Before TikTok trends, IG Reels, and YouTube Shorts, storytelling was something you waited for. It came through the radio waves or cable lines, delivered by voices and faces we didn’t know personally, but trusted like family. If you had a story to tell and no label, no agency, no budget—you were invisible.

If The SM Dial is a platform for bold voices and authentic expression, then storytelling is the heartbeat that makes it all possible. Before I ever launched this vision, I was immersed in a journey that sharpened my skills and challenged my creativity—starting with a course at Full Sail University called Storytelling in the Entertainment and Media Industry. This course didn’t just teach theory; it showed me how storytelling lives everywhere—from monologues and memes to nonprofit campaigns and cinematic universes.

Week by week, the course peeled back the layers of story. Week one reminded me that before I was a creator, I was a listener. Bedtime tales, Saturday cartoons, freestyle sessions, and comic strips—each moment was a quiet rehearsal for the day I’d have to tell my own stories. I wasn’t just learning to tell stories; I was realizing I already had them in me.

By week two, we dove into entertainment storytelling—narratives meant to capture paying audiences. It clicked for me that every song, post, or podcast I create needs to offer an experience worth showing up for. It’s not just about content; it’s about emotional connection. That’s what separates background noise from culture-shifting moments.

Week three flipped the script with marketing storytelling. Whether it’s a Super Bowl commercial or a campaign by a local nonprofit, the goal is always to inspire action. We were challenged to create ads that didn’t sell a product—they sold a story. That was powerful. It reminded me that stories are strategy. On The SM Dial, this will guide how we teach creators to work with brands and impact communities.

By the end of the course, I was asked to revisit all my past work and remix it—take an old idea and flip the tone, try a new format, or tell the same story from a different angle. That’s what this blog series is all about. It’s me remixing the journey—reflecting, revisiting, and reimagining what I learned to empower the creators we’re building with.