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4 years ago, he laughed at me. Told me I would fail. 👇 Dec 29, 2023

Took out someone I respected; that was where I wanted to be in life, to breakfast.  👇

Told him my future dreams.

He said, “I'll give you a 1% chance of success; more than likely, you’ll fail and won't make it.” 

“Being a professional speaker takes more grit than you can even imagine.”

“You’ll ...

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𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞: 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬! Dec 27, 2023

People want to feel that they can trust you, and the quickest way you can build that trust is through storytelling.

In addition, people are yearning for a real connection.

Understanding this is an opportunity for you and a chance to empower people through your personal and business #stories. 

👉...

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3 things I didn’t know about Rosa Parks… Dec 27, 2023

First, yes, I’m sitting in the exact seat Rosa Parks sat in that launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott. 

Ok, here are three things I learned that I didn’t know.

1. The iconic picture you’ve seen in mass media of Parks is not the seat where the protest started. In the picture you’ve seen, it’s a year a...

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Check out my Christmas tree this year! 🎄  Dec 26, 2023


It was an honor to have so many incredible guests this month. Check out the lineup…

| 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 |

Dec 1st - Storytelling Through Print Media with  Andrew Smith

Dec 4th - From Order to Doorstep with  Andrew Serby

Dec 8th - Master Storytelling with  Mark Carpenter

Dec 15th - Sharing t...

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The World of Eldercare | Stories With Traction Podcast Dec 23, 2023

SHOW NOTES:

SUMMARY: In this episode, Shaun Toomey and Matt Zaun talk about eldercare and what you can do if you have aging parents that need help.

SHAUN TOOMEY BIO: Shaun is the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for Care Advantage.

For more info:
Shaun's LinkedIn
Care Advantage Website

MATT ZAUN
...

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Hope you like your hit of dopamine... Dec 23, 2023

So many content creators on here want “likes.”

No strategy.  Just fluff. 

I know someone who has 1,000,000+ LinkedIn followers, and their business is struggling. 

I also know someone with 10,000 followers, and their business is thriving. 

The difference?  One posts for clicks.  The other posts with stra...

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Family Business | Stories With Traction Podcast Dec 22, 2023

SHOW NOTES:

SUMMARY:
In this episode, Dave Johnson and Matt Zaun discuss the dynamics of owning a family business and how simple truths can lead to more wisdom as a leader.

DAVE JOHNSON BIO: Dave is the Managing Partner of Bentz Jaz USA, and he’s the Owner and CEO of Covenant Services.

For more info, ...

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Executives fantasize about inspiring their teams Dec 21, 2023

This idea can become a reality based on learning how to be a great storyteller.

Pay attention to great marketing around you. What story is the ad saying through story? Pay attention to the hooks. We can learn a ton from great emails and TV ads.

 

Wanna hear more? Check out the Stories With Tracti...

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Wanna gain more attention? Tout your big wiener. Dec 20, 2023

During the Great Depression, when things looked grim, the “Wienermobile” was launched and soon became a national icon.

Six Wienermobiles operated throughout the United States. The driver of a Wienermobile was called “The Hotdogger.” The Hotdogger's job was to "meat" and greet people around the countr...

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It's been a wild ride so far this year. Dec 19, 2023

I've worked my guts out for my clients. More miles flown and driven than I’d care to admit. 

I've decided to get off the road for a couple of weeks and spend time with family. My travel schedule will pick back up Jan 3rd. 

In the meantime, check out some cool spots this year...

-Toledo, Ohio
-Miami, Flo...

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Oh, shoot! The ChatGPT freaks on LinkedIn are missing something BIG... Dec 18, 2023

I'm lying here. Yes, on my 9-year-old son’s pillow. Yay, dinosaurs. 

...and I pulled up the best-performing posts I've had in the last 365 days.

50 posts that did exceptionally well. 

In fact, based on my numbers and how my sales funnel, and content machine runs, these posts are responsible for a good ...

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It was an honor and privilege speaking to GEM Inc. at Hensville in Toledo, Ohio last week. Dec 17, 2023

*Check out the picture I snapped from my hotel room the night before. 😎

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120 years ago today Wilbur and Orville Wright flew the first successful powered airplane. Dec 17, 2023

It flew in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. 

The Wright brothers spent four years of research and development to pull off this historic moment. 

For years, Wilbur and Orville were labeled “cranks” and “fools” for even trying to create an airplane. 

Well, I'm very thankful that they never gave up. I use air ...

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Sharing the Right Stories Through Your Team | Stories With Traction Podcast Dec 15, 2023

SHOW NOTES:

SUMMARY: In this episode, Chris Wallace and Matt Zaun talk about how leaders can align the right stories with their frontline workers.

CHRIS WALLACE BIO: Chris is a marketing and customer experience strategist. His expertise centers on how organizations can improve alignment between their ...

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Are you dialed into your ICP? Dec 15, 2023

No, no, not Insane Clown Posse!   Your deal Client Persona! 

Do you know your prospects...

-generation 
-education level
-the books they read
-the movies they watch
-the music they listen to
-what causes them pain 

How well do you actually know your ideal client? 

Wanna hear more? The Stories With Traction P...

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When you get knocked down, don't get back up. Dec 15, 2023

At least not right away. 

In 1945 Soichiro Honda lost everything due to World War II.  His business was completely demolished.

You know what he did? 

He took a year off. 

He focused on creative thoughts. 

He focused on his friendships. 

He focused on planning.

The next year, Honda was born. 🏍🚗


Did YOU lose ...

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What if your organization was sharing powerful and engaging stories? Dec 15, 2023

Sounds good, right?!

…but what if the stories that were being shared weren’t actually connecting with your customers?

That doesn’t sound good! 

I’m excited for you to listen to an episode I did with  Chris Wallace called, Sharing the Right Stories Through Your Team. 

 Chris and I talk about how you can ...

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Up at 1:47 am ✔️ Bags packed ✔️ Flew to Detroit✔️ Dec 13, 2023

Tomorrow, I’ll be speaking to GEM Inc. This is my 50th strategic storytelling workshop of 2024 and my last speaking engagement of the year. 

💪 Looking forward to ending 2023 strong! 


P.S. If you want tons of story ideas, download my free 150+ storytelling prompts here | https://www.storieswithtraction...

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😼 𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙨? Dec 12, 2023

I don't, but I've found that C.A.T. is a powerful acronym for posting content on LinkedIn.  Here's the concept...

C - Connect

A - Appreciate

T - Trust

Every time you post something on this platform, ask yourself, "will my network connect with this, will they appreciate this, and will it help me build tr...

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Check out these numbers… Dec 11, 2023

Post #1: had 2 likes and 1 comment 

Post #2: had 1,587 likes and 735 comments

Guess which one landed me the most business?

Believe it or not, it was post #1. 

You see, the person who commented found the content super relatable to him, and he became a huge client. 

“Popular” posts don’t always equate to p...

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It's not good business to only talk business on LinkedIn Dec 11, 2023

People have asked me, ”why don't you just focus on promoting your services on LinkedIn?"

My response is,” when you go to a networking event, do you stand there and chuck business cards in people's face all night?”

If you're just on LinkedIn to push your product or service, you're going to get frustrat...

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𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞. Dec 11, 2023

My 5-year-old son scratched up our coffee table. 

I yelled at him over it, and he cried. 

My wife told me that that “nice” coffee table that I like; she found while in college (20 years ago). 

She got it for free and decided to refinish it. 

She said, “are you really going to get that angry with our son...

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I’m a Huge Failure Dec 11, 2023

It took me 200+ talks before I felt comfortable speaking.

It took me 100+ articles before I felt comfortable writing.

It took me 50+ podcast episodes before I felt comfortable podcasting.

Want to feel more comfortable? 

Find wise people who can teach you impactful stuff, and then DO IT! 

Do.  Fail.  Adju...

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🍎 One bad apple and my whole bag was destroyed! Dec 11, 2023

Do you have a team member who's creating a toxic culture? Cut them out of your organization or do some heavy coaching. 

Do NOT let one person destroy your entire team because of their crappy attitude!


What’s the worst thing someone can do to hurt company culture? 

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