SPOS #981 – Donald Miller On Building A Story Brand
Release Date: 04/27/2025
Great Companies With Eric Ries - TWMJ #1053
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1053 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). is one of the most influential entrepreneurs and management thinkers of the past two decades. Best known as the creator of the movement, his ideas fundamentally changed how founders, innovators, and established organizations build products, test ideas, and bring innovation to market. His work has shaped startups, Fortune 500 companies, governments, and nonprofits around the world, earning him recognition as one of the defining voices on modern entrepreneurship. In his latest book, , Eric turns his...
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The Power Of Brands With Lifang He - TWMJ #1052
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1052 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). has spent more than two decades helping some of the world's most influential technology companies build products that people don't just use... they love. A global brand strategist and product marketing leader, she has led branding, go-to-market, and growth initiatives for companies including , , and . During her time at Apple's longtime creative agency, , she helped shape global launches, giving her a front-row seat to one of the most successful product introductions in history. Her new book, , argues...
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Data Inspired With Sebastian Wernicke - TWMJ #1051
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1051 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). has built his career at the intersection of data science, artificial intelligence, economics, and decision-making. He leads the Data Science and AI team at , one of Europe's leading economics consultancies, and has become widely recognized for his ability to make complex ideas about data both accessible and deeply human. Many people first encountered Sebastian through his memorable , which cleverly used data to satirize TED Talks themselves, but his work has always been driven by a much bigger question:...
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Navigating Future Shock With Fredric Marshall - TWMJ #1050
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1050 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). has spent decades helping people navigate change. An entrepreneur, investor in AI startups, CEO of , and advisor on leadership and transformation, he has watched multiple waves of technological disruption unfold from the inside. His latest book, , revisits 's famous concept of "" and argues that today's anxiety isn't a personal failing... it's the predictable result of living through an era where change, information, and technological progress are arriving faster than most people can absorb. In this...
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AI Mindsets With Farid Mheir - TWMJ #1049
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1049 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). has spent four decades at the intersection of engineering, business strategy, and digital transformation. Trained as a microelectronics engineer, he helped pioneer online grocery commerce with in the mid-1990s before building e-commerce platforms for major retailers across North America and Europe. Today, through his , and as a faculty member at the , Farid advises executives on AI strategy and organizational transformation. His new book, , distills decades of experience into thirty-one practical...
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Purpose And Strengthfinding With Tom Rath - TWMJ #1048
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1048 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). is one of the most influential voices in the fields of leadership, strengths, wellbeing, and human performance. A researcher and the #1 bestselling author of books including , , , and , Tom's work has shaped how millions of people think about work, health, and personal development. His latest book, , challenges one of today's most common assumptions: that purpose is something we discover once in a lifetime. Instead, Tom argues that purpose is built through everyday actions and by focusing less on...
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Life Lessons From Google Search With Simon Rogers - TWMJ #1047
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1047 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). has spent his career turning data into stories that help us better understand the world... and ourselves. A former news editor at , where he founded and edited its influential , Simon is now the Data Editor at , working with , one of the largest publicly accessible datasets of human curiosity and behaviour ever created. He is also the co-host of and a longtime advocate for open data, visualization and making complex information meaningful. His new book, , explores what billions of searches reveal about...
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Productivity Breakthroughs With Liane Davey - TWMJ #1046
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1046 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). has spent her career helping leaders and teams perform at their best. As an organizational psychologist, bestselling author, trusted advisor to companies around the world and dear friend, she has long explored what separates high-performing teams from those that quietly struggle beneath the surface. Her latest book, , introduces a deceptively simple but powerful idea: the biggest challenge facing today's organizations isn't workload... it's thoughtload. While most leaders focus on reducing tasks...
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Prosperity And Economic Growth With Chris Bradley - TWMJ #1045
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1045 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). has spent more than twenty-five years helping organizations navigate strategy, growth, and long-term transformation as a Senior Partner at . He also serves as a Director of the , the firm's independent research arm, where he explores some of the biggest economic, technological, and societal questions shaping our future. His latest book, , challenges one of today's most pervasive narratives: that humanity's best days are behind us. Drawing on years of research, Chris argues that another century of...
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A World Of Intelligent Machines With Steve Brown - TWMJ #1044
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1044 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). has spent more than twenty-five years helping organizations prepare for the future of technology. A former Senior Director and in-house futurist at during the launch of , former Chief Evangelist and Futurist at , entrepreneur and advisor, Steve has worked with global brands including Nike, JPMorgan Chase, Samsung, Disney and more to navigate digital transformation and the rapidly evolving AI landscape. His latest book, , argues that AI is not another technology deployment but a fundamental...
info_outlineWelcome to episode #981 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast.
Donald Miller is one of the most influential voices in modern marketing - a bestselling author, business strategist, and the creative force behind StoryBrand (a framework that has reshaped how leaders and organizations communicate). In our conversation, Donald breaks down the timeless power of story and why clarity - not cleverness - is the most underrated competitive advantage in business today. His new book, Building a StoryBrand 2.0 - Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen, expands on his original seven-part storytelling framework with sharper tools and practical applications for the modern marketer. Donald is also the author of several bestselling books, including the spiritual memoir Blue Like Jazz, the personal development reflection Scary Close, and A Million Miles In A Thousand Years (loved that one!), alongside business classics like Marketing Made Simple, Business Made Simple, Coach Builder, How to Grow Your Small Business, which have collectively shaped how individuals and organizations think about story, purpose, and growth. We explore why curiosity is the secret starting point in every great customer journey, how AI is accelerating both efficiency and confusion in marketing, and why simple messages are often the hardest to write. Donald also opens up about the creative process behind writing, how to chase ideas worth finishing, and why businesses fail not from a lack of creativity - but from poor communication. Whether you're leading a brand, launching a product, or refining your personal pitch, this conversation is a masterclass in messaging. Enjoy the conversation...
- Running time: 55:49.
- Hello from beautiful Montreal.
- Listen and subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.
- Listen and subscribe over at Spotify.
- Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Six Pixels of Separation.
- Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.
- Check out ThinkersOne.
- or you can connect on LinkedIn.
- ...or on X.
- Here is my conversation with Donald Miller.
- Building a StoryBrand 2.0 - Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen.
- StoryBrand.
- Marketing Made Simple.
- Business Made Simple.
- Coach Builder.
- How to Grow Your Small Business.
- Blue Like Jazz.
- Scary Close.
- A Million Miles In A Thousand Years.
- Follow Donald on X.
- Follow Donald on Instagram.
- Follow Donald on LinkedIn.
Chapters:
(00:00) - The Power of Storytelling in Branding.
(12:46) - Understanding Consumer Relationships with Brands.
(26:02) - The Art and Science of Effective Marketing.
(29:00) - The Ineffectiveness of Modern Advertising.
(32:42) - The Importance of Clarity in Messaging.
(36:46) - The Role of Creativity in Marketing.
(41:15) - The Impact of AI on Marketing.
(46:24) - The Future of Marketing and Strategy.
(49:45) - The Creative Process and Writing Books.