Marketing Sucks – Details, episodes & analysis

Marketing audits aren’t sexy or fun. But if you’re running your business on *viBeS* instead of data, you don’t actually KNOW what’s working and driving conversions, and what’s just keeping you busy and wasting your money. 

In this value-packed episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I walk you through the 5-part end-of-year marketing audit that will help you fix your performance, community, content, budget, and planning, so you can start actually moving the damn needle and seeing solid ROI. Hit play and get ready to cut out some dead weight and busywork.

Marketing sucks. Let’s learn together. Hit play to discover:‌ ‌

• Our 5-part auditing framework (and how to make the process less stressful!) 
• The metrics that you need to keep an eye on and what you can ignore 
• Which investments to dump and which to double-down on

Please rate, review, and subscribe!

Timestamps:‌ ‌

00:11  Intro

01:01  Why audit?

03:12  Performance audit 

05:54  Financial audit

10:29  Community & relationship audit 

13:35  Content & strategy audit 

16:57  Future audit

20:07  Action item

21:39  Wrap-up & outro

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📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

Business owners today have access to a literal ton of marketing tools and an endless stream of advice from marketing gurus. So why are so many entrepreneurs still seeing zero ROI?

In this episode of Marketing Sucks, the brilliant marketing coach Kirsten Jordan joins me to chat about why biz owners still struggle SO HARD with their marketing today, and how to create a marketing plan that actually works for your business goals. Tune in as we talk about bad strategies, good coaches, the limitations of social media, the hidden costs of going viral, and the marketing tools you should never ever pay for.

Marketing sucks. Let’s learn together. Hit play to discover:‌ ‌

• Why you don’t need to “be everywhere” - and what to do instead 
• How to optimize your marketing budget and stop burning cash
• When to be flexible with your marketing (and when to be rigid)

Please rate, review, and subscribe!

Guest bio: Kirsten Jordan is a marketing coach who helps entrepreneurs create authentic marketing strategies that are grounded in intention, inspiration, and impact. She teaches business owners how to connect through storytelling and build marketing that feels both powerful and true to who they are.

Timestamps:‌ ‌

00:12  Meet Kirsten Jordan

04:30  Why entrepreneurs struggle

06:43  Good marketing coaches

08:35  One-size-fits-all

11:53  Beyond social media 

14:44  Business goals

17:20  Clarifying questions & going viral

21:12  Productive procrastination

24:22  Posting frequency

27:11  Investing in marketing

34:11  Gather Society

39:02  Action item 

Links mentioned:‌ ‌

Kirsten Jordan

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kirstenjordan

Instagram: @kirstenjmarketing  

gathersociety.ca 

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📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

The easiest way to boost your sales is to get people talking. 92% of us trust recommendations from people we know over any other form of advertising. A 5-star review shared during a coffee date between friends, partners, or business besties drives far more sales than a slick slogan or filtered photo.

If you’d love to turn your customers into volunteer brand advocates who can’t stop hyping up your offers, this episode of Marketing Sucks breaks down the strategy, step by step. Tune in as Phil and I reveal how to master the oldest form of marketing (that too many people have forgotten about): word-of-mouth. 

Marketing sucks. Let’s learn together. Hit play to discover:‌ ‌

• The #1 thing you can do in your marketing to get your audience to speak for you 
• How to create an effortless, fool-proof way for people to share your stuff  
• 2 brands that are nailing word-of-mouth marketing (and how to copy their success)

Please rate, review, and subscribe!

Timestamps:‌ ‌

00:12  Intro

01:59  Oldest form of marketing

03:11  Influencing & purchasing decisions

04:47  Brands that nail it (and how)

05:43  Strategy breakdown

07:13  Brand examples

08:42  Vulnerability & share triggers

12:00  Prioritizing investments

16:42  Celebrate your people

19:54  Build community

24:22  Action item & outro

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

The end of the summer means saying goodbye to the slower flow of Portuguese life… and returning to the go-go-go hustle of Toronto. While Phil and I spend every summer in Portugal, this one hit a little different as we’re now working on building Grind Social as a team. 

In this episode of Marketing Sucks, we share some of the biggest business, marketing, and life lessons we’ve learned while living and working together abroad (and how they’ve changed our life in Canada). Tune in to learn how we evolve our business to fit a different way of living each year, why GoDaddy isn’t making any money in Portugal, and how to start marketing like a European.

Marketing sucks. Let’s learn together. Hit play to discover:‌ ‌

• Why you can’t get attached to a schedule in Portugal (and why it’s a good thing)
• Why it’s okay to start saying no to urgency culture 
• How to start manifesting the European version of YOU

Please rate, review, and subscribe!

Timestamps:‌ ‌

00:12  Intro

01:57  Portuguese way of life

03:08  Slower culture

05:06  Detaching from scheduling

07:22  Focus on PEOPLE, not jobs

10:13  Marketing like a European

14:36  Work-life balance

18:35  Urgency culture

21:30  The European you

24:25  Outro

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

Success is a stroll, not a sprint. When it comes to building your biz, smart habits matter WAY more than hustle. So forget the 24/7 grind and doing it all — making just a few right moves every day will help you scale sustainably,  

In this super-actionable episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I dig into the 6 daily habits (not hacks!) that will help you stay on track with your strategy, build the muscle for success, and give your marketing some REAL momentum, so you can move the needle over time without totally burning out. Tune in to create a killer marketing habit stack that helps you get the right sh*t done!

Marketing sucks. Let’s learn together. Hit play to discover:‌ ‌

• The difference between being consistent and being disciplined
• How to build a killer content idea library with a few simple clicks
• How to make your marketing ‘stuck-proof’ in just minutes a day

Please rate, review, and subscribe!

Timestamps:‌ ‌

00:11  Intro 

01:59  Discipline v. consistency

03:19  Building the RIGHT habits

06:51  Content check-in 

08:50  Engagement

09:55  Creating every day

12:46  Rating your CTAs

14:50  Marketing to your list

17:00  Why we hate habits (& do them anyway)

21:06  Building lists

23:13  Action item

25:43  Outro

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

Stop making your marketing harder than it has to be! In this episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I reveal the top 5 marketing mistakes you’re probably making right now — and how to stop driving yourself crazy struggling to do it ALL. 

Listen in as we break down the most crucial do’s and don’ts of showing up online, reveal the #1 easiest way to boost your conversions, and give you our official permission to stop posting on every single platform. This is a must-listen episode for new and seasoned biz owners, so don’t miss it!

Marketing sucks. Let’s learn together. Hit play to discover:‌ ‌

• Why the hottest new app may be useless for your biz (and how to figure it out)
• Why repurposing content is more complicated than you think 
• What you absolutely need to have in place BEFORE posting

Please rate, review, and subscribe!

Timestamps:‌ ‌

00:11  Intro

02:08  Trying to be everywhere 

05:29  Repurpose or not?

06:25  Dominating your platform

08:16  Having a strategy

10:53  Ignoring your list

13:28  Selling without solving 

16:44  Time crunch

18:40  Chasing perfection

23:20  Recap

24:14  Action items & outro

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

If you’ve been struggling to stay motivated with your marketing as the temperatures rise and your DMs dry up, we’ve got you covered. In this episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I dive into the dreaded summer slump — and how to turn your slow AF summer into a strategy lab that helps you CRUSH IT in the fall!

Tune in as we talk about why summer slumps happen, why you should never take them personally, our five biggest tips for staying motivated, and why you should reframe summer as a set-up season, rather than a slow season. 

Marketing sucks. Let’s learn together. Hit play to discover:‌ ‌

• How to proactively prep for a slump so your finances stay balanced
• How to WORK a slow season instead of resisting it, so you can get your best results yet
• 3 crazy-effective things to do in your biz this summer (instead of panicking)

Please rate, review, and subscribe!

Timestamps:‌ ‌

00:12  Intro

02:16  Why summer slumps happen

03:34  It’s not YOU

06:55  Work the slow season

08:02  Audit what’s working (or not)

10:10  Update your offers & pricing

11:15  Prep your fall campaign

14:32  Remember your WHY

18:31  Set mini-goals

19:10  Find an accountability buddy

21:30  Create before you scroll

23:08  Romanticize

25:54  Action item & outro

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

When it comes to brand storytelling, your About page is just the first step. Your story should guide your marketing strategy and the way you show up for your audience - and a killer story can help you build connection, trust, and an engaged community that wants to work with you!

As Senior Creative Director at global children's entertainment company Spin Master, Philip Ginther has helped shape the stories of big-name brands such as Paw Patrol and Rubik’s Cube. In this episode of Marketing Sucks, I sit down with Phil to tackle some of the biggest FAQs around copywriting for brands. 

Tune in to learn Phil’s top tips for easy, consistent brand storytelling that connects, including a simple celeb-themed writing exercise that’ll help you master the tone of your brand voice without overthinking it!

Marketing sucks. Let’s learn together. Hit play to discover:‌ ‌

• Easy ways to weave your story into your marketing without making it about selling
• How to lean into your brand’s pillars and avoid stepping out of your lane 
• The secret to turning user-generated content into marketing GOLD!
• The brands that are CRUSHING it right now (and what you can learn from them)

Please rate, review, and subscribe!

Guest bio: Phil Ginther is a Creative Director & Copywriter with over 14 years experience. He’s currently a Senior Creative Director at Spin Master leading global brands such as Rubik’s Cube and Hatchimals, and spends most of his day at play.

Timestamps:‌ ‌

00:12  Meet Phil Ginther

01:32  Phil’s business journey

03:15  Leaving the daily grind

05:22  Joining Spin Master

08:11  Know thyself & thy lane

10:23  Weaving story into marketing

13:29: UGC, Red Bull & Liquid Death

17:10  Brand voice exercise

22:09  Your action item

25:04  Quick-fire questions

26:06  Headphone story & outro

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

We’re flipping the script! This episode of Marketing Sucks is a collab with the Love Saranghae Podcast. Hosts Peter Lee and Andrea Mourad have Phil and I in the hot seats, and we keep it R-E-A-L while discussing marriage, business, and what can happen when you mix the two. 

During this conversation, Phil and I share what it’s really like to grow a successful brand with your spouse on your own terms. Tune in as we dig into the nitty-gritty of balancing ambition with freedom, building a life and business that supports our love of travel, and why you need to let yourself feel the fear when faced with bold choices (and then make them anyway). We also get into our day-to-day experiences of working from Portugal each summer and why this annual trip became a non-negotiable family goal.

Marketing sucks. Let’s learn together. Hit play to discover:‌ ‌

• The 9-month plan that shaped our decision-making leading up to our first summer abroad
• How to train your clients to manage their expectations while you’re traveling 
• How to set smart boundaries that protect your relationship (in and out of the office)

Please rate, review, and subscribe!

Guest host bios: Andrea Mourad and Peter Lee are the co-founders of two award-winning Korean skincare companies: Saranghae Skincare and Orora Skin Science. Partners in life and business together, they are on a mission to share their journey through the exciting world of entrepreneurship, relationships, and the secrets behind achieving that coveted healthy glow.

Timestamps:‌ ‌

00:11  Intro

01:11  Meet us!

03:09  Why summer in Portugal?

07:30  Triggering moment

10:16  Feel the fear, do it anyway

12:31  9-month plan

16:35  Summer workdays 

21:27  Conscious trade-offs

25:04  Working together

33:32  Finding your brand voice

41:42  Living life on your terms

42:37  Outro

Links mentioned:‌ ‌

Love Saranghae

lovesaranghae.com

lovesaranghae.com/pages/lovesaranghae-podcast-with-peter-and-andrea

Facebook: facebook.com/lovesaranghaeskin

YouTube: youtube.com/lovesaranghaeskin

Instagram: @lovesaranghaeskin

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

Big news! Marketing Sucks now has a co-host: my husband and new podcasting partner-in-crime, Philip Ginther. He’s also the new VP of Marketing at Grind Social! A little about Phil: he’s an award-winning creative director, expert brand storyteller, and copywriter with over 15 years of experience. As the former Senior Creative Director at Spin Master, he led massive brands including Rubik’s Cube, Paw Patrol, and Hatchimals. 

I’m super stoked to have Phil on board to share his insights and experience working with agencies, entrepreneurs, and big corporation machines. During this conversation, we talk about why he decided to ditch the corporate life, how managed chaos can keep workdays exciting, and what it’s like to work with me (yep, he answers honestly)! 

Marketing sucks. Let’s learn together. Hit play to discover:‌ ‌

• The differences between agency life and corporate life (and the big perks of going small) 
• What I’ve taught Phil about entrepreneurship — the good, the bad, and the vulnerable
• Our thoughts and ideas about the future of Marketing Sucks 

Please rate, review, and subscribe!

Timestamps:‌ ‌

00:11  Intro

03:00  All about Phil

04:30  Joining Grind Social

06:57  Shifting to agency life

11:10  Entrepreneurship lessons

13:46  Phil’s pod goals

15:14  Bloated decks

16:50  Outro

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency