The world around us is pretty bonkers. Fortunately, that’s good for us as business leaders. Behind every headline, there are so many lessons that can make our business stronger. Today on the Building a StoryBrand podcast, we hear the crazy story behind one of those headlines. Ryan Holiday is the author of Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue, which tells the story of how Peter Thiel strategically launched a behind-the-scenes conspiracy to take down media giant Gawker. The story itself is wild, but when Ryan tells it, it becomes a study in how to use narrative, patience, and strategy if you find yourself in a battle of sorts. Maybe you’re battling a competitor for market share. Or battling a public misconception that’s hurting sales. In either case, this episode will give you a glimpse into what Thiel did behind the scenes to create the outcome he wanted. Give it a listen today! http://buildingastorybrand.com/88

Why do organizations fail? For countless reasons, of course, but at the root of every business failure you’ll find a leader who never gave their team a clear vision. It sounds so simple, but in practice, only the boldest leaders have the courage to craft a vision and the tenacity to keep their staff focused on it. So when it comes to bold leadership, you don’t need to look much farther than today’s podcast guest, Carey Lohrenz. She was the first female pilot of an F-14 Tomcat, and she knows what it takes to lead well when the pressure’s on and the stakes are immense. In today’s episode, she shares the three characteristics you need to be a bold leader, with practical ways you can develop them. Listen now, and give yourself a huge boost of motivation this week! http://buildingastorybrand.com/87

90 days from now. It’s not that far away, is it? That’s all the time you need to accomplish a major goal, according to Todd Herman, a performance coach for athletes and business owners. He’s our guest today on the Building a StoryBrand podcast. He shares his four-part blueprint for tackling big projects in 90 days instead of letting them languish and stall for an entire year or longer. He’ll show you how to make reaching your goals “inevitable” by using smarter strategy and a more efficient process -- all in 90 days. If you want to scale your business as efficiently as possible, don’t miss this interview! http://buildingastorybrand.com/86 

Left or right. Justice or mercy. Traditional or innovative. Logic or gut instinct. We tend to be binary thinkers. We assume things have to be one way or the other. But this is dangerous, according to Tim Arnold, today’s guest on the Building a StoryBrand podcast. To be a better leader -- both at work and at home -- we need to embrace healthy tension. We need to learn to see life’s decisions not as “either/or” but as “both/and.” When we do, we give ourselves a massive competitive advantage. We unlock a new level of leadership and creativity. Our businesses (and our lives) can breathe and be healthy. If some area of your life or business has plateaued and you don’t know why, listen to this episode. It’s nuanced, it’s practical, and it may just be the “aha” moment you need to truly start thriving. http://buildingastorybrand.com/85

It’s easy to spot weak company culture, isn’t it? We’ve all witnessed the politics, egos, and backstabbing. That kind of toxic environment makes it hard to do good work and retain good people. But it’s not so easy to pinpoint what makes a thriving company culture. What steps can we take to cultivate it with our current employees? How can we recruit and hire people who “get it?” To answer those questions, Donald Miller sits down with renowned business consultant Patrick Lencioni this week on the Building a StoryBrand podcast. Patrick shares the three characteristics of a great team member, plus practical ways you can help your team develop those traits. Your business can’t reach its potential if your people don’t reach theirs. What Patrick shares here will help you create a positive, authentic company culture that drives your overall business growth. http://buildingastorybrand.com/84

So, at this point, you know you need a strong social media strategy to grow your business. But it seems like the best practices are always changing. It takes a ton of time. You’re constantly updating all the things. And at the end of the day, you have no idea if it’s even working. Here’s the good news. With the right strategies, you can measurably grow your business with social media -- even if you don’t have a lot of time or a huge staff. That’s why we’re thrilled to have Rachel Hollis on the podcast today. She’s the force behind The Chic Site, where she’s built a massive community by serving them with valuable content. She sits down with Donald Miller to talk through the five key social media strategies you can use to engage your followers and grow business. If you’re worn out by social media, listen to this episode. You’ll be ready to start building a tribe that can take your business to the next level. http://buildingastorybrand.com/83

When the Winter Olympics start this week, we’re going to be captivated by winners. We’ll get inspired by seeing years of hard work all come down to one moment of glory. You may not be fine-tuning your luge run. But as business leaders, we still want to win. We want to surpass last month’s goals. We want to beat the competition. We want to lead the industry. That’s why we have Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton back on the Building a StoryBrand podcast this week. He and Donald Miller talk about how to live more like a champion. Scott has an amazing way of taking what he’s learned about competing and winning at the highest level and turning it into wisdom we can use in everyday life. When you know what champions do differently, you’ll start accumulating little wins  -- and those will turn into big victories for your business and your life. Don’t miss this one. You’ll walk away inspired and equipped to tackle your most Olympic-sized goals. http://buildingastorybrand.com/82

These days, our economy shifts and evolves at light speed. It can be overwhelming and intimidating just to follow along with the news. But if you lead a business, you need to understand how these big-level marketplace changes affect your company. When you do, you’ll feel empowered to make smarter decisions about how you hire and invest. In this episode of the Building a StoryBrand podcast, Donald Miller talks with economist and investment expert Ron Carson about the many economic issues that impact a business leader. You’ll discover what the new tax plan means for you, how to spot a strong financial opportunity, specific investment ideas for today’s market, what to watch out for when you hire a financial advisor, what’s really happening with blockchain technology -- plus a whole lot more. You don’t have to feel intimidated or overwhelmed by economics. Listen to this episode and discover how a better grasp of economics can make a huge difference in your small business’s bottom line. http://buildingastorybrand.com/81 

For your business to truly thrive, you’ve got to be good at delegation. You know this. But it’s so hard to relinquish control of your email, your calendar, and your travel. You’ve bought into the myth that only you can do it all, and it’s sucking the life out of you. A personal assistant can help -- but only if you set up the relationship in a healthy way. To help us, Donald Miller sits down with Bryan Miles. His company, Belay Solutions, helps high-performing executives achieve more by pairing them with top-notch virtual assistants. In this episode of the Building a StoryBrand podcast, they discuss the 5 key ways you can create a positive and productive relationship with your assistant, even if you’ve been reluctant to delegate in the past. Stop trying to do it all. Listen to this episode, and you’ll unlock new levels of freedom, creativity, and value for your business. http://buildingastorybrand.com/80

Have you ever felt like something is missing from your customers’ experience? Or that you and your team are just “going through the motions?”   Sure, you’re delivering a great product, but it’s just a business transaction. Worse, you and your team have lost the excitement you used to have about serving your customers. That’s why I’m thrilled to sit down with Dan Heath on the Building a StoryBrand podcast. As the  co-author of The Power of Moments, he’s going to show you what’s missing in your customer and team interactions. You’re going to learn 4 ways to create powerful moments they’ll always remember. As a leader, you don’t need a ton of money or resources to create defining moments for the people you serve. You just need a desire and a little imagination to make your time with them unforgettable.   After reading this blog post or listening to this podcast, you’ll no longer be just delivering a product. Instead, you’ll be creating memories that will last forever. http://buildingastorybrand.com/79