#289: Bill Blankschaen — Your Story Isn’t About You. It’s About THEM.
Release Date: 02/23/2026
#300: Reimagining Mike’D Up! What’s Next for the Show?
MIKE'D UP!
In this episode, Mike marks a monumental milestone: 300 episodes of Mike’D Up! and shares something that's been on his heart: it's time to reset. Not walk away. Reset. After six and a half years, hundreds of conversations, and a show that started as a passion project and grew into something far bigger than he ever imagined, Mike is stepping back to reset, reflect, and reimagine what Mike’D Up! looks like next. With a cross-country move to Houston on the horizon, his daughter Izzy's scoliosis surgery approaching, and his podcast agency, Social Chameleon, entering a major new chapter, Mike...
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#299: Neal Foard — Why Stories Sell (And How to Pitch Anything Like a Pro)
MIKE'D UP!
Most ideas don't fail because they're bad. They fail because nobody saw the genius. This week, Mike welcomes Neal Foard, a 25-year advertising veteran who has crafted award-winning campaigns for Budweiser, Lexus, Sony, and Toyota. His international work earned him a spot among the top 10 most decorated creative directors in the world. Today, Neal advises Fortune 500 companies, universities, and even governments on the art of persuasive messaging, has graced the TEDx stage multiple times, and has built a massive following with viral videos that have moved millions with stories of everyday human...
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#298: Lisa Woodruff — Why Running Your Household Is a Business (And How to Actually Get Organized)
MIKE'D UP!
Running your household is a full-time job. And most of us are winging it. This week, Mike welcomes Lisa Woodruff, founder and CEO of and host of the top-rated podcast Organized 365 with over 24 million downloads. Here’s the scoop: 87% of Americans believe organization is a learnable skill, yet fewer than 18% actually feel organized. Lisa is here to fix that, breaking down why the household is a real business and why so many of us feel buried by it. Lisa shares her rock bottom story of being told she wasn't a good teacher, quitting the next day, and accidentally building a company that...
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#297: Alisa Sparks — From Garage Startup to 22 Locations: How She Built a Luxury Franchise
MIKE'D UP!
This week, Mike welcomes Alisa Sparks, Founder & CEO of Linden Creek, a luxury interior design and home staging franchise that has scaled to 22 locations across the country in only three years. Alisa shares how she made the leap from managing military finance budgets to launching a design business out of her garage, and the mindset shift required to go from talented designer to true business owner. The conversation unpacks what it really takes to franchise a business, including the painful process of documenting a 327-page operations manual and why proof of concept matters more than...
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#296: Doug Bolton, PhD — Why Kids Are More Anxious Than Ever (What Parents Are Missing)
MIKE'D UP!
This week, Mike welcomes back clinical psychologist and author to break down the growing youth mental health crisis. They explore why kids feel more disconnected than ever despite constant connectivity, and how stress is impacting not only children, but parents and teachers as well. From over-scheduled lives to over-parenting, Doug explains how today’s environment is limiting independence and resilience. The conversation also highlights rising anxiety and depression trends, along with key lessons learned from the pandemic, where reduced pressure improved mental health for some students....
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#295: Jennifer Chambers — Directing Theater & Film and Telling Stories That Connect
MIKE'D UP!
What makes a story truly stick? This week on Mike’D Up!, I sit down with Los Angeles–based director , whose work spans theater, film, and voiceover, including productions at the Geffen Playhouse, Barrington Stage Company, and the Kennedy Center. Jennifer shares what draws her to a script…powerful moments, a unique voice, or a visceral connection that tells her the story needs to be told. We talk about collaborating with playwrights, balancing creative vision with honoring the writer’s intent, and the differences between live theater’s immediacy and film’s longevity. She gives us...
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#294: Bishop Kevin Foreman — Your Past Doesn’t Define You. Your Purpose Does.
MIKE'D UP!
This week, Mike welcomes ., pastor of , author, entrepreneur, and leader impacting tens of thousands across the globe. From humble beginnings in Orange Mound, one of the toughest neighborhoods in Memphis, to building thriving churches and mentoring leaders worldwide, Bishop Foreman’s story is a powerful testament to faith, resilience, and purpose. Growing up surrounded by violence, instability, and adversity, Bishop Foreman experienced moments that could have easily defined his future. Instead, he made a decision early on: this would not be his story. That mindset became the foundation for...
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#293: Mitchell Osmond — Why Successful Men Feel Powerless at Home and How to Fix It
MIKE'D UP!
This week, Mike welcomes Mitchell Osmond, founder of and host of , helping men build legacy-driven success without sacrificing their families. On the outside, Mitchell had it all: career success, leadership roles, and momentum. But behind the scenes, he was overweight, in debt, disconnected in his marriage, and heading toward collapse. For Mitchell, everything changed after two pivotal moments: a devastating fight with his wife and a powerful wake-up call at a funeral that forced him to confront the life he was living and the legacy he was leaving behind. That moment sparked an 18-month...
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#292: Brandon Steiner — Building a Legacy Through Sports Collectibles
MIKE'D UP!
This week Mike welcomes legendary entrepreneur Brandon Steiner, founder of Steiner Sports and the visionary behind . From starting with $4,000 in 1987 to building a 50 million dollar sports collectibles empire, Brandon shares the real story behind his rise, complete with risks, failures, and game-changing partnerships. Brandon takes us inside the early days of athlete marketing, long before social media, where relationships, trust, and hustle were everything. By booking thousands of athlete appearances each year, he built a network that would later fuel one of the most iconic memorabilia...
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#291: Paul Hutchinson — Inside the Fight Against Child Trafficking
MIKE'D UP!
This week on Mike’D Up! Mike catches up with , investor, humanitarian, executive producer of the powerful blockbuster film Sound of Freedom, and author of the book . Paul has participated in more than 70 undercover rescue missions across 15 countries, helping liberate thousands of children from trafficking networks. As the founder of the , his work now focuses heavily on prevention, awareness, and equipping parents with the tools to protect their children in a rapidly changing digital world. In this powerful conversation, Paul explains why the greatest threat to children...
info_outlineStorytelling is one of the most powerful tools in leadership and business.
It is also one of the most misunderstood.
In this episode of Mike’D Up!, Mike sits down with Bill Blankschaen, founder and Chief Story Architect of Story Builders, for a practical and eye-opening conversation about how to tell stories that actually connect, influence, and move people to action.
Drawing on principles popularized by John Maxwell and refined through years of coaching leaders, Bill explains why effective communication requires flipping the focus from me to THEM. Great storytelling is not about showcasing your experience. It is about making your message accessible, relevant, and transformational for the audience.
Bill also shares his personal journey. After helping build and lead a Christian academy for 12 years, he stepped away in obedience to a deeper calling to write and tell stories. With six kids at home and no income for a year, he faced fear, uncertainty, and the steep learning curve of entrepreneurship. That season forced him to fully own his story, and that commitment became the breakthrough that shaped his business and impact.
If you are an entrepreneur, leader, speaker, or creator who knows you are carrying something meaningful but struggles to articulate it in a way that truly resonates, this episode will give you a practical roadmap.
Because the right story, told the right way, builds trust, creates movement, and unlocks opportunity.
IN THIS EPISODE:
➡️ STORY OVER SELF: The shift from performing for an audience to serving them
➡️ THE 5-STEP FRAMEWORK: Attention. Tension. Connection. Solution. Action. A simple structure that turns ideas into impact
➡️ OWNING YOUR LEAP: What happens when you fully commit to your calling, even when the outcome is uncertain
📘 BONUS TAKEAWAY:
You don’t scale by doing more. You scale by aligning with the right people.
🚀 PERFECT FOR:
For those ready to build influence, deepen relationships, and inspire real action.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington
John Maxwell
Lewis Howes
Dean Graziosi
Rory Vaden
Connect with Bill and Story Builders:
Connect with Mike:
SPONSORS:
Social Chameleon | Transform Your Podcast
AFFILIATES:
Libsyn: First Month FREE with Promo Code BEGREAT
Riverside | This interview was recorded on Riverside
Want to become a show sponsor or affiliate? Email mike@socialchameleon.us
Copyright © 2026 Mike’D Up! with Mike DiCioccio | For permission to use this content in any way, please email mike@socialchameleon.us