As influencers in the New Media Machine, we can’t win the game for attention alone. We need allies to help us accomplish our mission. What are the three kinds of allies you need in your business? Why should the bulk of our critical media options be done inhouse, and what are the steps you need to take to make that happen? How do new media marketing managers help us in our mission to win attention? In this episode, I talk about how to build your business with the right allies and activities.

One of the biggest misconceptions about influencer marketing is that we should be going after the mega influencers with over a million followers. Why shouldn’t we be targeting the big names? How can we define micro-influencers and what kind of ROI and engagement can we expect? What is the earmark of a good micro-influencer? How do we kickstart the relationship between the client and the influencer, and what does a win-win look like? On this episode, influencer marketing expert and founder of Digital Everything Consulting, Susana Yee shares on the different types and levels of influencers, having experience as an influencer as well as a consultant, and how to track the results of influencer marketing campaigns.

In the journey to discovering your special X-factor, how we view branding and positioning is very important. What are some of the mistakes people make when it comes to brand marketing? How does personal branding connect to podcasts? On this episode, I talk to Millo founder and Freelance to Founder podcast host, Brandon Hull about my entrepreneurial journey and the lessons learned along the way.

For a lot of agency leaders, coaches and consultants, balancing different sides of the business can be a huge challenge. When you have this kind of setup, why is it so important for them be wrapped around one idea? When it comes to improving a sales funnel, why do we need to take a step back and go back to the messaging? How do repetition, language, numbers and tactics play into it? What are some of the key launch lessons we can learn from 7-figure online entrepreneurs? On this episode, copywriter and brand coach, Kate Dramis shares on positioning ourselves effectively, why we shouldn’t focus on the assets when a sales funnel isn’t producing results and getting clarity.

One of the biggest and most costly mistakes agencies make is not having a defined system for hiring employees, and not assessing the people they do hire. What are some of the things we need to build into our hiring system to weed out the people that aren’t a good fit? How can we use questionnaires, Sparkhire and interviews to systematize and simplify the hiring process? Where can we go to find high quality talent? On this episode, Blissful Prospecting co-founder, Jason Bay is back to talk about how to hire right and build a system for it.

The biggest game-changer in professional services is being profitable without staying on the hamster wheel. Why is it so common for agency leaders to throw themselves under the bus by not paying themselves a 6-figure salary? How do we optimize our FTE, and why is this a key metric in profitability? What does it take to get out of the implementation trap? On this episode, Karl Sakas shares the most common growing pains of digital agencies and how to overcome them.

One of the biggest shifts we have to make as entrepreneurs is trusting that the answers for what direction to take are within us, instead of constantly trying to find the answers externally. How can we work on getting clear on that? How does a coach help us through this, and why do we need the outside voice and lens of someone else? Why are podcasts so effective for building relationships? On this episode, Lead Cookie founder and host of the podcast, Working Without Pants, Jake Jorgovan shares on why referral partnerships are key in building our businesses, the power of coaching and mentorship, and the path he’s taking with his business.

When it comes to the stories we tell about our brands, our methods and techniques often fall short of good and effective storytelling, and connecting with the customer. What are some of the key elements we need to weave into our stories in order for them to be epic, and how do we tell them in simple but colorful language? Why is radio the most powerful storytelling medium, and what can we learn from it? Why are verbs a very important part of epic storytelling? On this episode, communication strategist, and author of Branding with Powerful Stories: The Villains, Victims, and Heroes Model, Greg Stone talks about the biggest mistakes we make in our storytelling.

Most people believe that imposter syndrome doesn’t exist at the highest levels of management and corporate life, but it’s actually more common there. What are some of the factors about rising to the highest echelons that increase impostor syndrome and suppress self awareness? How do we create a working environment that inspires better self-awareness, vulnerability and behavior change? How does the way we internally deal with failure get mirrored in our businesses? On this episode, executive coach, speaker, and creator of the number 1 team building game, Cards Against Mundanity, Jason Treu answers these questions and shares how to work on imposter syndrome.

Many marketers spend most of their time experimenting with platforms trying to get free attention and free reach, instead of perfecting the message, and then getting that message in front of more of the right people. What is the best progression of owned, earned and paid media that will give our strategies the results we actually want. Why is it a waste to put money behind the message that isn’t unique or controversial enough? On this episode, strategic content marketer and founder of the Brain Wheel, Simon Lamey, shares why you shouldn’t skip earned media and how to get a social media strategy to work.