Marketing Sucks

Hosted by Amanda Casinha-Ginther

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112

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Jun 2026

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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.

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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 contentConnect With UsFor 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 GuestChelsea 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 socialInstagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting supportProduction: 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 drainedConnect With UsFor 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 GuestNatacha 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 socialInstagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting supportProduction: 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 algorithmConnect With UsFor 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 socialInstagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting supportProduction: 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 sayConnect With UsFor 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 socialInstagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting supportProduction: 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 youConnect With UsFor 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 socialInstagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting supportProduction: theultimatecreative.com

April 21, 2026Episode 10620 min

Stop Posting for Followers: What Actually Builds a Brand Online

This week on Marketing Sucks, Amanda and Phil are calling out one of the biggest mistakes brands are still making online: posting for followers instead of posting for interest. They break down why chasing trends, vanity metrics, and random viral moments might grow your audience, but will not necessarily grow your business. Instead, they unpack what it really means to create content that earns attention from the right people, gets shared, gets saved, and actually builds trust. From how people use Instagram like a search engine to why behaviour matters more than likes, this episode is a sharp, practical conversation on what modern content strategy actually looks like right now. If your content is getting seen but not doing anything, this is the reset you need.What You’ll Learn ✔ Why posting for followers is different from posting for real interest ✔ Why smaller, more loyal audiences often outperform larger ones ✔ How social platforms are acting more like search engines than ever before ✔ Why saves, shares, and watch behaviour matter more than vanity metrics ✔ How to create content people actually care about if they do not know your brand yet ✔ Five practical ways to shift from trend chasing to interest-based content strategyConnect With UsFor 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 socialInstagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting supportProduction: theultimatecreative.com

April 14, 2026Episode 10526 min

REPLAY: The Top 5 Marketing Mistakes You're Making (And How to Fix Them)

Stop making your marketing harder than it has to be! In this episode of Marketing Sucks, Phil and I reveal the top 5 marketing mistakes you’re probably making right now — and how to stop driving yourself crazy struggling to do it ALL. Listen in as we break down the most crucial do’s and don’ts of showing up online, reveal the #1 easiest way to boost your conversions, and give you our official permission to stop posting on every single platform. This is a must-listen episode for new and seasoned biz owners, so don’t miss it!Marketing sucks. Let’s learn together. Hit play to discover:‌ ‌Why the hottest new app may be useless for your biz (and how to figure it out)Why repurposing content is more complicated than you think What you absolutely need to have in place BEFORE postingPlease rate, review, and subscribe!Timestamps:‌ ‌00:11 Intro02:08 Trying to be everywhere 05:29 Repurpose or not?06:25 Dominating your platform08:16 Having a strategy10:53 Ignoring your list13:28 Selling without solving 16:44 Time crunch18:40 Chasing perfection23:20 Recap24:14 Action items & outro—📱 Looking for content creation & social strategies that drive REAL results? Visit grindsocialmedia.com.🤝 Book your free discovery call: calendly.com/grindsocial/discoverycall Get socialInstagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting supportProduction: theultimatecreative.com

April 7, 2026Episode 10430 min

REPLAY: Why Posting More Content Isn’t Growing Your Business

In week two of this January series, Amanda and Phil break down one of the biggest myths in modern marketing: that more content automatically equals more growth. Spoiler: it doesn’t.This episode dismantles the obsession with daily posting, viral content, and arbitrary challenges, and replaces it with something far more uncomfortable and far more effective: real objectives, real numbers, and real accountability.If your current strategy is “post more and hope,” this conversation explains exactly why that’s keeping you stuck and what to do instead.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeWhy posting every day is an activity, not a goalThe difference between content volume and content effectivenessWhy going viral is not a business objectiveHow empty metrics protect your ego but stall your growthWhat a real marketing objective actually looks likeWhy vague goals keep you comfortable, and specific goals force growthHow numbers, timelines, and outcomes change everythingWhy discipline is boring until it starts making you moneyWhat’s Coming NextThis episode builds directly into Part 3 of the series and next week you’ll learn how to structure simple campaigns that actually work and why most businesses skip this step entirely.Make sure you’re following the show so you don’t miss it.Connect With UsFor 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 socialInstagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting supportProduction: theultimatecreative.com

March 31, 2026Episode 10320 min

Why Your Messaging Isn’t Converting

This week on Marketing Sucks, Amanda and Phil go in on something that quietly kills revenue every single day.Overcomplicated messaging.From jargon-filled landing pages to brands trying to say 17 things in 12 seconds, this episode is a blunt reminder that simplicity always wins.They break down why clear messaging builds trust faster, how cognitive fluency affects buying decisions, and why the more you overexplain, the more money you lose.Using examples like “mp3 compression innovation” versus “1,000 songs in your pocket,” they show exactly how powerful simple positioning can be.If your audience has to think too hard, they bounce. And in today’s attention economy, you do not get a second chance.This episode is short, sharp, and practical. And yes, you are getting homework.What You’ll Learn✔ Why cognitive fluency makes simple brands feel more trustworthy✔ Why overexplaining kills conversions✔ The difference between industry language and consumer language✔ How being too close to your brand creates confusion✔ Why clarity scales and confusion costs✔ The real reason great copywriters make great moneyConnect With UsFor 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 socialInstagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting supportProduction: theultimatecreative.com

March 24, 2026Episode 10230 min

Founder-Led Marketing Isn’t Influencing

In this episode of Marketing Sucks, Amanda and Phil go off on faceless marketing, AI avatars, and the illusion that you can build trust without ever showing your faceThey break down why we are living in a post-trust economy, why polished Canva carousels are not enough anymore, and why founder-led marketing is not the same thing as becoming an influencer.They unpack what founder-led marketing actually is, why it works when done properly, and why so many founders are either avoiding it or doing it poorly. From strategic narrative control to consistency, thought leadership, and showing proof of revenue, this episode is a clear call-out of performative posting and a reminder that humans buy from humans.If you are hiding behind templates, waiting until you feel ready, or convincing yourself you “don’t have time,” this one might sting a little.What You’ll Learn:✔ Why we are living in a post-trust economy✔ Why founder-led marketing exists in the first place✔ The difference between influencer content and founder-led marketing✔ Why faceless marketing rarely builds long-term trust✔ How algorithms favor human faces and personality✔ Why consistency of message matters more than aesthetics✔ What founder-led marketing is notConnect With UsFor 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 socialInstagram: @grindsocialmedia Facebook: facebook.com/GRINDSOCIALMEDIA 📢 I’d love it if you’d share this episode and tag me! Podcasting supportProduction: theultimatecreative.com