Show Notes
Gifted with the ability to create authentic connections with his audience, Mark Scharenbroich is a Hall of Fame keynote speaker who began his career in a comedy troupe in the mid-1970s. His career catapulted to the stars when the Jostens award-winning film, “The Greatest Days of your Life…(so far)” featuring Mark was viewed by millions of high school students in the 1980s. Little did he know that the success of the film would lead him on the path to becoming one of the top-rated keynote speakers in America.
To Mark, connections are everything and he has built a career speaking about how to create authentic connections in the workplace and between companies and customers. Mark’s signature story, ‘Nice Bike,’ is more than just a bunch of clever words strung together. It’s a metaphor and a memorable principle that, in Mark’s words, ‘helps create raving fans one customer at a time.’
Interestingly, Mike’s entire brand stems from his ‘Nice Bike’ story. He even wrote a book about it called Nice Bike: Making Meaningful Connections on the Road of Life. In this episode of Standing Ovation, you’ll hear the Nice Bike story in all its glory. You’ll also discover where this incredible story came from, how it’s evolved and what’s next for this truly brilliant Hall of Fame keynote speaker.
Find out about:
- The remarkable genesis story of Nice Bike
- Why you shouldn’t be afraid to be spontaneous and try new things
- How Mark applies the Nice Bike philosophy to different audiences
- An insight into Mark’s approach to preparing stories for the stage
- How specific lines in the Nice Bike story have evolved over time
- Why speakers need to be more open to coaching
- Techniques to paint a picture in the mind of your audience
- Why some speaker’s stories don’t land as powerfully as they hoped
Quotes from the episode:
“We all have two core needs: Number one, we need to belong. Number two, we all need to hear, ‘nice bike.’”
“If you can find a signature story that people remember, that’s relevant to them, and has a hook that’s memorable three days, three months or three years later – now you’re cooking.”
“Your stories are like your children, it’s hard to let them go.”
Connect with Mark Scharenbroich
2 Key Questions
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given about the speaking business?
“The obvious one that most people hear is to write a book. It helps you frame your writing but more than anything else, its value added. It helps with your negotiation. I’ll throw in 100 books for everybody in the audience and personally sign them. That helps from a negotiation standpoint and it adds value. My second piece of advice is to be open to coaching.”
Who is your dream guest for Standing Ovation?
“Jeanne Robertson is in a league all by herself: her storytelling, her humor, her heart, and her work ethic. I asked Jenny, “Does it drive you crazy when people steal your material? And she said, ‘Well, you know, number one, they can’t do it as well as I can. And number two, I’m constantly writing – I’m staying ahead of them.”
