Stories With Traction

SHOW NOTES:In this episode of Stories With Traction, host Matt Zaun sits down with John Welch, a B2B lead generation specialist based in Indianapolis, for a raw, unfiltered conversation about what actually works regarding lead generation and why most companies are playing the game completely wrong.John brings a decade of sales and marketing experience, including nearly 4 years focused on lead generation. Together, they unpack the uncomfortable truths about rejection, consistency, commissions, and why lead generation is fundamentally a long-term discipline, not a short-term tactic.

SHOW NOTES:In this solo episode of Stories With Traction, host Matt Zaun breaks down one of the most common mistakes even great storytellers make: they don’t spend enough time on the hook.But this isn’t about flashy intros or attention-grabbing openers.Matt reframes the hook as the point of change in a story, the moment that connects the message directly to the audience and moves them toward action.

SHOW NOTES:In this solo episode of Stories With Traction, host Matt Zaun breaks down a simple, repeatable system for using storytelling to cut through noise, inspire action, and lead more effectively (without adding hours to your calendar).Matt introduces the 20-Minute Story Strategy Session, a practical framework leaders can use to uncover powerful stories already hidden in their subconscious and apply them directly to business processes such as staff meetings, sales conversations, and internal communication.

SHOW NOTES:SUMMARY: This is part of an FAQ series featuring Michelle Griffin and Matt Zaun, who discuss personal branding and strategic storytelling.Michelle Griffin coaches on authority-focused personal branding to help professionals step out and be seen as leaders in their space.Matt Zaun is an award-winning speaker and strategic storytelling expert who helps leaders inspire action and drive results through the power of story. He’s the author of The StoryBank, a practical playbook for using strategic storytelling to build culture, boost sales, strengthen marketing, and become a dynamic public speaker.

SHOW NOTES:SUMMARY: This is part of an FAQ series featuring Michelle Griffin and Matt Zaun, who discuss personal branding and strategic storytelling.Michelle Griffin coaches on authority-focused personal branding to help professionals step out and be seen as leaders in their space.Matt Zaun is an award-winning speaker and strategic storytelling expert who helps leaders inspire action and drive results through the power of story. He’s the author of The StoryBank, a practical playbook for using strategic storytelling to build culture, boost sales, strengthen marketing, and become a dynamic public speaker.

SHOW NOTES:SUMMARY: This is part of an FAQ series featuring Michelle Griffin and Matt Zaun, who discuss personal branding and strategic storytelling.Michelle Griffin coaches on authority-focused personal branding to help professionals step out and be seen as leaders in their space.Matt Zaun is an award-winning speaker and strategic storytelling expert who helps leaders inspire action and drive results through the power of story. He’s the author of The StoryBank, a practical playbook for using strategic storytelling to build culture, boost sales, strengthen marketing, and become a dynamic public speaker.

SHOW NOTES:SUMMARY: This is part of an FAQ series featuring Michelle Griffin and Matt Zaun, who discuss personal branding and strategic storytelling.Michelle Griffin coaches on authority-focused personal branding to help professionals step out and be seen as leaders in their space.Matt Zaun is an award-winning speaker and strategic storytelling expert who helps leaders inspire action and drive results through the power of story. He’s the author of The StoryBank, a practical playbook for using strategic storytelling to build culture, boost sales, strengthen marketing, and become a dynamic public speaker.

SHOW NOTES:In this episode, Matt Zaun sits down with Ryan Hogan, Founder & CEO of Talent Harbor, to unpack what actually works in recruiting top sales talent today. They dig into why “keep it simple” beats complex hiring funnels, how to design a value ladder that moves buyers forward, and where AI helps (and hurts) in the hiring process. Ryan also shares the gritty lessons that shaped him (from bankruptcies to billion-dollar beliefs) and the leadership habits he brought home from the Navy.In this episode, they cover:✅ Value ladder & micro-commitments — the psychology of getting small “yeses,” including Ryan’s Hunt A Killer application flow that primed buyers before any purchase.✅ Authentic scarcity — how to use real capacity limits (e.g., only onboarding 3–4 clients/week) to increase conversion without breaking trust.✅ AI in recruiting (the truth) — great for assessments and repurposing insights; poor at relationship-building with A-players who won’t talk to a bot first.✅ Hiring veterans — look for resilience + self-awareness; ask how they learned, trained, failed, and translated that into civilian impact....and much more!BIOS:Ryan Hogan is the Founder & CEO of Talent Harbor, specializing in flat-rate, expert sales recruiting. A U.S. Navy veteran (now Reserve), Ryan previously co-founded Hunt A Killer, the immersive mystery brand, and has led multiple ventures spanning consumer products and B2B services. He’s obsessed with systems and building teams that produce results.Matt Zaun is a strategic storytelling expert, keynote speaker, and author of The StoryBank. He helps leaders use story to build culture, strengthen sales, and speak with impact.

SHOW NOTES:In this practical, high-energy episode, Matt Zaun talks with Sean Garner, StoryBrand–certified marketer and founder of Sean Garner Consulting, about cutting through today’s 10,000-messages-a-day noise with a simple idea: clarity beats clever. They break down how to build messaging that wins attention, creates qualified demand, and turns “we do X” into “we solve your problem.”In this episode, they cover:✅ The StoryBrand core — 7 talking points that become your “verbal brand guidelines” for every email, website, and pitch.✅ Consistency that compounds — Be relentlessly consistent about the problem you solve, not the services you sell.✅ When prospects don’t know their problem — Lead with the pain, then educate on your unique solution....and much more!BIO:Sean Garner is a StoryBrand–certified coach and founder of Sean Garner Consulting, a marketing agency for local service and professional brands that want to dominate their market, not just add a few leads. His team builds message-driven websites, funnels, SEO, and provides fractional CMO support.Matt Zaun is a strategic storytelling expert, keynote speaker, and author of The StoryBank. He helps leaders use story to build culture, strengthen sales, and speak with impact.

Show Notes:In this high-impact episode, Matt Zaun sits down with Tom Schwab, Chief Evangelist Officer & Founder of Interview Valet, to unpack how leaders can use podcast interview marketing to beat obscurity, earn trust at scale, and convert ideal clients, and how to repurpose one 45-minute conversation into a month of authoritative content.In this episode, they cover:✅ Obscurity is the real enemy — Why trusted conversations (not more funnels) drive the best partners, clients, and hires✅ “Crowded space”? Good. — Most shows are inactive; focus on the active, right-fit podcasts your ideal buyers already follow✅ Leader-as-evangelist — Your CEO’s personal audience is ~10× the brand’s; don’t abdicate storytelling—lead it✅ Quality over quantity — Don’t “create crap at scale.” Clarity, stories, and specificity beat generic content every time...and much more!BIOS:Tom Schwab is the Chief Evangelist Officer & Founder of Interview Valet, the category leader in podcast interview marketing. A former naval officer and engineer, Tom built Interview Valet’s US-based, remote team (many are military spouses) on one core belief: "our success is proportional to our systems." His firm places thought leaders on targeted podcasts, optimizes topic strategy for human listeners and AI discovery, and turns interviews into revenue-driving content engines.Matt Zaun is an award-winning speaker and strategic storytelling expert who helps leaders inspire action and drive results through the power of story. He’s the author of The StoryBank, a practical playbook for using strategic storytelling to build culture, boost sales, strengthen marketing, and become a dynamic public speaker.