In this episode, Jake welcomes Bill Blankschaen, founder and chief story architect of Story Builders, a company dedicated to helping thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and change makers bring their ideas to life through storytelling, books, and learning experiences.Bill is a multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has guided hundreds of authors and influencers, including notable figures like John Maxwell, Lewis Howes, and Kevin Harrington, toward clarifying their message, telling their story, and expanding their impact.Bill’s latest book, Your Story Advantage: A Proven Path to Maximize Your Impact, Influence, and Income, outlines how your unique story can become your most powerful strategic advantage. During the conversation, Bill explains that storytelling is wired into human DNA and has been a fundamental means by which knowledge, culture, and history have been passed down throughout humanity. He discusses how many people today are accidental rather than intentional storytellers, often undervaluing the lessons learned from their own failures and successes.Bill emphasizes the importance of aligning authenticity and transparency with your storytelling to connect on a deeper level with your audience. He shares a five-part storytelling structure centered on attention, tension, connection, solution, and action — guiding listeners on how to craft stories that captivate and motivate.The discussion also touches on Bill’s company, Story Builders, which offers services ranging from brand storytelling to book development and publishing. While their podcast is currently on hiatus, there are plans to reboot in 2026.Bill shares his favorite types of stories, including fiction and character-driven television series, and stresses the balance of fresh and familiar elements that keep stories engaging.The episode closes with Bill encouraging solopreneurs and founders to embrace their unique message, develop a contrarian slant if needed, and be brave in sharing their authentic stories to build trust and attract the right audience.Listeners looking to elevate their personal brand and harness the power of storytelling will find this episode packed with actionable insights.Follow Bill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billblankschaen/Grab your copy of Bill's book: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Story-Advantage-Maximize-Influence/dp/1954521901Follow Jake: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakestahl/TikTok: @JakeTheMindMechanicPodcast: https://thejakestahl.com/podcast/Book: Own the Room: https://thejakestahl.com/books/This episode is brought to you by Orchestraight. You can get a free trial of Orchestraight, an NLP based Lead Gen tool, for 7 days, up at orchestraight.com.Orchestraight. The straightest path to success.