212. There wasn’t a stage for my story, so I built my own (Anna Ong)
Most people think storytelling is about making yourself look good. But today’s guest believes the opposite.
Anna Ong is the founder of What’s Your Story Slam (Singapore’s longest-running live storytelling show) and a global storytelling coach who’s helped over 300 leaders become impossible to ignore.
But before any of that, Anna spent 15 years in banking, hoping her work would speak for itself. It didn’t. What did she learned instead? Great ideas don’t win. Great storytellers do.
After leaving the corporate world, Anna started to build What’s Your Story Slam from the ground up after NOT being able to find the stage she needed, so, she created it.
In this episode, we explore why her show only welcomes stories that are raw, vulnerable, and real, not polished TED Talks or humblebrags. So, if you’ve ever said “I don’t have a story,” or wondered if your everyday moments matter, this is the conversation for you.
In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:51) Telling stories that show your flaws
(03:10) What’s Your Story Slam
(06:06) Telling stories to impress
(09:42) Humble bragging
(15:23) The impact of storytelling
(19:59) A storytelling stage built in Asia
(26:26) Anna’s past content
(31:29) AI and storytelling
(35:16) A story Anna is working on
(39:35) Actionable takeaways
Prefer to listen to the audio version?
Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
Connect with Anna Ong
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-ong/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatsyourstoryslam
Website: https://www.anna-ong.com/
Work with Cheryl
Think of me as your strategic podcast partner – someone who’s as invested in your vision as you are. I care about making sure your content actually stands out, resonates, and opens the right doors.
Here are two ways we can work together:
- 1:1 Editorial Podcast Production -A done-for-you podcast experience for business owners, consultants, and creators who want a distinctive, intelligent show that elevates their voice and attracts aligned opportunities. I specialize in educational and thought-leadership podcasts – guiding you from concept to production and launch.
- Corporate Podcast Producing & Consulting – For organizations ready to build high-quality, strategically positioned podcasts. From concept development to scripting and host coaching, I direct capstone content projects with clarity and care. I specialize in educational and thought-leadership podcasts – guiding you from concept to production and launch.
Schedule a discovery call for us to explore what working together might look like: https://cheryllau.com/discovery
SOUNDS GOOD? AWESOME. LET'S GET TO WORK
