How to Stand Out When Everyone Sounds the Same With Marc Rust
Release Date: 06/23/2026
Wartime CEO: Disruption, Delayed Gratification, and Doing the Opposite with Chandler Bolt
The Story Engine Podcast
Chandler Bolt dropped out of college with a C in English, ADHD, and about three months of runway in the bank. He borrowed his parents' retirement savings to buy out his business partner at Self Publishing School, then paid every dollar back in 11 months. Over the last 12 years, his company has helped publish more than 7,000 books. In this episode, Chandler gets honest about what it means to lead through a genuinely hard season: flat growth years, SEO traffic down 70%, and an industry being disrupted by AI hype that he thinks is badly outpacing AI capability. He shares the framework he calls...
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The Anti-Financial Advisor And What Wealth Actually Is With Chris Miles
The Story Engine Podcast
Chris Miles calls himself the anti-financial advisor. Not because financial advisors are bad people. Because he was one, and it nearly ruined him twice. In 2007 he had it all figured out. Debt free basement finished, growing equity, a Mercedes in the driveway. He went to the bank to cash out on his home's equity and they kept moving the goalposts. Get your credit score up two points. Now do X, Y, Z. By September they told him the truth. No more cash out refinances for business owners. The equity he built his whole plan around was trapped. Within two years he lost the house, the car, and...
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People only think other people die with Andrew Quebbemann
The Story Engine Podcast
On this episode of The Story Engine Podcast I sit down with Andrew Quebbemann, and we discuss something on the podcast that I haven't stopped thinking about. "People only think other people die." Not morbid. Just true. You know people get sick, but it's someone else. You know people get laid off, but not you. You're a safe driver, you eat healthy, you got your shots. So the plan gets pushed to twelve on the top ten list. Every year. Andrew had a client call him at 58 and say he wanted to retire in two years. Andrew ran the numbers. Second meeting, he had to say it straight:...
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The Success Trap: Why High Achievers Feel Stuck (And How to Lead with More Humanity) With Justin Ricklefs
The Story Engine Podcast
What happens when you've built the career, earned the title, achieved the success—and still feel disconnected from yourself? In this deeply honest conversation, I sit down with Justin Ricklefs, founder of Guild Collective and author of *Give a Damn*, to explore the hidden cost of achievement-driven leadership. Justin shares the personal journey that transformed his life—from sitting alone in a Target parking lot while working what many would consider a dream job, to building a human-centered company rooted in purpose, presence, and genuine connection. Together, we unpack why so many...
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Why Your Diagnosis Isn't the Whole Story with Dr. Scott Richmond
The Story Engine Podcast
Scott Richmond was lying on a hotel bathroom floor in Atlanta, the day after his birthday, on the phone with his mom. He'd already spent thirteen days in two hospitals that month. He'd lost 42 pounds. His mom was telling him they couldn't afford this anymore. He needed to come home. He didn't go home. He stayed anchored to one thing: his five year old daughter back in Iowa. That's what kept him fighting through a year that included being told, by the best pulmonary hospital in the country, that they simply didn't have an answer for him. Here's what Scott told me on this episode of Story...
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From Cancer Survivor to Medical Detective: The Hidden Causes of Chronic Illness Most Doctors Miss With Dr. Jill Carnahan
The Story Engine Podcast
What if the symptoms you're fighting aren't the real problem? In this powerful episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with functional medicine pioneer and bestselling author Dr. Jill Carnahan to explore her extraordinary journey from a 25-year-old battling aggressive breast cancer and Crohn's disease to becoming one of the leading voices in root-cause medicine. Dr. Jill shares how a seemingly healthy childhood on a family farm exposed her to hidden environmental toxins, setting the stage for a health crisis that would ultimately transform her life's mission. Through her own healing...
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The Pattern You Don't Know You're In With Nancy Bisbikos
The Story Engine Podcast
On this episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I am talking to Nancy Bisbikos. Nancy runs a company called the Biko Method, and for fifteen years she's been helping people, from Olympic athletes to PGA golfers to executives, clear what she calls "emotional footprints." These are the patterns that get built when we're small and unprotected, then get passed down without anyone naming them. In aviation school, Nancy Bisbikos would walk into a classroom with tiny rectangular windows and feel like she couldn't breathe. Her nails turned blue every time. She had no idea why until her parents told her...
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The Magic You’re Missing: Why Your Greatest Value Might Be Hiding in Plain Sight With Chris Van Loan
The Story Engine Podcast
What if the biggest thing holding your brand back isn't a lack of content, strategy, or opportunity—but your inability to see your own value? In this deeply personal and insightful episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with filmmaker, storyteller, and entrepreneur Chris Van Loan II to explore the hidden art of capturing authentic moments that create lasting impact. From documenting elite masterminds and transformational events to helping entrepreneurs share their stories in ways that truly connect, Chris reveals why the most meaningful moments are often the ones that never make it...
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From Reinvention to Recognition: The Visibility Strategy You Can’t Buy With Lauren Cobello
The Story Engine Podcast
What does it really take to stand out in a world where everyone is fighting for attention? In this powerful episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with PR strategist and visibility expert Lauren Cabello, founder of Leverage with Media PR and the newly launched Big City Podcast Tours. Lauren shares what most entrepreneurs get wrong about visibility, why traditional PR is making a surprising comeback in the age of AI, and how authentic relationships—not viral trends—are becoming the ultimate competitive advantage. But this conversation goes far deeper than media placements and...
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How I Learned to Regulate My Emotions When It Matters Most with Rubina Chadha
The Story Engine Podcast
In this episode, I sit down with Rubina Chadha, founder of Inner Design, to explore what it really means to regulate your nervous system in high-stakes moments. We go far beyond surface-level “mindset” advice and dive into the real reason so many high performers—entrepreneurs, leaders, and creatives—feel overwhelmed, burned out, or stuck despite their success. Rubina shares how we’ve been conditioned to live in our heads, and why reconnecting with our bodies is the key to clarity, resilience, and sustainable performance. Through a powerful, real-life story, we uncover what emotional...
info_outlineIn this episode of the Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with Mark Rust, founder of Consequently Creative, to unpack what it really takes to stand out in a world flooded with noise, sameness, and safe marketing. Mark shares how his background as a musician shaped his approach to branding—and why the magic isn’t in logos or color palettes, but in the bold, often uncomfortable choices that make people pay attention. From redefining branding as the central operating system of your business to crafting messages that connect beyond words, this conversation challenges everything you thought you knew about visibility.
We also dive into the role of audacity in business growth—what it looks like to break the rules, create unforgettable moments, and engineer opportunities instead of waiting for luck. Mark shares powerful stories (including one unforgettable outreach strategy involving a coffin and a competitor’s microphone) that demonstrate how small, creative shifts can open massive doors. If you’ve ever felt stuck blending in, overcomplicating your message, or struggling to articulate what makes you different, this episode will give you a new lens—and the courage—to do something radically different.
Episode Highlights
01:15 – How music shaped Mark’s creative thinking and storytelling approach
03:13 – The hidden downside of chasing perfection and “rockstar” success
04:36 – Why marketing magic comes from combining multiple elements—not just design
06:47 – The real key to standing out: leading with why, not what
08:31 – The biggest mistake businesses make: vague, meaningless messaging
10:23 – Why people connect emotionally—not logically—to brands
12:17 – Branding as the central operating system of your business
13:52 – What makes Consequently Creative different in a crowded industry
15:51 – The power of audacity: doing what others won’t
17:50 – Kyle’s story of bold action and betting on himself
20:05 – Mark’s unforgettable moment asking a university president for help
21:40 – The “coffin campaign”: a bold outreach strategy that landed a dream client
24:51 – Why conventional marketing no longer works in an oversaturated world
26:04 – How to position your message so people actually lean in
28:14 – Small shifts in clarity that create massive business impact
29:14 – A powerful story that captures Mark’s philosophy in action