Episode Details

What separates elite performers from everyone else isn't skill, strategy, or preparation. It's psychology.

Collin Henderson knows this firsthand. A former Division I wide receiver at Washington State University, seven-time author, and host of the Master Your Mindset podcast, Collin has spent his career cracking the code on peak performance — training number one NBA draft picks, Heisman football finalists, and top sales teams at Nike, Amazon, Salesforce, and Alaska Airlines.

His new book, The Oz Method: Psychological Secrets of Influence for Sales, Leadership, and Life (IdeaPress, 2026), delivers a parable-driven framework inspired by L. Frank Baum's classic — and it just might change the way you sell, lead, and communicate forever.

In this episode of the Business of Story, Collin reveals why sales psychology beats sales strategy every time. We unpack his five-part story framework — Set the Scene, Establish the Challenge, The Growth Journey, Face Your Fear, Resolution — and explore why the brain is hardwired to respond to problems before solutions. Collin also shares why your identity is the hidden ceiling on your performance, how "trauma, drama, daddy and mama" shapes the way high achievers either freeze or fly under pressure, and why boring will put you out of business faster than any competitor.

This is a masterclass in the psychology of influence, the neuroscience of storytelling, and the courage it takes to communicate when the moment gets biggest.

What you'll discover in this episode:

The five-part story framework every seller, leader, and communicator needs to master. Why psychological readiness trumps preparation in high-stakes moments. How to close the gap between what your team can do and what they actually deliver

Connect with Collin Henderson at thecolinhenderson.com and on LinkedIn and Instagram @ColinHendersonCoach. Find The Oz Method wherever books are sold.

Learn more about the Business of Story at businessofstory.com.