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Current Forward + Zoom: A New Leadership Framework

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In October, the founders of Current Forward, alongside a group of incredible Austin leaders, co-chaired the first annual Women in Tech Executive Summit. Held during Austin Tech Week, the summit brought together female executives, founders, board members, and senior leaders for a day of connection, insight, and leadership-focused programming.


A highlight of the summit was a fireside chat between Current Forward CEO, Lillian Brown, and Zoom CMO, Kim Storin. They dug into fresh research we conducted for Zoom and talked candidly about how leaders can turn data into influence — using insights to guide decisions, shape strategy, and move teams toward action.


Here are a few of the key takeaways from their conversation:


Start with a hypothesis

Kim emphasized that research without guardrails often leads to noise instead of clarity. Starting with a hypothesis gives your team direction, helping you build a story rooted in expertise and early signals in the market. Curiosity fuels exploration — but a defined POV keeps the insights meaningful.


Information ≠ Influence

Collecting data is easy. Influencing with data is not.


Simply presenting facts and numbers leaves too much room for interpretation — or worse, misinterpretation. When you hand people information without narrative, they’ll create their own storyline. And that rarely drives alignment.


Influence happens when evidence is paired with clear direction.


Data → Story → Action

Data alone rarely moves people. Stories do.


The most effective leaders treat data not as the final step of a project, but as input — raw material that shapes a compelling narrative and, ultimately, an informed strategy. When you translate data into a clear, human-centered story, people understand why it matters and what they should do next. That’s when action follows.


Powerful stories lead to outsized impact

When teams use data to develop a differentiated POV and strategy, the effects ripple outward — internally and externally.

A trend-setting insight can fuel your entire ecosystem:

  • Product

  • Brand

  • PR

  • Sales

  • Content

  • Promotions


When all teams align around a shared, data-backed narrative, every touchpoint reinforces the same story. Over 6–12 months, this creates momentum, consistency, and cultural relevance — putting data at the center of how your brand shows up in the world.


At Current Forward, we believe research becomes most powerful when it doesn’t just inform — it influences. Leadership today isn’t about having the most information. It’s about guiding others through change using data, clarity, and story.

If you’d like to explore how data storytelling can power your next big moment, we’d love to collaborate


If you’re looking to elevate your PR strategy with research that reveals what’s changing and why, we’d love to partner with you.


 
 
 

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