Fix the Foundation: Fuel the Growth with Tim Fitzpatrick

🔥 Excerpt

“AI doesn’t fix a broken marketing engine—it just lets you do more of the wrong stuff, faster.”

 

⚡ TL;DR

Marketing strategist Tim Fitzpatrick joins Rick Meekins to break down the essential components of a high-performing marketing engine. From nailing down strategy to bridging the sales–marketing gap, this episode delivers a no-nonsense blueprint for founders who are tired of random tactics and ready to build a system that actually works.

 

📄 Show Notes

Let’s be real: most founders jump straight into tactics—websites, ads, social media—without a clue whether any of it fits together. It’s like bolting parts onto an engine without knowing what kind of car you’re building. In this episode of The Relentless Pursuit of Winning, I sit down with Tim Fitzpatrick of Rialto Marketing to unpack what a real marketing engine looks like—and how to build one that doesn’t break down the second the market shifts.

Tim’s been in the trenches—running a wholesale distribution business, launching marketing initiatives, and working hands-on with B2B service companies. He doesn’t pull punches when it comes to the nonsense people chase in the name of “growth.”

 

We talk about how to stop treating AI like a magic fix, how to define and refine your ideal client profile, and why so many founders are buried under noise instead of traction. You’ll learn how to build alignment across your team, avoid brand confusion, and create a message that actually lands with your audience.

If your marketing feels like guesswork—or worse, a black hole of effort with no ROI—this episode will give you the clarity to fix it.

 

✅ Key Takeaways

• AI can’t fix broken fundamentals—strategy must come first.
• Strategy, planning, and leadership must work together for your marketing to perform.
• “Know, like, and trust” isn’t fluff—it’s the first mile of your customer journey.
• Don’t chase visibility without clarity—refine your ICP using your current client base.
• Build a message playbook to align marketing, sales, and customer service.
• Stop renting your audience—email is still king, and it’s one of the only channels you own.
• Your podcast is a marketing tool—not your identity. Be clear about what you actually do.
• AI is an accelerator, not a strategist. Use it to scale clarity, not create confusion.
• Complexity kills growth. The best marketing engines are simple, aligned, and repeatable.

 

📚 Chapters

📌 00:00 Introduction to Marketing Dynamics

📌 04:44 Defining Real Marketing

📌 05:52 Understanding Marketing Strategy

📌 08:45 Refining Target Markets

📌 13:38 Adapting to Market Changes

📌 15:08 Bridging Sales and Marketing Gaps

📌 21:28 The Customer Journey Revisited

📌 23:40 Understanding the Customer Journey

📌 26:17 Effective Business Strategies in a Competitive Market

📌 27:14 Navigating Marketing Channels for B2B Success

📌 30:05 The Role of Content and Networking

📌 31:03 Balancing Personal Branding and Business Identity

📌 34:58 The Impact of AI on Marketing and Content Creation

📌 46:40 The Importance of Marketing Fundamentals

📌 51:16 New Chapter

 

 

👤 Bio

Tim Fitzpatrick is the founder of Rialto Marketing, where he helps B2B service providers escape the marketing maze by building systems that work. With a background in wholesale distribution and over a decade in marketing, Tim’s superpower is creating strategic clarity, executing with precision, and helping founders stop chasing tactics that don’t deliver. He’s based in Denver and, when he’s not helping businesses grow, you’ll find him skiing, mountain biking, or soaking up Colorado’s mountain air.