SPIRIT MEDIA- Emmy-Nominated TV, LIVE & Virtual Event Director (Over 10K Productions), Video Producer, Marketing Strategist, Author / Trainer: 7DRM-The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing, NDE & Leadership Speaker❤️

On January 28th, 1999 while on a flight to Nashville, I died… and it may have been the greatest thing that ever happened to me. 

For over 30 years, I’ve worked as a television and live event director with global icons like the Black Eyed Peas, Gwen Stefani, Maroon 5, Kenny Chesney, and visionary producers like Mark Burnett (Survivor, The Voice, Shark Tank). 

I've partnered with world leaders and Fortune 500 brands — but everything changed after my near-death experience.

From that moment, Spirit Media was reborn.

Now, we harness the power of video and LIVE event production to move hearts, inspire action, and transform lives with award-winning storytelling experiences. 

What we create:

🎬 Brand Films • Explainers • Investor Videos

🎬 Live & Virtual Events • Fundraisers • Capital Campaigns

🎬 Sales Kick-Offs • Award Shows • Speaker Coaching

We’ve helped clients raise and generate hundreds of millions — all by strategically blending the power of story with a heart for genuine relationships and lasting impact.

❤️ www.SpiritMedia.com

Additionally, I am the author of 7DRM- The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing. 

This isn’t just the story of my near-death experience — it’s the discovery of the 7DRM Marketing and Messaging Strategy, a breakthrough system that has transformed organizations by bringing clarity, confidence, and impact to their message. It can do the same for you.

Start your transformation: Grab free resources, the book (or audiobook), and check out our workshops and speaking topics at 7DRM.com.

Want to connect and discover how we might work together? 

DM me here on LinkedIn or our marketing coordinator, Lisa@spiritmedia.com.

I believe in you ❤️

Bill Dolan (Spirit Media)

ARE YOU LIVING THE REBIRTH STORY?

No matter what circumstance led you here, there comes a moment of awakening.
A quiet realization that says:

I’m beginning again.

It’s a rebirth.

And in every rebirth, there’s discovery.

❤️ There’s also resistance.

❤️ Obstacles.

❤️ Discomfort.

Because transformation is never easy.
It begins with the honest recognition that what you’ve been doing no longer works—
and the courageous willingness to embrace what does.

Why?

Because somewhere deep inside, you believe you were made for more.

Are you living the rebirth story?

Every great story of transformation starts here.

And great leaders don’t avoid transformation—they embrace it.

If you’re in the middle of that process, my hope is this:

🎬 Learn your story

🎬 Own it

🎬 Lead from it.

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️

____________________________

On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

That experience, combined with over 30 years in the television, entertainment, and marketing world, is what inspired my new book: Discover Your Brand Soul.

If you want to BUILD UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE, with TRUE CLARITY, and turn your STORY into a Movement of POWER, PROFIT and PURPOSE...

🎬❤️🎬 Register for our FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass on Wednesday, January 14th at 1:00 PM Pacific, and uncover the clarity and lessons that can transform your life and business.

Bill Dolan 

Emmy-Nominated Video & Live Event Director | Author | Keynote Speaker 🎬❤️🎬 I help companies and nonprofits grow, inspire and tell their BRAND STORY through compelling brand VIDEOS and impactful LIVE EVENT experiences.

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WHAT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES MOST BUSINESSES  FACE TODAY?

A quick evaluation of even the social media world will reveal a sea of faces that tragically feel like a sea of strangers. 

🎬 Who can you trust?

🎬 What problems do they solve? 

🎬 How can they really help you?

🎬 What is the lasting difference they can make in your life and business? 

In this short interview with the incredible Rachel Beck, I share my television and entertainment story and the day of my sudden death. 

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

With Much Love – Bill ❤️

LESSONS FROM MY DEATH — PART 1
YOU DON’T HAVE TO DIE TO WAKE UP

I wish everyone could die and come back because it would change the way you live forever.

Good news… 

You don’t have to physically die.

Because there are many kinds of death—and chances are, you’ve already experienced one:

The death of a career.

The death of financial security.

The death of a dream you once believed in.

So the real question isn’t whether you’ll face loss.

It’s this:

How do you rise in the face of it?

Stop running.

Stop wearing the mask.

Stop borrowing someone else’s purpose.

Stop pretending that you never had a dream.

Because you are here for a unique and powerful reason.

The question isn’t whether your dreams are possible.

The question is whether you’re willing to remove what’s been blocking them.

The most powerful version of you hasn’t disappeared.

It’s been waiting—quietly—for permission to emerge.

This is your wake-up call.

And if you want to witness what an awakening looks like, join us Wednesday, 1/28 at 1:00 PM Pacific, and hear Rachel Beck’s powerful comeback story.

Are you ready for your great awakening?

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️

____________________________

On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

If you want to stay connected, be inspired, and learn secrets from 30 years in the television and marketing industry, sign up for our monthly newsletter, THE BACKSTAGE PASS.

https://lnkd.in/gRvKf7qu

❤️

What is worth giving your life to?

Every great story has a QUEST.

It’s the search.

The sacrifice.

The decision to commit to something bigger than comfort or applause.

This is bigger than you and that’s why it is so important.

The Quest story is timeless.

It’s woven into every great narrative:

❤️The courage to believe

❤️The willingness to persist

❤️The resolve to face obstacles—and even your own demons

No one else can define your quest.

This is the journey that you must choose for yourself in the quiet conviction of your deepest passions, hopes, and dreams.

And here’s the insight most people miss -

THE POWER OF THE QUEST ISN’T IN REACHING THE DESTINATION.

It’s in who you become along the way.

I used to resist that idea—“It’s all about the journey.”

But when it comes to the quest… It's true.

Because what you become in the journey is, perhaps, the greatest reward of all.

Is your brand story driven around the quest? And what is that quest?

I can help you discover that when you join me for the FREE DISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL WEBCLASS

https://lnkd.in/gWRKMDQ5

DISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL – LIVE WEBCLASS

Wednesday, January 14, 2026
1:00 PM Pacific | 4:00 PM Eastern

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️

____________________________

On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

That experience, combined with over 30 years in the television, entertainment, and marketing world, is what inspired my new book: Discover Your Brand Soul.

If you want to BUILD UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE, with TRUE CLARITY, and turn your STORY into a Movement of POWER, PROFIT and PURPOSE...

🎬❤️🎬 Register for our FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass on Wednesday, January 14th at 1:00 PM Pacific, and uncover the clarity and lessons that can transform your life and business.

TODAY! YOU ARE SITTING ON MOUNTAINS OF UNTAPPED WEALTH…

Learn the real story that could change your life, and don't miss this Month's  FREE DOWNLOAD of the Most Underrated Marketing Weapon.

Most leaders are standing on mountains of untapped wealth just waiting to be uncovered, refined, and shared with the world. Yet, they remain blind to 

Open article: TODAY! YOU ARE SITTING ON
MOUNTAINS OF UNTAPPED WEALTH by Bill Dolan • 3 min read

TODAY! YOU ARE SITTING ON
MOUNTAINS OF UNTAPPED WEALTH

THE ULTIMATE COMEBACK WITH RACHEL BECK AND BILL DOLAN

An orphaned birth, a cross-cultural adoption, and a woman’s courageous rise through loss, racism, and rebirth—this is the real story of Rachel Beck, a story that proves that the life you never planned can become breathtakingly beautiful.

Register Today: https://lnkd.in/g4GDQXZF

Heather McWilliam, Lesley Osborn and 5 other attendees

THE ULTIMATE COMEBACK WITH RACHEL BECK AND BILL DOLAN

EVERY SUPER HERO HAS ENEMIES — AND SO DO YOU.

But here’s the truth most leaders miss…
Your greatest enemies aren’t “out there.”

They’re hiding inside YOU. 

When I served on the board of the Stan Lee (architect behind Marvel) Foundation, we were reminded of Stan’s famous moto: 

“Inside every flawed human being is a superhero waiting to emerge.”

But you and I will always face the challenges of rising to our greatest calling…

🎬 Confusion.

🎬 Fear.

🎬 Distraction.

🎬 Chasing someone else’s version of success.

🎬 Living in the echo chamber of lies that rob us of our true identity and story.

Every hero’s story has a moment where clarity is lost 

— where purpose feels blurred 

—where momentum stalls.

And that’s not failure.

That’s a wake-up call.

❤️ The call to rediscover who you are.

❤️ The call to reclaim your story.

❤️ The call to lead with meaning and purpose.

In the FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass, I’ll help you identify what’s been quietly working against you — and show you how to realign your brand story, your purpose, and your direction so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.

The same way Stan Lee taught us the journey of the superhero, I want to help you discover and tell your superhero story to the world.

DISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL – LIVE WEBCLASS
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
1:00 PM Pacific | 4:00 PM Eastern

https://lnkd.in/gWRKMDQ5

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________

On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

That experience, combined with over 30 years in the television, entertainment, and marketing world, is what inspired my new book: Discover Your Brand Soul.

If you want to BUILD UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE, with TRUE CLARITY, and turn your STORY into a Movement of POWER, PROFIT and PURPOSE...

🎬❤️🎬 Register for our FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass on Wednesday, January 14th at 1:00 PM Pacific, and uncover the clarity and lessons that can transform your life and business.

WHO WERE YOU BEFORE YOU LEARNED TO CONFORM AND PERFORM?

Deep within every human heart lives a simple, powerful desire:

to love… and to be loved. 

But somewhere along the way, that desire gets distorted.

In a world overflowing with false promises, we’re handed a script that says our value comes from what we add— and slowly, quietly, we begin to disappear.

We suffocate under the weight of:

🎬 Titles

🎬 Tactics

🎬 Costumes

🎬 “Easy buttons”

🎬 Expectations

🎬 Possessions

🎬 And the facade of whatever we believe will make us acceptable

Most leaders don’t lose themselves overnight.

They drift—one compromise at a time.

And here’s the truth most people miss:

The path to rediscovering who you truly are isn’t about addition.

At its heart, it’s about stripping away the lies we’ve been fed.

If you’re ready to reclaim your true identity and story…

Realign your purpose…

And live a story rooted in truth—not the pressure to perform—

Join me for the FREE DISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL WEBCLASS

https://lnkd.in/gWRKMDQ5

We’ll walk through how to reconnect with your authentic identity, uncover the story you were meant to live and lead from, and realign your life and business with purpose—not pressure. 

DISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL – LIVE WEBCLASS

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

⏰1:00 PM Pacific | 4:00 PM Eastern

Are you ready to meet the person you were always meant to be? 

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________

On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

That experience, combined with over 30 years in the television, entertainment, and marketing world, is what inspired my new book: Discover Your Brand Soul.

If you want to BUILD UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE, with TRUE CLARITY, and turn your STORY into a Movement of POWER, PROFIT and PURPOSE...

🎬❤️🎬 Register for our FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass on Wednesday, January 14th at 1:00 PM Pacific, and uncover the clarity and lessons that can transform your life and business.

THE THREE KEYS TO REDISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL

STOP! BEFORE YOU POST ANOTHER THING—READ THIS.

PEOPLE AREN’T BUYING FROM YOU BECAUSE:

THEY DON’T KNOW WHO YOU ARE

WHAT YOU STAND FOR

THE PROBLEM YOU SOLVE

Inside today’s FREE Webclass, I unpack:

🎬 The #1 mistake leaders make when trying to build a personal or corporate brand

🎬 Why your Brand Story feels the same leftovers your competitors are serving

🎬 How to escape the hook–bumper-sticker–content garbage game

(If you’re not sure what that means, just scroll a little.)

THE PATH TO BRAND CLARITY CAN START NOW.

Take the first step and click the link.

https://lnkd.in/gWRKMDQ5

DISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL – LIVE WEBCLASS
TODAY, January 14, 2026
1:00 PM Pacific | 4:00 PM Eastern

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________

On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

That experience, combined with over 30 years in the television, entertainment, and marketing world, is what inspired my new book: Discover Your Brand Soul.

If you want to BUILD UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE, with TRUE CLARITY, and turn your STORY into a Movement of POWER, PROFIT and PURPOSE...

🎬❤️🎬 Register for our FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass on Wednesday, January 14th at 1:00 PM Pacific, and uncover the clarity and lessons that can transform your life and business.

IS YOUR BRAND STORY ABOUT OVERCOMING THE MONSTER?

Every great story has one.

Something big.

Something dark.

Something terrifying.

Sometimes it’s obvious — an external threat, a market shift, a crisis, a competitor.

But more often, the real monster lives inside.

Fear.

Trauma.

Self-doubt.

The voice that says you’re not enough.

That’s why the Overcoming the Monster story resonates so deeply.

Because it isn’t about being fearless.

It’s about choosing courage anyway.

When your brand story is about overcoming the monster, you’re not just sharing what happened — you’re revealing who you became in the process.


That kind of story:

❤️ Builds trust

❤️ Creates differentiation 

❤️ Establishes relationship
❤️ Creates emotional connection

❤️ Signals real leadership

I’m here to help leaders and organizations:

🎬 Identify your monster story.

🎬 Clarify your courageous transformation.

🎬 Celebrate your journey into a brand story that moves people.

So if your story includes fear you had to face…

If there’s something you had to overcome to become who you are today…

Let me help you tell it!

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️

____________________________

On Jan 28, 1999, I died. And death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths that transformed my life, leadership, and business. I came back with a message that inspired me to write The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing and launch the Discover Your Brand Soul Masterclass.

DM me—I'd love to share what I learned and explore what could change your life and business and help you to make a lasting impact in your market. ❤️

YOU WANT TO HEAR A CRAZY STORY?

If you’re new here—or we haven’t crossed paths in a while—there’s something you should know.

My story is so unlikely that sometimes I still shake my head in amazement.

I grew up an only child with a father who loved me… but was tragically abusive.

I learned early how dangerous words could be.

So I hid—in my bedroom with my television—trying to drown out voices that could have destroyed me.

That’s where I found refuge and inspiration.

GREAT STORYTELLING.

Without knowing it, I was learning how stories heal, how they give meaning, how they help us survive.

That skill shaped everything.

For decades, I built a career in television and entertainment—directing global artists like Gwen Stefani, the Black Eyed Peas, and Maroon 5, while collaborating with iconic leaders such as Barbara Corcoran, the President of the United States, and the creative minds behind Survivor, The VOICE, and Marvel Studios—all at the highest levels of media and brand storytelling.

Eventually, that work led to founding Spirit Media, where we help startups, nonprofits, and Fortune 500 companies generate extraordinary growth—sometimes in the billions.

From the outside, things looked very successful.

But I was genuinely struggling because my “success” turned me into an absentee father and husband.

Then everything changed.

I DIED.

Literally.

That death experience didn’t just give me a second chance at life—it completely rewired how I define success, leadership, and purpose.

When I came back, I was left with one unavoidable question:

If I’ve been given more time… what am I supposed to do with it?

That question became my assignment—and it reshaped everything that followed.

I’M BILL DOLAN—CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF SPIRIT MEDIA, AUTHOR of The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing, AND CREATOR of the Discover Your Brand Soul Masterclass.

We help business leaders, entrepreneurs, and marketing professionals uncover their true story—and tell it in a way that is:

🎬 Compelling

🎬 Memorable

🎬 Meaningful

🎬 Trust-building

🎬 And makes people want to support you, invest in you, and work with you

We do this through consulting, cinematic storytelling, and producing exceptional live experiences.

Since my death, I’ve made a clear decision:

❤️ To only work with leaders and organizations who want their work to matter

❤️ To help people build success that feels aligned—not empty

❤️ To turn story into lasting impact
CAN WE HELP YOU TELL YOUR STORY? 

DM me and let’s talk.

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️

MAKING A TON OF MONEY WILL BRING ME FULFILLMENT.

Not exactly. 

Confession time.

After I died, I went deep into studying purpose, mission, happiness, and fulfillment.

Here’s what surprised me:

People with money are often happier.

Security matters.

Autonomy matters.

Options matter.

Money reduces stress and increases choice, and that absolutely affects happiness.

But here’s the distinction most people miss:

Happiness and fulfillment are not the same thing.

Happiness is like a thrilling ride at an amusement park.

It’s fun. It makes you laugh.

But when the ride stops, you’re standing in the same place you started.
Fulfillment is different.

Fulfillment is a deep, steady joy.

Not a dopamine hit, but a sense of purpose and meaning that carries you through both the highs and the lows.

One of the clearest ways to see the difference is what I call the Eulogy Test.

When you leave this world, what will people talk about?

Your balance sheet?

Your tax bracket?

Your résumé?

Or the lives you impacted?

The relationships you honored?

The way people felt because you were in their life?

We’re all investing every day.

The real question is which account are you building?

You can be a millionaire or a billionaire and still live a life marked by sacrificed relationships in pursuit of trophies and titles.

You’ll get plenty of dopamine-fueled happiness along the way.

But no gravestone is big enough to compensate for a transactional life.

So let me ask you:

Have you traded fulfillment for happiness?


I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________

On Jan 28, 1999, I died. And death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths that transformed my life, leadership, and business. I came back with a message that inspired me to write The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing and launch the Discover Your Brand Soul Masterclass.

DM me—I'd love to share what I learned and explore what could change your life and business and help you to make a lasting impact in your market. ❤️

IT TOOK MY DEATH TO DISCOVER MY PURPOSE BUT I CAN TEACH YOU HOW TO DISCOVER YOURS IN 1 MINUTE. 

Life is like a river and if you don’t learn how to navigate it, you don’t just drift…

You risk getting stuck — or worse, swept over a waterfall you never saw coming.

Here’s what I’ve learned after my death and decades of coaching leaders and builders:

MOST PEOPLE PRAY FOR A MAP.

But purpose doesn’t come with step-by-step directions.

THAT PRAYER IS ANSWERED WITH A COMPASS.

In my FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass, I’ll teach you about the Clarity Compass— a simple but powerful way to uncover clarity by aligning three guideposts already present in your life:

❤️ Passion — what moves you (and why passion alone isn’t enough) 

❤️ Aptitude — what you’re naturally wired to do (but could be a trap) 

❤️ Experience — your life experience has refined you but it can not define you

When these three come into alignment, something shifts.

🎬 You stop chasing. 
🎬 You stop guessing. 
🎬 You start leading from clarity, confidence, and conviction.

YOUR REAL PURPOSE IS ABOUT TO BLOW YOU AWAY!

Join the FREE Live Discover Your Brand Soul – Webclass Wednesday, January 14, 2026 1:00 PM Pacific / 4 PM Eastern

If you’re ready to stop QUESTIONING YOURSELF — and start navigating your life, leadership, and BRAND STORY with intention — register with this link.

https://lnkd.in/gWRKMDQ5

I believe in you!
With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________

On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

That experience, combined with over 30 years in the television, entertainment, and marketing world, is what inspired my new book: Discover Your Brand Soul.

If you want to BUILD UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE, with TRUE CLARITY, and turn your STORY into a Movement of POWER, PROFIT and PURPOSE...

🎬❤️🎬 Register for our FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass on Wednesday, January 14th at 1:00 PM Pacific, and uncover the clarity and lessons that can transform your life and business.

STOP. READ THIS TWICE.

EXECUTION WITHOUT BRAND CLARITY IS SELF-DECEPTION.

If you missed my webclass yesterday here’s the recap:

🎬 You can be busy every day

🎬 You can post nonstop

🎬 You can launch, relaunch, and optimize

And still be running in circles.

Because movement doesn’t equal progress or impact.

And effort doesn’t always equal meaningful results.

Most leaders don’t fail because they lack talent, discipline, or drive.
They fail because they skipped the hardest part:

BRAND CLARITY.

Personal or professional.

🎬Clarity about your purpose. 

🎬Clarity about your message.

🎬Clarity about your missions.

🎬Clarity about who you’re actually called to serve.

When clarity is missing, we live in a frantic scramble to chase dollars, trinkets, and trophies (often times over meaning).

This is why so many leaders feel anxious.

Ask yourself:

❤️ Am I clear—or just busy?

❤️ Am I aligned—or just reacting?

Check out the replay of the DISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL WEBCLASS, it could be exactly what you need right now.

https://lnkd.in/gtkkGyug

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________

On Jan 28, 1999, I died. And death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths that transformed my life, leadership, and business. I came back with a message that inspired me to write The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing and launch the Discover Your Brand Soul Masterclass.

DM me—I'd love to share what I learned and explore what could change your life and business and help you to make a lasting impact in your market. ❤️

Open article: Limited Time Replay by discoveryourbrandsoul.com

EVERY MEETING IS A MORAL CONTRACT.

The most valuable thing someone can offer you isn’t money.

It isn’t attention.

It’s time.

And when someone shows up for a meeting…or walks into an event…or logs on and gives you an hour of their life—
You don’t own that time.

You’ve been trusted with it.

Which means you carry a responsibility to transform their time.

And return it to them infused with value.

With meaning.

With clarity they didn’t have before.

When leaders default to unnecessary meetings and uninspiring events, they’re not just being lazy.

THEY’RE STEALING.

Because wasted time is costly.

So, if you’re looking for a meaningful resolution…

🎬 Respect the gift of time.

🎬 Elevate each moment.

🎬 Return their time with interest.

Honoring the moral contract of time is one of the greatest gifts that leaders can give. 

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________
On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

That experience, combined with over 30 years in the television, entertainment, and marketing world, is what inspired my new book: Discover Your Brand Soul.

If you want to BUILD UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE, with TRUE CLARITY,  and turn your STORY into a Movement of POWER, PROFIT and PURPOSE...

🎬❤️🎬 Register for our FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass on Wednesday, January 14th at 1:00 PM Pacific, and uncover the clarity and lessons that can transform your life and business.

graphical user interface, text, application, chat or text message

QUIT GETTING IGNORED.

Everyday, the world is filled with mushy, insignificant, forgettable messaging that flies by as fast as a TikTok scroll.

This works if all you want is for someone to look at you for a wasted second.

This does not work if you actually want to be meaningful, memorable, and establish an authoritative brand

Here’s the recipe to change that:

🎬 Eliminate preoccupation with tactics and trends.

🎬 Be cautious not to let Ai represent you like a bowl of tasteless oatmeal.

🎬 Discover your own true voice.

🎬 Learn how to tell your brand story.

🎬 Become the charismatic expert that tells your story well.

🎬 Keep telling your story but remember …

YOUR AUDIENCE WILL LISTEN ONLY IF YOU TEACH THEM HOW TO CHANGE THEIR STORY.

That’s what we do at Spirit Media.

Whether you want to grow your market or change the world, we can make that happen for you.

Are you tired of being ignored?

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________

On Jan 28, 1999, I died. And death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths that transformed my life, leadership, and business. I came back with a message that inspired me to write The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing and launch the Discover Your Brand Soul Masterclass.

DM me—I'd love to share what I learned and explore what could change your life and business and help you to make a lasting impact in your market. ❤️

ARE YOU MINING THE GOLD IN YOUR STORY?

Most brands tell us what they do.

Very few tell us who they have become—and why that matters.

Here’s the difference.

A powerful brand story isn’t about noise, tactics, or clever taglines.

It can be about your voyage and the revelation that emerges from that experience—like Dorothy going after something over the rainbow.

And just like every great story:

❤️ There’s a moment when you sense there’s something more.

❤️ You step into uncertainty.

❤️ You face obstacles, doubts, and hard lessons.

❤️ And you don’t come back the same.

❤️ You encounter new understanding.

❤️ You see things differently.

And who you become is a central brand message.

The magic isn’t the destination.

It’s the perspective you gain.

🎬 That’s what creates trust.

🎬That’s what creates leadership.

🎬 That’s what creates a brand people can relate to.

🎬 That’s what creates a brand people can believe in.

Whether your story is a voyage and return, a great quest, or overcoming something that once felt unbeatable—

YOUR TRANSFORMATION STORY IS GOLD.

When your story is clear, your brand stops chasing attention—

and starts attracting alignment.

If you’re ready to mine the gold in your story—
Let’s talk.

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️

____________________________

On Jan 28, 1999, I died. And death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths that transformed my life, leadership, and business. I came back with a message that inspired me to write The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing and launch the Discover Your Brand Soul Masterclass.

DM me—I'd love to share what I learned and explore what could change your life and business and help you to make a lasting impact in your market. ❤️

THE ULTIMATE COMEBACK WITH JOY MCADAMS AND BILL DOLAN

Born to Break Barriers. Built to Rise.

From homelessness to global stages, Joy Mcadams defied racism, sexism, and every limit placed on her.

Go behind the journey of a mother, TEDx speaker, Ironman athlete, and world-class HYROX competitor, and witness the power of the ultimate growth mindset.

Register Today: https://lnkd.in/gu_QduE8

Abir El Shaban, PhD, Joy Mcadams and 4 other attendees

THE ULTIMATE COMEBACK WITH JOY MCADAMS AND BILL DOLAN

Wife & Mother of 7 | Venture Capital | Scientist | TOP 30 Patent Drafters | United States Patent Examiner | Violinist | Polyglot | STEM Children's Author | #1 LinkedIn Global Influencer in Innovation/IP Law

Kathryn Vatt is a scientist, former USPTO Examiner, and devoted wife and mother of seven, with over 25 years shaping the future of innovation. Recognized as one of the Top 30 Patent Drafters and Prosecutors and the #1 LinkedIn Global Influencer in Innovation/IP Law, Kathryn has built a career at the intersection of science, law, and business—helping inventors, startups, and global companies turn creativity into competitive advantage.

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (B.S. Biology) and Johns Hopkins University (M.S. Biotechnology), Kathryn is currently pursuing her Juris Doctor in Patent Law at the Franklin Pierce School of Law, one of the world’s leading IP programs. Her rare cross-disciplinary background gives her both the scientific insight and the legal strategy to protect ideas at the highest level.

At the USPTO, Kathryn examined thousands of patent applications, conducted exhaustive prior art searches, and made determinations that shaped industries and influenced global innovation. After leaving the Patent Office, she founded Vatt IP Management, where she develops bulletproof IP strategies, drafts airtight applications, and supports litigation teams in defending patents. She also mentors engineering and life science students through Arizona State University’s Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute and judges international startup competitions, nurturing the next generation of innovators.

Her entrepreneurial vision extends to her ventures:

My Startup Shield™, a founder-focused program that helps startups secure their innovations before they pitch. It protects ideas at the earliest, most vulnerable stage and positions founders to raise capital with confidence

My AI Examiner™, the world’s first proprietary patent search platform that combines examiner-trained AI Patent Examiners with Kathryn’s own human review. Unlike conventional tools, it doesn’t just search faster—it “thinks like an examiner,” offering inventors and startups clarity, precision, and strategy.

MyKidVentors™, a STEM-inspired children’s book series born from her seven children’s real “What if?” questions. Through these imaginative stories, she nurtures curiosity in the next generation, showing that every big invention begins with a single question.

For Kathryn, the same motherly instinct that guides her family fuels her professional mission: to protect, guide, and nurture startups with care, strategy, foresight, and integrity. She believes innovation doesn’t just start in labs or boardrooms—it starts in the curious minds of those brave enough to ask, “What if?”

Kathryn V.

FALL IN LOVE...

with the process.

If you’re building something right now,
here’s the shift that changes everything:
Fall in love with the process, not the results.

Results are unpredictable.
They’re delayed.
They show up on their own timeline.

The process is what you live in every day.
Consistency isn’t about intensity.
It’s about showing up when it’s boring.
When it’s quiet.
When no one is watching or applauding.

Founders don’t burn out because they’re doing too much.
They burn out when all their hope is tied to an outcome
instead of the work itself.

When you love the process,
progress stops feeling fragile.
Missing a day doesn’t feel like failure...
it feels like life.
And you simply come back the next day.

Consistency compounds.
Small steps add up.
And over time, the work begins to shape you
as much as you shape it.

So if today feels slow,
if momentum feels distant,
if the results aren’t there yet...
stay.

Keep building.
Keep learning.
Keep becoming.

Fall in love with the process.
The results will meet you there. 💛

Founder Friday 💫

Some founders build with brilliance.
Some build with courage.
And every once in a while, you meet someone who builds with both brilliance and heart.

Rachel Buchanan is one of those people.

Rachel has been working in blockchain since 2017...long before trust, verification, and integrity became buzzwords or regulatory requirements. 

She didn’t wait for permission. She didn’t chase what was fashionable. She stayed true to what she knew mattered.

That clarity is why she’s now building IntegraLayer, focused on certificate integrity, verification, and trust. Not because it’s trendy. But because it’s necessary.

But here’s what I want people to really know about Rachel.
She is not just thoughtful and brilliant...she is kind.
She is steady.
She leads with integrity in how she builds and how she shows up for others.

That’s why it meant so much that she entrusted the protection of her intellectual property to me. That kind of trust is never taken lightly. 

I’m truly honored and so happy to welcome her as part of the moatly Crew™ 😊 .

And this moment is also a reminder of how meaningful real connections are.
Thank you to my beautiful friend, Bettina Briz, for introducing us, and to founders Kevin Jurovich and Timo Gehrke of Hubble, for introducing Bettina to me in the first place. 

The ripple effect Hubble creates through authentic human connection is genuinely life-changing. One introduction can change the entire trajectory of a founder’s journey.

Rachel, I’m cheering you on!! Not just as a founder, but as a human.
The world needs more builders like you.

#founderfriday #womenfounders #kindnessinleadership #trustbydesign #moatlycrew™ #moatly™ #hubble #buildingwithheart

One of the things I respect most about thoughtful investors
is when they’re honest about what they’re really looking for.
David Y.’s post is spot on.

At the very earliest stages, investors aren’t betting on a polished product.
They’re not betting on traction, revenue, or perfect data.
They’re betting on the person.

Because at pre-seed, almost everything is unfinished.
The product will change.
The strategy will evolve.
The plan will break...more than once.

What doesn’t change as easily is the founder’s ability to keep going
when nothing is guaranteed.

And here’s the part I love most:
The kind of “swagger” that actually matters isn’t loud.
It isn’t hype.
It isn’t performative confidence.

It’s quieter than that.
It’s the steadiness of someone who is aligned with a purpose bigger than their pitch deck.

Someone who, “treats the company as a vehicle, not an identity.”
Someone who keeps building when no one is clapping yet.

As a former patent examiner and now someone who works closely with founders, I see this same pattern over and over again.

The founders who endure aren’t the ones chasing validation.
They’re the ones making progress in silence.
Learning.
Adapting.
Following up with substance.
Showing up again after the fifth setback.

So if you’re a founder feeling discouraged by a slow response, a long diligence cycle, or a quiet room...
this may not be rejection.
It may be observation.

And sometimes, the most important thing you can do
is exactly what you’re already doing:
keep going.

That kind of inevitability?
It can’t be faked.
And the right people notice.

I’m a VC who hates most VCs. I live to help people identify and scale their gifts.

A pre-seed truth most founders miss:
Investors aren’t betting on your product or idea.

Our firm spoke with 10,000+ founders over the last 3 years.
We invested in 25 of them.

That’s <0.2%.

We’re not unique.
That ratio is normal at the pre-seed stage.

At pre-seed:
- The product is usually incomplete
- Revenue is often $0
- Data is thin or non-existent

So what are investors actually evaluating?
The founder.

More specifically?
Swagger.

Not pitch polish.
Not hype.
Not “founder energy.”

Pre-seed swagger is quieter.

It’s the strength that shows up when a founder is aligned with something bigger than the company...and treats the company as a vehicle, not an identity. 

At pre-seed, investors aren’t really asking:
- “Is this the best idea?”

They’re asking:
- “Is this person inevitable?”

Inevitable doesn’t mean certain.
It means disciplined enough to survive uncertainty.

BUT swagger doesn’t replace execution.
It signals who will still be executing after the first five failures.

And that's why good pre-seed investors take their time.

The delay isn’t always disinterest.
It’s often a test.

At pre-seed, we’re watching:
- Do you keep building without validation?
- Do you follow up with substance, not pressure?
- Do you show progress when no one is watching?
- Do you adapt… or just re-pitch?

What founders experience as “foot-dragging” is often pre-seed diligence in motion.

Early investing isn’t about moving fast.
It’s about identifying who keeps moving when nothing is guaranteed.

That’s who gets funded at pre-seed.
And that’s where real swagger comes from. 

---

If this resonates, Founder Chapel is where we unpack this kind of founder formation.

Link in the comments.

SKATEBOARDING THE WEEKEND AWAY

I hope you’re finding a little time this weekend to do something you love…
something that makes you smile, laugh, or feel a bit more you.

This video made me smile. 
Pure joy. Zero fear. Just going for it. 

And today, I’m dedicating it to Bettina Briz,
who has officially started learning how to skateboard.
New wheels. New courage. New joy.
And the most stylish fits, thanks to her personal stylist and amazing husband, Peter Himes.

There’s something really beautiful about trying something new...
not to be perfect at it,
not to impress anyone,
but simply because it feels fun and alive.

May this weekend bring you that same energy:
a little play, a little courage,
and the freedom to roll forward just because it makes your heart happy.

Happy Saturday, friends. Enjoy every moment. 💛

31-27 🐻 

"Good, better, best!
Never let it rest!
Till your good gets better,
And your better gets best!"

Not as pressure.
Not as perfection.
But as a reminder.

This isn’t just a post-game locker room chant. 
It’s something all of us can carry…whether we’re riding a wave of success or sitting quietly in a lull.

Because becoming doesn’t stop when things are going well.
And it doesn’t end when momentum slows.

Good means you’re here.
Better means you’re willing to grow.
Best isn’t a finish line…it’s a direction.

Some seasons are loud with wins.
Others are quiet with reflection.
Both matter.

And in both, the invitation is the same:
keep becoming.

Not by rushing.
Not by burning yourself out.
But by staying open.
By learning.
By choosing to show up again, exactly as you are…still caring, still trying.

Wherever you are right now…
celebrating or recalibrating…
this motto holds true.

Good. Better. Best.
A reminder that growth is ongoing,
and that we are never done becoming. 💛

“BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.”
 Said no founder ever, who got served a cease and desist.

In intellectual property, waiting to protect or rushing to market without diligence can permanently cost you ownership and the right to sell.

Imagine if, before you ever posted about your product…
Before you shared your deck…
Before you demoed your MVP…
Before you went to market…
Someone had said:
“Wait. What you are about to share could cost you ownership. And how you launch could determine whether you are even allowed to sell it.”

Most founders are doing exactly what they are encouraged to do.
Build in public.
Pitch early.
Move fast.

What they are not told is that public disclosures can quietly work against them and that a go to market strategy without proper due diligence can expose them to infringement risk before their first customer ever appears.

As a former United States Patent Examiner, I spent years deciding which inventions received patents and which did not. Today, I see founders lose leverage, ownership, and years of work simply because no one gave them this information at the right moment.

This spring, I am excited to mentor the inaugural Founder Institute Seattle cohort on all things IP. And ahead of the program I will be presenting a session for founders on:

 What actually counts as a public disclosure...
 When protection truly matters...
 How to go to market without infringing on others...
 What patent pending really means...
 What you can still do if you have already shared too much...

This is not about slowing founders down.
It is about keeping doors open.
Ownership intact.
And futures protected.

If you are building something that matters, you deserve to know this before it costs you everything.

Wednesday, February 25 at 11:00 AM PT
📍Virtual
Link to save your spot is in the comments.
Presented by Founder Institute Seattle 
Led by Nicole Doyle, Aniket Naravanekar, and Jewel Atuel. 

Founder Institute Seattle’s Spring 2026 Cohort launches April 22nd. 
📅 Applications are open now at fi.co/seattle 



✨ A special shout out to the incredible investors and founders who selflessly give their time, pour into others, and mentor with integrity, wisdom and last but not least, a kind heart: Bettina Briz Peter Himes David Y. Jason Butcher Kevin Jurovich Alexia Krispin ✨

DON'T WALK THE DESERT ALONE

I am resharing my friend Kevin Jurovich’s post because what he is building is truly invaluable for founders.

What he shares about those early days, learning on the go and wondering whether the struggle meant failure or growth, is a season so many founders live through quietly. It takes courage to speak about that part of the journey with honesty.

What stands out most to me is how he turned that experience into something generous. Instead of keeping those lessons to himself, he is creating space for founders to hear the truth behind building a company. The uncertainty. The doubt. The moments where continuing feels hard.

Founders Uncovered feels like an offering to the people still in it. A reminder that difficulty does not mean you are doing it wrong. Often it means you are doing something that matters.

By sharing real stories from people who have built before us, Kevin is helping founders feel less alone and more capable of staying in the work. That kind of encouragement can change everything.

So proud of you, Kevin. This is going to help a lot of people. Cannot wait for Season 1.

👉 Join the list for Episode 1. https://lnkd.in/gi2NaDMf

Co-founder, CEO at Hubble | Lifelong optimist

Back in 2019, I used to walk around SoMa in San Francisco listening to founder podcasts, trying to figure out if what I was feeling was failure…or just the process.

How I Built This, Masters of Scale, then later Lenny’s Podcast and My First Million. That was my founder education.

I was obsessed with learning from people who came before me.

Because when you’re in the desert as a founder...trying everything, hitting dead end after dead end, it helps to hear that the people you admire went through the exact same thing.

Behind every “overnight success” are years of doubt, false starts, and almost quitting.

That’s why I’m excited to announce the launch of Founders Uncovered.

I’ve teamed up with Drew Glover and Nick Madrid, CFA at Uncovered Media to host a podcast focused on the real stories behind building companies...the good, the bad, and the uncomfortable parts we usually skip.

There are so many incredible founders out there quietly changing the world. Their stories deserve to be told.

Season 1 drops next month. Our hope is that you walk away feeling educated, inspired, and a little more optimistic that you can get it done too.

One conversation can change everything.

👉 Join the list for Episode 1. I’ll send it the moment it drops.
https://lnkd.in/gi2NaDMf

Can’t wait to see more founders win. 🚀

#startups #entrepreneurship

THE DATE THAT GOT AWAY

Founders: if Teva can invalidate a patent over timing, so can anyone else.

One of the most important GTM/IP cases of the last decade came from a dispute between Teva Pharmaceuticals and Helsinn Healthcare...and it went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The case is Helsinn v. Teva.  
Here’s why every founder heading into GTM should know it:
Helsinn had a promising drug.
Before filing its patent application, it entered into a confidential commercial deal related to that product.
 
Years later, when Helsinn tried to enforce its patent against Teva…
The Supreme Court said the patent was invalid.
Why?

Because commercial activity happened before the filing date.
It didn’t matter that:
the deal was confidential,
the invention wasn’t publicly explained, or
they acted in good faith.

What mattered was this:
👉 They went to market before they filed.

The founder lesson:
In the U.S., we are a first-to-file country.

That means:
talking about your innovation before filing can cost you ownership,
waiting to “see if it works” before filing is a legal risk, and
once rights are lost, you don’t get them back later.

This is why I tell founders heading into GTM:
File first.
Then pitch.
Then sell.

Because the fastest way to lose ownership of what you’re building…
…is to talk about it before you protect it.

Amazing initiative by David Y. to highlight founders and their stories...not just exits and milestones.

Real work. Real people. Real journeys.

If you’re building honestly, please apply and share your story!

Dear founders,

Quick proposition!

I’m curating 20 founders to feature in LinkedIn Legendaries, a newsletter read by 9000+ subscribers. We highlight entrepreneurs whose stories matter, not just their outcomes.

No hype.
No manufactured success narratives.

Just real founders doing meaningful work, navigating uncertainty, and learning in public (or quietly, but deeply).

If you’re building something honest and think your journey could help other founders, I’d love to hear from you.

👉 Apply to be featured here (20 spots for 2026):
https://lnkd.in/gRdBhBB7 

Great stories deserve daylight. 

Yours truly,
David

David Y.’s post is spot on.

Stay tuned for deep dives on B2B sales and other essential founder topics in the amazing seminars Founder Chapel will be launching very soon.

Come join us: https://lnkd.in/eeaefgbD

B2B sales is where most founders flounder.
Not because they’re bad,
but because they’re new.

They’ve never sold to:
- committees
- political buyers
- people protecting their careers

So they default to:
- building more
- tweaking product
- waiting for “traction”

But B2B doesn’t reward patience.
It rewards understanding how buyers manage risk.

Founders should learn B2B sales.
Not to chase deals,
but to command bigger ones.

We’re launching seminars on this (and more!) at Founder Chapel. 
Come join us: https://lnkd.in/eeaefgbD

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The Battle

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The Battle

Bill Dolan (Spirit Media)

Kathryn V.

Followers

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Engagements

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