Podcast Summary: Become the Main Character: Personal Branding, Story Arcs, and AI

Call Her Creator with Katelyn Rhoades | Guest: Alaina Booth
Released: September 16, 2025

Overview

In this energetic and insightful episode, host Katelyn Rhoades sits down with video director and brand storyteller Alaina Booth to dive into the intersection of personal branding, authentic storytelling, and the transformative role of AI (specifically, the new Stanley AI tool for creators). Listeners will gain practical advice on finding their creative “weird,” building a brand as the main character of their story, and using AI as an amplifier—not a replacement—for genuine creator magic. This episode is packed with actionable takeaways for creators looking to show up more authentically online, overcome creative resistance, and leverage technology with confidence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Alaina’s Storytelling Roots and Philosophy

• Capturing Emotion vs. Staging Moments (02:59–04:16)
  • Alaina’s early experience filming weddings taught her to seek out authentic emotion and "real human moments":

    “No one wants to remember a fake version of their day.” — Alaina (03:48)

  • There is a shift in the creator world from highly curated content to embracing imperfections (04:16–04:34).
• Magic in Perspective: The Passage of Time
  • Alaina’s unique creative “magic” is her obsession with memory and framing the present as tomorrow’s story (04:50–05:51).

    “I always look at the present as, like, how will we remember this going forward?” — Alaina (05:08)

• The Universal Power of Story Arcs
  • Whether she’s directing a wedding, commercial, or documentary, Alaina focuses on core story elements: character, world, conflict, and triumph (06:09–08:16).

    “Story is the North Star of everything.” — Alaina (06:09)

2. Becoming the Main Character of Your Story

• Main Character Energy (08:16–09:25)
  • Both Katelyn and Alaina advocate structuring your content—and your life—like a story, with you or your brand as the main character.

    “Being a storyteller is the greatest life hack... You are the protagonist.” — Alaina (07:50)

  • Frame business struggles as plot points in your personal story:

    “Things are boring for my character right now. I need to thicken [the plot].” — Alaina (09:18)

3. Finding and Embracing Your 'Weird'

• Training Creativity and Own Your Quirks (09:39–13:47)
  • Many creators believe their lives are too "boring” for content, but Alaina challenges this:

    “The only reason I have such a strong perspective...is because I’ve trained my brain to see the world that way.” — Alaina (10:10)

  • Practical tip:
    • Ask your close friends, “What do I always preface as weird?”—those quirks can reveal your unique magic (11:41–12:53).
    • Reconnect with childhood passions or odd interests and bring them forward into your current work (12:23–12:53).

4. Authenticity, Comparison, and AI in the Creator World

• Rise of Inauthenticity & Over-Consumption (14:19–17:18)
  • Creators worry about losing their voice or blending into the AI-generated crowd.

    “No bot will ever understand what it’s like to be you...That is the heart of why a story is so special.” — Alaina (16:26)

• How Stanley AI Works and Its Creator-Centric Design (17:40–20:26)
  • Stanley AI scrapes your socials, learns your style/voice, surfaces daily ideas, and DM’s personalized, context-rich prompts to help you stay consistent (17:40–20:26).

    “It will never do the work of knowing yourself for you. You have to do that. But once you do, you can bring it all this raw material and it’s a never-ending well of you.” — Alaina (18:33)

  • Stands apart from other AI by focusing on human insight and personalized nudges, not generic content.

5. AI as a Tool to Fight Creative Resistance

• The Real Enemy is Resistance, Not AI (21:09–24:57)
  • Referencing “The War of Art,” Alaina identifies “resistance” as the true enemy of creation:

    “I didn’t want to create a tool that was a weapon against your art. I wanted to create a tool that was a weapon against that resistance.” — Alaina (22:19)

  • Stanley AI’s goal is to make the process less scary, less overwhelming, and more focused on the creator’s magic.

6. Balance: Where AI Helps and Where Human Creativity Wins

• AI = Partner in Ideation & Accountability
  • Stanley AI analyzes your posts, top performers, and creative tone to serve up suggestions and structure, but the unique creative vision and editing remain fundamentally human (26:24–29:42).

    “You are the human. And so you draw that line for yourself...where is the point in your process that it makes it so incredibly YOU?” — Alaina (29:51)

• Defining an Arc (31:17–32:56)
  • Content needs a story arc—a beginning, conflict, and transformation—for the audience to connect deeply:

    “When I say ‘arc,’ it’s all about: I need it to start somewhere and then end with ‘but this is what I learned.’” — Alaina (32:36)

  • On Instagram, this translates to transformation-driven storytelling that converts viewers into fans and customers.

7. Mindset and Practical Advice for Stuck Creators

• Get in the World—And Remove Blockers (35:20–38:36)
  • To get unstuck, Alaina recommends “sitting in the world” of a project and identifying the specific mental blocker (35:29–38:36).

    “If the blocker is that, what an easy blocker to get over by just picking the wrong one. Just go.” — Alaina (37:33)

  • Block the person you’re afraid of judging your content—literally or metaphorically—if it helps silence self-doubt (37:23–38:36).
• AI as an “Empowering Time” for Creators (39:16–39:50)

  “It’s not replacing your internal force, it’s getting rid of the external forces that are blocking you...” — Alaina (39:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Being a storyteller is the greatest life hack...You are the protagonist.” — Alaina (07:50)
• “No bot will ever understand what it’s like to be you...That’s never going to be replaced.” — Alaina (16:26)
• “The tool is only designed to eliminate resistance, to chip away at it.” — Alaina (23:04)
• “If Stanley could just know what you’re saving, like if you could just send it right to him, then he’s like: okay, heard, computed, you’re inspired by this.” — Alaina (25:44)
• “Where is the point in your process that it makes it so incredibly YOU that if anybody were to replace that process, it would actually feel wrong?” — Alaina (30:18)
• “When I say 'arc,' it’s all about: I need it to start somewhere and then end with 'but this is what I learned.'” — Alaina (32:36)
• “Get out—if it’s a limiting belief, it’s a block. Get out.” — Alaina (37:59)
• “What an empowering time to be alive, to have tools that get rid of that blocker.” — Alaina (39:43)

Timestamps & Key Segments

• [02:59–04:16] — Real moments vs. staged moments in storytelling
• [04:50–05:51] — Alaina’s “magic” and obsession with memories
• [06:09–08:16] — Applying narrative structure (character, conflict, triumph) to all content
• [08:16–09:25] — “Main character energy” in content and business
• [11:41–12:53] — Finding and embracing your “weird”
• [14:19–17:18] — Why AI isn’t a threat to authentic creators
• [17:40–20:26] — How Stanley AI works: features and philosophy
• [21:09–24:57] — Overcoming resistance, not replacing creators
• [26:24–29:42] — Behind-the-scenes: how Stanley AI mines data and respects individuality
• [31:17–32:56] — The importance of story arcs in content
• [35:29–37:59] — Steps for unsticking yourself as a creator
• [39:16–39:50] — Mindset shift: AI slaying blockers, not creators
• [40:06–41:12] — “Stanley” as the ultimate encouraging boyfriend surprise
• [43:17–44:50] — Alaina’s creative “non-ritual” ritual: wonder and awe

Tone & Energy

Light, energetic, empowering, and relatable. The conversation is honest about creative struggles while remaining action-oriented and optimistic about technology and self-discovery.

Final Takeaways

• You are the Main Character. Create content that reflects genuine transformation and story arcs—give your audience a reason to root for you.
• Embrace Your Weirdness. Your quirks and childhood passions are often the source of your true creative edge.
• AI Should Amplify, Not Replace. Use tools like Stanley AI to eliminate resistance and stay inspired, but recognize that your unique voice and vision are irreplaceable.
• Get Unstuck by Removing Blockers. Address specific mindset obstacles head-on—and don’t be afraid to literally or figuratively “block” sources of self-doubt.
• Leverage the Tools, Stay Human. Let AI handle the friction points, but keep your hands on the heart of your story.

Where to Connect and Learn More

• Alaina Booth: @lainabooth — insights on creativity, storytelling, life as a 25-year-old director
• Stanley AI Updates: @stanley4ig
• Host: Katelyn Rhoades — @thekatelynrhoades
• For Stanley AI access: Visit podcast show notes for the link and discount code.

This episode is a must-listen for creators who want to become the “main character” of their brand without losing their voice or burning out—and for anyone curious how AI can truly empower, not erase, authentic creativity.