Marketing Sucks

Hosted by Amanda Casinha-Ginther

Business Marketing

Website RSS feed

Episodes

117

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

About the show

Marketing Sucks is the podcast for business owners who are looking for practical, fun, and strategic ways to get noticed online, and don’t want to sit through 30 minutes of filler to get to the good stuff. Each week, Grind Social Media + Co founder Amanda Casinha sits down with the industry’s most interesting and unconventional ad experts, funnel developers, content creators, and changemakers to explore their off-the-beaten-path strategies and experiences in the world of marketing and business — and dig into real stories of failures, strategies, and how they got their jaw-dropping results.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 18, 2026Episode 11624 min

Email Marketing That Builds Community, Trust, and Sales

This week on Marketing Sucks, Amanda and Phil are talking about why email marketing is not dead, but the way most businesses are using it absolutely needs help. Instead of treating your email list like a place to blast sales messages 24/7, Amanda breaks down how to use email as a community-building tool that creates trust, conversation, loyalty, and long-term sales. They unpack why people unsubscribe, why generic newsletters fall flat, how to send emails people actually want to open, and why your brand voice matters more than ever in an inbox full of AI-generated content. From welcome sequences and abandoned cart flows to behind-the-scenes storytelling, segmentation, real tips, replies, and consistency, this episode is a practical reminder that your email list is one of the few marketing assets you actually own. If your emails feel like they are going nowhere, this conversation will help you rethink the way you show up in the inbox. What You’ll Learn ✔ Why email marketing is still one of the most valuable tools in your business ✔ The biggest mistake businesses make when they only use email to sell ✔ How to turn your email list into a community-building tool ✔ Why generic newsletters are not enough to keep people engaged ✔ What kind of tips and content make people actually want to open your emails ✔ How behind-the-scenes storytelling can build trust and connection ✔ Why segmentation matters if you want better clicks, sales, and engagement ✔ How to use testimonials in a way that feels human, not lazy or generic ✔ Why AI-written emails can weaken your brand voice and connection ✔ Which automations and flows every business should have set up ✔ How welcome sequences, abandoned cart emails, post-purchase emails, nurture emails, and re-engagement emails can support sales ✔ Why consistency matters more than sending emails every single day ✔ How to audit your email strategy, flows, calendar, and content so your list actually starts working for you Connect With Us For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia. If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work. Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community. — 📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com . 🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall Get social Instagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting support Production: theultimatecreative.com

August 4, 2026Episode 11552 min

Scaling a Business With Integrity: Dr. Adrienne Shnier on Ethical Marketing, Student Success, and Staying in Your Lane

This week on Marketing Sucks, Amanda and Phil are joined by Dr. Adrienne Shnier, founder and CEO of Apply Yourself Global, for a conversation about scaling a business without losing your integrity. Adrienne shares the story of how AYG grew from helping students with applications at a Starbucks table to becoming a revolutionary company for student success, admissions support, test prep, academic coaching, and career development. Together, they unpack why fear-based marketing, bogus guarantees, and big-box business tactics do not belong in a company built on trust, care, and real outcomes. From staying in your lane and refusing to lower your standards to building strong foundations, listening to your community, and creating offers based on what people actually need, this episode is a reminder that scaling slowly, intentionally, and ethically is not a weakness. It is the whole point. If you have ever felt pressure to market like everyone else, promise more than you can deliver, or rush the growth of your business, this conversation will bring you back to what actually matters. What You’ll Learn ✔ How Apply Yourself Global started organically from Adrienne helping students at Starbucks ✔ Why AYG was built on integrity, student support, and real admissions committee insight ✔ What it means to scale a business without relying on fear-based marketing ✔ Why bogus guarantees can attract the wrong energy and damage trust ✔ How Adrienne stayed in her lane while other companies used pressure, panic, and big-box tactics ✔ Why strong foundations matter more than fast growth ✔ How building with integrity can feel slow, but creates a more sustainable business ✔ Why listening to your community is one of the best ways to create aligned offers ✔ How AYG expanded into admissions support, LSAT, MCAT, DAT prep, and academic coaching based on real student needs ✔ Why standards do not need to be lowered in order to grow ✔ How trust, care, and human connection can become your strongest brand differentiators ✔ Why ethical marketing is not just about what you say, but how people feel when they interact with your brand About Dr. Adrienne Shnier Dr. Adrienne Shnier is the founder and CEO of Apply Yourself Global, a student success and admissions support company helping students from high school through graduate, professional school, and beyond. With more than 15 years of experience on admissions committees, as a professor, lawyer, program director, and academic coach, Adrienne brings a deeply informed, human-first approach to admissions, test prep, academic success, and career development. Through AYG, she and her team support students with integrity, strategy, mindset, and personalized coaching, helping clients build strong applications, stronger confidence, and sustainable success. — 📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com . 🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall Get social Instagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting support Production: theultimatecreative.com

July 21, 2026Episode 11415 min

Q4 Marketing Planning: Why Your Holiday Campaigns Need to Start in Summer

This week on Marketing Sucks, Amanda and Phil are talking about why thinking about Christmas in the summer might suck, but scrambling through Q4 sucks even more. In this episode, they break down why July and August are the perfect time to start planning your holiday campaigns, Black Friday promotions, Cyber Monday offers, year-end campaigns, new year launches, corporate budget pushes, events, and annual recaps. Amanda explains why Q4 is not just “holiday content,” it is often one of the biggest revenue windows of the year, and why waiting until the fall can cost you money, sanity, and team capacity. From reviewing last year’s campaign data and mapping your promotional calendar to planning photo shoots, landing pages, email flows, inventory, ad budgets, and team resources, this episode is your reminder that a profitable Q4 does not happen by accident. If you want your year-end marketing to feel strategic instead of chaotic, this is your sign to start now. What You’ll Learn ✔ Why Q4 marketing planning should start in the summer ✔ Why “Christmas in July” is not just a cute phrase, it is a smart business move ✔ What actually happens in Q4 beyond holiday shopping ✔ Why Black Friday, Cyber Monday, year-end campaigns, new year campaigns, events, and corporate budgets all need a real plan ✔ What product-based businesses need to prepare before Q4, including inventory, shoots, packaging, shipping, landing pages, and email campaigns ✔ What service-based businesses need to think about, including discovery calls, lead generation, fall programs, cohorts, warm leads, and capacity ✔ Why reviewing last year’s campaign data should come before building this year’s plan ✔ How to map your promotional calendar so you can see the real workload behind every launch ✔ Why too many overlapping offers can confuse your audience and exhaust your team ✔ How poor planning can lead to rush fees, missed sales, burnout, and messy execution ✔ Why summer is the best time to create strategy, set direction, and protect your future self ✔ What to do now if you have not started planning your Q4 campaigns yet — 📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com . 🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall Get social Instagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting support Production: theultimatecreative.com

July 7, 2026Episode 11319 min

Future Demand Marketing: Why Performance Marketing Alone Won’t Grow Your Business

This week on Marketing Sucks, Amanda and Phil are talking about why performance marketing alone is not enough to build a business that lasts. After seeing James Hurman speak in Toronto about his book Future Demand, they break down the difference between marketing to people who are ready to buy now and building trust with the people who may buy from you in the future. From paid ads, retargeting, sales emails, and lead magnets to podcasts, founder stories, educational content, customer stories, and community building, this episode explains why your marketing needs both short-term sales strategy and long-term brand building. Amanda and Phil also unpack why so many businesses hit a wall when they only focus on immediate conversions, why future demand can be harder to track but impossible to ignore, and why the brands that stay top of mind are usually the ones people buy from when the timing is finally right. If you feel like your ads are slowing down, your audience is not converting, or your marketing is only working when you are actively selling, this episode will help you zoom out and build demand before people are ready to buy. What You’ll Learn ✔ What future demand marketing means and why it matters ✔ Why performance marketing only reaches people who are ready to buy right now ✔ The difference between short-term sales activity and long-term brand building ✔ Why you cannot scale forever by only selling to your existing demand ✔ How brand marketing keeps you top of mind for future customers ✔ Why balancing performance marketing and brand marketing supports long-term growth ✔ Examples of performance marketing, including ads, retargeting, sales emails, and lead magnets ✔ Examples of future demand marketing, including podcasts, founder stories, customer stories, educational content, and community building ✔ Why emotional, memorable content helps people remember your brand ✔ How customer stories can build trust when your audience is not ready to buy yet ✔ Why only showing up when you are selling can weaken your results ✔ How to audit your marketing and see whether you are over-relying on performance content ✔ Why your future customers need to hear from you before they are ready to purchase Connect With Us For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia. If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work. Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community. — 📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com . 🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall Get social Instagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting support Production: theultimatecreative.com

June 23, 2026Episode 11222 min

Leaving Corporate for Entrepreneurship: Phil Ginther on One Year of Business Ownership

This week on Marketing Sucks, Amanda sits down with co-host, husband, and Grind Media Group partner Phil Ginther to celebrate his one-year anniversary of leaving corporate life and stepping into entrepreneurship. In this honest, funny, and very real conversation, Amanda grills Phil on what it actually felt like to walk away from a 15-year corporate career, rebuild his relationship with risk, and become a business owner after years of steady paycheques, office politics, and doing work for someone else’s bottom line. They talk about fear, freedom, money, marriage, working together, building a YouTube division from the ground up, and the surprising ways entrepreneurship has changed Phil’s health, mindset, confidence, and day-to-day life. If you have ever wondered what it really looks like to leave corporate and build something of your own, this episode is a reminder that the unknown can be terrifying, but it can also lead you back to yourself. What You’ll Learn ✔ What it really feels like to leave a long-term corporate career and become an entrepreneur ✔ Why fear and excitement can feel almost identical when you are making a major life change ✔ The biggest differences between being an employee and owning part of a business ✔ Why corporate stability can feel safe, but still leave you feeling stuck, disconnected, or miserable ✔ How entrepreneurship changes your relationship with time, money, risk, and security ✔ What Phil brought to Grind Media Group from his background in creative production and mass marketing ✔ How Amanda and Phil work together as business partners, spouses, and very different thinkers ✔ Why ambition does not have to come at the expense of your health, family, or freedom ✔ How small decisions compound into new opportunities, revenue streams, and business growth ✔ What Phil would tell his corporate self after one year on the other side Connect With Us For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia. If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work. Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community. — 📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com . 🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall Get social Instagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting support Production: theultimatecreative.com

June 9, 2026Episode 11148 min

Influencer Marketing Strategy: Dos, Don’ts, and Common Mistakes

This week on Marketing Sucks, Amanda is joined by Chelsea Clark, founder and CEO of Momfluence, to break down what brands get wrong about influencer marketing and what actually makes creator partnerships work. From unrealistic expectations and one-post “magic” thinking to budgets, briefs, affiliate offers, mom creators, micro-influencers, and why smaller communities often convert better than massive followings, this episode is a no-fluff conversation for brands that want to work with influencers without wasting money. Amanda and Chelsea talk about why influencer marketing is really about content, trust, retargeting, brand awareness, and long-term relationships, not instant sellouts from one post. If you are a product-based business, service provider, or founder trying to figure out how to approach creators, pitch properly, set a realistic budget, and build partnerships that actually make sense, this episode is your reality check. What You’ll Learn ✔ Why influencers are not magicians and one post will not usually sell out your product ✔ What brands should actually expect from influencer marketing campaigns ✔ Why impressions, story clicks, and reusable content matter more than vanity metrics ✔ How to choose the right creators for your brand, audience, and campaign goals ✔ Why micro-influencers and smaller creators often create stronger, more authentic content ✔ What not to do when pitching influencers, including Gmail pitches and affiliate-only offers ✔ How much brands should realistically budget for influencer marketing ✔ Why long-term creator partnerships usually outperform one-off sponsored posts ✔ How to think about influencer content, paid ads, retargeting, and brand awareness together ✔ Why going briefless can sometimes lead to better, more natural creator content Connect With Us For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia. If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work. Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community. Meet Our Guest Chelsea Clark is the founder and CEO of Momfluence, a leading influencer marketing agency that specializes in mom creator-led campaigns for family, lifestyle, and consumer brands. With a deep understanding of the modern mom consumer, Chelsea helps brands build trust, relevance, and measurable growth through authentic creator partnerships across North America. Learn more at www.momfluence.co or follow along on Instagram at @momfluence.co. — 📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com . 🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall Get social Instagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting support Production: theultimatecreative.com

May 26, 2026Episode 11040 min

Visibility Fatigue and Self-Doubt: Why Showing Up Online Feels So Hard for Women in Business

This week on Marketing Sucks, Amanda is joined by award-winning psychotherapist Natacha Pennycooke for a real conversation about visibility fatigue, self-doubt, comparison, and the emotional cost of constantly showing up online. They unpack why being visible as an entrepreneur can feel so draining, especially when social media makes it look like everyone else is growing faster, doing more, and living some effortless “soft life.” From comparisonitis and nervous system overload to boundaries, burnout, and redefining success on your own terms, this episode is a much-needed reminder that building a business should not require shrinking yourself or abandoning your mental health. If you know you need to be visible but feel emotionally exhausted, this conversation is your permission slip to pause, recalibrate, and come back in a way that actually feels like you. What You’ll Learn ✔ What visibility fatigue actually looks like for entrepreneurs ✔ Why showing up online can feel emotionally exhausting, not just physically tiring ✔ The difference between normal nervousness and chronic self-doubt ✔ How comparisonitis impacts confidence, creativity, and business growth ✔ Why the “soft life” narrative can create unrealistic pressure for women entrepreneurs ✔ How to redefine success based on your own life, energy, values, and goals ✔ Why playing small costs you, your business, and the people who need your work ✔ What to do when you know you need to be visible but feel completely drained Connect With Us For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia. If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work. Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community. Meet Our Guest Natacha Pennycooke is a leader in workplace mental health and safety, a mindset coach, and an award-winning psychotherapist. With over 13 years of experience, she is the CEO of Natacha Pennycooke Psychotherapy, a private group practice supporting individuals, couples, families, and youth 16+ through trauma, anxiety, depression, fear, self-doubt, and the mental health impacts of racialization and marginalization. Her work is guided by an anti-oppressive, healing-focused, trauma-informed, anti-racism lens and racial justice framework. Learn more at www.natachapennycooke.com or follow along on Instagram at @natachapennycooke.therapy. — 📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com . 🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall Get social Instagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting support Production: theultimatecreative.com

May 12, 2026Episode 10918 min

Stop Confusing Social Media Tips With Real Marketing

This week on Marketing Sucks, Amanda and Phil tackle a mistake too many business owners are making right now: confusing social media advice with actual marketing strategy. They break down why content tips, posting hacks, and follower growth tactics are only one tiny part of the bigger picture and why relying on them alone can leave your business stuck. Using the classic four Ps of marketing, they unpack the real difference between social media marketing and marketing as a whole, from product and pricing to placement and promotion. This episode is a back-to-basics reality check for brands that are taking advice from people who know how to grow an account but not necessarily how to build a business. If you have ever been told to just post more, raise your prices, or chase the next platform without a real strategy behind it, this one will call you out in the best way. What You’ll Learn ✔ Why social media advice and marketing advice are not the same thing ✔ How the four Ps of marketing still shape smart business strategy ✔ Why product-market fit matters more than content tips ✔ How pricing affects positioning and perception ✔ Why promotion is bigger than posting consistently on social media ✔ How to tell whether advice is helping your business or just feeding the algorithm Connect With Us For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia. If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work. Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community. — 📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com . 🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall Get social Instagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting support Production: theultimatecreative.com

May 5, 2026Episode 10817 min

Ask Better Questions, Get Better Marketing: Why Lazy Strategy Is Keeping Your Brand Stuck

This week on Marketing Sucks, Amanda and Phil dig into one of the most overlooked reasons marketing falls flat: people are chasing quick answers instead of asking better questions. They unpack how lazy questions lead to lazy strategy, generic content, unclear messaging, and teams that are busy but not actually building anything meaningful. From client strategy sessions to everyday content planning, this episode breaks down why better marketing starts with deeper thinking, sharper listening, and the willingness to challenge assumptions before jumping to tactics. They share the kinds of questions that can instantly improve your messaging, your offers, your sales process, and your overall clarity as a brand. If you are constantly asking “what should we post?” instead of “what does our audience actually need right now?” this episode will hit a nerve in the best way. What You’ll Learn ✔ Why chasing answers too quickly leads to weak marketing ✔ How better questions create stronger messaging and clearer strategy ✔ Why “what should we post?” is usually the wrong place to start ✔ How assumptions quietly hurt your content, offers, and sales process ✔ Five practical questions that can help clean up your marketing fast ✔ Why the best marketers listen longer before they decide what to say Connect With Us For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia. If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work. Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community. — 📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com . 🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall Get social Instagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting support Production: theultimatecreative.com

April 28, 2026Episode 10718 min

AI Marketing Slop Is Everywhere: How to Tell If Your Content Sounds Fake

This week on Marketing Sucks, Amanda and Phil take on one of the most painfully obvious problems in modern marketing: AI-generated content that sounds polished, empty, and completely forgettable. Through a game of “Marketing Guru or AI Slop,” they compare real quotes from iconic marketing voices against fake AI-written ones and break down exactly why bad AI content is so easy to spot. From vague fluff words and overused language to generic ideas with no real point of view, this episode gets into what makes content feel human, sharp, and worth paying attention to. They also share five practical ways to clean up AI-assisted writing so it actually sounds like you, not a robot trying to be inspirational on LinkedIn. If your brand voice is starting to sound suspiciously like everyone else’s, this episode is your wake-up call. What You’ll Learn ✔ How to spot the difference between real marketing insight and AI-generated fluff ✔ Why bad AI writing usually sounds polished but says nothing ✔ Which overused words instantly make content feel generic and fake ✔ Why strong writing needs tension, opinion, and a real point of view ✔ How to make AI-assisted content sound more human and more specific ✔ Why you should never publish the first draft AI gives you Connect With Us For behind-the-scenes clips, hot takes, and conversations we don’t always have time for on the mic, follow us on Instagram @grindsocialmedia. If you’ve been listening for a while, leaving a quick review helps more business owners find the show and stop wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work. Thanks for listening and thanks for being part of this community. — 📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com . 🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall Get social Instagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting support Production: theultimatecreative.com