Unthinkable with Jay Acunzo (Jay Acunzo)
Explorez tous les épisodes de Unthinkable with Jay Acunzo
| Date | Titre | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 2021 | My Weekly Constraint | One-Shot #12 | 00:13:08 | |
Every week Jay waits until the last minute to write his weekly newsletter, why? In this short episode, Jay unpacks why he puts a weekly constraint on himself and how that has served as a tactic to wrestle with, dance with, and address his persistent maker monster. SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter Every Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times. SPONSOR: THE JUICE Discover the world's best and brightest thinking and resources for sales and marketing pros on The Juice. They're like the Spotify of B2B, with content playlists and suggestions based on your job title and level. Avoid the endless lead-gen forms, skip all the system-gamers found via Google searches, and browse the most useful and transformative ideas affecting your work, for free. Learn more at https://thejuicehq.com The Modern Day Marketer's Guide to Turning Down the Volume and Turning Up the Quality: CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE: PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, and editor: Jay Acunzo - https://jayacunzo.com ABOUT THE SHOW: Unthinkable is a storytelling podcast about creative people who break from conventional thinking to make what matters most. We’re traveling the business world to learn how to create work that resonates — with powerful stories from makers, marketers, and leaders like the CEOs of Zoom and Patreon, execs from Adobe and Disney, and creators like writer Tim Urban, comedian Sarah Cooper, and photographer Chase Jarvis. From artisans to entrepreneurs, writers, designers, podcasters, video creators, and all the weird and wonderful nooks of the working world, we’re meeting inspiring people to learn what we can do to resonate more deeply with the work we create. Listeners have called the show “This American Life for my work” with stories “as captivating as some of the best, like Malcolm Gladwell and Dan Carlin.” Thanks for listening and supporting Unthinkable! | |||
| 13 Feb 2019 | Creative Cafe: Dan Mills, Creative Director at Wistia | 00:47:10 | |
Introducing a new miniseries running within Unthinkable: Creative Cafe, the kind of emotional, insider, and cathartic conversations creative people always have over drinks that microphones usually ruin when we try to record them. In this first episode of the series, we talk to one of the most creative honey badgers around, Dan Mills, creative director at Wistia. We cover things ranging from careers in music, how art and business collide (and why art is taking over), and why Wistia chose to reinvent itself as a company that makes far more than short, educational videos with the launch of One, Ten, One Hundred, a four-part docuseries. JOIN THE NEWSLETTER to get weekly inspiration and insights to help you challenge conventional thinking and create your best work: http://bit.ly/DamnTheBestPractices. Here's what to expect:
WORK WITH ME
ABOUT THE SHOW: Hosted by author and keynote speaker Jay Acunzo, Unthinkable is a sweet-sounding, story-style show exploring conventional thinking that forms in our work and sharing stories of the people who dare to question it. From big brands like Disney/ESPN and Slack to fast-risers like Death Wish Coffee and InVision to craft-driven makers and marketers in the arts, real estate, design/illustration, content marketing, public speaking, books, comedy, and a ton more, we travel to the far reaches of the business world to dig up stories you've never heard, revealing ideas you'd never considered. It's all focused on breaking from conventional thinking to think for ourselves in our work. It's Unthinkable.
ABOUT THE HOST: Jay Acunzo is an author, keynote speaker, and a critically acclaimed show host and executive producer. As a digital media strategist at Google, Jay was previously responsible for pushing marketing executives and practitioners into the digital age. He then held multiple leadership positions at high-growth tech startups, including HubSpot, and served as Vice President of Brand at the venture capital firm NextView. Jay’s work has been cited in courses at Harvard Business School and by writers at the New York Times, the Washington Post, FastCompany, Fortune, Forbes, and more. He’s been called a “creative savant” by Salesforce and was named to the city of Boston’s “50 on Fire” list. Today, Jay travels the world delivering keynotes and producing/hosting episodes of docuseries about creative work as the founder of Unthinkable Media. | |||
| 04 Feb 2019 | Resonance vs. Reach | Jack Conte, CEO of Patreon | Season 5 Premiere | 00:19:30 | |
A plea about creativity in the workplace, and a brief exploration of the evolution of the internet to learn why we should change how we communicate our value to others as creators. We're joined by Patreon's CEO, Jack Conte, as well as a collection of creative voices: Chase Jarvis (CEO of CreativeLive), Deb Aoki (Sr. Experience Designer, Adobe), Josh Bernoff (author, editor, and blogger at Without Bullshit), Juliana Casale (Head of Marketing, CrazyEgg), Angela Schneider (writer and photographer), Macaela Vandermost and Corey Fanjoy (both from Newfangled Studios). JOIN THE NEWSLETTER to get weekly inspiration and insights to help you challenge conventional thinking and create your best work: http://bit.ly/DamnTheBestPractices. Here's what to expect:
WORK WITH ME
ABOUT THE SHOW: Hosted by author and keynote speaker Jay Acunzo, Unthinkable is a sweet-sounding, story-style show exploring conventional thinking that forms in our work and sharing stories of the people who dare to question it. From big brands like Disney/ESPN and Slack to fast-risers like Death Wish Coffee and InVision to craft-driven makers and marketers in the arts, real estate, design/illustration, content marketing, public speaking, books, comedy, and a ton more, we travel to the far reaches of the business world to dig up stories you've never heard, revealing ideas you'd never considered. It's all focused on breaking from conventional thinking to think for ourselves in our work. It's Unthinkable.
ABOUT THE HOST: Jay Acunzo is an author, keynote speaker, and a critically acclaimed show host and executive producer. As a digital media strategist at Google, Jay was previously responsible for pushing marketing executives and practitioners into the digital age. He then held multiple leadership positions at high-growth tech startups, including HubSpot, and served as Vice President of Brand at the venture capital firm NextView. Jay’s work has been cited in courses at Harvard Business School and by writers at the New York Times, the Washington Post, FastCompany, Fortune, Forbes, and more. He’s been called a “creative savant” by Salesforce and was named to the city of Boston’s “50 on Fire” list. Today, Jay travels the world delivering keynotes and producing/hosting episodes of docuseries about creative work as the founder of Unthinkable Media. | |||
| 24 Oct 2016 | Slingshot: The Odyssey of Writing a Book [Creativity Series #21] | 00:09:37 | |
GET THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION from this episode -- subscribe at http://unthinkable.fm before October 30, 2016. TODAY: Jonathan Fields has written several books, hosts a top podcast, and speaks all over the world. By most measures, he's "made it." But his latest book, How to Live a Good Life, caused him to question everything he knew about writing. In this episode, he recounts the odyssey of writing the book and shares what he learned studying the most successful authors in business. He also geeks out about the most exciting part of reading great writing -- and the weird reaction we all seem to share when we encounter it. (Slingshots are short stories about a creative side project that led somewhere surprising or unexpected. They run every other week as part of Unthinkable.) LINKS TO KNOW: Jonathan's new book is available here: https://www.amazon.com/How-Live-Good-Life-Surprising/dp/1401948413 Jonathan's Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonathanfields Jonathan's podcast: http://www.goodlifeproject.com/radio/ Jay's Twitter (best way to chat and offer feedback): http://twitter.com/jayacunzo Jay's Snapchat (go behind-the-scenes making the show): http://snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo TOPICS DISCUSSED: Writing Books Reading Authors Novels Creativity Intuition Craft Side Projects Podcasts | |||
| 05 Feb 2020 | I Made It: Joanna Wiebe Takes Us Inside a Timeless Writing Project | 00:42:20 | |
Joanna Wiebe never meant to quit her job and start her business, Copyhackers. In fact, she quit Intuit by accident. Blame the boss, or the wine, or the way Outlook was configured. But don't blame fate. In fact, THANK fate, if you believe in such things, because without Joanna leaving her job all those years ago, thousands of aspiring writers would be worse-off ... and thousands of pages of great writing teaching writing may not exist. If you enjoy these stories, there are a few ways to go deeper: - Inquire about my keynote speaking for your next event or company meeting at jayacunzo.com - Subscribe to my blog to get a few short ideas on creativity, finding your voice, and questioning best practices: bit.ly/acunzosub - Support what I do by purchasing a copy of my book for you or a friend: bit.ly/break-the-wheel | |||
| 17 Apr 2017 | Names You Know, Stories You Don't: Robert Rose | 00:32:49 | |
We continue our every-other-week series profiling names you know sharing stories you don't. This week, we think the big thoughts and feel the big feels with Robert Rose. We talk music, on-stage interviews with celebrities, and making others FEEL SOMETHING by creating great experiences. About the series: In an era full of content marketing thought leaders, we want to get behind the tactics and tips and understand what makes the PERSON break free of conventional thinking and become an exception to the noise. PROUD TO PARTNER WITH CONTENT MARKETING WORLD This episode was created in partnership with Content Marketing World. This fall, I will be an opening keynote! Come see me and dozens of other speakers, plus mingle with 4,000 top content marketers. September 5-8 in Cleveland. Use code UNTHINKABLE to get $100 of your ticket price. Visit contentmarketingworld.com FEEDBACK ON THE SHOW? LET ME KNOW! http://snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo LINKS TO KNOW: Robert Rose on Twitter: https://twitter.com/robert_rose Robert's newsletter: http://contentadvisory.net/
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| 17 Mar 2016 | Unthinkable Mic Check | 00:00:23 | |
See you soon! Be sure to subscribe at Unthinkable.fm to get episodes as soon as they launch, plus other exclusive content, goodies, and behind-the-scenes. Twitter: | |||
| 02 Apr 2017 | Names You Know, Stories You Don't: Tamsen Webster | 00:25:07 | |
We continue our every-other-week series profiling names you know sharing stories you don't. This week, we get starry-eyed over big ideas with Tamsen Webster. Stories include Tamsen's love affair with speeches, space bags for her brain, and her latest big idea: the Red Thread. About the series: In an era full of content marketing thought leaders, we want to get behind the tactics and tips and understand what makes the PERSON break free of conventional thinking and become an exception to the noise. PROUD TO PARTNER WITH CONTENT MARKETING WORLD This episode was created in partnership with Content Marketing World. This fall, I will be an opening keynote! Come see me and dozens of other speakers, plus mingle with 4,000 top content marketers. September 5-8 in Cleveland. Use code UNTHINKABLE to get $100 of your ticket price. Visit contentmarketingworld.com FEEDBACK ON THE SHOW? LET ME KNOW!
LINKS TO KNOW: Tamsen Webster on Twitter: twitter.com/tamadear Tamsen's new idea: The Read Thread: tamsenwebster.com/what-is-the-red-thread/ | |||
| 26 Dec 2018 | Why LESSONLY Prioritizes Psychological Safety Above All Else ["Exceptions" Ep.7] | 00:38:44 | |
In Episode 7 of my docuseries with brand partner Drift, we go inside a rising star in B2B, Lessonly. The company's internal principles guide everything they do, and they articulate some very atypical but refreshing principles. Underpinning every principle and every action spawned from those principles is one core concept: Psychological Safety. Hear why it's so dangerous to overlook this idea, and the very real ways it's changed Lessonly's team for the better. Plus, why is the company's VP of Marketing Kyle Lacy spraypainting 700 toy llamas gold in his garage? MORE GOOD STUFF: My book, Break the Wheel, is about questioning best practices to think for yourself. If you want to make better decisions, faster, in your unique context, check it out on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Break-Wheel-Question-Practices-Intuition/dp/1544501056/ You can also get one new story each each week about thinking for yourself when surrounded by conventional thinking by subscribing to my newsletter at bit.ly/DamnTheBestPractices | |||
| 21 Nov 2018 | Gravy | 00:32:14 | |
In the third of three Thanksgiving Week specials, we hear the incredible story of two individuals who so in-touch with WHY they do their work that they make decisions others can't possibly stomach, and overcome challenges most of us have never faced. It's Unthinkable ;) (For more weekly stories, subscribe to my newsletter, Damn the Best Practices: bit.ly/damnpractices) | |||
| 20 Mar 2017 | Names You Know, Stories You Don't: Mitch Joel | 00:34:38 | |
We continue our every-other-week series profiling names you know sharing stories you don't. This week, a frank discussion with Mitch Joel. Stories include Mitch's first-ever keynote speech (and the celebrity that headlined the event); his obsessive and prolific writing habits; and why he believes there's one platform we'll all use in the future. That's right: ONE. About the series: In an era full of content marketing thought leaders, we want to get behind the tactics and tips and understand what makes the PERSON break free of conventional thinking and become an exception to the noise. PROUD TO PARTNER WITH CONTENT MARKETING WORLD This episode was created in partnership with Content Marketing World. This fall, I will be the opening keynote! Come see Jay, Mitch, and hundreds of other speakers, plus mingle with 4,000 top content marketers. September 5-8 in Cleveland. Use code UNTHINKABLE to get $100 of your ticket price. Visit http://contentmarketingworld.com FEEDBACK ON THE SHOW? LET ME KNOW! http://snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo
LINKS TO KNOW: Mitch Joel on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mitchjoel Mitch's Podcast: http://www.twistimage.com/podcast/
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| 31 Jul 2023 | Writer’s Block (Maker Monsters 4) | 00:35:33 | |
Writing matters... a lot. You don't need us to tell you that. But what happens when you feel like you can't write? Yes, on this episode we're talking about writers' block - what it feels like, how it shows up, and how we can tackle it once and for all. SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter Every Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times. DEVELOP MORE INSPIRING IDEAS & STORIES:
*** VOICES IN THIS EPISODE:
*** PAST MAKER MONSTER EPISODES: *** PRODUCTION CREDITS: - Creator, host, writer, editor: Jay Acunzo - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins
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| 28 Jan 2020 | BONUS: The Book Writing Process with Ryan Hawk | 01:14:50 | |
A bonus, behind-the-scenes episode originally aired on the popular podcast, The Learning Leader Show. --- Ryan's book, Welcome to Management, is now available on Amazon. You can find his podcast, The Learning Leader Show, on Apple and everywhere you podcast. --- If you enjoyed this episode, there are a few ways to go deeper with my work: - Inquire about my keynote speaking for your next event or company meeting at jayacunzo.com - Subscribe to my blog to get a few short ideas on creativity, finding your voice, and questioning best practices: bit.ly/acunzosub - Support what I do by purchasing a copy of my book for you or a friend: bit.ly/break-the-wheel | |||
| 06 May 2024 | Bonus - How Stories Happen #1 - Andrew Davis, Keynote Speaker | 00:50:10 | |
🟢 Dear Unthinkable listener: Thank you SO much for your support over the years! I invite you to find and follow the new show, How Stories Happen, in your preferred podcast player in just 2 taps right here:https://episodes.fm/1736586770 Every episode, an expert, entrepreneur, creator, or communicator dissects a single story or draft piece by piece. Hear how they found it, how they developed it, how it might improve, and how they're using it to build their business and leave their legacy. You'll walk away thinking more about the power of your words and less about the volume of your content. Find the show here: https://episodes.fm/1736586770 ABOUT THIS EPISODE:
🎨 Watch a video animation of Andrew’s signature story: https://jayacunzo.com/blog/how-stories-happen-episode-1-andrew-davis
⚫ Follow Andrew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewdavishere/ ⚫ Explore his speaking: https://www.akadrewdavis.com/ ⚫ Watch the Loyalty Loop: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeegDFQqmxjBUpr5FCHzlpsKVyeEmPuf3 🔵 Follow Jay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo/ 🔵 Subscribe to Jay’s newsletter: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter 🔵 Learn about Jay’s coaching and consulting: https://jayacunzo.com/ 🟢 Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: https://shareyourgenius.com/ 🟢 Cover art designed by Blake Ink: https://www.blakeink.com/ 🟢 Video animation by La Hacienda: https://www.lahacienda.media/ 🟢 Find and support our sponsors: https://jayacunzo.com/sponsors | |||
| 22 May 2017 | Our Journey Begins [How Intuition Works #1] | 00:32:18 | |
After a year, we finally land on the common thread that ties us all together as listeners. Then, we revisit one of our most popular stories and find out some new things we missed last time. And we begin our march forward, week by week, to solve the biggest problem facing our projects, companies, and careers today. MIKE'S SUPER BOWL AD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_3H_Y5QUWw SUBSCRIBE TO MONDAY'S EMAIL: unthinkable.fm FEEDBACK & FOLLOWS: jay@unthinkable.fm twitter.com/jayacunzo instagram.com/jacunzo VIDEO PREVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIvVtu4fed8&feature=youtu.be | |||
| 13 Jul 2022 | 10 Questions to Ask Creative People | One-Shot #16 | 00:23:11 | |
In this One-Shot, a list of better questions to ask others to learn from them (whether you want to hire them or publish their thinking) than the typical conventional wisdom provides us. Interviews are too important to drift through them, unhinging our brains in favor of the basic questions that yield basic answers. We need to dig deeper. We also talk about how to create an inviting, comfortable space for others to share more personally, as well as suggestions for unpacking responses to really assess what they're saying truthfully. Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: jayacunzo.com/unthinkable-podcast *** MORE FROM JAY: Playing Favorites newsletter: stories and frameworks for creating work that resonates. Coaching and consulting: Hire Jay to work with you 1:1 on the most important elements of your brand or projects. Or, hire Jay to develop and/or host a show for your brand: jayacunzo.com/shows *** SPONSOR: The Juice The Juice is like Spotify for B2B learning: a beautiful, curated collection of the best creators and resources serving sales and marketing pros today. Learn more and try it free at thejuicehq.com Connect with Katelyn Bourgoin on The Juice or on Twitter. *** CONNECT WITH JAY ELSEWHERE: Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com *** PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, editor, sound design: Jay Acunzo - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins | |||
| 25 Sep 2023 | Signature Stories: Jenny Blake | 00:44:31 | |
Up next in Signature Stories, we're joined by Jenny Blake, author, speaker and podcaster. She's written three books and hosts the wildly popular podcasts "Free Time" and "Pivot." Jenny sits down with Jay to share a story about a walk with her dog. Jay and Jenny unpack how we can pull out moments of meaning from a small interaction, and how to reshape a story for an audio-only medium versus video. Throughout this series, we'll learn from how inspiring creators and experts craft their most valuable, most original stories that build connection and resonate deeply. We're putting on display the hidden details, tiny choices, and emotional moments, as we seek to go beyond telling stories to instead BECOME storytellers. BECOME A STRONGER STORYTELLER: Subscribe to my free newsletter. Every other week, get a new story/framework to help you stand out easier and resonate deeper with your work: CRAFT A PODCAST YOU’RE PROUD TO CALL YOURS: Work with me one-on-one to develop or improve a show that stands out easier and resonates deeper. Using your creativity, NOT your budget, you’ll walk away with an irresistible premise and format – and the on-mic skills to tell stories and conduct interviews that grip and inspire them.
JOIN THE CREATOR KITCHEN MASTERMIND: Connect with Jay and peers who care deeply about the craft: The Creator Kitchen is a mastermind of content creators learning to ship higher-impact work. We help you see the possibilities, decide the best approach, and execute with clarity + confidence on your most important projects.
*** IN THIS EPISODE: Jenny Blake: author, podcast host of Free Time and Pivot with Jenny Blake, and international keynote speaker. "Reclining Liberty" Artist: http://www.zaqart.com *** PRODUCTION CREDITS: - Creator, host, writer, editor: Jay Acunzo - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins | |||
| 01 Sep 2017 | Sound Comes First [Season 3 Premiere] | 00:33:26 | |
If there was a Yelp listing for every industry niche, "Headphone Brand" would appear with the most possible dollar signs. Big brands use bigger celebrities and spend some of the biggest ad budgets around to promote their products and, really, the emotion they want you to feel when you buy their products. Artists like Kendrick Lamar and Nicki Minaj, athletes like LeBron James, and brands like Apple, Sony, Bose, and more, all slug it out to deliver the same message in increasingly expensive ways: "These headphones are the best." This is a flashy, fast-paced industry niche. So what in the heck do we make of Grado Labs? In 1918, a Sicilian immigrant purchased a small building on a nondescript block in Brooklyn. Over nearly a century, while the world around this building changed at breakneck speed, the world inside plodded along. It was one kind of business, and then, gradually, another. It was led by one generation of Grado, and then, gradually, another. They don't advertise, not one cent. They don't upgrade much, using the same old equipment in the same old building. And they even make their headphones by hand. So why are they such a success in the digital age? It's Unthinkable. Get behind-the-scenes photos and videos, host commentary, plus this week's "email antipasto" by subscribing to the newsletter: unthinkable.fm Follow Jay on Twitter or Instagram: twitter.com/jayacunzo // instagram.com/jacunzo Hire Jay to speak: jayacunzo.com -------------------- MUSIC CREDITS: Calmant - Calming by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100859 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ | |||
| 18 Dec 2023 | Twas the Night Before Launching (2023) | 00:04:36 | |
Have a wonderful holiday season and a beautiful start to your 2024! Back in the new year with more... UNTHINKABLE IS TAKING A BREAK -- BUT DON'T UNSUBSCRIBE We're back with more soon. In the meantime... BECOME A STRONGER STORYTELLER:
Keep making what matters! | |||
| 26 Feb 2020 | Best of Unthinkable: Grado Shouldn't Exist (It's Thriving) | 00:30:55 | |
This is the story of a company which, by today's typical business standards and best practices, shouldn't exist. They're the perfect example of why there is no ONE right way in this work we do. We visit them live and in-person and discover some rather surprising things. --- If you enjoy these stories, there are a few ways to go deeper: - Inquire about my keynote speaking for your next event or company meeting at jayacunzo.com - Subscribe to my blog to get a few short ideas on creativity, finding your voice, and questioning best practices: bit.ly/acunzosub - Support what I do by purchasing a copy of my book for you or a friend: bit.ly/break-the-wheel | |||
| 07 Feb 2024 | How to Find Great Stories | 00:16:15 | |
As Ira Glass said, "Great stories happen to those who can tell them." This idea says everything we need to know to develop stronger stories in our work, so we can stand out easier and resonate deeper. But we're asking the wrong questions and searching in the wrong places. Let's rethink some things together... For the full transcript of this episode, read the original article. *** SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER: 💌 Playing Favorites is the newsletter from Jay about resonance, storytelling, differentiation, and getting off the content hamster wheel to make things that matter more (because when your work matters more, you can hustle for attention less). *** WORK WITH JAY: ✅ If you're an expert/entrepreneur looking to develop and differentiate your personal brand, podcast, speaking, newsletter, or other pillar project, learn more about Jay's coaching. 👋 Or you can book Jay to speak to your organization or event. 📚 You can also explore Jay's books. *** ABOUT JAY ACUNZO: Jay consults clients on the importance of resonance in a world obsessed with reach. He’s helped more than 200 individuals and organizations differentiate by getting off the hamster wheel to produce more valuable, more original content. Jay has been called a “creativity savant” by the marketing team at Salesforce and was named one of the 50 most influential B2B marketers in the world by influencer marketing firm TopRank. His podcast Unthinkable has been called a "must-listen" by the editors at LinkedIn. An early advocate for creativity and quality in content marketing, Jay has held marketing and media roles at Google, HubSpot, a tiny startup, and a seed-stage VC firm, NextView. His work has been cited by thinkers at Harvard Business School and the Washington Post, and his clients range from brands like Drift, Wistia, and GoDaddy to influential voices like the author behind Google’s innovative employee training and the performance coach for Kobe Bryant. As a storyteller, Jay has written books about questioning best practices, hosted docuseries about values-based business, and given speeches in 25 states and 3 countries. A proud New England resident obsessed with the Knicks and homemade pizza, Jay’s grandest aspiration (though he’d admit delusion) is to be the Anthony Bourdain of business storytelling. 💛 Keep making what matters! | |||
| 13 Feb 2017 | Brilliance in Plain Sight [Intuition Series #3] | 00:10:58 | |
Content marketers put creativity up on a pedestal. But when you actually create for a living, you know something far simpler, and you see something hidden in plain sight: brilliance. SUBSCRIBE at http://unthinkable.fm
FEEDBACK ON THE SHOW?
LINKS TO KNOW: Joe Lazauskas: https://twitter.com/JoeLazauskas Cara Hogan: https://twitter.com/CaraHogan27 Chris Heivly: https://twitter.com/chrisheivly
TOPICS DISCUSSED: Content Marketing Creativity Journalism Craft Children Dogs Entrepreneurship Mapquest TechStars Startup Incubator Media | |||
| 28 Aug 2023 | Signature Stories: Melanie Deziel | 00:43:16 | |
Up first in this mini-series, Creator Kitchen co-founder and author Melanie Deziel sits down with Jay to share a story about her time as the first-ever editor of branded content at the New York Times. Jay and Mel dive into the messy reality of crafting resonant narratives -- and using them to serve an audience and build your business. Throughout this series, we'll learn from how inspiring creators and experts craft their most valuable, most original stories that build connection and resonate deeply. We're putting on display the hidden details, tiny choices, and emotional moments, as we seek to go beyond telling stories to instead BECOME storytellers. BECOME A STRONGER STORYTELLER: Subscribe to my free newsletter. Every other week, get a new story/framework to help you stand out easier and resonate deeper with your work: CRAFT A PODCAST YOU’RE PROUD TO CALL YOURS: Work with me one-on-one to develop or improve a show that stands out easier and resonates deeper. Using your creativity, NOT your budget, you’ll walk away with an irresistible premise and format – and the on-mic skills to tell stories and conduct interviews that grip and inspire them.
JOIN THE CREATOR KITCHEN MASTERMIND: Connect with Jay and peers who care deeply about the craft: The Creator Kitchen is a mastermind of content creators learning to ship higher-impact work. We help you see the possibilities, decide the best approach, and execute with clarity + confidence on your most important projects.
*** IN THIS EPISODE: Melanie Deziel: speaker, author, co-creator of the Creator Kitchen with Jay *** PRODUCTION CREDITS: - Creator, host, writer, editor: Jay Acunzo - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins | |||
| 11 Mar 2020 | Best of Unthinkable: Resonance over Reach, ft. Jack Conte, CEO of Patreon | 00:19:30 | |
Jack Conte, CEO of Patreon, has some firm beliefs about making stuff on the internet -- namely, that the economics simply don't reward great, quality, resonant, service-minded creators. Thus, the sensationalism and clickbait and algorithm-gamers win out. But that trend is changing, with Jack's company helping lead the charge. This episode goes deep inside some rather cathartic ideas for creators. Enjoy! --- If you like these stories, there are a few ways to go deeper: - Inquire about my keynote speaking for your next event or company meeting at jayacunzo.com - Subscribe to my blog to get a few short ideas on creativity, finding your voice, and questioning best practices: bit.ly/acunzosub - Support what I do by purchasing a copy of my book for you or a friend: bit.ly/break-the-wheel | |||
| 30 May 2016 | Slingshot: Scott Belsky & Behance [Creativity Series #11] | 00:06:42 | |
The story of how Scott Belsky created Behance, a global community of creatives focused on making ideas happen. (Slingshots are short stories about a creative side project that led somewhere surprising or unexpected. They run every other week as part of Unthinkable.)
LINKS TO KNOW: Scott's Twitter: twitter.com/scottbelsky
SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW: Get a note from Jay every Monday morning, plus links to the newest episode of Unthinkable. Subscribe at unthinkable.fm
GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES Follow Jay on Twitter: twitter.com/jayacunzo or Snapchat: Snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo
TOPICS DISCUSSED: Creativity Tech Startups Design Designers Portfolios Venture Capital Uber Warby Parker Creative Missions Product Design User Experience (UX) | |||
| 15 Sep 2021 | Maker Monsters | 00:32:04 | |
Maker monsters often creep in at the least opportune times, drag us backwards, convince us of defeat, fill us with self-doubt, so where do we go from here? And what does that mean for our creative, professional work? We hear from Smithsonian’s Sidedoor podcast host and producer Lizzie Peabody and poet and keynote speaker, Tucker Bryant, about how their maker monster, perfectionism, creeps into their creative work. We dive into how they conquer, co-exist, or accept defeat with their own internal monsters and explore how we can each carve out ways to find joy in our work and continue to make what matters. * * * KEEP LEARNING + SUPPORT THE SHOW Subscribe to my free newsletter: jayacunzo.com/newsletter Buy a book: jayacunzo.com/books Hire me to speak to your organization or event: jayacunzo.com/keynotes * * * FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE: Lizzie Peabody: https://twitter.com/LizziePeabody and https://www.lizziepeabody.com/ Lizzie's podcast, Sidedoor: https://twitter.com/SidedoorPod and https://www.si.edu/sidedoor Tucker Bryant: https://twitter.com/tucksbryant Tucker's speaking site: https://tuckerbryant.me/ * * * THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING! Keep making what matters. -Jay | |||
| 24 Feb 2021 | Break the Wheel (ft. Tim Urban, Wait But Why) | 00:44:42 | |
Tim Urban writes a blog about ... well ... lots of stuff. Understanding ourselves and our relationship to each other and the world, maybe? From making friends to exploring space, cultural and societal forces to neuroscience breakthroughs ... all packaged as brilliant, entertaining, and sarcastic essays. Tim Urban has written about it all. But like any exceptional project or career, Tim's is not one that reveals any singular secret to success. In fact, it just might be the millions of "secrets to success" that we're drowning in today which are holding us back in our own projects and careers. Best practices. Tips and tricks. Cheats and hacks. Gurus and get-rich-quick schemes. Trendy new tactics. Conventional wisdom. These are all just spokes on a wheel. But if we truly want to make what matters, perhaps we're better off escaping that wheel -- or dare I say, we should break the wheel? (This episode originally aired in 2018. I am re-airing this because it perfectly ties into our new journey to tell the stories of Idea Explorers -- people who made the shift from viewing themselves as experts to viewing themselves as explorers, and where that leads them in their creative work.) SUPPORT THE SHOW + HELP FUND FUTURE STORIES: 1. Monthly/annual membership group, Make What Matters: makewhatmattersgroup.com Tiny techniques, creativity concepts, business and buy-in support, and plenty of behind-the-scenes of Unthinkable and other projects. *** 2. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter, Playing Favorites: jayacunzo.com/newsletter One original story and idea for making your audience's favorite things, sent each Friday morning. *** THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING! Keep making what matters. -Jay | |||
| 10 Oct 2016 | Slingshot: Magic Markers [Creativity Series #19] | 00:07:58 | |
SUBSCRIBE at unthinkable.fm to get a quick note every Monday morning containing new episodes, exclusive bonus content, and new experiments to join.
TODAY: Deb Aoki is like many of us craft-driven creators. She aspires to do great work, but she's held more than a few jobs that treat her like a voiceless, last-in-line asset machine. They decide the strategy and lead the meetings. She inserts copy and creative where they see fit. Ugh. But Deb Aoki is no ordinary member of the team. She has a quiet superpower that gives her a massive voice in the room ... all without needing to say a single word. (Slingshots are short stories about a creative side project that led somewhere surprising or unexpected. They run every other week as part of Unthinkable.)
LINKS TO KNOW: Deb Aoki's site (comics, sketches, etc.) http://mangacomicsmanga.com/ Deb's Twitter: https://twitter.com/debaoki Jay's Twitter: twitter.com/jayacunzo Jay's Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo TOPICS DISCUSSED: Drawing Cartoons Comics eBay Meetings Executives Graphic Novels Graphic Recording Creativity Intuition Craft | |||
| 20 Nov 2018 | In on the Secret | 00:22:38 | |
In the second of three Thanksgiving Week special episodes, an old classic featuring a New York artist's odd but revealing experiment and the story of Frank Warren, creator of PostSecret. Why do we let judgment of our ideas affect our willingness to share them? How do we overcome that? Can we reach a place where we stop shoving others away when they criticize us, claiming they don't "get it"? (For weekly stories, subscribe to my newsletter, Damn the Best Practices: bit.ly/damnpractices) | |||
| 31 May 2019 | The Shift We Don't Discuss Enough | 00:37:54 | |
Revisiting an old favorite in light of some new events. There's a major shift happening in marketing that few are talking about. Instead, we talk about the industry's reactions to that shift. What if we looked the actual change in the eye? What great work might we create then? Subscribe to Marketing Showrunners, the media and education company dedicated to teaching marketers to create original series to build passionate audiences. Join marketers from Red Bull, LinkedIn, Adobe, Shopify, Salesforce, Wistia, Zendesk, and the BBC on the monthly newsletter: marketingshowrunners.com/subscribe For speaking inquiries for Jay, visit jayacunzo.com | |||
| 15 Jul 2021 | An Untapped Creative Superpower | One-Shot #4 | 00:08:57 | |
This week, another "One-Shot." These are my short-form, experimental episodes, where I read a short written piece for you, covering an observation I've made or story I've experienced firsthand. Whereas my main episodes share stories from the perspectives of others, these shorts are from my perspective alone. It's all part of the journey we're on to understand how to avoid stagnation, keep improving, and ultimately reach that next rep of the creative process consistently and better. In this one, we discuss an untapped creative superpower. It involves the story of a misshapen mug (to put it kindly) and my childhood home -- which I can no longer visit. GET MORE STORIES AND INSIGHTS TO ELEVATE YOUR CREATIVITY: Subscribe to my newsletter: Equal parts human story and pep talk, my weekly newsletter is focused on inspiring us to make what matters to our careers and communities. Subscribe for free and join creatives from brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, and the NY Times, as well as thousands of freelancers, creators, and entrepreneurs. Become a member: Get access to a community forum of ambitious creators who help each other level up, plus exclusive riffs, rants, and courses from me, a 1:1 call with me, and all paid projects I create included as part of your membership. Explore my books: Stories and frameworks for questioning best practices, honing your intuition, and doing your best work. * * * THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING! Keep making what matters. -Jay | |||
| 03 Apr 2019 | Creative Cafe: How to Make a Great Show | 00:39:50 | |
In the second episode of our miniseries featuring in-depth, behind-the-scenes conversations about makin' stuff, we share never-before published thoughts and ideas learned by making this show for three years. Subscribe to the Unthinkable Media newsletter to get one exclusive big idea each month for making great shows, plus a roundup of insights, resources, and show deconstructions: unthinkablemedia.com/subscribe | |||
| 01 Jul 2021 | Creative Elements | 00:59:13 | |
While I'm on vacation, I wanted to ensure I shared something special. Jay Clouse's show, Creative Elements, is among my favorite interview podcasts about creativity and building a career as a content entrepreneur and artist online today. Jay asks me about...
I hope you enjoy this bonus episode! If you do, consider listening to Creative Elements with Jay Clouse. Find your podcast player of choice at pod.link/elements You can also find Jay Clouse on Twitter @jayclouse.
SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER: Equal parts human story and pep talk, my weekly newsletter is focused on inspiring us to make what matters to our careers and communities. Subscribe for free and join creatives from brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, and the NY Times, as well as thousands of freelancers, creators, and entrepreneurs.
BECOME A MEMBER: Get access to a community forum of ambitious creators who help each other level up, plus exclusive riffs, rants, and courses from me, a 1:1 call with me, and all paid projects I create included as part of your membership.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MY BOOKS, SPEAKING, AND ORIGINAL SERIES: >>> jayacunzo.com
THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING! Keep making what matters. -Jay | |||
| 14 Aug 2023 | Tasty | One-Shot #25 | 00:17:47 | |
What is taste? And once we understand it, how do we use our own taste? In this one-shot, Jay dives into they days before dating apps to find something unexpected - Bryan Cranston showing us just want the power of having taste can do. *** KEEP MAKING WHAT MATTERS: 1. Learn more about Jay's 1:1 coaching and collaboration: https://jayacunzo.com/accountability-group-for-b2b-marketers-creators 2. Get a new story/framework from Jay every other week for making things that matter more to you and others: jayacunzo.com/newsletter 3. Join the Creator Kitchen, a membership program for professional communicators to achieve their creative potential. Go inside the making of Unthinkable and all Jay's projects, immerse yourself in the work of inspiring creators, get personalized feedback from Jay, and join live sessions to do better work, more consistently and confidently. creatorkitchen.com (Use code UNTHINKABLE for $100 off membership.) *** PRODUCTION CREDITS: - Creator, host, writer, editor, sound design: Jay Acunzo - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins | |||
| 26 Aug 2019 | The Man Bun [Revisited] | 00:30:58 | |
Scott looks every part a blacksmith. And while he might not work with any actual metal, he still forges his work with red hot fire. Today, we rerun a classic Unthinkable episode. Join marketing leaders at companies like Red Bull, Roku, Mailchimp, Adobe, Shopify, Salesforce, and the BBC who get my Marketing Showrunners newsletter: One email per month to help marketers make great original series, like podcasts, video shows, and documentaries, to build passionate audiences. Subscribe at marketingshowrunners.com/subscribe You can also book me to speak at your next event or company meeting: Visit jayacunzo.com/about-jay to learn more, or email speaking@unthinkablemedia.com | |||
| 29 Jan 2024 | The Difference Between Forgettable and Favorite | 00:54:58 | |
The story of a surprisingly dynamic and captivating idea from a (sometimes) bland and boring space -- and what we can learn about crafting more resonant work. What does it look like when an organization, project, or individual’s work resonates so deeply that they have passionate fans and loyal followers who declare them a favorite? This week we start in the sometimes bland, boring space of team training software and follow the story of a surprisingly dynamic, brilliant and captivating idea from 360Learning -- an original series called Onboarding Joei. This short docuseries follows Joei Chan, a new employee, as she navigates her first 3 months on the job. The docuseries has become a phenomenon for the brand, earning Joei Chan devout fans and 360Learning followers, viewers, and customers that feel connected to the show and compamy. Highly personal and transparent, the show proves that when a company does something risky, sometimes the reward is more than they’d ever expect. The most important theme through it all? The audience consistently reacting with a very emotional, very rare comment: "I feel seen." *** SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER: 💌 Playing Favorites is the newsletter from Jay about resonance, storytelling, differentiation, and getting off the content hamster wheel to make things that matter more (because when your work matters more, you can hustle for attention less). *** WORK WITH JAY: ✅ If you're an expert/entrepreneur looking to develop and differentiate your personal brand, podcast, speaking, newsletter, or other pillar project, learn more about Jay's coaching. 👋 Or you can book Jay to speak to your organization or event. 📚 You can also explore Jay's books. *** ABOUT JAY ACUNZO: Jay consults clients on the importance of resonance in a world obsessed with reach. He’s helped more than 200 individuals and organizations differentiate by getting off the hamster wheel to produce more valuable, more original content. Jay has been called a “creativity savant” by the marketing team at Salesforce and was named one of the 50 most influential B2B marketers in the world by influencer marketing firm TopRank. His podcast Unthinkable has been called a "must-listen" by the editors at LinkedIn. An early advocate for creativity and quality in content marketing, Jay has held marketing and media roles at Google, HubSpot, a tiny startup, and a seed-stage VC firm, NextView. His work has been cited by thinkers at Harvard Business School and the Washington Post, and his clients range from brands like Drift, Wistia, and GoDaddy to influential voices like the author behind Google’s innovative employee training and the performance coach for Kobe Bryant. As a storyteller, Jay has written books about questioning best practices, hosted docuseries about values-based business, and given speeches in 25 states and 3 countries. A proud New England resident obsessed with the Knicks and homemade pizza, Jay’s grandest aspiration (though he’d admit delusion) is to be the Anthony Bourdain of business storytelling. 💛 Keep making what matters! | |||
| 23 Apr 2017 | Insides [Intuition Series #10] | 00:21:03 | |
When we say the word content, MOST of us refer to the container -- a blog post, a video, a podcast. But the audience we aim to serve is after what's INSIDE our content -- the information, the education, the entertainment. So why the heck do brands and marketers spend so much less time focused on the stuff INSIDE the content they create? Stories today from Slack, the fastest-growing business app of all time, and their director of content, Julie Kim. Then, bestselling author Andrew Davis (Brandscaping, Town Inc) pulls from his time in TV production with the Jim Henson Company and Charles Kuralt to teach us how to think more strategically about the stuff we create and how we structure it. What happens when you spend way more time thinking about the stuff INSIDE our work? It's Unthinkable. >> Get the Unthinkable Monday morning email by subscribing at http://unthinkable.fm FEEDBACK // WORK WITH JAY:
LINKS TO KNOW: Slack's amazing blog: https://slackhq.com/ and podcast: https://slack.com/podcast Julie Kim on Twitter: https://twitter.com/onejuliekim Andrew Davis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drewdavishere Andrew Davis's website: http://www.akadrewdavis.com/
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| 05 Aug 2018 | What Makes GUSTO Exceptional? ["Exceptions" Ep.1] | 00:38:43 | |
Episode 1 of my new documentary series with brand partner Drift, where I go inside some of the world's best B2B companies to understand why and how they're proactively building their brands. "Brand" was a dirty word in many B2B companies for awhile, but these individuals are proving why it's arguably the most important strategy today for creating exceptional companies. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter, Damn the Best Practices, for one new story each week about questioning conventional thinking: bit.ly/damnpractices My first book, Break the Wheel, arrives this fall. First to know will be the newsletter. You can also say hi on Twitter @jayacunzo or Instagram @jacunzo | |||
| 24 Apr 2023 | You Are Wu-Tang | One-Shot #22 | 00:16:58 | |
In 2016, Pharrell Williams dropped by NYU's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music to speak to a class. There, he met a young Maggie Rogers and sampled her song "Alaska." His reaction, captured on camera, went viral. This is a relatively known moment on the internet. What's not known is just how the words Pharrell shared and the element he noticed from Maggie's work can be applied to the work we do. In this shorter, monologue episode, we take a closer look. *** KEEP MAKING WHAT MATTERS: 1. Get a new story/framework from Jay every other week for making things that matter more to you and others: jayacunzo.com/newsletter 2. Join the Creator Kitchen, a membership program for professional communicators to achieve their creative potential. Go inside the making of Unthinkable and all Jay's projects, immerse yourself in the work of inspiring creators, get personalized feedback from Jay, and join live sessions to do better work, more consistently and confidently. (Use code UNTHINKABLE for $100 off membership.) *** PRODUCTION CREDITS: - Creator, host, writer, editor, sound design: Jay Acunzo - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins | |||
| 10 Mar 2022 | New Rockstars vs. Conventional Wisdom | 00:57:57 | |
In this episode, we hear from the founder of the media company New Rockstars, Filup Molina, and their first head of operations, Holiday Kinard, about how a small team of creative people operating out of one tiny room established themselves as just part of the viewing experience alongside the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You can find New Rockstars on YouTube and become one of their nearly 4M subscribers at https://www.youtube.com/newrockstars SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay GET REGULAR IDEAS FOR CREATING MORE RESONANT WORK: Join thousands of marketers, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and creative people both independent and in-house at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter VOICES IN THIS EPISODE:
SPONSOR: Riverside Riverside is the easiest way to record podcasts and videos in studio quality, from anywhere. Record separate audio tracks to avoid the cut-outs, optional video to enhance the show’s experience, and even clip content for sharing elsewhere, all without leaving the platform. Riverside is powerful enough to be used by Marvel, the NY Times, TED, Freakonomics, Indie Hackers, GaryVee, and Guy Raz, but simple enough for thousands of indie creators and new podcasters to use it for their shows. Learn more and try it free at https://riverside.fm/ CONNECT WITH ME ELSEWHERE: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayacunzo and https://twitter.com/UnthinkableShow - Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacunzo - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo - Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, and editor: Jay Acunzo - https://jayacunzo.com - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins - https://www.ilananevins.com | |||
| 19 Jan 2022 | The Battle for the Soul of the Internet | 00:26:49 | |
Today, we hear the story of Patreon, as told by cofounder and CEO Jack Conte. More pressing for our purposes as makers, however, is the driving belief Jack shares which is the beating heart of the creator economy -- or should be. There's a coming fork in the road we'll face if we want to create for a living and thrive. The decision is embedded into the very name of the movement: creator economy. I think the pendulum has swung too far towards the economy part, and we need to remember what this is for: finding ways to fund the work and lives of the creative people who make our world -- and our experience of it -- better. SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter Every Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times. VOICES IN THIS EPISODE:
SPONSOR: Riverside Riverside is the easiest way to record podcasts and videos in studio quality, from anywhere. Record separate audio tracks to avoid the cut-outs, optional video to enhance the show’s experience, and even clip content for sharing elsewhere, all without leaving the platform. Riverside is powerful enough to be used by Marvel, the NY Times, TED, Freakonomics, Indie Hackers, GaryVee, and Guy Raz, but simple enough for thousands of indie creators and new podcasters to use it for their shows. Learn more and try it free at https://riverside.fm/ CONNECT WITH ME ELSEWHERE: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayacunzo and https://twitter.com/UnthinkableShow - Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacunzo - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo - Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, and editor: Jay Acunzo - https://jayacunzo.com - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins - https://www.ilananevins.com ABOUT THE SHOW: Unthinkable is a storytelling podcast about creative people who break from conventional thinking to make what matters most. We’re traveling the business world to learn how to create work that resonates — with powerful stories from makers, marketers, and leaders like the CEOs of Zoom and Patreon, execs from Adobe and Disney, and creators like writer Tim Urban, comedian Sarah Cooper, and photographer Chase Jarvis. From artisans to entrepreneurs, writers, designers, podcasters, video creators, and all the weird and wonderful nooks of the working world, we’re meeting inspiring people to learn what we can do to resonate more deeply with the work we create. Listeners have called the show “This American Life for my work” with stories “as captivating as some of the best, like Malcolm Gladwell and Dan Carlin.” Thanks for listening! | |||
| 22 Jan 2017 | That Gut Feeling [Intuition Series #1] | 00:20:56 | |
FEEDBACK ON THE SHOW?
TODAY'S STORY: The role of your gut instincts in creating exceptional work. With a story about music legend Sting from executive producer Andrew Davis, followed by the tale of Tim Jensen, a former U.S. Marine who doesn't believe people rise to the occasion as much as they do something else -- something he's mastered and we should, too, if we want to be exceptionally creative. SUBSCRIBE at http://unthinkable.fm LINKS TO KNOW: Andrew Davis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drewdavishere Tim Jensen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/target_tim Grunt Style: https://www.gruntstyle.com/
TOPICS DISCUSSED: Music The Beatles Tango Army & Military Service Graphic Design Intuition Craft Content Marketing Business Growth | |||
| 24 Jul 2017 | Your Unfair Advantage [How Intuition Works #7] | 00:21:18 | |
What if intuition was actually the same as the kind of thinking we value in the business world, but it reaches full potential quicker? Wouldn't that be an insanely valuable skill? If you could instantly skip ahead of your peers by seven, 17, or 77 steps or pull from seven, or 17, or 77 sources of ideas ... wouldn't you want to figure out how that stuff works?! Wouldn't you cultivate it? Practice it? Get to the point where you could actually RELY on it? Intuition. Your unfair advantage. It's Unthinkable. SUBSCRIBE TO MONDAY'S EMAIL: unthinkable.fm FEEDBACK & FOLLOWS: | |||
| 28 Nov 2016 | Best Practices [Creativity Series #26] | 00:24:20 | |
Join our Unthinkable journey -- each week, a new hypothesis for what it takes to trust your intuition and suceed. Subscribe at unthinkable.fm or text TRUST to 444999.
TODAY: If you want to break from convention and follow your intuition, where does that leave all those best practices out there? It's so easy to follow a list or do what someone else says works. But what if best practices aren't even the best? Go outside the echo chamber with the story of a football coach bucking the trend and finding success -- and hear why his peers STILL think he's crazy, despite mountains of data from Harvard PhDs saying otherwise. Then, hear the story of Mike Brown and Death Wish Coffee -- and hear about the cardinal sin he committed early on that actually wound up HELPING his brand grow. LINKS TO KNOW: Andrew Littlefield: http://twitter.com/fsuandrew Mike Brown: https://twitter.com/mikebrowndwc Death Wish Coffee: https://www.deathwishcoffee.com/ Say hi to Jay on Twitter: twitter.com/jayacunzo Or go behind-the-scenes with making the show on Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo
TOPICS DISCUSSED:
College Football Best Practices Marketing Coffee Super Bowl TV Advertising Ecommerce Craft Creativity Intuition | |||
| 28 Jun 2018 | Voices [Re-aired] | 00:25:17 | |
As I work on Season 4 of Unthinkable, I wanted to share with you one of the most popular episodes from the backlogs: Voices. The incredible story of Lisa Schneider and her warm, witty, and wonderful team working for ... the dictionary. What they did seemed unthinkable, until you hear their side of the story. Hope you enjoy! In the meantime, be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter, sharing one new story every Monday for being better than best practices. That's at http://bit.ly/DamnTheBestPractices | |||
| 26 Mar 2017 | Just Ship It [Intuition Series #8] | 00:16:58 | |
We hear the phrase a lot, from friends, bosses, clients, peers: JUST SHIP IT! Just ship your work already. But should you? COULD you? Is this idea friend ... or foe? Today we go exploring the topic of shippin' it, and shippin' it good. Stories about Chris Piascik, an illustrator who has published a new drawing every single weekday since 2007, and Andrea Fryrear, a newly-minted author who wrote her book in 6 months and got her start writing 5 articles every week for work. We care about craft. And results. We want to make it GREAT. But also done. Let's make sense of this hairy idea today. It's Unthinkable. >> Get the Unthinkable Monday AM email by subscribing http://unthinkable.fm FEEDBACK // WORK WITH JAY: http://snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo
LINKS TO KNOW: Chris's portfolio: http://chrispiascik.com Chris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrispiascik Andrea's site: http://theagilemarketer.net/ Andrea on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndreaFryrear Andrea's book: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Marketer-Marketings-Troubled-Approach/dp/0998721107/
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| 09 Mar 2021 | Sarah Cooper Time Machine | 00:23:10 | |
Standup comedian and comedy writer Sarah Cooper's rise to mainstream fame feels inevitable. Looking at her 2020, she was one of the biggest stories in entertainment and the creator economy more broadly. It started when her nephew turned her onto TikTok, and it's there where she went viral. She filmed herself in her apartment doing lip-sync videos of Donald Trump speeches and media appearances. Her popularity doing these didn't stop at TikTok, either. The surge in fame spilled across social media, attracting the attention and praise of fellow comedians like Mike Birbiglia and Jerry Seinfeld, and landing her profiles and guests spots everywhere from the New York Times, Vogue, and Vanity Fair to CBS Sunday Morning, the Tonight Show, and a guest hosting gig for Jimmy Kimmel. She was even offered a Netflix special doing sketch comedy, a project called "Everything Is Fine." The struggling standup suddenly found herself shooting her OWN show, featuring an all-star list of cameos, like Aubrey Plaza, Marisa Tomei, Winona Ryder, Ben Stiller, Jon Hamm, Jane Lynch, Megan The Stallion, Maya Rudolph, and Helen Mirren! And just a few days prior to me recording this, it was announced that CBS purchased a pilot from Sarah Cooper based on her book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings. (Editor's note: In my intro, I said this episode originally aired in 2016, but it was actually 2019. Either way, it was The Before Times, so it's all the same, isn't it?) SUPPORT THE SHOW + HELP FUND FUTURE STORIES: 1. Monthly/annual membership group, Make What Matters: makewhatmattersgroup.com Tiny techniques, creativity concepts, business and buy-in support, and plenty of behind-the-scenes of Unthinkable and other projects. *** 2. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter, Playing Favorites: jayacunzo.com/newsletter One original story and idea for making your audience's favorite things, sent each Friday morning. *** THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING! Keep making what matters. -Jay | |||
| 18 Mar 2019 | A Small Fiction | 00:41:40 | |
Inside the internet's smallest creative project (which is having a massive impact on its audience) through the eyes of its creator. Together, we uncover the two component parts to creative work that we can use to constantly exceed expectations over time. Buy a copy of James Miller's book and share your receipt with Jay Acunzo for a copy of HIS book, Break the Wheel, signed, with stickers, for free.. Find James's book, A Small Fiction, here: https://www.amazon.com/Small-Fiction-James-Miller/dp/1783526874/ GET WEEKLY STORIES & INSIGHTS ON THE NEWSLETTER: http://bit.ly/DamnTheBestPractices. WORK WITH JAY ACUNZO Keynote Speaking: jay@unthinkablemedia.com or jayacunzo.com Hosting/producing podcasts and video shows for brand clients: unthinkablemedia.com Buy a copy of Jay's book, Break the Wheel: Question Best Practices, Hone Your Intuition, and Do Your Best Work: http://bit.ly/BTWbook | |||
| 21 Nov 2016 | Slingshot: Beer2B [Creativity Series #25] | 00:07:40 | |
Juliana Casale's story is not unlike most of ours, because Juliana Casale is not unlike us -- trying hard to use her creative craft to elevate her career. But unlike many of us, Juliana recognizes something about her side project that has launched her career in B2B marketing forward. In this episode, she shares the story of how it all started in the most unlikely of places. (Slingshots are short stories about a creative side project that led somewhere surprising or unexpected. They run every other week as part of Unthinkable.) Join the journey to figure out what it takes to trust your intutiion: http://unthinkable.fm
LINKS TO KNOW: Juliana on Twitter: http://twitter.com/attackofthetext Jay's Twitter (best way to chat and offer feedback): http://twitter.com/jayacunzo Jay's Snapchat (go behind-the-scenes making the show): http://snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo
TOPICS DISCUSSED: B2B Marketing American Craft Beer Label Design Side Projects Creativity Careers Intuition | |||
| 15 May 2017 | Names You Know, Stories You Don't: Amy Schmittauer | 00:31:17 | |
Our our every-other-week series profiling names you know sharing stories you don't concludes with Amy Schmittauer. In this brutally honest and hilarious discussion, Amy talks about her parody of the Wizard of Oz, why she loves editing more than being on camera, and how she grapples with her early speaking careers. About the series: In an era full of content marketing thought leaders, we want to get behind the tactics and tips and understand what makes the PERSON break free of conventional thinking and become an exception to the noise. How are well-known speakers trusting their own intuition? PROUD TO PARTNER WITH CONTENT MARKETING WORLD This episode was created in partnership with Content Marketing World. This fall, I will be an opening keynote! Come see me and dozens of other speakers, plus mingle with 4,000 top content marketers. September 5-8 in Cleveland. Use code UNTHINKABLE to get $100 of your ticket price. Visit contentmarketingworld.com FEEDBACK ON THE SHOW? LET ME KNOW! jay@unthinkable.fm twitter.com/jayacunzo instagram.com/jacunzo LINKS TO KNOW: Amy Schmittauer on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Schmittastic Amy's YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/savvysexysocial | |||
| 05 Oct 2022 | Expect the Unexpected | 00:42:40 | |
In this story, we hear from Chris Lavigne, the head of production at video software company, Wistia. His story helps reveal what it really means to build a big, meaningful body of work -- no matter where you work -- and how, maybe, the worst thing you can do is focus on the expectations of others. Instead, what if your entire aim was something else? Paradoxically, focusing there might THEN help you exceed others' expectations with your work. Plus, we go inside the projects that Chris says keep coming back to him, even years after he created them. He dissects the process and arrives at some inspiring philosophies about creativity too -- one which can help us all create higher-caliber work. REFER A FRIEND: Love the show? Help others find us in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: jayacunzo.com/unthinkable-podcast *** INSIDE THIS EPISODE:
MORE FROM JAY: Playing Favorites newsletter: stories and frameworks for creating work that resonates. Coaching and consulting: Hire Jay to work with you 1:1 on the most important elements of your brand or projects. Or, hire Jay to develop and/or host a show for your brand: jayacunzo.com/shows *** CONNECT WITH JAY ELSEWHERE: Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com *** PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, editor, sound design: Jay Acunzo - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins | |||
| 08 Dec 2021 | Maker Monsters 3 | 00:44:11 | |
No matter how new or experienced we are at the craft, inevitably, we face maker monsters -- these internal barriers that hold us down and prevent us from doing our best work. These aren't external factors like budget, time, team, or tools. Instead, they sound like imposter syndrome or fear of rejection or procrastination. Today, we explore the fear of being unoriginal. In the working world, that might sound like "differentiation." Regardless of how it shows up, all we can do is learn to confront it. SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter Every Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times. VOICES IN THIS EPISODE: Qudsiya Naqui (lawyer, activist, board member, and podcast host of Down to the Struts) - https://twitter.com/QudsiyaNaqui // https://www.downtothestruts.com/about Joe Pulizzi (founder/CEO of The Tilt, founder of the Content Marketing Institute, author of 7 books, and host of 2 podcasts) - https://twitter.com/JoePulizzi // https://www.joepulizzi.com // https://www.thetilt.com Marie Poulin (founder of Notion Mastery and Okie Dokie) - https://twitter.com/mariepoulin // https://mariepoulin.com // https://notionmastery.com/ SPONSOR: THE JUICE Discover the world's best and brightest thinking and resources for sales and marketing pros on The Juice. They're like the Spotify of B2B, with content playlists and suggestions based on your job title and level. Avoid the endless lead-gen forms, skip all the system-gamers found via Google searches, and browse the most useful and transformative ideas affecting your work, for free. Learn more at https://thejuicehq.com CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayacunzo and https://twitter.com/UnthinkableShow - Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacunzo - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo - Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, and editor: Jay Acunzo - https://jayacunzo.com - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins - https://www.ilananevins.com ABOUT THE SHOW: Unthinkable is a storytelling podcast about creative people who break from conventional thinking to make what matters most. We’re traveling the business world to learn how to create work that resonates — with powerful stories from makers, marketers, and leaders like the CEOs of Zoom and Patreon, execs from Adobe and Disney, and creators like writer Tim Urban, comedian Sarah Cooper, and photographer Chase Jarvis. From artisans to entrepreneurs, writers, designers, podcasters, video creators, and all the weird and wonderful nooks of the working world, we’re meeting inspiring people to learn what we can do to resonate more deeply with the work we create. Listeners have called the show “This American Life for my work” with stories “as captivating as some of the best, like Malcolm Gladwell and Dan Carlin.” Thanks for listening and supporting Unthinkable! | |||
| 19 Oct 2022 | How to Write and Speak with Greater Impact | One-Shot #19 | 00:17:36 | |
In this shorter, monologue episode, we learn from storytellers like Kazuo Ishiguro and Ira Glass just what it takes to speak and write in ways that instill the urge to act in others. Why would anyone pick you or stick with you? Why would they refer you to their peers or friends? What makes something truly resonate beyond simply holding your attention? After all, our jobs as communicators and storytellers isn't to "get in front of" them. It's to ensure they care. In this episode, you'll learn a simple but powerful technique to speak and write with greater impact. For a full written version of this episode, read the original story. REFER A FRIEND Love the show? Help others find us in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: jayacunzo.com/unthinkable-podcast *** MORE FROM JAY: Playing Favorites newsletter: stories and frameworks for creating work that resonates. Coaching and consulting: Hire Jay to work with you 1:1 on the most important elements of your brand or projects. Or, hire Jay to develop and/or host a show for your brand: jayacunzo.com/shows *** CONNECT WITH JAY ELSEWHERE: Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com *** PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, editor, sound design: Jay Acunzo - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins | |||
| 10 Apr 2017 | Voices [Intuition Series #9] | 00:25:02 | |
We live in the era of experts. If we don't have an idea or answer, we can find and follow everyone else's. This creates copycat, forgettable work. Luckily, the most powerful way to differentiate from all of that is obvious and free. The only question is whether we have the courage to deploy it. Stories about Lisa Schneider, Chief Digital Officer at Merriam-Webster, and their award-winning, President-trolling, brilliant and witty Twitter account. Their success started with an aspiration and ended in a very personal place. Meanwhile, Producer Andrew Littlefield also goes exploring New York and meets a jazz trombonist who gives us something we can use in our quest to trust our intuition. What happens when you combine intent with hunger? It's Unthinkable. >> Get the Unthinkable Monday AM email by subscribing http://unthinkable.fm FEEDBACK // WORK WITH JAY: http://snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo
LINKS TO KNOW: Lisa on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisaschneider64 Merriam-Webster on Twitter: https://twitter.com/merriamwebster Merriam-Webster's Washington Post piece: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/12/19/were-descriptivists-not-jerks-an-interview-with-twitters-edgiest-dictionary/ Andrew Littlefield on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FSUAndrew Mariel Bildsten's music: http://marielbildsten.com/ Special thanks to Tom Webster, who voices the dictionary: https://twitter.com/webby2001
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| 15 Jan 2017 | The Thoughtless Thought Leader [Creativity Series #30] | 00:09:11 | |
Tyler Littwin took a deep breath, walked up on stage in front of his entire company, and let them have it. And they...loved every minute of it. Today in this short story about a side project, we hear the tale of Orlando Scampington. Join the community for content-obsessed content marketers: http://unthinkable.fm
LINKS TO KNOW: Orlando on Twitter: http://twitter.com/oscampington Tyler on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tblittwin Watch Orlando's conference keynote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVMHN_iApIo Watch Orlando's company pet policy video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1ZIL8gOmhQ Feedback on the show? Say hi to jay via email (jay@unthinkable.fm), Twitter (http://twitter.com/jayacunzo) or Snapchat (http://snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo)
TOPICS DISCUSSED: Writing Thought Leadership Marketing Startups Mobile Apps Keynote Speeches Public Speaking HubSpot Inbound Marketing Parody Comedy Craft Creativity Content Marketing Company Culture | |||
| 17 Sep 2019 | How to Reinvent Live Music | 00:36:13 | |
A story from Unthinkable producer and Marketing Showrunners staff writer, Tallie Gabriel, about a startup that's gone global with its attempts at reinventing live music, and how they manage to use small changes to create consistent innovation across dozens of cities and hundreds of venues. (Oh, and their venues? Yeah, they aren't technically venues...) Follow @talligator_ and @jayacunzo For speaking inquiries for Jay Acunzo, visit jayacunzo.com Music in this episode partly provided by New York's legendary folk band, Cardboard Rocketship. Listen to them on Spotify. Learn more about the craft of creating shows like this one for your brand. Visit MarketingShowrunners.com | |||
| 26 Jan 2022 | The Concept: Telic | 00:50:32 | |
In the first installment of The Concept, we learn about telic and its opposite, paratelic. These ideas inform our own internal motivations -- or that of our teams -- and they can radically change the results we see from our work. SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter Every Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times. SPONSOR: Riverside Riverside is the easiest way to record podcasts and videos in studio quality, from anywhere. Record separate audio tracks to avoid the cut-outs, optional video to enhance the show’s experience, and even clip content for sharing elsewhere, all without leaving the platform. Riverside is powerful enough to be used by Marvel, the NY Times, TED, Freakonomics, Indie Hackers, GaryVee, and Guy Raz, but simple enough for thousands of indie creators and new podcasters to use it for their shows. Learn more and try it free at https://riverside.fm/ CONNECT WITH ME ELSEWHERE: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayacunzo and https://twitter.com/UnthinkableShow - Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacunzo - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo - Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, and editor: Jay Acunzo - https://jayacunzo.com - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins - https://www.ilananevins.com RESEARCH LINKS:
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| 11 Sep 2019 | Something Smelly This Way Comes [Revisited] | 00:36:48 | |
When a past story Unthinkable listeners absolutely loved resurfaces in a rather facepalmy way, it's time to listen back to this ridiculous story. For speaking inquiries to have Jay at your next event or company meeting, visit jayacunzo.com or explore his book, Break the Wheel, at jayacunzo.com/book. You can join marketing leaders from brands like Red Bull, Roku, Adobe, Salesforce, Shopify, Zendesk, Wistia, the BBC, Drift, HubSpot, Mailchimp, and more who subscribe to Marketing Showrunners, Jay's organization providing insights and ideas for marketers who make shows. Visit marketingshowrunners.com/blog to read and subscribe free. | |||
| 11 May 2022 | MINI-Series: Illustration with Haley Weaver (Haley Drew This) | 00:27:10 | |
Resonating deeply doesn't require us to do anything big or expensive. The MINI-Series explores four types of created work that don't take up much space -- but still carry tons of meaning to those who encounter it. Last episode was about copywriting. This episode: illustration, featuring Haley Weaver of the wildly popular instagram account, Haley Drew This. Together, we unpack some of her seemingly simple but deeply emotional webcomics -- many of which uplift those suffering with their mental well-being. Haley creates honest, beautiful, yet simple depictions of her own vulnerabilities and her experience of anxiety, relationships with friends, understanding of love, and more. SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay
SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter Every other Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times.
VOICES IN THIS EPISODE: Haley Weaver is the acclaimed illustrator and writer behind Haley Drew This and the popular instagram account @haleydrewthis featuring her webcomics centered around anxiety + mental health, relationships, and selfhood. Her forthcoming book is Give Me Space But Don't Go Far.
SPONSOR: The Juice The Juice is like Spotify for B2B learning: a beautiful, curated collection of the best creators and resources serving sales and marketing pros today. Get suggestions based on your job title, search top resources, or create and share playlists of useful ideas and content. Learn more and try it free at https://www.thejuicehq.com/ Connect with Hiba Amin on The Juice here: https://app.thejuicehq.com/creators/hiba-amin Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/h5amin
CONNECT WITH ME ELSEWHERE: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayacunzo and https://twitter.com/UnthinkableShow - Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacunzo - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo - Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com
PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, and editor: Jay Acunzo - https://jayacunzo.com - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins - https://www.ilananevins.com | |||
| 25 Aug 2022 | An Ode to the Asterisk | One-Shot #17 | 00:15:33 | |
One-Shots are complementary episodes to our longer-form narratives, which all seek to explore ideas like resonance, storytelling, and creativity in our work. As we continue our exploration, we have to stop to appreciate the tiniest mechanic that enables us to tell stories with the biggest impact. The more we master open loops, the more gripping our communication becomes -- and the more we inspire action in others. Isn't that our jobs? REFER A FRIEND Love the show? Help others find us in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: jayacunzo.com/unthinkable-podcast *** MORE FROM JAY: Playing Favorites newsletter: stories and frameworks for creating work that resonates. Coaching and consulting: Hire Jay to work with you 1:1 on the most important elements of your brand or projects. Or, hire Jay to develop and/or host a show for your brand: jayacunzo.com/shows *** SPONSOR: The Juice The Juice is like Spotify for B2B learning: a beautiful, curated collection of the best creators and resources serving sales and marketing pros today. Learn more and try it free at thejuicehq.com Connect with Meisha Bochicchio on The Juice or on Twitter. *** CONNECT WITH JAY ELSEWHERE: Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com *** PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, editor, sound design: Jay Acunzo - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins | |||
| 28 Mar 2016 | Side Projects [Creativity Series #2] | 00:39:51 | |
Creative side projects are powerful ways to slingshot our careers forward as content marketers, writers, designers, podcasters, videographers, and any kind of creative. In this episode, we hear the story of Neil Pasricha, creator of 1000AwesomeThings.com, a TED speaker, and author of multiple New York Times bestselling books, including The Book of Awesome.
LINKS TO KNOW: Neil's Twitter: twitter.com/1000awesome Neil's TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/neil_pasricha_the_3_a_s_of_awesome?language=en Neil's new book: http://goo.gl/sKAxzL Subscribe at unthinkable.fm for all episodes plus other goodies and behind-the-scenes content.
SUBSCRIBE: Jay's Twitter: twitter.com/jayacunzo Show Behind-the-Scenes: Snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo SUPPORT FOR THIS EPISODE: RightSideShirts.org - empowering kids to be more creative and helping art programs in need. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Creativity Blogging Career Growth Content Marketing Risk-Taking Daily Routines Books Writing TED Talks Space Exploration Awesome Things The Book of Awesome The Happiness Equation | |||
| 09 Aug 2022 | Working Bravely | 00:50:19 | |
In this episode of Unthinkable, the story of two marketers and community leaders, Andrew and Pete, of the brand ... Andrew and Pete! They were heading down that now-familiar creator path of digital fame and fortune -- the speaking, the books, the followers -- when they decided to leave that behind. Instead, they've been helping OTHERS conquer fears and make leaps in their small businesses. So often, what we need to see greater results in our business isn't an improvement in productivity. It's not about just working harder, or even working smarter. Instead, often, it's about conquering fear. SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: jayacunzo.com/unthinkable-podcast *** IN THIS EPISODE: Andrew and Pete of ATOMIC: atomic.site // twitter.com/AndrewAndPete *** MORE FROM JAY: Playing Favorites newsletter: stories and frameworks for creating work that resonates. Coaching and consulting: Hire Jay to work with you 1:1 on the most important elements of your brand or projects. Or, hire Jay to develop and/or host a show for your brand: jayacunzo.com/shows *** SPONSOR: The Juice The Juice is like Spotify for B2B learning: a beautiful, curated collection of the best creators and resources serving sales and marketing pros today. Learn more and try it free at thejuicehq.com Connect with Masooma Memon on The Juice or on Twitter. *** CONNECT WITH JAY ELSEWHERE: Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com *** PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, editor, sound design: Jay Acunzo - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins | |||
| 12 Nov 2019 | 5 Small Ideas with Big Impact | 00:16:38 | |
Today, a reinvented type of episode sharing 5 quick concepts that can help transform your work (or, yanno ... do a little good here and there at least?) -- -- -- HELPFUL LINKS: Book Jay to speak: jayacunzo.com Read Marketing Showrunners, the media company Jay founded to help cover and advance the practice of brands making original series: READ or SUBSCRIBE FREE | |||
| 16 Mar 2022 | Foster the Signal | 00:56:32 | |
A story about a writer and entrepreneur with an audacious mission driving the organization he helps lead. Together, cofounder Stew Fortier and his community-led business Foster is helping writers who care about turning their ideas into timeless writing, not viral hits that quickly fade. They're here to fight back against the hollow noise, to develop important ideas from unique voices, crafted into writing that’s meant to resonate deeper, even as the internet trends shallow. But to do that kind of work, to bet on quality and resonance and originality, is to fly in the face of a certain kind of online creative culture. That culture and those who embody it might be the antithesis of what we stand for, running counter to our values. But it's impossible to ignore the temptation of audience reach and fame, especially when doing meaningful work can feel so hard, so much of the time. How do we reconcile reach and resonance? How do we build a creative business according to our values? Is it even possible to focus on serving the audience more deeply when so many people we see on social media seem to focus on the things we dislike -- and succeed? We have lots of big questions this episode! SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay FORTNIGHTLY NEWSLETTER: GET REGULAR IDEAS FOR CREATING RESONANT Join thousands of marketers, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and creative people both independent and in-house at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, a16z, and the New York Times: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter FROM THIS EPISODE:
SPONSOR: Riverside Riverside is the easiest way to record podcasts and videos in studio quality, from anywhere. Record separate audio tracks to avoid the cut-outs, optional video to enhance the show’s experience, and even clip content for sharing elsewhere, all without leaving the platform. Riverside is powerful enough to be used by Marvel, the NY Times, TED, Freakonomics, Indie Hackers, GaryVee, and Guy Raz, but simple enough for thousands of indie creators and new podcasters to use it for their shows. Learn more and try it free at https://riverside.fm/ CONNECT WITH ME ELSEWHERE: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayacunzo and https://twitter.com/UnthinkableShow - Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacunzo - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo - Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, and editor: Jay Acunzo - https://jayacunzo.com - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins - https://www.ilananevins.com | |||
| 09 May 2016 | 2% Better [Creativity Series #8] | 00:44:21 | |
People driven by their creative craft often spend hours agonizing and obsessing over the details of a project. Why? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? How do we know when to actually ship the work? And what does it take in order to operate with that level of detail in a business world often based on seeking shortcuts and cutting corners?
Today, we go outside the echo chamber for the story of Niko at Granny's Pie Factory to find out why creative people operate with this extreme care for the details, then we hear about Macaela, Cory, and the team at Newfangled about how and why a creator can be both obsessively connected to a project AND ready to ship it.
LINKS TO KNOW: Granny's Pie Factory: grannyspiefactory.com Newfangled: newfangledstudios.com
SUBSCRIBE: Join the list at unthinkable.fm for all episodes plus other goodies and behind-the-scenes content. Jay's Twitter: twitter.com/jayacunzo Behind-the-Scenes making Unthinkable: Snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo
SUPPORT FOR THIS EPISODE: RightSideShirts.org - empowering kids to be more creative and helping art programs in need.
TOPICS DISCUSSED: Creativity Pies Craft Family Business Small Business Cooking Sauce Video Audio Live Action Creative Direction Beeple Dailies Design Macaela Vandermost Niko Harovas Newfangled Studios Content Marketing Brand Marketing
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| 24 Jun 2021 | Maybe Don't Be Like Mike | 00:34:35 | |
Alex Cook's obsessions are ever-changing, from growing and farming mushrooms to men's haircare products to riding Fat bikes on the beach ... to investigating family mysteries involving his grandfather, a dog, and an old wooden chest full of clues. All of this led Alex to create his company, NanaGram. It's the most rewarding app you'll ever use (full disclosure: I'm a longtime customer).
THANKS TO THOSE INVOLVED IN THIS EPISODE: Max Yoder, CEO of Lessonly. Check out his book: https://dobetterwork.com/ or his company: https://www.lessonly.com/
SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER: Equal parts human story and pep talk, my weekly newsletter is focused on inspiring us to make what matters to our careers and communities. Subscribe for free and join creatives from brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, and the NY Times, as well as thousands of freelancers, creators, and entrepreneurs.
BECOME A MEMBER: Get access to a community forum of ambitious creators who help each other level up, plus exclusive riffs, rants, and courses from me, a 1:1 call with me, and all paid projects I create included as part of your membership.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MY BOOKS, SPEAKING, AND ORIGINAL SERIES: >>> jayacunzo.com
THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING! Keep making what matters. -Jay | |||
| 01 Dec 2021 | I Feel Seen | 00:59:15 | |
What does it look like when an organization, project, or individual’s work resonates so deeply that they have passionate fans and loyal followers who declare them a favorite? This week we start in the sometimes bland, boring space of team training software and follow the story of a surprisingly dynamic, brilliant and captivating idea from 360Learning -- an original series called Onboarding Joei. This short docuseries follows Joei Chan, a new employee, as she navigates her first 3 months on the job. The docuseries has become a phenomenon for the brand, earning Joei Chan devout fans and 360Learning followers, viewers, and customers that feel connected to the show and compamy. Highly personal and transparent, the show proves that when a company does something risky, sometimes the reward is more than they’d ever expect. The most important theme through it all? The audience consistently reacting with a very emotional, very rare comment: "I feel seen." SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter Every Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times. VOICES IN THIS EPISODE: Joei Chan: Content Director for 360 Learning and star of Onboarding Joei (available to watch at https://360learning.com/studio/onboarding-joei/) SPONSOR: THE JUICE Discover the world's best and brightest thinking and resources for sales and marketing pros on The Juice. They're like the Spotify of B2B, with content playlists and suggestions based on your job title and level. Avoid the endless lead-gen forms, skip all the system-gamers found via Google searches, and browse the most useful and transformative ideas affecting your work, for free. Learn more at https://thejuicehq.com CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayacunzo and https://twitter.com/UnthinkableShow - Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacunzo - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo - Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, and editor: Jay Acunzo - https://jayacunzo.com - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins - https://www.ilananevins.com ABOUT THE SHOW: Unthinkable is a storytelling podcast about creative people who break from conventional thinking to make what matters most. We’re traveling the business world to learn how to create work that resonates — with powerful stories from makers, marketers, and leaders like the CEOs of Zoom and Patreon, execs from Adobe and Disney, and creators like writer Tim Urban, comedian Sarah Cooper, and photographer Chase Jarvis. From artisans to entrepreneurs, writers, designers, podcasters, video creators, and all the weird and wonderful nooks of the working world, we’re meeting inspiring people to learn what we can do to resonate more deeply with the work we create. Listeners have called the show “This American Life for my work” with stories “as captivating as some of the best, like Malcolm Gladwell and Dan Carlin.” Thanks for listening and supporting Unthinkable! | |||
| 14 Oct 2021 | Leaving Expertville | 00:55:08 | |
So many of us focus on becoming an expert in our professional field. But what if instead, we wanted to become visionaries? Not THAT kind of visionary, mind you -- the over-hyped media machines that become the business world equivalents of the Kardashians. But instead, a type of useful, practical, attainable, and much-needed visionary. On this episode we begin to unpack what it means to be a visionary. We learn about the “Quest Matrix,” and we begin to chart a path away from Expertville toward some new territory. Along the way, we hear from John Bonini, a marketer at a crossroads. QUEST MATRIX IMAGE: https://bit.ly/quest-matrix
SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay
SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter Every Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times.
VOICES IN THIS EPISODE: John Bonini is a long-time content marketer, working for brands like IMPACT Branding and Design and the email software company Litmus as head of growth. He's now director of marketing at Databox and the owner of a membership and community group for marketers, Some Good Content. Andrew Davis is a bestselling author and internationally acclaimed keynote speaker. Before building and selling a thriving digital marketing agency, Andrew produced for NBC’s Today Show, worked for The Muppets in New York and wrote for Charles Kuralt.
SPONSOR: The Juice is a new kind of media company (like the Spotify of B2B). Specifically, they serve sales and marketing professionals. By registering for free, users can find the most original, deeply resonant ideas and advice in sales and marketing -- things optimized for people, not algorithms. The Juice curates from tens of thousands of sources to find what's popular and also what's most customized to your specific job function and level. Browse the best and brightest thinking, find new sources of inspiration to follow, and create and share content playlists about specific topics that help your career and company grow. Learn more and sign up for free at https://thejuicehq.com
CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayacunzo and https://twitter.com/UnthinkableShow - Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacunzo - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo - Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com
PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, and editor: Jay Acunzo - https://jayacunzo.com - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins - https://www.ilananevins.com
ABOUT THE SHOW: Unthinkable is a storytelling podcast about creative people who break from conventional thinking to make what matters most. We’re traveling the business world to learn how to create work that resonates — with powerful stories from makers, marketers, and leaders like the CEOs of Zoom and Patreon, execs from Adobe and Disney, and creators like writer Tim Urban, comedian Sarah Cooper, and photographer Chase Jarvis. From artisans to entrepreneurs, writers, designers, podcasters, video creators, and all the weird and wonderful nooks of the working world, we’re meeting inspiring people to learn what we can do to resonate more deeply with the work we create. Listeners have called the show “This American Life for my work” with stories “as captivating as some of the best, like Malcolm Gladwell and Dan Carlin.” Thanks for listening and supporting Unthinkable! | |||
| 16 May 2016 | Slingshot: The Cooper Review [Creativity Series #9] | 00:18:27 | |
Slingshots are a mini-series within the Unthinkable show where we go deep into a creative side project that winds up someplace surprising. Tinkering on side projects is a powerful way to slingshot our careers forward as content marketers, writers, designers, podcasters, videographers, and any kind of creative.
In this episode, Sarah Cooper talks about her journey from acting to Google to making the leap pursuing her comedic writing full-time. She parodies business culture, and she's built a nice audience for herself ... but what happens when your creative aspirations differ from what your audience expects from you?
LINKS TO KNOW: Sarah's Twitter: twitter.com/sarahcpr 10 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings
SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW: Join the newsletter at unthinkable.fm Jay's Twitter: twitter.com/jayacunzo Show Behind-the-Scenes: Snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo
SUPPORT FOR THIS EPISODE:
TOPICS DISCUSSED: Creativity Comedy Standup Side Projects Entrepreneurship Blogging Meetings Corporate Culture Books Startups Silicon Valley San Francisco New York Running Writing | |||
| 21 Oct 2019 | The Green Smoothie Problem | 00:27:46 | |
When you share an idea and others simply don't get it, what's happening? And how can we be more persuasive in presenting our creative ideas so we can do our best work? Link to subscribe: marketingshowrunners.com/subscribe Inquiries about Jay's public speaking appearances: jayacunzo.com or email speaking@unthinkablemedia.com Jay's book is available in print, Kindle, and audio forms on Amazon. It's called Break the Wheel: Question Best Practices, Hone Your Intuition, and Do Your Best Work | |||
| 06 Jun 2024 | Bonus - How Stories Happen #3 - Ann Handley, Bestselling Author | 00:48:43 | |
🟢 Dear Unthinkable listener: Thank you SO much for your support over the years! I invite you to find and follow the new show, How Stories Happen, in your preferred podcast player in just 2 taps right here:https://episodes.fm/1736586770 Every episode, an expert, entrepreneur, creator, or communicator dissects a single story or draft piece by piece. Hear how they found it, how they developed it, how it might improve, and how they're using it to build their business and leave their legacy. You'll walk away thinking more about the power of your words and less about the volume of your content. Find the show here: https://episodes.fm/1736586770
ABOUT THIS EPISODE OF HOW STORIES HAPPEN: When so many people are excited to create a higher volume of content, shouldn’t we think more about what gives our work greater power? That’s what our guest today understands better than most, and she draws that power from everyday moments she hunts out, like a squirrel finding nuts in the yard.
⚫ Follow Ann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhandley/ ⚫ Check out her website and subscribe to her newsletter here: https://annhandley.com/ ⚫ Read Ann’s book, Everybody Writes: https://annhandley.com/everybodywrites/ 🔵 Follow Jay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo/ 🔵 Subscribe to Jay’s newsletter: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter 🔵 Learn about Jay’s coaching and consulting: https://jayacunzo.com/ 🟢 Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: https://shareyourgenius.com/ 🟢 Cover art designed by Blake Ink: https://www.blakeink.com/ 🟢 Find and support our sponsors: https://jayacunzo.com/sponsors | |||
| 25 Sep 2016 | Slingshot: I'm No Spider-Man [Creativity Series #17] | 00:09:59 | |
SUBSCRIBE at unthinkable.fm to get a quick note every Monday morning containing new episodes, exclusive bonus content, and new experiments to join.
TODAY:
Tom O'Keefe is one of the most well-known people in all of Boston. But ask people around town if they know Tom O'Keefe, and they'll say no. This is the story of a simple side project that vaulted Tom from behind-the-scenes in his work to front-and-center, including invites to Fenway Park parties, free rooms at Mohegan Sun, and the radio industry wishing they were as influential as Tom.
(Slingshots are short stories about a creative side project that led somewhere surprising or unexpected. They run every other week as part of Unthinkable.)
LINKS TO KNOW: Tom's Twitter: twitter.com/bostontweet Tom's Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/bostontweet Jay's Twitter: twitter.com/jayacunzo Jay's Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo
TOPICS DISCUSSED: Business Restaurants Radio Baseball Red Sox Public Speaking Marketing Media Entrepreneurship Startups 2008 Crash Technology Creativity Intuition Boston | |||
| 11 Dec 2017 | Gravy [Season 3] | 00:30:41 | |
How does your intent for your work change your results? If your goal is to build something big, does that increase the odds? Why, then, do so many stories about huge successes start out the same way: with a shrug, and a quick, "I just wanted to brew some beer." ? Today, we explore the story of The Alchemist, makers of the industry sensation, Heady Topper. SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER LINKS TO KNOW | |||
| 25 Jun 2017 | Making the Leap Pt. 1 [How Intuition Works #4] | 00:25:03 | |
Last we spoke, we wondered why we don't trust our intuition more. I mean, it's with us at all times, telling us things. But we often feel like it's a LEAP to listen to our intuition. This week, we wonder: How do we cross that chasm? To help make sense of this, we revisit the story of Alec Brownstein, the Executive Creative Director at Dollar Shave Club, and his incredible side project, viewed by billions: The Google Job Experiment SUBSCRIBE TO MONDAY'S EMAIL: http://unthinkable.fm FEEDBACK & FOLLOWS: | |||
| 26 Feb 2024 | Going Streaking: the Relationship Between Creative Ambition, Quality, and Consistency | 00:49:17 | |
Why do we constantly underestimate how long something will take in the short-term? In other words, we tend to over-estimate just how much we can achieve right now. Then, when we think long term, the reverse tends to happen: we actually UNDER-estimate what we're capable of achieving over time. Today, we want to know more about the promise of a popular trend, the creative streak, and whether they can help us overcome our constant battle with planning our time and achieving something greater. This week, Grant Faulkner, Executive Director of the world-wide phenomenon NaNoWriMo (aka National Novel Writing Month) gives us a peek into the power (and potential pitfalls) of creative writing streaks. Meanwhile, Giorgia Lupi, an information designer and partner at the firm Pentagram, reflects on her famous, collaborative creative streak, Dear Data, with Stefanie Posavec -- a year-long journey of sketching personal data-based postcards, which eventually led to exhibitions, book deals, critical acclaim, and internet fame. Can we change our relationships to deadlines? How might we banish our inner editors holding us back during crucial early stages in the creative process? And how might we reconcile both the short-term and long-term work we do? Let's go streaking. *** SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER: 💌 Playing Favorites is the newsletter from Jay about resonance, storytelling, differentiation, and getting off the content hamster wheel to make things that matter more (because when your work matters more, you can hustle for attention less). *** WORK WITH JAY: ✅ If you're an expert/entrepreneur looking to develop and differentiate your personal brand, podcast, speaking, newsletter, or other pillar project, learn more about Jay's coaching. 👋 Or you can book Jay to speak to your organization or event. 📚 You can also explore Jay's books. *** ABOUT JAY ACUNZO: Jay Acunzo helps business leaders develop more original premises — the big ideas they become known for publicly. His work focuses on his core belief in prioritizing resonance first, not reach. After starting his career in media and marketing roles at Google and HubSpot, Jay authored the book about questioning best practices, Break the Wheel, toured as a professional speaker, giving keynote sin 25 states and 3 countries, and cofounded the mastermind for business storytellers, the Creator Kitchen. As an advisor, he’s worked with more than 200 individuals and teams to help them differentiate through the impact of their ideas, not the volume of their content. Past clients include Salesforce, GoDaddy, Wistia, Drift, and Help Scout, as well as hundreds of individual thought leaders and experts, including the author behind Google’s innovative employee training program and the performance coach who helped Kobe Bryant develop his Black Mamba persona. Jay is a proud New England resident, a troubled Knicks fan, and an obsessive grilled pizza chef. His grandest aspiration (though he’d say delusion) is to be the Anthony Bourdain of business storytelling. 💛 Keep making what matters! | |||
| 06 Nov 2017 | The Man Bun [Season 3] | 00:30:58 | |
Scott Stratten looks every part a blacksmith. He's mastered a rare craft in our digital world today, but make no mistake -- he's a master craftsman. And while he may not work with any type of metal, he still forges his work with red hot fire. It’s Unthinkable. LINKS TO KNOW: Scott on Twitter: http://twitter.com/unmarketing Scott's website: http://unmarketing.com Scott's podcast: http://www.unmarketing.com/category/podcast/ | |||
| 07 Nov 2016 | Slingshot: 20 Minutes to Do the Impossible [Creativity Series #23] | 00:07:27 | |
Harry Stebbings managed to break into venture capital -- one of the most difficult industries to work in -- at the age of just 20. And he did so with a side project that took a strong stance on industry norms: The Twenty-Minute VC. In this episode, he recounts the early days of coming up with his idea, longing to work with millionaires who would hardly give him the time of day, and the moment when everything changed. (Slingshots are short stories about a creative side project that led somewhere surprising or unexpected. They run every other week as part of Unthinkable.)
LINKS TO KNOW: Harry's side project: http://www.thetwentyminutevc.com/ Harry on Twitter: http://twitter.com/harrystebbings Jay's Twitter (best way to chat and offer feedback): http://twitter.com/jayacunzo Jay's Snapchat (go behind-the-scenes making the show): http://snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo
TOPICS DISCUSSED: Venture Capital Tech Startups Investing Brad Feld Mark Suster Tim Draper Social Network Mark Zuckerberg Podcasting Side Projects Creativity Craft Career Growth | |||
| 21 Sep 2022 | How to Tell Gripping Stories About the Seemingly Mundane | One-Shot #18 | 00:18:46 | |
One-Shots are monologue episodes complementing our longer-form narratives, which all seek to explore ideas like resonance, storytelling, and creativity in our work. Today, we learn how to tell stories about the seemingly mundane details in our lives. For a full written version of this episode, read the original story. REFER A FRIEND Love the show? Help others find us in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: jayacunzo.com/unthinkable-podcast *** MORE FROM JAY: Playing Favorites newsletter: stories and frameworks for creating work that resonates. Coaching and consulting: Hire Jay to work with you 1:1 on the most important elements of your brand or projects. Or, hire Jay to develop and/or host a show for your brand: jayacunzo.com/shows *** CONNECT WITH JAY ELSEWHERE: Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com *** PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, editor, sound design: Jay Acunzo - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins | |||
| 06 Nov 2023 | Fighting Endless AI Junk | 00:16:50 | |
We interrupt the current series to bring you this message. Find and share this rant in essay form. Subscribe to Jay's free newsletter to become a stronger storyteller. (Sent every other Friday, these essays help you get off the content hamster wheel, escape social feeds, and get the perspective and frameworks you need to write and speak with greater impact, everywhere you show up). Recommended resources to help you do the work AI can't:
JOIN THE CREATOR KITCHEN -- A MASTERMIND OF BUSINESS STORYTELLERS: Where smart experts become influential voices. Join fellow entrepreneurs, marketers, and creators learning to craft more valuable, more original content, with a community of creative, kind humans, daily access to the Kitchen’s founders, masterclasses and elite guest interviews, group calls and 1:1 support, and shared focus sprints fitting busy schedules. Learn more about membership at creatorkitchen.com
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| 18 Feb 2019 | Made to Stick | Anthony Constantino, CEO of Sticker Mule | 00:30:56 | |
Anthony Thomas, the CEO of Sticker Mule, adores operations and manufacturing. Those are decidedly not-creative areas to adore. Or so I thought. JOIN THE NEWSLETTER to get weekly inspiration and insights to help you challenge conventional thinking and create your best work: http://bit.ly/DamnTheBestPractices. WORK WITH ME Keynote Speaking: jay@unthinkablemedia.com or jayacunzo.com Creating shows for B2B clients: unthinkablemedia.com Get my book, Break the Wheel: Question Best Practices, Hone Your Intuition, and Do Your Best Work: http://bit.ly/BTWbook ABOUT THE SHOW: Hosted by author and keynote speaker Jay Acunzo, Unthinkable is a sweet-sounding, story-style show exploring conventional thinking that forms in our work and sharing stories of the people who dare to question it. From big brands like Disney/ESPN and Slack to fast-risers like Death Wish Coffee and InVision to craft-driven makers and marketers in the arts, real estate, design/illustration, content marketing, public speaking, books, comedy, and a ton more, we travel to the far reaches of the business world to dig up stories you've never heard, revealing ideas you'd never considered. It's all focused on breaking from conventional thinking to think for ourselves in our work. It's Unthinkable. ABOUT THE HOST: Jay Acunzo is an author, keynote speaker, and a critically acclaimed show host and executive producer. As a digital media strategist at Google, Jay was previously responsible for pushing marketing executives and practitioners into the digital age. He then held multiple leadership positions at high-growth tech startups, including HubSpot, and served as Vice President of Brand at the venture capital firm NextView. Jay’s work has been cited in courses at Harvard Business School and by writers at the New York Times, the Washington Post, FastCompany, Fortune, Forbes, and more. He’s been called a “creative savant” by Salesforce and was named to the city of Boston’s “50 on Fire” list. Today, Jay travels the world delivering keynotes and producing/hosting episodes of docuseries about creative work as the founder of Unthinkable Media. | |||
| 30 Apr 2017 | Names You Know, Stories You Don't: Doug Kessler | 00:38:27 | |
We continue our every-other-week series profiling names you know sharing stories you don't. This week, we get existential and emotional with one of the most creative content marketers on the planet, Doug Kessler. About the series: In an era full of content marketing thought leaders, we want to get behind the tactics and tips and understand what makes the PERSON break free of conventional thinking and become an exception to the noise. How are well-known speakers trusting their own intuition? PROUD TO PARTNER WITH CONTENT MARKETING WORLD This episode was created in partnership with Content Marketing World. This fall, I will be an opening keynote! Come see me and dozens of other speakers, plus mingle with 4,000 top content marketers. September 5-8 in Cleveland. Use code UNTHINKABLE to get $100 of your ticket price. Visit http://contentmarketingworld.com FEEDBACK ON THE SHOW? LET ME KNOW! LINKS TO KNOW: Doug Kessler on Twitter: http://twitter.com/dougkessler The new way Doug's team created to tell digital stories: https://velocitypartners.com/resources/the-new-media-message/ | |||
| 04 Apr 2016 | Slingshot: Carving the White Whale [Creativity Series #3] | 00:32:48 | |
Slingshots are a new mini-series within the Unthinkable show where we go deep into a creative side project that winds up someplace surprising. Tinkering on side projects are powerful ways to slingshot our careers forward as content marketers, writers, designers, podcasters, videographers, and any kind of creative. In this episode, Erik Devaney talks about carving the white whale.
LINKS TO KNOW: Erik's Twitter: twitter.com/bardofboston Erik's Medium article: https://medium.com/@bardofboston/carving-the-white-whale-7cf0a830b9da
SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW: Join the newsletter at unthinkable.fm Jay's Twitter: twitter.com/jayacunzo Show Behind-the-Scenes: Snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo SUPPORT FOR THIS EPISODE: RightSideShirts.org - empowering kids to be more creative and helping art programs in need. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Creativity Craftsmanship Moby Dick Customer Personas Marketing Content Marketing Side Projects Wood Carving HubSpot Medium Netflix Procrastination Writing
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| 01 May 2018 | Anthony Shaves the World [Re-aired] | 00:22:25 | |
As I work on Unthinkable Season 4 and the book relating to this show, called Break the Wheel (Fall 2018), I wanted to dip into the archives and resurface a sneaky-good episode. Enjoy! Subscribe to get one new story or idea for being better than best practices every Monday morning: http://bit.ly/joinunthinkable | |||
| 09 Aug 2019 | Creative Cafe: We All Write Menus | 00:52:35 | |
Mike Lombardi runs one of the best new restaurants on the planet. Hearing him speak, it kinda seems like that's ALL our jobs. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, all about brands making shows. Subscribers include leaders from Red Bull, Roku, Mailchimp, Salesforce, Shopify, Wistia, and more: marketingshowrunners.com/subscribe Book Jay to speak at your company or event: jayacunzo.com | |||
| 31 Jul 2017 | First-Principle Insights [Season Finale] | 00:17:38 | |
We call the show "Unthinkable" because anytime someone uses their intuition, it feels like they did something crazy. Maybe they broke from conventional thinking -- that alone feels pretty unthinkable in many jobs and industries. Maybe they came up with an incredible idea in an instant -- that can be tough to understand from the outside looking in. Or maybe they did work that was exceptional, i.e., an exception, from all the average, familiar, safe, down-the-fairway, just-so-basic-I-could-punch-a-watermelon junk. But here's the catch: When you do that kind of great work, it rarely feels crazy TO YOU. So maybe ... it's not unthinkable at all. SUBSCRIBE TO MONDAY'S EMAIL: http://unthinkable.fm FEEDBACK & FOLLOWS:
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| 09 Feb 2022 | Smell Like You Mean It | 00:38:50 | |
Suzy Batiz calls herself CEO to more conservative crowds, but PEO to everyone else. To define PEO, however, would be to make more than a few people blush. The Poo Executive Officer. Suzy is the founder of Poo-Pourri, a toilet spray that solves the problem of bathroom smells in a way that runs counter to conventional thinking. But more than the hilarious branding and advertising (and there's plenty of that, as we hear in this episode), Suzy and her company showcase the power of something called First-Principle Insights in helping us create more innovative work. SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter Every Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times. VOICES IN THIS EPISODE:
SPONSOR: Riverside Riverside is the easiest way to record podcasts and videos in studio quality, from anywhere. Record separate audio tracks to avoid the cut-outs, optional video to enhance the show’s experience, and even clip content for sharing elsewhere, all without leaving the platform. Riverside is powerful enough to be used by Marvel, the NY Times, TED, Freakonomics, Indie Hackers, GaryVee, and Guy Raz, but simple enough for thousands of indie creators and new podcasters to use it for their shows. Learn more and try it free at https://riverside.fm/ CONNECT WITH ME ELSEWHERE: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayacunzo and https://twitter.com/UnthinkableShow - Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacunzo - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo - Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, and editor: Jay Acunzo - https://jayacunzo.com - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins - https://www.ilananevins.com | |||
| 31 Aug 2022 | Going Bananas | 00:50:24 | |
This story is a surreal, escapist journey into the true story about how the Savannah Bananas became exceptional by being the exception. This minor league baseball team has majorly passionate fans -- with more social media success than some of the biggest teams in the Major Leagues, and a plan to disrupt the MLB itself. This story is told through the ever-optimistic, yellow-tux wearing Jesse Cole, the owner of the team. Not a fan of the sport? No worries. This isn't really a story about baseball. It's a story about our collective desire to make things that matter -- to ourselves, certainly, but to those we serve most especially. This is a story about what it means to truly build something that is, in Jesse's words, "fans first" -- and all the weird, wacky, wonderful things that follow. SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: jayacunzo.com/unthinkable-podcast *** IN THIS EPISODE: Andrew and Pete of ATOMIC: atomic.site // twitter.com/AndrewAndPete *** MORE FROM JAY: Playing Favorites newsletter: stories and frameworks for creating work that resonates. Coaching and consulting: Hire Jay to work with you 1:1 on the most important elements of your brand or projects. Or, hire Jay to develop and/or host a show for your brand: jayacunzo.com/shows *** SPONSOR: The Juice The Juice is like Spotify for B2B learning: a beautiful, curated collection of the best creators and resources serving sales and marketing pros today. Learn more and try it free at thejuicehq.com Connect with Masooma Memon on The Juice or on Twitter. *** CONNECT WITH JAY ELSEWHERE: Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com *** PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, editor, sound design: Jay Acunzo - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins | |||
| 25 Apr 2016 | The Muse Is An Excuse [Creativity Series #6] | 00:35:52 | |
For thousands of years, humans have invoked "The Muse" (or any of the nine Muses) to inspire creativity within them. But are we thinking about creative inspiration the wrong way?
Also, a major announcement is made by one of our guest's on this episode, featuring legendary creative thinkers.
Today, we go outside the echo chamber with Elliott Bell of The Muse to think about career coaching and what we can learn about the creative muse. Then, Chase Jarvis - world-famous photographer and the CEO of CreativeLive - shares a story from his childhood, debunks some myths around creativity and inspiration, and shares a HUGE announcement with us.
LINKS TO KNOW:
Elliott's Twitter: twitter.com/ellbell9 The Muse: www.themuse.com Chase's Twitter: twitter.com/chasejarvis Chase's Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/chasejarvis CreativeLive: creativelive.com 30 Days of Genius: creativelive.com/30daysofgenius
SUBSCRIBE: Join the list at unthinkable.fm for all episodes plus other goodies and behind-the-scenes content. Jay's Twitter: twitter.com/jayacunzo Behind-the-Scenes making Unthinkable: Snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo
SUPPORT FOR THIS EPISODE: RightSideShirts.org - empowering kids to be more creative and helping art programs in need.
TOPICS DISCUSSED: Creativity The Muse Creative Inspiration Education Career Culinary School Iron Chef Coffee Photography Design Writing Mark Cuban Seth Godin Richard Branson Arianna Huffington Brene Brown EduTech Genius | |||
| 20 May 2019 | Creative Cafe: Standup Comedy with Sarah Cooper | 00:47:26 | |
Continuing our behind-the-scenes miniseries, we talk to Sarah Cooper: comedian, writer, author of the books 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings and the new one, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings. We dive into how a standup comedy act takes shape, what gets changed over time, and what we can learn about creating consistently great work from standups. -- Interested in the craft of creating original series? (Podcasts, video shows, documentaries and more). Explore my new educational venture, Marketing Showrunners, advancing the craft of marketers making shows to build passionate audiences. Subscribers from teams like Red Bull, Zendesk, Wells Fargo, Accenture, Zapier, Pacific Content, Shopify, and more: www.marketingshowrunners.com You can also explore my keynote speaking for your next event or company meeting: http://jayacunzo.com | |||
| 06 Mar 2017 | Travel [Intuition Series #6] | 00:21:50 | |
Travel and creativity seem to go hand-in-hand (and then they go skipping down the street in some foreign land). Today we go exploring the topic of exploration: Why is travel linked to inspiration? Does travel help our work, or can it derail our productiveness? And how can we better tap into the benefits of travel to our work ... without booking a single ticket? Stories about Anthony Berriola, a barber with a side project to satisfy his wanderlust, and Carla Johnson, and author and speaker about creativity who is on the road more often than not. And Jay decides to take a left instead of a right and test out what we learn ... but things don't go according to plan. It's Unthinkable. >> Get the Unthinkable Monday AM email by subscribing http://unthinkable.fm
FIND JAY HERE: http://snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo
LINKS TO KNOW: Anthony's side project: http://www.anthonyshaves.com/ Razors Barbershop: https://www.razorsbarbershop.com Carla Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarlaJohnson Carla's site: http://typeacommunications.com/
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| 02 Feb 2022 | What You Need to Know About Rocky | One-Shot #14 | 00:16:59 | |
In this one-shot, Jay unpacks one of Rocky’s most iconic scenes to better understand how we can approach our own constraints and begin to use them to our advantage. SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter Every Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times. SPONSOR: Riverside Riverside is the easiest way to record podcasts and videos in studio quality, from anywhere. Record separate audio tracks to avoid the cut-outs, optional video to enhance the show’s experience, and even clip content for sharing elsewhere, all without leaving the platform. Riverside is powerful enough to be used by Marvel, the NY Times, TED, Freakonomics, Indie Hackers, GaryVee, and Guy Raz, but simple enough for thousands of indie creators and new podcasters to use it for their shows. Learn more and try it free at https://riverside.fm/ CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayacunzo and https://twitter.com/UnthinkableShow - Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacunzo - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo - Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, and editor: Jay Acunzo - https://jayacunzo.com - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins - https://www.ilananevins.com ABOUT THE SHOW: Unthinkable is a storytelling podcast about creative people who break from conventional thinking to make what matters most. We’re traveling the business world to learn how to create work that resonates — with powerful stories from makers, marketers, and leaders like the CEOs of Zoom and Patreon, execs from Adobe and Disney, and creators like writer Tim Urban, comedian Sarah Cooper, and photographer Chase Jarvis. From artisans to entrepreneurs, writers, designers, podcasters, video creators, and all the weird and wonderful nooks of the working world, we’re meeting inspiring people to learn what we can do to resonate more deeply with the work we create. Listeners have called the show “This American Life for my work” with stories “as captivating as some of the best, like Malcolm Gladwell and Dan Carlin.” Thanks for listening and supporting Unthinkable! | |||
| 02 May 2016 | Slingshot: The Danger Booth [Creativity Series #7] | 00:25:54 | |
Slingshots are a new mini-series within the Unthinkable show where we go deep into a creative side project that winds up someplace surprising. Tinkering on side projects is a powerful way to slingshot our careers forward as content marketers, writers, designers, podcasters, videographers, and any kind of creative.
In this episode, Zac Wolf and Becca Goldring discuss their award-winning open-air photo booth, The Danger Booth.
LINKS TO KNOW: Zac's Twitter: twitter.com/zacxwolf Becca's Twitter: twitter.com/Becca_Bakes TheDangerBooth.com ZacXWolf.com
SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW: Join the newsletter at unthinkable.fm Jay's Twitter: twitter.com/jayacunzo Show Behind-the-Scenes: Snapchat.com/add/jayacunzo
SUPPORT FOR THIS EPISODE: RightSideShirts.org
TOPICS DISCUSSED: Creativity Photography Side Projects Entrepreneurship Sales Boston Weddings Startup Business Growth Dogs | |||
| 24 Sep 2018 | Short Story: What We Really Mean by "Visionary" | 00:16:11 | |
Break the Wheel's NEW publish date is Oct. 1, 2018! That means this is the final week to get signed copies plus bonus goodies sent to you in the pre-sale. Visit jayacunzo.com/book for that, or head over to Amazon to purchase your print, Kindle, or audiobook version of Break the Wheel: Question Best Practices, Hone Your Intuition, Do Your Best Work. Today, the problem with dubbing an innovator or creator a "visionary," and how we, too, can act just like them. (Spoiler alert: The very idea that they possess any kind of foresight is BS. Like you'd expect me to say anything else?) | |||
| 16 Jun 2021 | 3 Phases of Storytelling Skills | One-Shot #3 | 00:19:00 | |
The stories that inspire us and move others to action don't often feel within our grasp. Maybe we think it's about budget, or more time, or even more team. But so often, creativity is about resourcefulness, not resources. This applies squarely to storytelling. In fact, if we just learned (or re-learned) what a "story" really is, we might better equip ourselves to tell great stories. Stories require one ingredient above all others: tension. Want to evolve and improve as a storyteller? Master the use of tension, across three phases. Today, in another one-shot episode, we talk about the traits of each phase and use some examples, all so we can continue to change how we see the work and elevate our creativity -- without adding tons more resources. SUPPORT THE SHOW + CONTINUE TO ELEVATE YOUR CREATIVITY: 1. NEWSLETTER: Subscribe to my free newsletter and get one new story each week. Join thousands of creators, from in-house makers and marketers at Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, the NY Times, and similar, to tons of entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators. Subscribe free at jayacunzo.com/newsletter 2. MEMBERSHIP: Become a monthly supporter (get bonus content and invites to live masterclasses) or become a full member (includes access to a community forum). Learn more at makewhatmattersgroup.com 3. COURSE: Thinking of making your own podcast, or trying to level up an existing show? Explore my course for more creative podcasts, Growable Shows, at jayacunzo.com/growable-shows 4. SPEAKING & BOOKS: Learn more about my books and public speaking, and all my other projects, at jayacunzo.com ---------- Thanks so much for listening, supporting, and sharing! Keep making what matters. - Jay Twitter: @jayacunzo IG: @jacunzo LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo | |||
| 13 Jul 2023 | Fun with Formats | 00:39:43 | |
In this episode of Unthinkable, why formats matter so much. If you want listeners to stay engaged, for readers to finish an article, for your whole experience to resonate deeply, then we need to go beyond grabbing attention to genuinely HOLD it. Today, we focus on why formats are mission critical to creative work, and how you can search them out for yourself and craft your own to hook an audience and get them to the end. We’re joined by the most format-obsessed person out there: Hugh Garry, co-founder of Storythings. Hugh and his team (and friends) write the newsletter, Formats Unpacked, diving each week into a format and why they love it so very much and why, maybe, you should too.
DEVELOP MORE INSPIRING IDEAS & STORIES:
*** INSIDE THIS EPISODE:
*** PRODUCTION CREDITS: - Creator, host, writer, editor: Jay Acunzo - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins | |||
| 30 Jun 2022 | MINI-Series: Sound Design with James T. Green | 00:56:11 | |
In the fourth and final MINI-Series episode, we learn from sound designer, artist, and brilliant documentarian James T. Green about their philosophy and practice around sound design and creation. James is the founder of the studio Molten Heart, and their work has been heard in 99% Invisible with Roman Mars, The Met, Pop Up Magazine, and more. By unpacking and dissecting small pieces of sound and music from James, we learn the thoughtful, intentional art of sound design and the power that small amounts of sound effects - or silence - can hold. Sound can make us feel, reflect, pause, or act, and often we don’t even notice this subtle art, despite its importance in providing scaffolding or key moments in building a story, a scene, or an emotion. In this episode, we make what is so often invisible in the construction of an audio story, visible. SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: jayacunzo.com/unthinkable-podcast *** MORE FROM JAY: Playing Favorites newsletter: stories and frameworks for creating work that resonates. Coaching and consulting: Hire Jay to work with you 1:1 on the most important elements of your brand or projects. Or, hire Jay to develop and/or host a show for your brand: jayacunzo.com/shows *** MORE FROM THIS EPISODE: James T. Green: Personal site | Molten Heart | Twitter | IG James's award-winning audio doc, PMHx *** SPONSOR: The Juice The Juice is like Spotify for B2B learning: a beautiful, curated collection of the best creators and resources serving sales and marketing pros today. Learn more and try it free at thejuicehq.com Connect with Katelyn Bourgoin on The Juice or on Twitter. *** CONNECT WITH JAY ELSEWHERE: Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com *** PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, editor, sound design: Jay Acunzo - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins | |||
| 27 May 2019 | Don't Be Like Mike | 00:34:15 | |
"But my boss." It's the most common objection to doing better work. Today, we find a framework that can help us do the seemingly unthinkable: have an open, honest conversation, rather than avoiding conflict, in order to create consistently great things as an individual and a team. (Featuring Max Yoder, author of Do Better Work, and cofounder/CEO of Lessonly.) Max's book: https://www.amazon.com/Do-Better-Work-camaraderie-progress/dp/1732843902/ref=sr_1_1?crid=21EMGCAYEQTIZ&keywords=do+better+work&qid=1558569526&s=books&sprefix=do+bettetr%2Cstripbooks%2C123&sr=1-1 Jay's book: https://www.amazon.com/Break-Wheel-Question-Practices-Intuition/dp/1544501056/ -- Interested in the craft of creating original series? (Podcasts, video shows, documentaries and more). Explore my new educational venture, Marketing Showrunners, advancing the craft of marketers making shows to build passionate audiences. Subscribers from teams like Red Bull, Zendesk, Salesforce, Adobe, Shopify, and more: www.marketingshowrunners.com You can also explore my keynote speaking for your next event or company meeting: http://jayacunzo.com | |||
| 24 Sep 2019 | Dumb Ways to Die [Revisited] | 00:39:10 | |
When we dub something a creative smash hit, we often point to the final product, as if their work was neatly contained in this one project. But it's often what happens AFTER something launches that makes it successful. Today, a revisited story about how to build momentum. -- -- -- For insights on how to make a great show for your brand, visit MarketingShowrunners.com and join marketing leaders from companies like Red Bull, Roku, Adode, Salesforce, Shopify, Wistia, Zendesk, the BBC, and more. Fpr information about Jay's speaking and his book, Break the Wheel, visit jayacunzo.com | |||
| 11 Jul 2019 | Innovation Impossible | 00:23:05 | |
Why do so many leaders scream "INNOVATE!" and so many teams treat innovation like a bunch of random or infrequent stunts or radical changes? It always feels too urgent or too last-minute when we finally evolve. Why? What if there was a better way? What would it REALLY take to make innovation a habit, not a Hail Mary? Jay's email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com Subscribe to Jay's monthly newsletter for marketers making shows. Join leaders from Red Bull, Roku, Adobe, Salesforce, Shopify, Wistia, the BBC, LinkedIn, and more: marketingshowrunners.com/subscribe Jay's keynote speaking site: jayacunzo.com Doug Kessler's blog post on tone of voice in B2B content: https://velocitypartners.com/blog/tone-of-voice-the-b2b-budget-multiplier/ | |||
| 27 Oct 2021 | Maker Monsters 2 | 00:34:20 | |
In this episode, we follow multimedia journalist Natalia Aldana, organizer and artist Aisha White, podcaster and indie creator Jay Clouse, and we hear from marketing legend Joe Pulizzi as they (and me, Jay Acunzo) learn to navigate how these maker monsters attempt to take hostage their (and our) sense of self worth. So many of us conflate our professional success with personal worth, so what happens when we don’t believe in ourselves or we are paralyzed by potential rejection? And how can we all keep fighting back and overcome our own maker monsters? SHARE THE SHOW: Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter Weekly stories and frameworks about how to create more resonant work. Join thousands of subscribers, from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times. VOICES IN THIS EPISODE: Natalia Aldana is a multimedia journalist and international news editor. She is an audio producer for Al Jazeera’s podcast, The Take after working for The Ezra Klein Show and Recode Decade. She reports on stories around crime and justice, immigration, politics and music. Aisha White is a cultural organizer, artist, and researcher focused on community building and social impact. Her personal work is built around public health and fellowship. Joe Pulizzi is an entrepreneur and marketing speaker and entrepreneur. Joe has founded multiple startups including The Tilt and is the author of several books including the best-selling Content Inc. Jay Clouse hosts the podcast Creative Elements and builds projects to serve fellow creators. He's also the head of community at Smart Passive Income with Pat Flynn. SPONSOR: THE JUICE Discover the world's best and brightest thinking and resources for sales and marketing pros on The Juice. They're like the Spotify of B2B, with content playlists and suggestions based on your job title and level. Avoid the endless lead-gen forms, skip all the system-gamers found via Google searches, and browse the most useful and transformative ideas affecting your work, for free. Learn more at https://thejuicehq.com CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayacunzo and https://twitter.com/UnthinkableShow - Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacunzo - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo - Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com PRODUCTION: - Creator, host, writer, and editor: Jay Acunzo - https://jayacunzo.com - Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins - https://www.ilananevins.com ABOUT THE SHOW: Unthinkable is a storytelling podcast about creative people who break from conventional thinking to make what matters most. We’re traveling the business world to learn how to create work that resonates — with powerful stories from makers, marketers, and leaders like the CEOs of Zoom and Patreon, execs from Adobe and Disney, and creators like writer Tim Urban, comedian Sarah Cooper, and photographer Chase Jarvis. From artisans to entrepreneurs, writers, designers, podcasters, video creators, and all the weird and wonderful nooks of the working world, we’re meeting inspiring people to learn what we can do to resonate more deeply with the work we create. Listeners have called the show “This American Life for my work” with stories “as captivating as some of the best, like Malcolm Gladwell and Dan Carlin.” Thanks for listening and supporting Unthinkable! | |||