort, for over 105,000 Australians, this is an experience that they face every night. Night after night.  Understanding the power of first hand experience, Vinnies created the CEO Sleepout. The event brings together influential business men and women to raise not only funds but also awareness of the challenges facing those affected by homelessness.  To help spread this message, for today's episode of Be The Drop, I interviewed a number of CEOs whilst participating in the event. We discuss what motivates them to give back, why it's important and we also look at what it means to be a part of something bigger than yourself...

Elizabeth Donaldson is the founder of Brick + Mortar, a creative retail and co-working space and cafe; where the focus is on creating a destination for local creatives to connect with the community and other businesses in the creative industries. Having recently turned 2 years old, Brick + Mortar's community was built by Elizabeth from nothing. A brand new concept in a brand new space, it was a huge leap of faith for early adopters. But it's now a vibrant, busy part of the Norwood community, delighting its audience with fresh, interesting and clever locally made products in a design-oriented environment. In today’s episode of Be The Drop, Elizabeth discusses the importance of good coffee, how commercially viable doesn't necessarily mean un-creative, and reveals the value of customer service to build brand loyalty...   To access the weekly podcast episodes as they are released: SUBSCRIBE to us in iTunes here. SUBSCRIBE to us in SoundCloud here. To access the weekly podcast video as they are released - SUBSCR

Culture and change management is something I find really fascinating; I've worked with businesses developing their vision and purpose, and seen the difference it makes to the bottom line when staff understand how they fit into the bigger picture of what that business is trying to achieve and why it exists. So I really enjoyed my chat with Culture and Leadership Consultant, Michelle Holland. Adding to her long list of talents, Michelle has just written a book called Energy Vampires Suck, which is a personal leadership journey, written using the metaphor of vampires and slayers.  In today’s episode of Be The Drop, Michelle discusses facing your demons, LinkedIn networking, and reveals how to boost your team's productivity...   Be The Drop is brought to you by Narrative Marketing, the marketing consultancy that exists to help you unlock your storytelling superpower. To access the weekly podcast episodes as they are released: SUBSCRIBE to us in iTunes here. SUBSCRIBE to us in SoundCloud here. To access the weekl

Using the slogan"the happiest place in the world" might seem ambitious and a very bold statement, but after our visit to Dogcity Daycare, a daycare centre for dogs in Adelaide, I think it is 100% appropriate. After our Be The Drop interview, we saw first hand a workplace that was brimming with happiness and a passion to deliver awesome service for customer of both the two legged and four legged variety.  Dogcity Daycare owners, Alex and Daniel bought the business three and a half years ago, when they were in their mid 20s. With minimal experience at running a business between them, they have turned their love of dogs into two thriving centres for well-adjusted pups of all shapes and sizes, with a third centre on the way!  In today’s episode of Be The Drop, Daniel and Alex talk about the importance of playtime at work, how to motivate and support your staff, and reveal another piece of the puzzle leading us closer to the key to modern storytelling... Be The Drop is created by Narrative Marketing.  To access th

Part of being human is our ability to hope, to cultivate positivity out of tragedy. Sonya Ryan knows this better than most. The Carly Ryan Foundation was set up by Sonya in the wake of her daughter Carly's cruel and untimely death, and exists to promote online safety and reduce the abuse of children nationally. Carly's story is the connector or bridge to Sonya's community, and the art of storytelling is therefore invaluable to her.  From launching their own personal safety app to developing Carly's Law, Sonya and her team embrace the digital world but advocate an educated and empowered approach to its use. An extraordinary woman, Sonya embodies the 110% commitment and focus required to "be the drop" and I was honoured she took time out of her jam-packed schedule to speak to me.   In today’s episode of Be The Drop, Sonya discusses dogged determination, talks about positive connection, and reveals the best way to approach online safety with your children... To access the weekly podcast episodes as they are rele

Stories can evoke powerful emotions, inspire change and motivate action. For those of you who are just joining us, Be The Drop is a weekly podcast that investigates the art of communication, specifically storytelling, in today's digital world. By interviewing a wide range of people who have built engaged communities, I investigate and share, the secrets to great communication.  Be The Drop is not just an outlet for all kinds of stories, but also a battle cry to "be the drop" that creates a waterfall. With courage, focus and commitment, each and every one of us can start something; but together, we can build something. Today’s episode is an update and "take stock" review, as over the past few weeks, I have had a number of “ah-ha” moments on my journey to uncover the common threads within communication that drives action. In today’s episode of Be The Drop, I consider what it really means to Be The Drop and reveal the all new 5 step process Be The Drop Manifesto to help you create a waterfall of your own... To a

In 2015 I had the privilege of seeing Vinh Giang speak at an event in Adelaide; to describe him as an "inspirational speaker" is an understatement. He refers to himself as "a small individual from a refugee family, born and bred here in South Australia in the northern suburbs." But he is also a magician, an entrepreneur, he runs a video production company and is now a highly sort after keynote speaker, in such high demand in the US that he is in the process of relocating to the US. I knew that Vinh was a must-interview for Be The Drop.  Timing, they say, is everything, and as Vinh dives deeply into his new role as a father, time-constraints prevented him from being able to join me in person for this interview. However, lucky for us we live in a world that allows us to connect face-to-face, even if our faces are slightly pixelated on a laptop screen! So that's exactly what we did; my first Be The Drop interview via Skype! Expertly spliced together for Be The Drop's YouTube by our Chief Videographer, Chris. Tec