Marketing In The Now

Why Business Owners Don’t Have To ”Carry The World”

In this episode of the In the Now Podcast, David Reske, CEO of Nowspeed, interviews business expert Electra Govoni to debunk the pervasive myth that business owners need to "carry the world on their shoulders." Many entrepreneurs operate under the belief that no one else can handle their business as well as they can. Govoni unpacks the dangers of this mindset, which include the fast track to burnout, limitations on scalability, and the impossibility of selling a business that's overly reliant on one person.
To mitigate these risks, Govoni offers pragmatic solutions. She advises business owners to focus on the truly critical aspects of their operations, and to consider bringing in fractional leaders or consultants for specialized roles. Process documentation is also highlighted as a crucial step in building a team that cares as much about the business as the owner does. A company culture rooted in a shared sense of purpose, mission, and vision helps inspire dedication among team members.
Govoni also delves into the downsides of the 'solo hero' approach, including the negative impact on one's health, stress levels, and personal relationships. She dismantles the cliché that business owners must work 60-hour weeks to succeed, advocating instead for a more balanced, sustainable model that distinguishes between building a company and merely creating a job for oneself. Designing roles with delegation in mind, she argues, can liberate business owners from the burdens they unnecessarily impose on themselves.
The role of a business coach in this transformational journey is vital. According to Govoni, a coach helps entrepreneurs set goals, decide on critical functions that don't necessarily need to be managed by them (like administration and financials), and build the confidence to delegate and trust others. By focusing on being visionary leaders rather than operational workhorses, business owners can indeed create successful, scalable enterprises without sacrificing their well-being.
Listen to this episode now!

Scaling Challenges with Small Businesses

Bill Gallagher, a renowned scaling and growth expert, CEO, serial entrepreneur, and much more joined David Reske, CEO of Nowspeed and Host of “In The Now” with a conversation largely revolving around the challenges small businesses face when scaling up and the leadership transformations necessary during such phases.
A prevailing myth that many hold is the notion that leading a large organization necessitates losing oneself. Bill debunks this, emphasizing that one's ambition and vision for their company need not be suppressed. He advocates for a "100X thinking" approach, a mindset where businesses don't just aim for modest growth but rather envision themselves being world leaders. This not only pushes boundaries but also brings about positive change on a global scale.
Drawing inspiration from Daniel Burnham, Bill stresses the importance of big ideas and high aims, likening it to setting goals as ambitious as moon landings or Shackleton's Antarctic journey. Such ambition is akin to taking on challenges as extreme as 300-mile foot races, emphasizing the idea of thinking beyond conventional limits.
However, ambition doesn't come without its obstacles. Fear of failure, the daunting prospects of success, and the pervasive imposter syndrome can be significant hindrances. Bill proposes that our Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs) should indeed be intimidating. They should challenge and stretch our capacities, pushing us to reach further.
A significant part of scaling involves attracting, inspiring, and engaging people. Bill suggests that when setting goals, they shouldn't be merely financially driven. Instead, they should be impactful, contributing to the betterment of the world, and something one can proudly dedicate their career to.
Leadership dynamics change as a company scales. Effective leaders in scaling businesses lead by influence and not just by authority. They inspire their peers, engage with their teams actively, and emphasize planning and coordination. Furthermore, adopting a coaching mentality, where leaders actively nurture and guide their teams, is crucial. Such leaders understand the fundamentals of their business, align with their team's aspirations, and adopt strategies that suit their unique personality and style.
Listen to more of this conversation now!

The New Rules of Personal Branding

In a revealing interview with Christine Perkett, President of Perkett PR, along with host, David Reske, CEO of Nowspeed Marketing, the essence of personal branding in career progression is highlighted. Contrary to seeing it as vanity, Perkett underscores it as a “walking resume” vital in today’s digital age. She emphasizes the blend of personal and professional lives online and the power individuals hold in shaping their narratives. Drawing inspiration from Martha Stewart's brand evolution, Perkett believes personal brands can pivot and evolve. She advises newcomers to identify their values and adapt content to various platforms, differentiating genuine personal branding from profit-driven influencers.
Hear more about how the rules of personal branding can change over time!

What is Content Marketing’s True Essence?

In a recent discussion, CMO Ian Feder and David Reske, CEO of Nowspeed, delved into content marketing's true essence, challenging the myth that it's solely about information delivery. Ian stressed the vital role of emotions in decision-making, highlighting differences between B2B and B2C dynamics. Feder emphasized a customer-centric approach, involving in-depth research, clear CTAs, and understanding the customer's journey. He also advocated for recognizing media consumption habits to tailor campaigns effectively. Feder's insights advocate for a holistic, emotionally-informed, and adaptive content marketing approach, underscoring the importance of continuous evolution based on comprehensive data. Listen to it in more detail now!

The Differences Between Product Placement & Thought Leadership

Annie Scranton, an expert in PR and media strategies and David Reske, CEO of Nowspeed, discuss the significance of financial investment for quality PR opportunities along with the differences between "Product Placement" in affiliate marketing and "Thought Leadership", highlighting the importance of aligning products with consumers' lifestyles. Initiating a PR campaign starts by understanding a client’s identity and market position. Scranton also suggests starting with trade press releases before progressing to broader platforms like local media. She underscores the transformative potential of Tier 1 media and the power of innovative opinion-editorials in capturing attention. 
 
Listen and learn more about PR strategies! 

How Do You Get the Most Out of Your Creative Agency?

Many marketing leaders believe that the way to get the most out of their creative vendors is to engage in only short-term projects without making a long term commitment to any one agency to increase pressure and / or quickly switch agencies whenever they want more. 
 
Paul Terrizzi, CEO of Indigo-One, a creative agency in Minneapolis, MN, along with David Reske, CEO of Nowspeed, believe that the way to get the most out of your agency is to be clear about your goals and your target market, and then build a trusting relationship with a long-term agency partner. Creative agencies work much better without drama or added expense when they work with clients that believe in the value of building their brand. This also gives their creative team the freedom and trust to do their best work. Is your creative agency a long-term partner, or just a simple transaction?
 
Listen to this episode to gain new insights about creative agencies?

How Companies Are Marketing For The Environment

Many people believe that the big companies that are making commitments on the environment are green washing, and just faking it for good press. Billy Cripe, VP of Marketing at CIBO, and David Reske, CEO of Nowspeed talk about how nothing could be further from the truth. Here is a front row seat to see how big companies are investing in better agricultural practices to help farmers lower their carbon footprint and to reduce their impact on climate change. In this interview Billy speaks first-hand about massive investments companies are making to improve the environment and the sincerity of the people behind the dollars. Listen to this insightful conversation to learn more about how regenerative agriculture is changing the world!

How Should Marketing Strategy Change as Your Company Grows?

Many marketing leaders believe that the marketing methods and practices that helped you launch the company, are the ones you should rely on to grow the business. This is especially true when you have early success and results are strong. Mike Mitchell, a fractional CMO and David Reske, CEO of Nowspeed, discuss the belief that marketing strategies need to evolve as a company grows and that it's dangerous to stay the course for too long. Talking to your customers and making sure you have alignment between sales and marketing leaders is the most effective way to make sure you are pivoting in the right direction. Listen to this enlightening conversation about a disciplined approach to changing and evolving his marketing strategy.

Does Marketing Experience Still Matter?

In a world of advanced marketing technology and AI, does marketing experience still matter? In this episode of In the Now, Marcelo Salup, a Fractional CMO with dozens of years of experience working for the largest ad agencies managing very large budgets for consumer products companies across the globe and David Reske, CEO of Nowspeed, talk about the value of experience in the marketing world. He believes that young, tech-savvy markers should get experience with big brands or solid agencies before they strike out on their own. Listen to this episode on a timeless topic!
 
 
 

How Can You Use AI to Compliment the Content You Need?

Most marketing leaders have to choose where to invest limited resources to create the content their potential customers needs.  According guest, Kyle Hamer, a fractional CMO and host of his podcast, artificial intelligence and David Reske, CEO of Nowspeed, tools like ChatGPT finally give us the ability to create ALL of the content we've ever wanted. This means that we can finally build personalized content at scale across the buyer's journey for all products, solutions and customer personas for both marketing and sales purposes. AI won't decimate marketing jobs, it's going to let us be more strategic and more creative to tell the stories that matter to our customers.
 
Join us for this engaging conversation to rethink how you plan content with AI!