Aggressively Human: Online Business in the Age of AI, Algorithms & Automations

The conversation dives deep into the essence of community in business, emphasizing genuine relationships over transactional interactions. The hosts explore how true communities foster loyalty, trust, and collaboration, highlighting the pitfalls of treating clients as commodities. They discuss the significance of reciprocity and shared values in enhancing client retention. Insights on leveraging AI to boost engagement reveal modern pathways to connect authentically. This engaging discourse underscores that a thriving community isn't just a feel-good concept, but a powerful business strategy.

The act of podcasting - recording it, editing it, and listening to it - is one of the most embodied acts in content creation. Because no matter how good the AI bots sound, there’s something simply human about listening to someone else’s authentic voice in your earbuds.Today’s interview is with amelia hruby, founder of Softer Sounds podcast production studio and host of the Off the Grid podcast. Amelia has some strong points of view about AI in the podcasting industry, and the power of a human-oriented podcast process.In today’s episode we dive into:- The power of podcasting to bring our ideas to life and build trust in a way that is distinct to writing- Why Softer Sounds leads with the voice in all aspects of the creation and production process (not just in the editing process)- What happens when you take your magical, unique, sparkly creations and run them through AI processing and show notes (hint - they become dull, generic, choppy, and overly polished).- How Amelia leads with her human-first and audio-first values - and how that is a powerful filter for the clients she works with- The less obvious way you market and sell a higher-touch - and higher-cost - level of service- The unexpected benefits from having multiple people on the other end of the podcast production process“I built a lighthouse in my business that isn't really about podcasting, but brings to me people who are willing to ask hard questions about how they're willing and want to show up in their business” - AmeliaAbout Our Guest:Follow AmeliaSofter SoundsOff the Grid PodcastAll of Amelia’s Other Podcasts!Connect with Us:Subscribe to the Substack and get the full show notes:Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsMeg CaseboltJessica Lackey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aggressivelyhuman.substack.com

Dialogue over Monologue: Our next Aggressively Human pillar.AI and automations can make it easy to have “faux-dialogue”: where you’re sent tons and tons of “personalized” emails, or you think you’re having a conversation with someone but you’re really just talking to an AI agent or a bot. And dialogue comes with risk: when you open up your world for real conversations, you might hear “no” or get people disagreeing with you.In today's podcast we dive into:- Why we might shy away from dialogue, but why Meg and Jessica chose this as a core Aggressively Human philosophy- When you might actually choose automation over dialogue- How dialogue reduces the gap between your ideas and real feedback (and why shouting into the void won’t get you there)- Why we decided to co-host this podcast (and how we rely on each other and other colleagues in our work)- The power of real time listening in order to pivot to the market (and keep making sales)View the Full Show notes on our Substack: https://aggressivelyhuman.substack.com/Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meg and JessicaMeg CaseboltJessica LackeyResourcesJosh Spector’s For the Interested newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aggressivelyhuman.substack.com

Dr. Michelle Mazur - messaging strategist and community builder for experts - has a point of view about sales for experts and other service-based businesses. Because the lower-touch approach to sales that might have worked a few years ago isn't working as well anymore.In today’s episode, you’ll hear about how Michelle is taking a human-centric approach to sales and community building.- Private tours, 80% conversions, zero sleaze—hear her sales process that is part college tour, part vibe check.- “But it doesn’t scale!!” How to think about sales when you’re selling high-touch, high-value, or high-cost services.- Want to speed up the buying cycle with automation and AI? Maybe not - how slowing down your sales process can actually make you the fastest closer in a weird economy.- "No one buys community": what happens when you build community people didn’t know they needed—and how fast they connect once they’re inside.- Marketing isn’t guesswork— how the quarterly marketing experiments in the Expert Up Club help her (and her clients) stop wasting time and start seeing results.- Michelle’s “situationship” with Claude AI, and where this tool fits into her marketing system and tech stackView the Full Show notes on our Substack: https://aggressivelyhuman.substack.com/Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meg and JessicaMeg Casebolt: https://loveatfirstsearch.com/Jessica Lackey: https://www.jessicalackey.com/About our GuestMichelle Mazur’s Three Word Rebellion – Her book that helps experts create clear, compelling messaging.The Expert Up Club – Michelle’s community for experts focused on "do less but better" marketing.ResourcesThe Duped Podcast – Co-hosted by Michelle Mazur and Maggie Patterson, exploring the dark side of online business.Heidi Taylor – A sales coach mentioned in connection with Michelle’s business journey.Claude AI – An AI tool Michelle uses to streamline her messaging work, particularly analyzing voice-of-customer data. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aggressivelyhuman.substack.com

Big audiences mean big revenue.... right? Maybe. But maybe not.What if the money isn’t actually in your list, but instead in the relationships with the people on your list?What if for service providers, it’s about the right people on your list, versus more people on your list?What if it’s not about contacts and conversion rates, but instead about connections and conversations?In this episode, hear our Aggressively Human philosophy #1: Conversations over Contacts.- When the money isn’t in the banana stand (or your list) and the power of smaller, engaged lists- What happens when you start conversations with your email subscribers (and why you’ll never take sales calls out of our business models)- Busting the paradigm of “conversion rates” and search volume and why we need to think differently about how we engage with our subscribers as service providers (and why 10 parents searching for dyslexia help for their child locally can be better than 10,000 clicks.)- Why your business model informs your audience growth strategy (and why Jessica is leaning in to growing her list without the pressure to “monetize it” right away)- Learn how Meg turns referrals into future collaborations (and it’s not through an automated sequence)Resources:Give to Grow by Mo BunnellListen on SpotifyListen on Apple Podcasts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aggressivelyhuman.substack.com

When your family expands, the goal should be to automate more, to delegate more, and keep business as usual, right? Not for today’s guest.Andréa Jones is a marketing and social media strategist that recently left the high-pressure agency world behind after the birth of her second child, focusing now on marketing strategy and a marketing strategy membership. In this episode, learn her aggressively human approach to marketing, community management, her business model and oh yes - doing business while being a parent.- The shift from the Savvy Social brand to the Mindful Marketing brand, and how that fits in with her community-centric approach to marketing- How parenthood shifted Andréa’s approach to work, parenting, and saying “no”- The “aha” moment that had her questioning her whole business model, after working with some of the biggest names in online business.- Andréa’s current and future marketing strategy, now that she’s no longer running her agencyAbout Our Guest:Follow Andréa Jones: https://onlinedrea.com/Resources Mentioned:Mindful Marketing Podcast: Dark Social: What is it + How it’s Affecting Your BusinessAndréa’s The Everything PageElizabeth Goddard’s Original Everything PageView the Full Show notes on our Substack: https://aggressivelyhuman.substack.com/Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meg and JessicaMeg Casebolt: https://loveatfirstsearch.com/Jessica Lackey: https://www.jessicalackey.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aggressivelyhuman.substack.com

“I'm just a girl looking around the internet trying not to stare at my own reflection on Zoom all day.”What does being Aggressively Human mean? And why would two very busy service-based business owners start yet another podcast, when we could be instead posting 5 times a day on social media?Tune in to hear the origin story of the Aggressively Human idea: what it is and where it came from and why we're collaborating on it.- The Birth of “Aggressively Human”: How Jessica and Meg met, and the turn of phrase that got stuck in Meg’s head like a Smash Mouth song and turned into this podcast- What being “Aggressively Human” means to us and why it’s a zig to more relational strategies in business when the market appears to be zagging- Why this podcast is so relevant for us now, both as collaborators and business owners, based on the market trends in AI, automations, and algorithms. (Ensh*ttification of the internet, we’re looking at you).- The format of the podcast, including interviews and behind-the-scenes looks at our own businessesView the Full Show notes on our Substack: https://aggressivelyhuman.substack.com/Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meg and JessicaMeg Casebolt: https://loveatfirstsearch.com/Jessica Lackey: https://www.jessicalackey.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aggressivelyhuman.substack.com

Our world is becoming increasingly automated & AI-generated. What does that mean for your business? For experts & service-based businesses, the answer isn’t always to chase the trends … it’s to be Aggressively Human.Join co-hosts Jessica Lackey, business strategist, and Meg Casebolt, search marketing specialist, as we share behind-the-scenes of running our own businesses by embracing connection and discussing how we can use technology to be more human. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aggressivelyhuman.substack.com