Turning Pro

Building a media company isn't optional anymore. It’s the cost of entry. If you're building in 2025, content isn't just a marketing channel. It's how people discover you, trust you, and decide to buy from you. I sat down with @JtBarnett to talk about what it actually takes to stay relevant online. He went from playing pro hockey to building viral content houses, helping Poppi dominate social, and launching Creator X. His team now helps brands act more like creators and less like corporations. This one felt less like a podcast and more like a crash course on distribution, brand, and attention. Here’s what stuck with me: - Your brand isn’t competing with other brands. It’s competing with every creator on the feed. - The best brands build with their audience, not just for them. - The algorithm doesn’t care how many followers you have. It cares what you did yesterday. - Creators win because they understand their audience better than most companies ever will. - The most iconic brands today are being built like media companies from day one. JT is one of the few people who deeply understands both sides of the table; the creator mindset and the business execution. If you're thinking about audience, relevance, or how actually to make content work in 2025, this one is worth your time. Catch the full episode on: YouTube: youtu.be/Sj0RPP0IZ8o?si… Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/090… Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/7BaDxV… Would love to hear what you think.

He posted one TikTok. It got a million views in an hour. Then 2,000 orders came in for a product that didn’t technically exist yet. No supply chain. No factory. No clue what to do next. London Glorfield described that moment as the seed for what is now Kickback. Today, Kickback is building retro-inspired consumer tech designed to help Gen Z unplug. Not in theory. In practice. Their mission is to create products that do one thing well - and then leave you alone. London joined me on the pod to talk about: → How to build a brand by going against the dominant platforms → Why creativity is worthless without obsession and discipline → What 145% tariffs taught him about founder resilience → Why Kickback is proudly building the anti-iPhone → How to build something that resonates culturally, not just functionally → The long game of making hardware feel cool again This episode captures the chaos of going viral and the clarity that follows when you build with conviction. Full episode here: YouTube youtu.be/F-oulB_X8oA?si… Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/159z2k… Apple podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/089…

What if the only reason it’s not working is because you haven’t decided that it is? That’s the breakthrough thought that changed everything for Sydney Karmes-Wainer. After 5 years building French Squirrel, she still questions if it’s working. But at some point, she made a call: “I wasn’t sure if it was working, and I still am not positive that it is, but I decided that it’s working.” That shift changed everything: → Sales started climbing → She started hiring → She stopped waiting for permission No playbook. No perfect timing. Just gut instinct and the belief that it was working - even before the results showed up. In this episode, Sydney opens up about: → Building a wellness brand on radical honesty → Navigating pricing pressure and imposter syndrome → Meeting Andrew Huberman while still packing boxes alone Another great Turning Pro journey ✔️ Full episode here: YouTube: youtu.be/kruU5bYADG8?si… Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/6muzkb… Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/085…

Chris Hladczuk, CEO at @hanoverpark, closed a $25M deal on his 26th follow-up. Forget the usual “friendly reminder” emails or automation shortcuts. @chrishlad did it the old-fashioned way, without being a nuisance. He was consistent and creative. That’s it. Here’s what he did: → Shared relevant market updates like T-bill yield shifts → Followed up across multiple channels without repeating himself → Replied to collapsed email threads to re-engage the full decision group → Skipped filler messages and focused on actual value → Stayed patient for six months Then the breakthrough came. The prospect saw a case study Chris had posted on LinkedIn. He replied, asked what it would take to migrate, and Chris called him immediately. They met in person and closed the deal 15 minutes later. That’s founder-led sales. No fluff. Just staying in the game longer than most. This is one of the many tactical moments Chris shared on this week’s episode of Turning Pro Podcast: We also covered: → Why owning proprietary data is the only real moat left → His approach to hiring and why most candidates don’t make it past the first call → How he built a Twitter and LinkedIn presence that drives real pipeline If you’re building, selling, or hiring, this one’s worth your time. Season 4, Episode 7 of @turningpropod is now live here: Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/084… Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/6Ug6ra… YouTube: youtu.be/drBuKhxlCk0?si…

If you're feeling overwhelmed building your startup, this is for you. In this week’s episode of @turningpropod, @Aaronschwartz35 shared two pieces of advice every early-stage founder should hear. First, focus is everything. Keep the main thing the main thing. Do not try to sprint in five directions. Do one thing really well and earn the right to do more. Second, share your problems early. Not the vague “it’s been tough lately” updates. The real ones. The ones that feel messy or hard to admit. Because the fastest way through chaos is being honest about what is actually going on. Aaron has built and sold companies, advised over 30 founders, and helped raise millions. Now he’s back in operator mode as co-founder and president of Orita, helping brands improve their email deliverability and segmentation with AI. Full episode is now live on: Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/59YCdN… Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/082… YouTube: youtu.be/-6h1_TcS6ps?si…