Sweat Equity

Ever wondered how the conquers of the past took over the world? People like Napolean, Genghis Khan, Steve Jobs...or modern-day greats like Michael Jordan or Arnold Schwarzenegger.And wonder what the difference between you and them is? Or how they became who they became?And if you think hard work is the sole answer - it's not. In this episode, Ben Wilson takes his 10,000+ hours of studying the greats for his podcast How To Take Over The World and distills it into this 45 min episode.Plus, you'll learn how to build a 7-figure podcast in 2024. From ideation to growth. Everything is covered.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? Basically - want us to talk about how we'd grow your business on the pod?Drop a 5-star review. Send us the screenshot. And send us proof and your brand to podcast@marketingexamined.com and we'll feature it on the show.Much love,Alex & Brian--------------------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

Lukas Pakter, founder of SquidHaus, shares insights from his journey building a six-figure DTC clothing brand. He discusses the importance of community and strategic positioning for young men in fitness apparel. The conversation delves into branding, innovative marketing techniques, and the significance of effective website optimization. Lukas highlights how small tweaks can significantly boost conversion rates and customer engagement. The duo also explores the balance between organic content and direct ads while navigating the complexities of manufacturing and scaling.

As promised, this week we're diving deep into Brian Blum's entrepreneurial adventures. From his first entrepreneurship class, to launching his first product (you'll never guess what it was), to working for the San Antonio Spurs, to getting an investment from Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran after a successful pitch on Shark Tank - Brian explains how his passion for sports turned into a hunger for business, and the lessons he's learned throughout all his successes (and failures). From building your first sales funnel, to acquiring VC investments, there's a ton to learn in this one. Thanks for listening, and don't forget to rate and subscribe if you enjoyed.💰 SWEAT EQUITY HAT GIVEAWAY:We're giving away 20 Sweat Equity hats to the FIRST 20 LISTENERS to give the podcast a 5 star review on Apple AND Spotify.To enter, leave a review on Apple & Spotify, screenshot both, and send the pics on Instagram to Alex (@alexgarcia_atx), Brian (@brian_blum) OR send them in an email to podcast@marketingexamined.com. Winners will be announced soon, so stay tuned.(US based only, sorry to our fans overseas, we'll get you sorted out soon we promise.)Find the links to Apple & Spotify here: https://link.chtbl.com/sweat-equity-hat-giveaway--------------------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.comCHAPTERS:00:00 - Intro01:29 - From College Basketball to the San Antonio Spurs media team.10:11 - Brian's first business: Teeth whitening chewing gum.12:09 When and how to pivot your startup.15:32 - Brian's takeaways from his first startup.16:47 - The importance of unit economics and customer acquisition costs.18:30 - Brian's time as CMO of Grind.23:37 - Brian's company went on Shark Tank, and CLOSED.25:13 - The results of being featured on Shark Tank.28:01 - Some of Brian's biggest takeaways at Grind.31:12 - The secret to raising VC money.33:24 - Transitioning from Founder to Employee - Pros and Cons.38:33 - Pivoting back to Agency life at Rctfy.46:48 - Organic Content Masterclass with Brian

Who is Alex Garcia, and why do you tune in every week to listen to his marketing advice? In this episode, Brian interviews Alex to dig deep on his long career in the world of content and marketing. Alex shares his successes (and failures) as an entrepreneur over the past decade, including growing The Hustle & My First Million, becoming CMO at The Kollective, and much more. Alex discusses his initial forays into content creation and social media management for (essentially) every bar in Austin, to navigating the world of agency life and the transition to his current business, Marketing Examined. Stay tuned, because Brian is up next.💰 SWEAT EQUITY HAT GIVEAWAY:We're giving away 20 Sweat Equity hats to the FIRST 20 LISTENERS to give the podcast a 5 star review on Apple AND Spotify.To enter, leave a review on Apple & Spotify, screenshot both, and send the pics on Instagram to Alex (@alexgarcia_atx), Brian (@brian_blum) OR send them in an email to podcast@marketingexamined.com. Winners will be announced soon, so stay tuned.(US based only, sorry to our fans overseas, we'll get you sorted out soon we promise.)Find the links to Apple & Spotify here: https://link.chtbl.com/sweat-equity-hat-giveaway--------------------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.comCHAPTERS:00:00:00 - Intro & Sweat Equity Merch Giveaway00:04:50 - From College Athlete to Agency Owner.00:09:32 - Alex's First Agency: SocialFirst.00:16:47 - The Hustle, and My First Million.00:21:52 - 50 threads in 50 days on Twitter.00:27:30 - Becoming CMO of Kollective.00:32:27 - The Origins of Marketing Examined00:37:50 - Should you start a newsletter in 2024?00:45:36 - Free Game - How we'd grow YOUR brand. Luxee.

Discover the secrets to building a true fanbase with Kane Kallaway. Explore the value of an engaged audience, the importance of 'content minutes', and the pros and cons of sharing your secret sauce. Learn why high production quality may not be as crucial as you think in content creation.

Former pro hockey player turned content creator JT Barnett discusses sustainability, scalability, authenticity in content, and winning content playbook. Explore building creative teams, scaling content production, and building relationships with influencers for brand collaborations. Learn about challenges and evolution in content creation, audience engagement strategies, and current interests in creators and brands.

Alex and Brian sit down with Matt Halfhill, the founder & CEO of Nice Kicks to get into the weeds of the sneaker industry, and Matt's journey growing Nice Kicks from a niche sneaker blog into sneaker industry powerhouse. In this conversation you’ll hear about the evolution of the blog, shoe industry disruption, and which brands to watch in 2024. 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.SPONSORED BY:Marketing Examined - Make smarter marketing moves with Alex's playbooks, in your inbox, 3 times a week. Subscribe below: http://bit.ly/marketingexaminedsub--------------------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_blum1CHAPTERS:00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:08 - The Origins of Nice Kicks00:05:09 - Going from online to opening a physical location.00:09:24 - Deciding to close the Nice Kicks retail store.00:10:46 - From web-first to social first: Inside Nice Kicks' revenue.00:16:43 - The Death of the Signature Shoe.00:22:59 - Namesake Marketing has completely changed.00:27:16 - What do brands need to do to succeed in the shoe business in 2024. 00:31:54 - How are the biggest shoes being disrupted?00:34:53 - Matt's Thoughts on the Tom Brady & NoBull Merger00:38:53 - How Media companies can survive in the attention economy.00:42:01 - The biggest brands to watch in shoes in 2024.00:45:54 - The history of Sneaker Drops.00:49:53 - Are good ads dead? How advertising has changed since the Jordan Era.00:54:27 - Huge viral potential with Out-of-Home Ads00:58:28 - Will High Rocks take over Crossfit?

In this episode Alex and Brian sit down with Jordan Rogers, the former Marketing & Brand Director at Nike, who shares his journey from battling addiction to landing his dream role at Nike.Jordan offers an insider look at Nike's branding strategies, collaborations with renowned athletes like Odell Beckham Jr, and breaks down the complicated world of sports marketing, NIL, and college sports.This is a must listen for anyone looking to build a world class brand, influencer partnerships, or trying to land their dream job with brands like Nike.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_blum1CHAPTERS:00:00:00 - Introduction and Jordan's Obsession with Nike.00:05:59 - Creating alignment between your brand and their representatives.00:11:30 - Should brands ONLY focus on ROI?00:13:07 - What are the key components of a strong brand?00:16:21 - Using Ads to build your brand identity.00:18:48 - The importance of community on Social Media.00:22:42 - Could Nike ever become a social-first company?00:27:15 - The Death of the Signature Athlete, and Why are Brands Obsessed with NY and LA?00:34:41 - Jordan synced up OBJ and Cristiano Ronaldo at Paris Fashion Week00:40:25 - The frail nature of an athlete's career00:43:34 - NIL Collectives, and why Young Athletes need to know about them.00:46:44 - How Jordan and Alex got started by bartering.00:54:24 - The Death of the NCAA & the future of College Sports.00:58:37 - Jordan on Johnny Manziel's Pro Day.01:02:32 - Jordan's Playbook for Up-and-Coming Recruits01:07:31 - Jordan's message to top high school recruits.01:10:43 - How do you get a Job at Nike?

Learn how Truff Sauce went from an Instagram page to an eight-figure company, the secret sauce behind their success, and how to strategically market taboo products. Discover insights on competitor analysis, founder-focused companies, and the importance of creating viral content.

Alex and Brian sit down to talk through where affiliate marketing goes as legacy media publications lose traffic, Peacock's brilliant $110 million move to become #1 in the app store, and how they'd grow Keep It Classic Vintage. Stay tuned til the end to hear about their favorite tools to grow a DTC brand right now.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_blum1CHAPTERS:00:00 - Intro02:53 - Show Rundown05:12 - The Death of Legacy Media10:14 - Why NOW is the time to invest in your own content.16:31 - The Story of the Stanley Tumbler22:38 - Peacock's playoff gamble, and why it worked so well.27:25 - How can Peacock keep those subscribers?35:09 - Free Game: Keep it Classic Vintage51:41 - Shoutout our most dedicated podcast listener.