Marketing Sucks

Think you’re ready to scale your business? If you want to move from solo-run start-up to scalable brand, you’ll need to switch up your strategy and your mindset. Your success will depend on whether you have the right people (and tools) in place - and what you’re willing to let go of.  In this juicy episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I talk about how to tell when you’re ready to grow, what you ne...

Consider this the business intervention you didn’t ask for - I promise you’ll thank us later. In this no-holds-barred, tough love episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I dig deeply into: 1) what’s going wrong in your marketing, 2) why it’s keeping you stagnant and exhausted, and 3) how to fix it so you can actually start seeing results. We cover how to properly map out your tactical path (instead o...

In this spicy episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I talk about the 5 marketing trends you can’t afford to ignore in 2026. Note: the trends covered in this conversation aren’t short-lived fads that’ll die out by April. If you ignore these major shifts, you WILL be left behind.  Tune in as we dig into how the CEO brand effect is changing buying behaviour (and what this means for your personal brand...

For every thriving Facebook group out there, there are thousands dead or on life support. Should you bother making one for your business? How do you make sure it doesn’t suck? Does anyone even use Facebook anymore? In this episode of Marketing Sucks, marketing coach and Facebook group expert Michelle Vroom shares how she helps her clients build Facebook groups that actually make money, and some ju...

Marketing audits aren’t sexy or fun. But if you’re running your business on *viBeS* instead of data, you don’t actually KNOW what’s working and driving conversions, and what’s just keeping you busy and wasting your money.  In this value-packed episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I walk you through the 5-part end-of-year marketing audit that will help you fix your performance, community, content,...

Business owners today have access to a literal ton of marketing tools and an endless stream of advice from marketing gurus. So why are so many entrepreneurs still seeing zero ROI? In this episode of Marketing Sucks, the brilliant marketing coach Kirsten Jordan joins me to chat about why biz owners still struggle SO HARD with their marketing today, and how to create a marketing plan that actually w...

Being an entrepreneur means dealing with a ton of unwanted opinions from people who don’t actually know our businesses. In this episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I talk about some of the all-time worst business advice we’ve received, from being shut down for taking up too much space to being told to pick a more “feminine” business name.  Tune in as we cover the most hilarious, offensive, sexist...

Is AI making us more productive? Or is it burning us out and stunting our growth? What does healthy AI use actually look like? In this episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I are joined once again by award-winning psychotherapist and mindset coach Natacha Pennycooke to explore the intersection of mental health, entrepreneurship, and AI, and the hidden ways ChatGPT can hurt our brains and businesses...

Ever thought about building a biz with your spouse, but worry that you’ll drive each other crazy? In this Ask Each Other Anything episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I get REAL about our lives as married entrepreneurs, parents, and podcast co-hosts. We talk about our first jobs, our early lessons, the hidden costs of our lifestyle, and the hardest (and best) things about building a successful mar...

Literally anyone can call themselves a coach. But it takes a TON of energy to keep clients hyped up, disciplined, and loyal. This episode of Marketing Sucks lays out the three biggest keys to online coaching success, no matter the niche. Physique Academy fitness coach Felix Reuter helps men get shredded, without the creatine-binging, alpha gym bro vibes. Tune in as we chat about Felix’s gimmick-fr...

When done correctly, email marketing can have a 36x ROI. But if your emails are a hot mess, the results can make you want to literally throw your laptop out the window. In this special Marketing Sucks replay, you’ll discover the anatomy of a killer marketing email, from subject line to signature. Join me as I break down the biggest email do’s and don’ts, so you can get the most bang for your marke...

If you’re not tracking your metrics, you don’t have a marketing strategy — you’re just having fun on Instagram (sorry not sorry). Crunching your numbers and making data-informed decisions may not feel sexy, but it’s the only way to proactively weed out the fluff from your feed and shift to scroll-stopping content that converts. In this quick ’n dirty episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I reveal o...

The faceless business of the past is O-U-T. These days, story is strategy. Before hitting that ‘submit payment’ button, your prospects want to feel a connection to the human behind the logo, and the story behind your offers can be absolutely make-or-break.  In this juicy episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I reveal how to use your story to create a killer personal brand — and the social content,...

If you try to scale your business solo, you’re not just risking major burnout. You’re also placing a hard limit on your brand’s future growth. If you’re a maxed-out business owner who’s been dreaming about shifting from the DIY life to outsourcing — or even into a full-on agency model like Grind Social Media + Co. — we’ve got you covered. In this insight-packed episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and...

The easiest way to boost your sales is to get people talking. 92% of us trust recommendations from people we know over any other form of advertising. A 5-star review shared during a coffee date between friends, partners, or business besties drives far more sales than a slick slogan or filtered photo. If you’d love to turn your customers into volunteer brand advocates who can’t stop hyping up your...

The end of the summer means saying goodbye to the slower flow of Portuguese life… and returning to the go-go-go hustle of Toronto. While Phil and I spend every summer in Portugal, this one hit a little different as we’re now working on building Grind Social as a team.  In this episode of Marketing Sucks, we share some of the biggest business, marketing, and life lessons we’ve learned while living...

Success is a stroll, not a sprint. When it comes to building your biz, smart habits matter WAY more than hustle. So forget the 24/7 grind and doing it all — making just a few right moves every day will help you scale sustainably,   In this super-actionable episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I dig into the 6 daily habits ( not hacks!) that will help you stay on track with your strategy, build the...

Stop making your marketing harder than it has to be! In this episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I reveal the top 5 marketing mistakes you’re probably making right now — and how to stop driving yourself crazy struggling to do it ALL.  Listen in as we break down the most crucial do’s and don’ts of showing up online, reveal the #1 easiest way to boost your conversions, and give you our official per...

If you’ve been struggling to stay motivated with your marketing as the temperatures rise and your DMs dry up, we’ve got you covered. In this episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I dive into the dreaded summer slump — and how to turn your slow AF summer into a strategy lab that helps you CRUSH IT in the fall! Tune in as we talk about why summer slumps happen, why you should never take them personal...

When it comes to brand storytelling, your About page is just the first step. Your story should guide your marketing strategy and the way you show up for your audience - and a killer story can help you build connection, trust, and an engaged community that wants to work with you! As Senior Creative Director at global children's entertainment company Spin Master, Philip Ginther has helped shape...

We’re flipping the script! This episode of Marketing Sucks is a collab with the Love Saranghae Podcast. Hosts Peter Lee and Andrea Mourad have Phil and I in the hot seats, and we keep it R-E-A-L while discussing marriage, business, and what can happen when you mix the two.  During this conversation, Phil and I share what it’s really like to grow a successful brand with your spouse on your own term...

Big news! Marketing Sucks now has a co-host: my husband and new podcasting partner-in-crime, Philip Ginther. He’s also the new VP of Marketing at Grind Social! A little about Phil: he’s an award-winning creative director, expert brand storyteller, and copywriter with over 15 years of experience. As the former Senior Creative Director at Spin Master, he led massive brands including Rubik’s Cube, Pa...

Thinking about taking the plunge into paid ads? Wondering why your current campaign is falling flat? I got you. In this episode of Marketing Sucks, I sit down with Alvaro Berrios, founder of the digital marketing agency Alvaro Berrios Digital. As a leading expert in ad management, Alvaro helps his clients get mucho bang for their ad spend bucks.  Tune in as we discuss ALL things paid ads — when to...

There’s a TON of confusion about SEO right now. If you’re wondering what even works these days (or are just taking your first steps) this episode of Marketing Sucks is for you. I’m joined by fabulous SEO and content expert Adrienne Kmetz to explore what SEO actually means, bust some major myths, and outline the path to your highest ROI!  Tune in as we dig into the REAL nitty-gritty of modern searc...

Neuro-spicy business owners thrive when they figure out how to work WITH their brains instead of against them — no matter what everyone else is doing. In this episode of Marketing Sucks, I chat with advocate and educator Erin Tee, who champions neurodiversity in education and beyond as the owner and creative producer of the Endless Films Collective, a much-needed platform for storytelling and lear...