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Why You Don’t Have a Choice Anymore: Adam Torres on Personal Brand | Ep. 16

In this special episode of The Story Lab, Jonathan sits down with Adam Torres, co-founder of Mission Matters Media, to talk about the truth people avoid: opting out of a personal brand is still a personal brand and it’s usually not helping you.

Adam shares how he went from managing nearly $200M in finance to building a media company and completing 6,000+ interviews, and why he used to be totally anti-branding until he saw what works. You’ll learn how to use “pocket stories” to connect with different audiences, why repeating your message is how you become known, and how to tell your story in different lengths, from an 8-second hook to long-form conversations.

If you’ve been stuck in “I don’t want to be cringe online,” this episode is your permission slip to show up in a way that actually fits you.

What we cover

• Why “not having a personal brand” is still a loud message
• Adam’s transition from finance to media and what sparked it
• The cringe factor: why most people avoid personal branding (and how to do it right)
• Authenticity: how to show up without performing for the algorithm
• “Pocket stories”: choosing the right story for the right audience
• Why repeating your story builds trust and authority
• Storytelling at different lengths: 8 seconds, 15 seconds, 1 minute, and beyond
• Adam’s short-form framework: hook fast, move from basic to complex
• How podcasting expands your reach and opens doors you cannot knock on
• Why launching messy beats waiting for perfect

Action Steps

1. Google yourself and audit what shows up (or doesn’t).
2. Build a “story file”: 5 pocket stories you can tell in 8 seconds, 60 seconds, and 5 minutes.
3. Pick one message you want to be known for and repeat it on purpose.
4. If you want to expand your network fast, launch a podcast and invite the people you want to learn from.

Guest + Links

Adam Torres (Co-founder, Mission Matters Media)

• Instagram: @AskAdamTorres
• Resources + agency inf

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Winning Stories Rely On Details: Make Them See It, So They Trust It

Most business owners don’t have a storytelling problem. They have a detail problem. “I used to be shy” is information, but “I hid under a pile of coats at family gatherings so nobody would talk to me” is a scene.

And scenes are what make people listen, trust, and remember you. In this episode of The Story Lab, I break down why details create instant credibility, how to turn summaries into scenes, and a simple 3-question exercise you can use to upgrade any story you tell in your content.

What You’ll Learn

• Why details create trust faster than “expert” statements
• The difference between a summary and a scene (and why most content stays forgettable)
• The 3 types of details that make stories hit:
  • Sensory details (what you saw, smelled, heard, felt)
  • Specific details (what actually happened, not the vague version)
  • Emotional truth (the unpolished thought in the moment)
• Build A Scene in 60 Seconds: A simple exercise to turn any business moment into a story people feel

If your stories aren’t landing, don’t change your whole brand. Change your details.

Try the scene exercise and tell one story as a scene this week.

Want help turning your experiences into stories that connect and convert? You know where I will be!

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AI Made Content Effortless, But Effortless Content Doesn't Get You Seen with Special Guest Wes Towers

AI made content effortless. But effortless content doesn’t get you seen.
Because when everything is easy to publish, it’s also easy to ignore. And the real casualty in the AI age is trust.

In this episode, Jonathan sits down with Wes Towers (Uplift 360) to talk about what actually cuts through the digital haze: a clear point of view, human texture, and storytelling that feels lived-in, not manufactured.

Wes shares a surprisingly powerful exercise that starts with your behind-closed-doors frustrations about your industry and flips them into your strongest differentiator. The stuff you can’t stand becomes the signal that attracts the right people and quietly repels the wrong ones. Which is not a bug, it’s the whole point.

We also unpack why the old funnel is eroding, what Wes calls “search everywhere optimization,” and why your website still matters, just later in the decision journey. If you’re tired of posting into the void and ready to build authority that feels earned, this episode is your playbook.

What You’ll Learn

• Why AI content created a trust drought and what to do about it
• How to uncover your differentiator using “the dark side” of your industry
• Why a grounded contrarian point of view is a visibility cheat code
• What “search everywhere optimization” is and how it works across platforms
• Why people hit your website later now, when they’re closer to buying
• How stories and case studies add weight, warmth, and credibility

Guest Bio
Wes Towers is the founder of Uplift 360. For 20+ years, he’s helped real-world businesses, especially builders and trades, turn websites and SEO into steady, qualified work. No fluff. No jargon. Clear strategy, clean execution, and results you can see on the calendar and in the bank.

Links
Uplift 360: uplift360.com.au

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