Shows
The Dead Pixels Society podcastYour Team Is Holding You Back, But Not In The Way You Think, with Brandon PfliegerHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!What's really holding your business back from reaching its full potential? The answer might surprise you. In this eye-opening conversation with Brandon Pflieger of Capital Growth Partners, we uncover the often-overlooked foundations of business growth and the uncomfortable truth that many entrepreneurs need to hear.Pflieger brings a refreshing perspective shaped by his diverse background spanning retail, marketing, fitness entrepreneurship, and business consulting. His "Turnaround Blueprint" cuts through the noise to focus on what truly matters: people, systems, offers, and strategic marketing.
2025-08-2131 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastThe Louisville Lensman Who Built Two Companies By Removing Customer FrictionHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!Ever wondered how successful entrepreneurs spot untapped market opportunities hiding in plain sight? Carl Armijo's journey from civil engineer to thriving business owner offers a masterclass in customer-focused growth.When COVID-19 disrupted traditional career paths, Armijo pivoted to real estate photography—a choice that perfectly balanced his need for family flexibility with pandemic-era social distancing requirements. Rather than approaching photography purely as a creative venture, he applied his engineering mindset to build systems that prioritize customer service, consistency, and frictionless experiences.What sets Armijo's bu...
2025-08-1428 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastStop Treating SEO Like Wizardry and Start Getting Results, with Steven SchneiderHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!Struggling to make sense of SEO for your photo business? You're not alone. Search engine optimization often feels like arcane wizardry to small business owners—a necessary evil that's either too complex to understand or constantly shifting beneath your feet.Steven Schneider, co-founder of TrioSEO, shatters these misconceptions in this enlightening conversation. "It's not all witchcraft and wizardry," he explains, revealing how quality content and authority form the scientific foundation of successful SEO. For photo retailers and photographers who rely on white-label pl...
2025-08-0724 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastPolar Bears and Piracy: How AI is Challenging Traditional Copyright with Dan MillerHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!The intersection of copyright law and artificial intelligence represents one of the most challenging legal frontiers of our digital era. In this thought-provoking conversation, Dr. C. Daniel Miller (The Copyright Detective) unpacks the complex world of intellectual property rights when machines can generate content indistinguishable from human creation.From his unique background spanning higher education, NASA projects, and over a decade in copyright clearance, Dr. Miller offers a balanced perspective on AI as both an innovative tool and a potential legal minefield. He explains that while...
2025-07-3125 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastAI, Retro Appeal, and Creator Economy: Navigating Visual 1st with Hans HartmanHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!In this interview, Hans Hartman describes the seismic shifts in the imaging industry and how the Visual 1st Conference stands at the epicenter of these changes. Moving to KQED's spacious headquarters for its 13th edition, this year's gathering promises an elevated experience with theater-style seating, immersive displays, and the industry's most forward-thinking voices.Visual 1st creates a uniquely candid environment for industry dialogue. Join us Oct. 28-29 in San Francisco to experience firsthand the technologies and trends shaping the future...
2025-07-2440 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastDigital Strategy in the AI Era: Tactics for Photo Retailers with Max DesMaraisHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!The digital marketing landscape has transformed drastically, forcing photo retailers and imaging businesses to rethink their strategies. In this illuminating conversation with Max DesMarais, Director of Strategy at Vital Design, we explore how small photo businesses can effectively compete against industry giants despite limited marketing budgets.DesMarais reveals a significant shift that's reshaping the marketing world: organic search visibility is declining as "pay-to-play is becoming more important than ever." With Google's expanded ad space and AI features consuming the search results page...
2025-07-1731 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastAbundance Mindsets and the Art of Selling Without Selling, with Marc Von MusserHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!What if everything you've been taught about sales is actually holding you back from extraordinary success? Marc Von Musser, sales expert and founder of Soar and Roar, challenges conventional wisdom with a refreshing perspective that could transform your approach to business.Growing up as the son of a renowned photographer who captured 150 national magazine covers in a single year, Von Musser learned early that success comes not from transactions but from capturing essence and creating value. This foundation, combined with his journey...
2025-07-1035 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastEmotional Intelligence: The Untapped Resource in Your Workplace with Michelle HoweHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!The quiet power brokers in your organization aren't always who you think. Michelle J Howe, founder of Empath Evolution, reveals a startling truth on the Dead Pixels Society podcast: Roughly 25% of your workforce consists of highly empathic individuals who dramatically influence your company's energy, culture, and success.As Howe shares her transformation from structured accountant to empathic mentor, she uncovers the hidden dynamics playing out in workplaces everywhere. These empaths—people who can absorb and process others' emotions—often excel in sales, leadership, and rela...
2025-07-0334 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastSell Without Selling: The Power of Personal Branding with Jorge OlsonHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!What's the secret to taking five companies public and raising over $100 million? According to Jorge Olson, it all comes down to personal branding—a philosophy he's refined across decades as an executive marketer, brand expert, and serial entrepreneur.From his earliest days studying influence as a 12-year-old to becoming a VP of Marketing by 27, Olson reveals the counter-intuitive strategies that have fueled his success across multiple industries. His journey began in software before a strategic pivot to beverages, where he recognized the power of se...
2025-06-2634 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastYou Can't Hire a Heart: James Robbins on Authentic LeadershipHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!What if the secret to unlocking extraordinary business performance isn't found in complex strategies, but in your approach to leadership? That's the compelling premise James Robbins, mountain climber turned leadership expert, explores in this thought-provoking conversation.Robbins takes us on a journey that begins in the Rocky Mountain foothills where he grew up and traces his unexpected path through ministry to business leadership consulting. Along the way, he reveals a fundamental truth many leaders miss: the skills that make someone excel as an individual...
2025-06-1930 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastFinding the Expert in You: How Ann Carden Transforms Expertise into BusinessesHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!What if your greatest business opportunity isn't something new, but something you already possess? In this eye-opening conversation with business growth expert Ann Carden, we explore how entrepreneurs can transform their expertise into thriving, profitable businesses.Cardens journey from teaching neighborhood craft classes at age eight to building and selling five successful companies offers a masterclass in business evolution. Rather than chasing the next shiny opportunity, she reveals how staying three steps ahead of market trends allowed her to pivot seamlessly from a global doll business...
2025-06-1227 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastSocial Media Mastery with Less Effort with Katie BrinkleyHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!Are you exhausted trying to keep up with endless social media demands while running your business? What if you could achieve better results with just four strategic posts?Katie Brinkley, founder of Next Step Social, author, and podcast host, reveals a game-changing approach to social media that's perfect for photo retailers, lab owners, and camera stores who need an effective digital presence without sacrificing their core operations. Having built her agency from a single client to a team of eleven, Brinkley understands...
2025-06-0529 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastLead Yourself First: The Foundation of Effective Leadership with Dr. Kevin MaysHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!What does true leadership look like in today's business landscape? Dr. Kevin Mays reveals it begins not with controlling others, but with mastering yourself. His journey from aerospace engineering student to leadership consultant offers profound insights on building organizations that thrive beyond their founders.Dr. Mays challenges conventional wisdom about leadership, arguing that before you can effectively lead others, you must first understand your thought patterns and intentions. This self-awareness forms the foundation for creating environments where people feel empowered to bring their best...
2025-05-2934 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastBurnout-Proof Your Creative Business, with Celi AriasHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!Celi Arias knows what it means to struggle as a creative entrepreneur. From sleeping on an air mattress on her factory floor to building and selling multi-seven-figure businesses, her journey has been anything but linear. Now, as the founder of Grown Ass Business, she's on a mission to help other creative entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses without burning out.The truth about turning passion into profit isn't what most business coaches want you to hear. As Arias reveals, passion alone is a "finicky...
2025-05-2230 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastGetting More from Your Gear: OWC's Approach to Tech LongevityHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!Ever wondered if your "failing" memory cards might just need some TLC? Larry O'Connor, founder and CEO of OWC (Other World Computing), shatters common misconceptions about technology lifespan while revealing game-changing approaches to extending the life of your digital gear.Since founding OWC in 1988, O'Connor has maintained a singular focus: "giving users more from the technology they have." What began as memory upgrades for Apple computers has evolved into comprehensive storage solutions, docks, and software tools designed to maximize performance...
2025-05-1536 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastAI-Powered Photo Curation, with Troy DeBraal, MediaVizHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!Ever found yourself frantically scrolling through thousands of photos trying to find that one perfect shot you know exists somewhere? This frustration sparked the creation of MediaViz AI when founder Troy DeBraal's business partner slammed his phone down in a restaurant after failing to locate a crucial photo of his son. "Why can't you build something that can keep track of all my good photos and get rid of all this junk?" he demanded – and a revolutionary AI photo curation platform was born.
2025-05-0830 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastFrom Film to Digital: An Industry Evolution with Jerry Grossman, Digital Imaging ReporterHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!One unexpected phone call changed Jerry Grossman's career path forever, moving him from advertising Charmin toilet paper to promoting Nikon cameras—a shift that would place him at ground zero of photography's most transformative era.The International Photographic Council (IPC) will host its annual IPC Hall of Fame and Professional Photographer Achievement Awards Luncheon on May 14, 2025. The IPC Service Award honoree, Jerry Grossman is co-owner and Editor-in-Chief of Digital Imaging Reporter. In this nostalgic yet ins...
2025-05-0135 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastBuilding Volume Photography Communities: Ian Hatch's Journey from Corporate to EntrepreneurHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!After dedicating 30 years to school photography and rising to Head of Sales at the UK's largest school photography company, Ian Hatch found himself unexpectedly redundant at age 54. Rather than retiring or changing careers, he channeled what he candidly calls his "revenge" into something extraordinary – a thriving school photography business that's grown from a single school to 66 in just three years.One of the secrets to Hatch's continued success lies in his innovative "Moving Memories" technology. By linking printed photographs to videos through augmented reality, he...
2025-04-2440 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastThe Healing Power of Smartphone Photography, with Joe Van WykHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!Photography isn't just about capturing images—it can be a powerful tool for healing and presence. Joe Van Wyk's journey from struggling graphic designer to mindful photographer reveals how smartphone photography transformed his mental health and creative expression.Growing up with artistic talent, Van Wyk initially took a conventional path, pursuing an MBA and international business to emulate his successful father. When this left him deeply unfulfilled, a chance encounter introduced him to graphic design, awakening his dormant creativity. As technology shifted and de...
2025-04-1737 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastPreparing Your Business for a Successful Exit, with Tom GledhillHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!Tom Gledhill brings a powerful wake-up call to business owners with his revelation that a staggering 80% of small businesses that go to market never actually sell. Drawing from his unique perspective as both a former business owner who successfully sold his multi-million dollar company and a certified business broker, Gledhill shares invaluable insights into why so many businesses fail to transition successfully.The key culprits behind failed business sales? Unrealistic owner expectations about valuation and the "owner is the business" syndrome where all systems and knowledge...
2025-04-1022 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastFrom Invisible Inks to Baseball Bats: The World of UV Printing with Lon Riley, DPI LaboratoryHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!Step into the world of UV printing with Lon Riley, founder of DPI Laboratory, as he reveals how this rapidly evolving technology is transforming personalization across industries. Unlike traditional printing methods, UV printing instantly cures ink with ultraviolet light, making products immediately ready for handling or shipping—a game-changer for on-demand production.What began as a specialty ink company has evolved into a full-service printing solution provider, with DPI Laboratory now offering two printer models tailored to different market needs. The compact Ca...
2025-04-0330 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastUnlock Effective Sales Strategies with David Fastuca, Growth ForumHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!What separates thriving businesses from struggling ones? It's rarely the product or service quality alone. David Fastuca, CEO and co-founder of Growth Forum, reveals how effective sales frameworks create sustainable growth regardless of industry or size.From starting his first design business at 14 to achieving a $30 million exit with his tech company Locomote Fastuca's journey demonstrates how mastering sales transform business outcomes. His refreshing perspective challenges common assumptions about business growth, particularly the misconception that adding more products automatically increases...
2025-03-2738 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastLess Hopeful, More Engineered: A Fresh Look at Marketing ROI, with John WatsonHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!What if the marketing strategies draining your budget could be transformed into systems that actually generate profit? In this eye-opening conversation with John Watson, founder of Accrue Marketing, we uncover the costly mistakes most businesses make with their marketing efforts and the straightforward solutions that can revolutionize your approach.Watson's journey from data analyst to marketing coach began when he repeatedly found himself delivering devastating news to clients about their marketing performance. After analyzing countless campaigns, he discovered a shocking pattern: businesses...
2025-03-2030 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastUnlocking Team Performance with Brenda NeckvatalHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!Imagine transforming your workplace into a high-performing, cohesive team where every member contributes meaningfully to your organization's success. That's exactly what Brenda Neckvatal, with more than 30 years of Fortune 500 HR experience, helps business owners achieve through her "human results" approach.Neckvatal unpacks the delicate balance of team dynamics, comparing cohesion to an elastic band that stretches when individual performance wavers. She reveals how to catch performance issues early before that band becomes permanently damaged, sharing strategies that work across organizations of any size.
2025-03-1336 min
The Dead Pixels Society podcastWhy More Traffic Doesn’t Mean More Sales: A Digital Marketing Deep Dive with Matt BaileyHave an idea or tip? Send us a text!In this episode, Matt Bailey, a digital marketing expert with more than 20 years of experience, takes us through his journey, starting from building websites in the '90s to now focusing on effective marketing education. He shares insights about the evolution of digital marketing and highlights why businesses must focus on their best customers. With a powerful message on the misconception that more traffic equals more sales, he challenges listeners to think differently about their marketing strategies.Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and le...
2025-03-0634 min