That LinkedIn message promising to '10x your revenue'? I traced it back to expose an entire network of marketing scammers. Here's what I found inside their playbook.
I Watched 6 Hours of Caleb Ralston So You Don’t Have To (But Maybe You Should)
I spent six hours watching Caleb Ralston’s full course on building a personal brand, and honestly, it surprised me. This isn’t just content hacks and growth jargon. It’s a real framework for brand clarity, consistency, and depth. Not perfect. Not always solo-founder friendly. But packed with gold if you’re willing to think, not just copy.
Think Like Them, Don’t Copy Them
Everyone’s selling a playbook these days. But just because someone had one viral post or one offer that popped doesn’t make them a strategist, it makes them lucky. This isn’t a takedown. It’s a reminder: you can study the greats without becoming a clone. Your brand deserves better than copy-paste marketing.
The High Cost of Coverage: When Media Only Backs Brands That Pay
What if your favorite “Top 10” list was just the result of a PR budget? This piece explores how the media landscape quietly shut the door on bootstrapped brands, and why the cost of coverage is now measured in more than just merit. Yes, creators deserve to be paid. But if every feature is for sale, who’s telling the truth?
Cultural Velocity: The Metric That Actually Measures Relevance
Cultural velocity is the new KPI for relevance. It’s not about how many impressions you got, it’s how fast your brand becomes part of the conversation. This blog breaks down how top brands like Duolingo, Liquid Death, and Stanley Cups are engineering meme-ready content, measuring remix potential, and winning in real time. If you’re not tracking time-to-meme or share-to-remix rate, you’re already behind.
Marketing in 2025: Dodge, Adapt, Repeat (and Maybe Cry a Little)
What Cannes 2025 Just Told Every Marketer to Rethink
Cannes Lions 2025 didn’t whisper about the future—it roared. From AI-fueled ideation to purpose-led storytelling and the rise of retail media as a creative frontier, this year’s summit delivered a clear message: the playbook has changed. If your campaigns aren’t co-created, culturally relevant, and emotionally intelligent—you’re already behind. Here’s what you need to rethink now, straight from the Croisette.
They Called It Cheating. I Call It Leadership.
Apparently, teaching marketers how to work smarter is controversial now. My last post about building Custom GPTs caused a stir — and not the fun, cocktail kind. Some folks called it “cheating.” Others clutched their pearls like I’d suggested outsourcing soul.
Spoiler: I’m not sorry.
If AI can help you scale your voice, save your brain cells, and dodge burnout? I’ll take “cheating” all the way to the bank. This is my response — and my unapologetic argument for why future-forward marketers should be using AI like it’s 2026 already.
Special Edition - Your AI Can Wear a Power Suit: Why You Should Be Building Custom GPTs, Yesterday
If your AI still writes like it’s stuck in 2019, you’re doing it wrong.
In my latest blog, I break down how to build Custom GPTs inside ChatGPT — the kind that sound like you, work like you, and never need coffee breaks.
You’ll learn:
Why GPTs are your next best hire
The 3 GPTs every founder should build first
How to train one in 10 minutes (zero tech headaches)
Just Dropped: A Smarter Way to Spend Your Day
I used to spend my days bouncing from meeting to meeting, with little time left for follow-through or focus. In this special edition, I share how two AI tools—Claude and ChatGPT—helped me audit my workflow, cut down prep time, and create space to actually think. It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing better.
A Torch, Not a Tombstone: Why the Outdoor Industry’s Future Isn’t as Bleak as It’s Being Painted
The outdoor industry isn’t dying—it’s evolving. While headlines shout doom and gloom, the truth is this moment isn’t a collapse, it’s a correction. The brands that over-ordered, under-innovated, and relied on hype instead of quality are feeling the squeeze—but that’s not the whole story. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine what we make, why we make it, and who we make it for. Innovation isn’t optional—it’s the path forward. Let’s stop treating this like a funeral and start treating it like a forge. The next era of outdoor is coming. The only question is: who’s ready to lead it?
The Death of Differentiation: Why Consumers Are Over Boring Brands
The apparel industry has fallen into a trap of sameness—recycled marketing messages, tired buzzwords, and "unique" selling points that aren't unique anymore. Consumers are getting bored, and the next wave of industry disruptors won't be the legacy brands stuck in their old ways. In The Death of Differentiation: Why Consumers Are Over Boring Brands, we explore how a new generation of scrappy, bold companies is set to shake things up. The future belongs to those who dare to be different.
The Marketing Behind Trump: How Controversy Became a Brand
What can marketers learn from Donald Trump’s rise to prominence? This blog dives into the unconventional yet undeniably effective strategies that turned him into a polarizing, headline-dominating figure. From his mastery of branding and media manipulation to his ability to foster loyalty and belonging, discover the marketing principles behind the phenomenon—without the politics. Whether you're building a brand or seeking to engage an audience, these insights reveal the power and risks of bold, emotionally driven strategies.
How the Pay-to-Play Game is Undermining Small Brands
In a world where big brands dominate through pay-to-play strategies, how can small businesses stand out? This blog dives into the challenges small brands face in industries ruled by deep pockets, exploring how authenticity, creativity, and community can help them rise above the noise. Discover actionable strategies for reclaiming visibility and learn how consumers can play a vital role in leveling the playing field. Whether you're a startup founder or a brand enthusiast, this is your guide to thriving in a pay-to-play world.
The Decline of Influencer Marketing: Why People Aren't Buying It Anymore
Influencer marketing isn’t what it used to be. With oversaturation, declining engagement rates, and growing consumer skepticism, the once-dominant strategy is losing its edge. In this blog, we explore the cracks in the influencer economy, the rise of alternative marketing approaches like user-generated content and nano-influencers, and how brands can pivot to rebuild trust in a changing digital landscape. Discover why authenticity and transparency are more critical than ever in today’s marketing world.
The Role of Luck in Marketing
Is marketing success all about strategy, or does luck play a role too? This blog explores how luck can act as a catalyst for groundbreaking campaigns, from viral moments to perfect timing. Discover how preparation, creativity, and agility can help you harness serendipitous opportunities and turn chance into triumph. Luck may not be a strategy, but it can certainly amplify your efforts when you’re ready to seize the moment!
Part 3: Navigating the Cookieless Future: Attribution with Google in 2024
As you know the digital advertising landscape is undergoing a seismic shift with the demise of third-party cookies. As privacy regulations tighten and browsers phase them out, marketers face a daunting challenge: accurately measuring campaign performance in a cookieless world. Google, at the forefront of this evolution, is proposing solutions through Consent Mode and the Privacy Sandbox initiative, along with updates to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and compatibility with third-party cookieless solutions.
Part 2: Cracking the Code: Attribution on Meta After the Cookie Crumbles
Let's Talk about.... Attribution, Baby! Part 1: Setting the Stage for the Cookieless Era
Confessions of a Content Chameleon: Transforming Your Brand with Unexpected Collaborations
In the marketing jungle, blending in is a recipe for extinction. To truly thrive, you need to shed your camouflage and embrace the vibrant hues of the unexpected. Welcome, brave adventurers, to the world of brand collaborations, where unlikely partnerships spark creative wildfire and leave audiences gasping for more.