4 Steps to Developing Your Brand Story

At heart, we are all storytellers.  Some relish in it, while others reluctantly communicate it.  We turn everything into a story, because as a human race, we're drawn to the story.  Sometimes they get in the way...and sometimes we deliver them with an impact.  The truth is, today more than ever...marketing through storytelling has never been more important.

That's why I believe there are 4 key steps to developing your own brand story.  You'll convey your personal or company narrative along the way through each of these stages, but always make sure you're bringing it back to the concept of adding value by telling a compelling story.

1. Build Your Network

     - As a storyteller and a marketer, you have to find an audience to listen, or you will be delivering dead air.  But before you can even find your audience, you must focus on developing a network of like-minded individuals / partnerships that care about the message that you're attempting to deliver.  You have to know the type of tribe you want to build before you actually build it.  Find out who the influencers are in your market.  Add value to other storytellers' spaces, in order to set things in motion.

2. Build Your Audience

     - Now that you have started to build relationships with like-minded storytellers in your niche, it's time to build your own audience.  You want to tell stories that passers-by will stop and take notice.  Attention grabbing at this stage is ok...there is a lot of competition for eyeballs.  But just make sure that once you have their brief attention, you give your audience something worth coming back for.  You may get one chance...make it count!

3. Build Your Community

     - Your compelling story has now built an audience that decided to come back for more.  So what's next?  Now you have to make it personal.  Your brand must interact...it must communicate personal value...it must engage.  Your community must know that they are the heroes of the story, not your brand.  Your brand is simply a tool that allows them to become the hero.  

4. Maintain the Tribe

     - This is probably the easiest step in the process.  For many brands, once you've developed the community, maintenance is often all that is required to keep your tribe.  However, there still has to be consistent value that must be met, so you can't ignore the story or those to whom you're delivering it.  The key in this stage is to keep showing up // keep adding value.  

As a storyteller, you have to put in the work to make a big impact.  You need to demonstrate that you know how the story is developed according to the individuals in your community / tribe.  As a storyteller marketer, be aware to constantly process the things around you in terms of story.  Start doing this practically by making a list of stories in your own life.  It will start the process, and will also serve as a library of stories to revert back to when needed.  

Everyone loves a good story.  Learn how to deliver ones that adds value, and you will always find an audience.  The key is to turn the audience into a tribe.  

You're a storyteller...go tell.

-ABB

4 Keys of Self-Awareness

As a leader, I need you to pay a considerable amount of time to mindfulness and being self-aware. The reason this is so important is because I want you to take personal inventory of your strengths and weaknesses...then move 100% in the direction of your strengths.  Therefore, because strength recognition is so important in leadership (and life in general), we need to take a quick look at the keys to developing this skill:

1. Commit to Being 100% Accountable

     - Once you make the decision to chase after your strengths, you're going to need to take a little personal inventory.  This can be difficult, but you need to be honest with yourself and really dive deep assessing your strengths and weaknesses.  If you have difficulty evaluating these traits, ask those who know you best to give you real and honest feedback.  They need to be unafraid to hurt your feelings at this point...it's vital that you know the truth.

2. Decide to Bet on Yourself

     - Now that you have a working list of strengths and weaknesses, you need to throw the liabilities out with the trash.  The areas that you struggle no longer get to define you!  It's time to bet on yourself, and that means moving completely in the direction of your strengths!  Life is short, and the struggle for your attention is real...quit giving your shortcomings any more than it deserves.  

3. Passion Overcomes Intent

     - We all have good intentions.  Unfortunately, intentions don't amount to much in life and success.  There is an intersection between our strengths and our passions that is the sweet spot of success.  Becoming self-aware gives us the opportunity to chase after that intersection, but you have to be willing to go after it.  Make the first step today towards action...dreaming without action is debilitating.  

4. Pay the Price

     - Self-awareness as a leader means understanding that sacrifice is not only inevitable but beneficial.  Leaders must go first, because you can't lead someone where you've never been.  But if you're leading in the capacity of your strengths and your passions, it will not always be easy...but it will always be worth it.  If you believe in the purpose, you'll pay the price without hesitation.

There is a reason why meditation is such a common thread among top leaders and successful entrepreneurs.  There must be a decompression mode where we can take personal inventory of who we are and properly align our purpose and passion.  This will probably look different for everyone, and you need to find your own variation of your quiet time, but make it a priority in your life.  

God made you for a specific purpose...He's never made a mistake or an accident.  Your growth in self-awareness and dependence on Him will help you find that intersection of strength and passion that He designed you for.  I pray that you're going to drop that weakness...pick up your strengths...and start walking down that path today.

-ABB

4 Questions I Want You To Ask Yourself

The way you begin each day is critical to your success.  It sets the path in motion for the general attitudes and perceptions that will enable you to tackle what lies ahead.  After all, life is tough, and it comes at you pretty fast.  Wouldn't you want to be prepared for it every time you wake up?  I believe you have a much better chance of doing that if you ask yourself the following 4 questions...everyday.

1. Do I want to a part of the problem or part of the solution?

    - There's really only 2 sides to this coin.  Most of the events / relationships / circumstances in life don't really lend themselves to neutrality.  Making a conscious decision to always try to add value to others and be a part of their solution will put you on a pathway to success and significance.

2. What am I doing consistently in my life that will make today better than yesterday?

     - I am convinced that the key to success in life is perseverance and consistency.  You have to keep showing up,no matter what.  There are no overnight success stories, and life is a marathon (& feel free to enter your own cliche here).  We're also looking for growth here, and you're not going to be a brand new version of you in one day...but you can be a better version of you today than you were yesterday.

3. Will I lead...or will I follow?

     - This one is vital for anyone with influence, because leadership is influence.  How will I lead my family today?  How will I lead my team / colleagues today?  It's also important to know that your leadership is sometimes reflected in how well you follow those who lead you.  Being aware of your need to lead in the spaces where it's required will set your day on a trajectory of success.

4. What am I thankful for?

     - Maybe this one should have been 1st, now that I'm thinking about it.  Even when it seems like everything is falling apart, we must find a way to enter into a posture of gratitude.  Often, it's finding the little things to be thankful for that set into motion our attitude for the day.  The mere fact that you were able to get up and experience a new day is a blessing in itself.  Put things in perspective as you start your day by being grateful...it will make a difference.

That's the 4 For Today...hope this adds value to your day.  Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider subscribing if you haven't already done so.  Start your day strong by asking questions...see you soon.

-ABB

4 Leadership Lessons: Walt Disney

I hope you might be a little like me.  I want to learn from others that have gone before me whenever I have the opportunity.  I'm starting these 4 leadership lessons primarily because it was something that I wanted to learn.  There is a tremendous amount of insight we can glean from other leaders, and my goal is to send you these snippets to help gather a few takeaways from some of the great leaders of our time.

One of my all-time favorite leaders is Walt Disney.  He was one of the great visionaries of the twentieth century, and there are many lessons we can learn from the way he led.  The Disney brand is one of the most valuable and recognizable entities in the world.  And it all started with one man's dream...

1. If you want to engage people, tell a story.

     - Walt Disney, more than anything, wanted to be known as a storyteller.  From the first time he pulled his staff together to act out the entire movie of Snow White before they started work on it, to the way he engaged TV audiences about the dreams of Disneyland, Disney was a master storyteller.  When Walt would tell the story of the next project he envisioned, it was a fire-starter in the hearts of his teams, and they would catch the vision with him.

2. Never stop asking questions.

     - Curious leaders are always the best leaders.  I think great leaders are always reading because they are on a constant quest for knowledge.  The same goes for leaders that are continually questioning things...even when they're seemingly going well.  Disney was never satisfied, and he not only demanded excellence in everything the company produced, he would always ask questions of his team.  This does 2 things: 1) it includes everyone in the mission and the vision of the common goal, and 2) it keeps your team observant and inquisitive as well.  As long as the leader is asking questions, it gives permission for this same culture to trickle down.

3. Optimism is critical for leadership excellence.

     - We have to create a mindset as leaders that our best days are in front of us.  To orchestrate and demonstrate a compelling vision that others can rally around, we have to create a culture of optimism.  Otherwise, what are we working so hard to achieve?  Leaders must become the primary optimist for our teams, and Walt Disney was fantastic at this.

4. It takes people to make a dream a reality.

     - This might be one of my favorite things about this leader.  Walt was carrying the vision...but he knew the vision was only as good as the ones who would carry it out every day.  When you look at the Disney parks, the "magic" that is created happens because every single team member (cast member) buys in to the dream of creating one of the happiest places on Earth.  You have to empower your front line, and give them the tools to make someone's experience extra special.  In today's world, it means everything.  No one did this better than Disney.  It's what still lives in the hearts of those who work there, to make dreams come true.

Thanks for taking a few minutes with me.  If you like this kind of material, please leave a comment, or you can email me anytime!  Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you have a fantastic week!

-ABB

4 Leadership Habits

Habits: we all have them...both good and bad ones.  

In studying great leaders, I've discovered certain habits that most good ones have perfected.  There will be many "leadership lessons" to follow in future posts, but I wanted to quickly dive in to 4 habits that I think we can glean from great leaders, and apply them to our own leadership styles.  

1. People follow people before they follow an idea.

- As a leader, you must develop your personal relationships with your team before they will buy into your vision. It's vital to have both, but the priority in the early days needs to be focused on the value you add to their relationship. 

2. Empathy is key: speak to others how they need to hear it, not how you want to deliver it

- I truly believe that we're slowly turning society into an empathy-deprived culture. So what does that mean for you and me? It means the leaders that focus on understanding the value that their teams need will win. It is critical as a leader to maintain the ability to put yourself in everyone's shoes. There's a reason the show "Undercover Boss" was so successful...empathizing with your employees is incredibly important. 

3. Humility: the last will be first

 - This is the essence of servant leadership. No leader exemplified this better than the greatest leader to ever walk the planet: Jesus. "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many people." - Mark 10:45. He had all the authority to be served, but humbled himself, and many of those who followed Him would lay down their lives for His cause, in the same way He first laid his down for them.  You have the authority as a leader...but your authority should be secured in your humility. 

4. Learn to be selective in your battles. 

-Some battles just aren't worth the fight.  You know this already.  But sometimes we need other people to tell us the stuff we already know.  Consider that what I'm doing for you here :).  As a leader, you have countless opportunities to decide which battles are important to your team, and which ones you know you need to let go.  Spend some time reviewing those battles, and march forward with a level head on which ones are worth fighting for.

I hope you found these 4 habits helpful...be on the lookout for a lot of content like this in the future. If you enjoyed, please consider subscribing...it would mean the world to me! Love you all, talk to you real soon!

-ABB

Pivot to 4

I love lists...I think there is something inherently wired in our brains that make them easier to digest and apply information.  But I also know that lists are everywhere you turn...Pinterest is flooded with them, and now there's a List-It app (which by the way, I'm totally addicted to.)  

So that being said, I'm going to pivot a bit with the content I want to distribute on a more regularly scheduled basis.  I want to value your time, and I think that means giving more bite-sized steps / instruction / suggestions / etc.  So this is a really quick message to let you know that the blog (& podcast coming soon) will be updated with fresh content 4 times a week with a list of 4.  I'll let you know the significance of why I picked 4 later...

So that being said...let me kick off this post with 4 leadership lessons I'm learning right now:

1. Some times you don't feel like leading.  

     - However, it's in the times we don't feel qualified, and push through...knowing that we need to lead, that our true leadership is revealed.  Also, acknowledging your vulnerability at times gives you relational equity with those you lead.

2. It's never too late to lead well.

     - We all have a lot of junk in our past.  We have lies that we're believing...ones that tell us we're not measuring up.  But I believe that if you're sincere in your convictions, you can turn that corner, and even if you've never led well in the past, today is the day to start.  It may take time, but change is necessary and the goal is to get a little better every day!

3. Servant leadership is "love in action."

     - As long as we're coming from a place of servant leadership, your leadership will be blessed.  Embracing the mentality of "how can I serve my team" as opposed to what others can do for me, is the key to success.  It's not about you...it never was.  Serving others means loving others.

4. Leaders are always setting goals.

     - This is obviously the time of year where New Year's resolutions are on everyone's mind.  I like the idea of a new calendar and a fresh start.  While you may shrug off the resolution idea, don't underestimate the value of consistently setting goals.  Goals are specific and time related.  Leaders are goal-setters, so what are you chasing after?  

I hope you will enjoy the new format.  I really appreciate your time, and if you haven's subscribed to the blog, I would love it if you would consider clicking on the box at the bottom of this page!  

Thanks so much, and just know that the best is yet to come!

-ABB

What Do You Think?

There's so much we don't know about the human brain.  The complexities, the intricacies, the potential that lies within.  I'm learning in the transition from a negative to positive outlook and mindset; the sheer power in the way we approach our thinking is phenomenal.  

I've had a good deal of personal setbacks in the last couple of months.  And the constant through the barriers keeping me locked up was my disabling thought process.  I may, somewhere in the back of my mind, hoped I would be successful, but the reality is I couldn't see it in front of me.  Hitting rock bottom gave me a perspective I never would have gained otherwise.

I heard some really great advice: you'll never succeed until you can actually believe it!  I had to see it in my mind's eye, and command the faith to walk through the burning buildings of my life to cross over to the place of significance and influence.

There is power in believing for victory!  You are more than a conqueror...and you need to faithfully take God at his word when you apply that to your life.  Yes, there will be ups and downs, but moving in the direction that every circumstance in life is a blessing or a lesson will set you on a trajectory for triumph.  

God gave us these miraculous minds...let's learn to tap into a small part of that complexity and know that much of what we believe about ourselves will ultimately come to pass.

There's power in positive thinking.  I'm learning this with you, and hope this blesses you!  Thank you for blessing me with your time and attention.  Love you all!

-ABB

Beware of The Comfort Zone

Comfort is dangerous…

I’ve been living in the comfort zone for far too long.  And the price I’ve paid has been great.  I have been putting in efforts where I didn’t see fruit, and neglecting the areas where I knew a blessing was awaiting me.  So in that, I feel as though my test has been in pulling away my comforts.

I’ve seen the comfort I get from money in the bank stripped away.

I’ve seen the comfort I get from “playing it safe” with my career keep me from true fulfillment.

I’ve seen the comfort of family health wither away in tough seasons.

I’ve seen the comfort of purpose disappear like a thief in the night.

But now, the struggle is here.  And thank you for the struggle.  Because I’m getting pushed out of that comfort zone that’s held me back for so long.

The skills you learn in the struggle will propel you to realities you couldn’t experience inside the comfort bubble.

After all, I knew it was never that comfortable.  Now we get to learn who God created us to be.  We won’t go down without a fight, because the light has overcome the world!

I’m here…it’s a tough season…but now we get to see what God will do through perseverance and a humble heart!

Praying the same for you.  Get out of your comfort zone, or most likely God will push you out!

-ABB

1 Common Quality For Success

This will be a really quick post for today…I don’t want to over-complicate this to you.  There is one quality that every successful person has…one common thread.  This is true for generations, and true across every discipline and endeavor, and will be true forever…

All successful people are RESILIANT!

That’s it…there are 100 other qualities that successful people may possess, but I’m convinced nothing is more important than resiliency.  Because the truth is…you will fail / you will stumble / you will fall short.

Smart people / talented people / ambitious people / driven people will fall.  The successussful ones get back up.

Your setback is just a setup for your greatest comeback!

Always learn…always stay curious…and always push through…your resilience will ultimately win.

God Bless,

-ABB

Build a Berm Around Your Dream

Disneyland, 1955

In case you didn’t know, I’ve always been a big fan of Walt Disney.  Along with it, I’ve taken a lot of leadership principles from his life and his legacy.

The thought I wanted to present to you today is to “build a berm around your dream.”

Walt had the insightfulness to know that when he built Disneyland in 1955, he wanted to allow the guests to be completely immersed in the park.  He didn’t want them distracted by the outside world.  So he built a berm of dirt and trees around the entire perimeter of the park.  This would allow visitors to be fully engaged and focused on what was right in front of them.

Walt was a genius in many ways, and his foresight to give focus to his dreams is encapsulated in the way he built Disneyland.

I want you to do the same thing with your dream and vision for your life.

What is it that you need more of to accomplish the vision God has given you?  This is inside the “berm”.  In the same token, what is it that you need less of that you need to keep outside the perimeter?

There are so many distractions in our lives, now more than at any time in human history.  We’re pulled in 50 different directions on a constant basis, and those distractions can often limit our potential to focus on what God has placed in our hearts…our purpose.

So I want to encourage you today to “build a berm around your dream.”  That one thing that is burning in your soul…protect it and don’t let outside forces sway your focus.  Determination in the face of extenuating circumstances is often the separator of the successful from the just the dreamers.

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. – Proverbs 16:3

God Bless,

-ABB