This episode of Sell With Authority is about being more human — not as a tagline, not as a brand promise — but as the way forward.

Right now, I'm hearing the same thing from agency leaders, marketers, and business owners everywhere:

"Our marketing doesn't work like it used to."

We're in the middle of a fundamental shift. A power shift. Our guest today calls it The Third Rebellion — a moment where customers, not companies, control the conversation.

We can no longer buy our way into attention — we must be invited. And that changes everything about how we market, how we sell, and how we lead.

Today's guest expert has spent his career helping leaders and brands rise above the noise by doing one thing most companies have forgotten how to do: Be human.

Mark Schaefer is one of the most trusted voices in marketing today — a bestselling author, educator, and keynote speaker who's worked with brands like Adidas, Pfizer, and Coca-Cola, delivering insights on five continents.

His latest book is How AI Changes Your Customers: The Marketing Guide to Humanity's Next Chapter.

Mark is a guide for leaders who are tired of blending in.

He reminds us that the world doesn't need more content — it needs more connection. AI can replicate words, it can't replicate humanity.

In the end, the most human company wins.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why "the third rebellion" has shifted control from brands to customers — and what that means for your agency
• The real reason traditional marketing and advertising are less effective than ever — and what to do instead
• How to earn an invitation into your ideal client's world (you can't buy your way in anymore)
• Why trust is the new currency and the surprising role brand communities play in creating it
• How to create transcendent content that can't be replicated by AI
• Why being vulnerable and removing layers of control will make your agency an easy yes

Resources:

• Website: https://businessesgrow.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwschaefer/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/schaefer-marketing-solutions/
• How AI Changes Your Customers: The Marketing Guide to Humanity's Next Chapter