James Hatfield, CRO of LiveSwitch, shares how his company is revolutionizing home services through instant video connectivity. After running a painting and power washing company while earning his MBA, Hatfield transitioned to technology, eventually buying LiveSwitch five years ago. The platform allows businesses to instantly video connect with customers via text—no app required—enabling remote estimates, AI-powered diagnostics, and faster closing rates. Originally developed to reinvent 911 calls for Washington DC police, the technology now serves thousands of home service businesses, moving companies, and auto repair shops. Hatfield discusses using QR codes on appliances for instant service access, AI co-pilots that diagnose issues and create proposals, and the future of wearable technology for hands-free operations. Beyond business, he runs Inmates to Entrepreneurs, a nonprofit featured on ABC's "Free Enterprise," and emphasizes that giving back doesn't require wealth—just commitment to serving your community.

Jake Goates, founder of Goat CMO, shares his journey from sales manager to fractional Chief Marketing Officer for dental practices nationwide. After earning a degree in professional sales and managing a large call center, Goates discovered that better marketing directly improved sales performance. He entered the dental industry 13 years ago teaching phone etiquette and patient conversion, eventually recognizing that practices had become too data-driven and transactional at the expense of genuine patient relationships. Goates developed a proprietary algorithm that analyzes patient data against credit bureau spending behaviors to create actionable personas, helping practices understand their patients' values and preferences. He emphasizes the importance of rebranding when necessary, scripted office tours for new patients, and cleaning up online presence before investing in advertising. His fractional CMO services provide strategic marketing expertise at a fraction of traditional CMO costs, with packages starting at $1,000 monthly.

In this episode, Carrie-Lynn Rodenberg, founder of Turnkey Marketing, shares her journey from selling flowers at age eight to building a marketing company dedicated to serving auto repair shops. After starting her business at 24 and working with various small businesses, she pivoted exclusively to the automotive repair industry over a decade ago. Carrie Lynn explains her philosophy of the "three M's of marketing"—Market, Media, and Message—and emphasizes the importance of direct mail marketing, though she's candid that it typically takes three months to see results. She highlights how auto repair shop owners are often more focused on supporting their teams and communities than just revenue.

Recording this episode nine months pregnant with her third child, Carrie Lynn discusses balancing motherhood with business ownership, crediting her supportive husband and strong team. Looking ahead, she's launching a comprehensive white-glove branding service in January to help shops define their identity and ensure their physical locations match the promises made in their marketing materials.

David and Crystal Spang, founders of Nine Dot Cannabis Beverages, share their eight-year journey in the heavily regulated cannabis industry. Starting with Coastal Green Wellness brick-and-mortar stores in 2017, they faced banking restrictions, social media censorship, and market skepticism in the Southeast. Their retail experience revealed that most hemp beverages missed the mark with five-milligram dosing—too strong for beginners, too weak for experienced users. Nine Dot addresses this with 3mg and 10mg options plus concentrated elixirs for cocktail mixing, using proprietary nanoemulsification technology for faster onset and more consistent effects regardless of genetic enzyme variations that affect traditional edibles.

Ondar Tarlow, a marketing veteran with over 20 years of experience, joins us to explore the psychology behind successful branding and how bold storytelling, data, and AI are reshaping the marketing world. From leading $1.7 billion in product volume campaigns to working with brands like Porsche and the LA Chargers, Ondar shares real-world insights on navigating compliance-heavy industries, discovering untapped audiences, and leveraging motorsports for luxury brand positioning.

We discuss how AI and business intelligence are changing the creative process, why challenger brands can (and should) take more risks, and how small businesses can compete by embracing frequency, testing, and authentic local storytelling. Whether you're marketing financial services or fast cars, this episode is packed with practical advice and high-performance thinking.

Nick Tapp, founder of Taptico AI marketing solutions, discusses how artificial intelligence can level the playing field for small businesses. With 20+ years of marketing experience at brands like Coca-Cola and Harley Davidson, Nick explains practical AI applications from training ChatGPT as a business assistant to using predictive analytics for market simulations. He covers emerging trends like Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) replacing traditional SEO, addresses privacy concerns, and emphasizes the importance of understanding KPIs before implementing AI solutions. The conversation explores both opportunities and concerns around AI, particularly maintaining human creativity and authentic brand connections while leveraging AI for efficiency and competitive advantage.

Restaurant industry veteran George McKerrow shares his remarkable journey from founding Longhorn Steakhouse in 1981 to building it into a national chain before selling to Darden Restaurants in 2007. Starting with just one location in an old adult bookstore that served only 14 lunches on opening day, McKerrow emphasizes treating each restaurant as an individual small business focused on genuine hospitality, flexibility, and community connection.

Currently CEO of Ted's Montana Grill, which he co-founded with Ted Turner in 2002, McKerrow discusses their mission to save the American bison while pioneering restaurant sustainability. Ted's was among the first to eliminate plastic and styrofoam, with McKerrow helping reintroduce paper straws to the industry in 2001. The restaurant cooks everything fresh from scratch and maintains only 1% food waste. McKerrow shares insights on restaurant culture, the "Gumby philosophy" of flexibility, avoiding "pigeon management," and how the industry has adapted through COVID-19 and current economic challenges.

This episode of Passionately Curious features Dana Farber, CEO and founder of Moonstone Marketing. With extensive experience as a CMO and brand strategist, Dana shares her marketing philosophy centered on holistic, mindful approaches. She discusses her journey from editorial writing to PR to franchising, emphasizing the importance of marketing calendars for strategic planning rather than reactionary holiday-based posting. Dana advocates for "retention as the new acquisition," urging businesses to deeply understand their first members before scaling. She explains her "New Moon, Half Moon, Full Moon" service model and highlights the psychology of consumer behavior in today's uncertain economy, noting it now takes 35-40 brand touchpoints to make a sale versus 7-10 in previous decades. The episode concludes with Dana encouraging businesses to nurture leads thoughtfully through emotional connections rather than discounts, and an Upswell marketing tip about using email lists to create Facebook lookalike audiences.

In this episode of "Passionately Curious," hosts Annie and Eric interview Brad Parker, founder and CEO of FormPiper, an affiliate of Upswell Marketing. Brad shares how he created FormPiper to solve financing problems he experienced as a retailer by developing a platform that allows customers to complete just one application to access multiple lending options. He explains how the system creates a "perfect lender lineup" that can dramatically increase approval rates from 30% to nearly 100% when combined with in-house financing options. Brad discusses his background as a serial entrepreneur, his "Drive Success Today" business coaching philosophy, and his charitable initiative to donate one million chess boards and books. Throughout the conversation, Brad emphasizes the importance of tracking data, avoiding projecting your own financial preferences onto customers, and maintaining focus on what you can control within your business regardless of economic conditions.

In this episode of Passionately Curious from Upswell Marketing, the hosts speak with Aaron Stokes, a successful entrepreneur in the automotive industry. Aaron shares his remarkable journey from humble beginnings in a trailer park to building multiple auto repair businesses and becoming the founder of ShopFix Academy, now the largest coaching company in the industry. He candidly discusses his struggles, including being stolen from in 2012 which left him $5.5 million in debt, and how he rebuilt his life and businesses without filing bankruptcy. Aaron explains how ShopFix Academy works through four key components: peer groups (tribes), video courses, one-on-one coaching, and conferences. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes the importance of learning from mistakes, continually evolving as a business owner, and finding ways to support fellow entrepreneurs through difficult times. The episode concludes with Aaron's perspective on current challenges facing the auto repair industry, including potential tariffs, and his advice for shop owners to remain confident despite economic uncertainty.