Is Anything Real?

Nuria Garcia of NbN Marketing joins me for a raw dive into the behind-the-scenes reality of creator-led growth. From ad platform bias to client miseducation, this episode unpacks the truth about scaling creative work with integrity, even when it gets messy.

We cover:

• The hidden constraints behind Meta Ads and TikTok
• What Nuria does when client scripts kill performance
• Why real storytelling still wins in 2025
• Building an agency while creating content for 3M+ views

🔗 Learn more about Nuria’s work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nbnmarketing/

🎧 Subscribe to the podcast: https://isanythingrealinpaidadvertising.adamwbarney.com

AI may be getting flashier, but is it making your creative work better or just…blobbier?

In this episode of Is Anything Real in Paid Advertising?, I sit down with Christina Magaña, Founder of Modish Creative and creative strategist behind some of the most vibrant, soulful branding campaigns in the game.

We dive into:

• Why AI-generated visuals are hitting a ceiling (and sometimes a wall)
• What agencies are missing when it comes to real creative impact
• How short-form video is helping founders cross from creator to closer
• The one underrated content format every agency should lean into

Plus: the 2010 Instagram personality that still lives inside ChatGPT and how Christina trains her clients to break free from emoji-and-em-dash chaos.

It’s raw, real, and wildly creative.

🔗 Follow Christina & Modish Creative

Instagram: @modishcreativeco

Website: modishcreative.com
Christina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristinamodish/

🎯 Subscribe & explore more at: https://isanythingrealinpaidadvertising.adamwbarney.com/

Is AI driving deeper connections, or just more noise?

In this episode, I’m joined by Nathalie Doremieux, Co-Founder of Podcast LeadFlow, who reveals how to transform podcast listeners into qualified leads through strategic AI-powered conversations. We unpack how the Human → AI → Human model outperforms generic automation, and why quality, not quantity is the future of podcast monetization.

From membership site mastery to funnel strategy that doesn’t sacrifice humanity, Nathalie breaks down what most agency owners are missing and how to fix it.

🎯 Topics we dig into:

• What most podcasters are getting wrong about ROI
• How to train AI to think like you using context and prompts
• The future of lead gen through audio: Podcast LeadFlow’s approach
• Moving from passive listeners to high-intent leads
• Why personalization scales better than spam

🔗 Learn more about Podcast LeadFlow: https://podcastleadflow.com

👋 Say hi to Nathalie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathaliedoremieux/

🚨 Subscribe for more: https://isanythingrealinpaidadvertising.adamwbarney.com

Performance Max can scale. But only if you control the inputs.

Otherwise? You’re handing the wheel to a robot with no map.

In this episode of Is Anything Real in Paid Advertising?, I’m joined by Ben Lund, founder of Rise Marketing Group and ex-Googler, to unpack what’s real...and what’s wildly misunderstood...about AI-driven campaigns in 2025.

We get into:

⚙️ The real value of human strategy in an AI world

📉 Why Performance Max fails when left unchecked

🧠 The mindset behind building a 7-figure agency that’s still human-first

👀 Why automation without alignment is just budget drain

💡 If you’ve ever felt the gap between AI promise and real ROI…this one’s for you.

🔗 Listen + learn more at risemkg.com and connect with Ben

In this kickoff episode of Is Anything Real in Paid Advertising?, I sit down with Kristi Broom, Co-Founder of Rising Tide Cooperative to talk candidly about building inclusive cultures, evolving leadership identities, and embracing AI without losing your edge.

We dive into:

• Scaling while staying grounded in your values
• Using transparency and empathy as strategic tools
• Why “being in the weeds” on purpose is part of Kristi’s leadership playbook
• The magic of brave spaces over just “safe” ones

📬 Kristi’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kristibroom

🌱 Rising Tide Cooperative: risingtidecooperative.com

📅 June Intensive (June 24–25): risingtidecooperative.com/#workshops

💸 Use code June2025RTC for $500 off — valid through June 30, 2025.

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🎧 Listen + subscribe: https://isanythingrealinpaidadvertising.adamwbarney.com/subscribe

⚡ Host: Adam W. Barney – Energy Coach | adamwbarney.com

🎯 Running a $250K–$5M agency? Join the mastermind.

🎙 Want to be a guest on "Is Anything Real in Paid Advertising?"

If you’re an agency founder, marketer, or platform expert with strong opinions and battle-tested strategies, we want to hear from you.

Welcome to Is Anything Real? — the reality-first leadership show for founders and operators who are done with business theater.

Hosted by Adam W. Barney (Transition Leadership EnergyOS coach + author of Make Your Own Glass Half Full), each episode delivers a Reality Check, a Proof Stack (inputs → actions → outcomes), and one move you can run this week...so you scale without burnout or BS.

👉 Book a Transition Leadership Foundation Call (20 min) with me: https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min

📌 New episodes drop weekly.