The Story Maker
Insights from the Affection Economy:
where values are lived, not told.
Values-led leadership, cultural change, and human connection.
Welcome to The Story Maker — Jet Swain’s blog exploring how we live, lead, and belong through the lens of The Affection Economy.
Here you’ll find reflections, case studies, and practical strategies for leaders, teams, and communities ready to build trust, lead with kindness, and create meaningful change.
The Affection Advantage: Why This Work Is Told in Five Acts
Affection isn’t a process; it’s a rhythm. The Affection Advantage unfolds across five Acts — Clarity, Care, Courage, Consistency, and Contribution — each mirroring the natural rhythm of transformation. This isn’t a framework to follow but a way of living and leading with heart, turning values into systems and systems back into story.
Why Women’s Stories Matter
Every family has its Margaret — women who hold the map quietly, without recognition. Their stories show us that true leadership is not always loud, but lived through care, endurance, and connection. This is why women’s stories matter, for the maps they leave behind, the ones that still guide us home.
Affection Isn’t Soft: Defending the Innocent Without Harm
Affection isn’t soft — it’s grit with grace.
Like the Noble Eightfold Path, it’s a compass for action: guiding us to defend humanity with courage, clarity, and compassion.
Micro-Moments That Build Trust and Meaning
Trust isn’t built in grand gestures — it’s shaped in the micro-moments. These quiet glimmers of presence, care, and consistency are what truly define values-led leadership.
What We Really Mean by Affection
Affection isn’t romantic or weak — it’s a leadership choice. In this post, Jet Swain unpacks why affection is the bold foundation of a values-first future.
Wise Warriors: The Rise of Matriarchal Leadership
Matriarchs don’t retire—they rise.
From menopause to management, from orcas to org charts—this post explores why the world needs the wisdom of older women now more than ever.
Tiny Revolutions of Integrity
Integrity isn’t loud. It begins with small, deliberate choices — the kind that rarely make headlines but quietly shape how we lead, work, and show up in the world. Inspired by the beautiful comic by Grant Snider, this piece explores how tiny acts of alignment can ripple outward to spark real, lasting change.
Image credit: Grant Snider, “Tiny Revolutions” – www.incidentalcomics.com
The Affection Economy Manifesto
We believe affection is not soft — it’s a strategy.
