Young People Don’t “Talk” Anymore… They Send Reels (with Nia Badiokova) (TTS7E09)

Today I’m talking with Nia Badokova, who’s launching Walden Storytelling Night in Utrecht — a cozy, in-person night of real stories and real connection. No scrolling. No “relatable” comments. No polished perfection. Just humans being human. 🎤 The Big Idea Social media gives us nonstop emotion with zero time to process it — and we’re losing the art (and impact) of true storytelling. Nia’s bringing it back… one room at a time. 📍 Event Details 🗓️ Wednesday, March 4, 2026 🕣 8:30 PM (ends ~10:00–10:30) 📌 Walden (Bar/Restaurant), Domplein 16, Utrecht 🚶 7–10 min walk from Utrecht Centraal 🎟️ Free entry 🍽️ Dinner & drinks available (ideally dinner before 8:30) 🧡 Want to Speak? ⏱️ 7–10 minutes 🧠 Beginning • Middle • End 📵 No phones, no notes 🎸 Props/instruments welcome (tell the host in advance) 📝 Speaker sign-up form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSduQ392AUf6wq_tH1-Gv3lb6YONv9GoBIMCeIh22GJor8Z7Tg/viewform?fbclid=PAb21jcAQM1ndleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA81NjcwNjczNDMzNTI0MjcAA&pli=1 📲 Walden / event info: https://barwalden.nl 👇 Question for you 💬 Would you go as an audience member, a speaker, or both? ⸻ Timestamps (chapters) 0:00 🎬 “Is it recording?” (the real start) 1:33 🧩 “What problem are you solving for whom?” 2:03 🤝 The problem: losing real human connection 4:40 📱 The shocking “we communicate with reels” example 8:33 🔥 Campfire wins over performance (what storytelling really is) 10:21 🛋️ The vibe: couches, no notes, no perfection 11:08 🥂 Toastmasters vs. Storytelling Night (structure vs. soul) 16:39 🎤 Speaker expectations (7–10 min, prep styles) 20:15 💗 What people feel after sharing (acceptance + reset) 23:36 🚀 Starting from scratch (risk + courage) 26:03 📍 Exact details: March 4 • 8:30 • Dumplein 16 29:35 🧍‍♀️ Intimate audience (not a stadium) 33:00 🧨 “If it could fail… it’s real.” 36:10 🌿 “Let’s keep storytelling alive.” ⸻ #Utrecht #Storytelling #Community #NoPhones #Toastmasters