My response was, “I’m vanilla ice cream.” 🍨

“Huh?”

“Vanilla ice cream goes with peach cobbler or chocolate drizzle. I'm an extrovert when I need to be an extrovert, and I’m an introvert when I need to be an introvert. 

I'm an ambivert. 

I'm vanilla ice cream.” 😎

Stop boxing people into one of two camps...

...people using LinkedIn to get results in business.  The problem is a lack of strategy. 

Since LinkedIn is such a powerful platform, I did a series regarding LI with  RACHEL SIMON.

In these episodes, she shared a lot of insights that will help you up your LI game.

Check out the marketing tab in my...

1) Share powerful stories that connect 
2) Let your competitors drown in numbers

In this blog post, I dive into strategies to foster growth as a leader, a storyteller, and an individual. These methods are crucial for navigating the chaos and adversity characteristic of our era. I will focus on three core principles: 

• listening 
• local engagement
• and leveraging personal gro...

Claire M. Davis talks about structuring stories for maximum impact, and I talk about "Heroes” vs. “Villains” in business storytelling.

Check out the podcast here | https://www.storieswithtraction.com/swtpodcast

The documentary celebrating his life was one of the few movies I cried through.

 
During his 35+ year run, Mr. Rogers taught millions of children (and adults!) about what it meant to be a good neighbor.

He held our hands through some of the darkest times in U.S. history, telling us to “look for t...

When social media hits reality, you get crapped on. Is this post meant to be funny? No. It's a warning shot.

When used with intentionality and specific strategy, social media is a business tool that will radically help your organization.

However, there are a lot of bs'ers on social media. Whenever...

SHOW NOTES:

SUMMARY: In this episode, Dr. Anthony Lee and Matt Zaun discuss what makes someone a leader of leaders.

DR. ANTHONY LEE BIO: Dr. Lee is the President and CEO of Westcliff University and has led the institution through incredible growth for the last 16 years. Under his leadership, each o...

Feb 2nd - FAQ Episode with Claire M. Davis

Feb 9th - Executive Search with Evan Sparks

Feb 16th - Beating Burnout with Matt Zinman 

Feb 23rd - Leader of Leaders with Dr. Anthony Lee

Episode number 117 with Claire M. Davis launches on Mar 1st, and I can’t think of a better way to start next month!

Story...

...James Buchanan.

That's according to many historians.

What's interesting is Buchanan was one of the most prepared presidents in history.

He was:

A soldier
A prominent lawyer
U.S. Congressman
U.S. Senator
Secretary of State
Minister to Russia
Minister to the U.K.

However, he was not:

good at seeking...

...I'm obsessed with going to Presidential museums, and I’ll be going to every single one before I die. So far, I've been to...

-Thomas Jefferson
-Abraham Lincoln 
-Rutherford Hayes
-Warren Harding
-Franklin Roosevelt
-Lyndon Johnson
-Richard Nixon
-Jimmy Carter
-Ronald Reagan
-George H. W. Bush
-G...

SHOW NOTES:

SUMMARY: In this episode, Matt Zinman and Matt Zaun talk about how to retain top talent by focusing on beating burnout in an organization.

MATT ZINMAN BIO: Matt is the founder and CEO of ZU Publishing, INC., author of Z-isms (Insights to Live By), and a speaker who focuses on beating bur...

Growing up, my mother taught me that when you do something you love, you won’t even consider it work. 👇

Well, this week, I was in heaven.

Conducted ✌️ strategic storytelling workshops in Chicagoland.

I love doing these sessions and could do one every single day and not get bored.

Hey, speaking of ...

At least, that’s what hundreds of people said early on. 

Countless bankers rejected the Mickey Mouse concept!

But guess what? Walt Disney is hailed a genius today.

In fact, this year is the 101st anniversary of Walt Disney Studios!


Just because some people don’t understand your idea doesn’t mean t...

1️⃣ 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐬 (*especially ones with Abraham Lincoln 😂) Every time I post a selfie, I get 3x the reach of a normal post.

2️⃣ 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞

Sharing an authentic story where you position someone else as the hero will get you lots of traction.

3️⃣ 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬

The first few lines of text are extremely ...

…Chicagoland!

Excited to speak at Creeden & Associates tomorrow.

We’ll be talking about how to…

-boost sales
-enhance internal communication
-and create a vibrant company culture

…all through the power of strategic storytelling. 🗣

The next few days will be awesome!


Have a great week, everyone!

It got me thinking about what separates winning organizations.

How do some crush their sales goals and create a vibrant company culture?

Business teams that go the distance know how to utilize storytelling.

Wanna score major wins? Get good at sharing stories…

👉 Talk about your failures because peop...

Years ago, Meyer Friedman (a cardiologist) recommended something to his highly stressed patients who were at greater risk of developing heart disease.

He told them to take the longest line at the grocery store to practice inner peace.

Sounds simple, huh?

A peaceful mindset comes with practice.

I’m se...

SHOW NOTES:

SUMMARY: In this episode, Evan Sparks and Matt Zaun talk about CRG, executive search, and the future of work.

EVAN SPARKS: Evan is the Director of National Search at CRG.

For more info: Website and LinkedIn

MATT ZAUN BIO: Matt is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who empowers organ...

In 2016, a good friend told me to be more active on LinkedIn.

I laughed at her since I always viewed this platform as a glorified resume site.

I was wrong.

By using LI with a specific strategy, my business grew more in the last few years than I ever thought possible.

Don’t make the same mistake th...

In this post, I share methods for crafting a robust and impactful story and how to use your real-life stories by considering your story's intention, timing, relatability, and structure. 

Intention 

Consider your intention when telling a story and recounting your life experiences. Are you simp...