The Story Advantage and Why Nobody Has the Same One as You with Bill Blankschaen
"CQ — the character quotient — is who you are at the core of your values, and how consistently people can trust you to be that person. That to me is the exponential topper."
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Every person has a story no one else has. The problem is most people either don't know how to tell it or don't believe it's worth telling.
Bill Blankschaen, author of Your Story Advantage and founder of StoryBuilders, has spent over a decade helping thought leaders (from John Maxwell to Lewis Howes)nfind their story, shape it, and use it to grow their impact, influence, and income.
In this episode, Bill breaks down the Story Multiplier Formula, the five traps that keep people from ever telling their story, and why the structure he teaches doesn't constrain you, but actually sets you free to be more creative and more effective. He also walks through IQ, EQ, and the often-overlooked "CQ," and why that last one is the only variable that's entirely your choice.
If you've got a message inside you that you haven't figured out how to get out, this is your episode.
In this episode, you will learn how to:
Apply the Story Multiplier Formula to turn who you are into measurable impact, influence, and income
Identify and break out of the confidence trap, the chaos trap, and the other story blocks holding you back
Understand the difference between IQ, EQ, and CQ—and why character is the only one you fully control
Build a story ecosystem with a clear message, a multiplier like a book, and a path to monetization
Edit your story for your audience, not yourself, because your story is about you but it was never for you
“CQ — the character quotient — is who you are at the core of your values, and how consistently people can trust you to be that person. That to me is the exponential topper.”
- Bill Blankschaen
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Some of the highlights of the episode:
00:00 — Introduction: Audience vs. Community and Why It Matters
00:00 — Introduction: Who You Are Times How Well You Tell Your Story
\04:02 — Meet Bill Blankschaen
05:44 — The Story Multiplier Formula: Who x Story = Impact, Influence and Income
08:01 — Building Your Story Ecosystem
09:49 — Why No One on Earth Has Your Story (And Why You're Not Using It)
10:40 — The Confidence Trap: Why We Deify Others and Diminish Ourselves
12:08 — The Chaos Trap: Too Many Ideas, Not Enough Focus
14:08 — Editing Your Story Like a Film: What Ends Up on the Cutting Room Floor
16:13 — The Only Real Superpower: Perseverance Over Perfection
18:25 — Why a Vacation Rental Company's Best Marketing Is HidinG
20:19 — Is Storytelling Manipulation? Where the Line Actually Is
22:25 — IQ, EQ and CQ: The Three Quotients of a Powerful Storyteller
25:07 — What Led Bill to Leave a School He Built and Start Over With Six Kids
28:17 — How Story Builders Was Born and Why John Maxwell Was Their First Partner
30:39 — Why You Must Collaborate to Elevate
33:55 — Do You Need a Storyteller or Do You Have a Story Problem?
37:41 — You Do Not Have to Be a Writer to Have a Great Book
39:48 — The Digital Mentors Who Shaped Bill's Approach
42:08 — The Book That Inspired Him Most: Glenn Cunningham's Never Quit
43:22 — How Teaching Shaped the Way He Writes and Communicates
44:49 — The Five-Step Storytelling Structure That Gives You Creative Freedom
46:10 — Where to Find the Book and the Free Resources
As always, I hope you enjoy the episode!
Rain
🔗 Follow Bill on:
Website → https://billblankschaen.com/
Free Resources → https://www.yourstoryadvantage.com/free-resources
Book → Your Story Advantage by Bill Blankschaen: https://amzn.to/4vPjudW
Company → Story Builders → https://mystorybuilders.com/
Book Referenced → Never Quit by Glenn Cunningham (https://amzn.to/4tsDFNe)
People Referenced → John Maxwell, Lewis Howes, Dean Graziosi, Jason Wilson, Stephen Covey, Hugh Hewitt
And for more storytelling tips and strategies, visit:
Website → https://rainbennett.com
Or follow along at:
TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@chiefstorytellingofficer
Twitter/X → https://twitter.com/rainbennett
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rainbennett
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/thestorytellinglab
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@RainBennett