

The Influential Personal Brand Podcast
Rory & AJ Vaden
Build and monetize your personal brand. This show is full of some of the best marketing tips for (aspiring) influencers, entrepreneurs, speakers, authors, coaches, executives, and anyone who wants to get their message out to more people. You’ll learn the strategies and tactics that any service-minded messenger can use to find their uniqueness and separate from all the noise to create more impact, influence, and income. Each episode is hosted by New York Times bestselling author and Hall of Fame Speaker Rory Vaden, and his wife, business partner and CEO of Brand Builders Group, AJ Vaden. Brand Builders Group is trusted by people like Lewis Howes (School of Greatness Podcast), Julie Solomon (The Influencer Podcast), and Chalene Johnson (Build Your Tribe Podcast) to provide personal branding expertise for themselves and/or their audiences.
Episodes
Mentioned books

4 snips
Mar 25, 2025 • 54min
Managing Your Emotions, Energy, and Environment for Long-Term Success with Jason Stacy
Discover how to build resilience and achieve long-term success by managing your emotions, energy, and environment. Jason Stacy shares his inspiring journey from homelessness to high performance and discusses the importance of self-awareness and focus. Learn techniques to reset and recharge amid chaos, and why giving 100% to your actions matters. Explore the power of supportive relationships and the role of humility in personal growth. This conversation offers valuable insights that can benefit anyone, regardless of their journey.

Mar 21, 2025 • 25min
3 Traits of Successful People
Successful people share key habits that set them apart. Excelling in your current role lays the groundwork for future opportunities. Trust-building is vital; it’s about relationships, not just tactics. Perseverance stands as the top predictor of success, reminding us that many give up too soon. Each mindset shift discussed is essential for anyone looking to boost their personal brand or build a thriving business.

Mar 18, 2025 • 45min
Creating More Digital Organization with Shawn Lemon
Do you feel frustrated and overwhelmed by digital clutter, lost files, or chaotic inboxes? In this episode of the Influential Personal Brand Podcast, we sit down with Shawn Lemon, founder of The Digital Organizer, to explore expert strategies for decluttering your digital life. Join us as Shawn offers practical tips for managing emails, passwords, files, and tasks efficiently, all while reducing stress and boosting creativity and productivity. From taming your inbox to mastering project management tools, this conversation is packed with actionable insights to help you reclaim your time and focus on what matters most. To learn how digital organization can transform your workflow and free up your energy for what truly counts, tune in today!

Mar 14, 2025 • 13min
What Makes a Great Offer | Zach Hesterberg Episode Recap
Why do people buy, and why should they buy from you? If you’re selling high-ticket offers, you need to understand what makes an offer truly compelling. In this special recap episode, we revisit our conversation with Zach Hesterberg, founder of Paid Events, to break down the key ingredients of a great offer. We explore how every purchase decision ties back to four core desires — better health, better relationships, more time, or more money — and why the best offers speak directly to these motivations. You'll also learn why people don’t buy processes or features; they buy results. Tune in to discover how to position your offer for maximum impact and make it irresistible to your audience!

Mar 11, 2025 • 46min
Using Paid Virtual Events to Scale Your High Ticket Offer with Zach Hesterberg
What if you could convert high-ticket clients without relying on exhausting one-on-one sales calls? Zach Hesterberg, founder of Paid Events, has helped business owners do just that. By leveraging paid virtual events, he’s helped generate six and seven-figure paydays while eliminating the unpredictability of traditional sales funnels. In this episode, he shares why events are one of the most efficient ways to build trust and increase conversions without burnout. He breaks down pricing strategies, event structures, and the biggest mistakes people make when hosting live events. You’ll also learn why shorter, multi-day sessions outperform all-day events, strategies for driving traffic using organic and paid methods, and how to create an irresistible offer for your audience. If you want to scale your business without relying on endless sales calls, this conversation is a must-listen. Tune in now!

Mar 7, 2025 • 17min
Who to Hire to Build an 8-Figure Business
Scaling your business starts with hiring the right people at the right time. In this episode, we dive into one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face—when and who to hire first. We break down the essential hires that will help you free up time, scale your business, and build a thriving personal brand. Hear why you should hire for your personal life initially and a first-hire suggestion that may surprise you. Learn about the value of outsourcing household chores, the role of an assistant, when you should consider hiring marketing support, and what makes marketing a "tactical" skill set. Find out about the pros and cons of contractors, hear advice for hiring an accountant, discover the importance of delegating client work, uncover the secret to scaling your business successfully, and delve into the fundamental departments every business needs. Join us to unpack the skills you need to build a high-performing team and take the next step in growing your business. Tune in now!

Mar 4, 2025 • 38min
Building the Team to Launch Your Brand Category with Jen Kem
Our previous episode featuring Jen Kem blew our minds, as she shared significant and monumental advice on monetizing live events! So of course, we just had to have her back, and today, we are thrilled for her return as she dives into the inner workings of her new book, Unicorn Team: The Nine Leadership Types You Need to Launch Your Big Ideas with Speed and Success. Jen is a Forbes-recognized top brand strategist specializing in launching innovative ideas with high-performing teams, and we begin today’s conversation with a high-level overview of her latest written work. Jen then explains the basic requirements for modern leaders, what a unicorn team is and how to build one, the nine motivational or leadership energies necessary for success, and the undeniable significance of energy. To end, our guest shares valuable advice on protecting your energy as we learn how to connect with the remarkable Jen Kem.

Feb 28, 2025 • 14min
Redefining Work for the Long Term | Caleb Guilliams Recap
Is retirement really the finish line? A thought-provoking discussion unfolds about redefining work for the long term. Listeners explore how the concept of retirement evolved and why it shouldn't mean withdrawal from meaningful activities. Instead, it’s about finding purpose and contribution throughout life, even after traditional jobs. The conversation encourages a shift in mindset, emphasizing lifelong service and the invaluable experiences that retirees can pass on. Tune in for inspiration on making work a meaningful journey!

Feb 25, 2025 • 52min
Building Better Wealth with Caleb Guilliams
Caleb Guilliams shares his journey of founding BetterWealth at just 21, challenging traditional views on wealth. He emphasizes the importance of aligning financial strategies with personal values for true success. The conversation delves into the significance of tracking money, the effective use of debt, and the distinction between consumption and saving. Caleb advocates for mindful money management and viewing finances as tools for personal growth, ultimately encouraging listeners to embrace a more intentional and empowered approach to wealth.

Feb 21, 2025 • 22min
4 Steps to Sell a Lot of Books | Mike Thomas Episode Recap
After our recent conversation with the author of the wonderful nine-book series The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls, Mike Thomas, and in line with our own Bestseller Lunch Plan at Brand Builders Group, we have laid out a four-step process that serves as a great longtail sales strategy. We begin with the importance of adequate market testing before exploring word of mouth, having a complete product, relying on a tunnel-vision marketing strategy, and the power of giving your product away to those in your target market. To end, we discuss the universal human condition of being willing to do more when our actions are incentivized.