What if the way you've been going after bigger opportunities is exactly what's making them harder to land? There are two approaches most leaders take, and they both leave opportunities on the table.

Mo Bunnell, one of the world’s leading experts on business development and author of Give to Grow, teaches a third strategy that actually wins the work with less effort.

This episode breaks down the difference between doing the work and winning the work, and how making this shift changes the way you run meetings, handle pricing, and ask for referrals.

⏰Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction

(00:32) Doing vs. Winning the Work

(04:22) Mistakes That Kill the Pitch

(07:37) The IKEA Effect 

(10:13) Building Credibility 

(15:57) Storytelling

(19:27) Pricing Conversations

(21:21) Pricing Options

(23:55) Raising Prices

(27:15) Asking for Referrals

(29:17) Closing Meetings with Momentum

(32:04) AI as a Thought Partner

Learn more in Mo’s free training course:

http://givetogrow.info/

Connect with Mo Bunnell:

https://bunnellideagroup.com/

🎧More Episodes Like This

• 316: Surrounded by Idiots w/ Thomas Erikson 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YFSr9PbPZlFQJAUpebogU
• 315: Nir Eyal NYT Best Seller
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YFSr9PbPZlFQJAUpebogU
• 308: Confidence on Command

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1tTFZKF5RA1gWDZvJzSpl9

🔗LinkedIn

Host: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-aust/

Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-mcgowan-7103b/

📩Newsletter

Host: https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/profile

📚Resources

• 21 Storytelling Frameworks: https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/21-storytelling-frameworks-with-oliver

• Become a Presentation Genius (Free Course): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wJloFeNwBg

• Speak Like a CEO Academy: https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

📧 Email: [email protected]

🙌 This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique: https://www.podcastboutique.com

You’ve been trained to stay on message. The problem? “On message” is forgettable.

Bill McGowan, author of Speak, Memorably and founder of Clarity Media Group, has spent 25 years coaching executives on how to be memorable, even working with clients like Kim Kardashian and Cookie Monster.

In this episode, he breaks down the difference between speakers people remember and speakers people tune out. From how to open your presentation to the physical and verbal techniques that keep people listening, he shares what actually works and what to avoid.

⏰Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Staying on Message

02:15 Be 22x More Memorable

03:30 Keeping Attention

05:09 The 60-Second Rule

08:13 The Three Ps of voice

09:32 Projection and Energy

16:03 Spotting Clichés

18:25 The Magnificent Seven

20:34 What to Do With Your Hands

22:30 Crafting a Memorable Talk

25:01 Kardashians and Cookie Monster

27:33 Reading the Zoom

🎧More Episodes Like This

• 316: Surrounded by Idiots w/ Thomas Erikson 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YFSr9PbPZlFQJAUpebogU?si=u_Dt5fqgRVqzOOoyCJoctA

• 315: Nir Eyal NYT Best Seller
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2MjPtegbC6wSmLWG6Nqjvy?si=r_en9YaUQFqT5eBBgrN6MA

• 308: Confidence on Command

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1tTFZKF5RA1gWDZvJzSpl9?si=m32VAVaTQUONT8VVS8qm

🔗LinkedIn

Host: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-aust/

Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-mcgowan-7103b/

📩Newsletter

Host: https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/profile

📚Resources

• 21 Storytelling Frameworks: https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/21-storytelling-frameworks-with-oliver

• Become a Presentation Genius (Free Course): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wJloFeNwBg

• Speak Like a CEO Academy: https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

📧 Email: [email protected]

🙌 This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

Most leaders think their idea will win on merit. It won't.

Even NASA could not get funding for a $100 million mission to measure air pollution from space. Not because of the science, but because not enough people believed in it.

In this episode, NASA's former Chief Story Architect Paul Propster shares the persuasive framework NASA now uses to win funding for their missions. You'll learn the four-point structure they use to plan their pitches, the simple test Pixar taught them for vetting ideas, and the single insight that will get review boards rooting for your idea instead of picking it apart.

⏰Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction

(01:21) Winning a $100M

(04:30) Story Architecting

(06:06) NASA’s Credible Messengers

(08:58) What Pixar Taught NASA

(12:52) 6-Sentence Story Template

(14:17) Artemis Moon Program

(16:29) Storytelling Through Failure

(19:05) Story Architect Circle

(23:22) Teaching Authenticity

(29:52) Paul’s Best Advice

🎧More Episodes Like This

• 316:Surrounded by Idiots w/ Thomas Erikson 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YFSr9PbPZlFQJAUpebogU?si=u_Dt5fqgRVqzOOoyCJoctA

• 315: Nir Eyal NYT Best Seller
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2MjPtegbC6wSmLWG6Nqjvy?si=r_en9YaUQFqT5eBBgrN6MA

• 308: Confidence on Command

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1tTFZKF5RA1gWDZvJzSpl9?si=m32VAVaTQUONT8VVS8qm

🔗LinkedIn

Host: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-aust/

Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-propster/

📩Newsletter

Host: https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/profile

📚Resources

• 21 Storytelling Frameworks: https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/21-storytelling-frameworks-with-oliver

• Become a Presentation Genius (Free Course): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wJloFeNwBg

• Speak Like a CEO Academy: https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

📧 Email: [email protected]

🙌 This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

💡 This episode’s supervising editor was Chelsea B. Olsen https://chelseabolsen.com

Every platform eventually turns on the brands that built on it. The leaders winning now aren't begging algorithms for reach – they're owning their audience directly.

Tyler Denk is doing exactly that. As CEO of beehiiv, he's built a $500K newsletter in five hours a week while running a $30M business with 110 employees across 15 countries. Before that, he was employee number two at famed newsletter Morning Brew, which sold for $75 million. 

He joins Oliver to unpack why storytelling is now your most important business asset, why your social following may be worth less than you think, and how the best leaders today are the ones who know how to communicate, not just manage. 

Learn why owning your audience is the most important move leaders can make right now.

⏰Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction 

(00:58) Why platforms are unreliable now 

(02:23) Power of Newsletters

(07:31) Why Storytelling is Key

(10:16) Founding beehiiv

(13:48) Leading Remote 110 Team 

(19:39) Creator & CEO Hybrid

(21:59) Customer Acquisition in AI Age

(25:02) Own Distribution 

(29:14) Transparency as a Superpower

(32:10) LinkedIn strategy and building a brand as CEO

🎧More Episodes Like This

• 316:Surrounded by Idiots w/ Thomas Erikson 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YFSr9PbPZlFQJAUpebogU?si=87e4724578bf4d51

• 315: Nir Eyal NYT Best Seller
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2MjPtegbC6wSmLWG6Nqjvy?si=79801e1f275d4973

• 308: Confidence on Command

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1tTFZKF5RA1gWDZvJzSpl9?si=40659e79a0964e07

🔗LinkedIn

Host: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-aust/

Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-denk/

📩Newsletter

Host: https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/profile

Guest: http://mail.bigdeskenergy.com/ 

📚Resources

• 21 Storytelling Frameworks: https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/21-storytelling-frameworks-with-oliver

• Become a Presentation Genius (Free Course): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wJloFeNwBg

• Speak Like a CEO Academy: https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

📧 Email: [email protected]

🙌 This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

💡 This episode’s supervising editor was Chelsea B. Olsen https://chelseabolsen.com

Most leaders avoid AI entirely or let it do all their work. Both are destroying their credibility.

In this episode, Oliver sits down with Allison Shapira, Harvard lecturer and author of AI for the Authentic Leader, to discuss why AI is actually making so many leaders worse communicators and leaders. She shares her frameworks and insights on how to write with AI without losing your voice, let it help with your biggest problems, and handle tough conversations.

You’ll learn what it really means to be authentic in an AI word, how the AI Authenticity Loop can help you maintain trust, , and how to get started using AI the right way.

Topics discussed:

Introduction (00:00)

How to use AI strategically (00:40)

The AI authenticity loop (03:35)

The definition of true authenticity - and where AI fits in (06:24)

How to protect trust while using AI (08:52)

When and how to use AI for difficult conversations (10:14)

Will AI make middle management redundant? (16:31)

What leaders are getting wrong about AI (18:41)

Three steps to start using AI as a leader (25:37)

How to overcome resistance and get your team on board (27:19)

Get access to Allison’s custom AI:
https://allisonshapira.com/ai

Grab a copy of Allison’s book, AI for the Authentic Leader:
https://allisonshapira.com/books/

Get the Presentation Planner Oliver uses with elite communicators: https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/presentation-planner

Want to work with Oliver and become a top 1% communicator? Join the Speak Like a CEO Academy! https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

Meetings, emails, conversations – the reason they all break down is the same: we get the first minute wrong.

Chris Fenning, author of The First Minute, literally wrote the book on how to get that first minute right. His frameworks are simple, but they fix the problems most leaders deal with every single day.

In this episode, you'll learn how to lead better meetings, write emails that actually get answered, and communicate your point before people tune out.

Topics discussed:

Introduction (00:00)

3 questions you must answer in the first minute - and why it matters (00:37)

The science behind the first minute (05:22)

The GPS framework for getting results (07:36)

How to recover when conversations go wrong (11:00)

The TPO framework for better meetings (12:38)

How to change communication culture in organizations (14:46)

When to replace a meeting with something else (18:34)

Who to include (and not include) in meetings (21:08)

Should you use AI to write your emails? (23:17)

How to set communication preferences within your organization (28:27)

How to structure emails that get replies (31:02)

The 10-second habit for clearer communication (34:59)
Where niceties belong in an email (36:15)

Connect with Chris Fenning:
https://chrisfenning.com/

Connect with Oliver:

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-aust/

Get the Presentation Planner Oliver uses with elite communicators: https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/presentation-planner

Want to work with Oliver and become a top 1% communicator? Join the Speak Like a CEO Academy:https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

Boards are now asking one question about every CEO candidate: are they coachable?

Scott Osman and Jacquelyn Lane, leaders of 100 Coaches, pull back the curtain on how elite coaching actually works: what makes someone coachable, what questions to ask, why coaching (almost) always justifies the price tag, and how long it takes to see results.

In this episode, they share why the best leaders are coachable and how you can build that skill yourself – plus, the one question every leader should ask themselves if they want to make a bigger impact.

Topics discussed:

Introduction (00:00)

Who actually needs a coach? (00:47)

Why coachability has become a CEO-level skill (01:51)

The origin story of 100 Coaches (04:54)

How to find the right coach for you (07:18)

The most common areas people need coaching (10:56)

How long does coaching take to work? (11:59)

How coaches use feedback to reveal your blind spots (13:30)

Should you suggest coaching to your boss? (18:39)

The leadership habits that silently undermine you (20:11)

Should a leader also be a coach? (22:18)

The openness framework: how to become more coachable (24:36)

Will AI replace executive coaches? (30:51)

Scott and Jacquelyn’s best communication advice (33:47)

Learn more about 100 Coaches:
http://100coaches.com/

Grab Scott Osman and Jacquelyn Lane’s book:
https://becomingcoachable.com/

Subscribe to Scott’s newsletter on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/best-insights-from-100-coaches-6613518216260050944/

Get the Presentation Planner Oliver uses with elite communicators: https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/presentation-planner

Want to work with Oliver and become a top 1% communicator? Join the Speak Like a CEO Academy and sign up for the FREE webinar! https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

Get the Presentation Planner: https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/presentation-planner

Most leaders spend hours preparing presentations that get mediocre results. They stare at PowerPoint, fill slides with bullet points, and still struggle to connect with their audience.

This comprehensive course reveals the exact system Oliver uses with CEOs and founders to cut preparation time in half while doubling impact. You'll learn the three-step framework elite communicators use to plan, practice, and present with confidence.

Whether you're pitching to investors, presenting to your board, or leading your team, this course will transform how you communicate. You'll discover how to structure any presentation in minutes, craft messages that stick, and deliver with the confidence of a top 1% presenter.

Topics discussed:

The objective: becoming a top 1% presenter (00:00)

Why presentations matter for leaders (02:15)

The three P framework: plan, practice, present (05:30)

Seven deadly sins of presenting and how to avoid them (08:45)

How to make the audience care: the 90% test (14:20)

Choosing the right structure for any presentation (19:35)

Crafting simple, effective messages that move people (25:10)

The killer opening line and ending with impact (31:45)

Why storytelling beats facts and logic (37:20)

Creating slides that support your message (43:15)

Handling questions, interruptions, and objections with grace (49:30)

Body language: posture, hands, and facial expressions (54:40)

Voice mastery: the five Ps of vocal variety (61:25)

Eliminating filler words and embracing the pause (67:10)

The BMW method: staying calm and confident under pressure (72:35)

Bringing energy and passion to every presentation (78:50)

Your action plan: joining the top 1% (83:15)

Want to work with Oliver and become a top 1% communicator? Join the Speak Like a CEO Academy: https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

Here's a hard truth: the people you think are idiots think the exact same thing about you.

In this episode, Thomas Erikson, bestselling author of Surrounded by Idiots, helps us answer the question: are we really surrounded by idiots or are we simply failing to communicate? He breaks down the four personality types that shape how every person around you behaves and explains exactly how each one thinks, communicates, and needs to be led.

You’ll learn the truth about energy vampires, narcissists, and how to protect yourself without sacrificing yourself in the process.

Topics discussed:

Introduction (00:00)

Why you think you're surrounded by idiots (00:51)

The four “colors” of human behavior (04:10)

Yellow vs. blue: the communication gap (09:58)

How to adapt to different colors (15:03)

What each color needs most from their leaders (16:47)

How to build your leadership communication skills (18:22)

The trap most leaders fall into (23:05)

The colors that struggle the most to adapt (28:47)

How to deal with energy vampires (30:27)

The truth about working with narcissists (34:04)

Connect with Thomas Erikson:
http://surroundedbyidiots.com/

Get the Presentation Planner Oliver uses with elite communicators: https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/presentation-planner

Want to work with Oliver and become a top 1% communicator? Join the Speak Like a CEO Academy and sign up for the FREE webinar! https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com)

Beliefs can limit us – or liberate us. And most of us are still carrying a few that stop us short of reaching our goals. 

Our guest Nir Eyal helps us identify and overcome the limiting beliefs that hold us back.

Nir is the bestselling author of Hooked and Indistractable. He spent the last six years researching the science of motivation for his brand new book Beyond Belief  – and what he found explains why even highly motivated leaders limit themselves.

He makes a provocative argument: the real limiter isn’t motivation or willpower. It’s belief.

Not positive thinking. Not affirmations. Not mantras in front of the mirror. That stuff hardly works. What does work is to treat “beliefs as tools, not truths.”

You’ll learn why motivation isn’t about willpower, why confidence collapses under pressure, and how one missing layer – your beliefs – determines whether you persist, command the room, and communicate like a true leader.

Topics discussed:

Introduction (00:00)

How limiting beliefs hold us back (00:47)

Facts vs. faith and why the difference matters (05:38)

Why toxic positivity hurts you (10:45)
The framework for challenging a limiting belief (14:45)

How identity and fear keep people stuck (19:47)

Becoming an anti-fragile communicator (22:47)

"Fake it till you make it" — the reframe (25:58)

The three powers of belief (30:05)

High-agency leadership in the age of AI (35:53)

The first step to changing your limiting beliefs (37:13)

Connect with Nir Eyal:
https://www.nirandfar.com/beyond-belief/

Want to work with Oliver and become a top 1% communicator? Join the Speak Like a CEO Academy: https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com)

The communication “rules” most workplaces follow weren’t built for every brain.

In this episode, Andy J. Pizza explores how ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence shape the way people think, speak and lead. You’ll hear why entrepreneurship attracts so many neurodivergent thinkers, how to turn these traits into a storytelling advantage, and what leaders can do to support neurodivergent teams so everyone can do their best work.

Andy is a bestselling author, speaker, and host of the long-running podcast Creative Pep Talk. He has spent years studying storytelling, creativity, and speaking with ADHD – and built a career on turning different wiring into influence.

Topics discussed:

Introduction (00:00)

Do neurodivergent people communicate differently? (00:38)

Moving from shame to self-acceptance with an ADHD diagnosis (05:15)

Masking as a coping mechanism: when it becomes detrimental (10:21)

Why many entrepreneurs are neurodivergent (11:59)

Neurodivergent work methods and why meaning is so important (15:49)

Why so many neurodivergent people undermine their value (20:15)

Why neurodivergent leaders may thrive in the AI era (22:25)

How leaders unlock creativity and what blocks it (28:30)

Storytelling as a communication tool (30:44)

How leaders can support neurodivergent employees (36:50)

Andy’s picture books and podcast (41:10)

What you should do before communicating (42:35)

Connect with Andy J. Pizza:
https://www.andyjpizza.com/
https://www.youtube.com/c/CreativePepTalk

Want to work with Oliver and become a top 1% communicator? Join the Speak Like a CEO Academy: https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com)