School of Influence

How to Make VIRAL REACTION Reels That Get Views, Watch Time, and Engagement

Want to learn how to make viral reaction reels that get more views, watch time, and engagement? In this powerful episode, we hear an emotional story from a content creator who shares his journey from a blue collar job to building a personal brand. He discusses how creating content changed my life, detailing his struggles with homelessness and his path to becoming a successful content creator. This candid conversation offers a glimpse into the realities behind the scenes and the dedication required to transition from a 9 to 5 to online success. Devin Schubert sits down with Leonard Firestone to break down how viral reels actually work, why reaction content can be so powerful, and what creators need to understand if they want to make content people genuinely want to watch, rewatch, share, and talk about. Leonard Firestone is a content creator, storyteller, and podcast host from Muskogee, Oklahoma. What started as a personal outlet during some of the hardest seasons of his life turned into a massive digital platform. In this conversation, Leonard shares how he went from working as a plumber and climbing out of dark seasons of life to building a large audience through reaction content, storytelling, authenticity, and consistency. This episode goes way deeper than “how to go viral.” Leonard breaks down why some reaction reels work and others fall flat, how to know if a clip is actually worth reacting to, how to improve your hook, how to create reactions that feel real instead of forced, and why watch time, replay value, and engagement matter so much if you want your content to spread. He also shares how he finds viral clips, what he avoids because of copyright risk, how he thinks about platform differences, how he handles hate comments, how monetization really works, and why many creators stay stuck because they are too focused on what they want to post instead of what actually serves the viewer. If you are a creator, coach, speaker, entrepreneur, or leader who wants to understand how to make stronger short form content, this episode is packed with practical strategy, honest insight, and real behind the scenes perspective from someone who has built massive reach through humor, relatability, and authentic reactions. In this episode, we cover: How Leonard got started in content creation Why reaction videos can create more watch time How to find clips worth reacting to What makes people watch a reel more than once How to create stronger hooks Why authenticity beats forcing trends How to use comments to improve your content What to avoid with copyrights and reposting How to respond to hate comments without losing your mind Why engagement matters more than just views What newer creators should focus on first How to keep going when content feels hard Connect with Leonard: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1LFirestone [https://www.facebook.com/1LFirestone] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1lfirestone/ [https://www.instagram.com/1lfirestone/] Connect with Devin: Website: https://www.devinschubert.com [https://www.devinschubert.com] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/schubertdevin [https://www.facebook.com/schubertdevin] Influence Academy: https://influenceacademyonline.com/ [https://influenceacademyonline.com/] Stories to Stages: https://www.storiestostages.com [https://www.storiestostages.com]

You're Doing Everything Right... So Why Does Something Feel Off?

You can love God… and still feel stuck. Still triggered. Still battling old thoughts. Still wondering why you’re not fully stepping into what you know you’re called to do. In this episode of The School of Influence, I sit down with Connie Tresedder to unpack what’s really going on beneath the surface for so many believers and leaders. We talk about the connection between inner healing, renewing your mind, and spiritual growth, and why ignoring what’s happening internally will eventually limit what God wants to do through you. Connie shares how hidden things like unworthiness, fear, and past wounds can quietly shape your decisions, your leadership, and even your relationship with God… without you realizing it. But more importantly, she breaks down how to actually walk in freedom. Not just spiritually. But mentally and emotionally too. If you’ve ever felt like there’s “more” available… but something keeps holding you back, this conversation will help you identify it and move forward with clarity. IN THIS EPISODE: – Why strong believers still struggle with fear, anxiety, and old patterns – The difference between spiritual warfare and rewiring your mind – How to recognize hidden blocks like shame and unworthiness – Practical ways to reset your thoughts and hear God more clearly – Why healing is essential for your calling, leadership, and influence GET YOUR STORY PUBLISHED: https://www.storiestostages.com [https://www.storiestostages.com] Use code: PODCAST1 ABOUT CONNIE TRESEDDER: Connie is an ordained minister, speaker, and #1 Amazon bestselling author who helps believers break through spiritual barriers, experience the love of God, and walk in freedom and purpose. Through her teaching and mentorship, people are restored, renewed, and equipped to live out their Kingdom calling. CONNECT WITH CONNIE: Website: https://www.connietresedder.comhttps://www.connietresedder.com [https://www.connietresedder.com] Conference: https://www.makewayfortheglory.comhttps://www.makewayfortheglory.com [https://www.makewayfortheglory.com] Book: https://a.co/d/0jgRanOZhttps://a.co/d/0jgRanOZ [https://a.co/d/0jgRanOZ] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/connie.tresedderhttps://www.facebook.com/connie.tresedder [https://www.facebook.com/connie.tresedder] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contagiouslifeandpurpose/https://www.instagram.com/contagiouslifeandpurpose/ [https://www.instagram.com/contagiouslifeandpurpose/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@connietresedder6177https://www.youtube.com/@connietresedder6177 [https://www.youtube.com/@connietresedder6177] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connietresedder/https://www.linkedin.com/in/connietresedder/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/connietresedder/] CONNECT WITH DEVIN: Website: https://www.devinschubert.comhttps://www.devinschubert.com [https://www.devinschubert.com] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/schubertdevinhttps://www.facebook.com/schubertdevin [https://www.facebook.com/schubertdevin] Influence Academy: https://influenceacademyonline.com/https://influenceacademyonline.com/ [https://influenceacademyonline.com/] Stories to Stages: https://www.storiestostages.comhttps://www.storiestostages.com [https://www.storiestostages.com]

Why The Most Connected Generation Is Spiritually Disconnected | Dustin Dozier

Connected church, Christian community, church leadership, discipleship, belonging, and real connection are at the center of this powerful conversation with pastor and author Dustin Dozier. In this episode of The School of Influence, Devin Schubert sits down with Dustin to unpack why we live in the most connected generation in history, yet so many people still feel isolated. They break down the difference between attendance and belonging, the danger of building systems without shepherding, and why both churches and businesses must prioritize people over programs. Dustin shares how his life was transformed through genuine community as a teenager and how that experience shaped his passion for helping churches create environments where people feel seen, known, and valued. This conversation challenges leaders to rethink influence, showing that platforms may gather crowds, but discipleship transforms lives. If you are a pastor, leader, entrepreneur, or coach who wants to build real connection instead of shallow engagement, this episode will stretch your perspective and sharpen your leadership. Get Your Story Published TODAY: https://www.storiestostages.com [https://www.storiestostages.com] Coupon Code: PODCAST1 What You’ll Learn: – Why people can attend church and still feel disconnected – The difference between building a platform and building people – How to create real belonging instead of surface-level engagement – Why discipleship matters more than attendance metrics Guest Bio: Dustin Dozier serves as a Teaching Pastor and Director of Next Steps at First Baptist Simpsonville | Upstate Church in South Carolina, helping lead connection and discipleship strategies across multiple campuses. He is the author of The Connected Church and founder of The Connected Church Co., where he equips pastors and leaders to build healthy, thriving churches centered on belonging, community, and transformation. Guest Links & Resources: – Website: https://dustindozier.com [https://dustindozier.com] – The Connected Church (Book on Amazon): https://a.co/d/0frxMN2O [https://a.co/d/0frxMN2O] – Resources for Leaders: https://theconnectedchurch.com [https://theconnectedchurch.com] – Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dustindozier [https://www.instagram.com/dustindozier]  or https://www.facebook.com/dustin.dozier.96 [https://www.facebook.com/dustin.dozier.96] Connect with Devin (Host): – Website: https://www.devinschubert.com [https://www.devinschubert.com] – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/schubertdevin [https://www.facebook.com/schubertdevin] – Join the Influence Academy: https://influenceacademyonline.com/ [https://influenceacademyonline.com/] – Get Your Story Published: https://storiestostages.com [https://storiestostages.com] – Grab Free Ebook: https://www.createbetterstories.com [https://www.createbetterstories.com]

The Reason You're Losing Faith in Your Business

What do you do when God blesses something in your life, and then tells you to walk away from it? In this powerful episode of The School of Influence, Devin Schubert sits down with Pierre Moranza for a rich, prophetic conversation on obedience, suffering, discernment, and what it means to truly build by the voice of God. Pierre shares his incredible journey from the hood to global ministry, including how he walked away from a company that generated $96 million in 15 months when God told him it was time to leave and give birth to something greater. This episode is for leaders, entrepreneurs, speakers, and believers who want more than strategy. It is for those who want divine direction. Pierre unpacks why old instructions can become dangerous in a new season, why silence before God is often the missing key in business, and how obedience can open doors that logic never could. If you have been asking God for clarity in your next move, this conversation will challenge you, ground you, and remind you that the goal is not just success. It is surrender. Get Your Story Published TODAY: https://www.storiestostages.comhttps://www.storiestostages.com [https://www.storiestostages.com] Coupon Code: PODCAST1 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: – How to discern when God is shifting you into a new season – Why obedience matters more than comfort, money, or human logic – How silence before God creates clarity for business and life decisions – Why success without divine direction can pull you off assignment GUEST BIO: Pierre Moranza is a bold voice at the intersection of faith, leadership, and radical obedience. He is the founder of Kingdom Mercy Ministries International and has spent decades equipping leaders with prophetic clarity, spiritual discernment, and courage to follow the voice of God. A former youth pastor and corporate manager, Pierre walked away from a company that generated $96 million in 15 months in order to obey God’s call into ministry. His global mission work has now spanned five of the seven continents. Pierre is passionate about helping people discover their God-given gifts and walk them out with love, power, and purpose. Pierre Moranza Form GUEST LINKS & RESOURCES: – Website: https://kmmi.ushttps://kmmi.us [https://kmmi.us] – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pierre.moranza.1https://www.facebook.com/pierre.moranza.1 [https://www.facebook.com/pierre.moranza.1] – Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pierremoranza/https://www.instagram.com/pierremoranza/ [https://www.instagram.com/pierremoranza/] – Book: From the Hood to the Holy Land and Beyond: 96 Million Was Never the Assignment CONNECT WITH DEVIN (HOST): – Website: https://www.devinschubert.comhttps://www.devinschubert.com [https://www.devinschubert.com] – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/schubertdevinhttps://www.facebook.com/schubertdevin [https://www.facebook.com/schubertdevin] – Join the Influence Academy: https://influenceacademyonline.com/https://influenceacademyonline.com/ [https://influenceacademyonline.com/] – Grab Free Ebook: https://www.createbetterstories.comhttps://www.createbetterstories.com [https://www.createbetterstories.com]

You're Scaling the Wrong Thing (Here's What to Fix First)

Most entrepreneurs try to scale what is visible before fixing what is unstable. More content. More ads. More leads. More noise. But growth does not fix instability. It exposes it. In this episode of The School of Influence, Devin Schubert sits down with former NFL athlete turned founder and CEO Rick Elmore to break down why your business feels heavier the moment it starts to grow. Rick bootstrapped Simply Noted from a $10,000 credit card, with no investors and no engineering background, into a multi-million-dollar company powered by proprietary robotics and software. Through costly mistakes and hard seasons, he learned the lesson most leaders avoid. If you scale the wrong thing, you multiply chaos. If you fix the right thing, growth becomes sustainable. You will walk away with practical clarity on what to stabilize first, how to build repeatable systems, and why becoming one percent better is the real path to long-term scale. Get Your Story Published TODAY: https://www.storiestostages.com/https://www.storiestostages.com [https://www.storiestostages.com/] Coupon Code: PODCAST1 What You’ll Learn: – Why scaling visibility before stability multiplies chaos – How to spot the real bottleneck underneath your growth – The one percent better method for building sustainable momentum – How systems and automation create scale without losing the human touch Guest Bio: Rick Elmore is a former NFL athlete turned entrepreneur, inventor, and sales and marketing technologist. He is the founder and CEO of Simply Noted, the world’s leading handwritten mail automation platform, built on proprietary robotics and software with nine patents. With no outside funding and no prior engineering background, Rick bootstrapped the company to multi-million-dollar revenue through grit, sales discipline, and relentless iteration. He also serves as a Fractional CRO, helping B2B companies build executive-level revenue operations, lead generation systems, and digital authority frameworks. Guest Links & Resources: – Website: https://www.simplynoted.com/https://www.simplynoted.com [https://www.simplynoted.com/] – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AreEyeSeeKayhttps://www.facebook.com/AreEyeSeeKay [https://www.facebook.com/AreEyeSeeKay] – Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickelmore44/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/rickelmore44 [https://www.instagram.com/rickelmore44/?hl=en] Connect with Devin (Host): – Website: https://www.devinschubert.com/https://www.devinschubert.com [https://www.devinschubert.com/] – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/schubertdevinhttps://www.facebook.com/schubertdevin [https://www.facebook.com/schubertdevin] – Join the Influence Academy: https://influenceacademyonline.com/https://influenceacademyonline.com/ [https://influenceacademyonline.com/] – Grab Free Ebook: https://www.createbetterstories.com/https://www.createbetterstories.com [https://www.createbetterstories.com/]