Episode 243: From Intern to Content Leader - Zach Dampier on Growth, Grit, and Working with Family

Episode 243: From Intern to Content Leader - Zach Dampier on Growth, Grit, and Working with Family Episode Description What does it take to go from intern to indispensable? In this episode, Smart Marketer CEO Molly Pittman interviews Content Coordinator Zach Dampier; her cousin and long-time teammate about his inspiring journey from college intern to running all of Smart Marketer's organic content. Zach shares what he's learned along the way about content strategy, working in customer support, building a career with no roadmap, and navigating family dynamics inside a fast-paced business. "A marketing degree is nice, but it's definitely not needed for this industry." - Zach Dampier Whether you're building a team or building your own career, this episode is full of honest insights, practical advice, and a refreshing look at what it means to grow with a company over time.     You Will Learn: How to spot and nurture long-term team members with high potential Why starting in customer support is the smartest entry point into any business How Zach transitioned from intern to leader without formal job titles The pros (and real talk) about working with family Why managing content across multiple platforms is about more than just volume A fresh take on hiring: when to invest in experience vs. potential     Links & Resources: Smart Marketer – smartmarketer.com Molly Pittman – mollypittman.com Instagram – @smartmarketer Instagram – @mollypittmandigital Fields of Freedom Dog Rescue – fofdogrescue.com Omnisend – smartmarketer.com/omnisend (Use coupon code SMART for 50% off your first 3 months)     Timestamps (Chapters): 00:00 – Intro from Anthony + Why This Episode Matters 02:04 – Meet Zach: From Intern to Key Team Member 06:00 – How a High School Elective Sparked a Marketing Career 08:35 – Zach's Early Intern Tasks: Ads, Reports & Client Research 11:33 – Why Starting in Support Built Zach's Foundation 17:42 – Transitioning to Content & Social Media Strategy 21:40 – The Power of Hiring for Potential, Not Just Experience 24:32 – Working with Family: Real Talk & Lessons Learned 28:52 – What It's Like to Work with Your Spouse 31:56 – Reflecting on Smart Marketer's Growth (2019–2025) 34:58 – What's Next: Scaling YouTube and Mentoring Interns 36:55 – Decoding Gen Z Slang for the Workplace 38:10 – Zach's Final Thoughts & Smart Marketer Live Shout-Out     Your Engagement Matters! Thank you for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please support the show: ⭐ Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts 📲 Share this episode on social media and tag us @smartmarketer 💬 Have feedback? Email us at [email protected] Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit.

Episode 242: The Truth About Creative Volume, Meta's Shift, and What Still Works (Part 2 with Ben Bennett) Episode Description In this second part of their deep-dive conversation, Molly Pittman sits down with Smart Marketer's Creative Director Ben Bennett to map out the exact creative systems used to produce dozens of high-performing ads every single month. From team structure to tooling to hook variation strategies, Ben shares how Smart Marketer builds volume without sacrificing quality. You'll hear how they hire and test for the Creative Strategist role, why UGC needs a better incentive model, and how tools like ClickUp help make the whole system run. "We've figured out how to multiply creative without multiplying chaos and this is how we do it." – Molly Pittman You Will Learn: Why your team could need a Creative Operations Manager The 3 creative styles we use: Snack, Impact, Tailored How AI is supporting (but not replacing) production How to multiply a single hook into 24+ ad variations Why ClickUp is the backbone of our creative ops How we test and hire for Creative Strategist roles Why incentivizing UGC creators is the next big opportunity Links & Resources Smart Marketer – smartmarketer.com Smart Marketer Agency – smartmarketeragency.com Molly Pittman – mollypittman.com Omnisend – smartmarketer.com/omnisend Use code: SMART for 50% off your first 3 months Alexander's Talent Agency – gottlnt.com Past Episodes Featuring Ben Bennett: • The Truth About Creative Volume, Meta's Shift, and What Still Works • Winning Ad Creative: What Works Now & How to Measure It • How to Make High-Converting UGC Ads • How to Get the Best Possible Creative Help for Your Business • How Flexible Use Content Can Help You With Your Creatives ClickUp – clickup.com Instagram – @smartmarketer | @mollypittmandigital Timestamps 00:00 – Anthony intro + Omnisend offer 01:59 – Why creative volume is today's biggest question 03:36 – The underrated role: Creative Operations Manager 07:07 – Step 1: Research and why it still matters 10:29 – What we look for in Creative Strategists (and how we test them) 12:18 – Hiring success through Alexander's Talent Agency 14:02 – The "Creative Prism" framework explained 17:12 – Using AI to expand from 4 to 24 variations 21:07 – Snack, Impact, and Tailored: the 3 styles that work 25:48 – How we use ClickUp to manage high-volume production 31:21 – Reviewing performance data and planning the next round 40:11 – What's next: Creator incentives, agency collaboration, and scaling systems Your Engagement Matters If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love your support: Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts Share it on social and tag us with #SmartMarketerPodcast Have questions or feedback? Email us at: [email protected] Serve the world unselfishly and profit.

Episode 241: The Truth About Creative Volume, Meta's Shift, and What Still Works Episode Description Everyone's talking about creative volume but more doesn't always mean better. In this honest, behind-the-scenes conversation, Molly Pittman and Smart Marketer's Creative Director Ben Bennett unpack the current state of paid creative in a post-Andromeda world. From team leadership to what Meta is really optimizing for, this is the high-level conversation marketers need right now. "You're never going to put the wrong image in front of the right person and get a conversion." – Ben Bennett You'll learn why more assets don't equal better performance and how to feed the algorithm with the signals it actually needs. You Will Learn Why creative volume is being misunderstood in the current media landscape What Meta actually wants from your assets (and what it ignores) Why the wrong kind of testing can kill your ROAS The myth of "scaling through background color changes" How to structure a creative team that can adapt and win Why the best creative still comes down to fundamentals of persuasion How Smart Marketer is evolving its agency model for better performance Links & Resources Smart Marketer – smartmarketer.com Smart Marketer Agency - smartmarketeragency.com/ Molly Pittman – mollypittman.com Instagram – @smartmarketer | @mollypittmandigital Omnisend – smartmarketer.com/omnisend (Use code SMART for 50% off) Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome from Anthony: New two-part series with Molly & Ben 01:12 – Ezra shares why he trusts Omnisend for email & SMS 02:15 – Live from Danville: Meet Ben Bennett & his creative journey 04:04 – From Spanish degree to Smart Marketer: Ben's origin story 07:21 – Why understanding media buying makes better creatives 08:48 – How Meta's shift toward AI impacts your creative strategy 10:26 – The "hungry machine" problem: Feeding Meta with meaning 12:22 – The high cost of low-quality volume 14:22 – Creative testing ≠ slapping on a new background color 17:53 – What Meta actually needs: Real variation & signal 20:34 – How Ben leads his team through creative pressure & change 23:29 – Stop chasing "perfect"—start getting adaptive 25:55 – Why creative is now the currency of performance 27:59 – Integrating creative into the media buying process 30:26 – Final thoughts: Trust the fundamentals, stay fluid Your Engagement Matters Thank you for listening! Your support helps this podcast thrive. If you enjoyed this episode, please: Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts → Click here Share this episode on social and tag us using #WeOutHere Email feedback or questions to [email protected] Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit.

Episode 240: The Meta Andromeda Update - Why Your Facebook Ads Stopped Working (And What To Do Instead) Meta just launched its biggest algorithm update in years! If your ads started tanking in August, Andromeda could be the reason. In this game-changing episode, Smart Marketer's agency director, Pep Hufen, reveals how Andromeda is reshaping the ad platform from the ground up and what you must do to stay ahead. "Think of it as Meta completely rebuilding the engine of a car while you are still driving it." – Pep Hufen Episode Description Are your Meta ads underperforming lately? You're not alone. In this episode, Pep Hufen breaks down Meta's new Andromeda update; an overhaul of the Facebook Ads engine that's leaving many advertisers behind. From collapsing campaign structures to rethinking creative strategy, this episode gives you the exact playbook Smart Marketer is using to help clients thrive in the new landscape. With millions in monthly ad spend under management, Pep shares real case studies, what's actually working post-Andromeda, and the critical mistakes to avoid if you want to keep acquiring new customers in 2025. You Will Learn: What the Andromeda update is (in plain English) Why your old campaign structure no longer works How creative portfolios, not single ads, are now key The new rule for campaign consolidation (and why it works) Why broad targeting and data density matter more than ever How to prevent Meta from wasting budget on repeat customers Four action steps to future-proof your Meta ad strategy Links & Resources Smart Marketer – smartmarketer.com Smart Marketer Courses – smartmarketer.com/courses Omnisend Email & SMS platform we recommend -  (Use code SMART for 50% off first 3 months) Follow Pep on Instagram – @pep_hufen Want help implementing? Contact Smart Marketer Agency Timestamps (Chapters) 00:00 – Introduction: Meet Pep & The Meta Shake-Up 02:12 – What Is Andromeda? Meta's New Ads Retrieval System 03:58 – Advantage+ Is Now Default: Autopilot Mode Activated 04:46 – Creative Portfolios > Ad Variations 05:41 – Campaign Structure Overhaul: One Campaign Per Offer 06:39 – Why Consolidation Is King & ABOs Are Out 07:27 – Case Study: How Clean East Dropped CPAs by 35% 08:23 – Caution: Andromeda May Kill Your New Customer Acquisition 09:13 – The Fix: Add Exclusions for Site Visitors & Customers 10:03 – Four Things You Must Do Now (Creative, Structure, Backend) 11:00 – Final Thoughts: Volume, Variety, and Velocity Win in 2025 11:59 – Outro: Subscribe, Share, and Serve the World Unselfishly Your Engagement Matters Thank you for tuning in! This podcast thrives because of your support. If you got value from today's episode, please: Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts – Click Here Share this episode on social and tag us with #WeOutHere Got feedback? Email us at [email protected] Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit!

Ep. 239: Protecting Your Brand in 2025 – SMS Compliance, Copycat Stores & Strategic Defense Episode Description What happens when a new law could cost you $10K… or worse, someone clones your website and starts stealing your customers? In this exclusive Mentor Table session, John Grimshaw and Molly Pittman tackle two major challenges facing DTC brands in 2025: new SMS compliance laws in Texas and a real-world case study of how Antler Rings shut down a full-blown copycat website. This episode gives you practical tools, mindset shifts, and proactive strategies to protect your brand—and your bottom line. "We're going to have to play more defense in general. It's just easier for people to shortcut this stuff." – John Grimshaw You Will Learn: What the Texas SMS law means for marketers How to register for compliance and avoid fines What to do when someone copies your website, product, or brand The legal and technical steps Antler Rings used to shut down a scammer Why branded keyword bidding is non-negotiable in 2025 How to use alerts and paid search to monitor your brand Links & Resources Mentioned: Omnisend SMS & Email Tool – Get 50% Off Smart Marketer Mentor Table Mastermind Antler Rings Molly Pittman – mollypittman.com Instagram – @smartmarketer Instagram – @mollypittmandigital Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome: Mentor Table Exclusive + Omnisend SMS Promo 02:18 – Texas SMS Compliance: What's Changed & What To Do 04:39 – Bond Costs, Registration Forms, and Legal Risk 07:55 – Should You Exclude Texas Prospects? A Cost-Benefit Breakdown 10:17 – Case Study: Antler Rings Discovers a Fake Store 11:43 – Steps to Take: Domain Hosts, Payment Processors, Google & More 13:57 – Boom by Cindy Joseph Faced This Too—What They Learned 16:39 – Copycat Site Takedown Success: Fast Results 18:17 – Bid on Your Branded Keywords—Here's Why 20:31 – Set Up Alerts to Monitor Brand Mentions Automatically 21:22 – Playing Defense in 2025: AI, Fraud & Scam Prevention 21:52 – Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up Your Engagement Matters! Thanks for listening! If this episode helped you, we'd love your support: ⭐️ Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts 🔁 Share this episode with a friend or tag @smartmarketer on social 📥 Questions or feedback? Email us: [email protected] Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit! 🚀

Episode 238: The 2025 Black Friday Cyber Monday Playbook with John Grimshaw & Ezra Firestone Episode Description Want to crush Q4 this year? 💥 In this special webinar replay, John Grimshaw (Smart Marketer CMO), Ezra Firestone, and Greg from Omnisend reveal their proven 2025 Black Friday Cyber Monday Playbook. From offer structures that boost cart value to ad strategies that cut through the noise to automation tweaks that unlock hidden revenue, this is the exact system Smart Marketer clients and brands are using to maximize profits this holiday season. "The truth is if you just focus like a laser on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you are leaving more than 80% of the money on the table." – John Grimshaw You Will Learn Why Black Friday/Cyber Monday is just 16% of Q4 revenue—and how to win the other 84%. The secret to tiered discounting (and why it increases average order value). The "evergreen holiday page" strategy that makes ad costs cheaper all season long. Ezra's campaign phases (including the overlooked "Countdown to New Year's Sale"). How to use content marketing + merchandising together for maximum conversions. Greg's top 3 email automations to optimize before BFCM for easy, compounding sales. Why cart abandonment flows, welcome offers, and product browse emails are goldmines. Links & Resources 🎁 Get the full Holiday Marketing Toolkit (slides + swipe file): smartmarketer.com/toolkit Omnisend (Email & SMS Platform) – https://omnisend.com/smart (Use code SMART for 50% off your first 3 months) Smart Marketer – smartmarketer.com Ezra Firestone – @ezrafirestone John Grimshaw – @johngrimshawdigita Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome & Why Q4 Planning Matters 06:39 – BFCM Is Just 16% of Q4 Revenue (The 80% You're Missing) 10:19 – The Power of Tiered Discounting 14:31 – Evergreen Holiday Landing Pages Strategy 20:05 – Campaign Phases & Scarcity Done Right 29:02 – Ezra's Holiday Framework: From Prime Day to New Year's 38:31 – Content + Merchandising: How to Sell Without Just "Selling" 53:45 – Ezra's 2x Buyer Flow (The Fastest Way to Unlock More Revenue) 56:06 – Greg's Top 3 Email Automations for Q4 Wins 01:21:19 – Why Email Still Drives 50–60% of BFCM Revenue Your Engagement Matters 🚀 Thanks for tuning in! Your support keeps this podcast thriving. If you enjoyed this episode, please: ⭐ Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts 📲 Share this episode with your network and tag us using #WeOutHere 💌 Send feedback or questions to [email protected] Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit!

🎙 Episode 237: Haunted Houses, Taylor Swift & Trivia Nights: Paul Kalnitzky's Unexpected Journey to Smart Marketer Episode Description What do haunted houses, radio gigs, trivia nights, and Taylor Swift have in common? Paul Kalnitzky. In this raw and hilarious episode, Molly Pittman sits down with Smart Marketer's very own product and community manager to unpack his unexpected journey—from flipping golf carts at a haunted house to becoming the heart of Smart Marketer's mastermind. This is more than a career story, it's a masterclass in authenticity, creative problem-solving, and following your weird (even if it involves skeletons puking green slime). "If you just keep showing up as who you really are, eventually someone's going to notice." – Paul Kalnitzky You Will Learn: • Why showing up authentically is the ultimate career hack • How Paul's haunted house job sparked a career in creative media • What working in toxic vs. supportive work cultures really feels like • The leadership moment that made Paul a lifelong Taylor Swift fan • How trivia nights & community building led him to his dream role • Why embracing your quirks attracts the right opportunities 📌 Links & Resources: Smart Marketer Molly Pittman Fields of Freedom Dog Rescue Follow Smart Marketer on Instagram Follow Molly on Instagram Follow Paul Kalnitzky on Instagram ⏱ Timestamps (Chapters) 00:00 – Welcome: Haunted Houses, Taylor Swift & Trivia?! 03:13 – Meet Paul Kalnitzky: Jack of All Trades (and Halloween Lover) 07:54 – How a Haunted House Changed Everything 19:37 – From Theater Rejection to Radio Stardom 25:28 – Programming a College Radio Station Like a Pro 31:19 – The Night Paul Met Taylor Swift (and Everything Changed) 38:02 – From Laid Off to Trivia Entrepreneur 47:02 – Toxic Workplaces, Misfit Kids & The Power of Chosen Family 51:13 – Entering the World of Smart Marketer 58:03 – Culture Shock: From Burnout to Belonging 1:02:58 – Trivia Nights, Wu-Tang, & Becoming a Community Leader 1:07:36 – Paul's Advice: Show Up Authentically (What That Really Means) 1:12:11 – Final Thoughts: What's Next for Paul & Smart Marketer 💬 Call to Action If you laughed, cried, or nodded along with Paul's story, do us a favor: ⭐ Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts 📲 Share this episode and tag us on social @smartmarketerig using #WeOutHere 📩 Got feedback or want to connect? Email us at [email protected] Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit!

Episode Title SafeSleeve's First 60 Days on Omnisend Episode Description What happens when you migrate to Omnisend? In this episode, John Grimshaw sits down with Ezra Firestone and Omnisend's CEO, Rytis Lauris, to share the behind-the-scenes story of SafeSleeve's first 60 days on the platform. Spoiler: Just by migrating to Omnisend, before adding any new automations or campaigns, SafeSleeve projected an additional $100,000 in annual revenue. "If you're doing under 25 to 30% of your revenue from email, you ain't working hard enough." – Ezra Firestone You Will Learn Why SafeSleeve was only getting 8% of revenue from email (and how they fixed it) The exact steps Smart Marketer used to migrate seamlessly to Omnisend How cleaning disengaged contacts and bots improved deliverability and engagement Why a "warming campaign" can skyrocket your click rates The power of automations and why 2% of traffic often drives 37% of orders How brands can realistically hit 25–30% of revenue from email and SMS What's next: AI-driven automations and real human storytelling Links & Resources Omnisend Special Offer – https://omnisend.com/smart Smart Marketer – https://smartmarketer.com/ Ezra Firestone – https://smartmarketer.com/about/ SafeSleeve – https://www.safesleevecases.com/ Timestamps (Main Beats) 00:07 – Intro by Anthony: Why this episode matters 01:11 – John Grimshaw welcomes Ezra Firestone & Rytis Lauris 04:13 – The $100K Hook: Projected lift from switching to Omnisend 05:20 – Ezra's backstory with SafeSleeve & the 8% email revenue problem 09:55 – Why Mailchimp held SafeSleeve back and why Omnisend made sense 12:06 – Key migration steps: template update & 4 core automations 15:07 – The warming campaign and engagement "snowball" 19:05 – July 4th promotion: 20% revenue lift post-migration 21:36 – Cleaning bots, disengaged contacts, and better deliverability 24:27 – Why migrations don't have to be painful 25:03 – $101K projected lift from automations alone 27:48 – Targets: hitting 25%+ email revenue by year's end 30:05 – Is SafeSleeve a unicorn or a typical case study? 33:16 – Omnisend's "customer-funded" approach & ROI promise 35:27 – Why automations drive the biggest long-term wins 39:55 – AI's role in scaling automations for the future 41:52 – Ezra & Rytis on AI vs authenticity: why real stories still win 44:48 – Closing thoughts & special Omnisend offer Call to Action Thank you for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, review, and share with fellow entrepreneurs and marketers. Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-marketer-podcast/id1522629407 Share this episode on social media and tag us with #WeOutHere Have feedback? Email us at [email protected] Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit

Episode 235: Email Deliverability Troubleshooting: A Real-World Case Study from Mentor Table Office Hours Episode Description Your emails might look great, but are they even landing in inboxes? In this Mentor Table Email Office Hours session, you'll sit in on a real-time troubleshooting call with Heather and Matt from the Smart Marketer email team as they help a founder navigate a frustrating deliverability issue. If you're sending emails and seeing sudden dips in opens, strange bounce patterns, or deliverability issues with major inbox providers then this is for you. "It's difficult to diagnose any one thing. A lot of it is just making sure you're tightening up sending practices." – Matt You'll hear common mistakes, how to fix them, and advanced tips to keep your list healthy and compliant so you can keep driving sales. You Will Learn: How to identify and troubleshoot bounce-related email issues The DNS records you must have configured (SPF, DKIM, DMARC—and how to check them) What a branded sending domain is and why it's now required by major email providers How to use tools like Litmus, MX Toolbox, and Sender Score to test and monitor Why exclusion segments and list hygiene matter more than ever When to consider switching to a dedicated IP address and how to know if you're ready Links & Resources: Smart Marketer Mentor Table Omnisend for Email & SMS (Use code SMART for 50% off 3 months) Litmus Email Testing Tool MX Toolbox – DNS & Blacklist Lookup EasyDMARC – Email Security Platform Sender Score – Email Reputation Check Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Mentor Table Email Office Hours 01:12 – Ezra's Omnisend Recommendation 02:16 – The Deliverability Problem: Rising Bounces and Email Errors 04:50 – Policy-Related Bounce Messages Explained 07:15 – Tools to Test Inbox Appearance & Placement (Litmus) 08:53 – How to Check DNS Setup (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) 13:01 – Using Zoho & Klaviyo Separately for Deliverability 15:01 – Exclusion Segments & List Hygiene Tactics 16:06 – Should You Move to a Dedicated IP? 18:35 – Diagnosing Blacklists & Using Lookup Tools 22:04 – Sender Score, EasyDMARC, and MX Toolbox 25:08 – Final Thoughts & Action Plan for Inbox Recovery Call to Action: Enjoyed this episode? We'd love your support. Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts: Click Here Share the episode on social media, tag us, and use #WeOutHere Feedback or questions? Email us at [email protected] Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit.  

Episode 234: How to Build High-Converting Product Pages (with Kurt Elster) Episode Description Are your product detail pages costing you conversions? In this episode, Shopify expert Kurt Elster breaks down exactly what makes a high-converting PDP in today's eCommerce landscape. Straight from a Mentor Table session, Kurt shares real examples from Amazon, Walmart, Tactical Baby Gear, and more—along with the essential elements every product page must have to convert browsers into buyers. "The product detail page... it's where the purchase decision happens." – Kurt Elster This is one of those episodes you'll want to take notes on. Let's level up your product pages. You Will Learn: The 6 elements Google requires on your PDP (and why they matter) Why stock status should never be hidden (and how Amazon nails it) The most overlooked layout improvement that boosts conversion instantly What Shopify's new AI + SEO tools mean for your product visibility Simple PDP enhancements that 10x perceived value (without new tech) Why review photos and breadcrumb trails are gold for usability How to apply big-brand best practices to your small store Links & Resources:  Mentor Table - Apply Today! Kurt Elster Google Merchant Center PDP Guidelines Shopify Knowledge Base App Omnisend Offer: https://smartmarketer.com/omnisend (Use code SMART for 50% off 3 months) Smart Marketer Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Why PDPs Are the Most Important Page in Your Store 01:04 – Ezra's Quick Tip: Why He Always Installs Omnisend First 02:08 – Meet Kurt Elster + Why PDPs Make or Break the Sale 04:47 – Google's Minimum Viable Product Page Checklist 07:04 – Big Box Store Examples: Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy 12:44 – SEO for AI: Myth or Must-Do? 14:27 – Shopify's New AI Search Tool + Structured Data Insights 16:05 – Rich Results: What They Are & Why They Matter 17:37 – Real Example: Tactical Baby Gear PDP Breakdown 19:13 – UX Enhancements: Videos, Tabs, Comparison Charts & Reviews 20:44 – Bonus Example: Harney Tea's Complex Catalog Challenge 21:46 – Final Takeaway: What Truly Makes a PDP Convert 22:10 – Outro: Subscribe and Leave a Review! Your Engagement Matters Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a second to: Follow or subscribe to the Smart Marketer Podcast Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-marketer-podcast/id1522629407 Share this episode on social and tag us using #WeOutHere Send feedback to [email protected] Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit!