Shows / Presentation Thinking
Presentation Thinking
Mikey and Molly have been beckoned by the gods to become legendary storytellers — a call impossible to refuse. Join our heroes as they dive deep down the rabbit hole, documenting their findings as they scour all industries and disciplines in search of outside insights, inside outlooks, and, well, anything and everything there is to know about the making (and delivery) of better presentations. This is Presentation Thinking™ Brought to you by www.GhostRanch.com — b2b marketers' partners in…
Episodes
Presentation Thinking#103. The Good Story Checklist (Best & Worst Films of 2023)
When Narrative Strategist and film nerd Asha Alaji-Sharif started to think about the Best and Worst films of 2023, she noticed a pattern. What common factors…
Presentation Thinking#102. TED Talkin’: How Diana Nyad never gave up on her epic swim story
In September of 2013, Diana Nyad became the first person to swim unassisted in open water across the Florida Straits from Cuba to Florida. It was an epic feat…
Presentation Thinking#101. Shark Tankin’: Takeaways from 3 investor pitches that landed big deals
Entrepreneurs and startups everywhere love following Shark Tank—the reality show where passionate pitchers bring their product to a group of wealthy…
Presentation Thinking#100. One hundred episodes. Countless lessons in storytelling, presentations and podcasting.
For our hundredth episode of Presentation Thinking AKA the Storyteller’s Study Club AKA Pitchin’ Ain’t Easy, we’re reflecting on our ~metaphorical~ hero’s…
Presentation Thinking#99. 6 Tips & Tricks to Survive (and Thrive) SKO 2024 (with Ashima Bhatt)
Tis the season for SKOs (Sales KickOffs)! After years in various roles in B2B marketing most recently the Director of Product Marketing at RingCentral, Ashima…
Presentation Thinking#98. Designer takeaways from the annual PowerPoint Party, Presentation Summit
“Presentation Summit” is the annual presentation party—a place where all things PowerPoint, presentation design and speaker inspiration come together. Created…
Presentation Thinking#97. VP of Marketing Garrett Denney on broadcast media, presentation soft skills and SKOs
Having started a career in broadcast journalism, VP of Marketing Garrett Denney knows how to communicate effectively. When we met Garrett as the MC for a…
Presentation Thinking#96. Thankful Thinking
It’s Thanksgiving here in the United States but we didn’t want to miss an opportunity to create a special (and short) holiday episode in which Mikey and Molly…
Presentation Thinking#95. Building strategic & successful webinars with Kaarin Howard
Kaarin Howard is a B2B marketing professional passionate about building webinars, among other strategic content, for your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile). With a…
Presentation Thinking#94. TED Talkin’: Eat, Pray, Love & PRESENT
Elizabeth Gilbert, author of viral memoir Eat, Pray, Love acknowledges in her 2009 TED Talk that her best work might very well be behind her. As an artist…
Presentation Thinking#93. Supporting startup stories at 1871 with Jenna Blaszczykiewicz
Startup hubs are an amazing place for community, innovation and inspiration. Few know this better than Jenna Blaszczykiewicz, the Senior Director of Marketing…
Presentation Thinking#92. Day-in-the-life: On-site presentation design with Tamara Jarvi
15 slide decks, 2 designers and a couple of days—What is it like to work on-site as a presentation designer?? GhostRanch designer Tamara Jarvi is here to share…
Presentation Thinking#91. Rebranding and lessons in shifting a story
From Abercrombie & Fitch to Twitter, companies around the globe have rebranded again and again—for better or worse. Mikey & Molly dive into the good, the bad…
Presentation Thinking#90. Breaking down the best of TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2023
Every year, TechCrunch brings out some of the most impressive innovators to their “Startup Battlefield”—a competition for startups to win up to $100,000 and…
Presentation Thinking#89. TED Talkin’: Ancient cave signs & the dawn of visual communication
Paleoanthropologist Genevieve von Petzinger is entranced by the engraved signs and symbols found in caves all over the world. She has spent years researching…
Presentation Thinking#88. TED Talkin’: The power of Brené Brown’s “Power of vulnerability”
Description If you know the name “Brené Brown”, chances are you associate the word “vulnerability” with it. Brené’s 2010 TED Talk, “The Power of…
Presentation Thinking#87. All About Apple: How Apple’s presentations create an iconic story
Apple has long-since stood out in the tech world in its product announcements and presentations. Steve Jobs’ keynotes created a genuine “you had to be there”…
Presentation Thinking#86. TED Talkin’: Catherine Molloy & (Sub)Conscious Communication
As certified TED Talk enthusiasts and amateur speaker coaches, Mikey and I thoroughly enjoyed Catherine Molloy’s 2022 TED Talk on conscious communication…
Presentation Thinking#85. Road to the TED Talk: Mikey’s “Bump, Set, Spike” Keynote Debut
In our effort to practice what we preach (and spread the good word of presentation design), co-host Mikey Mioduski has embarked on a quest to the TED Talk…
Presentation Thinking#84. Book Club: The Referable Speaker
What makes a good speaker a REFERABLE speaker? That’s the question that Michael Port and Andrew Davis set out to answer in their 2021 book, The Referable…
Presentation Thinking#83. The 5 Deadly Sins of Presenting Creative Work (Presentation Book Club)
Forgive us, for we have sinned—with the 5 Deadly Sins of Presenting Creative work! Blurting, Ad Whispering, Wanderlust, Telepathy & Impalement. After years of…
Presentation Thinking#82. Kerry Feuerman on the value of a great presenter
Kerry Feuerman is a presentation professional. Having worked in advertising and presented creative work for a majority of his career, he’s well-suited to give…
Presentation Thinking#81. TED Talkin: How David Christian fits “Big History” into a short presentation.
David Christian is a historian who knows how to keep the “Big Picture” in mind. In fact, he coined the concept of “Big History”, which examines universal…
Presentation Thinking#80. Tips on Presenting LIVE (from Story Camp)
As a remote agency, the GhostRanch “Rancheros” rarely give presentations in-person. But at this year’s Story Camp in Boulder, Colorado, all of that changed. On…
Presentation Thinking#79. TED Talkin’: Amy Cuddy’s “Power Poses” and the impact of body language
If you’ve ever done a “Wonder Woman” pose before an interview, you might have Amy Cuddy to thank. Her 2012 TED Talk, Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are…
Presentation Thinking#78. UX Designer Daijah Reese on storytelling through user journeys
UX Design—”User Experience”—is such a vital part of how anyone interacts with the internet or an app. It facilitates a user’s journey through using any product…
Presentation Thinking#77. Presentation Coach Andrea Pacini on presenting, confidently.
Andrea Pacini is a “Jack of all Trades” in the presentation world: An author, speaker, entrepreneur and Presentation Coach, we couldn’t have been more honored…
Presentation Thinking#76. Problems, Solutions and Slides—Oh My!
If you’re a product marketer you know that Problem Slides and Solution Slides are important. You have to clearly convey what the problem is in your industry…
Presentation Thinking#75. Storytelling Through A Movie Score
If you’ve ever seen a movie, you know that music is a huge component of its storytelling. (Duh??) The "score" that a film composer creates can add emphasis…
Presentation Thinking#74. PIXAR’s “22 Rules of Storytelling” and How To Use Them
It’s no secret that we love a good PIXAR story on this podcast. PIXAR’s “22 Rules of Storytelling” adds yet another piece to the list of incredible…
Presentation Thinking#73. What’s in a workshop? The making of “Presentation Design for the NON Designer”
Last month, GhostRanch Technical Director Steve Sheets put on an amazing workshop called “Presentation Design for the NON Designer.” So we brought Steve on the…
Presentation Thinking#72. What makes Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Speech so powerful?
It’s Graduation Season and that means Pomp & Circumstance, free graduation party food and, of course, commencement speeches. And speeches are a kind of…
Presentation Thinking#71. Bringing a presentation party to life - Rick Altman on Presentation Summit
If you know Rick Altman, you’ve probably had a good time with him—and discussed PowerPoint and/or tennis. Rick is the founder of the annual Presentation…
Presentation Thinking#70. Steve Earl on the Work BEFORE your Presentation Starting Line
Steve Earl knows that getting to the “starting line” of a presentation is all part of the marathon—NOT a sprint. As a seasoned Product Marketer for the likes…
Presentation Thinking#69. Shark Tankin': What presenters can learn from high stakes pitches
Shark Tank is the reality show where passionate entrepreneurs pitch their product to a group of wealthy “sharks”—well-known Venture Capitalists—in hopes of…
Presentation Thinking#68. How Brand Collabs are the ultimate Storytelling Hack
Brand collaborations are such a cool way to expand a brand’s story and messaging. They can be powerful, strategic and often hilarious—we all know that Doritos…
Presentation Thinking#67. TED Talkin’: How to avoid death by PowerPoint
We all know the phrase “Death by PowerPoint.” Too much text, too many bullets, over-produced animations—the list that incurs such a phenomena is endless. David…
Presentation Thinking#66. 40 Reasons Mikey Loves Being a Presentation Designer (and why you might consider a career here, too!)
It’s Mikey’s birthday and he’s officially *shhhh* ~over the hill~. So we thought, “What better way to celebrate than to put him in the hot seat and fire off…
Presentation Thinking#65. Rain Bennett on Finding your Story Hub (and Spokes!)
Rain Bennett is a storyteller in all that he does: filmmaking, writing, being a story coach and even TikTok-ing—which is how we got connected to this jack of…
Presentation Thinking#64. The (Creative) Presentation Process with Chris Lynch
Chris Lynch is the CMO of Mindtickle and he’s also a presentation connoisseur. With a background at Oracle in product marketing, presentations were a daily…
Presentation Thinking#63. Teleprompter Jill Richardson tells all
Ever wonder who works behind the scenes of a teleprompter? Or who even uses teleprompting anymore?? As it turns out, a lot of people - including Oprah! In this…
Presentation Thinking#62. TED Talkin’: How Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie leverages personal stories to create a powerful impact
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian writer whose 2009 TED Talk has over 33 MILLION views—and we all know that a well-viewed TED Talk is a clear indication…
Presentation Thinking#61. Mikey’s first keynote speaker experience
It’s time to practice what we preach—with Mikey’s first keynote speaker experience! We were so excited when Product Marketing Alliance asked Mikey to give a…
Presentation Thinking#60. Leading with empathy - with CMO Jen Jones
Having worn an abundance of hats, Jen Jones leads with true empathy for her teams as the CMO for CommerceTools. As part of our collaborative series with the…
Presentation Thinking#59. The tale of Superhero Product Marketing Leader, Esther Yoon
We were lucky enough to collaborate with the Product Marketing Life Podcast where Mikey interviewed personal hero and incredible Product Marketing Manager…
Presentation Thinking#58. The intersection of improv and storytelling with Jonathan Pitts
Jonathan Pitts knows how to collaborate with an audience. An improv performer, expert and teacher for over 15 years, working in various environments, giving…
Presentation Thinking#57. Rukma Sen: On finding stories, public speaking & becoming a Google Product Marketing Manager
Rukma Sen is always looking to find a good story. Whether she’s being the rockstar Product Marketing Manager for Google that she is or working through her…
Presentation Thinking#56. What sticks out in a sea of Super Bowl ads? (with Creative Director Jeff Thomas)
Advertisers have been vying for your attention (and paying big bucks for airtime) ever since the Super Bowl began. So what sticks out in 2023 and how can a…
Presentation Thinking#55. Presentation Forecast for 2023
What’s the forecast say for presentations in 2023? Rainy with a sprinkle of G Slides? GhostRanch Creative Director Allie Wilson and Kelsey Jones, Director of…
Presentation Thinking#54. Boris Hristov on directing the largest presentation skills event on earth
Boris Hristov was destined to improve the world of presentations. Following his exposure to presentations with the all-too-common “Death by PowerPoint”…
Presentation Thinking#53. Expert presentation advice - LIVE from Palm Springs
Ever wonder if there’s ONE thing you need to be doing to improve your presentations? The Rancheros have answers. When GhostRanch retreated to Palm Springs for…
Presentation Thinking#52. TED Talkin': How Tony Fadell replaces habituation with innovation
Tony Fadell might not be a name you know, but it’s attached to products used around the world. Starting his career at Apple with Steve Jobs and designing the…
Presentation Thinking#51. Find your Red Thread with Tamsen Webster
Tamsen Webster knows how to get to the heart of things, or rather—the Red Thread. A strategic messaging expert and TED Talk aficionado, Tamsen has been working…
Presentation Thinking#49. Looking back on 2022 - The making of Presentation Thinking
What we learned starting a presentation podcast and where (we hope) it’s going. This episode’s “Year in Review” peels back the curtain so we can tell you…
Presentation Thinking#48. Presenting at your Alma Mater: How to engage & inspire
When Mikey is asked to return to his college Alma Mater and present to a club for business leaders, he is posed with the challenge: How do you engage & inspire…
Presentation Thinking#47. Strategic Color in Presentations—with Color Commentator Lindsay Hadley
Life is better in color - and presentations are more strategic with it, too. Associate Creative Director Lindsay Hadley AKA our resident “Color Commentator”…
Presentation Thinking#46. TED Talkin’: A Simon Sinek presentation study
You’ve probably heard of motivational speaker & “guru” Simon Sinek. Mikey and Molly dive into Sinek’s early 00s TED Talk, How Great Leaders Inspire Action…
Presentation Thinking#45. Telling stories of everyday life in the Dominican Republic [English & Spanish]
Aimée Mazara calls herself a Visual Journalist. Based in the Dominican Republic, her illustrations take on a dynamic watercolor-esque quality—you can feel the…
Presentation Thinking#45. Telling stories of everyday life in the Dominican Republic [w/ ENGLISH translation]
Aimée Mazara calls herself a Visual Journalist. Based in the Dominican Republic, her illustrations take on a dynamic watercolor-esque quality—you can feel the…
Presentation Thinking#44. Finding Neverland - Molly’s STORY Conference experience
Molly reports back after attending this year’s STORY Conference in Nashville—a self-explanatory event about, well, storytelling. This immersive conference…