The Business of Meetings – Episode 153 – The Power of Storytelling with Andy Henriquez
Today we have the great pleasure of speaking with Andy Henriquez, founder of Master Storyteller Academy!
Andy’s journey has been an interesting one. He is an amazing storyteller, and is adept at linking his stories to the business! He joins us today to tell his story and share his secrets to success.
Andy’s bio:
Andy Henriquez, also known as the “master storyteller” and founder of the Master Storyteller Academy, is a business storytelling coach, keynote speaker, and author of the game-changing book, Show Up For Your Life. A sought-after speaker, Andy has been featured in Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Entrepreneur Magazine and has made several national television appearances. Andy trains corporations, non-profit organizations, and entrepreneurs how to unlock the power of story to elevate their brands, build greater connections and increase revenue. Some of his past clients include Office Depot Foundation, Accenture, Pratt & Whitney, NASA, and Bacardi, to name a few. Whether standing on stage and captivating an audience or conducting workshops and training, Andy is known for transforming audiences. When he’s not on stage, Andy loves spending time with his wife Casandra, and his daughter, Ava Skye.
Andy’s story
Andy grew up in a Caribbean household where his mom taught him that the key to success lay in getting a good education, and a good job. He studied hard, graduated summa cum laude, did a master’s degree in corporate accounting, and passed the CPA exam. However, when he started working as an associate for a company, he was miserable and felt that there had to be more. So he spent the next year thinking about becoming a speaker and coach. In 2004, things shifted and he decided to take a chance and act on faith instead of fear. He had no idea what would come next, but he was sure he could no longer keep doing what he had done before.
Life will test you
Whenever you make a life-changing decision, that decision will get tested! On the day Andy was ready to resign, he got offered a promotion! Even though part of him wanted to play things safe and stay on, he followed through and left corporate America.
Costa Rica
A family friend heard that Andy was looking for an opportunity. He said that Costa Rica was growing and held many possibilities for the future. He invited Andy to join him in a real estate project there. When Andy arrived in Costa Rica, things looked good so he invested most of his savings in some land on which they intended to erect some pre-manufactured homes and he returned to America. Things seemed to be going well for the first few months, but then Andy learned that his friend had lost all his money on a bad short-term investment with which he had hoped to get a quick return.
A big lesson
The lesson Andy learned from that experience was to expect to get tested.
Understanding the negativity of those who love you
When people who love you speak negatively about a risky entrepreneurial idea you’ve come up with, understand that they only do so because they want to protect you. They project their fears and limiting beliefs onto you because they love you. When that happens, know that you do not have to accept what they say, nor do you have to apply their limitations in your life.
Learning from failures
Some of the best lessons entrepreneurs ever learn come from the failures and the challenges they experience.
A key to success
Andy learned that one of the keys to success lies in knowing that life is rigged for you to succeed. So when life punches you in the face, don’t throw in the towel! Understand that it is part of your journey to success.
Investing in yourself
Les Brown is one of the top five speakers in the world. He had a massive impact on Andy’s life and taught him that you have to invest in yourself at the level at which you expect results. Through Les, Andy learned that the more you pay for coaching, the more you pay attention!
The power of storytelling
Attention is the new currency. Andy has found that the best leaders are the best storytellers because storytelling is one of the best ways to capture people’s attention, connect with them emotionally, and direct their attention to action.
Connect with Eric
On LinkedIn
On Facebook
On Instagram
On Website
Connect with Andy Henriquez
On his website
On LinkedIn
On Instagram (@showupforyourlife)
On all social media: @AndyHenriquez
Books mentioned:
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley
The Millionaire Mindset by Thomas J. Stanley
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
