AI is flooding the internet with content. Big brands are chasing marketing KPIs instead of people. And “authenticity” has gotten so performative that audiences can smell the bullshit instantly.

We’re in a trust recession.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Gary Williams Jr., co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Creative Theory, to talk about what’s really happening inside modern marketing — and why the future belongs to brands that feel human again.

We talk about ...

• Why paid virality is warping creative standards • How AI  marketing is creating more noise than trust • The difference between hitting marketing KPIs and building a real brand • Why boutique creative agencies are out-performing big agencies • What authentic storytelling actually looks like (hint: it’s truth, not trends) • And how brands can rebuild trust with customers in 2026 and beyond

If you care about brand trust, marketing strategy, and storytelling that actually converts — this one’s for you.

Because the next era of growth won’t come from better funnels or more ad spend.

It’ll come from better stories.

______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Creative Theory.

Trust, attention, and brand loyalty are harder to earn. As AI makes content cheaper, faster, and less believable, the brands winning today aren’t chasing clicks or CPMs. They’re creating human-first experiences in real life that people actually remember.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Emily Stutzman, CEO of HappyLucky, to unpack why experiential marketing, community-building, and real-life brand moments are becoming the most powerful growth drivers in modern marketing.

Together, they explore why memory is the new KPI, how brands can build trust in a saturated digital landscape, and what it really takes to create brand loyalty in an era where consumers scroll past hundreds of ads a day.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why human experiences outperform digital advertising in today’s attention economy • How memory metrics are reshaping brand strategy and long-term growth • The shift from clicks and impressions to trust, affinity, and brand loyalty • How experiential marketing and in-person activations create micro-influencers at scale • Why community-led marketing beats performance ads for Gen Z and Gen Alpha • How brands can build authentic connection without massive event budgets • The role of partnerships, grassroots activations, and local community in modern marketing • Why AI is accelerating the need for real-world, human-first brand experiences

If you’re a CMO, marketing leader, founder, or brand strategist navigating rising ad costs, declining trust, and attribution chaos, this conversation will challenge how you think about growth—and give you a clearer path forward.

______________________

RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about HappyLucky here.

What happens when you build a business so good… you don’t need to market it?

In this episode of Humans of Growth, we sit down with Terry Kerr and Liz Nowlin to unpack how Mid South Home Buyers became one of the most trusted turnkey real estate companies in the country—without relying on traditional marketing channels.

We explore how they grew from managing their first few properties to thousands under management, using trust, referrals, and operational excellence to create a growth flywheel that runs on reputation.

What we cover:

• How a Memphis-based operation became a go-to for passive real estate investors
• The systems that turn first-time buyers into repeat investors
• Why education and transparency outperform traditional sales
• The power of investing in people—for both residents and clients
• How Liz and Terry approach brand trust, lead nurturing, and high-stakes financial decisions
• What most turnkey real estate firms get wrong about long-term growth

This episode is a masterclass in scaling through integrity, clarity, and consistency—without dumping dollars into paid ads. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Get help acquiring business funding.

If you’ve ever Googled “business loan” and ended up confused or denied—this episode is for you.

We sit down with Ray Smith, CEO of Trycera, to unpack why most founders are denied funding (and don’t know why), how to build real business credit that doesn’t touch your personal score, and what lenders are actually looking for in 2025.

You’ll learn:

• Why most business loan applications fail—and how to fix it
• How to build business credit tied to your EIN, not your SSN
• What lenders check before you even apply (and how to prep for it)
• Why founders need a “dream team” more than a better pitch deck
• How to get fast wins and long-term capital through smart planning
• The one thing every SaaS startup should do before hiring developers

Whether you’re a startup, service business, or brick-and-mortar founder, this episode will give you the tools (and roadmap) to unlock funding without the fear, fluff, or frustration. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner.

Get help acquiring business funding.

Smart companies are scaling faster than ever through AI with leaner teams and better margins.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, we unpack how automation, AI, and strategic operations are transforming growth for service-based businesses. From financial advisory firms to fast-moving startups, we explore how leaders are using systems—not headcount—to unlock scale.

You’ll learn:

• How to identify automation opportunities that actually save money
• Why AI fails without human-first systems
• The right time to invest in operations vs. marketing
• How to turn messy data into growth fuel
• What most founders get wrong about “scaling”
• Why reverse mentorship is the future of leadership

The companies winning right now aren’t the ones working harder—they’re the ones working smarter.

This conversation will help you future‑proof your business, your systems, and your team for the next era of intelligent growth.

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RESOURCES:

Need help finding a marketing agency to scale your business? Check out PerissonNetwork.com

Learn more about INVST at invst.com

Most nonprofits market through guilt-ridden storytelling. Pando markets through joy—and it's driving real results.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Daniel Morford, Senior Director of Marketing and Events at The Pando Initiative, to explore how one education nonprofit rebranded itself, rebuilt trust with donors, and scaled into 40+ schools—without relying on trauma stories or outdated fundraising tactics.

Inside the episode:

• How Pando crafted a feel-good brand in a pain-driven sector
• The marketing ops system behind collecting 60+ success stories every quarter
• Why “initiative” beats “program” in donor messaging
• The events-as-content playbook fueling brand awareness and donor retention
• How red carpet experiences and food fests became emotional engagement machines
• The role of local partnerships over national grant-chasing
• Why authenticity and student voice are Pando’s most powerful growth levers

Daniel doesn’t just talk theory—he’s in the trenches building marketing systems that scale. This episode is for anyone building a brand with limited resources, big vision, and a mission worth celebrating.

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RESOURCES:

Learn more about the work the Pando Initiative does at Pandokids.org.

Get connected to Daniel here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-morford-187a45137/

Need help finding a marketing agency to scale your business? Check out PerissonNetwork.com

What happens when a former burnout entrepreneur, bankruptcy survivor, and accidental TikTok influencer becomes the only marketer at a fast-growing financial services company?

In this episode of Humans of Growth, Whitney Catalano, Marketing Manager at Financial Gym, shares how she turned personal financial failure into a marketing superpower—and how she’s rebuilding the growth engine of a beloved but outdated brand.

We talk about:

• Why consumer trust is the real growth strategy in financial services
• How storytelling and vulnerability fuel brand loyalty (even in money markets)
• Why webinars are dead (and how to replace them with high-converting funnels)
• The unexpected TikTok content that made her a "bankruptcy influencer"
• The shift from hustle culture to operational marketing (and why KPIs saved her)
• Why partnerships, referrals, and Google Ads are outperforming social media
• What small teams must do to actually scale marketing without burning out

Whether you’re a solo marketer at a startup, a brand leader rethinking your funnel, or a founder navigating content strategy in the chaos of modern platforms—this episode is packed with lessons on growth, trust, and sustainable marketing.

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RESOURCES: Learn more about Financial Gym. Get marketing help now.

What if your most powerful customer acquisition strategy wasn’t paid ads, cold email, or trade shows… but authentic LinkedIn content and a spaghetti-covered toddler?

In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock interviews Caleb Avery, founder and CEO of Tilled—a fast-growing Stripe alternative that helps SaaS platforms launch embedded payments and generate new revenue streams in weeks.

We dive into how Caleb built a high-converting marketing engine that:

• Outperformed outbound sales through founder-led thought leadership
• Created inbound demand with zero product—just pain point marketing
• Scaled revenue while shrinking headcount by automating low-leverage work
• Used build-week culture to unlock team-wide innovation and operational efficiency

Caleb also breaks down what’s working on LinkedIn in a sea of AI spam, why personal storytelling drives real pipeline, and how to turn marketing into a long-game growth multiplier—not just a cost center.

Topics covered include: • Product-led growth • Inbound marketing strategies • Founder branding on LinkedIn • B2B SaaS marketing • Vertical SaaS monetization • Demand generation vs lead gen • Culture-driven growth

Whether you're a startup founder, growth marketer, or B2B SaaS leader, this episode is packed with practical strategies to drive pipeline, retention, and revenue. ----

RESOURCES: Find your dream marketing agency at PerissonNetwork.com Learn more about Tilled at tilled.com.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Leah Keggi , Marketing Manager at Spearhead Global, one of the fastest-growing companies in spirits packaging and design.

With over a decade of experience in alcohol marketing, Leah has worked across beer, wine, and spirits—supporting everything from emerging CPG startups to legacy liquor brands. Now at Spearhead, she helps alcohol brands rethink their packaging not just as a product necessity, but as a powerful marketing and brand positioning tool.

We explore how the alcohol industry is contracting post-COVID, what that means for brands trying to scale, and how strategic packaging design can become a brand’s most powerful sales asset—especially when combined with omnichannel marketing, social media campaigns, and category-specific messaging.

You’ll also hear how Spearhead shifted their B2B messaging from "packaging supplier" to "brand partner"—resulting in higher engagement, stronger lead generation, and deeper customer loyalty. This episode is packed with insights for B2B marketers, CPG brand managers, alcohol marketing teams, and anyone navigating the intersection of sales enablement and brand storytelling.

In this episode, we cover...

• The post-pandemic market contraction in alcohol and spirits
• How to use packaging as a brand differentiator on the retail shelf
• The psychology behind consumer buying decisions in wine & spirits
• Why legacy brands often overestimate awareness
• The role of color psychology and container shape in packaging design
• Building a sales-forward marketing strategy that drives case velocity
• Why marketers must “sell internally” to align with sales and leadership
• Using LinkedIn marketing and thought leadership to humanize B2B
• How brand storytelling beats feature-heavy messaging in B2B
• Why attribution is broken—and how to market in a world of messy data
• Balancing AI automation with the need for human connection
• Lessons from building campaigns for stadiums and sports partnerships
• The evolution of consumer behavior in the alcohol category
• How smaller alcohol brands can justify investing in top-of-funnel content

Need help with marketing for your business? Check out PerissonNetwork.com to get connected to a top-tier marketing agency. Find Leah Keggi at LeahKeggi.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahkeggi/ Learn more about Spearhead Global over at spearheadglobal.com.

What happens when you lose everything in the 2008 crash?

You rebuild smarter.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, Jorge Vazquez, CEO of Greystone Investment Group, shares his raw, unfiltered journey from financial advisor to real estate mogul. We talk through the pivotal moment he had to choose between securities and social media, how he leveraged MySpace to kickstart his real estate career, and the painful but powerful lessons of losing 22 properties and starting over with $10K and a borrowed couch.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why most businesses fail to build resilience—and how Jorge created a recession-proof model

• How social media forced him to pick a lane (and why it was the best decision he ever made)

• The compounding power of property management and monthly cash flow

• How Jorge uses his real estate business to fund a nonprofit teaching youth financial literacy

• What it really takes to grow a vertically integrated real estate brand (without selling your soul to scale)

If you care about growth that lasts, you’ll walk away with lessons on grit, strategy, and staying grounded.

Helpful Resources: Want to learn more about real estate? Check out graystoneig.com or propertyprofitacademy.com

Want the SparkNotes to this episode? Check out this Domino Growth article on GraystoneIG.com

Need help with marketing? Schedule a free strategy session at perissonnetwork.com.

What happens when a SaaS founder takes the chaos of everyday family life and turns it into a SaaS with a product-led growth engine? In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Nathaniel Robinson, CEO and founder of Trustworthy.

Together, they unpack how Trustworthy has grown through product-led growth (PLG) by focusing on user experience, referral loops, and genuine customer empathy. Nathaniel shares how his team leverages onboarding optimization, freemium strategy, and AI innovation to transform household chaos into clarity — all while creating organic, sustainable growth.

You’ll learn:

• Why clarity and focus are the ultimate growth levers for startups.
• Why shifting from free trials to freemium boosts conversion rates, customer lifetime value (CLV), and organic adoption
• How AI-driven personalization, automation, and LLM-optimized content are redefining customer experience (CX) and reducing churn.
• The power of referral marketing, network effects, and multi-user collaboration in a product-led viral loop.
• Why marketing around life transitions beats traditional pain-point tactics.
• And how product-led virality turns users into your most powerful marketing channel.

If you’re a founder, marketer, or growth strategist looking to understand how to scale through product-led marketing, this episode is for you.

If you’re a human, you need Trustworthy. Trustworthy is a secure, all-in-one Family Operating System that helps households organize, store, and share vital information — from legal documents and passwords to insurance, finances, and medical records — in one encrypted platform.

Visit trustworthy.com to get started for free.

Need marketing support? Head over to PerissonNetwork.com for a free strategy session.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Sam Miller, CEO and co-founder of Kasheesh, a fintech app that lets users split purchases across multiple credit, debit, and gift cards.

What started with a real-life pain point and a single Reddit thread has grown into a seamless digital solution reshaping how Americans manage liquidity. But it didn’t come easy. From navigating skeptical investors and battling financial institutions to building SOC 2–compliant infrastructure and earning organic user trust, Sam shares how Kasheesh scaled... without spending a dime on ads.

You’ll learn:

✔ Why Kasheesh grew fast with zero paid marketing

✔ How Reddit and Quora fueled product-led growth

✔ What VCs and banks misunderstood about their customer base

✔ How SmartSplit (AI) helps users protect their credit score

✔ The role of internal culture, hiring, and sprint cycles in fast-moving product innovation

✔ Why financial literacy is core to Kasheesh growth strategy

Whether you're building a fintech product or trying to scale without performance marketing, this episode is a masterclass in customer-centric growth, scrappy GTM, and building trust through product. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Get help acquiring business funding.

Marketing is changing faster than most companies can keep up, but the biggest shift isn’t AI, new platforms, or another algorithm update.

It’s trust.

Buyers are overwhelmed with information, numb to ads, and increasingly skeptical of faceless brands. What cuts through now isn’t louder messaging, it’s human leadership, clear perspective, and real storytelling.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock sits down with Doug Longenecker, CEO of NKST, to unpack why companies are losing trust, how executive visibility has become a competitive advantage, and why today’s leaders need to think and show up more like creators.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why marketing messaging has shifted from information-first to trust-first • How faceless brand messaging is eroding buyer confidence • What it means for executives to “lead like creators” • Why human-led storytelling outperforms traditional advertising • How AI is accelerating marketing, and where it’s breaking trust • The decline of transactional, non-human buying experiences • Why executive visibility & personal branding matters internally just as much as externally • How LinkedIn’s algorithm actually rewards engagement (not titles) • The real ROI of thought leadership beyond vanity metrics • How executive presence strengthens culture, retention, and partnerships

If you’re a founder, executive, or marketing leader navigating declining trust, shorter attention spans, and rising skepticism, this episode breaks down what’s actually working now and how to adapt without chasing every new trend.

______________________

RESOURCES:

Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Whatsnkst here.

We put clients first” is meaningless… unless you can prove it. In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Ben VerWys, founder of Fiduciary Financial Advisors (FFA)—a wealth management firm that has scaled to 40+ advisors without spending a dime on traditional marketing.

Ben shares the strategy behind FFA’s organic growth engine, built entirely on clear positioning, brand values, and referral-based momentum. Instead of flashy funnels or paid ads, Ben focused on building a value proposition that’s fact-based, legally enforced, and transparently client-first—in an industry where most messaging is vague and undifferentiated.

Whether you’re a founder, marketer, or scaling a professional services brand, this episode is a masterclass in how to turn your internal values into external growth.

You’ll Learn:

• Why “we put clients first” is meaningless without proof
• How to create a differentiated brand in a commoditized market
• Why fee transparency and fiduciary-only models are winning
• How FFA built an inbound growth engine with zero ad spend
• The marketing power of operational decisions (not slogans)
• Why most “top 10 firm” lists are SEO plays, not value indicators
• How FFA turned tax planning into a scalable referral lever
• Why advisor experience can be as important as client experience
• The mindset shift that took Ben from reluctant founder to growth CEO

If you're ready to build a brand that grows through trust & differentiation, this episode is for you. Learn more about Fiduciary Financial Advisors at forfiduciary.com.

Need marketing support? Head over to PerissonNetwork.com for a free strategy session.

Can a brand go from total obscurity to industry recognition in just one year - without a huge ad budget or big marketing team? Ray Huang, Senior Director of Marketing at Canopy Connect, joins the show to unpack exactly how he did it.

When Ray joined Canopy Connect, the company was a 12-person insurtech startup with zero brand recognition, no real marketing infrastructure, and a fragmented market. Fast forward 12 months: they’d saturated their niche, dominated industry events, and flipped their cold-start problem into pipeline momentum.

In this deep-dive, Ray reveals his full B2B go-to-market strategy—how he prioritized brand awareness over bottom-funnel lead gen, why memes outperformed traditional creative, and how Facebook outpaced LinkedIn in ad ROI by 10x. He also shares how he transitioned from solo marketer to team leader, built a paid media engine from scratch, and used list-based targeting to run smart, scalable ABM-style campaigns.

We cover:

• Building brand awareness in a niche B2B market
• Paid media strategy: Facebook vs. LinkedIn for insurance tech
• Content marketing and early-stage demand gen
• Why low-funnel attribution often misleads startup marketers
• Using first-party data to scale ABM campaigns
• Growth marketing vs. brand marketing tradeoffs
• Hiring sequence: content, demand gen, partner marketing
• How to justify brand spend to the C-suite (and get buy-in)

If you're a Chief Marketing Officer looking to increase market saturation or a startup CEO needing to get your company off the ground, this episode is your roadmap. Want to learn more about Canopy Connect? Check out usecanopy.com.

Need help with marketing? Go to perissonnetwork.com for a free strategy session.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock interviews Ryan Duitch, CEO of Arro Finance, to explore how a fast-growing fintech startup scaled through organic growth, partnership marketing, and bold brand positioning—without relying on traditional paid media.

Whether you're a growth marketer, startup founder, or marketing strategist, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at the startup marketing strategy that helped Arro acquire thousands of users with under $12K in ad spend. Ryan breaks down how his team leverages B2B2C growth, affiliate partnerships, and funnel strategy to reduce CAC (customer acquisition cost) while boosting LTV (lifetime value).

Inside, you'll learn:

• How to drive user acquisition through partnership marketing instead of paid ads
• The role of brand strategy in lowering CAC and improving retention
• Why customer trust and brand messaging beat traditional performance marketing
• How Arro Finance uses financial education and AI to improve conversion rates
• Why smart marketing automation and product marketing fuel growth at scale
• Lessons in crafting a scalable marketing funnel without breaking your budget

This episode is packed with real, tactical insights for anyone building a brand in a competitive market—especially in fintech, SaaS, or mission-driven startups.

Learn more about Arro Finance at arrofinance.com.

Looking for the right marketing partners to grow faster? Head to perissonnetwork.com for a free strategy session.

Company culture and marketing have both been rewritten, and the businesses growing in 2026 are the ones adapting fastest.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, we unpack how culture, AI, and shifting buyer behavior are reshaping the way companies scale. From remote teams to broken attribution models, we explore why old playbooks no longer work, and what today’s top leaders are doing instead.

You’ll learn:

• Why culture is now a core growth lever • How buyer behavior has changed (and why funnels are breaking) • Why Gen Z has killed brand loyalty, and how to rebuild it • How to activate your existing community for organic growth • What agencies must retool to survive the next 24 months • How AI is transforming creative work and marketing strategy

Growth today isn’t about doing more... it’s about doing it differently. This conversation will help you rethink your culture, your marketing, and your strategy for the new era of business.

______________________

RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about the work Spinutech does here.

Most CEOs don’t have a marketing strategy problem. They have a decision-making problem.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock sits down with Darren Magarro — CEO of The DSM Group — to break down why so many leaders still “throw spaghetti at the wall,” why intuition alone isn’t enough, and how data, trust, and transparency transform the way companies grow.

If you’re a CEO, founder, agency leader, or anyone responsible for making marketing decisions, this conversation will give you a clearer lens for diagnosing what’s working, what’s not, and what to do next.

In this episode, we unpack…

• The biggest misconception CEOs have about marketing strategy • Why most teams rely on guesswork instead of data • How to diagnose a company’s marketing before proposing solutions • The difference between vanity metrics and profit-driving KPIs • How buyer psychology has shifted from information scarcity to trust scarcity • Why great agency relationships require pushback, transparency, and patience • What CEOs should understand before hiring their first agency

The future of marketing isn’t more tactics.

It’s better diagnosis, cleaner data, and deeper trust. ______________________

RESOURCES:

Get help finding the right marketing partner.

Learn more about the work The DSM Group does.

The biggest threat to home service businesses in 2026 isn’t competition. It’s communication.

Consumers have evolved. Technology has evolved. But most service-based businesses are stuck in outdated communication patterns that are silently killing revenue, trust, and customer retention.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock sits down with Lucas Wilson — CEO of Signpost, a customer communication platform serving thousands of contractors, trades, and home service professionals. Together, they unpack the widening gap between what business owners think customers want… and what customers are actually demanding in a world of AI, instant expectations, and omnichannel communication.

If you’re a marketing leader, home services operator, SMB owner, or anyone navigating the shift to AI-powered customer experience, this episode will hit you straight in the strategy.

In this episode, we unpack… • Why speed-to-lead is now the #1 growth lever in home services • How shifting consumer expectations are reshaping customer communication • The silent revenue leak caused by missed calls, slow responses, and outdated systems • Where AI belongs in the customer journey—and where humans must stay involved • How to build trust in industries battling poor reputation and high demand • Why staying top-of-mind with past customers is more valuable than chasing new leads

The future of growth isn’t just marketing. It’s customer communication and retention. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Signpost. Get connected to Lucas here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukewilsonsignpostceo/

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Jeff Parnell, founder and CEO of JHP Advisors, to talk about what it really takes to build a business that lasts — and to eventually step away from it.

Jeff’s career spans from pioneering one of the internet’s first e-commerce businesses in the 1990s to guiding today’s CEOs through growth, succession, and exit planning. After surviving a heart transplant in 2018, Jeff brings a rare blend of hard-won business wisdom and deep life perspective to the conversation.

Together, Aly and Jeff explore:

✔ How to scale your company by making yourself replaceable

✔ Why most entrepreneurs fail to plan their exit — and how it costs them millions

✔ The coming “silver tsunami” of aging business owners and what it means for small business

✔ How consolidation and private equity are reshaping local industries

✔ The difference between owning a business and being in the business

✔ Why patience, gratitude, and in-person connection still drive long-term growth

This isn’t just a story about business strategy — it’s a masterclass in leadership, legacy, and what it means to build something worth handing off. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about JHP Advisors.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock talks with serial founder and futurist Alan Smithson, creator of Unlimited Awesome - a new kind of education platform that uses AI and gamification to teach life and business skills.

Alan shares his journey from inventing touchscreen DJ technology and launching one of the world’s first metaverse companies to building next-generation learning systems. Along the way, he breaks down how emerging tech like AI, VR, and XR are transforming not just education, but marketing, training, and global business growth.

You’ll hear:

✔ How VR and 3D tech revolutionized brand experiences for companies like Samsung, Siemens, and Mastercard

✔ Why AI-driven automation and 3D generation mark the next leap for marketing and retail

✔ The philosophy behind creating tools that empower- not replace- human creativity

✔ How consistency, creation, and curiosity outperform any algorithm or SEO trick

✔ Why business leaders need to think critically about data, decentralization, and digital ethics

This episode dives deep into the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and human potential - and what it really means to grow a business in the age of AI. ______________________ RESOURCES:

Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Unlimited Awesome.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Sam Miller, CEO and co-founder of Kasheesh, a fintech app that lets users split purchases across multiple credit, debit, and gift cards. What started with a real-life pain point and a single Reddit thread has grown into a seamless digital solution reshaping how Americans manage liquidity. But it didn’t come easy. From navigating skeptical investors and battling financial institutions to building SOC 2–compliant infrastructure and earning organic user trust, Sam shares how Kasheesh scaled... without spending a dime on ads. You’ll learn: ✔ Why Kasheesh grew fast with zero paid marketing ✔ How Reddit and Quora fueled product-led growth ✔ What VCs and banks misunderstood about their customer base ✔ How SmartSplit (AI) helps users protect their credit score ✔ The role of internal culture, hiring, and sprint cycles in fast-moving product innovation ✔ Why financial literacy is core to Kasheesh growth strategy Whether you're building a fintech product or trying to scale without performance marketing, this episode is a masterclass in customer-centric growth, scrappy GTM, and building trust through product.

______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Kasheesh here.

What if launching a lending business was as easy as launching an online store? In this episode of Humans of Growth, we sit down with Deji, CEO of Lendsqr, to explore how his platform is making it possible to build scalable lending businesses... without coding, massive overhead, or big-bank bureaucracy. From funding underserved communities to streamlining compliance in 190+ countries, Lendsqr is reimagining what’s possible in the credit space. You’ll learn:

• Why “Shopify for lending” isn’t just a metaphor—it’s a movement
• What most founders get wrong when launching loan products
• How to scale into 190+ countries without physical infrastructure
• How SEO, programmatic content, and ChatGPT are fueling their growth
• The mistakes Deji wouldn’t avoid if he could start over
• How to combine values, vision, and smart systems to build globally

This episode is a must-listen for SaaS founders, fintech operators, or anyone obsessed with scalable systems and underserved markets. ______________________

RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Get help acquiring business funding.

If your phone rings and nobody answers, your marketing didn’t fail. Your business did. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Daniel Perlacchi, VP of Experience Strategy at ServiceDirect, to talk about the future of lead generation for local service businesses. We break down how pay-per-call marketing, home services marketing, local business lead generation, customer experience, and marketing ROI are reshaping the way service businesses grow. We also get into why stale form fills are losing effectiveness, why speed to lead matters more than ever, and why the businesses winning today are the ones that combine strong brand foundations with fast, high-intent inbound opportunities. If you own, market, or support a home service business, this episode will help you think differently about lead generation, trust, and growth. In this conversation, we cover: ✔ Why local service businesses need both brand-building and right-now lead flow ✔ What most small businesses get wrong about marketing ROI ✔ Why answering the phone well is still a massive competitive advantage ✔ How smarter businesses use data to expand into new zip codes and services ✔ What today’s buyers expect before they choose who to trust ✔ How ServiceDirect has scaled by investing in people, culture, and long-term growth You’ll learn why answering the phone well is still a competitive advantage, how to think about return on investment beyond the first sale, how local businesses can expand into new zip codes and services more strategically, and why trust is becoming more valuable than information in today’s market. If you run a plumbing company, HVAC business, roofing company, electrical company, or any other local service brand, this episode is packed with insights on how to generate better leads, convert more calls, and grow more intentionally. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about ServiceDirect here.

Most businesses are still marketing like it’s 2016. Run some ads. Boost a few posts. Hope the phones ring. But today’s buyer doesn’t move in a straight line — they move across dozens of touchpoints. Search. Social. Streaming. Email. Reviews. Your website. Then back again. That’s the reality of the omnichannel customer journey. In this episode of Humans of Growth, we break down why the old 7-touchpoint myth is dead and what it really takes to win in a world of 30+ interactions before someone converts. We explore how multi-touch attribution changes the way you measure marketing success, and why most businesses are over-investing in ads while under-investing in trust. You’ll learn: ✔ Why your website is your most overlooked growth lever ✔ How website conversion optimization impacts every other marketing channel ✔ The connection between communication quality and closing deals ✔ Why race-to-the-bottom pricing is usually a symptom of weak positioning ✔ How clean data powers smarter targeting across the entire funnel ✔ What a modern customer experience strategy actually looks like This conversation isn’t just about dealerships or storefronts — it applies to any local or service-based business trying to grow in a digital-first world. Because growth today isn’t about one great ad. It’s about building a cohesive, trust-driven omnichannel customer journey that works together — from first click to final sale. Let’s dive in. ______________________

RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about PCG Digital here.

Most B2B marketing isn’t failing because of bad creative. It’s failing because it’s mistimed. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Kara Brown, CEO of Lead Coverage, to break down what’s actually driving revenue in modern B2B: precision, timing, and systems that identify buyers before they raise their hand. We dive deep into B2B intent data — what it is, how it works, and why form fills are a lagging indicator of real buying interest. Kara explains the difference between first-party, third-party, and single-stream intent signals, and how elite teams use them to narrow their focus to the 5% of the market that’s actually in-market. We also unpack: ✔ The real difference between demand generation vs lead generation ✔ How to build scalable GTM systems that prioritize timing over volume ✔ Why traditional mass blasting is dying ✔How programmatic advertising enables offensive targeting instead of defensive bidding ✔ The role of RevOps in connecting marketing, sales, and pipeline visibility What a modern go-to-market strategy looks like in a world of AI, shrinking attention spans, and nonlinear buyer journeys If your pipeline feels unpredictable… If your sales team is chasing ghosts… If you’re tired of measuring marketing by MQLs instead of revenue… This episode will change how you think about growth. Because the future of B2B isn’t louder marketing. It’s smarter systems. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Lead Coverage here.

What if the biggest thing holding your business back isn’t sales… It’s the admin work you shouldn’t be doing? In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Noel Pulanco, CEO of Yes Virtual and designated broker of HomeQwik, to talk about how small businesses can scale faster by offloading the right tasks, building better systems, and hiring smarter. We break down what it actually looks like to hire a virtual assistant, how remote staffing for small business really works, and why most owners struggle not because of demand — but because they’re buried in repeatable admin work. Noel shares how he built a property management company through the 2008 crash, scaled with overseas team members, and turned that experience into a full virtual assistant services company serving businesses across industries. We talk about:

• What to outsource first (and what to never outsource)
• How to build SOPs before hiring
• Why training and communication matter more than cheap labor
• The real ROI of outsourcing admin tasks
• How strong customer communication strategy builds long-term trust

If you’re a contractor, service provider, real estate professional, or small business owner trying to scale a service business, this conversation will help you think differently about delegation, systems, and growth. Because growth isn’t always about more leads. Sometimes it’s about getting out of your own way. Let’s get into it.

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RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Home Qwik here.

Most companies say they want referrals. However, what they actually want is a tool that they can flip a switch on and watch revenue roll in. That’s not how referral marketing works. In this episode of Humans of Growth, I sit down with Ben Dixon, CEO of Naxum, to break down what a real referral marketing strategy looks like when you treat it like a true growth channel — not a forgotten link in your website footer. We talk all about… • Why referral marketing dies when you treat it like a plugin • The difference between affiliate marketing, reseller programs, and professional business opportunities • How to design referral program incentives that actually move people • Why lifetime value changes everything about affiliate commission payouts • How daily live presentations & webinars outperform “set it and forget it” programs • Why consistency — not automation — is the real growth lever • How to think about recruiting affiliates in a trust-starved, AI-heavy world If you’ve been relying on word-of-mouth and hoping it scales your business, this episode will shift your perspective. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner.

Learn more about Naxum here.

Search is changing faster than most businesses are prepared for, and most business owners are learning the hard way.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock sits down with Chris Raulf, founder of Boulder SEO Marketing, to break down what’s actually happening behind Google updates, disappearing traffic, and the rise of AI-powered search. This conversation goes beyond old-school SEO tactics and digs into what it really takes to stay visible today.

In this episode, we cover:

• AI search optimization and why traditional SEO tactics are no longer enough
• How to rank in AI search as platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity reshape discovery
• Content optimization for AI and what “quality content” actually means now
• How to rank on Google after major algorithm updates
• GEO optimization strategies for showing up in both Google and AI-driven results

If your traffic dropped overnight — or you’re trying to future-proof your SEO strategy — this episode will help you understand what changed, why it matters, and what to do next. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Get help acquiring business funding.

Perhaps the biggest threat to your company's growth isn't marketing or sales. It's YOU and the infamous founder bottleneck.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock sits down with Kyle Burnett, CEO of Little Taller, to unpack why so many leaders feel stuck, overwhelmed, and burned out...even as their businesses grow. This conversation cuts straight to the real issues behind stalled momentum and unsustainable leadership.

In this episode, we cover:

• How the founder bottleneck quietly slows company growth
• The link between CEO burnout and poor decision-making
• Practical business prioritization strategies for overloaded founders
• Why leadership bottlenecks in startups are usually self-created
• Exactly how founders scale their business without staying in the weeds

If you’re an overwhelmed CEO trying to grow without becoming the constraint, this episode will help you rethink how you lead, prioritize, and scale.

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RESOURCES:

Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Little Taller here.

Pretty websites and quick-hit ads don’t win anymore. In the era of AI Search, visibility belongs to brands that publish at scale, build topical authority, and structure content so AI systems can understand, trust, and recommend it. In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Jennifer Bagley, CEO of CI Web Group, to break down what it actually takes to rank in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and other generative AI search engines. They unpack why AI SEO is fundamentally different from traditional SEO, how AI agents decide which businesses get shown, and why content volume and site architecture now directly correlate to revenue—not vanity metrics. This conversation is a must-watch for local businesses, service providers, and marketing leaders who want to stay visible as search shifts from human-driven queries to AI-powered decision-making.

In this episode, we cover:

• What AI Search is and how it’s replacing traditional Google search • Why topical authority in content marketing matters more than website design • How AI agents evaluate content, structure, and trust signals • The relationship between content volume and business growth • Why most websites struggle with AI SEO • How businesses can rank in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and AI Overviews faster • What it means to build a “digital Home Depot” instead of a brochure website • How AI-driven content publishing changes the future of local SEO

If you care about long-term visibility, lower lead costs, and staying competitive as AI reshapes search, this episode lays out exactly what needs to change—and what to do next.

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RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner.  Learn more about CI Web Group here.

Search isn’t just happening on Google anymore—it’s happening on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and increasingly inside generative AI tools like ChatGPT.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with John Morabito (SVP of Search & Innovation at Stella Rising) to break down the biggest shift in modern marketing: social content is now SEO.

John explains how TikTok became a search engine, why search engine optimized videos outperform follower count, and how brands can win with social search by treating short-form content the way we used to treat blog posts—built around intent, relevance, and long-tail queries. They also dig into how AI is reshaping discovery through GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), what’s actually different from traditional SEO, and why “search everywhere” is the real strategy going forward.

In this episode, we cover: • Why TikTok SEO is real (and how TikTok ranks content by keywords + intent) • Building evergreen social search visibility • Long-tail keywords and persona-driven content  • Why “earned vs owned visibility” matters in social search strategy • Influencer marketing shifts as social media becomes keyword-focused • How AI search is changing marketing • GEO vs SEO: what’s truly different, and what fundamentals still matter • Content repurposing for TikTok search & TikTok SEO

If you’re a CMO, SEO lead, growth marketer, social strategist, or founder, this conversation will help you build visibility across platforms—and future-proof your organic strategy as search fragments across social + AI. ______________________ RESOURCES: Get help finding the right marketing partner. Learn more about Stella Rising here.