Victoria Downing, president of Remodeler’s Advantage, has been leading top-performing peer groups for over three decades, helping business owners across North America achieve greater profits, stronger leadership, and better work-life balance. In this episode, she reveals how the structure, accountability, and shared wisdom of peer groups can cut your growth timeline in half. From managing group dynamics to fostering a culture of investment in teams, Victoria shares proven strategies any entrepreneur can apply to thrive.

Today we discussed:

00:00 Start
00:53 Introducing Victoria Downing
01:34 Remodelers Advantage Vision
02:58 Peer Groups as the Core Tool
04:06 Peer Group Structure & Impact
05:33 Adding Tactical Roles
07:23 Challenges for Remodelers
09:17 Peer Accountability & Transparency
11:54 Tech & Innovation
13:25 Group Dynamics & Placement
16:33 Success Stories
18:26 Other Peer Group Models
19:22 Industry Trends & Future

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Sara Nay is the CEO of Duct Tape Marketing and author of Unchained: Breaking Free from Broken Marketing Models. With over 15 years of experience helping small businesses grow, Sara returns to discuss the powerful concept of owning your marketing strategy. In this episode, she unpacks the shift away from outdated agency models toward building lean, AI-enabled systems and internal capabilities. Learn how to take control, simplify your marketing, and build lasting assets that fuel growth.

Today we discussed:

00:00 Introduction
00:52 Introducing Sara Nay
03:30 Costs and Risks of Outsourcing Marketing
06:31 Simplifying Marketing Through Focus and Strategy
08:29 Importance of Strategy Over Tactics
10:39 Evolving Marketing Roles: From Doers to Orchestrators
14:37 Adapting to AI: Career Mindset and Skill Development
16:34 Marketing Execution as an Asset: Owning vs Renting
19:27 The Role and Evolution of the Fractional CMO

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Rhea Allen is the President and CEO of Pepper Shock Media, host of The Marketing Expedition Podcast, and a branding expert who helps businesses build unforgettable brands from the inside out. In this episode, she dives deep into the connection between culture and branding — and why your internal team is the foundation of how the world sees your business. Discover practical strategies for aligning HR and marketing, fostering employee buy-in, and using storytelling to shape a culture that truly represents your brand.

Today we discussed:

00:00:00 Start
00:00:52 Introducing Rhea Allen
00:01:39 Culture vs. Brand
00:02:45 Hiring for Culture Fit
00:03:46 Culture & Brand Camp
00:05:27 Team Buy-In Through Values
00:06:29 Storytelling in Culture
00:07:47 Storytelling in Marketing
00:08:31 Rise of Authentic Stories
00:10:28 Authenticity vs. AI
00:13:19 Fun & Engagement in Culture
00:18:21 Culture ROI: Retention & Happiness
00:19:52 Final Thoughts
00:21:36 Closing & Contact Info

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Laura Ries is a globally recognized branding strategist, bestselling author, and president of Ries & Ries—the firm she leads alongside her father, legendary positioning pioneer Al Ries. In this episode, she unveils the powerful concept behind her latest book, The Strategic Enemy, and explains why great brands don't just stand for something—they stand against something. Discover how identifying a strategic enemy can give your brand clarity, focus, and unstoppable energy.

Today we discussed:

00:00 Start
00:52 Introducing Laura Ries
03:04 Defining a Strategic Enemy vs Competitor
03:37 Examples of Strategic Enemies in Branding
05:02 Understanding the Enemy as a Problem or Alternative
06:11 The Importance of Finding and Focusing on Your Enemy
06:52 Southwest Airlines: A Case Study in Focus and Enemy Positioning
08:08 Narrowing Focus as the First Step in Positioning
09:01 Category Importance and Brand Examples
12:46 Framework for Building a Brand and Finding Your Enemy
15:52 Entrepreneurial Success Stories: Airbnb and Others
18:33 Innovative New Brands and Category Ownership
20:40 Risks and Realities of Creating a Strategic Enemy

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Sara Nay is the CEO of Duct Tape Marketing and a pioneer in strategy-first marketing for small businesses. With over 15 years of experience in roles from intern to fractional CMO, she now leads the charge in redefining what it means to run a successful, modern agency. In this episode, Sara unpacks her new book Unchained, which introduces the groundbreaking “anti-agency” model—a practical, AI-enabled approach that empowers business owners to stop renting their marketing and start owning it. Listeners will walk away with actionable insights on building lean, AI-enhanced marketing teams and why leadership—not just execution—is the future of scalable growth.

Today we discussed:

00:00 Start
00:43 Introducing Sara Nay
01:37 Identifying Problems with the Traditional Agency Model
03:30 The Anti-Agency Model and AI's Impact on Marketing
05:22 Timeless Marketing Principles in the Age of AI
07:23 Challenges and Dangers of AI Adoption in Small Business Marketing
09:47 The Fractional CMO Plus Model for Small Businesses
14:45 Agency Mindset Shift to Stay Relevant in the AI Era
16:36 Practical Steps for Small Businesses to Take Ownership of Marketing
18:22 How Small Businesses Should Approach AI Integration
20:33 Closing and Resources

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Stacey Hylen is an internationally recognized business coach, growth strategist, and former Vice President of Chet Holmes International. With over two decades of experience helping entrepreneurs and Fortune 500s uncover untapped revenue, she is the author of the upcoming book Hidden Profits: More Clients and Cash. In this episode, Stacey reveals powerful, actionable strategies to boost profits—without spending more on marketing—including reactivating past clients, raising prices with confidence, and fixing hidden “profit leaks.” Tune in to discover how to shift from scarcity to abundance and transform your business into a revenue-generating machine.

Today we discussed:

00:00 Start
00:52 Introduction to Stacey Hylen
01:28 Hidden Profits Concept and Initial Story
02:38 Raising Prices and Overcoming Fear
03:44 Narrowing Focus and Attracting Ideal Clients
05:32 Profit Leaks and Focus on Revenue-Generating Activities
06:39 Shifting Sales Mindset from Selling to Serving
07:54 Business Owners' Relationship with Profit
09:48 Low Hanging Fruit: Reactivating Past Clients
11:42 Come Back Strategy Success Stories and Lessons
12:47 Repackaging and Repositioning Offers
13:53 Hidden Profits Framework: Reactivation and Upselling
15:06 Team Involvement in Sales and Cross-Selling
16:37 From Commodity to Couture: Positioning for Value
18:24 Surprising Client Results and Simple Strategies
20:02 Closing and How to Connect with Stacy Hyland

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Chris Ducker is a serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, and founder of Youpreneur, a leading personal brand business education company. He is the author of The Long-Haul Leader: How to Lead and Win in the Long Game of Business, a powerful guide to sustainable leadership and intentional growth. In this episode, Chris shares hard-earned insights on overcoming burnout, building meaningful work-life balance, and creating long-term impact as a leader. Listeners will walk away with a clear framework for leading with focus, resilience, and purpose in both business and life.

Today we discussed:

00:00 Start
01:03 Introduction to Chris Ducker
02:22 Discussing the Concept of Long-Term Business Leadership
04:59 Developing a Long-Term Mindset in Entrepreneurship
05:52 Advice for Younger Entrepreneurs on Focus and Leadership
07:58 Introducing the Book's Framework and Origins
11:22 Positioning the Book and Its Multifaceted Nature
12:44 Measuring Progress and the Importance of Hobbies
14:54 Why Creative Hobbies Boost Productivity
16:15 Analog Hobbies and Personal Stories
17:52 Personal Reinvention and Burnout Experience
21:08 The Value of Transparency and Leading Out Loud
24:24 Closing and Where to Find More Information

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Talia Wolf is an internationally recognized conversion optimization expert, keynote speaker, and founder of GetUplift—one of the world’s leading CRO agencies. She pioneered the concept of emotional targeting, a transformative marketing approach that taps into what customers truly feel and need. In this episode, Talia breaks down her four-step emotional targeting framework and shares how brands can dramatically boost conversions by crafting messages that connect on a human level. If you're tired of copycat marketing and want to create powerful customer experiences that truly resonate, this episode is a must-listen.

00:00 Introduction
01:04 Introduction to Talia Wolf
01:43 Defining Emotional Targeting
02:24 Common Website Mistakes and Emotional Targeting Approach
04:29 Limitations of Traditional Marketing Personas
05:46 Research Methods for Emotional Targeting
06:32 Ethics of Emotional Targeting
07:47 The Emotional Hook in Decision Making
08:25 Case Study: Teamwork and Customer-Centric Messaging
10:44 Honesty and Addressing Customer Pain Points
12:18 Overview of the Four-Step Emotional Targeting Framework
12:22 Step 1 & 2: Research and Synthesizing Insights
13:19 Step 3: Emotional Targeting Audit
14:29 Step 4: Running Meaningful Tests
15:25 Using Customer Language and AI in Emotional Targeting
17:09 Challenges and Importance of A/B Testing
20:51 Becoming Emotional Detectives
22:15 Closing and Contact Information

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