Digital Storytelling in Business: How to Build Trust in the Age of AI | Brooke Hargraves
Brooke Hargraves · September 16, 2026
Interview with Brooke Hargraves
Podcast: The Corporate Escapists Podcast
September 16, 2026 · 36 min
Storytelling used to be a one-way broadcast. Now it's a conversation — and business owners who understand that shift are the ones building real trust with their audience. In this episode of The Corporate Escapists, Christine sits down with media and communications strategist…
Listen
About Brooke Hargraves
Media & Communications Strategist | Former Political Media Adviser
20+ Years advising senior Australian political leaders$10,000 Inaugural J.B. Fairfax journalism award scholarship4 Communication disciplines spanning her careerAward-winning Journalist
Brooke Hargraves is a media and communications strategist who helps leaders become confident, authentic communicators in front of cameras, microphones, and live audiences. Drawing on more than two decades across journalism, political communications, public relations, and executive coaching, she equips CEOs, founders, executives, subject matter experts, and emerging leaders with the skills to communicate under pressure while remaining genuinely themselves.
Beginning her career as an award-winning journalist, Brooke later spent over 20 years advising senior Australian political leaders through election campaigns, national crises, international media scrutiny, and some of the country's most high-profile public moments. She has coached ministers, MPs, executives, board directors, university leaders, and first-time candidates, translating the communication strategies used at the highest levels of government into practical frameworks that anyone can apply.
Rather than teaching people to perform, Brooke's philosophy is that the most compelling communicators are those who know who they are, understand their story, and communicate it with clarity and confidence. Her approach combines media strategy, storytelling psychology, confidence coaching, and practical communication skills to help clients stop fearing visibility and start using it as one of their greatest professional assets.
Today, Brooke works internationally with business leaders, entrepreneurs, technical experts, and women in traditionally male-dominated industries who want to raise their profile, build credibility, and become trusted voices in their field.
About this episode
Storytelling used to be a one-way broadcast. Now it's a conversation — and business owners who understand that shift are the ones building real trust with their audience. In this episode of The Corporate Escapists, Christine sits down with media and communications strategistBrooke Hargravesto unpack what authentic digital storytelling actually looks like in 2026.
Brooke is an award-winning former journalist who spent over 20 years advising senior Australian political leaders through election campaigns, national crises and intense media scrutiny. Today, through her agency Trellis Media, she combines media strategy, storytelling, confidence coaching and practical communication skills to help CEOs, founders, executives and emerging leaders become credible, trusted voices — without needing to perform or become someone they're not.
We cover: ✔️ How digitalisation turned storytelling from a broadcast into a two-way conversation ✔️ Why owning your story — including the hard parts — builds more trust than a polished version ✔️ Getting clear on your "why" and "who you are" before you share your message ✔️ Why authentic content takes more effort than AI-generated scripts, but earns better long-term results ✔️ "Return on vision" — thinking beyond financial ROI when it comes to storytelling ✔️ Personal branding in an AI-driven world, and why Australians often hold back due to tall poppy syndrome ✔️ Brooke's journey from working within a team to building her own communications business, and what business networks in Brisbane taught her along the way
👤 ABOUT BROOKE HARGRAVESBrooke Hargraves is a media and communications strategist who helps leaders communicate confidently and authentically across television, podcasts, live events and boardrooms. An award-winning former journalist, she spent over 20 years advising senior Australian political leaders through election campaigns, national crises and intense media scrutiny. Today, Brooke combines media strategy, storytelling, confidence coaching and practical communication skills to support CEOs, founders, executives and emerging leaders — helping them understand their story, manage pressure, raise their profile, and become credible, trusted voices without feeling they need to perform or become someone they're not.
🔗 CONNECT WITH BROOKEWebsite: https://trellismedia.com.au/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-hargraves-9b207656/
Follow more at www.thecorporateescapists.com
Guest: Brooke Hargraves
More from Brooke Hargraves
All episodes →
The Expert Authority Coach PodcastCan People Trust You? It's The Question Every Business Owner Should Ask | Brooke HargravesSep 2026Play episode →
The Business Growth Show with Athin CassiotisEP324 - Media Techniques that Translate Directly to Everyday Leadership with Brooke HargravesSep 2026Play episode →
Quietly VisibleOvercoming the Perfection Trap: Authentic Communication for Introverted Women LeadersAug 2026Play episode →Book Brooke Hargraves for your show
4+ podcast & stage appearances. Remote or in studio, broadcast-grade audio.