The Viral Genius Podcast

You've been told the only way to win at conferences is to buy a booth, hand out swag, and hope the right person stops by.Meanwhile, $48,000 later, you've got a stack of business cards you'll never follow up on and zero pipeline to show for it. What if instead of renting a booth, you built a world — one that people lined up to walk through?Pablo Gonzalez did exactly that. As Chief Evangelist at Oo (an AI maintenance solution for property management) and founder of Be the Stage, Pablo designed a category, built distribution through content co-creation, and executed a "lightning strike" takeover of the Broker/Owner conference — generating $2.5M in closed-won revenue in 36 hours on a $48K budget.In this Strike Marketing Summit session, Pablo walks through every detail of how he did it — and the principles any founder can apply.What you'll learn:• The "AI Pavilion" playbook — how Pablo secured a free 2,400 sq ft room, branded it as an industry-wide AI hub, and filled it with demos, research stations, and content co-creation activations • The POV-first content strategy — how a category-design point of view about maintenance-driven reputation risk became the narrative engine for every piece of content, partnership, and activation • Borrowed credibility and socially validated distribution — why getting butts in seats is easy when the audience already trusts the partners who brought them to you • The "From-To" story arc — how Pablo engineered a specific transformation (AI as tool → AI as teammate) and orchestrated every element of the experience to drive it • The content co-creation engine — the podcast-as-trade-show-booth model that creates distribution, validates pain, builds alliances, and produces content simultaneously • Wow moments on a budget — Meta Ray-Ban glasses for top clients, a roaming AI photo booth, anthropomorphized AI agent demos, and live market research gamification — all within a $48K budgetAbout Pablo Gonzalez: Pablo is Chief Evangelist at Oo and founder of Be the Stage, a marketing agency specializing in content co-creation and trade show activations. He's built a $40M channel for a real estate development company, created the largest community event in the property management industry, and co-hosts Category Thinkers alongside Kevin Maney and Mike Damphousse.About the Strike Marketing Summit: The Strike Marketing Summit brings together practitioners of category design, virtual summits, and content-driven growth to share real playbooks — not theory — for bootstrapped B2B founders breaking through the invisibility ceiling.⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 2.5M Revenue Teaser 0:26 Two Truths and a Lie 1:22 Audience Guesses the Lie 2:51 Shark Tournament Reveal 4:28 Session Format and Goals 5:34 Pablo Origin Story 6:39 Joining Oo as Evangelist 8:27 POV Workshop and Narrative 11:02 Podcast Booth Strategy 12:00 Breaking Into the Clique 15:56 AI Summit and Alliance 16:59 Securing the AI Pavilion 19:03 AI Pavilion Activation 23:23 Results and ROI Breakdown 25:47 POV as Content Engine 27:15 Lightning Strike Principles 27:43 Distribution Channels 29:28 Borrowed Credibility 32:08 From To Story Arc 34:59 Wow Moments Budget 37:26 Content Co Creation Engine 40:27 Podcast Booth Setup 43:27 Serve With Superpower 49:28 Q&A Staying Focused 51:53 Adapting For Communities 55:47 Wrap Up And Thanks🎯 Ready to stop being invisible? Book your free 30-minute strategy call: [STRATEGY_CALL_LINK]📬 Subscribe to the Startup Strike Newsletter: https://strikemarketing.news Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Most summits don’t fail because the content is bad.They fail because they’re built around information — not connection.In this session from the Strike Marketing Summit, Rachel Starr (Founder of Co-Creator Society and Circle Certified Partner) reveals how to design a summit that:• Increases live attendance• Boosts engagement• Converts at higher rates• Turns attendees into long-term community membersShe breaks down the 5-part Connection-First Summit Framework:1. Attract aligned speakers2. Design for interaction (not consumption)3. Build one simple home base4. Create built-in connection moments5. Use your summit as a launchpadIf you’re running summits to generate leads, launch memberships, or build category authority — this is required viewing.Because a summit isn’t content.It’s a catalyst.🕒 Chapter Markers (Keep These)00:00 From Content to Experience: The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything00:20 Smooth Jazz Banter + Welcoming Rachel Starr01:24 Meet Rachel Starr: Community Strategist Intro02:15 Two Truths and a Lie05:21 Prize Reveal: Free Month of Co-Creator Society07:44 Build a Summit That Grows Your Business Through Connection09:40 Why Most Summits Fall Flat: The 4 Big Experience Problems13:28 Community Is the Conversion Engine16:35 Pop Quiz: What’s the Real Engine Behind a Successful Summit?20:17 Case Study: Inside the Co-Creator Growth Summit25:57 The Connection-First Framework31:26 Behind the Scenes Tour: Summit Hub & App35:49 What Attendees Actually Want38:45 Turning Summit Momentum Into Ecosystem Growth41:34 5 Practical Next Steps52:08 Marketing Timeline & Monetization Strategy55:49 Community Building Secrets + Wrap-Up Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

You've built the sales page. You've tweaked the headline. Maybe you've followed Russell Brunson's playbook to the letter. And it worked — a little. Not nearly enough. So you built another one.Chris Stanley has a name for this: the tornado trap. And in this session from the Strike Marketing Summit, he explains exactly why it keeps happening — and the one shift that broke the cycle for him.Chris is the founder of IA Path and Mini Book Publishing, the author of 21 Amazon bestsellers, and the architect of a $700K-per-year online business he runs from a sailboat in Florida. He built it — not through a breakthrough launch or a viral moment — but through a 10,000-word book he wrote about insurance adjusting. He started with haters on LinkedIn questioning his credentials. Nine years later: $700K a year, three years running.Here's the insight that changed everything for him: funnels cash in on belief that already exists. If someone is already searching for what you sell, a funnel converts that existing conviction into a sale. But if you're a bootstrapped founder in a new category — building something the market doesn't have language for yet — there's no existing belief to cash in on. And no funnel, no matter how well-built, can manufacture it. You need a flywheel.What you'll learn in this session: • The 3 problems every founder faces in sequence — the credibility crisis, the tornado trap, and category confusion — and why they compound on each other • Why funnels are tornadoes (fast to spin up, fast to die) and flywheels are hurricanes (slow to build, massive and sustained impact) — and the Flywheel Law: a belief flywheel lasts 1,000 times longer than a funnel • The 5 elements of a hurricane-strength flywheel: market need, powerful POV, consistent messaging, belief echo, and category clarity • The 3-stage build system — Idea → Identity → Impact — and why a mini book is the fastest path through all three stages • The content engine that flows from a flywheel: Book → Content → Conversations → Customers • How to find your unique POV (hint: it's simpler than you think) and test your framework before you write a wordAbout Chris Stanley: Chris Stanley is the founder of IA Path and Mini Book Publishing. Starting as an insurance adjuster, he built a $700K/year online education business through a series of mini books — 21 of which have hit the Amazon bestseller list. He runs his business remotely from a sailboat and a school bus. His book Mini Book Flywheel releases in January 2026.Get his free mini books: https://minibookpublishing.com/freeAbout the Strike Marketing Summit: The Strike Marketing Summit is a two-day virtual event for bootstrapped B2B founders who are invisible despite doing great work. Hosted by Fernando Labastida, Founder of Strike Marketing Institute, the summit teaches the Strike Marketing Model: category design, a startup book, a summit strike, content cascade, and AI amplification — the third path between blitzscaling and the content hamster wheel.⏱️ CHAPTERS00:00 Funnels vs Flywheels 00:35 Meet Chris Stanley 02:35 Seven Days to 700K 04:30 Tornado or Hurricane 05:52 Origin Story and Proof 08:07 Mini Book Breakthrough 09:10 Life Currency Giveaway 12:19 Three Business Problems 12:51 Credibility Crisis 15:00 Tornado Trap Funnels 16:38 Borrowed Demand Explained 18:38 Hurricane Flywheel Mindset 21:40 Flywheel Creates Belief 22:15 Flywheel Law Giveaway 25:17 Category Confusion Fix 27:05 Mini Book Flywheel System 29:07 Mini Book Flywheel 29:28 Book Becomes Business 31:02 Hurricane Flywheel Elements 31:42 Warm Water Market Need 32:59 Point of View Gravity 34:11 Messaging and Belief Echo 35:15 Category Clarity Eye 36:18 Build Your Flywheel Stages 37:03 Idea Identity Impact 39:24 Mini Book Authority Boost 42:28 Content to Customers Loop 44:01 Funnels Versus Flywheels 45:07 Giveaway and Free Books 49:08 Writing a Book Fast 51:17 Series Bundle Walkthrough 53:08 Finding Your Unique POV 54:24 Testing Frameworks 57:43 Book Revenue and Wrap Up🎯 Ready to stop being invisible? Book a free 30-minute strategy call with Fernando: https://calendly.com/fernando-aimarketingcasestudies/call-with-fernando📬 Subscribe to the Startup Strike newsletter — category design, summit strategy, and founder visibility, every Tuesday: https://strikemarketing.news#StrikeMarketing #CategoryDesign #BootstrappedFounder #MiniBook #VirtualSummit #B2BMarketing #InvisibleExpert #ContentMarketing #SalesFunnel #Flywheel Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Most companies compete harder. Very few change the game.In this Strike Marketing Summit fireside chat, Kevin Maney and Mike Damphousse unveil the thinking behind their upcoming book, The Category Creation Formula — a decade of real-world category design distilled into a clear, repeatable framework.This is not positioning theory. It’s market-making strategy.Drawing from 10+ years of hands-on work with startups, scale-ups, and enterprises (including LinkedIn, Guidewheel, and more), Kevin and Mike break down how new market categories actually emerge — and why most companies miss the moment.The core insight:Every new category follows the same logic:Context + Missing + Innovation = New Market CategoryIn this conversation, you’ll learn:Why category design is strategy, not marketingHow new contexts (AI, geopolitics, supply chains, social shifts) create entirely new problemsHow to identify what’s missing before competitors see itWhy the Adjacent Possible determines whether innovation succeeds or diesHow iconic leaders (Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Uber) instinctively followed this formulaWhy category design must be CEO-led, not delegatedWhy categories are a long game, built through sustained “strikes,” not one launchKevin and Mike also share never-before-public material from their new book, including:How to set category rules so competitors are forced to follow youWhy great category names combine old language + new meaningHow to write a Category Point of View (POV) that aligns product, sales, and marketingReal stories of founders who finally “saw” their category — and unlocked growthIf you’re building something new - or struggling to stand out in a crowded market - this session offers a mental model that clarifies everything downstream: product, messaging, GTM, and growth.This is category design, evolved.⏱️ Key Moments00:00 Why new contexts create new markets02:05 The origins of the Category Creation Formula05:54 Real category design case studies09:31 Context + Missing + Innovation explained12:06 Steve Jobs as the ultimate category designer14:04 The “Adjacent Possible” framework18:46 How category rules get set (Uber example)22:54 How to build a true Category POV36:56 Common myths about category design44:28 Why category creation is a long game49:38 Guidewheel: a modern category success story Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

How do you grow a business when content is everywhere, AI is flooding the market, and trust is harder than ever to earn?In this Strike Marketing Summit session, Darrell Vesterfelt breaks down the growth system he’s used to:Drive $100M+ in revenueGenerate 100,000+ summit registrationsTurn live events into compounding community enginesHelp creators and companies build million-dollar communitiesDarrell’s journey spans early webinars in 2012, 150 webinars in 12 months at ConvertKit, launching massive summits like the School of Traditional Skills (101,000 signups in year one), and now leading growth at Mighty Networks.But this isn’t a tactics talk.It’s a systems talk.What you’ll learn:Why summits aren’t campaigns — they’re enginesThe real reason webinars worked at ConvertKit (hint: product-market fit comes first)How one summit took a company from zero to 5,000 paying members in a weekWhy AI is killing courses — and elevating communityHow just 30 people can be the foundation of a real businessWhy results matter more than features (and always will)Darrell also introduces a powerful shift happening right now:the move from education → participation, and from content → community.If you’re a founder, marketer, creator, or operator trying to stand out in an AI-crowded market, this session lays out a clearer path forward than most “growth hacks” ever will.⏱️ Key Moments:00:00 Why ambitious goals matter03:38 From webinars to 100K-person summits07:13 Turning a summit into instant traction15:31 Product-market fit vs. pushing the boulder uphill23:44 Growth lessons from ConvertKit29:42 Why challenges outperform courses33:09 How AI is changing learning forever35:48 Why small communities can be big businesses41:22 Community as the new growth advantage46:43 Results > features (the real differentiator) Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Bryan Funk grew a company from $1M in ARR to $100M in just a few years using a go-to-market method I’m convinced will be the killer GTM strategy for 2026 and beyond.And here’s the part that hit me hardest: He was doing Strike Marketing before the term even existed.Back in December, I made a very public bet.I decided that Strike Marketing could become a legitimate category, not just a framework, not just a clever phrase, but a real way of thinking about go-to-market that cuts through the marketing industrial complex.So I spent eight weeks organizing the Strike Marketing Summit to launch the category into the public eye.What I didn’t expect was that one of the speakers would completely validate the model…and quietly add a twist that made it even stronger.That speaker was Bryan Funk.The Poster Child for Strike Marketing (Before It Had a Name)At Virtuous Software, Bryan wasn’t just “doing marketing.”He was heading up category strategy.Together with the team, he helped launch Responsive Fundraising as a new category inside the nonprofit world, reframing how modern fundraising should work in an always-on, donor-centric environment.That alone is notable.But here’s where it gets interesting.The Book Came First. Not the Product.Virtuous’s founder and CEO, Gabe Cooper, didn’t just pitch a product.He wrote the book Responsive Fundraising, laying out the philosophy, the methodology, and - most importantly - the language of the category.That book did what great category books always do:It didn’t sell software. It taught a new way of thinking.Then Came the Event EngineHere’s the move most companies miss. Bryan didn’t treat events as one-off lead gen stunts. He designed and launched a quarterly virtual summit engine whose sole job was to promote the category.Not Virtuous. Not features. The category.Over time, those summits turned Responsive Fundraising from an idea into an established concept inside the nonprofit space.This is Strike Marketing in its purest form: designed moments that force a market to pay attention.Speakers Weren’t “Guests.” They Were Megaphones.Another key detail most people gloss over: Bryan didn’t just invite speakers and hope they promoted. He worked with each speaker before the summit - extensively.He made sure they understood:* The category context* The narrative arc of the event* Where their talk fit into the bigger storyThe result?The speakers didn’t just deliver talks. They became evangelists for the category. High-Production Signals AuthorityThen Bryan and his team added a powerful signal.They created a hybrid in-person speaker experience with a virtual audience, flying speakers into Virtuous’s warehouse-style offices, building three stages, and hiring a professional production crew to livestream every session.It felt less like a webinar…and more like a TEDx-level experience.Content That Actually Deserves AuthorityHere’s the quiet genius part. Bryan created the ultimate expression of Google’s EEAT framework - content rooted in Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust.Each summit generated:* Dozens of high-credibility content assets* Enough material to fuel an entire year of marketing* Content sales teams could actually useWhat higher authority content can a company create other than what the speakers at their own summits can produce?The Whole Company Was InvolvedOne final piece most GTM teams never pull off. Sales reps. Customer success. Marketing.All were involved in recruiting speakers, shaping topics, and feeding insights back into sales conversations. The category galvanized the company, and got everybody on board with the same mindset, vocabulary and belief system.The PunchlineLittle did Bryan Funk know…he may have been one of the first Strike Marketers - years before the term was ever coined.If you want to see what this looks like in practice, I highly recommend watching Bryan’s full talk.It’s one of the cleanest real-world validations of Strike Marketing I’ve ever seen. Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Most founders don’t fail because they execute poorly.They fail because they execute really well—on the wrong thing.In this opening panel of the Strike Marketing Summit, we dig into a critical but often misunderstood idea:👉 Category design comes before marketing.Before funnels.Before ads.Before content.Before AI tools.Featuring a powerhouse group of category design practitioners and strategists—Kevin Maney, Mike Damphousse, Chris Stanley, Pablo Gonzalez, and Fernando Labastida—this conversation breaks down why marketing tactics fail when the underlying category hasn’t been designed intentionally.You’ll learn:- Why marketing can’t fix a poorly defined category- How category design shapes the market before demand generation- The Category Creation Formula: Context → Missing → Innovation- Why language and vocabulary determine how markets formHow founders accidentally inherit categories—and the constraints that come with themIf you’re building a startup, launching a second-act business, or trying to escape competition traps, this session will change how you think about growth.00:00 Introduction to Market Perception00:49 Welcome to Strike Marketing Summit01:27 Overview of the Summit Agenda03:16 Deep Dive into Category Design07:44 Panel Discussion: Defining Category Design20:40 Identifying Market Problems29:46 Engaging with Your Target Market30:15 The Importance of CEO Involvement30:57 Best Practices for Category Design31:50 The Category Formula: Context, Missing, Innovation34:15 Creating a Compelling Category Narrative36:41 Challenges in Category Design41:12 Mobilizing a Category49:04 Real Estate and Category Design55:18 Closing Thoughts and Next Steps📌 This panel set the intellectual foundation for the entire Strike Marketing Summit. Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Most brands are still screaming for attention. Scott Martin believes the future belongs to the ones who earn trust.In this episode of The Viral Genius Podcast, Fernando Labastida sits down with Scott Martin — CEO of Groundswell Origins, author of Groundswell: The Unseen Wave of Business Growth, TEDx speaker, and creator of the upcoming book Title Shift. Together, they unpack one of the most important shifts happening in marketing today: the move from an attention economy to a trust economy.Scott explains why consumers are overwhelmed, skeptical, and tired of “growth hacking theater”… and why the brands that win next will be the ones that build authentic, coherent experiences from the very first touchpoint all the way through delivery. He calls this new category Brand Coherence — the strategic bedrock for sustainable growth in an age of AI, content overload, and mistrust.You’ll also hear:Why “trust → like → know” is the new buying cycleHow AI-generated perfection is accelerating mistrustWhat Scott learned from decades in growth hacking — and why he walked away from itHow his Groundswell Method helps companies grow without traditional marketingThe power of circles of trust, superconsumers, and founder-led category creationWhy patience may actually be the greatest “growth hack” of allThis is a rich, future-forward conversation about designing brands people actually believe in — and why transformation (not tactics) is the real engine of word-of-mouth.If you’re a founder, marketer, creator, or anyone trying to build something that lasts, this episode is a north star.CHAPTERS00:00 — Introduction: Content Overload & Mistrust00:46 — Meet Scott Martin02:11 — The Premise of Title Shift03:26 — Entering the Age of Mistrust04:49 — Circles of Trust & the Return to Community06:50 — Defining a New Category: Brand Coherence08:44 — Sustainable Growth Marketing09:14 — What Brand Coherence Really Means16:02 — The Groundswell Method Explained20:05 — Transformation as the Ultimate Growth Loop26:46 — Lightning Strikes & Community Building33:28 — Closing Thoughts & What’s NextWhere to Find Scott MartinWebsite: https://groundswellorigins.comYouTube: https://groundswell.tvLinkedIn: Search Scott A. Martin – GroundswellGroundswell Inner Circle Community: https://groundswellinnercircle.comPodcast: The Groundswell Podcast (available on all major platforms) Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Register here → https://summit.strikemarketingsummit.com/talks/the-future-of-content-operations/If you’ve ever been seduced by the endless parade of shiny AI tools—and then wondered why your content still doesn’t work—this conversation with Audra Carpenter is your wake-up call.Audra has been doing content marketing since Obama’s first term. She’s logged her “10,000 hours” inside the chaos of AI implementation, and she’s emerged with something founders desperately need: a practical, battle-tested blueprint for turning AI into an actual operating system for your content. Not a toy. Not a trick. A system.In this speaker-preview episode, Audra breaks down:🔥 Why AI is incredible at “macro” work—but fails spectacularly at the micro decisions humans make without thinking(“AI will 100% miss the tiny nuances you make unconsciously. It’s a black box.”)🔥 The hidden, unconscious micro-steps that make or break your content workflowsShe explains why everyone gets stuck when they try to “just have AI write the blog post.”🔥 The 3 roles every company will soon have: Architect, Operator, AutomatorAnd why founders must stop chasing tools and start building infrastructure.🔥 How to build AI-powered workflows that actually scale your businessAgents aren’t autonomous yet—but the workflows she’s building today are “sexy, powerful, and real.”🔥 Why the ONLY unfair advantage left in marketing is your humanityAs AI removes barriers, differentiation becomes emotional, relational, and strategic—not technical.About Audra’s Strike Marketing Summit TalkTitle: From Workflows to Intelligence: The Future of Content OperationsWhen: Friday, December 12 · 1–2 PM CT (2–3 PM ET)Where: Strike Marketing Summit (100% virtual & free)Register: https://summit.strikemarketingsummit.com/talks/the-future-of-content-operations/This session is a must-attend for founders, marketers, and operators who want to build a content machine that runs with AI—not against it.Audra will show you how to shortcut years of trial and error… and finally get AI to produce consistent, usable, on-brand output.Soundbites You’ll Love“Not all the shiny tools.”“AI is great at macro work—not the micro.”“I want to shortcut it for you.”“Workflows are the future. Agents aren’t here yet.”“Marketing is still marketing—we just have a different tool.” Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Navigating Data Challenges for AI SuccessIn this episode, Fernando Labastida talks with Eduardo Ortiz Ramírez about one of the most overlooked barriers to AI success: the quality of a company’s data and processes. Eduardo explains why data problems can derail even the most ambitious AI initiatives—and why the solution isn’t always a massive, expensive digital transformation.Instead, he shares a more practical path: intelligent reinvention. This approach centers on identifying strategic pain points, implementing quick wins, and modernizing processes in targeted, high-impact ways.If your organization is struggling to make AI work—or you're unsure how to prepare your systems and people for AI adoption—this conversation gives you a roadmap for getting unstuck.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Viral Genius Podcast00:40 Understanding Intelligent Reinvention Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Bryan Eisenberg has shaped modern digital marketing more than almost anyone alive. He and his brother Jeffrey pioneered ideas like conversion rate optimization (CRO), persuasion architecture, and scent, and authored 11 bestselling books that defined the field.In this Strike Marketing Summit preview, Bryan joins Fernando Labastida to unpack a critical shift:In a world where AI curates our choices, stories — not facts — determine which brands survive.What You’ll LearnWhy AI leads convert 23× better than SEO leads — and what this means for visibility, differentiation, and demand generation.How AI is changing search behavior from “ranking” to story recall, giving brands with strong narratives a structural advantage.Why marketers must craft “brandable chunks” — simple, vivid pieces of vocabulary customers repeat and algorithms latch onto.How the average person now absorbs 15,000+ marketing messages per day, and why your messaging must cut through instantly.Why great companies win by telling origin stories and belief stories that customers can retell in their own words.Case Study: The Tri-Chord MethodBryan breaks down a real-world transformation of Dr. Matt Delgado, an Austin chiropractor whose brand exploded after shifting to:A clear origin story rooted in healing his own autoimmune conditionA belief story built around the nervous system as the “master system”A signature methodology — The Tri-Chord Method — now recognizable inside AI toolsSticky vocabulary like:AQ (Ask Quotient)The body was meant to moveTimeout PrescriptionThis approach created a story customers wanted to repeat… and that AI systems began to surface.Why This MattersIf your brand sounds like everyone else’s — “family-owned,” “great service,” “high quality” — AI will flatten you into irrelevance.But if you engineer the right stories, the algorithms will recall you.Where to See Bryan LiveStrike Marketing Summit 2025📅 Friday, December 12🕛 12 PM – 1 PM CSTTalk: The Stories We SellRegister here: https://summit.strikemarketingsummit.comA must-listen for any founder, marketer, creator, or practitioner who wants to stand out in an AI-driven world. Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

In a world where timelines are noisy and attention is scarce, summits have become one of the most reliable — and overlooked — ways to break through the clutter.In this Strike Marketing Summit preview, Fernando Labastida sits down with Darrell Vesterfelt, VP of Growth at Mighty Networks and co-founder of multiple large-scale online events (including one with 180,000 registrants). Darrell explains why summits are his favorite top-of-funnel strategy across industries — SaaS, creator businesses, physical products, agencies, and more.More importantly, he breaks down the psychology behind why a well-structured event can fill your funnel in one shot… even if you're a startup launching to crickets.Why summits work (according to Darrell):1. They break the norm.An event with multiple expert speakers stands out instantly in a crowded feed. When people are scrolling through endless micro-content, a summit feels like a high-value destination.2. They overwhelm with value.As Darrell says, you want attendees to think:“If they give me this much for free, what happens when I pay them?”3. They activate networks — without spending a fortune.Even a 200-person summit can outperform a 10,000-person one if the goal is targeted leads, not vanity metrics.4. They work for SaaS, creators, founders, and service businesses alike.Darrell has run successful summits for everything from homesteading courses to software platforms.5. They build trust faster than any other marketing move.Summits compress connection, authority, reciprocity, and community into a single strike.Whether you’re launching a new startup, releasing a product, or building your personal brand, this interview shows exactly why an event might be your most leverage-rich move.Darrell’s Session at the Strike Marketing Summit“Why Most Startups Launch to Crickets — and How One Summit Can Fill Your Funnel Overnight”📅 December 11, 2025⏰ 5:00–6:00 PM CST🔗 https://summit.strikemarketingsummit.comWhat you’ll learn:Why summits break through noise better than any single-topic eventHow Darrell generated 180,000 registrationsWhy value-overload is the #1 persuasion lever in event marketingWhy small summits can outperform massive onesHow to use a summit to launch a company, a product, or a categoryThe difference between “attention” and “activation”Why success depends on the end goal, not the audience sizeWays to use summits for SaaS, creators, agencies, and physical productsChapters00:00 – Why summits break the norm00:26 – Darrell’s biggest summit successes01:31 – Why events fill funnels at every scale03:02 – The psychology of attention & value04:46 – Reciprocity and value overload05:39 – The School of Traditional Skills case study06:07 – 10,000+ attendee summits at Mighty Networks07:28 – Small vs. large summits: what counts as “success”08:46 – Closing & Summit invitation Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Entrepreneurship is chaos. Writing a book while running a company? Even more chaotic.But Navy-SEAL calm, tight communication, and a simple battlefield framework can turn that chaos into a strategic advantage.In this Strike Marketing Summit preview, Fernando Labastida sits down with Kevin McGrew, CEO of EverSocial and author of Smack Marketing: The New Rules of Marketing Warfare. Kevin breaks down the real story behind becoming a founder-author — the mistakes, the wins, the wasted $10K, the unexpected power of AI, and the marketing lessons he learned the hard way.Most importantly, he reveals the SMAC Framework, a military-inspired operating system for writing a book, building a category, and communicating with punch:S – SHOOT: Define exactly who the book is for, and what category battlefield you want to own.M – MOVE: Write fast, imperfect drafts. Avoid perfection paralysis. Use AI as a co-pilot.A – ADAPT: Iterate with early feedback, test your stories, and use data to know what resonates.C – COMMUNICATE: Plan distribution before you finish the book — because “a book without distribution is just a diary.”If you’ve ever thought about writing a book, using content to stake your claim in a category, or running a strike-style launch event that actually drives authority, this episode is gold.Kevin’s Session at the Strike Marketing Summit“From CEO to Author: How to Write and Publish Your Marketing War Book”📅 December 11, 2025⏰ 4:00–5:00 PM CST🔗 https://summit.strikemarketingsummit.comWhat you’ll learn from this interview:Why entrepreneurs operate in constant chaos — and how to stay calm.The #1 mistake founders make in their books (and how Kevin fixed his).Why “aim at everyone, hit no one” is the downfall of most business books.The real cost of book publishing — and how AI changed the game.How a book becomes the fuel for your strike events, webinars, and authority engine.Why your category POV must come before your manuscript.Why distribution matters more than writing. Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

What if you stopped treating a summit like a product—and started treating it like a gateway to connection?In this special Strike Marketing Summit preview episode, Fernando sits down with Rachel Starr, the powerhouse founder of CoCreator Society and a community architect with a deeply human approach to growth. Rachel doesn’t host events the way most people do—and after hearing her philosophy, you may never look at summits, launches, or audience-building the same way again.Rachel believes summits aren’t content containers—they’re vessels for community, belonging, and real relationships. In her world, a summit isn’t a promotional tactic. It’s an experience—a curated environment where people feel seen, supported, and connected enough that sales naturally follow.Inside this conversation, you’ll learn:Why Rachel treats summits as “connection gateways” rather than list-building machinesHow she uses “mom energy” (her term!) to create safe, magnetic, high-trust spacesThe strategy behind curating—not crowdsourcing—topics, speakers, and attendee flowWhy community-first businesses inevitably outperform audience-first businessesHow Rachel uses AI without losing humanity—and why no technology can replace momentsThe story behind launching her new CoCreator Society app and why the experience matters as much as the contentWhy deeply designed experiences build stronger, more resilient businesses than daily posting ever couldRachel also shares her belief that we’re entering a new era—one where community replaces traditional institutions, and entrepreneurs become the creators of places where people reconnect, collaborate, and grow together.If you’ve ever wondered how to build a business that’s rooted in meaning and momentum, this episode is a masterclass in the power of moments. Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

In this episode, Sheriff Subair, Head of Marketing at HeySummit, shares how running workshops and virtual events can completely transform your marketing results. Sheriff explains how active, participatory experiences like summits generate deeper audience engagement, build stronger customer relationships, and create brands people actually remember.He also previews his talk at the Strike Marketing Summit, “Summit as System: Turning Events into Authority, Community, and Revenue Machines,” and breaks down how businesses are running multiple summits a year to keep their customer acquisition engines constantly running.🚀 Key Takeaways:Running events can triple your monthly lead generation.Workshops and summits build real relationships with your audience.Memorable brands are the ones customers buy from.Events outperform passive content like SEO and ads.Hosting multiple summits a year keeps your growth flywheel spinning.Conversations > impressions — proximity builds trust.Summits create community, authority, and long-term visibility.🔊 Sound Bites:“We were able to triple the number of leads.”“People buy from brands they remember.”“Events and summits bring you closer to your audience.”⏱ Chapters:00:00 — Introduction to the Strike Marketing Summit00:43 — The impact of summits on lead generation03:12 — Why multiple summits a year can drive growth07:56 — How summits outperform passive marketing10:00 — Building authority and community through events Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

What if your next book didn’t need to be 300 pages of fluff — but under 100 pages of clarity that builds your brand, authority, and revenue?In this special Viral Genius Podcast episode, host Fernando Labastida talks with Chris Stanley, the “Mini Book Guy” and 20-time Amazon bestselling author, about how short, powerful books can transform your business.Chris reveals how writing less can actually help you think deeper — and how a mini book can serve as the cornerstone of your business, helping you design your own category, establish credibility, and grow faster.They also unpack the story behind The Mini Book Hall of Fame, Chris’s community initiative that celebrates authors who’ve built businesses around their books — proof that this is a legit movement reshaping how entrepreneurs publish and profit.You’ll learn:Why clarity in writing trumps word count.How to use your book to design a category no one else owns.The secret to turning intellectual capital into income.How mini books help solopreneurs overcome the “credibility crisis.”Why virtual summits and publishing go hand-in-hand for growth.🗓️ Chris Stanley’s talk — “From 7 Days of Writing to $700K a Year” — premieres at the Strike Marketing Summit, December 11–12.👉 Register at StrikeMarketingSummit.comSound bites from this episode:“Clarity comes from writing.”“You’re designing a category.”“This is a legit thing.” Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

What if ChatGPT wasn’t just a tool — but your business operating system?In this episode, Russ Henneberry — author of Digital Marketing for Dummies and founder of theCLICK — reveals how to structure your ChatGPT account to actually grow your business.Russ calls it Growth OS — a practical system for transforming ChatGPT-5 into an intelligent workspace that boosts creativity, productivity, and results.We go deep on:The fourth great platform shift after Google, Amazon, and Facebook — and why ChatGPT is bigger.How to build utility vs. role-based GPTs (and why you need both).Setting up projects that remember, organize, and scale your workflows.Why “authentic connection” still beats automation — even in the age of AI.The skeptical GPT Russ uses to poke holes in his own plans.This isn’t theory — it’s a hands-on session where you can follow along and install the same GPTs Russ uses daily.🧠 Key TakeawaysChatGPT is the next mega-platform — treat it like Google in 2004.Organize your AI into intelligent projects with sealed memory.Use utility GPTs as tools and role-based GPTs to extend your thinking.Collaboration with AI multiplies creativity — not replaces it.Learn by doing: open a ChatGPT tab and follow along.💬 Sound Bites“ChatGPT looks easy — until you structure it right. That’s when the magic happens.”“I’ve built GPTs that think in 80/20, and one that argues with me — because AI shouldn’t always agree.”“The future of content creation is exciting — and practical.”🕒 Chapters00:00 Intro: From Google’s rise to AI’s next wave01:20 What is Growth OS03:00 Utility vs. Role-Based GPTs05:00 Building Intelligent Projects in ChatGPT07:45 The “Skeptical GPT”09:30 Workshop Preview: Installing Draper GPT11:00 Where to Find Russ + Summit Details📅 Featured SessionCatch Russ’s full Growth OS Workshop at the Strike Marketing Summit🗓 Thursday, December 11 | 2 PM CST🎟 Register: StrikeMarketingSummit.com Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

What if the smartest business move isn’t to compete — but to create?In this episode of The Viral Genius Podcast, host Fernando Labastida sits down with Eddie Yoon, co-founder of Category Pirates and bestselling author of Superconsumers and Play Bigger, to unpack why category design is the ultimate growth strategy for founders and creators alike.Eddie explains how the world’s most successful companies don’t play by existing rules — they write new ones. He reveals why founders must “choose their hard,” how to identify and serve your super consumers, and why the difference between a missionary and a mercenary mindset determines whether your startup thrives or burns out.They also dive into how platforms like Substack are rewriting the future of publishing, how writing fuels clarity and community, and how the Category Design Academy is training the next wave of market creators.If you’ve ever felt stuck competing in a crowded market, this conversation will show you a smarter way: create a category of one.🔑 You’ll LearnHow to create new markets instead of fighting for scrapsWhy purpose-driven founders outperform profit chasersThe power of identifying and serving your “super consumers”How writing and publishing in public sharpen your category strategyWhy Substack may be the best platform for entrepreneurs in 2025🎙 Notable Quote“The goal is to create abundance — not competition.” — Eddie Yoon Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

What if your podcast was more than just content — what if it was your trade show booth, your community magnet, and your category launchpad?In this episode of The Viral Genius Podcast, Fernando sits down with Pablo Gonzalez, founder of Be The Stage and Chief Evangelist of Vendoroo, to unpack how he’s rewriting the playbook for modern marketing.Pablo reveals how he transformed word of mouth into a scalable system he calls Digital Word of Mouth — turning conversations into communities, and communities into clients. You’ll hear how his team used this approach to help Vendoroo double in size quarter after quarter, build a newsletter of 5,000+ engaged subscribers, and drive $2.5M in deals in 36 hours using what he calls the Podcast Trade Show Booth concept.We also dig into the mindset behind it all — from evangelizing a new category in property management to managing the anxiety and adrenaline that come with being on the cutting edge.You’ll learn:Why every marketing team should think like a category designer, not a content farm.How to create your own center of gravity using content co-creation.The “POV taxonomy” Pablo uses to make every lightning strike hit harder.Why AI isn’t replacing people — it’s right-sizing jobs and restoring meaning to work.This conversation is an absolute masterclass in how to blend community, category design, and content into a single unstoppable growth engine. Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

In this episode of the Viral Genius Podcast, Fernando Labastida interviews digital marketing expert Bryan Eisenberg about his new book, 'I Think I Swallowed an Elephant: The Stories We Sell, The Success We Build.' They discuss the concept of 'Viral Genius,' the importance of storytelling in marketing, and how AI can amplify founder voices. Bryan shares insights on personal transformation, the significance of curiosity and empathy in marketing, and the evolution of marketing terms. The conversation emphasizes the power of authentic storytelling and the role of brandable chunks in effective marketing strategies.TakeawaysThe concept of 'Viral Genius' helps founders articulate their unique stories.AI can enhance content creation but cannot replace authentic human storytelling.Every founder has a 'zone of genius' that can be tapped into for marketing.Curiosity and empathy are essential traits for successful marketers.Changing your story can lead to significant personal and professional transformation.Brandable chunks are impactful terms that can enhance word-of-mouth marketing.The importance of clarity in messaging can sometimes offend but is necessary.Understanding your audience's perspective is crucial for effective marketing.The evolution of marketing terms shows the importance of clarity and relevance.Personal experiences can shape marketing strategies and storytelling. Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

In this episode of The Viral Genius Podcast, host Fernando Labastida sits down with Audra Carpenter, founder of Content Hub OS, to explore how AI and automation are reshaping the future of marketing.Audra shares her journey from running a title company in the early 2000s to becoming one of the leading voices in systemized content creation. Together, they unpack how her new platform - Content Hub OS - uses advanced AI workflows to help founders, marketers, and small businesses build repeatable, scalable content systems that actually work.They dive deep into the realities behind AI hype, the psychology of sustainable marketing, and the new operating model Audra calls The Architect, Operator, and Automator Framework—a modern update to Michael Gerber’s E-Myth for the AI age.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by fragmented marketing tools or struggled to create consistent, authentic content, this episode will show you what’s possible when strategy meets automation.💡 Key TakeawaysAI doesn’t replace marketers - it empowers generalists. The winners will be those who understand both business systems and creative workflows.Stop chasing shiny tools. Build one repeatable, sustainable content engine before adding complexity.Repurpose before you create. Most companies are sitting on a goldmine of evergreen content they never reuse.Your brand moat is your voice. AI makes content easy to produce—authenticity and human stories now define differentiation.The new org chart: Architect (visionary), Operator (system manager), and Automator (AI). That’s all a modern marketing team really needs.📍Links & ResourcesVisit contenthubos.com to learn more about Audra’s platform.Connect with Audra Carpenter on LinkedIn.Follow Fernando Labastida on Substack. Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Most businesses face the same problem: they depend too heavily on a few clients and lack a scalable way to grow. That was exactly the case with one of my software development clients in Mexico. Their revenue came almost entirely from two or three big corporate accounts. If even one left, half their business would vanish.They had no database, no email list, and no consistent marketing. Just a few Instagram posts.I needed to help them diversify, and quickly. The strategy I chose? A virtual summit.Within five weeks, starting from zero, we went from no mailing list at all to 904 new subscribers and a three-day event with more than a dozen respected speakers - including a Mexican senator and the head of GS1 Mexico.Here’s how it happened, and how you can replicate the process.Why a Summit?The idea came to me after studying two powerful examples:* The Traditional Skills Summit – launched by Darrell Vesterfelt and the School of Traditional Skills, this homesteading event drew 101,000 attendees and effectively launched their company.* The Hey Creator Summit – another Darrell Vesterfelt summit, was everywhere on LinkedIn for weeks, thanks to coordinated promotion by multiple influencers.Both showed me the same principle: a virtual summit creates a “big splash” moment. It gives you:* A firm date that focuses all promotion.* A collaborative platform to pull in experts.* A scalable way to build an email list fast.If “the money is in the list,” then a summit is one of the fastest ways to build one.Step 1: Define the CategoryYou don’t just host an event - you declare a category. For my client, we planted a flag around “AI Smart Companies.”The promise: helping small and medium-sized businesses use AI-powered software to become more agile and competitive.That gave us a clear narrative and positioned my client not as “another outsourcing shop,” but as a thought leader creating a new category.Step 2: Craft the Messaging and DesignBefore inviting a single speaker, we needed messaging and visuals. Here’s what we did:* I drafted raw ideas into Claude (an AI tool), which returned polished copy for the event website.* Our in-house designer turned that into mockups - logos, taglines, and a conference page that made the summit feel real before it existed.This early design was critical. It gave us a vision to rally around and made the summit “tangible” when pitching to partners and speakers.Step 3: Recruit Bold SpeakersWe built a list of 20 potential speakers - experts, influencers, and leaders our client already knew.The key to speaker selection is twofold:* Expertise – they need authority in the topic.* Audience – ideally, they bring their own following.We sent personalized invitations (again drafted with AI). To our surprise, all 20 said yes - including the senator and GS1’s country director.This was the first lesson: boldness pays off. People are often more willing than you think to say yes when you invite them to something ambitious.Step 4: Systematize Speaker LogisticsGetting “yes” is only half the battle. You also need bios, talk titles, headshots, and availability.We built a Google Form that captured everything in one place. Submissions fed into a Google Sheet, which our web designer used to build the agenda and speaker pages.This simple system cut down on endless back-and-forth emails and gave the summit structure.Step 5: Use AI to Build the AgendaWith 16 confirmed speakers, scheduling was a nightmare. Some were only available certain days or times.I uploaded the speaker sheet to Claude and asked it to generate a three-day agenda that accounted for:* 45 minutes per talk* 15 minutes of Q&A* Time-zone constraintsClaude produced a draft agenda in minutes, which we refined and published. What could have taken weeks was done in hours.Step 6: Create Momentum with ContentTo promote the event, I recorded interviews with the speakers on Riverside.fm. Each full interview generated:* A long-form YouTube video* 4–7 short clips repurposed as YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and LinkedIn postsWe published 74 videos in just a few weeks, overwhelming the feed with content tied to the summit.This did two things:* Built early awareness (“What is this AI Smart Summit I keep seeing?”).* Gave speakers content they could share with their own audiences, multiplying reach.Step 7: Leverage PartnershipsThe breakthrough came when we partnered with CANACINTRA, Mexico’s largest manufacturing chamber of commerce.We co-branded the summit with them, added their logo to our site, and they promoted the event across 32 regional chapters.Other unexpected partners followed:* A Microsoft employee with a 3,500-subscriber newsletter promoted it.* An AI influencer with a big Instagram following shared it.* Entrepreneurs in WhatsApp groups spread it virally.These alliances turned a small, scrappy summit into a national event.Step 8: Engage the Audience LiveA summit isn’t just about registrations - it’s about keeping people engaged. We used interactive elements:* Raffles – attendees entered by typing hashtags in chat.* Two Truths and a Lie – even the senator played along.* Live quizzes – with small prizes for correct answers.These touches kept people logged in from the first session to the last.The Results* 904 registrations* 194 live attendees at peak (dropping to ~60 by day three, which is normal for free events)* A brand-new mailing list from scratch* Strong relationships with high-profile partners and influencersAnd most importantly: my client is no longer dependent on two or three accounts. They now have a pipeline.Lessons Learned* Category First – Don’t run a generic summit. Define a bold, new category.* Design Early – Professional mockups make an idea real.* Bold Invitations – People will say yes if your vision is ambitious enough.* AI is a Force Multiplier – From website copy to scheduling, AI made five weeks possible.* Partnerships Beat Ads – Chambers of commerce, newsletters, and influencers delivered far more registrations than paid ads could have (and at zero cost).Final ThoughtA virtual summit is one of the fastest ways to go from invisible to category leader. It’s not easy - wrangling speakers is like herding cats, and tech hiccups will happen - but the rewards are transformational.If you want to make a splash, launch a new category, and build an email list from zero, there may be no better tool.The only real question is: What bold category will you design your summit around? Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Joe Pulizzi is back on the show – the godfather of content marketing and founder of The Tilt, Content Marketing Institute, and the visionary behind CEX (Content Entrepreneur Expo).In this high-energy conversation, Joe and Fernando Labastida break down:🎯 Why the creator economy needs entrepreneurs, not just content creators📉 The risky business of relying on social algorithms—and what to do instead💥 How CEX evolved from a conference into a mission to help creators achieve financial freedom💼 Why Lulu.com is now organizing and growing the CEX movement—and what it means for independent creators📊 Joe’s proven model for building a content business with diversified revenue streams🧠 His insights from Content Inc. and upcoming book Burn the Playbook💌 Why email is STILL king (even in the age of AI)🎤 How owning your audience data makes or breaks your business🚀 Tactical ways to grow from content creator → content entrepreneur → scalable brandWhether you’re a solopreneur, a coach, or a SaaS founder—if you publish content and want to make it your business, this episode will reshape your strategy.🔗 Resources Mentioned:CEX – Content Entrepreneur ExpoThe Tilt NewsletterJoe’s books: Content Inc., The Will to Die, and the upcoming Burn the PlaybookLulu.com – Print-on-Demand Publishinghttps://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Guest: Isaac Carter, CEO & Founder of Contollo, Software Development Expert & Author of "Before You Build"A candid discussion between two founders who discovered that the best software development strategies are actually marketing strategies in disguise—and why that changes everything for startups.Key Highlights:Why 40% of startups fail from lack of product-market fit (and how to avoid it)The 5-person discovery method that eliminates guesswork before you buildHow Isaac went viral 4X and ditched expensive LinkedIn ads for organic contentWhy "code is cost, not value"—and what that means for your MVPThe injection molding story that proves customers already know your solutionWhy Agile development might be killing your startup's speed to marketHow to build an audience first, then extract product ideas from their pain pointsGuest Links:Website: https://www.contollo.net/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaac-carter/ Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

What happens when a Fortune 100 IT leader walks away from corporate life to become a founder with no plan—but a powerful purpose?In this episode of the Viral Genius Podcast, host Fernando Labastida sits down with Sarina Nguyen, CEO and cofounder of TrueHumans.AI, a Dallas-based startup on a mission to make high-impact AI tools accessible to small and medium-sized business owners.Sarina shares her deeply personal journey: from raising a son, to building an AI-driven content creation agency that helps entrepreneurs generate videos, clone their voice, and even simulate drone footage.You'll learn:The real “aha” moment behind launching TrueHumans.AIWhy she believes small is the new big in businessHow her company is helping non-technical founders win with social mediaThe power of AI to unlock visibility for time-starved entrepreneursWhether you’re an overwhelmed founder or just AI-curious, Sarina’s story will inspire you to think bigger—and smarter.🔗 Visit truehumans.ai to learn more about her company. Email Sarina at [email protected], and her social media handles aer @truehumans.ai Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

What if your entire go-to-market team lived inside Slack—and it actually worked?In this episode of The Viral Genius Podcast (formerly AI Marketing Case Studies), host Fernando Labastida sits down with Amos Bar-Joseph, CEO and Co-Founder of Swan, a Slack-native AI go-to-market platform that's rewriting the rules of startup growth.Amos isn’t just building software—he’s building a movement.Together, they unpack:Why Swan is aiming for $30M ARR with just 3 employeesThe difference between automation and true AI agentsHow Amos built a “one-person GTM powerhouse” with custom agents like The Observer and The ConnectorWhy LinkedIn isn’t just a channel—it’s the stage for a founder-led movementHow to craft a “viral story” by combining a challenger narrative with a uniquely positioned narratorWhat it really takes to build the first autonomous businessIf you're a founder, marketer, or builder trying to scale with lean resources and real storytelling, this episode is your playbook.🔗 Subscribe to Amos’s newsletter, The Big Shift, and learn more at GetSwan.com Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Chris Stanley is a 30-time author, founder of IA Path, and the mind behind the Mini Book Model. In this episode, Chris reveals how he built a three-quarter-million-dollar ARR coaching business—serving a micro-niche market—by publishing short, ultra-targeted books.We talk about:Why 10,000-word books are often more effective than 50,000-word onesThe “1-3-1” writing cadence that removes the fear of the blank pageHow to use AI to create derivative content that stays true to your voiceWhy authors should think like category designersThe power of mini books as marketing assets, not just creative projectsThis episode is a blueprint for anyone who wants to transform their expertise into revenue—without spending months (or years) writing a traditional book.📚 Grab Chris’s books::🔗 Follow Chris on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrispstanley/🔗 Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flabastida#AIMarketing #CategoryDesign #MiniBookModel #ContentMarketing #Authorpreneur #ChrisStanley #IAPath Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Guest: Gen Furukawa, Founder of SuperMarketers.ai and BrandMarketers.aiIn this episode, Fernando Labastida interviews Gen Furukawa, founder of SuperMarketers.ai (an inbound demand gen agency for B2B SaaS companies) and the upcoming BrandMarketers.ai (an employee advocacy platform). Gen shares his journey from co-founding Prehook (a quiz builder for e-commerce) to his current ventures leveraging AI for marketing.Key Points:How Gen uses AI to help early-stage B2B SaaS companies create content despite limited resourcesWhy Gen believes recording conversations is the future of content creationThe shift toward founder-led and employee-led marketing and personal brandsHow AI agents and automation are changing the marketing landscapeThe importance of capturing proprietary insights rather than creating generic AI contentConnect with Gen:LinkedIn: Gen FurukawaWebsite: https://supermarketers.ai/New Platform: https://www.brandmarketers.ai/ Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

AI Marketing Case Studies Podcast with David McInnis, Founder of Newsworthy.ai and NewsRampIn this episode, Fernando Labastida interviews David McInnis, Founder of Newsworthy.ai and NewsRamp. David is a pioneering entrepreneur in the PR tech space, best known for founding PRWeb, one of the first direct-to-consumer press release platforms.David shares how his companies are transforming the press release landscape using AI, creating platform-native content for today's "zero-click" world. He explains how NewsRamp technology helps businesses overcome Google's algorithm changes by generating unique content across multiple platforms while avoiding duplicate content penalties.How David revolutionized the press release industry with PRWeb before selling to Vocus in 2006The AI technology behind NewsRamp that transforms press releases into platform-specific contentHow NewsRamp uses persuasion architecture and Myers-Briggs personality types to create more engaging contentThe blockchain verification system that ensures content provenance and transparencyDavid's upcoming project for citizen journalism and content marketingWebsite: newsworthy.aiOpen Office Hours: Visit newsworthy.ai and follow the "Talk to a press release expert" linkJoin us for this insightful conversation about the future of AI-powered PR and content distribution!Key Topics:Connect with David McInnis: Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

I recorded this episode a year ago, when I was finishing up my new book, The Startup Book: How to Write a Book That Designs a New Market Category & Positions You as The Leader. A lot has changed in a year, but this episode is still relevant. I share about my participation in Zacharia Stratford's "One Book Millionaire Challenge" and I explain the various AI techniques I used to write my book.Key Points:How I used AI to develop my writing tone, create detailed chapter outlines, and produce content fasterThe concept of "category design" and how writing a book can help establish a new business categoryInsights from my interviews with category design experts like Christopher Lockhead, Joe Pulizzi, and Mark SchaeferHow tools like Chat GPT-4, Descript, and Colibri.ai can be integrated into a modern book writing workflowWhy AI-assisted book writing can help entrepreneurs overcome "writer's block" and finally finish their booksConnect with me:Website: https://aimarketingcasestudies.comLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/fernandolabastida Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

AI Marketing Case Studies with John Lyons, Founder of Human Hat StandIn this episode, Fernando Labastida interviews John Lyons, the founder of Human Hat Stand, a fractional CMO service helping B2B professional service businesses achieve effective marketing results. John shares his practical approach to implementing AI tools like Perplexity AI and My Telescope in his marketing research process, delivering data-driven insights for clients.Key points discussed:How John uses AI tools to streamline research, competitive analysis, and customer interviewsThe critical role of qualitative and quantitative research in developing effective marketing strategiesFinding your product-market fit by identifying the 25% of your market that truly values your solutionDeveloping "no-brainer" value propositions based on customer pain points and purchase driversStanding out on LinkedIn with authentic, distinctive personal branding (like John's famous hat and bins)Follow John Lyons:Website: johnlyons.co.ukLinkedIn: John Lyons Twitter: Johnny Ego (@johnnieego)Sign up for the Smack my Pitch Up webinar, April 10th, 8:00 AM CDT Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Fernando Labastida, Founder of AI Marketing Case StudiesIn this episode, Fernando Labastida tackles one of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs and marketers today: creating consistent, high-quality content. Fernando shares his proven framework for building a sustainable weekly content engine through podcasts, webinars, or speaking engagements.Key points covered:How to overcome content production challenges like the "blank page syndrome"Why speaking is the most natural and effective way to create authentic contentThe "productize thyself" philosophy and how your unique perspective is your greatest differentiatorHow to turn one piece of core content into a cascade of blog posts, social media content, and morePractical tools like Riverside and Descript to streamline your content productionUsing AI to amplify your content without losing your authentic voiceStrategies for getting your content in front of other people's audiences (OPA)Visit Fernando's website at aimarketingcasestudies.com or connect with him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/fernandolabastida Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

In this solo episode, Fernando Labastida, owner of AI Marketing Case Studies, shares the fascinating story of Rodriguez, a talented musician who created amazing work but remained unknown in the US while unknowingly becoming a legend in South Africa. Fernando draws powerful parallels between Rodriguez's story and B2B founders who create great products that remain "the best kept secrets" in their industries.Key points discussed:How great products don't sell themselves - marketing is essential for successThe 5-step B2B Creator Authority System for foundersWhy designing a new category is like creating a band's unique imageHow writing a book functions like releasing an album to spread your ideasUsing speaking opportunities and podcasts to build visibilityCreating your signature show as your content foundationLeveraging AI to create a "content cascade" from your authentic voiceYou can reach me on:LinkedInB2BCreator.live Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

In this episode of the AI Marketing Case Studies podcast, Fernando Labastida interviews Dan Sanchez, an AI marketing consultant and creator who works with Social Media Examiner and hosts the AI-Driven Marketer podcast.Dan shares his journey from aspiring to be the "ultimate marketer" to becoming an AI marketing pioneer. He explains his 30-30-30 approach to mastering new skills, how he's automating podcast production with AI, and why he's writing a book on the five types of AI marketing.Key topics discussed: How Dan developed his "marketer's marketer" philosophy and pivoted to AI marketing The 30-30-30 plan for gaining expertise in new topics (30 books, 30 interviews, 30 blog posts) Dan's automated podcast production system using n8n and custom GPTs The process of co-writing a book with AI using ChatGPT's project feature Why Dan believes AI is enhancing creativity rather than limiting itConnect with Dan:Website: https://danchez.com/AI Marketing Podcast: https://danchez.com/ai-marketing-podcast/AI Show Runner GPT: https://myshowrunner.com/Children's Book: https://danchez.com/books/kids-marketing/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitalmarketingdan/ Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

AI Marketing Case Studies Podcast: Russ Henneberry, Founder & CEO of theCLICK.In this episode, Fernando Labastida interviews Russ Henneberry, an OG content marketer who was part of the original crew at digitalmarketer.com and is now the founder and CEO of theCLICK, an AI marketing education company.Russ shares his journey from SEO specialist to content marketer to AI marketing expert, explaining his innovative "AI Content Engine" concept that helps marketers transform their original content using AI tools. He discusses how content marketers can adapt to the AI revolution by creating forcing functions that generate original thoughts which AI can then reshape and distribute.Key points discussed:How Russ transitioned from traditional content marketing to embracing AIThe AI Content Engine process for repurposing original contentThe eight forces of digital labor evolutionCreating an AI Marketing Hub with persona and offer informationWhy founder-led marketing becomes more important in the AI eraThe future of orchestrating AI tools for maximum marketing effectivenessConnect with Russ:Website: jointheclick.ai Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Episode: Friends of Einstein - January 2025 Host: Mark Brennan, Founder of Kynoch Labs. Guests: Fernando Labastida, AI Marketing Expert and Author Hanin El Refai, Data ScientistIn this insightful episode, we explore the transformative impact of AI on marketing and enterprise operations. From creative applications of AI in content creation to the technical challenges of implementing AI systems, our guests share their hands-on experiences and practical insights.Key Topics: How AI is reshaping marketing departments and creating new opportunities Creative ways marketers are using AI tools to enhance their work The rise of engineer-marketers and AI-powered marketing automation Data quality challenges and the importance of human oversight in AI systems The future of AI agents in business operations Latest developments in Salesforce's AgentForce technologyConnect with our guests: Kynoch Labs Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Eduardo Velasco - CEO & Founder, WaveMax CorporationIn this episode, Fernando Labastida talks with Eduardo Velasco, an accomplished entrepreneur who turned his WiFi-sharing startup into a success story. Eduardo shares how his company WaveMax uses AI agents to run marketing campaigns more efficiently than traditional methods.Key points from the episode: How WaveMax's innovative business model lets users monetize their WiFi hotspots through ad revenue sharing Using AI agents to orchestrate marketing campaigns and make real-time decisions about ad spend Why the future of marketing belongs to small, tech-savvy teams using AI tools How Eduardo's new venture, Agentic LLC, applies AI agents to trading and real estate The importance of combining marketing expertise with technical skills in today's landscapeTo contact Eduardo, visit his company's website: https://www.wavemaxcorp.com/Or write to him at [email protected] Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Guest: Tim Stoddart, CEO of Copyblogger and Founder of TimStodz.comIn this enlightening episode, Tim Stoddart shares his remarkable journey from addiction recovery to becoming a successful digital entrepreneur. As the CEO of Copyblogger and founder of multiple businesses including TheShop.AI, Tim reveals how he discovered the power of content marketing through Copyblogger in 2010 and transformed his life by applying those lessons to build Sober Nation, his first successful venture.Key Points: How Tim built his portfolio of businesses by focusing on one venture at a time and systematizing before moving to the next The evolution of SEO and content marketing in the age of AI, and why Tim believes in openly embracing AI tools Tim's approach to building trust through authentic content rather than traditional copywriting frameworks Insights into how TheShop.AI uses artificial intelligence to enhance local business marketing Tim's philosophy on using media as a gateway to build real businesses rather than treating media itself as the primary revenue sourceConnect with Tim: timstodz.com theshop.ai Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Interviewee: Kevin McGrew, CEO of Everzocial, Digital Marketing Strategist & Author of "The New Rules of Marketing Warfare: The SMAC Framework" (soon to be published)In this episode, Kevin McGrew shares his innovative SMAC (Shoot, Move, Adapt, Communicate) framework that helps small and mid-market businesses compete against larger competitors. Drawing from military tactics and his extensive experience in digital marketing, Kevin reveals how businesses can operate with agility and precision to capture market share.Key Points How the SMAC framework helps small businesses outmaneuver larger competitors Real-world case study of Crazy Tuna Party Rentals using targeted marketing to dominate their market The role of AI in modern marketing strategy and implementation Why confidence and adaptability are crucial for small business success Preview of Kevin's upcoming book and AI-powered marketing toolConnect with Kevin:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinmcgrew/Website: www.everzocial.comTwitter: @smacmarketerSubstack: @iamkevin Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Guest: Kathryn AragonTitle: Revenue Optimization Strategist & Founder of KA MediaSummary:In this episode, we dive deep into Kathryn Aragon's innovative RACE Growth Framework, which helps B2B SaaS companies and large equipment firms boost their revenue through optimized customer experiences. Kathryn shares how she uses AI tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT to speed up research, create powerful sales enablement content, and develop comprehensive company narratives that align cross-functional teams.Key Points:Connect with Kathryn:Website: KathrynAragon.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrynaragon/Email: [email protected] Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Guest: Lourdes BaezaDigital Personal Brand Advisor & Pioneer in Digital Image ConsultingIn this episode, Lourdes Baeza shares her journey as Mexico's pioneer in digital image consulting for women in STEM/STEAM. With 20 years of tech industry experience at companies like Logitech, Polycom, and Kaspersky, Lourdes now helps women in technology build powerful personal brands.Key Topics: Breaking through the gender gap in Latin America's tech industry Using AI tools to analyze and enhance LinkedIn profiles Creating sustainable content strategies for busy STEM professionals Building authentic personal brands while maintaining work-life balance The importance of starting personal branding early in your careerConnect with Lourdes:Website: lourdesbaeza.comLinkedIn: Lourdes Baeza DelgadoInstagram, YouTunbe, TikTok: @lourdesbaeza_ Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

In this fascinating episode I spoke to Julien Nowak-Bourgoin, EOS Implementation Expert & HR Consultant for E-commerce Companies.Julien reveals how he leveraged AI tools to revolutionize his market research and content creation process. As the founder of a consultancy helping e-commerce companies implement the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), Julien shares his innovative approach using Perplexity AI, ChatGPT, and Otter.ai to deeply understand his target audience and create highly resonant content.Key Points:• How Julien used Perplexity AI's premium version to gather 87 pages of authentic customer research from Reddit, Quora, and other forums• His creative process combining Otter.ai voice notes with ChatGPT to generate content that truly connects with his audience• The impressive results from his AI-powered content strategy, including 46-52% email open rates and highly qualified leads• His journey from corporate change management to helping e-commerce companies build better teams• The power of unfiltered, anonymous forum discussions versus traditional market research methodsConnect with Julien:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliennowak/ Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Former Microsoft software engineer turned real estate entrepreneur Gustavo Muñoz Castro shares how his company is using AI-powered voice technology to revolutionize lead conversion in the real estate industry. Based in Uruapan, Mexico, Gustavo's company Power ISA provides cutting-edge telemarketing services to real estate agents across the US and Canada.Key Points: Power ISA's groundbreaking experiments with AI voice technology for inbound lead conversion, showing AI slightly outperforming human agents in recent tests How AI voice agents excel at after-hours lead response, filling a critical gap when human agents are unavailable The evolution of AI voice technology over the past year and its increasing effectiveness in natural conversations The importance of compliance and legal considerations when implementing AI voice technology How Power ISA is preparing for the future by becoming AI trainers and optimizers rather than just managing human agentsCheck out the case study mentioned in the episode: https://youtu.be/P4VxeDsxSa4?si=-aQQVFQVJKMyqyYuConnect with Gustavo:Website: powerisa.comFacebook: Gustavo Muñoz Castro Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

What happens when adults get handed a whole new Lego set, or a new box of Tinker Toys? We go to town!Russ Somers, a rock’n’roll guitar playing, AI Lego building startup marketing executive, is my 2nd interview guest for the AI Marketing Case Studies Podcast.Russ shares his groundbreaking approach to using custom GPTs as virtual marketing team members. As VP of Marketing at Quantified.AI, Russ breaks down his three-level system for creating AI assistants that handle everything from routine tasks to strategic planning.Key Points: How to create Level 1 GPTs for handling routine marketing tasks like webinar content creation Building Level 2 GPTs that serve as knowledge bases for complex systems like RevOps Developing Level 3 GPTs that help with high-level strategic decision-making Achieving 3X productivity gains through strategic AI implementation The importance of iterating and experimenting with AI tools Why marketers must adapt to AI or risk becoming obsoleteYou can find Russ at https://www.linkedin.com/in/russsomers/, and Quantified, the company he works for, at https://www.quantified.ai/ Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

I'm excited to introduce the first official episode of the AI Marketing Case Studies podcast, where I, Fernando Labastida, get to interview Andrew Lane, a brand building expert who helps entrepreneurs turn their expertise into profitable online businesses. Andrew shares his journey from building a seven-figure software company in his 20s to serving as Copy.ai's top affiliate marketing manager, helping grow the company to over 10 million users in two years.Key Points We Discussed:• How to leverage AI to create high-quality content at scale while maintaining authenticity• The three pillars of building a seven-figure brand: marketing, messaging, and monetization• Transforming client expertise into automated content systems using AI tools• Converting a small, engaged audience into significant revenue• Using AI to analyze and repurpose content across multiple platforms• Practical strategies for creating effective AI promptsFind Andrew Lane at:Website: https://www.designhacker.com/Agency: https://brandbuilderpros.com/ Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

Check out the intro and jingle for the podcast! Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe

I decided to create the AI Marketing Case Studies podcast to highlight the heroic marketers out there, in the trenches, duplicating, triplicating, multiplying by 10 their marketing efforts with the help of AI tools.These are the fractional CMOs, the marketing managers, the one-person enterprises leveraging their creativity via easily available tools available in the marketplace. Get full access to Strike Marketing News at strikemarketing.news/subscribe