Today, we have an incredible story that traverses continents, careers, and the evolving digital age. Joining me is Ash Nallawalla, an SEO consultant with an extraordinary journey. From his humble beginnings in Bombay, India, to his unexpected career shifts in Australia and New Zealand, Ash has navigated the turbulent waters of technology, marketing, and entrepreneurship.

In this episode, we discuss the challenges of competing with AI in the publishing industry, the highs and lows of SEO consulting, and the hard lessons learned from undervaluing one's services. Ash opens up about his struggles in the mid-80s trying to break into the computer industry, his eventual success in desktop publishing, and his pivotal role in growing Melbourne PC user group’s internet service.

We also delve into the nitty-gritty of SEO, the significance of understanding search intent, and the balance between SEO and PPC in digital marketing. Plus, Ash shares valuable insights from his book, 'Accidental SEO Manager,' and the unique hurdles he faced in getting it published.

Resources Discussed On The Episode

• Accidental SEO Manager (Amazon)

I have one small favour to ask. Can you please follow the show on whichever platform you prefer to listen to podcasts on.

If you like video then I suggest YouTube or YouTube Music is your best choice and you can subscribe to receive notifications of future episodes.

For audio, find and follow the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever else you listen, just search for Bad Decisions with Jim Banks.

Today's guest, Emanuel Cinca, also known as Manu, joins us to share his unique journey from a struggling university student to a professional poker player, and finally to a successful digital marketing publisher.

Manu pioneered Stacked Marketer, a newsletter that now commands an impressive audience of over 100,000 subscribers.

We dive deep into the acquisition of complementary newsletters, the challenges of digital advertising, and how maintaining a reader-engaging tone has been pivotal in his strategy.

Manu’s open-book policy on revenue stats, his successful sponsorship strategies, and his insights into future challenges for publishers paint a comprehensive picture of the digital marketing landscape.

Whether you're an aspiring newsletter publisher, a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned digital marketer, there’s a wealth of knowledge to unpack in today’s episode.

I hope you enjoy listening to it as much I made making it for you.

• Stacked Marketer

I have one small favour to ask, as you listen to the episode would you please follow the show on whichever platform you prefer to listen to podcasts on.

If you like video then I suggest YouTube or YouTube Music is your best choice and you can subscribe to receive notifications of future episodes.

For audio, you can find and follow the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever else you listen, just search for Bad Decisions with Jim Banks.

Anton Shulke is an inspiration.

He is from Ukraine and when the war started everyone in the search community rushed to Facebook looking for the video that Anton posted of himself drinking a coffee.

Since then he has moved on to many countries.

He is also fantastic at creating influencer communities.

So enjoy this discussion with Anton on Bad Decisions with Jim Banks

Discussed during the episode

• SEO for Paws Announcement
• Ukrainian Cats & Dogs Initiative
• Duda - eCommerce Website Builder

One small ask - If you do nothing else, please, please, please can you visit Anton's Buy Me A Coffee link. He donates every penny to support the stray cats and dogs that have been left abandoned by the war in Ukraine.