Unthinkable With Jay Acunzo

In a new 4-part Mini Series, we're unpacking how we create little pockets of resonance. Through conversations with sound designers, copywriters, comedians, and creatives, we are mapping out how we can create work that can make audiences feel connected, validated, and seen. First up is a conversation with brilliant copywriter Margo Aaron who walks us through some of her most powerful copywriting blogs, her opinions on watching the news (links below) and what copywriting can feel like when it’s done right.  SHOW LINKSMargo's essay on watching the news: https://www.thatseemsimportant.com/media/what-happened-when-i-stopped-watching-the-news/Jay's response to Margo's essay: https://jayacunzo.com/blog/differentiation-isnt-about-topics-how-to-find-actual-whitespace-to-stand-out SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery other Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for

Maker monsters often creep in at the least opportune times, drag us backwards, convince us of defeat, fill us with self-doubt, so where do we go from here? And what does that mean for our creative, professional work?We hear from Smithsonian’s Sidedoor podcast host and producer Lizzie Peabody and poet and keynote speaker, Tucker Bryant, about how their maker monster, perfectionism, creeps into their creative work. We dive into how they conquer, co-exist, or accept defeat with their own internal monsters and explore how we can each carve out ways to find joy in our work and continue to make what matters.*   *   *FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE:Lizzie Peabody: https://twitter.com/LizziePeabody and https://www.lizziepeabody.com/Lizzie's podcast, Sidedoor: https://twitter.com/SidedoorPod and https://www.si.edu/sidedoorTucker Bryant: https://twitter.com/tucksbryantTucker's speaking site: https://tuckerbryant.me/*   *   *SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: http

Learn more about Elevate and apply here: https://jayacunzo.com/accountability-group-for-b2b-marketers-creatorsThe first group begins work April 11.MORE DETAILS:Achieve your creative goals with small working groups of B2B creators and marketers, led personally by me, Jay Acunzo.8 weeks of guided work on your existing, most important projects, with 1:1 and 1:few time with me.Sharpen your ideas, be more creative, and earn more passionate fans and customers.Connect with successful, generous, creative peers, vetted by me personally. (The first group will be limited to 9 people, at most.)ELEVATE is a premium offering for B2B marketers and creators to avoid stagnation and keep improving their output and results. If you’ve ever been stressed about time (to be creative), focus (thanks to endless to-dos), differentiation (on merit, not gimmicks), or results (from work you genuinely loved creating)  ... this is for you.There is no one-size-fits-all “system.” Instead, this is a structured way for me to provide live and a

In this one-shot, Jay reflects on a childhood writing lesson that continues to impact how he approaches his work today.  SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times.SPONSOR: RiversideRiverside is the easiest way to record podcasts and videos in studio quality, from anywhere. Record separate audio tracks to avoid the cut-outs, optional video to enhance the show’s experience, and even clip content for sharing elsewhere, all without leaving the platform. Riverside is powerful enough to be used by Marvel, the NY Times, TED, Freakonomics, Indie Hackers, G

A story about a writer and entrepreneur with an audacious mission driving the organization he helps lead. Together, cofounder Stew Fortier and his community-led business Foster is helping writers who care about turning their ideas into timeless writing, not viral hits that quickly fade. They're here to fight back against the hollow noise, to develop important ideas from unique voices, crafted into writing that’s meant to resonate deeper, even as the internet trends shallow.But to do that kind of work, to bet on quality and resonance and originality, is to fly in the face of a certain kind of online creative culture. That culture and those who embody it might be the antithesis of what we stand for, running counter to our values. But it's impossible to ignore the temptation of audience reach and fame, especially when doing meaningful work can feel so hard, so much of the time.How do we reconcile reach and resonance? How do we build a creative business according to our values? Is it even possible to focus on ser

In this episode, we hear from the cofounder of the media company New Rockstars, Filup Molina, and their first head of operations, Holiday Kinard, about how a small team of creative people operating out of one tiny room established themselves as just part of the viewing experience alongside the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You can find New Rockstars on YouTube and become one of their nearly 4M subscribers at https://www.youtube.com/newrockstarsSHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jayGET REGULAR IDEAS FOR CREATING MORE RESONANT WORK:Join thousands of marketers, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and creative people both independent and in-house at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterVOICES IN THIS EPISODE:Filup Molina, cofounder of New Rockstars -  https://twitter.com/filupmolina | epicheroshop.comHoliday Kinard, COO of Zer

In the second installment of The Concept, we learn about the idea of learned helplessness, which causes us to hit our ceilings as creators or even refrain from pursuing an opportunity, never attempt to overcome a challenge, or simply avoid asking for help.  We learn how learned helplessness forms in the brain -- and what it DOES to our brain -- through two experiments involving both dogs and humans. Then, we learn about the three parameters of how we explain the world to ourselves and how we can spot moments of learned helplessness to CHANGE the story in our minds.SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia

Patrick Campbell is cofounder and CEO of the software company ProfitWell, which sells tools to help subscription businesses (SaaS and DTC) reduce cancellations and optimize pricing and ultimately earn more revenue.Their media team -- a small group of about 6 full-time employees and a few freelancers -- has been setting the B2B marketing world on fire of late, as they've created 11 original series in audio and video form, plus dozens of other projects.The thing is, these projects don't feel much like B2B marketing. ProfitWell isn't building a brand so much as creating culture -- and their brand's growth and the passionate fans surrounding the company become byproducts. Their culture-building activities include storytelling, sure, but also things called drops -- hot sauces, trading cards, and more.The company has also figured out how to balance the often competing desires of creative teams and deadlines or business goals. In doing so, they've overcome the biggest barriers holding back better creative work.TAKE

Suzy Batiz calls herself CEO to more conservative crowds, but PEO to everyone else. To define PEO, however, would be to make more than a few people blush. The Poo Executive Officer.Suzy is the founder of Poo-Pourri, a toilet spray that solves the problem of bathroom smells in a way that runs counter to conventional thinking. But more than the hilarious branding and advertising (and there's plenty of that, as we hear in this episode), Suzy and her company showcase the power of something called First-Principle Insights in helping us create more innovative work.SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubS

In this one-shot, Jay unpacks one of Rocky’s most iconic scenes to better understand how we can approach our own constraints and begin to use them to our advantage.SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times.SPONSOR: RiversideRiverside is the easiest way to record podcasts and videos in studio quality, from anywhere. Record separate audio tracks to avoid the cut-outs, optional video to enhance the show’s experience, and even clip content for sharing elsewhere, all without leaving the platform. Riverside is powerful enough to be used by Marvel, the NY

In the first installment of The Concept, we learn about telic and its opposite, paratelic. These ideas inform our own internal motivations -- or that of our teams -- and they can radically change the results we see from our work.SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times.SPONSOR: RiversideRiverside is the easiest way to record podcasts and videos in studio quality, from anywhere. Record separate audio tracks to avoid the cut-outs, optional video to enhance the show’s experience, and even clip content for sharing elsewhere, all without leaving the pl

Today, we hear the story of Patreon, as told by cofounder and CEO Jack Conte. More pressing for our purposes as makers, however, is the driving belief Jack shares which is the beating heart of the creator economy -- or should be.There's a coming fork in the road we'll face if we want to create for a living and thrive. The decision is embedded into the very name of the movement: creator economy. I think the pendulum has swung too far towards the economy part, and we need to remember what this is for: finding ways to fund the work and lives of the creative people who make our world -- and our experience of it -- better. SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands lik

In this one-shot, we unpack how we can become more discerning about the real intent behind lists. Jay walks us through a very special ingredient list for his mom’s famous green bean casserole to give us a real-life example of how sneaky lists can be.  SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times.SPONSOR: RiversideRiverside is the easiest way to record podcasts and videos in studio quality, from anywhere. Record separate audio tracks to avoid the cut-outs, optional video to enhance the show’s experience, and even clip content for sharing elsewhere, all

It’s a team that borders on a circus, bucks baseball traditionalists, and is unapologetically authentic. It’s a team that deeply resonates with fans both near and far, whose players go through “Fan First U” to join the team, and then try all kinds of atypical things to entertain fans -- sometimes off the field, and often, on it.What’s the difference between a fan and a customer? Why should baseball's walks be sprints? From dancing grandmas to babies in banana gear, hiring people using "future resumes" to asking fans for THEIR autographs instead. Even championships. Yes, winning baseball played by this wild and wacky team. Don't miss this one. There's no other team like the Bananas.SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers,

What does it take to create work that resonates? This week, Jay unpacks his framing of resonance - why it matters, why we should prioritize it, and how to build it - with one of his creative sparring partners, Jay Clouse. From dissecting how competition comes into play to analyzing how it differs from reach, they look at resonance from all angles. It’s a raw, messy, and unfiltered conversation that gives listeners a behind the scenes look at being an investigator in our own daily work. SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times.VOICES IN THIS EPISOD

Every week Jay waits until the last minute to write his weekly newsletter, why?  In this short episode, Jay unpacks why he puts a weekly constraint on himself and how that has served as a tactic to wrestle with, dance with, and address his persistent maker monster. SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times.SPONSOR: THE JUICEDiscover the world's best and brightest thinking and resources for sales and marketing pros on The Juice. They're like the Spotify of B2B, with content playlists and suggestions based on your job title and level. Avoid the endle

We often hear one word used to describe a person or team that's built something big: empire. They've built a business empire.For Chris Sharpe and Adriene Mishler, the idea might have applied ... but only at first. Chris (as CEO of YWA's company, Find What Feels Good) and Adriene (as the performer and personality) co-founded something that did expand in such a way that it felt empire-bound.But then they decided to make a switch.The reason why can be found hidden in how they speak to their audience.Today, a story about depth vs. breadth and reinvention vs. stagnation.SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wisti

No matter how new or experienced we are at the craft, inevitably, we face maker monsters -- these internal barriers that hold us down and prevent us from doing our best work. These aren't external factors like budget, time, team, or tools. Instead, they sound like imposter syndrome or fear of rejection or procrastination.Today, we explore the fear of being unoriginal. In the working world, that might sound like "differentiation." Regardless of how it shows up, all we can do is learn to confront it.SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times.VOICES IN

What does it look like when an organization, project, or individual’s work resonates so deeply that they have passionate fans and loyal followers who declare them a favorite? This week we start in the sometimes bland, boring space of team training software and follow the story of a surprisingly dynamic, brilliant and captivating idea from 360Learning -- an original series called Onboarding Joei. This short docuseries follows Joei Chan, a new employee, as she navigates her first 3 months on the job. The docuseries has become a phenomenon for the brand, earning Joei Chan devout fans and 360Learning followers, viewers, and customers that feel connected to the show and compamy. Highly personal and transparent, the show proves that when a company does something risky, sometimes the reward is more than they’d ever expect. The most important theme through it all? The audience consistently reacting with a very emotional, very rare comment: "I feel seen." SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite p

What does resonance really mean? In this short episode, we explore the science of resonance and how understanding the definition of the word can help us to focus on making content that matters. SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jaySUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://jayacunzo.com/newsletterEvery Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times.SPONSOR: THE JUICEDiscover the world's best and brightest thinking and resources for sales and marketing pros on The Juice. They're like the Spotify of B2B, with content playlists and suggestions based on your job title and level. Avoid the endless lead-gen forms, skip all the system-gamers found via Google searches,