Sil Curiati shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Sil, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
Everyone we know is struggling with something we have no idea about. That’s why being generous and patient with others is so critical.
Through my practice, I learned that many people quietly carry the weight of feeling constantly judged: by others, by themselves, by the curated lives they see on social media. This unspoken pressure fuels a low-grade anxiety that hums beneath the surface of everyday life, making even simple decisions feel overwhelming. They scroll through highlight reels while silently questioning their worth, comparing their messy reality to someone else’s filtered perfection.
And in the midst of all this, what they crave most is genuine connection—someone to really see them, not the version they perform, but the person underneath.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Sil Curiati. I’m a storyteller with a major in advertising, a psychologist-in-training at Harvard, and the founder of STORY, a company that helps individuals and organizations craft powerful narratives to drive personal and professional transformation. I’ve spent decades in advertising, digital, and tech—working as a global executive at Google and as a strategy lead at top agencies—before deciding to fully embrace my true passion: helping people make sense of their experiences and communicate with clarity, confidence, and authenticity.
What makes STORY unique is my belief that your story isn’t just about your past—it’s a tool to shape your future. I work with people who are rebuilding their confidence, leaders who want to inspire, and brands that are ready to evolve. My methodology, Talk the Walk, bridges psychology and storytelling, helping people reframe their narratives and step into their next chapter with intention and focus on the results.
Right now, I’m working on my first book, creating new online self-paced programs to add to my website (the last one, Data Storytelling, was a huge success!), launching a series of events focused on self-worth and personal reinvention, and running a podcast and videocast that spotlight cultural conversations from a woman’s perspective. I believe our voices matter deeply—and I’m here to help more people use theirs powerfully.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I believed that hard work was everything—that if I just studied harder, performed better, and gave my all, life would reward me. So I became that A student, the overachiever, the one who showed up early and stayed late, always striving to be the best at whatever I did. For a long time, I thought that dedication alone would speak for itself.
But over time, I learned a harder truth: if I didn’t actively communicate my value—if I didn’t share my accomplishments or shape my own narrative—others would do it for me. And often, their version was incomplete, distorted, or just plain wrong. That’s when I realized that storytelling isn’t just a nice skill—it’s a survival skill. Today, I know that doing the work is only half the story. Talking the walk—owning your journey and telling it well—is what truly opens doors.
When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
When I was sad or scared as a child, I didn’t really have a safe place to go, not emotionally. Like many women, I experienced abuse in my childhood, and that trauma quietly shaped the way I showed up in the world for years. I was scared to speak up because I was certain no one would believe me. So I (mis)learned that my voice didn’t matter—that I wasn’t worth listening to.
What ultimately saved me was therapy and storytelling. Through both, I began to make sense of my fragmented experiences and slowly rewrite them—not to erase the pain, but to give it context, to find meaning, and to reclaim my power. That’s why the work I do today is deeply personal. My practice isn’t one-size-fits-all, because people aren’t. I’m currently pursuing my master’s in Psychology so I can go even deeper, honoring not just the professional in front of me, but the human underneath. The inner child who still needs to be embraced, seen, heard, and believed, to shine in the world.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
I think we’re in a moment where even the smartest people are confusing visibility with credibility. There’s this tendency to equate a large platform with expertise, to assume that someone who’s constantly posting must have all the answers. Meanwhile, there are deeply thoughtful professionals—people who’ve dedicated their lives to study, reflection, and real-world impact—who simply don’t have the time or appetite to play the algorithm game. They don’t post daily or package their expertise into trending content.
I say this because I’ve often been one of them. For years, I was behind the scenes—leading teams, advising leaders, studying human behavior—without ever really telling my own story. It took me a long time to realize that competence needs a voice, too. Today, I bring together communication, psychology, and strategy in everything I do, not for show, but to create change that sticks. I’m not interested in going viral—I’m interested in helping people and organizations make sense of who they are and where they’re going.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
Absolutely—and by the way, I am a dancer, so yes, “tap dancing to work” is something I cherish!
But beyond the shoes and rhythm, I can say that today I’m truly doing what I was born to do. For a long time, I was great at what I did—working in advertising, leading strategy, building big things for big brands. But something shifted when I gave myself permission to focus on people, not just products.
Helping others improve their lives through their own stories changed everything for me. It’s fulfilling, it’s transformative. What heals them, heals me. And honestly? That’s more than enough music to dance to every single day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://silcuriati.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/@silcuriati (personal, lifestyle) and just opened instagram.com/@silcuriati_story for business only
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silcuriati/
- Youtube: youtube.com/@storysilcuriati and Brazilian Talk Show host at youtube.com/@contextotvshow
Image Credits
Dione Lopes
Vir Bottosso
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
