The Truth About Social Ads

Building a disruptive product brand takes more than a great idea. This episode explores entrepreneurship, podcast marketing, UFC sponsorships, and scaling a direct-to-consumer business through persistence and execution. ABOUT THE EPISODE ⸻ In this episode of The Truth About Social Ads, Jason Smith sits down with Robert Patton, founder and CEO of Sheath Underwear, to unpack the unconventional journ...

Home improvement marketing is evolving as direct-to-consumer brands leverage social proof, digital advertising, and customer ownership to compete with major retailers and drive sustainable growth. ABOUT THE EPISODE ⸻ In this episode of The Truth About Social Ads, Jason Smith sits down with Lori Machiorlette, founder of Worth Home Products, to discuss what it takes to build and scale a patented con...

Starting a supplement brand no longer requires massive inventory investments, warehouse space, or manufacturing expertise. This episode explores how entrepreneurs are launching and scaling supplement businesses with lower risk while focusing on growth and customer acquisition. ABOUT THE EPISODE ⸻ In this episode of The Truth About Social Ads, host Jason Smith sits down with Spencer Livingston, Sal...

From corporate law to building a premium tequila brand, Mara Smith shares how she identified a gap in the spirits industry and turned it into Inspiro Tequila. ABOUT THE EPISODE ⸻ In this episode of The Truth About Social Ads, Jason Smith sits down with Mara Smith, founder of Inspiro Tequila, to discuss her unconventional journey from attorney and corporate strategist to entrepreneur in the tequila...

CPG brand Sweet Addison’s is reshaping gluten-free baking through storytelling, organic Instagram growth, and a founder-led approach to scaling with Meta ads. ABOUT THE EPISODE ⸻In this episode of The Truth About Social Ads, Jason Smith sits down with Addison LaBonte, founder of Sweet Addison’s, a fast-growing better-for-you bakery known for gluten-free and dairy-free cookies and brownies shipped...

Performance marketing, affiliate media buying, and e-commerce brand building collide in this episode exploring how Tactical Snacks was built for military and first responders. ABOUT THE EPISODE ⸻ In this episode of The Truth About Social Ads, Jason Smith sits down with Greg Potapenko, a Canadian Army veteran and performance marketer who transitioned from affiliate marketing and paid media into bui...

Strong client relationships don’t happen by accident. In this episode, Jason Gilmore shares why consistent follow-ups and proactive communication are essential for winning repeat creative work. ABOUT THE EPISODE ⸻In this episode, Jason Gilmore shares practical lessons from years of working behind the camera in photo and video production. He discusses one of the most overlooked truths in creative s...

Children’s nutrition is evolving fast as parents question plastics, processed foods, and gut health risks—this episode explores practical solutions for safer, smarter baby feeding. Children’s nutrition and early gut health are becoming major concerns for modern families, and this episode explores how one parent turned frustration into innovation. John Westerhaus shares how his personal experience...

Applied mathematics and apprenticeship learning are reshaping education, proving that creativity—not computation—drives real mastery. This episode explores how mindset shifts unlock new learning pathways. In this episode, host Jason Smith sits down with Dr. Kevin Berkopes, CEO and Co-Founder of MathTrack Institute, to explore how applied mathematics, apprenticeships, and mindset shifts are transfo...

AI-first companies are redefining how teams operate, replacing slow manual workflows with automation, shared knowledge systems, and intelligent agents that scale output without increasing headcount. In this episode of Truth About Social Ads, host Jason Smith sits down with Denis Elkin, CMO at Alps2Alps, to explore how AI is transforming real-world operations inside a high-load transportation busin...

Wall printing technology is reshaping how businesses market their spaces, blending creativity with digital strategy to create high-impact visuals that attract customers and drive engagement. In this episode of Truth About Social Ads, host Jason Smith sits down with Ashlee Fritz, Chief Marketing Officer at The Wall Printer, to explore how emerging technology and strategic marketing are fueling rapi...

Wall printing technology is opening new doors for entrepreneurs, marketers, and creatives looking to build service-based businesses with scalable revenue and real-world applications. ABOUT THE EPISODE ⸻In this episode of Truth About Social Ads, host Jason Smith speaks with Paul Baron about the business model behind wall printing technology and how innovative equipment can create new entrepreneuria...

AI is reshaping how agencies generate leads, automate outreach, and scale without adding headcount. Ken McLoud breaks down how custom AI systems turn traffic into qualified sales opportunities. In this episode of Truth About Social Ads, Jason Smith sits down with Ken McLoud of Laconic Tech to explore how AI is transforming lead generation, sales funnels, and agency efficiency. Ken shares how he bu...

How can simple TikTok content lead to real school partnerships and unexpected business growth? This episode breaks down how authentic student storytelling turned into real-world demand. In this episode of The Truth About Social Ads, host Jason Smith speaks with Nawal Aoude, founder of Studious Monday, about how organic TikTok content helped her school uniform brand gain unexpected traction. The co...

Restaurant marketing is changing fast with AI search, voice tools, and local discovery reshaping how customers find food businesses. This episode breaks down strategies that drive real foot traffic. In this episode of Truth About Social Ads, host Jason Smith speaks with Mario Russo, founder of W3 Marketing and co-founder and CTO of MealDeals, a location-based platform helping restaurants drive loc...

Chris Lynch is the Co-founder and CEO of Everyday California, a La Jolla, California-based ocean adventure and lifestyle brand offering ocean adventures along with eco-friendly gear and apparel. Under Chris’ leadership, Everyday California has grown from a small kayak shop into a multilocation business employing up to 100 people in peak season. The brand’s apparel is sold in nearly 200 stores, inc...

Heidi Sturrock is a Search Marketing Advisor and Funnel Fixer with 24 years of experience in paid search, working independently with brands and agencies to optimize ad performance on Google, YouTube, and Microsoft. She is recognized for her proven track record of building high-performing campaigns and her expertise in leveraging automation, AI-driven strategies, and holistic, multichannel marketin...

Ian Garlic is the Founder of Garlic Marketing, the brand behind Video Case Story, where they help brands with the strategy and goals for video case stories. Ian is also the Founder of StoryCrews, a company that helps businesses connect with top-rated videographers and market and expand their brand through powerful stories captured on video. He also runs and hosts his podcast, the Garlic Marketing...

David Kestner is the Vice President of Marketing and E-commerce of Diamondback Toolbelts, a leading manufacturer of premium modular tool belts, vests, and work gear for tradespeople. Known for his customer-centric approach to scaling brand growth, David has held senior roles in digital marketing and e-commerce, including at ALPEN Storage and SpotTrot. At Diamondback, he leads strategies to grow on...

Greg Butler is the Founder of Growth-OS, an AI-powered plug‑and‑play business operating system designed to help founder-led coaching and course-creation businesses scale without added complexity. He helps install strategy, structure, and systems so marketing, sales, fulfillment, and backend operations can run smoothly without overreliance on the founder. Greg has over 15 years of experience helpin...

Hugo Patrão is the Director of Creatives at Spotlight Social Advertising, a results-driven agency that helps brands scale with high-converting social media campaigns. He specializes in crafting ad copy and creative strategies that align with each stage of the marketing funnel. With over seven years of experience writing Facebook, Instagram, and email marketing copy, Hugo has tested thousands of va...

Michael Houlihan was the Co‑founder, President, and CEO of Barefoot Wine, a brand known for making wine fun, affordable, and accessible. He and his partner Bonnie Harvey launched Barefoot Cellars in a laundry room in 1986 with no wine experience and little funding, pioneering “worthy cause marketing” and performance‑based compensation in place of traditional advertising. Under his leadership, Bare...

Scott Desgrosseilliers is the CEO of Wicked Reports, a SaaS company that helps small to midsize businesses accurately track and optimize multi‑touch marketing attribution across paid ads, email, SEO, and offline channels. He founded the company in 2015 after building a custom ROI-tracking system for a friend’s e‑commerce business, then scaled it into a full platform that integrates deeply with Fac...

Jason Smith is the Owner and CEO of Spotlight Social Advertising, LLC, a company specializing in creating high-converting social media campaigns on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Founded in 2016, the agency has grown to manage robust campaigns across various social media platforms, primarily focusing on e-commerce clients. Prior to his venture into digital marketing, Jason served as a Los...

Jason Smith is the Owner and CEO of Spotlight Social Advertising, LLC, a company specializing in creating high-converting social media campaigns on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Founded in 2016, the agency has grown to manage robust campaigns across various social media platforms, primarily focusing on e-commerce clients. Prior to his venture into digital marketing, Jason served as a Los...