The Built To Scale Podcast

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  Why "Buy a Business, Get Rich" Is Bad Advice and What You Should Do Instead | David Hori 11.08.2026 49мин

  Most people think buying a business means signing the papers, hiring a GM, and collecting checks from the beach. David Hori bought a company that got acquired by Toyota, then decided to spend his career telling people why that hands off dream is mostly a myth.=================================Join David's "Discover A Less Stressful Way To Sell Your Business" Webinar:🚨 SPOILER ALER! David is offering listeners a free webinar for our listeners:👉 Sign up here: https://learn.toplineops.com/pod-webinar-1/=================================What you'll learn:Why "buy a business for passive income" is one of the most dangerous pitches in the acquisition spaceHow to define your buy box so you stop chasing every deal and start closing the right onesWhy staying in your lane, even when it feels limiting, gets you to the finish line fasterThe four pillars David uses in his durability diagnostic to determine what a business is actually worth to a buyerWhy three years of financials tell a truer story than one great yearThe overlooked alternative to a full sale that lets an owner keep working in the business they built=================================About David Hori:David Hori is the founder of Top Line Operators, where he teaches people how to buy, stabilize, and scale existing businesses instead of starting from zero. Before this, he built and scaled startups in the VC world, including a company acquired by Toyota in 2023. He now runs a weekly webinar for business owners who are exit curious and is opening up a free beta of his durability diagnostic tool for listeners of this episode.=================================Connect with David Hori:Website: https://www.toplineops.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamdavidhori/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedavidhori/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedavidhoriTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedavidhori=================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  81% of People Want to Write a Book; Only 3% Do It: Talk Your Book Into Existence | Michael Giannulis 04.08.2026 46мин

  Did you know 81% of people want to write a book? Yet, only 3% ever finish one. Michael Giannulis built Dictate to close that gap, not by making writing easier, but by removing writing from the process entirely. You talk, an AI named Silas asks the right questions, and a book comes out the other end in your voice.Michael spent two decades in direct response marketing before building Dictate, and this conversation covers the mechanics of the product, the legal reality of AI generated books, and the pricing and go to market strategy behind a company he thinks could become his biggest yet.=================================Get Michael's Free Author Blueprint:🚨 SPOILER ALER! Michael is offering listeners a free Author Blueprint. 👉 Grab it here: https://startdictate.com/builttoscale =================================What you'll learn:Why the legal system won't let you copyright a book an AI mostly wrote, and how Dictate gets around it by tracking a "voice DNA" percentage before it starts writingHow a 15 to 20 question AI interview turns into a 25 to 30 page book blueprint in under 30 minutesThe difference between copywriting and copy thinking, and why that distinction matters more now that AI can write copy on demandWhy a published book functions as the most effective sales page a service business can have, and how it opens doors to paid speaking=================================About Michael Giannulis:Michael Giannulis has worked in direct response marketing since 2006, building and scaling multiple companies in ecommerce and education. He is the founder of Dictate, an AI platform that turns expert knowledge into a professionally published book through conversation instead of writing.=================================Key moments:(11:00) The $50 payment plan tweak that instantly lifted upsell conversions, and the Coke and Pepsi decoy pricing story behind it(17:23) Copywriting versus copy thinking, and why that edge still matters in an AI world(27:43) Inside the AI interview: how a 25 to 30 page book blueprint gets built in under 30 minutes, and why people cry when they see it(31:41) The legal reality: why you can't copyright a book an AI mostly wrote, and how Dictate's "voice DNA" tracking gets around it=================================Connect with Michael Giannulis:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgiannulisInstagram / X / Facebook: @mikegiannulisWebsite: https://startdictate.comEmail: hello@startdictate.com=================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  Why Amazon Sellers Keep Failing at TikTok Shop | Can Chan 28.07.2026 42мин

  Most Amazon sellers who try TikTok Shop fail within 30 days. Not because they lack budget, but because they're still thinking like Amazon sellers.Can Chan has spent over a decade building an eight figure e-commerce business, first on Amazon, then as one of the first sellers on TikTok Shop when it launched in the US. In this conversation, he breaks down why the two platforms require completely different mindsets, why creators (not keywords) drive 70% of TikTok Shop revenue, and why he shut down his own AI product the moment he saw ChatGPT and Gemini catching up.=================================What you'll learn:How to calculate the real starting investment for launching on Amazon, and why $50K is the floor, not the ceilingHow to shift from a keyword mindset to a creator relationship mindset when you expand into TikTok ShopHow top TikTok Shop sellers structure creator commissions (20% to 40%, sometimes more) to build a reliable affiliate engineHow to recognize when a product or business line needs to be killed before a competitor, or a better AI model, does it for youHow AI is cutting Amazon ad management teams from 5 to 6 people down to 2 to 3 while lowering ad costsWhere Can sees the next major opportunity forming at the intersection of AI and physical products=================================About Can Chan:Can Chan is an eight figure e-commerce operator based in China and the founder of Top Tier League, a global community for TikTok Shop, Amazon, and AI driven commerce operators. He has sold on Amazon for more than a decade and was among the first wave of sellers on TikTok Shop in the US, and he now runs a proprietary AI platform that manages Amazon ad spend for eight figure sellers.=================================Key moments:09:00 The real difference between Amazon's keyword driven model and TikTok's discovery driven model10:42 Breaking down the actual dollar investment needed to launch on Amazon18:14 How affiliate creators work inside TikTok Shop and why they drive most of the sales22:39 How top sellers like Goli throw parties and give away prizes (including a Lamborghini) to their best creators25:30 Why Can shut down his own AI image generation business in under two months30:03 How his current AI platform cuts Amazon ad management costs and headcount=================================Connect with Can Chan:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/can-chan-966a632b Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/can.chan.774033 Top Tier League: toptierleague.com=================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  Why Your ROAS Positive Numbers Might be Lying to You | Tyler Ryan 18.08.2026 53мин

  Most media buyers think a 1.5 ROAS is a win. Tyler Ryan has seen billions of dollars of data that says it might be a slow bleed.Tyler is the founder of LTV Numbers, now rebranded as Data Driven OS, and he has analyzed over three billion dollars in direct response and ecommerce sales. Before any of that, he was an engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, working on the team that landed the Curiosity Rover on Mars within a mile of its target. That level of precision is exactly what he brought into performance marketing, and this episode is the payoff.=================================What you'll learn:Why a 1.5 ROAS on day one can quietly become a loss by day 60What the "direct response dip" is and how to spot it in your LTV curveWhy the real decision-making window for LTV is 30 days or less (not years)How Joel Marion scaled BioTrust from zero to $150M by knowing one number that 99% of the room did notWhy optimizing for AOV at the expense of the back end is the most common and most expensive mistake in direct responseHow Data Driven OS and its autonomous analyst Otto proactively surface the decisions you should be making before you even think to ask=================================About Tyler Ryan:Tyler Ryan is a UCLA physics graduate and former NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineer who pivoted into performance marketing and built LTV Numbers from scratch into a platform used by 100+ companies. His software has analyzed over three billion dollars in sales data across direct response, ecommerce, health and wellness, info products, and coaching businesses. He recently rebranded as Data Driven OS, focused on solving the full visibility gap, not just LTV tracking.=================================Key Moments:02:48 - Tyler's origin story: from NASA to entrepreneurship16:21 - The Joel Marion story that created LTV Numbers23:28 - ROAS vs LTV: what the front-end numbers are hiding28:01 - The "direct response dip" and the "surge and grow" LTV fingerprints31:25 - Why the LTV window that matters is just 30 days39:28 - Why rising CPMs make LTV non-negotiable right now42:56 - What startups need to design before they launch44:43 - Data Driven OS and Otto, the autonomous analyst=================================Connect with Tyler Ryan:Website: https://datadrivenos.com/ Email: tyler@datadrivenos.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyler_datadriven/ =================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  Why Not Me? The Growth Mindset That Changes Everything | Dr. Charles Livingston 09.07.2026 56мин

  Most people ask "why me?" Dr. Charles Livingston learned to ask "why not me?" That one shift turned a chiropractor into a digital marketer, and a digital marketer into the founder of one of DTC's most respected premium coffee brands.=================================What you'll learn:How Charles validated Life Boost Coffee with affiliates before spending a single dollar on paid mediaWhy he still forwards every customer support ticket to his personal Gmail, even with 40+ employeesHow to navigate commodity pricing swings and supply chain chaos without blowing your marginsThe exact channel sequencing he used: affiliates first, then paid, then multi-channel expansionWhy "certified organic" isn't enough, and how third-party toxin testing became a core differentiatorHow the GLP-1 trend is reshaping product formulation across the health and beverage space=================================About Dr. Charles Livingston:Dr. Charles Livingston is a chiropractor turned serial entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Life Boost Coffee. Before Life Boost, he built Fat Loss Factor and Perfect Origins, two of the affiliate marketing world's most successful digital health brands. He has been operating in direct response marketing for over a decade and brings a practitioner's lens to product development, performance marketing, and scaling DTC brands.=================================Key moments:0:00 Cold open: "Why not me?" The mindset shift that changed everything3:52 How bulletproof coffee led to founding a company9:00 Affiliate-first go-to-market: validating before spending on paid12:09 Why Charles still reads every support ticket15:00 Navigating coffee commodity pricing and supply chain chaos32:25 Managing 50+ SKUs and the cost of too many products34:46 GLP-1s, protein trends, and where product innovation is heading45:41 The retail leap: Whole Foods, purchase orders, and floating cash47:42 What a holiday vendor show taught him about buyer psychology=================================Connect with Dr. Charles Livingston: Website: lifeboostcoffee.com  Email: drc@lifeboostcoffee.com =================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  What You've Got to Fix Before You Scale | Francisco Bervis 29.06.2026 51мин

  Affiliates and media buyers don't build your funnel. They pour gasoline on a fire that's already burning. Francisco Bervis, Head of Marketplace at Everflow, breaks down exactly what brands need to prove before any partner will touch them, and the real math behind who gets a $400 CPA and who gets $60.=================================What you'll learn:Why your brand needs tested creatives and a working funnel before any affiliate will work with youHow to validate a lander or ad creative for as little as $20 to $50 before scaling spendThe real CPA gap between premium GLP1 weight loss brands and smaller competitors, and what drives itHow a "quadruple win" referral structure builds long term affiliate loyalty instead of one off introductionsWhy relationship marketing still beats pure performance metrics in affiliate partnershipsWhat Everflow's marketplace actually does for brands looking for the right partners=================================About Francisco Bervis: Francisco Bervis is Head of Marketplace at Everflow, where he audits and matches brand offers with the affiliates, publishers, and media buyers who can actually scale them. His path there runs through zoology, lead generation, business development for East Fifth Avenue, and cart recovery strategy at HelpGrid, giving him a rare view into both sides of the affiliate equation.=================================Key moments: 0:00 - Francisco's gasoline analogy: what media buyers actually do for your brand 6:37 - The cold call that generated $1.6 million for a nonprofit fair, and the lesson behind it 18:35 - What Everflow actually is, and why lifetime value matters more than first look conversion 30:21 - Why untested creatives are the fastest way to get rejected by a media buyer 38:24 - The real CPA numbers behind GLP1 weight loss brands, big and small 43:08 - The quadruple win: why Francisco gives away 2% of revenue for life=================================Connect with Francisco Bervis:Telegram: http://t.me/fbervis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsfrank/ Everflow Marketplace: https://www.everflow.io/enablement/everflow-marketplace Affiliate World: https://affiliateworldconferences.com/ =================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  This Advertising Channel Beats Meta | Andra Ionescu 02.07.2026 43мин

  The affiliate marketing playbook that worked in 2022 is not just outdated. It is actively working against you. Andra Ionescu, started off as an affiliate manager at MaxWeb, and has recently been promoted to the CEO role. She has seen every side of this industry since 2012, and is here to tell you exactly what has changed and what to do about it.================================= What you'll learn:Why native advertising is the most underrated channel in performance marketing right now and how to structure your first campaign with a pre-lander that actually convertsHow to run the 70/30 budget split between a scaling pipeline and a testing pipeline so you never run dry on winnersWhy Meta's Andromeda update killed the old targeting playbook and why creative volume is now your primary leverHow AI overviews have taken over 60% of supplement-related searches and what you need to do now to stay visibleWhy making your account manager your best friend is the single highest-leverage move any new affiliate can make================================= About Andra Ionescu: Andra Ionescu is the CEO of MaxWeb, one of the leading CPA performance networks in direct response and e-commerce. She has been in the industry since 2012, working across vendor, affiliate, and operations roles before taking the top seat. MaxWeb works across Meta, native, Google, and email, running exclusive offers at scale in health, nutra, and e-commerce.================================= Connect with Andra Ionescu: Website: www.maxweb.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andraionescu90/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andra.ionescu.90/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andra.ionescu.90Affiliate World Budapest: (Shmuel and Andra are both speaking): https://affiliateworldconferences.com/================================= Key moments:10:12 - Why VSLs still work when the hook lands in the first minutes, and why the staged, polished format is dying17:45 - Why native is the long-term play and how Meta's Andromeda update changed the cost and learning curve30:12 - How AI overviews are dominating supplement search results and why the old affiliate SEO playbook is broken38:51 - Why the next phase of affiliate marketing is about training AI, not just people40:48 - The single most important move any new affiliate can make before spending a dollar on ads================================= About The Built To Scale Podcast: Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/ If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  What Remote Hiring at Scale Actually Looks Like | Michele Lambert 23.06.2026 47мин

  Most hiring fails before a single resume is reviewed. The job description is vague. The compensation range is too low to attract the right talent. The "one role" you posted is actually three jobs crammed into one. And then you wonder why six weeks in you're starting over.Michele Lambert has been inside this problem since 2012. She has built remote teams for direct response brands, internet marketers, and multi-million dollar online businesses. She has supported New York Times bestselling launches, built a Rolodex of thousands of vetted A players, and now runs Bella Connections, a recruiting and team-building firm built specifically for the online business world.This conversation gets into the stuff most founders skip.=================================What you'll learn:Why you should build your 90-day KPIs before you ever write a job description, and how that one shift changes everything about the hireHow listing a narrow comp range quietly filters out your best candidates before you ever see their resumeWhat values alignment actually looks like in a remote team, and why it matters more than skillsThe resume mistakes that get candidates blacklisted across the entire direct response spaceWhy applying straight through the process beats DMs and intro requests every timeHow AI is reshaping hiring right now, which companies are winning, and what candidates need to do to stay irreplaceable=================================About Michele Lambert: Michele Lambert is the founder of Bella Connections, a remote recruiting and team-building firm specializing in the direct response, e-commerce, and online business space. She has been building high-performance remote teams since 2012 and maintains a curated Rolodex of thousands of vetted operators, marketers, and executives. She is also co-launching Level A, a career program designed to help people land six-figure roles in the online business world.=================================Key moments:4:32 - The two mistakes founders make before posting a single job (clarity and comp)13:23 - The 90-day desired outcomes framework: how Michele sharpens the hire before searching17:45 - Why most A-player candidates won't even look at sub-six-figure listings19:49 - How to tailor your resume without lying28:22 - What makes a candidate unforgettable35:26 - Michele's honest take on AI replacing jobs, and where she's hopeful and scared=================================Connect with Michele Lambert: Website: https://bellaconnections.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-lambert-66792395/ FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/michele.lambert.14811 =================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  The Best AI and Marketing Principles That are Really Working | Kristen Palmer 17.06.2026 45мин

  Most marketers chase what's trending. Kristen Palmer has spent two decades identifying what never stops working.What you will learn:Why the webinar funnel is generating six and seven figure weeks in 2026 and how to build one that convertsLive vs. evergreen: which price points demand which format and why cold audiences cannot handle high ticketWhat a real eight-figure audit actually uncovers (and why it will make you want to audit your own funnels today)Where AI is most dangerous for marketing teams and how to set rules of engagement before it creates chaosHow Kristen replaced a project manager role with an EA and an AI agent connected to ClickUp and Slack=================================About Kristen Palmer: Fractional CMO and founder of 5D Strategy. Nearly two decades in direct response and health and wellness, including Agora Publishing where she helped 10x their affiliate program. Specializes in moving eight-figure brands toward nine and ten figures by fixing marketing and cross-functional systems simultaneously.=================================Key moments:06:31 The one marketing principle that will still work 20 years from now08:03 Why the webinar funnel is making a full comeback in 202611:13 Three webinar funnels running at the same time: how it actually works25:24 Eight-figure companies that still do not know their own metrics28:47 Real audit finds: broken calendars, two brand guides, two ICPs in circulation34:10 The AI skill managing a 10-person video team via ClickUp and Slack36:40 The AI media buyer skill: 8 weeks in and already calling campaigns accurately=================================Connect with Kristen Palmer: Website: https://5dstrategy.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenpalmer/ Email: kp@5dstrategy.com    Calendly: https://calendly.com/kristinpalmer =================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  Copy Over Capital: From Pool Cleaning to a 7-Figure Supplements Business | Paul Lawrence 11.06.2026 53мин

  Most supplement companies need a doctor, a media budget, and a team. Paul Lawrence built Naturecast with none of those things. What he had instead was a ruthless understanding of copy, a willingness to outlast everyone else, and a list so loyal that 40% of his recent orders came from subscribers who had been with him for five years or more.What you'll learn:How Paul reverse-engineered a predictable customer acquisition system before the internet existed, with a one-page flyer and a 3.5% response rate he could bank onWhy copy built around a mechanism outperforms copy built around personality, and how Paul used that insight to build his biggest supplement sellerHow JV swaps became his primary growth channel and why finding the right partners matters more than having a massive budgetThe email-first business model that generates consistent revenue from a 50+ market that buys on trust and stays for yearsWhat Paul would do differently if he launched Naturecast today, and why he would skip the info products and go straight to supplements=================================About Paul Lawrence:Paul Lawrence is the founder of Naturecast, a lean direct response supplement business with over 30 products. He built his foundation in direct mail before discovering copywriting through a mentorship with Agora legend Mark Ford. His promotions have generated millions in sales, and he has built a subscriber list that continues to produce revenue years after subscribers first joined.=================================Key moments:The pool cleaning flyer that taught Paul everything he needed to know about CAC and conversion before those terms existedHow a ballroom dance instructor gig led to a mentorship with Mark Ford and a $6,500/month royalty check at 2%Why negative spend works for large operators but not lean ones, and how Paul structured his business around that reality=================================Connect with Paul Lawrence:Email: nature-cast@usa.net (Use subject line: "Heard you on Shmuel’s podcast") Website: naturecastproducts.com=================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  Connected TV and the New Rules of Scaling | Kyle Kostechka 05.06.2026 59мин

  If your business is stuck in low ticket, you may be funding your own slow decline. Kyle Kostechka, former ClickBank performance marketing leader and advisor at Trident Growth, makes the case for why high ticket has shifted from "nice to have" to essential in this economy and what that means for how you buy traffic, build funnels, and think about 2026.=================================What you'll learn:Why targeting premium buyers is now a survival strategy, not just a growth lever, and how the current economy backs that up with dataHow a $27 front end product can justify a $200 CPA when the high ticket backend is structured correctlyThe types of high ticket offers almost any business can bolt on right now: coaching, done-for-you, access, masterminds, and premium customizationWhy Meta's Andromeda update is penalizing aggressive VSLs and what a compliant, converting funnel actually looks like in 2026Why Connected TV is the most underpriced paid media inventory available right now and how to get in before the big budgets followHow Kyle's team deployed an AI support agent that took a Hebrew-speaking customer from a 2 AM refund request to buying more products=================================About Kyle Kostechka:Kyle spent over a decade at ClickBank mastering performance marketing at scale. He now runs Triton Growth, a venture studio focused on high ticket offer ascension, affiliate strategy, and premium product development. He has spoken from stages on Connected TV and AI-driven marketing, and works with brands building offer structures that can survive and thrive in today's market.=================================Connect with Kyle Kostechka:Email: kyle@tritongrowth.com (reach out for a free affiliate program audit or a free high ticket offer assessment… Just tell him Shmuel sent you!)LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-kostechka-aa0b504/ =================================Key moments:01:44 - Why high ticket is a critical survival move in a contracting economy07:25 - What price point actually defines high ticket ($10K is the floor)11:24 - The $27 front end with a $200 CPA: how high ticket transforms your media buying math25:39 - The death of aggressive marketing (not TSLs) and what Meta's algorithm is actually seeing32:06 - Channel breakdown: Meta, YouTube, Native, and why Connected TV is the next big move42:22 - How Kyle reduced headcount substantially without losing revenue or output using AI51:15 - How to build AI tools for your business without blowing your budget or losing control of your data=================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  The 5 Profit Levers: How to Actually Scale Your Business Profitably | Jeremy Reeves 01.06.2026 50мин

  A lot of companies are scaling themselves into a cash flow crisis and they have no idea it's happening. Jeremy Reeves has built five eight-figure offers and generated over $200 million in revenue, and his biggest finding is that acquisition is the least important part of the equation.What you'll learn:How to calculate your real allowable customer acquisition cost (most brands get this completely wrong)Why lifetime value is a misleading metric unless you contribution-margin-adjust it and measure by cohortThe five profit levers in Jeremy's Scalable Profit Model: contribution margin, acquisition economics, LTV, operational efficiency, and capital return velocityWhy a 1% improvement in contribution margin can drive 4 to 6% in additional profit, and why most founders never touch itHow to use overhead per customer to diagnose whether your business is bloated or lean (with a concrete dollar figure)Why AI is about to erase marketing advantages entirely, and what that means for how you compete=================================About Jeremy Reeves:Jeremy Reeves is the founder of Scale Advisors and author of The Scalable Profit Model. He started as a direct response copywriter and sales funnel strategist before building and scaling multiple eight-figure supplement and health brands. He now consults with DTC businesses on a performance basis, helping them add profit without adding ad spend.=================================Connect with him at:Website: https://scaleadvisors.com/ Book: https://scaleadvisors.com/book The Scale Advisors Podcast: https://scaleadvisors.com/podcast  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scaleadvisors X: https://x.com/JeremyReevesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyreeves/ =================================Key moments:[~11:00] The five levers of the Scalable Profit Model, explained one by one[~13:00] Why the standard way founders calculate LTV is wrong, and what to use instead[~20:00] The real cost of a bloated operation: how Jeremy spotted a $600K inefficiency in under 10 minutes[~37:00] Capital return velocity: the metric Jeremy coined because no one else had named it yet[~42:00] A dead simple cash flow win: switch to a 60-day credit card and stop paying for airline points=================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  Lessons in Lifetime Value: Turn a $30 Buyer Into a $5,000 Client | Max Kramer 26.05.2026 40мин

  Most brands are sitting on a revenue stream they have never touched. The moment someone buys your front-end offer, supplement, course, or gadget, there is a window of peak intent that closes fast. Max Kramer built an entire company around owning that window for other brands, and his model converts fresh buyers into $5,000 high-ticket coaching clients before the transaction is even a memory.What you'll learn:How Kramer Media operates as a white-label coaching division for info, supplement, and ecom brands without disrupting what those brands are already doingWhy the moment of purchase is the highest-leverage contact point and why email follow-up is already too lateThe trust formula Max learned from marketer Eben Pagan: explain the customer's problem better than they can and they will trust you instantlyWhy Max believes AI will never fully replace human coaching, and the one psychological dynamic that makes human accountability irreplaceableThe monkey brain problem with SOPs: why it is not enough to build systems, you have to become a slave to them even when your instincts say otherwiseWhere Max lands on the quality vs. quantity dial for sales teams, and why his answer might surprise youWhy Max's biggest fear is not AI or competition but something entirely internal=================================About Max Kramer:Max Kramer is the founder of Kramer Media, a white-label coaching company that plugs into brands in the info, supplement, and ecom space and converts front-end buyers into $5,000 high-ticket coaching clients. He built his first coaching brand in the dating advice space in 2012, grew it to over one million social media followers, and used that decade of operational experience to build a backend coaching engine that now serves multiple verticals. He is based in the world he built from scratch, starting with nothing but a personal problem and a willingness to solve it.=================================Connect with him at:Email: max@kramermediainc.com Telegram: @kramermedia=================================Key moments:05:46 - The white-label insight that changed everything17:01 - What coaching actually is and why AI cannot replace it24:44 - The trust principle Max learned from Eben Pagan that closes $5K sales33:05 - The monkey brain problem and how SOPs save you from yourself35:52 - Quantity vs. quality: where Max sets the dial on leads and salespeople=================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  Your Company Thinks It's Using AI. It Isn't. | John Munsell 20.05.2026 54мин

  Most companies think they've "adopted AI." They have a Copilot license, maybe a chatbot on the website. John Munsell calls that dipping your toe in the water. Real adoption looks completely different and the gap between where most companies are and where they need to be is costing them millions.What you'll learn:Why "AI adoption" is being measured wrong and what the right metric actually isHow John's 10 Levels of AI Mastery framework pinpoints exactly where your team is falling shortWhy 90%+ of employees at most companies are stuck at level two or below (and how to fix it fast)How proper training can compress 19-24 months of individual AI growth into 4-6 weeksWhy governance and training are the two things companies leave for last and why that is the most expensive mistake they makeHow team makeup (the PAEI framework) determines whether your AI initiatives succeed or stall=================================About John MunsellJohn Munsell is the CEO of Bizzuka and the author of "InGrain AI." He sold his digital marketing agency client portfolio in 2022, right before ChatGPT went public, and spent the following years building a framework to help companies move from AI curiosity to full workforce transformation. His InGrain AI Certified Implementer Program is developing the next generation of Chief AI Officers.=================================Key moments(06:54) The $19K website that became a $150K engagement. (13:33) Why "AI adoption" is a lie.(14:22) Introducing the 10 levels of AI mastery. John breaks down the framework his firm uses to assess real proficiency, not usage, across entire organizations. (21:03) The brick exercise. John splits 40 employees into groups and gives them five minutes to list as many uses for a brick as possible. (28:36) Shadow AI is already in your building. (33:57) The three-tier governance model. (44:40) What the 10 levels of AI adoption actually look like. (47:18) Training and governance are last on every company's list. (50:25) How to get a resistant workforce to actually adopt AI. =================================Connect with John Munsell:Website: https://www.bizzuka.comBook on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F2Z6H53T/New book waitlist: https://www.ingrain.ai/2026Free economic impact assessment (valued at $547, but free for my listeners! Use code SHMUEL for 100% off): https://www.bizzuka.com/impact=================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  Sculpting Your Life: From Rock Bottom to 3 Million Lives Changed | Paul Hoffman 14.05.2026 52мин

  Most people know what they want. The problem is they're their own biggest obstacle.Paul Hoffman has lived multiple lifetimes in one. He wrote one of the most iconic advertising jingles in history, built and lost everything, found his way back, and has since spent decades helping over 3 million people redesign their lives from the inside out. As founder of Sculpting Your Life and creator of a binaural beat brain technology distributed by Mindvalley, Paul's framework is part neuroscience, part philosophy, entirely grounded in lived experience.What you'll learn:Why your subconscious mind is running the show, and the only way to change how you thinkPaul's 7-step "Tuning In" framework for identifying what's holding you backHow to build a morning ritual that sets the frequency for your entire dayWhy scaling starts with your foundation, not your funnelHow Paul uses AI as a creative tool without being technical at all=================================About Paul Hoffman:Paul Hoffman is the founder of Sculpting Your Life and a personal transformation architect who has worked with over 3 million people worldwide. He is a former advertising jingle writer behind the iconic "Have You Driven a Ford Lately?" campaign and the creator of a binaural beat brain technology marketed globally through Mindvalley. He speaks, coaches, and builds tools designed to help people stop living by default and start living by design.=================================Connect with him at:WhatsApp/Cell: (323) 810-5588Email: paulhoffman24@gmail.comWebsite: https://sculptingyourlife.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulHoffmanProfile Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulhoffman7946 & https://www.instagram.com/agoodmorninggreatday =================================Key moments:5:14 - The Ford jingle, imposter syndrome, and early career9:01 - November 14, 1988: the day that changed everything13:50 - The moment Paul knew he had to reinvent himself15:11 - How meeting T. Harv Eker launched the second chapter of his career18:36 - Why a morning ritual is not optional19:11 - The evening ritual: highlights vs. insights33:55 - Paul's full morning ritual, step by step42:09 - The 7-step Tuning In framework43:19 - Paul's take on AI and why it's just a conversation46:41 - What he would tell his 25-year-old self=================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  The #1 Lesson After Sending a Billion Emails | Ryan Healy 08.05.2026 51мин

  If your email list is underperforming, the problem probably isn't your copy. It's your domain reputation, your segmentation, and the fact that you're mailing the wrong people. Ryan Healy has been in email marketing since 2002 and has sent over a billion emails across brands like Organifi, BIOptimizers, and Agora Financial. He's now co-founder of Upsender, an ESP (email marketing service platform) and list management agency. This episode is a masterclass in how email actually works in 2026.What you'll learn:Why a "million person list" is probably worth nothing, and how to diagnose whether your list is actually viableThe deliverability fundamentals that determine whether your emails land or disappear, including domain reputation, IP health, and sender scoringHow to structure split tests properly so you're optimizing toward revenue, not vanity metricsWhy segmenting down to your most engaged users is the fastest way to rehab a struggling accountWhat the brands that are actually scaling on email have in common, and where the ones that plateau are falling short=================================About Ryan Healy:Ryan Healy co-founded Upsender, an ESP and email agency that has worked with roughly 70-80 clients over the past three and a half years, including major players in health, wellness, and financial publishing. He's one of the few people in this industry who has seen email evolve from local server software to AI-driven personalization at scale.=================================Connect with him at:Website: https://upsender.com/ Email: ryan@upsender.comX: https://x.com/HeyHealy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeyHealy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heyhealy/ Telegram: https://t.me/HeyHealy =================================Key moments:7:00 - When Ryan realized email was a backend revenue engine, not just a channel17:00 - The shared IP vs. dedicated IP breakdown20:00 - Primary inbox strategy and the Troy Erickson method that added 5 raw percentage points in open rate29:00 - The right way to run email split tests in sequence34:00 - Why Ryan built his own ESP and what it does differently41:00 - The exact anatomy of an email list business that scales vs. one that dies=================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  The Ultimate Asset When it Comes to Building a Brand: Relationships | Nicole Starling 04.05.2026 47мин

  Most marketers chase tactics. Nicole Starling built a seven-figure affiliate career by doing something almost no one does well: actually following through.Nicole made the leap from 30 years of professional performing into digital marketing in 2020 with no background, no network, and no safety net. What she learned in the trenches of affiliate and influencer marketing cuts straight to the core of why most brand partnerships underperform.What you'll learn:Why follow-through and accountability are more powerful growth levers than any funnel tacticHow Nicole closed over a million dollars in affiliate sales for a single product through cold outreach and relationship managementThe real difference between influencer marketing and affiliate marketing, and how to structure deals that protect your budgetWhy brands are overpaying for content creators who can't deliver, and how to structure smarter partnership dealsThe truth about email marketing in 2026: not dead, but definitely not a one-trick ponyHow to build a diversified creator strategy across micro and macro partnerships without blowing your budget=================================About Nicole Starling:Nicole Starling spent 30 years as a professional musician performing 12-18 shows per week before pivoting into digital marketing in 2020. She's now Partnership Manager at Starling Studios, where she builds and manages affiliate and influencer relationships for brands across health, wellness, and e-commerce. Her superpower is relationships: she's known for relentless follow-through and building the kind of trust that actually converts.=================================Connect with her at:Email: nicole@starlingstudios.coLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-starling-4bb58a310/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledesireestarling  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicstarling/ =================================Key moments:[0:00] Why a 30-year musician became a digital marketer overnight[11:22] The one word Nicole credits for scaling a product past $1M in sales: follow-through[20:21] Nicole's honest take on the current state of email marketing[28:55] Affiliate vs. influencer marketing: where they overlap and where they diverge[36:32] What it actually means to be a content creator in 2026[42:23] The smart way to diversify your influencer budget instead of betting on one big name=================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  You're Wasting Over 50% of Your Day | Ben Harris 28.04.2026 49мин

  Ben Harris has placed over 10,000 virtual assistants in three years. His first question to every overwhelmed founder is always the same: what are you doing right now that someone else could handle for $10 an hour?That question changes everything.What you'll learn:How to run a time audit that reveals exactly where your days are going (the 15-minute timer method Ben credits to Alex Hormozi)What a "$10 task" actually looks like and why letting go of them is harder than it soundsHow Ben's VA manages his entire email inbox so he never misses what matters and never has to think about the restWhy AI won't kill the virtual employment industry, and what history tells us about tech that was supposed to eliminate jobsThe three-phase Meta ads testing structure Sphere Rocket uses to scale a B2B service businessWhat Ben looks at every single day to know whether his marketing is working=================================About Ben Harris:Ben Harris is the CMO of Sphere Rocket Virtual Assistance and a former executive at ClickFunnels and ClickBank. He started selling autographed football cards on eBay as a teenager, scaled a supplement brand to become the top-rated pre-workout on Amazon, and most recently built a full web application using Claude Code with zero prior coding experience. He has spent the past decade sitting in rooms he says he had no business being in, and learning from everyone in them.=================================Connect with him at:Website: https://sphererocketva.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-harris-online/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ben.harris.750331 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benharrisonline More about Sphere Rocket:Free Resources: https://sphererocketva.com/resources =================================Key moments:[00:09] Ben's origin story: from eBay hustle at age 12 to ClickFunnels and beyond[13:20] What "buying back your time" actually means for a business owner[17:12] The 15-minute kitchen timer trick for auditing where your time really goes[20:00] The $10 task in practice: how Ben's assistant manages his entire inbox[28:35] Will AI replace virtual assistants? Ben's take, including the ATM and internet parallels[36:17] How Sphere Rocket runs Meta ads to acquire B2B clients and what ROAS looks like at day 40[46:10] "Marketing problems are math problems" and what every operator needs to know about their numbers=================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  Stop Being Afraid to Sell to Your Email List | Liss Graham Ellis 22.04.2026 39мин

  Do you have a revenue engine sitting in the form of an email marketing list? Many do and they are scared to turn it up and email en masse. Liss Graham Ellis has been managing and monetizing email lists for over a decade. Her verdict is blunt: if you have buyers on your list, you should be selling to them. A lot. One of the first things she does when she takes over a new list is simply start offering buyers more opportunities to buy. Because whoever ran it before her was afraid to ask.What you'll learn:What each subscriber is actually worth per month (buyers vs. leads, and why the gap is much bigger than you think)Why a 100-word email outperforms a long-form essay and what your real job as an email sender actually isThe silent mistake bleeding subscriber volume (hint: not all your acquisition streams are connected to your ESP)Why most brands are over-jabbing and under-punching, and how to fix the balance immediatelyHow email, SMS, TikTok, direct response, and direct mail work together to build a full brand universeWhy your email list and social channels are business assets with real valuation value, not just marketing tools=================================About Liss Graham Ellis:Liss Graham Ellis is the founder and president of List Management, where she manages and monetizes email lists for clients across health, e-commerce, and direct response. She is also the co-founder of a TikTok Shop management company helping brands connect with influencers to scale on the platform. Her path into marketing was accidental: she entered a fitness transformation contest, won, landed on a podcast, and built a full business from there without a single day of formal marketing training.=================================Connect with her at:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557548173916Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisst_management/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mlgraham9 =================================Key moments:3:46 - What a buyer vs. lead is actually worth per month on your list8:26 - The 100-word email argument (she got challenged on this publicly and she is right)11:00 - The jab/punch imbalance and why you are leaving clean money on the table14:46 - How TikTok Shop works and why most direct response brands are missing it28:51 - Why direct mail is making a serious comeback in 202636:53 - The SMS trick that comes directly from your email performance data=================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.
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  Scaling Health Brands & the Move That Doubles Your Returns | Dr. Jesse Ropat 16.04.2026 38мин

  Most health brands are faking it. And the market is starting to notice. Built To Scale CMO Shmuel Herschberg sits down with Dr. Jesse Ropat, a doctor of pharmacy turned direct response creative strategist, to break down why authentic authority is becoming the single biggest lever in health and wellness marketing. This is not a conversation about lab coats. It is a conversation about what actually moves the needle.What you'll learn:Why putting a real credentialed doctor in your VSL directly improves ROAS, click-through rates, and lowers refund ratesHow to balance persuasive claims with compliance without crossing the lineThe creative testing framework Jesse uses to squeeze maximum performance out of every ad conceptWhy long-form VSLs are still printing money and what the future format looks likeHow to use AI as a drafting tool without letting it flood your ad account with slopWhy volume of creative is the name of the game on Meta right now and how to build a system around it=================================About Dr. Jesse Ropat:Dr. Jesse Ropat holds a doctorate in pharmacy and has spent the last several years applying that credential where few others have: direct response marketing for health and wellness brands. He writes scripts, films creative, and serves as the credentialed authority figure for some of the top-performing VSLs running on Meta today. His unique combination of clinical knowledge and creative strategy gives the brands he works with a compliance edge and a conversion edge at the same time.=================================Connect with him at:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesseropat/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JesseRopat/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesseropat/ =================================Key moments:06:11 — Why fake doctors are a ticking time bomb for your brand12:17 — The right time to bring a doctor into your funnel (hint: earlier than you think)13:29 — Long-form VSLs: still working, still printing16:36 — How close to the line can you push claims with a real authority figure?22:37 — How Jesse uses Claude to build first drafts without producing garbage26:22 — The hook, body, and CTA structure behind his mini-VSL ads=================================About The Built To Scale Podcast:Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-to-scale-agency/ For more information about Built To Scale visit: https://www.builttoscale.co/  If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for a future episode, please email podcast@builttoscale.co.