Rewriting Her Story: Barbara Boyle’s Reinvention from Ad Exec to Memoirist

by | Mar 4, 2025 | Podcast, The Longs

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“Only you can tell your story, and only you can tell it in the way you tell it. And that’s critical.” – Barbara Boyle

For years, Barbara Boyle crafted stories for some of the biggest brands in advertising. But after decades in the corporate world, she found herself on an unexpected journey—one that led her to a 300-year-old farmhouse in Italy, a memoir, and a new way of seeing the world. In this episode, Barbara joins us to discuss her book Pinch Me, the magic of reinvention, the power of storytelling, and what it’s like to start over in a place that feels like a dream.

Key Themes:

  1. Barbara’s Journey to Writing – From childhood storyteller to ad agency creative director to memoirist.
  2. The Magic of Italy – How a honeymoon turned into a life-changing move to a 300-year-old farmhouse.
  3. Leaving Advertising Behind – Reflections on her career in marketing and how the industry has changed.
  4. The Art of Storytelling – Why everyone has a story worth telling and why your voice matters.
  5. Rebuilding a Home, Rebuilding a Life – The emotional and symbolic process of restoring a historic property.
  6. Writing ‘Pinch Me’ – The journey from blog posts to a full-length memoir.
  7. What’s Next? – Barbara teases a potential next book inspired by the previous owner of her Italian home.

 

Buy Pinch Me: Waking Up in a 300-Year-Old Italian Farmhouse

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4gUbGP6

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781647428327

 

Connect with Barbara

Website: https://www.barbaraboyleauthor.com/

Substack: https://boyleb.substack.com/

 

Connect with Mike

Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory

Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/

 

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