The Sandpaper of Marketing

As a marketer and storyteller, I have been part of teams responsible for building agencies, brands, and thought leaders. In that journey I’ve become known as marketing world’s sandpaper. Working with me is never frictionless. I’m going to challenge you, I’m going to call you out and call you in, and I expect you to do the same with me. When it works well, we make marketing magic.

What I’m Currently Working On.

LOUDMOUTH. Honestly, after Digital Natives Group (see below), I never wanted to start an agency again. It was a wonderful journey, but I was exhausted and felt despondent over the future of the industry. But then I remembered that, with the right people, I could carve out a home in the industry that built a home for creatives who shared my values and that we could advocate for the industry as we want it to be, rather than as it is.

Thus, LOUDMOUTH was born. A partnership with Ryan Benson, LOUDMOUTH is a Creative Advocacy Agency. We’re unwaveringly committed to being digital-first advocates for our people, our industry, our world, our clients, and their customers. Functionally, this comes alive through creator campaigns, content development, social community development, or wherever our clients, who have included Duolingo, Mountain House, and the Museum of Illusions, trust us to lead them.

Visit our website to learn more about us, or reach out for to discuss your project.

What I’ve Done.

Digital Natives Group. From 2011-2021, I co-founded and scaled the award-winning digital marketing agency Digital Natives Group. We worked our way up from helping the local ice cream shop to working with Fortune 500 companies (see the obligatory brag grid below), launching 75+ best-selling books, and earning top honors from the Webby Awards, the Shorty Awards, and Sprout Social (among others). Along the way, some incredibly powerful brands trusted us to tell their stories. More importantly, I was privileged to build a diverse team of storytellers and marketers who allowed me to play a role in shaping their careers and development.

In 2021, we sold Digital Natives Group and I joined Accelerate360 as the VP of Digital Marketing.

What I Have to Say.

Frequently, I’ve been given the opportunity to share my perspective and my words on marketing and brand strategy with outlets across the media landscape.

The topics I’m most frequently asked to comment on, and am available for comment on, include:

  • Marketing ethics

  • Marketing entrepreneurship and management

  • Agency management and retention

  • Branding and digital marketing

  • Marketing and mental health

You can poke around all that at the links below.

  • Failure to Launch: Delta Delivered Bad News And Did It Poorly

    For AdWeek, I assessed where Delta went wrong when they rolled out their updated SkyMiles program, and what other brands can learn from the fumble.

    Read More Here

  • 'Plague on the Industry': Book Publishing's Broken Blurb System

    What’s in a blurb? As a part of journalist Sophie Vershbow’s look at book blurbs, I shared my thoughts on their value to authors.

    Here's My Take

  • Creative Conversations with Jonathan Jacobs

    If only all my interviews could be about using creative skills for good! Exciting chat with Missed Opportunities for Good about how we can use storytelling to, well, do some good!

    Listen Here

  • Is Bluesky the new #MarketingTwitter?

    As Bluesky rose to prominence when users fled X/Twitter, I was one of several marketers asked by PRWeek to share my views on the platform’s potential.

    Here's My Take

  • They split their digital marketing agency — and sold for 15% more

    The team at They Got Acquired asked me to share the story of selling Digital Natives Group, from the highlights to the paints points.

    Read Our Story

  • Social Media Malpractice: Hijacking a Brand’s Social Account

    Alongside Chi Thukral in AdWeek, I explained why going rogue from a brand’s account is damaging to the trajectory of all social media managers.

    Read Our Take Here

  • Jonathan Jacobs on adding value through collaboration

    Sprout Social asked me to sit down for an interview to discuss my approach towards accomplishing effective collaboration with multiple client and partner stakeholders.

    Read Our Chat Here

  • Consent and the Future of Permission-Based Marketing

    Alongside Duncan Alney, I put forth a call to action to marketers to truly center customer experience.

    Here's What We Had to Say

  • How to Hold Onto Talented Agency Staff

    Had the chance to chat with Brooke Sellas for Social Media Examiner’s Marketing Agency Show on all things employee retention.

    Listen Here

  • Difference Between a Successful and a Bestselling Author

    Writing in Publishers Weekly, I shared what I believe is the one mindset shift separating a bestselling author from a successful one.

    Find Out Here

  • 6 social media marketers on the future of social messaging

    Along with five of my peers, I shared my predictions with Sprout on the future of social media messaging and commerce.

    Find Our Takes Here

  • Strategic Marketing for Your Book and Brand

    Richelle invited me onto her podcast to discuss the essentials of how to market your book and your brand in this brave new digital world.

    Listen Here

  • I Sold My Business. They Shut It Down. Here’s Why I’d Do It Again.

    I shared four strategies with Entrepreneur’s Handbook to help prepare founders for an exit that will set them up for success.

    Get My Tips Here
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