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. Aug 14

    He bought a laundry business from his dorm and sold it 10x

    He bought a laundry business out of his dorm room at 21 — and sold it for 10 times what he paid. Then he did it again. In this episode of The Jo Show, host Jo McKee (founder of McKee Creative) talks with Alex Smereczniak, Co-founder & CEO of Franzy, about the marketing that actually works when you are starting from nothing: finding the real buyer, showing up where they already are, and not spending a cent on paid ads until the offer is proven. You'll hear how Alex and his partners set up a booth on the lawn during freshman orientation week and talked to hundreds of parents for free… how they later built 2U Laundry after a stint at Ernst & Young… the stretch of sleeping on the floor and living on noodles… and why a wrong hire costs far more than a salary. Alex now runs Franzy, a marketplace for buying and selling franchises. If you are a solo founder with no team and not much budget, this is a practical look at getting your first customers without burning cash on ads. 💡 In this episode, you’ll discover: 🚀 How Alex bought a college laundry business from a dorm room and sold it 10x 📍 Why the first customers were parents on orientation week — not the students 🗣️ Door-to-door and “go where they already are” when you have no ad spend 🚫 Why you should not spend on ads until the offer and the buyer are proven 🍜 The 10-month floor-and-noodles stretch that almost ended 2U Laundry 👥 Why a wrong hire costs salary plus months of lost productivity 🏢 How franchise playbooks differ from going it alone 📞 The zero-budget move he would still bet on: get in front of 10 real customers this week If your marketing plan starts with “run some ads,” this conversation will push you back to the work that comes first. _____________________________ 📺 Subscribe to The Jo Show → https://www.youtube.com/@the_jo_show 🎙️ Apply to be a guest on The Jo Show → https://mckeecreative.store/the-jo-show-guest-application/ _____________________________ 🔗 Connect with Jo McKee 🤖 Book a free live AI marketing strategy session → https://calendar.app.google/AU8bEHoSBkD8Ewa76 Website → https://mckeecreative.store LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeecreative/ _____________________________ 🔗 Connect with Alex Smereczniak Website → https://franzy.com LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-smereczniak-40310329 Podcast → The Exit Plan → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-exit-plan/id1814643428 _____________________________ ⚙️ Tools Jo Loves Discover Postiz: the best social media scheduling platform, that welcomes your AI agent team member! We appreciate you using our referral link: 🗓️ https://postiz.pro/thejoshow ⚙️ If you'd like a nice user experience-type dashboard for your workflows, that doesn't cost you monthly subscriptions, get Studio-J: https://studio-j.app/ _____________________________ #SmallBusinessMarketing #Entrepreneurship #FounderStory #Franzy #TheJoShow #McKeeCreative #StartupMarketing #Franchise #ZeroBudgetMarketing #LaundryBusiness Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8jLvt5cP1Q

  2. Aug 7

    He left millions of texts a day to send handwritten notes instead

    He left millions of texts a day — and started sending real handwritten notes instead. David Wachs spent years in marketing technology, helped invent the idea of customer relationship management on mobile, and ran an SMS platform sending enormous volumes of messages every day. Then he walked away from that world and built Handwrytten: robots that write real notes on real paper so businesses can cut through inbox noise with something people still keep. In this episode of The Jo Show, host Jo McKee (founder of McKee Creative) talks with David about risk, regulation, building hardware, the emotional power of a note that still sits on the piano a year later, and how small businesses can use handwritten mail as a high-trust marketing channel — including Shopify automations that send notes after key customer moments. Whether you run a local service business, an online store, or a growing brand that feels buried in email and SMS blasts, this conversation is a practical look at standing out with something human. 💡 In this episode, you’ll discover: 🚀 Why David left high-volume SMS after building a mobile CRM business 🤖 How Handwrytten robots write real notes on real paper at scale 🎹 The piano-tuner story: a thank-you note still on display a year later 📬 Why handwritten mail cuts through email and text overload 🛒 How Shopify rules can trigger notes after first purchase, fifth purchase, and more ⚙️ The real cost mindset: more expensive than a text — and why that can be the point 📞 Why phone calls and handwritten notes are still underrated sales channels 🧠 Founder lessons on pivoting when the channel you’re in gets too noisy or risky If your marketing feels invisible because everyone is blasting the same inboxes, this episode will help you rethink what “stand out” actually looks like. 💬 Question for the comments: What’s one customer moment in your business that deserves a real handwritten thank-you note? _____________________________ 📺 Subscribe to The Jo Show → https://www.youtube.com/@the_jo_show 🎙️ Apply to be a guest on The Jo Show → https://mckeecreative.store/the-jo-show-guest-application/ _____________________________ 🔗 Connect with Jo McKee 🤖 Book a free live AI marketing strategy session → https://calendar.app.google/AU8bEHoSBkD8Ewa76 Website → https://mckeecreative.store LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeecreative/ _____________________________ 🔗 Connect with David Wachs Website → https://www.handwrytten.com/ LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidwachs/ _____________________________ ⚙️ Tools Jo Loves Discover Postiz: the best social media scheduling platform, that welcomes your AI agent team member! We appreciate you using our referral link: 🗓️ https://postiz.pro/thejoshow ⚙️ If you'd like a nice user experience-type dashboard for your workflows, that doesn't cost you monthly subscriptions, get Studio-J: https://studio-j.app/ _____________________________ #HandwrittenNotes #SmallBusinessMarketing #DirectMail #CustomerRetention #Entrepreneurship #Handwrytten #TheJoShow #McKeeCreative #MarketingStrategy #FounderStory Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvc94FBU0Og

  3. Jul 30

    You're doing your best. And it's costing you everything.

    What happens when you’ve done everything “right”—and your business, career, or life still falls apart? In this powerful episode of The Jo Show, host Jo McKee, founder of McKee Creative, sits down with Erika Coleman to discuss resilience, rebuilding after burnout, overcoming adversity, and creating a business that supports both your income and your life. Whether you’re a founder, entrepreneur, freelancer, or small business owner juggling every role in your company, this conversation delivers practical insights into leadership, business systems, mindset, and sustainable growth. In this episode, you’ll discover: 🚀 How to rebuild your business after setbacks and unexpected challenges 🧠 Why burnout isn’t a badge of honor—and how to avoid it ⚙️ The importance of business systems that create freedom and efficiency 💼 How entrepreneurs can increase revenue without constantly working more hours 📈 Why clarity and strategic thinking outperform hustle alone 🤖 How AI marketing systems can streamline operations and save valuable time 💪 Mindset shifts that help founders navigate uncertainty with confidence 🌱 Practical lessons on resilience, leadership, and long-term business success _____________________________ 🔗 Connect with Jo McKee 🤖 Book a free live AI marketing strategy session to discover how automation and business systems can help you save time, reduce costs, and grow your revenue. → https://calendar.app.google/AU8bEHoSB... Website → https://mckeecreative.store LinkedIn →   / mckeecreative   _____________________________ 🔗 Connect with Erika Coleman Learn more about Erika’s work through her website and LinkedIn. Website → https://www.erikacolemanspeaks.com/ Linkedin →   / erika-coleman-1591b435   _________________________________________ ⚙️ Tools Jo Loves Discover Postiz: the best social media scheduling platform, that welcomes your AI agent team member! We appreciate you using our referral link: 🗓️ https://postiz.pro/thejoshow

  4. Jul 22

    When was your last proper vacation? (Without texting your team)

    It’s the Operator Trap. We think we’re so special, our team can’t do without us. But that path is the sure way to being Very Stuck Indeed. Mike DeJong started flying in 1987, and the cockpit taught him the lessons he now teaches from the stage: the pilots who actually go places aren’t the ones who are gripping the controls the tightest. A Tony Robbins Platinum Partner, Mike has helped hundreds of business leaders answer the only question that really matters: how can my business serve my life, not consume it? You’ll enjoy Mike’s easy, genuine method as he shows you how to make success inevitable. The Jo Show is for small business owners — 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/ _________________________________________ CONTACT JO: Get a free, live analysis on how AI will help you get your time back and reduce running costs. Book it in here: https://calendar.app.google/AU8bEHoSBkD8Ewa76   Hire Jo → https://mckeecreative.store LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeecreative/ CONTACT MIKE DEJONG Website →  https://mikedejong.com/ LinkedIn →  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedejongspeaker/ _________________________________________ TOOLS JO LOVES Discover Postiz: the best social media scheduling platform, that welcomes your AI agent team member! We appreciate you using our referral link: 🗓️ https://postiz.pro/thejoshow  #businesssystems #systemsarchitect #clarity #smallbusinesssystems #businessefficiency #mindset #smallbusinessmarketing #revenuegrowth

  5. Jul 1

    He Ditched His Big Tech Life And Now Builds Custom Vans

    Andrew Underhill used to have a big team working under him in the world of big tech. With the pace of change, he knew he needed to "AI-proof" his income (at least for as long as anyone can do that). Through Emery Custom Builds, Andrew's building a business to suit who he is, that supports his family and that produces beautiful environments to be in. Andrew shares how he's using Claude to figure out the SEO for his site so that people know his business exists, to learn his business operations, what it took for his family to get the business established, and what he dreams of for the future. _________________________________________ 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 ANDREW: Website  →  https://emerycustombuilds.com/ #smallbusinessmarketing #entrepreneurship #aiforseo

  6. Jun 24

    Top 1.5% - No Ad Budget

    In this episode of The Jo Show, entrepreneur and podcast host Aubrey Felderhoff reveals the three organic marketing channels that helped her build a thriving coaching business and a globally ranked podcast—without spending a dollar on advertising. If you’re a small business owner, coach, consultant, or service provider who hates posting on social media, this conversation breaks down practical client acquisition strategies that work even when you’re working solo with limited time and resources. Aubrey built a podcast ranked in the top 1.5% globally and grew her business with no ad budget, no large team, and no complicated roadmap. In this interview, she shares the audience-building, networking, and content strategies that generated consistent leads and long-term business growth. In this episode, you’ll learn: • The 3 organic marketing channels that attract clients without paid ads • How to grow a podcast and build authority in your niche • Client acquisition strategies for coaches, consultants, and small business owners • How to market your business when you dislike social media • The relationship-building tactics that create long-term referrals and opportunities • How to grow an audience and generate leads with limited resources Whether you’re in your first few years of business or looking for more sustainable marketing strategies, this episode offers actionable insights you can implement immediately. ⸻ CONNECT WITH JO: The Jo Show is for small business owners in their first one to five years of business—people wearing every hat, building from the ground up, and looking for marketing strategies that actually work today. Hosted by Jo McKee, Founder of McKee Creative. Subscribe to The Jo Show for more conversations with entrepreneurs, business owners, innovators, 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/ Work with McKee Creative for marketing strategy, content creation, and AI systems: https://mckeecreative.store Connect with Jo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeecreative/ ⸻ CONNECT WITH AUBREY: Website: https://moldfreemom.com ⸻ #SmallBusinessMarketing #OrganicMarketing #ClientAcquisition #BusinessGrowth #PodcastMarketing #Entrepreneurship

  7. Jun 17

    Diagnosed With ADHD at 50: How to Stop Fighting Your Brain

    Most women with ADHD are diagnosed late after years of being called lazy, difficult or disorganised. Dr Jennifer Dall was told in her fifties she couldn’t possibly have ADHD. She’d had it her whole life. A former educator of 25 years, she is now a grief-informed neurodivergence specialist, founder of ADHD Holistically, and an independent author releasing four books in a single year through her own press, Curveball Press. In this episode she explains why ADHD in women is missed for so long, the three-day system she uses to get real work done when long focus isn’t an option, and why she built a four-book product line instead of chasing a publishing deal. You’ll learn: Why ADHD in women goes unrecognised for 30, 40, even 50 yearsThe “ADHD tax” — what it quietly costs you in work, money and relationshipsThe Three-Day Sprint: a way to finish things when you can’t grind for weeksHow she runs a business and a publishing imprint around how her brain worksThe one small shift to try first if you’re starting to suspect you have ADHD _________________________________________ CONTACT JO: Subscribe to The Jo Show → 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 DR JENNIFER DALL: Website → https://adhdholistically.com Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/adhd.holistically/ _________________________________________ CHAPTERS: 0:00  “You can’t have ADHD.” She’d had it her whole life 0:30  The life that looked fine and wasn’t 1:30  Diagnosed late: the relief and the grief 2:30  What you’ve been blaming yourself for (that isn’t your fault) 4:03  Why ADHD in women gets missed for decades 6:04  Does a diagnosis even matter? And the “ADHD tax” 8:17  When the wrong job quietly costs you everything 9:29  Grief-informed ADHD: the “plus one” nobody talks about 10:51  When the to-do list is three pages long 12:59  The Three-Day Sprint: how ADHD brains actually finish things 16:19  What to do on day four (hint: nothing) 17:03  Four books, one year, her own press: why she went solo 18:45  Building a product line, not a brain dump 19:50  What HR and therapists still get wrong about ADHD 21:17  Giving your team — and yourself — some grace 22:13  If you’re 50 and just starting to suspect: start here 23:34  Rapid fire: five questions, no overthinking 25:03  Where to find Dr Jennifer Dall

  8. Jun 10

    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

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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
    36
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Jo McKee / McKee Creative
  • Show Website
    The Jo Show