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It's good to have a plan until your kid throws up all over you. 🤮 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 vomited all over my suit...

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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 must...

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Packed and ready to fly 4,307 miles! 👇 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. 👇 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 historical figure. 

It might he...

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I'm thrilled to have been featured on the latest Stories From the Top podcast episode! 🎙️ 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 learning how to leverage sto...

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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 mean,” I asked.

“Now ...

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Three years ago, I made a decision. 😬 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 thing, and he...

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“Newspapers are meant to be read on the way to the trash can.” 👇 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 may...

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☕️ 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 develop and...

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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 speaker...

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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 overlook. 

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

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I studied storytelling for over a decade, so you don’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 genuine passion and en...

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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁. 👇 Jul 24, 2024

Part of me thought he was crazy. 🤔

" S. Scott, do you really think that will work?”

“There are sooooo many other podcasts out there.”

“Do you really think this is a good use of my time?”

3 years ago, I had lunch with  S. Scott Mason (*picture below), and he convinced me to launch a podcast. 

At the tim...

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The silence was deafening, and then you could hear my feet running...👇 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 the words of my fath
...
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What I learned from touring Motown Records… 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 songwriter who barely made ends...

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I learned how to drive in my parent’s minivan while in high school. Jul 08, 2024

Let me tell you, I was not excited to be driving that Dodge Caravan every day during my senior year. 

You should have heard all the names I was called.

My Dad said, “take the kids' bullying and turn it into an opportunity.”

I took out all the back seats and turned it into something fun.

I went from “M...

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A couple of years ago, I made a goal of going to every presidential museum. Jul 06, 2024

So far, I've been to...

-George Washington 
-Thomas Jefferson
-James Buchanan
-Abraham Lincoln 
-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

...museums. 

Each one fascinates me becau...

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I’ve given 379 talks. This is something I wish I would have known years ago... Jul 05, 2024

...how to warm up a room. 

Your talk begins long before you open your mouth. 

Talking to a room of 50 people or less? If you have time, shake every hand in the room before you begin your presentation. 

Speaking at a conference in front of thousands of people? Go to a bunch of sections in the room and s...

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🎆 Happy 4th of July! 🇺🇸 Jul 04, 2024

Recently, my son Elliot and I visited the Liberty Bell, one of the most iconic symbols of American independence and freedom. 🛎️

5 insights about the bell…

1) Inscription: It bears the inscription from Leviticus 25:10: "Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants Thereof." This ...

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Hope you like your hit of dopamine.👇 Jul 03, 2024


So many content creators on LinkedIn 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 s...

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Today, I cried tears of joy. Jul 02, 2024

Some of you might call me a sap, and that's okay…

…I'm celebrating 3 incredible years of podcasting!

It's become one of my favorite mediums to share information. 

If you had told me years ago that I'd reached 125+ podcast episodes, I would have laughed in disbelief! 

"Me? A podcaster? You're kidding, ...

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What's a weird goal you've had for years? Jul 01, 2024

Here, I'll go first... 

I grew up close to Route 1. Since I was a kid, I told myself that one day, I'd drive all the way to the end of that road. 

For me, it was symbolic...starting and then finishing a journey. 

Well, I got my chance. I was asked to speak at a retreat in the Florida Keys. 

I flew int...

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My youngest son helped me launch the Stories With Traction movement. 👇 Jul 01, 2024


From January - July in 2019, I set up a mock workshop in my house. 

My only audience members were my son and his stuffed bear. 

I'd give my workshop to the two of them for hours every day. 

Thinking to myself, one day, it won't just be to my boy and his bear but to audiences all over the world. 

For 7...

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Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group... Jul 01, 2024

...which is comprised of hundreds of companies, regularly gathers his executives and asks them to share stories. 👇 

Branson said, “telling a story is one of the best ways we have of coming up with new ideas.” 

He has found this practice so powerful that, in the past, he has often invited staff to hi...

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