Shaping Storytelling as a Strategic Business Function with Elliott Rayner

Elliott Rayner, Fractional Head of Storytelling and creator of The Story Cohort, joins the podcast to explain why a truly strategic narrative is less about individual creativity and more about aligning every voice in the company around a core message. In this episode, we dig into why storytelling is moving from a personal skill to a vital company function, what “head of storytelling” roles actually mean in today’s market, and how alignment rather than creativity can be the difference between a brand that cuts through and one that fades away. Elliott Rayner shares the patterns emerging from new storytelling job descriptions, a step-by-step process for creating narrative alignment across teams, and a real-world example of transforming a tech product’s chaos of messages into a single narrative everyone could own. He also unpacks how AI can help expose gaps in a company’s story, but only if you know where to shine the torch. You’ll leave with three deceptively simple questions to test your company’s narrative alignment, a concrete method for measuring where your team stands, and the practical next steps to get every colleague telling the same compelling story. GUEST BIO & LINKS Elliott Rayner is a Fractional Head of Storytelling, product marketing strategist, author, and creator of The Story Cohort. With over a decade leading product narratives for global brands like Adidas, ASICS, Babbel and ARION, he now helps teams translate complex technology into stories anyone can tell (and everyone remembers). His book "The Story Engine" and "The State of Storytelling 2026" detail the rise of storytelling as an official business function, and his frameworks have guided Olympic campaigns and tech launches alike. Elliott Rayner leads workshops and a live cohort programme designed to help leaders, marketers, and founders turn scattered ideas into a single, company-defining narrative. Connect with Guest’s Name: Website: https://www.productnarratives.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliottrayner/ ABOUT THE SHOW Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything. Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks. CONNECT WITH ROB Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy" → subscribepage.io/robdwillis Connect with Rob: Website: robdwillis.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis Instagram: @robdwillis TikTok: @robdwillis Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.