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. 3H AGO

    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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. APR 15

    She Runs 3 Businesses, Never Pays for Ads, and Almost Quit Today

    Melena Costello runs a smoke shop doing $300K a year, a food truck booked across Michigan, and a handcrafted product line built on her late grandmother's recipes. She's a single mum of three. She's never paid for advertising. And she nearly quit this morning. In this episode, Melena walks through the $250/month text system that returns $1,400 in a week, why she deliberately hires friends and family (and how she handles the hard conversations), and the product filter she uses that no business school would ever teach you. We also get into where networking actually beats paid ads, how routine holds three businesses and three kids together, and her next move into Detroit real estate. If you've ever been told you need a bigger budget to grow, this one will annoy you in the best way. _________________________________________ 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 Subscribe to The Jo Show → https://www.youtube.com/@the_jo_show LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeecreative/ _________________________________________ CONTACT MELENA: Bakeshop Betty's → bakeshopbettys.com Batter Up Buttercup → https://www.instagram.com/batterupbuttercup_/ House of Smoke → https://www.instagram.com/houseofsmoke.fl/ _________________________________________ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 — Meet Melena: Three Businesses, Three Kids, Zero Excuses 0:25 — How Routine Holds Everything Together 1:44 — The Origin Story Behind Bakeshop Betty's 4:26 — Networking vs Paid Ads: Where Growth Actually Comes From 5:05 — The $250/Month Text System That Returns $1,400 a Week 6:48 — Getting New Customers Without Spending on Ads 7:14 — Why She Hired Friends and Family (And Why It Works) 8:19 — Having Hard Conversations With People You Love 10:28 — Building Businesses That Fit Your Life 11:29 — The Day She Almost Quit 11:56 — The Lesson She Wishes She'd Learned Sooner 12:34 — "Would Grandma Have Loved It?" — The Product Filter 13:01 — What's Next: Detroit Real Estate and Giving Back 14:23 — Where to Find Melena

    15 min

  6. APR 9

    She doesn't chase clients - they come to her I Dr Anna Di

    Dr. Anna Di watched her immigrant parents work 7 days a week in their gift shop… only to lose everything because nobody knew they existed. She refused to repeat that story. Instead, she built Unity Chiropractic Wellness into a premium practice where high-value clients choose her — not because she chases them, but because her marketing makes them want in. In this episode, Dr. Anna reveals: → How she creates Instagram ads that don’t “sell chiropractic” — they make people envision stepping into a luxurious, life-changing experience → The “temple” mindset shift that removes the emotional resistance to investing in marketing (and turns your business into an infinite money machine) → Why most chiropractors and service providers get their ads and videos completely wrong — and the simple fixes that attract kings instead of bargain hunters → The power of making the patient the hero of the story (plus her exact “Arrive as a king, be treated like ____, be remembered as a gentleman” hook) → What TV appearances actually deliver (spoiler: not what most people expect) → The one quick, free thing every business owner should fix today for instant credibility If you’re a chiropractor, wellness practitioner, or service business owner who wants to stop trading time for money and start attracting premium clients who value what you do, this conversation will rewire how you think about positioning and advertising. _________________________________________ CONTACT DR ANNA DI Founder of UNITY Chiropractic Wellness (NYC) Instagram → @unitychirowellness Website & Booking → https://unitycw.com (Insurance accepted) _________________________________________ 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 Subscribe to The Jo Show → https://www.youtube.com/@the_jo_show LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeecreative/ _________________________________________ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – The Temple Mindset for Marketing 01:04 – Lessons from her parents’ failed business 05:21 – When & why she started paid Instagram ads 07:40 – Building StoryBrand: Make the patient the hero 10:25 – Common marketing mistakes that repel ideal clients 15:11 – “Arrive as a king…” – Filtering for premium patients from the first second 16:34 – Overcoming the fear of spending on ads 22:04 – Instagram ads for retention & brand authority 26:48 – The real ROI of TV appearances 31:03 – The #1 quick win every business should do 36:49 – What’s next for Unity in 2026 #PremiumClients #InstagramAds #HighTicketBusiness #WellnessPractice #AttractIdealClients #DrAnnaDi

    39 min

  7. APR 1

    Non-Invasive Neuralink? This $350 Brain Device Is Already on Sale | Mo Abouelsoud, U The Mind

    Mo Abouelsoud came up with the idea for a non-invasive brain stimulation company while eating a burrito at Chipotle. Now he's running clinical trials, leading a team across six countries, and shipping a $350 consumer device that enhances focus and cognition — no surgery required. In this episode, Mo and I get into the real mechanics of building a neuroscience company from scratch in your twenties: how he convinced world-class scientists to back him, why he openly names his competitors (and what's wrong with their science), and how the same clinical-grade research behind his Parkinson's and Alzheimer's work powers the consumer product you can buy today. We also talk about the transition from founder hustle to CEO thinking — doing less, systemising more — and why selling is easy when you genuinely believe in what you've built. CHAPTERS 00:00 — A Burrito That Started a Brain Science Company 00:56 — "This Technology Saved My Life" 01:13 — Founder Mode vs CEO Mode 02:34 — Running a Team Across Six Countries 03:09 — How a 20-Something Convinced World-Class Scientists 04:01 — The Neuralink Comparison (Without the Surgery) 05:55 — A $350 Consumer Brain Device — Available Now 06:49 — Biohackers, CEOs and the Cognitive Edge 07:39 — Marketing Medicine and Consumer Tech at the Same Time 09:22 — Mohawk Mo Goes to School 10:08 — One Marketing Channel — Which One? 11:20 — Selling When You Actually Believe in the Product 13:51 — Brain Scans Before and After Stimulation 14:47 — Why the Fundamentals of Persuasion Never Change 15:21 — Making Neurotech Accessible Globally 16:46 — Cheap Devices and Nefarious Claims 18:30 — Calling Out the Competition by Name 19:32 — Rapid Fire: Worst Advice, Chipotle Orders and AI Utopias 22:00 — "In Five Years, Brain Stim Will Be as Normal As..." _________________________________________ CONTACT MO U The Mind → https://uthemind.com Mo on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammed-abouelsoud-6876a6126/ _________________________________________ 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 Subscribe to The Jo Show → https://www.youtube.com/@the_jo_show #neuroscience #brainstimulation #neuralink #neurotech #entrepreneurship #thejoshow

    23 min

  8. MAR 18

    Why You DON’T Need to Understand AI to Market Your Business

    One of my clients recently watched me explain the AI systems running behind her marketing. Her response? "I don't understand a word of what you just said, but thank you." Honestly, best review I've ever received. In this episode I'm pulling back the curtain on how I actually run McKee Creative. One strategist, eight AI agents, and a system I built from my home office in the Whitsundays that monitors rankings, writes content, watches ad performance, and keeps everything connected. My clients don't interact with any of it. Most barely know it exists. They just see the results. I'm also being straight about what building this actually took. Months of things breaking, agents confidently getting things wrong, and a lot of muttering at my screen. The gap between using AI casually and having it do real work inside a business is enormous. I think you deserve to know that. If your marketing feels scattered, if you've got five dashboards but no real answers, if your email list is gathering dust and your SEO was done 18 months ago and left to starve, this one's for you. _________________________________ Subscribe for weekly conversations with entrepreneurs, marketers, and people building something real. The Jo Show is hosted by Jo McKee, founder of McKee Creative — Australia's all-in-one marketing partner for small business owners. 🌐 mckeecreative.store _________________________________ CONTACT JO: 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/ _________________________________ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 "I don't understand a word of what you just said" 01:30 The scattered marketing problem most product businesses know too well 02:55 How one person runs all of it (meet the AI team) 04:57 The AI credibility problem and why building this was genuinely hard 07:00 What working with me actually looks like, made concrete 08:30 Joined up marketing and why small businesses never normally get it 09:45 Wrap

    8 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
    25
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Jo McKee
  • Show Website
    The Jo Show