JLABS - The Secret Science of Storytelling

Humans have been telling stories for millennia, yet ask a scientist to explain what they do and the answer is often hard to understand. As a consequence, not only does the public know less and less about exciting research projects, but investors, media and patients are also often in the dark. This inability to describe what they do often hinders healthcare startups from raising funds, attracting media attention and connecting with future customers.

But it doesn't have to be so difficult. All stories follow certain hidden structures, and discovering these structures can help orient executives, scientists and researchers toward shaping their story in a compelling way. In addition, knowing how to properly place your story in context and how to relate it to different audiences will ensure you and your story – whether in the form of an investor presentation, networking talk or recruiting pitch – will be remembered. Using examples from journalism, big data analytics and the real world, Ryan Flinn, a communications leader at Johnson & Johnson Innovation, will share the lessons he's learned from nearly two decades as a storyteller, both as a journalist at Bloomberg News and as a media strategist.

Meet the Speaker

Ryan Flinn is Innovation Integration Communication Leader for the Americas at Johnson & Johnson Innovation. In this role, he taps his former journalistic experience to drive communications strategy and execution for Johnson & Johnson Innovation across the Americas. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson Innovation in June 2016, he was a director of earned media for W2O Group in San Francisco, a communications agency, where he helped healthcare clients with a range of needs, including clinical trial news, crisis communications, regulatory interactions and initial public offerings. Before that, Ryan worked at Bloomberg News, where he served as the West Coast biotech reporter, covering drug development, clinical trials, FDA approvals, health care policy, emerging treatment trends, medical conferences and corporate financial developments.

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