Visual storytelling has become a mainstay of successful marketing in today's competitive and ever-changing digital landscape. No one knows this better than Liz Giorgi, Emmy Award-winning media entrepreneur and CEO of soona, a game-changing platform changing how brands create and optimize visual content.
In the episode of “The Tech Visionary Show,” Rich Bontrager talks to Liz about her transition from television editor to tech entrepreneur, her thoughts on using AI as a creative tool, and her philosophy of branding through storytelling.
This article highlights key takeaways from their conversation, including how Liz innovates and why visual content is important in today’s business strategy.
Liz Giorgi’s Background: From Storyteller to Tech Visionary in Creative Content
Soona co-founder and CEO Liz Giorgi draws on her background in creativity and entrepreneurship to meld various technologies and creative expertise. Having worked in television editing media production and as a tech entrepreneur for the last 20 years, Liz knows storytelling and the power of storytelling on consumer behavior.
Her early experience as a television editor helped her develop her ability to prioritize and communicate effectively, two skills that have become critical to her success as a leader in the creative tech space.
Liz is leading the charge at soona to revolutionize how brands create and deploy visual content online. Soona's vision for a virtual photo shoot platform solves the complexities and inefficiencies of traditional content creation and provides businesses with an innovative, scalable solution to meet the ever-changing demands of e-commerce platforms such as TikTok, Walmart, and Amazon.
Liz believes storytelling is a competitive advantage for brands in today’s digital landscape, and she is committed to empowering brands with high-quality, accessible visuals.
Outside of her professional accomplishments, Liz grew up in a family-run business in Northern Minnesota. She credits those early years and her continued zeal for encouraging others with her ability to lead and innovate. Liz mentors emerging founders, sharing how vulnerability, connection, and continuous storytelling can be the foundations of business success.
From television editing to leading a cutting-edge tech company, her story is one of adaptability, vision, and unwavering dedication to creativity.
Championing Creativity, Storytelling, and Collaboration
Liz Giorgi’s dedication to providing businesses with the ability to empower themselves through creativity and accessible technology is one of the standout themes in her conversation.
Liz emphasized the power of visual storytelling in today’s digital economy. Modern consumers, she said, are attracted to authentic, visually appealing content, and brands need to spend on quality visuals that connect with the consumer emotionally and convey a memorable story.
Liz explains, “Visuals tell a story. They show consumers how special a product can be, who it’s for, and even what it might feel like to use it. That’s the key to building trust and excitement.”
The collaborative potential of creative processes is a defining aspect of Liz’s leadership. She stressed that soona uses AI to amplify human creativity rather than replace it and added that great results come from the people behind the technology. Her approach is encouraging brands to iterate, test, and refine their visual content to match the particularities of various platforms, from TikTok to Amazon.
Liz also advocates for founders to step into the “Chief Storytelling Officer” role, sharing that personal and authentic narratives can give brands a powerful competitive edge. She pointed out the importance of consistency, saying, “Great stories don’t change. You have to repeat your message until it’s impossible for your audience to forget.”
Liz also focuses on creativity, storytelling, and a culture of intentional collaboration. She believes in mixing new with old, letting teams try different ideas, and iterating until they get cohesive and distinctive brand identities.
Liz continues to lead by example through her work at soona, showing that creativity, technology, and a steadfast dedication to storytelling can make brands stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Empowering Brands Through Creative Storytelling
Liz Giorgi’s approach to leadership and innovation centers on one core belief: A successful brand is built on storytelling. Her message is that businesses should tap into their own stories and emotionally connect with their consumers through real and visually compelling content.
“Today’s buyers don’t want to purchase from faceless brands—they want to connect with people,” Liz explained. “Your role as a founder or leader is to be the Chief Storytelling Officer, sharing your journey and values in a way that resonates with your audience.”
This philosophy drives soona’s mission to help brands create visuals that do more than show products; they tell stories. Liz said consistency in messaging is important and that brands shouldn’t try to do too many things at once. They should stick to one clear message and repeat it across all platforms to build trust and recognition.
“Great stories don’t change,” Liz said. “Repetition may feel boring, but it’s how you ensure your message cuts through the noise and stays with your audience.”
Liz combines her storytelling mindset with soona’s innovative tools to empower brands to create cohesive, memorable visuals that stand out in an increasingly competitive digital space.
Harnessing AI to Amplify Creativity
Liz Giorgi’s vision for the future of brand storytelling goes hand in hand with her innovative use of technology. At soona, AI is not looked at as something that will replace human creativity but as a tool to augment it. Although AI can help the creative process, Liz thinks great content still starts with human insight and imagination.
“Technology is only as powerful as the person wielding it,” Liz explained. “AI opens doors to new possibilities, but it’s the creative vision that drives the results.”
This philosophy is reflected in soona’s platform, which allows brands to iterate and refine their visuals in real time in the same way as they would in a natural creative process. Soona’s tools range from tweaking a single element in an image to building platform-specific content, and they adapt to the specific needs of each business and its audience.
Through collaborative AI, Soona has made a place for brands to take risks with big ideas, knowing their visuals will stay fresh and meaningful on TikTok, Amazon, Walmart, and beyond. Liz believes that this combination of tech and creativity will ensure that brands can survive in today’s ever-changing digital world.
Navigating The Complexities Of Modern Platforms
With e-commerce growing across multiple digital platforms, Liz Giorgi stresses the need to customize content to each marketplace's needs. Each platform requires a unique approach to reach its audience, from TikTok’s short, authentic video to Walmart’s data-driven product visuals.
“Each channel has its own rules and requirements,” Liz explained. “It’s not just about creating content—it’s about creating the right content for the right platform. That’s where soona excels, guiding brands through this complexity with curated solutions for each step of their journey.”
Liz advises businesses to pick one platform to focus their time and energy on, perfecting that channel before adding other channels to the mix. Soona backs this up with its expert-curated photo shoots for specific marketplaces with the intent of optimizing content.
Soona helps a brand make their visuals exactly what is needed to break into Walmart, launch on TikTok, or scale across multiple platforms.
This platform-specific approach not only simplifies the process for businesses but also highlights Liz’s broader mission: For brands to stand out in a growing, increasingly competitive, and complex digital ecosystem. “In today’s crowded marketplace,” Liz said, “your ability to adapt and deliver cohesive, memorable content across platforms can be the difference between blending in and standing out.”
Building A Team For Success
Liz Giorgi’s most practical insight is around hiring the right team to support a company’s media strategy. She advises CEOs and founders to prioritize two key hires when scaling their businesses: a growth and outreach specialist and a retention expert.
“The growth and outreach person tells your story on third-party channels—social media, partnerships, press—bringing your brand to new audiences,” Liz explained. “But equally important is the retention hire, who focuses on keeping your current customers engaged, whether through email, SMS, or curated events.”
Here, brands balance acquiring new customers and fostering long-term relationships with existing ones, leading to maximum lifetime value. Liz emphasized that a cohesive team strategy is essential in today’s competitive digital landscape, where retaining customer attention is as critical as gaining it.
Tools And Innovations For The Future
Liz highlighted soona’s range of free tools, which make the content creation process more accessible for businesses of all sizes. From photo editing to AI features and integrations with platforms like Canva, these tools provide brands with the resources they need to elevate their visual content.
Looking ahead, Liz teased exciting innovations, including new video-focused products and expert-curated photo shoots tailored to emerging e-commerce platforms.
“As businesses grow or evolve, their content needs change,” Liz said. “Soona is here to meet them at every stage of their journey, with tools and services that help them stay competitive and creative.”
Liz Giorgi’s appearance on The Tech Visionary Show offered valuable insights into the evolving world of content strategy and e-commerce. Her forward-thinking approach to content strategy provides a roadmap for businesses looking to stand out and succeed in an increasingly competitive environment.
