RSS 75: Become Unblockable: The Mindset That Makes You Invaluable

Tired of creating content that goes nowhere? This episode is your ultimate playbook, packed with over 100 actionable content marketing tips you can implement today. From developing a solid strategy and using AI tools to mastering distribution and SEO, get ready to steal the tactics that will amplify your reach and drive real results. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. The Foundation of Success: Strategy First - Start with a clear content marketing strategy that outlines your goals, audience, and distribution plans. - Revisit and adjust your strategy quarterly to adapt to market changes and organizational goals. - Avoid the "create, create, create" cycle by pausing to reflect on why you're creating content. 2. Your Marketing Co-Pilot: AI - Use AI tools like Phrase and Content Shake for in-depth SERP analysis and content optimization. - Accelerate content creation and distribution with platforms like Jasper and distribution.ai. - Create interactive assets like calculators in minutes and even generate user-generated content (UGC) with AI. 3. Creating Remarkable Content - In an AI-driven world, focus on quality over quantity to stand out. - Create "unscalable" content so valuable that people feel compelled to share it. - Incorporate storytelling to make your message more memorable and connect with your audience on an emotional level. - Use video as the "final frontier" of authentic content that's difficult for AI to replicate perfectly. 4. Optimizing for Discovery: SEO & Search - Understand that SEO is not dead; it's the foundation for generative engine optimization (GEO). - Build authority by creating pillar content and topic clusters that demonstrate deep expertise. - Embrace "double E-A-T" (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness) by sharing your unique experiences. - Create data-driven research pieces to earn high-quality backlinks and brand mentions. 5. Create Once, Distribute Forever - Implement a content repurposing strategy to get maximum value from your existing high-performing assets. - Identify where your audience spends their time and be active on those specific social channels. - Develop a formal content distribution plan that goes beyond simply posting on your main social accounts. 6. Building a Community - Build and own your audience with an email newsletter; it's an asset you control. - Engage with your audience by responding to comments and participating in conversations. - Feature user-generated content and success stories to build social proof and community. - Create content for every stage of the buyer's journey: awareness, consideration, and decision. Resources & Tools: 🔗 Distribution.ai  — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

Search is changing fast. Your clients now ask ChatGPT and other AI platforms who they should hire, and they get a direct answer instead of a page of links. In this episode, I walk through the shift from Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and share what I’d do if I were running visibility for a professional services firm today: get found by clients, attract better talent, and show up when AI is the one answering. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. The Fundamental Shift in Search - Tools like ChatGPT turned search into a conversation. You ask a question and get an answer right away. - Few consumers pay for AI, but businesses are adopting it quickly because it saves time and improves profitability. - Your clients are already using AI to make business decisions, so you need to be part of those answers. 2. Understanding the New Buyer’s Journey - Clients still discover you through search, and now they also use AI to evaluate you. - They upload your proposal, your website content, and your competitors’ information into an LLM and ask which firm to pick. - These models read everything you have online, from your website to your LinkedIn profile. 3. Introducing Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) - GEO is the practice of optimizing your content and online presence for AI platforms like Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini as well as Google. - Traditional SEO is still the foundation. GEO builds on it with video, reviews, and content made for specific platforms. - The signals that shape AI recommendations differ from classic SEO factors, so being present in more than one channel matters more than ever. 4. Actionable GEO Strategies for Your Firm - Build a landing page for each type of client you serve, such as “accounting for marketing agencies” or “services for law firms.” - Make your authority signals easy to find: awards, case studies, major clients, community involvement, and positive reviews. - LLMs use this specific content to match your firm to the right prompts, so each buyer sees a result tailored to them. 5. Winning the Talent War with Employer Branding - Candidates use the same AI tools to research employers before they apply. Say plainly on your website what your culture, values, mission, and vision are. - Share behind-the-scenes content, team events, and stories that show what it’s like to work at your firm. 6. Common Mistakes to Avoid - Don’t check your firm’s AI ranking while logged into your personal account. The LLM knows who you are and will give you a flattering, skewed answer. - Don’t paste content straight out of ChatGPT onto your blog. Add your own expertise, perspective, and voice. Resources & Tools: 🔗 Distribution.ai  🔗 The Accountant's Flight Plan Podcast  — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

How do you build a brand that buyers trust when they’re surrounded by online noise? Scott Baradell, a trust expert, defines PR as securing trust at scale and walks through his framework for building a constellation of “trust signals.” This matters for us because buyers now check what AI tells them against other sources before they commit, and the brands that show up consistently across those sources win the deal. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. Redefining PR for the Modern Era - PR now means securing trust at scale, which goes well past media coverage. - The goal is to scale what your best salesperson already does: earn the trust of the person across the table. - That moves PR out of the tactical column and makes it a core strategic function. 2. Navigating the “Post-Truth” World - Scott argues we’re in a “trust displacement,” not a trust deficit. People haven’t stopped trusting; they’ve moved to new, fragmented sources of authority. - You have to know your audience well enough to know which sources they believe. - The play is a “constellation of trust breadcrumbs” spread across platforms, so wherever a buyer looks, they find proof. 3. The T.R.U.S.T. Signals Framework - Reputation Management: Stay on top of reviews and online sentiment before they get away from you. - User Experience: Your website stands in for your business. A clunky site tells buyers the customer experience will be clunky too. - Search Presence: Strong Google rankings and visibility in AI answers work as endorsements. - Thought Leadership: Share useful, non-sales information and you build rapport before the first call. 4. Building Trust in the Age of AI - Plenty of buyers start with ChatGPT or a similar tool, but most still look for outside validation before they buy. - Brands shape what AI says by earning placements on the sources models cite most, such as top-tier media and review sites. - Scott expects personalized AI companions to come next, advising people based on preferences and values they’ve learned over time. Resources & Tools: 🔗 Trust Signals by Scott Baradell - https://book.trustsignals.com/ 🔗 Idea Grove - https://www.ideagrove.com/ — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds — Connect with Scott  — ╰ Twitter / X: @DallasInbound ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/baradell/

Every team has someone you call when a project starts going sideways. I call that person unblockable. They find a way forward while everyone else is still waiting on someone. In this episode I break down what unblockable people actually do and how I spot them when I’m hiring. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. What I Mean by “Unblockable” - Unblockable people go looking for the answer instead of waiting for someone to hand it to them. - When they hit an obstacle, they treat it as a chance to show what they can do. - It’s the trait I value most in anyone on my team, and you’ll almost never see it on a resume. 2. Case Study: How Airbnb Refused to Quit - Airbnb’s founders were getting turned down by investors and racking up debt. - So they designed custom cereal boxes, sold them, and raised $30,000 to keep the company alive. - That hustle is what eventually won investors over. A founder who finds a way beats a polished pitch. 3. What This Looks Like in Marketing - If a white paper is underperforming, I’d rather see a marketer take the story to Reddit, where the audience already is, than keep pushing the same asset. - Stuck waiting on a client approval? Go get it. Sometimes that means showing up at the client’s office. - When a competitor is closing in, good enough won’t cut it. Unblockable people push the work further without being told to. 4. How I Spot Unblockable People When Hiring - The candidates who stand out send a Loom with their own insights instead of a list of questions. - They ship things nobody asked for. They build a tool or put something useful together before anyone prompts them. - They test ideas on their own platforms first, so by the time they bring it to the team or a client, they already have proof. 5 Traps That Block Progress (And How to Avoid Them) - The Permission Trap: Stop waiting on a yes that might never come. Give yourself and your team room to act. - The Attribution Trap: Some of the most valuable marketing won’t show ROI right away. Play the long game anyway. - The Expert Trap: A title doesn’t make someone right. If a VP’s experience is out of date and you believe in the idea, fight for it. - The Algorithm Trap: Platforms will change. Keep distributing your story. - The Room Trap: Your background doesn’t decide whether you belong. Effort is what gets you in the door. — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

The internet is flooded with AI-generated content right now, and that makes real human connection worth more than ever. In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, I break down the value I’ve seen from showing up at in-person events and how strategic networking and learning have shaped my own career. I share how I approach getting ROI from a conference and why the payoff from those rooms keeps showing up for years afterward. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. The Unseen ROI of Conferences - I treat events as a long-term investment in my career, my relationships, and the growth of the business. - Some of the biggest opportunities I’ve had came years after the first conversation. - If you want to get luckier in business, put yourself in more rooms where genuine connection can happen. 2. Building Your Network from Scratch - When I started out with no industry connections, online forums and social media chats were how I built my network. - Standing out online is much harder today because feeds are full of low-value AI comments, what I call “LLM copypasta.” - The way to cut through is to bring your own experience and point of view into every online interaction. 3. The Power of In-Person Connection - In-person events get you out of the digital noise and into real, unfiltered conversations. - Talking face to face about challenges, goals, and ideas builds relationships people actually remember. - I’ve found the trust you build in person is something you can’t replicate over a screen. 4. How Events Reshape Your Thinking - Every good conference I attend gives me new mental models for solving problems. - Hearing how other experts think changes the way I approach challenges in my own work. - I walk out with faster, sharper solutions than I had when I walked in. 5. What Separates Great Events from Bad Ones - The worst events I’ve been to lean on big-name “celebrity” speakers who give generic platitudes and nothing you can use. - The best ones mix inspiring keynotes with practitioners who are in the trenches doing the work every day. - I look for events that build in both structured and unstructured time to network. 6. The Ultimate Event Strategy: Add Value - My number one goal at any event is to add as much value as I can to every interaction. - If I’m speaking, I want to deliver an exceptional presentation. If I’m attending, I’m looking for ways to help people with their problems. - I want people to leave remembering me as someone who brought good energy and useful advice. Resources & Tools: 🔗 Foundation’s Citation Conference - https://citationconference.com/ 🔗 ExitFive’s DRIVE 2027 - https://exitfive.com/drive-2027/ 🔗 HubSpot’s UNBOUND 2027 - https://unbound.hubspot.com/ — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

Most of the SEO playbooks teams still run are out of date. In this episode I sat down with Gaetano DiNardi to talk through the ones that drive real revenue, from winning bottom-of-funnel demand to getting recommended through Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). We got into how to build a marketing engine that captures high-intent buyers and holds up when your category gets crowded. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. Career Foundations & Mindset - What the music industry taught Gaetano about patience and rejection, and how that shaped the way he finds an audience.- Why he believes in "eating mud" and starting at the bottom to build a career that lasts.- How he got his foot in the door by taking initiative and learning from the people he looked up to in the industry. 2. Proven B2B Growth Playbooks - The Sales Hacker strategy: grow your owned list and lean on expert-led content.- The Nextiva demand capture model: how they took over SERPs with affiliates, paid ads, and organic listings working together.- Why you have to know your "surface area" and map user intent so you stop publishing content that overlaps and goes nowhere. 3.  The Shift to AEO & Modern Search - Gaetano's take on the "ludicrous" area code strategy and why he thinks Reddit gets overhyped for niche B2B.- How SEO and AEO differ: ranking still matters, and now you also need the AI to recommend you.- How challenger brands can use "surround sound" marketing to compete with enterprise players who win on brand alone. 4. The Future of Marketing & AI - Programmatic SEO: it works when your data isn't a commodity, and it's a real penalty risk when it is.- Why so many AEO problems turn out to be positioning problems, and why solving them takes more than one team.- How AI has changed the daily workflow and given marketers time back for the strategic work that moves the needle. Resources & Tools: 🔗 Marketing Advice - https://marketingadvice.substack.com/  — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds — Connect with Gaetano — ╰ Twitter / X: @gaetano_nyc ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/officialg/

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, I sit down with Doug Davidoff to break down how high-growth companies build predictable revenue systems through better decisions and disciplined execution. If you want a more strategic approach to RevOps, sales leadership, go-to-market strategy, and AI in sales, this conversation gives you a practical framework you can apply in the next 90 days. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1.  Why "sounds good" advice stalls growth - Doug explains why advice that feels exciting but lacks market validation often leads teams in the wrong direction. - Real growth comes from testing ideas in the market, learning from customer behavior, and adjusting based on actual feedback. - The fastest-growing companies don't assume certainty. They build around experimentation. 2. The revenue acceleration framework in action - Doug shares the core principle of hypothesis-driven growth: make a decision, test it, measure the result, and refine. - He makes the case that the companies that learn the fastest often build the most sustainable competitive advantage. - A strong revenue system is built through continuous feedback loops between strategy and execution. 3. The three zones of execution - Zone 1 focuses on the next 90 days and the day-to-day performance required to run the business. - Zone 2, the enablement zone, is where companies operationalize change and prepare for future growth. - Zone 3 is the transformation zone, where leaders define the long-term vision and direction of the company. - Doug explains that most teams have plenty of ambition. Where they struggle is skipping the structure that connects today's work to tomorrow's outcomes. 4.  Process, discipline, and predictable growth - Successful organizations rely on routines and review cycles to drive results instead of counting on heroic effort. - Doug highlights the importance of focusing on inputs alongside outputs to create more predictable sales and revenue performance. - He pushes leaders to cut the noise and focus on the two or three initiatives that matter most. 5. AI, sales systems, and staying strategic - Doug shares a balanced perspective on AI in revenue operations, arguing that most companies are still in the early stages. - AI can accelerate execution, but only when the underlying process and data are already clear. - The real advantage comes from using AI to support better thinking. 6.  Lessons from sports for sales and leadership - Drawing from his experience coaching college baseball, Doug explains how process drives performance in both sports and business. - Just like hitters need a repeatable swing path, sales teams need a repeatable path that increases the probability of success. - Great leaders stay focused on fundamentals and steady improvement over time. Resources & Tools: 🔗 LiftEnablement.com - https://www.liftenablement.com/ 🔗 The RevOps Show - https://www.liftenablement.com/podcasts/revops-show — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds — Connect with Doug  — ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/doug-davidoff-76396b1/

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, I sit down with Katelyn Bourgoin to unpack what it really takes to become unignorable in today's crowded content landscape. We explore how marketers, creators, consultants, and founders can own an idea, build compound authority, and turn strategic content distribution into long-term brand equity. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. What It Means to Be UNIGNORABLE - Katelyn explains why great content alone is no longer enough in a saturated market. - The real advantage comes from owning a clear, memorable idea in the minds of your audience. - We break down how repetition, positioning, and trust help brands stand out over time. 2. How to Own an Idea in Your Market - The conversation highlights examples like Cody Sanchez, James Clear, Simon Sinek, and Seth Godin to show how ownable ideas spread. - Katelyn shares the difference between catchy language and the deeper argument underneath it. - Learn why the strongest personal brands are built on revelatory ideas that change how people think. 3. A Practical Framework for Thought Leadership - Katelyn outlines a five-part framework for shaping an ownable idea: aspiration, problem, lens, revelation, and directive. - She emphasizes aligning your message with what your buyers need to hear, not just what you want to say. - This section is especially useful for digital marketers and business owners looking for a repeatable content strategy. 4. AI, Content Creation, and Better Judgment - AI can speed up drafting and ideation support, but it should not replace real learning or strategic thinking. - The key takeaway: use AI to amplify your process, not to shortcut the development of judgment and expertise. 5. Building Authority Through Experience and Consistency - Katelyn shares why credibility matters and why doing the reps often comes before becoming a thought leader.  - We discuss the "messenger effect" and why who says something can matter as much as what is being said. - The episode reinforces a strategic truth: consistent publishing compounds slowly, then pays off in a big way. 6. Entrepreneurship, Resilience, and Finding Your Path - Katelyn opens up about startups, bankruptcy, burnout, and the lessons that shaped her current business model. - She explains why founders need to get honest about what they actually want instead of chasing someone else's version of success. - This part of the conversation offers encouraging guidance for anyone navigating uncertainty, reinvention, or early-stage growth. Resources & Tools: 🔗Be UNIGNORABLE - https://beunignorable.com/ — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds — Connect with Katelyn — ╰ Twitter / X: @KateBour ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katebour/

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, I challenge the common belief that productivity struggles come from not having enough time. Instead, I make the case that the real issue is weak prioritization, and I share a practical framework for using calendars, delegation, and focused decision-making to create meaningful progress. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. Every Priority Has a Price - Choosing one priority means consciously saying no to something else. - Treating every task as equally urgent leads to stalled momentum and scattered energy. - High-impact work often creates outsized returns, even when it takes less effort than lower-value tasks. 2. Applying the 80/20 Rule to Your Work - A small percentage of your efforts often drives the majority of your results. - The goal is to identify the few actions with the highest return and spend more time there. - This mindset helps marketers, creators, and business owners stop overinvesting in tasks that do not move the needle. 3. Your Calendar Reveals Your Commitment - Calendars are one of the most important tools for achieving goals. - If a goal is not reflected in your schedule, it is probably not a true priority. - Intentional calendar planning creates structure, accountability, and better follow-through. 4. Time Blocking with Intention - I share how I have used calendar systems for years to protect focused work and personal commitments. - I recommend scheduling everything that matters, from deep work to family time. - Repeatable blocks like no-meeting days can help create consistency and protect your best energy. 5. Categorize Your Time for Better ROI - Tracking where your time goes helps you measure whether your effort aligns with your goals. - Categories like sales, marketing, personal development, and family create visibility into what is actually getting your attention. - For leaders, this same approach can help teams improve performance and resource allocation. 6. Stop Being the Bottleneck - Leaders often slow growth by making themselves the default answer for every decision. - I frame this as an ego issue as much as an operational one. - Delegation, empowerment, and trust are essential if you want your team and your business to scale. 7. Delegate to Unlock Growth - I reflect on my own experience as a founder who used to approve everything. - Real growth happened when I gave ownership and accountability to others. - Training people to make strong decisions frees you to focus on the highest-value work. 8. Better Outcomes Come from Better Decisions - Constant activity is not the same as meaningful progress. - One thoughtful, well-timed decision can create more impact than dozens of small reactive tasks. - Strategic leaders focus less on looking busy and more on solving the right problem. 9. Think in Sprints Around the Biggest Problem - Identify the single biggest issue holding them back. - Focus your energy relentlessly on that one constraint instead of bouncing between distractions. - Breakthroughs often come from sustained attention on one important problem over a defined period. — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, I sit down with Dave Gerhardt to unpack what it really takes to win in B2B marketing today, from building brand through content and community to creating distribution that compounds over time. We also dive into AI, events, audience trust, hiring, and the mindset shifts required to build a durable media brand in a crowded market. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. B2B Marketing Strategy in a Media-First World - Dave explains why marketing a media business differs from marketing a software company, especially when the product is the audience's attention. - We get into why more software brands are buying media companies to gain distribution, relevance, and brand equity. - We explore how owned media and off-platform content can strengthen visibility, including emerging benefits tied to AI search and LLM citations. 2. The Playbook for Starting from Scratch - Dave shares how he would approach B2B growth if he had to rebuild without his existing audience or personal brand. - His framework starts with understanding the buyer deeply, then creating highly specific content for a clearly defined niche. - A key takeaway I pull from this: great marketers do not force channels, they go where the audience already is, whether that is LinkedIn, YouTube, or even Facebook groups. 3. Building Exit Five Through Brand, Quality, and Focus - Dave breaks down the pivotal moves that helped Exit Five grow: rebranding, hiring key operators, and raising the quality bar across content and events. - He explains why perception matters in marketing and how a real brand creates more long-term value than a personality-led business alone. - This reinforces something I believe strongly: when you take the work more seriously, the market often responds in kind. 4. AI, Human Creativity, and the Future of Marketing - Dave and I discuss where AI helps and where it falls short, especially in storytelling, originality, and emotional nuance. - Dave shares a candid lesson from writing a keynote and why relying too heavily on AI can flatten great ideas into generic output. - For marketers, my takeaway is clear: use AI as a tool, but keep human insight at the center of content creation. 5. Community, Events, and Real-World Connection - In-person events as a competitive advantage in a digital-first world. - Dave explains how event curation, speaker selection, and genuine audience experiences can drive brand loyalty beyond direct ROI metrics. - We also discuss why analog experiences and real relationships are becoming even more valuable as digital content becomes easier to mass-produce. 6. Lessons on Leadership, Talent, and Continuous Improvement - Dave reflects on hard feedback, impulsiveness, sponsor fit, and the importance of not arguing when protecting brand trust. - He shares how Exit Five attracts top talent through brand reputation, product quality, and operational rigor. - The broader lesson I take away is strategic and practical: strong businesses are built through focus, iteration, and a willingness to raise the standard over time. Resources & Tools: 🔗 Exit Five - https://exitfive.com/ 🔗 Drive 2026 - https://exitfive.com/drive/ — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds — Connect with Dave  — ╰ Twitter / X: @davegerhardt  ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davegerhardt