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I can't imagine building a business today at my desk with no one around and never going out and meeting people and setting up 1:1 chats with key referral partners.

Digital Marketing, my bread and butter, can only take you so far in my opinion. Not only is meeting your colleagues and associates face-to-face important, it helps you grow.

I've always been a networker. I've always gone out to networking lunches and happy hours. I'm firm believer in the BNI mantra of Givers Gain. If I can help someone out with a referral or introduction the karma will come back to me in droves.

After a 12+ year hiatus from BNI, I joined my local BNI chapter in my area in April. There are 65+ members in the group! The group is seriously huge. But the opportunities are almost endless. The resources I have to bring to the group is only matched by the resources these networkers have in their arsenal.

I'm excited to have a good group of professionals to lean on and help.

If you're asking what networking had to do with marketing all I can say is quite a bit.

Marketing is about getting your company exposure and getting your name out there as an expert in your field. There's no better way to do this than networking.

It doesn't have to be a 1-per-industry group like BNI. But getting out to these networking events in person or online (Alignable is great for both) will pay back in dividends.

Do you network? What have you found that works?

🎙️Have A Podcast? Join The Podcast Mastery Community🎙️

The news and content consumption landscape has shifted—and podcasts are leading the charge.

Younger generations aren't just occasionally listening to podcasts for news and information—they're abandoning traditional media for them. If you're not leveraging this medium, you're missing out on one of the most powerful ways to build your personal or professional brand.

Here's the problem: most people start a podcast without a roadmap. They waste months figuring out what works through trial and error, or worse—they give up entirely.

I've spent over 15 years in the podcast industry, watching it evolve from a niche hobby to a billion-dollar ecosystem. And here's what I know for certain: the podcasters who succeed don't go it alone. They learn from others who've already navigated the challenges, avoided the pitfalls, and cracked the code.

That's why I created the Podcast Mastery Community on Skool—a space where you can learn alongside experienced podcasters, get real feedback, and fast-track your success.

Whether you're launching your first episode or looking to grow your existing show, this is where your podcast journey truly begins.

The Latest From The Entrepreneur's Enigma Podcast

I Was On The Podcasting Momentum Podcast!

I Was Also On The Freelancer Training Podcast

And Let's Not Forget My Appearance On The Live More Show

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Looking for guests? Want to be on podcasts? Check out Podmatch! I use it for both getting on podcasts and finding quality guests. It's well worth it and affordable too!

Web Jawn

Better than reality TV. Ugh, Musk is such a slime ball. Though, Sam Altman pretty slimy too.

People Are Selling Kills of Marathon’s Hardest Boss on eBayThe Compiler takes a serious amount of time, skill, and luck to get to. Someone on eBay is selling an easy fix.404 MediaJoseph Cox

Paying to have a game beaten for you kinda defeats the purpose, do you you think?

Instagram updates algorithm to benefit original creatorsThe app said it will no longer recommend photos and carousel posts from aggregator accounts and profiles that focus on reposting.Social Media TodayAndrew Hutchinson

This is a good move!

OpenAI Codex system prompt includes explicit directive to “never talk about goblins”Directions also include system instructions to act like “you have a vivid inner life.”Ars TechnicaKyle Orland

I'm still laughing. This is not an Onion article. This is true! 🤣

The more young people use AI, the more they hate itCaught between fears of job loss and social stigma, Gen Z’s opinions of AI are hitting new lows.The VergeJanus Rose

The younger generations are fighting back against AI. It makes them feel icky and they don't like the course AI is setting for the World.

Instagram improves Insights UI, adds new metricsThe updated elements provide a simpler way to access key performance data for posts and Reels.Social Media TodayAndrew Hutchinson

New metric! Yea! 🤪 Could be helpful.

People are finally using Reddit’s search | TechCrunchThe company saw a 30% year-on-year jump in the number of people using search every week, CEO Steve Huffman said on Thursday.TechCrunchIvan Mehta

Well, this is interesting. I guess with all the conversations going on on Reddit this makes sense.

860 Thoughts About The Rumored SiriusXM/iHeart Deal - Sounds ProfitableA zoomed-in look at how the proposed merger might change local radio.Sounds Profitable - The business of podcastingTom Webster

Tom Webster is worth reading. I wonder what this rumored deal would do to podcasting, not just radio.

Google DeepMind Paper Argues LLMs Will Never Be ConsciousPhilosophers said the paper’s argument is sound, but that “all these arguments have been presented years and years ago.”404 MediaEmanuel Maiberg

It all comes down to what it means to be conscious. I tend to agree with the premise here.

Study Finds A Third of New Websites are AI-GeneratedResearchers found the internet is becoming aggressively positive as AI-generated text floods the web.404 MediaMatthew Gault

Makes my Web design services more bespoke because they're built by a human! 😉

Bounce Update: PDS Provider MigrationsToday, we’re launching a long-awaited feature for Bounce: migrating your Atmosphere account that lives in Bridgy Fed out of the bridge and into a PDS provider of your choice, Bouncing you from the Fediverse to the Atmosphere without ever needing to create an account. 0:00 /0:05 1× BounceA New SocialAnuj Ahooja

Anuj and Ryan over at A New Social are building even more infrastructure for the Open Social Web. 🤘🏻

10 Hacks Every Slack User Should KnowSlack has plenty of built-in features that can help you be either more productive or less overwhelmed by the volume of messages you receive (or both).LifehackerEmily Long

This was helpful!

Ghost is now a digital public goodGhost has been reviewed and is now recognized by the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) as a digital public good. The DPGA is a multi-stakeholder initiative endorsed by the United Nations Secretary-General, working to promote open source software, open data, and open content that contributes to the attainment of theChangelogJohn O’Nolan

This is big news! Congrats John and crew!

Meta’s historic loss in court could cost a lot more than $375 millionThe state previously won a $375 million jury award against Meta.The VergeLauren Feiner

Honestly, stick it to Meta.

The Meta-Mess of the “Open” Social Web – #OMN (Open Media Network)hamish campbell

An interesting ready about the mess that the Open Social Web is right now.

You’re Being Evaluated Before the Conversation Starts...AI Is Just Accelerating It.Every issue: one headline, one lesson, one tool you can use now to strengthen your visibility. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been having the same conversation with multiple people.LinkedInMelanie Borden

A must read if you're trying to grow your exposure on LinkedIn. Melanie, who happened to be my guest on Entrepreneur's Enigma yesterday, is an expert in this.

Farewell, Jeeves: Ask.com shuts down | TechCrunchOwner IAC says it’s discontinuing its search business.TechCrunchAnthony Ha

End of an era!

Web Find

Amy Landino is so smart. Worth watching.

That's It For This Week! Keep Rocking It!

-Seth

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