Stories
The formula for persuasion, influence, and self-motivation
Discover the hidden power of narratives in business and in everyday life
Filter articles by topic
☝️One question to unveil business truths. Unlock Strategic Business Insights with One-on-One Interviews
Before we start, I cannot stress it enough: if you run a strategic process - do one-on-one interviews! I used to lead workshops – these are nice. I used to lead round-table discussions – these can be valuable. I used to insist on research – it’s great (only if you...
How Small Stories Won the American Election
In politics and marketing, big narratives set the stage, but small stories make them resonate. Without relatable moments, big ideas can feel distant, and abstract. This election offered perfect examples of small stories that energized major narratives, transforming...
Act the part, or no one will believe you
If your created exciting innovation, invest in exciting design, or no one will buy it! If your company provides deep insights, provide deep insights in your marketing, or no one will buy it! If you create fun products, make fun ads, or no one will buy it! If you...
Why You Should Listen to Your Gut Much More Than You Do
Consider the following scenario: Large meeting room full of super experienced executives. One of them stands up and declares support for a certain strategy. I have a strong gut feeling it’s the right way to go. And sits down… It’s easy to see such an executive...
3 Aggressive Positioning Strategies
We live in an era of constant noise. Ads and marketing proposals yell at us from all fronts. Look at me! Choose me! At this age, the riskiest thing a brand can do is to be on the safe side. Especially if it’s a small, challenger brand. Big companies losing...
The Comics Story of Exodus (Startups Version)
Strategy-ideation workshops don’t work. Period.
“Let’s get the best minds of our organization in one room and won’t leave it till we have a new [something] strategy”, they say. Here's why this perspective is naive. I spent the first half of my career in large international advertising agencies. Many of our clients...
6 Pitfalls all mentors fall into and how to steer clear
* Based on a talk given to mentors at Google Developers Student Clubs on July 2023 Why listen to me: - Mentored hundreds of startup founders and some executives as well. - Participated in many international programs [Google for Startups EU is my...
How to change people’s minds
US gun control as an example Want to change someone’s mind? You need to understand their narrative first. Ideally, you should understand it BETTER THAN THEY DO. If you just want to pitch them your narrative — you have no chance to persuade anyone. Let’s use the...
How to impress impressive people
Practical template included Here you are, somewhere new. Maybe it’s a job interview, maybe it’s a potential client, maybe it’s your idol or maybe it’s a date. All eyes are on you. It’s your time to shine. Are you feeling a bit anxious already? It’s okay, you tell...
![Branding vs. Employer Branding vs. Employee Branding [at least one is totally unnecessary]](https://thekagansky.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/1_BJ3kec61doavxahBRg1Vmg-400x250.webp)
Branding vs. Employer Branding vs. Employee Branding [at least one is totally unnecessary]
The (almost over)simplified perspective for decision-makers “I have to say, I don’t get it,” admitted a CFO friend of mine. “We just finished a huge branding process six months ago; wasn’t that Employer Branding?” My friend is in good company, as many executives have...
The Blind Spot of Optimization Strategy
“We are struggling a bit with the optimization of our marketing activity,” said the CEO of a three-year-old startup that had just raised almost $10M in funding. His marketing manager and self-described growth hacker was nodding in confirmation from behind his...
Innovation Validation Without a Product
A Startup Model for Corporate Innovation Imagine a new, disruptive product idea is presented to acorporate executive. Let’s assume that this is a perfect idea which, ifexecuted correctly, will make a lot of money for the company. And let’s alsoassume that it’s a...
Pivot via Repositioning
The restroom story The founder of a startup bumps into an important investor inside a restroom at a large event. A classic elevator pitch situation with a slightly-less-classic odor. The founder desperately wants this investor — a well-known persona in this field. The...
Three Misunderstood Notions About How Stories Work Utilize the power of stories without actual storytelling
How to utilize the power of stories without actual storytelling The hype around storytelling in the last few years has felt a bit like a tsunami, especially in the tech scene. Being in the epicenter of this storm, I watched as my strategic-storytelling practices...
Applying a Hollywood formula to shape winning products
Why you need a Product Story, and how to craft it ***The goal of this article is to help product managers and designers to gain a new tool that can help them craft winning products*** I like to call it the biggest discovery in psychology since Sigmund Freud’s...
The hidden story behind revolutionary products
Or how successful startups told an appealing Product Story without actually saying anything ***The goal of this article is to help product managers and product designers to gain a better understanding of their mission and goals through a new prism — Product Story***...
Strategy is a Compromise
Are you compromising? You should! The first time I heard the words in the title was just after pitching a large client with a new marketing strategy. Immediately I knew that we lost the bid — it was a checkmate in one sentence. One amazing sentence. The man on the...
Do you still think your decision-making is rational? Better get rid of this perspective to push your business (and personal life) forward.
[nope, no game theory fun-facts here] Are you a rational person? If you had asked me this question during my late teens to late twenties, I would have proudly said … yes! There is a good chance I would have also started raving about how stupid people are and how 95...
Don’t Start with Why! What really stands behind the most influential marketing model of our times.
What really stands behind the most influential marketing model of our times. If you’ve been involved in launching or relaunching a product in the last eight years, you’ve probably received a link to this video of Simon Sinek and his Golden Circle. This talk...
Storytelling Epiphany The Power of Stories in Marketing and Everyday Life
The Power of Stories in Marketing and Everyday Life I vividly remember a moment that happened about four and a half years ago. I had just left my baby girl at the nanny’s, and was walking back home after somewhat of a drama. Suddenly, all I’d learned about marketing...