During the Great Depression, when things looked grim, the “Wienermobile” was launched and soon became a national icon.

Six Wienermobiles operated throughout the United States. The driver was called “The Hotdogger.” 

The Hotdogger's job was to "meat" and greet people...

It was utterly repulsive. My co-workers and I found it nearly unbearable to be around him; he seemed to suck the oxygen out of the room. His behavior stemmed from a deep-seated inferiority complex—he felt the need to puff himself up, trying to project an image of greatness, all while being...

LinkedIn post #1: had 2 likes and 1 comment 

LinkedIn Post #2: had 1,587 likes and 735 comments

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 super relatable to him, and he became a huge client. 

...

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 (9-years-ago) and my podcast (4-years-ago).

He's been there for me...

Constable & Robinson was the first publisher approached by J.K Rowling.

They turned Harry Potter down. 

They suggested that Rowling take a writing class because they thought her work stunk. 

She went on to sell over 500,000,000 books.

Just because some people don’t like your...

I’m hopping on a plane to California (yes, I was there last week, too)…

...but this time, I'll be speaking in the Los Angeles area. 

I’ll be doing 2 strategic storytelling workshops there! 

My goal for the audiences: massive change. 

If they utilize the concepts...

Most of it was a waste of time.

Save yourself the time, and just do this...

1. Open up a spreadsheet.

2. Put the top 10 people on it that can help you get to where you want to go

3. Think of all the stories you can share with them that will be relatable to them. 

4. Start engaging on their...

SHOW NOTES:

SUMMARY: In this episode, Alicia Parr and Matt Zaun discuss a simple framework for motivating and aligning a team.

FRAMEWORK MENTIONED:

1. Affirm and reiterate beliefs, principles & values.
2. Look what we’ve accomplished. We’ve done great things together already.
   (Localize...

...Dan Koval, is always reminding me to not only work hard but to play hard, too! 

Sometimes, we get so caught up in the go, go, go that we forget to slow down and actually enjoy life.

This week was awesome! I conducted 2 strategic storytelling workshops in the Bay area for some incredible...

Take the place of:

-Empathy
-Compassion
-Love

A lot of people are talking about AI, but they’re not setting the groundwork to combat it. 

If you want to create a vibrant company culture, you need to have a surge of storytelling…

…because storytelling touches on all of these...

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...

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...

Excited to fly to the Bay Area. 

Tomorrow, I'll be speaking at PCH, Inc. 

We’ll be talking about how to…

-boost sales
-enhance internal communication 
-and create a vibrant company culture 

…all through the power of strategic storytelling. 

The next few...

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

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...

SHOW NOTES:

SERIES: This podcast episode is part of a book-writing series with Amy Lynch on the Stories With Traction Podcast.

1st Episode

2nd EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode, Amy Lynch and Matt Zaun discuss systems and creativity in book writing.

AMY LYNCH BIO: Amy is the founder and a writer at...

I took a significant financial risk and lost, putting my family in a tough position.
 
The night it all came crashing down, I sat on my couch crying since I knew how tough the road ahead would be. 

My wife sat beside me and said, “You need to keep going. Regardless of the...

Last year, 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
...

...make sure...

You know how to speak to connect
You write short, clear, and for impact
Make sure you know how to dress for the situation 

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

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

...

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:

Leader of Leaders with  Anthony Lee
How to be a TEDx Speaker with  Bobby Umar
How...

My speaking calendar is almost completely booked for 2025. As of this moment, I only have availability to add a few more Powerfully Persuade Through Storytelling workshops next year.

If your organization is interested in learning strategies to inspire your team, persuade your clients, and create...

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. 

...

...I find myself reflecting on the whirlwind of the year so far. 

It's been quite a journey from countless miles flown and driven to working tirelessly for my clients!

But now, it’s time for a much-needed pause. I won't be flying anywhere for the next...