Stop Lighting Marketing Cash On Fire | S06 E08

Send a textThe fastest way to stall growth is to chase near-term numbers while ignoring the systems that create momentum. We sit down with Kurt Uhlir—CMO, growth operator, and “King of Scaling”—to unpack how teams compound results by aligning time horizons, transforming decision-making with AI, and replacing authority-driven compliance with servant leadership commitment.We start by reframing executive focus: separate conversations into 2–12, 12–36, and 36+ month horizons, protect leading indicators, and let strategies mature long enough to prove or disprove hypotheses. From there, Kurt breaks down how AI either erodes trust through low-quality, high-volume content or strengthens it through deep edits, rigorous repurposing, and message consistency across TikTok, YouTube, articles, and newsletters. He explains why the winning move is pairing elite human editors with AI to deliver clarity, accuracy, and credibility at scale.Kurt shares a playbook for using AI as a thinking partner: simulate buyer personas, surface objections from forums in real time, pressure test strategies before launch, and compress the draft-to-feedback loop from weeks to hours. That shift empowers teams to explore “what if” scenarios without committees and helps leaders challenge their own instincts with data-backed insight. We also dive into culture: why AI “fails” when leaders can’t define what success looks like, how psychological safety unlocks iteration, and where mid-level resistance shows up first.Expect five blunt go-to-market red flags—attribution over contribution, PPC overload, product-marketing drift, boardroom-first systems, and single-playbook thinking—plus a practical path to contribution-based decisioning. We close on servant leadership as an operating system: define outcomes, remove friction, and resource the work so accountability rises and execution speeds up. Finally, we look ahead to search everywhere optimization, meeting buyers across Google, TikTok, YouTube, podcasts, and AI answers with a unified narrative that builds trust, not just visibility.If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a teammate who obsesses over attribution, and leave a quick review telling us your biggest blind spot you’re ready to challenge.This episode was recorded through a Descript call on January 13, 2026. Read the blog article and show notes here: https://webdrie.net/stop-lighting-marketing-cash-on-fire.......................................................................... 📘 Read The Future CMO: Amazon 👥 Join the Future CMO Community 🌿 Explore Sintra Synergies Retreat 💼 Connect on LinkedIn..........................................................................

Send a textSelling crypto to fund life decisions can feel like cutting off future upside. We sat down with Tobias van Amstel, co-founder and CEO of Altitude, to unpack a smarter path: borrowing against assets like BTC and ETH so you can unlock liquidity while staying exposed to growth. From mortgages to market mechanics, we translate DeFi lending into simple mental models that make sense for founders, marketers, and anyone curious about finance that serves real needs.We start with what’s broken in traditional lending: banks love your salary but struggle to lend against diverse assets. Tobias explains how on-chain collateral changes that dynamic, turning selling into a choice and letting both large funds and everyday savers access the same lending rails. We dive into trust signals that matter—transparent rules and reserves, audited code with real uptime, and teams that stand behind their products—so you can spot red flags before you click “borrow.”Then we decode yield. Not all returns are created equal, so we map the four main sources in DeFi: borrower-paid interest for lenders, trading fees for liquidity providers, real-world asset yields brought on-chain, and protocol incentives. Tobias shares how to weigh sustainability, liquidity, and risk so your returns aren’t just numbers on a dashboard. For first-time borrowers, we get practical: wallets, security basics, gas, and why integrated on-ramps and loan optimizers can dramatically reduce friction and find best rates without hopping between protocols.We also explore why building financial infrastructure demands aviation-level rigor. In consumer apps, a bug irritates; in DeFi, it can vaporize funds. That’s why testing, audits, conservative releases, and ongoing monitoring are non-negotiable. Finally, we look ahead to AI agents. Because blockchains are transparent and programmable, agents can analyze public data and act safely with scoped keys and guardrails—something closed, credentialed TradFi systems struggle to enable. If the industry can preserve open access—where a billion-dollar fund and someone with a hundred dollars share the same opportunities—DeFi will fulfill its promise to democratize finance.Enjoy the conversation, share it with a friend who’s on the fence about DeFi, and leave a quick review to help more people find us. Subscribe for more candid, practical takes on Web3, AI, and the future of money.This episode was recorded during a walk in Sintra on January 14, 2026. Check the video footage, read the blog article and show notes here: https://webdrie.net/borrowing-against-bitcoin-turns-selling-into-a-choice/.......................................................................... 📘 Read The Future CMO: Amazon 👥 Join the Future CMO Community 🌿 Explore Sintra Synergies Retreat 💼 Connect on LinkedIn..........................................................................

Send us a textMost leaders don’t lose trust because of a bad post—they lose it in the silent spaces where replies never come, assistants answer for them, and messages drift away from the expertise that made them credible. That’s why this conversation goes straight to the root: aligning who you are with how you show up in public, so visibility becomes leadership, not performance.We sit down with executive visibility strategist and author Melanie Borden to map the difference between credible and performative visibility, and how to sense when you’re crossing the line by chasing algorithms or trends. Melanie explains why trust is built in comments and DMs, not just in keynotes and thought pieces, and how to avoid the common missteps that erode confidence before you speak. We dig into the fears that hold experienced leaders back—overediting, legal bottlenecks, and groupthink—and we offer a practical reset: speak from lived experience, define guardrails, and let your distinct point of view lead.AI has reshaped search and discovery, but it can’t manufacture presence. Melanie shows how to use AI as a thought partner without diluting your voice, then shares non-traditional KPIs that capture real influence: dark social signals, silent followers who surface months later, and even negative comments as proof of impact. The ripple effects inside a company are real—when executives lead in public, teams gain permission, recruiting gets easier, and customers see people instead of a logo. We close with a simple mindset tool to quiet imposter syndrome: keep receipts of your wins, revisit them, and move forward with clarity.If this resonated, follow, share with a colleague who needs it, and leave a quick review—your feedback helps more leaders find the show.This episode was recorded through a Descript call on January 6, 2026. Read the blog article and show notes here: https://webdrie.net/leading-in-public-without-losing-yourself-with-melanie-borden/.......................................................................... 📘 Read The Future CMO: Amazon 👥 Join the Future CMO Community 🌿 Explore Sintra Synergies Retreat 💼 Connect on LinkedIn..........................................................................

Send us a textDiscovery is moving from search boxes to AI answers, and that shift rewards creators who ship useful content across platforms that language models trust. We sit down with Gary Vaynerchuk for a sharp, no-fluff talk about how to show up where it counts: YouTube and Shorts to feed Gemini, TikTok and Meta for intent-rich search, LinkedIn for underpriced B2B reach, and newsletters and podcasts that anchor your authority with durable text and audio. The plan for the next 30 days is simple: publish more, in more places, with clearer hooks and stronger stories, so both people and machines can find you.We dig into the rising need for provenance as deepfakes blur reality. Gary explains why blockchain-backed verification will matter as a ledger of truth, how signed media and ownership records can restore trust, and where builders might connect web and chain to certify origin and intent. We also unpack the future of AI brand characters: why owned IP will outlast hired faces, where it can backfire in the short term, and how transparent, well-crafted avatars become assets instead of shortcuts.For marketers and founders chasing interest-driven reach, the real skill is cultural fluency: knowing the first three seconds on TikTok, the thumbnail and retention game on YouTube, the long-form cadence and professionalism on LinkedIn, and the conversational spark on X. Gary’s blunt takeaway cuts through the noise: make content a core job, not an afterthought, and stop overthinking creative with personal taste—let audience data guide iteration. If you’re ready to build authority that AI cites and humans trust, hit play, take notes, and then publish your next piece today.Enjoyed the conversation? Follow the show, share it with a friend who’s building, and leave a quick review so more creators can find us.This episode was recorded through a Descript call on January 21, 2026. Read the blog article and show notes here: https://webdrie.net/gary-vaynerchuk-on-creating-everywhere-to-stay-visible-in-an-ai-first-world/——Want to try out Metricool? Go to https://metricool.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=20260129_joeri-billast_web3-gary-vee_en&utm_content=audio&utm_term=q1And use the coupon Code: JOERIThis gives 30 days free of any Metricool Premium plan. .......................................................................... 📘 Read The Future CMO: Amazon 👥 Join the Future CMO Community 🌿 Explore Sintra Synergies Retreat 💼 Connect on LinkedIn..........................................................................

Send us a textWhat happens when your biggest lead source vanishes overnight? We dig into that turning point with Austin Armstrong—CEO of Syllaby, co-founder of AI Marketing World Conference, best-selling author, and creator with 4M+ followers—to unpack how to turn volatile attention into a durable business. From the TikTok ban that exposed platform risk to the systems that now power his growth, Austin shows why views don’t pay the bills unless you build the pipes behind them.We get specific about trust and community: how a sharp personal brand, consistent value, and real conversations in the comments transform casual viewers into advocates. Austin breaks down the series playbook that’s driven billions of organic views—repeatable hooks, swappable middles, and clear CTAs that invite binge behavior across platforms. You’ll hear practical examples, from “ChatGPT secrets you should know” to “real or fake” formats that educate and entertain while feeding search and playlist discovery.AI takes center stage as a force multiplier, not a replacement. Austin shares how Syllabi surfaces trending topics, generates scripts, produces videos with modern models, and schedules across social, helping teams blanket their niche with relevance. We draw the line between what to automate and what to own: let AI handle the tedious production and distribution; keep humans on POV storytelling and authentic engagement. We also tackle ethics head-on, calling out fake AI UGC and avatar “reviews” as trust killers that invite regulatory trouble.If you’ve wondered how to balance short-form reach with long-form depth, or how a modern CMO can use time inventories to buy back hours for strategy, this conversation offers a clear blueprint. Expect actionable frameworks, candid pitfalls, and a renewed focus on systems, trust, and ethical leverage. Subscribe, share with a marketer who needs it, and leave a quick review—then tell us the one workflow you’ll automate this week.This episode was recorded through a Descript call on December 18, 2025. Read the blog article and show notes here: https://webdrie.net/virality-wont-pay-your-rent-but-systems-might-with-austin-armstrong/.......................................................................... 📘 Read The Future CMO: Amazon 👥 Join the Future CMO Community 🌿 Explore Sintra Synergies Retreat 💼 Connect on LinkedIn..........................................................................

Send us a textRecommendation-driven search is here, and it’s changing who gets discovered. We sit down with Chris Donnelly—serial entrepreneur and founder of Searchable—to unpack how large language models like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity are becoming the first stop for product advice and purchase decisions. When a single prompt returns five personalized options, the brands that earn those spots win the moment of truth. The question is: how do you become one of them?We walk through the practical playbook for showing up in conversational search. Chris explains why the shift isn’t the death of SEO but a re-centering on structure, context, and freshness. From llm.txt to robust product and article schema, from mapping micro-intents to deploying query fan-outs, you’ll learn how to make your site legible to AI crawlers and present across the exact scenarios customers ask about. We also explore how social signals—especially from LinkedIn and Reddit—now inform LLM answers, and why a thoughtful personal brand can supercharge testing, feedback, and distribution.Chris shares the rapid build story behind Searchable, including community-led iteration and a data engine that aggregates thousands of annotated site changes to prioritize the actions most likely to boost visibility, clicks, and revenue. We cover platform nuances without getting lost in complexity, highlighting a time-efficient strategy that reaches the majority of demand while adapting to new features like ChatGPT’s shopping research. The takeaway is clear: AI won’t replace great marketers; it amplifies those who use it to research faster, write smarter, and ship with purpose.Ready to earn a place in the answers that matter? Follow the show, share this with a teammate who needs a strategy refresh, and leave a quick review to help others find it. Your next customer might be one prompt away.This episode was recorded through a Descript call on December 11, 2025. Read the blog article and show notes here: https://webdrie.net/ai-search-is-reshaping-brand-discovery/.......................................................................... 📘 Read The Future CMO: Amazon 👥 Join the Future CMO Community 🌿 Explore Sintra Synergies Retreat 💼 Connect on LinkedIn..........................................................................

Send us a textUseful beats flashy every time. We sit down with Przemek Kowalczyk, co-founder and CEO of Ramp Network, to unpack the practical moves that make crypto onboarding fast, trusted, and truly global—without asking users to care about the plumbing. From the first failed startup experiments to becoming MiCA-authorized across the EU, this conversation maps how to earn trust at the moment it matters: when someone decides to buy crypto and needs it to just work.We explore the bottlenecks that quietly kill conversion—right-sized KYC, payment rails that actually clear, and error handling that doesn’t spook new users. You’ll hear why cards can feel universal yet unreliable, how localization drives higher success rates, and why building compliance pathways into product development is the only way to ship at scale in regulated markets. The leadership playbook is blunt and battle-tested: keep cash buffers for the next shock, maintain vendor backups, and design for abrupt market turns.Looking forward, we break down why stablecoins are set to become the default transfer layer for remittances and cross-border payments. As wallets and flows abstract the rails, users will only feel speed and lower cost—exactly what drives adoption. We also talk founder traits that predict resilience, the art of pivoting without losing the core problem, and how a partner-first approach can embed seamless onramps directly inside wallets for a smoother first-time experience.If you care about shipping products that people actually use, this is your blueprint: build trust, minimize friction, and speak to outcomes users value today. Follow the show, share it with a friend who’s wrestling with crypto UX, and leave a quick review to help more builders find this conversation.This episode was recorded through a Descript call on December 10, 2025. Read the blog article and show notes here: https://webdrie.net/cards-are-ancient-stablecoins-are-inevitable-and-compliance-still-ruins-weekend-releases/.......................................................................... 📘 Read The Future CMO: Amazon 👥 Join the Future CMO Community 🌿 Explore Sintra Synergies Retreat 💼 Connect on LinkedIn..........................................................................

Send us a textThe ground is moving under our feet, and that’s exactly why this conversation matters. We sit down with Sandy Carter to unpack a practical path through the AI hype: start with outcomes, feed models with clean, structured data, and never skip the human change that decides whether an initiative sticks or stalls. From executive playbooks to frontline tactics, we get specific about what works, what fails, and how to build trust when synthetic media blurs what’s real.We dive into the convergence of AI and blockchain and why verification is becoming a core product feature. Deepfakes and misinformation are not just PR problems—they are customer experience problems. Provenance, identity, and ownership give teams a way to show their work and earn belief. Then we turn to discovery. SEO still matters, but GEO—generative engine optimization—is stealing the spotlight. Executives increasingly ask LLMs for the “top five” solutions and stop there. To make that list, brands need credible signals in the places models pull from: thoughtful Reddit threads, up-to-date Wikipedia entries, technical explainers, and answers crafted for natural questions, not just keywords. We talk tactics, from UTMs for answer engines to content designed for prompts, entities, and clarity.The future is humans plus machines. Agents collaborate, robots learn by watching, and even a pizza-delivery humanoid sparks new questions: if the robot selects the drink, who does the brand persuade—the family or the agent? As homes and workplaces adapt to new hardware, marketers will build for both human preference and agent defaults. Through it all, Sandy’s message stays grounded: align AI to real business value, protect what must remain private, open what should be discoverable, and communicate clearly so people understand the why, the how, and the benefit.This episode was recorded through a Descript call on November 26, 2025. Read the blog article and show notes here:  https://webdrie.net/why-winning-with-ai-starts-with-business-outcomes-clean-data-and-putting-people-first/If this conversation gave you a roadmap for smarter AI strategy, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick 5-star review so others can find it too. Your feedback shapes what we explore next........................................................................... 📘 Read The Future CMO: Amazon 👥 Join the Future CMO Community 🌿 Explore Sintra Synergies Retreat 💼 Connect on LinkedIn..........................................................................

Send us a textEvery year, certain conversations travel further than others. Not because they were louder. But because they resonated.In this special year-end episode of Web3 CMO Stories, we’re counting down the stories you loved the most – the top 10 episodes of 2025, based purely on listener engagement and downloads.These episodes reveal more than popularity. They reveal patterns.Across Web3, AI, marketing and digital business, this countdown highlights the stories that connected with real communities, explored real-world adoption, and challenged how we think about trust, growth and visibility in a fast-changing landscape.From builders shaping consumer crypto to strategists rethinking leadership and marketing fundamentals, each episode in this Top 10 represents a signal worth paying attention to.Whether you’re revisiting a standout conversation or discovering one you missed, this episode offers a moment to pause, reflect, and zoom out.Because sometimes, the clearest way forward is to understand what truly resonated along the way.You’ll find all episodes featured in this countdown in the show notes: https://webdrie.net/the-stories-you-loved-the-most-in-2025Recorded via Descript on December 24th, 2025.......................................................................... 📘 Read The Future CMO: Amazon 👥 Join the Future CMO Community 🌿 Explore Sintra Synergies Retreat 💼 Connect on LinkedIn..........................................................................

Send us a textPlayers were trading digital loot under trees in MMOs (Massively Multiplayer Online  games) long before NFTs existed. That single image sets the tone for this conversation with Rudy Koch, cofounder of Mythical Games and veteran of Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, as we unpack what truly drives Web3 gaming forward: behavior, not buzzwords. We talk about how blockchain formalizes a desire that’s been in games for decades and why the path to mass adoption starts with joy, fairness, and social connection, not a chain logo.We dig into the hardest problems builders face right now: user acquisition, player liquidity, and the messaging split between crypto diehards and the mainstream. Rudy explains why “market the fun, not the tech” is more than a slogan, and how platforms with built-in audiences change the calculus. Telegram emerges as the surprise winner, offering scale, a growing dev ecosystem, and browser-native access that lets teams ship fast, learn faster, and avoid million-dollar dead ends. We connect that trend to what’s already proven in Asia with chat-first game ecosystems, and why Reddit, X, and WhatsApp are poised to become the next distribution rails.AI shows up as leverage on two fronts. Inside the studio, it compresses content pipelines and boosts prototyping speed for small teams. Inside the game, it acts like a tireless live ops producer, learning what each player loves and crafting hyper-personalized events, challenges, and offers that keep sessions fresh without relying on brute-force grind. The result is a practical playbook: pick platforms that grant liquidity, translate technology into clear player benefits, build community roles that matter, and iterate toward an experience that solves a real need.If this conversation helped you see the space with fresh eyes, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves games, and leave a quick five-star review so more builders can find it.This episode was recorded through a Descript call on November 20, 2025. Read the blog article and show notes here: https://webdrie.net/how-web3-telegram-and-ai-are-rewiring-gaming-growth.......................................................................... 📘 Read The Future CMO: Amazon 👥 Join the Future CMO Community 🌿 Explore Sintra Synergies Retreat 💼 Connect on LinkedIn..........................................................................