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Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
Jason Hunt
237 episodes
5 days ago
Drop The Mic is the pulse of marketing brilliance, where the world's top marketers share their journey from start to stardom. Uncover the tactics and stories behind their success in a rapidly evolving industry. Each episode is a treasure trove of insights, offering inspiration and guidance for marketers at any level. Dive into the minds that shaped the marketing world and discover how to leave your own mark. This is where legends speak, insights sparkle and marketing magic happens.
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Marketing
Business
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All content for Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt is the property of Jason Hunt and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Drop The Mic is the pulse of marketing brilliance, where the world's top marketers share their journey from start to stardom. Uncover the tactics and stories behind their success in a rapidly evolving industry. Each episode is a treasure trove of insights, offering inspiration and guidance for marketers at any level. Dive into the minds that shaped the marketing world and discover how to leave your own mark. This is where legends speak, insights sparkle and marketing magic happens.
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Marketing
Business
Episodes (20/237)
Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#236 – Cristian Ionescu: From Samsung Analytics to AI SaaS Founder & Why 10-Year Experts Can't Find Work

Cristian Ionescu is the creator of CatStats.ai, an AI-powered intelligence platform for affiliate networks. Before building his own SaaS, he deployed analytics systems for Samsung Europe and worked across automotive, telecommunications, and digital marketing. In this episode, we explore the harsh realities of AI's impact on experienced professionals, the "7-day startup" philosophy that gets products to market before competitors catch up, and how Netflix-style recommendation algorithms are being weaponized for affiliate marketing.

🔑 Key Topics Covered:

[03:45] From aerospace engineer to data analytics expert—Cristian's unconventional journey into discovering you can "program math"

[06:20] Behind the scenes: Building analytics dashboards for Samsung Europe's phone launches and tracking retailer visibility across markets

[11:15] The analytics blind spot: Why small businesses waste money on expensive marketing experiments instead of being strategically picky

[15:40] The unglamorous truth: Why updating your Google Business Profile matters more than exotic marketing strategies

[19:50] AI adoption paradox: Why fewer businesses are using AI in 2025 than 2024 (paralysis by analysis)

[24:30] The ChatGPT M-dash problem: Why AI-generated ad copy loses to human copy in Meta A/B tests—and how to fix it

[28:15] How LLMs are teaching us to write better: When to skip AI altogether and post authentically

[31:40] Ross Simmonds' "Create Once, Distribute Forever" strategy: The hierarchy approach to repurposing long-form content

[36:25] Why pre-planned content calendars kill authenticity (and what to do instead)

[39:10] Inside CatStats.ai: How Netflix-style recommendation algorithms match affiliates with winning offers

[45:20] The "7-Day Startup" philosophy: If you're not ashamed when you launch, you launched too late

🔗 Connect with Cristian:

  • CatStats.ai: https://catstats.ai
  • Instagram: @affiliatedatainsider

📲 Follow Jason Hunt:

  • Instagram: @jayhuntofficial
  • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker
  • Website: jayhunt.social
  • Join Amplify Your Brand Community: https://www.skool.com/ayb

Subscribe to Drop the Mic for unfiltered conversations with founders, marketers, and tech leaders redefining the digital landscape.

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3 weeks ago
47 minutes 4 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#235 – Doug Weitzbuch: From Netflix Producer to Viral Game Creator & 2 Million Plays with Zero Marketing

From producing unscripted shows with Gordon Ramsay and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to creating a viral real estate game that hit 2 million plays without spending a dollar on marketing, Doug Weitzbuch's journey reveals the power of authentic community-driven growth over manufactured virality.

In this episode, Doug shares behind-the-scenes insights from 20 years in television production, his pivot to gaming, and the exact strategies that led to organic viral success through genuine storytelling and community building rather than paid advertising.

🔑 Topics Covered:

  • The Netflix "Buy My House" show development process and real estate market insights
  • How one Business Insider article generated massive viral growth with zero paid promotion
  • The Barstool Sports organic feature that transformed everything overnight
  • Why authentic community-driven growth beats manufactured virality every time
  • YouTube Playables beta opportunity and strategic platform expansion
  • Building engaged gaming communities versus chasing meaningless vanity metrics
  • The future of casual gaming and micro-content consumption trends
  • Behind-the-scenes stories from producing major network shows with A-list celebrities
  • Transitioning from established TV career to entrepreneurial app development
  • Strategic PR outreach and media relationship building for organic growth

🎯 Key Insights:

  • How a Wordle obsession sparked the creation of Houzel (real estate Wordle)
  • The naivety factor advantage when entering new industries
  • Celebrity authenticity: Dwayne Johnson vs Gordon Ramsay's on-set personas
  • Small team operations and strategic scaling decisions
  • Brand partnership opportunities in the gaming space
  • Creator-to-mainstream media crossover trends
  • Casual gaming's potential for habit formation and daily engagement

📺 Perfect for:Content creators, entrepreneurs, game developers, media professionals, and anyone interested in organic growth strategies, community building, and authentic audience development without relying on paid advertising.

🎮 Featured Strategies:

  • Calculated PR outreach for media coverage
  • Leveraging viral content for strategic paid promotion
  • Real estate agent lead magnet potential through gaming
  • Platform diversification with YouTube Playables
  • Community-first approach to product development
  • Authentic storytelling for organic audience growth

⏰ Episode Timestamps:00:00 – TV producer background (Gordon Ramsay, Duck Dynasty, JLo, The Rock)
02:00 – Dwayne Johnson's authenticity & accessibility on set
03:22 – Gordon Ramsay's controlled persona vs real personality
04:25 – Team building & empowering freelance talent
05:42 – Transition from TV producer to app creator
06:32 – Wordle obsession sparking Houzel idea
07:40 – "Buy My House" Netflix show real estate deep dive
09:52 – Real estate Wordle concept development
10:20 – Software development decision & naivety factor
12:25 – "Stranded with My Mother-in-law" missed opportunity
15:12 – Two million plays with zero marketing spend
15:43 – Business Insider feature & calculated PR outreach
19:11 – Manufacturing virality vs authentic content
22:47 – Small team operations & future scaling needs
24:20 – Brand partnership opportunities (Rocket Mortgage)
24:46 – YouTube Playables beta launch
25:18 – Real estate agent lead magnet potential
27:17 – Barstool Sports organic podcast feature
30:22 – Leveraging viral content for paid promotion
34:28 – Creator-to-mainstream media crossover trend
37:03 – Casual gaming's ritual-forming potential
38:20 – Micro dramas trend & shrinking attention spans


Check out Housle: https://housle.house/

📩 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Drop The Mic and leave a review to help other entrepreneurs discover proven strategies for building viral products and authentic communities.

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1 month ago
41 minutes 28 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#234 – Vance Morris: From Disney Executive to Direct Response Master & Clients for Life Strategy

Former Disney executive turned entrepreneur Vance Morris reveals the systematic approach that transformed his carpet cleaning business into a million-dollar operation and how any business owner can apply Disney's legendary customer experience principles to command premium prices and create lifelong client relationships.

In this episode, Vance breaks down his famous $125K auto parts campaign, shares Disney's systematic approach to business operations, and reveals his proven "10-10-10" prospecting method that generates 73% response rates while competitors struggle with digital noise.

🔑 Topics Covered:

  • Disney's systematic approach to customer experience and why systems create business freedom
  • The complete breakdown of Vance's $1,000 investment that generated over $1 million in revenue
  • Physical mail strategies that cut through digital overwhelm and get real responses
  • The "10-10-10" prospecting formula: 10 prospects, 10 touches, 10 weeks for consistent sales
  • Power base marketing with relationship-building tactics that keep you top-of-mind
  • How to select and research high-value prospects using VAs and AI tools
  • Creative gatekeeper strategies and controversial content that generates engagement
  • The "50-mile famous" approach to dominating your local market
  • Why customer retention beats acquisition and how to implement both systematically

🎯 Perfect for:Entrepreneurs, business owners, agency leaders, and marketers who want to stop competing on price, build premium positioning, and create systematic approaches to client acquisition and retention.

📈 Key Strategies Discussed:

  • Systematic Magic™ framework for business operations
  • Disney bootcamp 10-step campaign sequence
  • Newsjacking techniques for timely engagement
  • Candy bowl power base marketing system
  • Physical mail vs. digital marketing integration
  • Sales cycle management (30 days to 3+ years)

⏰ Episode Timestamps:00:00 – Intro: Vance's Disney background & entrepreneurial journey
02:58 – Disney's biggest business lesson: systems and processes
04:40 – How systems create operational freedom
06:51 – The legendary $125K auto parts campaign breakdown
09:17 – Physical mail marketing strategies and persistence tactics
13:19 – Creative approaches for getting past gatekeepers
16:43 – Disney bootcamp 10-step campaign sequence revealed
19:29 – The "10-10-10" prospect strategy explained
22:36 – High-value prospect selection criteria and research methods
25:19 – Delegating to VAs and using ChatGPT for prospect research
28:26 – Understanding sales cycles: 30 days to 3 years
30:14 – Standing out with controversial and engaging content
31:24 – Newsjacking technique for timely market engagement
36:11 – "50-mile famous" local business domination strategy
37:32 – Power-based marketing with the candy bowl system
40:52 – Customer retention vs. acquisition cost analysis
43:04 – Staying top-of-mind without being pushy or annoying

Connect with Vance Morris:

Website: https://www.deliverservicenow.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vance.morris.9/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vancemorris/


Connect with Jason Hunt:

Website: https://jayhunt.social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial

Join me on SKOOL: https://www.skool.com/ayb


📩 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Drop The Mic and leave a review to help other entrepreneurs discover these proven strategies for building lasting client relationships and premium-priced businesses.

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2 months ago
46 minutes 39 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#233 – Anna Granic: From Cold Calls to LinkedIn Authority & Trust-First Sales

Anna Granic is a business development strategist at Servicare Interiors and a brand ambassador who's mastered the art of turning personal storytelling into powerful sales results. In this episode, we explore how she transformed from traditional sales tactics to building authentic relationships through consistent LinkedIn content and a service-first mindset.

Anna reveals her systematic approach to personal branding that's converted cold prospects into warm leads, built industry credibility, and established her as a go-to voice in facilities management. From her 4:30 AM morning routine to her content planning system, she shares the daily habits and strategic thinking that drive real business results.

🔑 Topics Covered:

  • How personal branding on LinkedIn drives actual sales results
  • The "listening first, selling second" approach to client relationships
  • Building trust through storytelling instead of traditional sales pitches
  • Daily content systems: planning 5 days of LinkedIn posts ahead
  • Converting LinkedIn visibility into warm sales conversations
  • Morning routines and micro-goals for consistent growth
  • LinkedIn algorithm insights and engagement strategies

⏰ Key Timestamps:

  • 3:11 – Selling Trust Over Cleaning Services
  • 8:12 – Purpose-Driven Mindset & Living with Intention
  • 18:43 – Daily LinkedIn Posting System
  • 24:58 – Turning Cold Calls into Warm Leads via LinkedIn
  • 29:00 – LinkedIn Algorithm Experiments & Findings
  • 34:00 – Optimize Cover Photo & About Section
  • 39:05 – Direct Messaging Tactics for Leads

🔗 Connect with Anna:

  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annagranic/

📩 Subscribe and leave a review to stay updated with new episodes every week!

🎥 Full episode with timestamps available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Connect with Jason Hunt:

Website: https://jayhunt.social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial

Sponsor: https://chatello.ai

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3 months ago
41 minutes 41 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#232 – Dana Hork: Sprint-Based Marketing & the 5-Day Campaign Revolution

Dana Hork is the founder of Beers With Friends and formerly lead social media marketing for Walmart. She discussed her model that's transforming how brands approach marketing campaigns. In this episode, we dive into her revolutionary 5-day sprint methodology that's helping brands move faster and execute smarter in today's crowded digital landscape.

Dana brings years of experience leading social media at Walmart and Jet.com, where she built scalable content systems and managed viral moments like the famous Walmart Yodel Boy. Now she's channelling that expertise into an agile agency model that blends creativity, strategic insight, and AI tools to deliver breakthrough campaigns in record time.

🔑 Topics Covered:

  • The Beer Run Sprint model: 5-day campaign breakthroughs explained
  • Real case studies from Walmart to startup brands
  • AI tools and automation in agency operations
  • Why curiosity and agility beat long-form planning cycles
  • Building brand systems that scale with speed
  • From corporate social media to agency founder journey
  • The future of productized agency services

⏰ Key Timestamps:

  • 3:41 – Leading Social at Walmart
  • 10:03 – Viral Moment: Walmart Yodel Boy
  • 13:14 – Beer Run Sprint Model Explained
  • 16:44 – Dinner Deserves Dinner Case Study
  • 24:01 – AI & Automation in Agency Ops
  • 30:00 – Productizing Agency Services
  • 36:53 – Curiosity & Creativity in 2025

🔗 Connect with Dana:

  • Beers With Friends

📩 Subscribe and leave a review to stay updated with new episodes every week!

🎥 Full episode with timestamps available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Connect with Jason Hunt:

Website: https://jayhunt.social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial

Sponsor: https://chatello.ai

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3 months ago
41 minutes 26 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#231 – Anthony Leung: AI vs. Authenticity & Keeping LinkedIn Human

Anthony Leung is a social media strategist and founder who's built his reputation on authentic storytelling in the digital age. In this episode, recorded live from London, Anthony breaks down why human connection is beating AI-generated content on LinkedIn and how to build trust in an automation-obsessed world.

Anthony has worked with Fortune 500 companies and speaks internationally on social media strategy. He's the founder of his own social media consultancy and is widely recognized for his approach to humanizing brand communication in the AI era.

Topics Covered:

  • Why authentic storytelling is the new LinkedIn strategy that cuts through AI noise
  • The Conan O'Brien approach to personal content on professional platforms
  • How AI makes mediocrity easy, but authenticity creates a competitive advantage
  • Smart content repurposing strategies that maintain emotional context
  • The risks of fully automated AI content and ghostwritten posts
  • Why founder-led brands build deeper trust than corporate accounts
  • Intent over volume: posting less but engaging more meaningfully

Connect with Anthony:

  • LinkedIn: Anthony Leung

The Big Question: Are you leaning too hard on automation, or are you showing up as you?

📩 Subscribe and leave a review to stay updated with new episodes every week!

Key Timestamps:

00:05 – Live from London near O2 Arena01:08 – Toronto to London: Founder story03:41 – LinkedIn disruption with personal content05:39 – From automation to authenticity08:13 – Realness & imperfection in video content12:05 – Trust is the new currency19:06 – Posting less, engaging more28:13 – AI-assisted personal LinkedIn strategy33:45 – Founder-led brands build deeper trust


Connect with Jason Hunt:

Website: https://jayhunt.social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial

Sponsor: https://chatello.ai

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4 months ago
41 minutes 51 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#230 – Ben Lund: Google Ads Evolution, AI Marketing & Agency Future-Proofing

Ben Lund is a former Google Ads principal who managed major brand campaigns and now runs Rise Digital. In this episode, we explore the seismic shifts happening in digital marketing for 2025, from Google's strategic pivots to AI-powered client acquisition strategies that separate winning agencies from the rest.

Ben brings insider perspective from his years at Google, Yahoo, and Monster, where he managed massive advertising budgets and witnessed platform evolution firsthand. Now as an agency owner, he's applying those insights to build sustainable growth systems and future-proof strategies that help agencies thrive in an AI-first marketing landscape.

🔑 What We Cover:

  • Inside insights from Google's advertising evolution and platform changes
  • Why SEO and AI integration are no longer optional for agencies
  • The shift toward full-service offerings and what clients actually demand
  • Advanced AI prompting techniques for data analysis and strategy
  • LinkedIn personal branding strategies that drive real business results
  • How to future-proof your agency in an AI-first marketing landscape
  • Google's scaling back of ads focus and what it means for marketers
  • SEO strategies that get you found in ChatGPT and AI search tools

🎯 Key Frameworks:

  • The "Runway Strategy" for sustainable client growth and retention
  • SEO best practices for AI tool visibility (ChatGPT, Perplexity, etc.)
  • Authentic LinkedIn content systems for founder-led brands
  • Community building approaches for lead nurturing at scale
  • The "People Buy From People" principle in B2B sales
  • Portfolio approach to agency service expansion

⏰ Timestamps:

  • 00:04 – Intro: Jason Hunt & Ben from Google
  • 00:30 – Ben's Background: Google, Yahoo, Monster
  • 01:03 – Managing Major Brands at Google Ads
  • 01:58 – Leaving Google for Entrepreneurship
  • 03:29 – Growing Clients & Runway Strategy
  • 05:16 – Expanding Services: From Ads to SEO & Web
  • 06:57 – Full-Service Agency Benefits
  • 09:55 – Lead Generation & Google Ads for Rise
  • 10:59 – SEO + GPT Leads & ChatGPT Referrals
  • 12:00 – SEO Best Practices to Appear in AI Tools
  • 14:45 – Google Scaling Back Ads Focus
  • 16:09 – AI Marketing Tools Used at Rise
  • 18:05 – Using AI for Data Analysis & Significance
  • 20:00 – Prompting Right: Advanced AI Use Tips
  • 22:00 – Authentic LinkedIn Content Strategy
  • 23:30 – Founder-Led Personal Branding on LinkedIn
  • 25:00 – LinkedIn Comments Strategy for Reach
  • 26:49 – Avoiding Automation & Shadowban Risks
  • 28:10 – Personal Posts vs Business Content Impact
  • 29:46 – People Buy From People: Sales Principle
  • 33:25 – Building Community for Lead Nurturing
  • 34:03 – Future of Agencies in the AI Era
  • 36:25 – Agency Agility: Winning with Tools & AI
  • 37:00 – SEO Isn't Dead: Just Evolving
  • 38:02 – In-Person Events & Networking Strategy
  • 39:20 – Long Game of Sales Attribution
  • 40:11 – How to Contact Ben & Wrap Up

🔗 Connect with Ben Lund:

Rise Digital

Ben's LinkedIn

📩 Subscribe for weekly episodes exploring AI, storytelling, and the future of digital marketing.


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4 months ago
40 minutes 47 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#229 – John Gillham: AI Detection, Google's Updates & Content Authenticity

John Gillham is the founder of Originality.AI, a leading platform for detecting AI-generated content. In this episode, we dive deep into how AI detection technology works, Google's shifting stance on AI content, and what the March 2024 spam update means for marketers and content creators navigating the AI revolution.

John built and sold a successful content marketing agency before launching Originality.AI at the perfect moment—right as ChatGPT exploded onto the scene. His unique perspective as both a former agency owner and AI detection pioneer gives us insider insights into how the content landscape is evolving and what strategies actually work in 2025.

🔑 Key Topics Covered:

  • How Originality.AI detects AI-generated content with 96%+ accuracy
  • Google's March 2024 spam update and mass de-indexing of AI-heavy sites
  • Why hybrid content strategies (human + AI) are dominating SEO
  • The rise of AI Overviews and what it means for organic traffic
  • Why "humanizer" tools often fail and create more problems
  • Portfolio approach to business sustainability in seasonal markets
  • AI dependency concerns in education and copywriting

🔍 Episode Highlights:

  • Real data showing human copy outperforms AI in LinkedIn engagement
  • How Google's AI content policies keep shifting (and why that matters)
  • The hidden SEO risks most agencies don't know about AI content
  • Why omnichannel branding beats pure SEO plays in 2025
  • Practical strategies for staying compliant while leveraging AI tools


Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro & John's Background01:36 – From Content Agency to AI Detection Pioneer 06:27 – Perfect Timing: Launching with ChatGPT's Rise10:05 – Google's March 2024 Spam Update Breakdown13:15 – SEO's New Reality: Fewer Clicks, Higher Conversions22:44 – Inside Originality.AI's Detection Technology28:28 – Why AI "Humanizers" Often Backfire32:04 – Data: Human vs AI Content Performance35:06 – AI in Education: Detection vs Reality


🔗 Connect with John Gillham:

  • Originality.AI: https://originality.ai


Connect with Jason Hunt:

  • Website: https://jayhunt.social
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial
  • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial


📩 Subscribe and leave a review to stay ahead of the AI and marketing curve. New episodes drop every week!

Have you tried using AI for your content? What's been your experience with authenticity vs efficiency? Let us know in the comments.


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4 months ago
40 minutes 15 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#228 – Wes Lemos: LinkedIn Prospecting, SaaS Strategy & the Power of Curiosity

Wes Lemos is the co-founder of Roll Digital and Sales Connector, with strategies that power over 500 digital business websites. In this episode, we explore his journey from penny stock blogger to SaaS entrepreneur and uncover the real breakthrough tactics behind scalable business growth in the AI era.


🔑 Topics Covered:

  • Building resilient businesses through strategic partnerships and real-world experience
  • How one SaaS idea exploded into thousands of paying clients
  • AI-powered LinkedIn prospecting that makes outreach personal again
  • The shift from sales copy to relational copy in B2B growth
  • Lead scoring with AI enrichment and automation strategies
  • Why giving attention beats giving information in modern sales

🎯 Key Insights:

  • Sports parenting principles applied to coaching employees
  • The $3M stock win that launched Stock Exposure
  • Building team culture as a remote entrepreneur
  • High-conversion LinkedIn openers that build trust
  • Using curiosity as a long-term business growth strategy

⏰ Timestamps:

0:00 – Sports Parenting & Life Lessons5:02 – Wes Lemos: Entrepreneurial Journey Begins8:00 – Lessons From Startup Failures15:22 – LinkedIn Prospecting Automation20:27 – Using AI to Personalize Outreach25:05 – Best Performing LinkedIn Openers30:07 – Relationship-Driven LinkedIn Strategy37:05 – My Proxy Box: Physical Product Launch

🔗 Connect with Wes:

  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslemos
  • Sales Connector: https://salesconnector.com/

📩 Subscribe for weekly episodes packed with actionable growth strategies and raw conversations with industry leaders!

Connect with Jason Hunt:

  • Website: https://jayhunt.social
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial
  • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial


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4 months ago
43 minutes 35 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#227 – Aarti Anand: AI Automation, Faith-Driven Business & Scaling Without Burnout

Aarti Anand is an AI automation strategist and founder of KodenyxAI who helps overwhelmed business owners reclaim their time through intelligent systems. In this episode, we explore how to scale your business with purpose, integrate AI without losing the human touch, and build a freedom-first lifestyle rooted in faith.

Aarti transitioned from pursuing a PhD to building an AI-driven business that prioritizes family time and purposeful growth. She's known for her "AI Readiness Score" framework and helping entrepreneurs automate workflows while maintaining authentic relationships with their audience.

  • How AI and automation can reclaim your time without sacrificing quality
  • Scaling your business while keeping family and faith as core priorities
  • The mindset shift required to move from hustle culture to systems-driven growth
  • Why small, engaged audiences outperform massive follower counts
  • Building trust through valuable content in an AI-saturated market
  • The "Five-Ways ICP Nurture Framework" for meaningful customer connections
  • ROI-guaranteed automation strategies that deliver tangible results
  • Why elevating employees beats replacing them with AI


Time Stamps:

  • 00:00 – Moving to Colorado & PhD Journey
  • 01:55 – Transferring Schools & Career Pivot
  • 03:16 – Open-Minded Mindset for Growth
  • 05:01 – Mindset Shift Before Entrepreneurship
  • 06:48 – Starting a Business in 2024
  • 08:04 – Building Personal Brand from Scratch
  • 09:57 – Value of Small Engaged Audience
  • 10:46 – Power of Short-Form Video Reach
  • 11:53 – Escaping 9–5 for Freedom
  • 13:03 – Remembering Your "Why"
  • 14:01 – Family as Core Motivation
  • 16:11 – Building AI-Driven Business
  • 17:28 – Automating Manual Tasks with AI
  • 18:46 – Workflow Automation for Time Freedom
  • 20:38 – Elevating Employees, Not Replacing
  • 22:28 – Human Experience vs. Hustle Culture
  • 24:00 – Companies Winning with AI Adoption
  • 25:25 – 3 Must-Have AI Automations
  • 27:39 – Lead Nurturing Sequences with AI
  • 29:06 – Cutting Through Email Noise with Value
  • 31:01 – Cold Email Best Practices
  • 33:09 – Start AI with Tangible ROI
  • 34:54 – Building Trust Through Content
  • 36:03 – Five-Ways ICP Nurture Framework
  • 37:04 – 6–12 Month AI Trajectory Outlook
  • 38:26 – AI Strategy Starts with Audit
  • 39:41 – Offering ROI-Guaranteed Automation
  • 41:11 – AI Readiness Score for Businesses


Resources:

  • AI Readiness Score Assessment
  • AI Readiness Workshop
  • KodenyxAI Website: kodenyxai.com


Connect with Jason:

  • Website: jayhunt.social
  • Instagram: @jayhuntofficial
  • TikTok: @jayhuntofficial
  • LinkedIn: socialmediaspeaker
  • Facebook: huntspeaks
  • Twitter: @jayhuntofficial


📩 Subscribe and leave a review to stay updated with new episodes every week!

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4 months ago
42 minutes 23 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#226 – Dave Burnett: Letting Go of Old Playbooks and Leading with Data and AI

Dave Burnett is the founder of AOK Marketing and author of From Bricks to Clicks. In this episode of Drop The Mic, Jason sits down with Dave to unpack how one massive SEO experiment—building 500 websites—turned a struggling promo business into a digital marketing powerhouse.

From his dorm room startup days to landing major clients like Bacardi and Labatt, Dave shares the lessons learned through surviving the 2008 recession, scaling with smart SEO, and now embracing AI tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Sora to drive real business results.

Jason and Dave dive deep into:
🔍 The experiment that taught him SEO (and still works today)
🤖 How AI tools are shaping the future of agency work
📈 Whether SEO is really dead—or just evolving into AEO
💡 Why brand identity still needs human creativity
💥 Real advice for founders scaling in a fragmented digital world

Whether you're building a brand, running ads, or figuring out your AI stack, this episode is full of insights for marketers who want to grow faster without burning out.

[00:00] – From Scarborough hustle to digital marketing
[02:03] – Building a promo biz in a dorm room
[06:18] – Surviving recessions with SEO
[10:05] – Launching AOK Marketing
[14:23] – Lessons from partnerships & pivots
[19:01] – How AI is changing content & creativity
[24:48] – Sora, Suno, Midjourney, and Dave’s AI toolkit
[30:02] – Is SEO dead? Enter AEO
[34:02] – Future of agencies in the AI era
[38:11] – Where to find From Bricks to Clicks

🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social
📺 YouTube: @jayhuntofficial

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5 months ago
39 minutes 29 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#225 – Geoff Woods: How Smart Leaders Use AI to Think Bigger & Lead Better

Geoff Woods is the author of The AI-Driven Leader and founder of the AI Leadership Collective. He joins Drop The Mic to unpack how AI is reshaping leadership, strategic thinking, and how we scale organizations. Formerly a key partner in The ONE Thing, Geoff shares how business leaders can use AI not just as a task assistant, but as a true thought partner.

Jason and Geoff break down how leaders can train AI to help them think better, move faster, and focus on what really matters. From sales to decision-making to team management, Geoff explains how AI augments human potential—and why the best leaders in the next decade will be the ones who ask the right questions, not just the ones with the right answers.

We dive into:
🧠 The power of crafting strategic questions with AI
🧰 Why every leader needs an “AI board of directors”
📊 Using AI for planning, communication & real-world execution
🔍 Frameworks for making AI work across people, strategy & tech
⚙️ Why the future belongs to human-centric, AI-augmented leaders

Whether you're a founder, executive, or team lead, this episode is packed with insights to help you lead smarter and scale faster in the AI age.

[00:00] – From The ONE Thing to the AI era
[03:50] – The power of better questions in leadership
[05:30] – How AI becomes a strategic partner
[08:45] – Using AI to think, not just execute
[11:00] – Behind The AI-Driven Leader book
[14:30] – The CRIT Framework explained
[20:00] – Crisis to clarity: real-world AI use cases
[22:00] – What an AI Board of Directors looks like
[28:00] – AI-enhanced sales strategies: Whole Foods case study
[30:00] – Avoiding creativity loss from AI overuse
[33:00] – Future-proofing with strategic thinking
[37:00] – Becoming the conductor of tech + teams
[41:00] – Inside the AI Leadership Collective
[43:30] – Where to get the book + prompts

🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial
📩 Newsletter: Subscribe for AI & strategy insights


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5 months ago
44 minutes 54 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#224 – Ryan Davis: AI, Influence & Building Trust in the Age of Automation

Ryan Davis, founder of People First, joins Drop The Mic to unpack how AI is transforming not just marketing, but leadership, influence, and trust. From political campaigns to brand building, Ryan shares how artificial intelligence is changing how we communicate, connect, and convert in a world of digital overload.

Jason and Ryan dive into how micro-influencers are outpacing mass followings, how AI is reshaping customer targeting and content creation, and why authenticity—not automation—will define the next era of digital strategy. This is a real look at what marketers, consultants, and creators need to do now to future-proof their brand in 2025.

We dive into:
🤖 AI-driven influencer strategy and what’s coming next
🎯 Why micro-influencers are winning the attention game
🧠 Human creativity vs. AI copy — what still matters most
📢 How to balance authenticity, automation, and speed
🔍 What a political campaign would look like if it launched today using AI

Whether you're a brand leader, consultant, or creator, this episode will help you rethink how you show up and lead in an AI-first world.


[00:00] – Intro: Drop the Mic with Jason Hunt
[00:05] – Living in Guadalajara as a digital nomad
[02:31] – From theater director to digital strategist
[06:47] – Early political marketing + Howard Dean campaign
[09:12] – The birth of internet influencers in politics
[10:49] – What a 2025 AI-powered campaign would look like
[12:05] – AI-generated ICPs and smarter targeting
[13:42] – Why real content still beats AI output
[16:01] – Emotion, storytelling, and human copywriting
[18:00] – Reporting, measurement, and creative testing with AI
[22:21] – Hyper-personalized marketing and influencer strategy
[24:45] – Red flags in AI-generated engagement
[27:40] – Micro-influencers: why authenticity scales
[32:30] – How to avoid over-optimization
[35:11] – Full-funnel influencer planning + creative
[38:57] – Funnel-stage content and scalable creator assets
[40:04] – Behind the scenes of the People First newsletter
[41:26] – Ryan’s favorite digital trends & wrap-up


🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial


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5 months ago
41 minutes 51 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#223 – Greg Kaiser: Mastering Management, Letting Go, and Leading in the Age of AI

Greg Kaiser has over 30 years in the corporate world—including time at Hershey—and now running his own consultancy, Greg shares lessons in management, delegation, time optimization, and how to think about AI from a leadership perspective.

Jason and Greg dive into why most managers are spending time on the wrong things, how to stop micromanaging, and why meetings and communication are often a company’s real bottleneck—not the employees. Greg also shares how he's using AI as a research and decision-making tool, and why leaders shouldn't try to master it—but should know how to hire people who do.

We dive into:
🧠 The mindset shift from corporate exec to independent consultant
📊 How to delegate better and stop being the bottleneck
⏱️ Why time—not money—is your most valuable resource
👥 The problem with meetings and how to fix communication instead
🤖 How Greg is using AI in his consulting business today

Whether you're an executive, founder, or team lead, this episode is a crash course in managing smarter and leading more effectively.


⏱️ Timestamps:

[02:20] – Greg’s new venture: Management Mastery
[04:50] – Greg’s corporate journey from mailroom to managing global ops at Hershey
[09:20] – Why he left corporate after being told “you’ll never be COO”
[12:55] – First client story: how Greg launched into consulting
[15:15] – Why business owners need to stop doing everything themselves
[17:30] – The cost of micromanagement and poor delegation
[20:50] – How to help leaders identify time waste with “Know Thy Time”
[23:10] – 80/20 rule and Return on Invested Time
[25:15] – How to structure effective meetings in 2025
[28:50] – What remote work changed about team communication
[31:30] – The myth of multitasking & how to fix your focus
[34:10] – How Greg uses AI for research and decision support
[39:00] – Why AI works best when humans know how to prompt it
[41:20] – Where to find Greg online and learn more about his work


🔗 Connect & Support:

🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial


Sponsor: https://chatello.ai


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5 months ago
43 minutes 6 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#222 – Kasim Aslam: AI-Driven Agencies & The Rise of Answer Engine Optimization

Kasim Aslam is one of the most respected voices in performance marketing. He joins Drop The Mic to share how he scaled his agency to 200+ clients, exited for 8-figures, and why he believes AI and answer engine optimization (AEO) are the future of digital strategy.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Kasim gets raw about his entrepreneurial failures, the dangers of chasing hype, and what really moves the needle when building a scalable, sellable marketing business. He also shares why traditional digital marketing is dying, why the quality of your people matters more than your tools, and how businesses can win by adopting a bottom-up AI strategy.

We dive into:
🚀 What it takes to sell an agency for 8 figures
💸 Why private equity is targeting media buying businesses
🧠 How AI-enabled executive assistants are transforming operations
🔍 The rise of AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and what comes after SEO
🤖 Why most AI conversations ignore the real opportunity: empowered humans

Kasim brings fire, honesty, and real frameworks for marketers, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to stay relevant in a rapidly changing digital world.

Episode Timestamps:

[01:30] – Building (and exiting) a top Google Ads agency
[03:00] – 60 offers in 6 months: Why agency valuations spiked
[05:20] – The Google Ads advantage and solving for traffic
[09:40] – Post-exit identity shift and investing lessons
[12:00] – AI as a bottom-up revolution, not top-down
[15:10] – Why mediocre employees + AI = dangerous
[18:45] – Kasim’s EA hiring strategy & human capital model
[22:30] – What most agencies get wrong about AI adoption
[25:40] – Why "Answer Engine Optimization" is the new SEO
[29:30] – The future of nimble teams vs bloated orgs
[32:15] – Paradigm shifts in training, culture & incentives
[36:50] – Empowering team members to lead with AI
[41:00] – Building businesses through delegation & ownership
[43:30] – Kasim’s vision for owning the AEO category

🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial


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6 months ago
48 minutes

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#221 - Omar Johnson: From Beats by Dre to Building the AI-Powered Agency of the Future

Omar Johnson is the former CMO of Beats by Dre and VP of Marketing at Apple—joins Drop The Mic to unpack the marketing playbooks that built billion-dollar brands and how he's now bringing those lessons into the world of AI.

Jason and Omar dive deep into how science, storytelling, and consumer behavior drive real marketing results. Omar shares never-before-heard stories from building Beats into a cultural powerhouse and his bold mission to revolutionize advertising with AI through his company, Opus Intelligence.

We dive into:
🔥 How Beats used scarcity, storytelling & athlete marketing to dominate a category
🧠 Omar’s marketing formula: intelligence, behavior, and emotional triggers
⚙️ Mistakes founders make when building tech and how Omar learned the hard way
🚀 The future of marketing and why AI is a creative unlock—not a replacement
📈 How Opus Intelligence is disrupting traditional agencies with speed, scale, and relevance

This episode is a masterclass in branding, marketing strategy, and adapting to tech-driven change.


⏱️ Timestamps:

[01:20] – How Omar went from mixtapes to Coca-Cola and Campbell’s
[02:45] – Why brand marketing is more formulaic than you think
[05:10] – How he got into Nike through an outsider program
[08:00] – Early mistakes as a founder and lessons from tech product dev
[11:45] – Big mistake: managing developers like marketers
[15:00] – Omar’s marketing formula: behavior > demographics
[19:10] – Behind the Beats strategy that scaled from $20M to $1.1B
[21:30] – How he created new use cases for headphones through storytelling
[25:00] – The Kobe Bryant strategy: scarcity + influencer seeding
[27:15] – Becoming the "pre-game headphone of sports"
[29:00] – Why Beats told stories other brands were afraid to tell
[31:30] – From Apple to AI: the spark that led to Opus Intelligence
[34:00] – Intelligence + NLP: Using behavioral data for better marketing
[36:20] – How marketers can use AI to unlock higher-level thinking
[42:00] – Omar’s crystal ball: the future of creative agencies
[45:30] – Democratizing great marketing for small and medium businesses


🔗 Connect & Support:

🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial


Sponsor: https://chatello.ai



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7 months ago
47 minutes 10 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#220 - Kris Rudeegraap: The Future of Gifting, AI, and Experiential Marketing

Kris Rudeegraap, Co-Founder and CEO of Sendoso, joins Drop The Mic to break down how experiential marketing, personalized gifting, and AI-driven strategies are transforming sales and customer engagement.

Kris shares real-world stories and proven strategies that help businesses cut through the noise, create memorable experiences, and leverage direct mail in a digital-first world. From gifting a rack of ribs to sending rubber chickens — Kris explains why human connections still win deals.

We dive into:
🎯 How to use gifting to stand out and close deals
📈 The rise of AI in marketing and direct mail
🎁 Why thoughtful experiences drive customer loyalty
💡 The future of experiential marketing, including drone delivery

Whether you're in sales, marketing, or business development — this episode will inspire fresh ways to engage your audience and convert leads.

Time Stamps:

[02:30] - Experiential marketing stories: Helicopter rides & concerts
[04:30] - The before, during, and after strategy for events
[06:50] - Creating memorable booth experiences vs. being forgettable
[08:50] - Kris explains Sendoso and how gifting changes sales
[11:30] - Real-world examples: Real estate, enterprise sales, and client retention
[13:00] - Why companies prefer Sendoso over Amazon for gifting
[15:50] - The psychology of receiving physical gifts (reciprocity effect)
[16:10] - Craziest gifts sent: Traeger grills, drones, and rubber chickens
[17:30] - CRM integration and automating follow-ups after delivery
[18:10] - How Sendoso and Kris’s team leverage AI in sales & marketing
[20:30] - The truth about direct mail: Flat vs. dimensional mailers
[22:20] - Using gifting in every stage of the marketing funnel
[24:15] - Attribution, ROI, and why follow-up is everything
[26:00] - AI’s future impact on direct mail and customer engagement
[27:30] - Smart Gifting: How AI tailors messages and delivery
[29:10] - Is drone delivery part of Sendoso’s future?
[30:10] - Personal branding vs. business branding
[30:50] - Sendoso’s global scale and Kris’s final thoughts


CONNECT & SUPPORT:

🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial


Sponsor: https://chatello.ai


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7 months ago
31 minutes 34 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#219 - Kevin Bulmer: Storytelling, Personal Branding, and Building Emotional Connections in Marketing

Kevin Bulmer, founder of NSM Brand Media and the voice behind the No Schedule Man, joins Jason Hunt on Drop The Mic to unpack the power of storytelling, personal branding, and authentic connection in a noisy digital world.

From his roots in radio to navigating the evolution of digital marketing, Kevin shares real-world insights on how entrepreneurs can amplify their brand story while balancing AI tools with human emotion. The episode dives into strategies for emotional marketing, the ROI of storytelling, and why your personal brand might be your most valuable asset in 2025.

Whether you’re a marketer, small business owner, or creator, this conversation is packed with actionable takeaways to help you connect, engage, and grow.


  • 00:32 – Why long intros kill engagement and podcasting lessons from radio
  • 04:50 – Kevin’s journey from radio to motorsports to marketing and speaking
  • 08:15 – Why personal branding matters more than ever in the AI era
  • 09:01 – Building authenticity: How to blend your story with your business
  • 13:34 – The real estate example: Mixing professional and personal content
  • 17:43 – Overcoming perfectionism and imposter syndrome with repetition
  • 20:09 – Instagram’s new “trial” content feature and testing content publicly
  • 27:38 – The importance of storytelling and crafting a brand story
  • 31:27 – Emotional connection vs. top-of-mind awareness in marketing
  • 35:21 – Is traditional media still a good investment?
  • 39:00 – The role of AI: Amplification tool or creativity killer?
  • 42:39 – Why storytelling and emotional connection will always win in marketing
  • 43:00 – Where to connect with Kevin Bulmer online


SUPPORT AND CONNECT:

Website: ⁠https://jayhunt.social

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial

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7 months ago
43 minutes 38 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#218 - Jonathan Mast: AI for Agencies, Content Creation, and the Future of Digital Marketing

Jonathan Mast is an AI strategist and digital marketing expert. He joins Drop The Mic to break down how AI is reshaping the marketing landscape. With years of agency experience and a deep understanding of automation, Jonathan shares how businesses can use AI to enhance efficiency, improve content creation, and scale operations without losing the human touch.

We dive into:🚀 How AI is streamlining agencies & helping businesses scale
🧠 The balance between AI automation & human creativity
📢 Why transparency matters in AI-powered customer interactions
✍️ How businesses can train AI to match their unique brand voice

Jonathan and Jason discuss the challenges of AI adoption, how agencies can future-proof their operations, and whether traditional marketing agencies are becoming dinosaurs. This episode is packed with insights for agency owners, marketers, and business leaders looking to navigate the AI revolution.

Episode Timestamps:
[02:30] - How AI is transforming digital marketing
[06:50] - Real-world case study: How AI helped an agency scale
[09:00] - Addressing AI skepticism & resistance to change
[12:20] - Why AI won’t replace humans, but will reshape jobs
[15:45] - The art of AI prompting: How to train AI to match your brand voice
[19:30] - How AI is changing the search landscape & Google's stance on AI content
[23:15] - The future of AI-powered customer interactions & chatbots
[27:40] - The role of AI in email marketing automation
[30:55] - Should agencies fear AI or embrace it?
[35:10] - AI vs. DeepSeek: Comparing AI platforms for marketers
[38:25] - The future of marketing agencies in an AI-dominated world

This episode is a must-listen for agency owners, marketers, and business leaders looking to integrate AI without losing authenticity. Tune in now and learn how to future-proof your marketing strategy! 🚀

SUPPORT AND CONNECT:

Website: ⁠https://jayhunt.social

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial

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8 months ago
42 minutes 45 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
#217 - Travis Stephenson: The Future of Email & AI in Marketing

Travis Stephenson is a serial entrepreneur who has built and sold businesses, including a Messenger automation company, and now teaches entrepreneurs how to create scalable digital products. In this episode of Drop The Mic, Travis shares his insights on leveraging AI, building an audience from scratch, and why a business that doesn’t serve your lifestyle isn’t worth running.

We dive deep into:

  • The evolution of AI in marketing and business automation
  • How Travis scaled and sold his company
  • The power of email marketing and why newsletters are making a comeback
  • How to create and sell digital products with his Paid Masterclass Method
  • The future of AI-driven entrepreneurship

If you're looking to scale your business, leverage AI, and create digital products that actually make an impact, this episode is for you.

[00:00] - Introduction: Meet Travis Stephenson
[02:30] - From CrossFit gym owner to digital entrepreneur
[05:45] - Why Travis sold his Messenger automation company
[10:15] - The shift from software CEO to digital product creator
[15:30] - How AI is reshaping marketing and business operations
[20:45] - The Paid Masterclass Method: How to package and sell knowledge
[26:15] - Using AI to automate content creation and marketing
[32:30] - The resurgence of newsletters and why big brands want them
[38:45] - The biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make when launching digital products
[44:00] - How to turn knowledge into revenue through community-driven learning
[50:15] - Future predictions: AI’s impact on business over the next five years
[55:00] - Where to connect with Travis and learn more

This episode is packed with value for digital marketers, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to build a scalable, AI-powered business.


SUPPORT AND CONNECT:


Website: ⁠https://jayhunt.social

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial

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9 months ago
57 minutes 33 seconds

Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
Drop The Mic is the pulse of marketing brilliance, where the world's top marketers share their journey from start to stardom. Uncover the tactics and stories behind their success in a rapidly evolving industry. Each episode is a treasure trove of insights, offering inspiration and guidance for marketers at any level. Dive into the minds that shaped the marketing world and discover how to leave your own mark. This is where legends speak, insights sparkle and marketing magic happens.