Evoke Greatness Podcast

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🎧 Episode 187: The Power of Your Story — How to Turn Life Lessons into Lasting Influence (Part 2)

In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Bill Blankschaen — master storyteller, brand strategist, and founder of StoryBuilders — returns to go even deeper into the inner side of storytelling.

Because before you can tell your story to the world, you have to change the story you’re telling yourself.

Bill and I unpack the “confidence trap,” that quiet belief that everyone else’s story is more significant than our own, and how comparison keeps us from showing up in the fullness of who we’re called to be. We talk about reshaping those inner narratives, standing firm in your chapter instead of comparing it to someone else’s, and recognizing that your story still has power — no matter what chapter you’re in.

If Part 1 was about discovering the structure of storytelling, this one is about discovering the soul behind it.

We explore:

✨ The “confidence trap” — why we tend to deify others and diminish ourselves

 ✨ How to stop comparing your chapter 3 to someone else’s chapter 20

 ✨ Why every story matters — and the freedom that truth brings

 ✨ How to rewrite the story you’re telling yourself to reclaim confidence and purpose

 ✨ The role of emotion in crafting stories that connect and stick

 ✨ How storytelling builds trust, vulnerability, and authentic connection in leadership

 ✨ The ripple effect — how believing in your own story can change the trajectory of others

 ✨ Why your story isn’t over yet… and how to live like it

This episode is a reminder that you don’t need a perfect story — you just need the courage to tell it. When you lean into your story, you not only change how you lead… you change how you live.

Connect with Bill :

📲 Connect with Bill: Company Website: https://mystorybuilders.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/my_storybuilders?igsh=MTdlb25vY2h2anp2dQ==

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 🎧 Episode 186: The Power of Your Story: How to Turn Life Lessons into Lasting Influence (Part 1) In Part 1 of this insightful and inspiring conversation, author, storyteller, and creative strategist Bill Blankschaen joins me to unpack how your personal story can become your greatest advantage—in business, leadership, and life.

Bill shares wisdom from his new book, Your Story Advantage, revealing how the moments that shaped you—both the wins and the wounds—can be the most powerful tools you have to connect, influence, and lead authentically.

If you’ve ever wondered how to share your story with confidence or struggled to see your past as purpose, this episode is for you.

We explore:

• Why your story is your most powerful brand asset
• How to uncover the defining moments that built your character
• The surprising connection between vulnerability and credibility
• Why authenticity outperforms perfection every single time
• The framework for turning life experiences into meaningful influence
• Why the world doesn’t need your highlight reel—it needs your human story

🔑 Key takeaways:

• Your story isn’t random—it’s your roadmap to impact
• Connection always precedes influence
• The best leaders tell stories that reveal who they are, not just what they know
• People don’t follow perfection—they follow purpose

💡 Quotes to remember:

• “Your story is the bridge between your experience and someone else’s transformation.”
• “The stories we tell shape the stories we live.”
• “Your scars can become someone else’s survival guide.
•  ✨ Learn more about Bill’s book Your Story Advantage:
  Your Story Advantage on Amazon

📲 Connect with Bill: Company Website: https://mystorybuilders.com/
Bill's LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billblankschaen/ 

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🎧 Episode 185: Proof That Anything Is Possible When You Bet on Yourself with Destin George Bell (Part 2)

What happens after the dream starts coming true?

In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Destin George Bell returns to share what most founders don’t talk about: the emotional toll of rapid growth, rebuilding after betrayal, and the deeper leadership required when you're the one carrying the vision.

If you’ve ever felt unqualified, too late, or stuck in the unknown — this episode is a wake-up call. Because the truth is: you don’t rise to the level of your dreams… you rise to the level of your mindset.

We explore:

• How Destin navigated a painful co-founder breakup
• What it takes to rebuild your team — and your confidence
• Why Shark Tank wasn’t the finish line, it was the start of the pressure
• The difference between confidence and conviction
• Why clarity and emotional discipline are essential for leaders
• What happens when you don’t deal with the pain of the past
• The message Destin would leave behind if today was his last day

🔑 Key takeaways:

• Big moments require bigger mindsets.
• Leadership is less about hype — and more about healing.
• You are always becoming the person your vision needs.
• Your pain doesn’t disqualify you… it refines you.

💬 Quotes to remember:

📲 Resources & links:

• Follow Destin on IG: @gfortune_500
• Explore Card.io: www.cardioapp.io
• https://www.destingeorgebell.com/

🎧 Missed Part 1?

Go back and listen to where it all started — from $2K and zero tech background… to a Shark Tank deal and a vision that changed lives.

It’s proof that anything is possible when you bet on yourself.

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

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🎧 Episode 184: Proof That Anything Is Possible When You Bet on Yourself with Destin George Bell (Part 1)

What does it take to go from $2,000 and no industry connections to landing a deal on Shark Tank and building a fitness movement?

In Part 1 of this two-part episode, I sit down with Destin George Bell — founder of Card.io, the gamified running app turning neighborhoods into turf wars — to unpack the mindset, grit, and wild belief it takes to turn an idea into a national spotlight moment.

Destin didn’t come from privilege or a deep tech background. He taught himself product design, cold-DM’d over 400 engineers, and raised nearly a million dollars to build the dream. And he did it while refusing to wait for permission or play by anyone else’s rules.

This conversation is raw, real, and overflowing with lessons for entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone sitting on a vision they’re scared to pursue.

We explore:

• Why belief must come before the big break
• What it means to lead with influence, not just title
• How curiosity became his unfair advantage
• The true moment on Shark Tank that changed him most (and brought his mom to tears)
• Why great leaders multiply other leaders — not just followers
• How he builds culture, trust, and conviction in a high-stakes startup
• What most people get wrong about betting on themselves

🔑 Key takeaways:

• You don’t need a blueprint. You need belief and bold execution.
• Radical curiosity will open more doors than credentials ever could.
• Leadership isn’t about barking orders. It’s about creating leaders who create leaders.
• If you're waiting to feel “ready,” you're already behind.

💡 Quotes to remember:

📲 Resources + Links:

• https://www.destingeorgebell.com/
• Connect with Destin on 
• LinkedIn: Https://www.linkedin.com/in/destinbell/
• IG: @gfortune_500
• Learn more about the Card.io app: https://www.cardioapp.io

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

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🎧 Episode 183: The Dance of Head and Heart: Recalibrating Your Leadership Vision

Leadership is a reflection… but what happens when the image looking back at you is distorted? In this episode, I explore how vision gets skewed, the red flags to watch for, and what it takes to recalibrate when you’ve drifted off course. Through personal stories, psychology insights, and practical recalibration tools, I unpack how great leaders balance both the head and the heart to stay aligned with their vision—and inspire their teams to do the same.

We explore:

• The subtle ways vision gets distorted: tunnel vision, echo chambers, busyness disguised as progress, and external pressures
• A personal story of when I had the vision and the people… but the numbers weren’t there—and the hard leadership calls that followed
• Four red flags that signal your leadership reflection may be warped
• The psychology behind why leaders miss distortion: confirmation bias, Dunning-Kruger, and availability heuristic
• How imposter syndrome skews your personal reflection and bleeds into how you show up as a leader
• Practical ways to recalibrate: stepping back, returning to values, inviting honest mirrors, redefining success, and practicing radical reflection

🔑 Key takeaways:

• Distorted vision doesn’t scream at you—it whispers, until suddenly you’re miles off course.
• Great leadership is a dance between the head and the heart: too much on the business and you lose people, too much on the people and you lose results.
• You are worthy of where you are, and worthy of where you dream to be—but you must unpack the internal doubts or they will resurface in damaging ways.
• Good leaders notice something is off. Great leaders recalibrate quickly, transparently, and courageously.

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

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🎧 Episode 182: Rewilding Your Life and Leadership with Aubrey Morgan Yee (Part 2)

In Part 2 of this conversation, futurist, systems thinker, and storyteller Aubrey Morgan Yee goes deeper into the wisdom and practices that help us lead with clarity and integrity in a world that often demands speed and urgency.

Aubrey shares why slowing down can actually accelerate transformation, how the “goo” of metamorphosis mirrors our own growth, and why rewilding and clearing our lives of mental pollution are essential for living with joy and purpose. She also gives us a glimpse into her upcoming book Our Beloved Futures, which calls us to remember our role as powerful co-creators of what’s next.

We explore:

• Why slowing down is the key to deeper clarity and better leadership
• The butterfly and the goo—what transformation really requires of us
• Practical ways to rewild your daily life when you feel stuck or disconnected
• How clearing “mental pollution” creates integrity, joy, and freedom
• Aubrey’s coaching programs—Chrysalis and Interbeing—designed for people in transition
• The non-negotiable morning rituals that keep her grounded and creative
• What swimming with wild dolphins taught her about presence and wonder
• The single piece of wisdom she would leave with the world

🔑 Key takeaways:

• Urgency requires us to slow down—not speed up
• Transformation often looks messy before it looks beautiful
• Clearing mental and emotional clutter opens space for new possibilities
• Leadership rooted in integrity and presence ripples outward

💡 Quotes to remember:

 “Times are urgent… we must slow down.”

 “The goo is the only way through.”

 “Integrity brings joy—when you’re clear, you’re free.”

 “We are co-creators of our beloved futures.”

📚 Resources mentioned:

 ✨ Learn more about Aubrey’s work:

www.ourbelovedfutures.com

📲 Connect with Aubrey:

 Instagram – @aubrey.morgan.yee

 Podcast – Beloved Futures

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🎧 Episode 181: Rewilding Your Life and Leadership with Aubrey Morgan Yee (Part 1) 

In Part 1 of this conversation, futurist, systems thinker, and storyteller Aubrey Morgan Yee shares her journey from reluctant entrepreneur to rewilding advocate and narrative-shaping leader.

Aubrey opens up about the breakdowns that became breakthroughs, what she discovered when she stopped numbing, and how ancestral wisdom and rewilding practices can transform the way we live and lead. Her insights invite us to slow down, reconnect, and remember what we’ve forgotten in a world that desperately needs more grounded leadership.

We explore:

• The pivotal “gut punch” moment that shifted her path forever
• Why breakdowns often hold the seeds of our biggest breakthroughs
• How numbing keeps us from both deep pain and deep joy
• What rewilding looks like in nature, relationships, and leadership
• The Hawaiian wisdom of pono and aloha as frameworks for self-awareness and alignment
• The role of story and ritual in transforming culture and leadership

🔑 Key takeaways:

• You can’t feel the big joy without facing the hard emotions
• Leadership starts with recalibrating yourself before guiding others
• Story isn’t just entertainment—it’s the blueprint for culture and change
• The future of leadership is deeply human, grounded, and interconnected

💡 Quotes to remember:

“Breakdowns are often the birthplace of breakthroughs.”

 “If you can’t feel the hard stuff, you also can’t feel the big joy.”

 “Leadership is an inside job—alignment has to start within.”

 “We are always storying the world into being.”

📚 Resources mentioned:

✨ Learn more about Aubrey’s work:

 www.ourbelovedfutures.com

📲 Connect with Aubrey:

LinkedIn – Aubrey Morgan Yee

Instagram – @aubrey.morgan.yee

 Beloved Futures Podcast

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🎧 Episode 180: The AI-Ready Customer Experience Playbook with Ty Givens (Part 2)

In Part 2 of this conversation, Ty Givens, founder of CX Collective and CX Collective Advantage, goes deeper into the human side of customer experience leadership—where imposter syndrome, self-trust, and resilience collide with the demands of scaling in the age of AI.

Ty shares openly about her own battles with feeling “not ready,” what it really takes to trust yourself as a leader, and why sometimes the best CX strategy isn’t about speed or automation—it’s about empathy and meeting customers where they are.

We explore:

• The emotional cost of being promoted before you’re ready—and how to overcome imposter syndrome
• Practical strategies to build self-trust and resilience as a CX leader
• How to balance metrics like efficiency and speed with empathy and well-being
• The most common help desk “patchwork” problems—and the simplest fix to stop losing tickets
• The evolving skill set CX leaders need to thrive in 2025 and beyond
• The truth no one talks about: there’s no single “right” way to do CX
• Ty’s one piece of wisdom for leaders everywhere: you’re enough

🔑 Key takeaways:

• Self-doubt doesn’t disqualify you—it can fuel growth if you let it
• Trust is built not by being perfect, but by being transparent about mistakes
• The best customer experience is the one that fits your company, not someone else’s model
• Great CX leadership today requires mastering processes, knowledge management, and AI—not just people management

💡 Quotes to remember:

“I only make mistakes on days that end with Y.”

 “The best customer experience is the one that’s right for your business.”

 “You’re enough.”

 “Efficiency without empathy isn’t customer experience—it’s customer neglect.”

📚 Resources mentioned:

✨ Learn more about Ty’s work:

www.cxcollective.com

www.cxcollectiveadvantage.com

📲 Connect with Ty:

 LinkedIn – Ty Givens

 YouTube – CX Collective Advantage Channel

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

On a health journey too? Join me as I navigate Hashimoto's and Perimenopause like a BEAST 🔥

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🎧 Episode 179: The AI-Ready Customer Experience Playbook with Ty Givens (Part 1)

In this conversation, Ty Givens, founder of CX Collective and CX Collective Advantage, shares her journey from corporate leader to entrepreneur, and how she’s helping companies transform customer chaos into streamlined, scalable operations.

With more than 25 years of experience leading customer support teams at See’s Candies, Thrive Causemetics, Shoedazzle, and Herbalife, Ty has seen firsthand what it takes to balance operational wins with the very human side of leadership. She opens up about the reality of scaling with AI, the emotional cost of self-doubt, and the frameworks she’s built to help leaders rise with clarity and confidence.

We explore:

• Why “AI doesn’t solve chaos, it scales it”… and what to fix before automating
• How Thrive Causemetics cut resolution times from 10 hours to 4 minutes
• The LOOP Method, and how leaders can turn concepts into actionable playbooks
• The emotional toll of being promoted before you feel ready
• How to build self-trust and combat imposter syndrome in leadership
• Why meeting people where they are matters more than pushing shiny tech
• The overlooked role of empathy in scaling customer experience

🔑 Key takeaways:

• Broken systems can’t be automated into excellence, fix the foundation first
• Efficiency without empathy is a short-term win but a long-term loss
• Self-doubt is part of growth, it’s what you do with it that matters
• Great leadership is equal parts process and people

💡 Quotes to remember:

“AI doesn’t solve chaos. It scales it.”

 “You can’t make people fit the technology, you make the technology fit the people.”

 “Self-doubt isn’t a disqualifier. Inaction is.”

 “Every great leader was once unprepared for their first big role.”

📚 Resources mentioned:

✨ Learn more about Ty’s work:

www.cxcollective.com

www.cxcollectiveadvantage.com

📲 Connect with Ty:

 LinkedIn – Ty Givens

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

On a health journey too? Join me as I navigate Hashimoto's and Perimenopause like a BEAST 🔥

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Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.com

Follow me on:
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🎧 Episode 178: Coaching Yourself – 5 Questions to Unlock the Next Level of Your Potential

In this solo episode, I share the five most powerful coaching questions you can ask yourself to move beyond your current limitations and step into the leader you’re meant to be.

If you’re a director aiming for VP, or a VP preparing to step into the C-Suite, these questions will help you break through self-imposed barriers, sharpen your mindset, and embody the presence required to lead at the next level.

I talk honestly about the stories that hold us back, why mediocrity creeps in so quietly, and the bold moves that too many leaders avoid. You’ll also hear neuroscience-backed insights on rewiring your thinking and practical reflection prompts you can use immediately.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re capable of more but don’t know what’s standing in your way, this conversation will give you clarity, courage, and a clear path forward.

We explore:

• Why your greatest obstacle is usually yourself
• How to rewrite the stories you’ve been telling yourself
• The simple visualization technique that rewires your brain for the role you want
• Where mediocrity hides in your leadership, and how to eliminate it
• How to embody executive presence that attracts opportunity
• Why bold moves and fear always travel together
• A weekly framework to self-coach and accelerate your growth

🔑 Key takeaways:

• Your thoughts shape your reality, challenge them before they limit you
• Acting “as if” rewires your brain to lead from your future identity
• What you tolerate, you endorse, raise your standards first in yourself
• Opportunities are attracted to who you’re becoming, not just what you know
• The bold move you’re avoiding is usually the breakthrough you need

💡 Quotes to remember:

• “Your next level isn’t waiting for permission, it’s waiting for you to start asking better questions.”
• “Growth and fear always travel together.”

📚 Resources mentioned:

• 📕 Download the free Listener Workbook Journal Prompts: Coaching Yourself Workbook PDF

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

On a health journey too? Join me as I navigate Hashimoto's and Perimenopause like a BEAST 🔥

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Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.com

Follow me on:
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