Interview with Tea Silvestre
Story Strategist
Interview Summary
Story strategist Tea Silvestre demonstrates the power of storytelling to connect with students and make your content unforgettable. She reveals why your student—not you—should be the hero of your course narrative.
Stories Create Connection
Tea's foundational principle: personal narratives build trust and relatability. When you share stories, students see themselves in your journey and believe transformation is possible for them too.
Stories bypass intellectual resistance and speak directly to emotion. That's why they're so powerful for teaching—they create connection before conveying information.
Stories create connection. Personal narratives build trust and relatability. When you share stories, students see themselves in your journey.
Case Studies Prove Concepts
Tea emphasizes: show, don't just tell, what's possible. Case studies of real students getting real results are more persuasive than any amount of explanation.
This applies within your course content (showing how concepts work in practice) and in your marketing (showing what students can achieve).
Case studies prove concepts. Show, don't just tell, what's possible. Real students getting real results are more persuasive than any amount of explanation.
The Hero Is Your Student
Tea's most important reframe: position your student as the protagonist in their learning journey, not yourself. You're the guide, the mentor, the Gandalf—not the Frodo.
This shift in narrative perspective changes how you teach. Instead of showcasing your expertise, you're empowering their transformation.
Tea's Action Steps
Tea recommends these 3 steps to improve your course planning:
Collect student stories
Gather 3-5 case studies from past students (or beta students) showing their transformation. Use these throughout your course and marketing.
Reframe your narrative
Review your course introduction. Is the student positioned as the hero, with you as the guide? Rewrite if needed.
Add vulnerability to your stories
Share at least one story about a struggle or failure in your own journey. This builds trust and shows students that challenges are part of the path.
About Tea Silvestre
Story Strategist
Tea Silvestre is a story strategist who helps businesses harness the power of narrative to connect with their audiences. She specializes in helping course creators use storytelling to create memorable, transformative learning experiences.