Few people embody “audience-first” and “leading expert” like Brian Clark. In this conversation, the Copyblogger founder (now building Further and Leading Expert) traces how trust-driven publishing beat ads and algorithms then—and why it still wins now. He, Curtis and Tom get into building on owned land (email > everything), testing offers with lean content, and pairing lived expertise with AI without losing your voice. If you’re a Gen-X creator, consultant, or founder trying to grow in an algorithmic world, this one’s a playbook.

N.B.:

• Learn more at further.net and leadingexpert.com.

• Connect with Brian on LinkedIn.

Takeaways:

• Build the audience first, then design the product around validated pain points of that audience.

• Treat social as discovery; make email your home base and asset.

• You don’t need a massive audience—just a trusted one.

• Use “lean content” to iterate: publish → observe → refine → ship.

• Let AI amplify your ideas and delivery, not replace your voice.

• Speak to a specific someone (repel to attract); shared identity builds trust.

• Midlife is a growth edge: seasoned expertise + AI + ownership = leverage.

Find and Follow:

• Find all episodes at bullhornsbullseyes.com.

• Follow the show on LinkedIn!

• Learn more about Collideascope and Creative Mill at their respective websites.

• Connect with Curtis and Tom on LinkedIn.

• Check out our newsletter, Amplify and Aim!

Few guests fit more naturally into the fading remnants of Season 2 of Bullhorns and Bullseyes than Kristian A. Alomá, PhD, founder and CEO of Threadline and author of Start with the Story: Brand-Building in a Narrative Economy. Kristian joins Tom and Curtis to unpack why consumers use brands to tell stories about identity, not just satisfy needs. He explains his Brand STORY Framework, the psychology behind loyalty, and how narrative thinking can turn research data into human insight. From Apple fandom to Calgon nostalgia, this conversation connects marketing, meaning, and the stories we tell ourselves.

N.B.:

• Learn more at threadline.com and kristianaloma.com.Connect with Kristian on LinkedIn.

Takeaways:

• Stories drive behavior. People buy symbols of who they are, not just products.

• Brand ≠ marketing. Branding is the relationship you create; marketing lives within it.

• The STORY Framework: Struggle → Tool → Objective → Reward → Yearning—the arc every brand narrative needs.

• Make your customer the hero. If you claim hero status, they’ll find another story.

• Empathy > data. Great research listens for emotion; story gives the numbers meaning.

• Honor your own story. A brand’s legacy proves it’s earned the right to tell today’s story.

• Think in lifetimes, not quarters. Narrative strategy builds loyalty that compounds.

Find and Follow:

• Find all episodes at bullhornsbullseyes.com.

• Follow the show on LinkedIn!

• Learn more about Collideascope and Creative Mill at their respective websites.

• Connect with Curtis and Tom on LinkedIn.

• Check out our newsletter, Amplify and Aim!

In this episode, Tom and Curtis welcome Jesse Flores, Founder and Chief Web Pro at SuperWebPros, for a wide-ranging conversation on the fast-moving world of AI. From his first “this is different” moment with ChatGPT to the rise of personalized, conversational websites and open-source tools that let small teams punch above their weight, Jesse offers a front-row look at how AI is transforming business today—and where it’s headed next.

N.B.:

• See Jesse’s work at superwebpros.com

• Connect with Jesse on LinkedIn

Takeaways:

• AI’s rapid growth in the past 18–24 months is unlike any prior tech shift—driven by compounding data and accessibility.

• The “aha moment” wasn’t just ChatGPT—it was when models could connect via APIs, powering real business workflows.

• Browsers and websites are moving toward personalized, agentic experiences, where every visitor gets a unique conversation.

• Model Context Protocols (MCPs) are the plumbing that allow AI agents to connect to tools, CRMs, and data.

• Open-source tools like LibreChat and n8n are enabling lean teams to do what once required enterprise resources.

• Success with AI depends on clean, structured data and aligning agents with your brand voice.

• Expect the near future to blend “pageants” (pages as agents), conversational lead magnets, and AI product guides—transforming websites into dynamic, brand-personalized conversations.

• Looking ahead 12–24 months: AI agents will increasingly network with each other to handle real-world tasks (like booking a repair service) automatically.

Find and Follow:

• Find all episodes at bullhornsbullseyes.com.

• Follow the show on LinkedIn!

• Learn more about Collideascope and Creative Mill at their respective websites.

• Connect with Curtis and Tom on LinkedIn.

• Check out our newsletter, Amplify and Aim!

In this episode, Tom and Curtis sit down with Mike Iley, COO of LoVasco Consulting Group, to unpack how the StoryBrand framework—and its roots in the Hero’s Journey—helped LoVasco shift from “look at us” to “we’re your guide,” clarifying their message across the website, sales, and internal comms. Expect practical, no-jargon advice on naming your customer’s problem first, using stronger calls to action, and painting the “success vs. failure” picture that moves people to act.

N.B.:

• See StoryBrand in action at lovascogroup.com

• Connect with Mike on LinkedIn

Takeaways:

• StoryBrand aligns tightly with the classic Hero’s Journey: your customer is the hero, your brand is the guide with a plan.

• Lead with the problem/pain your ideal customer feels—name it better than they can—and momentum follows.

• Strong, simple calls to action (and a secondary CTA) keep websites from becoming feature dumps.

• Don’t just promise a happy ending; contrast success vs. failure right after the CTA to spur action.

• Why–How–What vs. StoryBrand? More alignment than debate: hook with the “why,” earn the scroll for the how/what.

• Implementation matters: LoVasco used StoryBrand copy first, then design, then scaled it as a shared internal language.

• Outcome: clearer positioning, easier sales conversations, and clients discovering adjacent services they actually need.

Find and Follow:

• See all episodes at bullhornsbullseyes.com.

• Follow the show on LinkedIn!

• Learn more about Collideascope and Creative Mill at their respective websites.

• Connect with Curtis and Tom on LinkedIn.

• Check out our newsletter, Amplify and Aim!

In this episode, Curtis and Tom sit down with Gini Dietrich, founder and CEO of Spin Sucks and creator of the PESO Model®, to talk about how communications leaders can adapt in today’s “zero-click” reality. From rethinking attribution to building visibility with AI in mind, Gini shares why the PESO framework is no longer just a model, it’s becoming an operating system for modern marketing. The conversation covers how consumer journeys are anything but linear, why measurement is murkier than ever, and what signals actually matter when proving traction.

You’ll also hear practical advice on how to test your brand visibility in AI tools today, why owned and earned media are more important than ever, and how to shift from funnels to flywheels when building trust.

N.B.:

• Learn more at SpinSucks.com

• Connect with Gini on LinkedIn

Takeaways:

• The PESO Model—paid, earned, shared, owned—must evolve into an operating system for comms teams.

• In a zero-click world, credibility in earned and owned media drives whether AI surfaces your brand.

• The customer journey is no longer linear—think “flywheel,” not funnel.

• Attribution is broken. Instead, track traction signals like branded search lift, community health, and unaided awareness.

• Your website is still critical. AI may cite it, and high-quality visitors often come directly from those references.

• Think like a publisher again: create content that answers real customer questions, not just what Google wants.

• Test your brand visibility by going incognito in AI tools. See what shows up, what doesn’t, and fix inconsistencies.

Find and Follow:

• See all episodes at bullhornsbullseyes.com.

• Follow the show on LinkedIn!

• Learn more about Collideascope and Creative Mill at their respective websites.

• Connect with Curtis and Tom on LinkedIn.

• Check out our newsletter, Amplify and Aim!

Curtis and Tom sit down with Brendan Norman, CEO and co-founder of Classify, to talk about the future of digital advertising and why contextual targeting is making a comeback. Drawing from his experience launching Facebook’s Audience Network and scaling it to $3B in revenue, Brendan explains how Classify uses AI to go deeper than keywords and categories—ensuring the right ad shows up against the right content.

The conversation covers how contextual advertising works without relying on cookies or personal data, why precision beats blanket targeting, and how brands can win in a zero-click, privacy-first era. Brendan also shares case studies, including one niche product that saw a 35x lift in click-through rate using Classify’s curated URL lists, and introduces fresh ideas like his “ROSÉ” metric—return on sustainable efficiency—for tackling advertising’s carbon footprint.

N.B.:

• Learn more at tryclassify.com

• Connect with Brendan on LinkedIn

Takeaways:

• Contextual advertising is back—precision content targeting without cookies.

• AI can classify content at a deeper, more semantic level than legacy tools.

• Custom URL lists unlock niche targeting with outsized performance gains.

• Strong contextual alignment can lift CTRs by 50%+ (and sometimes far more).

• Sustainability matters: the ad industry must cut carbon waste from its massive data infrastructure.

• Best content still wins—context plus community creates durable advertising value.

Find and Follow:

• See all episodes at bullhornsbullseyes.com.

• Follow the show on LinkedIn!

• Learn more about Collideascope and Creative Mill at their respective websites.

• Connect with Curtis and Tom on LinkedIn.

• Check out our newsletter, Amplify and Aim!

Curtis and Tom welcome Nolan Reiter, Employer Branding Strategist at Scout Design, to unpack what employer branding really means…and why it matters now more than ever. Nolan shares how he helps companies move beyond job ads and recruitment campaigns to build authentic candidate experiences that align with culture and brand strategy. Nolan shares insights from client projects across industries, discusses candidate “moments that matter,” and highlights the role of AI tools like Paradox’s Olivia in making the hiring process more human, not less. You’ll also hear practical advice on how to audit your candidate journey, what to look for in aligning HR and marketing, and why companies must shift from quick tech fixes to deeper truths about culture and employee experience.

N.B.:

• Learn more at scoutdesign.agency

• Connect with Nolan on LinkedIn

Takeaways:

• Employer branding isn’t just advertising—it’s the candidate experience.

• Authenticity and alignment with company culture are essential.

• Strong employer branding improves application rates, candidate quality, and retention.

• Recruitment marketing and technology work best only after the brand truth is defined.

• Employer branding must connect with the company’s overall brand strategy for maximum impact.

• AI tools like Olivia can enhance, not replace, human touchpoints in the hiring journey.

Find and Follow:

• See all episodes at bullhornsbullseyes.com.

• Follow the show on LinkedIn!

• Learn more about Collideascope and Creative Mill at their respective websites.

• Connect with Curtis and Tom on LinkedIn.

• Check out our newsletter, Amplify and Aim!

Funnel-based storyteller returns to the podcast to have a little fun. Challenge, with Curtis as “the client,” can Josh and Tom retell a fictitious brand’s story on the fly, with little input and using only their aligned methodologies? Tom’s going to encourage Curtis to lead with his client’s WHY; and Josh is sure to align the messaging with the tried-and-true sales/marketing funnel. Will they outperform AI in the process? Tune in to find out!

We’re working without a net this week, folks…well, we did have the internet…but we didn’t use it…promise!

N.B.:

• Connect with Josh on LinkedIn.

• Learn more about Josh and his agency at Donco Marketing.

Takeaways:

• Funnel-driven storytelling helps structure brand messaging.

• Awareness is crucial in the initial stages of customer engagement.

• Positioning the customer as the hero enhances brand appeal.

• Social proof can significantly impact customer trust.

• Effective storytelling should focus on benefits, not just features.

• Understanding the audience's journey is key to effective marketing.

• Brand storytelling should evolve from the website outward.

• Identifying the precise target audience is crucial for effective messaging.

• Data plays a vital role in understanding lead generation and conversion.

• Stakeholder interviews are essential for crafting effective marketing narratives.

• AI can enhance marketing strategies but should not replace human insight.

• Effective messaging should focus on the customer's journey and pain points.

• Understanding the emotional aspects of marketing can improve client relationships.

• Customer-centric marketing positions the customer as the hero of the story.

Find and Follow:

• See all episodes at bullhornsbullseyes.com.

• Follow the show on LinkedIn!

• Learn more about Collideascope and Creative Mill at their respective websites.

• Connect with Curtis and Tom on LinkedIn.

• Check out our newsletter, Amplify and Aim!