Hey everyone, Branden O'Neil here from Atlas Rose. In this episode, we unpack why marketing got kicked out of the boardroom and turned into a crapshoot of tactics and false promises. From its roots in ancient Mesopotamia bazaars to today's self-inflicted wounds by overhyped marketers, we dive into how the industry broke itself and left small businesses frustrated and stuck. We talk real strategy: starting with business goals, aligning with personal vision, and adopting a proven methodology to make marketing a true growth engine again. No more Vegas bets – just solid frameworks that energize your business. If you're a small business owner tired of wasting money on shiny tactics, tune in and let's get strategic. Follow us on LinkedIn for more tips!

Guest Introduction: It's the Atlas Rose crew again: me, Branden O'Neil, with Randi Beth Burton and Monica Spieles. Over 13 years, we've seen the marketing trenches up close, from my Dave Ramsey days to coaching hundreds of small businesses. We're passionate about fixing what's broken in our industry and sharing methodologies that actually work.

Key Takeaways: • Marketing started simple – just communicating goods in ancient bazaars – but we broke it by turning it into overhyped tactics, removing it from real business strategy in the boardroom. • Don't treat marketing like a Vegas gamble; if it's just quick wins and low-hanging fruit without tying to business goals, you're setting up for failure and frustration. • Start with personal and business goals – marketing goals only exist to fulfill those, so misalignment creates inauthentic brands and wasted efforts. • Watch for red flags: If a marketer only pitches what they're good at, run – they're selling services, not strategy tailored to your needs. • Adopt a proven methodology like ours at Atlas Rose; it's built from years of reps, not guesswork, to make marketing efficient and growth-focused. • Even without a full plan, pause for 10 minutes on goals – it sparks clarity, blue ocean ideas, and aligns your team for real progress.

Chapter Markers: 0:00 Intro and Defining Marketing 1:10 Prospect Calls and Mismatched Definitions 2:35 Origins of Marketing – Flintstones to Mesopotamia 5:17 Self-Inflicted Wounds in the Industry 7:21 Asking the Right Questions for Strategy 9:25 Instant Gratification vs. Big Picture 10:37 Marketing as a Gamble – Undoing the Damage 13:06 Parallels to Other Industries 18:10 Approaching Marketing Strategically 21:07 Starting with Business and Personal Goals 23:12 Client Story: Stretch Goals Redefine Plans 25:54 Wrapping Up – Align Goals to Avoid Chaos 26:01 Red Flags and Makeup Counter Analogy 28:07 Sponsor Shoutouts and Close

Keywords: Branden O'Neil, Randi Beth Burton, Monica Spieles, Atlas Rose Podcast, marketing history, marketing strategy, small business growth, business goals, marketing methodology, fractional CMO, marketing tactics, boardroom strategy, Dave Ramsey, Pinnacle Guide, marketing frameworks