In this opening episode of the "Speaking Story" audiobook, author and keynote speaker Sally Koering Zimney (also known as Sally Z) welcomes listeners—referred to as "movers"—and introduces the purpose of the series: to teach aspiring speakers how to harness storytelling to build a paid speaking career and create meaningful change. She outlines two free resources, the Movers Roadmap and the Power Pitching Push audio series, and mentions the Movers Collective as a pathway to professional speaking. Zimney shares a personal anecdote from a nonprofit fundraising event, illustrating how a single, well‑told story transformed audience engagement and underscoring the power of story to move hearts and persuade. She then explains the book’s structure: six parts, each followed by a "Sparks" section containing a summary, practical exercises, and tools, all available at speakingstory.com. Specific tools such as the "Show Up Anyway" email series are highlighted. Throughout, Zimney emphasizes authenticity, courage, and the belief that every listener belongs on stage, regardless of background. The episode concludes with calls to action for the full audiobook, the Unspeaker Simple Storytelling Mini‑Course, and various online resources.
You are a mover. Welcome to the Speaking Story audiobook, available to you completely free right here on the podcast, on YouTube. Every week we drop another part of the book Speaking Story that was written by me, Sally Zimney. I am a keynote speaker, a coach, and it turns out an author of this book called Speaking Story. Because I believe in this idea so much, I want to share with you what I've been studying all this time and why I think it is so, so important that you're here. So let's dive in.
Hey everybody, and welcome to This Moved Me, a podcast about creating talks that move the world. With me, your host, Sally Koering Zimney.
This complimentary episode of the Speaking Story audiobook is brought to you in part by the Movers Collective. If you are listening to a book about speaking stories, I have a feeling you already know that you have a message worth sharing. Maybe you've been on a stage or two. Maybe it's still just a dream. Kind of sitting in your chest waiting. Either way, I want you to know that there's a real path from where you are right now to a speaking career that actually pays, one that fits your life, your message, and the change that you wanna make in the world. That path starts with two free resources I wanna give you. The first is the Movers Roadmap. This is a clear-eyed look at what it actually takes to build a career as a professional speaker. The second is an audio series that I recorded live, uh, and this developed with my own clients, and it's called The Power Pitching Push. And in this series, I walk you through exactly how to pitch yourself as a speaker so that you can get some gigs. You will get a real taste of what it's like to work with me. Both are free. Go grab them and figure out your path. sally-z.com/path. sally-z.com/path. And when you are ready to go all in, you know, that Movers Collective is where we can take you from talented to professional. All right, now let's get into the show. Be Moved Media presents Speaking Story: Using the Magic of Storytelling to Make Your Mark, Pitch Your Ideas, and Ignite Meaningful Change. Written and narrated by the author Sally Koering Zimney, sometimes known as Sally Z. Copyright 2024 by Sally Z and Be Moved Media. All rights reserved. Recorded in 2025 at and with thanks to the production studio team at St. John's University, and produced with the brilliant editing assistance of Diana Guevara.
To my people, Andy, Ro, Luke, and Harps, it's always all for you. And to my speakers, for your courage. You push me. To be better.
Prologue.
You belong on stage. You do, even if you don't believe it yet. You have lived experiences, a needed message, a story that your audience is waiting to hear. And yet, despite the passion and purpose bubbling up inside you, you are hiding, frustrated by unrecognition and forever feeling like you're not enough. The world has told us that speaking is for the special unicorns who live among the stars. That idea is keeping too many of us from sharing our most daring and needed ideas, owning our stories, and stepping up and out as leaders in a world that desperately needs those ideas and stories. So we perfect every gesture, obsess over every word, stand in the wings of the main stage of our lives waiting for some sign that we belong out front, that we are worthy of the moment. This is your sign. It's time to dare to move your audience instead of merely speaking to it, to move beyond the trap of admiration that keeps you in the cage of perfection and procrastination, to take a deep breath, step into the spotlight, to be seen Anyway. To be known anyway. To speak any way. Despite your humanness, your failings, your imperfections, your self-doubt. You don't have to have written a book or gone through some big life turmoil. You don't have to be outgoing, confident, beautiful, or the smartest person in the room. You don't have to be eloquent or polished or wear a fancy blazer. You have everything you need right now, if you would only take the risk and believe in what's possible. So dare to step out front and speak your story. It's how you and all of us will inspire a better future. Remember this: you belong on stage. You do! Even if you don't believe it yet. But I believe it. I believe in you, and I will show you the way. Introduction: Tell the story with your whole heart. The definition of courage is to tell your story with your whole heart. Brené Brown. You should know before I begin this that I'm a pretty— okay, very— positive person. I don't generally walk around criticizing or analyzing other people and how they show up in the world, but As an award-winning speaker and speaking coach for the last 20+ years, it's an occupational hazard of mine to, quote, "always be assessing," or to "ABA." Whether it's a commercial—that turn of phrase was so on point—a church sermon—whoa, way too long—a funeral eulogy—the vulnerability, the courage—a TED Talk—interesting but robotic—an Instagram Reel, even—hilarious! A keynote speech. Too many points. I can't help it. I am in the business of constantly assessing whether I was moved by something or whether any audience was moved by it and why so I can then implement that in my work. Sitting at a fundraising event a few years back was no different. I was definitely, hmm, ABA-ing. It was one of those award ceremonies that nonprofits put on to get people together, remind them of their mission, and raise money while they're at it. And I love events. As a former actor, I am drawn into the thrill of what happens, or what may happen, when a bunch of people gather together in a live experience and someone compels an audience to do something. It's live theater meets a mission. And that combination is music to my ears and why I love what I do. I've helped run dozens of fundraising events over the years, and if done right, they are truly a thrill and an incredibly effective way to garner trust, raise money, and inspire needed action. But that's not always the case. This particular event was a frustrating parade of awards and some awkward transitions, all of which aren't out of the ordinary and sadly somewhat expected for the average event-goer. What was clear to me was that there was an evident lack of story in this event. Instead, it was a string of the following: talking about themselves, talking about their businesses, talking about their mission and goals, which are all fine and good things to talk about. It's critical information. The MC was doing his best to be entertaining during all the talking, and the audience gave their obligatory applause and appreciation. It was fine. Not "here, take my money" kind of event, but fine. Until one recipient got up. As he took the stage and stood in front of the podium, he took a breath. Then, without going into any "thank you so much" standard practice response to getting an award, which we hardly listen to anyway, he started telling a story. "When I was 12, my dad wrote a letter to the superintendent." It was like someone had tipped the audience on its axis towards the stage. We leaned in, the mood shifted. We were listening. And by the end of the story, I knew not only what his work was, but also why it mattered. He took his time, he set the scene, and his story led us perfectly to a point. When someone believes in you like his dad did, anything is possible. It was poignant and polished. And yes, I cried. Okay, yes, I do cry at commercials and a surprising number of Instagram reels, but it wasn't just me crying. My objectively difficult to make cry husband also teared up. I wanted to go home and be a different parent because of it, and I thought, here's my credit card, take it all. I should note that we knew the speaker was grateful even though he didn't explicitly tell us through all the thank-yous immediately after taking the stage. That's the power of a story. It gets us out of our heads and into our hearts. It helps the audience not just understand something intellectually, but also feel it. Stories are the tool of the heart, and the heart is where persuasion happens. Simply put, if you can speak a powerful story, you can lead more effectively and more meaningfully. If you've taken the ideas from this book and put them to work the next time you step out front, you will not only captivate in those big or small moments, you will also lead, persuade, and influence in ways you didn't know you were capable of before. Together in this book, we're gonna help you speak your story, so that you too can move the world. Stories have been the tool of my trade for nearly 30 years. I have spent that time working with CEOs, changemakers, entrepreneurs, and leaders to create talks that will move their audience. It's why I'm here on this earth, to help people bring their voice and their stories out to the world with more authenticity, clarity, and courage. And it brings me so much joy that you're here. Because I believe that stories have a big and needed place in this world, and that includes your story. How to use this book. I'm writing my story so that others might see fragments of themselves. Lena Waithe. This book is set up to do two key things: number one, equip you with the core ideas you need to understand so you can speak your story. And 2) to provide you with some tangible tools to actually do it. This book is divided into 6 parts. Except for Part 1, each part is followed by a section called Sparks. The Sparks sections are meant to help you shift these ideas from theory into practice, and they include 3 elements: 1) a summary of the key ideas from its respective part, 2) 1 or 2 exercises you can do right in that moment to help those ideas become more real, And number 3, tools or resources you can take with you as you continue to grow and develop. All of these tools and resources in the Spark sections can be found at speakingstory.com. In each Spark section, I'll identify which tools apply to that specific part. For example, in part 1, we'll talk about the power of consistency and simply doing it anyway. So I'll point you toward the Show Up Anyway email series, which can help you practice this story strategy on the free stages to help you move through through any discomfort or fear that may be holding you back. You can find the Show Up Anyway email series, along with all the other tools and resources, at speakingstory.com. Most importantly, this book isn't meant to just give you something to think about. Yes, much of your speaking and storytelling success comes from your mind, but to convince the mind, we have to do the work. I hope this book empowers you to step out front and share yourself with courage.
That's the end of the book. End of this chapter of Speaking Story. If you want to keep listening ad-free, you can find the full audiobook on Audible or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube. And if this chapter stirred something in you, if it, shall we say, moved you, let me suggest that you start with the Unspeaker Simple Storytelling Audio Mini Course at sally-zimney.com/unspeaker. Www.movers.com/unspeaker. All right, Movers. This moved me.
