Ever wonder how someone goes from frustrated agency employee to building a trusted content empire? Derek from NapLab shares his remarkable journey of turning a terrible mattress shopping experience into a business that replaced his salary in just two months.

In this episode, you'll discover Derek's "create what you wished existed" approach to content strategy, why he started testing mattresses in a cramped one-bedroom apartment with nothing but a cell phone and lamp lighting, and how this humble beginning led to one of the most trusted review sites in the mattress industry.

Key takeaways from this conversation:

• How to identify profitable content opportunities from your own consumer frustrations
• Why starting imperfectly beats waiting for the right equipment or skills
• The simple transparency strategy that builds more trust than any sales funnel
• How to monetize content without compromising your integrity or audience trust
• Derek's approach to weathering Google algorithm updates by focusing on authenticity
• Why saying no to sponsored content actually increased his revenue
• The North Star mindset that guides every piece of content he creates

Derek's story proves that authenticity and genuine problem-solving will always win over flashy marketing tactics. Whether you're a content creator, entrepreneur, or business owner looking to build trust with your audience, this episode offers a blueprint for turning your expertise into sustainable income while maintaining your integrity.

Connect with Derek at NapLab.com or find him on LinkedIn.

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

Tired of spending hours researching agencies only to end up more confused than when you started? In this episode, I reveal my solution to one of marketing's biggest time-wasters: finding the right agency partner.

After years of getting asked "Neal, who would you recommend?" for everything from SEO to video production, I decided to do something about it. I partnered with Clutch, the leading B2B service provider platform, to personally curate 12 specialized directories of agencies I actually recommend.

These aren't just random lists—each directory has been carefully vetted based on proven results, verified client feedback, and deep expertise. Whether you're a startup with a limited budget or an enterprise brand with complex needs, there's a trusted partner for you.

What You'll Learn:

• Why agency selection has become such a major pain point for marketers
• How my dual role as Fractional CMO shaped my approach to these directories
• The 12 specialized categories and what makes each one unique
• My personal curation process and selection criteria
• How to use these directories to save time and reduce risk in your agency partnerships
• What makes this partnership with Clutch different from typical agency lists

The 12 Curated Directories:

✅ Top Digital Marketing Agencies

✅ Best SEO Companies

✅ Leading AI Development Companies

✅ Creative Video Production Agencies

✅ Strategic Social Media Marketing Agencies

✅ Recommended Lead Generation Partners

✅ Trusted Ecommerce Development Companies

✅ Specialized WordPress Development Companies

✅ Expert Content Marketing Firms

✅ Proven Email Marketing Agencies

✅ Influential Influencer Marketing Agencies

✅ Preferred Facebook Advertising Partners

Key Takeaways:

• Great agency partnerships can be transformational, but poor fits waste time and money
• Starting with vetted lists dramatically improves your chances of finding the right partner
• These directories include global options across different price points and specialties
• The lists are living resources that I'll be updating as the industry evolves

Resources Mentioned:

• Access All 12 Directories: nealschaffer.com/clutch
• Learn More About Clutch: clutch.co/about-us

Individual Directory Links:

• My Top Digital Marketing Agencies
• My Best SEO Companies
• My Leading AI Development Companies
• My Creative Video Production Agencies
• My Strategic Social

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

Sales and marketing teams at war? You're not alone. While most companies treat these as separate functions fighting for resources, the winning businesses have cracked the code on true revenue alignment.

In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with A. Lee Judge, author of "CASH" and founder of Content Monster, who reveals the uncomfortable truth about why some companies are eliminating CMO positions entirely and replacing them with Chief Revenue Officers. But it's not what you think.

Lee, who uniquely served as both a marketer managing Salesforce and a bridge between warring departments, shares the simple meeting strategy that transformed competing teams into unified revenue machines. You'll discover the specific metrics that keep marketers employed when budget cuts come, and why learning to "speak sales language" isn't just helpful—it's survival.

Key Takeaways:

• Why the traditional marketing "handoff" to sales is dead (and what replaces it)
• The sports team analogy that will change how you view sales and marketing forever
• How to reverse-engineer closed deals to discover what marketing actually works
• The meeting hack that eliminates silos and creates alignment overnight
• Specific revenue-focused KPIs that prove marketing's worth to the C-suite
• Why 80% of the customer journey happens before sales gets involved

Whether you're running a team of 2 or 200, the principles Lee shares about creating feedback loops, shared metrics, and collaborative systems will transform how you think about growing your business. Perfect for marketing professionals, entrepreneurs, business owners, and anyone tired of internal battles hurting their bottom line.

Warning: This episode challenges everything most businesses believe about sales and marketing departments. Listen only if you're ready to revolutionize your revenue approach.

Guest Resources:

• A. Lee Judge's book "CASH: The 4 Keys to Better Sales, Smarter Marketing, and a Supercharged Revenue Machine" - Available on Amazon
• Content Monster (Lee's multimedia content agency) - contentmonsta.com
• A. Lee Judge's website - aleejudge.com

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

Struggling to compete with content creators for attention on social media? What if I told you that one innovative company decided to turn their entire team into creators instead of hiring expensive influencers?

In this revealing episode, I break down how Buffer revolutionized employee advocacy by moving beyond "please share our company posts" to "please build your own personal brand." The results? 90% participation, over 2.5 million total reach, and a cultural shift that's making competitors take notice.

This isn't your typical employee advocacy program - it's the future of user-generated content strategy, and it perfectly illustrates the Platform Authentic Content concepts from my book Digital Threads.

In this episode, you'll discover:

✅ Why traditional employee advocacy programs fail (and what Buffer did differently)

✅ The three-pillar system Buffer used: Slack community, resource hub, and Creator Café workshops

✅ How to shift from promotional mindset to authentic personal brand building

✅ Why empowering employees as creators beats hiring external influencers

✅ The impressive results: 4,100+ posts, 4M impressions, and measurable confidence growth

✅ How this strategy creates authentic brand advocates who understand the creator struggle

✅ Practical steps to implement this with just 3-5 employees (you don't need Buffer's resources)

Perfect for: Entrepreneurs and small business owners looking for authentic content strategies, marketers struggling with creator economy competition, and business leaders wanting to build stronger employer branding while scaling content creation.

Key Takeaway: Instead of competing with content creators, smart companies are creating their own creators from within - turning employees into authentic brand advocates while building their personal brands.

Resources Mentioned:

• Digital Threads by Neal Schaffer (available on Amazon)
• Buffer's Team of Creators case study

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

Tired of cold emails that get ignored? What if I told you that sending gourmet cookies could be more effective than your entire digital marketing budget?

In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with Corey Quinn, former CMO at Scorpion and author of “Anyone Not Everyone,” who reveals how gift-based outreach became their company’s #1 sales channel - outperforming a $6 million marketing budget that included ads, content, and 100 annual events.

Corey shares the exact strategy that helped close seven-figure deals with brands like Lululemon, ReMax, and Hyundai, and how his team scaled this approach to send 15,000+ gifts annually while growing the company to $200 million in revenue.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

✅ Why traditional cold outreach fails (and the psychology behind gift-based marketing)

✅ The “unique, striking, impression” framework for choosing the perfect business gifts

✅ How to build a high-quality prospect list that actually converts (it’s not about volume)

✅ The 6-step follow-up system that turns gift recipients into million-dollar clients

✅ Why timing is everything (and when to call after your gift arrives)

✅ The long-term strategy of consistent gifting that beats one-off campaigns

✅ Real case studies: From overnight FedEx cookies to custom embroidered pillows

Perfect for: Entrepreneurs and small business owners struggling with lead generation, content creators looking to monetize their audience through B2B services, and anyone tired of competing in the crowded digital marketing space.

Key Takeaway: Sometimes the most effective marketing strategy isn’t digital at all - it’s deeply personal and surprisingly analog.

Guest Bio: Corey Quinn is a sales and marketing expert who spent 19 consecutive quarters as the top producer at a digital agency before becoming CMO at Scorpion, where he helped scale the company to $200 million. He’s the author of “Anyone Not Everyone” and specializes in helping businesses escape the generalist trap through deep specialization and relationship-driven marketing.

Free Resource: Listeners can get Corey’s audiobook “Anyone Not Everyone” plus workbook, videos, and templates at anyonenoteveryone.com

Subscribe to the Your Digital Marketing Coach podcast for weekly insights on building and growing your business through strategic digital marketing.

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

Are you getting generic, robotic outputs from ChatGPT that sound like everyone else's AI-generated content? You're not alone—and you're definitely using AI wrong.

In this episode, I'm revealing my ASKNEAL™ framework, a revolutionary 7-step system I developed while revising my bestselling book "Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth." This isn't just another AI hack—it's a complete methodology for collaborating with AI tools to amplify your authentic voice across every aspect of your business.

What You'll Learn:

• The 7 steps of my ASKNEAL™ framework and how to implement each one
• Why most people's AI prompts fail (and how to fix them immediately)
• Real-world examples of the framework in action for LinkedIn, email marketing, and business strategy
• How to make AI sound like YOU, not like a robot
• The universal principles that work across all AI tools and use cases
• My personal story of developing this framework and the dramatic results

Special Announcements:

• Details on the revised and expanded Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth (nearly double the original content!)
• How current book owners can get a FREE upgrade to the new version
• Implementation challenge to test the framework this week

Whether you're a solopreneur struggling with content creation, a marketer trying to scale your output, or a business owner looking to leverage AI without losing your authentic voice, this framework will transform how you work with artificial intelligence.

Stop sounding like everyone else. Start sounding like the best version of YOU—with AI as your amplifier, not your replacement.

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

In today’s show, we’re going deep into one of the hottest topics for any entrepreneur right now: how to really use AI to grow your brand and business. Many of us know the power of AI, but we don’t always know where to start or how to keep our work from sounding robotic. That’s why this talk with John Suarez, co-author of The Marketer’s Manual on Generative AI, is so important. You’ll hear simple ways to plug AI into your daily tasks, tips to avoid overthinking it, and why your brand still needs your human touch to stand out. If you want to compete with bigger companies, save time, and unlock new growth, you won’t want to miss this.

Guest Links

• Connect with John on LinkedIn
• Buy John's Book: The Marketer's Manual on Generative AI: Harness AI to Lead, Innovate, and Profit in Business

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

Today we’re going to talk about something that can change the way you grow your brand — how you follow up.

So many people focus on getting new followers, but the real gold lies in the people you’ve already talked to.

It’s easy to lose track of warm leads, superfans, and partners when your messages are buried in your DMs and emails, which is why organizing your contacts and creating a system for follow up is so important.

When you have a personal CRM, you stop leaving money and relationships on the table and start to stay top of mind. You also are able to turn connections into real growth for your brand and business.

My recommended tool from this episode: Kondo

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com