The Story Power Marketing Show

Hosted by Tom Ruwitch

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About the show

Business leaders, coaches, consultants, and thought leaders, The Story Power Podcast will help you harness the power of storytelling so you can grow your business and have fun doing it. Each week, Story Power Marketing's Tom Ruwitch and his guest will share powerful stories, trade business-building insights, and have a few laughs. Tom created this podcast to... ...Help you captivate prospects and inspire them to act… ...so you can get more clients, quickly and easily. That’s what powerful storytelling is all about. That’s what this podcast is all about.

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60 recent

44 min

The Founder Trap When Your Story Sells But Your Team Can't (with Jorge Chavez)

Jorge Chavez is the founder and president of Topaz Sales Consulting in Austin, Texas. With more than 30 years of experience in sales and leadership, he created the Buyer Facilitator philosophy, a buyer-first approach that helps CEOs, founders, and sales leaders build high-performing teams rooted in trust, curiosity, and mutual fit. He is also a keynote speaker and mentor passionate about reshaping how companies think about sales, leadership, and human connection in business. Jorge focuses on how painful the “founder bottleneck” can be and how tough it is to build from nothing to something. He explains that in his experience it's usually driven by being too precious about what's been built already and being reluctant to find the right help or leaning on weak hiring and screening for sales talent. He and Tom discuss how he mentors owners to get past it and why sales conversations should focus on trust, truth, and saving time by helping buyers make informed decisions rather than pitching. If you're having a hard time finding quality talent and want a fresh look about what could be going wrong, this episode's for you. DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE ~00:54 Meet George Chavez ~02:13 The Founder Trap Pain ~04:40 Founder As Bottleneck ~07:45 When Owners Get Help ~08:12 Buyer Facilitator Approach ~10:26 Hiring Pain Story ~12:28 Scaling Storytelling ~14:10 Topaz Purpose Story ~16:34 Culture And Delegation ~19:10 Letting Go To Exit ~20:41 Next Generation Growth ~21:37 Letting Go as Leader ~22:11 Choose Small or Scale ~24:27 Freedom to Stay Put ~26:44 Buyer First Selling ~29:03 Trust Truth Time ~32:54 Curiosity and Presence ~35:42 Empathetic Listening ~37:08 Multipliers Ask Questions ~38:53 Storytelling Full Circle ~40:50 Resources and Wrap Up ~42:05 Final Thanks and Reviews FULL EPISODE VIDEO https://vimeo.com/1225101660 CONNECT WITH JORGE The Buyer Facilitator Podcast - https://www.topazsalesconsulting.com/podcast/ Website: https://www.topazsalesconsulting.com/ Social Media: LinkedIn personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrchavez/ LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10129970 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW_f261ztwFo7HJv3D-Hi5Q

47 min

How to Escape From Busy, Broke and Burn Out (with Louis Swart)

Louis Swart is a business coach and founder of Ironbrij who's spent 35 years helping entrepreneurs stop blending in and start standing out. His new book, The B Myth: How Successful People Accidentally Build Businesses That Steal Their Lives , exposes a trap he's seen far too often: the chase for freedom that turns owners into the bottleneck of their own success. Guided by his signature mantra, "If you do it more than once, you need a process," Louis helps founders build businesses that don't depend on them micro-managing everything. Louis shares how owners become the hardest working, lowest paid person in their business and explains that hiring people who can do even 60% of your tasks increases output without expecting them to work like an owner. He offers three tools: the “2K principle” (2,000 work hours/year) to set an hourly benchmark and stop doing low-value tasks; a “post time planner” time-audit method to track what you actually did and spot waste; and the “one task” rule to avoid productive procrastination. If you're a business owner stuck in the trap of never being able to step away, you'll want to hear Louis's advice. DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE ~01:48 Hardest Working Owner ~05:26 2K Principle ~10:57 Post Time Planner ~15:31 AI Time Savings ~19:00 SOPs Not Supervision ~24:12 Busy Badge Myth ~25:03 Busyness And Worthiness ~26:06 Big Picture Thinking ~27:28 One Task Rule ~30:37 Delegate Or Automate ~31:22 AI Content App Demo ~34:13 150 Things To Delegate ~38:30 Ironbrij Services ~40:29 Resources And Links ~42:41 Implement The Tools ~43:44 Final Wrap And CTA FULL EPISODE VIDEO https://vimeo.com/1223027952 CONNECT WITH LOUIS Website: https://louisswart.com/ Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachlouisswart/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/louistswart/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachlouistswart/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coachlouisswart

54 min

How to Use AI to Attract the Right Customers and Repel the Rest (with Jon Benson)

Jon Benson is a copywriter, entrepreneur, and AI pioneer whose work has quietly shaped how the world buys things online. Best known as the inventor of the Video Sales Letter, the format that became the backbone of modern digital marketing, he has spent decades writing words that move people to act—not through manipulation, but through what he calls “persuasion that feels good on both sides.” Benson recounts creating the first VSL in 2005 by putting headline-style copy on slides to get viewers to consume every word. He explains key VSL elements like mirror language, relatable story-driven structure, and pacing that keeps attention and how they're still key in our AI-driven world. He argues this is because generic LLMs produce mediocre copy since they’re trained on the broader internet, so his BNSN (bnsn.ai) platform uses multiple models, proven frameworks, research agents, and filtering/blueprints to generate higher-converting campaigns. They key to using AI, he says, is to treat it as an acceleration tool, not a replacement for copy knowledge. AI is moving fast but that only makes the classic insights that much more important. Tune in to learn how. DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE ~02:46 Birth Of The VSL ~05:54 VSL Essentials ~07:16 Mirror Language Research ~08:19 Story Loops And Cadence ~11:01 Fitness Copy Story Example ~15:36 From VSLs To Benson AI ~17:45 Why Easy Button Fails ~21:10 Blueprints RAG And Filters ~23:44 Frankenstein Copy Warning ~25:17 Jon On Marketing Limits ~26:22 Write What You Know ~26:43 Winners Only AI Training ~27:16 Skills Broke The Voice ~29:00 Repel The Wrong Buyers ~31:44 Buyer Alignment Profile ~33:18 Values Driven Copy ~41:19 Identity Beyond Politics ~47:32 Where To Find Benson ~49:03 AI Accelerates Not Replaces ~50:51 Final Wrap And Reviews FULL EPISODE VIDEO https://vimeo.com/1221029467 CONNECT WITH JON Website: https://bnsn.ai/ Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjonbenson/ Twitter: https://x.com/itsjonbenson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsjonbenson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPDvmgurd-rym4pyPjviIuw?sub_confirmation=1 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonbenson

34 min

How AI Plus RI Equals Business Success (with Asim Kumar)

Asim Kumar is a Solution Architect who bridges the gap between deep technical systems and human psychology. Holding the industry’s highest credentials (CCSP, CISSP, CCIE, PMP, MBA, MSIS), he spent 30+ years "unblocking" multimillion-dollar networks for global enterprises. But his most profound expertise comes from a personal battle. For two decades he lived a dual life—celebrated Tech Consultant by day, but secretly "blocked" by fear and significant losses in the financial markets by night. This struggle taught him a critical paradox: You cannot fix a blocked mindset with a faster technology. This hard-learned lesson inspired him to write "Unblocked: The Power of Real Intelligence in the Era of AI" and to create the Avigna methodology. Kumar explains that AI provides speed but needs “real intelligence”—human judgment, empathy, and behavioral risk management—to avoid creating chaos. He emphasizes balancing the “tripod of success” (people, process, technology), assessing impact beyond ROI, and shifting from fear to focus by viewing AI as an opportunity. If you're looking for a measured, optimistic approach to using AI to improve your business and outlook, you'll want to hear what he has to say. DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE ~00:54 Meet Aseem Kumar ~02:21 Secret Trading Life ~02:52 Dotcom Crash Wakeup ~05:31 Finance Dreams Collide ~07:03 Why He Stayed Quiet ~08:10 AI Era Turning Point ~10:18 Tripod Framework ~12:09 AI Plus Real Intelligence ~13:36 Tech Amplifies Chaos ~16:57 Total Economic Impact ~18:39 Avigna Methodology ~19:22 EPDF And Phases ~23:47 From Fear To Focus ~26:17 Vibe Coding Example ~28:12 Resources And Links ~30:13 Parting Thoughts ~31:25 Host Wrap And Outro FULL EPISODE VIDEO https://vimeo.com/1219163734 CONNECT WITH ASIM Website: https://www.avignallc.com/ Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asim-kumar-362b35/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@asim-avigna Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asim.avigna/?next=%2F TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@asim.kumar286

37 min

Brand Storytelling in The Age of AI (with David Ebner)

David Ebner founded Content Workshop in 2013 while earning his M.F.A. at the University of Tampa. David has adapted his creative writing and storytelling skills for commercial use and has built an agency around that core premise. He authored Kingmakers: A Content Marketing Story and has coached dozens of writers and students in the craft of storytelling. David shares how the agency began as a graduate-school co-op of “classically trained storytellers,” and explains core storytelling principles that translate to marketing, including character development and narrative flow. He contrasts creative writing with commercial writing, emphasizing that brand content must fit “conversion in a box.” They discuss why AI isn’t a magic button, how it can create a “sea of sameness,” and how to use it effectively by starting with SOPs, quality examples, audience knowledge, and human discernment. Ebner defines harnesses, agents, and skills, argues for “clarity before complexity,” critiques fear-based (FUD) marketing, and closes by stressing the customer is the hero of the brand story. If you're looking to upgrade your marketing with strong storytelling technique, especially when standing out in this AI age, you'll want to tune in. DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE ~00:54 Meet David Ebner ~01:49 Origin Story Debt Joke ~03:51 Story Principles That Work ~06:57 What Marketing Must Unlearn ~08:24 AI Easy Button Debate ~12:35 Building AI With SOPs ~16:09 Agents Skills Harnesses ~17:57 Clarity Before Complexity ~21:59 Stop Fear Based Marketing ~29:46 Audience Data For AI ~32:05 Final Takeaways And Outro FULL EPISODE VIDEO https://vimeo.com/1217270357 CONNECT WITH DAVID Website: https://contentworkshop.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjebner/

28 min

Bootstrapped on Purpose That Quiet Advantage of Saying No to Investors (with Adnan Malik)

Adnan Malik, co-founder and CEO of Software Finder, is simplifying the software selection process for non-technical leaders and achieving 110% YoY growth without outside funding. His unique approach is a testament to what kind of growth is possible when leaders remind themselves of the fundamentals. Tom and Adnan get into why bootstrapping, rather than hunting for VC funds or other outside investment, forces a business to focus early on customers, keep their spending lean, and depend on faster market validation. He's a fan of “consistency over cleverness,” giving good decisions time to work, and he explains how to approach it. If you're an entrepreneur trying to figure out what to focus on in your early days with a business, you'll want to take a listen. DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE ~01:47 Bootstrapped Origins ~04:23 Why Skip Investors ~08:11 Constraints Advantage ~12:41 Consistency Beats Clever ~14:46 What Software Finder Does ~18:55 Buyer Mistakes ~21:20 How To Get Started ~22:55 Vendors Win Too ~24:47 Closing And Resources ~26:39 Outro Reminder FULL EPISODE VIDEO https://vimeo.com/1215449828 CONNECT WITH ADNAN LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adnan-malik/

51 min

Why The Most Human Brand Win In a Digital World (with Simon Elliott)

Simon "Si" Elliott is a strategic marketing leader, agency co-owner and customer experience expert with over 20 years of experience helping brands build deeper, more meaningful connections. As founder of customer experience consultancy Fabricx and co-owner of creative agency Diversity, he combines behavioural science with practical strategy to design experiences that genuinely resonate. In this episode, he and Tom discuss how brands can win in a digital, AI-accelerated world by prioritizing human connection, using behavioral science to understand what motivates people, and designing customer experiences that build long-term relationships. Si explains how AI speeds up marketing but can strip away originality and effort, making soft skills and empathy more valuable, and argues that technology should serve customers rather than replace meaningful interactions. They contrast manipulative fear-based marketing with ethical reassurance that addresses real anxieties, share examples from Zappos and airline customer service, and outline how to balance automation with human support at high-stakes moments. If you're worried about AI but also see it's potential, this episode will help you navigate the winding road to balance usefulness and retaining what makes you unique. DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE ~02:08 Si’s Journey ~4:18 Behavioral Science Spark ~08:10 AI Speeds Everything ~12:37 Soft Skills Matter ~16:51 Scaling Human Connection ~18:23 Biases and Messaging ~21:33 Ethical Fear vs Manipulation ~26:03 Empathy Without Fearmongering ~28:29 Not For Everyone ~29:00 Zappos Service That Scales ~31:09 Support As Marketing ~33:19 Automation Versus Human Touch ~38:12 Airline Empathy Failure ~40:34 Empowered Agents Win ~43:49 Customer Experience Thinking Book ~46:34 Put The Phone Down ~48:40 Final Wrap And Reviews FULL EPISODE VIDEO https://vimeo.com/1213518838 CONNECT WITH SI Website: sielliott.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/si-ellliott

38 min

Why Your Emails Are Getting Ignored And How to Fix It In 45 Days (with Ely Delaney)

Ely Delaney is the creator of The Follow Up Rockstar System, teaching entrepreneurs how to go from surviving to thriving in any economy. He’s an Amazon bestseller with his three books “Marketing Tidbits”, “Networking Tidbits”, and his latest book, "The Follow Up Code: 7 Virtues for Building Trust Through Email." His best-selling training course “Networking Like A Rockstar” has over 1424 students registered globally. In this episode, he and Tom discuss why email marketing isn’t dead and how better follow-up can raise open rates to 40–50% in about six weeks. The goal is to use platforms like LinkedIn or X to bring people “into your castle,” rather than depending on social media entirely - and Ely gets into how to do it. He explains common mistakes and recommends value-driven, conversational emails that tell stories. They also discuss testing frequency by audience, his two-year evergreen ghostwritten campaign service, and how to craft a killer re-engagement email. If you recognize the power of having your own list but feel like you're not getting everything out of it that you could, this episode is for you. DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE ~02:42 Is Email Dead? (Uh, No) ~03:20 Own Your List ~05:13 Social Algorithm Risk ~09:50 Email Relationship Hub ~11:10 Why Emails Fail ~13:41 Value First Emails ~15:37 Frequency Debate ~20:02 Test Your Audience ~24:51 Write Like You Talk ~29:39 Services And Offers ~31:50 Follow Up Fix Course ~34:06 Slacker Email Tip ~34:51 Book And Wrap Up ~37:03 Final Outro FULL EPISODE VIDEO https://vimeo.com/1211851408 CONNECT WITH ELY Website: https://connectwithely.com/ Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elydelaney/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elydelaney Instagram: https://instagram.com/elydelaney/

35 min

How to Become The Message Your Clients Trust (with Kara Ryan)

Kara Ryan is the founder of Klyr Strategies, a communications advisory practice for senior leaders navigating high-stakes business moments. For 20 years, she's led global communications strategy inside complex, regulated Fortune 500 companies across healthcare, life sciences, financial services, and consumer sectors. She's partnered with CEOs and executive teams through mergers, IPOs, product launches, regulatory milestones, and leadership transitions — the moments where how you communicate can determine whether the organization moves forward with clarity or confusion. In this episode, Tom and Kara discuss how a leader should communicate, why talking points fail if leaders sound scripted, stiff, or unlike themselves; and how to build trust. She argues communications should be involved early, and illustrates how bringing it in too late can be an expensive mistake. She and Tom also explore how to use AI for speed and persona-based testing while not surrendering the human touch. If you're a business owner, author, or anyone managing an organization, you'll want to tune in for what Kara can teach you about communicating ahead of problems, inspiring your staff, and relating to customers. DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE ~02:07 Leader Is Message ~03:11 Before And After ~05:30 Personality Builds Trust ~07:53 Communicate Early ~11:37 Message Versus Delivery ~14:13 Red Flags And Feedback ~17:11 AI And Strategy ~21:52 Working With Kara ~24:35 Finding Your Story ~27:51 People First Empathy ~30:01 Parting Thoughts ~30:57 Where To Find Kara ~31:25 Wrap Up And CTA ~33:42 Outro Resources FULL EPISODE VIDEO https://vimeo.com/1210018296 CONNECT WITH KARA Website: www.klyrstrategies.com Social Media: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kara-l-ryan Instagram: www.instagram.com/klyrstrategies

29 min

How to Master Persuasive Communication Without Sounding Salesy (with Danny Bobrow)

Danny Bobrow is a certified mediator, arbitrator, ski instructor, and communication skills coach who created the Persuasion Blueprint to help professionals close the gap between intention and perception. His proven framework has helped hundreds of leaders and teams turn everyday conversations into engines of caring, connection, and collaboration leading to success in every facet of life. He and Tom discuss why facts and logic alone are insufficient to move people, diving into the three pillars of his approach to appealing to prospects in a human, engrossing way. Too often businesses try to lead with credentials, blind enthusiasm, and fake positivity. Danny suggests a different approach that shows real results without rushing prospects, and walks people through how he does it. If you can't stand the thought of being "salesy" but know you need to appeal to prospects, this is the episode for you. DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE ~01:36 Danny’s Background ~04:54 Persuasion Blueprint ~06:59 Trust Before Credentials ~11:28 StoryPower Alignment ~13:40 Responsive Enthusiasm ~15:11 Listening Role Play ~20:52 Persuasion Score Quiz ~23:16 Strategy Call Options ~25:00 Parting Advice ROI ~26:52 Ratings and Resources ~28:22 Final Outro FULL EPISODE VIDEO https://vimeo.com/1207915822 CONNECT WITH DANNY Website: www.dannybobrow.com Social Media: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dannybobrow Instagram: www.instagram.com/danielabobrow