The Pod winners are revealed and step up to face the Blox Off challenge—a pop quiz designed to test their knowledge on later-stage fundraising. For some, it's their first time in the hot seat, and they quickly learn that the Blox Off is much tougher than it seems from the sidelines. As the rankings are announced, the competition tightens, showing just how close the leaderboard is. The day wraps up with a lesson on inbound marketing, setting the stage for a new round of insights and strategies.
Today's all-important lesson covers three key marketing approaches: Interruption Marketing (also known as Outbound Marketing), Inbound Marketing, and Permission Marketing.
Interruption Marketing includes traditional methods like radio ads and billboards, while Inbound Marketing involves providing valuable long-form content such as podcasts and blogs to attract customers. Permission Marketing focuses on obtaining contact information to continue conversations through channels like email newsletters and social media. It’s more important to own attention through Inbound Marketing rather than rent it through Interruption Marketing.
The lesson also highlights the importance of personal branding, which involves carefully curating how you present yourself both online and in person. Personal branding is essential for aligning your image with your professional vision and narrative. When people encounter your personal brand—through social media, websites, or at industry events—they should immediately get a sense of your expertise, values, and goals. The lesson encourages entrepreneurs to use their personal brand to tell their unique story, which helps differentiate them in a crowded market.
To build a strong personal brand, it’s important to showcase your expertise consistently. This can be done by contributing content, speaking at events, or engaging with others in your industry through blogs, articles, or podcasts. In addition to sharing expertise, seeking press coverage can help amplify your personal brand. Getting featured in the media or securing interviews with well-known publications or podcasts can significantly increase your visibility and establish credibility.
Traditional advertising, like billboards or radio ads, is effective only as long as you’re paying for it. Once the ad comes down, your connection to that audience is severed. This approach is called “renting” attention—you’re paying for temporary visibility. In contrast, owning attention means building assets like email lists, social media followers, and text message lists. These lists allow you to communicate with your audience indefinitely, for little to no cost, and on your terms. By building these owned channels, you create a long-term asset that provides ongoing value, reducing the reliance on continually paying for ads to maintain customer engagement.
Inbound marketing is about creating findability through valuable, authentic content that builds authority in your field. As summed up in the phrase, "Inbound Marketing is FINDABILITY based on AUTHORITY based on AUTHENTICITY based on CONTENT based on PASSION," this approach is rooted in the passion you bring to your subject. By producing content that reflects your expertise and enthusiasm, you attract an audience that sees you as a trusted authority. This strategy leads to sustainable growth, where customers find you because your authentic voice resonates with their needs and interests, driving long-term engagement.
One of the key benefits of inbound marketing is its ability to create a self-sustaining ecosystem where customers can engage with your brand for extended periods. Passive marketing means designing an environment—through blog posts, videos, podcasts, and other long-form content—where your audience can spend hours consuming your materials. This allows customers to become fully immersed in your brand’s world, building a deeper relationship without constant active selling. The more they engage with your content, the stronger the connection becomes, increasing the likelihood of future purchases.
In the past, businesses relied heavily on traditional advertising to drive sales. The formula was simple: if you wanted more sales, you bought more ads. But today, this model is becoming obsolete. Now, if you want to increase sales, the answer is to make your content more creative and engaging. With the shift to digital platforms, customers are looking for content that stands out, entertains, and adds value. The more innovative and compelling your content is, the more it will resonate with your audience, creating a direct impact on your sales and customer loyalty.
How you present yourself—both online and in-person—matters. Curate your brand in a way that aligns with your vision and tells your story authentically. Every piece of content you share, every interaction you have, and how you show up at events or online should reinforce your brand’s mission and values. This careful curation ensures that you’re consistently pushing your story in the right direction, building a personal and business brand that resonates with your audience and establishes credibility in your field
Would you rather be on it?
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Andrea Furtick is a multifaceted creative force, renowned as a published author, fine artist, and toy designer. As the CEO of AGC Toys Inc., she pioneers innovative concepts in the realm of toy design, captivating audiences with her distinctive vision and craftsmanship. With a passion for storytelling and divination, Andrea is the creator of the Afro Goddess Divination Collection, a series celebrated for its spiritual depth and artistic beauty. Her work has garnered widespread acclaim, culminating in a contract with U.S. Games Systems Inc. in 2022, a testament to her enduring influence in the industry. In addition to her creative endeavors, Andrea is a dynamic keynote speaker, captivating audiences with her insights on art, spirituality, and entrepreneurship. Her engaging presentations have graced prestigious events such as The International Divination Event 2022 and the Northwestern Tarot Symposium 2022, solidifying her reputation as a thought leader in her field.
Carlos Rivis is a seasoned innovation expert with over 20 years of experience, guiding inventors, startups, venture studios, and Fortune 500 companies to bridge the gap between vision and execution. Specializing in turning complex ideas into actionable strategies and roadmaps, Carlos accelerates innovation by aligning the dreams of visionaries with the expertise of industry leaders. In the world of innovation, two key players emerge: visionaries who dream of futures others can't imagine but lack the strategies to bring them to life, and experts who master current technologies but struggle to envision beyond the possible. Carlos serves as the catalyst that companies need to transform visions into reality. He believes that most corporates are anchored by experts who can’t see beyond their ecosystem, while startups are led by visionaries who often believe that technology alone will guarantee success. Carlos transforms visionary concepts into market-leading solutions, focusing on execution, impact, and sustainability. His global network of innovators, investors, and industry leaders enables him to take on projects that align with his values and purpose, ensuring that every venture he engages with has the potential for real-world change. Driven by a strong personal code, Carlos operates with honesty, integrity, and respect at the core of everything he does, and he expects the same from his partners. If you're ready to push boundaries, leverage technology, and turn innovation into a powerful force for change, Carlos is the partner to help you make it happen.
Chase Curtiss is an innovative digital health expert and clinical exercise physiologist with a strong expertise in developing mobile software solutions within the medical, sports and fitness markets. Chase has an academic and research background in biomechanics, exercise physiology and neuroscience with published research in each field. Chase has been recognized as a pioneer in the mobile health space with the first ever FDA clearance for a software only mobile medical device. He has been highlighted in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg TV, Forbes, Pando Daily, Mobihealthnews, the Grey Sheet and many other mainstream and medically focused publications. YouTube has also named Chase NextUP for his work in video instruction content reaching 30 million viewers. As an expert in the field of digital healthcare, Chase is also a regular speaker having presented for events put on by Blue Cross Blue Shield, AARP and Chase was the 2014 commencement speaker for Wichita State University.
Jenny Heins is a multifaceted entrepreneur, artist, and visionary whose career is a testament to the power of ambition and the beauty of dreams realized. Recognized as Business Elite 40 Under 40 honoree (2023) and ranking nationally in real estate, Jenny's journey is marked by her relentless pursuit of excellence and her diverse achievements in various fields Jenny is the Music & Entertainment Host of the Emmy-nominated TV show "The American Dream" and the founder of Teal Door Realty, a fast growing national real estate brokerage, she has not only achieved professional success but has also been a source of inspiration and motivation for many. Her entrepreneurial spirit is complemented by a deep passion for art and design, as evidenced by her significant presence in the New York Fashion Week 2023 and her acclaimed work as a gallery artist. Beyond her achievements in media and the arts, Jenny stands out as a prolific venture capitalist. Her keen eye for potential and commitment to fostering innovation have led her to fund and mentor countless successful startups, turning nascent ideas into thriving enterprises. This aspect of her career highlights her belief in the transformative power of entrepreneurship and her dedication to supporting the next generation of business leaders. Her ventures extend beyond the realms of entertainment and real estate. Her artistic endeavors are showcased in The Palette Collection, where fashion meets art in an expressive and unique style. Her commitment to education and empowerment is reflected in the establishment of the Heins Center for Education, which focuses on enlightening and nurturing visionary minds. In her roles as an executive business consultant, coach, and venture capitalist, Jenny demonstrates a keen ability to identify potential and foster growth, guiding aspiring entrepreneurs and businesses to achieve their fullest potential.
Mandi Makoni is the Founder of Synergy Family Services, where she channels her lifelong passion for supporting both youth and adults in the community. With over 16 years of experience in various capacities, Mandi's work is deeply personal. Having been born into foster care and later adopted, she has firsthand experience of the emotional challenges and traumas that often accompany these situations. Her journey through mental health recovery and resilience, supported by her loving adoptive family, has fueled her commitment to helping others who come from hard places. In 2017, Mandi took a bold step toward her dream and launched Synergy Family Services, a space built to empower and support families and individuals through trauma-informed care. Her team is trained in Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI), an approach designed to help individuals who have experienced trauma or are currently navigating difficult circumstances. Mandi believes deeply in creating a compassionate environment where healing and growth can happen, and her dedicated staff walk alongside those in need, providing a safe haven filled with love and understanding. Mandi is always eager to share her journey and connect with others. If you have questions or want to learn more, she encourages you to reach out via phone, text, or email, and she’ll personally respond. She emphasizes the importance of staying humble, counting your blessings, and, now more than ever, recognizing the need for community and support.
Mary Smiley Ford, CRNA, RN, MSN, is the owner and founder of Smiley Aesthetics. She began her aesthetics career in early 2019 while working as an anesthesiologist. In February 2022, along with her identical twin sister, Carla, she launched Smiley Aesthetics as a two-person mobile toxin and collagen business in Nashville and Knoxville, Tennessee. In just over a year, Smiley Aesthetics has started five brick and mortar locations and nearly 100 mobile injectors in nine states, a number that grows weekly. Ford has been trained by some of the top providers in the country and continues to receive training. Carla Smiley Pierson, DNP, MBA, RN is an experienced, innovative, and business-savvy Registered Nurse with a proven track record of leadership in the hospital and healthcare industry across multiple disciplines. As the Co-founder and Co-owner of a successful medical aesthetics company that achieved over a million in revenue within its first year, Carla brings a unique blend of clinical expertise and entrepreneurial acumen to everything she does. Her diverse skill set spans critical care medicine, oncology, regulatory and accreditation standards, core measures, financial and clinical operations, and project implementation. With a Doctorate in Nursing Practice and an MBA, Carla is a dynamic consulting professional, committed to driving innovation and being a catalyst for change in the healthcare industry.
Rob Whitfield is a seasoned management consultant with a passion for driving transformation and behavior change, helping teams and organizations unlock their full potential. With a focus on diagnosing, designing, and building experiences that reframe how teams work, Rob's mission is to unleash latent value and drive real business results. His approach centers on aligning with business priorities and advancing agendas through expert facilitation and team coaching. Over his career, Rob has worked globally, transforming strategies, technologies, processes, and the ways people work and think. With his leadership, thousands of individuals and numerous companies have achieved personal and business results they once struggled to reach. As a certified executive coach, master trainer, public speaker, and event designer, Rob brings a wealth of expertise to every project. With a proven track record in leading complex, customer-centric transformations across various industries—including entertainment, telecoms, retail, education, energy, and more—Rob is known for his motivational leadership, delivering excellence while maintaining a flexible style and a sense of humor. His experience spans sectors such as transport, central and local government, gaming, and fashion, making him a versatile and dynamic leader in his field.
With 16 years of experience in the payment processing industry, Tyler brings a wealth of expertise and insight to help businesses navigate the ever-changing payments landscape. In 2009, Tyler founded PPSW, which quickly grew into a successful merchant processing ISO. In 2017, Tyler acquired the POS company VersiTouch and transformed it into VersiTech, a restaurant technology company focused on delivering cutting-edge point-of-sale technology through a local partner network. At VersiTech, Tyler and the team believe that every business deserves personalized support, which is why they work closely with local partners to offer a unique customer experience. The focus is on making technology work seamlessly for businesses with as little hassle as possible. VersiTech is known for its adaptability and going the extra mile for customers, taking pride in serving as a calming presence and a source of relief for partners. As a visionary leader, Tyler is passionate about helping businesses grow through technology. His goal is to make VersiTech a major competitor in the POS industry, offering innovative solutions and smooth processes for customers. Tyler leads by example, valuing his employees as family and striving to help them thrive both personally and professionally.
Tyrone Hazen is the founder of Puffin Drinkwear, a company he launched in 2019 with a vision to create fun, innovative drinkwear products that make people laugh. In the process, he pioneered an entirely new product category. Under Tyrone’s leadership, Puffin Drinkwear has experienced rapid growth, earning recognition from Inc. Magazine as the Fastest Growing Company in Oregon and ranking #131 in the US in just four years. As the head of partnerships, Tyrone oversees business development and strategic alliances, working closely with stakeholders to expand market reach and build a loyal customer base. With over a decade of experience in entrepreneurship and product innovation, Tyrone holds a BA in Economics from UCLA. He is passionate about using his skills to create a positive impact on society, the environment, and collective consciousness, while fostering a culture of collaboration and community among his team and partners.
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