He Left Google at 36 to Build His Own Agency. Here's What He Learned. | Ben Lund | Fix My Fees Ep. 6

He Walked Away From Nike at the Top. Here's What He Built Instead. | Matt Watson | Fix My Fees Ep. 7

Matt Watson spent over 11 years at Nike before leaving in 2012 to be with his dying father and his soon-to-be-born first child. What started as one freelance gig turned into a quarter million in revenue that first year, and 13 years later Watson Creative is one of Oregon's fastest growing companies, with work spanning pro sports teams, wineries, government, high-impact nonprofits, and a project he can't talk about yet that's been on the front page of CNN. In this episode, Matt breaks down why clients don't actually hire him for logos, the surprising overlap between 49ers fans and luxury wine buyers, and why AI is a solid junior copywriter but nowhere close to replacing a senior one. He also shares the advice he gives every new entrepreneur: if you're in it for the money, you'll fold the first time the market dips. If you're building something of your own, weighing the leap, or trying to figure out what actually separates a great agency from a forgettable one, this one's worth the listen. ---------------------------------------- Do you have lessons, stories, or wisdom to share? We'd love to have you on the show. Email admin@fixmyfeesteam.com [admin@fixmyfeesteam.com] to inquire about booking. Does your business accept credit card payments? It takes 60 seconds to find out how much you could be saving on processing fees. Visit fixmyfees.com [http://fixmyfees.com] to get started.

He Left Google at 36 to Build His Own Agency. Here's What He Learned. | Ben Lund | Fix My Fees Ep. 6

Ben Lund left Google at 36 to start Rise Marketing Group. Eight years later, he's running a full-service performance agency that's helped clients scale, get acquired, and land on Shark Tank. In this episode, Ben unpacks why marketing only accelerates what's already working, how AI is reshaping search (including the cautionary tale of a site whose traffic collapsed from 5,000 visitors to nearly zero after Google flagged it as AI-generated), and why he'll fire a toxic client before burning out a great team member. Whether you're weighing the leap into entrepreneurship or trying to make sense of AI in marketing, this one's worth a listen. ---------------------------------------- Do you have lessons, stories, or wisdom to share? We'd love to have you on the show. Email admin@fixmyfeesteam.com [admin@fixmyfeesteam.com] to inquire about booking. Does your business accept credit card payments? It takes 60 seconds to find out how much you could be saving on processing fees. Visit fixmyfees.com [http://fixmyfees.com] to get started.

From Imposter to Operator: How Dan Austin Tripled Revenue Three Times | Fix My Fees Ep. 5

Dan Austin has spent 30+ years building businesses in fintech, finance, e-commerce, and payments. He sits down with Tavious to share the mindset shifts that actually move the needle for owners and operators. Inside: why imposter syndrome is really a giver vs taker problem, the one question that will change how you lead (define the leader you wish to be led by), why work-life balance is a myth, and the exact recipe Dan has used to triple revenue three different times. If you're building something, grab a pen.

(Fix My Fees Ep. 4) Your Leads Aren't the Problem. Your Intake Is. | Jessica Tavares

Jessica Taveras has been in digital marketing for 14 years, most of it working with lawyers and doctors at Foster Web Marketing. She's seen every shiny new tool come and go, and she has zero patience for businesses that blame marketing when the real problem is that nobody's answering the phone. In this episode, Jessica breaks down why your website should be the hub of everything you do, how to actually define your ideal client (instead of marketing to the customers you hate), and what she calls "beta bait," the flood of half-baked AI tools everyone's pretending to be experts in. She also shares the single cheapest AI move most businesses could make today, and the story of her 13-year-old son clocking that the picture in her bathroom was AI-generated before she did. Whether you've been burned by a marketing agency before or you're staring at the AI wave wondering where to even start, this one's worth the full listen. What we get into: How Jessica fell into marketing straight out of college The fishing analogy that changes how you think about your website Why defining your avatar is the thing most businesses skip "Beta bait" and the AI hype cycle nobody's calling out SEO isn't dead, but answer engines are changing the game The operations problem most owners blame on marketing AI answering services and why missed calls are leaking money Keeping the human touch when everyone's posting AI slop Refreshing your AI prompts like you'd change your oil Connect with Jessica: jessica@fosterwebmarketing.com [jessica@fosterwebmarketing.com] fosterwebmarketing.com [http://fosterwebmarketing.com] Want to be on the podcast? Reach out to Tavious at admin@fixmyfeesteam.com [admin@fixmyfeesteam.com] Learn more about Fix My Fees at fixmyfees.com [http://fixmyfees.com] #FixMyFees #RealLeadersRealStories #DigitalMarketing #AIForBusiness #SmallBusinessMarketing

(Fix My Fees Ep. 3) From Harvard to Patent Law: Geoff Mason on Building a Practice on Your Own Terms

Geoffrey Mason didn't take the straight path. And that's exactly what makes him one of the most well-rounded patent attorneys in the game. From coding in sixth grade to biochemistry and philosophy at Harvard, to litigating bet-the-company patent cases at Sidley, Geoffrey eventually bet on himself and built Fast Patent Partner from the ground up. In this episode of the Fix My Fees podcast, we get into what patent law actually is (and what it isn't), why having a patent doesn't mean you're protected, the real difference between patent prosecution and litigation, why big law firms keep their attorneys in narrow lanes, and how Geoffrey is combining his tech background with legal work in ways most attorneys can't. If you're a founder, entrepreneur, or anyone sitting on intellectual property... this one's for you. 🔗 Fast Patent Partner: fastpatentpartner.com [http://fastpatentpartner.com] Connect with Geoff: www.linkedin.com/in/geoffrey-mason35 [http://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffrey-mason35] 📌 Fix My Fees spotlights business owners and leaders across the country sharing real stories, wins, and lessons learned. New episodes 3x weekly. subscribe so you don't miss one.