Using Radically Authentic Strategic Storytelling to Grow Personally & Professionally
Welcome to Season 4 of The Flourishing Entrepreneur Podcast
Aleya Harris sets the stage for an exciting Season 4 of The Flourishing Entrepreneur podcast that is focused on the power of storytelling.
She discusses the concept of radically authentic strategic storytelling, emphasizing the importance of sharing personal stories to connect with others and drive purpose forward. Aleya shares her own experiences with resilience and transformation, encouraging listeners to explore their own stories and embrace radical authenticity.
This upcoming season promises to dive deep into the art of storytelling and how it can impact personal and professional growth. Tune in to hear inspiring insights and get ready to embark on a journey of storytelling and self-discovery.
About Aleya Harris
Aleya Harris is the spark for your spark™. A trailblazer in purpose-driven story crafting, she is a former marketing executive and ex-Google Vendor Partner who brings her dynamic experience to her role as the CEO of The Evolution Collective Inc. Aleya is a StoryBrand Certified Guide, international award-winning speaker, and the host of the award-winning Flourishing Entrepreneur Podcast. Her unique approach as a Strategic Storytelling Consultant has revolutionized the way businesses communicate, transforming workplace cultures and market positioning. With her dynamic energy and proven methodologies, she guides clients to unlock their potential, articulate their radically authentic stories, and achieve unparalleled success.
Sign Up for a Free Workshop
Each month, Aleya hosts a free 90-minute, hands-on workshop to help you use the power of radically authentic strategic storytelling to improve your personal growth, career, and company.
Register at https://www.aleyaharris.com/workshop
Book Aleya to Speak
To book Aleya to edutain your audience at your next event as a keynote speaker, please visit www.aleyaharris.com/speaking to check out her speaking topics, reels, and why. Click "Schedule a Call" to secure the speaker with "that something new" you've been looking for.
If you are a Corporate Event Planner, Employee Experience Professional, Head of Marketing, Learning & Development Professional, Executive Assistant, Speakers Bureau Destination Management Company, or Destination Management Organization who is looking for a top-quality, energetic speaker, you should definitely hop on a call with Aleya.
Connect with Aleya Harris
Speaking & Media: https://www.aleyaharris.com
The Evolution Collective Inc.: https://www.evolutioncollective.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleyaharris/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleyaharris/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thealeyaharris
Links Mentioned on this Podcast
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Yuliya Patsay [00:00:02]:
Welcome to the Flourishing entrepreneur podcast with Aleya Harris. If you're looking for actionable ways to stand out from the crowd by standing in your power, you've come to the right place. Each week, we help you and your fellow empire building entrepreneurs become radically authentic and tap into your unique story to attract your ideal clients. Listen in and learn how to use energy alignment techniques and tried and true marketing strategies to transform from a leader to a legend. And now, your host, powerhouse story, brand certified guide, award winning marketer, bioenergetic business coach, and japanese whiskey lover, Aleya Harris.
Aleya Harris [00:00:58]:
Hello, my friend, and welcome to season four of the Flourishing Entrepreneur podcast. Season four is season four because we are making a slight shift. Up until this point, we've heard from amazing guests who've run multimillion dollar companies and who have worked internationally and who have transformed lives, their own and others. And I have enjoyed every single moment of it. But this season, if you can believe it, we're getting even deeper. How are we doing that? We are leveraging the power of radically authentic strategic storytelling to which yaou are like, that's a lot of words. Let me do it one more time. Radically authentic strategic storytelling.
Aleya Harris [00:01:54]:
Radically authentic strategic storytelling is a full concept that I wish I could have found a shorter term for. If you have one, let me know. That encapsulates really how I approach building relationships within companies, building relationships from stage, developing strategies, leading teams, and leading myself. It is authentic storytelling for a purpose, with a purpose. And this season, we're focusing on stories. There will be episodes that are just stories crafted to inspire and to help you understand yourself a little bit better by providing you words that you might not have readily available for yourself. We'll also have storytellers invited to teach you the craft and art of storytelling. Here we're talking about things, yes, like the story brand SB seven framework, because I am a story brand certified guide.
Aleya Harris [00:03:02]:
But other methodologies. I'm talking about ways of conveying your story that you might not have thought of so far, or thus far. We're also going to be hearing from people who are a little bit of a blend of both. I have some guests planned who I just met on LinkedIn, and we got talking and I was like, oh, no, you have to come and tell this story. They're business owners, like maybe you are. And they have such a unique story. There's even one person that I talked to that in our conversation. I was brought to tears because I was so inspired and warmed in the cockles of my heart by their story.
Aleya Harris [00:03:46]:
So there's some amazing guests that are coming your way. And of course we have solo episodes like this one where truthfully, I could really talk about whatever I want, but I'm going to be doing lots of storytelling and story crafting. I'm going to have a heavy focus on helping you tell your story and realize that you have a story that is worth hearing. At the end of last year, 2023, I launched a workshop series called Spark the stage. It was live taught over four weeks, and it was a beta because I wasn't sure one if I really wanted to get into that world again of that type of content, and if it really was going to be helpful. I'd never actually taken the magic that I do on stage and tried to teach it in a program to someone else. Well, the beta went really, really well. Sparked the stage.
Aleya Harris [00:04:47]:
Beta went really well. People felt like they found their voice, they found their story, they were inspired, they were motivated, they created their signature talks, and they know exactly how and when to deliver it. So I'm going to be rolling out spark the stage and opening up sessions multiple times this year. So I'm going to be using the podcast to also help you speak better from stage. Whether it's you want to become a professional speaker or even if you are working for someone else and you just want to give better presentations that are not the presentations of 19 80, 19 90, 20 00, or even 2020, they're the types of presentations that people resonate with now, in 2024, after all of us have gone through such large, profound, far reaching internal and external change, that's when I go back to the concept of radically authentic, strategic storytelling. What does radically authentic mean? I know some people are like, you just took authentic and put a radically on top of it just to make it sound cool. I promise I did not. The fact that it sounds cool is just like.
Aleya Harris [00:06:08]:
It's a side effect. Authentic to me means that you are yourself now. What does that mean, though? Because then you get people. I'm authentically myself. I'm going to spew my crap at you and berate you and have all of my nastiness come out on you, because that's authentically how I'm feeling. If we view emotions as a choice and a state that our authentic self is moving through, then your emotional spewing, for better or for worse, is not your authentic self. Your authentic self is at the core of who you are. It's that part of you that doesn't change, the part of you that is constantly moving in flow, in love, in grace in gratitude.
Aleya Harris [00:06:54]:
The part of you that inspires without trying, the part of you that motivates without needing to be motivated. That is the core of who you are. The part of you that understands, knows, and values your purpose, that is your authentic self. Everything else around it is created by stories that you tell and stories that have been told to you and stories that you have observed over and over and have come to believe as the truth. The radical part comes in because, truthfully, you all don't want to be doing the work. So if I just came to you and was like, yeah, just be authentic, you might say humber, hobbit. Hoobit. Hobbit, ho.
Aleya Harris [00:07:38]:
I'm meditating. Who but Hubbard. Hubbard who? I'm so spiritual, and right now I am authentic. Yeah, but the radical part is, are you authentic when you're not meditating? Are you authentic when you're driving in traffic? Are you authentic when you're talking to the person you don't like? Are you able to be your authentic self and make radical choices and decisions that change your behavior in profound ways so that your authenticity shines no matter what? It's a lofty goal. Like, I'm not sitting here telling you that I've accomplished this, but it's definitely a place to move towards. Now, where does it come with storytelling? And then that word, strategic. Well, when you think about storytelling in general, I can tell you a story about literally anything. There's a plant sitting on my desk, and I could tell you a story about that.
Aleya Harris [00:08:31]:
In fact, I will. There's a plant sitting on my desk. I bought it because I was pretty sure, like, 50% that it was real, but, like, 50% that it was fake. All I knew is that I had killed every other plant on my desk, and I bought it, and it turned out to be real. And it's been on my desk for years, because even when I forget to water it, it's very hearty, and it keeps growing. And it started off with, like, three little leaves, and now has, I mean, countless. I probably need to repot it, but I don't want to touch it because I have a black thumb, and I'm just grateful for it being here. Okay.
Aleya Harris [00:09:04]:
Why did I tell you that story? Does that really add anything to your life besides knowing that I have a black thumb? Not really. Right. If I tell you about this plant, however, from a different perspective, from an authentic perspective, that shares part of the core of me and my journey with you, it adds to your experience of life, and it adds to your knowledge of me, which both of those combined together allow us to be in a closer relationship. And relationship is what creates culture, communities, audiences, businesses, marketing, strategy, all of it. It's relationship that is the foundation of it all. So if I talk to you about this plant and I tell you that a few nights ago, I was sitting here in the dark and inside my office. I currently share my office with my baby. We call it an officery, an office nursery.
Aleya Harris [00:10:08]:
And I was sitting with her in the dark with the sound machine on. And it was warm when we had the humidifier going, and she was asleep or falling asleep in my lap. And I was rocking in my glider, with the glider rocking chair back and forth, and I was holding her little warm body and listening to her little soft snores and looking around for things to be grateful about. And I looked at this plant and I realized that I had an immense sense of gratitude for this plant. This plant has been on my desk and has been my constant companion. No judgment, no neediness, no anything. Through many of my seasons, this plant has been on my desk and seen me cry, seen my biggest triumphs as I land big clients, has seen and oversaw my daughter as she slept. This plant, through its resilience and its willingness to just give me a chance and to give me grace and to not fault me like an orchid would for not watering it for a day, or for giving it too much or too little sunlight.
Aleya Harris [00:11:26]:
This plant has been able to provide me with a sense of stability and growth, and is an example of what happens when you give and I give grace to others and don't fault them for every mistake, and don't take things personally when they're not giving us the attention we feel we need from them. This plant was an example of someone or something that's able to stand and hold its own and resourcefully grow regardless of the circumstance it was put in. This plant I feel like cheers me on and has also held literal tears from me on my desk. And I sat with my baby in my arms and began to cry because I realized that this plant had nurtured me better than I had nurtured some of my relationships. This plant had nurtured me better than some of the relationships that I wish had nurtured me more. This plant on my desk was teaching me life lessons just by existing. So as I got up and I finally put my baby down for that night, and I wiped the tears off of my face, I gave this plan a kiss, and I promised to do better. I promised to give grace to those who I needed to give grace to.
Aleya Harris [00:12:50]:
I promised that I would decide to be happy instead of right. I would decide to be happy instead of right. I would decide to show up more consistently for this plant and others and come from a perspective of non judgment, just holding space compassionately for myself and those around me. Isn't it amazing what you can learn from a plant? Now, that story about the plant did something a little bit different, right? You know a lot more about me than just that I have a black thumb. And thank God that this thing is resilient. I could go on and on about stories and lessons that in that moment, I was learning from this plant and from spirit, who was channeling the message to me. That is an authentic story. That's also a strategic story.
Aleya Harris [00:13:52]:
Strategic stories are stories told for a purpose, with a purpose. Why did I tell you that story? Well, because as we're entering into this season four of the podcast, and we're entering into 2024, and we're sliding on into the parts of our vision boards where it's maybe starting to get a little bit difficult, I want you to realize, one, that you have the ability to give yourself grace and give grace to those around you. And two, that your story and your moments of story matter. All I did was describe to you one moment, I don't know how long it was, maybe ten, maybe 15 minutes, where I was sitting and looking at a plant. And some of you have gone through huge life shifts and you tell me all the time, email, dms, text messages. I don't think I have a story that anybody wants to hear. I don't think I have anything to say. I don't think I have anything of value.
Aleya Harris [00:14:59]:
Girl, I just sat here and told you a story about a plant and how a plant made me cry. And I know it was a good story. I know you liked it, right? You, my friend, has something very valuable to say. If I can sit here on a podcast and wax poetically about a plant, you have the ability to tell such profound, life altering stories. And that's what we're going to be doing here on season four of the flourishing entrepreneur podcast. Stories that help you grow personally. Stories that help you grow your culture, in your business and in your home. Stories that help you strategically position yourself and your message to achieve your goals for this year, five years and beyond, and stories that, yes, in fact, you can and should tell from the stage.
Aleya Harris [00:15:56]:
I have some questions that I would love to have you ask yourself as you write new stories in 2024, what is the crises that I have gone through? Or what are the crises that I have gone through that I am afraid to share because I'm afraid of judgment? That's question number one. And I hope that you realize that secrets don't help anyone. Secrets do not help anyone. Secrets don't help you because you're holding on to a secret, and you feel shame and you feel guilt and you feel alone and isolated because of the secret. And when you have a secret, no one else can benefit from how you've overcome, how you've grown, how you've changed, how you shifted, or how you haven't, you also can't help for ask for help. When you have a secret. Secrets don't help anyone. So I ask you, what crisis have you gone through that you need to share? And then a follow up to that question is, how has it empowered you to help others and drive your purpose forward? In 2024, you have the ability to write a new story.
Aleya Harris [00:17:25]:
Although it seems like it, based on everything you're observing, the present moment really doesn't have anything to do with the past or the future. In this present moment, you can write a new story, and in the next present moment, you can write a completely new one. It's up to you, and you have the power to write and share completely new stories. For me, 2023 was a doozy. You can check out my instagram for some of my posts around postpartum depression and financial ruin. 2023 was a doozy. But if I kept telling myself the stories that I was telling myself in 2023, 2024 would also be a doozy. And I don't know about you, but I don't really want to do that again.
Aleya Harris [00:18:22]:
So I'm deciding to tell myself new stories. Some people say, well, the new story that you're telling yourself is a lie. However you spin it or pr it or whatever you're going to say, truth is, Xyz happened. Well, yeah, but that's only one side of the truth. Yes, the bad happened, but the good happened as well. Only if you look for it can you maximize the good and then attract more good to you. Haven't you noticed that if you start off your day, you stub your toe, you break your hairbrush, you get a stain on your pants, and it just keeps going on and on and on and on. And the more that you observe the negative happen to you, the more negative happens to you? Well, what if when you stubbed your toe, the very first thing you thought of was, oh, thank you for giving me a second to pause.
Aleya Harris [00:19:17]:
Sit down and pay attention while my toe calms down. I'm just going to take some deep breaths and be grateful to be alive. And you switched the story. How would that change your day, your month, your week, your year if you switched the story? We act in different this year, y'all. We tell in different stories and we act in different. But you can't do that if you're being weighed down by your own secrets. Now, I'm not telling you to air all your dirty laundry, but radical authenticity requires courage and bravery and the knowledge that the purpose that you have here, regardless of what your profession is, is to uplift others, to uplift yourself, to raise the collective consciousness high enough where the pervading emotional set point is joy. And it starts with you.
Aleya Harris [00:20:18]:
It starts with your joy. And the first thing that you have to do is lay down your burdens. Now, does this mean you have to do it on a podcast? No. You could even start off with just doing it in a journal. But what are you afraid to even tell yourself? What are you afraid to explore? I encourage you to do that this year. Not because you need something else to add to your to do list, or because this is the year where I want you to feel emotional anguish, but because this is the year I want you to feel joy. There is no negative, truly. There's only absence of positive and things that block your positive from coming to you.
Aleya Harris [00:21:01]:
The negative stories that you're telling, or even worse, the superficial stories that you're telling that keep you stuck in a loop of mediocre feelings, those stories are doing you more harm than good. So if you needed permission to tell a new one, a better one, a more uplifting one, a more edifying one, then here is me, Queen Aleya Harris, giving you permission to do so. I hope that you are as excited about this season of stories and storytelling as I am. And if you would like to join me as a guest to tell your story, or if you are a storyteller and you feel like you can help people tell their stories in more effective ways, I encourage you to do that. You can go ahead and apply by going to alayaharris.com podcast. Scrolling down and clicking apply to be a guest. You can also just email me aleya@alayaharris.com aleya at aleya H-A-R-R-I S.com well, until next time, my name is Aleya Harris. This is season four of the flourishing entrepreneur podcast, and I am sending you lots and lots and lots and lots of love, light, and abundance.
Aleya Harris [00:22:28]:
Bye for now.
Yuliya Patsay [00:22:31]:
Thank you for listening to this episode of the flourishing entrepreneur podcast with Aleya Harris. Vibing with what you hear, leave a five star review to spread the love and be sure to click subscribe. We wish you love, light and abundance. See you next time.
