storytelling with data podcast

storytelling with data
  • 4.9 (113)
  • Business
  • Updated Biweekly

Rid your world of ineffective graphs and mediocre presentations, one exploding 3D pie chart at a time! The storytelling with data podcast from bestselling author, speaker and workshop guru, Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic covers topics related to data storytelling, better presentations, and all things data viz.

  1. storytelling with data podcast: #99 learn to love critique (even if you’re sensitive)

    6d ago

    storytelling with data podcast: #99 learn to love critique (even if you’re sensitive)

    Cole and new SWD teammate Alli talk about how to get more comfortable receiving feedback—even if you’re sensitive to critique. They explore how mindset shapes the way you hear feedback, why separating yourself from your work can unlock growth, and how building feedback into your process can help you improve faster. Along the way, they share personal stories—from Cole coaching a fourth-grade presentation to Alli’s early podcasting struggles—and how their own perspectives on feedback have evolved. You’ll also hear practical tips for asking for better feedback and managing the tension that can come with critique. If you create and share ideas at work, this episode is for you. You don’t need thicker skin—you need a new perspective and a better process. Related links: 8-week online course: plan, create, and deliver your data story (next cohort starts September 2026)—use code Podcast10 for 10% off!Register for the upcoming SWD free Live Event: AI for data storytellingPodcast episode 6: say it out loudPodcast episode 77: Alli Torban on Chart SparkBook: storytelling with youJoin the storytelling with data community to get feedback on your workData Stories podcast episode 133 (with Enrico Bertini, Moritz Stefaner, Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, Alli Torban, and Jon Schwabish)

    59 min
  2. storytelling with data podcast: #98 how to overcome your presentation challenges

    May 6

    storytelling with data podcast: #98 how to overcome your presentation challenges

    In this episode of the storytelling with data podcast, Simon and Amy tackle common presentation challenges submitted by subscribers to the storytelling with data YouTube channel. They discuss how to turn complex analysis into a clear and engaging story, why storyboarding can help you structure your message before jumping into slides, and how to decide what to include—and what to leave out—when your analysis contains more detail than your audience needs. Simon and Amy also explore practical strategies for presenting dashboards, balancing graphs and tables, preparing for tough questions, connecting with your audience, and managing nerves. Along the way, they share personal presentation mishaps, hard-earned lessons, and concrete tips for building confidence, reducing filler words, and delivering with greater clarity. Whether you’re presenting to executives, clients, colleagues, or classmates, this episode offers practical guidance to help you plan, create, and deliver more effective presentations. Related resources: Subscribe to the storytelling with data YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@storytellingwithdata Register for the May 14, 2026 virtual workshop: https://storytellingwithdata.com/workshops Use code Podcast10 for 10% off Book: storytelling with you: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/books Podcast episode 86: speak so others listen: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/confidentcommunication Podcast episode 46: the question of questions

    1h 7m
  3. storytelling with data podcast: #97 delivering business value with data, with Shachar Meir

    May 6

    storytelling with data podcast: #97 delivering business value with data, with Shachar Meir

    In this episode of the storytelling with data podcast, Amy talks with Shahar Meir, a data executive with more than 20 years of experience leading data teams at companies including Meta and PayPal. Together, they explore what it really takes for data professionals to move beyond producing dashboards and reports to driving meaningful business outcomes. Shahar shares why technology alone rarely solves an organization’s data challenges and outlines the four areas he sees mattering most: technology, people, process, and culture. He talks about trust in data, the importance of understanding your audience, and why the best data professionals learn to speak the language of the business rather than the language of tools. You’ll also hear practical advice for individuals who want to increase their impact: how to better understand the business, how to frame data work in terms of outcomes, and why stepping outside your data silo can be one of the most valuable moves for your career. This is a rich conversation for anyone who wants their work with data to be more strategic, more influential, and more closely tied to real business value.  RELATED RESOURCES Shachar’s LinkedIn | YouTube Career unblocking mini-course: career-unblock.shacharmeir.com $1M data professional presentation

    55 min
  4. storytelling with data podcast: #95 Structure Liberates – Why Your Data Needs a Style Guide with Maxine Graze

    Feb 9

    storytelling with data podcast: #95 Structure Liberates – Why Your Data Needs a Style Guide with Maxine Graze

    How do you ensure your data visuals are consistently effective—and on brand? In this episode, SWD data storyteller, Simon Rowe chats with Maxine Graze, Senior Data Visualization Engineer at King, about the process of building data visualization style guides. They explore why “structure liberates,” how to balance aesthetics with usability, and why stakeholder feedback is critical. Whether you're designing for dashboards or decks, you'll walk away with ideas on how to bring clarity and consistency to your data storytelling. Related Links: datavizstyleguide.com – Explore open-source data visualization guidelines Better Data Visualizations by Jonathan Schwabish – The book that sparked Maxine’s journey Storytelling with Data Resources – Tools, tips, and templates from the SWD team

    46 min
  5. storytelling with data podcast: #96 what’s the story behind your data? demystifying data equity with Heather Krause

    Jan 9

    storytelling with data podcast: #96 what’s the story behind your data? demystifying data equity with Heather Krause

    What if the numbers you work with every day weren’t as neutral as you thought? In this episode, Mike is joined by Heather Krause, founder of We All Count and longtime quantitative researcher, to unpack a powerful concept: data equity. Together, they explore how every step of a data project—from survey design to chart choices—involves hidden decisions that impact what gets measured, who is represented, and what conclusions are drawn. Heather shares the seven stages of the data equity framework, explains why choosing a denominator isn’t as simple as it seems, and offers practical ways to apply an equity lens to dashboards, visualizations, and more. Whether you're building a data product, making policy decisions, or designing a business presentation, this conversation will help you become more accurate, efficient, and intentional in how you generate and communicate evidence. RELATED LINKS Learn more at weallcount.com Explore the Before & After audiobook → Listen here

    42 min
  6. storytelling with data podcast: #94 the uncharted territory of data and music with Chris Dalla Riva

    12/04/2025

    storytelling with data podcast: #94 the uncharted territory of data and music with Chris Dalla Riva

    Chris Dalla Riva is a musician, data analyst, and the author of Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us about the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves. In this episode, he joins data storyteller Mike Cisneros to talk about musical myths, hidden industry incentives, chart data, and underappreciated hits, as well as the thorny questions about authenticity, categorization, and what it really means to tell an honest story with numbers. RELATED LINKS Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us about the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves | Chris Dalla Riva’s book  Can’t Get Much Higher | Chris’s newsletter Audiomack | Music streaming service where Chris works on analytics and personalization Max Martin Knows How to Create a #1 Hit | Chris’s The Economist article on song intros Suno AI | Generative AI tool for music creation discussed in the authenticity segment Follow Chris at @cdallarivam SONGS AND ARTISTS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE “Want Ads” by Honey Cone“House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals“Hey Jude” by The Beatles“Blinded by the Light” (written by Bruce Springsteen, recorded by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band)“Dancing in the Dark” by Bruce Springsteen“When Doves Cry” by Prince“Believe” by Cher“Golden” by HUNTR/X

    41 min
  7. storytelling with data podcast: #93 revisiting the magic of story

    11/16/2025

    storytelling with data podcast: #93 revisiting the magic of story

    In this special episode of the *storytelling with data* podcast, Cole celebrates the 10-year anniversary of her best-selling book, *storytelling with data: a data visualization guide for business professionals*. She shares exciting updates about the newly released 10th Anniversary Edition—including refreshed visuals, updated examples, and new bonus content—along with an invitation to a live virtual event on December 2, 2025.To mark the occasion, Cole reads aloud Chapter 7: *Lessons in Storytelling*—a fan-favorite chapter that explores how story structure can be used to create more compelling data communications. From Red Riding Hood to Aristotle to Robert McKee, this episode blends timeless storytelling wisdom with practical techniques for structuring business presentations, building narrative flow, and engaging your audience through conflict, clarity, and repetition.Whether you're crafting a dashboard, pitching a recommendation, or designing a presentation, this episode is packed with strategies to help you move beyond showing data to telling *a story with data*.🔗 Get the 10th anniversary book: storytellingwithdata.com/SWD10🔗 Join Cole's live virtual mini-workshop (Dec 2): storytellingwithdata.com/swd10register🔗 Listen to the Before & After audiobook: rbmediaglobal.com/audiobook/9781663755681/

    40 min
  8. storytelling with data podcast: #92 Why Dashboards Die—and How to Save Them With Allison Horst

    10/03/2025

    storytelling with data podcast: #92 Why Dashboards Die—and How to Save Them With Allison Horst

    In this episode of the storytelling with data podcast, Simon chats with Allison Horst—developer advocate at Observable, educator, and beloved data illustrator—to explore the difference between dashboards that get used and those that don’t. They dig into why so many data products go to waste, the importance of co-creating with your audience, and the overlooked power of early feedback. Allison reflects on her experiences helping people go from "I built this thing" to "This actually gets used"—and how teams can better collaborate to avoid dashboard graveyards. Along the way, they talk about environmental storytelling, visual metaphors, teaching the “gray areas” of data viz, and why curiosity (not perfection) is the key to lasting impact. Related Links: Check out Allison's work at: https://allisonhorst.com/Connect with and follow her on LNKD: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-horst/Order SWD's latest book, Before & After https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/books

    50 min
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4.9
out of 5
113 Ratings

About

Rid your world of ineffective graphs and mediocre presentations, one exploding 3D pie chart at a time! The storytelling with data podcast from bestselling author, speaker and workshop guru, Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic covers topics related to data storytelling, better presentations, and all things data viz.

Information

  • Creator
    storytelling with data
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © storytelling with data
  • Show Website
    storytelling with data podcast

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