Stories With Traction

#168: Inner Game, Outer Growth: The Secret Formula for High-Paid Consulting

Matt Zaun Season 1 Episode 168

5-Day Storytelling Challenge

Whether you're looking to boost sales, enhance marketing, or captivate audiences in meetings, this challenge is for you.

To sign up, go HERE.

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode of Stories With Traction, Matt Zaun sits down with business strategist and growth expert, Jessica Yarbrough, to discuss how high-achieving professionals (especially those from the C-suite) can escape hustle culture and build scalable, sustainable, and wildly profitable consulting businesses.

Jessica shares her journey from building startups and consulting in her 20s to helping seasoned executives command six-figure engagements today. She unpacks the inner game of imposter syndrome, the outer game of scalable systems, and why authenticity will always beat automation.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

✅ The "Bleeding Wound" Test: Why your offer must solve urgent, high-stakes problems if you want to scale

✅ Why AI Can't Replace Human Coaches: And how to use it as a time-leveraging tool, not a crutch

✅ Storytelling That Connects: How to document pain, process it, and share it with impact 

…and much more!

BIOS:

Jessica Yarbrough is a sought-after business strategist for established coaches and consultants who are ready to command premium fees, scale with integrity, and build a business that fuels both income and fulfillment. She has worked with former Fortune 100 executives and leaders across various industries to package their expertise into high-value offers and thought leadership platforms.

Matt Zaun is an award-winning speaker and strategic storytelling expert who shows leaders how to inspire action and drive results through the power of story, with a proven track record of helping over 300 organizations transform sales and marketing.

He is also the author of The StoryBank. This practical guide equips business leaders with tools to create vibrant company cultures and become dynamic public speakers through the art of storytelling.