I have amazing friends.

Not just any friends; people that I could call at 2 a.m. (if I was in trouble), friends.

Tomorrow, one of those friends gets a little older.

This man helped me...

Launch my speaking business (a decade ago) and my podcast (4 years ago).

He's been there for me through th...

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode of Stories With Traction, Matt Zaun sits down with business strategist and growth expert, Jessica Yarbrough, to discuss how high-achieving professionals (especially those from the C-suite) can escape hustle culture and build scalable, sustainable, and wildly profitable c...

Now I get paid to speak, and I recently released my book, The StoryBank.
 
After years of stop-and-go writing (thank you, pandemic + parenting + business ownership), The StoryBank is finally out in the world.
 
Why does this matter?
 
Because strategic storytelling is the most powerful tool we have to:

-...

At the time, it was a huge risk.
 
I decided 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 said tha...

He went from Superman to paralyzed.
But his greatest strength showed up after the cape came off.
 
At 26, Christopher Reeve became a global icon.
 
By 42, he couldn’t breathe, move, or even speak without assistance.
 
Most would’ve disappeared from the spotlight.
 
Not Reeve.
 
He leaned in, turning tragedy in...

I wanted to appear smart.
 
So, I wrote like I was writing to my professors. All academic.
 
My boss at the time told me, “Do you want to sound smart, or do you want to make sense?”
 
Great storytellers value clarity above complexity.  👇
 
 
If you were to take Ernest Hemingway’s work (a great Nobel Prize-wi...

On October 8, 1871, the Windy City experienced The Great Chicago Fire.
 
Nearly 1/3 of Chicago was left homeless.
 
But that’s not the wildest part…
 
For over a century, everyone blamed a cow.
 
That infamous story (of a lantern kicked over by Catherine O’Leary’s cow) was completely made up by a reporter. ...

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode of Stories With Traction, Matt Zaun talks with Kristen Pucci, Founder and CEO of KRAE Creative & Talent, to explore why most leaders get marketing wrong and how to fix it through brand clarity, human connection, and strategic authenticity.

Kristen shares her journey as ...

After years of false starts, setbacks, and rewriting, my book The StoryBank is finally out in the world!

I first began writing it back in 2019. Between the pandemic, family responsibilities, and a growing business, it was a stop-and-go process. Most days, I doubted it would ever come to fruition. B...

“Matt, how much time do I need to focus on this?” 
 
“Matt, I already have a couple of stories; why should I work on new ones?” 
 
*That last one is my favorite. 
 
As if I'm going to say, “yeah, just keep sharing the same story your company has shared for the last 20 years. 🙄 It’ll be super relevant to t...

A couple of years ago, I set a goal to visit every presidential museum. 

So far, I've been to:

-George Washington 
-Thomas Jefferson
-James Buchanan
-Abraham Lincoln 
-Rutherford B. Hayes
-James Garfield
-Grover Cleveland
-William McKinley
-Woodrow Wilson
-Warren G. Harding
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Lyndon B...

The last 3 quarters this year have been incredible! 
 
Excited for you to hear what's to come in the months ahead, but in the meantime, check out some of the highlights:
 
Myths, Leadership, & Life with S. Scott Mason
 
Why Storytelling Works with Matthew Scura
 
Why Great Leaders Must Tell Great Stories ...

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode, Matt Zaun sits down with Luke Frazier, Head of Revenue at Good Agency, to explore how powerful storytelling can transform not only business results but also the human experience behind the brand. 

Luke challenges business leaders to go beyond tactics and marketing hack...

A couple of years ago, I was speaking in Atlanta and had the chance to check out his Presidential museum.

Many of you know how much I enjoy going to Presidential museums, regardless of which party the person represented.

So far, I’ve been to:

-George Washington 
-Thomas Jefferson
-James Buchanan
-...

I officially became a published author. 📖 🙌
 
After years of late nights, rewrites, and wondering if this book would ever see the light of day…The StoryBank is finally out.
 
What’s blown me away over the past couple of weeks is the feedback regarding the concepts in the book. Many have told me it’s h...

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 experience periods of high productivity and creativity throughout the day, which occur in spurts. 
 
For instance, my ...

...isn’t CEO, consultant, or author. It’s Dad.

My daughter has taught me more about resilience, patience, and boldness than any boardroom ever could.

Today is National Daughters Day, and I’m reminded: the best leaders aren’t just shaped at work…they’re shaped at home.

 
After years of false starts, setbacks, and rewriting, my book The StoryBank is finally out in the world!
 
I first began writing it back in 2019. Between the pandemic, family responsibilities, and a growing business, it was a stop-and-go process. Most days, I doubted it would ever come to fruition. B...

5-Day Storytelling Challenge

Whether you're looking to boost sales, enhance marketing, or captivate audiences in meetings, this challenge is for you.

To sign up, go HERE.

Show Notes:

In this episode, Matt Zaun sits down with Christopher Brown, co-founder and CEO of Teed & Brown, to unpack what it...

MLK, Jr. was born in this house on Jan 15th, 1929

Before my son, Elliot, turned 6 years old, I had him listen to all of MLK’s speeches. I told Elliot, “If you can become a great orator, you can change the world.” This doesn’t just apply to my son, but to all of us.

I’ve spent a considerable a...

The best way to start is with your clients’ questions.
 
I take the questions I'm asked and connect them to 3 “S’s”...
 
1️⃣ 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 I have that relates to the questions
 
2️⃣ 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 I've learned over the years that connect to the questions
 
3️⃣ 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲...strategically highlight other authorities' work t...

The very first copy of my new book, The StoryBank, didn’t sell in the U.S…it sold in Brazil! 🇧🇷

Here’s the wild part: I don’t know a single person in Brazil.

That means someone, somewhere, scrolled across my LinkedIn post yesterday…clicked…and decided this book was worth their time.

So, is The StoryB...

Creating this baby took work.

You all laugh, but it takes a lot of energy. 

Oh, we’re not having another kid.

I’m talking about the launch of my book, The StoryBank.

It's been my baby for the last couple of years. 

My wife told me to focus on it. 

She said lots of people are missing out on the storytel...