Sweat Equity

Alex and Brian sit down with Lukas Pakter to give him a full free game episode on how to optimize every part of his DTC clothing brand, SquidHaus. They discuss SEO, landing page optimization, and the power of improving your conversion rate.As always, appreciate you all listening, and don't forget to leave us a review and submit your questions for Alex and Brian at the email address below. See you next week.Follow Lukas on Everything:IG: https://www.instagram.com/lukaspakterYouTube:  @SquidTalkPodcast  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@squidpakterSquidHaus: www.squidhaus.com--------------------WANT FREE GAME? Or just have a question for Brian & Alex?Submit your questions here: www.marketingexamined.com/podcastOR email us at [email protected] THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:For full video versions, and short highlights of every episode, head tohttps://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1NEWSLETTER:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed atwww.marketingexamined.com--------------------Follow Alex & Brian on Twitter and IGwww.twitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxwww.twitter.com/@brian_blum1

As promised, this week we're diving deep into Brian Blum's entrepreneurial adventures. From his first entrepreneurship class, to launching his first product (you'll never guess what it was), to working for the San Antonio Spurs, to getting an investment from Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran after a successful pitch on Shark Tank - Brian explains how his passion for sports turned into a hunger for business, and the lessons he's learned throughout all his successes (and failures). From building your first sales funnel, to acquiring VC investments, there's a ton to learn in this one. Thanks for listening, and don't forget to rate and subscribe if you enjoyed.💰 SWEAT EQUITY HAT GIVEAWAY:We're giving away 20 Sweat Equity hats to the FIRST 20 LISTENERS to give the podcast a 5 star review on Apple AND Spotify.To enter, leave a review on Apple & Spotify, screenshot both, and send the pics on Instagram to Alex (@alexgarcia_atx), Brian (@brian_blum) OR send them in an email to [email protected]. Winners will be announced soon, so stay tuned.(US based only, sorry to our fans overseas, we'll get you sorted out soon we promise.)Find the links to Apple & Spotify here: https://link.chtbl.com/sweat-equity-hat-giveaway--------------------WATCH THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:For full video versions, and short highlights of every episode, head tohttps://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1NEWSLETTER:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed atwww.marketingexamined.comCHAPTERS:00:00 - Intro01:29 - From College Basketball to the San Antonio Spurs media team.10:11 - Brian's first business: Teeth whitening chewing gum.12:09 When and how to pivot your startup.15:32 - Brian's takeaways from his first startup.16:47 - The importance of unit economics and customer acquisition costs.18:30 - Brian's time as CMO of Grind.23:37 - Brian's company went on Shark Tank, and CLOSED.25:13 - The results of being featured on Shark Tank.28:01 - Some of Brian's biggest takeaways at Grind.31:12 - The secret to raising VC money.33:24 - Transitioning from Founder to Employee - Pros and Cons.38:33 - Pivoting back to Agency life at Rctfy.46:48 - Organic Content Masterclass with Brian

Who is Alex Garcia, and why do you tune in every week to listen to his marketing advice? In this episode, Brian interviews Alex to dig deep on his long career in the world of content and marketing. Alex shares his successes (and failures) as an entrepreneur over the past decade, including growing The Hustle & My First Million, becoming CMO at The Kollective, and much more. Alex discusses his initial forays into content creation and social media management for (essentially) every bar in Austin, to navigating the world of agency life and the transition to his current business, Marketing Examined. Stay tuned, because Brian is up next.💰 SWEAT EQUITY HAT GIVEAWAY:We're giving away 20 Sweat Equity hats to the FIRST 20 LISTENERS to give the podcast a 5 star review on Apple AND Spotify.To enter, leave a review on Apple & Spotify, screenshot both, and send the pics on Instagram to Alex (@alexgarcia_atx), Brian (@brian_blum) OR send them in an email to [email protected]. Winners will be announced soon, so stay tuned.(US based only, sorry to our fans overseas, we'll get you sorted out soon we promise.)Find the links to Apple & Spotify here: https://link.chtbl.com/sweat-equity-hat-giveaway--------------------WATCH THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:For full video versions, and short highlights of every episode, head tohttps://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1NEWSLETTER:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed atwww.marketingexamined.comCHAPTERS:00:00:00 - Intro & Sweat Equity Merch Giveaway00:04:50 - From College Athlete to Agency Owner.00:09:32 - Alex's First Agency: SocialFirst.00:16:47 - The Hustle, and My First Million.00:21:52 - 50 threads in 50 days on Twitter.00:27:30 - Becoming CMO of Kollective.00:32:27 - The Origins of Marketing Examined00:37:50 - Should you start a newsletter in 2024?00:45:36 - Free Game - How we'd grow YOUR brand. Luxee.

Alex and Brian sit down with Kane Kallaway to discuss the secrets to his success after just 1 year of full-time content creation (and why he doesn't care about going viral anymore). They discuss the value of an ENGAGED audience for any entrepreneur or business, the importance of "content minutes", if high production quality REALLY matters, and the pros and cons of building in public and sharing your secret sauce. If you're thinking of starting to create content for yourself or your brand, you can't afford to miss this episode.If you enjoyed the episode, consider giving us a 5 star review on Apple or Spotify. Appreciate you watching, and we'll see you next week.💰 SUBSCRIBE TO SWEAT EQUITY ON APPLE, SPOTIFY, OR WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS:https://link.chtbl.com/sweat-equityFollow Kane on Everything:Newsletter: https://espressoletter.com/IG: https://instagram.com/kanekallaway/YouTube:  @kallaway  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kanekallawaywknds Podcast:  @wkndstv  --------------------🔥 WANT FREE GAME?Send us a picture of your Apple & Spotify reviews to [email protected] and we'll make you a playbook in a future episode.--------------------📈 GROWTH PLAYBOOKS, STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed athttps://www.marketingexamined.com--------------------Follow Alex & Brian on Twitter and IGwww.twitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxwww.twitter.com/@brian_blum1CHAPTERS:00:00 - Intro & Kane's Creator Journey06:21 - "The Artist Gap". The challenges of learning how to make content.08:33 - Are side hustles possible? The importance of going all-in.15:01 - Kane's content creation process, explained.17:07 - Should you give away your business' biggest secrets?23:23 - Top of funnel vs bottom of funnel content. Which is more important?29:57 - When Ben Shapiro STOLE Kane's content.35:05 - Kane got an Apple Vision Pro.36:10 - How important is Quality in being a successful creator?38:34 - What is the most important aspect of high quality content?40:05 - Kane's storytelling structure.41:34 - How to write a good hook.45:29 - Coming up with a fresh take about something that's huge.47:11 - Is Kane going to go all-in on YouTube?49:52 - Identity Dissonance & Drifting from the goal53:02 - How do you keep your focus when working on so many things?

JT Barnett - pro hockey player turned content creator and entrepreneur - sits down with Alex and Brian to talk about the parts of content creation that nobody thinks about. Sustainability, scalability, the importance of authenticity in content and creator partnerships, and how to find your winning content playbook. If you're interested in creating content, or are a content creator looking to partner with brands, this episode is for you. Follow JT on everything:TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@jtbarnettIG: www.instagram.com/jtbarnett/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jtbarnett.--------------------WANT FREE GAME? Or just have a question for Brian & Alex?Submit your questions here: www.marketingexamined.com/podcastOR email us at [email protected] THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:For full video versions, and short highlights of every episode, head tohttps://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1NEWSLETTER:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed atwww.marketingexamined.com--------------------Follow Alex & Brian on Twitter and IGwww.twitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxwww.twitter.com/@brian_blum1

Alex and Brian sit down with Matt Halfhill, the founder & CEO of Nice Kicks to get into the weeds of the sneaker industry, and Matt's journey growing Nice Kicks from a niche sneaker blog into sneaker industry powerhouse. In this conversation you’ll hear about the evolution of the blog, shoe industry disruption, and which brands to watch in 2024. As always, appreciate you all listening, and don't forget to leave us a review and submit your questions for Alex and Brian at the email address below. See you next week.SPONSORED BY:Marketing Examined - Make smarter marketing moves with Alex's playbooks, in your inbox, 3 times a week. Subscribe below: http://bit.ly/marketingexaminedsub--------------------WANT FREE GAME? Or just have a question for Brian & Alex?Submit your questions here: www.marketingexamined.com/podcastOR email us at [email protected] THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:For full video versions, and short highlights of every episode, head tohttps://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1NEWSLETTER:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed atwww.marketingexamined.com--------------------Follow Alex & Brian on Twitter and IGwww.twitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxwww.twitter.com/@brian_blum1CHAPTERS:00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:08 - The Origins of Nice Kicks00:05:09 - Going from online to opening a physical location.00:09:24 - Deciding to close the Nice Kicks retail store.00:10:46 - From web-first to social first: Inside Nice Kicks' revenue.00:16:43 - The Death of the Signature Shoe.00:22:59 - Namesake Marketing has completely changed.00:27:16 - What do brands need to do to succeed in the shoe business in 2024. 00:31:54 - How are the biggest shoes being disrupted?00:34:53 - Matt's Thoughts on the Tom Brady & NoBull Merger00:38:53 - How Media companies can survive in the attention economy.00:42:01 - The biggest brands to watch in shoes in 2024.00:45:54 - The history of Sneaker Drops.00:49:53 - Are good ads dead? How advertising has changed since the Jordan Era.00:54:27 - Huge viral potential with Out-of-Home Ads00:58:28 - Will High Rocks take over Crossfit?

In this episode Alex and Brian sit down with Jordan Rogers, the former Marketing & Brand Director at Nike, who shares his journey from battling addiction to landing his dream role at Nike.Jordan offers an insider look at Nike's branding strategies, collaborations with renowned athletes like Odell Beckham Jr, and breaks down the complicated world of sports marketing, NIL, and college sports.This is a must listen for anyone looking to build a world class brand, influencer partnerships, or trying to land their dream job with brands like Nike.As always, appreciate you all listening, and don't forget to leave us a review and submit your questions for Alex and Brian at the email address below. See you next week.--------------------WANT FREE GAME? Or just have a question for Brian & Alex?Submit your questions here: www.marketingexamined.com/podcastOR email us at [email protected] THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:For full video versions, and short highlights of every episode, head tohttps://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1NEWSLETTER:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed atwww.marketingexamined.com--------------------Follow Alex & Brian on Twitter and IGwww.twitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxwww.twitter.com/@brian_blum1CHAPTERS:00:00:00 - Introduction and Jordan's Obsession with Nike.00:05:59 - Creating alignment between your brand and their representatives.00:11:30 - Should brands ONLY focus on ROI?00:13:07 - What are the key components of a strong brand?00:16:21 - Using Ads to build your brand identity.00:18:48 - The importance of community on Social Media.00:22:42 - Could Nike ever become a social-first company?00:27:15 - The Death of the Signature Athlete, and Why are Brands Obsessed with NY and LA?00:34:41 - Jordan synced up OBJ and Cristiano Ronaldo at Paris Fashion Week00:40:25 - The frail nature of an athlete's career00:43:34 - NIL Collectives, and why Young Athletes need to know about them.00:46:44 - How Jordan and Alex got started by bartering.00:54:24 - The Death of the NCAA & the future of College Sports.00:58:37 - Jordan on Johnny Manziel's Pro Day.01:02:32 - Jordan's Playbook for Up-and-Coming Recruits01:07:31 - Jordan's message to top high school recruits.01:10:43 - How do you get a Job at Nike?

Alex and Brian talk through how Anduril’s playbook for disrupting the ultimate legacy industry, how Truff Sauce grew from starting as a theme page and reverse engineering your competitors’ funnels.If you enjoyed the show, consider checking out our sponsors below - it's the best way to support the podcast.SPONSORED BY:Marketing Examined - Make smarter marketing moves with Alex's playbooks - in your inbox, 3 times a week. Subscribe below: https://bit.ly/marketingexaminednewsletter--------------------WANT FREE GAME? Or just have a question for Brian & Alex?Submit your questions here: www.marketingexamined.com/podcastOR email us at [email protected] THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:For full video versions, and short highlights of every episode, head tohttps://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1NEWSLETTER:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed atwww.marketingexamined.com--------------------CHAPTERS:00:00 - Intro & Venice Meetup in February.02:58 - Anduril made a hype video for a drone, and it's incredible.09:00 - Why founder-facing companies are king.11:19 - How Taboo Companies win when paid ads aren't an option.19:26 - The Halo Effect of Creating your own efficient content.20:39 - The Secret Sauce behind Truff.24:46 - The numbers behind the Sauce.28:04 - How Truff seeds influencers.37:01 - How to Spy on your Competitors when launching a brand.42:39 - Alex & Brian's go-to tools for competitive analysis.44:24 - Brian's Competitive Analysis playbook.

Alex and Brian sit down to talk through where affiliate marketing goes as legacy media publications lose traffic, Peacock's brilliant $110 million move to become #1 in the app store, and how they'd grow Keep It Classic Vintage. Stay tuned til the end to hear about their favorite tools to grow a DTC brand right now.As always, appreciate you all listening, and don't forget to leave us a review and submit your questions for Alex and Brian at the email address below. See you next week.--------------------WANT FREE GAME? Or just have a question for Brian & Alex?Submit your questions here: www.marketingexamined.com/podcastOR email us at [email protected] THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:For full video versions, and short highlights of every episode, head tohttps://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1NEWSLETTER:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed atwww.marketingexamined.com--------------------Follow Alex & Brian on Twitter and IGwww.twitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxwww.twitter.com/@brian_blum1CHAPTERS:00:00 - Intro02:53 - Show Rundown05:12 - The Death of Legacy Media10:14 - Why NOW is the time to invest in your own content.16:31 - The Story of the Stanley Tumbler22:38 - Peacock's playoff gamble, and why it worked so well.27:25 - How can Peacock keep those subscribers?35:09 - Free Game: Keep it Classic Vintage51:41 - Shoutout our most dedicated podcast listener.

If you're trying to grow using short-form content, you don't want to miss this episode. Alex and Brian break down the IG playbook, and Alex goes deep on lessons learned on his road to 10k followers. They also go deep on Athletic Brewing's Dry January masterclass, and how they've positioned their brand perfectly to capitalize on the rise of mocktails and the "0-proof" movement.As always, appreciate you all listening, and don't forget to leave us a review and submit your questions for Alex and Brian at the email address below. See you next week.--------------------WANT FREE GAME? Or just have a question for Brian & Alex?Submit your questions here: www.marketingexamined.com/podcastOR email us at [email protected] THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:For full video versions, and short highlights of every episode, head tohttps://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1NEWSLETTER:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed atwww.marketingexamined.com--------------------Follow Alex & Brian on Twitter and IGwww.twitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxwww.twitter.com/@brian_blum1CHATPERS:00:00 - Intro00:48 - Interviewing former brand director for Nike Basketball, Jordan Rogers05:08 - Show Rundown08:38 - Athletic Brewing's alcohol-free marketing playbook.15:18 - Athletic Brewing's "Give Dry a Try"22:58 - The rise of the mocktails & the "0 proof" movement25:58 - What are other "better for you" opportunities?28:18 - Blueland & Subscription Business Secrets30:50 - The growth opportunity in coffee alternatives36:29 - How to get your first 10k followers on IG

Oren John returns to join Alex and Brian for a discussion on how to hack your way to a luxury brand. They discuss what differentiates luxury from a high end product, how to build urgency with brand collaborations, and if it's possible to to fast track your way to a higher price point. This and so many more secrets to the luxury brand market, you're not going to want to miss this one.As always, appreciate you all listening, and don't forget to leave us a review and submit your questions for Alex and Brian at the email address below. See you next week.--------------------Follow Oren on Everything:Instagram: www.instagram.com/orenmeetsworldTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@orenmeetsworldWebsite: https://orenjohn.com/WANT FREE GAME? Or just have a question for Brian & Alex?Submit your questions here: www.marketingexamined.com/podcastOR email us at [email protected] THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:For full video versions, and short highlights of every episode, head tohttps://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1NEWSLETTER:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed atwww.marketingexamined.com--------------------Follow Alex & Brian on Twitter and IGwww.twitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxwww.twitter.com/@brian_blum1

In this episode of Sweat Equity, Alex and Brian break down how a company is getting a 19x ROI by sending DIRECT MAILERS, and what you can learn from their marketing strategy. They also talk about Nintendo, and how their differentiation strategy that started with the Wii made them the most valuable video game company on the planet. Finally, they spit some Free Game for a fan of the pod Jake, and his brand DateNightKitchen. They go in depth on how they'd turn his growing audience into into an 8-figure brand, and what other up-and-coming influencers can do to leverage their platforms. You're not going to want to miss this one. As always, appreciate you all listening, and don't forget to leave us a review and submit your questions for Alex and Brian at the email address below. See you next week.--------------------WANT FREE GAME? Or just have a question for Brian & Alex?Submit your questions here: www.marketingexamined.com/podcastOR email us at [email protected] THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:For full video versions, and short highlights of every episode, head tohttps://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1NEWSLETTER:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed atwww.marketingexamined.com--------------------Follow Alex & Brian on Twitter and IGwww.twitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxwww.twitter.com/@brian_blum1

Alex and Brian have a jam packed episode breaking down how GTA engineered the biggest launch of all-time with a leak, Red Lobster proving that an offer can be TOO good, and OLIPOP ditching paid ads to grow to $200m per year. Stick around til the end for a brainstorming session around "Moonshot Marketing" that any marketer can use.As always, appreciate you all listening, and don't forget to leave us a review and submit your questions for Alex and Brian at the email address below. See you next week.--------------------WANT FREE GAME? Or just have a question for Brian & Alex?Submit your questions here: www.marketingexamined.com/podcastOR email us at [email protected] THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:For full video versions, and short highlights of every episode, head tohttps://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1NEWSLETTER:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed atwww.marketingexamined.com--------------------Follow Alex & Brian on Twitter and IGwww.twitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxwww.twitter.com/@brian_blum1CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro05:44 - Did Rockstar manufacture the GTA 6 Leak?25:04 - Red Lobster's Free Shrimp Fiasco & Deals that are TOO good.41:19 - OLIPOP's $200m Influencer Marketing Playbook54:55 - Moonshot Marketing, and why you should consider doing it

Episode 7: Alex and Brian talk about the "land and expand" strategy that has taken Rogue Fitness from $0 - $100m per year, what we can learn from Lego's legendary transformation into a media company, and how to pull off the perfect Black Friday for any ecommerce brand.As always, appreciate you all listening, and don't forget to leave us a review and submit your questions for Alex and Brian at the email address below. See you next week.--------------------WANT FREE GAME? Or just have a question for Brian & Alex?Submit your questions here: www.marketingexamined.com/podcastOR email us at [email protected] THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE:For full video versions, and short highlights of every episode, head tohttps://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1NEWSLETTER:For growth playbooks, deep dives, and marketing case studies, get subscribed atwww.marketingexamined.com--------------------Follow Alex & Brian on Twitter and IGwww.twitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxwww.twitter.com/@brian_blum1

Alex and Brian talk to Oren John about building a 500k+ audience as a content creator after spending time as an executive at a publicly traded company. Oren shares his formula for creating viral content, never before shared info on his background and the boys brainstorm how they'd start a brand from scratch.--------------------Follow Oren on Everything:Instagram: www.instagram.com/orenmeetsworldTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@orenmeetsworldWebsite: https://orenjohn.com/--------------------The Links You're Looking ForImportYeti: www.importyeti.comPietra: www.pietrastudio.comUS Patent & Trademark Search: https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/search/search-information--------------------MORE SWEAT EQUITYFor FULL VIDEO EPISODES of Sweat Equity, growth playbooks, and much more, get subscribed to Marketing Examined on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1--------------------For more marketing content, growth playbooks, and deep dives, head to www.marketingexamined.com--Follow Alex & Brian on Twittertwitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxtwitter.com/@brian_blum1

In this week's episode of Sweat Equity, Alex and Brian dig into the rise and fall of Allbirds. From DTC darling to a brand struggling to stay afloat, Allbirds has fallen on hard times as of late. Alex and Brian do what they do best, and lay out a playbook that would save this once-beloved brand. They also break down why Content, Community, Commerce framework is missing another "C", and discuss the psychology behind the ridiculous retention behind Mr. Beast's videos. Don't miss this one.Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, and we'll see you next week.--MORE SWEAT EQUITYFor FULL VIDEO EPISODES of Sweat Equity, growth playbooks, and much more, get subscribed to Marketing Examined on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1--For more marketing content, growth playbooks, and deep dives, head to www.marketingexamined.com--Follow Alex & Brian on Twittertwitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxtwitter.com/@brian_blum1

Welcome back to Sweat Equity. Rushed this episode out the door because there was some heat this past week in the marketing world. Alex and Brian discuss how Snoop Dogg's "I'm done with Smoke" marketing play was executed to perfection before Black Friday, how a tumbler company turned a car fire into a PR masterclass. They also break down what "Trojan Horse" content is, and how to use it if you're a founder looking to grow your brand on social. Finish things off with some Free Smoke about which platforms to target in 2024. A thanksgiving feast of marketing served up right before the turkey.Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, and we'll see you next week.--MORE SWEAT EQUITYFor FULL VIDEO EPISODES of Sweat Equity, growth playbooks, and much more, get subscribed to Marketing Examined on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1--For more marketing content, growth playbooks, and deep dives, head to www.marketingexamined.com--Follow Alex & Brian on Twittertwitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxtwitter.com/@brian_blum1

Welcome back to Sweat Equity. So, you're the new brand on the block, on that startup grind, or the next biggest social media influencer. Nobody knows who you are - so what do you do? Alex and Brian break down exactly what you need to do if you're starting from scratch with short-form content, and how to make the most of the variety of platforms at your fingertips.On this episode of Sweat Equity, Alex and Brian will break down the playbook for consistent growth for your social channels, how Alex is implementing this strategy in his short-form course, Cut 30. Brian covers why TikTok Shops are a huge threat to Amazon's empire, and why they will succeed where Meta failed. From podcast growth tips to why you need to care more about your packaging and unboxing experience, you don't want to miss this one.Keep grinding, and we'll see you next week.--MORE SWEAT EQUITYFor FULL VIDEO EPISODES of Sweat Equity, growth playbooks, and much more, get subscribed to Marketing Examined on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1--For more marketing content, growth playbooks, and deep dives, head to www.marketingexamined.com--Follow Alex & Brian on Twittertwitter.com/@alexgarcia_atxtwitter.com/@brian_blum1--CHAPTERS00:00 - Alex's Tiny Hat03:43 - Cut 30 Update & The Only Way to Grow a Podcast12:06 - Alex's Formula for Short-Form Success18:57 - TikTok Declares WAR on Amazon, and why Meta couldn’t.30:28 - You’re using hooks wrong. Learn from Connor Price40:18 - Packaging is the Product46:59 - "What is that?" Products that Market Themselves51:20 - Invest in something that has an 100% open rate. Your unboxing experience.

This week’s episode of Sweat Equity, Alex and Brian break down one of the most brilliant sponsorship masterclasses of this year: How Deion Sanders drove 400m eyeballs to Blenders Eyewear in a single weekend thanks to a single quote from the Colorado State coach. Next, it’s onto New Heights, and what the Kelce brothers are doing to create one of the fastest-growing podcasts in sports, and finish it off with a cold email playbook straight from Tim Ferris and Shaan Puri - you’re not going to want to miss this one.SOCIALSFor weekly episodes of Sweat Equity, marketing case studies, and much more, get subscribed to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1For more marketing content, growth playbooks, and deep dives, head to www.marketingexamined.comFollow Alex & Brian on Twittertwitter.com/alexgarcia_atxtwitter.com/brian_blum1Chapters:00:00 - Intro03:19 - The Kelce Bro’s Podcast Growth Strategy14:43 - Create your own category (VIVO Barefoot Shoes & Magic Mind)19:54 - Gymshark vs. Fabletics - How to seed influencers CORRECTLY22:20 - All Eyes on Coach Prime - Deon Sanders Marketing Masterclass43:18 - Viral Loops & Mailchimp's Genius Referral Program52:00 - Your Cold Emails Suck. Tim Ferris can help.

Welcome to the first episode of Sweat Equity, the best brainstorming session you’ve ever had.Today’s episode is all about creator brands, and why cultivating a rabid fanbase is one of the most valuable things you can do for your business. Alex and Brian go deep on Kim K’s multi-million dollar empire, how Mr. Beast’s Feastables is eating Hershey’s lunch, and how KSI and Logan Paul's Prime Energy exploded onto the sports drink scene. Round things out with the 4 most important steps to cultivating a fanbase that will follow you anywhere, and you have yourself a jam-packed pilot episode.SOCIALSFor weekly episodes of Sweat Equity, marketing case studies, and much more, get subscribed to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@marketingexamined?sub_confirmation=1For more marketing content, growth playbooks, and deep dives, marketingexamined.comFollow Alex & Brian on TwitterAlex: twitter.com/alexgarcia_atxBrian: twitter.com/brian_blum1CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro01:27 - Short-form vs. Long-form content10:55 - How Kim K made $1m a minute14:55 - Finding the perfect fit for your audience 23:05 - Why Mr. Beast's chocolate brand will overtake Hershey's26:49 - Legacy brands can't compete with creators30:32 - Every athletes’ side hustle should be content creation45:33 - 4 Steps to launch a successful creator brand51:21 - Viral CGI Playbook