Shows
The Profitable CreativeEntrepreneurship: Challenges and Triumphs | Nora SchlesingerSend us a textIn this episode of the Profitable Creative, host Christian Brim speaks with Nora Schlesinger about her unique career journey, from being the first employee at a startup SEO agency to becoming its CEO and eventually buying out the founder. Nora shares insights into the challenges of running a business during tough economic times, the importance of negotiation in business transactions, and her future aspirations in entrepreneurship. The conversation highlights the complexities of business ownership, the dynamics of negotiation, and the personal growth that comes from navigating these experiences. In this conversation, Nora Schlesinger...2025-06-1953 min
Growth Machine Marketing PodcastThe Creator Economy: When Content Is the Business We usually talk about content as a marketing tactic to grow a business. But what if content is the business? This week, we’re diving into the world of creators with Gil Kruger. Gil is the founder of Best Regards Media, a talent management and production company that represents some of the best narrative storytellers on social media. We talk about: What the Creator Economy actually is How creators make money through brand deals and partnerships The difference between an influencer and a creator (and why it matters) Metrics tha...2025-06-131h 13Growth Machine Marketing PodcastPaid Ads, Social Media, and SEOWhen is a social strategy the right way to go and when is SEO the right way? We’re joined by Ashley Rector, CEO of Quimby Digital, for a fun convo between agencies about the pros and cons of each of our approaches. We dive into: When we each recommend our clients DON’T use our services Tips for SEO best practices on social media The best ways to use paid ads and social content for lead generation Ashley’s unconventional journey to owning an agency How much you should spend on ads What ROI you can ex...2025-05-301h 04Growth Machine Marketing PodcastBuilding An Audience By Saying The Quiet Part Out LoudWhat happens when you stumble into content creation, and suddenly thousands of women see their story in yours? In this episode, Nora Schlesinger and Lindsay Rios sit down with Paige Connell, a content creator who built a deeply resonant platform by talking candidly about motherhood, mental load, and the invisible work so many women carry. Paige shares how she unintentionally grew her following, and how she balances authenticity, boundaries, and burnout as a creator. In this episode, we talk about: How Paige grew her platform through authentic content Why “mental load” content resonates so deeply The impor...2025-05-161h 18Growth Machine Marketing PodcastWelcome to The Content LabWe're not going anywhere... but our name is. After years as the Growth Machine Marketing Podcast, we're rebranding to something that better reflects what this show has become: a space to explore how real people use content to build meaningful brands. In this short episode, you'll hear why the change felt necessary, what you can expect going forward, and why we're so excited about the future of The Content Lab. Thanks for being here! Links: #42 Lessons From a Merger #46 Lessons From a Merger Pt 2: The Buyer Side MBE Group:2025-05-0201 minGrowth Machine Marketing Podcast#46 Lessons From a Merger Pt. 2: The Buyer SideFrank Buscemi and Tom Eisbrenner from MBE Group share their POV of the acquisition of Growth Machine. We talk about how the merger process went on their end of things as the buyers, covering: Why they wanted to buy us How they chose Growth Machine Their biggest fears in the buyout process What they learned merging our two companies Advice for business owners looking to acquire a company Show Notes (1:35) You’ve heard the acquisition story from the Growth Machine side, but this time, hear it from the MBE Group side. (1:57) Me...2025-04-1857 minGrowth Machine Marketing Podcast#45 Mailbag: Subpar Website, Optimizing for AI, and Selling Your CompanyIt’s Q&A time! Nora and Heather tackle listener questions, including: How do you build a better content strategy when your current content is suffering? Should I be optimizing for Google Gemini, Perplexity, and other AI tools? I have a limited budget and want to do SEO, paid ads, and social media, but can’t afford all of them. Where is the best place to start? If you plan to sell in the future, what should you be doing now to prepare and put your agency in an attractive position to be acquired? What is the best less...2025-03-1442 minGrowth Machine Marketing Podcast#44 How to Make Sure Your Content Agency Doesn’t Fire YouWant to make sure your content agency doesn’t fire you? This week, Heather and Nora are breaking down the must-haves every business needs before diving into content marketing. Without them, you might be setting yourself up for failure. From choosing the right CMS to nailing your brand voice, we’re covering everything that makes content agencies want to keep working with you for a long time. Show Notes: (1:04) So you've decided to hire a content agency. That's great! In this episode, we're giving our tips on what you can do to build a lasting part...2025-02-2853 minGrowth Machine Marketing Podcast#43 Setting Yourself Apart and Getting Hired as a Freelance WriterAs our VP of Content, Heather has hired hundreds of writers in all sorts of niches. There are writers who pop right off the page and make her want to talk to them immediately, and there are writers who get disqualified before she’s even opened their portfolio. She’s sharing all her tips and answering new freelancers’ questions in this advice-packed episode. You’ll walk away knowing how to structure an application to a freelance writing job and how to communicate your eagerness without looking too desperate. In this episode: Advice from working freelance writers How to s...2025-02-1454 min
An Agency StoryThe Hard Truths About Transitioning Out of Founder Led Sales - Growth MachineCompany: Growth MachineOwners: Nora SchlesingerYear Started: 2017Employees: 26 – 49What happens when you take over a business you didn’t start? In this episode of An Agency Story, Nora Schlesinger, CEO of Growth Machine, shares her unexpected journey from first employee to agency leader. From working with Slipknot’s manager to running a baking blog, Nora’s path to agency ownership was anything but conventional.She opens up about the challenges of inheriting a business, navigating a broken sales process, and the deli...2025-02-0341 min