Inside Marketing with MarketSurge

Reed Hansen
  • 5.0 (6)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to Inside Marketing with MarketSurge — your front-row seat to the boldest business insights, marketing breakthroughs, and entrepreneurial real talk. Hosted by Reed Hansen, Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge and a digital marketing veteran who's helped scale everything from scrappy startups to Fortune 500 giants, this podcast dives deep into what’s really moving the needle in today’s marketing world. Find us at Marketsurge.io Each week, we’ll break down the latest marketing and business news (minus the fluff), explore tech trends you actually need to know, and feature unfiltered conversations with the most interesting minds in entrepreneurship and marketing. Whether you're a founder, a marketer, or just a curious hustler looking to level up, this is where growth happens—loudly, smartly, and with just the right amount of sass. Subscribe, tune in, and let’s scale something legendary. 🚀

  1. Challenger Brand Marketing with John Gumas | How to Win Without a Big Budget

    1D AGO

    Challenger Brand Marketing with John Gumas | How to Win Without a Big Budget

    In this episode, Reed Hansen sits down with John Gumas, President of Commit Agency and the marketing strategist who literally trademarked the term Challenger Brand Marketing. With over 40 years of experience, John has helped brands competing against much larger, better-funded “gorilla” competitors discover and defend positions no one else can own. From financial institutions to highly regulated industries, his methodology is built on one principle: 👉 You don’t win by being slightly better. 👉 You win by being meaningfully different. 🎯 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: What “Challenger Brand Marketing” really meansWhy most marketing campaigns fail before they startThe 5-step challenger brand frameworkWhy discovery is the most important (and skipped) step in marketingHow to compete against brands with 10x your budgetWhy niche positioning beats trying to be everything to everyoneA real-world credit union case study that transformed growthHow to turn customers into loyal brand advocates🧠 Key Takeaway Most companies start marketing at step 3 or 4 (creative or media spend). John explains why real growth starts with deep discovery — uncovering the true emotional reason customers choose you over competitors. When you know that? Your strategy becomes obvious. Your messaging becomes clear. Your growth becomes predictable. 📖 About John Gumas John Gumas is the President of Commit Agency, formerly founder of Gumas Advertising (est. 1984), and the author of two books on Challenger Brand Marketing. He has advised brands across financial services, regulated industries, and competitive markets — helping them shift from commoditized players to meaningful, differentiated brands. Learn more about Challenger Brand Marketing: 👉 https://commitagency.com/challenger-brand-marketing/ Connect with John on LinkedIn: 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-gumas-08046/ 🎙️ About the Show Inside Marketing with MarketSurge is your front row seat to bold business insights, marketing breakthroughs, and entrepreneurial real talk. Hosted by Reed Hansen, Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge, this podcast dives deep into what’s actually moving the needle in today’s marketing world. 🔥 Want to Grow Smarter, Faster, and Louder? Head over to: 👉 https://marketsurge.io See how MarketSurge helps businesses scale with: SEO & Organic GrowthCRM ImplementationPaid Ads ManagementMarketing AutomationFull-Funnel StrategyBecause your next breakthrough shouldn’t be a guess.

    24 min
  2. Why Email Still Drives the Highest ROI in Ecommerce with Jordan Dean Gordon

    FEB 11

    Why Email Still Drives the Highest ROI in Ecommerce with Jordan Dean Gordon

    Inside Marketing with MarketSurge | Featuring Jordan Dean Gordon Email has been declared “dead” for years — yet it continues to outperform almost every other marketing channel when done right. In this episode of Inside Marketing with MarketSurge, Reed Hansen sits down with Jordan Dean Gordon, a 25-year veteran of ecommerce, email CRM, and customer retention. Jordan has held leadership roles across startups, successful exits, Amazon, and Realtor.com, and today leads teams at PilotHouse while hosting the World’s Best Email and Retention Podcast. This conversation dives deep into why email remains one of the most powerful drivers of profitability, how it improves paid advertising ROI, and what most brands get wrong about funnels, metrics, and customer experience. If you care about retention, scalability, and building an audience you actually own, this episode is for you. What You’ll Learn: Why email and SMS are more relevant today than ever beforeHow email directly improves paid media ROI and lowers acquisition costsWhy most brands chase the wrong metrics in email and CROThe role of abandonment, lifecycle flows, and long-term follow-upThe 120-second psychological journey every website visitor goes throughWhich metrics matter at each stage of the funnel and which are overratedWhy investing in the bottom of the funnel creates compounding growthKey Takeaways: Email touches every stage of the customer lifecycle at a lower cost than adsRetention channels unlock revenue without increasing ad spendConversion rate optimization can double revenue without more trafficFunnels fail when clarity, speed, and intent are ignoredBrands that invest in email and CX scale faster and more profitablyGuest Links:Jordan Dean Gordon on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jordangordon/ PilotHousehttps://www.pilothouse.co At MarketSurge, we help you turn tools into systems — and systems into growth.If you want automation that feels personal and performs like a team of 10, you’re in the right place. Want to talk strategy or see it in action?Book your 15-minute Value or Free Coffee Call:https://link.marketsurge.io/widget/bookings/15minutevalueorfreecoffee Useful MarketSurge LinksWebsite: https://marketsurge.ioFacebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035121171654Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/15wpKr1WmN/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsurgeioX / Twitter: https://x.com/marketsurgingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/marketsurging/Podcast: https://marketsurge.transistor.fm/ Because your next breakthrough shouldn’t be a guess.

    24 min
  3. Why Most Google Ads Fail (And How to Turn Them Into a Predictable Lead Engine) - Jeff Coleman

    FEB 9

    Why Most Google Ads Fail (And How to Turn Them Into a Predictable Lead Engine) - Jeff Coleman

    Inside Marketing with MarketSurge | Featuring Jeff Coleman Google Ads should be printing leads — so why does it feel like a money pit for so many businesses? In this episode of Inside Marketing with MarketSurge, Reed Hansen sits down with Jeff Coleman, founder of Factor Four Marketing, to break down what’s actually broken in Google Ads today — and what still works incredibly well when done right. Jeff has been managing Google Ads since 2004 (back when it was simple, cheap, and didn’t require a 40-page dashboard) and now oversees more than $4 million in annual ad spend for businesses ranging from local service providers to Fortune 500 companies. If you’ve ever been told to “trust the process” while your ad budget quietly burns, this episode is for you. What You’ll Learn: Why most Google Ads campaigns underperform, even when managed by agenciesThe number one conversion-tracking mistake that kills ROIWhy “trust the process” is bad advice and what to trust insteadVanity metrics versus metrics that actually grow your businessHow to turn Google Ads into a predictable lead engineWhen Google Ads isn’t a good fit and when it’s a goldmineKey Takeaways: Focus on the right conversions, not cheap distractionsSeparate branded and non-branded traffic to see real growthKnow your numbers or Google will gladly spend your moneyDifferentiation wins — “great customer service” doesn’tResults beat dashboards every timeGuest Links:Factor Four Marketing: http://factorfour.com/Jeff Coleman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffcoleman21/ At MarketSurge, we help you turn tools into systems — and systems into growth.If you want automation that feels per

    20 min
  4. Concierge-Level Service in a Chatbot World: Lessons from Payments Veteran Allen Kopelman

    FEB 6

    Concierge-Level Service in a Chatbot World: Lessons from Payments Veteran Allen Kopelman

    🚀 Welcome to Inside Marketing with MarketSurgeYour front-row seat to the boldest ideas and smartest strategies in the marketing game. In this episode, host Reed Hansen, Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge, sits down with Alan Kopelman, CEO and Co-Founder of Nationwide Payment Systems and the creator of the B2B Vault Podcast. Alan’s entrepreneurial journey started early, working behind the cash registers in his family’s clothing stores in Miami. From there, his path took several unexpected turns — culinary school, becoming an executive chef, running food and beverage operations for major hotels, opening his own restaurant and catering company, and eventually finding his way into merchant services in 2001. Alan co-founded Nationwide Payment Systems with a simple but powerful mission: deliver concierge-level service in an industry known for being confusing, transactional, and impersonal. Today, Nationwide Payment Systems serves over 1,000 clients nationwide across payments, fintech, SaaS, and regulated industries. In this conversation, we dive into entrepreneurship, scaling service-based businesses, customer retention, payments risk, compliance, AI, fraud, and what Alan has learned after decades of building companies the hard way. 🎙️ Topics Covered in This Episode • Growing up in a family business and learning the value of money early• How hospitality and restaurant experience translate into better customer service• Why most payment processors fail business owners• Scaling a service business through referrals and long-term relationships• The shift from traditional merchant services to fintech and SaaS• How AI is impacting payments, fraud, and identity theft• Understanding compliance in regulated and high-risk industries• Why customer retention matters more than customer acquisition• Using podcasts to build authority, trust, and relationships• Lessons learned from 25+ years in entrepreneurship 👤 About the Guest Alan Kopelman is the CEO and Co-Founder of Nationwide Payment Systems, a full-service payments and fintech company focused on transparency, compliance, and real human support. He is also the host of the B2B Vault Podcast, where he interviews entrepreneurs and business owners about scaling, compliance, leadership, marketing, and real-world business challenges. 🔗 Connect with Alan Kopelman Website: https://nationwidepaymentservices.comPodcast: B2B Vault (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube)LinkedIn: Search “Alan Kopelman” 📈 About MarketSurge MarketSurge is a customer relationship management platform built for service and product-based businesses focused on growth. Manage all your contacts, conversations, and automation in one place without losing the personal touch. Website: https://marketsurge.ioPricing: https://marketsurge.io/pricingPhotography Solutions: https://marketsurge.io/photography 🎯 Book a 15-minute Value or Free Coffee Call:https://link.marketsurge.io/widget/bookings/15minutevalueorfreecoffeecg1hf1 🎙️ Inside Marketing with MarketSurge Podcast:https://marketsurge.transistor.fm/ 📺 YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@surgingwithmarketsurge 📘 Facebook Business Page:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035121171654 👥 Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/15wpKr1WmN/ 💼 LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsurgeio 🐦 X / Twitter:https://x.com/marketsurging 📸 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/marketsurging/ 👍 Like, subscribe, and share if you want smarter, faster, louder marketing strategies without the fluff.

    27 min

  5. FEB 4

    Advertising Is a Guess — Here’s How to Make Better Ones - Skip Wilson

    Welcome to Inside Marketing With MarketSurge — your front row seat to the boldest ideas and smartest strategies in the marketing game. In this episode, host Reed Hansen sits down with Skip Wilson, CEO of Draft Media Partners, to break down what actually works in advertising when budgets, expectations, and reality collide. Skip shares his unconventional start in advertising at age 16, how a job meant to impress a girl turned into a lifelong career, and what he learned working at scale with brands like CNN, Clear Channel, and iHeartMedia. This conversation cuts through bad ads, bad assumptions, and bad marketing advice to get real about data, paid media, branding, AI, and why advertising is always a draft, never a final. What you’ll learn in this episode:• Why small businesses should think differently about branding versus direct response• The real differences between six-figure and seven-figure ad budgets• How to diagnose a “broken” ad campaign using data the right way• Why AI is making organic marketing harder and paid advertising more important• What needs to be in place before you should spend a dollar on ads• The draft mentality and why great advertising is always a work in progress• A hard truth about advertising most business owners don’t want to hear Guest information:Skip WilsonCEO, Draft Media Partners Website:[https://www.draftadvertising.com](https://www.draftadvertising.com) LinkedIn:[https://www.linkedin.com/in/skipwilson/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/skipwilson/) About the show:Inside Marketing With MarketSurge is hosted by Reed Hansen, Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge. Each episode dives into what’s really working in marketing today, with unfiltered conversations, real-world insights, and strategies you can actually use. MarketSurge links:Website: [https://marketsurge.io](https://marketsurge.io)Pricing: [https://marketsurge.io/pricing](https://marketsurge.io/pricing)Book a 15-minute Value or Free Coffee Call:[https://link.marketsurge.io/widget/bookings/15minutevalueorfreecoffee](https://link.marketsurge.io/widget/bookings/15minutevalueorfreecoffee) Podcast:[https://marketsurge.transistor.fm/](https://marketsurge.transistor.fm/) YouTube:[https://www.youtube.com/@surgingwithmarketsurge](https://www.youtube.com/@surgingwithmarketsurge) Facebook Page:[https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035121171654](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035121171654) Facebook Group:[https://www.facebook.com/share/g/15wpKr1WmN/](https://www.facebook.com/share/g/15wpKr1WmN/) LinkedIn:[https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsurgeio](https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsurgeio) X / Twitter:[https://x.com/marketsurging](https://x.com/marketsurging) Instagram:[https://www.instagram.com/marketsurging/](https://www.instagram.com/marketsurging/) Want to grow smarter, faster, and louder?Visit [https://marketsurge.io](https://marketsurge.io) and see how MarketSurge helps businesses turn marketing into a system that actually works.

    20 min
  6. Make Your Customer the Hero: The Storytelling Framework That Sells | Henry DeVries

    FEB 2

    Make Your Customer the Hero: The Storytelling Framework That Sells | Henry DeVries

    Welcome to Inside Marketing with MarketSurge — your front-row seat to the boldest ideas and smartest strategies in modern marketing. In this episode, Reed Hansen sits down with Henry DeVries, bestselling author of Persuade with a Story, Forbes columnist, and one of the most influential behind-the-scenes voices in business publishing and storytelling. Henry has helped publish and ghostwrite more than 300 business books, doubled agency revenues, increased brand awareness for billion-dollar companies, and taught leaders, marketers, and sales teams how to stop making themselves the hero — and start persuading audiences through story. This conversation dives deep into why most marketing fails, not because the product is bad, but because the story is boring, self-centered, or emotionally empty. What we cover in this episode:• Why humans are hardwired for stories and how that impacts buying decisions• The eight story frameworks that show up in great books, movies, and marketing• Why marketers make a critical mistake by making themselves the hero• How to position your customer as the hero and your brand as the mentor• The neuroscience behind emotion, persuasion, and decision-making• How to uncover your defining problem-solution stories• Why AI can’t replace human storytelling (and where it falls short)• The role of humor in persuasion and credibility• Real-world examples of storytelling driving massive business growth Henry also shares powerful case studies, practical frameworks, and actionable advice that will permanently change how you think about marketing, sales, and communication. Learn more about Henry DeVries and book him as a speaker:https://persuadewithastory.com/speaker/ Visit Henry’s website for articles, videos, and storytelling resources:https://persuadewithastory.com To stay ahead of what’s actually working in marketing today, visit MarketSurge:https://marketsurge.io Book a 15-minute Value or Free Coffee strategy call:https://link.marketsurge.io/widget/bookings/15minutevalueorfreecoffee Follow MarketSurge:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035121171654https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsurgeiohttps://x.com/marketsurginghttps://www.instagram.com/marketsurging/ Listen to the podcast:https://marketsurge.transistor.fm/ Inside Marketing with MarketSurge is hosted by Reed Hansen, Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge, where we help businesses grow smarter, faster, and louder. Subscribe for more conversations on marketing, growth, storytelling, and what it really takes to persuade and scale.

    23 min
  7. Creativity vs Performance: How to Build Brands That Actually Grow | David A. Pratter (Dot Fun)

    JAN 30

    Creativity vs Performance: How to Build Brands That Actually Grow | David A. Pratter (Dot Fun)

    Welcome to Inside Marketing with MarketSurge — your front-row seat to the boldest ideas and smartest strategies in modern marketing. In this episode, Reed Hansen sits down with David A. Pratter, co-founder of Dot Fun, a creative and growth-focused agency helping brands not just look good, but grow with intention. David leads visual storytelling and brand execution at Dot Fun, bringing ideas to life through websites, video, and creative systems designed to convert — not just impress. Having lived both sides of the equation, from freelance web design to leading multidisciplinary agency teams, David offers a rare perspective on how creativity, performance, and growth truly work together. In this conversation, we dive into:• The difference between branding that looks good and branding that actually drives growth• How Dot Fun structures services around Look Good, Feel Good, and Run Good• Where brands get stuck between design and demand• Why project management is an underrated growth lever for creatives and agencies• The balance between artistic creativity and data-driven performance• Why human-first design becomes more valuable as AI accelerates• Lessons learned from building an agency and navigating early-stage tradeoffs• How AI can support operations without replacing creative thinking• Upcoming AI tools from Dot Fun, including an AI receptionist and AI-powered project management David also shares insights on working across B2B and B2C clients, how different industries approach creativity, and why soulful, human-driven design will continue to stand out in an AI-saturated world. Learn more about David A. Pratter and Dot Fun:https://dotfun.co To stay ahead of what’s actually working in marketing today, visit MarketSurge:https://marketsurge.io Book a 15-minute Value or Free Coffee strategy call:https://link.marketsurge.io/widget/bookings/15minutevalueorfreecoffee Follow MarketSurge:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035121171654https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsurgeiohttps://x.com/marketsurginghttps://www.instagram.com/marketsurging/ Listen to the podcast:https://marketsurge.transistor.fm/ Inside Marketing with MarketSurge is hosted by Reed Hansen, Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge, where we help businesses grow smarter, faster, and louder. Subscribe for more conversations on marketing, growth, technology, and what it really takes to scale.

    23 min
  8. Why “Unsexy” Service Businesses Win Big (Scaling Poop Away with Systems & Marketing) Mark Regan

    JAN 28

    Why “Unsexy” Service Businesses Win Big (Scaling Poop Away with Systems & Marketing) Mark Regan

    Welcome to Inside Marketing with MarketSurge — your front-row seat to the boldest ideas and smartest strategies in the marketing game. Your host is Reed Hansen, Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge. In this episode, Reed sits down with Mark Regan, co-founder of Poop Away, a pet waste management company that took one of the least glamorous services imaginable and turned it into a scalable, franchise-ready growth business. Launched in 2018 with a single truck, Poop Away focused on one simple promise: make pet owners’ lives easier through reliability, personality, and systems that actually work. Since then, Mark and his team have built repeatable processes around route optimization, customer experience training, automation, and local marketing — and are now preparing for national franchising. This conversation is proof that with the right brand voice and marketing systems, even the most “unsexy” service businesses can become serious growth engines. In this episode, we cover: How Poop Away turned an uncomfortable, overlooked problem into a scalable business Why leaning into humor helped break the ice and drive word-of-mouth growth How the company found and hired great technicians for a dirty but essential job The local marketing tactics that actually worked for route density and growth Why yard signs, wrapped vehicles, and referrals beat expensive ads early on What made franchising more attractive than company-owned expansion How population density impacts service business profitability The automation systems that keep operations efficient at scale Real-world lessons service businesses can apply to landscaping, pool cleaning, and home services Why reputation, trust, and consistency matter more than ad spend in service businesses If you’re a founder, operator, or service business owner wondering how to scale a local service — even one people don’t like to talk about — this episode is for you. CONNECT WITH MARK REGAN AND POOP AWAY Website: https://callpoopaway.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/callpoopaway MARKETSURGE LINKS Website: https://marketsurge.io Podcast: https://marketsurge.transistor.fm/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035121171654 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsurgeio X / Twitter: https://x.com/marketsurging Book a Strategy or Demo Call: https://link.marketsurge.io/widget/bookings/marketsurge/demozvwcxw

    19 min
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About

Welcome to Inside Marketing with MarketSurge — your front-row seat to the boldest business insights, marketing breakthroughs, and entrepreneurial real talk. Hosted by Reed Hansen, Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge and a digital marketing veteran who's helped scale everything from scrappy startups to Fortune 500 giants, this podcast dives deep into what’s really moving the needle in today’s marketing world. Find us at Marketsurge.io Each week, we’ll break down the latest marketing and business news (minus the fluff), explore tech trends you actually need to know, and feature unfiltered conversations with the most interesting minds in entrepreneurship and marketing. Whether you're a founder, a marketer, or just a curious hustler looking to level up, this is where growth happens—loudly, smartly, and with just the right amount of sass. Subscribe, tune in, and let’s scale something legendary. 🚀

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