The Art of Storytelling: A Workshop Recap with Jamie Perez
In today’s digital-first world, storytelling has become a critical tool for businesses and nonprofits alike. Jamie Perez, founder of Beyond Words Productions, recently shared her insights during a Startup Grind workshop. With a background as a multimedia journalist and a passion for heartfelt storytelling, Jamie offered a masterclass in connecting with audiences through video and emotional narratives.
Jamie’s Journey to Storytelling
Jamie’s story is rooted in resilience and creativity. Growing up in a challenging, emotionally abusive environment, she turned to poetry as an outlet for her emotions. Later, her love for writing and storytelling led her to a career in journalism. Working as a multimedia journalist taught Jamie the art of doing everything—finding stories, filming, editing, and writing—on tight deadlines. These experiences shaped her ability to create compelling narratives, eventually leading her to entrepreneurship.
Her why—her passion—is clear: helping people connect with their emotions and tell their stories in ways that inspire and create impact.
Why Storytelling Matters
Jamie emphasized the importance of emotional intelligence (EI) in an era increasingly driven by artificial intelligence (AI). While technology continues to evolve, the ability to forge emotional connections remains uniquely human. Businesses and nonprofits can leverage storytelling to show not just what they do, but why they do it.
She shared a powerful poem illustrating her journey, underscoring how stories rooted in personal experiences resonate deeply with audiences.
The Power of Video Marketing
Citing studies from Wyzowl, Jamie highlighted the effectiveness of video storytelling:
91% of marketers saw increased customer engagement after using video.
Short videos (30-60 seconds) perform best, particularly on social media.
Video testimonials are the most impactful format for building trust and credibility.
Jamie’s advice? Keep videos concise and emotionally engaging. Longer videos can dilute the message and lose viewers’ attention.
Telling Your Founder's Story
One of Jamie’s key takeaways was the importance of the founder’s story. Sharing the "why" behind your business adds authenticity and builds trust. She showcased examples of nonprofits like Felicia’s Donation Closet:
and Gio’s Garden:
which used video to highlight their missions and the emotional impact of their work.
In her words: “Your product or service is not unique, but your story is.”
Tips for Creating Impactful Videos
Focus on the Why: Start with a powerful, emotion-driven soundbite to hook viewers.
Highlight the Underdog Story: Show your journey or the transformation your product or service enables.
Condense Complexity: Avoid overloading videos with too many voices or details. Simplify the narrative to maintain emotional clarity.
Leverage Authenticity: Include testimonials or third-party endorsements to boost credibility.
Equipment Recommendations: A list of the equipment that Jamie recommends can be found here.
Overcoming Obstacles
For startups without a finished product or client base, Jamie recommends starting with testimonials from supporters or sharing hypothetical impact stories. The goal is to build anticipation and engagement early on.
Marketing Your Story
Jamie stressed the importance of making your video accessible:
Use compelling thumbnails and captions.
Repurpose raw footage for different platforms.
Share videos via newsletters, social media, and email campaigns.
Final Thoughts
Jamie’s workshop was a call to action for businesses to embrace storytelling not as a luxury, but as an essential tool. Her closing advice: “You are not selling a product—you’re selling an emotion.”
If you’re ready to craft your story, Jamie encourages you to reflect on your why, embrace emotional connections, and start sharing authentically.
About Jamie Perez
Jamie Perez is the owner and chief storyteller at Beyond Words Productions – a videography + storytelling company that focuses on creating heartfelt and emotive videos for businesses and nonprofits.
Before Jamie became an entrepreneur, she was a TV news reporter for six years. Her career as a broadcast journalist moved her across the country from California to Iowa and eventually Wisconsin, where she covered tragedy, triumphs, politics, community events, and burdened our blizzards and severe weather on live TV. As a reporter, Jamie did everything as a one-woman band from finding her own stories to setting up interviews, filming everything, editing everything, presenting it in front of the camera, writing up the web story and doing it all over again day after day. Jamie said doing it all prepared her to be able to run her videography and storytelling business as a solopreneur. She is driven by emotional storytelling and has a passion for creating empathy through videos. Jamie's videos have helped organizations fundraise, hire staff, promote events, generate leads, and brand and market themselves in new ways that make other people care about them. Jamie’s business motto is: “If a picture says a thousand words, my videos will leave people Beyond Words.”
