Strategic Community Building and Leadership with James Young: Balancing People and Product for Long-Term Impact

In this episode of Storylinking, host Tom Lietz speaks with James Young, an expert in strategic community building and product-centered design. Drawing from his extensive work with The Product Community, Jim provides a fresh look at how organizations can navigate the shift from traditional association models to more innovative approaches that balance people-first engagement with product-driven value creation.

The conversation explores the interplay between storytelling, creating a shared vision, and aligning short-term operations with long-term strategy. Jim offers practical insights into building product communities that prioritize disciplined choices while fostering emotional connections that bring people together. The episode also delves into how multi-generational engagement and mentorship play critical roles in sustaining resilient, thriving communities.

Whether you're a community leader or strategist, this episode is packed with actionable advice on how to integrate product-focused strategies with people-centered leadership to create lasting, impactful value.

Check out our guest, James Young

• On LinkedIn
• The Innovative Association (His weekly newsletter, via substack)
• The Product Community (His company, helping membership communities to build products and grow reach)

Check out more from Storylinking:

• storylinking.com

Key moments from this episode:

Uniting Art and Conservation: The Mates for Life Journey with Filmmaker Tim Whalen

In this episode of Storylinking, filmmaker Tim Whalen joins host Tom Lietz to discuss his innovative project, Mates for Life, a unique collaboration between the Joffrey Ballet, choreographer Xavi Núñez, and the International Crane Foundation. Together, they’ve created a powerful film that tells the inspiring comeback story of the whooping crane, blending dance and conservation in a way that bridges the gap between performing arts and environmental advocacy.

The conversation touches on the challenges of the creative project, emotional connection both artistic expression and an important conservation cause, and the importance of stepping out of comfort zones to create something truly impactful. Tim shares valuable insights on building unexpected partnerships, fostering community through the arts, and how creative collaboration can drive meaningful change.

Check out Mates for Life:

• Mates for Life Website (Watch the trailer and behind-the-scenes feature)
• Joffrey Ballet
• International Crane Foundation

Check out our guest, Tim Whalen:

• Tim Whalen on Instagram
• Big Foot Media (Tim's production company)
• @big_foot_media on Instagram

Check out more from Storylinking:

• storylinking.com

Key moments from this episode:

00:55 Introducing Filmmaker Tim Whalen
02:09 Mates for Life: A Unique Ballet Film
03:54 The Intersection of Arts and Conservation
06:54 Challenges and Inspirations
10:03 The Role of Collaboration in Creative Projects
12:48 Behind the Scenes: Making Mates for Life
16:46 Technical Feats and Production Challenges
18:48 The Iconic Comeback of the Whooping Crane
19:07 Partnering with the International Crane Foundation
22:42 The Power of Film in Conservation
25:59 Lessons from Mates for Life
31:38 The Role of Music in Ballet and Film
35:33 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

How Co-Creative, Inclusive, and Strategic Storytelling Can Build Stronger Communities and Drive Collective Impact

Hi, I’m Tom Lietz, and welcome to Storylinking. In this introductory episode, I share my perspective on storytelling and why I believe we're often doing it wrong when it comes to building communities. For over two decades, I’ve worked as a video producer and creative director, helping mission-driven organizations tackle tough challenges by rallying their communities through story.

In this episode, I lay out the vision for Storylinking—a podcast for community leaders and creative professionals about using narrative and the creative process to build culture and drive lasting impact. Too often, we focus on individual stories as one-off projects, but I believe the true power lies in linking stories together and engaging communities as partners in the process.

You’ll learn about my understanding of storytelling as a system, and how co-creative, inclusive, and sustainable storytelling can transform communities. We’ll explore questions, strategies, and techniques to tell better stories together—stories that connect and inspire.

Check out more from Storylinking:

• storylinking.com

Key moments from this episode:

00:51 Why I'm Starting a Podcast
01:21 Challenges in Traditional Storytelling
02:29 A New Approach
03:19 Engaging the Community
04:25 Launching Storylinking
04:49 Strategic Conversations
05:07 Making Choices for Change
05:29 Understanding Human Narrative
05:49 Systemic Change and Long-Term Engagement
06:17 Collaborative Community Storytelling
06:50 How Storylinking Works
07:18 Voices from the Community
08:55 Building Together