#219. Nolan Haims wants your presentation to pack a punch

As we prep for Presentation Thinking's "Season Two," we want to hold you over with some ear candy by introducing you to our brand new sister show: The Story Camp Podcast. Hosted by Daniella Balona (Director of Learning and Community at Story Camp Inc.), The Story Camp Podcast is a weekly show that explores storytelling, communication, and practical methods for turning ideas into action.Join Dani as she takes you on a weekly journey to discover the communication lessons hiding in plain sight. Drawing from business, psychology, culture, history, sport, and everyday life, you can tune in for fascinating lessons about how people think, decide, trust, resist, connect... and communicate.It's the stories behind the stories, and what we can do with those lessons to apply them to our everyday communication craft.We think you're going to love it. Thanks for tuning in, and until next time... keep on pitchin'

Like all the great stories of our time, Presentation Thinking must also have an ending…to Season 1. Almost four years and 223 episodes ago, Mikey and Molly set out to become Presentation Thinking experts. We arrive at our “final” episode of this particular chapter to reflect on what we’ve learned and what’s in store for the next phase of the pod.Working at world-renowned presentation design agency, GhostRanch Communications, we’d long pondered at the intersection of presentations, storytelling, design and every art and media form in between. From B2B marketing to ancient songs, story strategy, the frameworks, and tools we’ve learned show up everywhere. Why is it worth learning about? We won’t gatekeep the answer: we are better communicators. And hopefully you, our fellow Presentation Thinkers, feel similarly.Thank you for joining and as always, KEEP ON PITCHIN’!This is an episode for: anyone that’s ever wondered how to start (and end) something.What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Our most-listened to episode of all time#79 - TED Talkin’: Amy Cuddy’s “Power Poses” and the impact of body languageWhere to find Mikey and follow Story Camp?LinkedIn - Mikey’s writing killer articles!Story CampWhere to find Molly:LinkedInLanding page, waddup!! Our team behind the curtain:Editors John HartonWill KommorIllustrator NoNo FloresThe final walkout songs:Molly’s personal pick: The Story - Brandi CarlileMikey’s: Come Sail Away - Styx

Professional keynote speaker, author, and tequila enthusiast Jay Baer joins Mikey to talk about his non-traditional path into public speaking and what he’s learned about storytelling along the way.From MCing high school talent shows to helping people with their presentations, Jay was no stranger to holding a mic but it wasn’t until later in his career that he started giving talks professionally (and getting paid). Jay emphasizes the power of getting to know your audience and how he workshops material through a presentation until it’s fully resonating—strategies which helped him write his bestselling book(s). His latest adventure seats Jay as the Co-founder and Editor of The Tequila Report, an online education resource for tequila consumers and brands. In Jay’s words, “they’re more connected than you think.” This is an episode for: current and aspiring public speakers alike!What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Find more of Jay’s work! JayBaer.comOn LinkedInThe Tequila ReportSpeakers Jay looks up to?Andrew DavisMark ScharenbroichSally HogsheadJay’s walkout song?“Each presentation has a different walkout song based on the content of that talk.”

When it comes to messaging, every marketer is familiar with the following concepts: alignment, adoption, and performance.But just how well your messaging gets adopted and how well it's performing with your audience is tricky to measure. Those are the questions that Austin Webb is after as a Co-Founder of Troupe.ai. A “messaging attribution and success engine,” Troupe seeks to “know the ROI of your story” by quantifying go-to-market messaging for the most clarity and success.Austin joins Mikey on the pod to chat about what’s changed in our approaches to messaging, customer touchpoints, the future of messaging guides, and his new eBook, Closing the B2B Messaging ROI Gap.This is an episode for: strategists, product marketers, and the entire GTM team. What’s in the Spice Cabinet?Need help with GTM messaging?Check out Troupe.aiFollow Austin on LinkedInCheck out the eBook! Closing the B2B Messaging ROI GapSales deck pet peeve? “Sales decks that get changed in local environments by one rep…a symptom of lack of adoption!”Book recco?Simplify: Do 50% More with 50% Less by Jim VandHei, Mike Allen, & Roy SchwartzWhat’s Austin’s walkout song? How Do You Like Me Now - The Heavy

We might say that Kara Zeiberg is a tour de force…of giving historical walking tours on Boston’s Freedom Trail! Have you ever considered how much world-building goes into a walking tour? Facilitating a group of wayward tourists through bustling Boston streets already presents tricky logistics. Presenting along the way, telling true and engaging stories—all while IN CHARACTER dang near deserves a presentation award!Seasoned tour guide Kara Zeiberg joins the pod to discuss how she fell into such a niche career and how it’s sharpened her storytelling and presentation skills in ways most B2B folks never have to consider. From underdog anecdotes from our country’s unsung heroes to iconic stops along Boston’s Freedom Trail, Kara has a story for everything—and some fabulous world-building advice as her colonial character, “Thankful Rice.” This is an episode for: the theater kids, people building immersive experiences, and anyone that has to practice presenting in tricky situations.  What's in the Spice Cabinet?Where to find Kara (and book a tour!)The Freedom TrailBoston reccos? Beantown Pub - bite downtownThe Green Dragon - drinks!Cheers (formerly Bull and Finch) - the Cheers barA few of Kara’s fave historical icons…Phillis WheatleyElizabeth ArdenWalkout song? Ragdoll - AerosmithWhy does Kara think people remember information so much better through story?People are always looking for what brings you from point A to point B, you know, something that drives that line through…Absolutely everything should have a narrative so that people can follow it through because that's what people are looking for.

As a co-host of The Presentation Podcast, one of the original inspirations for starting our own pod, Nolan Haims is like a “Founding Father” to us. The Microsoft PowerPoint expert, data storyteller, and seasoned coach joins Mikey for a conversation around how to communicate as much as possible within short time windows and shrinking attention spans. With 10+ years’ coaching experience (and a former career as a magician!!), Nolan employs fantastic exercises to teach memorable data visualization lessons. From his “one second chart” to studying the original Casa Blanca movie poster to simply emphasizing that people don’t take away enough in their slides (get friendly with that delete button!). Whether you’re struggling to edit a deck or a graphic designer trying to maintain their edge, Nolan wants to help you guide your audience.This is an episode for: graphic designers, anyone working through a deck, and the data viz nerds. What's in the Spice Cabinet?Where to find more of Nolan:Nolan Haims CreativeThe Presentation PodcastPowerPoint Pet Peeve?“Too much content. Slides that aren’t glance-able. And slides that draw your audience’s attention away from you.”Favorite speaker?Steve Jobs - “My favorite of his was the Macbook Air launch where he pulled the computer out of an envelope.”Book reccos?Good Charts - Scott BerinatoWhat’s Nolan’s walkout song?You Make My Dreams - Hall & Oates

When Christopher Nolan released his latest film, “The Odyssey”, this summer, there was much discourse (too much?) about its historical accuracy, its casting, and how it held up against Homer’s beloved 3000 year-old epic.For us here at Presentation Thinking AKA the “Storyteller’s Study Club,” we were thinking about another book—Christopher Booker’s The Seven Basic Plots—wherein Booker lays out 7 “shapes” for all stories. In one shape he dubs “The Quest,” Booker heavily relies on Homer’s The Odyssey as a reference point. Mikey and Molly get into how Nolan’s film rendition of “The Odyssey” follows (and doesn’t) the shape of “The Quest” that Booker so thoroughly laid out in his study of storytelling.—and how it can make for one of the most memorable stories ever told.We also apply what we know about film and visual storytelling to discuss Nolan’s mise-en-scene, dialogue choices, and terrible sound-mixing.This is an episode for: story nerds, students of the Greek epics, and Nolan fans and foes alike.What’s in the Spice Cabinet?The trailer, because we can’t link it in IMAX:via YouTubeChristopher Booker’s book we reference heavily:The Seven Basic PlotsWe discuss this story shape in further detail in Episode #33Emily Wilson’s translation:Here Her scathing review of Nolan’s film, “An Uncomplicated Man”For further reading (Substack recommendations vetted by Molly)A great epics reading list The different elements of horror in The Odyssey“Christopher Nolan ruined Circe”“How should an Odysseus be?”

Montana von Fliss is a master of distillation. From identifying a singular persona (AKA the “one”) that your talk will reach to honing your “secret sentence”, Montana’s approaches have cemented her as an iconic communication coach, keynote speaker, and maker of a millions-viewed TED Talk.In this episode, Montana joins Mikey to chat about how soft skills pay bills, the power of pretending there’s an audience in an empty Zoom room, and how “Imposter syndrome is just a misalignment with reality”. We hear about how, in identifying her “one” person in the audience that could be moved by her TED Talk, she really got to the heart of what she was trying to say. Now, who is your “one”?This is an episode for: speakers and presenters of all levels.What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Montana’s TED Talk has 44 million views (and counting!) Why not add to that number? How to Be Confident (even if you’re not)Follow more of Montana’s work:MontanaVonFliss.comLinkedInHer new YouTube channel!Meet Montana at Story Camp!Get your tickets for November 3-6, Boulder Colorado

You’re invited!!WHO: You! Marketers! Comms leaders! C-suiters! Sales powerhouses! PMMs! Anyone feeling like an “accidental” speaker coach! WHEN: November 3rd-6th, 2026WHERE: Boulder, ColoradoIf you’ve never heard about Story Camp, well, you’re going to.Despite only being in its second annual year as a presentation skills conference, Story Camp is on track to sell out this year. How?? Story Camp Founder Mikey Mioduski joins, er, his own podcast to discuss the secret sauce behind this retreat unlike any other. You’ll hear WHAT to expect at Story Camp 2026, WHO should come and benefit from it, and WHY he brought this thought bubble to life in the first place.This is an episode for: people invested in their personal and professional storytelling skills AND anyone looking to use that leadership development budget. What’s in the Spice Cabinet?How to get your hands on Story Camp tix? Get your whole team onboard hereWhere you’ll be staying for camp vibesThe Colorado ChautauquaThe headliners who will be thereWill StorrMontana Von FlissBenjamin BenichouStill need more convincing? Here’s 75 more reasons from Mikey

If you’ve ever felt transported to a different world or time period in a museum, that’s a sign of good exhibition design and curation working together. After finding an article written by Exhibition Designer Alya James from NYC’s Guggenheim (shoutout Substack!), our Presentation Thinking caps really started lighting up. From strategic placements for the eye to follow, to lighting and audio/visual components, presentation and exhibition mediums share many narrative-building elements in how something is meant to be experienced.This is not to be confused with museum curation AKA the selection of pieces. Exhibition design tackles the how in which pieces are placed, lit and safeguarded so that the public may interact in a natural flow. Museum exhibition designers leverage presentation just like we do slideware, experiential marketing, and more!This is an episode for: experiential marketers, art nerds, & museum lovers (and haters! Let us change your mind).What’s in the Spice Cabinet?Read Alya James’ Substack piece that got me digging:The Anatomy of an ExhibitionExhibitions, museums, & art referencedMaurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are”ABBA MuseumLofotr Viking MuseumChicago Art Institute’s display of Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Sky Above Clouds”Stedelijk Museum: Roy Lichtenstein (Amsterdam)Another cool piece:How to visit a museum