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MIKE'D UP!Author: Mike DiCioccio
Mike'D Up! with Mike DiCioccio features bold conversations with inspiring entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, world-class coaches, thought leaders, entertainers, and high achievers from all walks of life. Each episode delivers powerful personal stories and actionable insights to fuel your growth, ignite your mindset, and help you level up in business and life. Language: en Genres: Business, Education, Entrepreneurship, Self-Improvement Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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#299: Neal Foard — Why Stories Sell (And How to Pitch Anything Like a Pro)
Episode 299
Monday, 11 May, 2026
Most ideas don't fail because they're bad. They fail because nobody saw the genius. This week, Mike welcomes Neal Foard, a 25-year advertising veteran who has crafted award-winning campaigns for Budweiser, Lexus, Sony, and Toyota. His international work earned him a spot among the top 10 most decorated creative directors in the world. Today, Neal advises Fortune 500 companies, universities, and even governments on the art of persuasive messaging, has graced the TEDx stage multiple times, and has built a massive following with viral videos that have moved millions with stories of everyday human kindness. Here's the scoop: you can't bullet-point somebody into a yes. Neal has spent decades learning that whether you're pitching a board, walking into a car dealership, or shooting a Super Bowl spot, the message lives or dies on the showmanship around it. And in this episode, he hands listeners the playbook. Neal opens with the loophole that changed his career: watching brilliant ideas get killed by bad delivery. He breaks down a pitch he stopped mid-presentation by simply asking, "Where did I go wrong?" and why that one move turned a failure into a long-term win. He shares the genius coaching note he gave to a pharma chemist that quietly transformed the entire dynamic of a sales meeting. And he walks through how his agency turned every client pitch into a five-senses experience, because how you do anything is how they assume you do everything. The conversation also goes deep into brand storytelling. Neal unpacks the legendary Procter & Gamble #BecauseOfMom Sochi 2014 spot, why Steve Jobs's "bicycle for your brain" line outsold every spec sheet Apple ever wrote, and what Dan Campbell's Detroit Lions can teach any business about loyalty. He shares the Tokyo Restaurant of Mistaken Orders, an old folktale about a leaky bucket, and why Toyota's 2009 recall response is still the gold standard for crisis communication. He closes with the difference between a brand that has core values and one that just decorates with them, plus what Tesla, Liquid Death, and Anheuser-Busch can teach you about staying on-brand when the pressure is on. If you sell, lead, present, or build a brand, this one is required listening. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Procter & Gamble #BecauseOfMom Sochi 2014 spot Grant Cardone Book: If You're Not First, You're Last Connect with Neal: Website YouTube LinkedIn Instagram TikTok Connect with Mike: LinkTree SPONSORS: Social Chameleon | Transform Your Podcast Want to become a show sponsor or affiliate? Email mike@socialchameleon.us Copyright © 2026 Mike'D Up! with Mike DiCioccio | For permission to use this content in any way, please email mike@socialchameleon.us
