SHOW NOTES:

This is Part 2 of 2.

In this engaging conversation, Ty Gipson interviews Trippy Saxon, a legend in the sporting goods industry. Trippy shares his inspiring journey from growing up in Meridian, Mississippi, to overcoming various adversities in sports and life. He discusses his transition from college to a successful career in sales, particularly at Russell Athletic, and the lessons learned along the way. Trippy emphasizes the importance of a positive mindset, resilience, and the value of education, culminating in his recent achievement of returning to college to earn his degree. The conversation also touches on his newfound passion for pickleball and the life lessons that come with it.

Takeaways

• Growing up in Meridian, Mississippi, Trippy had a supportive community and great athletic facilities.
• Trippy overcame a broken arm before the Little League World Series, demonstrating resilience.
• He transitioned from baseball to tennis, eventually winning a state championship in mixed doubles.
• Trippy's door-to-door sales experience taught him valuable life lessons about perseverance.
• He paid for his education by selling cable TV during summer breaks.
• Trippie returned to Mississippi State to complete his degree decades later, proving it's never too late.
• His career in the sporting goods industry spanned over 32 years, marked by integrity and dedication.
• Trippie emphasizes the importance of a positive attitude in achieving success.
• He recently won a national championship in pickleball, showcasing his continued passion for sports.

SHOW NOTES:

In this engaging conversation, Ty Gipson interviews Trippy Saxon, a legend in the sporting goods industry. Trippy shares his inspiring journey from growing up in Meridian, Mississippi, to overcoming various adversities in sports and life. He discusses his transition from college to a successful career in sales, particularly at Russell Athletic, and the lessons learned along the way. Trippy emphasizes the importance of a positive mindset, resilience, and the value of education, culminating in his recent achievement of returning to college to earn his degree. The conversation also touches on his newfound passion for pickleball and the life lessons that come with it.

Takeaways

• Growing up in Meridian, Mississippi, Trippy had a supportive community and great athletic facilities.
• Trippy overcame a broken arm before the Little League World Series, demonstrating resilience.
• He transitioned from baseball to tennis, eventually winning a state championship in mixed doubles.
• Trippy's door-to-door sales experience taught him valuable life lessons about perseverance.
• He paid for his education by selling cable TV during summer breaks.
• Trippie returned to Mississippi State to complete his degree decades later, proving it's never too late.
• His career in the sporting goods industry spanned over 32 years, marked by integrity and dedication.
• Trippie emphasizes the importance of a positive attitude in achieving success.
• He recently won a national championship in pickleball, showcasing his continued passion for sports.

The Marketing Drive

Short marketing message that you can use right now!

Vanity Metrics vs. Money Metrics

Short marketing message that you can use right now!

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Marketing Drive, Chris Doelle tackles one of the biggest time-wasters in modern marketing: vanity metrics. While business owners obsess over likes, followers, and impressions, these numbers rarely translate to actual revenue. Chris breaks down the critical difference between metrics that make you feel busy and metrics that make you money. He introduces a simple three-part framework—Conversations, Conversions, and Cash—that will help you focus on what actually grows your business. If you've been checking your social media analytics more than your bank account, this episode is your wake-up call.

Key Takeaways

• Vanity metrics (likes, followers, impressions) make you feel productive but don't pay the bills
• Social platforms want you to care about engagement because it keeps you on their platform—not because it helps your business
• Money metrics are the only numbers that matter: Conversations, Conversions, and Cash
• Conversations = Real interactions that could lead to sales (calls, DMs, emails with questions)
• Conversions = People taking the action you actually want (booking calls, filling forms, making purchases)
• Cash = The only metric that truly matters—how much revenue did your marketing generate?
• If a metric going up doesn't directly lead to more money, stop tracking it
• You get what you measure—optimize for the right things

The Reality Check

The Problem: A business with 10,000 followers and no revenue has a hobby, not a business. A business with 200 followers that's booked solid has a real business.

Real Client Example: Small local service business obsessed with Facebook page likes. They ran ads for page likes and posted three times daily for engagement. After shifting focus to tracking website visits, contact form submissions, and actual customers, their engagement metrics went DOWN—but their revenue went UP.

Your Action Steps

Do This Right After Listening:

1. The Audit: Open your analytics dashboard (Facebook Insights, Instagram Analytics, etc.)

2. The Question: For each metric, ask yourself: "If this number goes up, do I make more money?"

3. The Cut: If the answer is no or "maybe eventually," stop tracking it

4. The Shift: Open a spreadsheet or grab a notebook and create three columns:

   • Conversations this week
   • Conversions this week
   • Cash generated this week

5. The Habit: Review these three numbers every Friday

6. The Commitment: Stop checking vanity metrics. Delete the apps if you have to.

Episode Quotes

"Likes don't pay your rent. Followers don't cover payroll. Impressions don't buy groceries."

"Vanity metrics make you FEEL like you're marketing, but they're not making you MONEY."

"If you've got 10,000 followers and you're broke, you don't have a business—you have a hobby with a big audience."

"You get what you measure. If you measure likes, you'll optimize for likes. If you measure cash, you'll optimize for cash."

The Three Money Metrics Framework

1. CONVERSATIONS Real dialogue that indicates interest

• Phone calls about your service
• DMs asking questions
• Emails requesting information
• In-person inquiries

2. CONVERSIONS Actions that move people toward becoming customers

• Booked consultations
• Downloaded lead magnets
• Completed contact forms
• Store visits
• Cart additions

3. CASH Revenue generated from your marketing efforts

• Sales closed
• Contracts signed
• Money in the bank
• ROI on marketing spend

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

© 2025 Lone Star Podcast Network

Episode Length: Approximately 5-6 minutes

Category: Marketing, Business, Entrepreneurship

Tags: #marketing #vanitymetrics #businessgrowth #socialmedia #roi #smallbusiness #entrepreneurship #marketingstrategy #conversions #revenue

SHOW NOTES:

In this engaging conversation, Ty Gipson interviews Trippy Saxon, a legend in the sporting goods industry. Trippy shares his inspiring journey from growing up in Meridian, Mississippi, to overcoming various adversities in sports and life. He discusses his transition from college to a successful career in sales, particularly at Russell Athletic, and the lessons learned along the way. Trippy emphasizes the importance of a positive mindset, resilience, and the value of education, culminating in his recent achievement of returning to college to earn his degree. The conversation also touches on his newfound passion for pickleball and the life lessons that come with it.

Takeaways

• Growing up in Meridian, Mississippi, Trippy had a supportive community and great athletic facilities.
• Trippy overcame a broken arm before the Little League World Series, demonstrating resilience.
• He transitioned from baseball to tennis, eventually winning a state championship in mixed doubles.
• Trippy's door-to-door sales experience taught him valuable life lessons about perseverance.
• He paid for his education by selling cable TV during summer breaks.
• Trippie returned to Mississippi State to complete his degree decades later, proving it's never too late.
• His career in the sporting goods industry spanned over 32 years, marked by integrity and dedication.
• Trippie emphasizes the importance of a positive attitude in achieving success.
• He recently won a national championship in pickleball, showcasing his continued passion for sports.

This Week in Victoria 123125 Season 13, Episode 08 Welcome to This Week in Victoria! Each week, Brother Gary Moses and Chris Doelle sit down and go over all the happenings in the Crossroads area.

Chris and Gary encourage everyone to go out and support the sponsors and local events mentioned.

Texas Treecycle Here's the Scoop JE Ranch Services Adopt-A-Hive LaVaca BBQ Board Game Legends Fresh Media Works

Theme music is Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com

SHOW NOTES:

In this engaging conversation, Ty Gipson interviews Trippy Saxon, a legend in the sporting goods industry. Trippy shares his inspiring journey from growing up in Meridian, Mississippi, to overcoming various adversities in sports and life. He discusses his transition from college to a successful career in sales, particularly at Russell Athletic, and the lessons learned along the way. Trippy emphasizes the importance of a positive mindset, resilience, and the value of education, culminating in his recent achievement of returning to college to earn his degree. The conversation also touches on his newfound passion for pickleball and the life lessons that come with it.

Takeaways

• Growing up in Meridian, Mississippi, Trippy had a supportive community and great athletic facilities.
• Trippy overcame a broken arm before the Little League World Series, demonstrating resilience.
• He transitioned from baseball to tennis, eventually winning a state championship in mixed doubles.
• Trippy's door-to-door sales experience taught him valuable life lessons about perseverance.
• He paid for his education by selling cable TV during summer breaks.
• Trippie returned to Mississippi State to complete his degree decades later, proving it's never too late.
• His career in the sporting goods industry spanned over 32 years, marked by integrity and dedication.
• Trippie emphasizes the importance of a positive attitude in achieving success.
• He recently won a national championship in pickleball, showcasing his continued passion for sports.

AI Assembled 122925 Season 03, Episode 04

AI Assembled is a cutting-edge podcast where AI takes center stage. Hosted by Chris Doelle, the show features content sourced by ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, Deep Seek, Manus, and others and expertly crafted into engaging discussions through Genspark. Each episode dives into the latest developments in artificial intelligence, blending human insight with the power of machine-generated storytelling. Tune in to explore how AI is reshaping industries, all with the help of innovative AI tools working behind the scenes.

📋 10 Fresh Stories (Dec 22-29, 2024)

1. OpenAI o3 (Dec 20) - Reasoning AI with 96.7% math score
2. Mark Cuban Advice (Dec 26) - New grads should help SMBs with AI
3. South Korea AI Act (Dec 26) - 2nd country with comprehensive AI law
4. ChatGPT Advertising - Coming 2026, conversational ad paradigm
5. Trump AI Executive Order (Dec 11) - Federal vs state regulation
6. Amazon Nova AI Suite - Free tools: Canvas, Reel, Project Amelia
7. Meta GenAI (Dec 23) - 1M advertisers, 15M ads in one month
8. Insightly Copilot - Conversational CRM assistant launched
9. Squarespace Pay Links - Simple payment URLs
10. Action Plan - 5 concrete AI steps for SMBs

Hashtags #AIAssembled #SmallBusiness #AINews #SMB #ArtificialIntelligence #BusinessTech #Entrepreneurship #AIAdoption #Gemini3 #MicrosoftCopilot

Resources Mentioned Business Success Academy - Want hands-on help implementing AI in your business? Visit: FreshMediaWorks.com/bsa

Contact & Subscribe Spotify, iTunes Chris Doelle - X:@chrisdoelle, Facebook (Chris Doelle), LinkedIn (Chris Doelle) AI Consultant • Podcaster • Author • Speaker

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/48q8bOBoLwOHPG449CS3QF
• Apple iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ai-assembled/id1773890257

SHOW NOTES:

In this engaging conversation, Ty Gipson interviews Trippy Saxon, a legend in the sporting goods industry. Trippy shares his inspiring journey from growing up in Meridian, Mississippi, to overcoming various adversities in sports and life. He discusses his transition from college to a successful career in sales, particularly at Russell Athletic, and the lessons learned along the way. Trippy emphasizes the importance of a positive mindset, resilience, and the value of education, culminating in his recent achievement of returning to college to earn his degree. The conversation also touches on his newfound passion for pickleball and the life lessons that come with it.

Takeaways

• Growing up in Meridian, Mississippi, Trippy had a supportive community and great athletic facilities.
• Trippy overcame a broken arm before the Little League World Series, demonstrating resilience.
• He transitioned from baseball to tennis, eventually winning a state championship in mixed doubles.
• Trippy's door-to-door sales experience taught him valuable life lessons about perseverance.
• He paid for his education by selling cable TV during summer breaks.
• Trippie returned to Mississippi State to complete his degree decades later, proving it's never too late.
• His career in the sporting goods industry spanned over 32 years, marked by integrity and dedication.
• Trippie emphasizes the importance of a positive attitude in achieving success.
• He recently won a national championship in pickleball, showcasing his continued passion for sports.

Summary

In this conversation, Amy Babster and Rob Nichols discuss their experiences with AI in creative design, particularly focusing on their work with Sora. They explore the potential and limitations of AI in producing realistic designs, highlighting the challenges they face in achieving accuracy and authenticity in their projects.

Takeaways

• We're starting to dabble with AI. • The AI is smart, but it can be really stupid sometimes. • There's a lot of tweaking that still has to happen. • The top of the foot looks really long or over arched. • You nailed the product, but not the foot. • AI can enhance creative processes but has limitations. • Realism in design is a significant challenge with AI. • Exploring AI tools like Sora can lead to innovative solutions. • Creative design requires continuous iteration and feedback. • AI's role in art is evolving, but human input remains crucial.

Summary

The conversation explores the journey of a Gilson Snowboards from its inception, highlighting the challenges and innovative spirit of its founders as they transitioned from ideas to actual products, and the importance of feedback in their development process.

Takeaways

• They revisited the idea of a three-dimensionally-based snowboard. • After several failures, they found success in Colorado. • They had limited funds but took a leap of faith. • Started building snowboards in a donkey stable. • Their first CNC machine was in a stable next to a donkey. • They packed their first 20 snowboards into an Airstream. • Drove around to meet riders and gather feedback. • The company started 13 years ago with humble beginnings. • Feedback from riders was crucial for their development. • The journey reflects the spirit of entrepreneurship.