Business & Bullsh*t: Phone Books, Cemetery Rent, and the End of Sex Sells (EP #99)

The Founderz Lounge Episode #99 with Don Varady and Steve Bon.In this Business & Bullsh*t episode, Don and Steve break down the weird, funny, and surprisingly useful business lessons hiding in marketing, consumer behavior, AI, and old-school advertising that somehow still exists.They talk McDonald’s clear McValue bag for baseball games, the shift away from “sex sells” advertising, cemetery rent, Cheez-It and Coors Light’s beer cheese cracker collab, and why AI-generated ideas can sound smart while missing the real-world context businesses actually need.Then Steve brings in a real phone book in 2026 and asks the obvious question: why the hell are we still printing these things?Come for the banter. Leave thinking more like a founder.Timestamps:[00:00] Trailer + Intro[01:16] Founderz Roundup[01:28] McDonald’s McValue bag[05:56] The end of “sex sells”[10:03] Random Bullshit[10:06] Cemetery rent[11:19] Cheez-It and Coors collab[12:18] Hot Takes[12:23] The AI second opinion[17:52] What The Hell Is This?[17:59] Phone books in 2026[22:12] Final Thoughts• McDonald’s clear McValue bag is a smart example of solving a real customer friction point. ~Don Varady• Ballpark food is not just food. It is part of the customer experience. ~Don Varady• Advertising is shifting from “get their attention” to “show them you get them.” ~Steve Bon• Sex sells is losing power as brands lean more into self-awareness, humor, and audience vulnerability. ~Steve Bon• The “vampire effect” happens when the attention-grabbing part of an ad steals attention from the actual brand. ~Steve Bon• AI can make ideas sound better, but that does not mean they fit the business, brand, or real-world execution. ~Steve Bon• AI-generated contracts and strategies still need human judgment because they may not match the company’s policies, systems, or reality. ~Don Varady• Phone books in 2026 are a reminder that outdated business models can keep running long after customers stop caring. ~Steve BonConnect with Don and Steve…Don Varady:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 Steve Bon:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 The Founderz Lounge is Powered By:Clean Eatz:Website: https://cleaneatz.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanEatzLife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatzlife/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRGrE-Xv4IMW_DbxSOTGGA Bon’s Eye Marketing:Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonseyemarketing Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonseyemarketing9477