They have a story awareness problem.
Itâs not that you donât have stories to tell.
Itâs that youâre not catching them while theyâre happening.
Comedians like Jerry Seinfeld walk through life asking,
đ âWhereâs the funny in this?â
Great leaders should ask,
đ âWhereâs the story in this?â
-That awkward Zoom...
...I've always wanted to go to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
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I told myself, if I ever get to the Cleveland area, I'm going to the museum.Â
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This year, I had the opportunity to conduct four strategic storytelling sessions for business leaders in "The Land."Â
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So you know where I went...
If youâve ever muttered those words while leading a team, building a business, or just trying to make progress, youâre not alone.
Frustration is a signal.
Itâs your brain waving a flag that says:
â ïž âThis isnât working. Somethingâs off. Find another path.â â ïž
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In my latest podcast episode, I sat down wi...
Imagine encountering someone whose charisma is so potent that you are eager to follow their suggestions. There exist individuals whose persuasive abilities are so formidable that they can inspire action in just about anyone. Now, picture yourself wielding this same power. Envision a scenario where...
Those words hit like a punch to the gut.
Because they were true.
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For the first 4 years of my oldest sonâs lifeâŠ
I neglected him.
Not intentionally. I wasnât cruel.
I was just busy. Focused. Obsessed with growth, with metrics, with winning in business.
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The sad part?
I donât remember much of those early ye...
...bedtime or blockbuster movies? Think again. In todayâs fast-paced, tech-driven world, storytelling isnât just important; itâs critical. Hereâs why:
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đ±Â Technology
In 2007, the first iPhone was launched. A few years later, it revolutionized how we live, communicate, and engage. Suddenly, we werenât j...
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SHOW NOTES:
In this episode, Matt Zaun sits down with David Frederiksen, Petra Coach and founder of PatientFocus, to discuss the often-overlooked struggles business leaders face when transitioning from doing the work to leading the team. David shares lessons from launching a company that chang...
This year of podcasting has been incredible so far! Excited for you to hear whatâs to come in the months ahead, but in the meantime, check out some of the highlights:
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Launch, Grow, Thrive with  John H. Wilson, PhDÂ
How to be Great at Public Speaking with  Matthew Scura
The Secret to Strategic Storyt...
So far, I've been to:
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-George WashingtonÂ
-Thomas Jefferson
-James Buchanan
-Abraham LincolnÂ
-Rutherford B. Hayes
-James Garfield
-Grover Cleveland
-William McKinley
-Woodrow Wilson
-Warren G. Harding
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Richard Nixon
-Jimmy Carter
-Ronald Reagan
-George H. W. Bush
-George...
If not, itâs time to start one. A StoryBank is one of the most powerful tools any organization or individual can have. Like a traditional bank account, you make deposits now to make valuable withdrawals later.
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đ What is a StoryBank?
Itâs a systematic way to document the powerful stories you share. Ev...
...I aimed to study the most innovative companies, not just what they built, but how they built it.
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One company that fascinates me more than most?
Pixar.
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The animation studio behind Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Up, Inside Out, and a dozen others that made grown adults cry.
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But Pixar isnât just about an...
Could you imagine all the sleepless nights?Â
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All the tossing and turning?
All the stress?Â
All the fear?
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Why? WellâŠ
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-He was defeated for Illinois state legislator in 1832.
-He started a business only to see it go under.Â
-He lost his run for Congress in 1843 and again in 1848.
-He lost his bid to becom...
Ever wonder why creativity feels like trying to catch a firefly with a hula hoop?
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Well, let's dive into an interview I had with author  Barbara Zerfoss, where she shines a light on how to spark creativityâŠ
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1) The Power of Creative Visualization
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Barbara asks business leaders to play a little game of ...
Nope...this isnât a toddler throwing a tantrum.
Itâs the secret to achieving BIG goals. Especially when it comes to losing weight.
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Hereâs what I mean đ
Three years ago, I hired fitness coach  Aly Di.Â
She didnât just ask me why I wanted to lose weightâŠ
She asked me five times.
Like Inception, but with ...
What happens when the work goes away?
-You lose the promotion.
-You lose the client.
-You lose the company.
-And suddenlyâŠyou lose yourself.
Too many people learn this the hard way. I almost did too. đ
Hereâs the truth:
-Your work doesnât define your worth.
-Your principles do.
-Jobs change. Titles shift. ...
We were losing clients.
We were losing people.
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The stress?
I can still taste it.
Thatâs how real it was."
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Thatâs how  Chris Schalleur described one of the darkest seasons of his entrepreneurial journey.
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If youâve ever felt like giving upâŠ
If the pressure of leadership has ever felt visceralâŠ
This episode...
Thatâs what I remind myself whenever someoneâs behavior makes my blood boil.
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You know the feeling:
-The rude email
-The oblivious driver
-The coworker who just doesnât get it
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In the past, Iâd let it wreck my mood.
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Now?
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I pause and remind myself:
-Not everyone has seen what we've seen.
-Not everyone knows...
âŠsaid no one ever. đ
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We all know the truth:
-Your next big opportunity is one conversation away.
-Your next client, referral, or mentor? They're already connected to someone you know.
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So why donât more people treat networking like a business priority?
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Because hereâs the honest answer:
Networking is sim...
...visit as many iconic American landmarks as possible, not just for the photo ops, but to learn something from each one.
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Recently, I stood in awe of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
One of the most photographed bridges in the world.
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But hereâs what most people donât think about:
This thing ...
When I played high school football, we were terrible.
New coach came in and changed everything.
"You might not be the most skilled," he said,
"but you will be the most conditioned."
So he ran us.
Hard.
Every practice ended when someone puked.
He told us, "This sucks now, but when you're on that field, no o...
She says he has a raspy voice. I love Bob Dylan. I think he is one of the best lyricists of all time.
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Whoâs right? We both are.
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My wife has run sound for hundreds of concerts, so she has an incredible ear for pitch and tone.
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Iâve written for dozens of politicians and business leaders and obsess ov...
...legacy, and lasting impact đ
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When I walked into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, I expected great music.
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What I didnât expect was a masterclass in movement-building.
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Hereâs what stood out:
It wasnât just about talent.
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Sure, the Hall is packed with musical geniuses. But what they really...
When Einstein gave his famous quote about âexpecting different results,â he was referring to a mathematical equation, not business.Â
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Letâs clarify something:
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đ In business, you must do the same things over and overâŠ
âŠeven when it feels like yelling into the void.
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-Posting when no oneâs liking.
-Call...
About 432 tiny plastic bricks and a bruised heel. đ§±đŁ
I came across this image that explains it better than most consultants ever could (and with fewer slides):
âąÂ DATA â Legos scattered across the floor. Chaotic. Painful. Confusing.
âąÂ SORTED â Same legos, now grouped by color. Slightly better.
âąÂ ARRANG...