Summary In this episode of the Building Brands podcast, host Braden Popp speaks with Julia Sosa, Chief Experience Officer at Pumpkin, a pet insurance company. Julia shares her journey with Pumpkin, emphasizing the importance of customer experience and the unique needs of pet owners. The conversation delves into the launch of their new service, Pumpkin Now, and the challenges of rolling out a unified marketing strategy. Julia discusses the balance between educating pet owners and engaging with trends on social media, highlighting the company's commitment to service and community engagement as they look to the future.

Takeaways

• Julia Sosa emphasizes the importance of customer experience in pet insurance. • Pumpkin targets pet owners who are highly bonded to their pets. • The company focuses on understanding the unique needs of pet owners. • Pumpkin Now was launched to provide urgent support for high-cost veterinary bills. • Marketing strategies must cater to both pet owners and veterinary partners. • Education about pet insurance is crucial due to low awareness. • Social media engagement is key for building community among pet owners. • Pumpkin leverages customer stories to connect with their audience. • The company aims to differentiate itself in a growing pet insurance market. • Future growth will focus on enhancing service and customer experience.

The Marketing Drive

Short marketing message that you can use right now!

AI, Branding, and the Future of Search

Short marketing message that you can use right now!

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Marketing Drive, Chris Doelle discusses the significant shift from traditional Google searches to AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT. He explains why this change makes branding more crucial than ever for businesses, especially small businesses. Chris argues that in the AI era, visibility is not about ad spend but about creating substantive content that establishes expertise and authority. He provides actionable strategies for building a strong AI-first brand, emphasizing the power of podcasting and consistent, high-quality content.

Key Takeaways

• The Shift from Google to AI Search: People are increasingly using AI chatbots for answers, which provide a single, conversational response instead of a list of links. This fundamentally changes how businesses get discovered.
• AI Ads vs. Google Ads: AI ad space will be limited and expensive, favoring large corporations. Small businesses can't compete on ad spend and must focus on becoming the organic recommendation.
• Branding is the New SEO: AI models learn from the vast amount of content on the internet. To be recommended by an AI, your brand needs to be consistently associated with expertise and authority in your field.
• Volume and Substance are Key: To build your AI brand, you need to produce a high volume of substantive content. This means consistently sharing real insights and valuable information, not just fluff or engagement bait.
• The Power of Podcasts: Podcasts are a powerful tool for building your AI footprint. A single podcast interview can provide thousands of words of transcribed content, signaling deep expertise to AI models.

Actionable Advice (Homework)

1. Audit Your Social Media: Review your last 20 social media posts and assess how many of them demonstrate genuine expertise that would teach an AI about what you do.
2. Get on Podcasts: Identify 10 podcasts in your industry and pitch yourself as a guest. One podcast interview a month can significantly boost your AI visibility.
3. Commit to Substantive Posting: Set a goal to post valuable content 3-5 times a week. Answer real customer questions and share your expertise to teach the AI who you are.

Mentioned Resources

•FreshMediaWorks.com: Chris Doelle's company that helps businesses with content strategy and podcasting.

Resources

Need help turning your marketing into a revenue-generating machine?

Visit www.freshmediaworks.com to find out how Chris can help you get more customers.

Have a question or want to be featured on the show? Call the voicemail line: 713-568-6361

About the Show

The Marketing Drive brings you short, actionable marketing messages you can use right now. Each episode, host Chris Doelle shares tips, tricks, and tidbits of marketing wisdom in bite-sized episodes perfect for your commute. No fluff, no theory—just practical advice you can implement immediately to get more customers and grow your business.

About Chris Doelle

Chris Doelle is a marketing expert, 18-year podcasting veteran, author, speaker, broadcaster, and game designer. He makes marketing fun and helps businesses cut through the noise to focus on what actually works. Based in Texas, Chris has been helping business owners get more customers through practical, no-BS marketing strategies that deliver real results.

Produced by Fresh Media Works http://www.freshmediaworks.com

© 2026 Lone Star Podcast Network

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Summary

In this conversation, Matthew Witenstein discusses the key factors that have contributed to the growth of the Arizona SunRays, emphasizing the importance of their dedicated team and the strong community ties that have developed over the years. He highlights how long-term relationships with staff and clients have fostered a shared vision and mission, enabling the organization to expand its programs while maintaining its core values.

Takeaways

• Our people are the foundation of our growth. • Long-term relationships with staff enhance community. • Generational involvement strengthens our mission. • Faith in our team drives expansion. • Understanding our vision is crucial for success. • Community ties are essential for program development. • A shared mission fosters loyalty and commitment. • Growth is possible through dedicated personnel. • The heart of the business remains unchanged. • Expansion does not compromise core values.

Summary

In this conversation, Ticket Smarter's Jeff Goodman discusses the evolving landscape of ticketing and how consumer behavior is changing in relation to attending concerts and shows. He emphasizes the need to adapt to these changes and the potential future trends in ticket purchasing.

Takeaways

• How people look for tickets five years from now could look different. • Consumer behavior towards concerts is ever-evolving. • Technology will play a significant role in ticketing. • Understanding these changes is crucial for businesses. • The ticketing industry must adapt to new consumer habits. • Future ticketing may involve more digital solutions. • The experience of attending concerts is changing. • Engagement with audiences is becoming more important. • Data analytics will influence ticket sales strategies. • Anticipating consumer needs will drive innovation.

Summary

In this episode of Rosman Radio, Rob Nichols interviews Eric Mayer, CEO of New Day Diagnostics, a company focused on making cancer screening more accessible and convenient. They discuss the company's journey from research and development to commercialization, the challenges of marketing in a regulated industry, and the importance of direct-to-consumer strategies. Eric shares insights on navigating regulatory landscapes, scaling the business, and the future of cancer diagnostics, including plans for international expansion and innovations in testing.

Takeaways

• New Day Diagnostics aims to democratize cancer testing. • The company has a lean team focused on innovation. • Direct-to-patient marketing is a key strategy. • Regulatory challenges are significant in the medical field. • Creating urgency for screenings is crucial for awareness. • User experience is vital for patient engagement. • The company is expanding into international markets. • Continuous improvement in testing methods is a priority. • The rise of at-home testing reflects changing patient needs. • Cancer awareness is increasing, especially among younger demographics.

Summary

The conversation explores the challenges faced in converting an educational campaign about carbon dioxide removal into sales, highlighting unexpected global interest and outreach. Laura Katayama of Thanks a Ton explains.

Takeaways

• It's been really difficult to pivot or to turn this education campaign into sales. • We've been very successful with getting the word out about carbon dioxide removal. • Unexpected global interest in carbon removal has emerged. • People contact us from all around the world on a regular basis. • The introduction of carbon removal to diverse groups is impactful. • Awareness can spread beyond targeted demographics. • Social media plays a significant role in awareness. • Education campaigns can lead to unexpected outreach. • The challenge lies in converting awareness to action. • Global conversations about climate change are essential.

Summary

Alysse Asaro welcomed Sharon Lechter, who discussed her business philosophy centered on solving a problem or serving a need, the "Power of Association" through partnerships with trusted brands, and the necessity for leaders to hire younger team members to stay ahead of changing business tactics. Lechter emphasized the importance of data-driven, measurable marketing, delegating complex tasks, and focusing on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to promote her core mission of elevating financial well-being. Lechter shared that a critical financial issue is chasing salary instead of building income-producing assets, which will be discussed in her new book, Old Wealth, New Wealth, True Wealth, which redefines wealth as time freedom and quality of life.

Takeaways

• Introduction and Business Philosophy Alysse Asaro welcomed Sharon Lechter, a five-time New York Times bestselling author and advisor to two US presidents, known for building and exiting global brands like the Rich Dad Company. Sharon Lechter's business approach centers on solving a problem or serving a need, which has guided them across multiple industries, including starting a woman's magazine and building the Rich Dad Company before the internet. Lechter emphasized the "Power of Association" as a constant principle throughout their career, involving partnerships with trusted brands like Disney and Sesame Street to gain consumer trust. • Adaptation and Core Competencies in Business Sharon Lechter noted that while business tactics have changed significantly with the rise of the internet, the core principle of the power of association remains strong. Lechter stressed the importance for CEOs and leaders to stay ahead of the curve by hiring younger team members to leverage the latest technology and to continuously test messaging across different platforms, acknowledging that success requires discipline and grit. Lechter highlighted the necessity of not getting comfortable and paying attention to evolving consumer preferences, such as the shift from long-form content to short videos, and the declining effectiveness of platforms like Facebook ads due to algorithm changes. • Data-Driven Marketing and Delegation Sharon Lechter advised that any marketing method must be measurable, and companies need to understand their data and metrics, cautioning against throwing money at advertising without tracking results. Alysse Asaro agreed, noting the challenge of explaining to clients that marketing is no longer a "set it and forget it engine" and requires testing and attention to distinct buyer behaviors, such as the difference between clients like Saks Fifth Avenue and Airbnb. Lechter also supported the principle of delegation, where business owners focus on their zone of genius and hire experts to handle complex tasks like conversion rates and data analysis in a constantly changing marketing world. • Platform Focus and Future Plans Sharon Lechter shared that they are currently strong on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and podcast platforms, and are looking to increase their brand's presence on LinkedIn, while their team is also exploring TikTok due to the current political environment. Lechter stated that their core mission is to elevate the financial well-being of humanity, requiring them to be present where people are seeking financial help and offering affordable tools and resources. Lechter revealed that their passion for financial education stemmed from their own son's credit card debt in 1992, leading them to dedicate their professional life to simplifying complex financial subjects. • Financial Education Philosophy and New Book Sharon Lechter highlighted that a major financial issue is that most people are chasing salary and income instead of building, buying, and creating income-producing assets. Lechter's tagline is "Assets are sexy," advocating for investing in assets like real estate, paper assets, and intellectual property that become economic engines. Lechter announced a new book, Old Wealth, New Wealth, True Wealth, coming out in January, which redefines wealth, distinguishing between traditional "Old Wealth," fast-earning "New Wealth," and "True Wealth," defined as getting back one's time and having assets work for them. Lechter emphasized that True Wealth allows for quality of life and time with family, contrasting it with those who focus solely on money and lose their relationships.

Summary

In this episode of Rosman Radio, Rob Nichols interviews Dan Abel, co-founder and CEO of Pilot Project Brewing, an innovative incubator model for beverage brands. Dan shares his unique journey from the music industry to the beverage sector, explaining how Pilot Project functions like a record label for drinks, providing resources and support for new brands. The conversation delves into the marketing strategies employed by Pilot Project, including the importance of tasting rooms as focus groups and the role of influencer marketing. Dan also discusses future plans for expansion and fundraising efforts.

Takeaways

• Pilot Project Brewing acts as a record label for beverages. • The incubator model supports new beverage brands from idea to distribution. • Tasting rooms serve as focus groups for product validation. • Influencer marketing is crucial for brand awareness. • Building relationships with influencers is key to success. • Testing and learning are essential in marketing strategies. • Redundancy in marketing efforts enhances authenticity. • Statistics significance in testing can be achieved quickly. • Pilot Project aims to expand its presence in other markets. • Fundraising efforts are underway to support growth.

Summary

Alysse Asaro welcomed Sean McGraw of For Energy to Rossman Radio to discuss the evolving energy industry marketing landscape, where Sean McGraw explained that For Energy, originally focused on residential solar, has shifted its priority to energy efficiency due to industry changes. Sean McGraw advocated for a multi-channel marketing approach, ensuring no single lead source accounts for more than 20% of the total marketing mix, which Alysse Asaro affirmed is critical for continuous strategy management rather than a 'set it and forget it' method. The speakers discussed the shift to AI SEO, with Sean McGraw noting a lead received from ChatGPT, and they agreed that overall online credibility across platforms will determine rankability in AI engines. Sean McGraw emphasized that For Energy builds more value than what the price offered is, highlighting that human interaction will be increasingly important as technology advances, and stressed the necessity of constant vigilance in monitoring marketing spend and internal infrastructure, which Alysse Asaro agreed requires active client involvement for successful marketing partnerships.

Details

1. Alysse Asaro welcomed Sean McGraw of For Energy to Rossman Radio to discuss the evolving marketing landscape in the energy industry.

2. Sean McGraw emphasized that in marketing, what works one day may not work the next, making it essential to adapt.

3. Alysse noted that the agency world is seeing renewed interest in strategies that were previously less popular, with a current surge in inquiries for AI SEO due to platforms like ChatGPT becoming influential search engines for service-based businesses.

4. Discussing customer motivations, Sean McGraw acknowledged that most buyers seek the cheapest price, highest quality, and fastest timeline, which they consider an "impossible" combination for businesses to consistently provide.

5. Sean McGraw highlighted that relying too much on technology, such as AI, will increase the importance of face-to-face human interaction for building trust and connection in the foreseeable future.

6. Successful marketing partnerships require client involvement and a strong internal infrastructure, noting that their agency requires weekly client calls to ensure value is seen.

7. When asked for advice, Sean McGraw offered two habits: first, getting the body moving and blood flowing in the morning for clearer, more positive thinking. Second, he recommended reading 10 pages of a book daily to be a "student for life" and continuously educate oneself, as they believe that continually learning and surrounding oneself with the right people will open doors and lead to the next level.