Your story is the single most powerful thing you own. Embrace it, share it, and watch the world transform around you.
Renowned for her ability to empower leaders to unleash their full potential, Stephanie Zhong is a brand strategist and storytelling specialist with over 20 years of experience. Her journey spans diverse sectors, from non-profits to civic organizations, and her passion lies in helping individuals authentically amplify their presence.
Despite cultural norms that often discourage self-promotion, Steph finds curiosity and strength in the field of storytelling — a field she has passionately embraced and recognized the transformative potential that lies in owning one’s narrative and voice.
Her unwavering commitment to unlocking leaders’ potential has shaped her mission to create spaces where personal narratives may grow without being constrained by social standards.
Steph’s message is clear and important: own your narrative, embrace your voice, and acknowledge the vast possibilities within your own story. Together, let’s create a transformative culture where storytelling serves ad a catalyst for personal growth, empowerment, and the celebration of our rich unique human experiences.
🗣️ Your voice matters: we are connecting through our unique stories.
01:39🥰 Loving shouting: from Hamilton musical to cherished family stories.
03:00🤐 Stephanie is a story strategist: Chinese and Japanese cultures have similar rules about not talking about yourself.
05:55👧🏻 Navigating identity: growing up as an Asian girl in white communities in Philadelphia, straddling multiple realities.
09:02🌞 Having artsy parents who didn’t pursue math or science mold for Stephanie: knowing the history and stories of your people can show you why the whole community acts in one way.
16:02🥰 Social justice coded in Stephanie: her mom was the first feminist and librarian, and her parents believed all people are equal.
18:48🤓 Being a bridge: seeking communities of difference, learning from them, and finding common ground.
24:45😇 Breaking barriers and connecting with people: using storytelling to claim the truth.
28:28🦸🏻♀️ We are all the superheroes of our own story: the importance of embracing and valuing one’s unique strengths and talents, even in branding.
30:37🌳 Visualizing strength like a sequoia tree and being rooted in yourself and not in outside success: moving with the wind but not cracking up.
38:37☯️ Spiritual journeys, intuition, and decision-making in business: symbols, feelings and having unusual talents.
43:46🧘🏻♀️ Being in business and having 6th and 7th sense feelings and how to share that in the business world.
46:08💥 Building space without being in front of each other is an understanding of how to manifest energy.
50:20🤩 Physical and energetic alignment of your values: energy changes when you say something out loud to another human.
53:00💎 Stephanie’s RONdering: the thing that is “too weird” for the world is your brilliance.
57:11🎤 Great karaoke songs with specific messages.
58:05📽️ Free video series: Double Down on Your Difference.
1:00:04Links:
Episode 29
