23: The Power of Personal Storytelling in Building Confidence and Networks - Priya Sam

Sam and Jason Yarborough discuss the importance of values and storytelling with Priya Sam, a storytelling expert and solutions engineer at Slack. They explore the role of core values in shaping one's narrative and the impact of personal stories on building confidence and trust. Priya shares her journey from journalism to tech and how she helps individuals and companies craft their narratives. They also discuss the power of networking and mutual benefits in career growth and the importance of active listening in building connections.

About Priya Sam:
Priya Sam is a storytelling expert and solutions engineer at Slack. With a background in journalism and a passion for sharing personal stories, Priya helps individuals and companies understand the power of storytelling and how it can impact their success.

Key Takeaways:

- Establishing core values helps guide decision-making and shapes one's narrative.
- Personal stories are the foundation of confidence, trust, and value.
- Actively listening and repeating information back to someone helps establish trust and value in a conversation.
- Building a network is essential for success, and mutual exchange benefits are crucial in partnerships.
- Reflecting on pivotal moments in life and understanding the lessons learned can help shape personal narratives and build confidence.

Quotes:

"Your story is where your confidence comes from." - Priya Sam
"People remember feelings and how you made them feel." - Priya Sam

Chapters:

00:58 Discussion on Core Values and Their Impact
02:38 Introduction to Guest - Priya Sam
02:59 Priya's Journey from Journalism to Tech
03:46 The Power of Personal Stories
05:57 The Role of Storytelling in Building Confidence
12:41 The Importance of Networking and Mutual Benefits
15:33 The Art of Storytelling and Its Impact
20:08 The Journey of Building a Network
32:45 The Power of Journaling and Reflection

Transcript

Sam Yarborough: 0:26

Hey friends, we are super excited about today's episode. It's a bit different than normal. Um, but before we dive in, we have been talking in our little family, our nuclear family, about, um, values. We, you've recently read a book. What, what was the book that you were, I was focused on values and,

Jason Yarborough: 0:48

Oh, Peak Performance by Brad Stolberg and, uh, his coauthor. Yeah. Okay.

Sam Yarborough: 0:54

And the importance of values. You've been talking about this a lot. Yeah,

Jason Yarborough: 0:58

I mean it really drives, begins to drive who you are and what you're focused on and they make the point of like, establish your core values as yourself, as a family, and whatever you're working on as you begin to establish those core values, everything you do begins to be wrapped and bottled in those, you learn what to say yes to, what to say no to, based off those core values.

Sam Yarborough: 1:16

So we haven't even talked about this like, off mic, but, you know, I've, we've been thinking about how we can help our kids go into the world and tell their, tell themselves a good story about themselves. Um, and I think one of, really, really rough draft, this is the first time we're talking about this, but I think some of the core values we could instill there is kindness, loyalty, um, curiosity. Bravery, curiosity. Yeah, um, and I think the importance of having those, as you just said, is like, stakes in the ground or frameworks for how you approach the world can really impact the way you view yourself in the world.

Jason Yarborough: 2:00

Agreed. Yeah. And then they're, they're, they, to lead into the episode, like how you live in those core values begin to becomes the story you begin to shape and the narrative you begin to tell yourself and those around you. And like, I love a point that our Priya made in the episode is that our, our story is where our confidence comes from. And I don't think you can establish those confidence without understanding like what your values are, what your core values are, and what drives you. If your story becomes your confidence, your story is what builds trust, and if your story builds trust, your story is what brings value. And so she really brought a really good message home around, around how to build. Your own story your own narrative for your life and within your company

Sam Yarborough: 2:38

Priya is phenomenal. So I met priya. I just by happenstance Um synchronicity as some would call it at dreamforce and we quickly hit it off. I looked at her linkedin and She, she goes forth as a storytelling expert. Um, so of course, given the conversations we have around our table, I wanted to know more about that. But she started in journalism, actually. She then became a morning show host. She then moved over to be a solutions engineer. She's now at Slack, which is how I met her at Dreamforce. Small little company. Yup. Um, and now she's running her own thing over at Priyasam. com, which we're going to talk about today, but I think this, this framework, this idea is so important for all of us in business and family and mentorship and menteeship and literally everything we do, the stories we tell. Frame and shape our world.

Jason Yarborough: 3:32

So absolutely. It's my first time meeting her. I thought she was fantastic really fascinating conversation Hope you guys enjoyed as much as we did. Let's get into it

Sam Yarborough: 3:40

Hey, hey friends, welcome back. I am super excited for today's conversation because this is. A very different one from our normal conversations, but I think you're going to love it. So the way this came to be was I was at Dreamforce at a WISE, which is Women in Solution Engineering Breakfast. And I had the pleasure of sitting next to our guest today, Priya Sam. Hey Priya, thanks for joining us.

Priya Sam: 4:10

Yeah. Thanks so much for having me. That was such a like fortuitous meeting

Sam Yarborough: 4:15

It totally was. And. You know, so Priya, you're currently a solution engineer at Slack, which of course, me working in the Salesforce ecosystem, I was like, that's awesome. Let's chat. And then I looked you up on LinkedIn. I was like, hold the phone left turn. I want to talk about what you're doing. Um,

Jason Yarborough: 4:35

Yeah, I feel like I immediately got, like, texted your link, like, Check this person out, just met her, we gotta get her on the podcast. So, it's good to see it actually happening.

Priya Sam: 4:43

Oh, I love that. Yeah. I think the, um, well, I think when you think about solutions engineering, obviously you think about a very like technical. Sales role, um, which is, which is true. Um, but yes, you're right. My LinkedIn bio is more about storytelling, um, presenting, um, which is what I do on sort of on the side. And I mean, there's definitely a lot of crossover, but I love that the storytelling part is what really stood out to you and that we started to connect over.

Sam Yarborough: 5:12

Totally. I mean, I mean, Go ahead.

Jason Yarborough: 5:15

People and storytelling. It's more of our love language than anything. So, I'm looking forward to actually hearing more about it.

Priya Sam: 5:22

Yeah.

Jason Yarborough: 5:24

So it, so getting right into it, I guess, like looking through your LinkedIn to bring that all full circle. Like you've had quite the, uh, the journey, quite the, the level and layers, uh, of experience, right? From journalism to national news anchor to morning show host. Like I, I just wanted to like to spend a quick 30 minute documentary on Priya Sam, but talk to me more about like, uh, the journey to how you've gotten to now being an expert on helping people and really understanding the power of their own story. Like, what did that journey look like for you?

Priya Sam: 6:00

Yeah. It's so interesting. You know, my interest in journalism really came from, um, this passion for sharing people's personal stories when, and I think it, it just grew, um, And it started when I was a kid, you know, I was always very curious, always, you know, asking lots of questions, um, and always wanted to learn. And my parents actually immigrated to Canada, um, my mom not long before I was born and, um, my dad when he was 18. So for them, news and media is how they really learned about Canada. Canadian culture, um, and North American culture. So we always had, there was always a newspaper on the table. The radio was on, the TV was on for, you know, the dinnertime newscasts. So I was really surrounded by it. And I always, the stories I loved the most were about people and, you know, people who overcame obstacles or did something incredible. And so when I was doing my degree in journalism, I always, my passion was to become a reporter so I could have a platform to really. Elevate the voices of people who, um, were traditionally underrepresented, um, and to share their stories. And I think that, um, as I moved from journalism into the corporate world, I sort of thought, I don't know if. You know, I'm going to use that skill as much anymore. Um, for me, it was so tied to journalism and I didn't really understand that there were, there would be any use for it outside of that. But then once I started working, um, in tech sales, I realized like this is, everyone needs this skill. And actually when you don't have it, it can be really detrimental. Like you can be the best at your job, but if. You don't know how to tell a story about it. You don't know how to talk about your accomplishments in an interview, in a networking situation, it can actually really hold you back.

Jason Yarborough: 7:51

Absolutely, like, especially in that interview context, like, we talk to a lot of people, especially these days, who are, you know, transitions, layoffs, and stuff like that, and going in for the interview, and I get asked a lot, like, you know, what questions should we be asking? How do we talk about this? It's like, everyone's kind of, you know, wants to present their best foot forward because everyone's looking for a job, it seems like, right now. We've all got the open to work banner at some stage in the last three years, it feels like. So, yeah.

Sam Yarborough: 8:19

yeah, the thing that really stood out to me when we first met was, I think the way you described it was when you, you were at a networking happy hour and you were just listening to conversations and somebody would say, so tell me about yourself. And that simple question, which we all get asked, I don't know, hundreds of times, people don't know how to answer it. Um, and when you said that, I was like, do I know how to answer that? don't know. Um,

Priya Sam: 8:46

Yes, you're right. Somebody said to me the other day, that is a, it's a terrible question. Like, tell me about yourself. Like, you know, there are, we all could say so many different things and I, I get it. It's not, it's not, I don't think it's a great question either, but now I think. Actually, the openness of it does allow you to be strategic in your response, because really you have control over what you want to talk about. Do you want to talk about your career? Do you want to talk about your personal life? Are you trying to make a change? And this is an opportunity to tell someone who can help you, you know, your story and, and connect the dots and help them see where you're trying to go. So I think that, um. I do think a lot of people dread that question, and I think most of us kind of mumble something, um, and try to move on as quickly as possible, but I think when you're strategic about it, you can actually really use that response to your advantage.

Jason Yarborough: 9:38

So, let's, let's go real time here. Like, Priya Sam, tell us about yourself. How do you answer

Sam Yarborough: 9:43

Oh,

Jason Yarborough: 9:45

how do you

Priya Sam: 9:45

Yes, I love it. Thank you. So now I answer that question by saying I help people understand the power of their personal stories. And if this is somebody who maybe I want to work with, um, I'll ask them like, you know, yeah, like, is that something you've ever thought about? And then, you know, some people will be like, oh, yeah, you know, but most people are like. Well, I don't, you know, I don't know. I don't, I don't really know if I have a story or, uh, I don't, you know, I'm not, I'm not comfortable talking about myself. I hear that a lot too. Um, and I'm like,

Jason Yarborough: 10:16

that to be true.

Priya Sam: 10:17

yes. Yeah. Um,

Jason Yarborough: 10:20

aren't willing to like, open up and like, share who they really are. Like, a context of, you know, professionalism or your career. Like, they keep that so much separate and hidden, but it really drives and motivates everything that we do.

Priya Sam: 10:31

Yes, and it's where so much of our confidence comes from too, and I think that's the connection that, um, I, so I have a six week program that I offer. And as I was planning the program, I did these sort of, um, primary research interviews with people who I thought would be good candidates. And I was asking them, you know, what are some of your pain points, what are things that you'd like to work on? And most of these were women who were like five to 10 years into their careers. And every single one of them said. Confidence. Like, I feel like I lack confidence in talking about myself. And I think so much of our confidence is tied to our personal stories because it's the thing that whether you consciously think about it or not, you have to talk about all the time. You meet someone new, you have to tell them some part of your story. You're in a job interview. You have to tell them something. You're out with your spouse at their work event. You know, someone's meeting you for the first time. You have to talk about yourself. And I think when we don't feel confident in our own experiences, when we don't feel that we have something special to offer, which everyone does, um, then it can really impact just your, those day to day interactions that you have too. So what I really try to work on from the beginning, even if I'm working with someone in a professional capacity, let's say on a keynote, I try to start with that personal element, you know, what are the most pivotal moments in your life? Um, and that's, for me, that's a great starting point because we. All have those moments, right? I'm sure you're both right now thinking about. Oh, yeah, you know, like this would be a pivotal moment for me. This was a turning point. This was a an event that happened that changed everything. And that I think is actually a great place to start when it comes to that kind of confidence building and starting to think about your own story.

Sam Yarborough: 12:16

no doubt. And I love what you said too about knowing. I mean, it's essentially knowing your audience. So when you are delivering that story, who are you, who are you talking to? Um, and how are, how are they going to receive it? And what could come of it? So I recently had the pleasure of listening to one of your webinars, which for anybody who's listening, Go do that. Go listen to Priya. She's awesome. Um, but one thing that really stood out for me, especially in the context of what Jason and I do for work, is most great careers are not built just on talent or hard work, but on the mutual exchange benefits. Um, and this was something that men are often more comfortable with than women. And so this was a quote from How women rise. Um, but literally this is our job is to find those mutual exchange benefits as partner professionals. So I'm anxious to hear your thoughts on this quote and what it means to you and how we as individuals can frame this to grow our careers, but also help our companies.

Priya Sam: 13:22

Yes, it's so important. I think you can be so good at your job. You can be an expert. Um, but if you don't have that strategy where you're thinking about, you know, if you are trying to move to get to the next step, get a promotion, if you aren't Thinking about how do I tell this story and how do I find people where, uh, you know, my success is mutually beneficial to them. Right. I think that we can get trapped in this idea that, Oh, I don't want to ask someone for a favor. I don't want to ask someone to advocate for me because I'm putting a lot on them. You know, I think we really need to reframe that and say, well, if I'm, if I'm asking my boss to advocate for me and then I get promoted. Guess what? My boss looks good too. So this is mutually beneficial, you know, um, and yeah, in the world of partnerships, you know, you might be trying to bring on someone as a partner, but I, I'm sure there's always that mutual benefit. They're going to benefit from being connected to your company, to your team, to your services as well. And I think that as. I think it can feel a lot more comfortable, um, to make those, um, to pitch those partnerships to, to start building that foundation of trust when you start from a place of, hey, this is mutually beneficial, not I'm trying to convince you to do something that's going to help me.

Sam Yarborough: 14:37

Mm hmm.

Priya Sam: 14:40

And then you asked the second part of that you asked was. About, sorry,

Sam Yarborough: 14:46

No, that's okay. It was, I mean, I think it's. That's one thing that we talk about a lot, Jason and I do, about how we as partner professionals are out in the world networking and telling our stories and it naturally benefits our companies. And that's one thing that I think a lot of people get hung up on is like, me building my network and me going out and telling my story. Like, I don't see the value in that because it's not my job. When foundationally that is the job. So, um, no doubt.

Jason Yarborough: 15:22

I think like your story too, like, to your point, like, not only is where your confidence comes from, but it's also like, where you begin to establish like that first layer of trust. Right? When you're vulnerable enough and willing enough to open and share your story and talk about more of the personal context in this mutual benefits exchange, right? Like you start to establish trust out the gate when you can go there. And, you know, at the same point, like I, I do like, I intentionally weave that into, you know, the first 30 days we want to talk about that, whether it's working with new partners or managing new teams. It's like I bring in the person of who I am and who I'm working with to begin to establish that credibility with each other. It's like, do you, do you have any like exercises or questions you lead to guide people down that path to help them kind of understand that as well?

Priya Sam: 16:16

yes, I think especially if I know something about the person that I'm trying to build this relationship with ahead of time, the first thing I try to look for is a mutual point of connection, and sometimes it's sometimes a whole million times I'll even strategize a little on my ahead of that call, you know, I have a story that I think will resonate with this person. Um, so I'm going to try and find a way to tell it. So I'm going to ask them a question that I want to answer, you know, so maybe I see that they had an interesting career path that's similar to mine. So I'm going to ask them, Oh, how did you know? Hey, like I was looking at your LinkedIn. I saw that you've worked in a couple of other industries. How did you end up working? Um, let's say in tech. Okay. Then they're going to tell me their story and chances are after they're going to say, Oh, what about you? Like, how did you end up working here? And then it gives me the chance to tell the story that I have kind of already planned a little bit in my head, um, knowing that that's going to be a place to connect. So I do think those points of mutual, um, you know, having that commonality is, is a great place to start. Um, I also think that. We don't get a lot of opportunities, um, to talk about ourselves to an audience that is genuinely listening. So I think there is a lot of value in really showing someone you're listening to. And instead of just saying, you know, Oh, that's really interesting saying. Wow. You know, when you, that particular part of your story, when you talked about, you know, um, taking a leave of absence and, um, and spending three months traveling in Southeast Asia, like that really resonated with me. It's something I've thought of too, but you're really showing like, no, I'm not just nodding along here because I want you to sign this contract at the end of the call. I'm actually listening to you and I actually care about your story and I'm pulling something very specific out that that resonated with me. So yeah,

Jason Yarborough: 18:02

I think there's, there's a part two to like active listening or, you know, we talked about flow some on this, like flow in conversation and you can really accentuate that just by repeating like the last piece of information you heard, like repeating it in their language and their words and what they said and it just kind of reiterates to them that, Oh, this person is listening. They repeated back exactly what I just said. And it's as easy as that. Right. Just by being engaged enough to ask a question back around what they said.

Priya Sam: 18:32

yes. That also, the feeling that's generated for the other person when you do that, that feeling of validation and, Oh, I'm, I'm actually being heard. That is something that people, people remember feelings and how you made them feel. So I think that, um, is another really important tie in to, to that active listening.

Jason Yarborough: 18:52

Yeah, no doubt. And you know, to the next point of that, it's like from trust comes value and like value comes from like you being able to, you know, show some sort of worth through the conversation. Right. And you get that through the act of listening, like, oh, this person valued my time. He made me feel valuable. You know, if you walk away from that with the first call, then like you're, you're well in a way to establishing a great relationship.

Sam Yarborough: 19:13

hmm.

Priya Sam: 19:14

you're picking up those nuggets that you can use, you know, even a first meeting, you know, maybe you just are getting to know someone a little bit, but then later you're talking more about working together or the partnership or the sales side of things you have these personal nuggets that you can use in that presentation. to tailor it to them, um, to make them, you know, for me, a lot of when I'm doing demos, for example, in sales, it's like, how do you make your customer the hero of your story? Um, and I find some of those personal elements or knowing a little bit more about someone's day to day, for example, like when you can insert those down the road into those future conversations, it also makes such a big difference.

Jason Yarborough: 19:52

Yeah, I think I could spend the rest of the podcast just talking about how you actually make the customer the hero of the story from like your, your perspective and the work that you bring to the table. Um, I think that for the sake of the conversation, we'll keep going down the track of where we're at. Um, let's, let's. Let's talk about, uh, networking for a second or networks. It's been kind of a common theme here for the last few episodes, but I think I saw somewhere that you mentioned like hard work is not enough, but a network is essential to your success. So we just had Scott lease on the podcast and a few others were talking about go to network and establishing your network and community. Um, I'd love to hear from you how you found success building a network and not only just building it, but being able to activate it, uh, for your, your success in your, in your business.

Priya Sam: 20:41

I think the best example of this is when I was leaving journalism and looking for a job in, um, well, in another industry, actually at the time, because I didn't really know what I wanted to do. Um, but I knew that the things I wanted to continue doing were, um, storytelling and presenting and that I loved like meeting people and learning. Learning new things. So, um, as I, I kind of had these core, you know, pieces that I liked, but I didn't really know what other industry are these skills going to be applicable for. And so I started reaching out to other former journalists and just asking, Hey, you know, you're, you open to a 15 minute call or a coffee or a lunch. Um, I would love to just hear about You know, your career transition and most of them actually worked in PR or comms. It's kind of a natural path for for journalists to follow and what I found was I just wasn't getting excited about those career paths personally and, um. So then I met this woman who worked in, um, at a tech company and she worked, um, she was a solutions consultant. So, you know, solutions engineer, same job as I have now. And she started telling me about her role. Like, yes, I use storytelling all the time. Um, in my presentations, I get to learn about all of these interesting companies and, you know, kind of match what their goals are to the use cases that our product has. I'm constantly like presenting to different executives. There's some traveling involved, you know, um, All of these presenting storytelling skills that I really loved in this whole new way. And so for me in that moment, like my network became so important because first of all, it's how I met her, but then also I really needed her to kind of sell my skillset to her bosses and convince them to take a chance on someone with this. You know, unusual background. Um, and then once I connected with them, you know, they were, they wanted to talk to other people in, in my network too. So in that period of time in particular, I would say it was about six to eight months where I was really trying to meet new people and, and form connections outside of my industry. That's when I really realized the value of. Um, of my network and, and the power of having other people advocate for me. Um, and that, that mutual benefit, um, piece came in, uh, came into play there too, where, you know, I was also able to help this friend and people get, people get compensated on referrals. Right. So like there was, there were definitely some pieces in there that, um, that ended up being mutually beneficial, which was also really great.

Sam Yarborough: 23:18

I've heard you tell this story before and I loved the aspect. I have actually thought about this a lot about finding someone who you admire or want to be like, and then talking to them about how they got there. I like. Duh, it seems so simple, but I think, you know, as we grow in our careers and we progress, it's often like, well, I don't know. Yeah, I don't know. And it's, it's not having clarity on a, what our goals are and be who we want to be, but I loved your perspective on finding somebody who you think is interesting and then having a conversation with them. Because it sounds like for you, it helped you kind of define that and gain clarity around where you were going. Is that true?

Priya Sam: 24:03

Absolutely. And I would have never heard about this role if it wasn't for that conversation. Like I had no idea. My, my world was, was TV and journalism. I didn't really know. And then, you know, public relations and communications people, I knew their jobs because I dealt with them a lot as a journalist, but I didn't know anything about the world of tech or sales. And so, yeah, I mean, there, it kind of is that like, you don't know what you don't know. And then, yeah, so you, you really do need sometimes in those situations, like you're, you're almost doing research. Um, but it really opened my eyes up to, oh, I actually do have skills that are transferable because I think I was really worried about that too. I mean, working in TV seems like such a specific skill set and I just didn't know if anyone outside of the industry would ever. See the value in, in what I had to offer. So this process helped build confidence for me too, that my skills would be transferable and that somebody else would see the value in them.

Sam Yarborough: 25:06

Mm hmm. Actually, I think after, after meeting you and after hearing that, Jason and I were having a conversation and I did ask him, I was like, I forget how I phrased it, but I was like, who are the top three people you want to be like? And he answered pretty off the cuff. Do you remember who your answers were?

Jason Yarborough: 25:23

I'm pretty sure it was Rich Roll, Simon Sinek, and maybe Ryan Reynolds. Very, very big, high lofty goals, but those are the people I watch and I, I observe and I study. I don't just consume their content. I'm like, I'm watching, I'm taking notes. I'm trying to learn from them. I think that's a great question. I've actually used it two or three times in my own conversations and and asking people the same to kind of help them kind of establish a north star and you know, I think it's a good guide to know like, okay, we have these visions of who we want to be for ourself and but like who's who's done and what's their path looked like look like and how can you kind of follow along or at least, you know, have some benchmarks to establish

Priya Sam: 26:05

Yes. And those, um, like now this is one of the great things about social media is you can just get so much information from these people just by following them and consuming their content. Whereas, you know, before that was like, you have to wait till they write a book or something and then, and then buy the book and get a little piece of it. But I love the access we have, um, yeah, to people like that, um, too, that we can just learn from, um, by following their content.

Sam Yarborough: 26:29

So, one thing I want to double click on really quickly is, You know, in your, in your transition from journalism to tech, well, two, two things. Hey, that's not an obvious road. And I love this conversation we're having about like, who do you admire? Who's done it? Go, go learn about them. Go read them. Because I feel like in this traditional world, we have these made up guardrails about like, You have this job, which then leads to this, which then leads to this, and then you've made it and you're going to be happy.

Priya Sam: 27:00

Yes.

Sam Yarborough: 27:01

And if that works for you, amen, sister, go get it. But I also think conversations like this are so inspiring because it doesn't have to be linear and these rules we put around our roles. And if you can find people that have changed the script and have taken those risks and just get to know them, study them, it is absolutely possible. So I think that's a super refreshing perspective.

Priya Sam: 27:29

It really is. And I mean, I meet people all the time who. are just doing what they're doing because they've always been good at it. You know, but not because it's intentional. And then I think if you're doing that and you actually don't love what you do, everyone gets to a point where you're like, what am I doing? You know, and it can feel a lot scarier to try and get out of it. Um, the longer you're in it or the more obligations you have, right? Whether it's a family or a mortgage or whatever it is. So I think taking that time to reflect, um, As early as you can, and it's going to change over time too. I'm not trying to say it's ever too late because I don't think it is. Um, but I do think taking that time to reflect at different points in your career is really important because yeah, like sometimes it is easy to just keep going down this path that set out for us and without thinking about whether you're actually happy and fulfilled.

Sam Yarborough: 28:19

totally.

Jason Yarborough: 28:20

I agree and do you Um, I feel like we've kind of had some somewhat of a similar path. Do you feel like the, uh, the trans, those transitions of like almost like career transitions, uh, are kind of a, we'll use the word superpower for you or some sort of, you know, strength to pull from? Because like I started my career as a, as a motivational speaker, right? Then I went into sales and now I'm in partnerships and each, each step to your point, I've kind of reflected on and I see the value that I've pulled from each. And how it makes me good at what I do now. How has that worked for you in your current scenario?

Priya Sam: 28:59

Uh, I, and now I definitely see it as a superpower. I didn't, you know what, there was a period of time where I didn't, and I feel like, you know what, yeah, like what got in my head actually for a while was, um, you know, people used to say like, Oh, you can't change jobs too often. It looks bad on your resume. And I would just. Yeah, like that really got in my head at one point that, oh, people are going to think that I, you know, don't actually invest myself in something that I just like bop along from thing to thing when like, really, it's, it's not like that. There's so much more intention and thought behind it. But now that I'm doing what I do now. Absolutely. I think it is my best superpower that I've done all of these different things that all of the threads that I can pull from each of them. Like it's like now I see this unique collection of skills that is so valuable. Um, and I'm so happy I've done it that way. Um, but it did take me a little while to, to kind of get to that point.

Jason Yarborough: 29:57

Yeah, same. Absolutely. And like, I was a little insecure about it at first. It was like, I was just doing like, I just followed some passions. I was like, you know, okay, there's like a go to the sales thing. That seems interesting. Then I got really into like the idea of marketing and helping a certain, you know, types of businesses do marketing. And then someone introduced me to partnerships. And all of a sudden, like when I got into partnerships, like, man, another transition, but then I saw, like, I followed my passions, which were, became this path. And once I went down this path, I began to follow those things that led me right to where I'm at now. And like all those things, the, the motivation of speaking and being able to speak in public and being an evangelist to sales. And I'm now, I have to carry quota and run revenue and marketing. You have to be able to run co marketing initiatives with partners. Like all that has led up to, to this. And from going from an insecurity to a superpower is, is something that I never. I never saw it coming, but when it hit me, I was like, oh, this is, this is where it's at. And now, you know, I see the power in being a journalist versus being someone who's very specific in what they do.

Priya Sam: 30:58

Absolutely.

Jason Yarborough: 30:59

yeah, I know that comes into tech as well. And like what you do from a, not only from like the, the, um, the SE perspective, but also in like the coaching perspective, you have such a range to pull from.

Priya Sam: 31:11

Absolutely. And for me, that storytelling piece has Every single career has, it has like been such an important part of it. Like I actually taught ESL for a little while in South Korea and storytelling was even such a big part of that because a lot of my students had never left the country and they didn't have any friends who were, um, from anywhere else. They, you know, it was, it's. It's quite a homogenous country. And so for me, like telling them about like my life in Canada or how my parents ended up, um, immigrating from India to Canada, it was all storytelling that really helped them to understand that. So it's really something that has been part of every, um, every transition. Ever. It has become a superpower in every career I've had. And I don't even think I realized that though until like the last few years when I really started to think about it.

Sam Yarborough: 32:03

mean, I think there's so much to talk about here because I, one is unique in that, I, I, if you don't have imposter syndrome, call me and tell me how, um, but it's like, we all have these unique paths and truly if you, if you open the hood, none of them are, are linear, um, as, as much as you try to say they are. And so when you work with clients, how do you help them like piece all these pieces together to imposter syndrome and really showcase like. Exactly what you two just talked about. What I have is valuable and here's how it can help you.

Priya Sam: 32:43

Yes. So I always start with, um, this exercise where I get people to, and like in a group, I've done this in workshops. Um, and I'm, I do it in my program too, but we do it live. Like I'm turning on some music. You're going to do this right now. You have like, you know, six or eight minutes and you're going to write down all of the most. pivotal moments in your life. And I think this is a great place to start. Um, because once you might maybe in a week or a, you know, a month, think about those moments here and there, but when is the last time you actually sat down and looked at your whole life and wrote all of these things down? Right? Like for most people don't do that. So that exercise I find is really powerful because for most people, it's a little slow. And then all of a sudden, it's just like, I have 20 things I can write down here. Um, so that's where I start. And then we start to pick, okay, let's pick, you know, five or six of the most, the ones that stand out to you the most. And what are the life lessons you've learned from them? And once you go into that, you really start to realize, okay, not only. Did this thing happen that changed my life? But it learned, it taught me something that impacted who I am. And then you connect it to like, what characteristic do you see in yourself that comes from that? And I think that's where the confidence piece comes from and in a group, it's really nice to do in a group setting because everyone starts to share and inevitably you find some commonalities, um, with other people, but you also find things that are completely different and unique to you that other people tell you like, Oh, that's so interesting, or I've known you for three years and I didn't know that about you. That's So fascinating. And so I think that exercise is really powerful. So I think starting with just writing down those pivotal moments for yourself is a really good place to start, because I think you will, everyone will always find something that is different or unique, um, that they will realize in that process.

Jason Yarborough: 34:38

And

Sam Yarborough: 34:38

of the things I

Jason Yarborough: 34:39

whether it's, it's good,

Sam Yarborough: 34:41

go ahead.

Jason Yarborough: 34:43

I say, whether it's, whether it's good or it's bad, like you've, you've gone through those things, you've gone through, you know, something great that was pivotal in your life, but also like. I can think of some moments in my life that weren't so good, that were bad, but I made it through those times and that became a very pivotal point in my life, so it's important for those people to focus on both the good and the bad and see how it's shaped you and how you've come out of those scenarios, you know, better and stronger.

Sam Yarborough: 35:10

That's what I was going to say is I feel like, I mean, Jay, those moments have been some of the moments that have built the strongest connections and friendships for you because you've, you've double tapped on them and found people who have gone through similar situations. Um, but Priya, the one thing that people may come to you because they want to be able to tell their story better outwardly. But I think, A byproduct of what you're helping people do is change the story they're telling to themselves, and that's so huge, and it, it definitely helps with the confidence perspective, but if we can't understand our own story and tell it in a way that's beneficial to us, then there's no way we can, we can go out into the world and confidently You know, bring that story forward.

Priya Sam: 36:06

Absolutely. Especially if you're someone who maybe has tried to share your story or a part of your story with someone and maybe you didn't get the best response the first time you did it. Like, that's not going to make you want to do it again, you know? So, I think what I try to create, um, especially, you know, in a group environment is a situation where Everyone is comfortable opening up and you have that safe space to share your story. You kind of, you know, like you're all in it for the same reason too, right? So I think doing it with a group of people who want to do it together is really helpful because then you get the opportunity to practice as well. And once you tell something over and over again, um, you feel better about it. You feel confident in it. You're getting this validation and then when you go out and you do it in a more organic setting like a networking event, if someone doesn't necessarily respond to you the way you want them to one time, it's not going to affect you because you've had all of this like positive reinforcement around it. So you're like, okay, my story wasn't meant for this person. That's okay. You know, I can move on and I know that. I know that it's already been meant for other people. Other people have responded well to it. So I think that, um, that part of the confidence in that, that repetition and the validation from other people is really important in building something that's sustainable too.

Sam Yarborough: 37:25

No doubt. And I, I really find what you're doing so interesting because the dichotomy of your day to day work and what you're doing, um, with Priyasam. com are definitely intertwined, but I've heard you talk about this and I want you to share like how you're leveraging your current circumstances to. Elevate your ability to tell your own story more and reach your own goals more. Can you talk about that?

Priya Sam: 37:56

Yeah, absolutely. So, um, My, um, I think I told, I might've told you the story, Sam, when I met you, but, um, I was at, um, this, uh, so at, um, at Salesforce, I got moved on to a new team last year and I didn't know anyone. And so, and then we all got sent to New York, all the new people on this team and it was like, okay, your executives are there. Your teammates are there. Like this is your chance to meet any, everyone do some training. And my goal for this past year has been to speak at more conferences and events on behalf of the company. And previously I had a manager who was very supportive. He was like advocating for me. And now I'm on this. new team where I don't know anyone. So I was very intentional about going into this event. Every executive I talk to, I'm going to tell them about my background in journalism, and I'm going to tell them about my goal to do more speaking. And I'm, I'm going to connect the dots for them. Um, and so, so I did that, but I saw a lot of people around me. Not leveraging that opportunity because they didn't know how. Right. And so they would get asked a question. Like, I remember one in particular, um, when a colleague she used to live in Denver, somebody asked her, Hey, you know, I know you used to live in Denver. How'd you end up in New York? And she was like, Oh, you know, I just always wanted to live here. So I moved here and yeah, you know, just made it happen. And after I was like, okay, tell me the real story. And she said, well, you know, I graduated. I always dreamed of living in New York, but like I didn't have a job. I didn't really have any money. So I packed a couple of suitcases, went and slept on my friend's couch, applied to 200 jobs, finally got one in sales. That was like five years ago. And now she's like crushing it at a massive company. And I was like. Where, where was that story? You know, that, that story, if you had told that story, that executive would have been like, wow, you're resilient. You're open to taking risks, you know, willing to try new things. Like those are the things, those are the connections that they're making. So, um, that really. Started to make me realize like there are people that in my circle right now that need this. So I actually created a workshop that I started doing with, um, some of the ERGs, uh, the employee resource groups at Slack and Salesforce. So I've been able to, um, kind of mix these. Two things like this sort of side passion into, um, into my nine to five. And a lot of the people I work with have been finding value in it. And actually they've given me some great ideas for other things to do. Um, with it, you know, or like I did this for like the women's group at Slack. And then, um, somebody in our black employees group was like, you know what? I think that this is something that would be really valuable for our team. Like, could you come do it for, for this group? So. Um, I do feel that I've been able to kind of use my existing network and work situation also, um, to try out some of these concepts that are leading to opportunities outside of, um, outside of the, uh, outside of Salesforce too.

Jason Yarborough: 40:48

Let's...

Sam Yarborough: 40:49

love that. I mean, what's coming to mind for me is maybe you've seen it. Maybe you haven't, but that old ad where there's a hitchhiker and it says his first sign says, need a ride. And his second sign says, trying to get to mom's for Thanksgiving and the. It changes the entire perspective on who that person is. You know, you go from like, could be homeless, could be a drug user to, Oh, really wholesome guy that's wanting to go home. And like your, your aptitude to helping is changing significantly. And that's the value of coming to people with your story because it makes you relatable. It makes people want to help you. It makes you personable. All of these things. And I think we just get hung up on our own head of no one cares.

Priya Sam: 41:34

Yes. And like, Oh, I don't have anything that stands out. Yeah, I totally, that's such a good example of how like the same situation presented a different way. Just resonates and hits completely differently. Yeah,

Jason Yarborough: 41:48

I want to rewind on something you just mentioned a second ago. Um, so you get super passionate or, you know, curious about, you know, people tell their stories. So did I catch that right? And that's it's just the initially get started. You started helping people internally at Salesforce and Slack and helping them better tell and craft their stories. So instead of like overthinking and trying to build a whole new community, you've, you just tapped into those around you. To get started and helping those build out, you know, the stories they're telling throughout the day and begin essentially testing it in a free market there.

Priya Sam: 42:23

exactly. Yeah, that's exactly what I started doing. And then, you know, I posted about it a couple of times on social media. And then some people from other companies reached out and said, Hey, I think this would actually be really valuable at our company. Would you be open to doing a session here? And then the college I attended actually asked me to come do a workshop there for recent grad. So it's really kind of started to grow just from that initial idea. And You know, I didn't know when I did that first workshop, like, is this actually going to be valuable? It was so, it was nice to do it in a safe space, but it also made, it was just a reminder of that. I mean, I know it's, I don't want to sound cheesy, but if you don't try, you will never know, you know? And so. I just, I'm so glad I just took that chance and tried. I mean, it could have flopped and the, you know, 12 people who attended my first session might've been like, Oh, that was like, not great. But instead it turned into this thing that just has like continued to snowball from there. So I think sometimes those, just those small ideas, like it's really worth it just to try and water that seed a little bit and see what happens.

Jason Yarborough: 43:26

Yeah, I think there's a lot for people to, to learn in that as a, you know, got a, got a curiosity, got something you're super passionate about. And you're kind of, I, I am definitely one in Sam Contessa. I suffer from, you know, analysis paralysis. How do I get started? All right. Hey, Hey, Hey, I'm going to mute you here in a second. Um,

Sam Yarborough: 43:44

Mm-Hmm.

Jason Yarborough: 43:46

So just, just getting started with those around you,

Priya Sam: 43:49

Yes.

Jason Yarborough: 43:50

a post that wasn't that I was thinking, had a lot of people jump in, started testing some theories out. And next thing you know, I've got people that are interested in hearing more about kind of the ideas behind the LinkedIn posts that I put out. So, you know, get started with those you've got around you, test it, share it, get some more people involved and get some feedback, create that whole loop. And

Priya Sam: 44:12

Yes. I mean, and. Getting this feedback from people you already know who are comfortable being honest with you is so helpful because like my first workshop wasn't perfect, you know, there were things I needed to improve and because I had that audience of people I already knew in some capacity, they told me, Hey, I loved this, this part felt like it could have been a little smoother or like the instructions in this part weren't super clear. Great. You know, I had, it was so perfect. So I think it's so easy when you're on social media to see the people who are here, you know, you don't see that stuff. You don't see the testing with friends and family, the small groups, the, the free things they did at the beginning. And so it feels like the, if the first thing you do isn't up here, like, Oh, I don't know if I'm cut out for this, but no, like. Every person started that way. Every person who has like audiences of thousands, tens of thousands, they all started with that small group of people they knew or family or friend friends. So, yeah, I think that's really important. Point.

Jason Yarborough: 45:15

Yeah, so just getting started, you know, it's crucial. Let's, um, as you're helping people get started, I would like to dig into a little bit about your process. I'm a, I feel like I'm a student of storytelling, so this is more of like a, you know, personal curiosity.

Sam Yarborough: 45:30

a friend.

Jason Yarborough: 45:32

yeah, there's some, there's a few friends that are listening that want to know. So they say, um, talk us through like your, your strategic storytelling system. I think, you know, Sam and I were discussing that you have a system. But you've kind of built out you walk people through share what you can and love to learn a little bit from you there

Priya Sam: 45:49

Yes, absolutely. Yeah. So the system is clarity, confidence, storytelling, and strategy. And the clarity portion really has two parts. So it's clarity on your own story or stories and then clarity on your goals. So I would say that most people I work with. Have something specific they're working towards. So maybe it's a keynote presentation that we're building. Um, in my group program, it's more like trying to build out my network, trying to get a new job, trying to get a promotion. So I think getting, having that clarity at the beginning is really important because everything you do is going to connect to that. So it's almost like working backwards. Um, the confidence piece. Happens through that whole system. Like I, I'm trying to still figure out the right way to design this graphic where confidence is like growing through the other three steps. Um, but you know, that comes from like the story discovery is a great place for the confidence to start growing. And then the practicing and telling of it is, um, you know, as we talked about is kind of where you really see it take off. But the storytelling piece, I would say is the most structured part. So just learning those. Core concepts of a story. So what is your hook at the beginning, that first sentence that you're gonna tell someone that's gonna make them wanna keep listening. The next part is personal details, and those are really details that connect to any of the five senses. So something that, again, it's gonna make people like smell something, see something, hear something, really painting that picture, um, for them that again, will just help it to be memorable. And the last part is, is reminding them. Why this story was important or stating your goal. If this particular story is tied to that goal that you're trying to reach. So one example of that is like when I was at that networking event, you know, these executives, I'm telling them like, so my hook is I'm, first of all, I'm telling, asking them. Hey, you know, what, how did you end up working in tech? So they'll ask me, then I tell them like, Oh, I actually used to be a journalist and morning show host before, and I moved into tech because I love storytelling and presenting. And then at the end is, you know, actually my goal this year is to do more speaking, um, on behalf of the company at conferences and keynotes or at conferences and, um, events. So if there are any opportunities, I would love to hear about them. So that's kind of what it looks like in action. And that, that last piece of strategy, um, and that the strategy piece is creating those opportunities to tell those stories. So asking that question that you want to answer, for example, or being intentional about the people that you are talking to at events, you know, doing that research ahead of time is, is also part of, of strategy if you are trying to do something specific.

Jason Yarborough: 48:34

I Like that so to reiterate clarity confidence storytelling and strategy

Priya Sam: 48:40

Yes.

Jason Yarborough: 48:41

so are in your Storytelling Curiosity. Are you a framework or a fan of any frameworks out there of any authors that you've kind of studied and learned from and kind of helping others build out like I've got books around storytelling from Donald Miller and Lamont to all the other people out there about writing and telling stories and stuff like that. Like who, who are you learning from? Who have you learned from in the past that that have guided you to these to build the steps out?

Priya Sam: 49:08

Yes. Oh, yes. Oh my gosh. So many. But, um, I know you mentioned Simon Sinek at the beginning. Also love him. Brené Brown is another, um, one. Like I just love her, you know, like the whole psychology behind it. Um, so I'd say those are two of my favorites, but you know, sometimes, like I follow a lot of people who are keynote speakers, um, just like on social media. And sometimes people I don't know very well will just say something that. Like really kind of hits me differently, you know, um, or, and all of these little tips, I feel like, um, that I've kind of collected in over the years that as I was building out the system and kind of trying it out, because I, I did the same thing, you know, just trying it out with people I was working with kind of casually or, um, or in my earlier days when I was just figuring out how to help people become better speakers or presenters, for example, um, that really helped me, um, Aside from like, uh, trying my own theories, but those collections of tips from other people definitely really helped me to develop that system that so far has been working really well.

Jason Yarborough: 50:13

Love that. Um, What would you say, so along the lines of your framework, what are some easy steps today that our listeners or viewers could take away today to start understanding the story they have to tell? Like if you had to say, like, go do this and this and then, you know, dig into Priya Sam's content after that.

Priya Sam: 50:35

Yes.

Sam Yarborough: 50:36

go, then go hire you.

Jason Yarborough: 50:37

Exactly.

Priya Sam: 50:40

Yeah, I'm here for that. Love it. Um, but yeah, I, you know what, I think the reflection on your own pivotal moments is a good place to start. The other thing that I think, um, once you're more intentional about looking for stories that stand out to you, that's also something that, you know, you might scroll past something on LinkedIn or on Instagram and. And watch it or, and think, Oh, that's interesting, but you'll just keep moving. But I think if you actually spend a few days just thinking about stories and how they show up in your life, um, that also can be really powerful because you have to also believe in the power of storytelling, I think, before you do this work and seeing it in action, um, and see and understanding the impact it has on you is a really great way. to just see that value rather than like someone just telling you it's important. Um, even in your, you know, advertisements you see, like why did something stick with you when you think about that story piece of it? Um, so I think looking for stories in your everyday life is also a good place to start.

Jason Yarborough: 51:44

Yeah, absolutely. We've got a few friends who kind of talk about, you know, keeping files of your stories. Some people call it swipe files or whatever. Do you find yourself keeping like swipe files, notes in your phone, evernote somewhere of like all the stories that like, Ooh, that's a good one. I want to keep that one somewhere so I can recall it later.

Priya Sam: 52:03

Yes, absolutely. So I also use Evernote and then I have, I still like to write sometimes, like handwrite. So I, I'm a big journaler. So, and I, I actually have like, I have my kind of like daily journal. I mean, My, my, let's, let's call it my more frequent journal because it's not quite daily. But then I also do have actually like a notebook for stories that I try to jot things down in, um, when they come up. And for me, there's something about the handwriting part of it that I really like to, um, like it feels a little more like a bit of an outlet sometimes.

Jason Yarborough: 52:37

Yeah. So I have one last question. I promise I'll shut up. I'm just so curious about process from people like yourself.

Sam Yarborough: 52:44

is why I invited you to the podcast. I knew

Jason Yarborough: 52:48

So as, as a journaler, I'm always curious to know like what others journaling processes like, do you, do you mind giving us like a, just a overview of like when you sit down to journal, like, what are you focused on? Are you just getting thoughts down? Do you have, Framework, or what does that look like for you?

Priya Sam: 53:08

Yeah. You know what? I've tried so many different things over the years, like I tried that kind of bullet journaling for a while. Um, I tried to write every day for a year, a couple of years ago. Um, and that, um, I, I think I found that with that one, when I went back and read through, I found it a little bit harder to find the things that, I, you know, would really stand out because some things, some days were just, you know, kind of average days. So one thing I've been doing now is I actually highlight my own writing. So if I don't, yeah, like I, I would say the actual formatting is kind of free flowing. But I will. Um, because I am, you know, thinking about what I might say in, in, in a podcast interview or, you know, there are times when I want to reflect back and, um, and maybe like look at how I've changed or how my story's changed. I do at the end of a journaling session, kind of like look through and I highlight some of the important parts that I think might be important to me later. And I find that helpful. So every few months I do go back and look at those things and. You know, in the last year, because I've had so much growth, um, in my own storytelling and in, in working with people, I've actually noticed a big difference in the way I write, and my own confidence growing about, um, in it. Because once I, when I started, um, I would say, you know, I felt like I knew enough about storytelling, but I wouldn't, I wouldn't say I was confident in the fact that I could help other people with it. And now when I'm writing about it, I noticed like a change in my own tone and confidence writing about it, which is really cool. Like it's cool to notice that in yourself. Yeah.

Sam Yarborough: 54:49

that's what happens when you just get started.

Priya Sam: 54:51

Yes, absolutely. You are right.

Sam Yarborough: 54:55

So I would really, I mean, this conversation has been awesome and, you know, I hope we get the chance to do it again, but I would really encourage our listeners, like. You kind of talked about this, how you have to understand or believe in the power of storytelling before you can, like, embark on this journey successfully. And I feel like we can put storytelling in its own bucket when in actuality, like, sales is storytelling, marketing is storytelling. Every conversation you have with a person is a chance to tell your story. And I think the opportunities for our audience to really lean into this are boundless. So that being said, Priya, if somebody... If somebody is interested in working with you, where do they go? How do they do that?

Priya Sam: 55:39

Yeah, so you can find my website is Priyasam. com and there's like an option to send a fill out a contact form So absolutely you can do that there. I'm also on LinkedIn You can find me there and on Instagram and everything is Priyasam. So I'm super easy to follow. Luckily, I don't have a super common name So

Jason Yarborough: 55:56

Makes it very convenient.

Priya Sam: 55:57

to find me. Yeah.

Sam Yarborough: 55:59

Um, well, so we like to end the podcast with a little bit of a question that's unrelated to our previous. So it's always a surprise. Don't worry. Yours isn't hard. Um, being obsessed with storytelling and an expert in the field from that perspective, what is your favorite movie due to the storyline?

Priya Sam: 56:25

Oh my gosh. Okay. I really loved Interstellar,

Sam Yarborough: 56:32

Okay.

Priya Sam: 56:32

um, yes, I, yes, because I feel like that one, it jumps around so much that it really like conceptually has the potential to be so confusing, but it's not because they found this way to like draw all of these concepts and the imagery. Um, you know, so you can tell what point you're at because of, like, the scenery that's around you. And I think that this is something that's so crucial, especially when you're doing a longer, like, let's say a 45 minute keynote. You have to go back and you have to remind people about the important parts of the story. More than once and to me in that movie, there's a lot of like recalling back to like reminding you like, Hey, this is where we are right now. And this is what happened before. And this is less jumping back and forth in time, you know, and that bookshelf you'll recognize from earlier. So that's how you know where we are in this period of time. And so. So I think that, um, that concept really translates well into, like, when I think about, like, stories now. But that, I loved that movie and I, I wouldn't say I necessarily picked that out the first time I saw it, but then when I went back, I was like, they did this very well and this is a very important thing to do in a longer piece of media.

Jason Yarborough: 57:50

It's an interesting parallel to make all pun intended there that in to make it into the um, The keynotes or marketing is like if you're marketing something like putting it Bringing it back in front of the person bringing it back in front of the person So keynotes, they keep iterating the point you're driving home Like there's always a central theme of what you're driving home. So it's a good parallel to the movie there

Sam Yarborough: 58:11

So great. Priya, this has been phenomenal. Thank you for the time. Thank you for joining us. Thank you for sharing your expertise with our friends who are asking. Um, people,

Priya Sam: 58:27

Thank you for having me. I like, I could talk to you both all day. This was really great. So yeah, really appreciate the opportunity.

Sam Yarborough: 58:33

let's absolutely do it again. Um, guys, go follow Priya. She knows her stuff. Attend her webinars. She's definitely, she's, she's got something special going on. So. That's it for today, friends. Thank you again for you tuning in, giving us your time. We appreciate you immensely and we'll see you next time.

Jason Yarborough: 58:52

See ya