two separate disciplines; they come from the same place.” While he’s evolved as a storyteller, Lehew says he still has much to learn. “[I’ve evolved] in so many ways, and one way is that I don’t need to be a part of the story,” he says. “Through our podcast, the skucast, or our events, I’ve fallen in love with the craft of sharing other people’s journeys. My perspective has changed, too. I once thought the only story that mattered was the customer’s story. I was wrong. “For each project in our business, you have multiple perspectives and therefore, multiple viewpoints: the client’s perspective, the distributor’s perspective, the supplier’s perspective, the recipient’s perspective, and the community/culture perspective. They each have their own version of the same story to tell. When we unpack these perspectives, we can position the right story to share in any selling situation.” How important is storytelling for our industry? Lehew says, “It’s potent enough to single-handedly decommodify our industry—if we’ll use it.” Businesses should focus on content creation, says Lehew. “Because it’s so damn rewarding. The simple truth is once you begin the hard work of building content, you’ll attract more talent, earn more clients and gain more respect as a brand and self-respect as an organization. Most people underestimate the power of their story. There’s an undeniable attraction to content done well.” In this last year, one lesson stands out to Lehew. He says, “The extraordinary is disguised within the ordinary. Cormac McCarthy said, ‘Everything’s important,’ and he said so without a hint of irony, which I find just beautiful.” PPB spoke with Lehew to learn more about how he communicates creatively. My advice to someone hoping to build a distinct brand voice is… to know thyself. Arthur Schopenhauer said: “We forfeit ¾ of ourselves in order to be like other people.” Most brands, at least initially, are a reflection of the founder’s personality (Apple vs. Microsoft, for example) and the desire of their aspirational self. Branislav Nenin / Shutterstock.com “Most people underestimate the power of their story. There’s an undeniable attraction to content done well.” Bobby Lehew “Through our podcast, the skucast, or our events, I’ve fallen in love with the craft of sharing other people’s journeys. My perspective has changed, too. I once thought the only story that mattered was the customer’s story. I was wrong.” Bobby Lehew | APRIL 2022 | 79 CONNECT
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