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Gary meets with Preston Bowman, CEO of Stone Creek Consulting, who recounts starting in radio at 13, becoming a licensed on-air teenager, and at 17 managing a radio station, which became a “business bootcamp” that sparked his love of business and marketing. After college (electronics engineering with a business minor) and early web-app development work, he built his business in 2001 and increasingly integrated marketing into web work, later partnering early with HubSpot and shifting to a marketing agency with a digital focus. Preston argues most companies confuse tactics with strategy and need an installed process. He outlines his “combustion marketing” framework: clear messaging (spark), irresistible offer (fuel), nurturing funnel that builds familiarity and trust (oxygen), and consistent follow-up (containment). He shares a recent example where a client’s “strategy” was only a social media calendar, and describes his diagnostic roadmap sessions that rate message/offer/funnel/follow-up and fix the most upstream issue first. Discover: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:28 Teen Radio Station Manager 03:59 From Radio to Tech Career 06:18 Early Web Development Days 09:23 Spaghetti Marketing Problem 14:05 Combustion Marketing Framework 18:53 Real Client Strategy Example 23:33 Diagnostic Roadmap Process 25:59 Who It's For and Next Steps 29:11 Final Advice and Wrap Up strategyeval.com

On this episode of the Pipelineology podcast, Gary interviews Joe Fontana, Chief Marketing and Growth Officer at BuyerForesight Amzai and author of "Fred Flintstone Selling In A George Jetson World," about using conversation-driven events to build pipeline for long-cycle, multi-stakeholder B2B deals. Joe argues that despite automation and AI, sales is fundamentally a series of human conversations, and his model focuses on curated micro-events centered on prospect pain rather than decks, demos, case studies, or self-promotion. He explains targeting and research over an eight-week window, the importance of defining the “why” that gets prospects into the room, and disciplined follow-up that continues the conversation without immediate pitching. He outlines fit criteria (B2B tech, law firms, associations) and shares contact info and his own monthly tastings as a no-pitch example. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:41 Joe’s Background and Sales Philosophy 02:31 What Conversation Events Are 05:11 Getting the Right People in the Room 09:21 No Pitch Decks or Prework 11:17 Follow Up That Builds Trust 13:23 How to Build the Target List 16:58 ROI Math and No Show Reality 18:48 Why Small Rooms Win 22:18 Owning Relationships Post Event 25:15 Who This Works For 29:20 How to Reach Joe 33:51 AI and Bad Outreach 34:57 Wrap Up and Thanks https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-fontana75/ [email protected]

Gary talks with Arthur Germain, principal and Chief Brandteller at Brandtelling, who describes his background from publishing to PR and explains that differentiation comes from client stories, not feature lists. They discuss how over-reliance on AI can make company messaging bland and uniform, and how AI works best with active human editing and guardrails. Arthur outlines his approach using Simon Sinek’s Start With Why plus an added “who” audience layer, and stresses writing a “brand bible” to prevent narrative drift as companies grow or acquire others, avoiding watered-down committee messaging. He shares “vibe coding” Brand Bots (brandbots.brandtelling.net), including tools to assess tone across five axes and an MSP-specific “MSP Sound Like” commoditization score. Examples include rebranding Sunrise Electrical to Sunrise Power Solutions and a law firm differentiating via a strong point of view on training. Arthur recommends using customer verbatims to refine messaging and says he works with growth-stage professional services firms, starting with a brand narrative audit at brandtelling.com. Discover: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:32 Arthur’s Brandtelling Origin 01:20 AI Makes Brands Sound The Same 03:25 Using AI With Guardrails 05:37 Start With Why and Who 07:55 Avoiding Committee Speak 10:09 Vibe Coding Brand Bots 13:26 Tools for Tone and MSPs 14:59 Narrative Drift and Foundations 16:12 Before After Brand Story 20:06 Differentiation Through POV 22:00 Customer Verbatims for Messaging 25:40 Who Arthur Helps and Contact 27:44 Wrap Up and Thanks brandtelling.com brandbots.brandtelling.net

In this episode of the Pipelineology podcast, Gary is joined by Stacy Thal, founder of Brand Brands Better. Stacy shares her career path from screenwriting (including working with Francis Ford Coppola, who taught her “build it up, tear it down” and that writing is in the editing) into marketing and brand strategy. She explains how she helps startups, investors, founders, and CMOs connect founder and investor ambitions with what customers actually want, drawing on experience with companies like Google, Walmart, Yahoo, and agency work for brands including LinkedIn and Samsung. Stacy emphasizes storytelling through “intensive experienced acute listening” rather than being “shouty,” citing Google Store learning that customers cared more about connection than specs, and a connected-fitness brand discovering weight loss mattered most to the market. She discusses brand blunders like Lululemon’s Great Wall stunt, her pivot to startups after repeated layoffs, her day-one process of auditing and building foundational brand strategy, and how to contact her via brandbrandsbetter.com or LinkedIn. Discover: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:27 Stacy’s Brand Mission 02:25 Coppola Screenwriting Roots 06:16 Storytelling Through Listening 08:48 Google Store Human Story 11:14 Company Values vs Market 13:28 Brand Blunders 16:23 Why Startups Over Big Brands 19:09 Day One Brand Audit 21:42 Huddle Pivot Case Study 24:07 When to Reach Out 25:43 Wrap Up and Thanks brandbrandsbetter.com linkedin.com/in/stacythal

On this episode of the Pipelineology podcast, Gary interviews Niki McKinnell of McKinnell Consulting. She shares her path from government crisis communications to B2B SaaS marketing and consulting, focused on proactive story building and elevating company messaging. She explains how many companies lose leads by not responding within minutes and recommends low-effort automation: connect form fills to an immediate calendar booking option, trigger rep-like follow-up emails if no meeting is booked, and add alerts and reminders for sales. Niki defines “stabilization” as aligning teams and processes across the customer lifecycle to move faster, close more deals, and retain customers. She outlines repurposing content (e.g., turning webinars into transcripts, guides, blogs, clips, and thought leadership) using tools like Claude with brand context, noting AI gets ~80% and still needs human review. She also details pre-event planning, lead capture and prioritization, ROI measurement, and swag/gifting strategies, emphasizing cross-functional go-to-market alignment to prevent breakdowns like selling unfinished products and to refine messaging based on field feedback. Discover: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:40 Niki Career Journey 02:07 Automated Lead Capture 04:23 Easy Automation Setup 05:44 Stabilizing Go To Market 06:44 Repurposing Content Smarter 09:53 Claude Workflow for Drafts 12:39 Quality Control With AI 14:18 Event Prep and ROI 17:17 Lead Scanning and Prioritization 19:43 Swag and Gifting Strategy 23:14 Aligning Teams and Launches 27:33 Messaging From Field Feedback 31:02 Wrap Up and Thanks linkedin.com/in/nikimckinnell

In this episode of the Pipelineology podcast, Gary interviews Scott Wasserman of Wasserman Revenue Advisors, a fractional CMO for B2B SaaS and PE-backed companies focused on pipeline-driven growth, dark social, demand gen, and rev ops alignment. Scott shares his unusual path from owning a successful Hair Club for Men franchise to building a digital marketing consultancy by learning inbound marketing through HubSpot as metrics and measurable channels emerged. He explains how buying behavior has shifted to “dark social” touchpoints - Slack, podcasts, private messages, and algorithm-driven platforms, making attribution harder, and suggests adding “how did you hear about us” back to forms to regain signal. They discuss AI’s impact: it accelerates work like metrics and content creation but can create “AI slop,” requiring a human voice and careful use. Scott emphasizes streamlining, testing ideas, and relationship-based networking rather than pitch-heavy outreach, and advises contacting him via LinkedIn. Discover: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:01 Scott’s Unusual Career Start 02:13 Digital Marketing Metrics Shift 04:29 Paid Ads and Hidden Touchpoints 06:25 Dark Social Explained 11:14 What to Do About Dark Social 13:04 AI Changes Content and Work 15:50 Avoiding AI Slop and Staying Human 17:33 AI Efficiency vs Job Fears 20:13 Jurassic Park Moment on Reporting 21:02 Streamline With AI 22:22 Test And Learn 24:00 The AI Fix 25:01 Talk Like Humans 26:00 Real LinkedIn Networking 30:07 From Chat To Business 32:12 Everyday Conversation Skills 38:52 How To Reach Scott 40:26 Final Wrap Up linkedin.com/in/scottwasserman

Gary interviews Kyle Campbell, serial entrepreneur and founder of Dark Matter Strategic, about his path from high-ticket sales floors (including early work with Russell Brunson and other marketing accounts) to starting agencies in 2012 and forming Dark Matter Strategic in 2018. Kyle explains his firm’s focus on lead management, emphasizing revenue capture and recovery over generating more leads. Many businesses fail to respond quickly or at all, causing major revenue leaks. He shares examples of poor follow-up from service contractors and companies at the Consumer Electronics Show, and cites the importance of rapid response to inquiries. Kyle discusses using AI and automation to improve speed-to-lead, summarize conversations for human handoffs, and streamline repetitive operational tasks, while warning that AI layered on broken systems only exposes problems faster. He also outlines database re-engagement: cleaning and segmenting lists, targeting proven offers, and leveraging existing leads, and provides ways to connect via LinkedIn, Facebook, and darkmatterstrategic.com. Discover: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:36 Kyle’s Origin Story 02:28 Wild West Sales Floors 04:38 From Sales to Agency Life 06:29 You Don’t Need More Leads 08:05 Speed to Lead Stats 11:39 Why Leads Get Missed 13:28 AI Follow Up and Handoffs 18:28 Where AI Delivers ROI 20:52 Database Reengagement Goldmine 23:14 Direct Mail and Old School Plays 26:05 No One Magic Script 27:20 Where to Find Kyle 29:06 Closing Thanks and Wrap Up https://www.darkmatterstrategic.com/ linkedin.com/in/kyle-campbell-b5194b20

In this episode of the Pipelineology podcast, Gary meets with Ben G Kaiser, owner of Kaiser Media Group. Ben shares how he built a YouTube tech review business over 8–9 years by publishing 2,200 videos, growing to 140,000 subscribers, 50 million views, and 16 million in tracked tech sales, which led to brand work with companies like Intel and Lenovo. He explains how small businesses can apply the same principles without big production budgets by focusing on a specific target audience, telling client success stories, and creating direct, intentional content rather than “vanity” pieces. Kaiser outlines his “Pillar Content Flywheel” framework to organize content into pillars that keep audiences engaged and help dominate a niche, tying it to StoryBrand’s guide/hero concept. He also describes how extensive content can help AI tools like Claude “vet” and recommend consultants, and notes his LinkedIn 30-day content prompt challenge and how to contact him via LinkedIn DM. 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:19 Ben’s YouTube Origin Story 02:57 Landing Big Brand Deals 04:34 Content for Small Businesses 07:28 Storytelling That Connects 11:33 Pillar Content Flywheel 16:07 Content That Sells for You 17:49 AI Discovery and The Peacocks Echo 20:55 Avoiding Vanilla Content 22:56 Who Ben Works With 24:55 How to Contact Ben 25:30 Wrap Up and Takeaways linkedin.com/in/bengkaiser

In this episode of the Pipelineology podcast, Gary is joined by Chris Inman, founder of I.D.E.A. Cleveland, who shares his path from high school video work to sports broadcasting and corporate video production before shifting to helping small businesses use video to grow. Chris explains the “content treadmill” and argues most businesses fail with video because they don’t decide what each video is supposed to do for sales. He emphasizes strategy before content, setting goals and KPIs tied to leads and revenue, and building trust and authority over time through a customer journey that turns cold audiences into warm leads. Chris outlines a framework to ask before hitting record - who the content is for, why they would subscribe, what questions the show should answer, and how viewers go deeper through a non-lazy call to action rather than “book a meeting.” He discusses consistency as consistency of messaging, not posting frequency, and recommends evergreen topics based on common prospect questions and sales conversations. Chris suggests growing faster by being a guest on other shows and promoting content beyond YouTube, including creative uses like QR codes on business cards. He closes by inviting listeners to connect with him on LinkedIn and to check out his book, “Stop Wasting Money On Marketing: A No-Fluff Guide to Building a Plan That Actually Works,” available on Amazon, and his website ideacleveland.com. Discover: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:32 Chris Inman Origin Story 03:05 Video System Not Treadmill 05:25 Strategy Before Record 08:32 Customer Journey to Trust 12:10 Who Why What How Framework 14:23 Calls to Action That Convert 18:09 Avoiding Burnout With Cadence 18:47 Consistency Is Messaging 20:29 Evergreen Topics From Sales 21:02 Repurpose And Drive To Website 22:26 Use AI To Mine Questions 24:05 Intentional Content For Sales 24:50 Simple Video Setup That Works 27:07 Audio First Gear Advice 30:27 Be A Guest To Grow Faster 32:30 Promote Beyond Algorithms 33:47 Objection Handling Video Library 35:01 Where To Connect And Learn More https://www.linkedin.com/in/ideacle/ https://www.ideacleveland.com/about Chris's Book: Stop Wasting Money on Marketing: A No-Fluff Guide to Building a Plan That Actually Works

In this episode, Gary chats with David Wachs, founder and CEO of Handwrytten, the world's largest provider of automated handwritten notes. David shares his journey from running a text messaging company to establishing Handwrytten, which sends out 15,000 to 30,000 handwritten notes daily for various businesses. They discuss the unique impact of handwritten notes on client retention and ROI, drawing comparisons to digital methods like emails and text messages. David explains the technology behind Handwrytten's robots and provides practical advice on leveraging handwritten notes for building client loyalty. They explore real-world success stories, the spillover effect, and methods to test handwritten notes' effectiveness, emphasizing the value of personal touch in modern marketing. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:24 David Wachs' Background and Handwrytten Overview 01:46 The Unique Value of Handwritten Notes 05:25 Handwritten Notes as a Retention Tool 05:33 Outreach Strategies with Handwritten Notes 09:27 Case Studies and ROI of Handwritten Notes 15:53 The Technology Behind Handwrytten 18:27 The Spillover Effect in Customer Experience 20:21 Getting Started with Handwritten Notes 23:31 Conclusion and Farewell www.handwrytten.com

In this episode, Gary welcomes Kris Rudeegraap, co-CEO and co-founder of Sendoso. Kris shares his decade-long entrepreneurial journey, from working in sales roles at various software startups to founding Sendoso in response to the saturation of email marketing. Throughout the conversation, Kris delves into the innovative solution Sendoso offers: a platform for automated, personalized direct mail and gifting aimed at improving sales engagement and building better relationships. Key topics include the evolution of sales enablement, the decreasing effectiveness of email as a sole channel, the benefits and methods of personalized gifting, and how Sendoso utilizes AI and data to optimize gift selection and delivery. Kris also discusses effective strategies for integrating gifting into various stages of the sales funnel and provides practical advice for businesses looking to adopt this approach. For those interested in exploring new ways to engage prospects and customers, Kris offers insights and resources available through Sendoso's platform. 00:00 Introduction and Special Guest Announcement 00:26 Kris Rudeegraap's Entrepreneurial Journey 03:26 Challenges and Evolution in Sales Strategies 04:47 Effective Marketing Channels and Tactics 08:32 Personalized Gifting Strategies 13:12 Addressing Common Concerns and Misconceptions 20:12 Implementing and Scaling Gifting Solutions 24:02 Conclusion and Contact Information Sendoso.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudeegraap/ [email protected]

In this episode, Gary interviews Joe Toscano, CEO of Service Stories, renowned keynote speaker, and author of 'Automating Humanity'. Joe discusses his extensive background in AI, his work in Silicon Valley, and his contributions to the Netflix documentary 'The Social Dilemma'. He provides insights into how Service Stories was developed to help service-based businesses, like auto shops and plumbing services, transform their daily tasks into effective AI-generated content. The conversation emphasizes the evolution of SEO towards long-tail, conversational search queries and the significant traffic increases businesses can achieve by automating and optimizing their content for AI. Joe outlines the tangible benefits users have experienced, including a 410% increase in direct traffic. He also provides practical guidance on the implementation and contact information for interested listeners. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:32 Joe Toscano's Background and Career 02:32 The Birth of Service Stories 03:40 Challenges in SEO and AI Answers 05:52 The Evolution of Search and AI 09:27 Service Stories' Approach to Content Creation 13:43 AI in Professional Content and Future Prospects 16:47 Implementing Service Stories in Businesses 19:22 Marketing Strategies for Auto Shops 19:49 Creating Content with Minimal Effort 21:10 Efficiency in Content Creation 22:01 Turning Content into Traffic 23:09 Adapting to Modern Search Queries 24:29 Long Tail Keywords and SEO 28:13 Real-World Success Stories 29:27 Service Stories: The Future of Marketing 32:35 Getting Started with Service Stories servicestories.com [email protected]

In this episode, Gary chats with Jeff Bajorek, founder and principal of Parabola Consulting. With two decades of sales experience, Jeff shares insights on selling with authenticity, uncovering organizational blind spots, and understanding why customers buy. The conversation covers improving customer relationships, leveraging unique value propositions, and the importance of genuinely believing in the product you sell. Jeff also discusses his Seven Steps to Sell Like You framework and delves into how organizations can better understand and serve their best customers. For those looking to enhance their sales team's performance, Jeff offers practical advice and resources available on his website. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:57 Jeff Bajorek's Background and Career Journey 03:11 Understanding Sales Blind Spots 06:59 Strategies for Sales Success 10:54 The Importance of Customer Relationships 15:28 Navigating Corporate Challenges 19:40 Ethics and Modern Sales Practices 24:34 Believing in Your Product 28:44 Jeff Bajorek's Consulting Services 32:04 Conclusion and Contact Information jeffbajorek.com/blindspots linkedin.com/in/jeffbajorek

In this episode of the Pipelineology podcast, Gary is joined by Branko Kral, a growth marketing advisor with a background that includes leading Backlinko at Semrush. Branko shares his journey through various roles in growth marketing and technical SEO, emphasizing the crucial role of firsthand experience in content creation amid rapidly improving AI and LLM models. He discusses where AI has significantly impacted efficiency, including in video editing and data analysis, and highlights the importance of maintaining transparency and moral standards in AI applications. The conversation explores practical strategies for integrating AI into workflows without sacrificing authenticity and the irreplaceable value of human judgment and relationships in business. Branko also shares insights into how he helps tech and health companies enhance their expert authority and build effective teams. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:25 Branko Kral's Background and Experience 02:34 The Future of Content with AI 04:37 The Importance of Firsthand Experience in Content 09:22 Ethics and Moral Standards in AI 15:48 Effective Uses of AI in Workflows 19:49 The Role of Humans in an AI-Driven World 28:16 Branko Kral's Services and Contact Information 30:34 Conclusion   linkedin.com/in/brankokral [email protected]

In this episode, Gary welcomes Dr. Lyman Montgomery, the founder of Coach Lyman, who shares his expertise in using AI while maintaining a personal touch. Dr. Montgomery talks about his journey and his role as a clarity and cultural strategist who helps businesses and entrepreneurs stay focused and build healthy cultures. He introduces his Five S System and discusses how AI tools can revolutionize business operations. Dr. Montgomery also emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries with AI, ensuring it serves as a partner rather than a replacement for human interaction, particularly in sensitive situations. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:18 Dr. Lyman Montgomery's Background 02:27 AI in Business: Challenges and Opportunities 05:01 Effective Use of AI Tools 14:13 The Five S Framework 21:18 Ethical Considerations and Limitations of AI 27:30 Recommended AI Tools 29:06 Final Thoughts and Contact Information CoachLyman.com