The Influential Personal Brand Podcast Rory & AJ Vaden

Building on the resilience explored in part one of this special Mother’s Day episode, we continue our journey with Tessie Gale, Rory’s mom and someone who has had a profound impact on the world around her. From the depths of hardship as a young single mother to the triumphs of finding love and stability, Tessie's story is one of unwavering determination and unyielding hope. In this second installment, we delve deeper into Tessie's remarkable life story, exploring her ability to navigate financial struggles, build a supportive community, confront and overcome post-abortive shame, and ultimately discover the love that would transform her world. Join us as we witness the poignant arc of Tessie's narrative, which illustrates the enduring power of the human spirit. Please be advised that this episode contains references to sensitive themes, including abortion, suicide, domestic violence, and alcoholism. Listener discretion is advised. 

Apart from being Rory’s mom, today’s guest, Tessie Gale has overcome incredible odds to create a profound impact on not only those around her but the world we live in too. In this special two-part episode in celebration of Mother’s Day, you’ll learn how Tessie triumphed over adversity to grow her family and the resilience and tenacity that allowed her to create opportunities for herself, make special memories for her children, and build a promising life for them all. From navigating harrowing circumstances to crafting a brighter future against all odds, Tessie's resilience and determination will inspire and uplift you. But please note that this episode delves into raw and emotional territory, touching on themes of abortion, suicide, domestic violence, and alcoholism. Listen with care, and prepare to be profoundly moved by Tessie's unwavering spirit. 

Want to gain thousands of followers in just a few weeks? Well, this is the episode for you! From elevating your production value to telling great stories, you’ll learn how to not only capture a viewer’s attention but how to keep it too. Tune in as we share five surprisingly simple techniques to help you grow your audience, increase engagement, and create better content! 

From pro baseball player to successful real estate investor to serial entrepreneur, Ryan Pineda knows a thing or two about building wealth! In 2015, he leveraged a small amount of capital to launch a house-flipping business that grew to include hundreds of flips, even more rentals, and six multimillion-dollar companies, amassing over a million social media followers in the process. Ryan joins us today to share his story and some surprisingly simple strategies to help you live what he calls the Wealthy Way. Tuning in, you’ll learn why social media is such a powerful tool, practical tips for running successful in-person live events, and how you can benefit from being a mission-driven businessperson. We also discuss the role that his Christian faith has played in his success, why watch time is a more important metric than followers or views, how to build trust with your audience, and much more! Ryan’s story is an inspiration for anyone pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams, emphasizing the importance of persistence, resilience, and a willingness to adapt and pivot when circumstances change. Trust us, you won’t want to miss this conversation! 

Almost everyone has a story inside them that is bursting to be told, but timing is indeed everything. So, how do you know when it’s the right time to sit down and begin writing? Today, AJ recaps our recent conversation with the best-selling author, Bill Blankschaen, to highlight everything you need to know about writing your first words. First, it’s important to understand that writing a book is a time-consuming process and one that you should never rush. Then, we learn about the importance of knowing your book’s purpose and intent before writing your first word, and why you’ll know you’re ready to write a book when you’re willing to talk about it, on repeat, for at least two years. 

Writing is a unique medium in that it requires one-way communication to feel like a two-way conversation, and without any context pertaining to the reader who is, essentially, a stranger. So, for your written words to resonate with someone you’ve never met, you need to have a certain something that separates you from the rest, and that is why today, with the help of Bill Blankschaen, we will be exploring everything that it takes to become a great writer. Bill is an accomplished best-selling author and is also the Founder and Chief Story Architect of StoryBuilders – a creative group of story architects and story artisans who empower individuals and organizations to tell stories that make the world a better place. After explaining his entry into writing, how he started working with Jon Maxwell’s team, and how being mission-driven allowed him to grow, Bill walks us through the timing of writing a book, when to publish it, and how to choose the best publishing route. Our guest then shares his thoughts on what it takes to be a great writer, how to write your first words, the role of technology and AI in modern writing, and why “collaborative writing” is a more accurate term to use than ghostwriting. To end, we learn about how StoryBuilders brings dreams to fruition, and how you can connect with Bill to elevate your storytelling to the next level.