The Content Crowd

Trevor Grimes

The Content Crowd is a podcast for creators, marketers, and founders who are tired of chasing trends and burning out on empty content. If you're looking to build something more honest, more human, and more resonant—this is your space. Hosted by Trevor Grimes, this show explores what makes content connect. From creative habits and storytelling shifts to behind-the-scenes breakdowns, every episode helps you stop mimicking and start making something that matters. Because content isn’t about gaming the algorithm. It’s about showing up with clarity, conviction, and something worth saying.

  1. MAR 26

    Why 85% of Podcasts Are Already Dead | Ep. 28

    Most marketers are told to pick a lane. Adam Sockel has built a career doing the opposite, and the results speak for themselves. That is the mindset Trevor Grimes unpacks with Adam Sockel, VP of Marketing at Share Your Genius, a content agency that turns a single podcast recording into a full content engine for B2B brands. ㅤ Adam opens up about the reality of podcasting that most people get wrong. He shares that of the 4.9 million podcasts in existence, only 15% ever make it past nine episodes, meaning the bar to stand out is far lower than the noise would suggest. The opportunity is hiding in plain sight, and most brands are too intimidated to take it. ㅤ This conversation covers the full lifecycle of content strategy. Adam breaks down why YouTube has overtaken Spotify and Apple as the number one podcast discovery platform, how AI tools can get your content 75% of the way there without replacing the human who takes it the rest of the way, and why the moment you are exhausted saying something is exactly when your audience is just starting to hear it. It is a blueprint for building a content operation that compounds over time, not just one that looks good for a quarter. ㅤ About Adam Sockel Adam Sockel is the VP of Marketing at Share Your Genius, a video-first content agency specializing in podcast production, executive thought leadership, and full-funnel content strategy for B2B brands. With a background in brand and content strategy, Adam helps companies transform their recordings into newsletters, blogs, short-form video, and pillar reports — turning a single show into an always-on content engine. He is also a decade-long podcast host, a dedicated runner, a vegetarian lasagna enthusiast, and a self-described yapper. ㅤ What We Cover The 85% Opportunity: Why the podcasting landscape is far less crowded than it feels, and how showing up consistently puts you ahead of the vast majority of competitors before you even hit publish.YouTube as the Discovery Engine: How YouTube surpassed Spotify and Apple as the number one place people find new podcasts — and why brands that ignore video are leaving their most valuable discovery channel on the table.The Content Multiplication Framework: How Share Your Genius transforms a single podcast recording into written thought leadership, short-form clips, newsletters, and pillar reports that reach every corner of your ICP.AI as a 75% Solution: The right way to use AI clipping and writing tools — not as a replacement for human judgment, but as a starting point that a skilled content person finishes.Consistency as a Habit, Not a Grind: Why posting 3–5 short-form videos per week from content you have already recorded is more sustainable than it sounds, and how to batch and schedule your way into making it stick.Content About Content is the Enemy: Adam's hill-to-die-on take on why LinkedIn meta-commentary — "this is dead," "I can tell this was written by AI" — is the most boring and counterproductive thing a creator can do. ㅤ Resources Mentioned Share Your GeniusWait For It — The Annual State of Podcasting Episode

    45 min
  2. FEB 26

    Free Work Is Not Bad Work (with Kaleigh Schouten) | Ep. 27

    Turning a hobby into a full-time career often strips away the glamour. You get to "do the dang thing," but you also lose your creative outlet. That is the reality Trevor Grimes explores with Kaleigh Schouten, a creative who transitioned from 12-hour days as a construction engineer to a full-time wedding photographer. ㅤ Kaleigh opens up about the friction of monetizing art. She explains how the "dream" of destination wedding photography often results in lonely weekends and creative fatigue. To combat this, she is pivoting again: splitting her focus between capturing memories for families and solving problems for businesses through her design agency. ㅤ This conversation covers the practical side of creativity. Kaleigh breaks down why "free work" was the catalyst for her success, not a hindrance. She also challenges the industry obsession with technical perfection, arguing that blurry, messy, and "unusable" photos are often the ones that hold the most emotional weight. It is a look at how to build a business that reflects who you are, rather than just what you sell. ㅤ About Kaleigh Schouten Kaleigh Schouten is a professional photographer and the founder of Kaleigh Madison Photography and Resqueue Studio based in Huntsville, Alabama. A former construction engineer who helped build data centers for Facebook, Kaleigh pivoted to photography full-time in 2022. She specializes in capturing authentic moments for couples and families, while her sister company, Resqueue Studio, focuses on branding and web design for small businesses. ㅤ What We Cover The Engineer’s Approach to Art: How a background in construction engineering and coding influenced Kaleigh's initial obsession with technically "clean" images and systems.The Trap of the "Dream Job": Why traveling for work isn't always a vacation and how the wedding industry can lead to becoming ungrateful for the craft.Free Work as Strategy: Why shooting for free is essential for building a portfolio, practicing skills, and networking when you are starting from zero.Audience Misalignment: The common mistake photographers make when trying to sell educational content to an audience that is made up of brides and moms, not peers.Prompting Over Posing: Moving away from rigid perfection to capture "messy" storytelling moments that feel like a memory rather than a stock photo.Personality as a Differentiator: Why solo founders need to inject their specific voice, wardrobe, and habits into their brand to stand out against corporate competitors. ㅤ Resources Mentioned Kaleigh Madison PhotographyResqueue Studio (Branding & Design)

    50 min
  3. FEB 12

    100 Loyal Fans vs. Viral Fame (with Wanda Wesolowski) | Ep. 26

    You can have a million followers on TikTok and still play to an empty room. Trevor Grimes talks to Wanda Wesolowski about the reality of building a career versus chasing a viral moment. Wanda explains that if you can find 100 people who will always buy your record or merch, you have a sustainable career. She breaks down her approach to "physical" branding with the Wanda Van and why she refuses to rely solely on 15-second clips to prove her talent. ㅤ This conversation bridges the gap between B2B strategy and the raw, emotional approach of an independent artist. Wanda discusses the anxiety of hitting publish, the importance of longevity over quick hits, and how she took advice to lean into her queer identity to finally find her true audience in the South. ㅤ Guest Bio Wanda Wesolowski is a singer, songwriter, and the manager of The Wanda Band based in Huntsville, Alabama. Known for her "iconic" and "catchy" Southern pop-rock sound, she has been a fixture in the local music scene since she was 14. She is a "spacemaker" who co-founded Boardman HSV and recently released the album Only Feeling. Wanda champions DIY production, sobriety, and queer joy through her music and community work. ㅤ What We Cover The Wanda Van as branding: How painting a Ford Transit Connect became a moving landmark in Huntsville and a better use of free will than driving a standard car.The trap of viral metrics: Why getting 300,000 followers from a single viral video often leads to empty venues because the audience doesn't actually know who you are.Performance vs. Content Creation: Wanda argues that recording a perfect 30-second take for social media does not prepare you to hold a room's attention or handle a soundcheck professionally.Finding your specific crowd: How leaning into her identity as a gay woman helped Wanda connect with a dedicated audience that needed a space, rather than alienating listeners.Longevity requires consistency: A look at Wanda's digital footprint from 2005 vlogs to today, proving that showing up over time matters more than immediate perfection.Overcoming posting anxiety: Why you have to sit with the discomfort of vulnerability after posting and realize that 60% of the internet is just bots anyway. ㅤ Resources Mentioned The Wanda BandPatreonPomplamoose & Jack ConteLowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment ㅤ Low-Tech, High-Impact Account-Based Marketing If you’re ready to trade expensive, tech-heavy account-based marketing for a repeatable, revenue-driving ABM program, check out Scrappy ABM. Led by a team of Scrappy ABM experts, they specialize in low-budget plays and programs that deliver high impact—no shiny tools required. Scrappy ABM has built account-based programs that have delivered millions in revenue, and you can build your first successful ABM program with their help. Start with a pilot program or launch an account-based podcast. Learn more at scrappyabm.com. Let's get scrappy.

    53 min
  4. FEB 5

    How to Create Better Content in 2026 | Ep. 25

    What if your content isn't failing? It might just be unemployed. It lives online, but it doesn't have a job. It isn't creating conversations, leading to opportunities, or building toward anything specific. ㅤ That aimlessness is scary. It is also wasteful because it looks like you are doing everything right from the outside. You are consistent. You are showing up. Yet, you are left asking what it was all for. ㅤ In this solo episode, Trevor Grimes argues that content needs a job, not just better vibes or more polish. He explains why posting without purpose quietly burns people out and how to shift your focus from performance metrics to creative curiosity. ㅤ Trevor explains how to use content pillars as boundaries to save your energy. He also covers how to set goals that actually support your business—such as having thoughtful conversations or clarifying your thinking—rather than chasing follower counts that stifle creativity. ㅤ What We Cover Why content needs a job: Every piece of content should answer the question: "What is this here to do?" It could be to start conversations, clarify thinking, or attract a specific type of person.The real cause of burnout: Burnout doesn't usually come from doing too much. It comes from doing things that feel aimless or from putting effort in without direction.Content pillars as boundaries: Pillars aren't just topics. They are how you decide what not to spend energy on. Ideas must earn their way into your story.The Note Card Method filter: Before turning an idea into content, ask one question: "Does this belong in the story I'm telling right now?"Goals that don't kill creativity: Avoid goals that suffocate you, like arbitrary follower counts. Choose goals such as deepening your understanding of a topic or aligning yourself with a specific problem you solve.Performance vs. Curiosity: Performance asks, "How did this do?" Creative curiosity asks, "What did I learn?" The latter keeps you moving.The Creator Transformation: Becoming someone who notices ideas instead of forcing them, and creates without waiting for permission. ㅤ Resources Mentioned Previous Episode: How to Create More Content (referenced for volume strategies).The Note Card Method: Referenced as a tool for filtering ideas (Check previous episodes/videos).30-Day Content Sprint: Available in the show notes (referenced in outro). ㅤ Low-Tech, High-Impact Account-Based Marketing If you’re ready to trade expensive, tech-heavy account-based marketing for a repeatable, revenue-driving ABM program, check out Scrappy ABM. Led by a team of Scrappy ABM experts, they specialize in low-budget plays and programs that deliver high impact—no shiny tools required. Scrappy ABM has built account-based programs that have delivered millions in revenue, and you can build your first successful ABM program with their help. Start with a pilot program or launch an account-based podcast. Learn more at scrappyabm.com. Let's get scrappy.

    19 min
  5. JAN 29

    How to Create More Content in 2026 | Ep. 24

    What was the reason that you kinda sucked at creating content in 2025? Not fear, not imposter syndrome or perfectionism, not a lack of confidence—just friction. The moment you finally have time to create, you sit down, and you don’t know what to work on. Doubt creates delay, delay creates guilt, guilt turns into avoidance, and suddenly weeks go by, and you haven’t even opened LinkedIn or Instagram. ㅤ Trevor Grimes keeps it simple: create more content in 2026 by designing systems that make creation the default. The note card method is a thinking tool—one idea per card, organized and labeled so you reduce decision-making anxiety later. Then the 30-day Content Sprint replaces overthinking with movement: proof that you can finish things, publish things imperfectly, and survive low engagement. Finally, design your environment so content is always one decision away—sit down and press record. ㅤ What We Cover The real reason that content dies: you finally have time to create, you sit down, and you don’t know what to work onFear shows up after something else fails: doubt → delay → guilt → avoidance → weeks go by“That’s not necessarily a confidence problem… that’s an idea storage problem.”The note card method: physical note cards, one idea per card—thought, question, frustration, something you learned, something you disagree withLabel and organize cards (story, lesson, hot take, how-to, question, behind the scenes) to reduce decision-making anxiety later“You’re not building content… you’re just building inventory,” so the inventory removes panic for laterThe 30-day Content Sprint: proof you can finish things, publish imperfectly, survive low engagement, and replace overthinking with momentumDesigning your environment so content is “always just one decision away”: keep the tripod ready, use the window/light, don’t negotiate with yourself—press record ㅤ Resources Mentioned Episode 19: “the note card method for endless content ideas”The 30-day Content Sprint (Trevor says it’s free and he’ll link it in the episode description)Platforms/tools mentioned: LinkedIn, Instagram, Notion doc, Excel, AI prompt library (as examples of what the note card method is not)Set up tools mentioned: tripod, phone/camera, good lighting/window, multicolor pen/highlighter for color coordination ㅤ Low-Tech, High-Impact Account-Based Marketing If you’re ready to trade expensive, tech-heavy account-based marketing for a repeatable, revenue-driving ABM program, check out Scrappy ABM. Led by a team of Scrappy ABM experts, they specialize in low-budget plays and programs that deliver high impact—no shiny tools required. Scrappy ABM has built account-based programs that have delivered millions in revenue, and you can build your first successful ABM program with their help. Start with a pilot program or launch an account-based podcast. Learn more at scrappyabm.com. Let's get scrappy.

    11 min
  6. JAN 22

    Content Should Build Trust and Give Value (with Greg Toler) | Ep. 23

    Everything has to have a caveat. Every circumstance has to be accounted for. That’s the tension Trevor Grimes and Greg Toler keep coming back to: how to make content that actually matters, while still being practical, structured, and worth someone’s time. ㅤ Greg talks about shifting from managing content teams to actually writing again—and realizing how different that muscle is. Trevor shares how Greg’s “context sandwich” changed his own writing: if you stop in the middle, you should know where you’re at and why you’re there. They go from open loops and closed loops, to flowcharts and yes/no questions, to the “cost of entry versus the benefit of entry.” ㅤ Through it all, Greg’s two tenets remain simple: content should build trust and give value—and people buy from people. ㅤ 👤 Guest BioGreg Toler is a consultant on operations and go-to-market and the founder of BoostIdeal, an early-stage startup. He’s been consulting for almost 10 years and has worked in and out in a few different ways—most recently as the fractional COO at Scrappy ABM, transitioning into full-time, then back into fractional. He’s kicking off the new year doing full-time consulting and also full-time work on Boost. ㅤ 📌 What We CoverWhy writing “very strategically” feels different than actually being in the writing seat—and why the same piece can take “hours” for one person and “days” for anotherThe context sandwich: “context to details, context,” so the reader knows where they are“Open loop and closed loop” writing—mention it, close it, and don’t leave the reader hanging“Write the way that I talk” vs. “structured and organized” content—and making a “boring blog” a “joy to read.”Creativity as tone and style vs. creativity as “constructs,” “organization,” and “solving problems.”Turning subjective decisions into objective ones: yes/no questions, flowcharts, and finding the bottleneckGetting started with personal content: topic → subtopic → type, building something repeatable, and the “shame bone.”“Content should build trust,” and “content should give value”—plus the conversion theory of cost of entry vs benefitA real experiment that didn’t land: a bot with “super high value,” and the feedback that changed everything—“I didn’t come to work with your bot. I came to work with you.”“Not playing tennis” with clients and why “awkward working sessions” are the point ㅤ🔗 Resources MentionedPodcast sponsor: Scrappy ABMScrappy ABM Case StudiesScrappy ABM PodcastScrappy ABM ContactGreg’s company: BoostIdealTool mentioned: LucidchartPlatform mentioned: LinkedInReference mentioned: “the old school, A-Team” (“I love it when a plan comes together.”) ㅤ Low-Tech, High-Impact Account-Based Marketing If you’re ready to trade expensive, tech-heavy account-based marketing for a repeatable, revenue-driving ABM program, check out Scrappy ABM. Led by a team of Scrappy ABM experts, they specialize in low-budget plays and programs that deliver high impact—no shiny tools required. Scrappy ABM has built account-based programs that have delivered millions in revenue, and you can build your first successful ABM program with their help. Start with a pilot program or launch an account-based podcast. Learn more at scrappyabm.com. Let's get scrappy.

    48 min
  7. 12/18/2025

    Two 30: two days every six months, 30 minutes every month (with Benji Block) | Ep. 22

    Why would we spend time recording audio and leave it there when you can easily turn on your camera and start? Trevor Grimes is here with Benji Block to talk about video podcasts, trust building, and feeling like you’re a “fly on the wall” while Trevor and Benji are talking. ㅤ Benji shares a simple content strategy: record a full season every six months, plus 30 minutes once a month to answer questions, cut video clips, and turn the rest into LinkedIn posts. The through line is pre-production: the stuff you do before you hit record—why you’re creating what you’re making, the first 30 seconds, titles, and thumbnail—so it’s less of a headache and more “you,” not an arms race for people’s attention. ㅤGuest BioBenji Block says he helps companies build impact through video. He’s spent the last five years helping build 55+ podcasts from scratch, and he’s coached 100+ business leaders on communication and using video to grow their businesses. Before that, he spent years in the agency and nonprofit church sectors, leading creative teams. In 2025, he launched his own venture through Signature Series, producing numerous video podcasts. ㅤ What we coverPodcasts in the business world skyrocketed when COVID happened, and a lot of people thought audio-only was “really easy.”Video is not for everyone—it depends on your strategy.“As soon as they can see your face,” there’s personalization: it feels like being a fly on the wall in the conversation.Two 30: record long-form content in a two-day sprint, then a 30-minute recurring meeting to ask 10 to 15 questions, cut clips, and turn the rest into LinkedIn written posts.“Your brain turns into mush” after too many topics—most people can’t record more than four in a day.Pre-production is the most important and often overlooked thing: hook / first 30 seconds/thumbnail/three to five different titles for YouTube.Three-by-three method: three main points and three mini points for each.Fear, curiosity, and desire drive people to click—and it’s not clickbait if the content is actually helpful and you deliver after that one line. ㅤ Things mentionedScrappy ABMChat GPTCapCutLinkedInYouTube + YouTube ShortsTikTokCreator Hooks (Jake Thomas)My First Million (Sam Parr)Alex Hormozi + MrBeastiTunesFacebookSeries of Unfortunate EventsJesus (parables) ㅤ Low-Tech, High-Impact Account-Based Marketing If you’re ready to trade expensive, tech-heavy account-based marketing for a repeatable, revenue-driving ABM program, check out Scrappy ABM. Led by a team of Scrappy ABM experts, they specialize in low-budget plays and programs that deliver high impact—no shiny tools required. Scrappy ABM has built account-based programs that have delivered millions in revenue, and you can build your first successful ABM program with their help. Start with a pilot program or launch an account-based podcast. Learn more at scrappyabm.com. Let's get scrappy.

    42 min
  8. 12/11/2025

    Stop Mimicking and Start Making Content That Actually Matters (with Tylor Jones) | Ep. 21

    Content that actually resonates starts with telling the whole truth about what you can and cannot do right now. In this conversation, Trevor Grimes sits down with Tylor Jones, Director of Digital Acquisition at SIB Fixed Cost Reduction and 3X demand gen leader, to talk through category busting content, flopped campaigns, and building something that really matters. ㅤ Tylor shares the long journey from 35 years of fixed cost reduction data to Spend Brain, a niche LLM that lets you “have a conversation with your spend,” plus how he borrows the B2C playbook, spends $100,000 a month on Meta, and uses UGC videos to make a complex offer feel simple. ㅤ They walk through painful PLG and FBA reimbursement flops, the almond milk story, Reddit threads, cults, The Wandering Home Podcast, and why most teams under $20 million should stop chasing podcasts and ebooks and move the needle with honest structure, clear distribution, and real communities. ㅤ 👤 Guest Bio — Tylor JonesElder Emo, 3X demand gen leader, and self-described Gandalf of growth marketing, Tylor Jones is Director of Digital Acquisition at SIB Fixed Cost Reduction, a private equity–backed cost reduction and spend management firm. He builds and scales modern demand generation engines across high-growth B2B SaaS and B2B e-commerce, owning pipeline targets, budget, multichannel strategy, and executive-level reporting. ㅤ Tylor also leads growth marketing for Getida, the largest FBA reimbursements auditor on the globe, and helps drive 3X inbound and 2X marketing-sourced pipeline. Outside of work, he co-hosts The Wandering Home Podcast, where a former pastor and a secular friend talk church, cults, and everything in between. ㅤ 📌 What We CoverContent that actually resonates vs. content that just talks: why “stop mimicking and start making content that actually matters” is the starting point for both personal brand and company brand.Productizing fixed cost reduction into Spend Brain: how 35 years of enterprise spend data, an in-house AI and LLM, and “a conversation with your spend” turned a gray-hat-feeling service into extreme clarity for $100M+ businesses.Category busting content and the almond milk example: putting yourself “next to milk in the refrigerator” even when you don’t have to be there, fighting for that position, and using competitors’ categories as the comparison point.Borrowing the B2C playbook for B2B: why Tylor spends around $100,000 a month on Meta, runs UGC videos, blends product led and sales led motions, and treats category creation like a busy experiment instead of a static play.Two big flops and what they changed: a 10-video PLG onboarding series nobody watched, and an Amazon FBA reimbursement launch with a great deck, landing page, and CGO video—but weak distribution and wrong message order.UGC talent vs. “just use your webcam”: how Billo actors, stable spokespeople, consistent lighting, strong audio, and screen-cap product tours set the quality standard brands can’t drop below—while BDRs still use lo-fi 1:1 video in outreach.PLG, support, and that missing 70%: what happens when only ~30% of signups become paying customers, why interactive tours and in-product video libraries matter, and how support teams and qualifying questions help move people before the fish is off the hook.Reddit, Quora, and communities vs. brand-only content: using fp&a threads, Amazon seller conversations, and community posts to show up where people already care, plus how that helps Chat GPT recommend Spend Brain as an emerging platform.The Wandering Home Podcast and side projects: turning church hurt, cult stories from Hamilton, Alabama, and long-form conversations into a book, shirts, Reddit content, and 3–4K monthly website visitors without chasing a “perfect” funnel.The under-$20M hill to die on: why most teams with small marketing orgs and under $20 million in revenue should focus on structural things that move the needle—distribution, pipeline, communities—before they start a company podcast or crank out ebook after ebook. ㅤ 🔗 Resources MentionedSIB Fixed Cost Reduction – market leading provider of cost reduction and spend management services; more at aboutsib.comSpend Brain – SIB’s AI and LLM-powered spend platform that lets you “have a conversation with your spend”Getida – FBA reimbursements auditor for Amazon sellers and FBA shipments“Crossing the Chasm” – product marketing book on early adopters, the middle hump, and crossing the gapThe Wandering Home Podcast – Tylor’s side project with a former pastor; also referenced as the wandering home dot comThe Ramp (Hamilton, Alabama) – church / cult story mentioned around TikTok, Bible network, and viral clipsChris Walker and Refine Labs – category and almond milk story, plus the early webcam-to-agency pathRiverside – recording tool they use for the podcastReddit and Quora – communities Tylor uses for fp&a, Amazon FBA, and AI spend intelligence conversationsAsana, Figma, Slack – PLG product examples used to talk about onboarding, interactive tours, and product usageZoomInfo and Lucia – data platforms in the PLG story around signups and paid conversionsPendo – product tool for in-app tours and triggered video popupsMeta – where Tylor spends about $100,000 a month on B2C-style campaigns for B2B offersChat GPT / GPT – LLMs and AI models compared to Spend Brain and used as a referral channelSammy Kershaw – “Queen of My Double Wide Trailer” – where “Charlie Daniels of the torque wrench” inspired the “Charlie Daniels of demand gen” line ㅤ Low-Tech, High-Impact Account-Based Marketing If you’re ready to trade expensive, tech-heavy account-based marketing for a repeatable, revenue-driving ABM program, check out Scrappy ABM. Led by a team of Scrappy ABM experts, they specialize in low-budget plays and programs that deliver high impact—no shiny tools required. Scrappy ABM has built account-based programs that have delivered millions in revenue, and you can build your first successful ABM program with their help. Start with a pilot program or launch an account-based podcast. Learn more at scrappyabm.com. Let's get scrappy.

    47 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Content Crowd is a podcast for creators, marketers, and founders who are tired of chasing trends and burning out on empty content. If you're looking to build something more honest, more human, and more resonant—this is your space. Hosted by Trevor Grimes, this show explores what makes content connect. From creative habits and storytelling shifts to behind-the-scenes breakdowns, every episode helps you stop mimicking and start making something that matters. Because content isn’t about gaming the algorithm. It’s about showing up with clarity, conviction, and something worth saying.