Dear Reader,
It’s 11:49 a.m. on a Tuesday in May in Austin. The day is humid and clear. It stormed last night, and it was breathtaking.
Austin is known for football, BBQ, and being weird. Any tourist can tell you that. What only the locals know is this… About twice a year, God puts on a fantastic light show above Austin. Silver rays dance from cloud to cloud. Leaping and twirling, painting pictures of brightly lit winter trees. It plays. It seduces. It awes. It fills the heavens and earth with energy..
Texas lightning isn’t young. It’s in no rush to bury itself in the ground.
God names each of His beautiful Texas lightning bolts. “You are Rico. You are Annita. You are Juan Julio. Go dance!”
Rico dances! He comes out and stays strong.
Annita joins in and turns it into the flamenco. She stomps her heel, and a roar of thunder applauds.
Juan Julio joins her. He is the lover. They sway together and all look on.
The locals know the dancers and cheer “Olé!” and “Yee-haw!”
On a rare occasion, a blessed traveler gets to peek at the dance.
These storms free the inhibited spirit and wash away insecurities.
Keep that in mind for what comes next.
It’s 11:49 a.m. in Austin. I’m driving. In the car are Roy, Mike (one of our great coaches), and Shane (a Service Excellence client). We are on our way to a feast.
Shane owns an electrical business in Las Vegas. Over the last 3 years, his company has experienced radical growth. He sees an end to what he can do with digital and wants to visit Roy to discuss how Relational Branding could benefit his business. The morning has been fine, but the conversation in the truck gets vulnerable, really fast. (The power is still in the air.)
Shane starts talking about his daughter, Luna; She is 20 months old, beautiful, and the apple of his eye. “A father’s job is to protect his daughter. This job never ends.” Shane tells us his father never thought this way.
Shane is baring his soul. With a glance, at first. We see him. He sees us. He shows us more.
“Going to prison when I was 20 years old is the best thing that ever happened to me. All of the old-timers in prison said, ‘What are you doing here? You don’t belong here.’ They gave me good advice about going to college and starting a family. I’m grateful to those old-timers, and I’ll never forget them.”
Over the next two hours, Shane did the hard work of getting honest and being vulnerable. We did the good work of withholding judgment and being curious.
He told us about growing up in Las Vegas, his rough teenage years, and how a few wise men in an unlikely place changed his life forever.
Most business owners would never tell these stories. They fear that in the wrong hands, these stories would become a storm that would tear through their life and leave a wake of destruction. It’s a valid fear.
Most writers would never tell these stories.
It’s why most owners will never realize the full power of their storm. It’s why transformative life journeys are replaced with plastic bios..
Most writers lack the talent or the guts to tell the truth.
In the right hands, the storm of a person’s life can be a beautiful dance.
It can intrigue and delight, holding your attention and leaving you transformed.
The catch is that you just have to be willing to be vulnerable and share it with the right storyteller.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
- The three types of vulnerability: emotional, relational, and financial
- Ken Goodrich’s $40,000 refund story
- Dewey Jenkins’ commitment to service agreements
- Google’s Parisian Love ad breakdown
- The psychology of voyeurism in advertising
- Roy’s Monday Morning Memo: Taking Risks and Winning Trust
Episode Chapters & Summary
The Truth Behind Emotional Vulnerability
“Emotional vulnerability is letting people see you as you really are.”
Roy and Todd explain the three types of vulnerability—emotional, relational, and financial—and how each one builds trust. Vulnerability isn't weakness. It's confidence. When brands risk something real, customers feel the honesty.
Key Takeaways:
- Vulnerability invites connection and trust.
- There's a difference between authenticity and oversharing.
- Telling a hard truth is more powerful than claiming honesty.
Financial Vulnerability as a Sales Tool
“Trust me. I'm taking a bigger chance than I'm asking you to take.”
Todd shares how offering a real financial guarantee built more belief in the message. Roy reinforces how making yourself financially vulnerable can demonstrate confidence better than any pitch ever could.
Key Takeaways:
- Put your money where your mouth is to build trust.
- Taking the first risk inspires others to follow.
- People believe the person willing to lose first.
Ken Goodrich and the Refund That Made Culture
“He gave back $40,000—not for the customer, but for the company.”
Roy tells the story of Ken Goodrich refunding a massive job—not to look good, but to preserve cultural integrity. The story never aired, but its internal impact reshaped the company from the inside.
Key Takeaways:
- Internal marketing builds lasting culture.
- You don't have to advertise every act of integrity.
- Culture is what your people *know* to be true.
Dewey Jenkins and Making Promises Real
“My people won't sell it until they see me live it.”
Dewey refused to let marketing promises fall flat. He sacrificed profitable installs to deliver on service agreements—and changed how his techs sold and believed in the product.
Key Takeaways:
- Living the promise transforms how people sell it.
- You can't fake consistency—your people will know.
- Great brands start with internal proof, not external hype.
Every Refund Is an Ad—Even If You Don't Broadcast It
“Every time we do something right, it's marketing.”
Todd reframes warranties and refunds not as losses but brand builders. Done quietly, these acts reinforce the company's values to both the team and the customer.
Key Takeaways:
- Reputation is built moment by moment—not campaign by campaign.
- Refunds reinforce brand integrity—when done quietly.
- Treat customer recovery as part of your brand promise.
Parisian Love and the Power of Participation
“You have to fill in what they left out.”
Roy breaks down Google's 'Parisian Love' ad—a silent story told through search queries. Its genius wasn't what it said, but what it left unsaid. Participation made it unforgettable.
Key Takeaways:
- Participation builds engagement and memory.
- Mystery and implication are more powerful than narration.
- Emotional stories don't always need a voice—they need space.
Why Voyeurism Works in Advertising
“It doesn't sound like an ad—it sounds like eavesdropping.”
Roy explains how his best-performing campaigns don't sound like ads at all. They sound like conversations overheard—natural, unscripted, and honest. That's what builds trust.
Key Takeaways:
- Ads that feel unintentional grab the most attention.
- The best ads don't shout—they whisper.
- Conversation beats composition in emotional storytelling.
Final Thought: Take Risks, Win Trust
“Have courage. That's my thought for the day.”
Roy closes with a reminder that the best ads—and the best leadership—come from a place of risk. Playing it safe never built a legendary brand.
Key Takeaways:
- Safe ads don't stand out.
- Courage and truth are the heart of great storytelling.
- Unexpected beats expected every time.
