Recently, Business Audio Theatre has caught attention, where business audiobooks are performed rather than simply narrated. Michael Houlihan and Bonnie M. Harvey, co-founders of Barefoot Wine, discussed their innovative approach from their home in California Wine Country.
After selling Barefoot Wine, Houlihan and Harvey were encouraged by employees, vendors, and buyers to share their success principles. Initially, they wrote a conventional business book but found it unsatisfactory. With the help of Rick Kushman, they transformed their experiences into engaging stories, resulting in “The Barefoot Spirit,” now used in over 60 entrepreneurship schools.
Noticing the popularity of podcasts and business audiobooks, they decided to adapt their book into a more dynamic format. Unlike typical narrated audiobooks, they created an audio play with Hollywood actors, sound effects, and original music, coining the term Business Audio Theatre.
Houlihan believes storytelling through theatrical performance is the best way to convey business principles. This immersive format allows listeners to experience the story actively, creating a “3-D audio” experience. It is ideal for mobile, multitasking listeners and offers a form of experiential learning.
The target audience for Business Audio Theatre includes aspiring entrepreneurs, business builders, and companies using the format for onboarding and training, which can reduce turnover and increase engagement. The production involves scripting scenes, casting, sound effects, and music, similar to making a movie without cameras. The audiobook, over seven hours long, is divided into manageable episodes and mini-story segments.
Read the full story here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertreiss/2019/11/21/a-transformative-idea-business-audio-theatre-from-the-founders-of-barefoot-wine-not-just-narrated–performed/
