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When it comes to AI, technology, and decision-making in your business — are you in training, an expert, grand master or using this force dangerously? AI is everywhere. Everyone’s using it. Few people are using it well . As a small business owner, the real question isn’t “Do you use AI?”   It’s:   How wisely are you using it? Welcome to AI Force Spectrum — What camp are you in?  Padawan — In Training      You’re a Padawan if: You dabble with AI for emails or ideas You’re unsur

Cue the dramatic music. On one side: AI the Hero  — eliminating busywork, accelerating campaigns, unlocking insights once reserved for enterprise teams.  On the other: AI the Villain  — generic messaging, robotic customer interactions, and companies automating themselves into brand invisibility. So, which is it? From a marketing perspective, the answer is simple: AI is neither a hero nor a villain--it’s a force multiplier.   And like any force multiplier, it only works if lea

He Delivered a Masterclass in Modern Marketing. I’ll admit it — like most marketing people, I don’t really watch the Super Bowl for football. I watch the ads, the positioning, the audience signals, and the big cultural swings brands take when 100+ million people are watching. And this year, the biggest marketing case study wasn’t a $10M commercial. It was Bad Bunny. By the time the halftime show ended, the question wasn’t just “Was that a good performance?” It was: Did we

Every February I watch the Super Bowl with two brains running in parallel — one enjoying the game and the other reverse-engineering the marketing strategy. With more than 125 million Americans watching and ad prices approaching $10 million for 30 seconds, the Super Bowl remains the most concentrated marketplace of attention in the country. But this year, the most interesting story wasn’t just which ads worked. It was the structural shift happening underneath the broadcast.

(A Growth Guide for Businesses Ready to Scale) I’ve always had a soft spot for medical dramas. Back in the day it was E.R., Doogie Howser M.D., and Scrubs among others .  Now I’m hooked on The Pitt.  At this point, I feel like I’ve completed several years of highly questionable “televised medical training.” So yes… I basically play doctor on myself. I’ve even caught myself walking into my actual doctor’s office saying, “I don’t know exactly what’s wrong, but I saw this on an

Explore the top marketing trends for small businesses in 2026, from AI and video to community and collaboration, with a fresh “New Lang Syne” perspective.

It’s that time of year again — hot cocoa season, twinkling lights everywhere, and that sacred holiday tradition: curling up on the couch to rewatch the same comfort movies where we say we’ll only watch one… and then accidentally binge three . And isn’t it funny how certain characters stick with us over time? Not just because they’re festive — but because we start to see ourselves in them. And let’s be honest… our businesses usually end up reflecting that energy too. Some year

“69 is now called 96 because of the economy.”  Honestly? Accurate. Painfully accurate. And look — I felt that in my soul last week at Trader Joe’s , my happy place… normally. I walked in for “just a few things” (famous last words), grabbed my usuals — the “reduced fat” cheese puffs, the praline pecans, and of course, a bouquet of seasonal flowers I absolutely did not need — and somehow walked out $86 lighter. Eighty. Six. Dollars. For what used to be a $45 situation. Even th

Whenever someone says, “I’m a life insurance agent,”  my survival instincts kick in. My heart races, my palms get sweaty, and suddenly I’m scanning for the nearest exit like I’m in a slasher film. Not because I don’t believe in life insurance—I do! But because I know what’s coming next: a slow, dramatic pitch designed to make me question whether I’ll live long enough to finish my Diet Coke. The Halloween Strategy: Fear First, Facts Later Life insurance marketing follows the s

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I was catching up with a great friend and entrepreneur over brunch recently.  During our time together, she opened up about her Ozempic...

As a kid, the Passover Seder was more than just a family gathering; it was my personal quest for glory. While others might have been...

Navigating today’s economic challenges requires a deep understanding of both microeconomic and macroeconomic factors, along with...

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It always comes as a surprise to my friends that among all the holidays, Valentine's Day holds a special place in my heart. Looks can be...

I’m not typically a binger, but there’s something about the mockumentary-style TV sitcom "Modern Family" that had me glued. Maybe it’s...

Remember back when you proudly told everyone you were the “Carrie” in the group? Fast forward a decade, and here we are, still watching...