Welcome to Story Behind the Strategy

Generative AI is already part of the modern workplace. Rather than banning AI, I teach my Business Communication students how to use it responsibly through the AI Sandwich framework—a practical process that begins with original thinking, uses AI for refinement, and ends with human judgment.

Viral campaigns create awareness, but do they build loyal customers? Learn why great brand marketing strengthens awareness, recall, preference, and loyalty instead of overshadowing the brand.

What can Masters of the Universe teach us about marketing? Discover why music creates emotional connections that AI and great visuals alone still can't replicate.

What if you treated your personal energy like an investment? Discover how one unexpected family day reshaped my perspective on productivity, joy, and career growth.

Over the past week, my LinkedIn feed has been filled with talented marketers from Sprout Social announcing they were looking for their next opportunity. Many loved what they were building. Many had spent years strengthening the company's brand. Overnight, they became a cost reduction—a line item on a spreadsheet. Thomas Barta and Patrick Barwise discuss this challenge in The 12 Powers of a Marketing Leader. Marketing is one of the few departments that is routinely expected to

History majors save the world too. In Project Hail Mary, one of the most important leaders on Earth isn't an astrophysicist, engineer, or biologist. She's a historian.

Resumes are important. They tell people where you've worked, what you've accomplished, and the skills you've developed. But they're rarely the reason someone remembers you. Lately, I've been reading The 12 Powers of a Marketing Leader by Thomas Barta and Patrick Barwise. One idea that has stayed with me is that leadership isn't just about the role you hold—it's about the value you create long before a title catches up. That reminded me of one of the very first marketing propo

Everyone deserves a voice. Not every opinion becomes the strategy. One of the biggest misconceptions about marketing is that everyone should get an EQUAL vote.

"We spared no expense." It's one of the most famous lines in Jurassic Park. The park had brilliant scientists, talented engineers, experienced veterinarians, sophisticated automation and state-of-the-art security. They had almost everything, except a culture where someone could stop the project and say, "Maybe we're moving too fast." That's why Ian Malcolm wasn't the villain. He was the person asking the questions no one else wanted to hear. That lesson has become even more r

When was the last time you saw an amazing PowerPoint? Not just a good presentation - a slide deck that made you think, "Wow. I need to use those colors, animations, and graphics in my next presentation." No? You're not alone. I've certainly taken pictures of presentation slides during conferences and webinars. But if I'm being honest, it usually isn't because the slides were unforgettable. It's because I wanted to turn the information into my own notes before I forgot it. The