How to Show Up in ChatGPT in 2026 | Adrien Thomas | #chadtpodcast Ep. 30

How to Grow Your $5M - $40M Business With Content | MJ Jaindl | #chadtpodcast Ep. 35

You can build a great company. But your next customer still won't know who you are.Chad interviews MJ Jandl, a former CEO and two-time CRO who helped scale one company to $750M before its acquisition. They talk about what $5M–$40M leaders misunderstand in today’s go-to-market landscape. MJ argues SEO is harder, paid ads are costlier, and growth now depends on trust built through content and personal / “operator” brands, especially on LinkedIn. They discuss AEO and LLM citations (Semrush: Reddit #1, LinkedIn #2), why LinkedIn content can rank highly on Google, and why many executives resist posting due to fear of judgment and “valley of cringe.” MJ explains Stanley (under Stan) as an AI “head of content” built to help operators create non-generic content using ambient context, and shares fundamentals and tactics: build community via targeted engagement, avoid AI slop, use receipts, and write posts that both create connection and deliver usefulness.---MJ Jaindl is the GM of Stanley For Business MJ's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaindl/Learn more about Stanley For Business: https://www.stanleyforbusiness.com/ ---Chad's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadtabary/Book an appointment with Chad: https://chadtabary.youcanbook.me/00:00 GTM Has Changed01:10 SEO to Trust Content03:27 LinkedIn and AEO Rise09:40 Operator Brand Defined12:46 Why Leaders Avoid Posting19:15 Meet MJ and Stanley22:58 From Exit to Content25:45 Audience as Credibility33:41 Receipts Over Platitudes37:25 Content for Serious Execs41:03 Humanizing Executive Brands42:18 AI Wins CFO Story45:31 Engagement Builds Community48:33 Avoiding AI Slop52:55 Feeding AI Your Context58:09 Two Rules Great Posts01:05:01 Hooks Start With I01:11:18 Better Writing Less Words01:15:39 Final Takeaways Next Steps

Vital Misunderstandings About Social Media | Colin Stewart-Perreault | #chadtpodcast Ep. 34

Is going viral on social media the only way to grow your business?Chad interviews Colin Stewart-Perreault about why entrepreneurs and CEOs should take social media seriously as the attention economy shifts and audience becomes currency. Colin argues it’s not too late to grow on platforms like Instagram, but founders can’t just post sales pitches; they need narrative, entertainment, and pattern interrupts while building an audience aligned with (but not identical to) their ICP. He shares tactics behind a viral LinkedIn post by stacking hooks (proven viral content, topicality, aspirational imagery, curiosity gap, “AI” keywording, and a single-comment CTA) and explains balancing “pancakes for waffles” reach with follow-up value and systems that funnel attention into expertise and offers. They discuss creator skill-building, CEO objections, parasocial trust, LinkedIn’s growth dynamics, channel diversification, newsletters for owned audiences, heavy repurposing, and using short-form content for data and audience segmentation. --- Colin Stewart-Perreault is a social media strategist and the founder of MBTM Social Colin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinstewartperreault/ --- Chad's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadtabary/ Book an appointment with Chad: https://chadtabary.youcanbook.me/00:00 Why Attention Matters00:36 Is Instagram Too Late01:29 Audience vs ICP02:33 Entertainment Beats Ads04:32 Stacking Hooks Breakdown08:43 Viral Then Value12:26 Segmentation and Repeat Winners16:02 Creator Skills Compound17:45 CEO Objections and Trust20:17 Parasocial Explained22:14 Personal Brand to Celebrity24:12 LinkedIn Easy Mode29:58 Diversify and Own Audience34:17 Newsletter Without Writing36:29 Repurpose Everything37:54 Repurpose Across Formats38:39 Short Form Data Wins39:33 Clips Earn Attention40:28 Podcast Distribution KPIs43:27 LinkedIn Growth Reality45:16 Rapid Posting Experiment46:10 Shorts Testing Hooks48:15 Choosing The Right Clients52:41 Megan Brand Makeover57:26 Authentic Not Oversharing01:01:31 Tagline That Converts01:07:25 Profile Funnel Strategy01:10:24 Wrap Up And Where To Find

Why HubSpot Became the Growth Engine for Modern Companies | Eric V. Holtzclaw | #chadtpodcast Ep. 33

You're probably not telling your company's brand story right.Chad interviews Eric, founder of Liger Marketing, about why he recommends HubSpot for non-enterprise companies as a simpler way to consolidate marketing and sales systems, support long B2B decision cycles, and create consistent touchpoints that help sales teams. Eric explains who benefits most from HubSpot and introduces BATCOM—Branding, Awareness, Traffic, Conversion, Optimization, Measurement—as a framework for finding growth bottlenecks, arguing companies skip brand and awareness too often. He describes Liger’s focus on complex B2B challenger brands, typically $10M–$100M revenue, emphasizing business-first strategy, ROAR mapping, and aligning systems with strategy and culture. They discuss PESO media order, why awareness differs from traffic, examples like Chick-fil-A and Starbucks as brand promise and culture, naming and color selection, and how AI should enable experts rather than replace them.---Eric V. Holtzclaw is the CEO of Liger MarketingEric's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eholtzclaw/ ---Chad's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadtabary/Book an appointment with Chad: https://chadtabary.youcanbook.me/00:00 Why HubSpot Wins01:25 Who HubSpot Helps03:40 Funnel vs Loop04:43 Liger Origin Story07:04 Challenger Brands Focus07:53 RevOps Buzzwords Rant10:03 BATCOM Framework11:46 Marketing Skill Sets13:46 Brand First in AI19:03 PESO and 90 Day Plan23:06 Long Form Content Engine25:26 Awareness vs Traffic30:49 Conversion to Measurement33:29 Culture Must Match Brand33:53 Chick-fil-A and Starbucks38:02 Starbucks Brand Shift39:14 Employee Culture Decline40:36 Tech Versus Experience42:08 Service Level Expectations44:50 Challenger Brand Goals46:48 AI Hype Reality Check50:04 Jobs Consulting Future01:04:00 Strategy Versus Systems01:07:21 Naming Search Semantics01:11:40 Color Logo Simplicity01:16:06 Closing Where To Find

From 7-Figure Tech Sales to 9-Figure Company Sales | Aron Bohlig | #chadtpodcast Ep. 32

What's better than hitting 7-figures in tech sales? How about we just buy and sell the whole company. Chad interviews Aaron, a former software developer and enterprise sales leader who moved into investment banking. Aron shifted from selling million-dollar software deals to selling companies for eight and nine figures, and later became CEO by acquiring a 120-person German business. Aaron explains his firm’s focus as a 30-person lower middle-market investment bank doing sell-side M&A, buy-side advisory, and financings for SaaS, software, AI, and tech-enabled services, typically working with CEOs, boards, CROs, and CFOs. They discuss how executives can build generational wealth through equity during acquisitions, negotiating visibility and option grants, and using external offers as leverage. Aaron shares key SaaS sale metrics (growth rate, profitability, churn), how to run a disciplined sale process, why consolidation/fragmentation is constant, and how AI is reshaping operations, roles, and valuation expectations among large acquirers.---Aron Bohlig is the Managing Partner, ComCap LLCAron's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bohlig/ ---Chad's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadtabary/Book an appointment with Chad: https://chadtabary.youcanbook.me/00:00 From Tech Sales to Banking01:05 Buying a CEO Seat01:58 Advising SaaS Exits Today03:45 Career Moat Through Networking06:54 Generational Wealth in Deals09:00 Negotiating Equity Retention12:41 Why Options Matter14:57 Firm Focus and Sweet Spot17:27 Competing Without Big Brand22:23 MSP SaaS Exit Readiness26:00 Valuation Multiples and Plan B26:55 Running the Sale Process28:16 Exit Season Marketing Moves30:41 Hidden Acquisition Costs30:56 Surviving an Acquisition32:15 PE Cycle Uncertainty34:30 Consolidation and Career Strategy37:23 AI Rewrites the Playbook40:53 Maximizing Value With AI45:54 Valuation and Big Buyers51:59 Exit Multiples and Lifestyle55:10 Where to Find Aaron

How to Turn LinkedIn Into Revenue | Michelle Du Plessis | #chadtpodcast Ep. 31

I was doing LinkedIn wrong. You're probably doing it wrong too.Chad and Michelle discuss why $10M–$40M business owners wrongly assume a SaaS launch post or faceless brand content will generate inbound leads. They argue that visibility now outperforms skill without trust and authority. Michelle explains the shift from traditional advertising and declining influencer trust toward founder-led brands that humanize leaders while building credibility, contrasting it with attention-seeking content like TikTok dancing. She outlines a practical LinkedIn framework: define a specific ICP, align banner/headline/bio with a “golden thread,” lead the bio with a pain point, use the featured section for booking links and testimonials, and post across top/middle/bottom-of-funnel content (stories, authority, case studies). They cover avoiding generic AI content, “pitch slaps,” and using Sales Navigator plus intentional engagement to build relationships and drive inbound over time.---Michelle Du Plessis is a personal branding expert building high authority founder brands.Michelle's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-du-plessis-75580a22b/Join Michelle's LinkedIn Growth Academy: https://www.skool.com/stature-studios-8078/about ---Chad's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadtabary/Book an appointment with Chad: https://chadtabary.youcanbook.me/00:00 Visibility Beats Skill01:48 Ads to Influencers Shift02:53 Founder Led Brands05:06 Not Selfies Authority06:33 TikTok Surgeon Lesson08:21 Storytelling Plus Authority10:09 Michelle Origin Story12:41 Trust Over Attention16:23 LinkedIn Results Proof19:58 Viral Post Breakdown22:39 Networking Flywheel Effect24:26 Three Part LinkedIn System25:39 No Instant Inbound Myth33:09 Avoid AI Slop40:50 Profile Golden Thread50:54 First Impression Matters54:22 Bio Starts With Pain54:57 Lead With Pain56:01 Bio Framework And Qualifying58:13 Banner And Featured Section01:00:06 Testimonials And Social Proof01:02:45 Start Posting Without Fear01:09:09 Content Pillars Strategy01:11:41 Profile Views And Pitch Slaps01:17:41 Define Your ICP Precisely01:24:01 Funnel Content That Converts01:28:17 Sales Nav And Outreach Filters01:30:26 Engagement ICP And Comments01:38:36 Intentional Mindset And Coaching01:43:19 Work With Michelle And Wrap Up