Disruptive Influence: The Business Storytelling & Brand Communication Podcast

Jeff Abracen

If you know what you do but struggle to talk about it in a way that lands — this podcast is for you. Most founders, creators, and leaders have the expertise…but not the story, clarity, or communication skills to express it with confidence, conviction, and influence. Disruptive Influence is the storytelling, communication, and executive presence podcast for founders, solopreneurs, and LinkedIn-era leaders who want to communicate with more clarity and power - in meetings, in pitches, in content, and in everyday conversations. Learn how to: turn lived experience into clear, compelling storiescommunicate with clarity, confidence, and executive presencebuild a strong POV that attracts the right peoplesell your ideas, your value, and your vision with convictionunlock the mindset shifts behind real influence and high-performance communication Hosted by Jeff Abracen - executive storytelling coach, former agency creative director, and creator of the Disruptive Influence™ system - each episode reveals how exceptional thinkers shape narratives, build presence, and communicate in ways that create opportunity. Through a mix of solo tactical episodes and deep conversations with founders and creators who are disrupting and influencing their industries in their own way, you’ll learn how real leaders think, speak, and tell stories that move people. If you're building a company, growing a personal brand on LinkedIn, leading a team, or simply want to communicate with more confidence and conviction — this podcast gives you the tools and perspective shifts to become the most influential person in the room. ➞ Subscribe and learn how to tell stories that sell - and speak with clarity, confidence, and conviction.  ➞ Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.

  1. JAN 29

    How to Turn Everyday Moments Into Customer Loyalty Machines with David Brier

    Most brands aren’t failing. They’re just fading into the background. In this episode, Jeff sits down with David Brier, one of the sharpest and most unapologetic minds in branding, to talk about why so much marketing today feels polished, competent… and completely forgettable. David calls it the Wall of Beige: what happens when brands optimize for speed, safety, and scale - but quietly lose their nerve, their taste, and their point of view along the way. We get into why “meeting expectations” is actually a trap. Why pumping out more content won’t save you if it costs you differentiation. And why loyalty isn’t built through clever tactics - it’s built through intention. From the ritual of opening an iPhone box, to handwritten notes, to small human moments most brands overlook, this conversation breaks down how everyday interactions - when handled with conviction - become the reason people come back, talk about you, and choose you again. This isn’t a conversation about trends. It’s a conversation about standards. If you’re a founder, executive, or brand leader who’s tired of sounding like everyone else - and wants people to stop saying “that’s nice” and start saying “I want more of that” - this is the episode for you. What we explore Why so many brands blend in (even when they’re doing “everything right”)The difference between convenience and careHow fanatical intention turns moments into loyaltyWhy anticipation beats persuasionWhere authenticity actually comes from - and where it doesn’tChapters 00:00 — Turning Ordinary Into Amazing 00:44 — AI, Speed & the Wall of Beige 04:42 — Why Playing It Safe Is Riskier 06:23 — Freshness, Familiarity & Surprise 10:14 — The iPhone Box Lesson 12:03 — Practitioner vs Professional vs Genius 18:23 — Fanatical Intention 22:39 — Why Meeting Expectations Is a Failure 27:05 — Human Effort Creates Loyalty 30:32 — Apple vs Microsoft: DNA Matters 36:40 — Refusing to Let Ordinary Be Ordinary 41:58 — Curiosity Beats Confusion 44:07 — Why Meaning Beats Marketing 55:17 — The Next 4 Years vs the Next 40 58:44 — “I Want More of That” Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you. Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

    59 min
  2. 12/01/2025

    How to Design an Inbound Business with Nick Broekema

    In this episode, I sit down with designer, educator, founder, and category creator, Nick Broekema, the mind behind the booming discipline of Content Design and one of the most recognizable visual brands on LinkedIn™. Nick has built something rare: a business that’s 100% inbound. No outreach. No cold emails. No chasing. Just magnetic, systematic content that compounds. We go deep on: How Nick built an audience of 80k+How Content Design became a category, and how he's leading itThe exact steps he took to turn random posting into a businessWhat most creators get wrong on LinkedIn™Why alignment beats hustleThe role of clarity, positioning, and ICP refinementHis pivot from Done-For-You to Cohorts + CommunityAnd the mindset shifts required to scale a highly creative business sustainablyThis is a masterclass in positioning, design, systems, and treating content as a strategic asset - not decoration. Whether you're a founder, a coach, a designer, or someone reinventing their career on LinkedIn, this is a conversation you will want to save. Chapters: 00:00 - Teaser Intro 00:41 - Re-Framing, Re-Building 01:08 - The Early Days & Becoming a Category of One 02:50 - From Crickets to Clarity 04:10 - The Coach Who Sparked a Category 05:23 - Why LinkedIn™? Why Now? 07:41 - Quitting, Drifting, and Rediscovering Entrepreneurship 09:20 - Choosing LinkedIn™ Over Instagram 09:53 - What a Carousel Really Is (and Why It Works) 11:30 - Why Visuals Must Be Simple, Clear, and Fast 13:49 - How to Build Leads on LinkedIn From Scratch 15:44 - Compounding Through Conversation 17:05 - The Turning Point: Selling Through Content 18:38 - The Three-Month Danger Window 19:45 - Quantity → Quality (No Other Shortcut Exists) 22:16 - Why You Should Post BEFORE You Need To 26:15 - The Multiple Facets of Content Design 28:21 - Nick's Design Rules (And Why They Work) 30:30 - How His Client Grew 8k Followers and 80k in Revenue 32:22 - Trim the Offer: Why Less > More 34:28 - The 60% Rule for Positioning 36:22 - D.F.Y → D.I.Y: A Pivot That Scales 37:52 - Nick’s Current Business Model 40:10 - Why He’s Leaving Done-For-You Behind 42:53 - The Rise of In-Person Events 44:58 - Why Build a Community? 46:32 - Screen-Sharing, Transparency, and “Winging It” 48:06 - Jeff’s POV on Clarity, Story, and Power of Voice 52:02 - Reframing Stage Nerves into Excitement 53:36 - Nick’s Public Speaking Trauma (And How He Overcame It) 55:54 - Expertise + Stories = Unshakeable Confidence 57:15 - The Anchor of Inbound-Only 58:10 - Jeff on Remembering Your Own Value 59:41 - Jeff’s Storytelling Background & Business Model 01:02:52 - Naming, Positioning & Not Getting “Too Cute” Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you. Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

    1h 4m
  3. 09/22/2025

    How to Thrive Through Business Burnout with Louis Butterfield

    This is a conversation about what it really takes to build a business, stand out in a sea of sameness, and recover when the hustle turns into burnout. Louis Butterfield is the co-founder of Awesome Business Videos & Video Heroes, an agency, program & community helping founders create videos that actually get watched on LinkedIn. Known for his playful “videos in the park” format, Louis has carved out a reputation for making content that’s ungeneric, entertaining, and rooted in values. Alongside his wife Jenna Sipponen, he’s built a six-figure business and a fast-growing community - while also confronting the realities of burnout and balance. What you’ll learn in this episode: How Louis went from living in a yurt and failing five businesses to launching a thriving video companyWhy ungeneric videos beat polished but forgettable content every timeThe park video formula: mix silly settings with serious valueHow partnerships and podcasts became rocket fuel for authorityThe hidden cost of 70-hour weeks and the truth about burnoutWhy stories that sell are really about shared values, not just hooksThe mantra Louis lives by: Punch above your weight classTakeaways Stand out by changing the setting - not watering down the messageTrust compounds when you borrow audiences through collaborationCommunity brings accountability and consistencyShared values build stronger bonds than formulas ever could Chapters 00:00 – The role of story: why we’re drawn to people like us 00:25 – Welcome to the Disruptive Influence Podcast 00:40 – Meet Louis Butterfield: ungeneric videos for ungeneric brands 01:10 – From yurts to five failed businesses → stumbling into video 02:00 – Why high-end video no longer works & the shift to LinkedIn 03:45 – The rise of “videos in the park” (and why they work) 07:20 – Behind the scenes: outtakes, swings, and slides 09:15 – From client work to community → launching Video Heroes 13:20 – Building authority: showing wins & stacking trust through partnerships 17:30 – Podcasting as rocket fuel for growth 23:00 – The hard truth: burnout behind the six-figure launch 27:30 – Guardrails, recovery, and avoiding future burnout 31:30 – Purpose & fuel: love vs. fear, family, and the housing dream 36:40 – Finding Ikigai & designing the long game 39:20 – Crafting stories that sell: values over hooks 46:20 – Imposter syndrome, client pain points & the mantra: Punch above your weight class Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you. Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

    56 min
  4. 08/24/2025

    Why You Need to Stop Performing and Start Believing with Annelise McCarthy

    What does it really take to stand out as a speaker in a noisy world? The zesty and unapologetically real, Annelise McCarthy, founder of Her Speaking Coach, joins Jeff to explore what speaking with confidence really means. From overcoming a childhood lisp to building a thriving global coaching business, Annelise shares powerful and counterintuitive lessons on communication, presence, and self-belief. This episode isn’t about tips and tricks, it’s about transforming the way you see yourself, so your voice carries the weight it deserves. We dive into: Why being brilliant isn’t enough if you can’t communicate it memorably.The myth that you need to be “serious” to be taken seriously.How self-love becomes the ultimate speaking skill.The spotlight effect, and why nobody notices your mistakes as much as you do.The shift from performance to presence that changes everything.Whether you’re a founder, leader, or simply someone who wants to use their voice more powerfully, this conversation will remind you: it’s never too late to claim your voice and step into the spotlight on your own terms. 🎧 Tune in and get ready to stop performing - and start connecting. Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:40 Journey into Public Speaking 10:25 The Importance of Communication in the Age of AI 12:01 Memorable Moments in Speaking 18:05 The Impact of Empowering Voices 24:14 Self-Love and Communication 27:54 Embracing Anxiety as a Superpower 29:35 The Journey of Self-Discovery 31:27 The Impact of COVID on Personal Growth 34:08 The Mirror Moment: A Turning Point 36:40 Building a Relationship with Self-Love 38:07 The Power of Vulnerability in Storytelling 40:07 From Performance to Authenticity 44:14 Shifting Focus from Self to Audience 48:00 The Foundation of Compassion in Public Speaking 51:21 The Challenges of Entrepreneurship Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you. Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

    53 min
  5. 07/29/2025

    Finding Your Sugar Factor with Priya Chopra

    Priya Chopra reveals the secret ingredient behind her cross-border PR and creator agencies - a blend of vibes, intuition, and a relentless Momentum Mindset that keeps brands, and teams, sweetly winning. Priya Chopra is the founder & CEO of 1Milk2Sugars and double shot, where she mixes her “Sugar Factor” - a unique recipe of psychic intuition, empathy, and entrepreneurial grit - to help brands and creators amplify impact, loyalty, and growth. In this episode, she joins Jeff to break down: ◽️ How a quirky coffee-order name became a client-magnet launchpad ◽️ The daily “Sugar Factor” rituals that turn good vibes into sticky brand wins ◽️ Why “your 80 is someone’s 100” is the mindset hack to ditch perfectionism ◽️ Real-world tactics for sustaining momentum when the buzz fades ◽️ The surprising role of intuition (yes, she’s psychic!) in storytelling and leadership ◽️ Her blueprint for scaling from Canada to the U.S. without losing culture ◽️ Tactical tips for juggling agency hustle with family, fitness, and self-care Chapters 00:00 – Winning Mindset (Intro Teaser) 00:32 – Meet Priya Chopra 01:33 – 1Milk2Sugars Origin 03:52 – Birth of double shot 05:49 – Championing Creators 08:10 – Lessons for Entrepreneurs 11:22 – The Sugar Factor 15:08 – Psychic Intuition Moment 17:03 – Vibes & Storytelling 20:11 – Manifesting Momentum 21:50 – Leading with Empathy 36:05 – PR’s Resurgence 41:39 – U.S. Expansion 49:02 – Your 80 Is Someone’s 100 53:24 – Work-Life Blend 55:04 – Word of the Year: Momentum 56:48 – Wrap up Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you. Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

    57 min
  6. 07/25/2025

    Why You Need to Put Gas on Your Strengths with Curtis Matsko

    Curtis Matsko turned a pink diary and a garage startup into a $180 million leather-goods empire - then doubled it year after year by unleashing what he calls “founder magic.” He shares how leaning into your strengths and embracing the unknown can turn every setback into a launchpad for growth. Curtis Matsko is the CEO and co-founder of Portland Leather Goods, one of North America’s fastest-growing DTC and retail brands. A self-described “over-educated jerk” who never held a real job beyond three days, he’s built his business on pattern recognition, calculated risks, and unapologetic authenticity. Mariana Patiño, PA/EA at Portland Leather Goods, jumps in to share what it’s like being Curtis’ right hand - juggling the logistics, capturing his lightning-fast ideas, and turning his wild energy into every project’s secret sauce. We talk about:  ◽️ Why “10× is easier than 2×”—and how big-vision thinking sidesteps incremental bottlenecks.  ◽️ How to pour gas on your strengths instead of wasting time fixing weaknesses.  ◽️ The profit math behind scaling both direct-to-consumer and a 30-store footprint.  ◽️ Why the clearest path isn’t yours - and how to find magic in uncharted territory.  ◽️ How founder-led storytelling becomes your ultimate competitive advantage.  ◽️ The secret role of Mariana, his “energy multiplier,” in rapid iteration and team chemistry. Whether you’re launching your first venture or leading a mature organization, you’ll walk away with a new playbook for bold growth, real-talk storytelling, and the magic that happens when you refuel your superpowers. Chapters 00:00 – Focus on Your Strengths (Intro Teaser) 00:21 – Podcast Intro & What to Expect   00:35 – Meet Curtis Matsko, CEO of Portland Leather Goods   01:39 – From Garage Origins to a $180M Business   03:22 – The Three-Day Box Boy Job & Pivot to Lifeguarding   07:04 – Authenticity in Founder-Led Storytelling   10:15 – The Disruptive Influence Backstory   13:15 – Balancing “Rush” vs. “Long-Haul” Vision   16:49 – Pattern Recognition & On-the-Fly Problem Solving   20:00 – Why 10× Is Easier Than 2× (Mindset Shift)   23:49 – Scaling Online & Retail: Profit Math Revealed   26:24 – Crafting Compelling Presentations (55-Minute Talks)   31:13 – Calculated Risk: Worst-Case Scenarios & Learning Fast   37:48 – Double Down on Strengths & Team Synergy   40:54 – Introducing Mariana Patiño! 44:37 – Surprises, Gratitude & Final Takeaways   Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you. Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

    1h 21m
  7. 07/14/2025

    How to Build a Brand That Sells Itself with Jasmin Alic

    Jasmin Alić, LinkedIn's king of comments, content & community, shares how to turn content into conversations, stories into sales, and profile views into paying clients. We dive into warm outreach, offer alignment, and why connection beats content every time. Jasmin is a brand strategist and community builder who’s helped thousands of creators turn personal brands into real businesses. As the founder of LinkUp and LinkBound, he teaches people how to grow with clarity, integrity, and a little bit of swagger. Chapters 00:00  Opening Teaser - Low reach? Comment harder. 00:32  Intro – Disruptive Influence Podcast #30 03:22  Two new businesses: LinkUp & LinkBound 07:40  Why most paid communities trap their founders 10:00  Inside LinkUp: 3 in-house experts, daily feedback 12:29  Bosnia trip giveaway 14:10  “Build community, not a cage” – the mindset 18:55  2025 blind spot: Story > Tips 21:15  Storytelling 101: share what you think, not just what you know 24:55  Offers: choose an intro offer, then craft content 29:15  Starter-offer pricing & positioning 33:45  Warm-outreach playbook (+ LinkedIn’s new viewer data) 40:10  Limiting belief: “DM sales feel sleazy” 44:25  Coach’s proudest moments – client self-awareness 53:05 Surprise fun fact about Jasmin 54:45  Biggest LinkedIn opportunity: comments dominate 1:00:05  Reddit: LinkedIn Lunatics & blocking negativity Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you. Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

    1h 4m
  8. 06/30/2025

    How to Lean Into Your Big Founder Energy with Aaron Spivak

    Aaron Spivak co-founded Hush, turning a weighted blanket into a Kickstarter smash and selling to Sleep Country for eight figures - all before his 26th birthday. He joins Jeff to unpack the real juice behind: Filling Your Four Buckets – his health / friends & family / business / integrity framework Giving Before You Take – the counter-intuitive first rule powering his invite-only Founders Club Cooling the Market – How hundreds of customer calls flipped Hush from summer slump to record-breaking demand Story > Specs – how truly speaking to their audience turned their Dragons’ Den pitch into Canadian TV lore Reps, Results, Reality Checks – why Aaron treats entrepreneurship like a full-contact sport ..and how Aaron Spivak Sold Hush, but kept his soul. Chapters 0:00 Intro “Everything is war” 1:24 Why Founders Club exists & who it’s for 4:36 The first rule of Founders' Club and the “give first” philosophy 5:48 Defining a “successful founder” - The Four Buckets of Life 7:59 The loneliness factor & why community beats the island 10:28 Storytelling, customer calls & the $4,000 runway 14:42 "Make it cooling!” - the hundred call insight 17:33 Kickstarter blows up: $700K to $10M 19:59 “People buy magic” - best story wins philosophy 22:24 Vulnerability, emotion & why design alone can’t win 26:51 Dragons’ Den prep: spray-tan mishaps & thousands of reps 33:00 Business as war: Kobe, LeBron, and out-working talent 35:03 Right reps vs. first reps - tailoring for your stage 38:58 Momentum, niche audiences & getting the right views 44:08 The Range Rover promise to mom - entrepreneurship’s best payoff 49:24 Launching the Founder-to-Founder podcast (and the “double-F” hat) 51:33 How to join Founders Club, - cities, retreats and more 53:12 Outro & Jeff’s CTA Useful Links Find the Founders Club: https://www.foundersclubofficial.com/ Connect with Aaron Spivak: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-spivak1/ Connect with Jeff Abracen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/ Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you. Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

    53 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

If you know what you do but struggle to talk about it in a way that lands — this podcast is for you. Most founders, creators, and leaders have the expertise…but not the story, clarity, or communication skills to express it with confidence, conviction, and influence. Disruptive Influence is the storytelling, communication, and executive presence podcast for founders, solopreneurs, and LinkedIn-era leaders who want to communicate with more clarity and power - in meetings, in pitches, in content, and in everyday conversations. Learn how to: turn lived experience into clear, compelling storiescommunicate with clarity, confidence, and executive presencebuild a strong POV that attracts the right peoplesell your ideas, your value, and your vision with convictionunlock the mindset shifts behind real influence and high-performance communication Hosted by Jeff Abracen - executive storytelling coach, former agency creative director, and creator of the Disruptive Influence™ system - each episode reveals how exceptional thinkers shape narratives, build presence, and communicate in ways that create opportunity. Through a mix of solo tactical episodes and deep conversations with founders and creators who are disrupting and influencing their industries in their own way, you’ll learn how real leaders think, speak, and tell stories that move people. If you're building a company, growing a personal brand on LinkedIn, leading a team, or simply want to communicate with more confidence and conviction — this podcast gives you the tools and perspective shifts to become the most influential person in the room. ➞ Subscribe and learn how to tell stories that sell - and speak with clarity, confidence, and conviction.  ➞ Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.