The Ross Simmonds Show

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, Ross shares one deceptively simple yet life-changing principle: be the first to reach out. Whether you’re leading a team, navigating a personal relationship, seeking mentorship, building partnerships, or managing conflict, Ross demonstrates how initiating connection and communication can accelerate trust, progress, and performance. Packed with real-life examples and actionable strategies, Ross discusses how taking the first step to connect helps address miscommunication, foster alignment, and strengthen relationships that are essential for both life and business success. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. Why Being First to Reach Out Changes Everything - The small act of going first can build trust, momentum, and connection. - Many people wait due to fear, assumption, or the hope that someone else will act. - Those who lead with action never wait for permission or perfect timing. 2. The Power of Action-Oriented Leadership - Solid leaders act. They see a problem and address it rather than avoid it. - Reach out for and give feedback proactively. It's contagious and builds a culture of communication. 3. Practical Applications - Micro Check-Ins (Positive or Challenging Situations) - Conflict Resolution: Reach First, React Less - Mentorship Starts With Initiative - Strategic Outreach for Partnerships - Internal Communication as Leadership 4. Cultural Leadership Lessons - Grandmother's Legacy: Consistent Outreach - Creating a Culture of Trust and Problem Solving - Build a High-Performance, Low-Ego Team — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, Ross breaks down the keys to building an influential brand through content creation, distribution, and experimentation. This conversation covers everything from overcoming imposter syndrome and mastering content distribution to riding the AI wave and scaling your creative vision. Whether you're a content creator, small business owner, or digital marketer, this conversation delivers no-fluff, highly actionable strategies to amplify your reach and scale with focus. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. Content is King, but Distribution is the Empire- Creating great content is only the beginning; distribution is where the magic happens. - Most content fails not because it’s bad, but because nobody sees it. - Creators must go beyond publishing: share content in forums, repurpose assets, email it, and push it across platforms. 2. Build Your Brand by Being Relentlessly Valuable - Early wins come from proving value to just one or two clients and letting word of mouth do the rest. - Niche down, provide specific, hyper-relevant advice, and soon you'll be the go-to expert for that audience. - “Give value to the internet and the internet will give it back” is Ross's philosophy in a nutshell. 3 Experimentation is a Growth Engine- Ross’s mantra: Build, Ship, Learn, Decide. - Every breakthrough he’s had, from fantasy football blogs to SaaS products, started with small experiments. - As your business grows, so should the size (and risk) of your experiments. 4. Imposter Syndrome Will Kill Your Momentum - You don’t need to be the best to start; you just need to be better than your clients at the thing you're offering. - Most people fail because they talk themselves out of even trying. - Ross urges creators to let go of self-doubt and lean into bold action. 5. AI is a Game Changer, Use it or Fall Behind - Ross actively uses tools like ChatGPT, ElevenLabs, and Descript to speed up workflows, enhance creativity, and save time. - While AI brings ethical challenges (like deepfakes), its potential for creators is enormous, from scriptwriting to content remixing. - Strategic use of AI will become a competitive advantage in the coming years. Resources & Tools: 🔗 Foundation Marketing 🔗 Distribution.ai 🔗 Ross' Book: Create Once, Distribute Forever 🔗ElevenLabs 🔗 Descript — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, Ross tackles a crucial and timely topic: how marketers can not only survive but thrive during economic downturns. When budgets are slashed and expectations remain sky-high, too many marketers retreat. But as Ross argues, downturns are hidden opportunities for bold, creative, and strategic professionals. You’ll learn why your mindset matters, which marketing mistakes to avoid in a crisis, and most importantly, what you can do right now with limited resources to build brand equity, generate demand, and outmaneuver your competition. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. Mindset Wins the Long Game - The best marketers stay calm and ruthlessly prioritize value. - Budget constraints can clarify what really drives results. - Insight: Constraints don’t kill creativity—they sharpen it. 2. The Three Biggest Mistakes Marketers Make in a Downturn - ❌ Cutting brand investment entirely. - ❌ Over-investing in high-cost, low-yield paid channels. - ❌ Playing it safe and copying competitors. 3. Proven Tactics for Marketing with Zero Budget - Repurpose your top-performing historical content. - Example reuse: LinkedIn carousels, Reddit posts, YouTube Shorts.  4. Earn Trust When Paid Clicks Are Too Expensive - Invest in podcast appearances, guest posts, and owned content. - Use first-party proprietary or curated data to support thought leadership. 5. Double Down on Your Current Customers - Strengthen relationships via community, VIP content, and proactive help. - Empower your customers to become brand advocates. - Insight: Word of mouth cannot be budget-cut. 6. Embrace Evergreen Content - Create assets that compound over time vs. quick hits. - Focus on material that drives long-term ROI. 7. Collaborate for Free Distribution - Build co-branded content and share audiences with aligned partners. - Example: Ross shares a story about early Snapchat takeovers (“Snap Swaps”). Resources & Tools: 🔗 Distribution.ai 🔗 Foundation Marketing  🔗 HubSpot — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, Ross breaks down the powerful concept of leverage, the secret behind how high-performers achieve 10x results without working 10x harder. Ross introduces the four core types of leverage (People, Capital, Code, and Content) and provides actionable insights, mindset shifts, and examples on how to use them to reclaim your time, scale your impact, and accelerate growth. Whether you're an entrepreneur, creator, marketer, or employer, this episode offers a practical framework to help you work smarter and more effectively. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. Leverage Through People - Delegation is key, but do it like a founder, not a manager. - Transfer ownership, not just tasks. - Empower teams by sharing outcomes and allowing room for creativity. - Ask yourself: What $5/hour work are you holding onto that’s blocking your $1,000/hour work? 2. Leverage Through Code - Automation and modern software replace manual workflows. - Today, you don’t need a dev team to build tools—AI can generate scripts and automation for you. - Built internal apps and CRMs with no/low code tools. - Automate tasks through scheduling, reporting, and workflows. 3. Leverage Through Capital - Every dollar should buy back time or create compounding value. - Use capital to invest, buy access, or convert traffic into sales. - Examples: Affiliate programs Investing in dividend stocks or crypto Ad spend on proven funnels 4. Leverage Through Content - Content builds trust while you sleep. - It is a scalable, reusable asset—blog posts, podcasts, guides, videos. - "Create once, distribute forever" is the mantra. - Your content is always working—even when you’re not. Resources & Tools: 🔗Create Once, Distribute Forever 🔗ChatGPT 🔗Upwork 🔗Fiverr 🔗N8N - Workflow Automation 🔗HubSpot 🔗Lovable — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, Ross unpacks the silent bottlenecks that are stalling high-potential B2B companies, regardless of their size or success. Drawing from years of experience working with startups to publicly traded enterprises, Ross highlights the most overlooked internal barriers to growth and, more importantly, how to eliminate them. You’ll walk away with actionable advice and frameworks to optimize your messaging, sales cycle, onboarding flow, content strategy, and team alignment, all aimed at transforming friction into momentum. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. Common B2B Bottlenecks - Misaligned Messaging Speaking to investors instead of customers is a fatal UX misstep. Use real customer language on homepages and in sales materials. Focus on emotional resonance and clarity, not buzzwords. Apply the AIDA framework: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. - Bloated Revenue Process Long, complicated sales cycles add friction, not value. Reduce approvals and handoffs—especially for low-ticket SaaS products. Make buying intuitive: include pricing, live demos, streamlined decks. - Weak Onboarding & Lack of Quick Wins Onboarding should feel like success, not a setup chore. Deliver fast value: think checklists, 48-hour wins, and proactive outreach. High delight in the first week = low churn in the future. - Lack of Content Distribution “It's not the content industry. It’s the content marketing industry.” Great content often goes unseen due to weak promos. Break down and repurpose one asset across multiple platforms. Misalignment between sales, marketing, and success leads to a broken customer journey. Growth should be a team sport centered around shared KPIs. 2. Ross’s 3-Step Audit Framework - IMPACT – What’s costing us the most right now? - URGENCY – What needs to be fixed immediately? - EASE – What's a quick win we could implement this week? Resources & Tools: 🔗 Create Once, Distribute Forever by Ross Simmonds 🔗 Distribution.ai 🔗 HubSpot 🔗 Loom — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, Ross ​dives deep into a topic that many leaders shy away from: the loneliness of leadership. He opens up about his experiences as a solo founder, the mental and emotional burden that comes with leading organizations, and how success can bring unexpected isolation. More importantly, Ross offers practical and powerful advice on how leaders can build resilience, create support systems, and avoid common traps that lead to burnout and self-doubt. If you’ve ever felt alone at the top, this is the reminder you didn’t know you needed. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. The Quiet Weight of Foundership - Leadership is often glamorized from the outside, but behind closed doors, it can be emotionally and mentally taxing. - Founders are expected to always be “on” — delivering, solving, and showing up, even during personal lows. - “Being a founder is a gift, but it’s also one of the loneliest jobs.” 2. What Makes Leadership So Isolating - It’s not physical solitude, but the responsibility that isolates leaders. - You make decisions that shape careers — sometimes lives — and often have no one to share the burden with. 3. The Trap of Self-Containment - One of the biggest mistakes is trying to carry everything alone. - Delegating responsibility and building trust with team members can alleviate this loneliness. 4. Four Reasons Leaders Feel Isolated - 🧠 Information Asymmetry  Leaders have a different view of company data, performance, and risks. Transparency can reduce the burden and build empathy. - ❤️ Emotional Labor Leaders are expected to remain steady and optimistic, even when they're struggling inside. Emotional resilience is important, but suppressing emotion leads to burnout. - Identity Tied to Business Outcomes When your self-worth becomes linked to business success, every failure feels personal. - Shrinking Circle of Trust As you succeed, your peer group shrinks — making honesty and vulnerability harder. 5. How to Fix It: Four Strategies - Build a True Inner Circle  - Or start a group chat with like-minded entrepreneurs. - Find two kinds of mentors: Someone ahead of you to guide you. Someone behind you to keep you pushing forward. - Intentional Reflection  - Thoughtfully Include Your Team in Pressure - Work With a Coach or Therapist  6. From Loneliness to Connection - Celebrate wins publicly to avoid harboring joy alone. - Share successes with your team, friends, and family. - “You shift from performing to living.” 8. Final Reflections: You’re Not Alone - Loneliness is common but not permanent. - You can go further with people, with honesty, and with emotional openness. - He who wears the crown must bear the weight — but not alone. Resources & Tools: 🔗 EO (Entrepreneurs' Organization) 🔗 YPO (Young Presidents' Organization) 🔗 Hampton 🔗 Ross Simmons Show Archive — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, Ross dives deep into a major paradigm shift happening in search—Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). As AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, and others increasingly influence how we discover information, traditional SEO practices rooted in rankings, backlinks, and page authority are rapidly becoming outdated. Ross unpacks how memory, personalization, and context are reshaping discoverability and what brands and marketers must do to stay competitive in this new era. From building real author entities to creating multi-format content experiences, you'll learn actionable strategies for future-proofing your content marketing and search approach. Whether you're a seasoned SEO or an emerging content leader, this episode will give you the tools to thrive in the age of personalized AI-driven information retrieval. Key Takeaways and Insights: What Is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)? Definition of GEO: Moving from link-based to conversation-based discovery. GEO Article: What’s Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) & How To Do It  The Role of Memory in Personalized Search Results How LLMs use your search history, preferences, and identity Personalized SERPs: Millions of versions, no single truth Memory as a Ranking Factor Context-rich responses over one-size-fits-all answers SEO is no longer about just ranking for a keyword How to Win at GEO: Key Strategies Author Entities & Digital Trust Build real author bios with online presence Credibility signals influence LLM citations Use Industry Language with Authority Avoid watered-down content Lean into jargon and technical terms your audience uses Cite Quotes, Data & Sources LLMs favor content with references and expert opinions Credibility boosts visibility Embrace Redundant Modalities Create Once, Distribute Forever Repurpose content across Reddit, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn, Quora, Threads Digital PR & Thought Leadership How top brands are getting cited by LLMs and publications Brand building = Visibility in AI answers The New Fundamentals Technical optimization still matters, but now include: Distribution Trust Authority LLM Memorability Resources & Tools: 🔗 GEO Article by Ross: Generative Engine Optimization 🔗 Book: Create Once, Distribute Forever by Ross Simmonds 🔗 Distribution.ai 🔗 Foundation Marketing — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this episode, Ross lays down the law on modern content distribution and why "hoping it goes viral" isn't a strategy. He breaks down the five most common mistakes marketers make with distribution, highlights the new reality of reaching audiences in the AI and multi-channel era, and walks you step-by-step through building a powerful, repeatable distribution system that delivers results. If you’ve been creating high-quality content but struggling to get it in front of the right audience, this episode gives you the system, mindset, and framework to turn things around. Key Takeaways and Insights: Hope Is NOT a Strategy Pressing “publish” is not enough to drive content success. Distribution is what transforms good content into great, high-impact content. If no one sees your content, it may as well not exist. 5 Common Distribution Mistakes Publish Once, Then Disappear Celebrate distribution, not just publishing. Implement a content distribution calendar to continuously share and promote assets. Relying on a Single Channel Multi-channel presence is essential to stay top of mind and generate multiple touch points. Don’t stick to just LinkedIn or X — explore YouTube, Reddit, newsletters, Slack groups, and more. Assuming Organic Reach is Guaranteed Social and SEO algorithms don’t owe you visibility. Use rented platforms to build owned ones (e.g., newsletters), and pair organic with smart paid amplification. Not Repurposing Content A blog post should become a LinkedIn carousel, a video, a thread on X, a newsletter, etc. Embrace the mantra: Create Once, Distribute Forever. Failure to Track Performance You can’t optimize what you don’t measure. Use tools like GA4, HubSpot, Ahrefs, etc., to analyze what’s working. How to Build a Real Distribution System Audience & Content Market Fit Research Understand who your audience is, their interests, pain points, and where they hang out online. Go beyond business competitors — study top-performing content in other niches (MrBeast, Yoga with Adriene, etc.) to understand attention mechanics. Create a High-Value Pillar Asset Choose a format (blog post, video, case study, podcast, etc.). This asset will form the nucleus of your distribution efforts. Repurpose & Atomize Break your pillar asset into quotes, clips, carousels, threads, email snippets, and more for long-term promotion. Define Distribution Across PESO Paid (ads, boosts) Earned (press, influencer shares) Shared (social, communities) Owned (newsletter, blog) Measure Everything & Iterate Use data to guide future efforts and content decisions. Recommended tools: Google Analytics 4, HubSpot, Ahrefs, SparkToro, UTM dashboards, and Distribution.AI. Resources & Tools: 🔗 Distribution.ai 🔗 Create Once, Distribute Forever 🔗 HubSpot 🔗 Ahrefs 🔗 Google Analytics 4 🔗SparkToro — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, Ross cuts through the overwhelming noise around AI in marketing to reveal what’s real, what’s useful, and what’s pure hype. From AI-fueled content creation and personalization to ads, analytics, and the dangers of AI deepfakes, Ross shares his honest take on how marketers can harness AI effectively—without losing their creativity (or their jobs). Hint: AI isn’t here to replace great marketers, but it will expose mediocre ones. Whether you’re feeling FOMO about AI tools or tired from constant information overload, this episode offers grounded insights and an actionable roadmap for embracing AI in a sustainable and meaningful way. Key Takeaways and Insights: Understanding the Current AI Hype Cycle AI is at the peak of inflated expectations. Nearly every tool is rushing to add AI capabilities. $10B spent in AI implementation efforts by consulting firms. The opportunity is real—but so is the noise. Content Creation: The Draft, Not the Director Tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, Rytr, SEMrush, and HubSpot offer “okay” drafts. Great marketers use AI for first drafts, then add emotion, creativity, and data. AI helps compress content production time significantly. Key quote: “The AI tool is not your creative director.” Repurposing & Distribution at Scale One of the best use cases for AI in content marketing. Turn one podcast into dozens of social assets, short videos, quotes, etc. Old content can be brought back to life using AI. 24/7 brand promotion equals scale and efficiency. AI for Creating Visuals & Ads Tools now allow marketers to generate images and mock ads from product photos. Emerging use case: image creation with tools like ChatGPT’s DALL·E. AI lowers cost and time for creative asset generation. AI-Powered Insights from Data AI can identify behavior trends, segment audiences, and support lead scoring. Automate personalized communications triggered by user behavior. In-depth AI-based customer feedback analysis is now possible. Reminder: "Good data = good AI." Personalization: Right Message, Right Time AI enables highly tailored emails, landing pages, and even video messages. Important: Avoid going too far or getting creepy with data usage. Balance personalization with ethics and relevance. The Fluff: SEO Snake Oil & “Turnkey” Strategies Beware of tools promising 10,000 blog posts and instant rankings. "Hallucination" risk with auto-generated content hurts SEO in the long run. One-click marketing strategy generators? Hard pass. Deepfakes & AI Influencers Increasing use of AI-generated personas to push products deceptively. Danger of consumers being misled by realistic but fake endorsements. The Future of Marketing & AI AI will not replace everyone—but will replace some. “It’s a force multiplier for the great. A replacement for the mediocre.” Use AI to do more, faster—but don’t skip thinking and strategy. To thrive, marketers must master the human elements: storytelling, empathy, strategy, and creativity. Resources & Tools: 🔗Distribution.ai 🔗Japser 🔗ChatGPT 🔗Rytr 🔗HubSpot AI 🔗SEMrush AI Writing Tools — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this special episode of Create Like the Greats, Ross Simmonds explores the monumental changes coming to search, marketing, and SEO in light of Google’s latest announcement at I/O 2025: the launch of AI Mode. Ross delivers a deep dive on the implications of AI-driven, personalized search experiences, task automation, and the end of traditional SEO practices as we know them. Learn how marketers must rethink strategies around intent, trust, authority, and omnichannel presence to stay relevant in a radically transforming digital landscape. Key Takeaways and Insights: Google I/O 2025 & The Birth of AI Mode Google unveils AI Mode, revolutionizing user search experiences Built on Gemini 2.5 (successor to Bard), enabling conversational, multimodal responses The End of the Blue Links Era Traditional SEO (blue link style interface) is being replaced by rich AI responses Blue links are auto-clicked and content is synthesized into a single, AI-curated reply Marketers must transition to understanding content context and intent Rethinking Content Strategy Intent-based content creation is essential Importance of publishing across platforms (e.g., guest posts, syndication) Guest blogging and content distribution regain critical relevance Agentic Capabilities & Task Automation Introduction of “agentic booking” via Google’s Project Marino Users can command Google to complete multi-step tasks like buying tickets or scheduling demos Implications for eCommerce, lead gen, and B2B automation New Business Models: Pay-for-Acquisition Shift from pay-per-click to pay-per-conversion Google may monetize via completed transactions, not ad clicks AI as Analyst: Data Visualization + Summarization AI Mode can generate graphs and compare data on command Removes need for internal teams to do common research or analysis tasks SEO Reimagined: Personalized Search Challenges Search results now depend heavily on user context Traditional SEO tools and ranking metrics may become obsolete Marketers may need to develop hyper-targeted, persona-driven strategies The Rise of Persona-Based Marketing Importance of thinking in micro-audience segments Use industry, geography, and function to craft ultra-specific campaigns Trust, Authority, and Authenticity Matter More Than Ever Google will reward Authoritativeness and Experience (Double E-E-A-T) Original research, author bios, backlinks, media mentions, and reviews are crucial Avoid faking expertise with AI-generated personas/content Where to Shift Budget and Strategy Invest in video content Grow presence on Reddit Emphasize content distribution and repurposing Ungate long-form content to enable AI indexing Resources & Tools: 🔗Google I/O 2025 Announcement 🔗E-E-A-T Guidelines 🔗Distribution.ai — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this episode of Create Like The Greats, Ross Simmonds shares a personal journal-style update on his business journey and a major new strategic partnership. Ross walks listeners through the evolution of his brand Foundation Marketing, a newly formed alliance with education-sector marketing leader Carnegie, and the power of delivering value in every room you enter. This episode delivers insight into the journey from humble beginnings to significant success and highlights the long-term impact of authentic relationship-building, content creation, and value-driven partnerships. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. A Major Partnership Announcement - Ross announces the new partnership between Foundation Marketing and Carnegie - Carnegie Dartlet - Higher Education Marketing Organization 2. The Power of Speaking & Connection - Importance of showing up with value in every room - The origin story of how opportunities arise from consistent effort and public speaking 3. Ross’s Content Creation Journey - Ross’s early days blogging in his basement with little money (and lots of instant coffee) - Turning point: speaking invitation to Miami from a reader - Lesson: "You can live anywhere in the world, create content, and reach people globally" 4.  About the Carnegie Partnership - Announcement revisited: Foundation + Carnegie collaboration to serve higher education clients - Carnegie’s strength: deep experience with higher ed digital marketing - Foundation’s traditional focus: B2B and SaaS, now expanding into higher ed - Early wins and the rewarding nature of impacting students’ journeys 5. How the Partnership Came to Be: Storytime - Carnegie first approached Ross via a DM inviting him to speak at their Orlando event - Ross’s mindset: treat the audience with full value even though it wasn't his target industry - Result: strong impact, positive reception, and future opportunity 6. Round Two: The Follow-Up Years Later - Ross’s wife encourages follow-up; he DMs Carnegie again - They invite him to speak a second time - Second session’s topic: content as a competitive edge, SEO as a moat - Deeper engagement: internal training, workshops at Carnegie 7. The Partnership Comes to Life - The relationship matures into a formal partnership - Foundation and Carnegie now jointly create content for higher ed institutions - Goal: drive meaningful, measurable results in the education space 8. Collaboration Vs. Scarcity - Business lesson: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” - Value of partnering with aligned people and organizations - Nuggets of wisdom from Ross’s grandmother: “There’s enough for everyone to eat” - Encouragement for listeners to seek partnerships that drive both impact and personal alignment Resources & Tools: 🔗 Distribution.ai 🔗Carnegie and Foundation Partnership — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this special episode of Create Like the Greats, Ross Simmonds sits down with SEO expert Garrett Sussman from iPullRank for a dynamic conversation recorded ahead of SEO Week. They unpack the current and future state of search, the increasing relevance of Reddit in SEO strategies, and how marketers must evolve with AI-driven search behaviors. Ross also previews his upcoming SEO Week talk on Reddit, AI, and user-generated content—and shares a tactical gem that every brand should act on today. Key Takeaways and Insights: SEO Week 2026 Preview SEO Week will return to NYC in 2026 featuring top minds in SEO, content marketing, social, AI, and more. The State of Search: Chaotic but Beautiful Search has dramatically evolved; it's no longer just about Google. Fragmented discovery across TikTok, Reddit, YouTube, ChatGPT, Perplexity. Emphasis on first principles: high-quality content, user intent, and storytelling. Marketers must now behave more like... well, marketers, not just SEOs. Creating Content That Scales SEO in 2024+ requires multimedia optimization: Text + video (especially YouTube) for better SERP coverage. Understanding where your audience starts their search journey. Reddit threads and YouTube videos are now ranking in Google results, diversifying content visibility. Reddit + AI + UGC: A Preview of Ross's Talk at SEO Week Reddit is emerging as a powerful and underused SEO platform. Ross's team is scraping and analyzing subreddits, mapping them to keywords and AI outputs. Google & OpenAI have data licensing deals with Reddit—proof of its strategic value. Reddit content is influencing AI-generated responses… and SEO strategies must adapt. Tactical Insight: Own Your Subreddit Brands should immediately create and claim their subreddit—even if not actively using it. Prevent brand impersonation or NSFW sabotage by securing the namespace. “It's as basic as securing your domain or Twitter handle,” 💡 Bonus Tip:If another user claimed your brand subreddit, reach out to the mod team to request control. What's Next: The Future of Search Rise in brand mentions could impact search visibility. Voice search is finally finding a place—via AI assistants and wearable UIs. Search is becoming more immersive—but Google is far from dead. SEOs must balance short-term tactics with long-term strategic brand building. Resources & Tools: 🔗Distribution.ai 🔗seoweek.org 🔗Create Once, Distribute Forever — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this episode of Create Like The Greats, Ross dives into the evolving landscape of digital marketing in the era of artificial intelligence and large language models (LLMs). He challenges brands to rethink their approach by understanding that today’s most influential "audiences" aren't just humans—they're machines. Ross outlines how AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google’s AI Overviews, and others scrape public content to generate recommendations and answers for users, and how brands can strategically position their content to become part of this intelligence loop. Whether it’s SEO, Reddit commentary, or owning bottom-of-funnel content, Ross shares powerful frameworks and tactics to help your brand stay relevant, present, and impactful in the age of AI-driven search results. Key Takeaways and Insights: ​​🤖Brands Must Market to Machines Brands can influence LLMs like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Marketing today isn’t just targeting people—it's also about reaching the machines that influence them. AI-generated answers are impacting consumer decisions more than ever. 🔍Understand How LLMs Source and Surface Information LLMs are trained on public and proprietary web data. Your content must live on platforms that LLMs can access and trust. 📍 The Realization: You’re Marketing to Machines Machines are pollinators of your content to future customers. Brands must understand search intent and align content accordingly. 🧵Why Reddit is a Goldmine for AI Training Reddit is a top source for unfiltered opinions and bottom-of-funnel content. LLMs scrape Reddit threads extensively due to their public availability and authenticity. Tip: Don’t spam Reddit. Instead, add value consistently and transparently. 🪴Practical Example: Plant Delivery B2B Brand Illustrates how niche brands can create bottom-of-funnel content (e.g., comparisons, Reddit engagement). Great content can be repurposed across platforms like Reddit and industry forums. 🔄 Content Repurposing + Distribution Strategy Resurface evergreen content in ecosystems that LLMs crawl. SEO tactics and AI-driven discovery are not mutually exclusive—they are interconnected.  📈 What Kind of Content Should You Create Focus on: Comparison pages Buying guides Objection-handling content Use-case & case-study based content Localized landing pages can help capture region-specific AI queries. 💡 Where to Distribute Your Content Distribute into ecosystems LLMs are known to crawl or partner with. Example: OpenAI Partnerships help identify valuable distribution hubs. 🧠 Build EEAT: Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust Include author pages, cite real research, and use industry language. Demonstrating trust and authority increases visibility in AI responses. Resources & Tools: 🔗Google: Google AI Overview Info 🔗 Reddit: reddit.com 🔗 Foundation's Generative Engine Optimization 🔗 OpenAI Partnerships: OpenAI Partner Channels — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this episode of Create Like The Greats, Ross offers a transparent reflection on a book that has significantly impacted his leadership and personal growth journey in 2025 — The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership by Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, and Kaley Warner Klemp. Ross walks through all 15 commitments outlined in the book, sharing real-life examples and insights from his entrepreneurial journey. If you're striving to lead consciously, foster better teamwork, and level up your self-awareness, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways for you. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. Radical Responsibility Embrace ownership for every situation Avoid blame, shame, and guilt — they stem from toxic fear Replace blame with curiosity: "What can I learn from this?" 2. Learning Through Curiosity Always stay in learner mode “Above the line” vs “Below the line” mentality Stay open, curious, and committed to truth—not being “right” Framework: What I know / What I know I don’t know / What I don’t know I don’t know 3. Feeling All the Feelings  Fully experiencing emotions to completion Use head, heart, and gut to inform decisions Yoga, breathwork, and meditation as helpful tools 4. Speaking Candidly  Tell the truth with kindness Speak unarguable facts and feelings: “I feel ___ because ___” Avoid conflict avoidance and passive communication 5. Eliminating Gossip  Address issues directly with the person involved Gossip is rooted in unmet communication and inability to process feelings Test for gossip: Negative intent or unwilling to say it to the person? Then it’s gossip. 6. Practicing Integrity  Express truth, keep agreements, and take 100% responsibility Framework for impeccable agreements: Make clear commitment Keep it Renegotiate if needed Clean up broken commitments 7. Generating Appreciation Practice giving and receiving appreciation fully Celebrate the small things and appreciate yourself and your team Create a culture of gratitude and acknowledgment 8. Excelling in Your Zone of Genius  Identify what you’re uniquely talented at and enjoy doing Ross shares his own strengths: presenting, writing, people leadership Reallocate more time to activities in your “genius zone” 9. Living a Life of Play and Rest Incorporate humor, spontaneity, and celebration into work Rest is a challenge, but vital for sustainable leadership Play isn’t frivolous—it’s a leadership asset 10. Exploring the Opposite Train your mind to challenge your own stories and embrace opposing truth Ross advocates for intellectual debates to stretch perception Ask: “What am I not seeing?” 11. Being the Source of Approval, Control & Security  Identify the root wants driving your behavior Seek internal rather than external validation Approval, control, and security must be self-sourced, not dependent on others 12. Having Enough of Everything  Abundance mindset vs scarcity Perspective: Ross shares personal examples of past financial hardship GRATITUDE = enoughness 13. Seeing the World as an Ally Every person and situation is an opportunity to grow Learn from everyone, regardless of status or age Let go of ego and embrace humility in learning 14. Creating Win-for-All Solutions  Build solutions that serve everyone involved—self, others, organization, and the whole Ross: “I’m rooting for you, whether you’re at Foundation or not.” 15. Being the Resolution Don’t just wait for change — BE the change Leave the world better because you existed Make an impact beyond yourself  Resources & Tools: 🔗 The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership 🔗 Foundationinc.co — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this episode of Create Like The Greats, Ross returns from the Spring 2025 event buzzing with creative energy, fresh ideas, and deep insights on marketing, AI, community, and consistency. He shares standout conversations, tools worth exploring, and reflections on how face-to-face connections still matter in a digital-first world. Ross also dives into highlights from presenting Distribution.ai, lessons from fellow marketers, and personal takeaways on building sustainable growth—both for business and personal development. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. Why Spryng 2025 Was Different Spryng 2025 stood out not because of keynotes or sponsors, but because of the human element—energizing conversations and real community vibes. Event offered space to discuss Distribution.AI and validate its pain-point solution. 2. AI is Everywhere—and Still Just Beginning AI permeated almost every discussion at the event. A challenge was issued: talk about the future of marketing without mentioning AI—most struggled to do it. An eye-opening use case: uploading sales calls into LLMs like ChatGPT to extract winning messaging patterns. 3.  The Distribution.AI Problem-Solution Fit Ross introduced Distribution.ai at the event, which helps marketing teams repurpose unused blog content. Most marketers acknowledged they underpromote content. Distribution.ai repackages blog posts, writes emails, and creates usable assets to distribute across channels. “We give you the emails you can upload into HubSpot or whatever it might be.” 4. Reconnection & Real-Life Moments Matter There’s unmatched value in face-to-face connections: Breaking bread with peers Conversations that go beyond digital metrics Realizing your followers and connections aren’t just leads—they’re humans. Key message: Show up for those who show up for you. 5. Fresh Perspectives on Sales & Go-To-Market Sales conversations highlighted outdated vs. effective go-to-market strategies. Topics included: Evolving attribution challenges Differentiation in a saturated agency space The importance of revisiting and returning to fundamentals that once drove success 6. Consistency > Novelty Chasing new trends can pull you away from what works. Foundation’s past growth came from sticking to its unique POV and execution strategy—time to return to that place. A reminder that what made you great can still make you greater… again. Resources & Tools: 🔗 Distribution.ai 🔗 ChatGPT 🔗 Claude 🔗 Perplexity 🔗 Singulate — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV  ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds