The Pendulum Swings: Zuckerberg Based(?), AI Agents, Content Strategy and Agency Future

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WORK IN PROGRESS

Wes Botman, Ian Piepenbrock

22 episodes

6 days ago

WORK IN PROGRESS is a raw, unfiltered look at the grind of building and scaling in tech and services. Hosted by founders Ian Piepenbrock and Wes Botman, it’s for those in the trenches—still learning, still failing, still pushing. Each episode dives into the reality of running a business: the wins, the losses, and the lessons earned through hard work and constant experimentation. If you’re scaling, building, or just obsessed with the process, WORK IN PROGRESS delivers insights from founders in it, day in and day out.

Entrepreneurship

Business

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All content for WORK IN PROGRESS is the property of Wes Botman, Ian Piepenbrock 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.

Entrepreneurship

Business

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The Pendulum Swings: Zuckerberg Based(?), AI Agents, Content Strategy and Agency Future - Episode 12

WORK IN PROGRESS

1 hour 9 minutes 22 seconds

9 months ago

The Pendulum Swings: Zuckerberg Based(?), AI Agents, Content Strategy and Agency Future - Episode 12

In episode 12 of WORK IN PROGRESS, Ian and Wes dive deep into the nuances of modern agencies, AI-driven workflows, and what it takes to create scalable, authentic content strategies. Reflecting on the constant balancing act between short-term wins and long-term growth, they explore how the pendulum of freedom, innovation, and authenticity is shaping the business landscape. Key topics include: - The rise of AI agents in agencies and the shift to scalable service models. - The pros and cons of delegating tasks vs. maintaining direct control. - How personal and company-wide content strategies drive growth. - A candid discussion on outreach, from poorly targeted emails to Lindy AI tools. - Reflections on the legacy of the Dutch East India Company as a lens for modern innovation.

Tune in to hear unfiltered thoughts, practical insights, and the occasional synthwave soundtrack recommendation. Chapters: (0:00) Intro and flu recovery struggles (2:30) Staying hands-on in design and delegation (6:30) Reflecting on Mark Zuckerberg's pivot and the pendulum of free speech (10:50) Building funnels and refining Noco's content strategy (15:40) Using AI tools to streamline podcast and content production (21:00) Lindy AI: Exploring workflows and outreach automation (27:00) Recently funded startups and tailored outreach (33:30) Are agencies evolving into AI-driven enterprises? (40:00) AI in SMEs: Opportunities for automation (48:30) Cultural discussions and balancing innovation with authenticity (1:02:00) Wrapping up: Synthwave, Dutch history, and personal reflections The WORK IN PROGRESS podcast hosted by Ian Piepenbrock and Wes Botman, two founders who are scaling and refining their businesses every day. Wes Botman is founder and CEO at ⁠⁠Eli5⁠⁠ (https://eli5.io), a software studio making complex ideas simple and accessible. Ian Piepenbrock is CEO at ⁠⁠Noco⁠⁠ (https://noco.agency), an agency dedicated to helping B2B SaaS and tech companies grow through strategic web design and branding. Watch/listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cOqBRMjjgcXKSDDIboKrt?si=6990da66e09e4ef2 Follow us on X for more raw insights, thoughts, and a good dose of founder reality: Wes: ⁠⁠@wesbotman⁠⁠ (https://x.com/wesbotman) Ian: ⁠⁠@lamswolprins (https://x.com/lamswolprins)