The StoryBrand Podcast

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 ne...

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 cr...

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 custome...

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...

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...

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 ap...

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 u...

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://buildingas...

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...

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...

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 gue...

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 l...

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/...

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://buildingastor...

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 tim...

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...

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 p...

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 competitio...

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...

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 a...

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...