The Jo Show

Jo McKee
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  • Marketing

Real marketing. Real stories. Real results. Hosted by Jo McKee, marketing strategist, agency owner, and unapologetic ROI queen, this is the podcast for ambitious business owners who want to scale profitably without sacrificing their sanity or soul. Each episode uncovers what is actually moving the needle in marketing right now, straight from founders who are doing it. You will hear unfiltered conversations about: ~ The tactics and channels delivering sales growth today (and what quietly stopped working) ~ The brutal hurdles they have smashed through, and the mindset shifts that made the difference ~ How to build a business around your unique strengths instead of chasing guru templates Expect sharp insights, practical takeaways you can test tomorrow, and plenty of honest Aussie humour to keep it human. Whether you run an eCommerce brand, service business, or purpose-driven startup, these are the resilient, revenue-focused conversations that help you stay ahead without burning out. Jo brings hard-won perspective from mentoring in the Queensland Government’s Mentoring 4 Growth program, plus hands-on experience scaling businesses in film distribution, telecommunications, marine tourism, and now helping clients grow sustainably through holistic, efficient marketing. Subscribe and join the conversation. Your next breakthrough might just be one episode away.

  1. 2d ago

    Stop Hustling. This LinkedIn System Books Clients for You.

    Stop hustling. This LinkedIn system books clients for you. Jordan Eaton built Boss Assistants — a visibility and growth agency — around a hard constraint: a brain and spinal deformity that means she can't run on hustle. So she engineered a business that doesn't need it. In this episode she breaks down the LinkedIn lead generation system that books clients for six-figure consultants, coaches and solopreneurs, and the one thing you have to get right before any of it works. Her position is blunt: telling small business owners to "do all the things" is dangerous advice. Pick the lever that moves you forward, build one system properly, and stop scattering your effort across every platform. You'll learn: - Why doing "all the things" is the fastest way to burn out and stall - The full LinkedIn system that turns connections into booked calls — and why running half of it does nothing - Why Instagram is where B2B attention goes to die, and where to spend your time instead - How to get clients on LinkedIn without sounding like spam - The one step you must nail before you build any of it (most people skip it) - How long LinkedIn actually takes to pay off - Why a podcast is the evergreen channel most small businesses ignore - How to build a business around your real capacity, not the hustle myth _________________________________________ CONTACT JO: The Jo Show is for small business owners in their first one to five years — people doing the work, wearing every hat, and trying to figure out what's actually working in marketing right now. Hosted by Jo McKee, founder of McKee Creative. Subscribe to The Jo Show for more conversations with builders, inventors and operators → https://www.youtube.com/@the_jo_show Apply to be a guest on The Jo Show → https://mckeecreative.store/the-jo-show-guest-application/ Hire McKee Creative for your marketing or AI systems → https://mckeecreative.store LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeecreative/ _________________________________________ CONTACT JORDAN EATON: Boss Assistants → https://bossassistants.com/ LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-eaton/ _________________________________________ CHAPTERS: 0:00 The grind advice that'll wreck your business 1:23 12-hour days nearly broke her 2:14 Why she went all-in on LinkedIn (and dropped Instagram) 3:14 The LinkedIn system that actually books clients 5:09 Two years to get it right — and she runs it on herself 6:01 From Chick-fil-A to a niche that finally fits 6:36 How long before LinkedIn actually pays off 7:15 The evergreen channel everyone forgets: podcasts 7:48 How one client booked $3K in month one 8:24 She built the business around her limits, on purpose 10:36 Mindset, mentors and making the leap 12:37 Step one: get scary-specific about your buyer 14:17 Talk to everyone, sell to no one 15:11 Where Jordan's headed (and how to reach her) #LinkedInMarketing #LeadGeneration #SmallBusinessMarketing

    16 min

  2. Jun 4

    AI Won't Fix Your Business. It'll Scale the Mess.

    Most small business owners spend everything getting new customers through the door, then forget about them the moment they buy. Ty Givens — founder of CX Collective, who has spent 25 years building customer support for fast-growing brands — explains why that is backwards, and why customer experience is the cheapest, most effective marketing a small budget has. She also breaks down the question everyone is asking right now: where AI actually fits in your business, and where it quietly makes things worse. Her line: add AI to a broken process and you don't fix the mess, you scale it. You'll learn: - Why customer experience is the cheapest marketing a small business has - The corporate jargon mistake that sank her first launch, and the fix - What to automate with AI and what to keep human - Why bolting AI onto a broken process makes things worse, not better - The website detail that quietly breaks your AI before it starts - The customer service error that costs you repeat buyers - Why she turns down money that doesn't sit right - The burnout warning sign she ignored until an employee called it out _________________________________________ CONTACT JO: The Jo Show is for small business owners in their first one to five years — people doing the work, wearing every hat, and trying to figure out what's actually working in marketing right now. Hosted by Jo McKee, founder of McKee Creative. Subscribe to The Jo Show for more conversations with builders, inventors and operators → https://www.youtube.com/@the_jo_show Apply to be a guest on The Jo Show → https://mckeecreative.store/the-jo-show-guest-application/ Hire McKee Creative for your marketing or AI systems → https://mckeecreative.store LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeecreative/ _________________________________________ CONTACT TY GIVENS: Website → https://www.cxcollective.com LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/tybryantgivens/ _________________________________________ CHAPTERS: 0:00 If you make yourself sick, they'll just replace you 0:49 The corporate jargon that sank her first launch 1:46 Why she turns down clients who'd happily pay 3:46 Leaving money on the table on purpose 4:55 Customer experience is your cheapest marketing 8:27 The 45-minute chat that cost them customers 11:13 Why bolting AI onto a broken process backfires 13:33 The website detail that quietly breaks your AI 14:11 The client she walked away from 16:36 What to automate, what to keep human 18:50 The hamster wheel that nearly broke her 21:46 Walking away with no plan B 23:14 What she'd tell a founder who's burning out 25:11 Where to find Ty #SmallBusinessMarketing #CustomerExperience #AICustomerService

    25 min

  3. May 27

    20 Years on Referrals. No Cold Calls. Still Booked

    Most small business owners think you have to chase. Cold calls, paid funnels, networking events you don't want to be at. Graphic designer Amy Weiher has run her Seattle studio for 20+ years entirely on referrals and repeat clients — no cold outreach, no funnel, still booked. In this episode, Amy walks Jo through what she's actually done. The 4-week warm email system she uses to bring new nonprofit clients on board. The networking decision that filled her client roster. And the cortisone shot 15 years in that forced her to stop saying yes to everything. You'll learn: - Why hoping for referrals doesn't work — and what cultivating them actually looks like - Which networking groups are worth your time and which are a waste - Amy's 4-week warm email system for landing nonprofit clients - Why AI-written outreach emails go straight to the bin - The first thing to change if you're burnt out, undercharging and saying yes to everyone - How putting your prices on your website filters out the wrong clients - The conference conversation that turned into a client two years later _________________________________________ CONTACT JO: The Jo Show is for small business owners in their first one to five years — people doing the work, wearing every hat, and trying to figure out what's actually working in marketing right now. Hosted by Jo McKee, founder of McKee Creative. Subscribe to The Jo Show for more conversations with builders, inventors and operators → https://www.youtube.com/@the_jo_show Apply to be a guest on The Jo Show → https://mckeecreative.store/the-jo-show-guest-application/ Hire McKee Creative for your marketing or AI systems → https://mckeecreative.store LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeecreative/ _________________________________________ CONTACT AMY WEIHER: Website → https://weihercreative.com/ LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyweiher/ Book → Good Work — Practical Advice for Starting and Scaling Your Creative Freelance Business: https://goodworkbook.com/ _________________________________________ CHAPTERS: 0:00 Twenty years booked on referrals 0:59 The yes that ended in a cortisone shot 2:30 Hoping for referrals doesn't work. This does. 4:30 The networking group that filled her client roster 5:46 Stop joining every networking event you find 7:44 What worked in your 30s won't work in your 40s 11:05 How to push back on rushed deadlines 12:04 The clients I refuse to work with 14:49 Every yes is a no to something else 17:33 The 4-week warm email system that wins nonprofit clients 19:28 The course I bought after nine years of watching 20:46 Why AI-written emails don't land 21:15 Burnt out? Raise your rates first 22:30 Why my prices live on my website 23:37 A conference chat that became a client two years later 24:47 Start with how you want your day to feel #SmallBusinessMarketing #MarketingPodcast

    27 min

  4. May 21

    27 Years Solo. Four Industry Crashes. Zero Employees.

    Most solo operators don't last five years. Jim DeLorenzo has run his PR practice for 27 years — solo. He started in July 1999. A year later, the dot-com bubble burst. Two years after that, 9/11 wiped out his two biggest clients in a month. Then the GFC. Then COVID. Then AI. He's still doing his own work, one client at a time. In this episode, Jim shares what's actually worked across four industry collapses, why he still hires himself for every job, and how he uses ChatGPT without sounding like ChatGPT. You'll learn: How to rebuild your reputation (not yourself) when an industry collapsesThe reorient-don't-restart playbook for handling a crisisWhy the story you think no one cares about is usually the one that landsHow to land earned media with no budget and no PR teamA solo operator's actual ChatGPT workflow (and why he prints everything out)What 27 years of disruption taught him about staying in the gameThe line he uses every time something falls apart_________________________________________ CONTACT JO: The Jo Show is for small business owners in their first one to five years — people doing the work, wearing every hat, and trying to figure out what's actually working in marketing right now. Hosted by Jo McKee, founder of McKee Creative. Subscribe to The Jo Show for more conversations with builders, operators and storytellers → https://www.youtube.com/@the_jo_show Apply to be a guest on The Jo Show → https://mckeecreative.store/the-jo-show-guest-application/ Hire McKee Creative for your marketing or AI systems → https://mckeecreative.store LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeecreative/ _________________________________________ CONTACT JIM DELORENZO: Website → https://www.jhdenterprises.com/ LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimdelorenzo/ _________________________________________ CHAPTERS: 0:00 Whatever doesn't kill me will make me funnier 0:13 27 years through every crash since 1999 0:50 Starting a PR business when everyone said it would fail 1:56 A year later the dot-com bubble burst (and they came asking for work) 2:34 Then 9/11 hit. Two biggest clients gone in a month. 5:01 Taking the hit without taking it personally 6:58 The reorient-don't-restart playbook for crisis 9:30 The coach who helped him rebuild after grief 10:02 Manual typewriters to AI — don't be afraid of the next thing 13:11 How he actually uses ChatGPT (and why he prints everything out) 16:07 Why he still corrals rowers on a riverbank in his 60s 22:18 The accountant, the brain surgery and the bass guitar 25:26 The single mother who built a 700-person cleaning business 30:26 The story you think no one cares about is usually the one 31:01 $150,000 in stock options, gone overnight #PublicRelations #SmallBusinessMarketing #SoloEntrepreneur

    34 min

  5. May 14

    A Google Marketer's Best Channel Isn't Online

    Ashley Woods is a marketing strategist at Google and YouTube who built her own business — Primer Libro, a Spanish-language children's book company — on the side. In this episode, she breaks down what works at Google scale that's a complete waste of time for a small business, and what small businesses can do that Google can't. You'll hear how she had a wake-up call running Amazon ads, why mom-and-pop events outperformed every paid channel she tried, and the one marketing principle that holds true at every scale. Plus: how Jo cancelled $850 a month of marketing software and rebuilt it with AI agents. You'll learn: - Why most small business advertising spend is unprofitable, and the wake-up call that proved it - What a marketer at Google does when she's spending her own money - The data advantage small businesses have over billion-dollar companies - Incrementality vs attribution, plainly explained - Why a Google strategist is spending zero on advertising for two months - The one thing to do if you're sitting on an idea and afraid to start - How to use AI for more than just "give me ideas" and "write this email" - The $850 a month marketing software Jo cancelled (and what she runs instead) _________________________________________ CONTACT JO: The Jo Show is for small business owners in their first one to five years — people doing the work, wearing every hat, and trying to figure out what's actually working in marketing right now. Hosted by Jo McKee, founder of McKee Creative. Subscribe to The Jo Show for more conversations with builders, inventors and operators → https://www.youtube.com/@the_jo_show Apply to be a guest on The Jo Show → https://mckeecreative.store/the-jo-show-guest-application/ Hire McKee Creative for your marketing or AI systems → https://mckeecreative.store LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeecreative/ _________________________________________ CONTACT ASHLEY WOODS: Website → https://www.primerlibro.com/ Email → hola@primerlibro.com LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleywoodsmarketing/ #SmallBusiness #AIForSmallBusiness

    35 min

  6. May 6

    Stop posting on social media. Do this instead.

    Most small business owners are spending hours every week on social media that isn't moving the needle. Marketing strategist Michele Palmer — who has run campaigns for Marriott and Ritz Carlton — explains why, and what to do instead. Michele's mantra: "champagne and caviar marketing on a Coke and Cheerios budget." In this episode, she breaks down the marketing tactics small business owners actually need, and the ones they've been wasting time on. You'll learn: - Why most small business social media is wasted effort - The first question every business owner gets wrong about their customer - Free SEO most small businesses skip (it takes ten minutes to set up) - How to use AI for content without sounding like AI - What Marriott's design lab taught Michele about launching anything - How Stanley pivoted from tradies to school mums and built a billion-dollar brand - How to push past imposter syndrome and start _________________________________________ CONTACT JO: The Jo Show is for small business owners in their first one to five years — people doing the work, wearing every hat, and trying to figure out what's actually working in marketing right now. Hosted by Jo McKee, founder of McKee Creative. Subscribe to The Jo Show for more conversations with builders, inventors and operators → https://www.youtube.com/@the_jo_show Apply to be a guest on The Jo Show → https://mckeecreative.store/the-jo-show-guest-application/ Hire McKee Creative for your marketing or AI systems → https://mckeecreative.store LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeecreative/ _________________________________________ CONTACT MICHELE PALMER: Website → https://www.wakerobinmarketing.com/ LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelepalmer/ _________________________________________ CHAPTERS: 0:00 Champagne marketing on a Coke and Cheerios budget 0:46 Why most small business social media is wasted effort 1:42 Do you actually know who your customer is? 4:25 The first question every business owner gets wrong 6:51 Google Business Listing: the free SEO most people skip 9:58 How to use AI without sounding like AI 13:29 The $850 SEO tool I dumped (and what I use instead) 16:30 What Marriott taught me about launching anything 20:00 The 'dirty little secret' that became website copy 20:43 How Stanley pivoted from tradies to school mums 22:21 The fears stopping you from starting 24:44 When perfectionism becomes avoidance 26:33 One thing to do this week if you're stalled 27:53 How to reach Michele #SmallBusinessMarketing #ContentMarketing #MarketingPodcast

    29 min

  7. Apr 29

    SpaceX Uses His $100 Invention. Shark Tank Said No.

    Dr Rob Yonover spent 11 years bringing his See/Rescue® Streamer to market. It's now on US Navy submarines, fighter jets and SpaceX manned flights. It's saved at least four lives. Shark Tank passed. He built it on his patio. His first PR break came from faxing press releases at 11pm. He spent 19 years as primary caregiver for his wife while raising two young kids and never quit his day job. This is a conversation about inventing things that matter, getting media attention without a budget, why taking investor money can shorten your life arc, and the discipline of being a "polite pain in the ass" for 40 years until the world catches up. If you're building something simple that nobody understands yet, this one's for you. Find Rob's books on Amazon: Hardcore Inventing, Caregiver Survival Guide, Brainstorm Islands. _________________________________________ CONTACT JO: The Jo Show is hosted by Jo McKee, founder of McKee Creative — holistic digital marketing for small business. New episodes weekly. Subscribe to The Jo Show for more conversations with builders, inventors and operators → https://www.youtube.com/@the_jo_show Apply to be a guest on The Jo Show → https://mckeecreative.store/the-jo-show-guest-application/ Website → https://mckeecreative.store LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeecreative/ _________________________________________ CONTACT DR ROB YONOVER: Website → http://seerescuestreamer.com/ _________________________________________ CHAPTERS: 00:00 The $100 Plastic Strip on a Billion-Dollar SpaceX Rocket 00:34 The Sputtering Cessna That Started Everything 02:54 Why It Took 11 Years (And Why He Refused to Quit His Day Job) 05:09 The Marketer's Nightmare: Selling Safety Nobody Wants to Buy 07:24 Why the Military Cared More When He Charged $1,000 09:54 Shark Tank Said No (They'd Rather Sell Cupcakes) 11:07 How He Got Free Press for 40 Years Starting with a Fax Machine 14:54 The Polite Pain in the Ass: Sales Tips That Actually Work 17:11 Don't Take Investor Money — Here's the Real Math on Time 20:24 Testing Inventions in Shark-Infested Waters at Night 21:17 19 Years a Caregiver, Two Kids, and Still Building a Business 26:48 The 20+ Patents (And the One That Got Him Sued by 50 Companies) 31:39 The Pocket Desalinator That Could Win a Nobel Prize 35:42 The Day SpaceX Took His Invention to Space 39:02 Two Miles Deep: From Florida Loser Kid to Volcano Scientist 43:30 Recipe for Resilience: Outwork Everyone, Compete With Yourself 43:44 Where to Find Rob's Books and Inventions

    46 min

  8. Apr 22

    How to Build a National Award Show with ZERO Marketing Budget (12 Years, 2 People)

    For his day job, he produces for talent such as Katie Perry and Alicia Keys. His co-founder works in casting. And somehow - without any marketing budget to speak of - they’ve built The American Reality Television Awards in their evenings. Today Andrew Ward reveals exactly how he built the American Reality Television Awards from scratch, and turned it into a nationally recognised award show that now gets millions of votes worldwide In this episode you’ll discover: • How to launch a prestige brand with almost nothing • The “free trial” model that now brings in paying submissions from networks & producers • Why spending $400 on a physical statue creates more organic PR than paid ads • How to make your website AI-ready (and rebuild it for under $1,000 using Perplexity) • Out-of-the-box thinking that removes roadblocks when you have no budget • The #1 marketing mistake most small businesses make with their ad spend If you’re a business owner who wants to do more with less, build authority, and create something that lasts — this is your blueprint. _______________________________________________ CONNECT WITH ANDREW Website → https://ProducingHollywood.com Submit your show for the ARTAs → realitytelevisionawards.com The Peter Frampton documentary Andrew produced is premiering at Tribeca Festival this June 4, 2026 for its world premiere. In this crazy ride, Andrew met some amazing people in interviews like Ringo Starr, Kate Hudson, Sheryl Crow, Cameron Crowe and so many incredible talents.  _________________________________________ CONTACT JO: The Jo Show is hosted by Jo McKee, founder of McKee Creative — holistic digital marketing for small business. New episodes weekly. Feedback → give feedback to Jo: grow@mckeecreative.store Apply to be a guest on The Jo Show → https://mckeecreative.store/the-jo-show-guest-application/ Website: https://mckeecreative.store _________________________________________ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Building a National Award Show on a Shoestring Budget 01:48 – How They Get Millions of Global Votes 03:02 – How Success & Strategy Evolved Over 12 Years 04:19 – The Moments They Almost Quit (and Why They Didn’t) 05:52 – The “Free Trial” Model That Funds the Awards 06:09 – SEO & AI-Ready Websites: What’s Working Now 08:05 – Unconventional PR That Actually Works 10:38 – The $400 Statue That Generates Free Marketing Gold 11:41 – Time Management & Running a Side Project After Hours 13:32 – Avoiding Burnout When Juggling Multiple Projects 14:38 – What Reality TV Teaches About Business & Storytelling 16:15 – Using Perplexity AI to Rebuild Their Entire Website 19:17 – Biggest Early Mistake (and How to Avoid It) 20:20 – Doing More With Less: Out-of-the-Box Thinking 23:32 – How to Submit Your Show for the 13th Awards 24:06 – Rapid Fire Questions with Andrew Ward #RealityTV #AwardShow #Bootstrapping #SmallBusinessMarketing #AIforBusiness #peterframpton #producinghollywood #americanrealitytelevisionawards #realitytv

    26 min
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About

Real marketing. Real stories. Real results. Hosted by Jo McKee, marketing strategist, agency owner, and unapologetic ROI queen, this is the podcast for ambitious business owners who want to scale profitably without sacrificing their sanity or soul. Each episode uncovers what is actually moving the needle in marketing right now, straight from founders who are doing it. You will hear unfiltered conversations about: ~ The tactics and channels delivering sales growth today (and what quietly stopped working) ~ The brutal hurdles they have smashed through, and the mindset shifts that made the difference ~ How to build a business around your unique strengths instead of chasing guru templates Expect sharp insights, practical takeaways you can test tomorrow, and plenty of honest Aussie humour to keep it human. Whether you run an eCommerce brand, service business, or purpose-driven startup, these are the resilient, revenue-focused conversations that help you stay ahead without burning out. Jo brings hard-won perspective from mentoring in the Queensland Government’s Mentoring 4 Growth program, plus hands-on experience scaling businesses in film distribution, telecommunications, marine tourism, and now helping clients grow sustainably through holistic, efficient marketing. Subscribe and join the conversation. Your next breakthrough might just be one episode away.

Information

  • Creator
    Jo McKee
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Jo McKee
  • Show Website
    The Jo Show