In this episode of The Aspiring CMO, Lev shares how he went from engineering student to affiliate marketer to raising $12 million in crypto… only to walk away and start all over again.

After that rapid success, Lev realized he could build something on his own terms. That spark led to Spines, a platform designed to give aspiring authors a real shot at publishing their work without the high costs or gatekeepers of traditional publishing.

We talk about his earliest days experimenting with digital marketing, the realities of scaling fast under pressure, and the difference between chasing growth and building with intention. Lev also opens up about the evolving role of a CMO, how to build trust in traditional industries, and why he believes human storytelling still matters, especially in an age of AI.

A must-listen for anyone navigating the chaos of building something real.

Let’s get into it.

Episode Topics:

00:00 – 00:40: Introduction
00:41 – 03:07: From Electrical Engineering to Digital Marketing
03:08 – 06:36: Starting in Affiliate and Building the First Business
06:37 – 08:00: Lev’s First Big Win and Building Under Pressure
08:01 – 08:42: Raising $12M in Crypto and the Turning Point
08:43 – 10:43: Walking Away From Success to Start Again
10:44 – 12:38: The Early Vision for Spines and Its Mission
12:39 – 15:50: Disrupting Traditional Publishing Through Tech
15:51 – 17:48: Building Brand Trust in a Crowded Market
17:49 – 19:55: The Role of a CMO in a Founder-Led Company
19:56 – 22:10: Why Storytelling Still Wins in a Data-Driven World
22:11 – 23:45: Why Founders Need to Let Go of Short-Term Pressure
23:46 – 25:20: When Speed Kills: Avoiding the Trap of Scaling Too Soon
25:21 – 27:14: Defining Long-Term Success as a Founder
27:15 – 28:35: What Positioning Really Means (and Why It’s Hard)
28:36 – 29:55: What Founders Miss About Making People Care
29:56 – 30:46: Advice for Early-Stage Marketers and Builders
30:47 – 31:25: Final Thoughts and Advice to His Younger Self

🔗 CONNECT WITH LEV
👥 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lev-david-digital-marketing-specialist/
💻 Website: https://spines.com/

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In this episode, Mahmoud shares how he went from nearly homeless in Italy to building a six-figure agency through digital marketing.

With no money and only six months to figure things out, he turned to SEO, built niche websites, and slowly generated enough income to survive. One of those websites eventually sold for $20,000, which became a turning point that gave him the confidence to scale further. He reinvested, kept building, and eventually launched Content Wish, an agency that started not from a big plan, but from client demand.

He opens up about the struggles of hiring and managing people, the power of spotting value where others don’t, and how automation helped him scale without burning out. Mahmoud also shares why your energy matters more than the perfect strategy, and how a little coaching could’ve saved him years of trial and error.

If you’re figuring out how to grow something real, whether you’re starting out or already in the game, Mahmoud’s story is one of those conversations that sticks with you.

Let’s get into it!

Episode Topics:

00:00 – 00:50: Introduction
00:51 – 01:20: Origin story
01:21 – 01:54: Turning to SEO and niche websites to survive
01:55 – 02:08: Mahmoud’s first big win
02:09 – 02:38: Reinvesting profits and scaling
02:39 – 02:57: Launching ContentWish from unexpected demand
02:58 – 03:09: Integrating AI into content services
03:10 – 03:29: Biggest challenge
03:30 – 03:49: Why ContentWish was never part of the plan
03:50 – 04:10: Starting a content service without being a writer
04:11 – 04:38: Scaling quality control with editors and consultants
04:39 – 05:13: Recognizing opportunity by focusing on value
05:14 – 05:48: Identify your opportunity
05:49 – 06:39: The role of passion and energy in choosing your path
06:40 – 07:12: Advice for aspiring CMOs
07:13 – 07:47: How to approach automation
07:48 – 08:24: Measure your results with clear KPIs
08:25 – 08:53: Tools Mahmoud recommends for AI and workflow automation
08:54 – 08:58: Closing and where to connect with Mahmoud

🔗 CONNECT WITH

👥 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahmoud-fathy-elsaid/

💻 https://www.facebook.com/mahmoud.fathy.elsaid

ASK Anything on The Aspiring CMO show and get your questions asnwered right on the show!

https://forms.gle/jswoQq8dy8u2oisT6

Hey everyone, welcome back to The ACMO!

This week, we’re talking with Praveen Kumar, a digital marketing consultant whose journey started in the ‘90s with nothing but curiosity and self-taught HTML.

He shares how the internet has evolved, why marketers often overlook the power of credibility, and what it really means to grow in an industry that changes overnight. From flipping websites to building a consulting business, Praveen opens up about the lessons that only come with time and experience. He also talks about learning to price his work with confidence and how that shift changed everything.

This conversation is honest, grounded, and full of the kind of insights you only get from someone who’s seen the digital space from the very beginning.

Let’s dive into the episode.

Episode Topics:

00:00 - 01:05: Introduction
01:06 - 03:09: How Praveen started in digital marketing in the late 90s
03:10 - 06:00: Building and selling websites in the early 2000s
06:01 - 08:55: How marketing trends evolved over the years
08:56 - 11:58: Underrated strategies for lead generation and personal branding
11:59 - 13:54: Why real-world experience beats theory
13:55 - 14:41: Pushing beyond comfort zones for growth
14:42 - 16:35: Advice for budget-conscious clients: where to focus first
16:36 - 18:35: Why focusing on one channel matters
18:36 - 20:06: Learning through mistakes and building skills over time
20:07 - 21:59: Setting personal goals and choosing the right clients
22:00 - 23:51: Lessons from building a sustainable business
23:52 - 24:53: Advice to his younger self: play the long-term game
24:54 - 25:16: How to connect with Praveen

🔗 CONNECT WITH

👥 https://www.linkedin.com/in/spk100/

💻 https://www.wildcreekstudio.com/

ASK Anything on The Aspiring CMO show and get your questions answered right on the show!

https://forms.gle/jswoQq8dy8u2oisT6

Subscribe to The Aspiring CMO

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theaspiringcmo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaspiringcmo/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theaspiringcmo/featured