

Sweat Equity
Marketing Examined
Welcome to the best creative brainstorming session you've ever had. Hosts Alex Garcia & Brian Blum discuss the biggest marketing moves of the week and show you how you can implement these in your own business. Influencer marketing, growth marketing, content marketing - it's all here. Creativity. Breakdowns. Playbooks. Without the fluff.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 18, 2025 • 23min
Decoding The 4 Reasons Brand FAIL (and how to avoid)
Discover the four critical reasons brands fail and learn how to avoid them. Brian reveals Prime's trust issues and discusses how transparency can rebuild credibility. Misjudging the market is explored with Lululemon's messaging shifts. The pitfalls of inconsistent positioning are highlighted with Feastables. Understand the importance of continuous product innovation using Allbirds as a cautionary tale. Plus, find out how top brands like On and Skims innovate and engage with their audiences effectively.

9 snips
Nov 11, 2025 • 27min
The Art Direction Playbook for Brands (From A to Z)
Explore the transformative power of art direction in brand storytelling. Dive into the differences between world building and visual aesthetics. Discover three approaches to art direction on social media and learn how consistency can amplify brand identity. Hear how cinematic techniques are influencing branding and the dynamics of creator collaborations. Uncover the significance of color, lighting, and shapes in setting a tone, and why nostalgic inspirations forge strong emotional connections. Embrace a strategic and meaningful approach to art direction for 2026 and beyond!

27 snips
Nov 4, 2025 • 49min
If You're Starting On LinkedIn In 2026, Do This
Tommy Clark, Founder of Compound, is a LinkedIn ghostwriting expert who helps B2B brands thrive online. He explains why LinkedIn is a goldmine for lead generation and shares tips on defining your core brand focus. Tommy emphasizes the power of personal stories to stand out and outlines a winning content strategy, recommending 5-7 posts weekly. With insights on targeted connections and using thought leader ads to boost organic posts, Tommy encourages listeners to commit to consistent execution for tangible results by 2026.

33 snips
Oct 28, 2025 • 37min
Creating Viral Content Ideas For Our Subscribers Brands (No prep)
Dive into thrilling live brand audits with unique content strategies! Discover how to maximize location-based content with a tier system and create engaging ASMR nature reels. Learn to avoid generic collabs by using curiosity-driven hooks and explore docu-style profiles for captivating storytelling. Brian introduces innovative formats like relatable horror stories and educational carousels to demystify hair-removal technology. Embrace bold visual styles and gamified challenges to enhance shareability and audience connection!

12 snips
Oct 21, 2025 • 30min
Revealing Psychological Tactics Used By $100M Brands (No Gatekeeping)
Explore elite marketing secrets from top brands like Norse Organics. Discover how they target buyer personas and utilize compelling copy and unique return policies. Learn about transforming buyer expectations with strong guarantees and quantifying outcomes. Dive into the power of social proof, using testimonials and before/after evidence to build trust. Uncover urgency cues and subscription upsells that drive conversions, plus a step-by-step ad framework that amplifies messaging. Perfect tactics for any business looking to level up!

16 snips
Oct 14, 2025 • 29min
How To Make Your Content Addictive in 29 Mins
Discover how to create unique hooks that make your brand instantly recognizable. Learn about the power of signature set designs and recurring visual elements that form a creator's identity. Explore strategies for developing addictive content through familiar formats that keep audiences coming back. Gain insights on writing extreme title hooks that grab attention and set expectations. Plus, understand why owning a unique content path is more effective than competing in a crowded space.

Oct 7, 2025 • 44min
The Untold Secrets Behind a $200M Beauty Empire
Brian sits down with Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, founders of Beekman 1802, for a live-recorded conversation in NYC. They share behind-the-scenes retail stories, tactics for building loyal communities, and insights from their new book, GOAT Wisdom.As always, appreciate you all listening, and don't forget to leave us a review and submit your questions for Alex and Brian at the email address below. See you next week.--------------------WANT FREE GAME? Or just have a question for Brian & Alex?Submit your questions here: www.marketingexamined.com/podcastOR email us at podcast@marketingexamined.com--------------------WATCH THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:For full video versions, and short highlights of every episode, head tohttps://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1NEWSLETTER:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed atwww.marketingexamined.com--------------------Follow Alex & Brian on Twitter and IGwww.twitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxwww.twitter.com/@brian_blum1

33 snips
Sep 30, 2025 • 34min
Content Strategists Create Viral Content Ideas For 3 Brands Live (No Planning)
Hosts dive into live brand audits, crafting unique content strategies on the spot. They suggest wild makeovers for a golf fashion brand and propose dramatic transformation reveals to drive engagement. Ideas abound for creating a history channel on golf fashion and a humorous narration format to poke fun at bad styles. A designer sporting-goods brand is assessed for its outlandish products, while strategies for building community through exclusivity and pop-up events take center stage. The team explores techniques to make drinking anecdotes shareable and relatable.

23 snips
Sep 23, 2025 • 23min
Unlock Your Brand's VIRAL Storytelling Potential (The 2025 Playbook)
Brian and Alex dive into the art of top-of-funnel storytelling, spotlighting Heritage Ring as a prime example. They explore the deep emotional desires behind products and how broadening story appeal taps into various cultural interests. Learn about the importance of packaging content with relatable hooks and the strategy of trojan-horse content that captivates first, then sells. They also discuss aligning storytelling with a brand’s life cycle, and how different types of CTAs can influence audience engagement. It’s a treasure trove of marketing wisdom!

34 snips
Sep 16, 2025 • 48min
How I Would Build A Creator Marketing Strategy In 2026
Yash Chavan, founder and CEO of Saral, shares his insights on the future of influencer marketing. He discusses the shift from product seeding to structured partnerships and highlights the importance of meaningful collaborations for deeper engagement. Cost-effective strategies for small brands are explored, focusing on relationship building and nurturing top performers. Yash also delves into innovative monetization strategies for creators, including performance-based models and gamified engagement. The conversation underscores the vital role of storytelling and automation in enhancing brand visibility.


