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Today is Jimmy Carterโ€™s 99th Birthday! Oct 01, 2023

He's the longest-living President in U.S. history. Recently, I was speaking in Atlanta and had the chance to check out his Presidential Library.

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

So far, I’ve been to LBJ,...

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My 5-year-old has an issue. ๐Ÿ‘‡ Sep 30, 2023

He can't stand “bad guys” in movies.

Freaks him out.

But aren't we all allergic to adversity?

In the moment, we want it to be easy. 

That doesn't make a great story, though, does it?

Next time you have a difficult client that you figure out how to deliver for, you need to capture the...

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โ€œPeople will judge you by how you look, speak, and write, so...โ€ Sep 30, 2023

Make sure you know how to dress for the situation

You know how to speak to connect

You write short, clear, and for impact

...that's what my Father told me when I was growing up.

When I went into business, my Dad’s words came rushing back.

Simple. True. Impactful.

Don't...

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3 quarters through the year with the Stories With Traction Podcast! Sep 29, 2023

I’ve learned so much from the stories and insights of my guests. 

 

Check out the episodes so far…


๐—๐—ฎ๐—ป

Jan 6 - Part 1 | Six Figure Sales Secrets with Marcus A. Chan 

Jan 13 - Part 2 | Six Figure Sales Secrets with Marcus A. Chan

Jan 20 - Be Intentional With Your Giving...

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Strategic Networking | Stories With Traction Podcast Sep 29, 2023

EPISODES MENTIONED IN INTRO:

Stories of Leadership
How to Get Involved in Politics
How to Build a Legacy
How Hobbies Make You More Creative

SHOW NOTES:

SUMMARY:
In this episode, Terence Farrell and Matt Zaun discuss how to have intentionality and strategy behind networking.

TERENCE FARRELL BIO:...

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Share more stories Sep 28, 2023

Matt, what stories do I tell to connect with my clients?” 

Matt, how much time do I need to focus on this?” 

Matt, I already have some stories; why should I work on new ones?” 

*that last one is my favorite. 

As if I'm going to say,...

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Lessen your chance of heart disease through shopping? Sep 27, 2023

Years ago, Meyer Friedman (a cardiologist) recommended something to his highly stressed patients who were at greater risk of developing heart disease.

He told them to take the longest line at the grocery store to practice inner peace.

Sounds simple, huh?

A peaceful mindset comes with practice.

...

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Sex causes twice as many accidents. Sep 27, 2023

Ok, now that I have your attention

In the U.S., there are approximately one million car accidents and 200 deaths each year because vehicles collide with deer.

During mating season, known as “the rut,” deer are twice as likely to get hit by a car.

Why is this?

During the rut, deer are...

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It's been a wild ride so far this year. Sep 26, 2023

I've worked my guts out for my clients. More miles flown and driven than I’d care to admit.

I've decided to get off the road for 2 weeks and spend time with family. My travel schedule will pick back up mid-Oct.

In the meantime, check out some cool spots so far this year...

-Miami, Florida
...

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Can You Hold an Audienceโ€™s Attention? Sep 25, 2023

You probably don’t know who Max Martin is (without Googling). Don’t worry. Over the years, I’ve talked to hundreds of people about Max Martin, and I’ve never come across anyone who knows who he is. Although, if I were to ask you if you know who Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande,...

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I've learned to appreciate when my Linkedin content bombs ๐Ÿ’ฃ... Sep 25, 2023

1. It keeps my ego in check 

2. It teaches me what people don't resonate with

3. It gives me the opportunity to do better

We all want our content to be engaging, but sometimes it's not. 

This isn't necessarily a bad thing; it's a great learning opportunity. 


What's the #1 takeaway...

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Chick-fil-A served me a burger. ๐Ÿ” Sep 24, 2023

It was one of the best cheeseburgers I've ever had, too.

“Wait, what?!” you say. I thought this was the company that says, Eat Mor Chikin?!”

Yup. Well, they used to serve burgers, and the one that started it all (in Hapeville, GA), still does.

Here’s what's wild about this...

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In order for YOU to stand out in today's world (filled with noise), YOU will need to share a ton of content. Sep 23, 2023

Here's what I promise YOU...


Not everyone will relate with what YOU share

YOU will offend people; it's inevitable

YOU will question if you should continue to share your ideas


Here is my encouragement to YOU, do NOT stop posting content just because some people don't like what YOU post.

In the last...

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โ€œMatt, how do you come up with stuff to post on LinkedIn?โ€ ๐Ÿ‘‡ Sep 23, 2023

Best way to start is your...

...clients’ questions.

I take the questions I'm asked and connect them to 3 “S’s”...

1  ๐’๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ I have that relate to the questions

2  ๐’๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ฆ๐ฌ I've learned over the years that connect to the questions

3  ๐’๐ญ๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐ฒ...strategically...

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I've seen a lot of posts recently that... Sep 23, 2023

I've seen a lot of posts recently that say, “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,...

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Understanding Your Behavioral DNA | Stories With Traction Podcast Sep 22, 2023

SHOW NOTES:

PODCAST EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode, Ana Quinn and Matt Zaun talk about how understanding your “Behavioral DNA” will position you to be a better leader.

ANA QUINN BIO: Ana is the co-founder and managing partner of Imprint Talent Readiness, and she is also a Vistage...

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Great stories needโ€ฆ Sep 22, 2023

...a hero to root for…

an obstacle to overcome

…and a call to action for your audience. 

Are you focusing on these points in the stories you're telling?

If not, do so and see your ability to connect skyrocket!

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I'll be dead soon. ๐Ÿ‘‡ Sep 22, 2023

We all will, actually. Life is quick.


This is the first thing my kids are to do once I'm gone…

…whether I pass away in 5 years or 50.

They are supposed to listen to my podcast, Stories With Traction.

The content is built for leaders, and they are being raised to lead.

Every time I...

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How did she predict this so well?! Sep 22, 2023

It all goes back to understanding someone’s Behavioral DNA.

Wanna hear a fascinating podcast episode?

Check out the conversation I had with Ana Rios Quinn

 

Go to the podcast tab to see latest episode. 

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Some of you need a chiropractic adjustment on your LinkedIn content. Sep 18, 2023

You’re playing the clicks game, not the cash game.

Don't post:

Boring case studies
Cliché motivational quotes 
Articles that don't relate to your target audience

Instead:

Share your stories
Share your mistakes and lessons learned
Share something interesting, for crying out loud

...

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I knew someone growing up who was beaten by his alcoholic father. Sep 17, 2023

Eventually, he was removed from that situation, and though his physical scars healed, he had a lot of mental anguish.

He told me once that the worst part of the situation was not that his dad hit him but that he ignored him.

Getting drunk was more important to his father than giving him the time...

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When Amazon started... Sep 17, 2023

When Amazon started (1994), Barnes and Noble had been in business for 121 years.  What if Jeff Bezos would have said...

...”people will never buy books online - these large bookstores have been around forever!”

Today, Barnes and Noble wishes they would have done what Bezos did.


...

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I'll never forget how it felt getting into that car accident. Sep 16, 2023

Not the neck pain, but the moments leading up to it.  Those seconds right before you hit another car feel like minutes. 

It's almost as if time slows down.

Sometimes, in those split seconds, we have time to think. 

I remember asking myself, ”did I care for my family enough?

...

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How to Embrace Creativity | Stories With Traction Podcast Sep 15, 2023

SHOW NOTES:

SUMMARY: In this episode, Robin O’Donovan and Matt Zaun talk about how songwriters embrace creativity and how you can do the same thing when it comes to your storytelling ability.

ROBIN O’DONOVAN BIO: Robin is the founder of My Energetic Tribe Coaching, where she focuses on...

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