The Grow Fast Podcast

Prioritizing Customer Needs over Product Features in B2C Marketing

In this episode of the Grow Fast podcast, host Mark Shriner sits down with marketing expert Jeff Wenberg to explore the evolving landscape of digital marketing. Jeff shares his journey from aspiring musician to successful marketing professional, detailing how he transitioned from doing voiceovers on Fiverr to becoming a strategic marketing consultant who helps businesses effectively communicate their value propositions.
The conversation delves deep into the critical aspects of B2C marketing, with Jeff emphasizing the importance of connecting with potential customers by addressing their specific problems rather than simply listing product features. Using real-world examples, he illustrates how reframing messaging can dramatically improve marketing effectiveness, transforming struggling businesses into thriving enterprises by helping them understand and articulate their true value to their target audience.
As the discussion unfolds, Mark and Jeff also explore the emerging challenges and opportunities presented by AI and large language models, discussing how these technologies are reshaping search patterns and marketing strategies. They touch on personal growth, sharing insights about habits, productivity, and the importance of understanding customer needs. The podcast offers listeners a comprehensive look at modern marketing techniques, blending practical advice with personal anecdotes and forward-thinking perspectives on business growth.
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Building Personal Brands and Empowering Communities with Christian Ray Flores

In this episode of the Grow Fast podcast, host Mark Shriner sits down with Christian Ray Flores, a remarkable entrepreneur, performance coach, and philanthropist who has lived in six countries across four continents. From his early days navigating political upheaval in Chile and the Soviet Union to becoming a top pop star in Russia, Christian shares an extraordinary journey of resilience, adaptability, and personal transformation that has shaped his unique worldview and approach to life and business.
Christian delves into his current work as a performance coach, revealing the critical importance of inner development and emotional self-regulation for high achievers. He discusses his innovative approach to personal branding in the age of AI, and shares insights from his philanthropic efforts with the Ascend Academy in Mozambique, where he helps children from extreme poverty develop skills, confidence, and hope for a better future. His mission is rooted in the belief that with the right mentorship and opportunities, individuals can transcend their circumstances and create meaningful change.
Throughout the conversation, Christian offers practical wisdom on building a fulfilling life, including his morning routine for peak performance, the importance of community, and strategies for continuous personal growth. He candidly discusses his own challenges, including overcoming depression and rebuilding his life after achieving international music success, providing listeners with inspiring and actionable insights into personal development, resilience, and finding one's unique path in an ever-changing world.
Xponential Life
https://www.xponential.life/
Ascend Academy
https://www.ascendmission.fund/
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Selling & Scaling Internationally with Adam O'Connor of Gear Inc.

In this episode of the Grow Fast podcast, Mark Shriner interviews Adam O'Connor, Chief Commercial Officer at Gear Inc., a global outsourcing firm specializing in call center services and trust and safety operations.
Adam provides insights into the complex world of business process outsourcing (BPO), highlighting their extensive network of 26 locations that cover 76 different languages across Asia, South America, North America, and Europe. The conversation delves deep into the nuances of call center operations, exploring how companies like Gear Inc. recruit, train, and manage multilingual teams to provide high-quality customer service.
Adam emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs, finding the right talent, and creating a partnership approach rather than simply offering a low-cost solution. He also discusses the emerging role of AI in the industry, noting that while technology is advancing, the human element remains crucial in providing exceptional customer experiences.
Throughout the interview, Adam shares his extensive international sales experience, offering perspectives on cultural differences in business negotiations, the challenges of global team management, and the broader impact of BPO on local economies. He highlights how outsourcing can provide significant economic opportunities in developing countries, with BPO jobs often paying 150-200% more than local employment, thereby lifting entire communities and creating pathways for professional growth and development.
 

Navigating Startup Success with Strategic Product Development with David Hirschfeld, CEO of Tekyz

In this episode of the Grow Fast podcast, host Mark Shriner interviews David Hirschfeld, Founder and CEO of Tekyz, a software development firm with extensive experience working with startups. Hirschfeld shares insights from his 35-year career in software development, emphasizing the importance of building exceptional development teams and helping companies scale effectively. He discusses his philosophy of hiring extremely smart, experienced professionals who can think critically and contribute meaningfully to a project.
The conversation centers on Hirschfeld's "Launch First" methodology, a strategic approach to product development that prioritizes understanding market needs before building a minimum viable product (MVP). Instead of immediately investing $50,000-$150,000 in an MVP, he recommends creating a high-fidelity prototype for $10-$25,000, conducting thorough market research, and identifying early adopters. This approach allows companies to validate product-market fit by securing pre-launch sales and generating revenue to fund further development.
Hirschfeld illustrates his approach with a case study of a healthcare AI startup that pivoted from monitoring wearable devices to creating an AI nurse capable of managing patient transitions and providing personalized healthcare communication. He also discusses the rapidly evolving AI landscape, emphasizing the need for continuous learning and adaptation. Throughout the podcast, Hirschfeld stresses key principles for fast business growth: hire smart people, test everything, document successful processes, and remain flexible in product development.
Tekyz Corp
https://tekyz.com/
 
Scaling Smarter Podcast
https://tekyz.com/podcast/
 
 

How Investors Evaluate a Company’s Sales with Kevin Dominik Korte

This episode of The Grow Fast Podcast features Kevin Dominik Korte, a Board Member and IT Innovation & Growth Strategist with expertise in digital transformation, identity management, and open-source IT infrastructure. With over 50 startup investments—several reaching IPO stages—Kevin shares insights on how investors evaluate go-to-market strategy, sales effectiveness, and scalability. Kevin emphasizes the importance of early sales traction, advising startups to focus on building a niche customer base rather than chasing a broad market. Drawing from his experience in strategy formulation and market expansion, he highlights how industry mastery fosters organic referrals and investor confidence. 
He also explores the blending of sales and marketing, noting that personalized outreach—such as cold calling and targeted LinkedIn engagement—often outperforms broad marketing campaigns. Additionally, he stresses the importance of recurring revenue, churn rates, and customer engagement in assessing business viability. Kevin shares lessons from his career, including his success in establishing Univention’s first overseas subsidiary and positioning it as a leader in IT governance and identity management. Currently an Advisory Board Member to Moxey and a mentor to startups at NewChip, he closes with practical advice for founders, recommending public speaking training and Crossing the Chasm to refine their sales approach and scale effectively. 
You can watch the video of the Grow Fast Podcast with Kevin Dominik here:  
Youtube 
Kevin Dominik Korte
www.korte.co  
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How to Use LinkedIn to Boost Sales

This episode of the Grow Fast Podcast featuring Joshua Stout, LinkedIn Certified Marketing Expert™ and Director of Advertising at Influent, focused on leveraging LinkedIn for B2B marketing success. Joshua shared his journey of scaling an agency and developing expertise in LinkedIn advertising, highlighting how businesses can effectively use the platform to generate demand, build trust, and drive conversions. He explained the key differences between demand capture (Google Ads) and demand generation (LinkedIn Ads), emphasizing the importance of a multi-channel strategy to nurture leads and optimize ad performance. Joshua also discussed the role of branding and content marketing in LinkedIn campaigns, stressing that businesses should invest in long-term brand awareness before expecting immediate returns on ad spend. 
Another key topic was the strategic approach to LinkedIn advertising and content optimization. Joshua provided insights into setting up a full-funnel ad strategy, including top-of-funnel brand awareness, middle-of-funnel engagement, and bottom-of-funnel conversion campaigns. He shared best practices for A/B testing, targeting decision-makers, and utilizing LinkedIn’s advanced professional filters to reach the right audience. Additionally, Joshua explored how AI is transforming digital marketing, from automating audits and strategy planning to enhancing ad targeting with data-driven insights. The conversation wrapped up with advice on building a strong LinkedIn presence, balancing thought leadership with personal branding, and leveraging both organic content and paid ads to establish credibility and drive business growth. 
You can watch the video of the Grow Fast Podcast with Joshua Stout here:  
Youtube 
Influent 
http://influent.nyc
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Using Transparency to Sell More

This episode of the Grow Fast Podcast featuring Todd Caponi, an award-winning sales leader and author of The Transparency Sale and The Transparent Sales Leader, explored the evolving principles of sales and the critical role of transparency in fostering trust and long-term success. Todd, whose expertise spans sales methodology, learning theory, and decision science, shared insights from his research on sales history, emphasizing that while technology and tools have advanced, the core principles of sales—focused on service and guiding buyers—have remained consistent over centuries. He discussed how the overwhelming availability of information has made the buying process harder for customers and how sales professionals can embrace transparency to guide them more effectively. Todd introduced the concept of "flawesome" salesmanship, where companies openly acknowledge their imperfections, fostering trust and accelerating decision-making. With a track record that includes helping a technology company achieve a successful IPO and a $3B exit, as well as winning the American Business "Stevie" Award for VP of Worldwide Sales of the Year, Todd's insights are grounded in proven success.
Another major topic was Todd's "5F Framework" for revenue leadership, which emphasizes focus, field, fundamentals, forecasting, and fun. He explained how this structure helps sales leaders plan effectively, maintain consistency, and optimize team performance. Todd also shared examples from his workshops and leadership programs, designed to equip teams with actionable tools for improving communication, qualification, and negotiation. The discussion wrapped up with a look at how technology, including AI, can enhance sales processes when used through the lens of service rather than scale, encouraging sales professionals to prioritize genuine connections over automation.
You can watch the video of the Grow Fast Podcast with Todd Caponi here:  
Youtube 
TODD CAPONI 
www.toddcaponi.com  
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Maximizing Online Ad Spend

This episode of the Grow Fast Podcast featuring Ralph Burns, the Founder & CEO of Tier 11, the world’s leading client-centric digital marketing agency, author of Virtual Boss: A Practical Guide for Masterfully Leading and Managing Remote Teams, and a sought-after speaker and authority in the marketing and business community, also co-host of the Perpetual Traffic Podcast, delved into innovative strategies for maximizing digital marketing impact. Ralph introduced the "conversion engine," a comprehensive framework integrating traffic, creative strategies, and post-click optimization, all seamlessly linked by a robust data system to ensure near-perfect ad visibility. He discussed the alarming statistic that 76% of digital ad budgets are wasted and explained how Tier 11's data-driven methods help businesses eliminate inefficiencies and achieve scalable success. Ralph underscored the critical role of new customer acquisition (NCAC) as a key performance metric, cautioning against over-reliance on recycled warm traffic, which many agencies prioritize at the expense of growth. 
Another major focus was the adoption of cutting-edge tools and technologies to counteract challenges posed by evolving privacy laws and data restrictions. Ralph highlighted the BlotOut platform, an edge server technology that captures user behavior and builds first-party data pools to fill gaps left by cookie blockers and privacy compliance. He shared compelling success stories of clients who achieved significant growth through optimized campaigns and reduced ad costs using such innovations. The discussion concluded with insights into Tier 11's unique long-form content strategy, which leverages podcasts and videos to deliver value, build trust, and create meaningful connections with their ideal customer profile (ICP), ultimately driving long-term business relationships and sustained growth. 
You can watch the video of the Grow Fast Podcast with Ralph Burns here:  
Youtube
https://youtu.be/cwIehoe-zbQ Tier Eleven 
www.tiereleven.com  
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Breeze 
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Building High Trust Sales Teams

This episode of the Grow Fast Podcast featuring Amy Evans, Fractional CRO and Host of the Women in Sales Leadership Podcast, primarily focused on the importance of building high-trust teams and fostering motivation within sales organizations. Amy shared her leadership journey, highlighting how vulnerability and genuine connections with team members are critical for creating a supportive and high-performing environment. She emphasized the value of trust-building exercises, like life story mapping, to develop deeper relationships among team members and encourage collaboration. Amy also shared her transition into leadership roles, detailing the lessons she learned, such as setting boundaries and earning respect, while navigating the challenges of managing peers as a leader. 
Another key topic was the significance of empowering teams and fostering a sense of ownership. Amy discussed how she involved her team in decision-making processes to generate innovative ideas and train future leaders. She also emphasized the importance of encouraging individual motivation and celebrating small wins, such as securing key meetings, to maintain morale and drive progress. Additionally, Amy shared insights into her fractional CRO role, explaining how she collaborates with multiple organizations to design actionable go-to-market strategies, ensuring scalability and credibility with both customers and investors. Her approach highlights the importance of balancing strategic leadership with the flexibility to adapt to diverse organizational needs. 
You can watch the video of the Grow Fast Podcast with Amy Evans here:  
Youtube 
https://youtu.be/llYzAuGdLlg
Market Intent 
www.marketintent.ai  
The Grow Fast Podcast is brought to you by Breeze, the fastest, easiest, and lowest-cost way to process RFPs, RFIs, security questionnaires, and other important documents. 
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Online Marketing in South Korea

This episode of The Grow Fast Podcast featuring Hyein Yoon, Founder of HY Marketing and a globally recognized marketing expert, focused on the unique challenges and strategies for entering the South Korean market. Hyein highlighted the importance of understanding local platforms like Naver, KakaoTalk, and Naver Cafe, which are integral to connecting with Korean audiences. She explained that while global platforms like Instagram and YouTube are also popular, they must be used strategically alongside local tools for effective brand penetration. Hyein emphasized the need for businesses to customize their content for Korean audiences, noting that a direct translation of global marketing strategies often falls short in resonating with local consumers. 
Another key topic was the role of SEO and influencer marketing in launching successful campaigns. Hyein shared examples of international brands entering the Korean market, such as a client transitioning from Costco Taiwan to Costco Korea, and how her team used a 90-day strategy incorporating SEO, influencer partnerships, and localized social media content. She also discussed the cautious but growing adoption of AI in marketing, with tools like ChatGPT and local AI platforms being used to enhance content creation while retaining a human touch. Throughout the conversation, Hyein underscored the importance of patience and adaptability, as success in South Korea requires a nuanced, long-term approach to build trust and engagement with local consumers. 
You can watch the video of the Grow Fast Podcast with Hyein Yoon here: 
‍Youtube
https://youtu.be/2Z1QOcxhu8Y 
HYEIN YOON 
www.hyeinyoon.com  
The Grow Fast Podcast is brought to you buy Breeze Docs, the fastest, easiest, and most cost-effective way for SMBs to respond to RFPs.
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