Podcast: AI, Non-Linear Behavior, and Decentralization of Marketing
A Day in the Life
What does a good day look like for you?
I am an early morning person. My day starts at 3 AM. My best ideas, creativity, and curiosity flow between 3-5 AM, so I embrace that. By 6 AM, I’m diving into work until 10 AM. Afterward, I put on my cowgirl hat, go hiking, and spend time with my horses. The second work session of my day involves answering emails, making calls, and exploring LinkedIn. I’m in bed by 6 PM. My routine might sound boring, but I believe it’s a good thing.
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Key Elements of Resonant Digital Content
What makes a podcast or digital content truly resonate with an audience?
We’re entering an era where audio and video content are more than channels; they’re portals to connection. Social algorithm changes on platforms like TikTok (now banned), Instagram, and Facebook are driving this evolution. Let me frame this through the lens of 2025's digital landscape.
Marketers are abandoning the "be everywhere" approach in favor of channel mastery.
Unless you have a Gary V-sized team, success now demands focused excellence in one or two key channels. My insight comes from analyzing over 1,000 hours of content across YouTube and podcasts, and here's what's driving change:
Immersive audio experiences will evolve with spatial audio and 3D soundscapes to create immersive storytelling experiences. This will particularly impact narrative-driven genres, branded content, and experiential formats, enhancing listener engagement. Multi-platform integration is essential. Success isn't about podcast-only content anymore. It's about creating ecosystems where audio, video, and interactive elements work seamlessly together, as seen with YouTube and its incorporation of podcasts.
Community-centric monetization is the future. The next phase of creators is focusing on smaller, deeply engaged audiences rather than chasing mass appeal. Podcasters will leverage platforms like Circle.So, Geneva, or Discord for premium memberships and tokenized content to monetize superfans directly. Steph Smith's Internet Pipes is a great example of creators building private ecosystems. Additionally, you'll see more private podcasts tailored to specific communities, like Liku Amadi's Black Women Can Have It All, which is exclusive to women of color.
Podcasts will increasingly serve as multi-platform hubs, integrating video content (via YouTube), interactive transcripts, and live-streamed episodes to create additional touchpoints for discoverability and engagement. YouTubers like Hindz have already tapped into live podcasting as a growth opportunity.
There’s also the death of the niche. I’ve found that resonance comes not just from niches but a "wheelhouse perspective." This broader approach draws unexpected connections and delivers real insights that resonate deeply with audiences.
In terms of SEO, optimization, searchability and AI-driven discovery are converging. Winners will master the balance between technical optimization—like structured data and semantic tagging—and authentic, engaging narratives that connect with audiences.
The "Down the Rabbit Hole" Newsletter
What is "Down the Rabbit Hole" about?
Down the Rabbit Hole is my 2025 LinkedIn newsletter, "Narratives & Numbers." LinkedIn is the one platform that doesn’t send my nervous system into overdrive, and I use it authentically rather than following prescribed "LinkedIn guru" strategies. It’s a mix of analysis, forecasting, and an exploration of belief and behavior. I dive deep into non-linear connections between individual and group motivations, exploring the peculiar and paradoxical shifts reshaping our world.
Each issue unravels a different thread in modern culture’s tapestry. One minute, I’m examining consumer fascination with cowboys and the American West, and the next, I’m looking at the obsession with biohacking and longevity. This blend of anthropology and zeitgeist is raw, real, and occasionally uncomfortable, but intoxicating to write. And yes, Claude AI helps me organize the chaos behind it all.
AI in Marketing
What are the biggest mistakes companies make when using AI in marketing?
We’re drowning in data but starving for insights. The same applies to AI. I love AI—I joke that Claude understands me better than my boyfriend—but watching companies mishandle it breaks my heart.
Many senior leaders assume that providing teams with tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, or industry-specific AI platforms automatically creates efficiency. But it doesn’t. Here’s why:
Teams don’t understand how to use AI effectively. Without clear frameworks, garbage inputs produce garbage outputs.
There’s limited understanding of integrating AI-generated outputs into existing workflows for newsletters, frameworks, or content calendars.
Companies overspend on restricted tools, whereas base models like Claude and Perplexity offer more flexibility and greater ROI when paired with well-crafted prompts.
I’ve personally spent weeks developing prompts, frameworks, and style guides, testing and refining them to enhance my workflow. Companies need to invest in proper training and implementation strategies to make AI truly transformative rather than adding unnecessary complexity.
Marketing High-Profile Events
What’s the most effective tactic for combining digital and in-person engagement?
Working on MJBizCon and the ReMind Psychedelic Forums was transformative. These events face unprecedented marketing restrictions—platforms like Google, Meta, and LinkedIn impose significant barriers. This forced us to approach creativity with compliance, using integrated strategies across social media, PR, partnerships, and digital channels.
Restrictions highlighted the importance of designing experiences that drive connection. Post-COVID, attendees are seeking their tribe, not just events. This creates two opportunities: existing events must reinvest in on-site experiences, and market gaps allow for new, focused events to emerge. Events like Rachel Rodgers’ ROI Summit or The Old Salt Music Festival prove how vital experience-driven programming and community-building have become.
Consumer Behavior in 2025
What trends should companies watch?
Digital burnout is real, but consumers are getting smarter about how they engage. They switch between deep and shallow content based on their needs. This complexity defies the "know your audience" mantra—stop putting people in boxes. The same person reading scientific journals may also binge-watch cat videos.
Successful strategies focus on:
SEO fundamentals
Mobile-first design
Smart segmentation in email and SEM
Brands must adapt quickly to unpredictable shifts in social channels, influencer dynamics, and platform longevity. So laying the foundation of long term success is important.
Data Visualization
How can brands present data effectively?
Let's talk about data that actually matters in 2025. Not vanity metrics, not demographic checkboxes - real behavioral indicators that show you how your ecosystem operates. First, structure matters. Most brands are drowning in data because they're collecting everything without understanding what drives decisions. Here's what you need to track:
Behavioral Patterns:
Content consumption rhythms (when, where, how long)
Purchase decision timing (seasonal, situational, emotional triggers)
Channel-switching behavior (how people move between your touchpoints)
Attention patterns (scroll depth, video completion, email open sequences)
Context Indicators:
Device usage patterns (not just mobile vs desktop, but context of use)
Environmental factors (weather, location, time of day impact)
Adjacent category behavior (what else are they buying/consuming)
Community engagement signals (where they gather, who they trust)
Purchase Dynamics:
Decision journey mapping (actual paths, not idealized funnels)
Price sensitivity triggers (what causes shifts)
Cart abandonment patterns (story behind the numbers)
Post-purchase behavior (usage patterns, support needs)
Stop focusing on who people are (age, gender, location) and start understanding how they behave in your ecosystem.
Build flexible systems that track:
Interaction patterns (not just transactions)
Context shifts (when behavior changes)
Response triggers (what drives action)
Usage evolution (how behavior morphs over time)
Your data structure needs to be fluid enough to capture behavior shifts without being so loose it loses meaning. Think of it as building a learning system, not a reporting tool.. The brands that win don't just collect data - they build systems that learn from behavioral shifts in real time.
The Future of Marketing
Where is marketing headed?
The future of marketing is about adaptability. Behavioral insights will matter more than demographics. AI will enhance storytelling and analysis but requires strategic use. Stop chasing universal answers; instead, focus on your ecosystem’s specific behavior. The fundamentals—SEO, mobile-first design, and segmentation—still apply but must evolve with consumer behaviors.