PENN Interactive’s Post

“An acting degree? I bet you wish you’d done something more relevant!” This is a conversation I’ve had hundred of times over the years. And when I started Ink Blot Creative, I had many moments where I wished I’d got a business or marketing degree instead! But I’ve come to realise that those years of training, my degree and a fun but short lived professional career in the arts gave me my super power. Storytelling. Everyday I use the power of storytelling to help people understand how to talk about their business through content that really connects with their audience. Everytime we pitch for work, or hold GREENHOUSE Jersey, our annual marketing and sales conference, storytelling is what gets buy in from the audience. And of course, every piece of content we create for our clients has good storytelling at its heart. So it turns out, that acting degree wasn’t a waste after all. Is your content telling your story? Drop me a message to chat about how we can help. 📸 Ancient acting headshot #storytelling #contentmarketing #contentageny

🎬 Queuing Up a Year’s Worth of Video Content in a Day? This week, Perseus held an internal conference in Vancouver, bringing together our global team to connect and share valuable insights. One of the highlights? We hired a videographer and conducted 12 interviews with our leadership team to capture their incredible career journeys with Perseus. Why was this so efficient? 1. Maximized Leadership Team's Time: Everyone was already gathered in one place, reducing the need for extra travel or time commitments. 2. Streamlined Production: By hiring a videographer for one day at a single location, we kept costs down while ensuring consistency. One location and one editing team also drives standardized content. 3. Pre-Planning for Success: We confirmed the Q&A and interview schedules in advance, allowing for smoother execution and enabling us to ask deeper, more impactful questions during the interviews. Huge thanks to Constellation Dealer Group, Raginee Mamgain, and Kseniya Savelyeva for the 1 day shoot inspiration. And a special shout-out to Beverly Boy Productions for hammering through the long shoot—excited to see the finished product!

This week, we welcomed Quinhann Emerson Duay to the NOTICS team as our new video editor. I want to share our hiring journey and how we found amazing talent from around the world: 1️⃣ Posted a job ad on LinkedIn for just TWO days Result: 100+ applications! (Had to pause due to overwhelming response) 2️⃣ Screened 42 applicants based on portfolios and application forms Bonus: Only 4 no-shows! 👏 3️⃣ Requested assessments from 13 candidates Outcome: 10 badass video edits that truly showcased each editor's talent 4️⃣ Final round: Two outstanding candidates Winner: Quinhann! 🏆 This process was incredibly efficient and yielded fantastic results. It got me thinking: 💼 Fellow business owners, what's your current hiring process like? 🎥 Stay tuned! I'll be recording a video soon on how we automated this entire process using ClickUp. Can't wait to share these insights with you all! #Hiring #RemoteWork #TalentAcquisition #VideoEditing #ProcessAutomation

I've spent my whole career teaching storytelling skills to founders, and yet last night our founder Siqi Chen taught me that I still have so much to learn. Here are some of my key takeaways from his storytelling talk during #SFTechWeek: 1) What is the thing you are the best at in the world? This should become the center of your brand story, your founder story, and your thought leadership. 2) The key layers of a story are action, emotion, and conflict -- specifically, the conflict between the standard worldview and the 'underdog' view. As a founder, become an expert at the 'standard' view that your competitors use in order to understand how to differentiate. 3) Every story has three acts: the origin story, where are we now, and where are we going. 4) A brand should have one story that is told through every touch point. The story's components will adapt depending on its audience, but the core narrative must stay cohesive. 5) When sharing your vision of the world you are trying to create, it needs to sound as if this future is completely inevitable so that others are compelled to be on your side. Thank you to Runway and TECH WEEK by a16z for teaching an old dog some new tricks. #storytelling #PR

https://lnkd.in/gaXPjeTQ "The Importance of Mutual Communication Between the R&D and Marketing Teams" Communication is not the key. Strategic and effective communication is the only true key to the workplace. As an R&D Scientist working closely with a full group of talents, I see that most of us still prefer to work in our FIXED "cognitive box". Transparent inter-team communication based on mutual respect, patient listening, and on-time feedback is the only path to a successful public launch initially from an innovative idea. https://lnkd.in/g6QcKqKJ

...anyone in my network who could do with some advice from a certified expert on public speaking - whether its presenting to clients, teams or simply wants to develop their self confidence when communicating - check out Dashas new website - she is offering a free 1-2-1 consultation. I promise you'll get lots of great tips, plus you get to speak to Dasha which, in itself, is a remarkable experience! :) I know some people who are in my network have already spoken with Dasha - so if that is you - please repost / share / comment for reach - especially with comments of how you found your consultation or coaching. She's had loads of recommendations and is ranking the #1 public speaking coach on edu platform Domestika with over 60,000 happy customers rating her 99% and above! (one of her courses as 100% approval rating) She trained and practiced in Drama, helped found a multi-million ££ business that sold to WPP and also has a Masters of Science in Neuroscience. She knows her shit. You can get 1-2-1 coaching session, for free! treat yourself. Enjoy the weekend folks x #publicspeaking #coaching #selfconfidence

In the realm of VFX, it's easy to fall into the trap of trying to showcase every skill and technique at once. However, this approach can often overwhelm and distract rather than impress. Instead, employing subtlety and finesse in how you present your work can be far more effective. Employers and supervisors are primarily looking for someone who can manage projects efficiently and deliver quality results. While it's important to demonstrate your capabilities, it's equally crucial to understand when to show restraint. There is a less traveled path that can lead to success: asking for feedback and clarifying expectations. By engaging in open dialogue, you can align your efforts with what your team truly needs, rather than assuming.

The power of stories can not be denied in today's world, where things change quickly. The stories that mission-driven organizations tell can help shape who they are, move their mission forward, and build meaningful relationships with people in their communities. But the real effect of these stories depend on one important thing: diversity! Not only is it a good idea to hire a diverse group of storytellers, it is a must. Let me explain… Stories that hit home with a wide audience need to be told by people from a variety of cultures, backgrounds, and life experiences. Every voice is heard, every point of view is valued, and every story is told with the depth and nuance it deserves when your storytelling team is made up of people who are like the people in our community. Different storytellers bring new and interesting points of view that keep people connected. They show us new things about the world and help break down false ideas about it. Variety in stories not only makes your campaigns stronger, but it also makes the industry more open to everyone. Also, by hiring people from different backgrounds, you give up-and-coming visual storytellers great chances that they might not have had before. Adding new people with different skills and ideas helps to spark innovation and creativity, which makes sure that the stories of your organization continue to inspire and affect people. #DiversityInStorytelling #InclusiveNarratives #MissionDrivenImpact #CommunityBuilding #VisualStorytelling

I’ve been thinking a lot about perception lately. Witnessed quite a few times how I was blown away by a story or a piece of information that I heard, but some other people in the room - and it was a *big* room (say a big talk at the event) - took away something entirely different, much more critical than I expected. Things that hadn’t crossed my mind. Sure, different backgrounds play a role. But it goes beyond that. What resonates deeply with one might not hit the same note for another, as we all bring our own perspectives, biases, and expectations to the table. For content creators, this is a powerful reminder. While we aim to craft impactful visuals and narratives, the real magic happens in the minds of those who receive it. And that means keeping two things in mind: 1. Know who your audience is (who you want to connect with) - and who falls outside that circle 2. Remember that your message will likely reach both ... And a bonus tip from Steven Bartlett: 'Indifference is the least profitable outcome' #thinkingoutloud #storytelling #perception

#CommunicationSkills tip of the day: Understand your audience's NEEDS, which is often the driving force behind their WANTS. You ever watch a Pixar Animation Studios movie? They do this great, from Marlin in Finding Nemo to Joy in Inside Out, the contrast between their wants and needs sets up the whole emotional arc of the story. And it's that distance that keeps us, who are on the outside and can see it so clearly, engaged and watching until the very end. Just saw this a couple of days ago coming back from the Society of Actuaries ImpACT Conference and watching Inside Out on the plane. [Spoiler alert!] Joy *wants* to take Riley's core memories back to headquarters so that Riley can be joyful again. Pretty straightforward, that's what Joy does so she believes that's all that should be necessary. But what Joy *needs* is to understand that Riley has different emotions for different experiences, and it's essential for Riley's development to let each one have its place in her life. It's not until Joy finally admits her need (lets go of the idea that "joy is the only important thing") that she can allow Sadness to help her get back to headquarters and achieve her wants. Same thing for your #Communications. Especially when dealing with, shall we say, difficult audiences. Their *wants* are the things they ask for: more detail on a dashboard, another sensitivity test, another round of "sharpening your pencils" to get a better rate. But what they *need* are more fundamental: they need trust, they need confidence in your work, they need to know they are going to be able to count on you when the auditors start grilling them about whether or not they've considered enough alternatives. So - if you see their questions and requests not as challenging your skill, or exerting an arbitrary power dynamic, but as satisfying underlying needs that they just may not be able to express, you'll be able to answer their questions (or even predict them!) with clarity and effectiveness. When you do that, you become a much better communicator. Give it a shot. Next time you get a seemingly dumn request, ask yourself, "What might be the needs behind this?" And make sure to take time this weekend to watch a movie that clearly shows the difference between *needs* and *wants*. Can't hurt, right? #Actuaries #Engineers #DataScientists #DoGoodWork #Skills #Development