Building Community and Connection in Business with Gavin McMahon
Stories are 22 times more memorable than facts alone (Stanford Graduate School of Business).
Yet in today’s data-driven world, many leaders overlook storytelling as a critical business skill. Without story, even the best ideas struggle to connect, inspire, or move people to action.
In this episode of The Bliss Business Podcast, we’re joined by Gavin McMahon, Author, CEO, and Co-founder of Fassforward and Story Business.
With a career spanning engineering and business, Gavin helps leaders and organizations turn complex strategies into compelling stories that drive connection, alignment, and results.
🎙️ Hosted by Stephen Sakach and Mike Liwski
🎧 Produced by Tullio Siragusa
🧭 In this episode, we explore:
• Why storytelling is the foundation of building connection in business
• How leaders can embed story into culture so it becomes lived, not just told
• The deeper purpose of story in shaping organizational identity
• Real-world examples where story transformed engagement and outcomes
🎧 Whether you’re a founder, executive, or team leader, this conversation will give you practical insights on how to use story as a tool to build stronger communities and more connected organizations.
Gavin McMahon
Author | CEO and Co-founder of fassforward
Gavin McMahon builds things. Once, it was submarines, sports cars, and steel plants, big, complex systems built on logic and precise plans. But plans have a funny way of falling apart when people get involved.
As Gavin tried to figure out why, one truth became clear: People don’t move without a story. Business is more than just strategy and execution—it is persuasion and inspiration too. So he switched gears, traded engineering for business, and earned an MBA in Innovation, Strategy & Information Technology from the Institute Theseus in France.
Today, as CEO and co-founder of fassforward, he helps companies shape strategy, leadership, and culture through storytelling. Over the years, he’s worked with some of the world’s biggest brands and learned that even the best ideas will go nowhere if they aren’t told well.
Now, he’s written a book about it.
