Podcasts about Quora

SEO Expert vs. SEO Agency: Making the Right Choice for Your Business (Decision Makers Edition) with Favour Obasi-ike with Favour Obasi-Ike | Sign up for exclusive SEO insights.Episode SummaryBusiness decision-makers constantly face the challenge of choosing between a solo SEO expert and a full-service SEO agency to drive their online growth. In this episode, host Favour Obasi-ike is joined by guests Marc McIntosh, (G.A.) Pimpleton, and Jolanta Kissoon Young to demystify this critical choice.The discussion unpacks the distinct roles of each provider, revealing that an expert acts like a specialist "doctor" for targeted advice, while an agency serves as a holistic "coach" for comprehensive execution. The conversation also ventures into the dark side of the industry, exposing common pitfalls and scams with firsthand accounts of fraudulent practices.Finally, the group provides a concrete, actionable framework for vetting a trustworthy partner, emphasizing the non-negotiable need for proven results and the power of earned trust to ensure your SEO investment translates into real business growth.Read New SEO Article: Is It Worth Hiring an SEO Expert in 2026? [Table Comparison]Next Steps for Booking A Discovery Call | Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike⁠ here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about digital marketing services.>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Read SEO Articles>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Key Takeaways for Business LeadersFirst, define your need before you hire. The most critical first step is to align your business stage with the right provider. An SEO expert is ideal for startups or businesses needing strategic advice, specialized audits, or tactical guidance ("seeing where the needle is"). A full-service agency is better suited for mid-to-large companies that require an aggressive, multi-disciplinary growth strategy and hands-on implementation ("moving the needle").Second, "receipts" are non-negotiable. Do not hire a provider based on promises alone. Demand tangible proof of their competence and impact. Ask for detailed case studies, analytics, and data—what G.A. calls "receipts"—that show where past clients in your industry started and where they finished. This data should clearly demonstrate an increase in revenue, reach, and other key business metrics.Third, trust is earned through value. The most reliable and effective SEO partners are often those who don't rely on aggressive advertising. As Marc argues, trust is built over time. Seek out experts and agencies who freely educate their audience through podcasts, blogs, or online communities. This demonstrates genuine expertise, builds a foundation of trust, and proves they are more focused on delivering value than just making a sale.Detailed Episode Breakdown & Timestamps1. Introduction: The Core DilemmaStarting at 00:00, host Favour Obasi-ike opens the discussion by framing the critical decision business owners face: whether to engage a freelance SEO expert or a larger SEO agency. He emphasizes the strategic importance of this choice, noting that it can define a company's digital foundation and shape its future growth trajectory.At 01:15, Favour Obasi-ike provides an initial breakdown of the fundamental differences, describing an expert as a specialist focused on a specific problem, while an agency covers a comprehensive range of needs. He also introduces the idea that, under specific circumstances, the two can work together effectively.At 03:30, two primary scenarios for collaboration are detailed: an expert can augment an agency's team with specialized skills for a particular project, or an expert can be brought in to provide a "third eye" perspective for an established in-house team, offering an outside view to improve internal processes.With the core dilemma established, the discussion moves to the crucial task of matching your specific business needs to the right provider model.2. Differentiating Roles: The Doctor vs. The CoachBeginning at 05:00, the conversation highlights that to make a smart investment, you must first diagnose your own needs. This section provides a clear framework—the "Doctor vs. the Coach"—to help you distinguish between the need for tactical advice versus comprehensive execution and align your specific requirements with the right type of service provider.At 06:45, the conversation compares the two roles using a clear analogy: the expert is like a doctor who diagnoses and prescribes, while the agency is like a coach who manages the team and executes the game plan. The SEO Expert, or "Doctor," acts as a consultant or specialist who provides tactics and strategies, helping you "see where the needle is." They typically cost between $500 to $3,000+ per month on average. The SEO Agency, or "Coach," provides a full team for execution and acts as the "backbone of your brand online," actively "moving the needle" for you with a robust, multidisciplinary approach.At 09:10, Favour Obasi-ike explains the concept of an SEO agency acting as the technical "backbone" for a brand online. An agency is responsible for a wide array of needs, from generating traffic and performing technical fixes to assisting with branding, backlinks, and local SEO.At 11:25, clear advice is given on when to hire each: an expert is ideal for those just starting out who need to learn the ropes and get strategic direction. In contrast, an agency is necessary for mid-to-large businesses or well-funded startups that require an aggressive, multifaceted growth strategy.While understanding the ideal roles is essential, the real risk lies in the industry's dark side. The speakers now pivot to the critical red flags that can save a business from costly mistakes.3. Industry Pitfalls: Scams, Red Flags, and Cautionary TalesAt 15:30, the conversation shifts to address the "bad rep" of the SEO industry, highlighting why business owners must be exceptionally vigilant. This segment underscores the importance of recognizing red flags to avoid wasting money, losing time, and protecting critical company assets like websites and data.At 17:00, G.A. shares his negative experiences with agencies, explaining his preference for direct, one-on-one relationships. He recounts a client's horror story where a previous agency held their website and data hostage, making it nearly impossible to transition to a new provider and regain control of their own intellectual property.At 20:15, Marc McIntosh offers a powerful anecdote about a new client who had been paying a significant sum for "SEO services" but did not even have Google Analytics or Google Search Console connected to their site—a fundamental flaw. He warns against providers selling overpriced, templated services and using fake bot traffic to manipulate reports and create the illusion of progress.At 24:50, G.A. describes a common scam in his industry where companies buy recycled, low-quality leads from "SEO experts" who use impressive-sounding buzzwords like "quantum computing" to sell ineffective, boilerplate services that fail to deliver genuine clients.Recognizing the scams is half the battle; the other half is proactively identifying a trustworthy partner. The conversation now provides a practical vetting framework to do just that.4. Vetting a Partner: How to Find a Trustworthy ProviderStarting at 28:00, and armed with an understanding of the risks, this section delivers a practical toolkit for due diligence. Follow these systematic steps to move beyond a provider's sales pitch and verify their true capabilities, establishing a successful and transparent partnership from the start.At 29:30, the speakers collectively outline actionable steps for vetting any potential SEO provider.First, ask probing questions. Favour Obasi-ike suggests asking specific operational questions to gauge professionalism and process, such as: "What is your tech stack?", "How do you handle sensitive data and passwords?", and "How do you work as a team?".Second, demand "receipts" (proof of work). Synthesizing advice from the panel, this point stresses the need to see hard evidence. Demand what GA calls "receipts"—case studies, analytics, and performance data showing where clients started and finished. Additionally, as H advises, ensure these case studies explain the strategy behind the results, demonstrating their understanding of your industry.Third, check their own fundamentals. Marc provides a simple but effective tip: audit the provider's own website for basic SEO health. If they have fundamental errors like multiple H1 tags (Mark's example) or an outdated copyright date (Jolanta's example), it's a major red flag.Fourth, verify their authority. Look for tangible proof that they are a genuine expert in their field. A credible provider often has a presence on platforms like LinkedIn, hosts a podcast, writes a blog, or runs a community where they actively share knowledge and engage with their industry.Fifth, prioritize referrals and earned trust. Marc makes a compelling argument that the best partners are found through trusted referrals, not advertisements. He advises following potential experts over time. Those who consistently teach and give value freely are building genuine trust, making them a much safer and more reliable choice.A thorough vetting process is the best defense against industry scams and serves as the foundation for a fruitful, long-term relationship.5. Final Thoughts & Resources MentionedAt 45:00, the final segment wraps up the discussion by covering specific tools and platforms that can aid in SEO efforts. This reinforces the core idea that successful SEO is not a one-time fix but an ongoing, dynamic process of learning, implementation, and adaptation.At 46:15, the discussion touches on leveraging specific platforms for greater reach. In response to Jolanta's question, Favour Obasi-ike explains that Pinterest is a powerful visual search engine, not just a social media platform. Because the lifespan of a "pin" is 3.5 months to 5 months (compared to 19-72 hours for an Instagram post), content published there continues to drive traffic and build authority for a brand long after it's posted.At 52:30, the tools and platforms mentioned throughout the episode include: ClickUp, Zoom, Google Search Console, Google Analytics, ChatGPT, LinkedIn, Clubhouse, and Pinterest.At 55:00, Favour Obasi-ike closes the episode with a final call to action, encouraging listeners to connect with him directly via the link in his bio to turn the insights from the conversation into concrete action for their businesses.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Comedians Clare O'Kane, Alex Ptak, and Jeremy Kaplowitz explore the mysterious land of Quora.com to answer life's questions. This week's questions include: You write a practical plan to defeat a group of 30 thugs single-handedly. Is that possible? Who would win in a fight, Jack Skellington or The Grinch? My ex wife has been dating my uncle and it appears that they may end up getting married. I somehow feel that she is doing this to get back at me somehow for cheating on her. Am I just paranoid? Should I say anything to her about this feeling? --- Check out Josh's work @ https://joshboerman.com/ Get even more Quorators when you support the show @ patreon.com/quorators Send quoras and qommunicate on our discord discord.gg/7pPYuKuYCr Watch the show @ youtube.com/@quorators

In this podcast episode, host Favour Obasi-Ike sits down with international conflict management expert Dr. Nashay Lowe to reveal how AI can serve as the ultimate mirror, reflecting our hidden biases and transforming how we communicate.Episode SummaryThis conversation delves into the strategic importance of understanding Artificial Intelligence not merely as a technological advancement, but as a transformative tool for enhancing professional communication, streamlining problem-solving, and fostering profound self-reflection. Dr. Nashay Lowe guides us through the necessary mindset shift required to harness AI's power, moving beyond skepticism to see its potential as an indispensable partner in complex human endeavors.The discussion charts a journey from initial resistance to a nuanced appreciation of AI's role in the modern workplace. Favour Obasi-Ike and Dr. Nashay Lowe dissect the common fear that AI will replace human jobs, reframing the technology as a "power tool" that augments human capability rather than rendering it obsolete.Dr. Nashay Lowe states that the real professional risk isn't being replaced by AI, but by a colleague who masters it. The conversation culminates in a powerful central metaphor: AI as an objective mirror. As Dr. Nashay Lowe states, "Conflict reveals who we are, it doesn't create our divisions it reflects them." In the same way, AI offers a unique ability to reflect our communication patterns and strategic gaps without the inherent lens of a human observer.Ultimately, the episode reveals that AI's effectiveness is entirely dependent on human guidance. Through skillful prompting, critical questioning, and a commitment to ethical use, professionals can leverage AI to see their challenges, and themselves, with unprecedented clarity. This episode provides a compelling roadmap for anyone looking to integrate AI thoughtfully into their work.These are the essential insights you need to navigate this new landscape.Key TakeawaysThis section distills the most critical and actionable insights from the conversation with Dr. Nashay Lowe. These takeaways serve as foundational principles for any professional seeking to adapt to and thrive in an increasingly AI-integrated world, transforming a complex technology into a practical asset for growth and efficiency.AI is an Evolutionary Tool, Not an EnemyResisting AI is akin to resisting the adoption of computers or smartphones—a futile effort against an inevitable technological evolution. The true professional threat is not being replaced by AI itself, but by someone who masters AI as a tool to work more efficiently and effectively. Adaptation is no longer optional; it's a core professional competency.AI Serves as an Objective MirrorThe most powerful application of AI in subjective fields like conflict management is its ability to act as a mirror to our own communication patterns, biases, and choices. By analyzing language and scenarios without a human's inherent emotional or experiential lens, it can reveal subtle tensions, repetitive biases, and strategic blind spots that we might otherwise miss.Human Input Dictates AI OutputThe value of AI is not in the technology alone, but in the user's ability to guide it. Dr. Nashay Lowe emphasizes the necessity of iterative prompting, asking critical questions, and providing specific context to achieve nuanced results. A generic prompt yields a generic answer; a thoughtful, challenging prompt unlocks a deeper level of analysis and creativity.AI Can Augment, But Not Replace, EmpathyWhile AI lacks genuine consciousness or empathy, it serves as an invaluable diagnostic tool. Dr. Nashay Lowe powerfully argues that AI can remind us where empathy is missing in our strategies and communications. It can highlight a failure to consider another perspective or identify language that lacks warmth, prompting the human user to inject the necessary emotional intelligence.The User is the Ultimate Guardian of PrivacyAs AI systems become more deeply integrated with our personal and professional data streams, the user's responsibility grows exponentially. The conversation highlights the valid paranoia around connecting AI to sensitive information. The key takeaway is that the user must proactively manage data connections and maintain confidentiality, for instance, by using anonymized scenarios rather than identifiable information.These core principles provide a framework for leveraging AI not just as a machine, but as a partner in professional development.Detailed Episode Timestamps & NotesThis structured guide provides a detailed breakdown of the episode's key moments and discussions. Use these timestamps to navigate directly to the topics and insights that are most relevant to your professional journey.[00:00:00] Introduction: The Power of Human ConnectionHost Favour Obasi-Ike and Dr. Nashay Lowe reflect on their meeting in Las Vegas, emphasizing how valuable real-world, in-person connections are for creating professional opportunities, including this very podcast episode.[00:02:15] Meet Dr. Nashay Lowe: Proactive Strategy Over Reactive Problem-SolvingDr. Nashay Lowe outlines her background in international conflict management and her current mission. She applies global frameworks to local conflicts in academic and nonprofit sectors, aiming to shift leaders from "putting out fires" to implementing proactive strategies. Her goal is to create long-term, healthy habits rather than relying on ineffective "one-off" workshops.[00:04:30] Navigating AI Skepticism: A Necessary Mindset ShiftDr. Nashay Lowe addresses the common resistance to AI, framing it as a crucial mindset shift. She draws parallels to the initial skepticism surrounding cell phones and computers, arguing that AI is an evolving tool that will inevitably become integrated into every aspect of our lives. Adaptation is key.[00:06:45] The AI & Human Partnership: More Power Tool, Less ReplacementThe conversation reframes AI not as a replacement for humans, but as a tool that enhances efficiency. Dr. Nashay Lowe shares a powerful analogy from her partner, comparing the evolution of work to building a house with a hammer and nail versus a power tool, the goal is the same, but the right tool makes the process faster and more efficient.[00:10:10] AI in Conflict Management: Reflecting Our DivisionsThis segment explores the episode's central thesis. Dr. Nashay Lowe explains, "Conflict reveals who we are, it doesn't create our divisions it reflects them. And so artificial intelligence to me works much of the same way." She argues that AI can serve as an objective mirror in the subjective process of conflict resolution, identifying patterns and biases that a human mediator, operating through their own lens, might overlook.[00:14:00] The Emerging Frontier: AI as a Therapeutic ToolDr. Nashay Lowe notes the surprising trend of people using generative AI like ChatGPT for therapeutic purposes. She shares an anecdote about users having "meltdowns" on TikTok after a software update made the AI seem less "nice," underscoring the complex, human-like relationships people are beginning to form with the technology.[00:17:30] Using AI Responsibly: The Art of the PromptThis section focuses on the principle that AI's output is only as good as its input. Dr. Lowe explains the importance of prompting AI to challenge your assumptions ("Don't confirm what I'm already telling you") rather than simply validating them. Responsible use involves an iterative process of refining the AI's output with specific human feedback.[00:20:45] Privacy vs. Progress: The Security DilemmaDr. Nashay Lowe addresses the valid security and privacy concerns surrounding AI's integration with personal data like emails, calendars, and financial accounts. She contrasts this risk with a practical strategy for maintaining confidentiality in her work: using anonymized scenarios ("Person ABC") to analyze conflicts without exposing personally identifiable information.[00:25:00] Crafting Dialogue: A Masterclass in SpecificityDr. Nashay Lowe provides a masterclass on using AI to develop communication scripts. Her method involves giving the AI a specific persona ("You are a 25-year vet in conflict management") and, crucially, directing it to pull information from credible, specific sources like peer-reviewed journals. She continually refines the output with detailed feedback until it meets the desired tone and substance.[00:30:10] Dr. Lowe's Core Message: A Reminder Where Empathy is MissingDr. Nashay Lowe delivers her powerful final takeaway. She concludes that AI can never replace essential human qualities like presence, listening, or humility. However, its greatest strength is its ability to "hold a mirror to our communication patterns and ask without judgment, 'Is this how you're meant to show up?'"Learn more about this episode's insightful guest in the section below.About Our GuestThis episode features the expert insights of Dr. Nashay Lowe, a strategist dedicated to transforming how leaders approach conflict and organizational health.Dr. Nashay Lowe is a specialist in international conflict management who applies global frameworks to solve local challenges. She works primarily with academic and nonprofit leaders to help them shift from reactive problem-solving to building proactive strategies for long-term success. With a focus on creating healthier, sustainable habits within organizations, Dr. Nashay Lowe is currently exploring the cutting edge of her field by integrating Artificial Intelligence as a tool to foster more objective, effective, and positive change.Resources & Ways to ConnectConnect with Dr. Nashay Lowe:Website: https://www.loweinsights.comPodcast: The Resolution RoomInstagram: @loweinsightsLinkedIn: Nashay LoweNext Steps for Booking A SEO Discovery Call | Digital Marketing + Done-for-you SEO Services:>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike⁠ here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services.>> Visit our Official website for the best digital marketing, SEO, and AI strategies today!>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Read SEO Articles>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This Clubhouse marketing session explores the multifaceted world of Restaurant SEO and its application to local businesses. Favour details how establishing a strong digital presence through third-party platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash creates a "franchise SEO" ecosystem that builds brand authority. The discussion emphasizes off-page strategies, such as connecting Google Business profiles and social media links, to drive traffic and foster community trust. Participants also examine the role of multimedia content, suggesting that podcasts and videos can humanize a brand by showcasing chef interviews or cooking processes. Beyond restaurants, the conversation expands to cover niche industries like private investigation, highlighting how AI-driven search and reputation management are reshaping modern visibility. Ultimately, the sources advocate for a strategic blend of long-term organic growth and immediate paid advertising to maintain a competitive edge.Restaurant SEO: Uber Eats, Grubhub and DoorDash Marketing Tactical Strategies with Favour Obasi-ike with Favour Obasi-Ike | Sign up for exclusive SEO insights.-------------------------------------------------------------------------Next Steps for Booking A Discovery Call | Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike⁠ here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services.>> Visit our Official website for the best digital marketing, SEO, and AI strategies today!>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Read SEO Articles>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-------------------------------------------------------------------------Episode Timestamps[00:00:00] Introduction: Defining Restaurant SEOThe discussion begins by establishing that "Restaurant SEO" is not a unique discipline but rather a specialized application of local SEO. This foundational understanding is critical for any business reliant on a physical location for customer visits, from restaurants and local stores to farm markets. At [00:01:15], the host defines Restaurant SEO as local SEO with a "restaurant tag" on it, emphasizing its importance for driving traffic, generating tangible results, and gathering customer feedback—all vital for a local establishment's growth.By [00:03:30], the conversation introduces two key strategies for extending a restaurant's online reach. The first is Franchise SEO, which involves leveraging third-party platforms with active communities, such as DoorDash, GrubHub, OpenTable, and NextDoor. Listing a restaurant on these services creates powerful backlinks to its primary website, enhancing its authority. The second is Off-Page SEO, which refers to activities on other digital platforms, primarily social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Connecting these profiles back to the main website helps build a robust online presence and authority. These definitions set the stage for the episode's central strategic debate on driving business growth.[00:10:00] The Core Debate: SEO for Trust vs. Ads for ImmediacyThis section frames the episode's central conflict, presenting two competing yet complementary philosophies for driving restaurant growth. The speakers weigh the immediate, traffic-driving power of paid advertising against the long-term, trust-building foundation of a solid SEO strategy.At [00:11:45], John makes a strong case for prioritizing paid advertising, asserting that restaurants "need customers now." He argues that paid strategies, such as a proven Facebook advertising model, are the most effective tools for immediate results and that SEO should be considered a secondary, long-term project. At [00:15:20], another speaker supports John's point on the need for immediacy, using a practical example to illustrate the customer mindset: "if I want chicken wings, I'm not worried about SEO."By [00:18:00], Favour presents the counter-argument, clarifying that SEO's primary role is to build trust and credibility before a sale can occur. He uses the analogy of a "red flag" for anyone promising immediate sales directly from SEO. The group reaches a consensus that a balanced approach is best: ads are essential for short-term traffic, while SEO serves as the indispensable long-term foundation for sustainable growth and brand authority. The conversation then transitions from this high-level strategy debate to a specific, actionable content strategy proposed by the host.[00:25:00] A Creative Content Strategy: The Restaurant PodcastThis segment introduces a novel and powerful idea for restaurants to differentiate themselves and build a deep, trust-based relationship with their community. The speakers frame podcasting as a way for a restaurant to move beyond simple listings and reviews to become a true content creator and community hub.At [00:26:10], the host proposes that a restaurant should start its own podcast, utilizing both audio and video formats to engage potential customers on a deeper level. By [00:27:30], the group brainstorms a range of compelling content ideas, including video recipes, cooking tutorials, and culinary tips; interviews with the restaurant's chefs to discuss their creative process; discussions on the quality and sourcing of ingredients; answering frequently asked questions from customers; exploring the history and cultural significance of the cuisine; collaborating with beverage brands featured on the menu; taste tests and sampling sessions; customer testimonials; and behind-the-scenes looks at special events or cookouts.By [00:30:00], the primary strategic goal of this podcasting strategy is articulated: to build profound trust by allowing customers to discover aspects of the restaurant they would never think to search for, thereby creating a stronger and more resilient brand connection. This discussion on creating unique content naturally leads to the technical necessity of structuring that content correctly on the restaurant's website.[00:33:00] Technical SEO Deep Dive: The Menu is Your WebsiteThis section uncovers a critical and often-overlooked technical SEO mistake that can severely handicap a restaurant's online visibility. The speakers reveal how relying on seemingly convenient third-party systems for menu hosting can prevent a restaurant from capitalizing on valuable search traffic.At [00:34:05], a speaker highlights the significant failure of using platforms like Toast that consolidate an entire menu onto a single landing page. He explains that this approach misses the opportunity to have 25 separate, indexable pages for a 25-item menu. By [00:36:15], the impact of this mistake is clarified: individual menu item pages should be treated like e-commerce products. Each page is capable of generating its own organic traffic and ranking for highly specific searches, such as "best chicken wings in [city]."The solution, discussed at [00:38:40], is to structure the restaurant's website so that each menu item has its own dedicated page. Each page should be optimized with rich descriptions, proper titles, and an easy-to-use ordering system, thereby maximizing the restaurant's "footprints and stamps across the internet." The conversation then shifts from these on-site technical details to the broader, future-facing topic of visibility within emerging AI search engines.[00:42:00] The Future: AI Visibility and Advanced AutomationSetting the stage for a forward-looking discussion, the experts explore how the concept of "being found" is expanding beyond traditional search engines. The focus shifts to include AI-powered Large Language Models (LLMs) and the new opportunities they present for visibility and automation.At [00:43:10], the group discusses the growing importance of "AI Visibility." This involves ensuring a restaurant's information appears when users ask direct questions to AI chatbots like ChatGPT (e.g., "what's the best sushi restaurant near me?"). They also touch on how platforms like Perplexity can be leveraged for rapid ranking within these new search paradigms.By [00:45:00], the concept of using AI agents and automation for SEO tasks is introduced. A speaker provides a powerful example of using a tool like N8N to create an agent that can log into a website daily and automatically optimize product titles. He elevates this concept by explaining the goal is to move beyond simple email reports and "upgrade to the voice agents... and my AI gives me a phone call about the listings that's been optimized," emphasizing a future where an AI proactively works and reports, even waking the owner from sleep with critical updates.At [00:47:25], the speakers identify some of the foundational data sources that LLMs use to answer queries, such as SERP API and DuckDuckGo. This highlights the necessity for businesses to be listed and visible in these core digital infrastructures to appear in AI-generated results. This look into the future of search concludes the main discussion.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Happy Birthday to Favour Obasi-ike. He shares a personal message of gratitude while celebrating a birthday. He reflects on the show's prolific output, noting that over 140 out of 600+ episodes were produced in the current year alone. As the show prepares to enter its twelfth season in 2026, listeners are encouraged to explore the extensive archives via a searchable website to find specific marketing and business topics via wedontplaypodcast.comThis brief update serves as a direct connection with the audience to offer appreciation for their consistent loyalty. Finally, the creator concludes the message by looking forward to future content and heading off to a commemorative dinner.-------------------------------------------------------------------------Next Steps for Booking A Discovery Call | Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike⁠ here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services.>> Visit our Official website for the best digital marketing, SEO, and AI strategies today!>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Read SEO Articles>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-------------------------------------------------------------------------See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the title suggests, a relook of what Quora offered in the Modi Years.

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family! This episode features Favour Obasi-ike offering a holiday greeting to his precious listeners. This captures a seasonal well-wish intended to convey warmth and spiritual favor during the winter festivities. By using a traditional festive salutation, Favour aims to establish a positive connection with you, the listener. The message is succinct and celebratory, focusing entirely on a Christian blessing associated with the Christmas season. This simple piece of media serves as a sincere gesture of goodwill and holiday cheer.Thank you for listening to the We Don't PLAY™️ Podcast Show! God bless you!-------------------------------------------------------------------------Next Steps for Booking A Discovery Call | Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike⁠ here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services.>> Visit our Official website for the best digital marketing, SEO, and AI strategies today!>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Read SEO Articles>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-------------------------------------------------------------------------See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever wondered why some brands seem to crack the code with paid ads while others burn through budget with nothing to show for it?  If you've ever dabbled in Google Ads—or avoided them out of fear of expensive mistakes—this conversation will open your eyes to what's possible when strategy and execution align.  John Horn, CEO of StubGroup, has helped hundreds of companies transform underperforming campaigns into profitable acquisition machines.  His team is ranked in the top 1% of Google Partners worldwide for performance and customer care—and their reputation is built on both deep technical expertise and a refreshingly human, boutique approach. John lives and breathes PPC, but what sets him apart is his ability to translate complexity into clarity. In this episode, John breaks down how to build smarter ad systems, navigate AI-driven changes, and use data to make confident marketing decisions—so you can scale sustainably. Building Effective Google Ads Campaigns Starts with Strategy Before a single ad runs, John emphasizes one crucial question: What does success look like? So many brands jump straight into campaign creation without defining the exact action they want a user to take.  Whether it's booking a call, filling out a form, or placing an order, the call to action must be clear, trackable, and front-and-center on the landing page. From there, it all comes down to relevance. Google search is built on demand, not interruption. That means your job is to align with the terms people are already searching for—balancing high-intent keywords with lower-cost, broader queries that reveal early interest.  And once ads are running, tracking becomes your lifeline: real data allows advertisers to cut waste, double down on what's working, and eventually leverage Google's AI-powered bidding strategies for even greater efficiency. How AI and New Algorithms Are Changing the Future of Advertising AI is dramatically reshaping how users search and how brands need to show up. Google's AI Overviews now dominate search results, and platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity are becoming discovery engines in their own right. For marketers, this means optimizing not only for Google but also for GEO: Generative Engine Optimization. John reveals a surprising insight: AI models pull heavily from third-party sources like Reddit, YouTube, Quora, and listicle-style articles. That means service providers and brands must think beyond traditional SEO and start contributing valuable content across these ecosystems. As John puts it, "AI is an incredible tool, but it's not a critical thinker." Without strong human guidance, automated systems can quickly misinterpret signals and overspend in the wrong places. Enjoy this episode with John Horn… Soundbytes 07:13 – 07:21 "Advertising is not a magic bullet. We're not going to just launch a campaign and suddenly you're printing money and life is amazing." 23:00 – 23:10 "Businesses are having to definitely think through, how do I make sure my business is coming up as a solution in those other platforms when people search there as opposed to Google." 30:41 –31:06 "So what would you suggest to service providers specifically to start ranking in the AI platforms?" "Start engaging on Reddit. When I say engaging, answering questions, commenting on posts, creating your own posts. And you have to be—you can't be too salesy. You have to bring legitimate value because people are very allergic on Reddit to too much of the salesy approach and things can go south quickly." Quotes "Advertising is not a magic bullet. There's risk involved, and every business is different." "You have to define what success looks like and the action you want people to take before you ever launch a campaign." "AI is a fantastic tool, but it's not a critical thinker. You have to pair it with human judgment." "You can't rely on AI to make all the right decisions. If you give it bad direction, it will spend a lot of your money very quickly." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Website: https://stubgroup.com/ LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnjhorn1/  Connect with brandiD Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

Today on HR Heretics, we're excited to cross post a forward-thinking dialogue from Metaview's 10x Recruiting Podcast on 2026 recruiting predictions, examining AI's transformative impact on talent acquisition, compensation dynamics, agent orchestration, and the evolving relationship between human expertise and algorithmic screening.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH SIADHAL, NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINSiadhal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siadhal/Nolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/__LINKS:For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction: 2026 Predictions Episode Setup(01:00) Prediction #1: The VC Talent Partner Exodus to AI Companies(05:00) Prediction #2: AI Becomes the Default First Screen for Inbound(12:00) Prediction #3: The ATS Becomes Invisible(14:00) Prediction #4: 90% of Sourcing Will Be Automated(15:00) Prediction #5: Outreach Automation Will Be an Unmitigated Disaster(22:00) Sponsor: Metaview(23:00) Prediction #6: Backlash Against Human Data Extraction(26:00) Prediction #7: Social Unrest from White Collar Tech Workers(31:00) Prediction #8: Agent Managers Emerge as High-Status Roles(36:00) Prediction #9: Crazy Comp Packages for Non-Technical Talent(43:00) Prediction #10: Foundation Labs Move Deeper Into Applications(46:00) Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

Comedians Clare O'Kane, Alex Ptak, and Jeremy Kaplowitz explore the mysterious land of Quora.com to answer life's questions. This week's questions include: How can I please a woman with big ass in bed? Based on my questions, do you think I'm a dangerous person? What's it like living in nudity? --- Watch Eva's show Margo's Got Money Troubles when it comes out on Apple TV. Get even more Quorators when you support the show @ patreon.com/quorators Send quoras and qommunicate on our discord discord.gg/7pPYuKuYCr Watch the show @ youtube.com/@quorators

In this episode, we sit down with a top entrepreneur and filmmaker Stewart Cohen, an expert and business owner of nearly 20 years, to unpack how to build genuine credibility and lasting success in an age of overwhelming digital noise ("cyber noise").Stewart shares timeless principles from his entrepreneurial journey, shaped by a family legacy of business ownership, and contrasts the foundational strategies of the past with the unique challenges of today.Stewart argues that in a world where “social media lies, websites lie,” the most valuable currency is in-person credibility. He provides a masterclass in turning client relationships into your most powerful marketing engine and explains why protecting your audience's attention is the ultimate business discipline.

How to Write Catchy Titles, Descriptions, and High-Impact Headlines for your websites, email marketing, social media marketing, Pinterest SEO, and more with Favour Obasi-Ike | Sign up for exclusive SEO insights.Episode Summary:In this comprehensive episode + guide on crafting effective digital headlines, titles, and descriptions to boost online engagement. The speaker emphasizes that metadata acts as the essential context for content, serving as the primary factor that drives click-through rates across platforms like Google, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Strategic advice includes maintaining a title length of approximately 55 to 65 characters to avoid text truncation while maximizing visual impact. I also recommend using odd numbers, brackets, and power words to leverage psychological triggers that improve visibility and user trust. Finally, the discussion frames intentional copywriting as a vital tool for business owners to transform passive web traffic into active conversions and long-term brand authority.In high-level digital strategy, titles, descriptions, and headlines are not merely decorative—they serve as the essential "key frames" of metadata. This content architecture bridges the gap between raw information and audience discovery by providing the necessary context (Author, Host, Duration, and Intent) that search algorithms require to categorize an asset. By transforming raw content into searchable, high-value assets, a strategist ensures that the brand is prioritized within the user's search journey.Favour emphasizes that structured delivery and architectural integrity correlate directly to business results. If a title fails to establish immediate relevance, the conversion path is broken before it begins. Success in the current landscape requires a commitment to iterative improvement—ensuring the "next version" of a title or metadata set is systematically optimized based on data rather than intuition. This log details the tactical framework used by Favour, currently ranked #2 (We Don't PLAY!) on the FeedSpot Top 100 Marketing Podcasts (trailing only Gary Vaynerchuk), to drive visibility across SEO, PPC, and email ecosystems.Deep Dive: The Quantitative Science of Click-Through Rates (CTR)To maximize ROI, content creators must move beyond "gut feeling" and toward research-backed optimization. Using industry benchmarks from Orbit Media and Moz, we can calibrate headlines to meet the psychological triggers that drive user action.-------------------------------------------------------------------------Next Steps for Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services.>> Visit our Official website for the best digital marketing, SEO, and AI strategies today!>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Read SEO Articles>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-------------------------------------------------------------------------Timestamps[00:00] Catchy Titles vs. Structure; Metadata as the "Context to the Content."[05:00] The 600-Pixel Rule; Pixel Weight (W vs. l); The 55-Character Sweet Spot.[10:00] Moz Study Analysis; Numbers in Headlines; Why Odd Numbers Win; Brackets and Transparency.[15:00] Power Words and Psychological Triggering; Tool Highlight: CapitalizeMyTitle.[20:00] Platform Evolution: Instagram as TV; LinkedIn SEO and the One-Time URL Edit Rule.[25:00] Case Study: Ranking #2 on FeedSpot; The Math of the 12-Hour Masterclass; Call to Action.Effective content strategy requires tracking the flow of information to ensure "next-version" improvements. The following log segments the Masterclass into thematic chapters, providing the "So What?" factor for each strategic shift.Chapters:Chapter 1: The Metadata Framework [00:00 - 10:00] Context vs. Content. This segment establishes that metadata is the "context" (attributes like host and duration) that allows users to value an asset before engaging. Without these key frames, even high-quality content remains invisible to search engines and the "Exact Searcher Intent."Chapter 2: The Utility of Catchy Copy [10:00 - 18:00] Visibility Across the Funnel. Effective copy acts as the primary catalyst for Click-Through Rates (CTR) across SEO, LinkedIn, and Email. The speaker frames catchy titles as functional tools that pre-condition the audience for engagement and conversion.Chapter 3: The Physics of the Pixel [18:00 - 25:00] Typography Weight. Moving beyond character counts, this chapter introduces the 600-pixel display limit. Strategists must account for the "weight" of individual characters (e.g., a capital "W" vs. a lowercase "l") to prevent truncation and maintain a professional aesthetic on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page).Chapter 4: The Psychology of Numbers [25:00 - 35:00] Time-Value Perception. This section evaluates how numbers (specifically odd numbers) impact user psychology. The "So What?" factor is the "minute-per-item" rule: users subconsciously equate the number of items in a title to the minutes they must invest (e.g., 10 ways = 10 minutes), directly influencing the decision to click.Chapter 5: Platform Evolution [35:00 - 45:00] Ecosystem Logic. The speaker analyzes Instagram's transition to "TV-style" content and LinkedIn's rigid SEO URL logic. The key takeaway is the importance of "Exact Title Match" to meet user intent while navigating platform-specific constraints like DM automation and hashtag limits.Chapter 6: The Podcasting Marathon [45:00 - End] The Milestone Logic. Highlighting the "eighth-episode hurdle" where 500,000 creators quit annually, the speaker discusses his 600-episode milestone and the necessity of IAB Tech Lab compliance. Long-term distribution success is a result of persistence and technical "due diligence."High-Value Quotes"Metadata... that's just another way of saying how do we get context out of this content. Those are attributes... that's the context to the content." - Favour Obasi-ike"A capital W has more weight than a small w. A capital L has more weight than a small l... that weight they carry is a pixel size digitally.""If somebody clicks and finds your content valuable, resourceful, accurate, and responsive, then anything that you're going to do from SEO to PPC ads... you're able to use consistently."Resources:Companies Passing Tech Lab Compliance Programs | Podcast Compliance DirectoriesHeadline Analyzer Tool: Write Better Headlines | Write Better Headlines HereSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For today's essential Heretics 101 feature, executive coach Nathan Tanner reveals the real economics of coaching: transparent revenue breakdowns, pricing strategy, and the path from corporate burnout to independent practice. Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH NATHAN, NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINNathan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathantanner/Nolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/__LINKS:For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:41) The breakdown story (crying on floor)(05:49) “Weekend warriors” critique(09:00) Fire your coach every year?(10:03) Sponsor: Metaview(12:47) $240K → $335K revenue reveal(14:20) First full year: $335K breakdown(19:14) “Hire Nathan or do nothing” strategy(22:16) Burning the boats philosophy This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

For today's essential Heretics 101 feature, Chris Yeh discusses infinite learning, staying relevant through younger generations, Blitzscaling adaptability principles, assessing founders through shared experiences, and negotiating equity by establishing fair processes before debating numbers.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH CHRIS, NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINChris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisyeh/Nolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/__LINKS:For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction: Infinite Learning & Blitzscaling Adaptability(01:00) The Source of Energy, Public Speaking & Performance Background(02:00) The Power of Unlearning & Staying Relevant(04:08) Blitzscaling: Hiring for Adaptability & Resilience(07:12) Picking Companies: Thinking Like an Investor(09:08) Assessing Founders: The Travel & Summer Camp Effect(10:14) Sponsor: Metaview(11:36) Negotiating Founder Shares & Equity Splits(17:00) Compensation Philosophy & The Numbers Hack(19:13) Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

Comedians Clare O'Kane, Alex Ptak, and Jeremy Kaplowitz explore the mysterious land of Quora.com to answer life's questions. This week's questions include: How long can you live drinking 12 beers a day? How do I keep my body smell good, especially down there? If a cow got a run-up and headbutted a man in the groin, would one of the man's balls crack in half? Could a doctor glue the two halves together again? --- Get even more Quorators when you support the show @ patreon.com/quorators Send quoras and qommunicate on our discord discord.gg/7pPYuKuYCr Watch the show @ youtube.com/@quorators

One of our biggest episodes of this past year was with Zapier's CPO Brandon Sammut, ICYMI or as a refresher, in this essetial Heretics 101 feature, he demonstrates AI agents transforming HR workflows: from automating bar raiser interview prep to performance evidence collection, while explaining their four-level AI fluency framework.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINNolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/__LINKS:For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(00:26) Why AI Fluency is Required for 100% of New Hires(02:00) The 4-Level AI Fluency Rubric: Capable to Transformational(03:38) Demo 1: Bar Raiser Interview Agent(04:33) 730 Employees, 10 VPs - Job Level Discipline(05:47) Agent Explains WHY It Chose Each Question(06:27) The Spectrum of AI Interview Approaches(08:18) Demo 2: Performance Review Evidence Collection(09:21) The Blob Notes Emoji: Triggering Evidence Collection(10:33) Don't Let Perfect Be the Enemy of Good(11:21) Future Vision: AI Coach Idling in Slack(13:25) “It's Like Steroids” - Not AI Overlords Taking Over(13:51) Sponsor: Metaview(15:41) Live Demo: Blob Notes in Action(18:13) Employee Choice vs Mandates: Marketing Over Requirements(19:27) Leadership Doing Real Work - Few Companies Have Real Use Cases(21:00) Demo 3: One-on-One Meeting Coach (Most Sophisticated Build)(23:20) Calculating Talk-to-Listen Ratios(24:40) Scaling HR Business Partners - Every Company's Manager Problem(26:07) Implementation Choices: On-Demand vs Required(27:35) Transparency: What Data? Where Stored? Who Sees It?(28:44) The Iron Man Suit vs AI Overlords(28:56) Where to Find Brandon - LinkedIn(29:12) Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

For today's essential Heretics 101 feature, former Meta HR leader Cynthia Bazlamit (Baz) Shrauner talks about demoting herself twice for fulfillment over title. She also describes Facebook's pandemic hiring frenzy that ballooned teams 10x, the subsequent brutal layoffs, and the effect of DEI resource groups on the company.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH BRYAN, NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINBaz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-bazlamit-shrauner-683767/Nolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/__LINKS:For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:17) Intro(01:06) The First Demotion Story: Getting Demoted at Facebook(05:17) The Second Demotion: Hiring Christine Ellis & Doing It Again(10:00) “Comparison is the Thief of Joy” - The Ego Struggle(11:00) Sponsor: Metaview(12:59) Meta's Pandemic Hiring Spree: “We Were Sloppy”(15:44) The Layoffs: Three Waves of RIFs, 8,000+ Cuts(19:42) DEI & Resource Groups: From Fun to Corporate Chaos(24:00) Closing This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

Comedians Clare O'Kane, Alex Ptak, and Jeremy Kaplowitz explore the mysterious land of Quora.com to answer life's questions. This week's questions include: Are we made of poo? Poo must have covered the whole planet and we live off everything that grows from the planet and we are what we eat? My girlfriend says she can find better. Is she an idiot or what? I don't know what to say, can we just keep it quiet? --- Get even more Quorators when you support the show @ patreon.com/quorators Send quoras and qommunicate on our discord discord.gg/7pPYuKuYCr Watch the show @ youtube.com/@quorators

There are more of them and we read them Get the full episode when you support the show @ patreon.com/quorators

Bryan Power, who recently left Nextdoor after seven years, discusses his viral article on quitting properly, why exits define careers, manager failures, and the Growth by Design-Cursor acquisition's implications.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH BRYAN, NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINBryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanpower/Nolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/__LINKS:For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction & Power Hour Returns(00:55) Bryan's Viral “How to Quit” Article(04:00) Why Your Exit Becomes Your Entire Story(06:00) Why Companies Don't Teach Employees How to Leave(09:00) The Loyalty Expectation Problem(12:27) Sponsor: Metaview(14:38) How Managers Screw Up Exits(21:57) No Long Goodbyes: The Best Timing Advice(24:13) What to Do When Someone Resigns(27:30) Maintaining Relationships After You Leave(29:26) Growth by Design Acquired by Cursor(36:33) The State of the Recruiting Market(40:00) AI Native Skills & The Future of Entry Level Hiring(46:49) Cringey Corporate Lingo Game(50:55) Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

For today's essential Heretics 101 feature, Couchbase CPO Fidelma Butler talks about modern L&D: building contextual leadership frameworks, meeting employees in workflows, activating peer teaching, and addressing career development's promotion fixation.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINNolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/__For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:16) Intro(01:21) Building L&D from Scratch at Couchbase(02:45) Defining Good Leadership: The Three-Way Framework(05:04) Meeting People Where They Are: Escaping Theoretical Land(06:06) When Survey Results Disagree with CEO Priorities(07:35) Embedding L&D in the Fairway of the Job(08:19) Leaders Teaching Leaders: Why It Works(11:36) Coaching for Senior Leaders: Addressing the Intangibles(13:35) Hiring for Modern L&D: New Skills Required(14:25) The Career Development Problem: Everyone Wants It, Nobody Does It(16:30) Why Career Ladders Become Checkbox Exercises(19:01) The Ladders Dilemma and Being Transparent with Employees(20:10) Treating Employees Like Adults(20:59) Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

Comedians Clare O'Kane, Alex Ptak, and Jeremy Kaplowitz explore the mysterious land of Quora.com to answer life's questions. This week's questions include: What is typical jail food? If I sat down for dinner with Queen Elizabeth would she instantly know I was a common person by my etiquette? What would she notice first? Is France in decline? --- Watch Ella's show @ youtube.com/@goingdowntheshow Get even more Quorators when you support the show @ patreon.com/quorators Send quoras and qommunicate on our discord discord.gg/7pPYuKuYCr Watch the show @ youtube.com/@quorators

Recording from Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas, Eric Extreme peels back the salt-streaked veil between life and the ocean. As he and his wife cut across the Caribbean, stories unfurl, Polynesian navigators whose ancestors ride the swells, Japanese Funayūrei rising from misty shores, West African sea judges, and Caribbean duppies tugging at the currents, all threaded into a single, living tide of belief. Through hushes on a ship’s hull, offerings left at shorelines, and ancient wayfinding lore, this episode follows the whispers that haunt coasts around the world. Each tale is a small lantern in the dark: sometimes warning, sometimes comfort, always a reminder that the sea keeps memory in its motion. Join Eric as he listens for the faintest signals and steers us through folklore, ritual, and the personal moments when the ocean feels alive. Will we find evidence or only echoes? A nearly identical transcript of this episode may be found at: https://www.mwvspirit.com/blog/2025/11/30/whispers-from-the-deep-ocean-spirits-and-lost-souls/ As a paranormal investigator, Eric Extreme has decades of experience. He explores the history of the paranormal from around the world. He also discusses the scientific study of perceived paranormal phenomena. His approach is to identify natural causes first before considering any paranormal explanations. With years of research and fieldwork behind him, he offers insights into how the world views the paranormal and how these phenomena can be studied objectively, based on evidence. The goal is to help listeners understand how to approach paranormal investigations focused on science, distinguishing between what can be explained and what cannot. As he always says, "Science comes before the spooky." Mount Washington Valley SPIRIT (Scientific Paranormal Investigations, Research, and Interpretation Team) Book: https://www.ApparitionOfThePast.com Homepage: https://www.MWVSpirit.com Podcast: https://mwvspirit.podbean.com Blog: https://www.MWVSpirit.com/blog Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mwvspirit.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MWVSpirit Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/203797804@N05/ Gab: https://gab.com/mwvspirit IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16150782 Imgur: https://imgur.com/user/mwvspirit Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MWVSpirit Iviv: https://iviv.hu/people/a51e3690a278013e55bd723c915ba918 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mwvspirit LiveJournal: https://mwvspirit.livejournal.com/ Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@mwvspirit Mewe: https://mewe.com/mountwashington_/posts Minds: https://www.minds.com/mwvspirit/ Mov.im: https://mov.im/contact/mwvspirit%40movim.eu OC Social: https://ocsocialnetwork.com/id/8e58beaa-c09e-4b1e-9c42-65015ef9b890 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mwvspirit/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Mount-Washington-Valley-SPIRIT Snapchat: https://snapchat.com/t/uN1wtb9Z Space Hey: https://spacehey.com/mwvspirit Substack: https://substack.com/@mountwashingtonvalleyspirit Threads: https://www.threads.com/@mwvspirit TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mwvspirit Tumblr: https://mountwashingtonvalleyspirit.tumblr.com X: https://x.com/mwvspirit YikTak: https://app.yikyak.com/u/mwvspirit_paranormal_team YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mwvspirit

Send us a textWant links without cold emails or sketchy deals? We dive into a practical system for earning citations by putting useful work in front of the right people, then letting trust and timing do the heavy lifting. Ed Dawson, founder of Keywords People Use, unpacks why links still drive rankings and why they matter even more as AI search surfaces sources in responses.We start with the reality check: buying links and anchor manipulation can waste money or trigger penalties. From there we map a cleaner path for new sites stuck in the awareness gap. Ed shares how he launched a brand‑new domain and sparked momentum with low‑cost, high‑signal moves: consistent posting on Twitter and LinkedIn, value‑first replies on Reddit and Quora, direct outreach to peers without asking for links, and a modest BrightonSEO sponsorship that put an engaging tool into the hands of the right audience. The result was a flywheel where attention created links, links improved rankings, and rankings created more discovery.You'll hear how to pair long tail content with attention channels to get early wins, then convert that traffic into an email list that compounds every launch. We talk through lead magnets that actually earn signups, what to send to subscribers, and why “ask for feedback” beats “please link me.” Ed explains how reciprocity in communities builds site‑level authority, helping more pages get indexed and climb the SERPs. By the end you'll have a simple checklist: find your audience, show up consistently, ship something genuinely useful, announce it where it belongs, and repeat until the flywheel turns.If this helped you reframe link building, tap follow, share it with a friend who's launching a site, and leave a quick review. Want hands‑on help? Book a free, no‑obligation demo at keywordspeopleuse.com/demo and bring your SEO questions.SEO Is Not That Hard is hosted by Edd Dawson and brought to you by KeywordsPeopleUse.com Help feed the algorithm and leave a review at ratethispodcast.com/seo You can get your free copy of my 101 Quick SEO Tips at: https://seotips.edddawson.com/101-quick-seo-tipsTo get a personal no-obligation demo of how KeywordsPeopleUse could help you boost your SEO and get a 7 day FREE trial of our Standard Plan book a demo with me nowSee Edd's personal site at edddawson.comAsk me a question and get on the show Click here to record a questionFind Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & TwitterFind KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

For today's essential Heretics 101 feature, former co-founder and executive coach Adam Weber examines power dynamics and identity transformation following Amplify's acquisition by 15Five, revealing insights on leadership evolution and maintaining authentic culture through organizational integration.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINNolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/__For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:57) Post-Acquisition Power Dynamics: The Humbling Moment(03:00) HR's Inflection Point: More Responsibility, Same Resources(05:12) Top 5% HR Leaders: Show Courage and Speak the Language of Business(06:59) What ‘Understanding the Business' Really Means(08:15) The Reality Check: HR's Impossible Workload(10:25) Sponsor: Metaview(11:47) The Troubling Trend: AI Up, Leadership Development Down(13:50) The Future of Management: NVIDIA's Model and Investing in ICs(18:18) Ruthless Experimentation and the Death of Best Practices(20:00) Building Credibility: Sharing Both Wins and Losses This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

Comedians Clare O'Kane, Alex Ptak, and Jeremy Kaplowitz explore the mysterious land of Quora.com to answer life's questions. This week's questions include: Is Donald Trump a real life version of Gandalf? He certainly fits all the attributes. Should we lower the adult age to 13? If the west doesn't put up tariffs on China will the economic leverage China gets be used to buy our country on the cheap as our economy dies? Is this how communism wins the war on Christianity and hence why politicians support free trade? --- Follow Meredith @ instagram.com/dietz.m/ Get even more Quorators when you support the show @ patreon.com/quorators Send quoras and qommunicate on our discord discord.gg/7pPYuKuYCr Watch the show @ youtube.com/@quorators

The air is full of whispers, courtrooms grow silent, trial ledgers crackle with ink-stained confessions, and a voice named Eric Extreme steps into the ruins to listen. In this episode, we trace the shadowy currents that turned rumor into verdict, following the fragile threads of evidence buried in archives and the haunted hush that clings to old stones. We move from sermons and small-town grudges to the raw human stories behind every entry in the books: neighbors who accused neighbors, families torn apart, and lives erased by fear. This is not a catalog of spells but a concerning narrative that asks how belief and power braided together to make the unseen lethal. Join Eric on Paranormal Declassified: The Spirit Files. As history and haunting converge, and the past's softest murmurs become a warning for our present. Listen closely; the echoes demand we balance curiosity with compassion and evidence with empathy. A nearly identical transcript of this episode may be found at:  https://www.mwvspirit.com/blog/2025/11/22/echoes-of-the-gallows-uncovering-the-witch-trials-true-legacy/ As a paranormal investigator, Eric Extreme has decades of experience. He explores the history of the paranormal from around the world. He also discusses the scientific study of perceived paranormal phenomena. His approach is to identify natural causes first before considering any paranormal explanations. With years of research and fieldwork behind him, he offers insights into how the world views the paranormal and how these phenomena can be studied objectively, based on evidence. The goal is to help listeners understand how to approach paranormal investigations focused on science, distinguishing between what can be explained and what cannot. As he always says, "Science comes before the spooky." Mount Washington Valley SPIRIT (Scientific Paranormal Investigations, Research, and Interpretation Team) Book: https://www.ApparitionOfThePast.com Homepage: https://www.MWVSpirit.com Podcast: https://mwvspirit.podbean.com Blog: https://www.MWVSpirit.com/blog Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mwvspirit.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MWVSpirit Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/203797804@N05/ Gab: https://gab.com/mwvspirit IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16150782 Imgur: https://imgur.com/user/mwvspirit Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MWVSpirit Iviv: https://iviv.hu/people/a51e3690a278013e55bd723c915ba918 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mwvspirit LiveJournal: https://mwvspirit.livejournal.com/ Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@mwvspirit Mewe: https://mewe.com/mountwashington_/posts Minds: https://www.minds.com/mwvspirit/ Mov.im: https://mov.im/contact/mwvspirit%40movim.eu OC Social: https://ocsocialnetwork.com/id/8e58beaa-c09e-4b1e-9c42-65015ef9b890 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mwvspirit/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Mount-Washington-Valley-SPIRIT Snapchat: https://snapchat.com/t/uN1wtb9Z Space Hey: https://spacehey.com/mwvspirit Substack: https://substack.com/@mountwashingtonvalleyspirit Threads: https://www.threads.com/@mwvspirit TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mwvspirit Tumblr: https://mountwashingtonvalleyspirit.tumblr.com X: https://x.com/mwvspirit YikTak: https://app.yikyak.com/u/mwvspirit_paranormal_team YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mwvspirit

For today's essential Heretics 101 feature, Disruptive HR founder Lucy Adams dissects HR's fundamental trust problem: why designing policies around your worst employees destroys organizational performance, and how to reimagine the business partner role.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINNolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/__For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(04:15) HR's Fundamental Trust Problem & Designing for the Minority(08:30) Sponsor: Metaview(09:00) The Opportunity Cost of Distrust(12:00) The HRBP Role: Why It's Broken & How to Fix It(15:30) What HR Leaders Are Talking About: DEI, AI & Merit(19:53) Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

On today's Dear Heretics segment, Nolan and Kelli debate equity compensation philosophy: whether companies should extend stock options to all employees or reserve them for senior roles, weighing moral imperatives against investor dilution concerns and implementation complexity.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINNolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/__For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:07) Question about stock options for all employees(01:48) Carta's philosophy on making everyone an owner(03:32) Moral case for giving equity to everyone(05:07) Story about Carta's employee refresh and Fred Wilson(06:21) Challenge of educating employees on equity(08:28) Pendo's approach to equity education and round tables(09:19) Setting expectations with $0 default value(10:08) Sponsor - Metaview(11:29) Cost of labor adjustments for equity across locations(13:00) Administrative challenges of geo-based equity adjustments(14:16) Employee communication and comparison issues(16:10) Board tension over equity dilution decisions(17:28) Attracting great talent requires competitive compensation(18:06) Moral case and taxes of giving equity(19:00) Importance of working with equity experts(19:46) Closing thoughts on geo strategy and communication(21:34) Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

Comedians Clare O'Kane, Alex Ptak, and Jeremy Kaplowitz explore the mysterious land of Quora.com to answer life's questions. This week's questions include: Can Predator be real? I mean, we don't know what could be out in the universe (I'm talking about the movie Predator)? What do psychopaths think of the movie "Human Centipede"? Is Malcom in The Middle set in America? If so, why doesn't Malcom just shoot everyone who gives him problems? --- Listen to Blank Check podcast Get even more Quorators when you support the show @ patreon.com/quorators Send quoras and qommunicate on our discord discord.gg/7pPYuKuYCr Watch the show @ youtube.com/@quorators

Step into a night where hilltop fires smoke and stubble fields whisper. Eric Extreme guides you through the birth of Halloween, from the fragile veil of Samhain to the carved lanterns of Stingy Jack and the masks that once warded the living from the dead. We trace the journey of customs across oceans and centuries: immigrant hands carving pumpkins, children in guises bargaining for soul cakes, and the slow shift from sacred ritual to suburban spectacle. And reason is poised to peek through the cracks, revealing what lies beyond. Join me as I seek answers in the shadows, explore the whispers that echo in the void, and listen for the faint signals that shape our sense of the supernatural. This is Paranormal Declassified, The Spirit Files, from Mount Washington Valley Spirit Paranormal Investigators. Follow the flicker and decide where mystery ends and science begins. A nearly identical transcript of this episode may be found at:  https://www.mwvspirit.com/blog/2025/11/15/veil-of-fire-the-ancient-origins-of-halloween/ As a paranormal investigator, Eric Extreme has decades of experience. He focuses on the scientific study of perceived paranormal phenomena. In this podcast, he discusses the methods and tools used in investigations, exploring how factors like cognitive biases, environmental conditions, and technological anomalies can influence perceptions of the paranormal. His approach is to identify natural causes first before considering any paranormal explanations. With years of research and fieldwork behind him, he offers insights into how these phenomena can be studied objectively, based on evidence. The goal is to help listeners understand how to approach paranormal investigations focused on science, distinguishing between what can be explained and what cannot. As he always says, "Science comes before the spooky." Mount Washington Valley SPIRIT (Scientific Paranormal Investigations, Research, and Interpretation Team) Book: https://www.ApparitionOfThePast.com Homepage: https://www.MWVSpirit.com Podcast: https://mwvspirit.podbean.com Blog: https://www.MWVSpirit.com/blog Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mwvspirit.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MWVSpirit Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/203797804@N05/ Gab: https://gab.com/mwvspirit IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16150782 Imgur: https://imgur.com/user/mwvspirit Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MWVSpirit Iviv: https://iviv.hu/people/a51e3690a278013e55bd723c915ba918 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mwvspirit LiveJournal: https://mwvspirit.livejournal.com/ Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@mwvspirit Mewe: https://mewe.com/mountwashington_/posts Minds: https://www.minds.com/mwvspirit/ Mov.im: https://mov.im/contact/mwvspirit%40movim.eu OC Social: https://ocsocialnetwork.com/id/8e58beaa-c09e-4b1e-9c42-65015ef9b890 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mwvspirit/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Mount-Washington-Valley-SPIRIT Snapchat: https://snapchat.com/t/uN1wtb9Z Space Hey: https://spacehey.com/mwvspirit Substack: https://substack.com/@mountwashingtonvalleyspirit Threads: https://www.threads.com/@mwvspirit TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mwvspirit Tumblr: https://mountwashingtonvalleyspirit.tumblr.com X: https://x.com/mwvspirit YikTak: https://app.yikyak.com/u/mwvspirit_paranormal_team YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mwvspirit

On today's Dear Heretics segment, Nolan and Kelli tackle a question on navigating layoffs, revealing hard-won lessons from cutting deep, treating people humanely, and avoiding rookie RIF mistakes.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINNolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/__For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(03:22) Dear Heretics: What to Know Before Your First RIF(05:10) The Carta Layoff Playbook: Cut Deep, Stay Humane, Do It Once(09:19) Sponsor: Metaview(10:41) Change Management: Why Before and After Matter Most(15:00) Opt-In Severance and Tucking In Top Performers(19:00) Designing for Trust Over Fear(22:04) Leadership Accountability and the Golden Rule(24:11) Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training How are you preparing your clients to start thinking about AI as part of their SEO strategy? Are you educating them on what they can expect now that the landscape is changing with AI optimization? As an agency, you should be starting these conversations because you can be sure your clients are already thinking about AI, even if they still don't understand its applications for how clients will get to their content. Artificial intelligence isn't just changing how people find information, it's rewriting the rules of search altogether. Today's featured guest is already running AI audits for his clients; he thinks all agency owners should be doing this. He'll unpack what AI optimization really means for agencies, marketers, and business owners who've lived and breathed SEO for decades. Vishal Mahida is the Director of Digital Marketing at E2M Solutions, where he helps over 100 agencies scale their SEO and digital marketing operations. With a 40+ person team specializing in SEO, PPC, and operations support, Vishal works directly with agencies on systems that drive measurable growth and keep them ahead of major shifts in the industry. In this episode, we'll discuss: SEO vs. AI Optimization No, SEO is not dead, so your website still matters. Preparing your agency and clients for AI search. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio The Difference Between SEO and AI Optimization There's a lot of buzz around how AI has come to change and maybe even replace SEO. Vishal clarifies that AI optimization isn't replacing SEO, it's expanding it. Traditional SEO focused primarily on optimizing for Google rankings, keywords, and backlinks. The goal was to get traffic from search results. But as Vishal explains, the modern search landscape has fragmented. Users are now searching on multiple platforms including ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude, not just Google. This shift means brands must move beyond "ranking on Google" and focus on being visible wherever their audience searches for information. Whether someone asks ChatGPT for "the best roofers in Austin" or Google's AI mode for "running shoes under $5,000," AI systems are gathering and summarizing information across multiple sources in real time, including social platforms like Reddit, Quora, and LinkedIn. Think about it as building a multimedia visibility strategy and ensuring your brand, expertise, and answers exist across platforms that large language models (LLMs) pull from. "You're not optimizing for one search engine anymore," he says. "You're optimizing for how the internet talks about you." Why Your Website Still Matters in the AI Era Will websites become irrelevant if AI answers everything for users? According to Vishal, websites won't disappear, they'll evolve. Think of them as your source of truth rather than your traffic generator. When AI summarizes answers for users, it still references real content and authoritative sources. So, your website remains essential for credibility, events, and conversion, even if fewer users arrive there through traditional search. For instance, if someone asks ChatGPT about agency growth events in Austin, and you've mentioned your event across social media, your website, and podcasts, AI will likely include it in the results. "That's how people find you now," Vishal agrees. "Not just through search but through signals from every platform." Of course, you should still think about the content you're putting out on your website. Are you answering the questions that people are asking? Or you just optimizing for the keywords. Optimizing for the keywords won't work. People will ask LLMs questions and if you're already answering them on your content there are more chances that AI results will find you and list your website. Redefining Reporting and KPIs for Agencies One of the biggest challenges agencies face is explaining to clients why organic traffic might be dropping even as visibility increases. Why? Traditional SEO metrics no longer tell the whole story. So how to report back? Basically, you'll need to educate clients and start measuring mentions, citations, and referrals coming from AI platforms. Vishal suggests tracking LLM bot hits in server logs and monitoring whether AI crawlers are visiting key pages. These indicators reveal your brand's visibility in AI-generated results. While raw traffic might decline, the quality of leads and conversions often improves. "You might get fewer leads," he says, "but they'll be more qualified, because AI searchers are deeper in their intent." Leads from AI chats tend to be more serious buyers who have already researched their problems. The shift, then, isn't a loss but rather an opportunity to educate clients on new performance indicators that reflect where users actually search today. Preparing Your Agency and Clients for AI Search When it comes to optimizing for AI, Vishal recommends a hybrid approach: combine solid technical SEO fundamentals with a new layer of AI-readiness. This includes making sure your site is clean, crawlable, and structured properly, while also ensuring your brand has visibility across other platforms. At E2M, Vishal's team runs AI search audits to check how often their clients' brands appear in LLM answers. They even query ChatGPT and Perplexity directly to see what those systems say about them and their competitors. From there, they reverse-engineer visibility by identifying which platforms, podcasts, or publications help brands get cited more often by AI. Mentions on Reddit, Quora, and podcasts count, even if they're not linked, because they help build trust signals that LLMs detect. Agencies, Vishal says, can sell these as AI search audits, AI content audits, or full AI optimization packages — new recurring revenue streams that build on their SEO expertise. The Human Edge in an AI-Driven World Agencies can't afford to be "order takers" who wait for clients to bring up AI. If your clients are asking about AI before you bring it up, you're already behind. Instead, agencies should position themselves as trusted advisors who help clients navigate the shift confidently. So go to your clients and start those conversations, or you WILL be replaced by AI. At the end of the day, people still want connection, which is why both Jason and Vishal agree that AI will never replace the human element and the strategy, empathy, and creativity that come from real human connection. People will always want someone that can help guide them through the new marketing trends. As Vishal puts it, "Business owners don't have time to learn all this. They want someone they trust to handle it." AI might make average easier, but connection, data, and network will always be your edge. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

On today's HR Heretics, Nolan and Kelli dissect a viral LinkedIn post from an ex-Amazon director, exploring how inflated tech worker expectations clash with today's brutal job market realities.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINNolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/__For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(00:19) What Ex-Amazon Talent Deserves(01:22) A Post Full of Assumptions(02:41) The X Response: Out of Touch and Ego-Driven(03:11) Sponsor: Metaview(03:34) The Remote Work Reality: That Era Is Over(04:39) The ChatGPT Turning Point: When Employment Fell Off a Cliff(06:01) Why This LinkedIn Post Won't Help Her Job Search(06:29) The Coming Social Unrest and Displaced Tech Workers(07:40) The Grinding Mindset(09:09) When the Rules Changed Overnight(10:31) The FAANG Halo Effect Is Dead(11:55) The Quality of Life Fork: Ejecting from Tech(13:00) Re-Underwriting Your Career in the New Reality(14:20) Expectations Minus Reality Equals Happiness(14:39) Hedging Your Bets: Diversify Before It's Too Late(15:52:) Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

Comedians Clare O'Kane, Alex Ptak, and Jeremy Kaplowitz explore the mysterious land of Quora.com to answer life's questions. This week's questions include: I ate 36 grilled cheese sandwiches and now I'm stuck on the toilet. Am I going to die? Why is my hotdog so yummy with my tummy What would you say if you were in a grocery store and somebody said, "if you need all those groceries, you have mental problems"? --- Follow Allen on Instagram Get even more Quorators when you support the show @ patreon.com/quorators Send quoras and qommunicate on our discord discord.gg/7pPYuKuYCr Watch the show @ youtube.com/@quorators

In this episode of HR Heretics, Kelli and Nolan interview Arnnon Geshuri, Chief People Officer at Snowflake and 8-year Tesla veteran, about building HR's strategic authority through data analytics, his automate-augment-human AI framework, and why he recruits economists and data scientists alongside traditional HR professionals.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH ARNNON, NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINArnnon: linkedin.com/in/arnnongeshuriNolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/—Snowflake: https://www.snowflake.com/en/-For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(0:00) Intro(1:12) Three Key Lessons from Working with Elon Musk at Tesla(3:36) Why Snowflake: Reinventing the People Function(4:33) The Three-Pronged AI Framework: Automate, Augment, Human-Only(12:02) Sponsor: Metaview(19:45) Data Analytics as the Backbone of HR(24:00) Building the Winning HR Team Portfolio(27:08) Speed Through Imperfection: Fast Pilots and Iteration(29:00) Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

Unlock how AI can quietly build your authority—and your pipeline—while you sleep. Michael sits down with AI strategist Tiffany Marroquín to break down the shift from traditional SEO to AEO (AI Engine Optimization) so you can start showing up as the trusted answer when clients ask tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity for the best luxury agents. You'll hear practical moves you can implement this week: tighten and unify your bios across platforms, build an AEO-friendly content hub with data-backed guides, structure your reviews and pages with schema, post FAQs that mirror real client questions, and leverage LinkedIn, YouTube transcripts, Reddit, and Quora for high-trust signals. Tiffany also shares a rapid workflow—record a 3–5 minute weekly voice memo and spin it into blogs, emails, shorts, and captions—plus how custom GPTs and agent-style automations can research competitors and keep you consistently visible. Want to raise your average sale price and dominate high-end listings? Join the in-person LUXE Designation training on November 19 (bonus mansion tour!). Details and savings at LuxuryDesignation.com/Chicago.

For today's essential Heretics 101 feature, Kelli and Nolan have a candid discussion with Silicon Valley operator Molly Graham on founder depression, imposter syndrome, executive team dynamics, and building business-first people operations at scaling companies.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH MOLLY, NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINMolly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mograham/Nolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/—Glue Club: https://www.glueclub.com/-For coaching and advising inquire athttps://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(00:43) Origin of “Giving Away Your Legos”(02:28) Emotions at Work(02:49) Meet Bob the Monster(04:15) Founder Depression Reality(06:27) The Emptiness of Startups(08:00) Life as a Barter Economy(09:14) “I Can't Do Math” - Professional Moron Strategy(12:00) Growth Solves All Problems(13:00) When Leaders Hate Each Other(14:20) 50% Executive Hiring Success Rate(17:00) 18-Month Executive Tenure(18:34) Business First, Not Happiness(21:00) Era of Excess Is Over(21:51) Best Interview Question(22:05) Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

Comedians Clare O'Kane, Alex Ptak, and Jeremy Kaplowitz explore the mysterious land of Quora.com to answer life's questions. This week's questions include: I can feel my soul getting darker and evil and I can't help it. What do I do? What actually happens when we die? I am so confused. What would you ask the antichrist? --- Listen to Chris' podcast, Guys: With Bryan Quinby Get even more Quorators when you support the show @ patreon.com/quorators Send quoras and qommunicate on our discord discord.gg/7pPYuKuYCr Watch the show @ youtube.com/@quorators

Story of the Week (DR):TRICK OR TREAT EDITIONBill Gates and his 'three truths': 'Climate change will not wipe out humanity'Trick: a gift to MAGA MMTreat: a focus on povertyThe 3 truths:"It's a serious problem, but it won't be the end of humanity""temperature is not the best way to measure progress on climate""health and prosperity are the best defence against climate change"Bill Gates' 180 on Climate Change: ‘It's Not Doomsday'Climate change won't end civilization, says Bill GatesBill Gates Backtracks on Climate Change Doomsaying: ‘Will Not Lead to Humanity's Demise'Memo From Bill Gates Warns Against Climate AlarmismBill Gates now says climate change won't be as serious as he fears - and calls for more spending on vaccines insteadBill Gates Says Climate Change Isn't So Bad After AllBill Gates Delivers ‘Tough Truths' on Climate Just Before Big U.N. TalksIn surprising turn, Bill Gates pens essay calling to reconsider investments on 'climate change'Bill Gates pivots climate strategy to focus on poverty over carbon emissions reductionWe won: Trump claims climate change hoax defeat after Bill Gates' commentsBut then there's:Report warns climate change causing millions of preventable deaths each yearAnnual climate change report finds “planet on the brink”OpenAI completes for-profit restructuring and grants Microsoft a 27% stake in the companyTrick or Treat?Trick: OpenAI has completed its for-profit recapitalization and converted its for-profit arm into the OpenAI Group Public Benefit CorporationTreat: The corporation remains controlled by the nonprofit foundation.Trick: Under the deal, Microsoft has gained a 27% stake and retained access to OpenAI's technology through 2032, including any AGI models verified by an independent panel.Treat: Microsoft has gained a 27% stakeThe agreement lifts long-standing capital restrictions and ends Microsoft's exclusive cloud rights.Layoffs are piling up, raising worker anxiety. Here are some companies that have cut jobs recentlyAmazon 14,000 (4%)Paramount Global 2,000 (10%)UPS 48,000Target Corporation 1,800 (8%)Nestlé 16,000 (6%)Lufthansa Group 4,000Novo Nordisk 9,000 (11%)ConocoPhillips 2,600–3,250 (20–25%)Intel Corporation 24,500 (24%)Microsoft 15,000 (3%)Procter & Gamble 7,000 (6%)Charter Communications 1,200 (1%)Workday 1,750 (9%)Some of the most Halloween-ish phrases in recent layoff memos:“Building a strong, future‑focused company” Paramount Skydance“Roles that are no longer aligned with our evolving priorities” Paramount“Reducing bureaucracy, removing layers, shifting resources” Amazon“Investing in our biggest bets” Amazon“We need to be organized more leanly … to move as quickly as possible”“We recognize these actions affect our most important asset: our people.” Paramount“Thriving business / success built on bold bets” YouTubeThe eerie subtext:Paramount: neopbaby David Ellison (daddy is world's 2nd richest man)Amazon: Jeff Bezos is world's 3rd richest manYouTube (Alphabet): Larry Page and Sergey Brin are 4th and 6th richest men, respectivelyTrick: the layoffsTreat: ummmm…. The announcement didn't happen six days before Christmas??CEOs who are also board chairs are the problem not the solution, says top governance expertTrick: the utter bullshit of the protected class: Charles Elson, founding director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware and a director on several boards over his career: "I well recall the CEO and board chair of a manufacturing company (which I won't name) telling me smugly he had just bought a corporate airplane for his directors to use. He said he didn't expect much trouble from them after that."He currently serves on the board of Encompass HealthPreviously at Circon Corporation*, Sunbeam Corporation*, Nuevo Energy, AutoZone, Alderwoods Group, and Bob Evans FarmsTreat: We're always right MMGoodliest of the Week (MM/DR):DR: Renewable energy and EVs have grown so much faster than experts predicted 10 years ago and Brazil boasts drop in deforestation ahead of UN climate talksMM: Billionaires are spending big to stop Zohran Mamdani's NYC mayoral bid for this quote: DR“They're spending more money than I would even tax them,” Mamdani said in an interview with MSNBC Tuesday.Assholiest Seven Deadly Sinnliest of the Week (MM):Wrath: Serious New Hack Discovered Against OpenAI's New AI BrowserMost browsers store passwords or stay logged in to banks and other sites - OpenAI's browser allows a hacker to inject a prompt into the AI that says something like “send all money in your bank account to this account” without you even knowingIt does not allow you to say “depose Sam Altman as CEO of OpenAI”Gluttony DR: John C. Malone to Transition to Chairman Emeritus of Liberty Media CorporationRelease quote: “effective January 1, 2026, long-standing Chairman of the Board, John C. Malone, will step down from the board of directors”Release reality: “Man with 49.2% voting power over company sits in corner of board meetings he feels like going to and demands to know why the donuts are all plain jelly and not powdered sugar jelly before firing the entire board he's not technically on.”Sloth: Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon: The bank hasn't made enough progress in hiring womenWhen asked, “Solomon estimated that women make up 41% of Goldman's total workforce on Thursday, although he said he was not certain of the percentage.”Pride: Delta calls on Congress to immediately end government shutdown, pay air traffic controllers58% of Delta political contributions were to this GOP, with majority of committee lobbying/spending for appropriation committee republicansEnvy: Turns Out, Wikipedia Isn't That 'Woke' As Grokipedia Rips Off Most of Its PagesGrokipedia's Article on the Cybertruck Clearly Shows Why the Whole Project Is DoomedMost of Grokipedia's 800,000 articles currently are copies of Wikipedia - except when Musk tweets something, then Grok replaces parts of the article with essentially Musk's thoughtsThis is what he wants an extra $1tn to accomplishLust: Meta denies torrenting porn to train AI, says downloads were for “personal use”Strike 3 Holdings discovered illegal downloads of some of its adult films on Meta corporate IP addresses, as well as other downloads that Meta allegedly concealed using a “stealth network” of 2,500 “hidden IP addresses.” Accusing Meta of stealing porn to secretly train an unannounced adult version of its AI model powering Movie Gen, Strike 3 sought damages that could have exceeded $350 millionGreed: OpenAI Restructure Paves Way for IPO and AI Spending SpreeIPO expected to open at a $1tn valuation - it's last funding round was a $500bn valuation a month agoThe non profit - the part that is expected to create AI for the benefit of all humanity - currently owns 26% of the new for profit structure and “controls” the boardThe board has on it Bret Taylor (ex boards of Salesforce - co founder, Twitter), Adam D'Angelo (Asana, CEO Quora, ex CTO Facebook), Sue Desmond-Hellmann (Pfizer, ex Gates Foundation CEO, ex Meta board), Zico Kolter (co founder Gray Swan AI, professor, ex Stanford), Gen Paul Nakasone (ex NSA, cybersecurity), Bayo Ogunlesi (Blackrock, Topgolf, Kosmos Energy, ex Goldman board, investment banker), Nicole Seligman (lawyer for Ollie North, ex Sony), and Larry Summers (ex Harvard prez, current douchebag, ex Epstein island, ex Sec of Treasury)So 100% of the board is 100% for profit assholes picked by the 26% non profit entity to offset the for profit motivations of… Microsoft, who owns 27% of the sharesHeadliniest of the WeekDR: Claim that climate change does not affect bananas lacks contextMM: Secret Double Octopus Appoints Former NetApp CEO Dan Warmenhoven to its Board of DirectorsHow are we not taken seriously when this company is a cybersecurity firm that works with banks??MM: Embattled ​Tylenol Maker Kenvue Hires New Marketing ChiefProblem solved!Who Won the Week?DR: climate change deniersMM: Jim Umpleby, current Executive Chair at Caterpillar, who Jim Cramer just called a "visionary", when JUST LAST WEEK we pointed out there are 122 non founder or family exec chairs roaming around (like Umpleby) who have a long history of just below average performancePredictionsDR: Bill Gates' next billionaire truth: "Pumpkins are not actually orange. And we should be thinking about grapefruits instead."MM: Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon looks up the number of women who work at Goldman

On today's Dear Heretics segment, Kelli and Nolan analyze why traditional bonus programs fail at early-stage companies, advocating for flexible sprint incentives and spot bonuses over rigid annual structures that create organizational debt.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINNolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/—For coaching and advising inquire athttps://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction: The Bonus Program Question(01:04) The Cyclical Wave & Sales Incentives(01:42) Why Early-Stage Companies Struggle(02:46) The Coin-Operating Problem(03:26) The 96% Problem: Legacy & Recruiting Pressure(04:34) You Can't Put the Toothpaste Back(05:30) Equity Over Bonuses(06:09) Inconsistent Application Across Teams(06:43) Walking It Back Is Brutal(08:06) Sponsor: Metaview(09:28) Technical Debt vs People Debt(11:10) Second Order Consequences(12:31) MBOs Are a Fable(12:53) The Solution: Sprint Incentives(14:04) Surprise and Delight: Spot Bonuses(15:08) Discretionary Budgets & Agility(15:54) Final Thoughts: Avoid People Debt(15:59) Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

Today on HR Heretics, we're excited to cross post a conversation from Metaview's 10x Recruiting Podcast featuring Viet Nguyen, Head of Global Recuiting Operations of Vercel, on using AI to analyze top interviewers' transcripts, extracting their unconscious patterns and building tools that scale interviewing excellence.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH VIET, NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINViet: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vietnguyen6/Nolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/—Vercel: https://vercel.com/-For coaching and advising inquire athttps://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(00:13) Progress Over Perfection(01:00) Why Throwing Messy Data at AI Actually Works(01:37) The Three-Hour Experiment That Changed Everything(02:38) Create Leverage Where Possible(03:30) Do Nothing vs. Do Something: The Real Choice(04:00) Sponsor: Metaview(04:14) Interview Begins: Meet Viet Nguyen(04:51) The Rejection That Led to Friendship(05:26) The Five-Year Tour of Duty in Recruiting Ops(06:37) From Zero Coding Skills to Building AI Tools(08:00) The Gaspar Effect: Decoding Your Best Interviewer(10:30) What Makes a Great Interviewer Great?(13:45) Building the Automated Back-Channel Reference Tool(17:20) The RAG Database That Knows Everyone(20:00) When AI Says “No Connections Found” (And Why That's Okay)(23:15) The Webhook That Keeps Your Database Fresh(26:51) Perfect Is the Enemy of Progress(28:00) “Anybody Can Cook” - The Non-Technical Builder's Manifesto(28:27) Automating Interview Debriefs: The Next Frontier(29:28) Real-Time Debrief Summaries: The Dream State(30:04) Where to Find Viet(30:33) Community Show and Tell: The Vision(31:15) We're All Stupid Together (And That's the Point)(32:05) Friday Night Recruiting Projects (32:18) Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

 This episode with Jason James from Tezi briefly vanished from Spotify. Don't ask us why. But it's too good to not share again. So here's Jason unpacking the future of recruiting. Please enjoy.Jason James doesn't sugarcoat it: recruiting coordinators and sourcers won't exist in 5 years. In this episode, James (Co-founder and COO of Tezi) sits down with Kelli and Nolan to discuss how to screen 3000 applicants in minutes, why most great resumes just rode the elevator up at hypergrowth companies, and why AI bias audits set a higher standard than humans ever could.Support our Sponsors:Ethena is the compliance training platform built for modern workplaces. Visit goethena.com/heretics and get 10% off your first year.Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH JASON, NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINJason: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasontezi/Nolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/—Tezi: https://tezi.ai/-For coaching and advising inquire athttps://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:55) Meet Max: The AI Agent Replacing Recruiting Busywork(03:16) AI Bias vs Human Bias: Which Is Fairer?(06:08) Human-in-the-Loop: AI Recommends, Humans Decide(07:34) AI Interviews at Top of Funnel: What Works, What Doesn't(11:00) Standing Out in a Crowded AI Recruiting Market(14:26) Sponsors: Ethena & Metaview(17:18) “RCs and Sourcers, Find Something Else”(20:30) The New Grad Opportunity: Alpha in a Tough Market(22:23) “Riding the Elevator Up”: The Resume Pedigree Problem(24:26) How to Spot Resume Riders vs Real Contributors(26:00) 100-Hour Weeks and the 9-9-6 Culture Debate(30:00) “The Best Culture Is Growth”(31:00) Tezi's Culture: Committed to Calm, Team of Adults(34:00) What's Next for Tezi?(34:56) Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

Comedians Clare O'Kane, Alex Ptak, and Jeremy Kaplowitz explore the mysterious land of Quora.com to answer life's questions. This week's questions include: How can I let others look at my wife in a bikini? When I go to a beach or fishing with her in a bikini all the men there keep looking at her. What does a husband really expect from a wife? What would you do if your husband got your mom pregnant? --- Listen to Chris' podcast, Guys: With Bryan Quinby Get even more Quorators when you support the show @ patreon.com/quorators Send quoras and qommunicate on our discord discord.gg/7pPYuKuYCr Watch the show @ youtube.com/@quorators

In this latest installment of AI Corner, Kelli, Nolan and Metaview CEO Siadhal Magos discuss the “Trough of Disillusionment” in enterprise AI adoption, exploring the gap between inflated expectations and practical implementation realities in recruiting workflows. Watch as Siadhal demonstrates Metaview's AI sourcing, showcasing its intuitive, agent-based approach that moves beyond traditional Boolean methods.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH SIADHAL, NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINSiadhal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siadhal/Nolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/—Metaview: https://www.metaview.ai/-For coaching and advising inquire athttps://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(00:35) Why Metaview Built AI Sourcing(02:20) The Vision: Humans and AI Working Together(03:09) Technical Breakthrough: Browser Use and Computer Use(04:41) Beta to GA Launch Story(05:01) Promptless Sourcing Feature(06:36) Sponsor: Metaview(07:58) Demo(26:38) Data Sources and LinkedIn Compliance(28:01) Future: ATS Integration and Multi-Database Search(30:13) What's Coming Next for Metaview(31:29) Product Development Philosophy(32:04) How to Try Metaview Sourcing(32:33) Closing This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

Uber is paying its drivers as little as $1 to train LLMs.

On today's Dear Heretics segment, Kelli and Nolan analyze why traditional bonus programs fail at early-stage companies, advocating for flexible sprint incentives and spot bonuses over rigid annual structures that create organizational debt.Support our Sponsor:Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Check it out: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics* Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.* Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can't live without Metaview.* It only takes minutes to get up and running.KEEP UP WITH NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINNolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/—For coaching and advising inquire athttps://kellidragovich.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction: The Bonus Program Question(01:04) The Cyclical Wave & Sales Incentives(01:42) Why Early-Stage Companies Struggle(02:46) The Coin-Operating Problem(03:26) The 96% Problem: Legacy & Recruiting Pressure(04:34) You Can't Put the Toothpaste Back(05:30) Equity Over Bonuses(06:09) Inconsistent Application Across Teams(06:43) Walking It Back Is Brutal(08:06) Sponsor: Metaview(09:28) Technical Debt vs People Debt(11:10) Second Order Consequences(12:31) MBOs Are a Fable(12:53) The Solution: Sprint Incentives(14:04) Surprise and Delight: Spot Bonuses(15:08) Discretionary Budgets & Agility(15:54) Final Thoughts: Avoid People Debt(15:59) Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

Comedians Clare O'Kane, Alex Ptak, and Jeremy Kaplowitz explore the mysterious land of Quora.com to answer life's questions. This week's questions include: Could a hybrid chimp/human be born without sin? Is it possible for a large human (like The Mountain or The Rock) to intimidate a chimp in a show of dominance despite the chimp being stronger? Why has nobody tried using war gorillas? --- Get even more Quorators when you support the show @ patreon.com/quorators Send quoras and qommunicate on our discord discord.gg/7pPYuKuYCr Watch the show @ youtube.com/@quorators

Comedians Clare O'Kane, Alex Ptak, and Jeremy Kaplowitz explore the mysterious land of Quora.com to answer life's questions. This week's questions include: Is being humble seen as a fool these days? Can a single insult change a person's destiny? What if the radio and TV are involved in gang stalking and directed conversation for me personally? What if the electronic harassment is stimulating you sexually? What can I do about this? --- Get even more Quorators when you support the show @ patreon.com/quorators Send quoras and qommunicate on our discord discord.gg/7pPYuKuYCr Watch the show @ youtube.com/@quorators