Marketing School | Digital Marketing | Online Marketing

Neil and Eric break down Hamilton Helmer’s 7 Powers framework for building a durable competitive business: branding, process power, switching costs, scale economies, cornered resources, network economies, and counter positioning. They apply these strategy concepts to agencies, then shift to AI moats and vertical integration, noting why Google stands out across the AI stack (apps, models, cloud, and chips like TPUs). The conversation closes with practical leadership lessons on AI fluency programs, hackathons, KPI-driven adoption, and avoiding “AI theater” so automation actually drives revenue and profit. Key takeaways: -7 Powers = clearer moat strategy -AI fluency must move KPIs -Vertical integration wins AI stacks Chapters (00:00) 7 Powers moat framework (00:26) Counterpositioning examples (00:36) Network effects and platforms (00:47) Cornered resources explained (01:04) Switching costs in agencies (01:22) Process power in manufacturing (03:12) AI leader and best moat (05:40) AI fluency hacka

Neil and Eric break down their biggest marketing predictions for 2026, covering SEO’s rebound, AEO reality checks, AI workflow automation, community building, in-person events, and why switching costs now matter more than product market fit. Recorded on Christmas Eve, this episode dives into how agencies, SaaS companies, and enterprise brands should adapt as AI accelerates feature parity and channels evolve. From go-to-market engineers to owned communities, this conversation is a practical roadmap for marketers planning the year ahead. Key takeaways: • SEO and AEO will coexist, not replace each other • In-person events and community will outperform algorithms • Switching costs beat features in modern SaaS Chapters: (00:00) Christmas Eve kickoff (00:30) SEO uncertainty and recovery (02:12) 2026 marketing predictions (03:26) Go-to-market engineers (05:40) AEO vs SEO reality (08:44) Community strategy mistakes (10:45) AI product market fit shifts (13:29) Switching costs over features (16:20) Fi

Neil and Eric break down why “storyteller” is suddenly the hottest corporate job title, from a Wall Street Journal trend to LinkedIn listings doubling in a year and Vanta paying up to $274,000 for a Head of Storytelling. They unpack why storytelling matters more in an AI-heavy marketing world, how to create tension using “but” beats, and why MrBeast-style narrative hooks keep viewers glued. Then they shift to YouTube strategy data: ideal video length by niche, tighter titles, and what thumbnails really do. singlegrain.com Key takeaways: -Storytelling is the AI-era differentiator. -Tension beats “and then” every time. -YouTube winners optimize length, titles, and thumbnails. Chapters: (00:00) Corporate storytellers surge (01:19) Emotional roller coaster writing (02:19) MrBeast storytelling formula (03:20) “But” creates tension (06:47) Enterprise sales de-risking (10:00) Viral YouTube data study (12:13) Best video length ranges (13:39) Titles, faces, thumbnail text (16:01) Closing thoughts

Neil and Eric break down smart bets from a work and investment perspective, why crypto still has upside potential, and why hiring great people only works at the right stage of business. They share real numbers behind outbound email, gift card incentives, and ROI, then unpack the biggest marketing wins and losses of 2025. The episode wraps with how podcasts actually make millions through ads, brand trust, and backend conversions, plus lessons from growing agencies, software, and global marketing strategies. Key Takeaways • Crypto and self-investment beat most external bets • Lead quality matters more than lead volume • Podcasts drive millions beyond ad revenue Chapters (00:00) Work and investment gambles (00:14) Crypto vs people investments (01:15) Hiring timing mistakes (03:14) Best investments in business (04:01) Biggest marketing wins 2025 (05:45) Outbound email ROI breakdown (10:38) Biggest marketing losses (14:44) How podcasts make millions

In this episode, Neil and Eric break down the rise of AI hype versus real usage, using Harvey AI, Microsoft Copilot, and ZoomInfo as case studies. They discuss $8B AI valuations, low user adoption, retention challenges, and why paying for AI does not equal value. The conversation covers venture capital incentives, SaaS economics, AI theater, and what actually drives ROI in sales, marketing, and engineering. The key question: are companies buying AI for results or optics, and when will real value show up? Key Takeaways: -AI revenue ≠ AI usage -Valuations are outpacing adoption -Monthly recurring value matters more than ARR Chapters: (00:00) Harvey AI valuation surge (01:06) AI usage vs paid licenses (02:20) VC incentives vs PE reality (04:06) Retention and adoption issues (06:22) Copilot enterprise usage data (07:58) AI impact on sales teams (10:01) ZoomInfo AI ROI breakdown (16:25) AI SEO vs traditional SEO

Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Need marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/ Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire Hosted by Neil and Eric, this surprise live episode breaks down the best business investments of the year: choosing high-quality entrepreneur peer groups (YPO, EO style forums), saying yes to selective lunch networking, and protecting the talent bar with founder-level hiring discipline. They unpack why great people compound results, how enterprise deals often start from event relationships and long RFP cycles, and why relational wealth beats monetary wealth. Plus, favorite AI tools for productivity and marketing: Granola for meeting notes, Nano Banana for ad images, and NotebookLM for faster slide decks. Sponsor: npdigital.com. Key takeaways: -Peer groups: quality over quantity. -Networking lunches: 2 to 3 wins per 10. -Talent bar: founders must enforce it. Chapters: 00:00

Neil and Eric break down the real hiring mix between sourced candidates and job ads, why executive hiring should come from your network, and how overwhelmed recruiting teams change the playbook. They share practical LinkedIn recruiting tactics, the “open to work” signal they use when evaluating acquisitions, and why culture is a 60-day moving average. Plus, a sharp debate on services vs SaaS, why bad hires compound into the “Bozo explosion,” and a quick shout to MP Digital, Ubersuggest, and Answer The Public at npdigital.com. Key takeaways: -Sourcing wins for director-plus hires. -Job ads can uncover surprising talent fast. -Bad hires compound into massive output loss. Chapters: (00:00) Hiring sources vs job ads (01:54) Executive roles: hire by network (06:55) “Open to work” acquisition signal (08:50) Culture is a 60-day average (15:47) MP Digital and SEO tools (16:09) Services business vs SaaS (22:30) Organic social and YouTube audit (23:39) B players and Bozo explosion

Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Need marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/ Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire Neil and Eric break down why founders can’t outsource recruiting, how “A players” attract more A players, and why the first hires become your company’s DNA. They share a real hiring story (an “expensive” bet that paid off), a simple test to spot weak links on a team, and why replacing instead of micromanaging unlocks self-managing teams. You’ll also hear practical retention ideas for top talent, plus a quick take on YouTube growth trends, packaging vs. over-optimizing metrics, and why niche, high-intent audiences monetize better. Sponsored mention: Karrot.ai. Key takeaways: -A-players hire A-players, fast. -Don’t manage harder, hire better. -Views are vanity, revenue is strategy. Chapters: 00:00 Founder-led recruiting matters 01:00 Co-founder recruiting leverage 02:10 Exp

Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Need marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/ Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire Neil and Eric break down the “decline of AI” narrative and why red growth charts for vibe coding tools like Cursor, Lovable, and Windsurf can be misleading. They unpack churn vs stickiness, unrealistic ARR expectations, and why enterprise coding revenue (especially Anthropic Claude Code) still signals strength. Using Ramp AI Index spend data, they discuss the momentum of OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, plus why marketers are shifting from tool-chasing to KPI-driven fundamentals. They also review Granola AI meeting notes and why data verification matters. Key takeaways: -AI bubble fears ≠ AI slowdown -Enterprise AI adoption is the real signal -Verify AI outputs before decisions Chapters: 00:00 AI “death” chart debate 02:00 Data accuracy and enterprise revenue 03:18 Unrealis

To get ad placements on premium websites, go to https://discover.taboola.com/ms. Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Need marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/ Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire In this episode, Neil and Eric debate whether running a company is like raising kids, then pivot into a wild pricing lesson: how “at capacity” scarcity can filter buyers and increase close rates for consultants and service businesses. They unpack where fake scarcity breaks (enterprise), why AI is reshaping marketing agencies, and how software plus services can stay differentiated. Plus, a look at Menlo Ventures’ enterprise GenAI data, why coding spend dominates, and why hallucinations hit marketing harder than verifiable domains like code. Key takeaways: -Scarcity is a filter, not a trick. -Enterprise buyers punish “we’re too busy.” -AI makes coding sticky, marketing messy. Chapters: 00:00 Co

Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Need marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/ Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire In this episode, Neil and Eric debate whether answer engine optimization AEO is overhyped, breaking down Ahrefs data on ChatGPT vs Google traffic, why search still drives most discovery, and how to think about AI search optimization across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and more. They share real AI ROI examples from Goldman Sachs research, talk LLM use cases for marketing, sales, and ops, discuss AI's impact on jobs, and reveal their favorite AI stocks and winning marketing formula heading into 2026. Key takeaways: • AEO vs SEO, why AI search is overhyped now but essential long term. • Real-world AI ROI from JP Morgan, UPS, Target, Chipotle, and more. • How Neil and Eric use ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and other LLMs to scale marketing. Chapters: 00:00 AEO vs SEO hype 01:02

Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Need marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/ Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire In this episode, Neil and Eric break down the concept of "Rich vs King" AKA Money Vs Power, using Microsoft vs SAS Institute to explore wealth vs control, equity, and generational businesses. They talk ambition after kids, compounding, TAM, IQ, focus, and why learning beats raw talent in entrepreneurship. You’ll hear how to think about billion dollar goals, picking the right niche (like HVAC), improving your focus over decades, and why B2B marketers misuse LinkedIn account-based marketing, plus how karrot.ai helps fix it. Key takeaways: -Rich vs king: choosing control or maximum upside as your company scales. -Compounding, focus and the right niche beat raw IQ in business. -Ambition, kids and balance reshape your path to billion dollar outcomes. Chapters: (00:00) Rich vs

Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Need marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/ Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire Neil and Eric break down why patience, focus, and real value creation beat hype, why hating billionaires signals misplaced blame, and why virality and vibe coding rarely build durable companies. They explore bad actors vs success, the trap of chasing views, and why true leverage comes from solving customer problems, not dopamine hits or internal DIY tools. A sharp look at modern startup culture, attention chasing, and what actually lasts. Key takeaways: • Patience compounds faster than virality • Value creation beats attention chasing • Focus builds generational companies Chapters: (00:00) Founder patience (02:20) Learning through osmosis (04:55) Billionaires debate (07:30) Vibe coding limits (11:55) Virality misconceptions (17:40) Operating vs popularity (20:40) Gene

To get ad placements on premium websites, go to https://discover.taboola.com/ms Need marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/ Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire Live events, in-person leadership, and long-term planning take center stage as Neil and Eric unpack why Elon Musk says live events are the last true luxury, how in-person time deepens team relationships, and why three-year planning beats short-term thinking. They break down accountability, B2B growth, RFP-focused marketing, and how great leaders push just hard enough to keep performance high without burning people out. Hosted by Neil and Eric, this episode is packed with actionable insights for founders, marketers, and B2B leaders looking to scale smarter. Key takeaways • Live events are the last real luxury • One metric per leader drives accountability • Great leaders push hard without burning people out Chapters (00:00) Elon Musk on live events as lux

Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Need marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/ Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire Neil and Eric share real-world B2B marketing strategies for 2025 and 2026, covering how to buy failing SEO tools to drive traffic, scale corporate webinars, double down on product-led growth, and use live events and paid speaking engagements to fill your pipeline. They break down AI SEO, social content hooks, enterprise sales psychology, and Peter Thiel’s “one thing” focus so you can drive more revenue and help clients hit their KPIs. Key takeaways: Scale B2B leads through events, corporate webinars, and strategic speaking engagements. Use AI SEO and content collabs to compound organic growth. Win enterprise deals by focusing on buyer KPIs and promotions. Chapters: 00:00 Buying products instead of ads 00:24 Acquiring failing SEO tools 00:44 Corporate webinars for B2B lead

Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Need marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/ Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire Neil Patel and Eric Siu break down how they’re revamping their marketing for 2026, from YouTube long-form vs shorts to webinars, lives, and AI-powered funnels. They share why riffed, story-led videos beat stiff scripts, how better packaging and thumbnails drive the right views, and why they’re prioritizing enterprise ROI over vanity metrics. You’ll hear behind-the-scenes tests with agencies, influencer hires, internal creators, and global expansion, plus how AI-driven agencies like Single Grain are rethinking content, search everywhere optimization, and work-life balance in a world of SpaceX-level grind. Key takeaways: • Riffed, conversational videos beat stiff scripts for real YouTube growth. • Let sales and client demand choose topics, not vanity views or likes. • Roundtables

Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe On this episode of Marketing School, Neil and Eric break down how to hire A players while scaling, why downturns are the best time to weed out poor performers, and how founder mindset drives culture, acquisitions, and growth. They share real stories from NP Digital, top-grading their team, fixing broken agency cultures, and personally jumping into big sales deals to set the standard for hustle. Hosted by Neil and Eric, this one is all about talent, leadership, and what it really takes to grow a company that actually performs. Chapters: (00:00) Scaling, turnover, and growth milestones (00:37) Hard times reveal true performers (01:02) Vinod Khosla’s hardest-work question (01:30) Why Neil turned down CMO role (03:56) Entrepreneur vs hired gun mindset (05:45) Keeping or exiting founders after acquisitions (07:59) Fixing misaligned agency cultures (11:00) Hiring standards and A-player focus (14:53) Top grading and raising the talent bar (1

To get ad placements on premium websites, go to https://discover.taboola.com/ms. Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Need marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/ Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire Neil and Eric break down why Google’s Gemini 3 is a godsend for marketers, how AI Studio, Nano Banana, and VO 3.1 change marketing workflows, and what this means for SaaS founders, AI tools, and the future of marketing. They talk Google vs ChatGPT, TPUs vs NVIDIA, AI startup bubbles, and real-world AI adoption inside their own companies so you can learn how to scale teams, budgets, and output with AI while avoiding “AI slop.” Chapters: (00:00) Gemini 3 is a godsend (02:00) Founder overrides, budgets, and hiring (04:50) SaaS pricing, add-ons, product speed (07:00) Gemini AI Studio and Nexus idea (09:00) Gemini vs Lovable and AI tools (11:00) Google TPUs, NVIDIA, and AI chips (12:40) Is AI a bu

Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Need marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/ Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire Neil and Eric break down the three must-have marketing hires for 2026, why influencer marketing is shifting to micro creators, how data and analytics unlock real ROI, and why digital PR and citations matter in the AI search era. They also explore the rise of the vibe growth marketing manager, the changing expectations for modern marketers, the evolving CMO role, and the underrated power of email as a revenue engine. KEY TAKEAWAYS -Micro influencers drive massive ROI -Data clarity beats bigger budgets -Email remains the strongest profit lever CHAPTERS (0:00) Building a 2026 marketing team (01:02) Influencer hire essentials (02:24) Micro influencer ROI (04:20) Data and analytics hire (05:59) Digital PR importance (07:15) Vibe growth marketing manager (08:40) Skills mode

Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Need marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/ Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire Neil and Eric break down the surge of AI GEO startups, why funding far outpaces ARR, and how services still outperform SaaS. They compare Profound, AirOps, Peak AI, BrightEdge, Moz, and SEMrush while revealing why compounding, ownership, and real relationships matter more than hype. They also discuss bootstrapped billionaires, declining businesses, and the difference between real friends and transactional ones. Key takeaways: • AI GEO funding is outpacing proven revenue • Services outperform pure SaaS long term • Real relationships drive business success Chapters: (00:00) AI GEO startups funding (02:30) Services vs SaaS scaling (05:40) Bootstrapped billionaire examples (14:20) Compounding wealth mindset (17:30) Real vs transactional friends