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The Storyteller's Mind Movie Makers™

The Storyteller's Mind Movie Makers™

Written by: Melissa Reaves Story Fruition
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About this listen

The Storyteller’s Mind Movie Makers™ is the podcast that transforms real-life moments into unforgettable narratives that move, inspire, and connect. Hosted by storytelling coach and performance expert Melissa Reaves, this show dives deep into the craft of building Mind Movies—vivid, emotionally resonant stories that captivate your audience and elevate your message.

Whether you’re a founder pitching to investors, a leader inspiring your team, or a speaker looking to stand out on stage, you’ll gain practical storytelling tools and powerful mindset shifts to become a more compelling communicator.

Drawing from her book The Storyteller’s Mind Movie™ and decades of coaching experience, Melissa shares transformative insights and storytelling strategies designed to help you turn facts into feeling and data into drama. Some episodes feature real-time coaching with guests; others are solo episodes packed with wisdom and prompts to spark your own story journey.

New episodes drop weekly. Subscribe now and start crafting your next Mind Movie.

2026 Melissa Reaves, Story Fruition
Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Beyond the Data Dump: Crafting "Heart in the Chart"
    Feb 9 2026

    In this episode, Melissa Reaves discusses the critical role of storytelling in business, particularly focusing on data storytelling. She emphasizes the need to transform data into relatable narratives that resonate emotionally with audiences. Through examples, including a personal story from an NFL player turned entrepreneur, she illustrates how personal experiences can enhance presentations and make data more impactful. The episode concludes with practical tips for creating engaging presentations that prioritize storytelling over data-heavy slides.

    Takeaways

    Storytelling is essential in business communication.

    Data storytelling helps create emotional connections.

    Charts and graphs should support a narrative, not replace it.

    Personal stories can enhance investor pitches.

    Engaging presentations require a balance of data and storytelling.

    The audience remembers stories, not just data points.

    Effective slides should be digestible and relatable.

    Use sensory details to create vivid imagery in storytelling.

    Transform data into narratives that resonate with the audience.

    Presentation skills can be trained and improved.

    Sound bites

    "Put heart behind the chart."

    "Show us, don't just tell us."

    "This is your homework assignment."

    Chapters

    01:25 Data Storytelling: Heart Behind the Chart

    04:58 Transforming Presentations: From Data to Story

    09:58 The Power of Personal Stories

    14:42 Engaging Your Audience: The Role of Emotion

    Keywords

    storytelling, data storytelling, business communication, emotional connection, presentations, personal stories, audience engagement, effective communication, investor pitches, narrative techniques

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    18 mins
  • The CROW Method: Bringing Your Characters, Relationships, Objectives, and Where to Life
    Feb 2 2026

    In this episode, Melissa Reaves discusses the art of storytelling in business, introducing the C.R.O.W framework (Characters, Relationships, Objective, Where) to help executives craft compelling narratives. She emphasizes the importance of creating relatable characters, establishing clear objectives, and providing context to engage audiences effectively. Through examples, she illustrates how to transform bland business stories into captivating narratives that resonate with listeners, ultimately enhancing communication and leadership skills.

    Subscribe to Missy AI

    Get personalized speech and storytelling coaching with Missy AI—designed to help you speak with clarity, confidence, and impact.

    👉 https://www.storyfruition.com/missy-speech-coaching-experience

    Takeaways

    • C.R.O.W stands for Characters, Relationships, Objective, and Where.
    • Every story should have relatable characters to engage the audience.
    • The objective of the story should convey a clear lesson or insight.
    • Setting the context helps the audience visualize the story better.
    • Transformational moments in stories make them more compelling.
    • Showing rather than telling enhances storytelling effectiveness.
    • Business stories should connect on a human level.
    • Empathy in storytelling can strengthen leadership presence.
    • A well-crafted story can turn a bland presentation into an engaging experience.
    • Storytelling is a vital skill for effective communication in business.

    Chapters

    00:00 The Art of Storytelling in Business

    03:26 Understanding the Crow Framework

    06:35 Crafting Compelling Stories

    12:22 Transforming Business Narratives

    15:00 Building a Story Library for Success

    Keywords

    storytelling, business communication, C.R.O.W framework, character development, audience engagement, personal stories, leadership, empathy, effective communication, storytelling techniques

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    19 mins
  • Unlocking the Power of Storytelling for Business Impact
    Jan 26 2026

    In this episode of the Storyteller's Mind Movie™ Makers show, Melissa Reaves explores the significance of storytelling in business, emphasizing how personal narratives can enhance brand identity and connect with audiences. She shares the compelling founder story of Caleb Carr, whose personal loss inspired him to innovate in the field of search and rescue technology. Through Caleb's journey, Melissa illustrates the art of crafting engaging stories that resonate emotionally with listeners. She introduces the concept of Storyteller's Mind Movie™—vivid mental imagery created through storytelling—and discusses techniques to effectively engage an audience. The episode concludes with a teaser for future discussions on storytelling elements and the importance of narrative in business.

    Chapters

    00:00 The Art of Storytelling in Business
    02:59 Caleb's Founder Story: A Journey of Loss and Innovation
    07:56 Crafting the Perfect Story: Techniques and Insights
    12:52 The Power of Storytelling: Engaging Your Audience

    Subscribe to Missy AI

    Get personalized speech and storytelling coaching with Missy AI—designed to help you speak with clarity, confidence, and impact.

    👉 https://www.storyfruition.com/missy-speech-coaching-experience

    Takeaways

    • Storytelling is essential in business for personal branding.
    • A compelling founder story can attract investors.
    • Emotional connections in stories can drive engagement.
    • The Storyteller's Mind Movie™ concept helps create vivid imagery.
    • Condensing stories for different audiences is crucial.
    • Effective storytelling can open hearts and checkbooks.
    • Using personal experiences can enhance narrative impact.
    • Engaging storytelling techniques can captivate listeners.
    • Storytelling is a vital business skill.
    • The elements of storytelling will be explored in future episodes.

    Keywords

    storytelling, business, personal brand, investor pitch, customer success, Storyteller's Mind Movie™, narrative techniques, emotional connection, storytelling skills, engagement

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    15 mins
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