The StoryBrand Podcast

Most people walk into a negotiation hoping reason will win. Then the other side throws a punch, and suddenly your "win-win" mindset starts costing you money, leverage, and sleep. Whether you're dealing with a tough client, a legal threat, or a conflict that got personal fast, you need to know what kind of negotiation you're actually in. So how do you protect the relationship without getting steamrolled? In this episode, host Donald Miller sits down with John Lowry, negotiation expert and author of Negotiation Made Simple, to talk about what to do when nice stops working. John explains how to spot competitive negotiators, use power without letting your ego drive, and shift a stuck conversation toward a smarter outcome. You'll learn when to accommodate, when to compete, and when to hit pause before the whole thing blows up. Listen in to learn the skills to turn a tense negotiation into a better result. Buy "Negotiation Made Simple" here: https://www.amazon.com/Negotiation-Made-Simple-Relationships-Delivering/dp/1400336325 Ready to clarify your message and grow your business? Attend StoryBrand Your Business LIVE to learn how to explain what you do in a way customers instantly understand: https://storybrand.com/live/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=sbyourbusiness&utm_term=sbpod&utm_content=SB_workshop Visit StoryBrand.com for business training, messaging tools, and resources to help you grow: https://storybrand.com/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=storybrand&utm_term=sbpod&utm_content=SB_home Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storybrand Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storybrand

Business owners often think growth comes from doing more, offering more, and saying more. But the more you add, the easier it is to confuse customers, muddy your message, and slow down sales. When people don't understand exactly what you do or why it matters, they move on. So how do you keep your message clear while your business keeps growing? In this episode of the StoryBrand Podcast, Donald Miller talks with Tricia Sciortino, CEO of BELAY, about how the company used clear messaging to grow past $100 million in annual revenue. Tricia shares how BELAY refined its language, avoided confusing customers, and learned to position each service around the real problem it solves. Listen in to learn how the right words can help customers understand your value and buy with confidence. Need help finding the right people to grow your business? Visit:http://belaysolutions.com/donaldmiller Ready to clarify your message and grow your business? Attend StoryBrand Your Business LIVE to learn how to explain what you do in a way customers instantly understand: https://storybrand.com/live/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=sbyourbusiness&utm_term=sbpod&utm_content=SB_workshop Visit StoryBrand.com for business training, messaging tools, and resources to help you grow: https://storybrand.com/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=storybrand&utm_term=sbpod&utm_content=SB_home Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storybrand Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storybrand

It's easy to give up on people when they disappoint us, miss expectations, or don't seem to fit the role they're in. But great leaders know people are rarely just "good" or "bad" at work. More often, they're either understood or misunderstood, positioned well or placed poorly. What would change if you started looking for people's potential before writing them off? In this episode, host Donald Miller talks with Brian Hooks, CEO of Stand Together and co-author of Believe in People, about how leaders can unlock more value by helping people discover and use their gifts. They discuss building stronger teams, solving social problems from the bottom up, and why believing in people may be one of the most practical leadership decisions you can make. Listen in to learn the secret to putting people in the right role so they can do their best work. Brian's book is out now, get it here: https://www.amazon.com/Believe-People-Bottom-Up-Solutions-Top-Down/dp/1250200962 Ready to clarify your message and grow your business? Attend StoryBrand Your Business LIVE to learn how to explain what you do in a way customers instantly understand: https://storybrand.com/live/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=sbyourbusiness&utm_term=sbpod&utm_content=SB_workshop Visit StoryBrand.com for business training, messaging tools, and resources to help you grow: https://storybrand.com/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=storybrand&utm_term=sbpod&utm_content=SB_home Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storybrand Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storybrand

Get free marketing videos from Donald Miller every week at: https://WeeklySoundbite.com/ Most of us avoid hard conversations. We tell ourselves it's not worth the tension. We don't want to look needy or rock the boat, so we let things slide. At work, at home, with friends. But every time we stay silent, something inside us shrinks. Resentment builds, and the relationships that matter most slowly drift off course. We don't lose influence because we lack talent. We lose it because we lack the courage to say what needs to be said. And that silence costs us opportunities, connection, and even our identity. But what if your next big breakthrough is waiting on the other side of one honest conversation? In this episode, Don sits down with negotiation expert Kwame Christian to explore how difficult conversations shape our confidence, relationships, and success. Kwame shares how overcoming people-pleasing transformed his life, why respect matters more than being liked, and how negotiation is about connection, not manipulation. You'll learn why many negotiations fail before they start, how to plant seeds instead of dropping bombs, and why great negotiators focus on long-term trust over short-term wins. Listen in for a masterclass in how to protect your identity and create better outcomes, one conversation at a time. Hire Kwame at: https://kwamechristian.com Connect with Donald Miller on social media: https://www.instagram.com/donaldmiller/ https://www.facebook.com/donaldmillerwords http://StoryBrand.com Building a StoryBrand 2.0 is now available! https://buildingastorybrand.com/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=&utm_term=cb&utm_content=SB_Framework Make your marketing and messaging work with the StoryBrand framework—and you can do that with the updated version of the book, Building a StoryBrand 2.0, now available!

You might think posting daily, chasing trends, and being "everywhere" is the key to growing your personal brand. But what if the real problem isn't visibility, it's clarity? Most people trying to build a brand skip the hardest part: figuring out exactly what they stand for and how to communicate it consistently. Without that foundation, every post feels like a shot in the dark. And if your message is muddy, even the best content won't convert. So how do you build a brand that actually resonates, builds trust, and drives results? In this episode, Donald Miller sits down with "Podcast Princess" Hala Taha, host of Young and Profiting (YAP) Podcast, to unpack the messaging strategies that built her powerhouse personal brand. They dive into her step-by-step framework for personal brand clarity, how to create sticky content themes, and why it pays to stand against something just as much as you stand for something. You'll also hear how Hala used these strategies to grow a thriving business, land sponsorships, and inspire the next generation of creators. Whether you want to go big or just be "five miles famous," this episode shows you how to get known and stay known. Check out more from Hala on her website: https://youngandprofiting.com -- Click HERE to get in-person help creating your marketing at the next available StoryBrand Your Business LIVE event! Click HERE to find a StoryBrand certified marketing coach to help you grow your business! Learn how to make your marketing and messaging work using a proven framework in the updated book, Building a StoryBrand 2.0. Order it now on Amazon or wherever you buy books!

Get free marketing videos from Donald Miller every week at: WeeklySoundbite.com Leaders often inherit a culture. The problem is, some of those cultures are toxic, broken, and built on a belief system of losing. When you walk into a room where failure has been normalized, where low standards are expected and defeat is baked into the identity, it's not just about improving performance. You have to rewrite the entire story people believe about themselves. That's where many leaders fail. They try to motivate or strategize their way through it without changing the narrative. But what if turning a culture around starts with something as simple and powerful as the words you repeat? In this episode, Donald Miller breaks down how Curt Cignetti, the new head coach at Indiana, didn't just win football games—he rewired an entire organization's identity. From powerful soundbites to obsessive attention to detail, Don explores the leadership and messaging strategies that transformed Indiana from a historic underdog into a national powerhouse. If you're leading any kind of turnaround, this episode is your playbook. -- Click HERE to get in-person help creating your marketing at the next available StoryBrand Your Business LIVE event! Click HERE to find a StoryBrand certified marketing coach to help you grow your business! Learn how to make your marketing and messaging work using a proven framework in the updated book, Building a StoryBrand 2.0. Order it now on Amazon or wherever you buy books!

Get free marketing videos from Donald Miller every week at: https://WeeklySoundbite.com/ Nonprofit leaders often feel stuck between wanting to make a real impact and struggling to get people to care. With attention spans shrinking and skepticism about charitable giving growing, how do you break through the noise and actually inspire action? You're constantly trying to build trust with donors and rally support, but even when the mission is noble, the response can feel underwhelming. What if your biggest hurdle isn't the cause itself, but the way you're communicating it? In this episode, host Kyle Reed sits down with Scott Harrison, founder of Charity: Water, to uncover how a simple, clear message has raised over $1 billion and served more than 20 million people. Scott shares how he turned birthdays into global fundraisers, built trust with a 100% donation model, and why nonprofits must innovate their messaging like any modern brand. Tune in for practical messaging insights that apply to every mission-driven leader. Help Scott continue giving people access to clean water at: https://www.charitywater.org/ -- Click HERE to get in-person help creating your marketing at the next available StoryBrand Your Business LIVE event! Click HERE to find a StoryBrand certified marketing coach to help you grow your business! Learn how to make your marketing and messaging work using a proven framework in the updated book, Building a StoryBrand 2.0. Order it now on Amazon or wherever you buy books!

Get free marketing videos from Donald Miller every week at: WeeklySoundbite.com As the holidays slow things down, many business owners take stock of what's ahead. You've got goals for growth, plans for product launches, and maybe even a rebrand on the horizon. But before you do anything else, take a hard look at your message. Because unclear messaging is the silent killer of great businesses. No matter how good your product is, if your message isn't clear, sales will stall. So before the new year ramps up, ask yourself: is your message clear enough to cut through all the noise? In this special holiday episode, Donald Miller and the StoryBrand team present a first-of-its-kind audio experience: Pete and Joe Save Their Mother's Company. This fun, fictional radio drama brings the StoryBrand framework to life through two brothers who must rescue their family's board game business. Packed with humor, heart, and powerful marketing lessons, this episode shows how clear messaging isn't just good business, it's the only way forward. -- Click HERE to get in-person help creating your marketing at the next available StoryBrand Your Business LIVE event! Click HERE to find a StoryBrand certified marketing coach to help you grow your business! Unlock the power of a framework that works—the StoryBrand Framework at StoryBrand.ai. It's like having the world's best copywriter create high-converting marketing whenever you need it. Start your free 7-day trial at StoryBrand.ai. Learn how to make your marketing and messaging work using a proven framework in the updated book, Building a StoryBrand 2.0. Order it now on Amazon or wherever you buy books!