The Inflection

Josh Hoffman
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The Inflection, hosted by Josh Hoffman and presented by NorthPulse, is about the moments that change a business. Each episode is a conversation with a founder or leader of an agency or professional services firm about how they won their first clients, how they grew, and the point where what got them there stopped working. Guests talk through the decisions behind those moments. Losing a major client. Outgrowing referrals. Hiring for sales. Raising prices. Narrowing their focus. Rethinking the work as AI changes what clients expect. No scripts. No polished hindsight. Just what changed, what they did next, and what they'd tell someone starting out today. Whether you're in the middle of your own turning point or getting ready for the next one, The Inflection is for you.

Episodes

  1. 15h ago

    Courtney Wasserburger: Why Niching Down Helps Agencies Stand Out

    What helps a digital marketing agency stand out—and what makes a client ready to grow? This episode explores niche expertise, strong CRM foundations, and how AI can free teams to focus on strategic work. In this episode, Josh Hoffman, Jason Graub, and Courtney Wasserburger discuss:  Right Left Agency’s origins and growthReferral-driven growth and targeted outreachConstruction tech and niche marketingProven products, client readiness, and CRM hygieneAI tools, reporting, and internal training Key Takeaways: Specializing in a specific niche makes it easier to demonstrate genuine expertise and earn trust.Marketing works best when campaign data connects to the client’s pipeline and sales outcomes.A product should show signs of customer traction before paid marketing is expected to scale it.Cleaning up a CRM can be a valuable first step toward more effective marketing.AI can reduce execution and reporting overhead, giving teams more space for creative and strategic thinking. “Good clients for us understand the pipeline. They understand what their conversion rates are through the pipeline, and then they're okay with investing in marketing because they know that that's going to lead to growth in the long run.” - Courtney Wasserburger About Courtney Wasserburger: At Right Left Agency, Courtney leads a team focused on solving complex growth challenges for companies with niche audiences and specialized products. Her approach combines creative thinking with rigorous data analysis—helping brands sharpen their positioning, reach the right decision-makers, generate qualified leads, and build scalable acquisition strategies across paid media and the broader digital ecosystem. Courtney has empowered companies at various stages of growth, from emerging startups to established brands, with particular expertise in helping B2B and technology companies navigate the challenges of marketing products that require education, precise messaging, and a deep understanding of the customer. Rather than relying on one-size-fits-all playbooks, she believes in testing quickly, following the data, and continuously adapting strategy around what actually drives business results. Known for a transparent, straightforward approach to marketing, Courtney has built Right Left Agency around the idea that the strongest growth strategies combine the “right brain” of creativity with the “left brain” of analytics. Connect with Courtney Wasserburger: Website: https://rightleftagency.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-wasserburger-14543519/  Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/how-they-scaled-it/id1778297914  Email: courtney@rightleftagency.com  Connect with Josh Hoffman:  Website: https://northpulse.ai/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhoffman610/  Connect with Jason Graub: Website: https://northpulse.ai/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-graub/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    Courtney Wasserburger: Why Niching Down Helps Agencies Stand Out

  2. 4d ago

    Laryssa Wirstiuk: The Pivot from Jewelry Marketing to a Sharper Agency Niche

    After nearly a decade in the jewelry space, a business “existential crisis” led to a major pivot—and a rethink of how to attract the right clients. This episode explores the hard-won lessons behind niching down, navigating AI, and building processes that make an agency more scalable. In this episode, Josh Hoffman and Laryssa Wirstiuk discuss:  The value of industry specializationPivoting from jewelry to women-focused e-commerceContent marketing, SEO, and AI-driven discoveryClient expectations around AI and founder involvementStandardizing services for agency growth Key Takeaways: A clear specialty helps prospects recognize themselves in your experience and trust your expertise.A major business pivot can take time to gain traction; progress may come gradually through audience feedback and qualified leads.Content works best when it serves a defined sales funnel—not just audience consumption.Different client expectations around AI can make consistent team practices difficult to establish.Standardized service delivery and a focused offering create a stronger foundation for hiring and scaling. “I don't even think I would start an agency. It's just so hard, and with AI and technology, there's so much to navigate.” - Laryssa Wirstiuk About Laryssa Wirstiuk: Laryssa Wirstiuk is the founder and creative director of Joy Joya, a digital marketing agency for jewelry brands. She's passionate about empowering and inspiring jewelry entrepreneurs and innovators. She's also the host of the Joy Joya Jewelry Marketing Podcast. Connect with Laryssa Wirstiuk: Website: https://laryssawirstiuk.com/ | https://joyjoya.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawirstiuk/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laryssawirstiuk/?hl=en  Connect with Josh Hoffman:  Website: https://northpulse.ai/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhoffman610/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    Laryssa Wirstiuk: The Pivot from Jewelry Marketing to a Sharper Agency Niche

  3. Oct 27

    Park Howell: The Storytelling Framework That Makes Complex Ideas Click

    What if three simple words could make your brand story clearer—and help customers see why they need you? Park Howell walks Josh through the ABT framework and shares how agencies can use storytelling and AI to create more impact. In this episode, Josh Hoffman and Park Howell discuss:  Park Howell’s transition from agency owner to storytelling consultantThe ABT framework: And, But, ThereforeApplying ABT to North Pulse’s sales-efficiency storyTurning intuitive storytelling into an intentional processUsing AI to amplify agency expertise and capacity Key Takeaways: A clear message starts with one central problem—not a list of everything you can do.Lead with the audience’s perspective before introducing your brand or offer.A useful story framework can turn complex ideas into a message people can follow.Accountability can help clients get value from tools and sales systems they might otherwise leave unused.Treat AI as a way to amplify human expertise and help agencies take on more ambitious work. “I like to think of AI not as art, artificial intelligence, but artful intelligence.” - Park Howell About Park Howell: Park Howell is the founder of Business of Story, a brand storytelling consultancy. With more than four decades of experience in advertising, branding, and marketing, he previously ran Park & Co., an advertising agency in Phoenix, for two decades. He now consults, teaches, coaches, and speaks about using story in leadership, brand development, sales, and marketing. His work has included organizations such as Dell, the U.S. Air Force, and Hilton Hotels. He also hosts the Business of Story podcast and writes the Brand Story Ops for Agencies newsletter. Connect with Park Howell: Website: https://businessofstory.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parkhowell/  Connect with Josh Hoffman:  Website: https://northpulse.ai/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhoffman610/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    Park Howell: The Storytelling Framework That Makes Complex Ideas Click

  4. Oct 23

    Why Agency Growth Needs More Than Referrals

    Referrals can fuel an agency’s early growth—but they may not be enough to carry it forward. This conversation explores how agency owners can build a more intentional, adaptable pipeline before they urgently need one. In this episode, Josh Hoffman and Jason Graub discuss:  The podcast’s audience and interview formatRecognizing when referrals are no longer enoughFounder involvement in agency salesTesting channels to build a consistent pipelineNorth Pulse’s tailored outreach strategies and campaigns Key Takeaways: Referrals are valuable, but their unpredictability makes it risky to rely on them as the sole source of new business.Agency sales often depend on demonstrating the founder’s expertise, making it difficult to hand the process off entirely.There is no universal pipeline playbook; test multiple channels, then focus on what works for your business.Conference outreach is more effective when it starts before the event, with specific meetings in mind.Watch for market changes early and build new ways to generate demand before pipeline pressure becomes urgent. “If you don't think referrals are going to necessarily carry the business in 2027, how do you think about the different ways now, not in January when you're like, ‘Crap, I don't necessarily have the leads and pipeline that I would want to have.’” - Jason Graub About Jason Graub: Jason has built go-to-market from nothing at three companies, carrying the number himself before building the systems that carried it. At Tourial, he took revenue from $100K to $1M ARR in under a year. At Navless, he built the foundation that reached the first $500K in six months. At Eventup, he ran the function and the team. He also builds the software. Bespoke applications, internal tools, and automations, fitted to whatever a client already runs rather than requiring them to adopt something new. That includes the systems behind our own outreach, and production builds for clients where the process was too specific for anything off the shelf. Having run sales teams is why the software he builds fits how people actually work instead of forcing them to change how they work. Connect with Jason Graub: Website: https://northpulse.ai/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-graub/  Connect with Josh Hoffman:  Website: https://northpulse.ai/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhoffman610/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    Why Agency Growth Needs More Than Referrals

  5. Oct 6

    Jesse Eisenberg: How Street Talk Grew 6x in 10 Months Without Outbound Sales

    After nearly 18 years and more than $1 billion in closed new business, Jesse Eisenberg turned down CEO offers to join a 21-year-old college dropout's street interview startup. In under a year, it grew 6x. He explains the pricing, packaging, and trust-building moves behind that growth, and why he's never needed outbound sales. In this episode, Josh Hoffman and Jesse Eisenberg discuss:  Innovation through listening and delegatingConsultative selling and deeper discoveryHiring sales talent from within the delivery teamRebranding, pricing, and subscription packaging for rapid growthRepositioning authentic creative as upper-funnel brand content Key Takeaways: Discovery time predicts win rate. Turn one discovery call into several by meeting every stakeholder before the pitch, so you walk in with champions who are rooting for you. Outbound sales is usually inefficient for agencies. Personal brands, paid media, and your own media channels build trust before a prospect ever reaches out. Look inside for your best salespeople. Staff who already deliver the work bring credibility and authority on day one. Packaging can steer buying behavior. Offering raw footage only on subscription plans moved subscription adoption from 50% to 80%. Let data decide where your product fits. Creative that underperforms on conversion metrics may be driving new-customer revenue further up the funnel. "Brands don't want to be sold by the salesperson. They want to meet the team that they'd actually be working with." - Jesse Eisenberg About Jesse Eisenberg: Jesse is the CEO and Co-founder of StreetTalk, a creative advertising agency specializing in street-interview video content that combats AI-generated marketing and influencer fatigue. Previously Chief Growth Officer at Tinuiti, the largest independent performance marketing agency in the U.S., Eisenberg scaled the company from $1 million to over $200 million in revenue during his 17-year tenure. He is recognized for transforming Authentic Generated Content (AGC) into a high-performing advertising format, with client campaigns achieving 5x higher engagement and 33% lower cost-per-acquisition than traditional methods. Connect with Jesse Eisenberg: Website: https://www.streettalk.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-eisenberg-8b1955b/  Connect with Josh Hoffman:  Website: https://northpulse.ai/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhoffman610/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    Jesse Eisenberg: How Street Talk Grew 6x in 10 Months Without Outbound Sales

  6. Oct 2

    David Arato: Zero Effort Content Has Zero Value

    When ChatGPT arrived, the founder of a legal content agency thought he'd be out of business in six months. Instead, he rebuilt the company around one idea: in a world full of AI slop, content made with no effort is worth nothing, and real expertise and real relationships still win. In this episode, Josh Hoffman and David Arato discuss:  Growing from a Craigslist gig to a white-label partner for law firm agenciesHow AI changed content marketing, and why "AI slop" doesn't rankInformation gain and legal compliance in regulated fieldsSplitting the business: the "Costco" model vs. the boutique modelIn-person networking as the top sales channel Key Takeaways: Easy content earns nothing. When anyone can make "good enough" content with one click, Google has no reason to rank it. It may not even index it. Use AI to start, not to finish. Build on the draft with your brand voice, your unique selling point, and human judgment. The question isn't whether AI was used. It's whether the content helps the reader. Add something new. Even simple math on public data, like the change in yearly crash numbers, gives search engines and AI tools fresh facts worth showing. In regulated industries, a niche is a strength. Knowing the compliance rules, like not using words such as "expert" or promising results, builds trust that a generalist writer can't offer. Relationships grow through repetition. One conference won't pay off. Seeing the same people again and again, in person, turns them into friends and then clients.  "I don't believe in luck, but I believe you put yourself in a position to be lucky." - David Arato About David Arato: David Arato is the founder and CEO of Lexicon Legal Content, an attorney-owned agency that helps law firms get found online. He established Lexicon Legal Content in 2012 after identifying a significant market need: law firms and marketing agencies struggled to consistently source high-quality written content at scale. As a 2009 graduate of St. Louis University School of Law, David combines legal expertise with content strategy to deliver exceptional results for clients. Prior to his legal marketing career, David cultivated his creative talents as a professional freelance cellist in the greater St. Louis area, bringing a unique artistic perspective to legal content development. This multidisciplinary background allows him to approach legal writing with both precision and creativity. David currently resides in Breckenridge, Colorado, where he leads Lexicon alongside his wife and business partner, Erin. Together with their two dogs, Scout and Sadie, they enjoy the beautiful mountain landscape while building a company that has become a trusted resource in legal content creation. Connect with David Arato: Website: https://www.lexiconlegalcontent.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidarato/  Connect with Josh Hoffman:  Website: https://northpulse.awi/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhoffman610/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    David Arato: Zero Effort Content Has Zero Value

  7. Sep 29

    Andrew Eklund: 30 Years of Inflection Points, From Dial-Up to AI

    In 1995, only 40 million people were online, and Andrew Eklund started one of the first digital agencies in the U.S. He's lived through the dot-com crash, Google AdWords, programmatic media, and now AI, and he explains how agency owners can tell a real shift from passing noise, and why he thinks AI today looks a lot like 1999. In this episode, Josh Hoffman and Andrew Eklund discuss:  Founding Cicerone and riding 30 years of market shifts Telling real trends apart from hype in AI and new tech Vibe coding and the rush of agency-built products Why agencies struggle to move past founder-led sales Peer networks, meeting in person, and TAAN Worldwide Key Takeaways: A new technology only matters if it solves a real problem. Businesses taking it up is a good sign, but whether consumers adopt it is the final test. Adopting a tool is the easy part. The hard work is making it part of how the whole agency works: retraining staff, calming their fears, and getting everyone moving in the same direction. Curiosity beats credentials. Nobody studied the internet before it existed, so staying ahead comes from learning every day. Clients buy trust, not portfolios. That's why founders are often the best sellers, unless the agency sells a tightly defined, productized service. Assume whatever you launch is already crowded. Brand and position it the way you would for a client. If you can't say what makes it special, it's dot-com mania all over again.  "Whenever you're pitching, you're not pitching the stuff. You're not pitching your portfolio. You're not pitching case studies. You're pitching trust. That's it." - Andrew Eklund About Andrew Eklund: For 30 years, Andrew led Ciceron and their clients through the ever-evolving digital marketplace. He is now continuing that work directly with other agency leaders, including M&A matchmaking, AI vision alignment, and general agency strategy. Andrew is also the Interim President of TAAN Worldwide, one of the most distinguished and innovative independent agency networks in the world. He proudly serves as their agency leader, helping members grow the network and enrich their understanding of a rapidly changing marketplace through AI transformation. Connect with Andrew Eklund: Website: https://www.andreweklund.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreweklund/  Connect with Josh Hoffman:  Website: https://northpulse.awi/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhoffman610/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    Andrew Eklund: 30 Years of Inflection Points, From Dial-Up to AI

  8. Sep 22

    Scott Leff: Why There Are No Shortcuts in B2B Content

    When ChatGPT dropped, Scott Leff thought his content agency's run was over — instead, it clarified exactly what his team does that a model can't. He unpacks 17 years of building LEFF, the pandemic growth spurt that nearly tripled the team, and why founders can't outsource sales. In this episode, Josh Hoffman and Scott Leff discuss:  Building an agency from freelancing to ~40 peoplePandemic as "rocket fuel" for B2B content demandOnboarding as a designed client experienceAI pricing pressure and content qualityFounder-led business development Key Takeaways: Rapid growth can mask missing organizational muscles — work streaming in isn't the same as a business development capability. Technical depth is the moat. Anyone can write a feature-level piece on supply chain; connecting the dots for an expert audience is what signals credibility. Visibility and predictability build client confidence. Treat onboarding as a produced experience, not an email. Respecting senior executives' time — agendas, pre-reads, preparation — is a competitive advantage, not just etiquette. LinkedIn micro-targeting looked like fish in a barrel and was a dead end; systematic, intentional outreach through a CRM moved the needle instead.  "Nobody is a better evangelist for your company than you are." - Scott Leff About Scott Leff: Scott started LEFF in 2010 with the drive to make something new, and he’s committed to leading a creative team that says “yes” to a challenge. Scott’s early experiences playing music and managing a band gave him a chance to harness the power of promotion, cultivate strong professional relationships, and address problems with original solutions. As a managing editor of the McKinsey Quarterly and director of publications for Chicago 2016, the city’s Olympic bid organization, he continued to make bold decisions and explore ways to create distinct, powerful content. Now, Scott is helping clients achieve their goals with content that meets today’s complex business needs and strategies that position them for future success.  Connect with Scott Leff: Website: https://leffcommunications.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottmleff/ | https://www.linkedin.com/company/leff-communications/home/  Substack: https://lefffield.substack.com/  Connect with Josh Hoffman:  Website: https://northpulse.awi/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhoffman610/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    Scott Leff: Why There Are No Shortcuts in B2B Content

  9. Sep 22

    Doug Sandler: You Can't Cash a Download — Where the Money Really Comes From in Podcasting

    Most podcasters quit at episode 10 because they're staring at download numbers that will never pay the bills. Doug Sandler has launched 350+ shows by flipping the model entirely — ignore the analytics and turn the guest seat into the most reliable client pipeline you'll ever build. In this episode, Josh Hoffman and Doug Sandler discuss:  Exiting a 30-year entertainment career and the accidental pivot into podcastingStrategy vs. cheap production in a race-to-the-bottom market"Pod fade," and the two moments podcasters are most likely to quitThe "Guest to Gold" client-acquisition strategyClips, repurposing, and meeting your market where it already is Key Takeaways: Your market will tell you what it actually wants to buy — the entrepreneurs who win are the ones flexible enough to listen and pivot.Hobby-level marketing produces hobby-level results. A podcast treated as a spoke on the business wheel behaves completely differently than one treated as a creative outlet.Downloads are a vanity metric for most business owners. One or two high-ticket conversions a year can justify the entire operation.The interviewer's chair dissolves the defensiveness that kills sales calls — curiosity gets honest answers that prospecting never will.Great content alone isn't the job. Funnels, clips, distribution, and landing pages are "the other stuff" that decides whether any of it works. "People don't buy a drill because they want a drill. People buy a drill because they want a hole. You know, we want podcasting because we want the results that podcasting can offer." - Doug Sandler About Doug Sandler: Doug, Co-Founder of Turnkey Podcast Productions, is an entrepreneur and industry leader. His book, Nice Guys Finish First, is a #1 ranked Amazon bestseller.  As a podcast host of The Nice Guys, Doug has interviewed Gary V, Arianna Huffington, John C. Maxwell, Pat Flynn, John Lee Dumas, and dozens of celebs.  Doug is a nationally recognized speaker, writer, and founder of TurnKey Podcast Productions, providing podcast production, editing, and launch services. His Nice Guys podcast, with over 1,500 episodes, has been downloaded over 6 million times in more than 175 countries. Connect with Doug Sandler: Website: https://turnkeypodcast.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-sandler/  Connect with Josh Hoffman:  Website: https://northpulse.awi/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhoffman610/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    Doug Sandler: You Can't Cash a Download — Where the Money Really Comes From in Podcasting

  10. Sep 22

    Welcome Episode: Why Being Upfront Beats Cold Outreach Every Time

    A serial founder turns the microphone on himself to explain why he chases physical adversity to build business toughness — and reveals the single honest sentence in a cold LinkedIn message that's now working "like gangbusters." In this episode, Josh Hoffman discusses:  Startup life and struggling with authority Physical adversity as training for business Scoping failures and client expectation-setting Podcasting as a business development engine Show format, pillars, and ideal listener Key Takeaways: Failure teaches more than success — winners often misdiagnose what actually worked for them. Scope and expectations are the same problem as wearing two hats; get both wrong early and even good work disappoints. Telling clients honestly what stage you're at buys patience and partnership instead of eroding credibility. In outreach, prospect people who've already proven they want content — past podcast guests and active LinkedIn posters. Naming your commercial intent upfront removes the sleaze and makes the follow-up conversation easy.  "We only get one of these life things, and I don't want to spend it making someone else money." - Josh Hoffman Connect with Josh Hoffman:  Website: https://northpulse.ai/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhoffman610/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    Welcome Episode: Why Being Upfront Beats Cold Outreach Every Time
  • 10 Episodes

About

The Inflection, hosted by Josh Hoffman and presented by NorthPulse, is about the moments that change a business. Each episode is a conversation with a founder or leader of an agency or professional services firm about how they won their first clients, how they grew, and the point where what got them there stopped working. Guests talk through the decisions behind those moments. Losing a major client. Outgrowing referrals. Hiring for sales. Raising prices. Narrowing their focus. Rethinking the work as AI changes what clients expect. No scripts. No polished hindsight. Just what changed, what they did next, and what they'd tell someone starting out today. Whether you're in the middle of your own turning point or getting ready for the next one, The Inflection is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Josh Hoffman
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 | All Rights Reserved | Josh Hoffman