# Jay Acunzo

> Jay Acunzo is a business storytelling advisor, author, and keynote speaker who helps experts, entrepreneurs, and executives develop stronger ideas, more resonant stories, and more influential voices. A former Google and HubSpot strategist turned independent creator, he champions intuition over best practices and deep resonance over broad reach. He's the author of 'Break the Wheel,' host of the 'How Stories Happen' podcast, and has spoken in 25 states and 3 countries to audiences from 40 CEOs to 4,000 marketers.

- **Role:** Founder at JayAcunzo.com / Unthinkable Media
- **Organizations:** Unthinkable Media, Creator Kitchen, Boston Content
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor's in English, Trinity College, Hartford, CT
- **Known for:** #1-ranked speaker at Content Marketing World 2016, Delivered opening keynote at Content Marketing World 2017 to thousands of attendees, Named to Boston's '50 on Fire' list (American City Business Journals)

## Career timeline

- **2005** — Started sports blog 'Blog, Don't Lie' as aspiring sports journalist
- **~2010** — Interned at ESPN and The Hartford Courant
- **2010-2013** — Digital Media Strategist at Google
- **2013-2014** — Head of Content at HubSpot
- **2014-2016** — VP of Brand and Community at NextView Ventures
- **2014** — Co-founded Boston Content, New England's largest content creator community
- **2016** — Left corporate life; founded Unthinkable Media as independent creator
- **2016** — Launched Unthinkable podcast; rated #1 speaker at Content Marketing World
- **2017** — Delivered opening keynote at Content Marketing World (largest industry event)
- **2018** — Published 'Break the Wheel' (Lioncrest Publishing)
- **2019** — Produced 'Against the Grain' travel docuseries with Help Scout
- **2021** — Published 'The Creator's Compass'
- **2024** — Launched 'How Stories Happen' podcast; guests include Seth Godin, Ann Handley
- **2025** — Expanded group programs; spoke at MarketingProfs B2B Forum and Brand Podcast Summit
- **2026** — Launched Premise Pitch Challenge; active keynote speaker and advisor

## Achievements

- #1-ranked speaker at Content Marketing World 2016
- Delivered opening keynote at Content Marketing World 2017 to thousands of attendees
- Named to Boston's '50 on Fire' list (American City Business Journals)
- Forbes recognized his newsletter as a must-subscribe marketing resource
- LinkedIn Editors named him one of '15 must-hear marketing podcasters'
- TopRank named him one of '50 most influential B2B voices'
- Called a 'creative savant' by Salesforce
- Work cited by professors at Harvard Business School
- Work referenced by writers at the Washington Post and Shark Tank investors
- Featured in the New York Times, Fast Company, and Forbes
- Published two books on creative decision-making and storytelling
- Produced docuseries 'Against the Grain' for Help Scout
- Co-founded Boston Content community
- Keynote speaking across 25 states and 3 countries
- Over 35 entrepreneurial side projects since 2008
- How Stories Happen podcast surpassed 60+ episodes by early 2026

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — Active on LinkedIn with posts on owning your unique idea; growing advisory client base and keynote bookings
- **2026-01** — Published 'How to Book More and Better Keynotes: The Engine Most Speakers Overlook'
- **2025-12** — Published newsletter piece 'The Content I'm Most Bullish On Creating in 2026: Access and Analysis Content'
- **2025-10** — Speaker at Brand Podcast Summit 2025 and MarketingProfs B2B Forum
- **2025-09** — Added as speaker for AWAI's 2025 Copywriting Bootcamp
- **2025-01** — Expanded group programs from 8-week cohorts to year-long support with 2 annual retreats
- **2024-06** — Launched 'How Stories Happen' podcast with Seth Godin, Ann Handley, Chase Jarvis among early guests

## Links

- Website: https://jayacunzo.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/jayacunzo
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JayAcunzo
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacunzo

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/jay-acunzo
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-26