On the Blog

How to Stop “Smiling and Nodding” at Impossible Marketing Goals

Your CEO walks in and says: “We need 40% growth this quarter.” You nod. They add: “And we can’t increase the budget.” You nod again. They say: “End of Q2.” And suddenly you’re the one who’s supposed to make the impossible happen. I want to tell you something: You’re not failing because you can’t execute […]

by Chad de Lisle

The Ick: Why You Dread Opening That Client’s Account (And What It’s Telling You)

You know the feeling. You’re about to log into that one client’s account, and something in your stomach turns. You’re writing copy for a campaign, and the words feel… slimy. You’re sitting in a strategy meeting pretending the plan makes sense when you know it doesn’t. This is “The Ick.” And it’s not burnout. It’s […]

by Chad de Lisle

Your CEO Doesn’t Know What They Want & Your Job Is On The Line

Your CEO Doesn’t Know What They Want & Your Job Is On The Line Your CEO keeps saying your marketing feels “off.” But they can’t tell you why it’s off. You revise. They frown again. You revise again. Same result. This is the Trust Gap. And it’s not because you’re a bad marketer. It’s because […]

by Chad de Lisle

The 6 Issues With AI Nobody Is Being Honest About

The 6 Issues With AI Nobody Is Being Honest About Every edition of this newsletter exists to say the thing that most marketing leaders are thinking but nobody in the room will say out loud. Let’s start with the truth nobody at the AI conference is putting in their keynote: AI didn’t make marketing harder. […]

by Chad de Lisle

Should You Hire an Agency, a Freelancer, or Build In‑House? Here’s the Truth

Should You Hire an Agency, a Freelancer, or Build In‑House? Here’s the Truth Last week, I broke down the real tradeoffs of agency vs. freelance vs. in-house marketing careers from the marketer’s perspective. This week? The client side. Because if you’re a CEO, founder, or marketing leader trying to decide whether to hire an agency, […]

by Chad de Lisle

18 Years in Agency, Freelance, and In‑House Marketing: Here’s What No One Tells You

18 Years in Agency, Freelance, and In‑House Marketing: Here’s What No One Tells You I’ve been doing marketing since 2007. Four different agencies. Freelance work on the side for years. And now three years as an in-house marketing leader at Disruptive. That’s 18 years of learning the same lesson over and over: Every marketing career […]

by Chad de Lisle

Top Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Agencies In 2026

In 2026, the traditional list of blue links is no longer the primary way users discover information. We have entered the era of the Generative Engine, where AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity synthesize data to provide direct answers. For businesses, this means that “ranking #1” is no longer enough. You must now be […]

by Chad de Lisle

Top SEO Agencies In The US In 2026

Let’s be honest: the SEO industry is currently being hollowed out. Most agencies are still trying to sell you a 2022 playbook, mass-producing “SEO content” that AI engines now ignore and users find exhausting. In 2026, the game is about authority and trust. Discovery has fundamentally changed. Your customers aren’t just scrolling through a list […]

by Chad de Lisle

Confessions of a Failed Marketer: How I Stopped Pleasing and Started Leading

I have a confession to make. I’ve been marketing for nearly 20 years. Half of that at Disruptive Advertising, working directly with our CEO. And I am a spectacularly bad mind-reader. For years, I was guilty of what I call the “smile and nod.” You know the one. Your CEO walks in asking if the […]

by Chad de Lisle

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