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Check out these numbersā€¦ Oct 21, 2024

LinkedIn post #1: had 2 likes and 1 commentĀ 

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.Ā 

You see, the person who commented found the content super relatable to him, and he became a huge client.Ā 

ā€œPopularā€ posts donā€™t ...

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šŸ’Ŗ I have a secret weapon. It's the reason behind my success... Oct 15, 2024

I have amazing friends.Ā 

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

Tomorrow, one of those friends gets a little older.Ā 

This man helped me...

Launch my speaking business (9-years-ago) and my podcast (4-years-ago).

He's been there for me through thick and thi...

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BIG MISTAKE! šŸ¤Æ Oct 15, 2024

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

They turned Harry Potter down.Ā 

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

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

Just because some people donā€™t like your work, it doesnā€™t mean that...

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šŸ”„ Fired up this week! Oct 15, 2024

Iā€™m hopping on a plane to California (yes, I was there last week, too)ā€¦

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

Iā€™ll be doing 2 strategic storytelling workshops there!Ā 

My goal for the audiences: massive change.Ā 

If they utilize the concepts shared, they will:

-boost their sales
-en...

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Over the past few years, I spent several hundred hours networking. Oct 12, 2024

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.Ā 

4. Start engaging on their content (multi...

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Motivating & Aligning Your Team | Stories With Traction Podcast Oct 11, 2024

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 weā€™ve accomplished. Weā€™ve done great things together already.
    (Localize to the audience ...
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One of my mentors... Oct 11, 2024

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

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 business ...

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AI can NOTā€¦ Oct 10, 2024

Take the place of:

-Empathy
-Compassion
-Love

A lot of people are talking about AI, but theyā€™re not setting the groundwork to combat it.Ā 

If you want to create a vibrant company culture, you need to have a surge of storytellingā€¦

ā€¦because storytelling touches on all of these points (empathy, compassion, ...

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I made a huge mistake a decade ago. Oct 10, 2024

I wanted to appear smart.Ā 

So, I wrote like I was writing to my professors. All academic.Ā 

My boss at the time told me, ā€œDo you want to sound smart, or do you want to make sense?ā€

Great storytellers value clarity above complexity.Ā Ā šŸ‘‡


If you were to take Ernest Hemingwayā€™s work (a great Nobel Prize-winni...

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My 6-year-old has an issue. šŸ‘‡ Oct 10, 2024

He can't stand ā€œbad guysā€ in movies.

Freaks him out.

But aren't we all allergic to adversity?

In the moment, we want it to be easy.Ā 

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 story.Ā 

You can use...

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Up at the crack of dawnāœ”ļø Packedāœ”ļø Ready to fly 2,916 milesāœ”ļø Oct 07, 2024

Excited to fly to the Bay Area.Ā 

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

Weā€™ll be talking about how toā€¦

-boost sales
-enhance internal communicationĀ 
-and create a vibrant company cultureĀ 

ā€¦all through the power of strategic storytelling.Ā  šŸ—£

The next few days are going to be awesome!Ā 


P.S. If you'd like ...

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The election was so close that it had to be decided by Congress. šŸ‘‡ Oct 04, 2024

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

So far, I've been to:

-George WashingtonĀ 
-Thomas Jefferson
-James Buchanan
-Abraham LincolnĀ 
-Rutherford B. Hayes
-Woodrow Wilson
-Warren G. Harding
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Richard Nixon
-Jimmy Carter
-Ronald Reaga...

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Have you ever thought about writing a book? Oct 03, 2024

I'm thrilled to announce the latest Stories With Traction podcast episode, Systems for Writing a Book withĀ Ā Amy Lynch! šŸŽ™ļø
Ā 
If youā€™re an aspiring author or simply interested in the art of storytelling, this episode is a must-listen.

Here are theĀ 3 key takeawaysĀ that you wonā€™t want to miss:

1) Importance...

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Systems for Writing a Book | Stories With Traction Podcast Oct 03, 2024

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 Fern...

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I remember hitting rock bottom several years ago. šŸ‘‡ Oct 02, 2024

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

My wife sat beside me and said, ā€œYou need to keep going. Regardless of the consequences, I want you to ...

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Today is Jimmy Carterā€™s 100th Birthday! Oct 01, 2024

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, Iā€™ve been to:

-George WashingtonĀ 
-Thomas Jefferson
-James Buchanan
-Abraham Linc...

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ā€œPeople will judge you by how you look, speak, and write, so... Sep 30, 2024

...make sure...

āž”ļø You know how to speak to connect
āž”ļø You write short, clear, and for impact
āž”ļø Make sure you know how to dress for the situationĀ 

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

When I went into business, my Dadā€™s words came rushing back.

Simple.Ā True.Ā Impactful.

Don't overcomp...

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šŸŽ™ļø What Makes a Great Podcast? Great Guests! šŸŒŸ Sep 27, 2024

The lastĀ 3Ā quarters this year have beenĀ incredible!Ā 

Excited for you to hearĀ what'sĀ to come in the months ahead, but in the meantime, check out some of the highlights:

Leader of Leaders withĀ Ā Anthony Lee
How to be a TEDx Speaker withĀ Ā Bobby Umar
How to be More Creative withĀ Ā Barbara Zerfoss
The Inferio...

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2025 scheduling announcement! Sep 25, 2024

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 a ...

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I'll be dead soon. šŸ‘‡ Sep 24, 2024

We all will, actually. Life is quick.Ā 

This is the first thing my kids are to do once I'm goneā€¦

ā€¦whether I pass away in 5 years or 50.Ā 

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

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

Every time I produce an episode, ...

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As summer officially ends and we gear up for the fall... Sep 23, 2024

...IĀ find myself reflectingĀ on the whirlwind of the year so far.Ā 

It'sĀ been quite a journey from countless miles flown and driven to working tirelessly for my clients! āœˆļøšŸš—

But now,Ā itā€™sĀ time for a much-needed pause. IĀ won'tĀ be flying anywhere for the next two weeks and spending time with family.Ā 

My ...

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Why Storytelling is More Crucial Than Ever... Sep 22, 2024

In today's fast-paced, tech-driven world, storytelling isnā€™t just importantā€”itā€™s essential.

šŸŽ„Ā Why?Ā Letā€™s break it down.

Think back to 2007 when the first iPhone launched. It didnā€™t change our culture overnight, but within a few years, almost everyoneā€”millennials, Gen Xers, even baby boomersā€”was glued ...

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šˆš­ā€™š¬ š©š«šžš­š­š² š¬š¢š¦š©š„šž...š©šžšØš©š„šž š„šØšÆšž š­šØ š„š¢š¬š­šžš§ š­šØ š¬š­šØš«š¢šžš¬! Sep 22, 2024

People want to feel that they can trust you, and the quickest way you can build that trust is through storytelling.Ā 

In addition, people are yearning for a real connection.Ā 

Understanding this is an opportunity for you and a chance to empower people through your personal and business stories.Ā 

šŸ‘‰ Talk...

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Have you ever lit your ship on fire? Sep 21, 2024

I just burned mine in the harbor.Ā 

In 1519, HernĆ”n CortĆ©s destroyed all his ships to send a clear message to his soldiersā€¦

THERE IS NO TURNING BACK!Ā 

I, too, just burned my ship.Ā 

Recently, I was offered the largest contract I could have ever thought possible in my business at this point.Ā 

Iā€™d love it....

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