Humans of Growth: Stories & Strategies Behind Business Growth & Business Development

During COVID, a lot of home service businesses got fat and happy. The phones were ringing, the leads were rolling in, and marketing budgets quietly disappeared into other line items. Now those same companies are watching their leads dry up and wondering what changed. Their competitors didn't get lazy. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Megan Bedford, co-founder of Home Services Marketing Hub, to break down what actually works for home service marketing in 2026 — Google Business Profile, Local Services Ads, the review strategy most contractors are botching, the comeback of direct mail, and how AI search is changing the way customers find local plumbers, HVAC techs, and contractors. In this episode, we cover: ✔ Why home service businesses that "got fat and happy" during COVID are struggling now ✔ Google Business Profile optimization: categories, descriptions, posts, and the "treat Google like a kindergartner" rule ✔ Local Services Ads strategy: budgets, cost per lead, and why LSAs outperform paid search ✔ "LSA purgatory" — the mistake that gets your Google ads silently throttled ✔ Why direct mail is returning 15–30X for home service companies right now ✔ Review strategy: why job type and location matter more than star count alone ✔ How AI search is changing local SEO for plumbers, HVAC companies, and contractors ✔ Why your website needs to mention the towns you actually serve (and why most don't) ✔ Price transparency, "good, better, best" quoting, and what belongs on your website ✔ How to start marketing a home service business from scratch in 90 days If you're a home service owner, contractor, or local business marketer trying to figure out why your phone isn't ringing the way it used to — or you're starting from scratch and need a real playbook — this conversation is the reset you've been looking for.   ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Home Services Marketing Hub here.

Scott Armstrong lost a major AT&T deal by selling the big idea while his client was trying to ask about the budget. Her CEO had cut her budget 30 minutes earlier. She asked three times to see the numbers. Scott kept pitching — and walked out down 60% of his agency fees. That meeting reshaped how he runs an agency 30 years later. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Scott Armstrong, CEO of BrainRider, to unpack his "win the question, not the answer" philosophy, why being an ally beats being a vendor, and how some of BrainRider's biggest wins came from pitches they lost. In this episode, we cover: ✔ Why most agency-client relationships go transactional (and how to reset them) ✔ The "win the question, not the answer" framework for client conversations ✔ Charles Duhigg's three types of business conversations and how to spot which one you're in ✔ How losing a major RFP can grow your business if you stay an ally through the transition ✔ The hard-conversation playbook: how to handle "moment of truth" client meetings ✔ Why most agency pitches are 90% about the agency (and what the best ones do instead) ✔ Trust as a growth engine: how to build it before, during, and after the close ✔ Why fewer, better pitches outperform a packed pitch calendar ✔ How to read what your client isn't saying — and why it matters more than what they are If you're an agency leader, business development pro, or marketing lead whose client relationships keep drifting transactional — or you've just lost a deal you thought was yours — this conversation will reset how you think about trust, listening, and what it actually means to be an ally. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about BrainRider here.

Paid ads are renting. SEO is buying. Most business owners pour their marketing budget into Google Ads and Meta because the math feels obvious — drop in a dollar, pull out five. But the channel that actually compounds, the one that builds lead generation you don't have to keep paying for, usually gets pushed to the back of the budget. And that's how most businesses end up funding Mark Zuckerberg's next yacht instead of building real long-term traffic. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Sophie Brannon, CEO of StudioHawk US, a global SEO agency that's been ranking businesses on Google for over a decade. We get into the SEO strategy that actually works in 2026 — what early traction really looks like, why paid CPCs are about to skyrocket, and how to think about SEO when AI search is rewriting the rules of discovery. Sophie breaks down the three core pillars of SEO (technical, content, and authority), why "chunkable" content is the new ranking advantage in ChatGPT and AI Overviews, and the outdated black hat tactics making a quiet comeback — and getting penalized hard. In this episode, we cover: Why SEO is the most underrated lead generation channel for small businesses, and what it actually costs you to ignore it ✔ The renting vs buying analogy: paid ads vs SEO and how to think about real marketing ROI ✔ Realistic SEO timelines: what to expect in your first 90 days vs the full 6–12 month curve ✔ The three pillars of SEO strategy: technical foundation, content, and authority ✔ How to know if your website is technically set up to rank (and the free tools that flag issues) ✔ Keyword intent vs search volume: why high-intent, low-volume keywords often beat the obvious targets ✔ What actually makes a blog post rank on Google in 2026 ✔ How AI search is changing SEO — and why "chunkable" content is now a ranking factor ✔ Why Google is now penalizing AI-generated content under its latest quality guidelines ✔ The black hat SEO tactics making a comeback — and the December update that's killing them ✔ Link building and digital PR: where to start when agency minimums are $5–10K a month If you're a founder, marketing director, or small business owner trying to figure out where SEO fits into your growth strategy — or you've been told SEO is dead and aren't sure what to believe anymore — this conversation will reset how you think about long-term, compounding traffic. Because the brands that build real search visibility eventually stop renting their leads from anyone. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about StudioHawk US here.

Most brands start scrappy, hungry, and a little bit weird. Then they grow up — and somewhere on the way to becoming a "real" company, they lose the thing that made anyone care in the first place. Campaigns get safer. Tone gets stiffer. The marketing starts to sound like every other brand in the category. And customers quietly stop showing up. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Brad Casper, CEO of Heart & Soul Marketing and a P&G veteran who's spent his career building real, wallet-opening brand love at companies of every size. We dig into why so many businesses lose their spark as they scale, what it actually takes to keep emotional connection at the center of your marketing, and why a challenger brand mindset matters even when you're the market leader. Brad also shares the disruptive Japan campaign that took a brand-new dish soap from 0 to 25% market share in six weeks, what "courageous creativity" looks like when most CMOs are too scared of losing their job to greenlight it, and how the Reasons to Believe framework helps brands stand out without trashing the competition. In this episode, we cover: ✔ Why legacy brands fall into safe, stale marketing — and what that complacency actually costs them ✔ How to keep heart, humor, and humanity in your brand culture as you scale a team ✔ What "courageous creativity" looks like in practice, with real campaign examples ✔ The Reasons to Believe framework: turning product features into emotional benefits that convert ✔ How challenger brand strategy can beat market leaders 15x your size ✔ Why putting competitors down is a weaker play than lifting your own customers up ✔ The rise of the "kindness economy" and what it means for modern brand strategy ✔ How to shift brand perception by listening to insiders before outsiders ✔ Why your weekly team meetings should feel like the best part of your people's day ✔ The future of emotional connection in branding — and what's not going anywhere If you're a founder, marketer, or CMO trying to scale without losing the soul of your brand — or you're working with a legacy brand that's gone a little quiet — this conversation is the reset you've been looking for. Because the brands worth scaling are the ones whose heart only gets louder along the way. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Heart & Soul Marketing here.

Most CEOs and CMOs are staring at dashboards that make them feel productive while the business quietly pays the price. Because clicks, impressions, and pretty reports can make it look like the marketing is working… …even when growth is flatlined and your audience does not actually feel connected to your brand. In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock sits down with Tiffany Wade, Media Director at Hunter BluMedia, to unpack the uncomfortable truth: a lot of brands are measuring what is easy instead of what actually drives results. In this episode, we cover: ✔ Why vanity metrics can create a false sense of marketing success ✔ How marketing measurement has shifted from mass reach to real connection ✔ Why audience research matters more than assumptions ✔ The difference between short-term KPIs and long-term brand growth ✔ How customer connection and community shape modern marketing performance ✔ Why brands need to stop treating themselves as the target audience ✔ How siloed teams distort marketing attribution and business decisions ✔ What it looks like to pursue growth beyond the dashboard ✔ Why stale, “safe” campaigns often underperform ✔ How ad fatigue, frequency, and overexposure can actively hurt your brand If you care about marketing measurement, vanity metrics, customer connection, brand growth, and building campaigns that actually resonate, this episode will challenge the way you think about success. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Hunter BluMedia here.

You can write all the content you want and still lose to someone with worse copy and stronger backlinks. Because SEO is not just about what lives on your website. It is also about who on the internet is pointing back to you, vouching for you, and helping Google decide whether your business matters. In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock sits down with Adam of Tork Media to break down the side of SEO most business owners and even a lot of marketers overlook: off-page SEO. They unpack what backlinks actually are, why they matter so much for search visibility, how they influence authority, and what it looks like to build them without wasting time or money. They also get into the real difference between PR-driven backlinks and paid backlinks, what makes a backlink worth buying, and the mistakes agencies make when trying to scale link building. In this episode, we cover: ✔ What off-page SEO is and how it differs from on-page SEO ✔ What backlinks are and why they matter for Google rankings ✔ The difference between digital PR backlinks and paid backlinks ✔ How to evaluate backlink quality using authority, traffic, country, and topical relevance ✔ Why domain authority matters — and why it is not the whole story ✔ How many backlinks businesses should be building each month ✔ Common link building mistakes that waste money or create weak results ✔ How to structure backlink content so it looks natural and gets indexed ✔ Why Google indexing matters and how to make sure your backlinks are actually seen ✔ How AI content writing can support backlink campaigns when paired with human editing If you care about off-page SEO, backlinks, link building, Google rankings, and building real search authority, this episode will help you understand the part of SEO that too many businesses ignore. Because better content alone will not always win. Sometimes the brands that rank are the ones with more people pointing back to them. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Tork Media here.

Most businesses are forgettable simply because they don't make people feel anything. There's no true depth of feeling and emotion behind the brand. In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock sits down with John of Human Design to unpack what actually makes a brand feel human — and why emotional connection matters far more than polished messaging, feature lists, or surface-level aesthetics. They explore why people do not choose brands based on logic first, how emotional resonance shapes both B2C and B2B buying decisions, and what business owners need to change if their brand looks good on paper but still gets ignored. In this episode, we cover: ✔ Human-centered marketing and what it actually means ✔ Why emotional branding drives faster decision-making ✔ The difference between brand features vs brand benefits ✔ How storytelling in marketing creates stronger customer connection ✔ Why brand identity and belonging build long-term loyalty ✔ What makes some brands feel real while others feel performative ✔ A simple brand audit business owners can do right now If you care about human-centered marketing, brand strategy, emotional branding, storytelling in marketing, and customer connection, this episode will help you think differently about what makes people actually care. Because people do not remember the most polished brand. They remember the one that made them feel something. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Human Design here.  

Posting more isn’t the strategy. Connection is. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Hannah Olivas, co-founder of She Rises Studios, to talk about what actually drives trust and revenue in 2026. From publishing and media to large-scale women’s events, Hannah has built a global ecosystem by focusing on real relationships — not vanity metrics. We unpack what it truly means to build a personal brand that feels aligned, how your founder story can either anchor your growth or keep you stuck, and why the businesses that win long-term are the ones that build a community, not just an audience. Inside this conversation, we cover: ✔ Why relationship marketing outperforms transactional sales ✔ How to build a community both online and in person ✔ The difference between visibility and credibility ✔ How to tell your founder story without turning trauma into your marketing plan ✔ Why authentic marketing beats perfect and polished every time ✔ How to choose the right platform to build a personal brand that scales If you’re building something real — and you’re tired of fluff, filters, and chasing algorithms — this episode will help you rethink how you grow.   ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about She Rises Studios here.

You’re not too busy to grow. You just don’t have the right operations systems in place. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Brandon Bowers, COO of SMB Team, to unpack what actually keeps founders stuck in the day-to-day — and how to fix it. We break down delegation, documentation, hiring triggers, and the systems required to scale without burning out. Inside this conversation, you’ll learn: ✔ How to create standard operating procedures without overcomplicating them ✔ Why Loom videos are the cheat code to documenting your brain ✔ The role of capacity planning in knowing exactly when to hire ✔ How to build hiring triggers based on real data, not panic ✔ Why recruiting is sales & hiring KPIs matter just as much as revenue KPIs ✔ The CEO/COO dynamic that makes sustainable growth possible If you’re a founder who feels like growth requires more hustle… If you’ve hired too late (or too fast)… If your business can’t run without you in the room… This episode is your blueprint for building a company that scales with clarity instead of chaos. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about SMB Team here.

Most B2B companies invest in visibility before they invest in credibility. That’s backwards. In today’s market, attention is cheap — but trust is rare. And if your brand reputation isn’t strong, no amount of ad spend will fix it. That’s where reputation marketing comes in. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I’m joined by Katy Hendricks, CMO at Powell Communications, a B2B PR agency that helps creative and marketing-driven companies build authority in their industries. We talk about… ✔ How intentional PR planning and focused thought leadership strategy shape long-term credibility ✔ Why brand reputation compounds over time ✔ The difference between visibility and authority ✔ How to structure PR planning across a 12-month cycle ✔ Why earned credibility outperforms paid reach in B2B ✔ How executives can turn expertise into influence If you’re thinking about growth beyond clicks and impressions, this conversation will challenge how you approach your brand reputation — and what it actually takes to build authority in your industry. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Get help acquiring business funding.  

If you can’t clearly explain why growth is happening — or why it’s not — you’re headed towards disaster. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Liz Ross, CEO of Shift Paradigm, to unpack what really breaks inside growing companies long before revenue flatlines. We talk about why so many leaders believe they’re practicing data-driven decision making — when they’re actually operating on anecdotes, incomplete dashboards, and siloed reporting. Marketing celebrates MQLs. Sales pushes for pipeline. Leadership stares at lagging revenue. And somewhere in the middle, growth gets muddy. This conversation dives into: ✔ Why marketing and sales alignment breaks down in B2B organizations ✔ How data silos quietly distort your understanding of performance ✔ The concept of a “golden record” and building a true source of truth ✔ Why organic leads can outperform paid channels — and how to prove it ✔ Why attribution debates often distract from the real question: did the business grow? We also explore the rising role of AI in business strategy — and why AI won’t save companies from bad judgment. In fact, it exposes it. When AI can generate answers instantly, the competitive advantage shifts to leaders who ask better questions, challenge assumptions, and decide what not to do. If growth feels heavier, messier, or more confusing than it should… If dashboards are full but clarity is missing… If your teams are busy but results feel inconsistent… This episode will help you see what’s actually in the way. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Shift Paradigm here.

If your in-person event isn’t selling out, it’s not the algorithm. It’s your funnel. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Brian Bauer, CEO of Bauer Entertainment Marketing, to break down what actually drives ticket sales in today’s attention economy. This is a masterclass in entertainment marketing for anyone running concerts, festivals, sports games, or live experiences. We unpack why impressions don’t matter if seats are empty — and why most producers have a conversion problem, not a traffic problem. Inside this conversation, you’ll learn: ✔ The difference between top of funnel vs bottom of funnel thinking in ticket sales ✔ Why a true full-funnel marketing strategy outperforms “boosted posts” every time ✔ How pricing psychology impacts conversion ✔ Where most live events leak revenue before the checkout page ✔ How scarcity marketing (done correctly) increases urgency without training buyers to wait for discounts ✔ Why retention and lifetime fan value matter more than one sold-out show Brian also shares his “Fan Funnel Formula,” a bottom-up approach that reverse-engineers sales goals into acquisition strategy — so you know exactly how much traffic you need, what it should cost, and how to optimize the checkout experience to increase average order value. If you’re running live event marketing campaigns and relying on awareness alone… If you’re boosting posts but not tracking revenue… If your ads are driving clicks but not conversions… This episode will challenge how you think about marketing performance. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Bauer Entertainment here.

Most companies think PR is about sending a press release and landing a feature. It’s not. Public relations isn’t hype. It isn’t pay-to-play placements. And it’s definitely not about controlling the media. It’s about credibility — and credibility has to be earned. So what does that actually look like today? In a world flooded with AI-generated pitches and sponsored features, how do you build a real public relations strategy that works? In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with David Eugene Perry — founder of David Perry & Associates — to unpack what real public relations strategy looks like in today’s media landscape. We break down… ✔ Earned media vs paid media ✔ Why paid PR is often just marketing in disguise ✔ Public relations and new release frameworks ✔ How to write a press release that journalists care about ✔ Why media training for executives is no longer optional …And so much more. Whether you’re a SaaS startup or been around the block for decades, this conversation on PR is here to help you cut through the noise and start building trust in a skeptical, fast-moving world.  ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about David Perry & Associates here.

If your phone rings and nobody answers, your marketing didn’t fail. Your business did. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Daniel Perlacchi, VP of Experience Strategy at ServiceDirect, to talk about the future of lead generation for local service businesses. We break down how pay-per-call marketing, home services marketing, local business lead generation, customer experience, and marketing ROI are reshaping the way service businesses grow. We also get into why stale form fills are losing effectiveness, why speed to lead matters more than ever, and why the businesses winning today are the ones that combine strong brand foundations with fast, high-intent inbound opportunities. If you own, market, or support a home service business, this episode will help you think differently about lead generation, trust, and growth. In this conversation, we cover: ✔ Why local service businesses need both brand-building and right-now lead flow ✔ What most small businesses get wrong about marketing ROI ✔ Why answering the phone well is still a massive competitive advantage ✔ How smarter businesses use data to expand into new zip codes and services ✔ What today’s buyers expect before they choose who to trust ✔ How ServiceDirect has scaled by investing in people, culture, and long-term growth You’ll learn why answering the phone well is still a competitive advantage, how to think about return on investment beyond the first sale, how local businesses can expand into new zip codes and services more strategically, and why trust is becoming more valuable than information in today’s market. If you run a plumbing company, HVAC business, roofing company, electrical company, or any other local service brand, this episode is packed with insights on how to generate better leads, convert more calls, and grow more intentionally. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about ServiceDirect here.

Most businesses are still marketing like it’s 2016. Run some ads. Boost a few posts. Hope the phones ring. But today’s buyer doesn’t move in a straight line — they move across dozens of touchpoints. Search. Social. Streaming. Email. Reviews. Your website. Then back again. That’s the reality of the omnichannel customer journey. In this episode of Humans of Growth, we break down why the old 7-touchpoint myth is dead and what it really takes to win in a world of 30+ interactions before someone converts. We explore how multi-touch attribution changes the way you measure marketing success, and why most businesses are over-investing in ads while under-investing in trust. You’ll learn: ✔ Why your website is your most overlooked growth lever ✔ How website conversion optimization impacts every other marketing channel ✔ The connection between communication quality and closing deals ✔ Why race-to-the-bottom pricing is usually a symptom of weak positioning ✔ How clean data powers smarter targeting across the entire funnel ✔ What a modern customer experience strategy actually looks like This conversation isn’t just about dealerships or storefronts — it applies to any local or service-based business trying to grow in a digital-first world. Because growth today isn’t about one great ad. It’s about building a cohesive, trust-driven omnichannel customer journey that works together — from first click to final sale. Let’s dive in. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about PCG Digital here.

Most B2B marketing isn’t failing because of bad creative. It’s failing because it’s mistimed. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Kara Brown, CEO of Lead Coverage, to break down what’s actually driving revenue in modern B2B: precision, timing, and systems that identify buyers before they raise their hand. We dive deep into B2B intent data — what it is, how it works, and why form fills are a lagging indicator of real buying interest. Kara explains the difference between first-party, third-party, and single-stream intent signals, and how elite teams use them to narrow their focus to the 5% of the market that’s actually in-market. We also unpack: ✔ The real difference between demand generation vs lead generation ✔ How to build scalable GTM systems that prioritize timing over volume ✔ Why traditional mass blasting is dying ✔How programmatic advertising enables offensive targeting instead of defensive bidding ✔ The role of RevOps in connecting marketing, sales, and pipeline visibility What a modern go-to-market strategy looks like in a world of AI, shrinking attention spans, and nonlinear buyer journeys If your pipeline feels unpredictable… If your sales team is chasing ghosts… If you’re tired of measuring marketing by MQLs instead of revenue… This episode will change how you think about growth. Because the future of B2B isn’t louder marketing. It’s smarter systems. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Lead Coverage here.

What if the biggest thing holding your business back isn’t sales… It’s the admin work you shouldn’t be doing? In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Noel Pulanco, CEO of Yes Virtual and designated broker of HomeQwik, to talk about how small businesses can scale faster by offloading the right tasks, building better systems, and hiring smarter. We break down what it actually looks like to hire a virtual assistant, how remote staffing for small business really works, and why most owners struggle not because of demand — but because they’re buried in repeatable admin work. Noel shares how he built a property management company through the 2008 crash, scaled with overseas team members, and turned that experience into a full virtual assistant services company serving businesses across industries. We talk about: What to outsource first (and what to never outsource) How to build SOPs before hiring Why training and communication matter more than cheap labor The real ROI of outsourcing admin tasks How strong customer communication strategy builds long-term trust If you’re a contractor, service provider, real estate professional, or small business owner trying to scale a service business, this conversation will help you think differently about delegation, systems, and growth. Because growth isn’t always about more leads. Sometimes it’s about getting out of your own way. Let’s get into it.   ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Home Qwik here.

Most companies say they want referrals. However, what they actually want is a tool that they can flip a switch on and watch revenue roll in. That’s not how referral marketing works. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Ben Dixon, CEO of Naxum, to break down what a real referral marketing strategy looks like when you treat it like a true growth channel — not a forgotten link in your website footer. We talk all about… • Why referral marketing dies when you treat it like a plugin • The difference between affiliate marketing, reseller programs, and professional business opportunities • How to design referral program incentives that actually move people • Why lifetime value changes everything about affiliate commission payouts • How daily live presentations & webinars outperform “set it and forget it” programs • Why consistency — not automation — is the real growth lever • How to think about recruiting affiliates in a trust-starved, AI-heavy world If you’ve been relying on word-of-mouth and hoping it scales your business, this episode will shift your perspective. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Naxum here.

Search is changing faster than most businesses are prepared for, and most business owners are learning the hard way. In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock sits down with Chris Raulf, founder of Boulder SEO Marketing, to break down what’s actually happening behind Google updates, disappearing traffic, and the rise of AI-powered search. This conversation goes beyond old-school SEO tactics and digs into what it really takes to stay visible today. In this episode, we cover: AI search optimization and why traditional SEO tactics are no longer enough How to rank in AI search as platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity reshape discovery Content optimization for AI and what “quality content” actually means now How to rank on Google after major algorithm updates GEO optimization strategies for showing up in both Google and AI-driven results If your traffic dropped overnight — or you’re trying to future-proof your SEO strategy — this episode will help you understand what changed, why it matters, and what to do next. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Get help acquiring business funding.

Perhaps the biggest threat to your company's growth isn't marketing or sales. It's YOU and the infamous founder bottleneck. In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock sits down with Kyle Burnett, CEO of Little Taller, to unpack why so many leaders feel stuck, overwhelmed, and burned out...even as their businesses grow. This conversation cuts straight to the real issues behind stalled momentum and unsustainable leadership. In this episode, we cover: How the founder bottleneck quietly slows company growth The link between CEO burnout and poor decision-making Practical business prioritization strategies for overloaded founders Why leadership bottlenecks in startups are usually self-created Exactly how founders scale their business without staying in the weeds If you’re an overwhelmed CEO trying to grow without becoming the constraint, this episode will help you rethink how you lead, prioritize, and scale. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Little Taller here.

Pretty websites and quick-hit ads don’t win anymore. In the era of AI Search, visibility belongs to brands that publish at scale, build topical authority, and structure content so AI systems can understand, trust, and recommend it. In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Jennifer Bagley, CEO of CI Web Group, to break down what it actually takes to rank in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and other generative AI search engines. They unpack why AI SEO is fundamentally different from traditional SEO, how AI agents decide which businesses get shown, and why content volume and site architecture now directly correlate to revenue—not vanity metrics. This conversation is a must-watch for local businesses, service providers, and marketing leaders who want to stay visible as search shifts from human-driven queries to AI-powered decision-making. In this episode, we cover: • What AI Search is and how it’s replacing traditional Google search • Why topical authority in content marketing matters more than website design • How AI agents evaluate content, structure, and trust signals • The relationship between content volume and business growth • Why most websites struggle with AI SEO • How businesses can rank in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and AI Overviews faster • What it means to build a “digital Home Depot” instead of a brochure website • How AI-driven content publishing changes the future of local SEO If you care about long-term visibility, lower lead costs, and staying competitive as AI reshapes search, this episode lays out exactly what needs to change—and what to do next. ______________________   RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner.  Learn more about CI Web Group here.    

Search isn’t just happening on Google anymore—it’s happening on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and increasingly inside generative AI tools like ChatGPT. In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with John Morabito (SVP of Search & Innovation at Stella Rising) to break down the biggest shift in modern marketing: social content is now SEO. John explains how TikTok became a search engine, why search engine optimized videos outperform follower count, and how brands can win with social search by treating short-form content the way we used to treat blog posts—built around intent, relevance, and long-tail queries. They also dig into how AI is reshaping discovery through GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), what’s actually different from traditional SEO, and why “search everywhere” is the real strategy going forward. In this episode, we cover: • Why TikTok SEO is real (and how TikTok ranks content by keywords + intent) • Building evergreen social search visibility • Long-tail keywords and persona-driven content  • Why “earned vs owned visibility” matters in social search strategy • Influencer marketing shifts as social media becomes keyword-focused • How AI search is changing marketing • GEO vs SEO: what’s truly different, and what fundamentals still matter • Content repurposing for TikTok search & TikTok SEO If you’re a CMO, SEO lead, growth marketer, social strategist, or founder, this conversation will help you build visibility across platforms—and future-proof your organic strategy as search fragments across social + AI. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Stella Rising here.

AI is flooding the internet with content. Big brands are chasing marketing KPIs instead of people. And “authenticity” has gotten so performative that audiences can smell the bullshit instantly. We’re in a trust recession. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Gary Williams Jr., co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Creative Theory, to talk about what’s really happening inside modern marketing — and why the future belongs to brands that feel human again. We talk about ... • Why paid virality is warping creative standards • How AI  marketing is creating more noise than trust • The difference between hitting marketing KPIs and building a real brand • Why boutique creative agencies are out-performing big agencies • What authentic storytelling actually looks like (hint: it’s truth, not trends) • And how brands can rebuild trust with customers in 2026 and beyond If you care about brand trust, marketing strategy, and storytelling that actually converts — this one’s for you. Because the next era of growth won’t come from better funnels or more ad spend. It’ll come from better stories. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Creative Theory.

Trust, attention, and brand loyalty are harder to earn. As AI makes content cheaper, faster, and less believable, the brands winning today aren’t chasing clicks or CPMs. They’re creating human-first experiences in real life that people actually remember. In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Emily Stutzman, CEO of HappyLucky, to unpack why experiential marketing, community-building, and real-life brand moments are becoming the most powerful growth drivers in modern marketing. Together, they explore why memory is the new KPI, how brands can build trust in a saturated digital landscape, and what it really takes to create brand loyalty in an era where consumers scroll past hundreds of ads a day. In this episode, we cover: • Why human experiences outperform digital advertising in today’s attention economy • How memory metrics are reshaping brand strategy and long-term growth • The shift from clicks and impressions to trust, affinity, and brand loyalty • How experiential marketing and in-person activations create micro-influencers at scale • Why community-led marketing beats performance ads for Gen Z and Gen Alpha • How brands can build authentic connection without massive event budgets • The role of partnerships, grassroots activations, and local community in modern marketing • Why AI is accelerating the need for real-world, human-first brand experiences If you’re a CMO, marketing leader, founder, or brand strategist navigating rising ad costs, declining trust, and attribution chaos, this conversation will challenge how you think about growth—and give you a clearer path forward. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about HappyLucky here.

Marketing is changing faster than most companies can keep up, but the biggest shift isn’t AI, new platforms, or another algorithm update. It’s trust. Buyers are overwhelmed with information, numb to ads, and increasingly skeptical of faceless brands. What cuts through now isn’t louder messaging, it’s human leadership, clear perspective, and real storytelling. In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock sits down with Doug Longenecker, CEO of NKST, to unpack why companies are losing trust, how executive visibility has become a competitive advantage, and why today’s leaders need to think and show up more like creators. In this episode, we cover: • Why marketing messaging has shifted from information-first to trust-first • How faceless brand messaging is eroding buyer confidence • What it means for executives to “lead like creators” • Why human-led storytelling outperforms traditional advertising • How AI is accelerating marketing, and where it’s breaking trust • The decline of transactional, non-human buying experiences • Why executive visibility & personal branding matters internally just as much as externally • How LinkedIn’s algorithm actually rewards engagement (not titles) • The real ROI of thought leadership beyond vanity metrics • How executive presence strengthens culture, retention, and partnerships If you’re a founder, executive, or marketing leader navigating declining trust, shorter attention spans, and rising skepticism, this episode breaks down what’s actually working now and how to adapt without chasing every new trend. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Whatsnkst here.

Company culture and marketing have both been rewritten, and the businesses growing in 2026 are the ones adapting fastest. In this episode of Humans of Growth, we unpack how culture, AI, and shifting buyer behavior are reshaping the way companies scale. From remote teams to broken attribution models, we explore why old playbooks no longer work, and what today’s top leaders are doing instead. You’ll learn: • Why culture is now a core growth lever • How buyer behavior has changed (and why funnels are breaking) • Why Gen Z has killed brand loyalty, and how to rebuild it • How to activate your existing community for organic growth • What agencies must retool to survive the next 24 months • How AI is transforming creative work and marketing strategy Growth today isn’t about doing more... it’s about doing it differently. This conversation will help you rethink your culture, your marketing, and your strategy for the new era of business.   ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about the work Spinutech does here.

Most CEOs don’t have a marketing strategy problem. They have a decision-making problem. In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock sits down with Darren Magarro — CEO of The DSM Group — to break down why so many leaders still “throw spaghetti at the wall,” why intuition alone isn’t enough, and how data, trust, and transparency transform the way companies grow. If you’re a CEO, founder, agency leader, or anyone responsible for making marketing decisions, this conversation will give you a clearer lens for diagnosing what’s working, what’s not, and what to do next. In this episode, we unpack… • The biggest misconception CEOs have about marketing strategy • Why most teams rely on guesswork instead of data • How to diagnose a company’s marketing before proposing solutions • The difference between vanity metrics and profit-driving KPIs • How buyer psychology has shifted from information scarcity to trust scarcity • Why great agency relationships require pushback, transparency, and patience • What CEOs should understand before hiring their first agency The future of marketing isn’t more tactics. It’s better diagnosis, cleaner data, and deeper trust. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about the work The DSM Group does.

The biggest threat to home service businesses in 2026 isn’t competition. It’s communication. Consumers have evolved. Technology has evolved. But most service-based businesses are stuck in outdated communication patterns that are silently killing revenue, trust, and customer retention. In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock sits down with Lucas Wilson — CEO of Signpost, a customer communication platform serving thousands of contractors, trades, and home service professionals. Together, they unpack the widening gap between what business owners think customers want… and what customers are actually demanding in a world of AI, instant expectations, and omnichannel communication. If you’re a marketing leader, home services operator, SMB owner, or anyone navigating the shift to AI-powered customer experience, this episode will hit you straight in the strategy. In this episode, we unpack… • Why speed-to-lead is now the #1 growth lever in home services • How shifting consumer expectations are reshaping customer communication • The silent revenue leak caused by missed calls, slow responses, and outdated systems • Where AI belongs in the customer journey—and where humans must stay involved • How to build trust in industries battling poor reputation and high demand • Why staying top-of-mind with past customers is more valuable than chasing new leads The future of growth isn’t just marketing. It’s customer communication and retention. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Signpost. Get connected to Lucas here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukewilsonsignpostceo/

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Jeff Parnell, founder and CEO of JHP Advisors, to talk about what it really takes to build a business that lasts — and to eventually step away from it. Jeff’s career spans from pioneering one of the internet’s first e-commerce businesses in the 1990s to guiding today’s CEOs through growth, succession, and exit planning. After surviving a heart transplant in 2018, Jeff brings a rare blend of hard-won business wisdom and deep life perspective to the conversation. Together, Aly and Jeff explore: ✔ How to scale your company by making yourself replaceable ✔ Why most entrepreneurs fail to plan their exit — and how it costs them millions ✔ The coming “silver tsunami” of aging business owners and what it means for small business ✔ How consolidation and private equity are reshaping local industries ✔ The difference between owning a business and being in the business ✔ Why patience, gratitude, and in-person connection still drive long-term growth This isn’t just a story about business strategy — it’s a masterclass in leadership, legacy, and what it means to build something worth handing off. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about JHP Advisors.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock talks with serial founder and futurist Alan Smithson, creator of Unlimited Awesome - a new kind of education platform that uses AI and gamification to teach life and business skills. Alan shares his journey from inventing touchscreen DJ technology and launching one of the world’s first metaverse companies to building next-generation learning systems. Along the way, he breaks down how emerging tech like AI, VR, and XR are transforming not just education, but marketing, training, and global business growth. You’ll hear: ✔ How VR and 3D tech revolutionized brand experiences for companies like Samsung, Siemens, and Mastercard ✔ Why AI-driven automation and 3D generation mark the next leap for marketing and retail ✔ The philosophy behind creating tools that empower- not replace- human creativity ✔ How consistency, creation, and curiosity outperform any algorithm or SEO trick ✔ Why business leaders need to think critically about data, decentralization, and digital ethics This episode dives deep into the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and human potential - and what it really means to grow a business in the age of AI. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Unlimited Awesome.  

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Sam Miller, CEO and co-founder of Kasheesh, a fintech app that lets users split purchases across multiple credit, debit, and gift cards. What started with a real-life pain point and a single Reddit thread has grown into a seamless digital solution reshaping how Americans manage liquidity. But it didn’t come easy. From navigating skeptical investors and battling financial institutions to building SOC 2–compliant infrastructure and earning organic user trust, Sam shares how Kasheesh scaled... without spending a dime on ads. You’ll learn: ✔ Why Kasheesh grew fast with zero paid marketing ✔ How Reddit and Quora fueled product-led growth ✔ What VCs and banks misunderstood about their customer base ✔ How SmartSplit (AI) helps users protect their credit score ✔ The role of internal culture, hiring, and sprint cycles in fast-moving product innovation ✔ Why financial literacy is core to Kasheesh growth strategy Whether you're building a fintech product or trying to scale without performance marketing, this episode is a masterclass in customer-centric growth, scrappy GTM, and building trust through product. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Kasheesh here.

What if launching a lending business was as easy as launching an online store? In this episode of Humans of Growth, we sit down with Deji, CEO of Lendsqr, to explore how his platform is making it possible to build scalable lending businesses... without coding, massive overhead, or big-bank bureaucracy. From funding underserved communities to streamlining compliance in 190+ countries, Lendsqr is reimagining what’s possible in the credit space. You’ll learn: Why “Shopify for lending” isn’t just a metaphor—it’s a movement What most founders get wrong when launching loan products How to scale into 190+ countries without physical infrastructure How SEO, programmatic content, and ChatGPT are fueling their growth The mistakes Deji wouldn’t avoid if he could start over How to combine values, vision, and smart systems to build globally This episode is a must-listen for SaaS founders, fintech operators, or anyone obsessed with scalable systems and underserved markets. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Get help acquiring business funding.

What happens when you build a business so good… you don’t need to market it? In this episode of Humans of Growth, we sit down with Terry Kerr and Liz Nowlin to unpack how Mid South Home Buyers became one of the most trusted turnkey real estate companies in the country—without relying on traditional marketing channels. We explore how they grew from managing their first few properties to thousands under management, using trust, referrals, and operational excellence to create a growth flywheel that runs on reputation. What we cover: How a Memphis-based operation became a go-to for passive real estate investors The systems that turn first-time buyers into repeat investors Why education and transparency outperform traditional sales The power of investing in people—for both residents and clients How Liz and Terry approach brand trust, lead nurturing, and high-stakes financial decisions What most turnkey real estate firms get wrong about long-term growth This episode is a masterclass in scaling through integrity, clarity, and consistency—without dumping dollars into paid ads. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Get help acquiring business funding.

If you’ve ever Googled “business loan” and ended up confused or denied—this episode is for you. We sit down with Ray Smith, CEO of Trycera, to unpack why most founders are denied funding (and don’t know why), how to build real business credit that doesn’t touch your personal score, and what lenders are actually looking for in 2025. You’ll learn: Why most business loan applications fail—and how to fix it How to build business credit tied to your EIN, not your SSN What lenders check before you even apply (and how to prep for it) Why founders need a “dream team” more than a better pitch deck How to get fast wins and long-term capital through smart planning The one thing every SaaS startup should do before hiring developers Whether you’re a startup, service business, or brick-and-mortar founder, this episode will give you the tools (and roadmap) to unlock funding without the fear, fluff, or frustration. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Get help acquiring business funding.

Smart companies are scaling faster than ever through AI with leaner teams and better margins. In this episode of Humans of Growth, we unpack how automation, AI, and strategic operations are transforming growth for service-based businesses. From financial advisory firms to fast-moving startups, we explore how leaders are using systems—not headcount—to unlock scale. You’ll learn: How to identify automation opportunities that actually save money Why AI fails without human-first systems The right time to invest in operations vs. marketing How to turn messy data into growth fuel What most founders get wrong about “scaling” Why reverse mentorship is the future of leadership The companies winning right now aren’t the ones working harder—they’re the ones working smarter. This conversation will help you future‑proof your business, your systems, and your team for the next era of intelligent growth.   --------------------------   RESOURCES: Need help finding a marketing agency to scale your business? Check out PerissonNetwork.com   Learn more about INVST at invst.com  

Most nonprofits market through guilt-ridden storytelling. Pando markets through joy—and it's driving real results. In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Daniel Morford, Senior Director of Marketing and Events at The Pando Initiative, to explore how one education nonprofit rebranded itself, rebuilt trust with donors, and scaled into 40+ schools—without relying on trauma stories or outdated fundraising tactics. Inside the episode: How Pando crafted a feel-good brand in a pain-driven sector The marketing ops system behind collecting 60+ success stories every quarter Why “initiative” beats “program” in donor messaging The events-as-content playbook fueling brand awareness and donor retention How red carpet experiences and food fests became emotional engagement machines The role of local partnerships over national grant-chasing Why authenticity and student voice are Pando’s most powerful growth levers Daniel doesn’t just talk theory—he’s in the trenches building marketing systems that scale. This episode is for anyone building a brand with limited resources, big vision, and a mission worth celebrating.   ----   RESOURCES: Learn more about the work the Pando Initiative does at Pandokids.org. Get connected to Daniel here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-morford-187a45137/ Need help finding a marketing agency to scale your business? Check out PerissonNetwork.com  

What happens when a former burnout entrepreneur, bankruptcy survivor, and accidental TikTok influencer becomes the only marketer at a fast-growing financial services company? In this episode of Humans of Growth, Whitney Catalano, Marketing Manager at Financial Gym, shares how she turned personal financial failure into a marketing superpower—and how she’s rebuilding the growth engine of a beloved but outdated brand. We talk about: Why consumer trust is the real growth strategy in financial services How storytelling and vulnerability fuel brand loyalty (even in money markets) Why webinars are dead (and how to replace them with high-converting funnels) The unexpected TikTok content that made her a "bankruptcy influencer" The shift from hustle culture to operational marketing (and why KPIs saved her) Why partnerships, referrals, and Google Ads are outperforming social media What small teams must do to actually scale marketing without burning out Whether you’re a solo marketer at a startup, a brand leader rethinking your funnel, or a founder navigating content strategy in the chaos of modern platforms—this episode is packed with lessons on growth, trust, and sustainable marketing.   --------   RESOURCES: Learn more about Financial Gym. Get marketing help now.

What if your most powerful customer acquisition strategy wasn’t paid ads, cold email, or trade shows… but authentic LinkedIn content and a spaghetti-covered toddler? In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock interviews Caleb Avery, founder and CEO of Tilled—a fast-growing Stripe alternative that helps SaaS platforms launch embedded payments and generate new revenue streams in weeks. We dive into how Caleb built a high-converting marketing engine that: Outperformed outbound sales through founder-led thought leadership Created inbound demand with zero product—just pain point marketing Scaled revenue while shrinking headcount by automating low-leverage work Used build-week culture to unlock team-wide innovation and operational efficiency Caleb also breaks down what’s working on LinkedIn in a sea of AI spam, why personal storytelling drives real pipeline, and how to turn marketing into a long-game growth multiplier—not just a cost center. Topics covered include: • Product-led growth • Inbound marketing strategies • Founder branding on LinkedIn • B2B SaaS marketing • Vertical SaaS monetization • Demand generation vs lead gen • Culture-driven growth Whether you're a startup founder, growth marketer, or B2B SaaS leader, this episode is packed with practical strategies to drive pipeline, retention, and revenue. ---- RESOURCES: Find your dream marketing agency at PerissonNetwork.com Learn more about Tilled at tilled.com.  

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Leah Keggi , Marketing Manager at Spearhead Global, one of the fastest-growing companies in spirits packaging and design. With over a decade of experience in alcohol marketing, Leah has worked across beer, wine, and spirits—supporting everything from emerging CPG startups to legacy liquor brands. Now at Spearhead, she helps alcohol brands rethink their packaging not just as a product necessity, but as a powerful marketing and brand positioning tool. We explore how the alcohol industry is contracting post-COVID, what that means for brands trying to scale, and how strategic packaging design can become a brand’s most powerful sales asset—especially when combined with omnichannel marketing, social media campaigns, and category-specific messaging. You’ll also hear how Spearhead shifted their B2B messaging from "packaging supplier" to "brand partner"—resulting in higher engagement, stronger lead generation, and deeper customer loyalty. This episode is packed with insights for B2B marketers, CPG brand managers, alcohol marketing teams, and anyone navigating the intersection of sales enablement and brand storytelling. In this episode, we cover... The post-pandemic market contraction in alcohol and spirits How to use packaging as a brand differentiator on the retail shelf The psychology behind consumer buying decisions in wine & spirits Why legacy brands often overestimate awareness The role of color psychology and container shape in packaging design Building a sales-forward marketing strategy that drives case velocity Why marketers must “sell internally” to align with sales and leadership Using LinkedIn marketing and thought leadership to humanize B2B How brand storytelling beats feature-heavy messaging in B2B Why attribution is broken—and how to market in a world of messy data Balancing AI automation with the need for human connection Lessons from building campaigns for stadiums and sports partnerships The evolution of consumer behavior in the alcohol category How smaller alcohol brands can justify investing in top-of-funnel content Need help with marketing for your business? Check out PerissonNetwork.com to get connected to a top-tier marketing agency. Find Leah Keggi at LeahKeggi.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahkeggi/ Learn more about Spearhead Global over at spearheadglobal.com.

What happens when you lose everything in the 2008 crash? You rebuild smarter. In this episode of Humans of Growth, Jorge Vazquez, CEO of Greystone Investment Group, shares his raw, unfiltered journey from financial advisor to real estate mogul. We talk through the pivotal moment he had to choose between securities and social media, how he leveraged MySpace to kickstart his real estate career, and the painful but powerful lessons of losing 22 properties and starting over with $10K and a borrowed couch. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why most businesses fail to build resilience—and how Jorge created a recession-proof model How social media forced him to pick a lane (and why it was the best decision he ever made) The compounding power of property management and monthly cash flow How Jorge uses his real estate business to fund a nonprofit teaching youth financial literacy What it really takes to grow a vertically integrated real estate brand (without selling your soul to scale) If you care about growth that lasts, you’ll walk away with lessons on grit, strategy, and staying grounded. Helpful Resources: Want to learn more about real estate? Check out graystoneig.com or propertyprofitacademy.com   Want the SparkNotes to this episode? Check out this Domino Growth article on GraystoneIG.com Need help with marketing? Schedule a free strategy session at perissonnetwork.com.

What happens when a SaaS founder takes the chaos of everyday family life and turns it into a SaaS with a product-led growth engine? In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Nathaniel Robinson, CEO and founder of Trustworthy. Together, they unpack how Trustworthy has grown through product-led growth (PLG) by focusing on user experience, referral loops, and genuine customer empathy. Nathaniel shares how his team leverages onboarding optimization, freemium strategy, and AI innovation to transform household chaos into clarity — all while creating organic, sustainable growth. You’ll learn: Why clarity and focus are the ultimate growth levers for startups. Why shifting from free trials to freemium boosts conversion rates, customer lifetime value (CLV), and organic adoption How AI-driven personalization, automation, and LLM-optimized content are redefining customer experience (CX) and reducing churn. The power of referral marketing, network effects, and multi-user collaboration in a product-led viral loop. Why marketing around life transitions beats traditional pain-point tactics. And how product-led virality turns users into your most powerful marketing channel. If you’re a founder, marketer, or growth strategist looking to understand how to scale through product-led marketing, this episode is for you. If you’re a human, you need Trustworthy. Trustworthy is a secure, all-in-one Family Operating System that helps households organize, store, and share vital information — from legal documents and passwords to insurance, finances, and medical records — in one encrypted platform. Visit trustworthy.com to get started for free. Need marketing support? Head over to PerissonNetwork.com for a free strategy session.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Sam Miller, CEO and co-founder of Kasheesh, a fintech app that lets users split purchases across multiple credit, debit, and gift cards. What started with a real-life pain point and a single Reddit thread has grown into a seamless digital solution reshaping how Americans manage liquidity. But it didn’t come easy. From navigating skeptical investors and battling financial institutions to building SOC 2–compliant infrastructure and earning organic user trust, Sam shares how Kasheesh scaled... without spending a dime on ads. You’ll learn: ✔ Why Kasheesh grew fast with zero paid marketing ✔ How Reddit and Quora fueled product-led growth ✔ What VCs and banks misunderstood about their customer base ✔ How SmartSplit (AI) helps users protect their credit score ✔ The role of internal culture, hiring, and sprint cycles in fast-moving product innovation ✔ Why financial literacy is core to Kasheesh growth strategy Whether you're building a fintech product or trying to scale without performance marketing, this episode is a masterclass in customer-centric growth, scrappy GTM, and building trust through product. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Get help acquiring business funding.

We put clients first” is meaningless… unless you can prove it. In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Ben VerWys, founder of Fiduciary Financial Advisors (FFA)—a wealth management firm that has scaled to 40+ advisors without spending a dime on traditional marketing. Ben shares the strategy behind FFA’s organic growth engine, built entirely on clear positioning, brand values, and referral-based momentum. Instead of flashy funnels or paid ads, Ben focused on building a value proposition that’s fact-based, legally enforced, and transparently client-first—in an industry where most messaging is vague and undifferentiated. Whether you’re a founder, marketer, or scaling a professional services brand, this episode is a masterclass in how to turn your internal values into external growth. You’ll Learn: Why “we put clients first” is meaningless without proof How to create a differentiated brand in a commoditized market Why fee transparency and fiduciary-only models are winning How FFA built an inbound growth engine with zero ad spend The marketing power of operational decisions (not slogans) Why most “top 10 firm” lists are SEO plays, not value indicators How FFA turned tax planning into a scalable referral lever Why advisor experience can be as important as client experience The mindset shift that took Ben from reluctant founder to growth CEO If you're ready to build a brand that grows through trust & differentiation, this episode is for you. Learn more about Fiduciary Financial Advisors at forfiduciary.com. Need marketing support? Head over to PerissonNetwork.com for a free strategy session.

Can a brand go from total obscurity to industry recognition in just one year - without a huge ad budget or big marketing team? Ray Huang, Senior Director of Marketing at Canopy Connect, joins the show to unpack exactly how he did it. When Ray joined Canopy Connect, the company was a 12-person insurtech startup with zero brand recognition, no real marketing infrastructure, and a fragmented market. Fast forward 12 months: they’d saturated their niche, dominated industry events, and flipped their cold-start problem into pipeline momentum. In this deep-dive, Ray reveals his full B2B go-to-market strategy—how he prioritized brand awareness over bottom-funnel lead gen, why memes outperformed traditional creative, and how Facebook outpaced LinkedIn in ad ROI by 10x. He also shares how he transitioned from solo marketer to team leader, built a paid media engine from scratch, and used list-based targeting to run smart, scalable ABM-style campaigns. We cover: Building brand awareness in a niche B2B market Paid media strategy: Facebook vs. LinkedIn for insurance tech Content marketing and early-stage demand gen Why low-funnel attribution often misleads startup marketers Using first-party data to scale ABM campaigns Growth marketing vs. brand marketing tradeoffs Hiring sequence: content, demand gen, partner marketing How to justify brand spend to the C-suite (and get buy-in) If you're a Chief Marketing Officer looking to increase market saturation or a startup CEO needing to get your company off the ground, this episode is your roadmap. Want to learn more about Canopy Connect? Check out usecanopy.com. Need help with marketing? Go to perissonnetwork.com for a free strategy session.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock interviews Ryan Duitch, CEO of Arro Finance, to explore how a fast-growing fintech startup scaled through organic growth, partnership marketing, and bold brand positioning—without relying on traditional paid media. Whether you're a growth marketer, startup founder, or marketing strategist, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at the startup marketing strategy that helped Arro acquire thousands of users with under $12K in ad spend. Ryan breaks down how his team leverages B2B2C growth, affiliate partnerships, and funnel strategy to reduce CAC (customer acquisition cost) while boosting LTV (lifetime value). Inside, you'll learn: How to drive user acquisition through partnership marketing instead of paid ads The role of brand strategy in lowering CAC and improving retention Why customer trust and brand messaging beat traditional performance marketing How Arro Finance uses financial education and AI to improve conversion rates Why smart marketing automation and product marketing fuel growth at scale Lessons in crafting a scalable marketing funnel without breaking your budget This episode is packed with real, tactical insights for anyone building a brand in a competitive market—especially in fintech, SaaS, or mission-driven startups. Learn more about Arro Finance at arrofinance.com. Looking for the right marketing partners to grow faster? Head to perissonnetwork.com for a free strategy session.