STORYMAKER
A journal of questions worth asking.
Some ideas arrive as stories.
Some become frameworks.
Some become books.
Others simply remain questions.
This is where I explore them, in the hope that they help us live, lead, and make decisions with greater clarity, courage, and care.
The Affection Economy: Toward a Co-Design of What Comes Next
Something’s shifting.
In just a few months, The Indian Express and Psychology Today have both written about what I call The Affection Economy — a movement I’ve been shaping for years.
Their words signal that affection, belonging, and care are no longer soft ideas. They’re becoming the strategy for a new kind of prosperity — one built on trust, reciprocity, and growth without compromise.
This piece explores how we can co-design what comes next.
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.
Affection Is a Cultural Shift, Not Just a Movement
Affection isn’t just a movement, it’s a cultural shift. As our old stories of growth unravel, affection offers a new way to measure meaning, connection, and belonging.
When Everything Aligns: Finding My Way Back Through Values
Three very different platforms — a national magazine, a podcast, a live stage — found me telling the same story. In each moment, I returned to a single truth: when we align with our deepest values, everything else begins to fall into place. This is what The Affection Economy looks like when it’s lived, not just written about.
Why I Chose Sanskrit to Anchor the 30 Values in The Affection Economy
Each value in The Affection Economy begins with a Sanskrit word — chosen not for effect, but to bring us home to what matters. Here’s why.
We Can’t Live Company Values If We Don’t Know Our Own
We can’t live company values if we don’t know our own. This post explores why alignment must begin with the individual — not the poster on the wall.
What If Business Had a Beating Heart?
What if business had a beating heart?
Jet Swain’s upcoming book The Affection Economy explores values-led leadership, conscious growth, and how affection can shift the way we live, lead, and belong — without compromising people, profit, or planet.
Courage Is a Compass
Courage doesn’t always roar. In this story, Jet Swain explores how small acts of bravery guide us toward a values-led life — even when no one’s watching.
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
Welcome to The Affection Economy
A movement for those who believe business can be kind, leadership can be human, and change starts with us.
Between Applause and Absence: A Reflection on Recognition
A night of applause. A moment of pride. And a quiet discomfort that lingered just off-stage. This is a reflection on who we honour, what we overlook, and the values we carry with us.
The Affection Economy Manifesto
We believe affection is not soft — it’s a strategy.
Introducing The Story Maker
This is the beginning. A soft launch. A quiet spark.
Each week, I’ll share a story, a value, a truth.
Not just as a storyteller, but as a story maker—
