Follow The Yellow Brick Road

Facebook’s ad engine just changed forever. If your campaigns are underperforming and your marketing strategy is still relying on lookalikes or interest targeting, you’re already behind. In this episode, Emma Rainville sits down with Facebook & Google Ads strategist Richard Parkin to break down Meta’s rollout of the Andromeda AI model, a tectonic shift in how Facebook algorithm delivers and opt...

Even the most polished events are logistical warfare. In this Special Ops deep dive, Emma Rainville and Richard Parkin break down the unseen mechanics of event execution—from budgeting to showflow to sponsor integrity. This episode was recorded live during Perry Belcher’s Growth Hacking Live in San Diego, where Emma and Richard pulled back the curtain on real-world event operations. They share a b...

What if the very thing you’re proud of—your speed—was destroying your team, your creativity, and your profits? In this episode, Emma Rainville sits down with Tiago from her Shockwave team to unpack how “fast thinking” creates operational fires, burns out talent, and blocks deep, creative work. They don’t just diagnose the problem — they break down a system for slowing down and reducing noise acros...

When your operations fall apart, it isn't because your team failed, it's because you failed to onboard them right. In this episode, Emma Rainville sits down in person with Shockwave COO Tiago Sanguinetti to expose the high-leverage onboarding tactics that multiply team performance. Recorded live at Growth Hacking Live in San Diego, this conversation breaks down exactly how remote companies can acc...

When is a green claim a marketing win — and when is it a lawsuit waiting to happen? In this episode of Marketing on Trial , Emma and Ryan unpack what every brand needs to know about the FTC’s proposed 2025 Green Guides update. From bamboo socks to biodegradable soap labels, the crackdown on misleading eco-claims is real — and compliance is no longer optional. Whether your product touts “recyclable...

Scaling to seven figures isn’t the finish line — it’s the breaking point. In Part 2 of this rapid-fire leadership series, Emma Rainville zeroes in on why so many high six- and low seven-figure businesses stall out — and what it really takes to break through. From duct-taped systems to chaotic “busy work,” Emma reveals the hidden traps that keep founders stuck at $1–2M and unable to scale further....

False urgency isn’t just bad marketing — it could now cost you $500 per email in Washington. In this episode of Marketing on Trial , Emma Rainville and compliance attorney Ryan Poteet dissect the landmark Brown v. Old Navy ruling and what it means for subject lines that use misleading language like “Today Only” or “Act Now.” This isn’t just theory — the Washington Supreme Court confirmed that even...

If your team can’t operate without you... you don’t have a team, you have a bottleneck. And that bottleneck is you. In this 6-minute Special Ops rapid-fire, Emma Rainville goes straight for the jugular on one of the most toxic habits in business: micromanagement. From real-world examples to unfiltered truths, she walks through how founder control issues cripple culture, delay growth, and erode dec...

Why I Chose Advertising Law: Ryan Poteet’s Journey From Asset Freezes to Law Firm Culture What drives a lawyer to choose advertising law over the more traditional—and lucrative—paths? In this episode, Ryan Poteet reveals why the unpredictable, high-stakes world of FTC litigation is where he thrives. Emma sits down with Ryan to explore the journey that took him from First Amendment litigation to be...

Most founders obsess over scaling revenue—but forget the most scalable asset of all: their internal team. In this tactical solo episode, Emma Rainville breaks down how to mentor employees into future roles that drive real business growth. From her private mentoring guide templates to using masterminds like Genesis and Ignite to build leadership capacity, she shares how to document goals, develop t...

If your pricing strategy still hides fees at checkout, you’re already in violation. A new FTC rule just dropped the hammer on deceptive drip pricing—and the penalties hit $53,000 per incident . In this Marketing on Trial episode, Emma Rainville along with compliance attorney Ryan Poteet break down the FTC’s new Junk Fee Rule —and why this May 12, 2025 regulation changes everything for marketers. W...

Hiring to fix chaos? That’s how chaos hires you back. In this tactical solo episode, Emma Rainville breaks down exactly why hiring to patch broken systems will never work — and what to build first instead. If you’ve ever rushed a hire and paid for it later, this one’s a must-listen. Emma walks through her proven SOP-first hiring framework , the Preview HR test she swears by, and how to design a va...

Slapping a “Made in the USA” label on your product? You might be setting your brand up for an FTC beatdown. In this episode of Marketing on Trial, Emma Rainville teams up with FTC compliance attorney Ryan Poteet to dissect the new crackdown on origin claims. With the FTC zeroing in on brands like Amazon and Walmart, enforcement around "Made in USA" labeling is no longer theoretical — it's here, it...

You didn’t build a business — you built a job. If stepping away from your company causes chaos, you haven’t built a business — you’ve built yourself a glorified job. In this episode, Emma Rainville breaks down the systems, mindset, and ruthless leadership decisions required to create a business that actually runs without you. She shares how she turned a vacation disaster into a team transformation...

If your cookie banner has one-click "accept" but a buried opt-out, you're not compliant — you're exposed. In this high-risk episode of Marketing on Trial , Emma Rainville and FTC attorney Ryan Poteet break down the real legal stakes behind cookie banners — and why most marketers are still getting it wrong. As Google confirms its Privacy Sandbox rollout by 2026 and California’s regulators sharpen e...

If you're texting Texas residents, you may already be breaking the law — and the state’s not playing around. In this Special Ops mini-episode, Emma Rainville breaks down Texas’s new SMS marketing regulations hitting on September 1st , and what they mean for founders, media buyers, and ops teams. From curfews to compliance filings, this is not a law to take lightly — especially in a state with seri...

What if your next big promo landed you in court? This week, Emma Rainville and compliance attorney Ryan Poteet break down DraftKings’ $3 million marketing settlement—and the deceptive bonus offer that triggered it. From “risk-free bets” to 30-day guarantees, we unpack how one headline promo became a regulatory minefield and what marketers must do to avoid similar fallout. Whether you’re running af...

“I trained ChatGPT 5 to think like me—and run my business.” In this episode of Special Ops , Emma Rainville pulls back the curtain on her real-life workflow with “Lester,” her custom-trained ChatGPT 5 assistant. From late-night discovery of the new release to hands-on testing of its upgraded features, Emma shows exactly how she’s using thinking mode, agent mode, and memory control to get faster, s...

Before you hit “publish” on that AI-generated ad, the FTC and state regulators may already be looking for you. Hosts Emma Rainville and FTC compliance attorney Ryan Poteet strip the shine off AI hype and reveal the legal risks marketers are hitting every day. From AI-generated testimonials to synthetic brand ambassadors in lab coats, what feels like a shortcut can become a subpoena if you ignore d...

If you're relying on a non-compete to protect your business, you're already behind. In this episode, Emma Rainveille and Ryan Poteet expose the non-compete myth that many entrepreneurs still cling to—and why most of these clauses are now legally worthless. With the FTC’s proposed ban thrown into legal chaos and state-by-state rules changing fast, the truth is clear: non-competes aren't your safety...

Most online business owners believe that buying a domain or designing a logo means their brand is protected. But in the eyes of the law, you don’t own your brand unless your IP is registered—and you’re actively policing it. In this episode of Marketing on Trial , Emma Rainville and FTC attorney Ryan Poteet break down how your most valuable business asset—your brand—is vulnerable to infringement if...

Your “cancel anytime” could get you canceled. The FTC’s new Click-to-Cancel rule changes everything for subscription marketers. Emma Rainville and Ryan Poteet break down the FTC’s new Click-to-Cancel mandate and what it means for businesses running continuity, membership, or auto-ship models. This rule doesn’t just tweak existing guidance—it forces businesses to make cancellation as easy as sign-u...

Receiving a Civil Investigative Demand from the FTC isn’t a lawsuit… but it might be worse if you don’t act fast. In this episode of Marketing on Trial , Emma Rainville and compliance attorney Ryan Poteet break down the moment that sends shivers down any marketer’s spine: getting served a CID. From understanding what it actually means, to responding strategically within the tight 14-day timeline,...

In this episode of Marketing on Trial , Emma Rainville and Ryan Poteet of Gordon Reese break down a legal time bomb hiding on your product pages: fake reviews . Whether it’s gifted products, “helpful” testimonial swaps, or syndicating five-star feedback across SKUs, the FTC’s new rule under 16 CFR Part 465 draws a hard line. And enforcement is heating up. We dissect the difference between a review...

In this tactical episode, Emma Rainville breaks down the WAVE Framework, a four-part strategic system built to help visionary entrepreneurs realign their personal life goals with high-growth business objectives. With the year’s halfway point in full view, this session delivers a no-fluff reset on how to plan intentionally, stay focused, uphold your values, and actually execute what you said you wo...