Copy Chief Radio

If you've ever walked into a store (or scrolled a sales page) and thought, "Man… where's the human in all this?" — this episode is for you. Bob Phibbs, better known as The Retail Doctor, has spent decades helping brands rediscover the art of real connection — and in this conversation, he and Kevin unpack what it means to sell with soul in a world that keeps getting more automated, distracted, and disconnected. Bob shares stories from his early retail days — selling shoes in college, growing a western wear chain to 55 stores, and learning from giants like Tony Robbins — to reveal what he believes is the ultimate sales superpower: human presence. They talk about confidence, fear, and why so many people (and businesses) forget that customers don't want perfection — they want people. It's a conversation about selling, yes. But it's also about living — showing up, being curious, and having the guts to put yourself out there when everyone else is hiding behind screens.  

If you've ever hit that wall in your freelance career where you're booked solid, your income looks good on paper, but somehow you feel stuck, this episode is going to hit you square in the chest. Chris Orzechowski is one of the few freelance copywriters who managed to break free from the "busy but broke" trap. He's written for huge eCommerce brands, trained hundreds of writers through his courses, and built a thriving email agency that lets him do creative work and be home with his kids every night. In our conversation, Chris and I dig deep into the real evolution of a freelance copywriter, how to move from surviving on gigs to building something scalable, sustainable, and sane. We talk about systems, mindset, and the hard lessons it takes to go from writing words to running a business. But we also talk about what it means to stay a craftsman in a world obsessed with automation and shortcuts. This isn't a "rah-rah hustle" episode, it's an honest look at how to grow up as a copywriter, stay creative, and actually build a business worth living for.  

In this episode, Kevin Rogers sits down with Victoria Franco to unpack transcreation—the blend of marketing strategy, cultural intelligence, direct response copy, and translation that turns English‑first offers into winners in Latin America.  They break down why literal translation fails, how WhatsApp/DM culture flips the funnel, and why emotional resonance, social proof, and community matter more than ever for Freelance Copywriters and growth teams. You'll hear how Victoria rebuilt Kevin's offer for the Latin market (with help from Dave Maswery) and the "nuance worker" approach brands need to avoid embarrassing—and costly—misfires.

In this episode of Paid to Create, I sat down with Dave Munson, founder of Saddleback Leather and author of the new book They'll Fight Over It When You're Dead. Dave's story is one of relentless curiosity, unwavering faith, and a passion for building things that matter.  We got deep into how a single leather bag turned into a brand people brag about owning—and why creating something people love starts by solving your own problems. This one's for anyone who feels that call to build something great from the ground up. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ Why Dave says starting is the most underrated business tactic ✅ How to create products people brag about owning ✅ Why "success" has nothing to do with your bank account ✅ How Saddleback used storytelling to build an insanely loyal fanbase ✅ The connection between faith, failure, and craftsmanship  

In this episode, I handed the mic to Lolita Allgyer—our brilliant messaging and story strategist here at Copy Chief—for a deep dive into what makes story-driven copy land with real emotional punch. This was more than just an interview. Lolita came in with the mindset of a strategist working with a client (me), and what followed was an honest, curious, and wide-ranging conversation about creative process, storytelling instincts, personal evolution, and how parenting shaped both my writing and my life. We talked about everything from writing emotionally connective emails to how marijuana and music open creative portals, plus how the art of observation fuels direct response copy that connects on a deeper level. If you're a freelance copywriter working to bring more soul and strategy into your messaging–ya know, the human stuff–then, this one's for you.