Influence Anyone

In this solo episode, Howie Chan breaks down one of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to influence others: leading with data instead of emotion. He reveals why facts alone rarely change minds and how stories psychologically prime people to care, remember, and take action. Drawing from neuroscience, behavioral psychology, and persuasion research, Howie explains how emotion drives decision-making before logic ever enters the picture. He unpacks the hidden roles stories and data play in the brain and introduces a simple four-part framework to ethically influence decisions more effectively. You’ll learn why storytelling in marketing and communication works so powerfully, how dopamine and emotional memory shape attention, and why data is most persuasive only after emotional engagement has been established. Chapters: 00:00:00 Why Stories Outperform Statistics 00:02:14 What Storytelling Does to the Brain 00:04:39 The 4-Part Framework for Influence 00:06:41 The Psychology Behind Emotional Anchoring Check out my conversation with Matt Sucha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evkin9z6Z4w Turn Your Expertise Into Income (Without Becoming a Creator) Influence System Mastery is a 6-week cohort program with a private community designed to help you attract the right clients and opportunities 24/7—using brand and influence science. → https://www.influencesystemmastery.com Next Summer cohort runs June 5 - July 10, 2026

Brand strategist and author of Brand Desire, Kevin Perlmutter, joins Howie Chan to reveal why the strongest brands don’t just communicate value. They create emotional connection. Drawing from behavioral science, customer psychology, and years of brand strategy experience, Kevin explains how brands can move beyond corporate jargon and surface-level messaging to uncover the emotional motivations that truly drive human behavior. From “limbic sparks” and subconscious associations to brand messaging and customer experience design, this conversation breaks down how great brands become unforgettable. You’ll learn why emotional insight matters more than demographics, how subconscious associations influence decision-making, and why most B2B brands fail to connect with the people they’re trying to reach. Kevin also shares practical frameworks any business can use to create stronger customer relationships, more resonant messaging, and brand experiences people actually want to return to. Episode Breakdown: 00:00:00 The 3 Pillars of Brand Desire 00:09:21 “Limbic Sparks” in Brand Strategy 00:14:33 The Behavioral Science Discovery That Changed Kevin’s Career 00:16:44 The 86% Correlation Most Brands Ignore 00:24:36 AI & the Missing Emotional Connection 00:28:26 The Biggest Mistake B2B Brands Make 00:34:35 Fear-Based Marketing vs. Positive Emotional Connection 00:40:49 Brand Expression (Sonic Branding, Visual Identity & Brand Messaging) 00:44:27 Identifying Shared Emotional Motivation Between Stakeholders 00:46:13 Aligning Customer Experience With Brand Promise 00:51:54 The 3 Question Framework Every Business Should Ask Want to make influencing human behavior your company's superpower? Connect with me at howiechan.com/speaking and let's talk! What’s Your Influence Style? What do you do when you need someone to do something? This quiz will help you discover what is your most natural influence style, so you can use that strength more effectively (and know your blind spots). → https://www.influencestylequiz.com/ Join 700+ leaders who've already uncovered what their style is. Episode Resources: Check out my episode with  David Aaker here — or just go to episode 79. From Our Guest: Website LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Brand Desire by Kevin Perlmutter — Produced by Ideablossoms

Howie Chan interviews marketing icon David Aaker, widely regarded as the father of modern branding, to unpack the true drivers of brand equity — what a brand’s worth. In this episode, brand storytelling takes center stage as Aaker breaks down the myths around branding and reveals what actually influences customer decisions in modern days. From brand relevance to the power of loyalty, Aaker explains why branding goes far beyond awareness and image. He introduces his “Five B’s” framework and shows how brands shape both buying decisions and user experiences. You’ll learn why storytelling in marketing is one of the most effective tools in today’s cluttered and skeptical landscape, how to craft signature stories that captivate audiences, and why most companies are underutilizing their greatest competitive advantage: their “secret sauce.” Chapters: 00:00:00 Brand vs Brand Equity 00:04:01 The Five B’s of Modern Branding 00:09:01 Managing Negative Brand Perception 00:16:40 How to Create Powerful Signature Stories 00:25:47 Branding Beyond Ads (Events, Sponsorship & Communities) 00:30:30 The #1 Mistake Businesses Make with Branding 00:33:04 Uniqlo’s Example of Branding Differentiation and Innovation 00:52:26 High-Profile Branding Failures 00:57:09 Final Advice: “Brand Your Secret Sauce” From David Aaker: Website LinkedIn Take a look at David’s books mentioned in this episode: Aaker on Branding: Second Edition Creating Signature Stories Owning Game-Changing Subcategories Brand Portfolio Strategy  Check out my conversation with Matt Sucha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evkin9z6Z4w What’s Your Influence Style? What do you do when you need someone to do something? This quiz will help you discover what is your most natural influence style, so you can use that strength more effectively (and know your blind spots.) → https://www.influencestylequiz.com/ Join 700+ leaders who've already uncovered what their style is. — Produced by Ideablossoms

In this solo episode, Howie Chan breaks down the true meaning of influence and why most people misunderstand it. Rather than focusing on persuasion, communication, or attention, Howie reveals that real influence comes down to one thing: changing human behavior. Through a simple but powerful framework, Howie explains why people don’t take action — and how leaders, founders, and professionals can finally unlock consistent results. You’ll learn the critical difference between motivation and friction, and why adding more effort often backfires when trying to influence outcomes. This episode dives into practical applications for both personal development and influencing others, from building better habits to closing clients more effectively. Chapters: 00:01:12 What Influence Really Is (and Why Most Get It Wrong) 00:03:36 The Core Formula: Less Friction + More Motivation 00:05:20 The “SUPER” Friction Framework 00:08:12 Applying the Formula to Any Situation Check out my conversation with Dr. Robert Cialdini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8joK8ViLneY&t=48s Check out my conversation with Matt Sucha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evkin9z6Z4w The Behavioring Blueprint: A FREE, 7-day email course breaking down all the levers to influence human behavior to get people from a current behavior to a desired behavior. → http://howiechan.com/behavioring What’s Your Influence Style? What do you do when you need someone to do something? This quiz will help you discover what is your most natural influence style, so you can use that strength more effectively (and know your blind spots.) → https://www.influencestylequiz.com/ Join 700+ leaders who've already uncovered what their style is.

Tech Humanist Kate O’Neill joins host Howie Chan to unpack the real truth behind AI strategy and why most organizations get it wrong from the start. Kate has spent her career helping leaders navigate AI ethics, responsible tech, and human-centric digital transformation. In this episode, Kate breaks down why starting with tools instead of purpose leads to failure, and how “prompt skills” are becoming the most important capability in today’s workforce. She reframes AI not as a replacement for thinking, but as a mirror that exposes how clearly you think, communicate, and lead. You’ll learn how to use AI to sharpen your thinking, improve emotional intelligence, and enhance human connection rather than dilute it. Episode Resources: Download the four master storytelling prompts here. Episode Breakdown: 00:00:00 The Intersection of Technology and Humanity 00:08:30 The Real Fear Employees Have About AI (and What’s True) 00:11:02 Prompt Skilling vs. Prompt Engineering 00:16:27 How Technology Shapes Culture and Behavior 00:19:58 Human + AI Collaboration Done Right 00:24:27 Why Most AI Strategies Fail 00:33:34 AI Replacing Jobs: The Real Story 00:43:45 Using AI to Improve Emotional Intelligence 00:47:17 The Danger of Over-Relying on AI Outputs 00:55:28 AI and Creativity 00:59:20 Incorporating AI Into Your Small Business Want to make influencing human behavior your company's superpower? Connect with me at howiechan.com/speaking and let's talk! From Our Guest: Website LinkedIn Youtube Facebook Instagram TEDx Talk Check out my episode with Michael Margolis here. See Kate’s audition form here. Learn more about Office Space here. — Produced by Ideablossoms