Why That Worked – Presented by StoryBrand.ai

There’s nobody like Elon Musk. As the founder and CEO of both SpaceX and Tesla (among other ventures), he is arguably the world’s most visionary entrepreneur. And on the podcast this week, Donald Miller interviews Ashlee Vance, the man who wrote Musk’s definitive (and bestselling) biography. As entrepreneurs ourselves, what can we learn from a pioneering leader like Elon Musk? Listen to this interview for an inside look at Musk’s life and discover the big takeaways we can use to build our businesses, even if we’re NOT building rockets. Get the worksheet that goes along with this episode at http://buildingastorybrand.com/35

Why do leaders crash and burn, taking their companies and families down with them? Is it the inevitable result of pressure or a character flaw? Or can it all be prevented? In this episode of the Building a Story Brand podcast, Donald Miller sits down with leadership expert Stephen Mansfield to talk about the 10 warning signs of a leadership crash -- and how to fix them. The list will surprise you. Listen today and discover how to protect yourself from a leadership crash. Get the worksheet that goes along with this episode at http://buildingastorybrand.com/34

If you’re trying to start and grow a business, you know it’s not an easy road. Rewarding, yes. Eventful, yes. But easy? Not at all. But like any journey, you’re better off if you’ve equipped yourself properly for it. And that’s why I am so honored to have Carrie Green joining us on the Building a Story Brand podcast. She’s the founder of the wildly successful Female Entrepreneur Association, and in this episode she shares six steps entrepreneurs can follow to grow their businesses. Wherever you are in your entrepreneurial journey, listen now so you can take the next right step for your company. Get the worksheet that goes along with this episode at http://buildingastorybrand.com/33

According to Greg McKeown, the author of Essentialism, most of us have been living under the assumption that we can have it all -- we just have to cram it all into our lives. As a result, we end up busy (not necessarily productive) and stretched too thin at work and at home. We’re chained to our smartphones, hopping from disjointed task to disjointed task, not really focused on (or even clear about) what we want. Essentialism changes all that. It helps us tune out all the unimportant things vying for our attention so we can discover and pursue a very small number of things of lasting value. Nobody wants to fritter away their lives on their smart phones. Listen to this episode of the Building a Story Brand podcast with Donald Miller and special guest Greg McKeown, and you’ll be inspired to live a life rich with clarity and meaning. Get the worksheet that goes along with this episode at http://buildingastorybrand.com/32

For business leaders, public speaking skills are critical. Whether you’re delivering a major keynote or simply leading a staff meeting, you’ve got to be able to engage your audience and communicate powerfully. That’s why public speaking expert Mike Pacchione is joining Donald Miller this week on the Building a Story Brand podcast. As a part of the communications consulting firm Duarte, Mike gives 70 speeches a year -- all on the topic of public speaking. He is the talker about talking. And he’s going to teach us to talk. Mike shares the expert tactics that separate casual public speakers who just get by from pros who stand out. Whether you’re a dread-filled newbie or a seasoned pro, give this a listen and take your public speaking skills to the next level. Get the worksheet that goes along with this episode at http://buildingastorybrand.com/31

As business leaders, we often get so focused on the details of our company that we forget to step back and understand things from our customers’ perspective. As a result, we talk over our potential customers’ heads in our communication and marketing. Feeling confused, they take their business to another company -- not necessarily a better one, but one they understand. But when we learn how to communicate clearly, we stop confusing our customers and start connecting with them. On this episode of the Building a Story Brand podcast, Donald Miller sits down with Lee LeFever, the master of the explainer video, to share four practical strategies we can use to speak clearly, engage our customers, and grow our businesses. Get the worksheet that goes along with this episode at http://buildingastorybrand.com/30

We’re passionate about growing our businesses, aren’t we? But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. In fact, the path of scaling a company is lined with landmines and pitfalls, both personal and professional. This week on the Building a Story Brand podcast, Donald Miller talks with massively successful entrepreneur Chalene Johnson about the five things we can do this year to dramatically scale our businesses without losing our minds. If you want to grow your business the right way, without compromising your personal life or values, don’t miss this episode! Get the worksheet that goes along with this episode at http://buildingastorybrand.com/29

As a business leader, you’d never start a year without a working budget or a sense of your profit margin, would you? But most of us don’t have the same kind of awareness and discipline when it comes to our personal finances. That’s why we’ve got Rachel Cruze joining Donald Miller for this week’s episode of the Building a Story Brand podcast. She is a personal finance expert and bestselling author. And as the daughter of Dave and Sharon Ramsey, her heart for the topic runs deep. Listen now to discover the seven habits you can develop in your personal finances to build wealth, give back, and have peace of mind about your money. Download the worksheet that goes along with this episode at http://buildingastorybrand.com/28

If you’re good at marketing, you know how to make people understand what you offer. But if you’re good at branding, you know how to make people feel a certain way about it. When you master this, you can create exponential value for your business. (For example, branding is what allowed Starbucks to sell a 50-cent cup of coffee for $4.) This week on the Building a Story Brand podcast, Donald Miller talks with advertising legend Don Schneider about the art of branding. He’s the creative force behind ads for marquee brands like Pepsi, GE, and HBO. But as you’ll see in this episode, what he’s discovered about branding and human behavior applies no matter your budget. Listen now and discover the secrets of branding that can have an exponential impact on your bottom line. Get the worksheet that goes along with this episode at http://buildingastorybrand.com/27

A lot of us believe that killer negotiators are born, not made. But that’s not true. When you know a few key strategies, you can become a great negotiator and land great outcomes for your business. Best of all, you can do it while treating others with respect. In this episode of the Building a Story Brand podcast, Donald Miller sits down with negotiation coach and expert John Lowry. John walks us through five techniques to improve our negotiation skills so we can strike better deals, increase our revenue, and grow our companies. Get the worksheet that goes along with this episode at http://buildingastorybrand.com/26