Most creators have no idea how powerful newsletters are right now. In this episode, you’ll learn why email is outperforming every social platform and how top operators are turning simple weekly emails into six-figure profit machines. Kevin King and Norm Farrar break down their own newsletter playbooks (including selling $4,500 dedicated sends and hitting 62 percent open rates) and sit down with Matt McGarry, widely regarded as the newsletter expert behind The Hustle, HubSpot, and Newsletter Operator. Matt reveals exactly why newsletters outperform every other channel for trust, retention, monetization, and audience ownership. You’ll hear the mistakes beginners make, how to actually grow a newsletter, and what it takes to turn email into a real business. If you’re a marketer, founder, creator, or ecommerce operator, this will change how you think about email forever.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why newsletters outperform social and YouTube for monetization

• How Kevin charges $4,500 per email and sells out months in advance

• Newsletter vs. marketing email: the real difference

• How Matt built newsletter systems from The Hustle to HubSpot

• Why most newsletters fail after 10 issues

• How to grow from 0 to thousands of subscribers

• How to design newsletters people actually read

• Deliverability tactics to stay out of Promotions

• How to segment your list for 5–10x higher revenue

• How to blend AI with human writing without sounding robotic

• Why churn kills paid newsletters and what to do instead

• How to use LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram to grow email fast

• Real-world monetization strategies that actually work in 2025

Chapters

00:00 The Power of Newsletters

00:46 'Email is Dead' Myth

01:43 The Billion Dollar Sellers Newsletter

03:29 Introducing Matt

04:22 Matt's Journey

08:54 Consistency in Newsletters

14:10 Editorial vs. Promotional Emails

27:52 Effective Newsletter Strategies for Beginners

39:57 LinkedIn Newsletters: Are They Worth It?

40:38 LinkedIn Newsletters

43:04 Organic vs. Paid Newsletters

43:18 Challenges of Paid Newsletters

48:26 Newsletter Design Tips

50:29 AI in Newsletter Writing

01:01:24 Deliverability Strategies

01:11:09 Power of Email Segmentation

01:19:55 Final Thoughts

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of Marketing Misfits, we break down why podcasting is becoming one of the most powerful trust-building tools in the age of AI and how brands can use it to stand out instead of blending into AI sameness. Our guest Eric Ryan went from LinkedIn Live to a cable TV show, built a 19-person podcast production team, and developed a framework for becoming “niche famous” so clients come to you.

We dig into:

• Why most podcasts die after 7 episodes

• How to turn a podcast into a client-acquisition machine

• Why you must be omnipresent to win in 2025

• How AI is destroying bad content and elevating real voices

• The exact formats, lengths, and clip strategies that perform best

• Why “don’t be gentle with your list” is the most important marketing advice you’ll hear

• The truth about going viral on TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube Shorts

• How to become niche-famous (not Joe Rogan famous) and still print money

• The #1 thing that separates successful podcasters from quitters

If you're building a personal brand, running an agency, launching a show, or trying to build authority online, this episode gives you the playbook.

Timestamps

00:00 Why Eric Started a Podcast to Get Clients

01:52 Why Most Creators Fail at Email + Podcasting

03:10 Competing With the Entire Internet (Not Your Industry)

05:12 “Podcasting Makes You Famous”

07:44 Becoming Niche Famous

09:20 How Eric’s LinkedIn Show Led to Cable TV

12:52 Land High-Value Clients

15:31 Editing + Distribution

17:44 Authority vs. Views

21:40 Why TikTok Is Beating Every Platform

24:20 Holding Creators Back

26:10 Being Actually Interesting

28:30 Why Most Interviews Are Terrible

32:18 Building a Multi-Platform Content Engine

35:44 Consistency vs. Perfection

38:05 How Long Should a Podcast Really Be?

41:22 Cutting Content Into Clips That Actually Perform

44:58 Managing Expectations: What “Success” Really Looks Like

49:10 The Hidden Work Nobody Talks About

53:12 The One Strategy Eric Says Will Make You Stand Out

56:40 Should Everyone Start a Podcast in 2025?

59:02 Final Takeaway: Be Different or Be Invisible

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

From sourcing 24-karat gold iPhones for Real Madrid stars to navigating the chaotic landscape of new Trump Tariffs, Kian Golzari has seen it all. In this episode of Marketing Misfits, Norm Farrar and Kevin King sit down with one of the world's leading sourcing experts to break down exactly how smart brands are adapting their supply chains in 2025. Kian reveals his "insider" strategies for legally reducing tariff costs, why the "China +1" strategy is non-negotiable, and the massive mistakes Kickstarter creators make that leave them bankrupt. Plus, find out why top entrepreneurs are flocking to Dubai.

🕒 In This Episode: 00:00 - Sourcing 24k Gold iPhones for Lamine Yamal, Mbappé & Jude Bellingham

04:15 - Sourcing from the Crib: Kian’s early start in China

09:30 - The Tariff Hack: How to split "Product Development" from "Unit Cost" to save thousands

13:45 - China +1 Strategy: When (and where) to move your manufacturing

19:20 - Why you must visit the factory (The "Face-to-Face" Advantage)

26:50 - Direct vs. Sourcing Agents: Which is right for you?

33:10 - The Kickstarter Curse: Why creators fail to deliver (and how to fix it)

45:00 - Currency Exchange Hacks: Using RMB vs. USD to get discounts

51:30 - Why entrepreneurs are moving to Dubai (Tax-free living & safety)

💡 Key Takeaways: The Tariff "Consulting Fee" Strategy: Learn how to separate your R&D costs from your COGS on the commercial invoice to legally lower the value of goods subject to tariffs. Don't Ghost Your Supplier: When tariffs hit, don't panic. Use the "50/50 Split" negotiation tactic to share the burden of rising shipping or tariff costs with your manufacturer. Kickstarter Reality Check: Never launch a crowdfunding campaign without a final production sample in hand. The "Coolest Cooler" disaster is a lesson for everyone.

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

#SourcingTips #ChinaTariffs #AmazonFBA

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This episode breaks down what’s actually working on YouTube right now, and why most creators still miss it. Marley Jaxx joins Kevin King and Norm Farrar on Marketing Misfits to explain how hooks, open loops, storytelling, and disruption are rewriting the entire playbook for creators, entrepreneurs, and brands. Marley also shares the viral story behind her latest project.

She’s selling tickets to her wedding. Yes, really. And it’s blowing up across national news. Inside this episode you’ll learn how she did it, why it works, and how creators can use the same storytelling mechanics to explode their own content, build community, and stand out in an AI-saturated world. If you’re trying to grow on YouTube, turn attention into revenue, or understand why viral moments happen, this conversation is a blueprint.

What You’ll Learn:

- The real reason hooks matter more than ever

- How to build “open loops” that keep people watching

- Why search-based content alone doesn’t work anymore

- How Marley went viral selling wedding tickets

- Disruptive ideas that cut through crowded platforms

- Why authenticity beats perfect production

- How to survive trolls and negative comments

- What YouTube wants in 2025 (and what it punishes)

- How to warm up cold audiences without killing retention

- Why entrepreneurs must treat YouTube like a long-term asset

- When to use ads (and when NOT to)

- The truth about 180-day YouTube growth patterns

Guest: Marley Jaxx, YouTube strategist, filmmaker, creator, and the viral marketing mind behind the “ticketed wedding” trend.

Follow Marley:

Instagram: @marleyjaxx

YouTube: youtube.com/marleyjaxx

Chapters

00:00 What’s Actually Working on YouTube

01:12 The Viral Wedding Ticket Story

04:20 The Misfit Joining the Show

05:02 From Teeth to YouTube

07:45 The Content Strategy Shift

10:18 The Real Hook Formula

12:40 Trolls, Hate, and Staying Sane

14:55 The Video That Blew Up Years Later

16:33 One Channel or Two?

18:08 Driving Traffic the Right Way

20:31 YouTube Mistakes People Keep Making

22:44 Selling Tickets to Your Wedding

26:10 AI vs Human Content

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

AI isn’t coming. It’s here. And most e-commerce brands are sleepwalking straight into extinction. In this episode of Marketing Misfits, Norm Farrar and Kevin King talk with Lutz Finger, Cornell faculty member, AI researcher, and former Google & LinkedIn exec, about how AI is rewriting the rules of e-commerce, branding, and marketing. Lutz breaks down what 99% of sellers don’t understand: ChatGPT and Perplexity are the new gatekeepers of visibility. Aggregators like Amazon and Google? Their model is breaking.

You’ll learn:

✅ Why brands that rely on Amazon will vanish.

✅ What “Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)” means and how to rank in AI results.

✅ Why AI-generated content can hurt your visibility.

✅ How real human communities are the new algorithm hack.

✅ What OpenAI’s deal with Walmart means for sellers.

✅ The 3 things every brand must do before 2026 to survive.

Featuring:

🎙️ Lutz Finger – Head of AI at XGen AI, Cornell University Faculty

🎙️ Hosts: Norm Farrar & Kevin King

00:00 Introduction to Chat GPT in Investment Management

00:50 Welcome to Marketing Misfits

01:00 Discussion on AI and Coffee

01:17 The Evolution of AI Terminology

01:53 The Rise of AI in Agencies

02:21 Introducing the Guest Speaker

04:31 Guest Speaker's Background and Experience

06:42 The Impact of AI on E-commerce

12:15 The Future of AI in Various Industries

29:19 The Role of AI in Marketing

32:31 Debt Quality and Control

32:52 The Pitfalls of AI-Generated Content

33:20 Model Decline Explained

34:50 Influencer Marketing with Stack Influence

35:49 Human vs AI-Generated Content

39:28 Novelty in AI Training

41:28 Building Brand Authority

46:35 The Future of Brand Communities

51:40 Adoption of AI in E-commerce

54:54 Avoiding Shiny Object Syndrome

57:29 Final Thoughts and Outro

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Former eCommerce powerhouse Mike Jackness went from owning multiple 7-figure Amazon brands to running one of the fastest-growing YouTube gambling channels in Las Vegas. In this episode of Marketing Misfits, hosts Norm Farrar and Kevin King unpack how Mike turned his decades of Amazon and affiliate marketing experience into a completely new media business and how it’s already breaking even in just six months.

You’ll learn:

✅ Why Mike sold all his Amazon brands and what he saw coming before tariffs hit again

✅ How he built a content machine that posts daily long-form videos + multiple Shorts

✅ The monetization math behind YouTube RPMs, merch sales, and sponsorships

✅ What it really takes to build a loyal community (and why women over 50 are driving his views)

✅ Why owning your audience email, community, and content is the ultimate business asset

Featuring:

🎙️ Mike Jackness – Former eCommerce CEO, creator of Desert Degens

🎙️ Hosts: Norm Farrar & Kevin King

00:00 The Pivot No One Expected

01:40 Meet Mike Jackness

03:52 Million-Dollar Affiliate Days

05:43 From Affiliates to Amazon

08:14 Amazon Reality Check

16:23 Building Superfans Online

26:44 Gambling on YouTube

39:11 Selling for Freedom

39:34 What YouTube Really Pays

42:08 Daily Grind of Creation

43:49 Personality Over Perfection

45:12 Who’s Actually Watching

47:24 Expanding Beyond YouTube

53:20 Turning Fans Into Buyers

58:18 What’s Next for Degens

01:04:09 Lessons for Every Creator

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What happens when a Canadian entrepreneur flips broken PlayStations into millions, gets a $10M buyout, then loses almost half to taxes and builds again? In this episode of Marketing Misfits, Norm Farrar and Kevin King sit down with Peter Kostandenou to uncover the highs, lows, and lessons of his unconventional journey from eBay hustler to tech exec.

Peter shares how he:

- Accidentally went viral on TikTok by falling asleep as a DJ 🎧

- Scaled Hostopia from $3M to $60M and sold to Deluxe for $124M 💰

- Built a full AI marketing suite (Mopro) for local businesses 📈

- Lost $4M from bad tax planning — and what he’d do differently 🧾

- Built an offline car club community to test real-world brand loyalty 🏎️

You’ll learn:

- Why Google and ChatGPT rely on real reviews and social signals to rank your business

- The critical difference between automation and AI agents

- What GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) means for your SEO strategy in 2025

- How to build trust signals through structured data, social media, and review responses

- What a roofing contractor can teach you about the power of a single bad review

This episode is packed with branding gems, ecommerce evolution, and raw business truth. If you’re an entrepreneur, agency owner, or tech builder, you need this one.

Timestamps

00:00 Intro

01:43 A Tech Entrepreneur's Journey

09:38 The PlayStation 2 Resale Success Story

21:38 The Rise of Hostopia

31:47 The Evolution of Small Business Marketing

34:04 The Future of Websites: AI and Social Media

35:14 The Role of AI in Content Consumption

40:06 The Importance of Reviews for Small Businesses

42:46 Effective Review Strategies for Local Businesses

49:35 Managing Negative Comments and Social Mentions

58:29 Automation vs AI: Understanding the Difference

01:01:27 Branding Stories: Car Club and DJing

01:09:48 Final Thoughts

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of Marketing Misfits, documentary filmmaker and storytelling expert Rain Bennett joins Norm Farrar and Kevin King to unpack why authentic storytelling is more valuable than ever. With AI flooding content channels, your voice and human emotion are what set your brand apart.

Rain shares:

- The power of short-form storytelling (and what a 6-second story actually looks like)

- Why over-leveraging AI will make your brand blend in

- How storytelling builds trust, connection, and conversions

- Frameworks to write more compelling brand stories

- Real examples from marketing, newsletters, and public speaking

- The truth about AI-generated content and how to use it right

Whether you're launching an e-commerce brand, growing your newsletter, building a personal brand, or pitching on stage , storytelling is the skill that cuts through the noise.

⚠️ Don’t let AI strip your voice away. Learn how to inject your story back into your content strategy today.

📘 Guest: Rain Bennett

- Author of Six Second Stories

- Host of The Storytelling Lab Podcast

- Creator of award-winning documentaries

Learn more: rainbennett.com

🎧 Listen. Learn. Misfit. Chapter

00:00 The Power of Storytelling in the AI Era

00:49 Introduction to Marketing Misfits

00:55 Kevin's College Football Anecdote

02:34 The Role of Storytelling in Marketing

03:13 Introducing Rain Bennett

04:55 Rain Bennett's Journey into Storytelling

09:00 The Evolution of Documentary Filmmaking

11:13 The Importance of Human Touch in Storytelling

16:12 The Art of Engaging Storytelling

30:48 The Six-Second Story Concept

36:42 Brand Storytelling and Authenticity

38:04 Serial vs. Episodic Shows

38:20 The Art of Storytelling in Branding

39:46 The Importance of Origin Stories

40:33 Storytelling for the Audience

44:19 The Ice Cream Anecdote

46:54 Effective Storytelling Techniques

56:01 Engaging Your Audience with Stories

59:27 The Power of Practice

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Is retail really dead? In this episode of Marketing Misfits, Norm Farrar and Kevin King sit down with three powerhouse guests who prove otherwise, Doug Harding from Wholesaleretaildistribution.com , Kirk Hyust from Turbo Trusser (a Shark Tank deal with Kevin O’Leary), and GC Brown, founder of UpCup Koffee, a fast-growing functional mushroom coffee brand.

You’ll hear how these brands are cracking into Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, QVC, and big-box retail, even in a world dominated by Amazon. From the truth about what retailers actually want to surprising insights about shelf space, product packaging, and the growing role of AI in retail decisions, this episode is packed with must-know info.

🚨 You’ll learn:

- Why 90% of purchases still happen offline

- How Kevin O’Leary helped close a deal the same day it aired on Shark Tank

- What mushroom coffee brands must do to survive retail

- How a single $50K PR mistake nearly sunk a startup

- The power of predictive buying and how AI is changing retail strategy forever

- Why most Amazon sellers are NOT ready for retail—and how to fix that

- How to actually build brand equity off Amazon

The mindset shift every seller needs to go from ecom to retail Whether you’re an Amazon seller, brand owner, or product inventor looking to scale into physical stores, this episode is your wake-up call. Retail isn’t dead—it’s just evolved.

📍 Want to go from Amazon to big-box retail? Learn what works, what doesn’t, and who can actually help you get on shelves. Timestamps

00:00 Is Retail Dead?

01:43 Retail vs. E-commerce

03:14 Introducing the Guests

04:27 State of Retail Today

06:44 The Turbo Trusser Story

08:00 UPC Cup Coffee Journey

13:48 Marketing Strategies for Retail

24:47 Shark Tank Experience

35:07 Building an Audience

39:36 Social Media and Influencer Marketing

41:03 Financing Challenges for Small Brands

47:09 Kevin O'Leary's Involvement Post-Shark Tank

59:00 Retail Trends and AI

01:09:09 The Value of Patience in Business

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

From flipping used car parts to launching a viral Chrome extension, Kim Dang has done it all. In this episode of Marketing Misfits with Norm Farrar and Kevin King, Kim reveals how she built and sold multiple businesses including automating a wrecking yard, traveling the world while earning passive income, and building GroupConvert, a Chrome extension that turned Facebook group answers into a thriving SaaS funnel. You’ll hear how she turned a $380 Upwork job into $5M in revenue, the truth about scaling with integrators, how she avoids burnout with systemized execution, and her unique Shopify offer that’s changing the game for non-technical entrepreneurs. Kim breaks down automation, delegation, high-ticket funnels, and unconventional marketing with raw honesty and infectious energy. Whether you’re an Amazon seller, coach, course creator, or SaaS builder. This episode is PACKED with insights.

🔥 What You’ll Learn:

- How Kim turned a Chrome extension into a recurring income machine

- The importance of integrators in scaling online businesses

- Bootstrapping vs. venture-backed tools

- From car parts to coaching: Kim’s step-by-step evolution

- Why masterminds + systems = momentum

- B2C drop-shipping with a high-ticket twist

- Tips for managing global teams while traveling

- Rock climbing, Craigslist shoes, and living with freedom

📺 Watch if you’re into: Entrepreneurship, SaaS business models, Facebook groups, community building, Amazon FBA, Shopify stores, digital products, chrome extensions, high-ticket sales, automations, productivity tools, and lifestyle businesses.

🔔 Subscribe for more stories like this every Tuesday on Marketing Misfits!

Chapters

00:00 Facebook Automation Hack

04:22 Organic Growth Funnel Strategy

08:41 High-Converting Email Blast Tactics

14:00 Ebook Offer That Drove Sales

19:52 Brand Storytelling With Hook Products

24:08 Passive Income With Automation

29:10 Risks of Building on Rented Platforms

33:13 Building a Chrome Extension Business

38:14 Live Demo: Instant Scraper Tool

42:22 Buying a Resort

47:29 Client Testimonials for Proof of Concept

52:34 Hiring an Integrator to Scale

56:38 Monetizing Communities for Growth

01:02:16 Offering Shopify Services

01:07:44 Selling Digital Assets Online

01:12:19 YouTube Ads for Course Creators

01:16:44 Join the Marketing Misfits Community

This episode is brought to you by:

- Sellerboard: https://sellerboard.com/misfits

- House of AMZ: Elevate your brand today at https://www.amazonseo.com/

- 8fig: Get 25% off 8fig off at https://8fig.co

- Stack Influence: Use code MISFITS for 10% off at https://stackinfluence.com/

- Levanta: Get 20% off Levanta's gold plan and book your call today - https://get.levanta.io/misfits

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.