Nick Musica was running a CBD publisher when Google's May 2019 algorithm update wiped his traffic overnight—dropping from page 1 to oblivion. With four weeks until he'd need to fire his entire team, he made a decision that would never make it into a Harvard Business Review case study: quit with zero contracts lined up and figure it out as he went.
AEO vs SEO: The Numbers Don't LieWhen answer engines drive 1% of traffic and traditional search drives 16%, where should your budget actually go? Nick dismantles the AEO hype with real traffic data and marketing mix strategy.
The "Zero Contracts" Launch StrategyHow quitting his job with literally no clients lined up led to 60 billable hours per week within two weeks. His entire business plan: "I'm going to make this work."
When SEO Becomes Your Business Model (The Risk)Why affiliate sites and publishers live and die by algorithm updates, and how to build a more resilient business that uses SEO as a channel, not a crutch.
AI Content's Fatal FlawThe "vanilla problem" with AI-generated content and why it's creating a race to mediocrity in search results. Spoiler: Google can detect patterns.
From SEO Consultant to Executive CoachThe Harrison Assessment revelation that changed everything, and why most "SEO problems" are actually organizational dysfunction in disguise.
💬 Drop your truth: What percentage of your marketing budget is going to AI hype versus proven channels like SEO? Be honest in the comments.
🎙️ Subscribe for unfiltered conversations with marketers who've survived algorithm apocalypses and lived to tell the tale.
00:00 — Intro: Google algorithm wipes CBD publisher overnight02:15 — The "I'm going to make it work" business plan (zero clients to 60 hours/week)03:35 — Digital marketing background since 2003, SEO agency journey04:22 — $6K/month SEO firm disaster & pivot to training06:28 — SEO career evolution & learning from Shari Thurow mentorship08:15 — Google algorithm changes & position sensitivity explained10:12 — Why using SEO as your business model is dangerous (affiliates/publishers)11:35 — AI overviews as billboard advertising vs click-generating funnels13:42 — Answer engines are just SERP extensions, not replacements15:15 — "Shitty SEO" reality check — the basics still haven't changed18:28 — The AEO vs SEO debate: structure for readers, not algorithms20:45 — Marketing mix truth bomb: 16% SEO traffic vs 1% ChatGPT traffic23:28 — AI-generated content's "vanilla problem" & detection patterns26:15 — Local SEO simplification: focus on Google Business Profile fundamentals29:42 — Marketing mix strategy: balancing short-term wins vs long-term growth32:15 — Direct response crisis mode for lawyers & real estate agents35:08 — SEO timeline expectations: process vs performance metrics38:22 — Coaching transition story via Harrison Assessment behavioral tool41:35 — Organizational dysfunction masking itself as "SEO problems"44:08 — Identity shift: from "SEO guy who coaches" to "coach who runs SEO"
Michael Walsh spent 30 years helping businesses scale to $50M+ and discovered something that contradicts everything you've been taught: treating your team like a "well-oiled machine" destroys the exact expertise your clients pay for. After burning out in 1996 with zero vacation days, he redesigned his entire approach. Now, he takes 18 weeks off annually while his consultancy thrives.
In this conversation, Michael breaks down why 20th-century industrial thinking fails in expertise-based businesses, the ecosystem approach that unlocks sustainable growth, and how AI is accelerating the shift from information work to creative work.
Key Insights:
Resources mentioned:Get Michael's complete hiring system free at freedombydesignbook.com
Connect with Jay Hunt:Join Amplify Your Brand on Skool for AI tools, business strategies, and live audits: https://www.skool.com/aybWebsite: https://jayhunt.socialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker
Episode Timestamps:
0:00 - Machine mindset vs ecosystem approach introduction
1:00 - Freedom by Design book & strategic LinkedIn outreach
1:50 - 30-year transformation: from zero vacation to 18 weeks off
2:21 - The 1996 turning point: forced Mexico vacation
4:01 - 16-hour exhaustion crash
4:44 - Post-vacation revenue spike: $10K in one month
6:09 - Scaling to 18 weeks off annually
7:29 - The 3-week work, 1-week off rhythm
8:05 - How clients adapted to compressed schedule
10:19 - Managing guilt & forced disconnection
13:19 - Freedom by Design framework deep dive
13:55 - Machine mindset origins: assembly lines & industrial revolution
15:03 - How unions formed in response to cog-in-machine treatment
16:23 - Why information services require different management
17:28 - Machine built for owners vs ecosystem for everyone
18:19 - The illusion of control through systems
19:14 - Supporting people's strengths vs forcing compliance
21:06 - Sales team ecosystem: customizing for different personalities
22:37 - Building support structures around individual strengths
24:32 - Hiring assessment tools: MBTI, StrengthsFinder, Kolbe, Wonderlic
28:16 - The human element vs cheap offshore labor trap
29:24 - Four aspects of human behavior: survive, thrive, connect, adapt
33:28 - AI completing the information age, entering creativity age
36:21 - Why AI forces authentic human storytelling
38:26 - The 10%-80%-10% AI collaboration model
41:28 - AI efficiency example: presentations from 3-4 days to 1.5 hours
Subscribe to Drop The Mic for conversations with entrepreneurs, authors, and leaders who've built businesses that serve their lives and not consume them.
Dani Dufresne is an Emmy-winning producer and founder of The Aux Co, bringing over a decade of experience cleaning up creative disasters for major brands.
In this episode, we explore why beautiful, expensive productions often deliver empty results and how production expertise at the beginning—not the end—of creative development changes everything.
Dani's journey from film school to becoming a fractional executive producer reveals a fundamental flaw in how agencies and brands approach creative: they develop the idea first, then figure out how to produce it. This backwards process leads to blown budgets, compromised creative, and campaigns that look stunning but deliver nothing.
Timestamps:
We explore the dramatic shift from influencer marketing to community building, the role AI plays in exposing waste and enabling genuine human connection, and why the most powerful creative ideas pass the "movie poster test"—explainable in a single sentence.
If your brand message takes more than one sentence to explain, you don't have a creative problem—you have a clarity problem. The best ideas are simple enough to fit on a movie poster, powerful enough to drive results, and honest enough to build real community. Stop developing creative in a vacuum and bring production expertise to the table from day one.
Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Drop The Mic and leave a review! New episodes drop weekly with insights from marketing leaders, agency owners, and creative experts transforming how brands connect in the AI era.
Cristian Ionescu is the creator of CatStats.ai, an AI-powered intelligence platform for affiliate networks. Before building his own SaaS, he deployed analytics systems for Samsung Europe and worked across automotive, telecommunications, and digital marketing. In this episode, we explore the harsh realities of AI's impact on experienced professionals, the "7-day startup" philosophy that gets products to market before competitors catch up, and how Netflix-style recommendation algorithms are being weaponized for affiliate marketing.
🔑 Key Topics Covered:
[03:45] From aerospace engineer to data analytics expert—Cristian's unconventional journey into discovering you can "program math"
[06:20] Behind the scenes: Building analytics dashboards for Samsung Europe's phone launches and tracking retailer visibility across markets
[11:15] The analytics blind spot: Why small businesses waste money on expensive marketing experiments instead of being strategically picky
[15:40] The unglamorous truth: Why updating your Google Business Profile matters more than exotic marketing strategies
[19:50] AI adoption paradox: Why fewer businesses are using AI in 2025 than 2024 (paralysis by analysis)
[24:30] The ChatGPT M-dash problem: Why AI-generated ad copy loses to human copy in Meta A/B tests—and how to fix it
[28:15] How LLMs are teaching us to write better: When to skip AI altogether and post authentically
[31:40] Ross Simmonds' "Create Once, Distribute Forever" strategy: The hierarchy approach to repurposing long-form content
[36:25] Why pre-planned content calendars kill authenticity (and what to do instead)
[39:10] Inside CatStats.ai: How Netflix-style recommendation algorithms match affiliates with winning offers
[45:20] The "7-Day Startup" philosophy: If you're not ashamed when you launch, you launched too late
🔗 Connect with Cristian:
📲 Follow Jason Hunt:
Subscribe to Drop the Mic for unfiltered conversations with founders, marketers, and tech leaders redefining the digital landscape.
From producing unscripted shows with Gordon Ramsay and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to creating a viral real estate game that hit 2 million plays without spending a dollar on marketing, Doug Weitzbuch's journey reveals the power of authentic community-driven growth over manufactured virality.
In this episode, Doug shares behind-the-scenes insights from 20 years in television production, his pivot to gaming, and the exact strategies that led to organic viral success through genuine storytelling and community building rather than paid advertising.
🔑 Topics Covered:
🎯 Key Insights:
📺 Perfect for:Content creators, entrepreneurs, game developers, media professionals, and anyone interested in organic growth strategies, community building, and authentic audience development without relying on paid advertising.
🎮 Featured Strategies:
⏰ Episode Timestamps:00:00 – TV producer background (Gordon Ramsay, Duck Dynasty, JLo, The Rock)
02:00 – Dwayne Johnson's authenticity & accessibility on set
03:22 – Gordon Ramsay's controlled persona vs real personality
04:25 – Team building & empowering freelance talent
05:42 – Transition from TV producer to app creator
06:32 – Wordle obsession sparking Houzel idea
07:40 – "Buy My House" Netflix show real estate deep dive
09:52 – Real estate Wordle concept development
10:20 – Software development decision & naivety factor
12:25 – "Stranded with My Mother-in-law" missed opportunity
15:12 – Two million plays with zero marketing spend
15:43 – Business Insider feature & calculated PR outreach
19:11 – Manufacturing virality vs authentic content
22:47 – Small team operations & future scaling needs
24:20 – Brand partnership opportunities (Rocket Mortgage)
24:46 – YouTube Playables beta launch
25:18 – Real estate agent lead magnet potential
27:17 – Barstool Sports organic podcast feature
30:22 – Leveraging viral content for paid promotion
34:28 – Creator-to-mainstream media crossover trend
37:03 – Casual gaming's ritual-forming potential
38:20 – Micro dramas trend & shrinking attention spans
Check out Housle: https://housle.house/
📩 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Drop The Mic and leave a review to help other entrepreneurs discover proven strategies for building viral products and authentic communities.
Former Disney executive turned entrepreneur Vance Morris reveals the systematic approach that transformed his carpet cleaning business into a million-dollar operation and how any business owner can apply Disney's legendary customer experience principles to command premium prices and create lifelong client relationships.
In this episode, Vance breaks down his famous $125K auto parts campaign, shares Disney's systematic approach to business operations, and reveals his proven "10-10-10" prospecting method that generates 73% response rates while competitors struggle with digital noise.
🔑 Topics Covered:
🎯 Perfect for:Entrepreneurs, business owners, agency leaders, and marketers who want to stop competing on price, build premium positioning, and create systematic approaches to client acquisition and retention.
📈 Key Strategies Discussed:
⏰ Episode Timestamps:00:00 – Intro: Vance's Disney background & entrepreneurial journey
02:58 – Disney's biggest business lesson: systems and processes
04:40 – How systems create operational freedom
06:51 – The legendary $125K auto parts campaign breakdown
09:17 – Physical mail marketing strategies and persistence tactics
13:19 – Creative approaches for getting past gatekeepers
16:43 – Disney bootcamp 10-step campaign sequence revealed
19:29 – The "10-10-10" prospect strategy explained
22:36 – High-value prospect selection criteria and research methods
25:19 – Delegating to VAs and using ChatGPT for prospect research
28:26 – Understanding sales cycles: 30 days to 3 years
30:14 – Standing out with controversial and engaging content
31:24 – Newsjacking technique for timely market engagement
36:11 – "50-mile famous" local business domination strategy
37:32 – Power-based marketing with the candy bowl system
40:52 – Customer retention vs. acquisition cost analysis
43:04 – Staying top-of-mind without being pushy or annoying
Connect with Vance Morris:
Website: https://www.deliverservicenow.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vance.morris.9/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vancemorris/
Connect with Jason Hunt:
Website: https://jayhunt.social
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial
Join me on SKOOL: https://www.skool.com/ayb
📩 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Drop The Mic and leave a review to help other entrepreneurs discover these proven strategies for building lasting client relationships and premium-priced businesses.
Anna Granic is a business development strategist at Servicare Interiors and a brand ambassador who's mastered the art of turning personal storytelling into powerful sales results. In this episode, we explore how she transformed from traditional sales tactics to building authentic relationships through consistent LinkedIn content and a service-first mindset.
Anna reveals her systematic approach to personal branding that's converted cold prospects into warm leads, built industry credibility, and established her as a go-to voice in facilities management. From her 4:30 AM morning routine to her content planning system, she shares the daily habits and strategic thinking that drive real business results.
🔑 Topics Covered:
⏰ Key Timestamps:
🔗 Connect with Anna:
📩 Subscribe and leave a review to stay updated with new episodes every week!
🎥 Full episode with timestamps available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.
Connect with Jason Hunt:
Website: https://jayhunt.social
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial
Sponsor: https://chatello.ai
Dana Hork is the founder of Beers With Friends and formerly lead social media marketing for Walmart. She discussed her model that's transforming how brands approach marketing campaigns. In this episode, we dive into her revolutionary 5-day sprint methodology that's helping brands move faster and execute smarter in today's crowded digital landscape.
Dana brings years of experience leading social media at Walmart and Jet.com, where she built scalable content systems and managed viral moments like the famous Walmart Yodel Boy. Now she's channelling that expertise into an agile agency model that blends creativity, strategic insight, and AI tools to deliver breakthrough campaigns in record time.
🔑 Topics Covered:
⏰ Key Timestamps:
🔗 Connect with Dana:
📩 Subscribe and leave a review to stay updated with new episodes every week!
🎥 Full episode with timestamps available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.
Connect with Jason Hunt:
Website: https://jayhunt.social
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial
Sponsor: https://chatello.ai
Anthony Leung is a social media strategist and founder who's built his reputation on authentic storytelling in the digital age. In this episode, recorded live from London, Anthony breaks down why human connection is beating AI-generated content on LinkedIn and how to build trust in an automation-obsessed world.
Anthony has worked with Fortune 500 companies and speaks internationally on social media strategy. He's the founder of his own social media consultancy and is widely recognized for his approach to humanizing brand communication in the AI era.
Topics Covered:
Connect with Anthony:
The Big Question: Are you leaning too hard on automation, or are you showing up as you?
📩 Subscribe and leave a review to stay updated with new episodes every week!
Key Timestamps:
00:05 – Live from London near O2 Arena01:08 – Toronto to London: Founder story03:41 – LinkedIn disruption with personal content05:39 – From automation to authenticity08:13 – Realness & imperfection in video content12:05 – Trust is the new currency19:06 – Posting less, engaging more28:13 – AI-assisted personal LinkedIn strategy33:45 – Founder-led brands build deeper trust
Connect with Jason Hunt:
Website: https://jayhunt.social
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial
Sponsor: https://chatello.ai
Ben Lund is a former Google Ads principal who managed major brand campaigns and now runs Rise Digital. In this episode, we explore the seismic shifts happening in digital marketing for 2025, from Google's strategic pivots to AI-powered client acquisition strategies that separate winning agencies from the rest.
Ben brings insider perspective from his years at Google, Yahoo, and Monster, where he managed massive advertising budgets and witnessed platform evolution firsthand. Now as an agency owner, he's applying those insights to build sustainable growth systems and future-proof strategies that help agencies thrive in an AI-first marketing landscape.
🔑 What We Cover:
🎯 Key Frameworks:
⏰ Timestamps:
🔗 Connect with Ben Lund:
📩 Subscribe for weekly episodes exploring AI, storytelling, and the future of digital marketing.
John Gillham is the founder of Originality.AI, a leading platform for detecting AI-generated content. In this episode, we dive deep into how AI detection technology works, Google's shifting stance on AI content, and what the March 2024 spam update means for marketers and content creators navigating the AI revolution.
John built and sold a successful content marketing agency before launching Originality.AI at the perfect moment—right as ChatGPT exploded onto the scene. His unique perspective as both a former agency owner and AI detection pioneer gives us insider insights into how the content landscape is evolving and what strategies actually work in 2025.
🔑 Key Topics Covered:
🔍 Episode Highlights:
Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro & John's Background01:36 – From Content Agency to AI Detection Pioneer 06:27 – Perfect Timing: Launching with ChatGPT's Rise10:05 – Google's March 2024 Spam Update Breakdown13:15 – SEO's New Reality: Fewer Clicks, Higher Conversions22:44 – Inside Originality.AI's Detection Technology28:28 – Why AI "Humanizers" Often Backfire32:04 – Data: Human vs AI Content Performance35:06 – AI in Education: Detection vs Reality
🔗 Connect with John Gillham:
Connect with Jason Hunt:
📩 Subscribe and leave a review to stay ahead of the AI and marketing curve. New episodes drop every week!
Have you tried using AI for your content? What's been your experience with authenticity vs efficiency? Let us know in the comments.
Wes Lemos is the co-founder of Roll Digital and Sales Connector, with strategies that power over 500 digital business websites. In this episode, we explore his journey from penny stock blogger to SaaS entrepreneur and uncover the real breakthrough tactics behind scalable business growth in the AI era.
🔑 Topics Covered:
🎯 Key Insights:
⏰ Timestamps:
0:00 – Sports Parenting & Life Lessons5:02 – Wes Lemos: Entrepreneurial Journey Begins8:00 – Lessons From Startup Failures15:22 – LinkedIn Prospecting Automation20:27 – Using AI to Personalize Outreach25:05 – Best Performing LinkedIn Openers30:07 – Relationship-Driven LinkedIn Strategy37:05 – My Proxy Box: Physical Product Launch
🔗 Connect with Wes:
📩 Subscribe for weekly episodes packed with actionable growth strategies and raw conversations with industry leaders!
Connect with Jason Hunt:
Aarti Anand is an AI automation strategist and founder of KodenyxAI who helps overwhelmed business owners reclaim their time through intelligent systems. In this episode, we explore how to scale your business with purpose, integrate AI without losing the human touch, and build a freedom-first lifestyle rooted in faith.
Aarti transitioned from pursuing a PhD to building an AI-driven business that prioritizes family time and purposeful growth. She's known for her "AI Readiness Score" framework and helping entrepreneurs automate workflows while maintaining authentic relationships with their audience.
Time Stamps:
Resources:
Connect with Jason:
📩 Subscribe and leave a review to stay updated with new episodes every week!
Dave Burnett is the founder of AOK Marketing and author of From Bricks to Clicks. In this episode of Drop The Mic, Jason sits down with Dave to unpack how one massive SEO experiment—building 500 websites—turned a struggling promo business into a digital marketing powerhouse.
From his dorm room startup days to landing major clients like Bacardi and Labatt, Dave shares the lessons learned through surviving the 2008 recession, scaling with smart SEO, and now embracing AI tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Sora to drive real business results.
Jason and Dave dive deep into:
🔍 The experiment that taught him SEO (and still works today)
🤖 How AI tools are shaping the future of agency work
📈 Whether SEO is really dead—or just evolving into AEO
💡 Why brand identity still needs human creativity
💥 Real advice for founders scaling in a fragmented digital world
Whether you're building a brand, running ads, or figuring out your AI stack, this episode is full of insights for marketers who want to grow faster without burning out.
[00:00] – From Scarborough hustle to digital marketing
[02:03] – Building a promo biz in a dorm room
[06:18] – Surviving recessions with SEO
[10:05] – Launching AOK Marketing
[14:23] – Lessons from partnerships & pivots
[19:01] – How AI is changing content & creativity
[24:48] – Sora, Suno, Midjourney, and Dave’s AI toolkit
[30:02] – Is SEO dead? Enter AEO
[34:02] – Future of agencies in the AI era
[38:11] – Where to find From Bricks to Clicks
🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social
📺 YouTube: @jayhuntofficial
Geoff Woods is the author of The AI-Driven Leader and founder of the AI Leadership Collective. He joins Drop The Mic to unpack how AI is reshaping leadership, strategic thinking, and how we scale organizations. Formerly a key partner in The ONE Thing, Geoff shares how business leaders can use AI not just as a task assistant, but as a true thought partner.
Jason and Geoff break down how leaders can train AI to help them think better, move faster, and focus on what really matters. From sales to decision-making to team management, Geoff explains how AI augments human potential—and why the best leaders in the next decade will be the ones who ask the right questions, not just the ones with the right answers.
We dive into:
🧠 The power of crafting strategic questions with AI
🧰 Why every leader needs an “AI board of directors”
📊 Using AI for planning, communication & real-world execution
🔍 Frameworks for making AI work across people, strategy & tech
⚙️ Why the future belongs to human-centric, AI-augmented leaders
Whether you're a founder, executive, or team lead, this episode is packed with insights to help you lead smarter and scale faster in the AI age.
[00:00] – From The ONE Thing to the AI era
[03:50] – The power of better questions in leadership
[05:30] – How AI becomes a strategic partner
[08:45] – Using AI to think, not just execute
[11:00] – Behind The AI-Driven Leader book
[14:30] – The CRIT Framework explained
[20:00] – Crisis to clarity: real-world AI use cases
[22:00] – What an AI Board of Directors looks like
[28:00] – AI-enhanced sales strategies: Whole Foods case study
[30:00] – Avoiding creativity loss from AI overuse
[33:00] – Future-proofing with strategic thinking
[37:00] – Becoming the conductor of tech + teams
[41:00] – Inside the AI Leadership Collective
[43:30] – Where to get the book + prompts
🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial
📩 Newsletter: Subscribe for AI & strategy insights
Ryan Davis, founder of People First, joins Drop The Mic to unpack how AI is transforming not just marketing, but leadership, influence, and trust. From political campaigns to brand building, Ryan shares how artificial intelligence is changing how we communicate, connect, and convert in a world of digital overload.
Jason and Ryan dive into how micro-influencers are outpacing mass followings, how AI is reshaping customer targeting and content creation, and why authenticity—not automation—will define the next era of digital strategy. This is a real look at what marketers, consultants, and creators need to do now to future-proof their brand in 2025.
We dive into:
🤖 AI-driven influencer strategy and what’s coming next
🎯 Why micro-influencers are winning the attention game
🧠 Human creativity vs. AI copy — what still matters most
📢 How to balance authenticity, automation, and speed
🔍 What a political campaign would look like if it launched today using AI
Whether you're a brand leader, consultant, or creator, this episode will help you rethink how you show up and lead in an AI-first world.
[00:00] – Intro: Drop the Mic with Jason Hunt
[00:05] – Living in Guadalajara as a digital nomad
[02:31] – From theater director to digital strategist
[06:47] – Early political marketing + Howard Dean campaign
[09:12] – The birth of internet influencers in politics
[10:49] – What a 2025 AI-powered campaign would look like
[12:05] – AI-generated ICPs and smarter targeting
[13:42] – Why real content still beats AI output
[16:01] – Emotion, storytelling, and human copywriting
[18:00] – Reporting, measurement, and creative testing with AI
[22:21] – Hyper-personalized marketing and influencer strategy
[24:45] – Red flags in AI-generated engagement
[27:40] – Micro-influencers: why authenticity scales
[32:30] – How to avoid over-optimization
[35:11] – Full-funnel influencer planning + creative
[38:57] – Funnel-stage content and scalable creator assets
[40:04] – Behind the scenes of the People First newsletter
[41:26] – Ryan’s favorite digital trends & wrap-up
🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial
Greg Kaiser has over 30 years in the corporate world—including time at Hershey—and now running his own consultancy, Greg shares lessons in management, delegation, time optimization, and how to think about AI from a leadership perspective.
Jason and Greg dive into why most managers are spending time on the wrong things, how to stop micromanaging, and why meetings and communication are often a company’s real bottleneck—not the employees. Greg also shares how he's using AI as a research and decision-making tool, and why leaders shouldn't try to master it—but should know how to hire people who do.
We dive into:
🧠 The mindset shift from corporate exec to independent consultant
📊 How to delegate better and stop being the bottleneck
⏱️ Why time—not money—is your most valuable resource
👥 The problem with meetings and how to fix communication instead
🤖 How Greg is using AI in his consulting business today
Whether you're an executive, founder, or team lead, this episode is a crash course in managing smarter and leading more effectively.
⏱️ Timestamps:
[02:20] – Greg’s new venture: Management Mastery
[04:50] – Greg’s corporate journey from mailroom to managing global ops at Hershey
[09:20] – Why he left corporate after being told “you’ll never be COO”
[12:55] – First client story: how Greg launched into consulting
[15:15] – Why business owners need to stop doing everything themselves
[17:30] – The cost of micromanagement and poor delegation
[20:50] – How to help leaders identify time waste with “Know Thy Time”
[23:10] – 80/20 rule and Return on Invested Time
[25:15] – How to structure effective meetings in 2025
[28:50] – What remote work changed about team communication
[31:30] – The myth of multitasking & how to fix your focus
[34:10] – How Greg uses AI for research and decision support
[39:00] – Why AI works best when humans know how to prompt it
[41:20] – Where to find Greg online and learn more about his work
🔗 Connect & Support:
🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial
Sponsor: https://chatello.ai
Kasim Aslam is one of the most respected voices in performance marketing. He joins Drop The Mic to share how he scaled his agency to 200+ clients, exited for 8-figures, and why he believes AI and answer engine optimization (AEO) are the future of digital strategy.
In this wide-ranging conversation, Kasim gets raw about his entrepreneurial failures, the dangers of chasing hype, and what really moves the needle when building a scalable, sellable marketing business. He also shares why traditional digital marketing is dying, why the quality of your people matters more than your tools, and how businesses can win by adopting a bottom-up AI strategy.
We dive into:
🚀 What it takes to sell an agency for 8 figures
💸 Why private equity is targeting media buying businesses
🧠 How AI-enabled executive assistants are transforming operations
🔍 The rise of AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and what comes after SEO
🤖 Why most AI conversations ignore the real opportunity: empowered humans
Kasim brings fire, honesty, and real frameworks for marketers, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to stay relevant in a rapidly changing digital world.
Episode Timestamps:
[01:30] – Building (and exiting) a top Google Ads agency
[03:00] – 60 offers in 6 months: Why agency valuations spiked
[05:20] – The Google Ads advantage and solving for traffic
[09:40] – Post-exit identity shift and investing lessons
[12:00] – AI as a bottom-up revolution, not top-down
[15:10] – Why mediocre employees + AI = dangerous
[18:45] – Kasim’s EA hiring strategy & human capital model
[22:30] – What most agencies get wrong about AI adoption
[25:40] – Why "Answer Engine Optimization" is the new SEO
[29:30] – The future of nimble teams vs bloated orgs
[32:15] – Paradigm shifts in training, culture & incentives
[36:50] – Empowering team members to lead with AI
[41:00] – Building businesses through delegation & ownership
[43:30] – Kasim’s vision for owning the AEO category
🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial
Omar Johnson is the former CMO of Beats by Dre and VP of Marketing at Apple—joins Drop The Mic to unpack the marketing playbooks that built billion-dollar brands and how he's now bringing those lessons into the world of AI.
Jason and Omar dive deep into how science, storytelling, and consumer behavior drive real marketing results. Omar shares never-before-heard stories from building Beats into a cultural powerhouse and his bold mission to revolutionize advertising with AI through his company, Opus Intelligence.
We dive into:
🔥 How Beats used scarcity, storytelling & athlete marketing to dominate a category
🧠 Omar’s marketing formula: intelligence, behavior, and emotional triggers
⚙️ Mistakes founders make when building tech and how Omar learned the hard way
🚀 The future of marketing and why AI is a creative unlock—not a replacement
📈 How Opus Intelligence is disrupting traditional agencies with speed, scale, and relevance
This episode is a masterclass in branding, marketing strategy, and adapting to tech-driven change.
⏱️ Timestamps:
[01:20] – How Omar went from mixtapes to Coca-Cola and Campbell’s
[02:45] – Why brand marketing is more formulaic than you think
[05:10] – How he got into Nike through an outsider program
[08:00] – Early mistakes as a founder and lessons from tech product dev
[11:45] – Big mistake: managing developers like marketers
[15:00] – Omar’s marketing formula: behavior > demographics
[19:10] – Behind the Beats strategy that scaled from $20M to $1.1B
[21:30] – How he created new use cases for headphones through storytelling
[25:00] – The Kobe Bryant strategy: scarcity + influencer seeding
[27:15] – Becoming the "pre-game headphone of sports"
[29:00] – Why Beats told stories other brands were afraid to tell
[31:30] – From Apple to AI: the spark that led to Opus Intelligence
[34:00] – Intelligence + NLP: Using behavioral data for better marketing
[36:20] – How marketers can use AI to unlock higher-level thinking
[42:00] – Omar’s crystal ball: the future of creative agencies
[45:30] – Democratizing great marketing for small and medium businesses
🔗 Connect & Support:
🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial
Sponsor: https://chatello.ai
Kris Rudeegraap, Co-Founder and CEO of Sendoso, joins Drop The Mic to break down how experiential marketing, personalized gifting, and AI-driven strategies are transforming sales and customer engagement.
Kris shares real-world stories and proven strategies that help businesses cut through the noise, create memorable experiences, and leverage direct mail in a digital-first world. From gifting a rack of ribs to sending rubber chickens — Kris explains why human connections still win deals.
We dive into:
🎯 How to use gifting to stand out and close deals
📈 The rise of AI in marketing and direct mail
🎁 Why thoughtful experiences drive customer loyalty
💡 The future of experiential marketing, including drone delivery
Whether you're in sales, marketing, or business development — this episode will inspire fresh ways to engage your audience and convert leads.
Time Stamps:
[02:30] - Experiential marketing stories: Helicopter rides & concerts
[04:30] - The before, during, and after strategy for events
[06:50] - Creating memorable booth experiences vs. being forgettable
[08:50] - Kris explains Sendoso and how gifting changes sales
[11:30] - Real-world examples: Real estate, enterprise sales, and client retention
[13:00] - Why companies prefer Sendoso over Amazon for gifting
[15:50] - The psychology of receiving physical gifts (reciprocity effect)
[16:10] - Craziest gifts sent: Traeger grills, drones, and rubber chickens
[17:30] - CRM integration and automating follow-ups after delivery
[18:10] - How Sendoso and Kris’s team leverage AI in sales & marketing
[20:30] - The truth about direct mail: Flat vs. dimensional mailers
[22:20] - Using gifting in every stage of the marketing funnel
[24:15] - Attribution, ROI, and why follow-up is everything
[26:00] - AI’s future impact on direct mail and customer engagement
[27:30] - Smart Gifting: How AI tailors messages and delivery
[29:10] - Is drone delivery part of Sendoso’s future?
[30:10] - Personal branding vs. business branding
[30:50] - Sendoso’s global scale and Kris’s final thoughts
CONNECT & SUPPORT:
🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial
Sponsor: https://chatello.ai