Esther K. Choy - Let the Story Do the Work: The Art of Storytelling for Business Success

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A well-written and thought-provoking guide on how to create and communicate a persuasive story. Choy demystifies the process of writing and communicating by giving the reader a structure and framework for success.

Kathi Elster, coauthor of Working with You Is Killing Me, Working for You Isnt Working for Me, and Mean Girls at Work

Trying to get ahead in life without reading this book is like going into a duel unarmed. Esther Choy converts art to virtual science, providing an extraordinary guide to winning with story-telling. It is enjoyable reading and filled with valuable lessons.

Lloyd E. Shefsky, Retired Clinical Professor, Kellogg School of Management; consultant to entrepreneurs and family enterprises; author of Entrepreneurs Are Made Not Born, and Visionaries Are Made Not Born

In our world of sound bites and information overload, storytelling has the power to persuade, to connect, and to inspire individuals to take action. In Let the Story Do the Work, Choy deconstructs the mystery of a great story, and presents compelling, practical techniques to make your message stand out and sink in. It will be required reading for members of my organization to enrich both their presentations and their one-on-one communications.

Rose Fealy, CFO, major Chicago cultural institution

In this book Esther Choy gives us a lively lesson in storytelling. Let the Story Do the Work gives you the tools to bring your own story to life, and to influence, engage, and inspire with your stories.

Andreas Kuster, Owner of Jakobs Basler Leckerly, Switzerland, Founded in 1753

Esther Choy convinced me to use storytelling in teaching quantitative methods and talking to industry practitioners about big data and other modern data science concepts. While I was skeptical at first, the storytelling worked! Now I regularly use Esthers ideasclearly laid out in Let the Story Do the Workwhen I need to talk about difficult technical material. Read this book, try it out, and observe how Esthers approach to storytelling will work wonders for you as well.

Karl Schmedders, Ph.D., Chair of Quantitative Business Administration, University of Zurich; Director of Knowledge Transfer, Swiss Finance Institute

This book debunks the myth that storytellers are born and not made. Esther Choy empowers us with formulas and tools that will make us better storytellersable to craft impactful yarns that can inspire audiences. Having had the opportunity to test the three-act storytelling process and the various templates in the book, I can say from experience that these concepts make a significant and immediate difference. I wish I had access to this book decades ago.

Justin Craig, Ph.D., Co-Director, Center for Family Enterprises, Kellogg School of Management, and coauthor, Leading a Family Enterprise

Esther Choy shepherded me through an MBA rebirth storyand my admission results at top-tier business schools went from all denied to all accepted! In doing so, she also gave me storytelling tools that have equipped me for my post-MBA executive quest. Shes packed that panoply and more into Let the Story Do the Work so you can arm yourself to write your own business success storyamong others.

James Immordino, marketing executive at a major global media company

Its no secret that stories make facts memorable and relatable. But most people who consider themselves not creative struggle to create narratives that convey facts in a way that engages the listener. Let the Story Do the Work offers frameworks for structuring crisp stories that flow and leave the listener with the most important takeaways. This is a powerful, yet accessible book that will motivate and help anyone seeking to excel in the art and science of storytelling.

Michael F. Malone, Associate Dean, EMBA and MBA programs, Columbia Business School

Let the Story Do the Work deftly marries the art of storytelling and the science of persuasion. With compelling insights, Choy demonstrates how to use emotion to gain the attention of any audience, even in a world crowded with so many competing messages, products, and services. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the fabric of stories Choy weaves together to illustrate the most important elements of storytelling. Her book will inspire anyone looking to break through the clutter and become the author of their own success.

Kate Smith, Assistant Dean, Admissions and Financial Aid, Kellogg School of Management

I was very skeptical that Esthers storytelling techniques could make a difference for me and have an impact on engaging and enrolling an audience into my mission. After all, I had made successful business presentations for decades. BUT, the teachings in her book have made a real difference to my stakeholders and, subsequently, to me. Setting the hook was a game changer. After telling one story, the audience was impressed; however, after setting the hook for a later presentation, the expressions on the faces in the audience were pricelessand the positive feedback was overwhelming. I was hooked and no longer skeptical. Let the Story Do the Work is a powerful yet enjoyable read, and it will help your stories sing and your audience applaud!

Tony M. Orlando, Director, United States Auto Club

Practical and empathetic, Let the Story Do the Work is an important guide for anyone seeking to improve their storytelling skills. The insightful stories Esther tells effectively teach the reader and keep the pages turning. The clear tools and step-by-step templates that she shares convert theory into action and will keep readers returning to this book time and time again.

Stephen Shih, Former Head of MBA Career Services, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Storytelling is more important in business today than ever. It is indeed a critical skillespecially for talented entrepreneurs building the next generation of high-growth startups who share their vision with customers, investors, and potential employees every day and need to nail it. In her inspiring new book Let the Story Do the Work, Esther K. Choy shares countless examples from the front lines that will forever change your perception on why telling your story more effectively can be the difference between success and failure. In this book Choy provides a simple framework for bringing stories to life, along with practical recommendations on how we all can become better storytellers and be more successful in business and in our personal lives.

Kevin Willer, Partner, Chicago Ventures

Having recently reviewed dozens of resumes to select a handful of applicants, I now understand exactly why Esther Choys Let the Story Do the Work is a must-read for anyone who wants to present him/herself to a stranger. Its impossible to fathom why one should meet a candidate based solely on a list of data on a page. More broadly, really thinking about the audience and what is likely to create a lasting impression is an invaluable exercise when presenting facts. The book is a must-read for anyone who wants to make information memorableand who doesnt fit that description?