TBPN Podcast Summary – Dec 17, 2025

Episode: Do Companies Need Storytellers, Ford’s EV Flop, Kushner Paramount Pullout | Diet TBPN
Hosts: John Coogan & Jordi Hays

Main Theme

This episode explores the surging demand for "storyteller" roles in tech and business, examining whether this is hype or a fundamental shift. John and Jordi dive into Katie Dayton’s viral Wall Street Journal article on the trend, debate the true value storytellers bring to modern companies, and break down the difference between performative narrative roles and genuine, impactful storytelling (often driven by founders). The hosts also tackle Ford’s massive EV write-down and the breaking news of Jared Kushner’s exit from the Warner Bros-Paramount deal, adding signature banter and keen industry analysis.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Rise (and Fall?) of the Corporate Storyteller

[00:02–07:39]

• Katie Dayton's WSJ article triggered a wave of interest on "storytellers" as Silicon Valley’s hottest new hire.
• Early "storytellers" in tech weren’t just novelists, but people who shaped company narratives and culture—e.g., Guy Kawasaki as Apple's "evangelist" in the '80s and Steve Clayton as “Chief Storyteller” at Microsoft (hired in 2010).
• Companies from Google to Notion now hire for explicit storyteller roles, sometimes combining media, influencer, and comms functions under this banner.

“Whoever can compress chaos into something people can feel, remember, forgive and rally around actually runs the system. This skill is worth more than the entire C suite combined.”
—Jordi, [00:02]

• John’s Contrarian Take: “As soon as there's a Wall Street Journal piece about a trend, the trend is effectively dead. And so there is no more alpha in hiring storytellers. You need to hire a yarn spinner, you need to hire a fabulist.” [03:11]
• The difference between current “storytelling” and historic copywriting or creative directorships—status, skill, and what companies truly need.

Elite Founders as Storytellers

[07:40–10:15]

• Jordi’s Concept: The most valuable storytellers are often founders, not hired hands—think Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, or "Joe Rogan CEO" archetypes.
• The rarest skill is dominating attention—on platforms, podcasts, and beyond. Podcast/radio-circuit founders (even without their own show) build reality distortion fields and company value simply by being memorable.
• Great campaign moments can outperform endless noise: reference to standout 2025 campaigns (Anduril, Astronomer, Ramp, Avi Shiffman’s “buy every billboard” blitz).

“The reality distortion field that emerges, emerges often results in 100x P/E ratios. Of course, every company in the world wants this. The problem is that it's impossible to hire the most elite storytellers because they are founders.”
—Jordi, [07:10]

Storytelling vs. Operations, and the Anatomy of a Good Story

[12:00–17:00]

• The surge in "storyteller" job descriptions: 50k+ on LinkedIn for marketing, 20k+ for media/comms.
• Corporate storytelling often defaults to safe, low-drama case studies rather than anything emotionally resonant or structurally compelling.
• Key insight: Great marketing injects real conflict, ups and downs, and genuine stakes. The hosts dramatize the difference between sterile company success stories and the hero’s journey—with wins, losses, antagonists, and mentors.
• Example: Palmer Luckey’s transparency about failure and risk resonates as a case of “conflict-driven” corporate storytelling.

“If there's anything that comes out of, like, the storyteller era of corporate marketing, it should be giving marketers, writers, storytellers permission to actually inject conflict into their marketing materials.”
—John, [16:10]

• Apple as a case study: Once elite in storytelling (Jobs era), now more operational under Tim Cook—a different, but still successful, mode.

The Difficulty of Hiring True Storytellers

[17:10–19:04]

• The Venn diagram for great (tech-literate, people-smart, clear, compelling) storytellers is “tiny.” Most good storytellers aren’t looking for a 9-to-5 corporate gig.
• Many want the status of "Storyteller" or “Creative Director” but not the work (most would balk at "copywriter"). A grounding in writing and project execution is critical.

“A good test if you're trying to hire for a role like this is: do they want the title storyteller, or would they be okay with the title copywriter? Because in my view, if you're hiring somebody to be a storyteller, their job is to write down words in a structured, impactful way and help the entire organization share those words in a consistent manner.”
—Jordi, [18:17]

Other Major Stories

Ford’s EV Flop

[27:24]

• Ford announces a $19.5 billion write-down on its electric vehicle business; scrapping its all-electric F150 Lightning pickup.
• The business case for EVs always relied on government incentives and is now colliding with market reality—Ford lost ~$50k per EV sold.

Media/Deal News: Kushner-Paramount Pullout

[28:01]

• Jared Kushner’s Affinity withdraws from Warner Bros. takeover battle.
• “The battle for Warner Brothers stands to reshape the entertainment industry,” but this exit signals shifting investment outlooks.

Notable and Memorable Quotes

• “Whoever can compress chaos into something people can feel, remember, forgive and rally around actually runs the system.”
  – Jordi, [00:02]
• “As soon as there's a Wall Street Journal piece about a trend, the trend is effectively dead.”
  – John, [03:11]
• “It’s impossible to hire the most elite storytellers because they are founders... I call these types ‘Joe Rogan CEO’.”
  – Jordi, [07:10]
• “If there's anything that comes out of...the storyteller era of corporate marketing, it should be giving marketers...permission to actually inject conflict into their marketing materials.”
  – John, [16:10]
• “The Venn diagram of people who get tech, get people, can explain complex things simply, and can make people care is tiny.”
  – John, [17:25]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:02–07:39]: Corporate storytelling origins, the viral WSJ article, and historic "chief storytellers"
• [07:40–10:15]: "Joe Rogan CEO," founder-led storytelling, and standout 2025 brand campaigns
• [12:00–16:10]: Storyteller job postings, the hero’s journey in corporate marketing, permission for real conflict
• [17:10–19:04]: Hiring challenges: status vs. substance in storytelling roles
• [27:24]: Ford’s $19.5B EV write-down
• [28:01]: Kushner’s Warner Bros. bid withdrawal

Tone and Style

Conversational, irreverent, and deeply plugged into Silicon Valley and media culture. John and Jordi mix incisive critique and humor, give practical takeaways, and keep the energy high with rapid-fire references, memorable metaphors, and relaxed but insightful dialogue.

Useful for Listeners Who Missed the Episode

• Cut through the hype: The demand for "storyteller" roles is driven by the scarcity of truly impactful company narratives, but the real value creators are often irreplaceable founder-communicators.
• Beware the bubble: Once the WSJ declares a trend, it’s probably already mainstream. True innovation in storytelling—whether through campaign genius or founder presence—remains rare and hard to hire for.
• Brand lesson: One great, memorable campaign can beat out 10,000 mediocre posts or case studies.
• Hiring tip: Seek doers and writers over title-chasers; storytelling requires substance and skill.
• And… Ford’s big EV write-down and Kushner’s withdrawal signal reality checks in their respective industries.

(Ads, intros, and outros omitted. This summary focuses solely on substantive discussion and narrative.)