Swim With Whales
Do you swim with whales? When we want big clients and big opportunities, we get in the water with them! And that’s what we’ll do in this coolest-ever business retreat. Check an Item Off Your Bucket List Spend six days … More ☛
Tag Archives: business
The Music Industry’s $50-Billion/Year Storytelling Fumble
For decades, FM radio stations served as the primary outlet for major record labels to promote their artists. Radio listeners visited brick-and-mortar music stores to purchase records, tapes, and CDs. For a while, M-TV joined the party. Then the … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast #28: Rich Hopkins
Transcript: Dave Bricker (00:02) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakipedia.com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk, smart strategies, and amazing stories from … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast #27: Marilyn August
Transcript Dave Bricker (00:05) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakepedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk, smart strategies, and … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast #26: David Murray
Transcript Dave Bricker (00:05) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakepedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker , bringing you straight talk, smart strategies, and … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast #25: Rob Shanahan
Transcript: Dave Bricker (00:07) This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by Speakipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk, smart strategies, and amazing stories from visionary speakers and thought leaders. From the heart of small town … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast #24: Captain Gene Flipse
Transcript Dave Bricker (00:03) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk, smart strategies, and amazing … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast #23: Mitch Mitchem
Transcript Dave Bricker (00:00) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk, smart strategies, and amazing … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast #22: Paula Rizzo
Transcript Dave Bricker (00:07) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk, smart strategies, and amazing … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast # 20: Mark Entrekin
Dave Bricker (00:07) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk, smart strategies, and amazing stories from … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast #19: Humphrey Bower
Dave Bricker (00:00) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk, smart strategies, and amazing stories … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast #18: Pauline Butcher Bird
Dave Bricker: Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk, strategies, and amazing stories from visionary … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast #17: Bill Stainton
Transcript [00:00:00] Dave Bricker: Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is “Speakipedia Media,” brought to you by speakipedia.com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk, smart strategies, and amazing … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast # 15:
Simone Vincenzi
Transcript Dave Bricker: Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by Speakipedia.com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from visionary … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast # 16:
CJ Singh
Transcript Dave Bricker (00:09) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speekipedia Media brought to you by spekipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast #14:
Andrea Gold
Transcript: Dave Bricker (00:07) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakepedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast # 13:
Rick Lozano
Transcription Dave Bricker (00:07) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speekipedia Media, brought to you by speakipedia.com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from visionary … More ☛
A Story of Steve Jobs, Creativity, Balance, and Success
“People from technology don’t understand the creative process … companies go through to make their products, and they don’t appreciate how hard it is. And the creative companies don’t appreciate how creative technology is; they think it’s just something you … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast #12:
Errol Leandre
Transcript Dave Bricker (00:06) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media, brought to you by Speakipedia.com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from visionary … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast # 11:
Will Bowen
Transcription Dave Bricker (00:06) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media, brought to you by Speakipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from visionary … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast #10:
Johann Callaghan
Dave Bricker (00:01) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from visionary … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast # 9:
David H. Lawrence the XVII
Transcript Dave Bricker (00:01) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakypedia Media brought to you by Speakypedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from … More ☛
Epizeuxis
Epizeuxis is the emphatic repetition of a word, with no other words in between. It’s used to highlight a strong emotional state or to emphasize a point dramatically. An iconic example is from Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’: ‘Never, never, never, never, … More ☛
Vernacular
Vernacular refers to the language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular region or country. In literature and speeches, using the vernacular can significantly aid in connecting with a local audience by reflecting their everyday language and … More ☛
Syllogism
Syllogism is a form of logical reasoning where a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed propositions. A classic example: Major premise: ‘All men are mortal.’ Minor premise: ‘Socrates is a man.’ Conclusion: ‘Therefore, Socrates is mortal.’ Syllogisms are … More ☛
Speakipedia Podcast #8: Maureen Mahoney
Transcript Dave Bricker (00:05) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by Speakipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from … More ☛
Influencer Dashboard Terms & Conditions
Let’s keep things simple. Your Name and Contact Information Will never be shared with any third parties for commercial purposes. Mailing List Your registration will subscribe you to the Speakipedia email list. You are free to unsubscribe without losing your … More ☛
Take the CUSS Out of Customer Service!
Everyone thinks they know what good customer service is. We’ve all had bad customer service—a waiter who won’t bring the check or an Internet company that can’t keep a four-hour appointment window. But good customer service means more than … More ☛
Elevator Pitch Witch
Should I Pay to Speak at an Event?
Should I pay to speak at an event? Would a professional doctor pay for the privilege of treating your illness? Would a professional plumber pay to unclog your toilet? Would a professional soccer player pay to be in the big … More ☛
The Best Speakers Tell Stories About You!
The best speakers tell stories about YOU! A speaker walked onto the platform wearing a rugged jacket and hiking boots. He set an ice axe down on a small table, pulled off his snow goggles, and began to recount his … More ☛
Protect Your Ideas: Trademarks
Trademarks are registered for names and logos associated with specific purposes. For example, my StorySailing® name is trademarked and the corresponding logo has a separate trademark. Because I registered a trademark for StorySailing, nobody else can legally use that name—unless … More ☛
Amplify Your Audience
Audience members sometimes respond timidly when you ask them questions. They may be nervous about speaking up in public, especially in front of their peers. Instead of simply repeating what they say, amplify what they say. Speaker: “What are some … More ☛
“Speaking” Means More Than Keynoting
Many people think of “speakers” as people who perform on big stages, but keynote speaking is only part of what professional speaking is about. Choose the best speaking business model for you. Keynote speakers have a “one-and-done” business. No matter … More ☛
How Long Does it Take to Build a Speaking Business?
How long does it take to build any business? Celebrities and rock stars may find it easy to launch an enterprise based on name recognition. A few speakers are able to build a practice quickly when they retire as industry … More ☛
PowerPoint Mistakes: Bullet Points!
How deadly are your bullet points? There are seven elements that every speaker must consider when crafting a presentation: ✅ Timing ✅ Volume ✅ Pauses ✅ Presence ✅ Facial Expressions ✅ Body Language ✅ And Dynamics Let’s talk about timing … More ☛
Intromatic (Demo)
Load a demo and view the AI-generated results. Speaker Introduction Wizard by Dave Bricker A strong, interesting, and concise introduction sets the stage for your performance. It builds energy and primes your audience to focus on the problem you address, … More ☛
‘Twas the Month Before Christmas
Here’s a little holiday fun. Thanks for reading my storytelling posts. Have a safe, happy, and prosperous season. ‘Twas a month before Christmas, when all through the land Every forklift was stirring, precisely as planned Products were lined on … More ☛
Thoughts on Thanksgiving
When the urge to gripe arises, consider that no matter what dark clouds may loom on the horizon, you threaded the needle of human history. Imagine what life would have been like had you been born not so many years … More ☛
Jazz and Musical Storytelling
What is musical storytelling? Many of our favorite storytellers rely on music to help them deliver their messages with impact. Depending on what’s happening in the story, they use specific techniques and strategies. For example, when there’s a dream sequence, … More ☛
Take the Twerking Out of Networking!
Another agonizing networking event! You walk around the room, introduce yourself to the next stranger, ask them what they do, and pray they’ll offer anything remotely relevant to you. Great! Another realtor! Wow! Another financial manager! Nice to meet you … More ☛
Why AI-Generated Marketing Copy Misses the Mark
Is AI-Generated Marketing Copy the powerful shortcut we’ve been told it is? The explosive growth of online content has done little for the evolution of graphic design or copywriting. Publishing has never been so easy, and the demands of producing … More ☛
Survive and Thrive in the Land of Clocks & Calendars
Is your digital calendar robbing you of the time you need to be productive? Maybe the problem isn’t your calendar. Back in my carefree boat bum days, my course was governed by the world’s natural rhythms. I rose and retired … More ☛
Jazz and the Dangerous Magic of Creative Flow
Perhaps you’ve experienced flow writing. You sit down, watch your fingers tap away at the keyboard, and wonder, Where did that come from? Did I write that? That’s really good! Sometimes the experience of flow can be as simple and … More ☛
Punch Up Your Pitch With Storytelling
You’ve been asked to pitch a big project. You and your teammates Shelly and Barbara sit at your conference table discussing next week’s big presentation. “It’s impossible to know how the competition is going to position themselves,” says Shelly. “We … More ☛
Punch Up Your Elevator Pitch
The “elevator pitch” is an essential professional tool—a tool that should be kept razor sharp and as ready to deploy as a handshake and a smile—and yet, most professionals are woefully bad at introducing themselves. Have you ever attended a … More ☛
Change Your Pricing Story
Should you charge $20 for your new book or $19.97? Will dropping your price by three cents help you sell more books? What about smart consumers who are educated about sales and marketing? Will they think you’re being manipulative? … More ☛
Real Estate and Storytelling
Maria, a realtor attended one of my storytelling workshops at the suggestion of a mutual friend. “What does storytelling have to do with real estate?” she asked before the session started. Tell me about a property you’re excited about,” I … More ☛
Lost and Found Losers
Lost and found items create logistical challenges, but stories are always about people. The story of how (or whether) a person is reunited with a lost item they need or value determines the success of important business relationships. Create a … More ☛
You Can Keep Your Business Cards
I was talking with a friend at a business networking event when a man came plowing through the crowd doling out business cards as if he were handing out candy on Halloween. After the most cursory of introductions, he put … More ☛
Put a Price on Your Passion
How do you put a price on your passion? How can you charge a fair-but-high price for your services? You’ve got a fantastic prospect on the line. The conversation is engaging. The relationship develops instantly. Your hopefully-soon-to-be client is … More ☛
Inspire Prospects to ASK You to Sell!
Inspire prospects to ask you to sell to them. Many years ago I was out sailing on Biscayne Bay with an old sailor friend. The conversation drifted from how to adjust the sails to light talk about our personal lives, … More ☛
Sound Advice for Writers & Publishers
The following advice on writing and publishing is based on my own experiences and those of my clients. I hope you find it valuable and encouraging, even if it changes your expectations. I’ve written and published twelve books, and I’m … More ☛
Hobbyist or Professional? Be the Best in the World.
Hobbyist or professional? True professionals dedicate their lives to being the best in the world at whatever they do—not some day, but today—every day. Not try, do. I have played guitar almost every day for almost forty years. I play … More ☛
Conflict: Sailing the Storms of Life and Business
In storms of life and business, it requires immense energy to sustain conflict. Dangerous and destructive forces require attention and—at the appropriate times—resistance, but often the best strategy is to park and wait for the tempest to subside. A retail … More ☛
Sell Outcomes, Not Products
Sell outcomes. The products or services you exchange at the transaction stage of a business relationship might not be the most meaningful basis for describing what you offer. Before you print your next batch of business cards, think like a … More ☛
Your Unique Value Story
Imagine an event where each attendee is given a puzzle piece and directed to connect one-at-a-time with others in the room to see whether their pieces fit together. Though such a laborious process sounds absurd, it describes exactly how most … More ☛
Storytelling and Your Mission Statement
Anyone who questions the relationship between business and storytelling need look no farther than the humble corporate mission statement. The goal of this article is to teach the value of storytelling so you can develop engaging mission statements that … More ☛
Another Customer Service Horror Story
Do you have a customer service horror story to share? What stories are you telling about yourself before you even show up to do business? A Customer Service Horror Story A friend of mine sailed his boat up on some … More ☛
Advertising, Business Strategy, and Storytelling
If you’re skeptical about the connection between business strategy and storytelling, consider the challenges faced by advertising agencies and marketers. Ad agencies’ storytelling challenges are complex because they must consider how the stories of their individual team members dovetail with … More ☛
The Virtuoso, the Teacher, & the Centipede
One Sunday morning not long after I had been introduced to sailing, I was enjoying a cup of coffee in the cockpit of my friend Strider’s boat. The sounds of rustling canvas alerted me to watch a bronzed man on … More ☛
Storytelling Tips: The Rush of Discovery
Storytelling tips: You’re walking along and you happen to look down. “Hey, that’s not a scrap of paper; that’s a $20 bill!” Isn’t it a rush when something we thought was useless turns out to be meaningful. Stories—whether they’re truth … More ☛
River Stories
River stories: Numerous stories have been written about rivers. We all have rivers to cross. Metaphorical rivers represent both the obstacles we encounter in life and business and where the “current” carries us. Perhaps a tough conversation lies ahead or … More ☛
Sea Stories: Do You Trust Your Compass?
Do you trust your compass? Finding your way in life, business, and traffic is a challenge. The easiest way to get somewhere without getting lost is to switch on the GPS. But too many people never know the joy of … More ☛
Be an Effective Storyteller. Try Story Listening
Storytelling is a powerful tool, but no one ever talks about story listening. Have you ever been with a friend, family member, client, or colleague and assumed they were thinking and feeling something completely different from what they actually were? … More ☛
Another Boring Speaker! The Problem and How to Fix It.
“This should be a great presentation,” said Jess as we walked into the Chamber of Commerce breakfast and grabbed a table near the platform. The speaker made a gazillion dollars taking startups public. He’s the CEO of…” “Why does everyone … More ☛
Superhero Stories
When I was young, I collected superhero stories and comic books. I was fascinated by the exploits of the same characters—Ironman, Spiderman, Superman, and others—who inspire movie-watchers today. The comic book was for me, the ultimate storytelling medium, a combination … More ☛
Selling the Story: Storytelling for Skeptics
“Storytelling…? I don’t know.” A troubled look flashed across Sally’s face. “You’ll have a hard time selling me on your topic. Last year’s speaker was a dud. I need to deliver some wow-factor this year or I might not be … More ☛
Story Themes: The Unlikely Teacher
The unlikely teacher is one of my favorite story themes, partially because I’ve been fortunate to have had wonderful, unlikely teachers in my own life, but also because it suggests pathways and opportunities for us to transform our lives and … More ☛
Problem-Solving & Storytelling: Understand Their Story
Use storytelling for problem-solving. Think about the various stories involved in a conflict and plot a course for resolution. Seen through the StorySailing™ spyglass, a story is analogous to the voyage of a sailboat across the rocky, stormy seas of … More ☛
Pitch Trolls in the NidekniL Marketplace
Nideknil Marketplace was all hustle and bustle. Colorful signs above the merchant stalls proclaimed the advantages of endless products and services. Businesspeople crowded the aisles, picking up samples and literature and talking to the vendors. The pitch-trolls were out in … More ☛
Home Economics and the “New Normal”
Getting Forward to New Normal Retailers have been hit hard by COVID19. Foot traffic is down and online retailers are winning the game. But that story is only partially true. Online retailers started winning the game long before COVID19 shuttered … More ☛
Don’t Hire Experts and Tell Them What to Do!
Too many professionals buy the story that expertise is a commodity: Hire an expert, tell them what to do, and get the job done. Experts are experts because they know more than you do about their professional discipline. Experts are … More ☛
Who Are You to Judge?
Have you ever been disappointed with a judge’s call—in a courtroom, on a ball field, or in a contest? Who are you to judge? In August of 2020, I watched eight finalists compete in the World Championship of Public Speaking, … More ☛
Cigarettes,
Leaf-Blowers, and COVID-19
I’m that annoying neighbor—the bad guy—the one who’s always complaining about my rights … . or at least that’s the story my neighbors tell. While enjoying the sanctuary of my backyard one cool February afternoon, my bliss was interrupted by … More ☛
Public Speaking Tip: Speechcrafting Goes Beyond Speechwriting
Speechcrafting is a special discipline of which speechwriting is but a single element. The effective speechcrafting professional understands the art of narrative and also the power of stagecraft—timing, pauses, dynamics, gestures. Eloquent words delivered by a lackluster presenter will miss … More ☛
Public Speaking Tip: Speaking is a Service Industry
Speakers are commonly asked, “What’s your topic?” or “What’s your message?” Such questions may sound intuitively reasonable but they lead would-be speakers astray before the first word is written. Questions about “your topic” or “your message” imply that your speech … More ☛
The “Become a Millionaire Speaker” Story
A friend asked if he should take a day off work to attend a free “Become a Millionaire Speaker or Coach!” seminar. No. Don’t quit your day job—even for a day. I’m sure the session offers hours of true and … More ☛