Jay Acunzo

Author, Brand Strategist, Storytelling Consultant, and Host of How Stories Happen

Topics: Leadership, Change, Creativity, Branding & Marketing, Entrepreneur, Strategy, Teamwork, Communication, Inspirational & Motivational, Innovation, Storytelling, Business

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Biography

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Jay Acunzo is waging war on conventional thinking. As a digital media strategist at Google, he pushed marketing executives and practitioners more rapidly into the digital age in ways that benefitted companies and careers. He held multiple leadership positions at high-growth tech startups, including Head of Content at HubSpot and Vice President of Brand and Community at the venture capital firm NextView Ventures. On the side, Jay created the award-winning podcast Unthinkable and co-founded Boston Content, the northeast’s largest community of content creators and marketers.

Courses at Harvard Business School have cited Jay’s work, as have writers at The New York Times, The Washington Post, Fast Company, Forbes, and more. Salesforce has called him a “creative savant” and named him to the city of Boston’s “50 on Fire” list.

Today, Jay Acunzo is the founder of Marketing Showrunners, the author of Break the Wheel, and a decorated show host and executive producer. Marketing Showrunners teaches brands how to make original series, such as Against the Grain, a documentary series launched in partnership with the tech company Help Scout. As the host, director, and writer, Jay traveled the country searching for brands that put people over profits and community over shareholders and helped spark a movement of for-profit businesses that seek to use capitalism for good. You can find the series at helpscout.com/atg.

In a world where “storyteller” has become a buzzword, Jay Acunzo understands how to tell great stories–stories that entertain, surprise, teach, and push people beyond conventional thinking toward their best work. He believes his job is to hand out compasses, not maps with directions drawn on them. This equips audiences to walk into any scenario they face, get their bearings, find their true north, and feel empowered to proceed confidently and in the right direction.

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Videos

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The Power of a Premise

How to Compete on the influence of your ideas, not the Volume of Your Marketing

The toughest truth to embrace in business today: expertise has been commodified. It's foundational, but it's found everywhere. Why would they care enough to pick you, stick with you, and refer you against the odds? You can't show up as a commodity. You have to become a trusted thought leader and storyteller capable of sparking action in others.

This starts with your premise. That’s what helps you differentiate easier and resonate deeper.

Shows have premises. Books have premises. Speeches have premises. Your business needs a premise too, because while what you know matters, what you say and how you say it must make that clear.

In this powerful, practical session, author and differentiation consultant Jay Acunzo will help you master the craft of resonance. You’ll learn how to stop creating content and start developing your IP. You’ll see how it’s possible to skip the grimy tactics and internet stunts growth gurus push, and you’ll walk away ready to drive bigger results through the influence of your ideas, not the volume of your marketing.

Don’t market more. Matter more. When you learn to matter more, you can hustle for results less.

You will learn:
1. The most important question to ask to differentiate your work.
2. How to develop and share your story to ensure others immediately care.
3. A powerful framework you can use right away to develop your IP, instantly elevating all your content and comms.

Testimonials

SMART, FUNNY, AND ENTERTAINING. JAY IS THE SPEAKER YOU HOPE YOU'LL GET WHEN YOU SETTLE INTO YOUR SEAT.

– Doug Kessler, Co-Founder, Velocity Partners (B2B Agency of the Year 2019, via The Drum)

I WAS LITERALLY SAYING TO OUR EVENT MANAGER, WE HIT IT OUT OF THE BALL PARK WITH THIS GUY!

– Veronica Martinez, Sales Coordinator, G3 Communications

I MEAN, IF WE’RE ALL CRYING IN THE FIRST KEYNOTE, I AM GOING TO SAY B2BSMX IS A SUCCESS.

– Annette Falvo, National Account Director, Demand Gen Report

Jay is among the top speakers at Content Marketing World every year...each time we ask him back, the scores come back better and better. An original thinker and dynamic presenter, Jay is becoming one of the "must-see" speakers at any marketing and communication event.

– JOE PULIZZI, FOUNDER, CONTENT MARKETING INSTITUTE

The first thing I heard at the conclusion of Jay’s presentation was that attendees were looking at things from a different perspective. I can’t say enough about Jay’s presentation! He really knocked it out of the park. He connects to the audience in a real way, making it a conversation, not a speech. You feel involved and drawn into his stories.

– JACQUIE FRANCISCO, MANAGING PARTNER, THE BRAND ESTABLISHMENT

Jay’s was the best session I’ve ever attended in my 25 years of conferences! (I grew up watching my parents do keynotes.) I had so much energy and aspiration walking out of there!

– CHRISTINA KAY, EVENT ATTENDEE, MARKETO MARKETING NATION SUMMIT

Jay Acunzo is relevant, thought-provoking, and entertaining. While Jay is a sought after speaker with a big resume of experience, he is also approachable and eager to tailor his presentations to the audience’s needs. He provides realistic and actionable takeaways that all levels of professionals want to implement.

– JULIE HUVAL, HEAD OF MARKETING, BECK TECHNOLOGY

As a speaker, Jay has an incredible ability to relate to the audience and perform with impeccable polish. He is a seasoned speaker, and it shows. As a host, I was particularly gratified with the reaction from the attendees, who stayed well past the end of the event to speak to him and have been contacting me personally to thank me.

– DEVIN BRAMHALL, VP MARKETING, ANIMALZ