S2.E30: Start With the Story, with Kristian A. Alomá PhD

Few guests fit more naturally into the fading remnants of Season 2 of Bullhorns and Bullseyes than Kristian A. Alomá, PhD, founder and CEO of Threadline and author of Start with the Story: Brand-Building in a Narrative Economy. Kristian joins Tom and Curtis to unpack why consumers use brands to tell stories about identity, not just satisfy needs. He explains his Brand STORY Framework, the psychology behind loyalty, and how narrative thinking can turn research data into human insight. From Apple fandom to Calgon nostalgia, this conversation connects marketing, meaning, and the stories we tell ourselves.

N.B.:

• Learn more at threadline.com and kristianaloma.com.Connect with Kristian on LinkedIn.

Takeaways:

• Stories drive behavior. People buy symbols of who they are, not just products.

• Brand ≠ marketing. Branding is the relationship you create; marketing lives within it.

• The STORY Framework: Struggle → Tool → Objective → Reward → Yearning—the arc every brand narrative needs.

• Make your customer the hero. If you claim hero status, they’ll find another story.

• Empathy > data. Great research listens for emotion; story gives the numbers meaning.

• Honor your own story. A brand’s legacy proves it’s earned the right to tell today’s story.

• Think in lifetimes, not quarters. Narrative strategy builds loyalty that compounds.

Find and Follow:

• Find all episodes at bullhornsbullseyes.com.

• Follow the show on LinkedIn!

• Learn more about Collideascope and Creative Mill at their respective websites.

• Connect with Curtis and Tom on LinkedIn.

• Check out our newsletter, Amplify and Aim!