Ron Chapman is a professional storyteller, novelist, and longtime guide for deep inner work. With nearly 40 years of sobriety, Ron has spent his life helping people navigate hard truths…through story, spirituality, and presence rather than performance.

In this conversation, we talk about what it actually means to tell authentic stories—not polished or performative, but honest stories that respect the audience and the weight of the material. From wrestling with God, to trauma and recovery, to knowing when not to perform, this episode is a grounded look at storytelling as a responsibility…not just a craft.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

1. Authentic storytelling vs performative storytelling
2. How to tell heavy stories with integrity
3. What makes a story valuable to an audience
4. Ego, humility, and responsibility in storytelling

CONNECT WITH RON CHAPMAN:

1. Website: https://www.ronaldchapman.com/
2. The Saga of Grace Series: https://www.ronaldchapman.com/the-saga-of-grace

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

1. Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/
2. Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/148

If you’ve ever caught yourself shrinking your gifts or holding back because it feels “humble,” this is for you. In this episode, we talk about why undermining your work isn’t holiness — it’s disconnection from the very gift you were meant to bring into the world — and what it really looks like to let yourself be seen and valued.

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

1. The hidden ways we weaken our own power through false humility
2. Why being willing to be seen is part of your calling
3. Reclaiming the worth of your work and allowing value to be exchanged

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady

Episodes Mentioned:

1. Cultivating the CALLING of a Communicator | Reward Sibanda: https://youtu.be/YhB1oT_MGag?si=WSnr1b3RorXn0fw-
2. Unconventional Marketing for Your Art | Alejo Porras: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCqq3DC7_ow
3. How to Overcome Performance Anxiety | Will Reynolds: https://youtu.be/Ph5B1Cc_Jow?si=D1lud91WGV4SJesV
4. Make More MONEY with Art | Amie McNee: https://youtu.be/J4IliQ-x5Q0?si=upYtTN5RRVInW8ID

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

1. Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/
2. Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/147

Keith Giles and Matthew J. Distefano are authors, publishers, and co-owners of Quoir, a media company dedicated to publishing bold, thoughtful work from people navigating faith, doubt, and deconstruction.

Keith is a former pastor turned full-time writer. Matthew describes himself as a “working-class theologian.” Together, they write (and publish) at the intersection of spirituality, culture, justice, and storytelling, helping creatives give language to ideas that don’t fit neatly into inherited belief systems.

In this conversation, we talk about what it actually means to share your work when you’re still evolving…when certainty is gone, relationships are at stake, and false humility can quietly keep your work hidden.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Creating when your beliefs and opinions are evolving
• Why promoting your work isn’t ego (and how false humility keeps good ideas buried)
• Leading without hierarchy, rejecting guru culture, and embracing mystery

CONNECT WITH KEITH & MATTHEW:

• Quoir’s Website: https://quoir.com/
• Keith’s Website: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/keithgiles/
• Matthew’s Website: https://www.allsetfree.com/
• Heretic Happy Hour: https://open.spotify.com/show/7v6veXaOTdcfQOfA9H39tO?si=1bcdd0e76d62480b

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/146

George Sidiropoulos helps creators show up on video in a way that's simple, sustainable, and fun. A former musician, he discovered video's power when Instagram guitar clips led to real opportunities…long before he had a big audience. Now he teaches people how to use video to grow their business without turning their life into a production studio.

In this episode, George shares how video reshaped his life, why we overcomplicate content, and how to treat consistency as a systems problem, not a willpower problem. From his "one-click setup" to his philosophy on imperfect reps and detaching from metrics, George offers a grounded approach to showing up on camera.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• How simple videos (with tiny audiences) can unlock real-world opportunities
• Building a one-click video setup and B-roll system so consistency is easier
• Detaching from views and virality, questioning your beliefs, and trusting your path

CONNECT WITH GEORGE SIDIROPOULOS:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disisjorj/
• One Click Setup: https://disisjorjemail.kit.com/8bccab13de

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/145

Here are three practical storytelling exercises pulled from three brilliant creators: one to help you dig deeper, one to get more specific, and one to capture story-worthy moments from everyday life.

Quick tips, super usable, and honestly… they might change how you tell your next story.

WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady

EPISODES MENTIONED:

• The Storytelling Blueprint for Viral Videos | Jenny Hoyos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkLL7xDjLF0
• Storytelling Tips for Personal Brands | Sun Yi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh8MCLNvE4M
• How to be a Better Storyteller | Matthew Dicks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lohwMR56bvA

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/144

Mentioned in this episode:

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Join Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/kajabi

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I sat down with four master storytellers and uncovered a simple truth: if the edit is difficult, the input needs to be a bigger priority.

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Write before you record
• Script with intention but edit with instinct
• Make each piece of content about one clear point
• Edit till it hurts

EPISODES MENTIONED HERE:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5i_3gjJQGk&t=1453s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dg6vcRrutw&t=2685s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lohwMR56bvA&t=1369s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SolAEaSl7M&t=33s

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/143

Before Matthew Luhn became one of Pixar’s storytellers (with credits on Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc., Toy Story, Up, and more) he nearly lost the opportunity altogether. After leaving The Simpsons at 19 to join a then-unknown studio called Pixar, he was laid off, moved back home, worked temp jobs, and spent a year-and-a-half fighting to get back in.

In this episode, Matthew shares the real story behind making a dream happen: the uncertainty, the restarts, and the creative persistence required to build a career that lasts.

Watch Full Conversation with Matthew Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-65jOrpPlA

CONNECT WITH MATTHEW LUHN:

• Website: https://matthewluhnstory.com/

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/142

If you’ve ever caught yourself asking, “What should I make? What will work?” — this is for you. Somewhere along the way, many of us stopped creating from curiosity and started creating for approval. In this episode, we talk about what it means to return to that raw, honest place... to stop chasing trends and start trusting your own instincts again. Because the world doesn’t need another copy. It needs you.

TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• The danger of creating from “what works” instead of what’s real
• How fear of being seen dulls creative expression
• Why your truest work will always come from what excites you

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

• Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/
• Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/141