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Sharing a point through a story allows people... Sep 16, 2024

...inside and outside of your company—employees and customers—to unite around a common purpose. 

It tells employees that their actions contribute to the well-being of a broader mission. 

It tells clients that they contribute to a movement whenever they interact with you.

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Do you want your clients to think your company is an... Sep 14, 2024

...impersonal, faceless institution that only cares about your bottom line?! 

No way. 

You want people to be endeared to your mission, don't you? If so, you have to build a company culture of storytelling. 

By defining your mission as a human-first story, you give your brand a...

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The Climb | Stories With Traction Podcast Sep 14, 2024

SHOW NOTES:

SUMMARY: In this episode, Eric Curtis and Matt Zaun talk about Eric’s adoption story and how climbing a physical mountain led him to climb another kind of mountain.

ERIC CURTIS: Eric is the CEO and Managing Partner at Curtis Strategy.

For more info on Eric:
LinkedIn
Website

MATT ZAUN:...

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I'll never forget how it felt getting into that car accident. ๐Ÿ‘‡ Sep 13, 2024

Not the neck pain but the moments leading up to it. 

Those seconds right before you hit another car feel like minutes. 

It's almost as if time slows down. 

Sometimes, in those split seconds, we have time to think. 

I remember asking myself, ”did I care for my family enough?...

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Chick-fil-A served me a burger. ๐Ÿ” Sep 10, 2024

It was one of the best cheeseburgers I've ever had, too. 

“Wait, what?!” you say. I thought this was the company that says, Eat Mor Chikin?!”

Yup. Well, they used to serve burgers, and the one that started it all (in Hapeville, GA) still does. 

What's wild about this to...

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One thing you can do to position yourself for peak performanceโ€ฆ Aug 23, 2024

…a mental palate cleanser.

Switching between different projects can be mentally exhausting, especially when each one requires a different mindset. 

 Amy Lynch, a seasoned ghostwriter and founder of Fernling Creative, shared a fascinating technique in our latest podcast...

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Write a Book?! | Stories With Traction Podcast Aug 23, 2024

SHOW NOTES:

SERIES: This podcast episode is part of a book-writing series with Amy Lynch on the Stories With Traction Podcast.

SUMMARY: In this episode, Amy Lynch and Matt Zaun discuss systems and creativity in book writing.

AMY LYNCH BIO: Amy is the founder and a writer at Fernling Creative, a...

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2025 scheduling announcement! Aug 21, 2024


My speaking calendar is already 50% booked for 2025. 

As of this moment, I only have availability to add 20 more Powerfully Persuade Through Storytelling workshops next year.

If your organization is interested in learning strategies to inspire your team, persuade your clients, and create a...

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โ€œ๐— ๐˜† ๐˜„๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ฒ ๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐˜€๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฝ๐—ถ๐—ฑ, ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐˜€๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ๐˜€ ๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ ๐—ฒ๐˜…๐—ฎ๐—บ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฑ.โ€ ๐Ÿ‘‡ Aug 20, 2024

 6 years ago, I was sitting motionless, blankly staring off into the distance.

I had hit rock bottom in my career.

Everything I had worked so hard for fell right between my fingers, and it was all gone.

My wife came and sat down next to me and gave me an incredible smile, only like she could...

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It's good to have a plan until your kid throws up all over you. ๐Ÿคฎ Aug 12, 2024


5 years ago, I was on the way to an important meeting...


The goal was simple, drop my 5-year-old-off at school, and get to the meeting as quickly as possible! 

If I didn't hit traffic, I would make it just in time.

My son said, ”I’m not feeling well, Dad - ahhh!”

He projectile...

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How to be a Better Storyteller Aug 10, 2024

Even if you've never told a compelling story in your life, you can become a great storyteller!  With a little effort and practice, your storytelling skills will improve, and people will be drawn to your words.

Four storytelling recommendations:


1. Ensure that your presence is prominent


You...

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Packed and ready to fly 4,307 miles! ๐Ÿ‘‡ Aug 10, 2024

Excited to go to Anchorage, Alaska! 

Looking forward to conducting my strategic storytelling workshop there and showing business leaders how to utilize a Storybank to inspire their teams.

The next few days are going to be awesome! 

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One of my favorite things about speaking all over the country is seeing cultural obsessions. ๐Ÿ‘‡ Aug 05, 2024

I love how passionate Skamania County is about Bigfoot. 

Plus, it’s been a huge boon to the economy there. 

They literally sell anything and everything with Bigfoot on it. 

Have you embraced what your area is obsessed with? 

This could be a specific food, sports team, or...

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I'm thrilled to have been featured on the latest Stories From the Top podcast episode! ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Aug 02, 2024

A huge thank you to  Matthew Scura for having me on and for the engaging conversation. 

We delved deep into how storytelling can be a powerful tool for building stronger relationships, creating a greater impact, and enhancing engagement in business.

If you're interested in...

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Several years ago, I went to a bachelor party at the Borgata in Atlantic City. Aug 01, 2024


Everyone in our group sat down at the Blackjack table.

One of my friends, who was playing Blackjack for the first time, won a ton of money.

While getting up from the table, the gentleman next to me said, “that's the worst thing that could happen to a rookie gambler.”

“What do you...

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Three years ago, I made a decision. ๐Ÿ˜ฌ Jul 31, 2024

At the time, it was a huge risk. 

I made the decision while staring at El Capitan (in Yosemite) with my wife. 

For those of you who aren't aware, a climber named Alex Honnold free-soloed the mountain, meaning he climbed without any ropes.

He was asked why in the world he would do such a...

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โ€œNewspapers are meant to be read on the way to the trash can.โ€ ๐Ÿ‘‡ Jul 30, 2024

I remember my Dad telling me that when I was growing up because I was reading a lot of newspapers and magazines.

His point was to read more material (like novels and non-fiction), where the author put more time and energy into writing.

Social media is even lower-level writing than newspapers.

You...

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โ˜•๏ธ The corporate culture at Starbucks was... Jul 30, 2024

...formed from an inspirational story that Howard Schultz continually shared early on in his career. 

He would often tell team members of his significant financial struggles growing up and how challenging it was for him. 

These stories empowered the company to do everything they could to...

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10x Leader | Stories With Traction Podcast Jul 26, 2024

SHOW NOTES:

SUMMARY: In this episode, Stephanie Crowe and Matt Zaun talk about growing your leadership skills.

STEPHANIE CROWE BIO: Stephanie is the CEO of Learn.net. She is also a Best-Selling Author and Speaker.

For more info on Stephanie:
LinkedIn
Website

MATT ZAUN BIO: Matt is an award-winning...

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Have you ever heard of powdered butt syndrome? Jul 26, 2024

Essentially, if you're old enough to have changed the diaper of the messenger, you shouldn't listen to them. “Too young.”

The problem is the rate at which information accelerates.

The “kids of today” know how to utilize new business tools that older generations...

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I studied storytelling for over a decade, so you donโ€™t have to. Jul 25, 2024

Here are 5 powerful things that I’ve learned…

1) From Anxiety to Excitement: When you share a story with your team, lean into your excitement instead of focusing on your anxiety. It's not just about telling stories; it's about living them in the moment, infusing every word with...

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The silence was deafening, and then you could hear my feet running...๐Ÿ‘‡ Jul 23, 2024

I was on a treadmill at my gym when the severity of the Great Recession was announced on the news. 
 
Everyone was in shock, and they quietly listened to what all the TVs around them were saying. 
 
I kept running.
 
I remember running faster and faster and hearing...
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What I learned from touring Motown Recordsโ€ฆ Jul 22, 2024


 

In the late 1950s, a Ford Motor Plant worker named Berry Gordy noticed something. 

On the assembly line, scrap metal would go down one side, and on the other end, a beautiful car would be assembled. 

What if you could do the same with musicians…?

Gordy was a part-time...

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