Big Leap Creative and The Breaking Trail Podcast

05/08/2025

Stories aren't built on every single thing that happened. They're built on moments – those critical turning points where everything could have gone differently.

Like when Chobani's founder almost threw away the postcard that led to his yogurt empire. Or when my client sat in that gas station parking lot, making 76 calls to find a shelter.

These moments? They're your tent poles (or baby trees, depending on how I'm feeling about metaphors today 😅). Everything else in your story should build up to them, around them, down from them.

When you're crafting your next pitch, presentation, or even your about page, ask yourself: What's the moment that changed everything? That's where your story lives.



https://lisagerber.com/the-power-of-moments-in-storytelling/

29/07/2025

You might skip over it in your bio, hide it from your Zoom background, or think it's not important enough to even bring into the conversation.

The hard part of being real is our innate fear of judgement.

Criticism is hard to take, especially when it's about you personally. But I've found time and time again, in my personal experience and when working with clients, that you never know the impact your story will have until you tell it. And when you do, I think you'll be surprised to find the very thing you didn't want people to know is the very thing that allows them to connect with you.

I'm not talking about revealing your deepest darkest secrets but maybe your passion for fly fishing, or that you care about an issue in your company because it relates back to a personal experience of yours - when you bring your essence into the experience of working with you, you'll start to see what it's like to have better relationships that lead to new opportunities.

You can learn more about this in my book The Power of Story: Connect with Purpose; Unlock Your Influence. Download a complimentary digital version or purchase the print copy here: https://lisagerber.com/the-power-of-story-order/

22/07/2025

This one is for the people pleasers out there. We just want to be friends with everyone. Difficult conversations? Those are to be dreaded, avoided at all costs. Corporate Natalie did a reel on Instagram the other day from a cocktail bar: “When the drink isn’t what you ordered but you’d rather die than inconvenience someone.” Yes. This is for you (and me). It’s about facing difficult conversations. And what happens when we do. :)



https://lisagerber.com/the-test-every-leader-faces/

08/07/2025

Any Taylor Jenkins Reid fans in the room? As I read Malibu Rising over the weekend, I noticed some overlap in the characters of her totally unrelated books and it prompted me to pick Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo back off the bookshelf to read about her third husband, who is the father in Malibu Rising, (and a cameo party guest in Daisy Jones in the Six) I then of course googled to learn more and it’s a whole universe she’s created.

Because I love learning from the best storytellers, this week, I explore how we can use easter eggs in our stories to build community through a sense of surprise and discovery. Yes, there is another Taylor Swift reference, and I even have an easter egg in my article. See if you can find it.

hashtag hashtag hashtag

https://lisagerber.com/the-secret-to-building-community-hidden-in-plain-sight/

24/06/2025

I wrote an article about AI, and it needed editing. I felt lazy. So I decided to ask Claude to edit it then I had a better idea. I had a conversation with Claude about authenticity, creativity, and why your stories make you irreplaceable.

https://lisagerber.com/a-conversation-with-claude-why-human-stories-still-matter-most/

10/06/2025

I’ve been having several conversations with coaching clients about the things they are pursuing - the goals and dreams they have for themselves. One topic we are all exploring is how to release the tension just enough so we don’t beat ourselves up trying to reach the proverbial “there.” It’s all about the stories we tell ourselves…



https://lisagerber.com/when-dreams-meet-resistance/

28/05/2025

Where there is no thought, there is no problem." Byron Katie wrote this in Loving What Is. How carefree would life be without thoughts? Or just certain thoughts. I wrote about them today.



https://bigleapcreative.com/not-today-becky-naming-and-aligning-our-thoughts/

13/05/2025

What’s the story you’re telling yourself that’s holding you back?

Resistance shows up in all of us—especially when we’re on the edge of change. It feels safer to stay quiet, but sharing even a small piece of your story can be what sparks connection, trust, and momentum.



https://bigleapcreative.com/the-small-ways-we-tell-stories/

05/05/2025

Who is in Dallas and would like to meet up?

I'm excited to be delivering a workshop on storytelling for the Association of Leadership Programs in July. If you are attending or are in the Dallas area and would like to meet up and talk about communications and strategic storytelling, let's connect.

29/04/2025

One story won’t change everything. But a practice of real, relatable, and riveting storytelling? That builds trust, sparks action, and makes change happen.

Discover the Nine Stories of Changemaking Leaders—and why the most powerful stories often start with a great question.



https://bigleapcreative.com/the-nine-stories-of-changemaking-leaders/

15/04/2025

A friend asked me how I am the other morning. How is anyone right now? All over the place. Uncertain, anxious, and torn between living life and curling up in the fetal position. I’ve been thinking about what that’s like and, more importantly, how to comfort those we work with and serve as best as possible.

Validation vs. Solutions: The Art of Presence in Uncertain Times - Many of my conversations with leaders right now look something like this:

18/03/2025

Changemaking leaders address the tough topics directly.

In my book, The Power of Story: Connect with Purpose; Unlock Your Influence, I identify nine principles influential communicators embody. One of them: Changemaking leaders address the tough topics directly.

You don’t have to agree with his politics, or the message, but President Obama, in accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 addressed the controversy around this decision early in his speech. It’s a great lesson on how to deal with the elephant in the room.

https://bigleapcreative.com/how-to-deal-with-the-elephant-in-the-room/