The StoryBrand Podcast

We all know we're supposed to be using social media to build our brands. But how can we do it in a way that truly serves our customers, too? Craig Detweiler is a film and media commentator, and he joins our own Dr. J.J. Peterson to show us how. If you want to actually connect on social media (instead of just wasting time pretending to), then you want to listen to this episode.

If you manage a team, you may think you need a collection of top-notch specialists. But you'll second-guess that strategy after you listen to today's podcast. David Epstein joins us to show the power of having range -- broad, generalized knowledge that helps us see hidden patterns and solve big problems. He's turned swaths of data into compelling case studies that will shift the way you think about your team (and your own career

Leadership is tough enough from your comfy cubicle. Now, imagine doing it on the front lines as a Navy SEAL. That's exactly what today's podcast guest has done. Former Navy SEAL Commander Alden Mills joins us to share four powerful (and surprisingly heartfelt) leadership principles. This is hard-won wisdom, and he's found a way to make it practical for us. If you want to build up a daring team that knows how to win, then you want to listen to this episode

What's the biggest factor in our success? It's not what we do. It's who we're in proximity to. Today on the podcast, Ken Coleman tells us how to surround ourselves with influential people and put ourselves in intentional places. Listen now, and you just might discover how to change careers, land your next big client, or finally launch that side hustle.

If you're a leader, you probably got your role by being an expert in your field. So what happens when you need to broaden your leadership role and oversee people whose field you aren't an expert in? Today's guest, Dr. Wanda Wallace, shows us three practical ways we can "span" our leadership into new areas by adding unexpected value. It's a paradigm shift you don't want to miss -- listen now!

You may not even realize it, but a lot of our "traditional" principles of leadership don't fit today's modern world. In this episode, Kevin Kruse will help you ditch outdated leadership ideas so you can strengthen your team and improve your company.

If you're a visionary leader, you know how to inspire your company with big ideas. But you may not know how to scale your company with the right processes and hires -- and over time, your bottom line will suffer. Listen to today's episode with Les McKeown, and learn the 5 practical steps to clean up and scale your company -- so you're free to pursue the big-picture stuff you love.

Could you take a month-long vacation from your business without things falling apart? One of our favorite guests, Mike Michalowicz, returns with seven steps you can follow to build a more efficient organization that runs on its own, without relying on you every step of the way. And hey, maybe that dream vacation is closer than you think!

Great leadership starts with understanding your customers and your staff. But it doesn't end there. To truly succeed, you need to be able to make genuine human connections with those around you. Today on the podcast, Donald Miller welcomes Joshua DuBois. After working with President Obama and Oprah, he now runs a cutting-edge focus group firm. He shares how we can become better marketers and leaders by truly connecting with people's struggles and motivations.

Do you want a team that's collaborative and innovative? That means you'll also have conflict and failure -- and all the messy emotions that come with them. On today's podcast, Dr. Susan David shares how we can welcome emotions at work while also using them to grow in powerful ways outside of the office. It's practical and rich stuff -- listen now!

How much do financial markets actually impact your small business? More than you probably realize. And in this case, what you don't know really can hurt you -- and your employees. Today on the podcast, fiduciary analyst Josh Robbins will arm you with the information you need to make smart decisions about your financial advisors, investments and 401k plans -- without getting taken advantage of.

Nobody wants to talk about it, but a potential recession is looming. And that's a scary thought for most business leaders. But what if it was possible to make a a few changes in your business now so that you would be ready to survive a recession? Or better yet — what if your business could actually THRIVE during a recession? This week on the podcast, Don and J.J. lay out a plan for "recession proofing" your business. This could be the episode that keeps your business running at full speed while your competition is hitting the panic button. Don't miss it!

Behind Willie Robertson's success in the reality show "Duck Dynasty" is a powerful story of American entrepreneurship. Today on the podcast, he and Don share an honest (and hilarious) conversation about Willie's journey as an unlikely CEO. How can we process well through failure? What's the key to staying true to yourself in success? How do our family and faith impact us as leaders? There's lots of wisdom here for any business leader -- listen now!

So much productivity "advice" these days will help you cut down your workload. That's great! But if you fill that time back up again with more work, that's a surefire way to burn out and compromise the relationships in your life that really matter to you. Today on the podcast, Michael Hyatt gives us a radical new approach to productivity: what if we can keep achieving at work and still be present for what matters in life? If you're tired of the hustle and want to design a more intentional life, make sure you listen to this episode.

Shannon Sedgwick Davis is the CEO of Bridgeway Foundation, the foundation arm of a capitol management firm that gives half of its profits away, and with that money, she fought a Ugandan warlord. Yes, really! She's on the podcast today to share the extraordinary story. Plus, she inspires us to consider how our businesses can help turn the tide on the social issues that keep us up at night. Listen now!

Running a business can (and will) mess with your emotions. And when our emotions take over, the rational part of our brain shuts down. Not a good thing when you're making high-stakes business decisions. Sean Webb show you how to "hack" your happiness so you can control how you respond in charged situations. Listen now!

You may have the finely honed skills of a leader, but people won't follow you unless you have the heart of a leader. And that's what we're talking about today with Mark Miller. He's the VP of High Performance Teams at Chick-fil-A, and he shares 5 character traits of strong leaders. If you're ready to become the kind of leader people want to follow, listen to this episode.

As a business leader, you've got to pay attention to what's going on in the world. But with 24-hour news cycles, constant outrage, and endless "hot takes," it can feel impossible to truly understand the issues. To help us make sense of it, Don sits down with CNN analyst Kirsten Powers for an honest and nuanced conversation about how we can process the news in complex times.

If you lead a business, you're constantly negotiating -- even if you don't realize it. Make sure no one's taking advantage of you, with help from today's guest. Chris Voss is a former FBI hostage negotiator, and he understands the neuroscience that drives any negotiation. He sits down with Don to help us apply those tactics in our everyday lives as business leaders. If you want to approach your next deal with confidence, don't miss this episode.

As the Governor of Tennessee for the last eight years -- and a successful business leader before that -- Bill Haslam knows a lot about leadership. In this special episode of the Building a StoryBrand podcast, he joins Don for an earnest and inspiring conversation. Whether you lead in the public or private sector, you'll find practical wisdom that'll sharpen your leadership skills.

How did one family-owned business crank out a 90% conversion rate (!!!!) for their golf course fertilizer -- even when their product cost more than their competitors'? They showed their prospects how great life could be once they buy -- and they did it in a wild and wonderful way. David Pursell, the CEO of Pursell Farms, tells the whole story this week on the podcast. It'll inspire you to think creatively about your sales process, too.

What will your customer miss out on if they don't buy your product or service? That's the power of "FOMO" - or "Fear of Missing Out." And as marketers, it's critical that we create it -- without resorting to cheap fear tactics. That's why we're excited to have Matt Ford on the podcast. He's the creative force behind experience-driven marketing campaigns for Hulu, Adidas (among others) that customers don't want to miss out on. Learn how you can apply this powerful strategy to your own brand!

It's no secret that a strong call to action is key for creating great marketing material. But what does it look like to actually craft a call to action that people respond to? To help answer that question we invited our Director of Marketing, Tyler Ginn, to join the podcast for this week's episode. He sits down with Don and JJ to break down a successful email campaign and gives you practical tips for creating calls to action in your marketing that will get a response. Plus, find out which type of salesperson is statistically proven to be the most successful (hint: the answer will probably surprise you).

The Ritz-Carlton is one of the most iconic brands in the world. And on this episode of the podcast, we welcome the visionary who built it, Horst Schulze. He shares the practical strategies he used to do it. How to craft a compelling vision. How to make sure all your employees share that vision. Plus, the four key objectives every successful business pursues in order to succeed. It's a masterclass in authentic branding and visionary leadership from a man who knows exactly what it takes to excel at the highest level -- and what he shares will help you excel, too.

We all need to know how to conduct great interviews. Whether you're hiring, networking, doing customer discovery, or even dating, you need to be able to ask questions that solicit meaningful answers. On this episode of the podcast, Donald Miller talks with master interviewer Dean Nelson about what questions to ask, how to listen, and more. Don't miss this super practical episode!

Want to make your brand's messaging exponentially more powerful? Learn how to define a villain for your customers. That's because our brains are hard-wired to pay attention to negative things -- threats, villains, potential losses. On today's episode, Mike McHargue (a.k.a. "Science Mike") explains the science of why this happens. And don't worry -- he uses simple terms we can all understand and apply to our businesses without being manipulative.

What are you selling? Your quick answer may be "real estate" or "jewelry" -- but to really connect with customers, you need to understand the deeper value you offer them. You don't sell real estate, you sell peace of mind. You don't sell jewelry, you sell confidence. Join us on this episode for a deep dive into defining what your customer really wants. First, Don and JJ talk about why we need to understand our customers' desires. Then, Don interviews advertising executive Aaron James about real-world ad campaigns that have done just that. If you want to give yourself a big advantage as we start 2019, this is the episode for you!

As we close out the year and look ahead to 2019, take a moment to reflect on how you're growing as a business leader. This podcast is a great place to start. We've compiled the best and brightest insights from this year's episodes, from world-renowned guests like Rachel Hollis, Daniel Pink, and Patrick Lencioni. It's a wealth of wisdom to inspire and equip you for the year ahead. http://buildingastorybrand.com/129

Word of mouth plays a role in 50-90% of all buying decisions. But most of us have never actually sat down to outline a strategy that would get more customers talking about our brand. If that's you, it won't be after you listen to this episode. Jay Baer joins Donald Miller to talk about "talk triggers" -- moments you can create for your customers that they'll tell their friends about. He's full of specific, practical examples that will inspire you. You may very well transform your whole business with the big idea you get from this episode. Listen now! http://buildingastorybrand.com/episode-128/

Should your company take a stand on a social issue? There's no better person to ask than TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie. He and his team have built a thriving footwear brand on the One for One model of giving a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair they sell. And recently, they launched a bold campaign on the controversial issue of gun violence. In this episode, we examine the finer points of what happens when your company takes a stand on a social issue. How does it affect your employees' lives? Your bottom line? Your brand? The cause itself? Listen now and see for yourself. http://buildingastorybrand.com/127

We business leaders like to talk about our "core values," but all too often, those values don't actually show up in our products, services, and business practices. That's not the case at Brandless, an online retailer with a wholly different approach to how people shop for home essentials. They've built everything around core values like quality, community, and kindness. On today's episode, our guest correspondent Allison Trowbridge talks with Tina Sharkey, the co-founder of Brandless, about the practical ways we can build our businesses around our core values. Listen now! http://buildingastorybrand.com/126

The Enneagram is a personality typing system that teaches there are nine basic personality styles in the world. These styles, or "Types," deeply influence how we think and act. But what does that mean for us as leaders? Enneagram teacher Ian Cron is back for part 2 of our Enneagram series for leadership. This time, he shows you how to leverage the strengths of your own Enneagram Type in order to lead your team well. (Not sure of your Type? You may have a better idea of it after you listen to this episode!) http://buildingastorybrand.com/125

The Enneagram is a personality typing system that teaches there are nine basic personality styles in the world. These styles, or "types," deeply influence how we think and act. Today on the podcast, we welcome Ian Cron, an Enneagram teacher, to walk us through leadership "do's and don'ts" for each type so we can lead our teams well. Download the cheat sheet for this episode: http://storybrand.com/enneagram http://buildingastorybrand.com/124

By now you know the framework of story can transform your marketing. But how can story make you a better leader? Today on the StoryBrand podcast, the tables turn as Andy Stanley interviews Donald Miller about how to invite those you lead into a bigger story. Learn the 3 questions you need to answer for your organization and you'll be ready to re-energize your team. Listen now! http://buildingastorybrand.com/123

Got something you need to communicate to a crowd? You KNOW it needs to be clear and memorable. But that's easier said than done. Today on the podcast, we welcome one of the finest communicators we know, Andy Stanley. As a pastor and bestselling author, he knows how to craft a message that sticks. Listen to learn the 5 questions he asks himself as he prepares a talk. They'll help a ton the next time you need to win over a crowd. http://buildingastorybrand.com/122

How on earth does a summer league baseball team in Savannah, Georgia sell out every game? Well, it has nothing to do with the baseball -- and everything to do with the team's philosophy of putting fans first. In this episode, we sit down with Savannah Bananas GM Jesse Cole. He shares the unique and fun philosophy that's fueled their success and how we can apply it to delight our customers and grow our businesses. http://buildingastorybrand.com/121

We're gearing up for a strong economy this holiday season. Is your marketing ready? If you're not sure, listen to this episode. Don and JJ talk through the four simple tasks you need to create in order to have a great fourth quarter (and beyond!). They don't cost much -- just a little time. But execute them well and you'll be crushing your revenue goals for Q4. http://buildingastorybrand.com/120

Leadership, character, performance, and competition. All part of our lives as business leaders -- and also the driving forces for sports teams. So this week, as the NFL season heats up, we're honored to have Ben Malcolmson, the assistant to Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, with us on the podcast. He and Donald Miller talk about Coach Carroll's leadership, the surprising role persistence plays in our success, and the "x-factor" quality they look for in every player. Give this episode a listen so you can be a better leader, no matter what your playing field looks like. http://buildingastorybrand.com/119

It's not a question of whether or not we'll face adversity. It's a question of how we'll respond when we do. So today on the Building a StoryBrand podcast, we're featuring interviews with two incredibly resilient people. First, Donald Miller sits down with Bonnie St. John, who despite having her right leg amputated as a child, became the first African-American to medal in Winter Olympic competition. Second, Allison Trowbridge talks with Jason Russell, who experienced worldwide acclaim with Invisible Children followed by a public mental breakdown. They help us understand what resilience looks like and why it matters. So if you're facing a setback, listen to this episode for the inspiration you need to get back up. http://buildingastorybrand.com/118

If you manage a team, it's way too easy to just give advice and demand action. But if you want to get the best from your team so your business can grow, you've got to coach your people, not manage them. In this episode of the Building a StoryBrand podcast, Donald Miller sits down with Michael Bungay Stanier. He talks us through seven questions we can ask our team members if we want to have better conversations. http://buildingastorybrand.com/117

Sales minus expenses equals profit, right? Not exactly, according to Mike Michalowicz, our guest on today's episode. A lot of business leaders aren't maximizing their profits because they're thinking about them as what's "left over." He shares his system for structuring your business' finances so you put the priority on profit. It's remarkably simple and will help you reshape your entire mindset around how you look at profit and expenses. http://buildingastorybrand.com/116

If you lead a business, you've got a huge opportunity to add value to your product or service. Trouble is, most everybody overlooks it. On today's episode of the Building a StoryBrand podcast, guest correspondent Allison Trowbridge talks with Gina Bianchini. She's the founder and CEO of Mighty Networks and a pioneer in online community building. She's helped countless businesses offer value in the form of a niche community where customers can share ideas and experiences. She'll show you how, too -- and why it's important as the Facebook backlash grows. If the customers you serve have a motivation to help each other, don't miss this episode! http://buildingastorybrand.com/115

If you're a business owner, then you know how to pay your taxes. But do you understand the basic economic principles of how those taxes work? Or how economic policy affects your business's growth? Today on the Building a StoryBrand podcast, Donald Miller talks with Dr. Arthur Laffer, a prominent American economist whose ideas have shaped policy from the Reagan administration through today. He gives us an accessible primer on how taxes work -- plus, we dive into other economic policy like trade, debt, and more. It's straightforward, easy-to-understand, and frankly, a whole lot more fun than your Econ 101 class ever was. http://buildingastorybrand.com/114

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York is on the podcast! Sarah Ferguson sat down with our correspondent, Allison Trowbridge, for an inspiring conversation about how we can all bring an entrepreneurial spirit to improve the lives of those around us. She's winsome and full of wisdom -- and, having married the son of the Queen of England, she has found a way to use her considerable influence to be a voice for those in need. Don't miss this uplifting episode! http://buildingastorybrand.com/113

In this episode, we're taking a closer look at how music artists and managers develop their brands in a rapidly changing landscape. In part one, guest correspondent Allison Trowbridge interviews Russell Redeaux, the manager for Snoop Dogg and many other fantastic artists. Then, in part two, Donald Miller sits down with musician Ben Rector. From balancing commercial success with artistry, to cultural diversity in our entertainment, to the way streaming works, to the backstory of global marketing campaigns, you'll find this insider look at the music business fascinating. http://buildingastorybrand.com/112

Ever wondered how songs get written, pitched, and cut? How songwriters and publishers work together? How the creative process unfolds? The role publishers play in getting a song out there? To answer all these questions, we sat down with legendary Nashville songwriter Tom Douglas and the president and CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Troy Tomlinson. It's a fascinating look at both the art and business of songwriting. If you're in a creative field, you'll find plenty of takeaways for your own business. http://buildingastorybrand.com/111

Your customers are leaving in droves. Today's guest, Joey Coleman, has the research to back it up. So if you want to keep your customers and grow your business, don't miss this episode. In it, Joey highlights the 8 phases of customer experience so you never lose another customer again. http://buildingastorybrand.com/110

We talk a lot about "trust" in our businesses. But a lot of us are getting it wrong. On this episode, Oxford lecturer and bestselling author Rachel Botsman joins us for a fascinating look at how trust works in the business world, how it's changing, and what we need to do to keep up. http://buildingastorybrand.com/109

A vibrant company culture is a silver bullet for success. But how does culture work? What makes it gel? On this episode, we talk with NYT bestselling author Daniel Coyle, who unpacks 3 traits of great cultures and how we can develop them in our businesses. http://buildingastorybrand.com/108

What is the "ideal" entrepreneur like? The answer may surprise you. Why? Because our assumptions about what it takes to run a business don't really line up with what successful leaders actually do. Today on the Building a StoryBrand podcast, guest correspondent Allison Trowbridge talks to esteemed Oxford economic sociologist Marc Ventresca. He debunks 3 myths about entrepreneurship. Listen for an inspiring new outlook on how to lead your business well. http://buildingastorybrand.com/107