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The silence was deafening, and then you could hear my feet running...๐Ÿ‘‡ Jul 23, 2024

I was on a treadmill at my gym when the severity of the Great Recession was announced on the news.ย 
ย 
Everyone was in shock, and they quietly listened to what all the TVs around them were saying.ย 
ย 
I kept running.
ย 
I remember running faster and faster and hearing the words of my fath
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What I learned from touring Motown Recordsโ€ฆ Jul 22, 2024


ย 

In the late 1950s, a Ford Motor Plant worker named Berry Gordy noticed something.ย 

On the assembly line, scrap metal would go down one side, and on the other end, a beautiful car would be assembled.ย 

What if you could do the same with musiciansโ€ฆ?

Gordy was a part-time songwriter who barely made ends...

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I learned how to drive in my parentโ€™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.ย 

You should have heard all the names I was called.

My Dad said, โ€œtake the kids' bullying and turn it into an opportunity.โ€

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

I went from โ€œM...

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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 Washingtonย 
-Thomas Jefferson
-James Buchanan
-Abraham Lincolnย 
-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.ย 

Each one fascinates me becau...

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

...how to warm up a room.ย 

Your talk begins long before you open your mouth.ย 

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

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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๐ŸŽ† Happy 4th of July! ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Jul 04, 2024

Recently, my son Elliot and I visited the Liberty Bell, one of the most iconic symbols of American independence and freedom. ๐Ÿ›Ž๏ธ

5 insights about the bellโ€ฆ

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.๐Ÿ‘‡ Jul 03, 2024


So many content creators on LinkedIn want โ€œlikes.โ€

No strategy.ย Just fluff.ย 

I know someone who has 1,000,000+ LinkedIn followers, and their business is struggling.ย 

I also know someone with 10,000 followers, and their business is thriving.ย 

The difference?ย One posts for clicks.ย 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 okayโ€ฆ

โ€ฆI'm celebrating 3 incredible years of podcasting!

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

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

"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...ย 

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.ย 

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

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

I flew int...

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My youngest son helped me launch the Stories With Traction movement. ๐Ÿ‘‡ Jul 01, 2024


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

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

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

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

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. ๐Ÿ‘‡ย 

Branson said, โ€œtelling a story is one of the best ways we have of coming up with new ideas.โ€ย 

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

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We often hear that itโ€™s wise to... Jul 01, 2024

...be a โ€œgood listener,โ€ which is solid advice, but why do we talk so much about the importance of listening?ย 

Why donโ€™t we talk about the importance of being a โ€œgreat watcher?โ€ย 

Communication is 80% body language.

If we learn to watch an individualโ€™s body language correctly, we will pick up on whatโ€™...

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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. Jul 01, 2024


Here's what I promise YOU...

๐Ÿ‘‰ YOU will offend people; it's inevitable
๐Ÿ‘‰ Not everyone will relate to what YOU share
๐Ÿ‘‰ 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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I've had 9 posts go viral. Jul 01, 2024

Here's the brutal truth that I learned...


โžก๏ธ None of these posts led to new business
โžก๏ธ These posts sucked up way too much of my time
โžก๏ธ Some of these posts did not contribute to my mission

Today, I have zero desire to go viral.ย 

Playing the โ€œlikes and engagementโ€ game is a slippery slope.ย 

Instead of t...

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The Story of SOLV | Stories With Traction Podcast Jul 01, 2024

SUMMARY: In this episode, Tressa McLaughlin and Matt Zaun discuss why Tressa is so excited to help her team and clients.

TRESSA MCLAUGHLIN BIO: Tressa is the Co-Owner, President, and CEO of SOLV.

For more info, check out Tressa HERE.

MATT ZAUN BIO: Matt is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who ...

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Amazon spends billions of dollars a year on advertising, and some people... Jun 22, 2024

...wonder if posting on LinkedIn every day is overdoing it!ย 

Do you want to get above the noise or not?!ย 

If so, focus on consistently sharing yourย stories, offeringย value, and building trust with your connections throughย content.ย 

Post regularly!

If Amazon spends more money on advertising than most c...

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๐ŸŒž And just like that, Spring has sprung right out of here! ๐ŸŒธโžก๏ธ๐Ÿ”ฅ Jun 22, 2024

Summer is here,ย and wow, my calendar from August to December looks like a jigsaw puzzle of flights, workshops, and (hopefully) some sleep. ๐Ÿ›ซ๐Ÿงฉ๐Ÿ’ค

To keep my sanity, I've decided to step off the travel treadmill for 2 months and actually spend time with my family! (First time since the COVID era ...

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Instead of trying to manipulate people, I challenge you... Jun 22, 2024


...to inspire those around you instead!ย 

Here are some thoughts to help you motivate others to buy into your ideas:
ย 
๐Ÿญ. ๐—›๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜๐˜† ๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐—น๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐˜†.ย 

You do NOT need to make up situations and lie toย communicateย persuasively. By being authentic and real with people, youโ€™re putting yourself in a positio...

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Steve Jobs helped me out BIG time! ๐Ÿ‘‡ Jun 22, 2024


On June 29, 2007 (17 years ago), Apple launched the first iPhone.

This caused a generational addiction.ย 

Millennialsย 
Gen-Xers
Baby boomers

...all addicted to a device in the palm of their hands.ย 

The invention ripped peopleโ€™s attention spans from the frame.

Because of this, people need to tell stories (...

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What my son doesn't know yet... Jun 18, 2024

First, I couldn't be more proud of my son!ย 

This school year, he won the award for Incredible Storyteller.

โžก๏ธ My story | 12 years ago, after a disastrous talk, I remember running out to my car, slamming the door, grabbing the steering wheel, and yelling, "THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN!"ย 

From there, I...

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One of my mentors, Dan Koval is always reminding me to... Jun 17, 2024

...not only work hard but to play hard too!ย 

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

Last week was awesome! I conducted 3 strategic storytelling workshops in the Denver area for some incredible business leaders. (By the way, if you hav...

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โ€œMatt, you should be ashamed of yourself; your career path is strong, but your kid's future is looking bleak.โ€๐Ÿ‘‡ Jun 16, 2024

For the first 4 years of my oldest sonโ€™s life, I neglected him.ย 

I was so focused on my career that I'm sad to say I don't remember much of those early years.

Then it all changed.ย 

One of my business mentors pointed out that I spent more time focusing on my business plans than I did planning for my c...

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