Brand Storytelling ft. LaQuita Cleare of Clear Communication Academy | EYB

LaQuita Cleare is a storytelling magician helping business leaders and companies tell better stories and speak to motivate and inspire from the boardroom to the stage. As a Global Keynote Speaker and CEO of Clear Communication Academy, LaQuita has worked in more than 50 countries across 4 continents with Fortune 500 companies, executives, public figures, politicians and organizations to achieve next-level results with their communication.

Elevate Your Brand is the #1 marketing podcast for entrepreneurs and “wantrepreneurs” looking for insider tips and secrets from the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large. 

Each week, entrepreneurial special guests join Laurel Mintz, founder and CEO of award-winning marketing agency Elevate My Brand, to discuss the marketing failures and successes that have brought their brands to the next level. Learn from real-life experiences and be inspired by leaders in your industry about how smart digital and experiential marketing can elevate your brand.

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Transcript

00:00.00

elevatemybrand

Hi everyone and welcome back to another episode of elevate your brand I of course am your host Laurel Mintz and I am joined today by LaQuita Cleare who is the founder and Ceo of the clear communication academy LaQuita thank you for joining us today. Hi.

00:14.75

LaQuita

Thank you for having me I'm so excited.

00:18.30

elevatemybrand

Well, you know that you and I are so aligned on many many things but the number 1 thing and your focus is really the power of storytelling so share with us a little bit about the academy and how you launched it and just give us all of the juicy details.

00:34.82

LaQuita

Cool. Yeah I'm such a lover of stories I feel like I geek out on even just talking about storytelling and that is what my academy does we help business leaders and companies to tell better stories and to speak in a way that motivates and. Fires persuades. We help you rock out your story essentially and for me, that's why the heck I moved from Chicago to Los Angeles was to pour myself into the world of storytelling. That's kind of how I got started working in the entertainment industry and I'm here I have escaped the cold and I get to meet cool rock out stories.

01:16.92

elevatemybrand

I love it and you know you know our first company is obviously a marketing agency so storytelling is so important and impactful there. But I would say that the work that you do is really the foundational stuff right? It's the how and the reasoning behind and that hook. That um, reason for a brand reason for a leader in the space to show up and share their story and then it gets kind of handed over to us and our team to like elevate that brand but the storytelling at its baseline is so critically important to engaging an audience and. I would say and I hope I think that you would agree showing up is your true authentic self.

01:55.17

LaQuita

Yes, absolutely I think it's interesting that you and I are on on this call together because we make great partners because yes I am helping people find that story and actually how they deliver it and then you take it from there and I think it is about authenticity but being. But being purposeful also about your communication and storytelling because we all do want to achieve results. Let's keep it real for a moment and about storytelling also in a strategic way I think helps people in a business sense versus. Oh yeah, I Just want to tell any kind of story. Yeah, that's cool and all. But if you're trying to achieve sales or do your brand story. There does need to be a little bit of a strategy behind it.

02:40.16

elevatemybrand

Absolutely. It's storytelling for a purpose or storytelling to the back of the room as people often say ah you know stories are all well and good, but especially if you are leading a company or launching a product or service. There needs to be purpose behind that conversation. I mean not always right? You could show up and tell a fun exciting story but I would say most of the people that come across your desk and mine or our stages are really high achieving high performing leaders who have real purpose in their work and want to communicate that in the most effective way possible and.

03:16.25

LaQuita

Yes I Like how you said it with purpose and sometimes maybe the purpose is that you just want your team to feel like they know more about you So you are telling a personal story so that people get to connect with you or I don't know I'm talking about my dog at the beginning of a meeting because everybody else has a dog too and that's the story I Want to tell so it still can be fun and authentic and all of those things but I love the word you use that is purpose.

03:45.12

elevatemybrand

Well, it's definitely something that you and I connect on you know that I've launched the fund which is also very purpose driven. It's so clear to me that regardless of the kind of company you launch if you are not speaking from your core true purpose. You can really sense out I was having a conversation of course over a cocktail with a friend the other day about this very topic and what he said was you know it's so interesting to me that you come across so clearly and so authentically and I said yeah but people see through it if you're not if you show up and you're just fake in the funk. Or you're trying to be something that you aren't which is who I originally was when I was like this big corporate lawyer and like you know wearing black suits and boring as fuck. You know people aren't going to relate to you and they're like that and so I think that that is the unique gift that you give to your clients.

04:38.22

LaQuita

Yeah, it's It's interesting. The minute you said when you were like in black I thought about the courage that it takes to show up as yourself because it's not easy also in the work that I do I I would love to say Yeah, it's so easy. Come and tell your story. Some people. Yes, they come in and they're ready and then other people I have to kind of peel back the layers because it does require you to be? yeah, seriously girl it is like some therapy peeling back the layers some people want to be.

05:05.75

elevatemybrand

Um, Therapy.

05:13.69

LaQuita

Vulnerable Others don't and it does take a lot to to step out and say you know what I'm going to be me because guess what your version or whoever you are may not work for everybody. That's okay, but the people that it works for it works wildly well which I think is really impactful.

05:28.70

elevatemybrand

Yes, and that's ultimately the goal is to attract your community your people your audience whether that is 10 people or 10000 people. Um, which is exactly what you allow and facilitate people in doing so I want to know. What are like the core tenets of great storytelling?

05:48.67

LaQuita

I Think one of the biggest ones is emotion. One of the biggest and that's one of the ones that gets left out most often in a business or corporate setting because we don't want to ever be vulnerable and we don't necessarily want to hear case emotion. But if you think of every single story in your lifetime that you have watched or read or heard there was some sort of emotion behind it. You felt something at some point. So I think that is something that is really really important. The other thing is. Every story has to have a conflict like we don't want to hear about how you're Great. You're still Great. You're going to be great. It's like come on everybody had a moment where they were feeling something other than great or where their company wasn't at the top and I think those are the moments. That allow people to become invested in our story I Want to keep listening trying to figure out how you dug your way out of that hole I'm like yeah maybe I got to So I think the conflict and the emotion are two very very big ones and then. I'm going to go back to purpose and goal understanding the purpose of telling your story helps you avoid kind of that wandering story that you're like wait. What was my point because you didn't I purpose in the beginning. So I would say those are 3 really big ones.

07:12.88

elevatemybrand

Um, I think the conflict piece is so interesting to me and that it's really an arc right? which goes back to your entertainment roots. Let's be honest, like that is what great storytelling on the big screen or on the small screen really looks like right.

07:24.60

LaQuita

Or is it sure is and I will tell people as well. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that every conflict has to be huge because sometimes we're in such a big social media age I know you've seen it too before where you read these stories. These people who are like oh my gosh I climbed Mount Everest with only one arm and one leg and you know like crap because you're like well my story conflict is not that big. It does not have to be that type of conflict every single person I don't care. Even if you've had a pretty easy road in your business. There was some sort of conflict in your mind or it's either external or internal that is a conflict.

08:07.53

elevatemybrand

I Couldn't agree more and the truth is is like that is a very human experience. So I think you're you're just you know full of you know what? if you if you say that you've showed up in this lifetime and not had any conflicts come on that can't be true I.

08:22.44

LaQuita

I Love what you said and tell tell it tell them they are full of it I say the same that same phrase I say when people look I love introducing myself and it's like Nah. Most people don't It's something that maybe you get to like a little bit more but there are some things that make us. Uncomfortable sometimes or at some point it was weird so share that with us and let me connect to you and understand where your conflict was and and then it's fun to understand how you found your way out of it or or maybe sometimes it was a big journey you found your way out and then you fell back in the hole.

08:56.78

elevatemybrand

And yeah I mean it's it's you know Hills and valleys ebbs and flows like life has ongoing conflicts as well. So it could just be that that was the story and now you're in a completely different narrative.

08:58.35

LaQuita

And you climbed back out of it.

09:12.49

elevatemybrand

Um, and making sure that you're folding that into kind of what is the beauty of your life and your existence and again back to your purpose on this planet. Um, we're going to take a really quick break. We come back I Want you to talk a bit about how you get your clients to be so vulnerable because. To your point earlier that is really the root of great storytelling so stay tuned will be right back. Okay.

09:42.74

elevatemybrand

And thanks for sticking with us and if you're just tuning in I am chatting with Lakekita clear who is the founder and Ceo of clear communication academy which is all about authentic and purpose driven storytelling before the break you were telling us a little bit about um the conflict cycles and how you really. Teach your clients to lean into that to tell authentic purposed driven stories I am sure that that is not always easy. So tell us a little bit about what the process looks like and how you can get people to get the hell out of their own ways and really show up and tell those very oftentimes vulnerable and scary stories. 

10:19.68

LaQuita

Yeah, it it 1 of the things that I think is essential in the work that I do or or really any work when you are thinking about speaking or working with people is building that connection for me this is crucial when someone new comes to me. Them being able to connect with me just on any human level so that they feel comfortable listening to me opening up to me moving forward so that is kind of the first step even with that. Yes, there are some people who even after you kind of connect they may be Blocked. So some of the work that I do is trying to figure out why they maybe don't want to be vulnerable sometimes I find all of these different mindsets Sometimes people are in finance and they're like well in my industry you can't be vulnerable or someone's coming from Health care and they're like. I have board members that require me to be serious. So There's all of these mental and mindset blocks that if we can start getting around those that work is even before you do the story and figure out what they're going to tell in their story. It's the connection. The mindset blocks and then. Meeting people where they are not every person is going to jump in head first and start dishing out all of their whole life story. That's not realistic. So some people it may be me just getting them over the first hurdle of sharing a little bit even if I can get them sharing first with me. Then we can say okay, maybe you're going to tell a sixty second story to connect with your team before you go into the oh what? What is my 15 minute Ted talk. So I think I I do it in stages and I think part of my background is also in psychology. What an interesting combination. It's like the.

12:01.21

elevatemybrand

Right? right.

12:11.49

LaQuita

Hollywood and the psychology and I think the mix of those 2 things helps me to try to understand people better to try to connect and to try to really figure Out. What's the best way for them to share share their story in an authentic way that doesn't feel forced because. This word storytelling is thrown around so much now like storytelling storytelling. Well not everybody's going to tell the same types of story. Not not everybody is going to have the same level of Vulnerability. So I Really try to meet people where they are and help them become the the best version of themselves which I think is is really key here.

12:51.16

elevatemybrand

Yeah I I mean so much to unpack there. First of all I have to say your energy. You are like a super attractor right? So like I feel like the second we met or connected like there was just a vibe like there's an energy that you put out as a human I feel like. Most of the really fabulous connected centered women and men that I get the opportunity and the joy of meat have just like have it. It's like that it factor not from a celebrity perspective but from a there's this inner desire and drive and need to connect with other people and it. Makes you vibrate on a level that is so Powerful. So I just wanted to share with you that that has been my experience in my connections with you personally and it was like.

13:36.46

LaQuita

Thank you that was when you and I first met we connected we immediately we we were I remember we were laughing. We're like oh yeah, we need to work together. We need to do something together. What can we do and there's there were so many ways that we can.

13:47.48

elevatemybrand

Yeah, yeah.

13:54.15

LaQuita

Connect and work together. We're like where do we start and and that's today.

13:58.98

elevatemybrand

Yes, that's today here and now um I would say the other thing that I think makes you such a powerful leader in this space is your authentic storytelling and sharing of your journey and your challenges and struggles. So I don't know if you want to share some of What's brought you to this moment but I know that that's such a personal connection point for your clients and and for where you've caught how far you've come I should say.

14:25.43

LaQuita

It's it's an interesting point because I like to say to people starting from where I started from coming to hollywood. It's like you come and you're all bright-eyed and bushy tailed and you show up I mean it's really like yeah I was like yeah. You couldn't tell me anything girl I was like I'm conquering the world and then I feel like I was lost I found myself lost so many times trying to figure out what my own story was and also trying to figure out what I should share of my story. So I actually spent many years of my life even when I was doing this work being showing up how I thought I should show up one as a woman 2 as a black woman. It was like oh well this is what I'm expected to be and I never really wanted to stand out because I thought success meant that you just show up the way you're supposed to show up and other people tell you that so you're like if you're corporate you show up as corporate, you get work. You do that and that's fine and then I really had to learn along the way to show up as myself and that there was no box that i. That I had to be in and I remember distinct moments I remember once I was at this audition many many years ago and this was one of the first times that something clicked for me where I wasn't worried about how I should appear and I was just present I was sitting in this audition room that was packed with all these other people. And at one point I just smiled normally I'd be looking around and judging everybody else and figuring out. Well, what should I look like look how she looks maybe I should do it? Yeah I would normally be size people up and feeling in this particular day I was just smiling people were all in there.

16:03.23

elevatemybrand

Yeah, who's the competition in the room. Yeah.

16:13.66

LaQuita

Audition Room looking at me like why is she just sitting there smiling it was because I felt like I knew something that that so many people have yet to figure out and it was just the idea of being in presence and knowing that what's meant for me in the universe I'm going to get I can put forth my energy and all of those things. But that's it I go in I Do What I'm meant to do I make an impact and then and then I leave the room without feeling like I have to show up as something else and that was a real turning point I think for me in my life and things really did take off for me after that Not just. Career wise but I just wake up every day I feel feel like I'm living a cool life.

16:56.18

elevatemybrand

Um, definitely ah like I said I had fomo watching the um, the latest event that you did and this an annual event and I saw all of the I think there was out of town when couldnt Attend. Um, but I saw all of the um social media posts and all of women who I know and love that were there and I was like oh my God I got such Fomo Um, but share with our audience a little bit about that annual event and how they can get involved with your incredible organization.

17:20.94

LaQuita

It is called rock my story and it is an event that was created to do all the things that we're talking about show up as your ah authentic self figure out how to tell your story. What are the tools and techniques you can use. So. It's really an immersive experience that was hands-on for people to. Actually do things not a conference where you just listen to people speak. But what was so remarkable about it was the way that everybody connected people were doing exactly what I'm saying where they were like immediately all in and sharing stories I'm so excited. For the next one it is rockmystory.com we will announce new dates soon and then in general people can connect with me on Linkedin I love connecting with people so whether they're working with me or just want to stay connected to some of the things that I say or be just part of conversations. Can find me on Linkedin at Lakita clear and just connect with me and learn more about our our company as well clear communication academy.

18:23.21

elevatemybrand

Make Sure you sign up, y'all get connected. You give a lot of tools and tips on your website. So um, for those of you who might be struggling with try to tell your story or how to show up Authentically Lokita is such a fantastic resource for all things Authentic storytelling. 1 of the things that I think is the most valuable piece is what you were speaking about earlier which is really being physically in your own body. Do you have like exercises that you do daily like how because we are so busy right? We oftentimes don't stop to be physically present and presence is really. A lot of what you're talking about So. What? How do you stay in that mindset right.

19:02.32

LaQuita

1 thing that is very very important to me is just being active. Whatever your fitness plan is it doesn't have to be. You're in the gym for 5 hours a day or anything like that but being connected to my body being able to slow down has really. Really been good for me because I whether it's Pelodis or doing things in the gym. It gives me such an awareness of myself that's been really helpful and then another thing that's been very helpful for me as I speak on stages and things like that is the power of the pause and I mean.

19:38.30

elevatemybrand

E.

19:40.86

LaQuita

So many different ways whether it is you get up on stage or in front of a group and you just take a couple of seconds to pause and take a deep breath. We often miss those points think about the last time that. You went up to present somewhere and you're like yes I got to just start talking immediately and we don't take that moment of silence in that moment to pause to center yourself. It can be right before you talk when you're actually on the stage. Guess what? no one will notice that you took 2 seconds before you started or even before so having that moment to. Connect with your breath having that moment to pause I think really will help to center you and help you get a lot of the nerves out that that come with telling your story or speaking in front of big groups.

20:27.84

elevatemybrand

Yeah, because public speaking is still the number one fear I think spiders is second and maybe heights is third but that's a biggie. Um, speaking of pause we're going to take another quick break. We'll be right back.

20:44.81

elevatemybrand

Thanks for sticking with us and if you're just tuning in chatting with my friend lakita clear from clear communication academy I love the power of the pause and I have been so blessed in my life to have gone through a lot of education. Specifically the socratic method in law school which teaches you to like think on a die and and ah you know one of the things. My husband always says about me is like he thinks that I I I act like I know everything or I speak like I know everything when he knows that I'm full of shit. Um, but the reason I can do that is because I am very centered and like here and present in the moment and it's one of the things that I think I teach my team as well because people don't listen to the words that come out of your mouth if you're speaking a million mouths a minute. So I think that pause. Being intentional about your cadence as you speak and being really centered is what makes a powerful speaker.

21:43.39

LaQuita

Ah, definitely and I think I guess the power of the pause can be life in general. It's the story. It's just everything we're moving so fast. All of the time and we don't have a chance to catch our breaths.

21:48.12

elevatemybrand

Yeah, absolutely.

22:00.37

LaQuita

And if you are pausing or you understand the power of the pause in Life. It is easier for you to understand that as it relates to your speaking or telling your story and not not everything has to be rushed if you want to tell your full story now. Great. If. You're not ready to tell your full story Now you tell a little bit of your story and then you continue on from there. This is not a what is the the quote that they say this is not a sprint.. It's a marathon.

22:30.45

elevatemybrand

Right? Yes I Also think that um we have a tendency as humans to fill voids especially when you're talking to someone and there's so much power in those voids I see it especially and I'm sure you see this a lot too because you deal with very high performing people. We say like for example, your sale price on a project and then the other person doesn't say something and then you're like oh but we can give you a discount or a deal or don't worry that doesn't isn't really the final and you like you undercut yourself before you've even given the other person a chance to react or Respond. Um I Think that's also part of the power of pause and space. When you're really connecting whether it's a sales conversation or just being on stage telling your story.

23:12.40

LaQuita

Who you brought up a good one. There was a there was a book that I was Reading. It's funny I'm literally sitting in my reading room right now looking for this book that spoke about just what you brought up about in sales. How we say something and then we want to quickly say something else, but. You just put it out there pause let them respond but we're always jumping because we're always waiting for our next line so to speak and not really invested in even in general Conversations. We're waiting for our turn to speak next versus really listening to what the other person says and then responding from there so that I love that what you just brought up right now. So important.

23:57.12

elevatemybrand

I mean that's why they say god gave us 2 years in 1 mouth right? Listen more than you speak? Yeah I also think that comes from insecurity from the unknowing you know from all of these other places. Um, so if.

24:03.20

LaQuita

Um, ah right.

24:14.55

elevatemybrand

Those of you listening in take nothing else away from this conversation I think the most valuable piece is showing up authentically with a purpose which really all of our guests have deeply but the power of the pause I love that part of this conversation because I am even I would say definitely one of the people who. Talks really fast I say putting up putting on my New York when I got to get something through something really really quickly and I'm just like barreling ahead but the understanding and the digestion of that information is far less when you move too quickly. Would you agree with that.

24:47.32

LaQuita

I Would agree with that and I also think we're all a work in progress and I think in some areas I'm like yes I got the power of the pause I can pause on stage I can do all the pausing in the stories but in my normal work life I Guess you know hello entrepreneurship.

24:52.51

elevatemybrand

Yes, yes.

25:06.99

LaQuita

Sometimes I feel like things have to be done now because I'm not a procrastinator and I'm like I need to also take my own advice in different areas of of no not everything has to be done now when you've worked 13 hours and it's now late at night you can pause and rest without it being a bad thing.

25:08.97

elevatemybrand

Yeah, yeah.

25:25.28

LaQuita

I'm going to take also my own if advice something beautiful about saying it out loud and then you think of the areas in your own life where you can continue to improve that's lifelong learning for you right? there.

25:33.98

elevatemybrand

Oh yes, absolutely and having people like each other around each other to hold you accountable I would say is the other really valuable piece of information that I would offer. Um, ah right? we are almost out of time in the last few minutes that we have I like to do what's called our quick fire. So this is whatever comes up top of mine. Are you ready and this one I will ask you to go quickly so you can put on your New York front for this one. Your Chicago for this one I should say.

25:54.74

LaQuita

I am ready.

26:01.92

LaQuita

Oh my? okay.

26:05.73

elevatemybrand

Um, the first question is what is the 1 thing that you could not have lived without during the pandemic and you can't see any of your own products or services? 

26:14.79

LaQuita

Matcha ah everyday girl.

26:24.15

elevatemybrand

I'm a coffee girl but my husband's a tea guy And the marriage still works somehow I don't know but I get that. Um, if you could wave a magic wand and have anything happen for your business. What would that look like.

26:26.44

LaQuita

Um.

26:32.14

LaQuita

It would look like helping more people like a hundred and not even ten xing like a thousand xing the amount of clients because that would improve the amount of people we're helping.

26:44.10

elevatemybrand

I love that that's your answer because I find that so many business owners get so in their own head about asking for the sale or building their company up and I always try and flip the script with them and tell them. If you are able to do that. That means you're able to support and help other people which is the entire purpose of your company. So get the fuck out of your own way like do it like what is the problem here. So I love that you're like no a thousand x. That's fantastic. Um, if there was 1 person on this planet listening and who could make that change happen who would it be.

27:14.70

LaQuita

I think everyone listening can ,ake that change happen I I think everyone listening can make that change happen whether you connect with me on socials whether you spread the word to other people you you know then it puts the power in more people's hands and not just like oh Oprah call me.

27:21.50

elevatemybrand

Okay.

27:33.97

LaQuita

It puts the power. You know it puts a power in all of our hands because everybody can give you a referral can pass you on can tell people about your podcast. Yes, everyone.

27:44.42

elevatemybrand

I Love that answer. Ah, next question is go to cocktail of choice after a long hard day if you drink. Okay.

27:50.30

LaQuita

I Don't drink I'm um I'm I'm a matcha gal and sparkling water I'm not so so exciting. 

27:59.13

elevatemybrand

Then what is your go to vice after a long hard day. Um.

28:07.95

LaQuita

Yeah, so that I I'm a dancer I dance Argentine Tango and Salsa. So that is my go to vice I'll do with some tango moves and then I'll be tired the next day because I should've went to sleep early but that's my go.

28:14.51

elevatemybrand

I used to dance also two days a week when I was on the East Coast myself so you don't have to have an side of on that one and at our dancing shoes. Hell yeah I'm here for it I'm here for it. 

28:21.70

LaQuita

Ah, we got to go? Yeah I let go dancing.

28:32.54

elevatemybrand

Last question is what is your favorite word and why and this can be a word that's had real meaning to you over time or something that just pops into your head for the purpose of this conversation.

28:39.64

LaQuita

Exceptional is the one that just popped into my mind because I I don't I don't strive for just average or good I think that everything that we do can be exceptional. We can be exceptional. We can feel exceptional So that's my work right now.

28:53.18

elevatemybrand

I feel that word every single day I try and show up in that in that light as well. So thank you so much for sharing your energy and your time and your perspective with us today LaQuita it's been such a pleasure.

29:07.24

LaQuita

Thank you for having me I'm excited because we also have a salsa date and you and I will connect or we'll do more awesome fun things in the future.

29:12.31

elevatemybrand

Yes, yes.

29:18.34

elevatemybrand

I Can't wait if you'd like to wrap us up with a few final words of wisdom.

29:24.97

LaQuita

Find your story even if you don't tell it yet. That's 1 big big phrase I will tell you the other thing is find out how can you show up as a best version of yourself all of the time. How can you show up in ah in a bigger way for yourself, not not to be average. Let's throw out average and jump outside of our comfort zones I didn't say step I said jump so that the 5 words.

29:56.30

elevatemybrand

Um, that's fantastic. I always say I'm a leaping flying cannonball type of human it sounds like you and I are very much aligned on that perspective leaping flying cannonball.

30:05.71

LaQuita

Um, me you said Leap What is it leaping flat I like that leaping flying that's.

30:10.91

elevatemybrand

Like I all have time to like dip my toe in the the deep end of the pool I'm taking a huge cannonball into that deep end. Um.

30:15.10

LaQuita

Oh I like that I'm going to use a cannonball and when we keep that's one of my favorite quotes for me is leap and the net will appear I don't need to see everything a way I can just leap.

30:23.87

elevatemybrand

Absolutely yeah, it's ah it's scary, but the fear is where the growth truly happens which is also part of what you teach your clients again. LaQuita thank you so much for spending time with us today. Thank you to everyone who tuned in make sure you check out the LaQuita Cleare and clear communication academy alongside the rockmystory.com event coming up next year and of course stay tuned for more from elevate your brand coming up next.