So far, I've been to:
-George Washington
-Thomas Jefferson
-James Buchanan
-Abraham Lincoln
-Rutherford B. Hayes
-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...
All the tossing and turning.
All the stress.
All the fear.
Why? Well…
-He was defeated for Illinois state legislator in 1832.
-He started a business only to see it go under.
-He lost his run for Congress in 1843 and again in 1848.
-He lost his bid to become a U.S. Senator in 1855.
-He ran...
We see these corporate giants dominating market share and think, "How can a small business compete?" Well, spoiler alert: sometimes we’re just plain 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠!
Here’s the kicker – the way we tell stories has evolved, and boy, do we have a megaphone now!
Thanks to social media,...
Ever wonder why creativity feels like trying to catch a firefly with a hula hoop?
Well, let's dive into an interview I had with author Barbara Zerfoss, where she shines a light on how to spark creativity…
1) The Power of Creative Visualization
Barbara asks...
Ever tried to crack a joke in a meeting and got silence so loud you could hear a pin drop?
Yeah, me too.
Pro tip: telling jokes can be incredibly risky in a business setting.
You don't want to be the office comedian who only hears crickets in response to your punchline.
Instead of...
In our quest for comfort and stability, we often overlook the inherent value of adversity.
It's a natural human tendency to shy away from challenges, much like my six-year-old son, who is petrified of "bad guys" in movies. However, adversity is not just an obstacle to be avoided; it's a powerful...
Anita Roddick was not only one of the richest women in the UK during the 1990s but also one of the most generous.
She didn’t stash her cash in a secret vault like Scrooge McDuck. Nope, the more money she made through her company, The Body Shop, the more she funneled into causes she cared...
In January, I read Craig Andrews’s book Make Sales Magical. Little did I know it would transform aspects of my business. I had to have Craig on the Stories With Traction Podcast to share his concepts. Here are some of the points that we talked...
SHOW NOTES:
SUMMARY: In this episode, Craig Andrews and Matt Zaun discuss Craig’s book, Make Sales Magical.
CRAIG ANDREWS BIO: Craig is the Principle Ally and Founder of Allies4me, which is a marketing agency that helps companies find strangers and convert them into high-paying...
...he has a raspy voice. I love Bob Dylan. I think he is one of the best lyricists of all time.
Who’s right? We both are.
My wife has run sound for hundreds of concerts, so she has an incredible ear for pitch and tone.
I’ve written for dozens of politicians and...
Post 1: had 2 likes and 1 comment
Post 2: had 3,694 likes, 213 comments, and 87 reposts
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 specifically relatable to him, and he ended up being a huge client....
I hate my mom.
She’s ridiculous.
Did you ever say that growing up?
I might have said that a couple of times when I was a teen.
Not truly realizing the gift my mother gave me.
My mom is the most strategic person I’ve ever met.
Her planning,...
Over the years, as a culture, we've diluted the value of Mother’s Day.
Hallmark and flower shops win, but as a society, we lose.
We don't talk enough about the value of STRONG MOMS!
Early celebrations of Mother’s Day were forged in blood, sweat, and tears, and that's not an...
It took me years to figure out that not everything should be at the top of my to-do list.
Then I met Penny Zenker - The Focusologist, and she transformed my understanding of priorities.
Thanks to her insights, my work life improved, and I also stopped having nightmares about...
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville was a key figure in French Louisiana's history.
From founding Fort Maurepas to establishing New Orleans, Bienville's vision and leadership shaped the region's development.
As governor four times, he navigated challenges and left a lasting impact,...
...watching marketing videos on YouTube.
This little guy has taught me how to be a better marketer!
Think about it; he doesn’t have an Ivy League degree, he hasn’t graduated from high school, heck, this kid is only in 4th grade, but he’s taught me...
Don't be something for everyone; be something to someone.
Ever heard of a sales funnel? Top of funnel is "likes" and rainbows. Once people get to the end, they become clients.
We're talking about less than 1% of people who consume your content.
If 99% of the world hates...
Recently, after one of my strategic storytelling workshops, a gentleman in the audience pulled me aside.
60-year-old man. CEO of an extremely successful company.
He was sobbing and had to hug me.
For the first time in his life, he realized he had to start telling people...
“Amazon has a terrible business model.”
Back in 2008, I was at a conference where a “thought leader” gave a presentation on how “Amazon will be out of business soon.”
If I had invested $10,000 in Amazon stock right after that talk, I would have $626,668.80...
”prove them wrong,” and I find these posts somewhat confusing.
I don't do my work to prove anything to anybody. We’ll always have people that don't believe in what we do; that's part of life.
Regardless, people’s opinions don't feed my family,...
It's a lie and could hurt your business.
Here is what I mean...
When people say, ”give it 100%,” what they are saying is ”give it your all,” but you can't do that all the time.
We have high productivity times and high creativity times during the day, and they...
I’m excited to share the April lineup:
Apr 5 - Storytelling FAQ Episode with Claire M. Davis
Apr 12 - The Inferiority Complex of Leaders with Mike Thorne
Apr 19 - The Story of Culbertson Resources Inc. with Ui Culbertson
Apr 26 - How to be a TEDx Speaker with Bobby Umar
Just hit...
SHOW NOTES:
SUMMARY: In this episode, Bobby Umar and Matt Zaun discuss how to land, create, and leverage a TEDx talk.
BOBBY UMAR BIO: Bobby is the CEO of DYPB (Discover Your Personal Brand) and he is a 5 times TEDx speaker.
For more info on Bobby:
LinkedIn
Website
MATT ZAUN BIO: Matt is an...
I don’t think it should just be one day.
I’m constantly sharing my business goals with my sons and daughter.
I make them part of the process.
Not only do they get excited about being involved, but my kids learn important business skills that they’ll be able to utilize for the...
Stories With Traction Blog
