The Influential Personal Brand Podcast

Grief is an unfortunate but inevitable part of life, yet most of us don’t feel equipped to support people around us who are grieving. Today’s guest, Randy Stocker, has dealt with tragic, traumatic loss during his life, and in this episode, he talks openly about his experiences and some of the most important lessons that he has learned about the grieving process. Randy is the author of Hugs Help, and today he shares some of the key principles that he explores in this book, including how to be a supporter rather than a comforter, the importance of understanding that everybody grieves differently, and things that he recommends saying (and not saying) to somebody who is grieving. The biggest gift you can give a grieving person is to be patient with them and to let them grieve in their own way. 

Contrary to popular belief, writing a book may not actually be the most beneficial step to building your personal brand. Join us as we provide a debrief of our recent interview with Risha Grant on the ins and outs of writing, publishing, and selling a book. In this episode, we share our main takeaways, from when it truly makes sense to write a book to how to navigate the options of traditional, hybrid, and self-publishing, and master the art of effective sales and marketing. Tune in to find out what you need to consider before taking on the commitment of writing a book! 

Writing a book is one thing; selling it is another altogether. Today, we are joined by author and award-winning diversity consultant, Risha Grant as she shares her profound insights into the reality of writing, publishing, and selling a book. Risha discusses her journey from idea to publication; explaining the motivation behind her book, Be Better Than Your BS and its theme of radical acceptance. She provides invaluable advice on navigating the complexities of traditional publishing versus self-publishing and the power of personal relationships in driving book sales. In this episode, we explore the dedication required to write, publish, and sell a book and the challenge of selling a book after it's written. Risha has been through the transformational process of transitioning from idea to impactful change in the lives of readers, so tune in to hear her advice not only for creating but also selling a successful, impactful book.

Step into the riveting world of storytelling and its profound impact on your brand's message in this special episode recap. Explore the significance of transforming your brand's story into an inspirational narrative that cultivates emotional connections, sets you apart from competitors, fosters trust, captivates your audience, and aligns seamlessly with customer values. In this episode, we highlight the main takeaways from our conversation with Damon West and unpack how to tell a good story and get your message across to audiences based on insights from our conversation with him. We delve into the profound choice of viewing the world through fear or faith, uncovering the transformative power of maintaining a positive mindset even in the face of adversity, why consistency plays a pivotal role in cultivating and sustaining a positive outlook on life, and much more. Join us as we unlock the key to leaving a lasting impact through your unique narrative and empowering others through your message of authenticity, resilience, and unwavering faith. Tune in now! 

In this episode, we explore the importance of turning your brand's story into a powerful message. We discuss how this process enables you to create emotional connections, stand out from competitors, build trust, engage your audience, and align with customer values. Join us as we dive into the incredible journey of Damon West, a renowned keynote speaker, and best-selling author. Damon's story of redemption, resilience, and determination has inspired countless individuals worldwide. During his time in prison, Damon experienced a life-changing conversation that sparked a spiritual awakening. This pivotal moment revealed his ability to transform his environment, much like a coffee bean changing under heat and pressure. With unwavering commitment, a program of recovery, and renewed faith, Damon emerged from over seven years in prison as a completely transformed individual. In our conversation, we delve into Damon's remarkable transition from a football player to a prison inmate and his path to becoming an author and speaker. Discover how he effectively spread his message to the world and how following his passion enabled him to turn his life around. Join us for an inspiring discussion that will leave you motivated to unleash the power of your own story. 

In our most recent episode, we spoke with Chicken Soup for the Soul trailblazer, Patty Aubery, about the successes and challenges of building the publishing industry’s first billion-dollar brand. Today, we supplement that fascinating conversation with five of the most common reasons that authors miss bestseller lists. At Brand Builders Group, we’ve helped 14 different authors become New York Times or Wall Street Journal Best Sellers, so it’s something that we know quite a lot about! Whether you’re an aspiring author, an established writer looking to make every sale count, or an entrepreneur using the art of writing to gain more momentum in your career, we’ve got you covered. Be sure to tune in today for some key insights into the publishing world and practical advice for cracking the bestseller code. As you’ll discover, there's a lot more to becoming a bestselling author than just selling a lot of books! 

There’s no doubt that you’ve heard of Jack Canfield and the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, which has over 250 titles and has sold more than 500 million copies in 43 languages worldwide. Today, you’ll hear from Patty Aubery, President of the Canfield Training Group, former secretary to Jack Canfield, and one of the people behind the biggest book brand in history. Join us as Patty offers some insight into the successes and challenges of building the publishing industry’s first billion-dollar brand. We talk about how they did it, the role that promotional partnerships and licensing deals played, and what the Canfield Group is up to these days. As the author of the bestselling book and course, Permission Granted, Patty also shares her passion for business building, her desire to help people live life on their own terms, and how she helps speakers, authors, and coaches create the lives and businesses they’ve always wanted through her online programs, coaching, mentoring, and luxury retreats. If you’re looking for inspiration to show up more authentically and go after your own dreams, this episode is full of incredible anecdotes and practical advice from someone who has done exactly that! For all this and so much more, be sure to tune in to this conversation with the one and only Patty Aubery. 

If you are a speaker, consultant, coach, author, or any other type of content creator, you are probably the kind of person who is motivated by engaging in meaningful work. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get paid well for what you do, because what you do is so valuable! We want to help you get to the point where you have the confidence to charge more, so in this episode, we run through an exercise where you get the opportunity to rank yourself (from non-existent at level 1 to crushing it at level 10!) according to the five categories that we believe should be the determinants of your fees. These five categories are credibility, content, delivery, marketing materials, and reach. Doing this exercise will help you understand which areas you need to work on so that you can charge more for your offerings!  

If you’re driven to help people thrive, you’re already well on your way to success as a coach. The next step is setting your prices right and finding the clients who want to pay you what you are worth. Today’s guest, Mitch Matthews, has been an informal “coach” for most of his life, so when he decided to make a career out of this passion, he was faced with the conundrum of how to charge for something he had been giving away for free for so long. In this episode, among many other insightful things, Mitch explains the journey that led him to where he is today, why the high prices that he charges for his coaching sessions are actually beneficial to his clients, some of the keys to being a great coach, and how to get to the point where you are charging the prices you should be (and feeling confident about it)!  

In this episode, we build on our recent episode with Nena Madonia, delving into the world of book deals, publishing, and bestseller lists. We share our expertise and proven strategies, as well as the secrets to becoming a bestselling author! If you’re an author, you’ll discover why it ultimately falls to you to sell your book and what truly moves the needle in order to do so! Tune in to learn the impact of offline relationships and the true goal of making a difference in readers' lives. Whether you're an aspiring or experienced author, this episode offers guidance in navigating the world of publishing and achieving your goals.