We are living in an era of unprecedented information. In the last fifty years, the dawn of the digital age has caused an explosion of knowledge and data. Every single day, we collectively generate about 1.15 trillion megabytes of new data—a fact I found in a quick 45-second Google search. To put that in perspective, we create more new information in a 24-hour cycle than all of our ancestors did over millions of years.
If our brain is supposedly designed to help us build the life we want, why does it so often feel like it’s working against us? Why do we think, feel, and struggle the way we do? And on the flip side, what’s happening when we actually succeed? My own journey to understand how our minds work started with that simple question: I had no idea it would lead to such profound insights about who we are.
Have you ever caught yourself in a loop of self-doubt? That feeling when you desperately want to achieve something, but you just can't seem to make it happen because you're your own worst enemy. How many times have you talked yourself out of a great idea?
In the rush to master the latest digital marketing trends, it's become common to hear that old-school media is dead. But reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated. While everyone else is fighting for attention in crowded digital spaces, a smart few are finding incredible returns by going against the grain.
Let’s be honest for a second. When it comes to your email list, are you acting like a good friend or that one annoying cousin? You know the one—they only show up at the family reunion to pitch you on a pyramid scheme or ask for a job.
It can all start with a simple conversation. I was walking to dinner with Josh Turner at an affiliate mastermind when he turned to me and said, “I’d like to buy your company.” He’d heard I was thinking about selling, and something about his directness felt right. Our companies were mirror images—his focused on LinkedIn, mine on Facebook. We shared the same values about taking care of our teams and clients, and our visions for a healthy work-life balance were perfectly aligned. He was ready to make a move, and frankly, so was I.
It’s staggering to see how much money is pouring into digital marketing. Companies are shifting massive chunks of their advertising budgets online, with social media ad spending growing by over 45% in a single year. By 2019, it was an $18.4 billion industry in the U.S. alone. Everyone’s in, especially on Facebook, which now commands a huge portion of all digital ad dollars.
My marketing agency was losing money, and I was losing the joy of running it. I felt like I was working incredibly hard for free, constantly competing on price in a crowded market of local agencies that promised to do everything for everyone. I was a commodity, and the cheapest commodity always wins. I knew something had to change.
Back in 1951, Alan Turing, the father of modern computing, wondered what would happen if a machine could think more intelligently than we do. That question feels more relevant than ever today, especially in the world of marketing. Artificial intelligence sits in a fascinating spot, blending human-like creativity with technological power. For any small business or solo entrepreneur without unlimited resources, this is an exciting prospect—a way to do more with less.