#51: StoryBrand Christmas Special: The Radio Drama that Could Save Your Business in 2026
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
In this special StoryBrand Radio Theater production, brothers Pete and Joe Manley inherit their late mother's struggling board game company valued at $1.3 billion, though its stock has plummeted 91%. Joe, appointed as CEO, initially pursues a misguided digital transformation strategy with AI-powered "Favatars," while Pete discovers their mother's unfinished game "Find the Gold" and learns the StoryBrand framework from Donald Miller. (03:00)
- The episode demonstrates how clear messaging transforms business outcomes through a fictional story that brings the StoryBrand framework to life, showing how positioning customers as heroes rather than making your business the center of attention drives sales success.
Speakers
Donald Miller
Donald Miller is the bestselling author of "Building a StoryBrand 2.0" and founder of the StoryBrand framework. He teaches businesses how to clarify their messaging by positioning customers as heroes and brands as guides, helping companies grow by inviting customers into stories where they can win the day.
The StoryBrand Team
The StoryBrand team created this radio theater production to demonstrate the practical application of the StoryBrand framework. They work alongside Donald Miller to help businesses implement clear messaging strategies that connect with customers and drive growth.
Key Takeaways
Never Position Your Business as the Hero
The most critical mistake businesses make is positioning themselves as the hero of their story rather than their customers. (21:00) Donald Miller emphasizes that "people aren't looking for a hero. They are looking for a guide." When Pete tries to tell his family about the game but makes it about his excitement rather than their needs, he fails to get their attention. However, when he repositions the conversation around solving their family's screen addiction problem, they become engaged and play 12 rounds together. This demonstrates that customers care about solving their own problems, not hearing about your achievements.
Create Different Brand Scripts for Different Audiences
A crucial insight revealed when Pete and Joe meet Donald Miller is that you need different brand scripts for different buyers in the sales chain. (57:23) Their initial pitch to Smart Mart failed because they used a brand script designed for end consumers (parents wanting family connection) when speaking to a wholesale buyer (Greg needing to meet sales quotas). The wholesale buyer's problems include keeping shelf space, meeting sales targets, and maintaining his job security, not bringing families together. This requires tailoring your message to each specific audience's unique challenges and desired outcomes.
Express Empathy and Demonstrate Competency as a Guide
To position yourself as an effective guide, you must both express empathy for your customer's challenges and demonstrate competency in solving them. (32:59) Miller explains that expressing empathy means "identify your customer's problem and let them know you feel their pain," while demonstrating competency requires showing "how many other heroes you've helped, how effective your solution is." Pete's team applies this by acknowledging parents' frustration with screen-addicted families (empathy) and leveraging Dorothy Manley's decades of success creating family connection through games (competency).
Focus on Customer Problems, Not Your Own
Joe's disastrous shareholder presentation failed because he focused on the company's financial problems rather than customer challenges. (40:46) When Pete asks Joe what problem he was trying to solve, Joe responds "money" and "I need them to give me their money." Pete redirects him: "We're not supposed to be the ones with the problem, Joe. Customers don't care about solving our problems. They care if we can solve theirs." This shift from internal company needs to external customer value is fundamental to effective messaging and sales success.
Use the Complete StoryBrand Framework Structure
The most effective messaging follows the complete seven-part StoryBrand structure: hero (customer), wants something, encounters problems (external, internal, philosophical), meets a guide (you), who provides a plan, calls them to action, and shows both success and failure stakes. (43:40) Pete and Joe's successful Smart Mart pitch incorporates all elements: Bill Griffin (hero) wants to meet sales quotas (want), faces limited shelf space with too many products (problem), meets the Manley brothers (guides), who offer a three-step plan (stock, sell, profit), with a clear call to action (exclusive order), positive stakes (department success), and negative stakes (potential job loss).
Statistics & Facts
- Dorothy Manley's board game company was valued at $1.3 billion before her death, but the stock dropped 91% immediately following her passing, and continued dropping to 93% during the shareholders meeting. (04:04)
- Joe's disastrous product launch presentation had a 50% walkout rate, with half the sales representatives leaving midway through the presentation. (46:47)
- Smart Mart eventually sold 5 million units of Find the Gold in a single quarter after Pete and Joe repositioned their pitch using the StoryBrand framework, helping restore their stock price to pre-death levels. (64:30)
