Stories With Traction

SHOW NOTES Wanna… ✅ Boost your Sales? ✅ Enhance your Marketing? ✅ Create a vibrant company culture? All of that is possible through the power of Strategic Storytelling! Check out the Stories With Traction course , where you’ll learn how to build a StoryBank and strategically utilize stories to achieve your goals. You can find the course HERE . PODCAST SUMMARY In this powerful episode of Stories With Traction , Matt Zaun sits down with former NFL athlete turned entrepreneur and transformational speaker Jacob Brown for a raw conversation about failure, identity, resilience, and rebuilding your life after everything falls apart. Jacob shares his journey from growing up in a small Michigan town to achieving his dream of making it to the NFL, only to have that dream suddenly ripped away after being cut by the Oakland Raiders. But the football setback was only the beginning. Together, Matt and Jacob discuss what it truly means to “Fail Forward” using adversity as fuel rather than shame and why some of the darkest moments in life can become catalysts for the greatest transformation. ABOUT JACOB BROWN Jacob Brown is a former NFL athlete, entrepreneur, transformational speaker, and writer who helps leaders turn adversity into growth and lead with authenticity. After being cut from the Oakland Raiders and later enduring divorce, alcoholism, homelessness, and personal loss, Jacob rebuilt his life through what he now calls the “Fail Forward” mindset, using failure as fuel instead of allowing it to become shame. Today, Jacob teaches leaders how to Lead From the Core™ through storytelling, resilience, and his A.V.O.C.A.D.O. Leadership™ framework. Over the past decade, he has shared his message with thousands on stages around the world and millions online, helping people push past fear, rediscover purpose, and build lives worth celebrating. ABOUT MATT ZAUN Matt Zaun is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who empowers organizations to attract more clients through the art of strategic storytelling . His workshops have helped more than 300 organizations improve sales, leadership communication, marketing, and company culture through intentional storytelling strategies. Matt works with executives, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs to help them become more persuasive, memorable, and influential through the power of story.

SHOW NOTES Want to boost your sales…without feeling pushy, stressed, or burned out? What if one of the most overlooked sales skills had nothing to do with scripts, pressure, or manipulation… …and everything to do with mindfulness? PODCAST SUMMARY In this episode of Stories With Traction , Matt Zaun sits down with author and mindfulness expert Joy Rains to discuss her book Ignite Your Sales Power and the surprising connection between mindfulness, emotional awareness, and sales success. Drawing from decades of experience in B2B sales and meditation practice, Joy explains how mindfulness can help sales professionals become more present, more empathetic, and more effective communicators, ultimately leading to stronger relationships, clearer thinking, and greater business growth. Joy also shares her personal journey from feeling overwhelmed and mentally exhausted during her sales career to discovering meditation and mindfulness practices that transformed not only her stress levels but her entire approach to business and life. ABOUT JOY RAINS Joy Rains is the author of Ignite Your Sales Power and Meditation Illuminated, where she helps readers cultivate mindfulness, emotional awareness, and practical strategies for both personal well-being and professional growth. After years of working in B2B technology and advertising sales, Joy turned to meditation and mindfulness to help manage stress and mental overload. What began as a simple effort to quiet her mind evolved into a decades-long exploration of mindfulness practices and contemplative leadership. Today, Joy teaches approachable, practical mindfulness techniques designed specifically for everyday life, especially for professionals seeking more clarity, focus, and balance. She has presented mindfulness programs in a variety of settings, including the INBOUND Conference in Boston, and continues helping people integrate mindfulness into leadership, communication, and sales performance. EPISODES MENTIONED DURING THE CONVERSATION Six-Figure Sales Secrets Company Culture: Definition, Benefits, and Strategies ABOUT MATT ZAUN Matt Zaun is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who empowers organizations to attract more clients through the art of strategic storytelling . His workshops have helped more than 300 organizations improve sales, marketing, leadership communication, and company culture through intentional storytelling strategies. Matt works with executives, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs to help them become more persuasive, memorable, and influential through the power of story.

Wanna… Boost your Sales? Enhance your Marketing? and create a vibrant company culture? All of that is possible through the power of Strategic Storytelling! Check out the Stories With Traction course , where you’ll learn how to set up a "Storybank" and utilize it to achieve your goals! You can find the course HERE . SHOW NOTES: Want to improve communication inside your organization? Struggling with… ✅ Generational tension in the workplace? ✅ Miscommunication between leaders and younger employees? ✅ Retaining top talent across different age groups? This episode is for you. PODCAST SUMMARY In this episode of Stories With Traction , Matt Zaun sits down with generational strategist Dr. Katherine Jeffery for a fascinating conversation about how leaders can better understand, communicate with, and lead across generations in today’s workplace. With five generations now working side by side, organizations are facing challenges unlike anything we’ve seen before. Expectations around leadership, communication, loyalty, work-life balance, feedback, and collaboration are rapidly shifting, and many leaders are struggling to keep up. Dr. Jeffery explains why generational misunderstandings often create friction, confusion, and talent loss inside organizations… and how leaders can bridge those gaps without relying on stereotypes. Drawing on her research, counseling background, leadership experience, and the GenShift™ framework, Katherine shares practical ways organizations can build stronger trust, healthier communication, and more connected teams across generational lines. ABOUT DR. KATHERINE JEFFERY Dr. Katherine Jeffery is a generational strategist and creator of the GenShift™ framework, which helps organizations navigate the complexities of having multiple generations working side by side. Her work focuses on helping executives, HR leaders, and teams improve communication, strengthen trust, and create healthier workplace cultures through practical, research-backed strategies. Katherine’s journey began with working with at-risk youth in wilderness programs, then earned her Master’s in Counseling from Clemson University, and later completed doctoral research focused on Millennial leadership values. Today, she helps organizations better understand the evolving expectations around leadership, collaboration, and workplace culture across generations. ABOUT MATT ZAUN Matt Zaun is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who helps organizations attract more clients and strengthen company culture through the art of strategic storytelling . His workshops have helped more than 300 organizations improve sales, communication, leadership, and marketing through intentional storytelling strategies. Matt works with executives, sales teams, and entrepreneurs to help them become more persuasive, memorable, and influential in the marketplace.

PODCAST SUMMARY In this episode of Stories With Traction , Matt Zaun sits down with lead generation expert and former journalist Katie Wagner for a powerful conversation about the future of marketing, the growing “crisis of trust” online, and why authentic human connection is becoming the most valuable currency in business. Katie explains why traditional inbound marketing is no longer producing the same results, how AI is reshaping consumer behavior, and why businesses must shift toward relationship-driven strategies like “nearbound marketing” to stand out in an overcrowded digital world. ABOUT KATIE WAGNER Katie Wagner is a lead generation strategist, agency owner , and former television journalist with more than 16 years of experience in digital marketing. She specializes in helping businesses develop ROI-driven marketing strategies that drive real revenue through modern lead-generation systems, strategic partnerships, and authentic brand positioning. ABOUT MATT ZAUN Matt Zaun is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who helps organizations attract more clients through the art of strategic storytelling . His workshops have helped more than 300 organizations improve sales, marketing, leadership communication, and company culture through intentional storytelling strategies.

SHOW NOTES: In this episode , Matt Zaun sits down with Jody Grunden to unpack the financial habits, mindset shifts, and forecasting principles that help entrepreneurs build healthier, more scalable businesses. Jody shares his journey from reluctant entrepreneur to building and selling a highly successful virtual CFO firm , along with the lessons he learned the hard way about cash flow, pricing, risk, and growth. They discuss why so many business owners misunderstand cash, when debt is helpful versus harmful, how AI can support financial decision-making without replacing human oversight, and why every entrepreneur needs a real forecast instead of just a budget. Jody also opens up about the gritty early years of entrepreneurship, bootstrapping with credit cards, learning to price properly, and discovering the kind of business he actually wanted to build.

SHOW NOTES: In this episode , Matt Zaun sits down with Jen Moss , Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of JAR Podcast Solutions , to unpack what makes a podcast truly effective. Jen shares why podcasting is far more than “just hitting record,” and explains the strategic thinking, creative discipline, and authentic storytelling required to create a show that actually connects. They discuss podcast strategy, audience attention, narrative podcasting, AI’s role in content creation, why authenticity still wins, and how constraints and deadlines can actually fuel better creativity. Jen also shares her own creative journey from theater and journalism to radio, film, and podcasting, and why she believes process matters just as much as polish.

SHOW NOTES: In this episode of Stories With Traction , Matt Zaun sits down with Randy Lyman for a powerful conversation about emotional awareness, leadership, vulnerability, and personal growth. Randy shares how unresolved emotions can quietly shape our decision-making, relationships, and leadership style, and why true strength comes not from suppressing emotions, but from learning how to understand and work through them. He explains how fear, anger, shame, and past pain often surface in business settings, and how greater awareness can help leaders respond with greater clarity, calm, and confidence. Matt and Randy also discuss vulnerability in leadership, the difference between manipulation and inspiration, the role empathy plays in building trust, and how personal pain can deepen our ability to connect with others. Randy opens up about his journey from being bullied as a young teen to building businesses in the automotive industry, and eventually discovering the emotional work that transformed both his life and leadership. This episode is filled with practical wisdom for leaders who want to become more grounded, self-aware, and effective not just in business, but in life. RANDY BIO: Randy Lyman helps leaders find greater clarity, calm, confidence, and success by helping them better understand themselves and the emotional patterns that shape their lives and leadership. With a background in physics and business, along with decades of entrepreneurial experience, Randy brings a unique perspective to personal growth and leadership development. He blends logic, emotional awareness, and real-life experience to help people identify their strengths, work through internal obstacles, and build a better life for themselves and their families. Randy is also the author of The Third Element , in which he explores the connection among thoughts, actions, and emotions and how understanding all three can transform every area of life. MATT BIO: Matt Zaun is an award-winning speaker, storyteller, and strategic communication advisor who helps leaders and organizations use storytelling to build trust, inspire action, and create stronger connections. Through keynote speaking, workshops, consulting, and his podcast Stories With Traction, Matt equips executives, sales teams, and leaders with practical ways to communicate more effectively and more memorably.

SHOW NOTES: In this episode of Stories With Traction , Matt Zaun sits down with Lee Caraher to unpack one of the most important and misunderstood skills in leadership: communication. Lee shares why so many leaders mistakenly assume that because they said something once, their team understood it. She explains why head nods can be misleading, why repetition is essential, and why “they should know this already” is one of the biggest red flags in organizational communication. Matt and Lee also discuss how leaders can communicate more effectively across multiple channels, why AI should support communication rather than replace it, and how vulnerability can strengthen trust when used wisely. This conversation is packed with practical insights for leaders who want to reduce confusion, build stronger teams, and communicate in a way that actually lands. LEE BIO: Lee Caraher helps businesses and people achieve their goals through communication. She is the founder of Double Forte and the author of Millennials & Management and The Boomerang Principle . Lee works with leaders and organizations to improve communication, strengthen teams, and build cultures where people can thrive. MATT BIO: Matt Zaun is an award-winning speaker, storyteller, and strategic communication advisor who helps leaders and organizations use storytelling to build trust, inspire action, and create stronger connections. Through keynote speaking, workshops, consulting, and his podcast Stories With Traction, Matt equips executives, sales teams, and leaders with practical ways to communicate more effectively and more memorably.

SHOW NOTES: In this episode , Matt Zaun sits down with DonJay Rice for a thoughtful and practical conversation about money behaviors, identity, fear, family, and emotional health. DonJay explains that unhealthy money behaviors are rarely just about dollars and cents. They often reveal something deeper: fear, grief, control, guilt, or a misplaced sense of safety and identity. Together, Matt and DonJay unpack how money can quietly become a coping mechanism, how success can mask deeper emotional struggles, and why some of the most “financially responsible” habits can actually be destructive. They also explore retirement, over-saving, workaholism, financial enabling of children, and how unresolved childhood experiences can shape adult money patterns. DonJay shares pieces of his own story growing up in poverty, losing his mother at age 12, and becoming intensely driven by fear, and explains how that shaped his relationship with work, success, and security. This episode is a powerful reminder that money is never just about money. It is often tied to identity, safety, relationships, grief, and purpose.

SHOW NOTES: In this episode of Stories With Traction , Matt Zaun sits down with Mark Mallchok of Brella for a fascinating conversation about what actually makes an event memorable. Mark shares why great events are about far more than logistics, schedules, and content. He explains how the best events create real human connection, intentional engagement, and unforgettable experiences that people carry with them long after they leave the room. Matt and Mark unpack the psychology of audience attention, why too many events fail by cramming in too much content, and how planners can achieve stronger ROI by focusing on transformation rather than just information. They also explore why location matters so much, how every 10 minutes of an event should include an engagement shift, and why participants need to feel like active contributors, not passive spectators. If you care about leadership, communication, audience engagement, conferences, or creating experiences that truly resonate, this episode is packed with practical insight.

SHOW NOTES: In this episode of Stories With Traction , Matt Zaun sits down with Casey Brown , pricing expert , speaker, and author of Fearless Pricing , to unpack one of the biggest profit leaks in business: discounting too quickly, too deeply, and too often. Casey explains why most pricing decisions are driven by fear, why so many sales teams negotiate against themselves before the customer ever pushes back, and why underpricing is often less about strategy and more about mindset. This conversation explores the psychology behind pricing, how value should shape your pricing decisions, why customers often say “too expensive” when they really mean something else, and how to communicate price with far more confidence. If you lead a company, sell a product, run a service business, or ever find yourself hesitating before quoting your price, this episode is packed with insight.

SHOW NOTES: For this special 200th episode of Stories With Traction , we’re flipping the script. Instead of Matt Zaun interviewing a guest, GT Freeman of TLC Connections sits down with Matt for a conversation about leadership, communication, and the transformative power of story. Matt shares why storytelling is not just a nice addition to leadership communication; it is one of the most powerful tools leaders have for building trust, creating clarity, and inspiring action. He opens up about his own unlikely journey into public speaking, from intense social anxiety and a disastrous early political speech to becoming a sought-after speaker who has delivered talks across the country. Together, GT and Matt explore how stories help leaders move beyond data dumps and directives to create real connections. They discuss the structure of compelling stories, why reps and discomfort matter so much in becoming a better communicator, and how storytelling can shape company culture, strengthen sales, and deepen leadership effectiveness. Matt also shares a deeply personal story that reshaped the direction of his business and his understanding of human connection. Whether you’re a CEO, team leader, teacher, entrepreneur, or parent, this episode will challenge you to rethink how you communicate and why stories remain one of the most human, memorable, and motivating tools we have.

SHOW NOTES: In this episode , Matt Zaun sits down with Jason Kramer of Cultivize to talk about sales process, CRM systems, AI, follow-up, and the costly mistakes companies make when they try to scale without a clear process. Jason shares how businesses can simplify the path from lead to close, reduce wasted time, and create more profitable systems for both sales and customer management. The conversation also dives into Jason’s entrepreneurial journey, what he learned from building and selling a marketing agency, and why having the right experts around you can dramatically change the trajectory of a business.

SHOW NOTES: In this episode of Stories With Traction , Matt Zaun sits down with Nick Martin of MainStreet IT for a conversation about leadership, customer experience, technology, gratitude, and the realities of building a business from the ground up. Nick shares why so many people dislike working with IT teams, what makes MainStreet IT different, and how great customer experience is built in the margins. He also opens up about his early dreams of playing for Penn State and the Philadelphia Eagles, the life-changing impact of serving in Honduras, and how that experience reshaped his worldview. The conversation also explores entrepreneurship, sales, AI, cybersecurity, and the role technology should play inside a business. Throughout the episode, Nick offers practical wisdom on how leaders can think more clearly about service, teamwork, risk, and perspective.

SHOW NOTES: In this episode of Stories With Traction , Matt Zaun sits down with Jennifer “Jiff” Chapman for a powerful conversation about transition, identity, healing, self-leadership, and the mindset shifts that help people move from feeling stuck to living with greater clarity and confidence. Jiff shares her personal story of success in corporate sales, the devastating health crisis that changed everything, and how that experience ultimately led her into coaching, speaking, and helping others navigate major life transitions . This episode is deeply honest and full of practical takeaways for anyone going through a difficult season.

SHOW NOTES: In this episode of Stories With Traction , Matt Zaun sits down with Dave Turano for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, communication, creativity, discipline, and the hidden tensions that shape teams and families. Dave is an executive advisor and situational sounding board for leadership teams, helping companies build more self-directed teams and stronger communicators. From difficult conversations to creative idea generation, Dave shares how leaders can become more effective in the moment, especially when tensions are high and the path forward is unclear. The conversation also delves into Dave’s personal story, including growing up in a dysfunctional home, learning to navigate chaos, and turning those hard-earned lessons into tools that now help leaders and teams communicate more effectively.

SHOW NOTES: In this episode of Stories With Traction , Matt Zaun sits down with executive coach, keynoter, author, and Vistage Chair Danielle Baldwin for an honest conversation about inspiration, identity, and fear. Danielle shares how losing titles in her life (mother, daughter, corporate leader, wife) forced her to confront her true identity, and how that journey shaped her work helping CEOs and executives become more inspired, empathetic leaders. You’ll hear a powerful breakdown of the difference between “inspired by” and “inspired to,” why inspiration at work is so rare, and how leaders can intentionally create conditions where people don’t just show up, but run through walls for the mission. Check out Danielle’s book, Sparking Greatness: Harnessing the Power of Inspiration to Lead Boldly and Live Fully here , and website here .

SHOW NOTES: In this powerful and personal episode, Matt Zaun sits down with executive coach, keynote speaker, and author Ken Sher to unpack career disruption, leadership integrity, and the role of trust in long-term success. Ken shares the emotional story of being laid off after 25 years at Johnson & Johnson at 52, with kids in college, and how that devastating season ultimately shaped his career-coaching philosophy and his book, What’s Trust Got to Do With It? They dive into career resilience, courageous leadership, psychological safety, and how organizations either build or break trust in moments that matter most.

SHOW NOTES: In this episode of Stories With Traction , Matt Zaun welcomes back Ricardo Gonzalez , founder and CEO of Bilingual America , to dive even deeper into culture, beliefs, values, norms, and the accelerating impact of AI on trust. Ricardo breaks down what culture actually is (beyond the buzzwords and posters), why so many companies don’t have a real culture at all, and how leaders can either create and curate culture… or passively allow it to be created for them. They also explore how AI is reshaping work, eroding trust, and what wise leaders can do right now to harness its benefits without sacrificing humanity or credibility. Other Podcast Episodes mentioned: Company Culture: Definition, Benefits, and Strategies Company Culture and Trauma Company Culture Statement Needed

SHOW NOTES: In this episode of Stories With Traction , Matt Zaun sits down with marketing advisor Tim Parkin to unpack what magicians and great marketers have in common: the ability to capture attention, control focus, and follow a repeatable process to create results. Tim shares how a childhood love of magic and an early career in software development led him to a process-driven marketing approach that most leaders never use. They dive into why so many executives cling to “safe” tactics, how AI is quietly homogenizing brands, and why the fastest growth almost always comes from the inside out rather than from chasing the next shiny tactic.