More Coffee. Less Drama.

Social media works. That's not the argument.

The question is whether the amount of time you're putting into social media actually matches the role it plays in bringing customers to your business.

In this episode, we're looking at where small businesses spend their marketing time, where customers are actually coming from, and what might be getting neglected while we're busy making another Reel.

In This Episode

• How marketing somehow became synonymous with content creation
• What the research says about where small-business customers actually come from
• Why discovery and decision don't always happen in the same place
• How social media can support a sale without being responsible for the lead
• The real cost of “free” social media
• How to tell whether your marketing time is pointed in the right direction

Research + Reading

• LocaliQ: Small Business Marketing Trends Report 2026
• WordStream: The Big SMB Website Trends Report 2026
• Clutch: The New Rules of Brand Discovery
• Yext: 2026 Consumer Search Behaviors Report
• SpeakerFlow: 2026 State of the Industry Report
• HubSpot: 2026 Social Media Marketing Report

Let’s Connect

Instagram: @morecoffeelessdrama | @maplewildmarketing
Email: [email protected]
Website: Maplewild Marketing
Newsletter: Sign up for Now You Know

Why the heck does everyone keep telling you SEO is dead?

AI Overviews, ChatGPT, zero-click searches, GEO, AEO, LLMO... search has definitely changed. But does that mean everything you've been doing is suddenly obsolete?

In this Episode

We're sorting through what's actually changing in search, what hasn't changed nearly as much as the headlines would have you believe, and what small business owners should be paying attention to before they panic and rebuild their entire website.

• What's actually changing about how people search
• Why SEO is bigger than keywords and rankings
• What all those new AI-search acronyms mean, and how much you really need to care
• Why your Google Business Profile and reviews still matter
• The SEO tactics that are becoming obsolete
• What to focus on instead of chasing every new search trend

Research + Reading

• Neil Patel: SEO in the Age of AI
• Bain & Company: Goodbye Clicks, Hello AI: Zero-Click Search Redefines Marketing
• Search Engine Journal: Google’s Old Search Era Is Over. Here’s What 2026 SEO Will Really Look Like
• Entrepreneur: Is SEO Dead? Here’s What I’m Telling Every Client Who Asks Me in 2026

Let's Connect:

Instagram: @morecoffeelessdrama | @maplewildmarketing
Email: [email protected]
Website: Maplewild Marketing
Newsletter: Sign up for Now You Know

Hey, small business owner. I have some unfortunate news: you have to talk to people.

We have websites, social media, email, Google, AI, and approximately 400 ways to market a business without putting on real pants and leaving the house. But somewhere along the way, digital marketing started becoming a way to avoid the relationship part of running a small business.

In this episode, we're talking about what “showing up” actually looks like, why referrals and real conversations still matter, and why your marketing should help you build relationships, not give you an excuse to avoid them.

In This Episode

• Why digital marketing can't do all of the relationship-building for you
• What “showing up” actually looks like without becoming an influencer
• The referral opportunities small business owners often overlook
• How conversations with customers can make your marketing better
• When in-person marketing makes sense, and when it doesn't
• Why you might want to stop “networking” and start having conversations instead 

Research + Reading

• LocaliQ: Small Business Marketing Trends Report 2026
• Invesp: Referral Marketing Statistics

• Small Business Expo: Why Local Reputation Still Matters for Small Businesses

Resources Mentioned:

• Rising Tide Society
• BNI

Let’s Connect

Instagram: @morecoffeelessdrama | @maplewildmarketing
Email: [email protected]
Website: Maplewild Marketing
Newsletter: Sign up for Now You Know

What if some of the things we're working so hard to make easier are actually valuable because they require effort?

In this episode, we're talking about the work that builds your skills, teaches you about your customers, strengthens relationships, and makes your small business feel human.

Efficiency is great, but not everything worth doing needs to be optimized away.

In This Episode

• When efficiency stops being the goal
• What we risk losing when we automate too much
• Why customer conversations are more than just another task
• How doing the work can actually build your expertise
• Why small businesses don't need to compete with big businesses at volume
• How to decide what should stay human

Research + Reading

• Microsoft Research: The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking
• KPMG: Trust, Attitudes and Use of Artificial Intelligence
• American Psychological Association: How AI Is Reshaping Human Skills and Thinking
• Science News: Is AI Making Us Dumber? Maybe Not, but Our Skills Are at Risk

Let’s Connect

Instagram: @morecoffeelessdrama | @maplewildmarketing
Email: [email protected]
Website: Maplewild Marketing
Newsletter: Sign up for Now You Know

AI was supposed to save us time.

Somehow, we've turned it into another job.

In this episode, we're cutting through the AI noise to talk about what has actually changed, where AI can genuinely make running a small business easier, and where we need to be a whole lot more careful.

Because the question isn't “How much AI can I use?”

It's “Does this actually make my business better?”

• How AI became another thing small business owners are expected to master
• What has actually changed
• The boring AI wins that can save you real time
• Privacy, accuracy, security, and IP concerns
• When AI and automation can actually make things worse
• The More Coffee. Less Drama. AI Test

Research + Reading

JPMorganChase Institute: Understanding the Use of AI Among Small Businesses

Entrepreneur: Most Small Businesses Are Using AI. The Real Challenge Is Learning How to Use It Well

NFIB: Using AI for Your Small Business: Benefits, Risks, and Best Practices

Additional Resources

Cybersecurity: @cybersecuritygirl
Trademark + IP: @denvertrademarklaw

Let's Connect

Instagram: @morecoffeelessdrama | @maplewildmarketing
Email: [email protected]
Website: Maplewild Marketing
Newsletter: Sign up for Now You Know

When was the last time marketing actually felt simple?

SEO is dead. You need AI. Post more. Be everywhere. And somehow, if you haven't figured it all out yet, you're already behind.

In the first episode of Season 4, we're talking about why marketing has gotten so LOUD, what has actually changed, and what small business owners can confidently stop freaking out about.

• Why marketing advice feels so overwhelming
• The pressure to constantly create more
• What's actually changing in marketing
• What hasn't changed nearly as much as we're told
• Why doing less might actually be the smarter strategy

Research + Reading

Buffer: How Often to Post on Social Media in 2026

HubSpot: How Often to Post on Social Media for Business

Adweek: Saying No Is the New Power Move

This Week's Challenge

Unfollow or mute one marketing account that consistently makes you feel behind, guilty, or anxious about your strategy.

Let's Connect

Instagram: @morecoffeelessdrama | @maplewildmarketing
Email: [email protected]
Website: Maplewild Marketing
Newsletter: Sign up for Now You Know

Season 4 of More Coffee. Less Drama. is coming soon, with honest conversations to help small business owners make sense of modern marketing.

Grab your coffee, sit down, and let’s chat.

In the meantime, get relevant and timely tips about technology, social media, SEO, and more with my weekly newsletter: "Now You Know."

This is something you thought was going away. SIKE - it isn't. Find out more on today's episode.

Want to watch this episode instead? Head to ⁠YouTube⁠

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Let's Connect!

Instagram: ⁠⁠@morecoffeelessdrama⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠@maplewildmarketing⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ ⁠

Website: ⁠⁠www.maplewildmarketing.com

In season one, we talked about how your website is one of the only things YOU control, with guest Melissa Bandera. 

It’s been 2 years since that episode- let’s talk through some new statistics on websites in 2023. We’re specifically covering: ecommerce website requirements and how each platform differs, plug-in accessibility and availability, what platform might suit you best based on your business type, and the pros/cons of each platform. If you’re questioning which website platform might be best for you - here’s to you being well educated and informed on your decision!

Resources: 

www.wordpress.com

www.shopify.com

www.squarespace.com

www.godaddy.com

Listen to Previous Website Episode

Read On My Blog 

Want to watch this episode instead? Head to YouTube

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Let's Connect!

Instagram: ⁠@morecoffeelessdrama⁠ / ⁠@maplewildmarketing⁠

Email: ⁠[email protected] ⁠

Website: ⁠www.maplewildmarketing.com⁠

AI is taking over the planet. No, really - the marketing world has been HIT with a wave of chatbots, AI generated images, backgrounds, stickers, and captions. How do you navigate it all? 

For that matter, what’s going to happen with AI in 2024? 

If you want to know how to use it effectively for your small business - this is the episode for you!

Resources Mentioned In Today’s Episode

- Fraze.io - SEO Optimization

- Jasper.ai & Copy.ai - Grammatically Correct Long Form Copy

- Adcreative.ai - Optimizing Ad Creative and Copy 

- Verloop.ai - 24/7 Digital Assistant

- Pictory.ai - Turn Your Script into Video

- Designs.ai - Create logos, videos, banners, mockups with A.I. in 2 minutes

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Let's Connect!

Instagram: ⁠@morecoffeelessdrama⁠ / ⁠@maplewildmarketing⁠

Email: ⁠[email protected] ⁠

Website: ⁠www.maplewildmarketing.com⁠