Marketing Simplified with Adam Benjamin

Hosted by Adam Benjamin

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Latest episode

May 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Taking complicated business and marketing insights and concepts and simplifying them so that anyone can use them to grow their companies. From paid advertising, to brand strategy, to creative and content strategies, Marketing Simplified is bringing you practical advice on how to increase sales and revenue. Adam Benjamin is the CEO of Starke Marketing, an 8 figure advertising and marketing agency. He's generated hundreds of millions of dollars worth of profits for startups to Fortune 100 companies.

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25 recent

May 19, 202624 min

Why Work From Home Is Dying, AI Is Replacing Jobs & Why Businesses Obsess Over The Wrong Metrics

In this episode of Marketing Simplified, Adam Benjamin and the team break down some of the biggest shifts happening in business, marketing, and culture right now.They discuss why the work-from-home movement is starting to reverse, how AI is rapidly changing the job market, why most businesses completely misunderstand social media, and how brand collaborations are becoming one of the most powerful growth strategies available today.Topics covered include: Why companies are pushing employees back into the office The hidden career advantages of in-office work for younger professionals How AI is changing hiring, productivity, and business operations Why refusing to use AI could put your career at risk The biggest mistake businesses make on social media Why views and followers don’t always translate into revenue How to create content that actually attracts customers The difference between creators and businesses on social media Why niche audiences outperform mass appeal The rise of brand collaborations and partnership marketing Creative collaboration ideas for small businesses Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, entrepreneur, or employee trying to stay ahead in a rapidly changing world, this episode is packed with practical insights and real-world perspective.Subscribe for more conversations on marketing, business growth, branding, advertising, AI, entrepreneurship, and consumer behavior.

May 1, 202619 min

How to Actually Grow a Business: The 3 Constraints That Decide Everything

Most businesses don’t fail because of bad marketing—they fail because their strategy doesn’t match their reality.In this episode, we break down a simple but powerful framework every business owner needs to understand: Resources, Objectives, and Timeline—and how these three variables dictate what’s actually possible in your business.If your expectations don’t align with your constraints, your strategy is already set up to fail.We cover: Why “no money + fast growth” almost never works How to choose the right marketing strategy based on your resources The difference between time-based vs money-based growth How average order value changes everything in your business model Why some companies scale to $1B—and others plateau early How to build a realistic growth plan that actually works We also walk through real-world examples—from early-stage founders with no budget to companies scaling from $20M to $1B—and how their strategy evolves at each stage.If you’re a founder, operator, or marketer trying to grow a business, this episode will help you stop guessing and start making smarter decisions.

April 29, 202644 min

How Business Owners Should Actually Be Using AI in 2026 (ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini)

In this episode, we break down the real state of AI in business—and why most people are still barely scratching the surface.From comparing ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, to discussing how AI is actually being used inside a marketing agency, this conversation dives into what’s working, what’s overhyped, and what business owners should be paying attention to right now.We cover: The real differences between ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini Why AI is still in its “early innings” (but already incredibly powerful) How to build your own AI tech stack for business growth The biggest mistake people make when using AI (and how to fix it) Why experimentation—not perfection—is the key to winning with AI How AI is changing search, content, and even entertainment We also get into practical advice for business owners who feel behind, including how to start using AI immediately—even if you’ve never touched it before.If you're a founder, marketer, or operator trying to figure out how AI fits into your business, this episode will give you a clear, honest perspective—without the hype.

February 17, 202633 min

Business and marketing growth strategies for 2026

2025 was a transformative year for marketing and advertising. Businesses need to know that what worked even a year ago may not work today. There's been a complete shift in the marketing landscape. Most of this is due to skyrocketing CPMs, AI, the economy, and competition in the marketplace. In this episode we breakdown what changed in 2025, and how to adapt in 2026.

February 4, 202646 min

The “Big Game” Debate: Super Bowl Ads, Costco x Nike Hype, and Culture Moments

It’s a Friday-afternoon roundtable with Adam, Richard, and Emerson—covering what’s actually top-of-mind in business, marketing, and culture right now.We start with the “Super Bowl vs. The Big Game” trademark nuance (and the surprisingly fun debate: are there 1,000 U.S.-born adults who don’t know what the Super Bowl is?). From there, we break down why alcohol brands are largely sitting out this year’s Super Bowl—and what that says about Gen Z drinking trends, category saturation, and whether Super Bowl ads are truly “underpriced” like Gary Vee claims.Then we pivot into one of the wildest brand collabs in recent memory: Costco’s Kirkland x Nike SB Dunk. Is it a hype play or a volume play? Who approached who? And what can any business learn about scarcity, licensing, and collaborations—especially if you’re in a commodity category?We close on two personal reflections: the way everyday people are starting to trust ChatGPT like it’s “Google with confidence,” and a real conversation about time—work, family, attention, and why audiobooks might be the ultimate “found time” hack.Plus: quick Super Bowl predictions, and a candid sidebar on politics + celebrity brand risk (Nicki Minaj, Kanye, apologies, and the difference between PR and sustained change).Topics we cover:Why brands say “The Big Game” instead of “Super Bowl”Are Super Bowl ads actually underpriced?Why alcohol brands are pulling back this yearKirkland x Nike: scarcity, resale culture, and brand liftWhy collabs can outperform big ad spendChatGPT adoption + trust (in the real world)Time, attention, family, and “reading” via audiobooks

May 29, 202513 min

Is social media advertising broken? Here's how to grow your business with social ads in 2025

The traditional social media advertising formula is broken for most businesses. CPMs have made the cost advertising much more expensive. Increased competition has made advertising noisy. And most smaller brands aren't seeing success with social ads. We've spoken to so many entrepreneurs who have been frustrated they're not seeing the same results they were on social media from years back.The good news is there's a new way to do social advertising that blends organic and paid. In this episode we break down the formula step by step.

May 24, 202559 min

She Quit Her High-Paying Job And Built A Successful Coaching Business | Jessica Kennedy's Entrepreneurial Journey

I had the honor of sitting down with my good friend, Jessica Kennedy. I wanted to talk to Jess because she's got a fascinating journey, one that I've witnessed from the start of her business.Jess had a very successful career at a Top 4 Accounting Firm. But even with all her professional growth, she felt like she was in the wrong line of work. So she left and pursued her passion, coaching.We'll go through how Jessica made the decision to leave, how she grew her business, navigating being pregnant and then a Mom as she scaled, how she acquires new clients, and a lot more.If you're an aspiring coach, you'll get a lot out of this. But even if you're not interested in coaching but you feel like you're in the wrong line of work, and want to start a business. This episode will be super valuable to all aspiring entrepreneurs.Jessica Kennedy's Website: www.jessicakennedycoaching.comJessica Kennedy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicakennedycoaching/

November 18, 2024Episode 1849 min

Small business marketing strategies for 2025

In this episode we talk about marketing specifically for small businesses. We go through the common challenges and mistakes many smaller businesses make, how to overcome them, and how to grow into a larger business.

November 7, 2024Episode 1736 min

Marketing will be different in 2025 l What you need to know to stay ahead of the trends

In this episode I had our CMO and COO join me to discuss what marketing and business strategies will change in 2025. We discuss everything from paid ads to creative trends, as well as new platforms that will emerge as opportunities for brands.Follow Adam Benjaminhttps://instagram.com/adamcbenjamin/https://tiktok.com/@adamcbenjaminVisit the Agency Websitehttps://wearestarke.com/

October 30, 2024Episode 1625 min

How to build a marketing strategy you can follow and execute

In this episode we talk about how to create a real marketing strategy. I say "real" not to imply that other strategies aren't. But many strategies are conceptual and lack practical application. In this episode you'll learn:1. Determining where to advertise2. Building a funnel based on consumer psychology3. Understanding the variables for conversion4. How to track success5. How to adapt based on what's happening.