Share a stat, and you’ll spark just two parts of the brain.

Wrap that same stat in a story, and suddenly you're lighting up the entire brain.

That’s the power of story. It doesn’t just inform—it activates emotion, memory, empathy, and action. And for founders, that’s not just a nice-to-have—it’s a competitive edge.

In today’s issue, I’ll break down the science and show you how to apply it to your next pitch, post, or keynote. Plus, you will:

• Learn why stories vs. facts is BIGGER than just 6 being greater than 2

• Receive 2 side-by-side examples of data vs. story in action

• Watch brand video by Oru Kayak that unlocks your inner explorer

Now let’s get your mind lit up like a rave party … LG

STORY SCIENCE: STORIES > DATA

When you hear a story, your brain lights up like a city at night.

Most people think of stories as entertainment. Bedtime rituals. Hollywood scripts. Netflix binge worthy series. 

But for founders, stories are a biological advantage.

They’re hardwired into how humans connect, remember, and act.

And they’re the key to moving your audience beyond understanding…to actually feeling something.

The Neuroscience Behind It

Recent neuroscience reveals something fascinating:

When we process straightforward facts and figures, only two regions of the brain activate—Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas, which handle language processing.

But when we hear a story, something remarkable happens:

Six to seven regions light up simultaneously. We all know that 6 is greater than 2, so that’s a good thing.

But it goes deeper than just numbers. This expanded activation taps into how we feel, move, imagine, and remember.

A story doesn’t just land in the mind. It flows through the body.

So what does that look like in practice?

Let’s break it down with an example from my story creation course:

🐶 The Dog Tracker Example: Data vs. Story

Imagine walking into a pitch and saying:

It’s clear. It’s technical. And it lights up two parts of the brain.

Now try this:

The second version doesn’t just inform—it immerses.

Here’s what happens in your audience’s brain when they hear it:

• Sensory cortex kicks in as they imagine the open gate, the dark streets, the cold night air.

• Motor cortex activates as they simulate knocking on doors or running through the neighborhood with you.

• Frontal cortex lights up with empathy, feeling your panic, hope, and love for your dog.

• Hippocampus gets involved as the emotional stakes make the story easier to remember and recall later.

In just a few lines, your story shifts from something they hear…to something they experience.

Now your audience isn’t just listening.

They’re feeling: panic, relief, empathy—even mission. They’re with you.

And they understand not just what your product does, but why it matters. Because story activates the parts of the brain that mirror your emotions and experience.

Even One Number Wrapped in Story Changes Everything

Even when you're sharing something as dry as a stat, you can wrap it in a story, and completely change the level of impact.

Let’s say you’re pitching a workplace productivity tool. You could say:

Useful? Sure. But it lands with logic, not emotion.

Now try this:

That same 35% productivity stat is still there, but now it’s anchored in a real, human moment.

You’ve turned a number into a narrative.

And with it, you've activated empathy, memory, and motivation, not just understanding.

So why not stack the odds in your favor?

When more of the brain is engaged, your message sticks.

It connects. It moves people.

And that gives you an edge as a founder.

STORYTELLING LESSON: Wrap Your Data in a Narrative Thread

Stories trigger empathy, simulate motion, engage memory, and make the audience feel like they’re in the scene. This isn’t just interesting neuroscience, it’s a cheat code for entrepreneurs.

If you're trying to get people to believe in your product, vision, or opportunity, here are 3 storytelling principles you can apply right now:

1. Wrap Your Numbers in Narrative

   Don’t just share data. Embed your data in a story, with people, stakes, and transformation that activates their memory, emotion, and imagination.

   Pick one key metric, such as conversion rate, revenue, or retention, and ask yourself: Who lived through this number? Build a before-and-after mini-story around a real customer or scenario that made the number possible.

2. Lead with Emotion, Not Information

   Facts appeal to logic. But decisions, especially buying, investing, and believing, are rooted in emotion. Stories fire up the brain’s empathy and feeling centers first. Once your audience feels, they’re more open to understanding.

   Open with a moment. A problem. A person. Share what they were feeling, struggling with, or fearing. Then bring in the number or solution as the turning point. Your data becomes the resolution, not the hook.

3. Layer In Just Enough Detail

   Sensory and motor cortex activation happens when your story helps the audience see and feel what’s happening. Specificity is what brings the scene to life, but too much can bog it down.

   Include 1–2 vivid details: “She gripped her coffee like a lifeline” or “The Slack channel went quiet for 12 straight minutes.” These micro-details invite your audience into the moment and create an emotional anchor they won’t forget.

Use these three brain-backed tools, and your next pitch, deck, or keynote won’t just be heard. It’ll be remembered—and acted on.

Video to Watch: Oru & the Box of Imagination

Here is a solid ‘Brand Anthem Video by Oru Kayak that taps straight into your imagination. It opens with kids playing in a cardboard box—instantly transporting you back to childhood adventures. Through old school visuals and scripted storytelling, it draws a powerful parallel between that box and the Oru Kayak, inviting you on a fun filled day on the lake as if you were a kid again.  

NOTE: One thing I would have done to give this video more impact is have the voiceover person get into a more emotional state and read the script. So you feel it in his words more (or given them a beer to amp up their emotions a bit ‘-).

Storytelling for Entrepreneurs Issue #033 - Why Stories Light Up Your Brain (and Win You Customers)


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