Explore every episode of the podcast That F*cking Marketing Podcast

Want the exact framework Google uses to turn YouTube into a high-converting sales engine? Grab The Modern Video Playbook here - https://tfm.marketing/podcast/youtube-ai-and-the-new-rules-of-video-buying-with-googles-own-caroline-oates/. Ready to execute these frameworks and build a full-funnel video engine for your brand? Book a Call with us today! Think you know where your audience is actually watching video in 2026? Think again.  In this episode, we sit down with Caroline Oates, Head of YouTube & Programmatic Sales ANZ at Google and IAB Board Member. Caroline breaks down why living room viewing habits have completely shifted, what brands get dead wrong with video buying, and how to fix broken measurement models.  You'll get Google's exact framework for unskippable creative, learn how to tap into the high-trust creator economy, and discover how to leverage AI to turn YouTube into an unbeatable sales engine. Key moments:  00:00 Rethinking the true role of modern video advertising  03:08 Why half of all watch time has shifted to connected TVs  05:32 Overcoming common cross-media measurement and attribution hurdles  07:44 Building an incremental measurement framework for CFO approval  10:01 Navigating ad load algorithms and consumer skip behaviour  15:00 Balancing brand building and short-term performance to boost ROI  20:00 The creative framework for building high-converting ads  27:32 Harnessing search signals and intent to drive retail sales  34:04 Why machine learning and automated bidding outperform manual targeting  38:15 Hyper-local video strategies for franchise and multi-location businesses  44:48 Unlocking the creator economy to build authentic consumer trust  50:11 Building a full-funnel video strategy for local service businesses Connect with Caroline on LinkedIn. — If you enjoyed this episode, check out our episode with Culture Kings co-founder Simon Beard to learn how to create massive consumer demand instead of just chasing search intent. Follow the Show & Team: Instagram: @tfm.pod | @tfm.digital TikTok: @tfm.digital LinkedIn: That F*cking Marketing Podcast Website: tfm.marketing/  If you want the TL;DR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Enjoying the show? Leave us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

Is your latest campaign actually working, or are your dashboards lying to you? In this episode, we chat with Jonathan Rolley, agency founder and media strategist with more than 10,000 ad evaluations behind him. Jonathan explains how advertising moves through the brain, and why what impresses the boardroom often isn't what makes people buy. You'll learn the 12-second rule, a 4-step framework to create ads people notice, how to measure what's really driving results, and the hidden mistakes that drain ROI. This is for marketers who care more about revenue than awards. Key moments: 00:00 – The real reason 84% of ad budgets are completely forgotten in 12 seconds   02:20 – Why reviewing creative consciously guarantees failure   04:40 – What happens when creative teams prioritise trophies over your sales   06:20 – The 4-step ad formula that forces the subconscious brain to buy   10:40 – The attention TRAP. Why grabbing eyes is useless without memory encoding   13:30 – The dirty truth about marketing attribution and MMM models  16:00 – This is the single most reliable way to prove actual ad ROI   18:00 – How subtle alpha cues and social proof manipulate consumer behavior   21:40 – Deconstructing a total flop: Why an award-winning 2026 ad generated zero sales   31:30 – These are the price-anchoring tricks consumers into paying extra   35:10 – How to scale your brand without stepping into the Triangle of Death  38:40 – Why cheap automated scripts actively repel high-value buyers   44:10 – The real reason fear outperforms sex and the #1 website conversion killer — You can connect with Jonathan on Youtube by tuning into "The Science of Advertising" show or by grabbing his upcoming book on ad neuroscience arriving in early 2027. If you want to future-proof your visibility, head here to talk directly with our team about an AI Search Audit.  If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow and subscribe because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠ 

What if discounting regularly was actually the secret to building a $200M+ hospitality empire?  In this episode, I sit down with Pan Koutlakis, co-founder and CEO of EatClub, the tech platform powering dynamic pricing across thousands of restaurants.  You'll learn how a subtle 5% pricing shift can double customer demand, why traditional menu pricing is flawed, and how to build a thriving two-sided marketplace. Mastering the real psychology of consumer behavior will show you how to drive massive volume without sacrificing your brand equity.  Key moments: 00:00 - Why discounting doesn't kill your brand equity   00:58 - This is how dynamic pricing fixes restaurant empty seats   03:22 - Why airlines make billions from price changes and restaurants don't   05:40 - The real reason price elasticity controls your restaurant volume   08:10 - The widow seat theory that fills dead timeslots 11:35 - Why total bill discounts trigger higher spending than free food   14:50 - The 35% discount rule that you need to know 17:15 - The way repeat diners become more profitable than full-paying guests   19:40 - The real reason push notifications drive massive app engagement   23:15 - You need to replace flash sale urgency with curated recommendations   32:40 - How to launch a two-sided marketplace by pitching the right side first   34:25 - Why friction-free payments turn users into brand advocates   41:10 - How landing major bank partnerships expands your total market size — Restaurants can sign up to fill spare tables at the EatClub Partner Portal, while diners can download the app on iOS or Android via EatClub Customer Offers. If you want to future-proof your visibility, head here to talk directly with our team about an AI Search Audit. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow and subscribe because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠ 

What happens when you throw out the traditional corporate hiring playbook and ask everyday people on the street what they earn?   Get Ahead App founder Sam McNamara breaks down how a series of raw, unpolished street interviews went viral, driving 42,000 users in 24 hours, launching his startup past LinkedIn on the App Store, and scaling organic reach to nearly 1 billion views.   He unpacks the operational reality behind producing 18 pieces of content daily across six platforms, how unexpected viral moments caught the attention of global brands like Domino’s and Nike, and the growth levers unlocked by bringing Tinder’s co-founder onto their board.  If you are a founder, CMO, or marketer struggling to connect with Gen Z, this episode provides an unfiltered blueprint on converting raw entertainment into tangible business downloads.   Key moments: 00:00: The street interview strategy that surpassed LinkedIn 02:00: The 1-Billion View Organic Strategy Built Without Paid Ads 03:35: Hard Lessons from Scaling a Two-Sided Marketplace Too Broadly 08:14: Why Traditional Resumes Are Completely Broken for Gen Z 09:27: Poster Campaigns vs. Street Content: What Actually Converts 13:17: The 18-Video Daily Machine: Systems, Automations, and Editing 17:41: Why Static $10K Agency Content Feeds Are Dead 27:12: Value-First Marketing: Selling Your Product in the Last 3 Seconds 30:26: Boardroom Growth: What Tinder’s Co-Founder Brought to the Table 42:25: How Domino's Replaced Cover Letters with Instagram DMs 45:41: The Underrated Social Platform Outperforming Mainstream Channels   Catch up with Sam, stay updated on Get Ahead’s latest street interviews, and see how they're fixing traditional hiring across his channels: Website: https://getahead.com.au/ Instagram: @getahead.app LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammcn/ If you want to future-proof your visibility, head here to talk directly with our team about an AI Search Audit. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow and subscribe because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠ 

What happens when you trade doorstep sales and logistics for high-end fashion, luxury travel, and multi-figure brand deals?  Former Franchisee of the Year turned full-time creator Shaun Birley joins the show to break down his journey from pitching logistics on the pavement to landing partnerships with giants like Porsche, Cathay Pacific, and Hugo Boss.  He shares the real hustle behind building an authentic personal brand, content strategies that actually drive trust, and the wild story of going viral as an accidental Ryan Reynolds lookalike.  If you’re looking to stand out in a crowded feed, this conversation offers an unfiltered playbook on converting domain expertise into a powerful digital presence.  Key moments: 00:00: How a Family Franchise Scaled via Old-School Hustle 03:35: Why Guerrilla Tactics Beats Big Marketing Budgets 04:35: What Franchisors Get Wrong About Personal Branding 11:04: The Real Reason Your Friends Will Roast Your Content First 17:58: This Is the Secret to Landing High-Ticket Brand Deals 28:14: How AI Accelerates Content Ideation (Without Being Fake) 29:10: Don't Chase Virality: Why Niche Authority Wins Long-Term 41:26: The Unexpected Ryan Reynolds Mix-Up That Exploded Online  Catch up with Shaun, check out his latest travel guides, and stay updated on his upcoming tailoring collection across his channels Instagram: @shaunbirley YouTube: @Shaunbirleystyle TikTok: @shaunbirley — If you want to future-proof your visibility, head here to talk directly with our team about an AI Search Audit. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow and subscribe because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠ 

If your ad reports look great but your business isn't actually growing, your digital budget is leaking cash. In this episode, we break down the most common digital ad spend traps, from hidden tagging glitches and aggressive AI settings to flawed agency retainers, to show you how to audit your account and recover wasted money. Tune in to get the exact 4-step checklist that will stop Meta and Google from eating your profits and force your ad account to drive real growth. Key moments: 00:00: Why Page Views Are Lying About Your Ad Results 04:00: How Your Ad Campaigns Are Competing Against Yourself 05:41: The Truth About AI Tools Ruining Your Brand Integrity 12:16: Why High ROAS Is a Vanity Metric That Stops Real Growth 15:23: How We Saved 200K in Ad Spend for a 700 Location Franchise 24:43: How Squeezing Your Agency Fees Guarantees Bad Performance 30:14: How to Run a 4 Step DIY Audit on Your Ad Account — If you want to future-proof your visibility, head here to talk directly with our team about an AI Search Audit. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow and subscribe because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠ 

Are you throwing away your campaign budget on audio ads that everyone skips? In this episode, we sit down with audio integration expert Andy Procopis, a seasoned media strategist with years of experience navigating the high-stakes world of radio, managing major talent and bridging the gap between editorial and commercial teams. From handling mid-campaign crises to winning over massive personalities like Kyle Sandilands, Andy shares the unfiltered truth on what actually drives ROI across radio, podcasting, and branded content.  If you want to know why most audio ads fail and how to build integrations that convert, this is a must-listen masterclass. Key moments: 00:00: The 11% Rule: Doubling Campaign Effectiveness 8:46: How Forcing Copy on Talent Destroys Campaigns 18:58: Why Agencies Treat Radio Like a "Booty Call" 27:28: Why Brands Still Default to Plain Spot Buys 29:47: The Real Reason People Still Tune Into Live Radio 34:39: What’s the Cost of Host-Read vs. Programmatic Audio 35:35: This is the Real Difference Between Radio and Podcast Ads 39:57: How to Justify Audio Spend to Executive Leadership 40:60: Whether you should Move Marketing Budget Out of Meta and Into Audio 45:37: The Truth About Podcast Downloads as a Vanity Metric Connect with Andy on Instagram @procopics or you can tune into his show Advice Accreditation Bureau on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. If you want to future-proof your visibility, head here to talk directly with our team about an AI Search Audit. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow and subscribe because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ 

You can go from unranked to the first page of Google in one day now … if you use AI properly. But this is like the golden days of search, the tactics available now probably won’t last forever and there is a limited window where you can influence what AI tools share about your brand AND impact your ranking significantly … if you do the strategies in this episode.  Because today I’m talking to Jeremy Cabral, co-founder of Finder to unpack the shift from traditional SEO to AI search and what the best marketers are already doing to show up first across every platforms.  We talk about why SEO is still important, how ChatGPT and other answer engines build consensus about your brand, and why seemingly random Reddit threads, reviews, listicles and comparison sites can now influence whether you get recommended. We also put the theory to the test, asking Claude, Gemini and ChatGPT for the best nearby pizza restaurant and uncovering why the same small business appears across all three (and how you can implement it)  You’ll hear:  00:00 Why search has fundamentally changed  00:57 The move towards zero-click answers  02:07 What brands should optimise for now  03:13 How AI answer engines construct responses  05:48 Auditing what AI says about your brand  07:11 How to increase your chances of being recommended  10:49 How to track your visibility across Google, ChatGPT and Claude  12:52 What roles do agencies play in an AI future? 16:45 Questions every marketing team and agency should be asking  21:05 Why your website’s next major user could be an AI agent and how to prep 24:17 Brands already doing AI search well  25:15 How to get GOOD AI written content 31:14 Claude vs Gemini vs ChatGPT: the live pizza test  37:03 How Jeremy uses AI every day  40:23 How marketing teams need to adapt Connect with Jeremy on Linkedin or Instagram  If you're ready to start seeing growth in your franchise every single year then head over to IG @tfm.digital and DM us RECRUITMENT to grab a copy of our franchise development playbook. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ 

How do you go from sweating bullets in a market tin shed ready to quit, to handing Justin Bieber $10,000 cash and building a $600M+ street style retail empire? In this episode, Culture Kings founder Simon Beard tells us how he built high-energy, world-famous retail destinations while scaling to over $100M a year online. He breaks down the exact playbook Culture Kings used to engineer viral experiences, turn store floors into arcade gamification hubs, and rewrite the rules of modern customer acquisition. Plus, Simon drops raw, unfiltered takes on why traditional loyalty programs are dead and the #1 ad mistake wrecking your Meta accounts. If you run an e-commerce brand, buy media, or want to turn products into emotional movements, this is your masterclass. Key moments: 00:00: The Market Shed Breakdown That Built a $600M Empire 6:07: How Culture Kings Scaled Past $100M Online 16:33: What Turning Stores Into Arcade Gamification Hubs Does for Sales 18:56: Why Traditional Loyalty Programs Are Dead (And What to Do Instead) 25:37: How $10,000 Cash to Justin Bieber Created Millions in Free PR 30:40: Stop wasting ad spend by fixing the #1 media buying mistake brands make today. 33:31: How to Completely Rewrite the Rules of Modern Customer Acquisition 40:26: How AI and Dynamic Content Scaling Are Changing D2C Marketing Connect with Simon Beard on LinkedIn or follow his journey on Instagram. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ 

Every brand wants to talk to young Australians … Almost none of them have asked one. Sam Koslowski co-founded The Daily Aus at 22 with Zara Seidler. It's now the most read independent news source in Australia, and for 70% of its audience it's the only news they read at all.  So today I’m talking to him about what Gen Z actually want and are thinking right now, and what most brands get wrong when they start trying to talk to this audience.  You’ll learn: The two ways brands destroy trust and how to build it  What makes a brand feel inauthentic and gives consumers ‘the ick’  The type of content young Australians are consuming more and more of even after reducing their screen time  How The Daily Aus decides which platform a story belongs on before writing a word What their Future Proof research found about young Australians and AI at work The question Sam thinks every brand should ask before it spends a dollar Chapters 00:00 Why every brand is getting young Australians wrong 00:51 Inside The Daily Aus 07:31 The fastest way to destroy trust 09:54 Why brands get it wrong 14:32 Never do this when following ‘trends’  15:49 The attention span myth 19:00 Which channels to focus on if you’re trying to talk to a younger audience  23:38 How TDA changed it’s approach to marketing and reporting  28:45 What Future Proof found about AI at work 32:32 This change is the reason 88% of Gen Z consumers would choose a brand  37:36 The best ways to use AI in media  43:17 What you should never use AI for  45:30 The Effing Truth If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place, make sure you’re following because you won’t want to miss our next few episodes. Check out the latest episodes here https://tfm.marketing/tfm-marketing-podcast/  See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠

Brands can burn hundreds of thousands of dollars on polished content that does absolutely nothing for their bottom line. In this episode, we sit down with Arielle Thomas, the powerhouse director behind Cinema Thom who operates in the ultimate high-low mix. One day she’s shooting luxury campaigns for Vogue, Cartier, and YSL; the next, she’s building commercial creative engines for retail giants like Kmart and Anko Global. Arielle breaks down how a problem-solving TikTok framework drove a staggering 26% sales boost for Kmart, why buyer psychology beats "pretty" aesthetics every time, and her famous "pulled pork" method for squeezing every drop of ROI out of your budget.  If you're tired of rigid agency briefs and stale campaigns, this is your blueprint for making content that actually sells. Key moments: 00:00: Mastering the High-Low Mix to Drive ROI from Retail to Ultra-Luxury Vogue Campaigns 6:34: The Memory and Emotional Trigger That Dictates Why Consumers Actually Spend Money 8:34: Turning Everyday Customer Problems into High-Converting Product Hooks 9:28: What Happens When You Sit Outside a Retail Store for 6 Hours to Study Buyers 12:02: The 10k  Airbnb "UGC Day" Formula That Crushed Traditional TVC Budgets 17:12: The 80/20 Rule That Lets Brands Test Bold Creative Ideas Without Blowing Their Budget 21:02: The "Pulled Pork" Method to Squeeze Every Asset Off the Bone of a Single Shoot 23:32: What Brands Are Doing Wrong When Briefing Creative Studios and Agencies 25:03: Why Aesthetic Perfection Is Killing Your Campaign Performance 30:00: How Setting Timelines Stops Last-Minute Creative Disasters Between Media and Production 32:55: How to Safely Use AI for Fixing Mistakes Without Losing Human Authenticity 43:26: Turning Stiff Camera-Shy Founders into Confident Personal Brand Builders Catch more from Arielle Thomas by visiting cinemathom.com or following her work over on Instagram at @ariellethomas and @cinema_thom Want to know exactly which channels will you give REAL return on your paid ads? We've created a full playbook that that covers that plus how to get people buying your products online. If you want a copy, head over to IG @tfm.digital and DM us PLAYBOOK. Organic social media is still one of the easiest ways to build trust with your audience. So if you're ready to create a community around your brand, head over to IG @tfm.digital and DM us the word ORGANIC to grab our ultimate social media organic guide. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ 

Sam Buchanan probably has one of the clearest views of what’s happening inside Australia’s independent media agency sector right now. As CEO of the IMAA, he’s across more than 175 indie agencies, which means he’s seeing first hand what consumers and businesses want from marketing right now in 2026.  In this episode, I’m sitting down with Sam to get an honest read on where the market is heading and what the best agencies are doing right.  Key moments: 0:00 - Where Australian media is sitting right now, and why agencies are dealing with more change, fragmentation and uncertainty than ever 2:40 - How indie agencies went from being the “wild card” in a pitch to winning most of them 5:46 - Why 2026 could be the year indie agencies stop being the alternative option 10:39 -  Why the indie agency network is working so well right now (and will it continue to?) 12:36 - How the IMAA actually manages competition between members when everyone knows everyone and the market is so small 14:27 -  What CMOs need to understand when they pick the cheapest agency in a pitch 16:09 - What the strongest indie agencies have in common, from how they hire to how they use tech 22:20 - What happens when brands start taking more media in-house, and where agencies still have a role to play 26:08 - What the IMAA census is showing about where indie agencies are investing, and the channels getting the most attention right now 29:27 - Sam’s predictions for what’s going to happen to indie agencies in the next 5 years 30:00 - Why the industry needs to rethink how young people get trained when AI is taking over the old junior work 32:28 - What media partnerships look like when more buying becomes automated If you want to get in touch with Sam, you can find him on Linkedin here, or visit IMAA www.theimaa.com.au If you're ready to start seeing growth in your franchise every single year then head over to IG @tfm.digital and DM us RECRUITMENT to grab a copy of our franchise development playbook. If you want your ads to finally get in front of the right audience, DM us CREATIVE over on IG @tfm.digital and we'll send you our creative strategy to get you started. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ 

Most agencies know how to pitch. Far fewer know how to win the right work, keep the right clients and build something people want to be a part of. I sat down with Virginia Hyland, who previously led Havas Media Group and is now co-founder of Squad M&A, to talk about what really makes an agency valuable. Virginia has worked with huge brands - we’re talking Red Bull, Gucci, Tiffany, Rimmel, Bumble and Tourism Fiji, and has sat on almost every side of the agency world from founder, CEO, pitch leader, acquisition advisor AND buyer. I wanted to sit down and chat with Virginia about what indie agencies can do better than the big networks, why chemistry matters before any pitch, what marketers should look for when choosing an agency, and how founders can start building a business that’s worth buying years before they plan to sell. Key moments: 0:00 - How Virginia built an agency before social media changed everything 3:49 - Why indie agencies can beat the big networks 11:49 - How a 15-person team won against global agencies. 15:19 - The client win that led to helicopters and Tiffany jewellery 18:09 - How to tell if a pitch is actually worth your time 23:10 - The best way to get into someone’s boardroom 28:18 - The mistake most agencies make in pitches 31:57 - How to let your team lead a pitch without taking over 34:00 - How Havas stood out against more than 100 agencies 35:42 - What Virginia learned from losing Red Bull the first time 39:20 - What to watch for when your agency gets sold 41:44 - What changes when you go from indie founder to HoldCo CEO 45:54 - Why founders should prepare for sale years before they exit 51:11 - How AI could change the agency model 54:29 - What makes an agency worth buying If you want to connect with Virginia you can find her on Linkedin here, or visit Squad M&A www.squadma.com Organic social media is still one of the easiest ways to build trust with your audience. So if you're ready to create a community around your brand, head over to IG @tfm.digital and DM us the word ORGANIC to grab our ultimate social media organic guide. Want to know exactly which channels will you give REAL return on your paid ads? We've created a full playbook that that covers that plus how to get people buying your products online. If you want a copy, head over to IG @tfm.digital and DM us PLAYBOOK.If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ 

“Our leads are terrible.” Said every business ever. But what if the leads aren’t the problem? In today’s episode, Matt and Taylor dig into one of the most common problems in business, and why marketing almost always gets blamed.  From the moment a lead drops into your CRM, to the point of sale there are a lot of opportunities for things to go wrong. We will break down why your leads are getting lost in your funnel and how to fix it. Key moments: 0:48 The real reason your leads aren’t converting. Hint: It has do to with your funnel 3:09: When you should be contacting your leads and how SMS is not dead 4:08: What really makes a quality buyer. And the stats that make the decision for you.  5:37: What you can be doing to build quality leads 6:12:The High Value Franchisee playbook you need to help improve your sales funnel   7:22: What is a bad lead…and how to recognise them so you don’t waste your  time 9:18 What a good sales process looks like and what you need to do to nurture your leads 10:39: The biggest change we made to our sales process that  12:42: What to do if your offer is not hitting the mark and why it could be losing you leads 16:21: How to build a targeted audience through Youtube and Podcasts 17:35: The simple steps you can take today to convert quality leads into sales If you want your ads to finally get in front of the right audience, DM us CREATIVE over on IG ⁠@tfm.digital⁠ and we'll send you our creative strategy to get you started. If you're ready to start seeing growth in your franchise every single year then head over to IG ⁠@tfm.digital⁠ and DM us RECRUITMENT to grab a copy of our franchise development playbook. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠

Creator marketing is one of the fastest growing channels, but so many brands are using outdated strategies that just don’t work anymore.  Nathan McCallum has over 750K followers on Instagram, 180K subscribers on Youtube and has been doing this long before “creator” was a job title. He’s built an audience, a coaching business, a clothing brand and long-term brand partnerships by doing things his own way. In this episode, I’m chatting with Nathan to find out what brands get wrong with creators, why trust beats follower count, building a founder-led brand, AI, online negativity and the expensive lesson he learned behind the scenes of Furore. Key moments: 0:00 - Why Nathan moved away from one-off brand deals and started prioritising long-term partnerships 14:49 - Why Nathan doesn’t obsess over every platform change, and what he focuses on instead of chasing the algorithm 19:34 - Nathan’s advice for creating content people want to watch 24:53 - Why Nathan never tried to fit the typical fitness influencer mould, and how that became part of what makes his content work 27:21 - How Nathan deals with negativity online without turning the comment section into a fight 31:09 - The behind-the-scenes reality of building Furore, (including what went wrong…) 37:41 - How Nathan makes Furore feel like a real extension of him, rather than another creator brand that disappears after one launch 39:04 - The biggest lessons Nathan would give anyone building a brand from scratch 45:41 - Why Nathan isn’t worried about AI replacing creators 51:48 - The most expensive mistake Nathan made in business + why founders still need to understand the parts they outsource Find Nathan on over at @nathan or @furore Organic social media is still one of the easiest ways to build trust with your audience. So if you're ready to create a community around your brand, head over to IG @tfm.digital and DM us the word ORGANIC to grab our ultimate social media organic guide. Want to know exactly which channels will you give REAL return on your paid ads? We've created a full playbook that that covers that plus how to get people buying your products online. If you want a copy, head over to IG @tfm.digital and DM us PLAYBOOK. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ 

1,000 new customers a month. And most of them never came back. Not because the product wasn't good. Because the trust wasn't deep enough yet. Kristy Morris built KAILO, a wellness brand stocked in Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, and Kourtney Kardashian's gift guide, by learning that lesson the hard way. A $159,000 event loss, an accidental Dubai expansion, and a complete rebuild of her retention strategy later, she's got a playbook worth hearing. This episode is about what actually builds a brand people keep coming back to.  Key moments: 00:00: What McDonald's can teach you about consistency and why you need to get it right 7:13: The real reason local marketing dilutes your brand 7:51: How to position a brand in the most saturated category in the world 26:39: How to crack a market you know nothing about 29:50: The Kardashian gift guide. What it actually costs to and what it actually did 33:25: Why opening a cafe is actually a marketing strategy  37:25: 1,000 new customers a month who weren’t coming back 42:57: The Goop Summit that lost $159, 000 and became the best campaign ever 46:18: The ONE thing every marketing need to get right before they spend a single dollar To find out more on Krisy, KAILO and Sureyya Kahve, you can find them on instagram @kailo_aus , @kailo_medispa and @sureyya_kahve If you want your ads to finally get in front of the right audience, DM us CREATIVE over on IG @tfm.digital and we'll send you our creative strategy to get you started. If you're ready to start seeing growth in your franchise every single year then head over to IG @tfm.digital and DM us RECRUITMENT to grab a copy of our franchise development playbook. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠

Most brands are still paying to rent attention. TEAMM8 built a community that hands it over for free. Tommy Laurens has been Marketing Director at TEAMM8 for six years. In that time the brand has grown 500%. They doubled revenue two years running. 90% up this year alone. With a team of six. No agency. No Google ads. No influencer budget. Just a community that became their biggest media channel. Tommy breaks down exactly how TEAMM8's UGC strategy replaced influencers, the free beer activation that built a sales pipeline, the RuPaul's Drag Race partnership that now reaches the US, and why the moment your content looks like an ad, it's already dead. If you're still trying to buy your way to growth, this one's going to sting a little. Key moments: 00:00: How to reposition a brand people had stopped caring about 3:42: Why bringing your ads in-house might be the best decision you make 6:34: How to turn your biggest fans into your best marketing channel 7:50: How to measure brand awareness when the numbers don’t tell you the whole story 10:30: How to run paid ads on Meta when your content keeps getting banned 20:59 This is they way to turn a single activation into a sales pipeline 38:42: Why what’s working in your marketing today won’t work tomorrow To see more form TEAMM8, you can give them a follow on Instagram @TEAMM8 If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ 

Every marketer is being told they need to “get on AI” right now. But most businesses don’t actually know what they’re buying. Is it AI? Is it automation? Is it just a GPT in a pretty dress? And more importantly, is it going to save your team time… or become another expensive subscription that doesn’t deliver… Today Matt is sitting down with Zaine, our Head of Investment to talk about where AI is genuinely useful right now, where you’re being sold a dream, and what businesses need to sort out internally before rolling it out. Key moments: 0:00 - What “AI” actually means in marketing (and what’s been rebranded as AI for years)  5:06 - The difference between AI and automation  8:16 - The questions you need to ask before buying any AI tool  15:46 - Where AI is actually useful right now (and where you’re being sold a dream)  17:19 - Will AI replace marketing roles… or just change what you hire for?  19:48 - Why we hired an in-house AI engineer + what that looks like in our business 23:43 - Should you trust tools like Advantage+ and Performance Max with your budget?  28:41 - Why Meta is catching up to Google in ad revenue and what that means for your spend 31:59 - What the next 12–18 months of AI in marketing will really look like  36:04 - IThe one thing to fix in your business before you even think about AI  Connect with Zaine on Linkedin here. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ 

Phil DeBella started a coffee company with $5,000 in a market with 2,000 competitors and  sold it for $47 million.  In this episode, he gives away the marketing playbook that built it and explains why most marketing “strategies” don’t actually work.  We talk about how did it and why the same principles apply whether you're running a cafe, a national franchise, or trying to crack the US market. He also gets into why the four Ps of marketing are dead (and what replaces them), how to tell your founding story even when you think you don't have one, the real reason the Brisbane's Best Cafe campaign hit 40,000 nominations, and what the marketing teams of tomorrow actually look like in an AI world. You’ll Hear: 00:00: How to build a brand from scratch with $5000 in a crowded category 2:44: How to know if your campaign is going to work before you’ve even spent a dollar 5:33: The Emotional Engagement formula. The strategy that keeps customers coming back to you  8:40: Why you need to define your customer and your message and how when you do, it just works 11:21: How to make your customer feel something when your product is identical to everyone else's 28:30: When you should separate your personal brand from your business  33:16: People and Perception. Why it’s not just about the 4 P’s anymore 34:26: The single biggest mistake businesses make when they are doing great work 35:33: Why your founding story is so important for your brand and how to build it 41:32: What AI can do for your marketing and what it shouldn’t do 47:38: What’s the difference between a campaign people talk about and one people forget If you want to hear more from Phil, you can connect with him on Linkedin: Phil Di Bella and Facebook. To learn more about Coffee Commune, head to coffeecommunе.com.au or check them out on Instagram @the.coffeecommune Want to know exactly which channels will you give REAL return on your paid ads? We've created a full playbook that that covers that plus how to get people buying your products online. If you want a copy, head over to IG @tfm.digital and DM us PLAYBOOK. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ 

It feels like everything in Australian media is consolidating right now. The same platforms, the same media owners, the same publishers. So where does that actually leave brands? And what happens to local media? This is just one of the things that Taylor is talking about with Adam Hickey, co-founder of Orand who has worked across agencies, client side and now consults with some of the biggest brands in the country, including Subway. He’s been involved in major pitch processes, worked closely with leadership teams and has a pretty clear view of how marketing decisions are being made behind the scenes. Today we’re talking about what’s happening across the Aus media landscape, how brands are thinking about where to invest, and why local area marketing is still doing more heavy lifting that people think. Key moments: 0:00 - The consolidation of Australian media - Why the media is being squeezed harder than ever (and what that means for where your budget goes next)  3:43 - Are publishers coming for the agency role? And what that means if you’re the one spending the budget 4:17 - International vs domestic media: how much is too much when we still need to support local media? 11:10 - How big brands really make marketing decisions (it’s not as strategic as you’d think)15:25 - What corporate teams are getting frustrated by when it comes to working with agencies… 19:03 - Local area marketing: What is driving real foot traffic 22:31 - If Adam was launching a new multi-location brand today - where would he start with his marketing? 25:00 - AI in marketing: the gap between what’s possible… + what most teams are actually doing 29:25 - What separates the pitches that win bids versus the ones who don’t 31:48 - How to actually stand out in a pitch  35:32 - The next move that will unlock growth in your business 36:37 - Before you blame your agency… this is the one thing marketing teams need to fix first Connect with Adam on Linkedin here. Want to know exactly which channels will you give REAL return on your paid ads? We've created a full playbook that that covers that plus how to get people buying your products online. If you want a copy, head over to IG @tfm.digital and DM us PLAYBOOK. If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ 

What happens when you have a customer sale cycle of 728 days? In today’s episode, Taylor is sitting down with Shay Whitton from Positive Real Estate, Australia’s FIRST buyers agents who have been working in the industry in 2003, well before the marketing world became funnels, retargeting ads and AI generated everything. Since then, the business has coached more than 7.5k clients, closed over 10k property deals and has built a marketing strategy that keeps people engaged, educated and emotionally bought in for years. In an era where it’s getting harder to hold your customer’s attention for five minutes, hearing how Shay nurtures an audience for hundreds of days is pretty bloody useful. Key moments: 0:00 - What marketing looked like before Facebook, Google ads and smartphones  3:54 - Shay’s best property deal, worst property deal and the $30M mistake that became a very expensive lesson 5:09 - How do you keep someone interested when they might not buy from you for 728 days?  9:18 - Why warm leads need more than just emails, funnels and follow-ups to stay engaged with your business 13:08 - How Positive Real Estate built extra services around the problems their customers kept running into  14:31 - The biggest mistake businesses make when they’re marketing to people over a long sales cycle  16:00 - Live events: how do they play into a long term customer strategy? 23:48 - What do live events look like for smaller businesses? 26:13 - How many people is normal to show up for an event? 27:40 - What going from head marketer to the CMO looked like (and why you need to prepare for more check-ins than you’re doing now) 34:43 - What founders should do before they hire someone to take marketing off their plate  39:05 - How Positive Real Estate are using AI right now 46:09 -  Can you use AI and still maintain trust with your customers? 49:19 -  Shay’s advice for anyone who keeps saying they want to invest in property and still hasn’t done anything If you want to know more about Positive Real Estate, you can find the links below. Website - www.positiverealestate.com.au Facebook - www.facebook.com/positiverealestate Instagram - www.instagram.com/positiverealestate Register for a free property night here

Did you know that your AI generated content could find you in hot water? Emily Lucas, is a marketing, franchising and commercial lawyer who has seen first hand how businesses create campaigns with good intentions that end up going viral for all the wrong reasons.  This episode could save you from Court, a cease and desist letter, or your Google rating plummeting from bad reviews overnight.  Key moments: 00:00 Why your marketing can land you in legal trouble without you even realising it 04:00 How one TikTok wiped out a 4.9/5 Google rating overnight and turned into real life threats 06:00 This business thought their giveaway was harmless, until it ended up in a discrimination claim 09:30 The franchising Code of Conduct changed in 2026. This is what you need to know 19:00 Why you cannot leave your annual financial statements to the last minute and what it will cost you 25:30What you need to check BEFORE you use AI in your next marketing campaign  29:00 Why AI created branding (fonts, colours, logos) could already belong to someone else… and r and what to do if you receive a cease and desist letter. 35:00 The rules around running competitions and giveaways that most brands are not aware of 43:00 Why Emily googling herself, led to building a personal brand and taking ownership of her own narrative 50:00 What 510K views taught Emily, and why she thinks it’s important for you to get legal approval before you post If you want to learn more about or connect with Emily you can find Emily on LinkedIn or https://hwlebsworth.com.au/people/emily-lucas/ If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ 

Most marketers never really leave Meta and Google - and it’s not because they don’t want to.. But the rest of the media landscape feels too hard to access, too expensive and too easy to get wrong.So what actually happens on the other side? And is getting your foot in the door easier than it sounds?Today we’re sitting down with Rebecca Lawrie, Director of Sales at Channel 9 and who has spent 20+ years in the industry working across TV, streaming, audio and publishing. We’re getting into what brands misunderstand about “big channels,” why performance marketing can only take you so far, as well as how Channel 9 builds campaigns across their entire ecosystem.We’re even covering why you should start looking into your campaign for the Olympics and what you can do to get ahead.Key moments:0:00 -  If you’ve only ever spent on Meta and Google… What are you actually missing? 3:10 - TV is not dead!7:17 - Why sport is one of the stickiest audiences you can put yourself in front of10:13 - How big networks measure the success of campaigns (like partnership with sport)11:57 - Should brands be preparing for the 2032 Olympics already? How to get ahead of the game13:15 - What the Paris Olympics taught Rebecca about how audiences consume media has changed (and what that means for marketing)15:10 - More platforms, more channels… and somehow less clarity on what actually works20:49 - How do you hit big targets while still having a great team culture?24:22 - How Channel 9’s events play into their sales strategy27:45 - A real brief: $100K, a solid restaurant, not quite full. Where Rebecca would spend her budget to book out every weekend32:20 - Why is it so hard to hire right now? Are you feeling it too?33:46 - The way Channel 9 is utilising AI in their marketing and sales teams38:45 -  What are some of the learnings for any brands that want to start working or aligning themselves with talent? If you want to connect with Rebecca, you can find her on Linkedin, IG @beclawrie or if you want to email her, you can reach her at rlawrie@nine.com.auIf you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ 

What’s the difference between EGC, UGC and why are so many brands raving about it? This week we’re talking to our Social Media Manager at TFM Digital, Elsie Mollison. She’s going to take you through the type of post that got 50,000 views (and counting), her KISS method to get the best results on any content you create and how to get your team involved with creating content that speaks directly to your customers. We know now more than ever people buy from people so if you want to stand out from the AI generated content and build a brand people love, this episode is for you  You’ll hear:  00:01: What is EGC (Employee Generated Content) and UGC (User Generated Content) and why is it taking off right now? 03:39: How a local hospital got over 50k views just by showing their staff on camera and how you can too 09:32: Keep it Simple Stupid. The 4 pillars you need to use in your next brand strategy 12:16 Don’t waste time scripting content. How the best content is unscripted when it comes to EGC 13:18 No one knows your brand better than those that work for you. How giving ownership to your Social Media Manager can showcase your brand 15:25 What is UGC and why BIG brands are paying the big bucks to make it part of their strategy  18:13 The contra you need to put in place so that you can fully trust your UGC influencers 20:39 How to use the same piece of content and repurpose it for TikTok, Instagram and Facebook 22:28  What you should do this week, if you have never posted employee content before If you’re looking for some inspiration on EGC, follow @tfm.digital on both Instagram and TikTok (we’re a little more unhinged over there)  And if you want the complete guide to organic social media send us a DM or comment with the word KISS over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ If you want help to grow your business with marketing that drives results and stands out head over to www.tfm.digital

Does Partnering with the NRL, AFL and Major TV Shows actually give you a good return? Where do you even begin when trying to measure your ROI?  Today I’m speaking with Caitlin Cordery who is Group Head of Marketing at Swyftx. She’s built a loyal customer base of over 1.5 millions and launched into new markets where she hasn’t had to just sell the brand, she’s had to educate on an entire category as well.  And the craziest part? They weren’t able to use Google or Youtube and were limited with their reach on Meta as well.  We talk about what most brands get wrong, the right way to invest in and build a brand and how to build a customer base that will advocate for you even when the market is down.  If you want to know how to launch into new markets and build trust even with a small budget, listen to the end of this one.  You’ll hear:  00:01: Why the best marketing won’t work for this industry  3:22: How to build trust and awareness even with a complex product  4:54: The customer insights that can completely change your approach to branding 8:27: How to market when you don’t want to (or can’t use) the big players  14:27: Where to focus your attention if you’re currently going through hypergrowth  17:00: What does brand mean TODAY and how can you get your CEO to understand it?  20:00: The biggest growth tool to launch into international markets 21:30 The best way to integrate partnerships in 2026  23:09: How do you measure the ROI of a Partnership deal 26:08: Should you invest in TV partnerships?  28:55: What you should be using AI for now. And if you’re not… you are already behind 31:05: The marketing trend that will build the most loyal customers If you want to see what Caitlin is working on, check her out on LinkedIn here If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ And if you want help to grow your business with marketing that drives results and stands out head over to www.tfm.digital

If you’ve ever looked at your marketing spend and thought… this should be working better than it is… you’re probably right. Natalie Harvey is the CEO of Mamamia, a media company reaching over 7.5 million women every month, with millions of daily data points showing exactly what people are reading, watching and listening to in real time. She’s been on both sides of the table, buying media, selling it, and now leading a business that sits incredibly close to what actually gets attention and what gets ignored. Today we’re chatting about audiences actually behave, where brands are wasting money, why podcasting is still massively undervalued, and what’s coming next as AI and video start to reshape the industry. Key moments: 0:00 - What Mamamia actually looks like in 2026 and why it operates differently to every other media brand 02:26 - How Mamamia got to number one and what actually drove that shift in audience growth 6:07 - How they know exactly what their audience cares about in real time 9:31 - Who is really consuming women’s media and why most brands misunderstand it 13:59 - Why most new podcasts don’t work even when the idea feels strong 24:24 -  Why they are investing in video podcasts before the revenue is there 27:37 - What a smart first podcast ad looks like if you have never run one before 35:29 - The biggest mistakes marketers make when they are spending budget 38:48 -  Where a $50k to $150k marketing budget should actually go right now 40:11 - How to spot if you’re being sold the wrong thing in media 43:00 -  Does Australian media actually performs better than global platforms? 49:27 - How they are using AI inside the business and where it is actually useful 58:19 - What to change this week if you know your ads aren’t working If you want more of Natalie, check her out on LinkedIn here or visit www.mamamia.com.au If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠ And if you want help to grow your business with marketing that drives results and stands out head over to www.tfm.digital

Everyone says the hair industry is saturated. Faith opened three salons anyway and had a wait list for every single one of them. How? By going all in on one thing, and then curating a brand that people WANT to be a part of. In this episode, Matt is sitting down with Faith, the founder of Blondee, a hair salon that specialises in blonde hair, that successfully uses content creators for marketing and has a team of stylists that are constantly growing. We’re chatting about how demand is actually created, what makes someone choose you over the business down the road, and why some brands can build dedicated customers before they even open their doors. Key moments: 0:00 - Why specialising in blonde helped Faith build trust faster and stand out from other salons 01:40 - The experience detail that made clients choose Blondie over other salons 3:23 - Why niching down brings in more clients and why people now prefer specialists 6:01 - How Faith built a waitlist of over 500 people before even opening her salon 9:52 - Why every team member creates content and how that leads to more bookings 11:44 - The type of content that’s actually bringing in clients for hair stylists right now 12:57 - How Faith turned her team into a referral engine by paying them to bring in clients 15:21 - The risk of employee-generated content and how Faith approaches team members leaving 18:45 - How Faith tests influencers before committing so she knows they’re the right fit 21:41 - Why smaller local creators often bring in better clients than bigger influencers 25:12 - The areas Faith focuses on to keep her team improving and performing at a high level If you want to check out Blondee head over to www.blondee.com.au or on IG @blondee_salon and follow faith over at @faithwilliams - https://www.instagram.com/faithwilliams/ See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/⁠  Follow the TFM team over at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/⁠ and ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital⁠  And ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/⁠ and ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/⁠

20-30% of every single dollar spent on advertising in 2025 … was completely wasted.  When we started That F*cking Marketing Podcast we didn’t want to be like every other podcast, we love a good campaign breakdown … but we want to know the results (and what didn’t work as well)  In our first episode we tell you what’s coming up but also why we started the podcast (and why I chose Matt as my co-host)  If you want to know how to get the most from every dollar YOU spend in 2026 hit follow or subscribe wherever you're listening.  See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/  Follow the TFM team over at https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/ and https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital  And https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/ and https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/  And if you want help to grow your business with marketing that drives results and stands out head over to www.tfm.digital

 Every F*cking Marketing Podcast sounds the same. But ours doesn't. We want to talk about the things that are working and the things that just don't … not just how to 10x your meta spend with no real return. We’re going to have some of the best marketing minds in the country to talk about the campaigns they ran,the trends they're watching, and where you should be focusing your attention right now If you want the TLDR of what you should actually care about, you're in the right place.  Hit follow because you're not gonna wanna miss these episodes. See the behind the scenes over at @tfm.pod - https://www.instagram.com/tfm.pod/  Follow the TFM team over at https://www.instagram.com/tfm.digital/ and https://www.tiktok.com/@tfm.digital  And https://www.instagram.com/taylorfielding/ and https://www.instagram.com/mathewfielding/