Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

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Kevin Dahlstrom is a 4-time founder and 4-time CMO who has been called the only person to successfully rebrand three public companies. Based in Boulder, he's an active investor in over 50 startups and rock climbing enthusiast who helps companies create unfair advantages through strategic branding.

Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…

1/ 🎯 Success is Personal, Not Universal

The corner office isn't everyone's dream. True success means aligning your work with YOUR definition of fulfillment, not society's. Kevin discovered this at the peak of his corporate career, realizing his version of success looked completely different from the traditional C-suite path.

2/ 🎨 Define Your Ideal End State First

Create a detailed vision of your perfect daily life without constraints. This becomes your North Star for decision-making. Focus on states of being (like "get daily sunshine") rather than achievements. Most people skip this crucial step and chase others' dreams instead.

3/ 🔄 Control is a Sliding Scale, Not a Switch

Start with accepting minimal control in your 20s (5%), gradually increase to 20% in your 30s, 50% in your 40s, and beyond. Don't wait for retirement to design your life. Build intentionally toward more autonomy year by year.

4/ 👥 First Team Concept Transforms Leadership

Your primary loyalty as a C-suite executive is to the company and CEO, not your department. This mindset prevents silos and aligns everyone toward company-wide objectives rather than departmental wins.

5/ 🎭 How You Do Anything is How You Do Everything

When hiring, look beyond resumes to personal life achievements. High performers excel across all areas of life. Personal accomplishments reveal more about someone's true capabilities than corporate achievements.

6/ 🎯 Results Over Activity

Focus obsessively on moving key metrics that matter to the business. Many get caught up in tactics without understanding the "why." Great leaders start with desired outcomes and work backward.

7/ 🤖 AI is a Force Multiplier, Not a Replacement

One person can now do the work of 10 through AI, but human curation remains essential. Success comes from being a great editor and curator of AI outputs rather than trying to compete with AI directly.

8/ 💪 Health is the Foundation for Everything

Invest early in mobility work (30-60 mins, 3-4x weekly) and find physical activities you genuinely enjoy. Your health compounds like compound interest, impacting every aspect of life and career success.

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Where to find Kevin Dahlstrom:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevind/

* X: https://x.com/Camp4

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In this episode, we cover:

00:00 Introduction and Career Epiphany 05:43 Transitioning to a New Lifestyle 08:21 The Ideal End State Exercise 14:13 Finding the Right Team Members 18:01 Managing People and Scaling Impact 25:24 Interviewing and Hiring Strategies 31:01 Working with Different Personalities 34:41 First Team Concept in Leadership 38:07 Career Progression and Management 41:39 AI's Impact on Marketing 45:52 Health and Wellness Priorities 52:08 Lightning Round Q&A

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Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them.

Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

—

Sam Parr is the founder of multiple 8-figure businesses including The Hustle (acquired by HubSpot for $27M+) and host of My First Million podcast, who pioneered the newsletter business model and built a media company to millions of daily readers.

Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…

1/ 📝 Master Copy Work Before Original Writing: Start by copying successful content word-for-word (ads, blog posts, books) to internalize patterns and rhythms. This was historically taught in schools and remains highly effective. Focus on pieces that have stood the test of time.

2/ 🎵 Use Sentence Rhythm for Impact: Structure content with varying sentence lengths - start short, build slightly longer, then deliver a powerful long sentence punch. This creates natural flow and maintains reader attention.

3/ 🎯 Deploy the AIDA Framework: Structure cold emails and sales copy using Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. Example: Blank subject line (attention) → Relevant local connection (interest) → Social proof/FOMO (desire) → Clear next step (action).

4/ 📧 The 50-Email Rule: You're just 50 emails away from reaching anyone (1 initial + 49 follow-ups). Focus on consistent updates and new information in follow-ups. Most will respond by email #3, but persistence can pay off even after 30+ attempts.

5/ 📚 Simplify Your Writing: Aim for 4th-grade reading level, like Hemingway. Drop adverbs, use periods instead of commas, and explain concepts like you're talking to a friend at a bar.

6/ 🔥 Strategic Controversy Drives Growth: Make some people love you while intentionally making others angry. This creates passionate supporters and generates viral attention. Example: The Hustle's Amazon Kindle exposé.

7/ 🎨 Story > Stats: Use concrete examples and vivid imagery instead of abstract numbers. Example: Showing a baseball-sized lump of fat is more impactful than stating grams of fat in movie popcorn.

8/ 🎯 Project Selection is Everything: Choose markets where the TAM supports your 10-year vision. Set clear outcome goals and verify the math works before committing significant time.

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Where to find Sam Parr:

* Join Hampton: https://joinhampton.com/

* My First Million Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@MyFirstMillionPod

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parrsam/

* X: https://x.com/thesamparr

* IG: https://www.instagram.com/thesamparr/

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In this episode, we cover:

00:00 Introduction and Copywriting Fundamentals 03:23 The Power of Writing Rhythm and Style 05:14 Writing's Impact on Business Strategy 07:03 Building Sam's List and Business Stories 09:11 The Power of Storytelling in Marketing 11:52 Growing The Hustle Newsletter 14:04 Managing Multiple Ventures 16:04 Hiring Strategy and Talent Assessment 18:36 Pioneering Newsletter Business Model 22:25 Early Days and Craigslist Strategy 24:49 Cold Email Techniques and Follow-up 28:34 Pre-selling Products Through Copywriting 29:47 Career Reflections and Technical Skills 31:24 Lightning Round Questions

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Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them.

Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

—

Iuliia Shnai is a co-founder of Papermark, an open-source DocSend alternative, who transitioned from academia to indie hacking and built multiple viral tools by learning to code in public.

Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…

1/ 🎯 Product-Market Fit > Perfect Product

First launch doesn't need to be perfect - Papermark started with basic features and incomplete payment processing, yet customers still paid. Focus on solving a clear pain point first, then iterate based on real usage.

2/ 🔄 Test Fast, Double Down on Winners

Experiment across multiple channels but be ruthless about cutting what doesn't work. Papermark tested 14+ marketing channels but only continued with 3 that showed real traction.

3/ 💰 Don't Self-Limit Your Pricing

Start with lower tiers but always test higher price points - you'll never know if people will pay more unless you offer it. Papermark's highest tier became their fastest-growing segment after adding it despite initial hesitation.

4/ 🎯 Alternative Marketing > Category Creation

Position against established competitors when possible. Papermark found success marketing as "DocSend alternative" because people actively search for alternatives when unhappy with market leaders.

5/ 📊 Natural Virality > Forced Virality

Build viral loops into core product functionality rather than forcing artificial sharing. Papermark grows through natural document sharing rather than "invite friends" campaigns.

6/ 💪 Quick Content > Perfect Content

Start with 1-hour SEO articles to test performance, then improve pages that show traction. Don't over-invest in content before validating its impact.

7/ 📱 Know Your Audience's Preferences

Different audiences respond to different tactics - enterprise customers didn't engage with micro-tools while marketing audiences loved them. Tailor approach to target customer behavior.

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Where to find Iuliia Shnai:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iuliia-shnai/

* X: https://x.com/shnai0

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In this episode, we cover:

00:00 Introduction and Background 01:18 Early Product Development Experience 04:49 Transition from Academia to Startups 09:16 Discussion of Educational Technology 12:19 Early Marketing Strategies 18:08 Learning to Code and Building Tools 35:51 Marketing Attribution and Analytics 42:11 Product Development Strategy 47:00 Social Media Marketing Impact 56:25 Pricing Strategy Discussion 1:06:00 Micro Tools and Market Fit 1:08:42 Lightning Round Q&A

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Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them.

Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

—

Leslie Venetz is a respected B2B sales strategist, keynote speaker, and the founder of The Sales-Led GTM Agency. With 15+ years of experience as a top-performing B2B sales professional and three-time Head of Sales, Leslie has established herself as an authority on outbound sales, email strategy, and creating buyer-centric sales experiences.

Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…

1/ 🎯 The Money Myth: Top sellers aren't primarily motivated by commission• Once basic financial needs are met, money drops to 3rd-5th priority• Recognition, meaningful work, and team culture rank higher• Key insight: Build incentive structures around more than just cash2/ 🎧 Active Listening > Passive Silence • It's not just about not interrupting• Resist the urge to pre-plan your response• Focus on understanding vs. sharing your "similar story"• Use the 4R framework (including Resist) to improve listening skills3/ 💪 Earn The Right Before You Sell• Start by providing value before asking for attention• Apply this mindset to every interaction (emails, calls, meetings)• Test: "What have I done to earn the right to make this ask?"4/ 📊 Quality > Quantity for Account Load• Enterprise/ABM: ~50 accounts per rep• Transactional sales: 400-500 accounts• Work backward from revenue goals to determine actual needs5/ 🎯 Incentive Design Drives Behavior• Make quota attainment feel achievable• Structure bigger payouts at higher performance tiers• Allow reps breathing room for strategic territory management6/ 🤝 Marketing vs Sales: Partners Not Nemeses• Both face rejection and campaign failures• Attribution battles usually stem from executive pressure• Best results come from true cross-functional collaboration7/ 📝 Cold Email Excellence = Reduced Cognitive Load• Write at 3rd-5th grade reading level• Create visual space in messages• Make calls-to-action crystal clear• Focus on relevance to recipient8/ 📈 Product Led vs Sales Led: Choose Based on Price• PLG works best for products <$200/month• Higher price points justify full sales motion• Consider hybrid approach as you scale

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Where to find Leslie Venetz:

* The Sales-Led GTM Agency: https://salesledgtm.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslievenetz/

* X: https://x.com/B2B_SalesCoach

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In this episode, we cover:

00:00 Leslie Venetz: Journey to Sales Leadership 01:46 Understanding Sales as a Helping Profession 06:45 Lessons from Early Sales Jobs 10:55 Navigating Product-Market Fit Challenges 16:46 Sales Strategies for Growth 19:51 Finding Product-Market Fit 24:36 The Art of Cold Outreach 32:35 Multi-Channel Sales Outreach Strategies 36:18 Multi-Channel Outreach Strategy 38:09 The Importance of Data Providers 39:43 Understanding Customer Acquisition Costs 42:41 Sales Development Rep Workload 46:25 Backtracking to Revenue Goals 48:05 The Misconceptions of Sales Motivation 51:17 Motivating Sales Teams Beyond Money 53:10 The Power of Active Listening 57:48 Incentive Design for Sales Teams 01:02:51 Earning the Right to Ask 01:06:55 The Role of MQLs in Sales

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Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them.

Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

—

Sam Preston is the CEO of Service Scalers, a specialized marketing agency focused on helping home service businesses grow through digital marketing.

Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…

1/ 🎯 Your numbers tell the real story > Your gut instincts- Track the full funnel: leads → appointments → deals → revenue- One client went from $200k to $10M after switching budget between keywords based on revenue data (not just lead volume)- Key metrics: lead volume, appointment rate, close rate, revenue per lead source2/ 📞 Phone Calls > Form Fills for Service Businesses - Get prospects on the phone to build rapport and set appointments- Use call tracking numbers to attribute leads to marketing channels- Consider tools like CallRail to dynamically swap numbers based on traffic source3/ 🤝 Annual Contracts > Monthly Retainers- Predictable revenue enables hiring better talent- Better talent drives better results for clients- Creates positive feedback loop of growth- Similar to how service businesses can benefit from maintenance packages4/ 👥 Hiring Philosophy: Values + Skills > Just Skills- Key interview questions reveal values alignment:- "What rule did you break at your last job?"- "When have you put your job at jeopardy?"- Look for people willing to do the right thing, even when difficult5/ 🎨 Simple Website > Fancy Design- Clear services and location- Strong call-to-actions (not "Learn More")- Basic social proof- Job-to-be-done focused copy- Mobile-first design with persistent click-to-call6/ 🔄 Test Lead Sources Before Scaling- Start with Facebook groups for free leads- Graduate to aggregators for paid leads- Move to Google Ads once you have budget- Add broader marketing channels at scale7/ 💼 Perfect Agency Partnership = High Standards + Good Treatment- Don't just "pay and get out of the way"- Don't micromanage either- Hold accountable while treating team well- Think of agency as extension of your team8/ 🎯 Track Metrics That Matter- Lead source performance (volume AND revenue)- Appointment set rate- Close rate- Return on ad spend- Give every role ONE key metric to optimize

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Where to find Sam Preston:

* Service Scalers: https://www.servicescalers.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sampreston/

* X: https://x.com/HeySamPreston

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In this episode, we cover:

00:00 Introduction and Personal Insights 00:52 Understanding Home Service Businesses 06:56 Marketing Strategies for Home Service Businesses 15:03 Hiring and Budgeting for Marketing 21:41 Tracking Leads and Optimizing Websites 25:22 Effective Marketing Strategies for Home Services 27:12 The Power of Story Branding 29:23 Converting Leads into Sales 31:40 The Importance of First Impressions 33:36 Optimizing for Mobile Experience 34:38 Understanding Jobs to Be Done 36:15 The Role of Social Proof 38:13 Scaling a Home Service Business 39:25 Hiring for Growth 42:15 Identifying the Right Talent 48:42 Creating a Positive Work Culture 51:49 Balancing Automation and Hiring 55:30 Tailoring Marketing Strategies for Home Services 58:17 The Importance of Client Retention and Revenue Predictability 01:01:13 Creating Recurring Revenue Streams in Home Services 01:04:19 Managing Staffing and Demand in Service Businesses 01:05:31 Identifying Pain Points for Business Growth 01:09:02 Building Effective Partnerships with Agencies 01:11:39 Key Performance Indicators for Home Service Businesses

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Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them.

Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

—

Brian Austgen is the Director of Demand Generation at Maxio, a B2B billing and financial reporting platform, and has over a decade of experience in digital marketing. (including a time when we both worked at the same education technology company)

Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…

1/ 🚀 The best-performing B2B marketing channel in 2025? Webinars. At $20k per event, they're delivering 4x expected results. Pro tip: Focus on timely messaging + strong partners/influencers + strategic promotion timing2/ 🎯 Your budget = your strategy. When allocating funds, map spending to company goals first, then use data for established channels and gut instinct (backed by experience) for new ones3/ 🧠 Want better marketing instincts? Test with discipline. Set clear hypotheses, define success metrics upfront, and ensure failures create actionable feedback → knowledge → power4/ 🤝 Agency management golden rule: If you're constantly pushing back on their recommendations, you've either hired the wrong agency or you're being stupid. They should drive strategy while you provide context5/ 📊 PLG (Product Led Growth) is transforming B2B marketing. Converting users to a free trial > booking sales calls. Focus on the first 2 minutes of product experience to start the flywheel6/ 🎨 Color testing in ads is surprisingly impactful. Simple color changes can dramatically affect performance - sometimes more than messaging tweaks7/ 🤖 AI sweet spots: Creative asset generation, video editing, and campaign planning. But garbage in = garbage out. Experienced marketers get better AI outputs because they feed it better inputs8/ 🎯 Top B2B marketing mistake? Assuming what worked before will keep working. Great marketers have multiple playbooks ready when the current one stops performing

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Where to find Brian Austgen:

* Maxio billing software: https://www.maxio.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianaustgen/

* X: https://x.com/brianaustgen

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In this episode, we cover:

00:00 Introduction and Setup 01:41 Undervalued Marketing Channels 05:26 Balancing Focus and Experimentation 08:06 Improving Marketing Intuition 09:12 Testing Methodologies in Marketing 09:42 Leveraging Data for Marketing Decisions 19:09 The Power of Webinars in Marketing 28:28 Building Credibility in Leadership 36:16 Navigating Rebranding Challenges 43:26 Building an Effective Marketing Team 46:22 Navigating Agency Relationships 49:33 Managing Agency vs. Direct Reports 53:56 Impressing Leadership as an Employee 55:49 Best Practices for Agency Interactions 57:53 Strategic Marketing Allocation 01:00:58 Common Growth Mistakes in Scaling 01:03:58 Sales and Marketing Alignment 01:08:04 B2B vs. B2C Marketing Dynamics

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Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them.

Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

—

Jacqueline Freedman is the CEO and Founder of Monarch Advisory Partners, a full-stack marketing consultancy specializing in GTM, MarOps, and MarTech. Prior to launching her consultancy, Jacqueline was the 5th marketing hire at WeWork during their hypergrowth phase and the 1st Marketing Operations hire at Grammarly during their transition to a B2C2B model.

Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…

1/ 📊 Process trumps perfection: When scaling marketing ops, focus on creating foolproof processes rather than expecting perfect execution. Create clear documentation, role-based access controls, and simplified workflows that even non-marketers can follow successfully.2/ 🎯 Community over metrics: Sometimes the most valuable marketing initiatives don't have clear KPIs. WeWork's building newsletters focused on community-building rather than specific metrics, showing how brand value can outweigh immediate measurable results.3/ 🔄 Post-mortems are gold mines: After mistakes, focus on "what happened, how it happened, why it happened, and how to prevent it." Document learnings and use them to improve processes. The response to failure matters more than the failure itself.4/ 💰 Daily data syncs = massive savings: Small operational improvements can yield huge returns at scale. Example: Updating paid ad suppression lists daily instead of monthly saved millions in ad spend by preventing mistargeting of existing customers.5/ 🎨 B2B doesn't mean boring: B2B companies can (and should) be more playful with their brand voice. While you don't need to chase every trend, establish a clear brand persona and don't default to overly formal communication.6/ 📈 Personalization needs substance: Move beyond basic "{first_name}" personalization. Focus on meaningful data points that provide value to users, while being mindful of privacy boundaries.7/ 🤝 Vendor partnerships matter: Build strong relationships with your marketing tech vendors. Join customer advisory boards and provide detailed feedback - you know the problems, they know how to build solutions.8/ 👥 Cross-functional translation is key: Marketing ops pros must be "global translators" between teams. Success comes from ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and vice versa.

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Where to find Jacqueline Freedman:

* Monarch Advisory Partners: https://www.monarchadvisorypartners.com/

* The Martech Weekly: https://themartechweekly.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelinefreedman/

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In this episode, we cover:

00:00 Optimizing Ad Spend & Intro Jacqueline Freedman 01:11 Early Career: Jacq of All Trades & Remote Work Pioneer 02:58 Scaling WeWork's Hyper-Localized Newsletters (500 Buildings!) 04:22 The "Why" Behind WeWork's Emails: Community Over KPIs 06:16 The Unmeasurable Value of Brand Marketing 07:33 The Tech & Process Behind 500 Weekly Emails 09:30 Empowering 500 Non-Marketers to Be Marketers 11:46 Hyper-Localization: Beyond Countries to Buildings 13:09 Joining Grammarly: Building B2B Marketing Ops from Scratch 15:00 Hot Take: Why MQLs Aren't Dead (If Done Right) 19:19 Defining Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) 22:08 Grammarly's B2C to B2B Pivot: Finding the New ICP 24:15 AI in Writing: Tool, Threat, or Transformation? 26:54 Grandfather's Wisdom: Clients & Stakeholders Make or Break Your Day 27:30 The Power of Stakeholder Relationships & Listening Tours 30:16 Bridging the Gap: Marketing & Engineering Collaboration 33:02 Being "Dangerously" Technical as a Marketer 37:06 Facing Pay Inequity & Advocating for Fair Compensation 39:23 The Art & Discomfort of Negotiating for Yourself 43:06 Confessions of a Recovering Workaholic: Boundaries & Balance 45:35 Learning from Mistakes: A Post-Mortem Tale ("Winner of AB Test Here") 51:28 Blameless Post-Mortems & Process Improvement Culture 53:15 How You Leave Matters: Employees & Unsubscribers 55:58 Beyond First Names: Creating Impactful, Personalized Campaigns (WeWork Year in Review) 1:01:37 Should B2B Brands Be More Playful? 1:03:57 Saving Millions: Daily Data Syncs & Ad Suppression at Grammarly 1:08:07 Partnering with Vendors to Shape MarTech's Future 1:10:10 Where to Find Jacqueline & Final Thoughts

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Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them.

Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

—

Alexey Komissarouk is a growth engineering pioneer who's generated hundreds of millions in revenue through data-driven experimentation at companies like MasterClass and Opendoor.

Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…

1/ 🎯 Good friction > No frictionWhen done right, adding strategic friction (like onboarding quizzes) can actually increase conversion by building user intent. MasterClass saw this when they made users go through a quiz that showcased their full content library before hitting the $180 price tag.2/ 📊 Simple metrics > Complex metrics The best metrics are trivially explainable. While it's tempting to create complex formulas that capture every edge case, stick to metrics that everyone can understand and act on. MasterClass used "expected LTV per homepage visit" - sophisticated but still clear.3/ 🧪 Pattern matching > First principlesDon't waste time reinventing the wheel. Start by copying what works in your industry - the win rate on proven tactics is much higher than novel ideas. Once you've exhausted the obvious wins, then innovate.4/ 🚪 Fake doors unlock real insightsWhen testing major changes (like pricing), use creative "fake door" tests. MasterClass tested lower price tiers by showing them but upgrading users to premium "for free" - getting real data without the engineering investment.5/ 📈 Process > OutcomesCelebrate velocity and good experiment design over wins. Build a culture that praises rapid iteration and learning rather than just successful tests. This keeps teams motivated through the inevitable failures.6/ 🎯 Structured decisions > Gut callsUse formal prioritization frameworks (like RICE) to evaluate experiments. This makes decision-making transparent, coachable, and helps surface non-obvious winners that might get overlooked.7/ 🔍 Business metrics > Vanity metricsDon't trust surface-level engagement metrics (opens, clicks). One push notification test looked like a 10% loser on engagement but drove 10% more orders. Always measure what matters to the business.8/ 👥 Leadership taste > Perfect metricsWhile good metrics matter, having leadership with strong product taste is crucial for maintaining quality. The best defense against growth tactics degrading product quality is experienced leaders who can spot and stop harmful optimization.

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Where to find Alexey Komissarouk:

* Blog: https://alexeymk.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexeymk/

* X: https://x.com/alexeymk

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In this episode, we cover:

00:00 Introduction and Background 01:15 Experimentation and Growth Engineering 01:33 Measuring Experiment Success 04:22 Defining Growth Engineering 07:15 When to Hire Growth Engineers 26:55 Understanding SaaS Business Metrics 28:06 Industry Variations in Growth Strategies 29:59 Navigating Regulatory Challenges in Growth Engineering 30:40 The Intersection of Marketing and Engineering 34:26 Skills for Growth Engineering 36:19 Learning from Others in Growth Engineering 39:22 Counterintuitive Experiment Results 41:56 The Importance of Metrics in Marketing 44:33 Incentive Design in Business 46:51 Leadership and Quality Control in Growth Engineering 49:09 Balancing Short-Term and Long-Term Goals 51:35 Building a Culture of Experimentation 57:46 Innovative Pricing Strategies 01:02:05 Growth Engineering Beyond Subscriptions

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Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them.

Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

—

Mike Taylor is the CEO and Co-Founder of Rally, an AI audience simulation platform that allows marketers to run synthetic focus groups. Before founding Rally, Mike co-founded Ladder, a 50-person growth marketing agency, as well as Vexpower, a simulation-based learning platform for marketers.

Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…

1/ 🎯 Live in the Future, Act in the PresentThe future exists, it's just not evenly distributed. Make intentional trips to tech hubs like SF/NYC to soak up emerging trends, then bring those insights back home. You don't need to live there, but you do need to visit regularly.2/ 💰 Status vs. Money: Choose Your PathWant status? Get in super early. Want profit? Join right before mainstream. But always optimize for money first—it buys freedom to pursue what truly interests you later. The sweet spot is often right before mass adoption.3/ 🤖 AI Automation = Creative Freedom When you automate the mundane parts of your job, you have two choices: work less or work on more interesting things. The real opportunity is using that freed-up time to pursue creative projects that AI can't replicate.4/ 🎯 The NCO EffectPosition yourself as the "non-commissioned officer" between AI strategy and execution. Humans excel at making creative, contextual decisions that bridge high-level planning and ground-level implementation.5/ 📝 Content Marketing 2.0The future isn't about pumping out 3500-word SEO articles—AI can do that. Success lies in finding and amplifying authentic stories, acting more like a journalist than a content factory.6/ 🎨 Test Small, Scale SmartStart by doing things manually, then automate once you've proven the process works. The progression: Do it manually → Create saved prompts → Automate with no-code tools → Build custom solutions.7/ 🎯 The 60/90 RuleBlog posts drove 60% of direct leads but influenced 90% of all deals. Don't write for decision-makers—write for the experts who influence them. Your content builds credibility with the recommenders.8/ 🤝 Network Like a ConnectorEvents aren't about meeting clients directly—they're about meeting people who know potential clients. Focus on being someone others are excited to recommend rather than selling directly.

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Where to find Mike Taylor:

* Rally: https://askrally.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjt145/

* X: https://x.com/hammer_mt

—

In this episode, we cover:

00:00 Intro and Welcome 00:39 The Journey into AI and Marketing 03:23 Navigating the AI Landscape 06:17 Status vs. Money in Business 09:06 The Birth of Rally 12:30 Understanding Rally's Purpose and Functionality 25:10 Experimenting with AI and Predicting Viral Headlines 27:59 Understanding Human Behavior Through AI 29:51 The Art of Prompt Engineering 37:04 Building an Uno Game with AI 45:55 Automating Tasks with AI 52:52 The Future of Creativity and AI 58:19 Value-Based Pricing and Client Perceptions 01:00:22 Automation and Freedom in Writing 01:01:17 AI's Role in Marketing Synthesis 01:03:29 The Future of Marketing Roles 01:07:45 The Evolution of Marketing Strategies 01:11:23 Insights from Working with Major Brands 01:17:07 Creative Hiring Strategies for Agencies

—

Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them.

Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

—

Ryan Delk is the CEO and Founder of Primer, a platform that helps the top 1% of teachers launch microschools in their communities, and he’s spent the last decade building tech companies like Square, Gumroad, and Omni.

Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…

1/ 🎯 High Agency > High Experience: The best leaders aren't just experienced—they believe they can shape outcomes through action. Look for people who take ownership and drive results, regardless of their background or years of experience.

2/ 🔄 Unit Economics Are Physics: No amount of growth can overcome broken unit economics. At Omni, even with best-in-class optimization, delivery costs couldn't compete with Amazon-normalized pricing expectations. Know your numbers before scaling.

3/ 🎓 Teachers Are Natural Entrepreneurs: Great educators already have key founder traits—managing ""customers"" (parents), handling budgets, and leading teams. The key is giving them tools and removing bureaucracy to let their entrepreneurial spirit thrive.

4/ 🔍 Talent Discovery > Talent Competition: Build structural advantages by finding exceptional people from non-traditional backgrounds. Focus on undiscovered talent (young or career-switchers) rather than competing for the same Stanford/Google pool.

5/ 🏗️ Market Problems Need Market-Level Solutions: When facing regulatory roadblocks, sometimes you need to change the system instead of just working within it. Primer's success in changing Florida education law shows the power of tackling root causes.

6/ 💪 Quality Control Through Technology: Scale quality by building systems that automate quality control. Primer's platform tracks learning velocity and suggests corrections, allowing less-experienced teachers to deliver consistent results.

7/ ⚡ Speed vs. Quality is a False Choice: Top performers can maintain extremely high quality while moving quickly. The key is finding truly exceptional people and giving them the tools and autonomy to execute.

8/ 🎯 Mission Drives Retention: When tackling universal problems few are addressing (like education), mission alignment becomes your strongest retention tool. Top talent will choose impact over traditional career paths when given real agency to drive change.

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Where to find Ryan Delk:

* Primer Microschools: https://primer.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delk/

* X: https://x.com/delk

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In this episode, we cover:

00:00 The Journey Begins: From Banking to Tech 05:07 Square's Hyper-Growth: Lessons Learned 09:27 The Talent Advantage: Attracting Undiscovered Talent 14:24 Building a Team: The Importance of Barrels 20:32 Gumroad: Navigating Growth and Pricing Strategies 27:08 The Indie Creator Movement: Word of Mouth Success 37:21 Sustainable Growth: Avoiding Reliance on Big Launches 37:35 Navigating Different Business Models 38:58 Lessons from Building Omni 42:17 The Trojan Horse of Rentals 45:09 Customer Acquisition Strategies 48:15 Understanding Business Equations 49:56 The Birth of Primer 53:09 Pivoting to Micro Schools 56:58 The Entrepreneurial Spirit of Teachers 59:31 High Agency in Education 01:02:23 Lightning Round

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Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them.