Executive Hotseat Podcast - Episode 16 | RRC Polytech Alumni Series - Episode 5

Featuring: Doug Darling, CEO and Executive Creative Director, Tripwire Media Group

Doug’s friends tease him for talking about story all the time. He wears it as a badge. In this conversation, Doug traces a very Winnipeg arc: meeting his future wife at RRC Polytech, launching a small video outfit in the Exchange during the DSLR wave, and steadily evolving into a Strategic Storytelling agency that trains leaders to communicate with clarity and heart. The throughline is purpose, backed by the art and science of story.

The journey is textured and real. Early wins gave way to tough months before COVID, a whiplash boom during lockdowns, and fresh headwinds once in-person returned. That volatility forced a reset: niche with intention, teach story structure, and install process so creativity has room to breathe. Today, Tripwire is known for helping teams ask better questions, codify workflow, and craft stories that people actually remember.

What you’ll hear inside: why authenticity beats perfection, how “reading the label from inside the bottle” trips up even smart teams, and a simple framework to choose between polished productions and phone-shot clips. Doug breaks down hero’s-journey basics, the power of conflict and resolution, and why culture rituals and core values aren’t corporate fluff when you live them.

Key Highlights:

🗝️ The three-question filter for any project: who the audience is, what they care about, and the exact action you want next

🗝️ From video production to storytelling agency: training leaders, strengthening in-house teams, and cutting through AI-era clutter

🗝️ Systems that unlock creativity: EOS rhythms, time tracking for visibility, hiring complements, and choosing clients by values

👉 Listen now and learn how to build story, structure, and culture into work that sticks.

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👉 Connect with Doug!

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dougdarling

📷 Instagram: instagram.com/dougdarling

Tripwire Media Group

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/tripwire-media-group

📷 Instagram: instagram.com/tripwiremedia

🌐 Website: tripwiremedia.com

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Your Hosts:

👉 Lisa Thompson

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisabrd

📷 Instagram: instagram.com/lt_wpg

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brandrevivaldesign

📷 Instagram: instagram.com/brdagency.ca

🌐 brdagency.ca

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👉 Amanda Buhse

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/amanda-buhse

📷 Instagram: instagram.com/abuhse

🌐 coalandcanary.com

👏 Thank you to our amazing Presenting Sponsor, RRC Polytech! 👏