In the Pit with Cody Schneider | Marketing | Growth | Startups

Ilias Ismanalijev, an SEO expert focusing on AI search optimization, shares his insights on mastering AI-driven SEO. He discusses the four levels of AI search and how to map user intent through prompts. Listicle outreach and leveraging directories for off-page SEO are key strategies he emphasizes. Ilias highlights the unique readiness of AI traffic for conversions and offers actionable tips for optimizing content for AI models. His practical approach ensures brands can enhance their visibility while targeting bottom-of-funnel prompts effectively.

CJ Zafir, founder of CodeGuide.dev, guides non-technical builders in crafting powerful product requirement documents. He explains 'vibe coding,' blending sophisticated AI tools with user-friendly platforms. Discover how to brainstorm like an AI-native, automate marketing tasks, and expedite app development. CJ shares insights on scoping app ideas swiftly, choosing the right coding tools for varying skill levels, and leveraging automation to turn scripts into sellable SaaS. This conversation offers a roadmap to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of AI-assisted development.

Yoann Pavy, the growth mastermind behind AI Apply and ex-growth leader at Deliveroo and Depop, shares his insights on transforming marketing with AI. He emphasizes the explosive rise of AI-generated content and how human creativity still edges out in video performance. Automating localization for rapid international growth is unveiled through innovative tools like 'Jarvis' in Slack. Yoann advocates for a product-channel fit mindset, showing how startups can outperform corporate giants by swiftly embracing AI strategies.

In this episode, Adam Silverman, Co-founder & CEO of Agent Ops, explores the revolutionary world of AI agents in business. He discusses how these agents enhance marketing through automation and insights, like social-listening tools and real-time ad budget rebalancing. Adam shares a practical playbook for founders, highlighting the future of AI assistants in daily operations. He also outlines the benefits of adopting AI for lead management and the importance of a human touch alongside automation for optimal results.

Sandra Dajic, Head of Marketing at Chatbase, unveils the concept of 'vibe marketing,' blending AI automation with traditional strategies to revolutionize marketing efforts. She explains her AI-powered workflows and creative tools, like GPT-4, to optimize ad analysis and content generation. Sandra shares insights on scaling marketing without hefty resources, leveraging her experience in both VC-backed and bootstrapped startups. She also highlights the importance of personal branding and effective LinkedIn strategies to enhance audience engagement.

Niels Klement, Head of Growth at Perspective, shares insights on revolutionizing mobile funnels that mimic the experience of engaging apps. He discusses the immense potential of quiz-driven leads and the astounding impact of 1-second load times on conversion rates. Dive into the creative ops that turn a single ad into a multitude of successful variants and understand why paid ads offer the most predictable growth strategy for businesses. Plus, learn about the gamification techniques that enhance user engagement and boost profits.

Join Jordan Mix, partner at Late Checkout, as he unpacks the secrets of building a million-dollar brand in today's competitive market. He introduces the concept of digital gravity, explaining how startups can create an online 'mass' that attracts customers. The discussion dives into orbit-based growth strategies, balancing transactional marketing with long-term brand-building, and maximizing the power of AI and automation. Discover actionable tips for leveraging creators and social media to supercharge visibility in an AI-driven world.

Discover the fascinating world of AI-driven marketing automation as an expert discusses building effective workflows. Learn about vibe marketing and the essential role of audience research in automating campaigns. Dive into tools like n8n and OpenAI’s ImageGen API that streamline ad production. Explore unique strategies for analyzing discussions on Reddit and creating engaging content. Get actionable tips for leveraging technology to optimize marketing efforts and achieve impressive results through efficient automation.

James Cadwallader, co-founder of Profound, discusses the rising influence of AI search engines on traditional methods. He explains the difference between AI answering engines and chats, highlighting shifts in user behavior and traffic patterns. James shares which industries, like healthcare and automotive, can thrive in this new landscape and offers strategies for optimizing visibility. He emphasizes the necessity of understanding bot traffic, creating targeted content, and utilizing innovative tools like llm.txt to improve marketing effectiveness in the AI era.

In this episode, I sit down with Louis Shulman of Orbit Flows Marketing to dive deep into why a warmed email list is the single most valuable asset a brand can own. We explore how consistent, process-driven newsletters can drive thousands of targeted clicks weekly, share real-world examples and metrics, and unpack the exact frameworks, templates, and AI-powered workflows Louis uses to produce hundreds of newsletters a month for some of the world’s fastest-growing companies. Whether you’re resurrecting a dormant list or scaling a six-figure send, you’ll walk away with concrete steps to build, clean, and monetize your newsletter with repeatable, bite-sized automation.About the GuestLouis Shulman Louis leads client success and content strategy at Orbit Flows, where his team of five writers produces over 50 email newsletters per week for a collective audience exceeding one million subscribers. He’s spent years perfecting the playbook for turning long-form expert conversations into high-impact weekly sends that consistently deliver 3,000+ clicks per issue.Key TakeawaysEmail Newsletters as Owned Media: A weekly newsletter is an asset you own and control, unlike social platforms or paid ads.Process Over Perfection: Success comes from simple, repeatable systems (templates, cadence, checklists)—not chasing “perfect” content.Customer Journey Mapping: Structure newsletters around problem-aware, solution-aware, and vendor-aware stages to guide subscribers down your funnel.Bridge of Belief: Craft content that anticipates and answers subscriber objections before they arise—turn objections into subject lines.AI as an Accelerator: Treat AI like a managed teammate—define clear sub-steps and approval checkpoints to get 90% of the work done, then add human polish.List Hygiene & Segmentation: Start conservatively, re-engage dormant subscribers with win-back sequences, and prune non-openers after five sends to protect deliverability.Lead Magnets & Growth: Educational email courses and targeted downloadable assets (e.g., “5 Day Course on Accounting Pitfalls”) drive higher opt-in rates than generic “join my newsletter” pitches.ROI in Click Equity: With a 170,000-subscriber list sending twice weekly, 10,000 clicks per send saves upwards of $800,000 in paid LinkedIn ads annually.Episode Highlights00:00 – 01:00 – Why Email Is King: The host frames newsletters as the most valuable, yet overlooked, marketing channel.01:00 – 02:00 – Sponsor Break: Acclaim Podcasting: Full-service agency that builds your weekly content machine (acclaimpodcasting.com).02:00 – 04:00 – Volume & Scale: Louis shares that Orbit Marketing dispatches 50+ newsletters weekly to 1M+ subscribers—and how one weekly send drives ~3,000 clicks.04:00 – 07:00 – Defining “Newsletter”: Establishing clear expectations, consistent format, and landing-page first mindset for newsletter signups.07:00 – 11:00 – Customer Journey & Content Strategy: Reverse-engineer subscriber beliefs at each funnel stage; problem, solution, vendor.11:00 – 15:00 – Objections into Subject Lines: Proactively address subscriber doubts (e.g., “Is TikTok still worth it?”) in your newsletter copy.15:00 – 18:00 – Ideation & Prompts: Three core content buckets—personal stories, business strategies, industry insights—and 100+ ghostwriting prompts for weekly topics.18:00 – 22:00 – Templates & Systems: Pin down a weekly structure with 3–5 sections to eliminate decision fatigue and ensure consistency.22:00 – 26:00 – AI-Powered Workflow: Build “Orbit Flows” with templates, voices, knowledge bases, and spaces—treat AI like a junior teammate with incremental approvals.26:00 – 30:00 – List Building & Hygiene: Start small with new or cold lists, run win-back sequences, remove non-engagers after five weeks to maintain deliverability.30:00 – 34:00 – Lead Magnet Mastery: Email courses and downloadable guides convert far better than generic newsletter invites—package education, not just tips.34:00 – 38:00 – Productizing Internal Tools: How Orbit spun its own AI newsletter engine into the OrbitFlows SaaS platform, with live demos of templates and research pipelines.38:00 – End – Final Advice & Connect: Louis drops his top three rapid-fire tips for B2B founders and shares where to reach him next.Resources & LinksGuest SocialsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisshulman/Orbit Marketing: https://www.orbitmarketing.io/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/LouisShulman/Brought to you byAcclaim Podcasting: https://acclaimpodcasting.comOrbitFlows (Built by Louis & Team)Product Site: https://orbitflows.com