Chris Hare

Yeah, so it's tricky, right? I had a meeting with the chief marketing officer of a big tech company once and I asked her, how do you define narrative? And within a matter of minutes, she defined it at least three different ways. So there is a bit of a language challenge in that everyone uses these terms interchangeably, and oftentimes they can be the same thing.

Yeah, so it's tricky, right? I had a meeting with the chief marketing officer of a big tech company once and I asked her, how do you define narrative? And within a matter of minutes, she defined it at least three different ways. So there is a bit of a language challenge in that everyone uses these terms interchangeably, and oftentimes they can be the same thing.

What I've found helpful is to tease them out into, we all have stories that we tell ourselves and others constantly, and I view those as time bound. This happened, it started at this time, this thing happened and then it ended. And I view narrative as ongoing, but it's more of the narrative in my mind is more of an architecture that shapes a direction that an individual or a company is heading.

What I've found helpful is to tease them out into, we all have stories that we tell ourselves and others constantly, and I view those as time bound. This happened, it started at this time, this thing happened and then it ended. And I view narrative as ongoing, but it's more of the narrative in my mind is more of an architecture that shapes a direction that an individual or a company is heading.

So the stories, in my mind, are really, as I conceive of it, are really the fuel for the narrative. And so we take those stories, we synthesize them, and then we create a narrative out of them, and then we follow that narrative, and it propels us, whether we're talking about a business or an individual.

So the stories, in my mind, are really, as I conceive of it, are really the fuel for the narrative. And so we take those stories, we synthesize them, and then we create a narrative out of them, and then we follow that narrative, and it propels us, whether we're talking about a business or an individual.

Yeah, absolutely. So the first thing I would say to your point about the mass media, I absolutely agree. So for years, I wouldn't even... call myself a storyteller just because it was so overplayed. And I think on the one hand it's positive because it's sparked lots of conversations about it.

Yeah, absolutely. So the first thing I would say to your point about the mass media, I absolutely agree. So for years, I wouldn't even... call myself a storyteller just because it was so overplayed. And I think on the one hand it's positive because it's sparked lots of conversations about it.

But I think what's also happened is it's very reductionistic where people say, okay, here's one framework, like the hero's journey. And it's a paint by numbers. We take these elements and we shove them into this framework and it's going to work for us. And I think it can be a lot more complex than that.

But I think what's also happened is it's very reductionistic where people say, okay, here's one framework, like the hero's journey. And it's a paint by numbers. We take these elements and we shove them into this framework and it's going to work for us. And I think it can be a lot more complex than that.

So one of my favorite examples, one of my clients, so he was a VP of Amazon Marketplace, took them from about eight employees to 4,000 and probably about 150 billion. And what was interesting is his name was Pete. At a certain point in time, their belief, I would say their narrative within the company was that the entire future of their business was resellers.

So one of my favorite examples, one of my clients, so he was a VP of Amazon Marketplace, took them from about eight employees to 4,000 and probably about 150 billion. And what was interesting is his name was Pete. At a certain point in time, their belief, I would say their narrative within the company was that the entire future of their business was resellers.

So people who had a product and they were from whatever brand and were reselling it on the platform.

So people who had a product and they were from whatever brand and were reselling it on the platform.

And if you were to look at their data, and if you were to look at the stories that were hidden in those data, the stories that they would tell each other in the hallway about XYZ seller did this thing and had this success, it all pointed to the idea that it was just resellers and that was the future. So the stories were Vince has a product and has been selling this product successfully.

And if you were to look at their data, and if you were to look at the stories that were hidden in those data, the stories that they would tell each other in the hallway about XYZ seller did this thing and had this success, it all pointed to the idea that it was just resellers and that was the future. So the stories were Vince has a product and has been selling this product successfully.

Therefore, we need to keep doing this. That's the story example. The narrative is that belief of the future of Amazon Marketplace is resellers. Therefore, we must invest in those resellers. And then as a result of that narrative, the business then changes. throws everything at that and pursues that.

Therefore, we need to keep doing this. That's the story example. The narrative is that belief of the future of Amazon Marketplace is resellers. Therefore, we must invest in those resellers. And then as a result of that narrative, the business then changes. throws everything at that and pursues that.

What then happened then where a story actually shifted that narrative was Pete was invited to visit Brooklyn and met a number of multi-generational family-owned businesses. For example, an immigrant family potentially came over in the 30s or 40s. They may have started out repairing vacuum cleaners.

What then happened then where a story actually shifted that narrative was Pete was invited to visit Brooklyn and met a number of multi-generational family-owned businesses. For example, an immigrant family potentially came over in the 30s or 40s. They may have started out repairing vacuum cleaners.