Storytelling Beyond Scripts: Tiago Faria on the Hero’s Journey

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Tiago Faria on Podcast Guesting for Business Growth and Using the Hero's Journey in Interviews

Tiago Faria is a former Google employee who now helps entrepreneurs get booked on podcasts, after testing the strategy himself with 67 podcast appearances in four months. In this episode of Your Brand Amplified, he explains to Anika Jackson his three-stage method for preparing as a guest and why storytelling built on the hero's journey works better than a script. His main point: podcast guesting is a networking and referral channel, and personal stories lower sales resistance.

How did Tiago Faria discover podcast guesting?

Tiago Faria worked at Google with European companies on digital marketing before leaving to start his own business in 2019. He tried Google My Business, Google Ads, Facebook ads and business coaching, but none gave him the results he wanted. A coaching program introduced him to podcast guesting. He set a goal of 67 appearances in four months and used the feedback to refine his approach. The experiment showed him that guesting produced real relationships and high-quality referrals, so he shifted his business to helping others get booked on podcasts.

What is Tiago Faria's three-stage podcast guesting method?

Faria breaks preparation into three stages:

• Prep stage: identify the target audience and define a unique selling proposition.
• Branding framework: build a distinctive brand that cannot be found by a simple search, including a clear origin story.
• Podcast preparation: use the hero's journey framework to structure stories, and aim for conversation rather than a script.

How do you find the right podcasts to guest on?

Faria recommends starting with existing relationships and smaller podcasts to build experience and credibility. His preferred research tool is Listen Notes, which he uses for keyword research and to check a show's audience. He looks for podcasts with a consistent publishing history and a reasonable number of episodes before going after top-tier shows. He also suggests repurposing interviews as LinkedIn content, getting creative with outreach, and using virtual assistants to handle booking. He favors organic methods such as LinkedIn networking and guesting before spending on paid ads, and warns against spammy booking platforms.

His personal mantra is "Nobody cares." He uses it to get past anxiety and focus on creating useful content and real connections.

Key takeaways

• Podcast guesting works as a networking and referral engine, not only a visibility tactic.
• Prepare in three stages: audience and USP, a distinctive brand and origin story, then story-driven interview prep.
• The hero's journey framework helps guests tell stories that build trust and lower sales resistance.
• Use Listen Notes to research shows, and favor podcasts with a consistent publishing history.
• Start with smaller shows and existing contacts, then repurpose each interview on LinkedIn.

Listen to Anika Jackson's full conversation with Tiago Faria on Your Brand Amplified.