Stop making your marketing harder than it has to be! In this episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I reveal the top 5 marketing mistakes you’re probably making right now — and how to stop driving yourself crazy struggling to do it ALL.

Listen in as we break down the most crucial do’s and don’ts of showing up online, reveal the #1 easiest way to boost your conversions, and give you our official permission to stop posting on every single platform. This is a must-listen episode for new and seasoned biz owners, so don’t miss it!

Marketing sucks. Let’s learn together. Hit play to discover:‌ ‌

• Why the hottest new app may be useless for your biz (and how to figure it out)
• Why repurposing content is more complicated than you think
• What you absolutely need to have in place BEFORE posting

Please rate, review, and subscribe!

Timestamps:‌ ‌

00:11 Intro

02:08 Trying to be everywhere

05:29 Repurpose or not?

06:25 Dominating your platform

08:16 Having a strategy

10:53 Ignoring your list

13:28 Selling without solving

16:44 Time crunch

18:40 Chasing perfection

23:20 Recap

24:14 Action items & outro

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

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Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

In week two of this January series, Amanda and Phil break down one of the biggest myths in modern marketing: that more content automatically equals more growth. Spoiler: it doesn’t.

This episode dismantles the obsession with daily posting, viral content, and arbitrary challenges, and replaces it with something far more uncomfortable and far more effective: real objectives, real numbers, and real accountability.

If your current strategy is “post more and hope,” this conversation explains exactly why that’s keeping you stuck and what to do instead.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why posting every day is an activity, not a goal
• The difference between content volume and content effectiveness
• Why going viral is not a business objective
• How empty metrics protect your ego but stall your growth
• What a real marketing objective actually looks like
• Why vague goals keep you comfortable, and specific goals force growth
• How numbers, timelines, and outcomes change everything
• Why discipline is boring until it starts making you money

What’s Coming Next

This episode builds directly into Part 3 of the series and next week you’ll learn how to structure simple campaigns that actually work and why most businesses skip this step entirely.

Make sure you’re following the show so you don’t miss it.

Connect With Us

For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia.

If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work.

Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community.

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

This week on Marketing Sucks, Amanda and Phil go in on something that quietly kills revenue every single day.

Overcomplicated messaging.

From jargon-filled landing pages to brands trying to say 17 things in 12 seconds, this episode is a blunt reminder that simplicity always wins.

They break down why clear messaging builds trust faster, how cognitive fluency affects buying decisions, and why the more you overexplain, the more money you lose.

Using examples like “mp3 compression innovation” versus “1,000 songs in your pocket,” they show exactly how powerful simple positioning can be.

If your audience has to think too hard, they bounce. And in today’s attention economy, you do not get a second chance.

This episode is short, sharp, and practical. And yes, you are getting homework.

What You’ll Learn

✔ Why cognitive fluency makes simple brands feel more trustworthy

✔ Why overexplaining kills conversions

✔ The difference between industry language and consumer language

✔ How being too close to your brand creates confusion

✔ Why clarity scales and confusion costs

✔ The real reason great copywriters make great money

Connect With Us

For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia.

If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work.

Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community.

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

In this episode of Marketing Sucks, Amanda and Phil go off on faceless marketing, AI avatars, and the illusion that you can build trust without ever showing your face

They break down why we are living in a post-trust economy, why polished Canva carousels are not enough anymore, and why founder-led marketing is not the same thing as becoming an influencer.

They unpack what founder-led marketing actually is, why it works when done properly, and why so many founders are either avoiding it or doing it poorly. From strategic narrative control to consistency, thought leadership, and showing proof of revenue, this episode is a clear call-out of performative posting and a reminder that humans buy from humans.

If you are hiding behind templates, waiting until you feel ready, or convincing yourself you “don’t have time,” this one might sting a little.

What You’ll Learn:

✔ Why we are living in a post-trust economy

✔ Why founder-led marketing exists in the first place

✔ The difference between influencer content and founder-led marketing

✔ Why faceless marketing rarely builds long-term trust

✔ How algorithms favor human faces and personality

✔ Why consistency of message matters more than aesthetics

✔ What founder-led marketing is not

Connect With Us

For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia.

If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work.

Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community.

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

In this episode of Marketing Sucks, Amanda sits down with three-time award-winning psychotherapist Natacha Pennycooke for a real, unfiltered conversation about boundaries.

They dive into what is actually happening psychologically when we say yes but mean no, why high-achieving women overfill their plates, and how guilt quietly drives burnout in both motherhood and entrepreneurship

From attachment styles and leadership patterns to money conversations and undercharging, this episode connects the dots between people-pleasing, resentment, team culture, and profit.

If you have ever struggled to say no, charged less than you should, or wondered why your team feels tense or disengaged, this conversation will challenge you to look inward first.

Because boundaries are not just personal.
They shape your business.

What You’ll Learn

✔ What is happening psychologically when you say yes but mean no

✔ The difference between being nice and being kind

✔ How people-pleasing develops as a survival tool

✔ Why high-achieving women overfill their plates and burn out

✔ How attachment styles show up in leadership

✔ Why micromanagement signals a lack of trust

✔ How weak boundaries affect team culture and retention

✔ Why female founders struggle with charging their worth

Guest bio: Natacha Pennycooke is a leader in workplace mental health, equity education, and psychological safety, a Mindset Coach, and an award-winning psychotherapist. With over 13 years of experience, she is CEO of Natacha Pennycooke Psychotherapy, a flourishing anti-oppressive, healing-focused, and trauma-informed private group practice.

Links mentioned:‌ ‌

Natacha Pennycooke

natachapennycooke.com

Instagram: @natachapennycooke.therapy, @natachapennycooke.ceo

Connect With Us

For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia.

If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work.

Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community.

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

This week on Marketing Sucks, nothing actually sucks.

Amanda and Phil are celebrating 100 episodes and instead of doing a polished recap, they sit down and talk honestly about what it really took to get here.

From awkward mic setups and last-minute recordings to moments of wanting to quit entirely, this episode pulls back the curtain on what building something long-term actually feels like. It is messy. It is inconsistent. It is boring before it is exciting. And it is never perfect.

Amanda shares the biggest lessons she has learned from showing up 100 times, including why clarity matters more than being the smartest person in the room, why reputation beats aesthetics, why most people quit right before momentum hits, and why relationships have driven every major opportunity in their business.

They also get into self-doubt, resilience, long-form content, and the reality that sometimes you hit record and think, “What was that?” and publish it anyway.

If you are building a business, a brand, or anything that requires consistency, this episode will remind you that the work is not glamorous. But it is worth it.

What You’ll Learn

✔ Why clarity beats talent in business and communication
✔ Why distribution matters more than perfection
✔ Why your brand is your reputation, not your visuals
✔ Why most people quit before momentum hits
✔ How consistency feels boring until it works
✔ Why every major opportunity comes from relationships

Connect With Us

For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia.

If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work.

Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community.

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

In this solo episode of Marketing Sucks, Amanda breaks down one of the most common reasons small and mid-sized businesses stay stuck: copying big brand marketing.

Amanda explains why brands like Nike, McDonald’s, and Apple are playing a completely different game, one built on decades of brand equity, cultural dominance, and massive budgets, and why trying to replicate their strategies too early leads to vague messaging, soft calls to action, and stalled revenue.

This episode is a reality check for entrepreneurs caught in comparison mode. Amanda walks through how big brands actually win, why their strategies don’t translate to smaller businesses, and what founders should be doing instead if they want traction, sales, and momentum right now.

If you’ve ever thought, “If I just marketed like them, I’d finally break through,” this episode explains why that mindset is holding you back and how to shift it.

What You’ll Learn

✔ Why big brands don’t need to convert the way you do
✔ How cultural dominance replaces urgency for large companies
✔ Why copying Nike, Apple, or McDonald’s stalls small businesses
✔ The danger of vague messaging and soft CTAs
✔ Why awareness without a next step is not strategy
✔ How brand equity changes the rules of marketing
✔ Why aggressive clarity matters more than cinematic branding
✔ How faster asks lead to faster revenue
✔ Why selling is about connection, not pressure
✔ How to reframe sales as problem-solving
✔ The role confidence plays in marketing and conversion
✔ How to use big brands as inspiration without copying
✔ A practical exercise to reverse-engineer strategy that actually fits your business

Connect With Us

For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia.

If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work.

Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community.

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency

In this episode of Marketing Sucks, Amanda Casinha and Phil Ginther dismantle some of the most repeated marketing advice that sounds smart but quietly kills revenue.

They break down three of the biggest offenders: “educate, don’t sell,” “build trust before asking for money,” and “just give value,” and explain why these one-liners work for massive brands but actively sabotage small and mid-sized businesses.

Using real-world examples from brands like HubSpot and Skims, Amanda and Phil unpack the difference between long-term brand trust and cash-flow reality, why education without selling creates non-buying audiences, and how clarity, directness, and confidence drive conversions far more effectively than vague value-based content.

If you’ve been posting consistently, “adding value,” and still wondering where the sales are, this episode explains exactly why.

What You’ll Learn:

✔ Why “educate, don’t sell” is incomplete advice
✔ How value-only content creates non-buyers
✔ The difference between brand trust and revenue generation
✔ Why big brands can afford long sales cycles and you can’t
✔ How Skims sells without over-educating
✔ Why selling from day one is not unethical
✔ How education should support your offer, not replace it
✔ What actually builds trust with modern audiences
✔ Why vague CTAs kill conversions
✔ How to sell without sounding salesy
✔ The fastest way to find leaks in your content and funnels
✔ What to audit if your engagement is high but sales are low

Connect With Us

For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia.

If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work.

Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community.

—

📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.

🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall

Get social

Instagram: @grindsocialmedia

Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA

📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me!

Podcasting support

Production: theultimatecreative.com

Show notes: copymagic.agency