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ā€œIs your S.T.U.F.F helping you or hurting you… Feb 15, 2025

S - Stories

T - Thoughts

U - Urges

F - Frustrations

F - Feelings

…your S.T.U.F.F is what fuels your behaviors in the world.ā€

-Joy Rains

Wanna hear more? Check out the Stories With Traction podcast. Ā 

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Several years ago, I hit rock bottom. Feb 14, 2025

I took a financial risk, and itĀ didn’tĀ pay off.Ā 

Instead, it put my family in a difficult position.

The night it all came crashing down, I sat on my couch with tears streaming down my face, fully aware of the uphill battle ahead.

My wife sat down next to me and said something that changed everything:...

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šŸŽ¤ Public Speaking: The Skill That Changes Everything Feb 13, 2025

🟩I love public speaking.

🟩I don't mind public speaking.

🟩I don't like public speaking.

āœ…I would rather die than do public speaking.

Some people actually check that box!Ā 

Public speaking is scary. Most of us don't feel comfortable standing in front of people and taking responsibility for the...

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A couple of years ago, I made a goal of going to every presidential museum. Feb 12, 2025

So far, I've been to:
Ā 

-George WashingtonĀ 

-Thomas Jefferson

-James Buchanan

-Abraham LincolnĀ 

-Rutherford B. Hayes

-Grover Cleveland

-Woodrow Wilson

-Warren G. Harding

-Franklin D. Roosevelt

-Lyndon B. Johnson

-Richard Nixon

-Jimmy Carter

-Ronald Reagan

-George H. W. Bush

-George W...

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Embrace the Embarrassment šŸ‘‡ Feb 11, 2025

What makes a storyĀ stick? What makes it trulyĀ connect? There’s a difference between storytelling that’s good and storytelling that’s unforgettable. And here’s the truth: the path to mastery isn’t glamorous; it’sĀ uncomfortable.

How to Get Better, Faster

If you want to supercharge your storytelling and ...

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Where my youngest son was the 1st time the Eagles won the Super Bowl vs. now. Feb 10, 2025

Where my youngest son was the 1st time the Eagles won the Super Bowl vs. now.Ā 

At that time, I had just launched my speaking business and was really struggling.Ā 

I told myself that I had to prove to my kids that some dreams are worth fighting for.Ā 

Today, I get so many paid speaking requests that I...

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Want to nail a TEDx talk? Here's what you need to know... Feb 09, 2025

Have you ever watched a TEDx talk and thought, "I could do that!" only to realize you have no idea where to start? Don't worry, you're not alone.Ā 

Today, since it’s his Birthday, I'm sharing insider tips from the one and onlyĀ Ā Bobby Umar, CEO of Discover Your Personal Brand and five-time TEDx speak...

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Just hours from kickoff, reality set in. šŸ‘‡ šŸŽø Feb 08, 2025

Super Bowl XLI wasn't going to be played in the rain.Ā It was going to be played in a monsoon.Ā 

...and while pro football players deal with the elements all season, rock stars do not. They have provisions in their contracts to avoid such calamities.Ā 

Electricity and water don't mix particularly well....

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šŸ† What winning teams (and businesses) have in common... Feb 07, 2025

Three years ago, I spoke in L.A. and stopped by SoFi Stadium during the Super Bowl festivities. As I watched the energy behind the game, it got me thinking…

What separatesĀ winning organizationsĀ from the rest?

How do some businessesĀ crush their sales goalsĀ andĀ build a thriving company culture while o...

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When I entered politics, I obsessively studied... Feb 06, 2025

...Ronald Reagan, also known as the Great Communicator.Ā 

President Reagan possessed a fascinating capability...the ability to command the attention of his audience.Ā 

Whether you loved or hated him, there is no denying that his public speaking skills were off the charts.Ā 

I spent time reflecting o...

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šŸŽµ Creativity, Storytelling, and… Lizzo? šŸŽµ Feb 05, 2025

Here’s the thing about creativity: if you’re not willing to look a little silly, it will be a tough road. And the same is true forĀ storytelling.

Whether you’re a C-suite executive or just starting out, tapping into your creative side is essential if you want to become a masterful storyteller. But cre...

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Sweaty palms, stuttering, and a total train wreck. Jan 31, 2025

Let me take you back to a time when I was the furthest thing from a confident public speaker.Ā 

I’d just landed a new job, one I thought would involve very little human interaction. Perfect, right? After all, I’dĀ failedĀ my public speaking course in college. My first speech was such a disaster that I l...

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A couple of years ago, I made a goal to go to every presidential museum. Jan 30, 2025

So far, I've been...

-George WashingtonĀ 
-Thomas Jefferson
-James Buchanan
-Abraham LincolnĀ 
-Rutherford B. Hayes
-Woodrow Wilson
-Warren G. Harding
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Richard Nixon
-Jimmy Carter
-Ronald Reagan
-George H. W. Bush
-George W. Bush

Each one fascinates me because they’re al...

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Uncover Your Core Jan 28, 2025

The Role of Values in Shaping Our Lives

Understanding and embracing our core values is not only beneficial but essential in our quest for personal and professional growth. This detailed exploration aims to guide you through discovering these values, enhancing your storytelling capabilities, impro...

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A few years ago, I had the... Jan 27, 2025

...honor and privilege of speaking to Jewish business leaders in Chicago.Ā 

They asked me to come in to process their family stories with them.Ā 

I crisscrossed the area, speaking to 60 leaders in the Windy City.Ā 

I heard some of the most incredible struggle/victory stories from these men and women I’v...

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50 years ago today! Jan 24, 2025

Did you know the first McDonald's Drive-Thru was born out of necessity to accommodate soldiers at Fort Huachuca Army Base in Sierra Vista, Arizona?

Picture this: soldiers in their fatigues, stuck in their vehicles, craving a Big Mac but unable to enter the restaurant due to regulations.Ā 

The restaur...

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Before my son, Elliot, turned 6-years-old, I had him listen to all of MLK’s speeches. Jan 20, 2025

I told him, ā€œš—¶š—³ š˜†š—¼š˜‚ š—°š—®š—» š—Æš—²š—°š—¼š—ŗš—² š—® š—“š—æš—²š—®š˜ š—¼š—æš—®š˜š—¼š—æ, š˜†š—¼š˜‚ š—°š—®š—» š—°š—µš—®š—»š—“š—² š˜š—µš—² š˜„š—¼š—æš—¹š—±.ā€

But this doesn’t just go for my son; this goes for all of us.Ā 


I’ve spent an exorbitant amount of time researching how MLK was able to connect with his audience the way he did.Ā 

That’s why it was such an honor to speak in Atl...

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Two teams. One mission: to beat the other. Jan 19, 2025

Today, football fans will see a great playoff game, the Eagles vs. the Rams.

When it comes to great stories, we need a foe.

People love struggle/victory stories.Ā 

In business, we want it to be easy, but that doesn't give us a good story.Ā 

Just like in sports, where your rivals actually motivate you an...

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Have you ever noticed how great musicians dominate a stage and hold the audience in the palm of their hand? Jan 17, 2025

Artists like…

BeyoncƩ Knowles
Freddie Mercury
Taylor Swift

Have/had intentional, choreographed movements on stage. Walk this way, hold the mic like this, and look out at the audience in this way.

It's planned. All timed. And mastered.

Do you put intense preparation into presentations with your tea...

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Think storytelling is just for bedtime books or blockbuster movies? Jan 15, 2025

Think again. In today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world, storytelling isn’t just important—it’sĀ essential. Here’s why:

šŸ“±Ā Technology

In 2007, the first iPhone was launched. A few years later, it revolutionized how we live, communicate, and engage. Suddenly, we weren’t justĀ usingĀ technology—we were addict...

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What I learned from touring Motown Records last year… Jan 14, 2025

In the late 50s, 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 was assembled. What if you could do the same with musicians…?

Gordy was a part-time songwriter who barely made ends meet wh...

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Have you ever heard of powdered butt syndrome? Jan 13, 2025

Essentially, if you're old enough to have changed the diaper of the messenger, you shouldn't listen to them.Ā ā€œToo young.ā€

The problem is the rate at which information accelerates.

The ā€œkids of todayā€ know how to utilize new business tools that older generations overlook.Ā 

My 10-year-old has taught me...

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It's been 13 years since my grandmother passed away. Jan 13, 2025



Even though she's been gone for a while, I still regularly think of the lessons she taught me.Ā 

She was one of the most empathetic individuals that I've ever met.Ā 

-Her empathy was forged in struggle since she experienced tremendous financial pain during the Great Depression.

-She got pure joy out of s...

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Here is my secret to tripling my sales... Jan 10, 2025

...Copywriting.Ā 

Fun fact: I don't have the biggest LinkedIn following and don't need to.

So many people get so hung up on ā€œlikes,ā€ followers, and comments that they fail to speak directly to their prospects.Ā 

Most of my posts that convert to sales have very little engagement.Ā 

In business, my company...

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