Hello and welcome to Building Loved Businesses, where I explore what it takes to create companies that people love to work for, buy from, and partner with.
I’m Nathan Schock, and in a recent episode I had the chance to sit down with Max Kringen, founder of Tellwell, a creative studio that helps brands and causes connect with their audiences through story-based design and film. Max has spent more than a decade blending strategy and creativity, helping nonprofits, higher education, and changemakers use storytelling to connect in meaningful ways.
I was really excited for this conversation because storytelling is at the heart of what makes a business loved.
The Origin of Tellwell
Max shared how Tellwell started with what he calls a “slightly weird origin story.” He began in healthcare marketing, where he saw organizations spending tens of thousands of dollars on social media with very little strategy behind it. At just 22 years old, he was tasked with managing agency relationships, but he left those meetings drained, questioning his own creativity.
That experience planted a seed: what if agencies could energize their clients instead of deflating them? That seed grew into Tellwell.
At first, it was a side hustle—just a few clients, and weekly “Tellwell Tuesdays” in the evenings. But after being fired from a startup job, Max decided to go all in. The vision was simple but powerful: help people connect with their audiences through story.
And, as he put it, Tellwell’s whole mission is to create connection above the noise.
From Broadcasting to Storytelling
When we talked about those early days of social media, I laughed with Max about how “ten years ago” feels like the stone age in that world. Most organizations treated social platforms like just another broadcast channel—shouting their message louder and more often.
But Max and his team saw something different. They repositioned social media as a storytelling platform. Instead of pushing noise, they started crafting narratives that invited people into an organization’s mission.
Max put it well: “Story is what turns strangers into friends and friends into champions.”
That insight shaped the foundation of Tellwell.
The Power of Frameworks
One of the things I really appreciated about Max is his love of frameworks—not as restrictions, but as structures that fuel creativity.
He uses Simon Sinek’s Start with Why as a launching point. Too often, organizations leap straight into what and how. But starting with why anchors everything else.
From there, Tellwell leans on the Hero’s Journey, a classic storytelling model. The key shift: your customer, client, or donor is the hero. Your organization is the guide.
That’s such an important distinction. Too many businesses position themselves as the hero: “We’re the best this. We’re the top that.” But heroes are indecisive, weak, and often unsure of themselves. Think of Luke Skywalker—he’s full of doubt. It’s Yoda, the guide, who helps him succeed.
Organizations that embrace their role as guide—offering empathy first, authority second—are the ones that build lasting connection.
And then, of course, every hero needs a simple plan. People can remember three steps, maybe four. That’s why when you’re on fire, you stop, drop, and roll. At Tellwell, they help organizations craft a three-step plan that calls people to action and paints a picture of their “heroic ending.”
Seasons of Story
Max also shared one of Tellwell’s original frameworks: Seasons of Story. It’s based on the rhythms of the year:
- Spring is about reconnection and re-energizing.
- Summer is about building trust.
- Fall is the “harvest,” the big call-to-action season.
- Winter is reflection and gratitude.
This cycle keeps storytelling fresh while aligning with how people naturally engage throughout the year.
The Future of Storytelling
Today, Tellwell is a 12-person creative studio—intentionally not an “agency.” As Max explained, agencies traditionally act as agents who find others to do the work. Tellwell is hands-on. They don’t outsource. They co-create with their clients, who they call “story makers.”
And while they love producing beautiful films and rebrands, Max is just as excited about democratizing storytelling—making it accessible even for organizations without big budgets.
That’s where technology like AI comes in. Max believes tools like ChatGPT and others can help nonprofits use proven storytelling frameworks, even if they don’t have the budget for a studio. Storytelling, he reminded me, isn’t magic. It’s a formula—and formulas can be learned.
Why It Matters
I ended our conversation with a renewed conviction: businesses and nonprofits alike need to stop shouting about themselves and start guiding their audiences into meaningful stories.
Because when people see themselves in your story, they don’t just like your brand. They champion it.
And that’s what building a loved business is all about.
