
ProfitSchool
An unfiltered conversation between two veteran entrepreneurs and agency owners highlighting the decisions you'll need to make in your business.
Latest episodes

6 snips
Jul 1, 2025 • 31min
Writing Books: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
The hosts discuss the evolving landscape of book authorship and the impact of AI on writing and publishing. They stress the importance of a focused framework and a unique idea for successful business books. Key takeaways include dedicating more time to marketing than writing and employing an audience-first strategy. AI is portrayed as a game-changer for research and editing, streamlining the writing process. The hosts advocate for testing concepts with smaller outputs before diving into full book development.

Jun 24, 2025 • 30min
Where Does AI Fit In Your Sales Funnel?
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Where Does AI Fit In Your Sales Funnel? Mercer and Jeff define the sales funnel in terms of awareness levels, progressing from unawareness to problem awareness, solution awareness, and finally product awareness. Jeff outlines a B2B sales funnel with distinct phases: impression, lead, qualification, pitch/proposal, purchase, and onboarding. AI significantly enhances the "impression" stage by transforming long-form content, such as podcasts or client calls, into short, digestible social media clips for broader reach and increased engagement. AI tools streamline lead capture by helping to create intelligent lead forms and automate processes for gathering contact information and initial permissions from prospects. AI assists in the qualification process by helping to establish clear business rules and criteria for ideal clients, automating aspects of prospect assessment to ensure a better fit. AI empowers the "pitch and proposal" stage by generating presentations, proposals, and even guiding pricing decisions, helping users overcome perfectionism and iterate faster.

Jun 17, 2025 • 30min
Podcast Marketing for Growth
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Podcast Marketing for Growth Mercer and Jeff examine podcasting as a growth strategy, differentiating between hosting a personal podcast and appearing as a guest on others. The hosts emphasize that podcasts effectively warm up an audience, acting similarly to webinars by introducing new concepts and building brand familiarity over time. Jeff notes that podcasting functions as an "at-home version of brand building," scaling relationship development more efficiently than traditional in-person networking events. Mercer highlights the value of targeting niche podcasts, stressing that reaching a smaller, highly relevant audience can be more effective than aiming for broad, mainstream shows. The discussion identifies "customer media marketing" as a significant benefit of podcasting, enabling deeper audience relationships through consistent content creation. Mercer and Jeff suggest practical approaches for securing podcast appearances, including direct outreach, networking, and leveraging AI for research and pitch generation.

Jun 10, 2025 • 31min
Automation First: Pros and Cons
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Automation First: Pros and Cons Jeff and Mercer emphasize that successful automation requires a clearly defined, repeatable process before any building begins. Initially, Jeff viewed automation negatively, associating it with spam and a lack of human involvement, but now recognizes its necessity and value when a human element is retained. The hosts highlight the "never too late to automate, but sometimes it's too soon" principle, stressing the importance of manually proving a process before automating it. Mercer and Jeff outline a nine-part automation framework, beginning with strategic planning to define the desired result, the business process, and feasibility before any technical implementation. The discussion stresses that the "build" phase, which many mistakenly start with, is the fifth step in their framework, occurring after thorough planning and technical blueprinting. A key benefit of strategic automation is the creation of reusable "Lego bricks" or interchangeable parts, allowing for easier maintenance and scaling of complex automation workflows.

Jun 3, 2025 • 31min
Building a Culture of Accountability
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Building a Culture of Accountability. The discussion centers on establishing a "culture of GUSTO" within a business. Jeff and Mercer define "GUSTO" as a framework for team members to operate effectively, emphasizing self-driven action and focus. The framework aims to be more impactful than traditional mission or vision statements, which often become "placards on the wall". "GUSTO" is an acronym: Good enough to get going (G), Use the system to improve the system (U), Speed to result (S), Trust but verify (T), and Out with the trash (O). The hosts explain how these principles foster a proactive environment, encouraging action over perfectionism and continuous improvement. The episode concludes by illustrating how an AI-first approach can integrate seamlessly with these "GUSTO" principles, enhancing efficiency and removing bottlenecks.

May 27, 2025 • 30min
AI Powered Sales Techniques and Tactics
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is AI Powered Sales Techniques and Tactics Jeff and Mercer explore how AI tools can refine and improve service-based businesses' sales processes. The hosts discuss using AI to qualify leads, create compelling sales copy, and analyze customer interactions. They emphasize that AI can help identify ideal clients and determine the best strategies for attracting them. The conversation highlights AI's ability to streamline tasks, automate outreach, and personalize communication with potential clients. Mercer and Jeff stress combining AI insights with human skills to build strong client relationships. The episode concludes by noting AI's potential to empower even those who don't consider themselves natural salespeople.

9 snips
May 20, 2025 • 29min
Breaking Bottlenecks In An AI-First Business
Delve into the world of AI-driven businesses and uncover persistent bottlenecks that still impact productivity. Discover how limiting beliefs and organizational structures can hinder transformation, even with advanced technology. Explore the interplay of capability and capacity in effective team management, and learn practical strategies like using loom videos for delegation. The impact of AI on marketing processes takes center stage, balancing efficiency with human oversight. Finally, understand how streamlining workflows and simplification can lead to success in growing enterprises.

May 13, 2025 • 31min
Using AI Agents As Your Copilot
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Using AI Agents As Your Copilot. The discussion centers on utilizing AI agents as a business partnership. The hosts emphasize the changing definition of AI agents, from individual bots to AI-driven tools and behaviors. Using AI agents to access specialized knowledge, such as that of a copywriter or analyst. Jeff and Mercer address the debate about the longevity of AI agents and whether they should be integrated into broader AI models. Using AI agents to enhance team member capabilities and avoid additional hiring. The episode concludes by noting the importance of providing feedback to AI agents to improve their effectiveness.

May 6, 2025 • 30min
The Art of Using AI For Feedback
The podcast dives into the transformative role of AI in feedback processes. It emphasizes the importance of being open to feedback, whether human or AI-driven, for continuous improvement. AI can create 'digital twins' to gain deeper insights and facilitate better decision-making. The discussion explains how AI enhances efficiency in feedback and fosters innovative thinking. The blend of AI capabilities with human judgment is highlighted as essential for optimal feedback outcomes, showcasing the evolving relationship between technology and business.

Apr 29, 2025 • 29min
Visionary Leadership In AI-First Businesses
Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Visionary Leadership In AI-First Businesses. The insights shared center on the role of visionary leadership in businesses that prioritize AI. Mercer and Jeff emphasize the importance of providing direction in a world where many seek clarity. Their exchange explores the idea that early adoption of AI necessitates a visionary approach to navigate uncertainties. Main points discussed center on the role of visionary leadership in businesses that prioritize AI. They discuss tactical ways to integrate AI in business, such as AI show-and-tell and reverse engineering success through AI. Mercer and Jeff's analysis further discusses the importance of defining the desired outcome rather than focusing on the process of prompting AI.