If magic is “the art of changing consciousness at will,” then story is the most effective magic anyone
can practice.
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Greetings!
I’m Jessica.
And among other things (adventurer, angel investor, wilderness guide; lover of mountains and metaphors and chocolate with fruit inside), I am a professional storytelling and leadership coach who
partners with founders, execs, experts & creatives to excavate the true stories
(and build the narrative skills) that move people to say YES.
But over 10 years ago, when I was first
starting out?
I didn’t realize how often the biggest opportunities get decided
(and distributed) inside a single conversation.
The first time I courted a big prospective client, I spent two days
crafting the perfect proposal; the book Made to Stick open on the dining
room table, my laptop surrounded by a growing collection of
coffee mugs gone cold.
Later, the client would say it “brought tears to his eyes” for how
“poignant” and “needed” my ideas were.
I left his office certain my proposal had worked; that the position was
mine.
But then weeks went by….
Which turned into months…
And then I finally got the news...
The contract had gone to someone else.
And not just anyone else — an old white dude someone else.
I told myself I didn’t want that contract anyway.
Then I moved to San Francisco, with no job and no apartment lined
up.
But what I did have?
Were three contacts who had agreed to a meeting.
This time, I didn’t spend hours laboring over a fancy proposal.
Instead, I sent the obligatory resume (which showed a colorful pie
chart attributing 20% of my education to "school") and showed up in a
plain blue dress from Banana Republic..
Sitting across from the bemused CEO, a view of San Francisco Bay
sweeping out to his left, he asked me over tented fingers why I wanted
to work there...
... Given that I had no relevant experience to speak of?
I looked out the window, and thought about it… and told him a story.
A true story, about how backpacking in the woods as a teenager
changed my perspective, and made me realize how important it is
to connect people with nature...
... Which (I think?) is what the organization was all about..
Three days later, I was hired for a job I was
(on paper) completely unqualified to do.
… Despite having zero of the “5 years’ experience” and “demonstrated
track record” that were “required” for the position.
Although I’d had insights about the power of story before, this was the
moment my brain short-circuited, smoke wafted out of my ears, and I
realized how applicable that power is to every facet of our lives…
Especially business.
“I've experienced a seismic shift in how I
communicate my unique value as a professional and
leader.”
Tanya Troshyna, Product Leader & Founder of Fable
Since then, I’ve personally used the power of story to:
Turn disengaged board members into eager and helpful participants
Attract my first clients & escape the 9-5 for good
Quadruple my rates in my first year of business (my client told me to!)
Earn the title “Head Story Coach” (what even is that?) at General Assembly SF
Become an adjunct storytelling and career coach at U.C. Berkeley Haas School of Business
Design dozens of custom workshops and trainings for companies, teams, and nonprofits
Build a pandemic-proof creative business I can operate from anywhere
Take my business on a 14,000 mile cycling trip, while working just 6-8 days a month
Coach 100’s of founders, V.C.’s, execs & M.B.A’s across a range of industries
Establish partnerships with top universities, business schools & accelerators in the U.S. and around the globe
And my clients have used the power of story to:
Get the investor to say, “Where do I send the check?”
Get the Congressman to refer them with: “You need to meet with him, tomorrow.”
Get the partner to suggest, “Let’s demo this in 12 of our buildings.”
Get the boss’s boss to decide, “Let’s allocate $8M to this for the first year.”
Navigate a tricky transition to become the new CEO
Empower their executives to become inspiring team leaders
Give the TEDx talk that received a standing ovation
Showcase their unique contribution as a thought leader in their field
Publish the narrative of their life’s work
Land leadership roles at top companies like Google, Apple, Nike, Lyft
Successfully negotiate their highest salaries yet
Turn hesitant prospects into eager paying customers
Launch and grow a thriving online business
Stop trading their time for money and start getting paid for their value
Even (twice!) to craft the perfect wedding vows
And also (once!) to successfully adopt a baby boy
________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Honestly — it gives me chills to see all these things in one place!)
Where will your story take you?“What exhilarating results.”
Bailey Selland, Psychologist & Coach
Truly, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from working with so many diverse and talented people, it’s this:
What YOU can achieve with your “magical” skillset is limited only by your imagination.
And this is key, because — real talk?:
Your story’s not (really) about what happened.
It’s about what happens NEXT.
So — what’s next for you?:
Is it game over — or is it game on?
To your one wild and precious life,
Jessica
“Game changing… I can speak to others with simplicity and power... this
has helped my career immensely.”
Nyn Tompkins, Doctor of Chiropractic
3rd Person Bio
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Among other things, Jessica Mastors is the founder & CEO of Bay-Area based Story Magic, where she partners with startups, VC’s, accelerators, universities, and thought leaders across North America, Europe and Asia to excavate the true stories – and build the narrative skills – that move decision-makers to say YES.Â
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Dubbed “game-changing,” “extraordinary,” and “tremendous” by those in the know, Jessica’s unique story-driven approach has evolved over more than a decade supporting diverse clients including Airbnb, Expedia, SoGal Ventures, Hum Capital, Initialized Capital, Thrive Impact Accelerator, the Aga Khan Development Network, Full Circle Fund, the Boys & Girls Club, Draper University of Heroes, Northwestern Kellogg School of Business, INSEAD Business School for the World, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC).
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As a trusted story advisor to startup founders and CEO’s across industries ranging from fintech to defense, Jessica brings unparalleled expertise in story as a leadership tool and narrative strategy for every phase of the startup journey — from inception, fundraising and recruitment to pivots, growth, scale and exit. By applying what Jessica brings to their unique contexts, her clients and graduates of the Story Studio have collectively raised more than $235M in VC and institutional funding.
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In academic circles, Jessica has served as a graduate professor of narrative design at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco; as an adjunct career advisor to MBA candidates at U.C. Berkeley Haas School of Business; and as a trusted partner to elite universities in the U.S. and abroad in delivering highly impactful trainings on how to leverage story to advance your professional narrative and achieve positive leaps in your career.
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For those with and without advanced degrees, many of Jessica’s tools and strategies are accessible through her online Career Masterclass Series, as well as through her signature course, Own Your Story 2.0: a unique on-demand storytelling accelerator designed to show you step-by-step how to start telling simple, concise and effective personal stories that illustrate your authority, engage the imagination, and inspire others to take the next step with YOU.
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Outside of work, Jessica spends her free time in nature, reading, writing, hanging with her husband and 2 kiddos, and pondering a model for a next-generation university focused on self-inquiry, systems literacy, ecology, and entrepreneurial thinking — infused with conscious storytelling — for the leaders of tomorrow.
“Extraordinary... Jessica brings a story to a higher plane.”
Karen Feinstein, President, Jewish Healthcare Foundation
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