

Stories With Traction
Matt Zaun
The Stories With Traction Podcast was created to empower leaders to elevate their businesses through the art of strategic storytelling. By engaging clients and inspiring team members, leaders can significantly impact the world around them. Each episode offers insights into storytelling, marketing, sales, company culture, and leadership, providing practical tools to drive growth and influence positive change. Tune in to transform your approach and lead with purpose.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 13, 2024 • 34min
#140: Information Crisis
SUMMARY: In this episode, Julia Soplop and Matt Zaun discuss Julia’s book, Information Crisis.JULIA SOPLOP BIO: Julia is an award-winning author of four books: Information Crisis: How a Better Understanding of Science Can Help Us Face the Greatest Problems of Our Time, Equus Rising: How the Horse Shaped U.S. History, Documenting Your World Through Photography, and Untangling the Self-Publishing Process.For more info on Julia:WebsiteThe bookLinkedInMATT ZAUN BIO: Matt is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who empowers organizations to attract more clients through the art of strategic storytelling. Matt’s past engagements have catalyzed radical sales increases for over 300 organizations that range from financial institutions to the health and wellness industry.Matt shares his expertise in persuasion with executives, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs, who he coaches on the art of influence and how to leverage this for profits and impact.For more info, check out Matt Zaun HERE.

Nov 22, 2024 • 52min
#139: How to Quickly Become a Better Storyteller
SUMMARY: In this episode, we "flip the script." Instead of Matt Zaun interviewing someone on the Stories With Traction podcast, he was interviewed on the Recipe for Success podcast with Nancy Giacolone.MATT ZAUN BIO: Matt is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who empowers organizations to attract more clients through the art of strategic storytelling. Matt’s past engagements have catalyzed radical sales increases for over 300 organizations that range from financial institutions to the health and wellness industry.Matt shares his expertise in persuasion with executives, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs, who he coaches on the art of influence and how to leverage this for profits and impact.For more info, check out Matt Zaun HERE.NANCY GIACOLONE BIO: Nancy is an employee benefits consultant, coach, speaker, and podcast host. For more info, check out Nancy HERE.

Nov 8, 2024 • 22min
#138: Are You Putting Print to Work?
SHOW NOTES:SUMMARY: In this episode, Kevin Connor and Matt Zaun talk about how storytelling can be woven into print material and how you can get print to work for you. KEVIN CONNOR: Kevin is a partner at Modern SBC. Some of the projects that Modern SBC routinely works on:- Copywriting and content creation- Logo and corporate identity creation- Tradeshow/exhibits/virtual tradeshow exhibits- Branded Promotional Products/Corporate Apparel- Website creation/interactive experiences and associated launch activities- Corporate Communications (online and offline sales literature, direct mail, newsletters, packaging, print management/distribution, sales kits, etc.)For more info, check out Kevin and Modern SBC here:Kevin Connor LinkedInModern SBCMATT ZAUN: Matt is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who empowers organizations to attract more clients through the art of strategic storytelling. Matt’s past engagements have catalyzed radical sales increases for over 300 organizations that range from financial institutions to the health and wellness industry. For more info, check out Matt Zaun HERE.

Oct 25, 2024 • 36min
#137: Why YOU Should Write a Book
SHOW NOTES:SERIES: This podcast episode is part of a book-writing series with Amy Lynch on the Stories With Traction Podcast.1st Episode2nd Episode3rd EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode, Amy Lynch and Matt Zaun discuss why you should write a book and some common objections people might have. AMY LYNCH BIO: Amy is the founder and a writer at Fernling Creative, a premium writing agency that generates exceptional content in your voice because words sell everything.For more info, check out Amy HERE.MATT ZAUN BIO: Matt is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who empowers organizations to attract more clients through the art of strategic storytelling. Matt’s past engagements have catalyzed radical sales increases for over 300 organizations that range from financial institutions to the health and wellness industry.Matt shares his expertise in persuasion with executives, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs, who he coaches on the art of influence and how to leverage this for profits and impact.For more info, check out Matt Zaun HERE.

Oct 11, 2024 • 26min
#136: Motivating & Aligning Your Team
SHOW NOTES:SUMMARY: In this episode, Alicia Parr and Matt Zaun discuss a simple framework for motivating and aligning a team.FRAMEWORK MENTIONED:Affirm and reiterate beliefs, principles & values.Look what we’ve accomplished. We’ve done great things together already.(Localize to the audience whenever possible.)Acknowledge near term and current challenges.(Don’t happy-talk like things aren’t bad if they are. If things are bad or hard, then they are bad and hard. Simple.)(If things are good, talk about the new challenges that lie ahead to take things to the next level)Emphasize WE are ONE. We are in this together.AND we have more to do together. We will get through this together.(When things are bad and hard, we get through it by coming together. Together we get through this time. Together.)Create a believable image of the future, describe the longer view, which is positive even if the timeline is uncertain.(Just because things are bad and hard now, doesn’t mean they will always be bad and hard.)By adhering to our beliefs, principles, values and stick together, we’ll build that better future.(When we come together and use our creativity, love, and support of each other, we will not only make it through, we will create a future even better than before. Together, we create a better future.)Gratitude.(Sincere gratitude binds teams, soothes anxiety, and is the balm that we can’t overdose on.)ALICIA PARR BIO: Alicia is the owner of Performentor, which provides full-stack fractional HR services.For more info, check out Performentor here, and Alicia here.MATT ZAUN BIO: Matt is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who empowers organizations to attract more clients through the art of strategic storytelling. Matt’s past engagements have catalyzed radical sales increases for over 300 organizations that range from financial institutions to the health and wellness industry.Matt shares his expertise in persuasion with executives, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs, who he coaches on the art of influence and how to leverage this for profits and impact.For more info, check out Matt Zaun HERE.

Sep 27, 2024 • 52min
#135: Systems for Writing a Book
SHOW NOTES:SERIES: This podcast episode is part of a book-writing series with Amy Lynch on the Stories With Traction Podcast.1st Episode2nd EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode, Amy Lynch and Matt Zaun discuss systems and creativity in book writing. AMY LYNCH BIO: Amy is the founder and a writer at Fernling Creative, a premium writing agency that generates exceptional content in your voice because words sell everything.For more info, check out Amy HERE.MATT ZAUN BIO: Matt is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who empowers organizations to attract more clients through the art of strategic storytelling. Matt’s past engagements have catalyzed radical sales increases for over 300 organizations that range from financial institutions to the health and wellness industry.Matt shares his expertise in persuasion with executives, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs, who he coaches on the art of influence and how to leverage this for profits and impact.For more info, check out Matt Zaun HERE.

Sep 13, 2024 • 54min
#134: The Climb
SHOW NOTES:SUMMARY: In this episode, Eric Curtis and Matt Zaun talk about Eric’s adoption story and how climbing a physical mountain led him to climb another kind of mountain.ERIC CURTIS: Eric is the CEO and Managing Partner at Curtis Strategy.For more info on Eric:LinkedInWebsiteMATT ZAUN: Matt is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who empowers organizations to attract more clients through the art of strategic storytelling. Matt’s past engagements have catalyzed radical sales increases for over 300 organizations that range from financial institutions to the health and wellness industry.Matt shares his expertise in persuasion with executives, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs, who he coaches on the art of influence and how to leverage this for profits and impact.For more info, check out Matt Zaun HERE.

Aug 23, 2024 • 54min
#133: Write a Book?!
SHOW NOTES:SUMMARY: In this episode, Amy Lynch and Matt Zaun discuss systems and creativity in book writing.SERIES: This podcast episode is part of a book-writing series with Amy Lynch on the Stories With Traction Podcast.Episode #2 | Systems for Writing a BookEpisode # 3 | Why YOU Should Write a Book AMY LYNCH BIO: Amy is the founder and a writer at Fernling Creative, a premium writing agency that generates exceptional content in your voice because words sell everything.For more info, check out Amy HERE.MATT ZAUN BIO: Matt is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who empowers organizations to attract more clients through the art of strategic storytelling. Matt’s past engagements have catalyzed radical sales increases for over 300 organizations that range from financial institutions to the health and wellness industry.Matt shares his expertise in persuasion with executives, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs, who he coaches on the art of influence and how to leverage this for profits and impact.For more info, check out Matt Zaun HERE.

Aug 9, 2024 • 8min
#132: Storytelling FAQ Episode #5
SHOW NOTES:SUMMARY: This is part of an FAQ series where Michelle Griffin and Matt Zaun discuss personal branding and strategic storytelling.MICHELLE GRIFFIN BIO: Michelle coaches on authority-focused personal branding to help professionals step out and be seen as leaders in their space.For more info on Michelle:LinkedInWebsiteMATT ZAUN BIO: Matt is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who empowers organizations to attract more clients through the art of strategic storytelling. Matt’s past engagements have catalyzed radical sales increases for over 300 organizations that range from financial institutions to the health and wellness industry.Matt shares his expertise in persuasion with executives, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs, who he coaches on the art of influence and how to leverage this for profits and impact.For more info, check out Matt Zaun HERE.

Jul 26, 2024 • 35min
#131: 10x Leader
SHOW NOTES:SUMMARY: In this episode, Stephanie Crowe and Matt Zaun talk about growing your leadership skills.STEPHANIE CROWE BIO: Stephanie is the CEO of Learn.net. She is also a Best-Selling Author and Speaker.For more info on Stephanie:LinkedInWebsiteMATT ZAUN BIO: Matt is an award-winning speaker and storyteller who empowers organizations to attract more clients through the art of strategic storytelling. Matt’s past engagements have catalyzed radical sales increases for over 300 organizations that range from financial institutions to the health and wellness industry.Matt shares his expertise in persuasion with executives, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs, who he coaches on the art of influence and how to leverage this for profits and impact.For more info, check out Matt Zaun HERE.