Stories With Traction
The Stories With Traction Podcast was created to empower leaders to elevate their businesses through the art of strategic storytelling. By engaging clients and inspiring team members, leaders can significantly impact the world around them. Each episode offers insights into storytelling, marketing, sales, company culture, and leadership, providing practical tools to drive growth and influence positive change. Tune in to transform your approach and lead with purpose.
Stories With Traction
#170: Lessons From the CPA Who Took the Mic (and the Risk)
5-Day Storytelling Challenge
Whether you're looking to boost sales, enhance marketing, or captivate audiences in meetings, this challenge is for you.
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SHOW NOTES:
In this episode of Stories With Traction, Matt Zaun sits down with Daniel McMahon, Founder and Managing Partner of Integrated Growth Advisors, to discuss how leaders can transition into purpose-driven, sustainable roles beyond their primary career without losing their identity or impact.
With over 30 years of experience as a CPA, strategist, and business advisor, Dan shares hard-earned wisdom on critical thinking, leadership, and what truly prepares founders for the next chapter of their lives after building a successful company.
He also shares how doing stand-up comedy has made him a stronger communicator and why that matters now more than ever in an AI-driven world.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
✅ Comedy as a Communication Tool: Why Dan performs stand-up to sharpen business skills and model risk-taking
✅ Improv for Executives: How improv and humor unlock better listening, confidence, and connection
✅ Leading by Example: Why integrity means doing what you ask others to do—even if it terrifies you
✅ The Real Retirement Crisis: What happens when identity is tied too tightly to career success
…and much more!
GUEST BIO:
Daniel McMahon is the Founder and Managing Partner of Integrated Growth Advisors. With 30+ years of experience as a CPA and trusted business advisor, Dan helps founders and executives get unstuck, scale sustainably, and prepare for meaningful transitions (both in business and in life). He’s also an improv-trained stand-up comedian who believes leadership gets better when you’re willing to laugh at yourself.
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. He’s the author of The StoryBank, a book that teaches people how to utilize strategic storytelling to create a vibrant company culture, boost sales, enhance marketing, and become dynamic public speakers.