We all have different industry challenges, but let’s look at the energy sector as a GREAT example. 

For utilities, [you know, your “boring” electric co], smart grids were a gamechanger. But you wouldn’t know it from how they were communicated. On the inside, engineers saw them as a technical marvel, but the innovation and PR teams struggled to explain their value to customers and funders. The result? Widespread skepticism and sluggish adoption. 

The lesson here? Even the best innovations fail if their benefits remain invisible to the people who need to believe in them. 

Whether you’re a Chief Innovation Officer or just leading the AI strategy in your business, your role isn’t just about driving breakthroughs, it’s about making sure those breakthroughs are seen, understood, and valued -and as a storyteller – talked about. If executives and stakeholders can’t grasp the impact of your work, AS IT APPLIES TO THEM, they won’t fund it. And if employees can’t see the purpose, AND THEIR PLACE IN IT, they won’t spread the good word for you. 

A crucial component of Innovation Storytelling –getting others to tell your story. 

Relatable Problem: You’re developing bold new solutions, but the reaction from leadership is… lukewarm. You hear, “Great, but what does this actually do for us?” – unspoken subtext: “What does this do for ME?” 

Pro Tip: Use the before-and-after storytelling framework to make your innovation felt before it’s even implemented: 

1. Before – Start with a vivid picture of life before your innovation. Use real stories, pain points, or inefficiencies to paint the struggle in relatable terms.  

2. The Shift – What’s shift that’s happening RIGHT NOW that makes it impossible to ignore. Big macro events – climate change, tariffs, AI, a disruptive competitor. Make this pain palpable, urgent and important. Make sure the consequences of NOT fixing it are quantifiable, with winners and losers.  What’s the status quo costing your listener? 

3. After – Now, showcase the transformed world after your innovation. What’s faster? What’s cheaper? Who is happier? Showcase the TRANSFORMATION you’re about to usher in. Think: Oprah Winfrey Makeover shows.  

4. Make it Tangible – Can you create a side-by-side comparison, a short demo, or a live example? Seeing is believing. Leaders screw up storytelling by only talking about the changes, they skip over the challenges and the cascading benefits that are supremely relevant to your audience. Showcase how their world is about to get so much better. This is the kind of empathy and goodwill your listeners are craving. 

5. The Next Right Step – What’s the next step you can take to get started? Don’t try to eat the whole elephant, you just need to your listeners to take a bite. Spell out that ask clearly, with timelines, and feedback on progress. 

Example: When Tesla pitched microgrids to Samoa’s off grid communities, it didn’t just talk about better solar and batteries. They showed a side-by-side comparison between being dependent on 100,000 gallons of dirty, foreign diesel fuel vs. clean, natural solar energy. Today, Ta’u Island saves $200,000+/yr and supports 30,000 Samoans on 100% self-sustaining energy with a breakthrough innovation in solar and storage capabilities. And Tesla has proven its tech can power whole communities to become energy self-sufficient – even the most remote islands in the South Pacific. 

Your innovation deserves to be seen—because unseen innovation is unfunded innovation. I can help, let’s talk.