Episode 101 – How to Stop Burning Your Marketing Budget & Scale with Strategy with Michael Buzinski
Release Date: 09/23/2025
Episode 118 – Ivan Mana: Turning Marketing Mistakes into Sustainable Online Success
Call The Damn Leads
What happens when one small automation error wipes out 20,000 leads overnight? Most people would quit. But this week’s guest, Ivan Mana, turned that nightmare scenario into fuel for building a smarter, more sustainable online marketing business. Ivan shares how he went from working at a bank to becoming a ClickBank Platinum Award-winning affiliate marketer, and how his journey taught him that the real key to success isn’t just running ads—it’s about building strong systems, leveraging free channels, and creating funnels that actually maximize every opportunity. If you’ve ever...
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Episode 117 – Sales Lessons from Spies, Negotiators & Radical Empathy with Jeremy Hurewitz
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Sales isn’t just about scripts and closing techniques—it’s about influence, trust, and understanding motivation on the deepest level. Who better to learn that from than spies and hostage negotiators? In this episode, I sit down with Jeremy Hurewitz, journalist-turned-corporate intelligence professional, speaker, and author of Sell Like a Spy. Jeremy has spent years learning from ex-CIA officers, FBI negotiators, and intelligence experts—then translating those lessons into the sales world. We dig into how spies use rapport, empathy, and vulnerability to turn the coldest conversations...
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Episode 116 – Appreciated Branding & Earning Word-of-Mouth in Crowded Markets with Reid Holmes
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Sales and marketing are changing fast, and if you’re still out there just shouting features and discounts, you’re getting drowned out in the noise. In this episode of Call The Damn Leads, I sit down with Reid Holmes, veteran creative director, author of Appreciated Branding, and brand strategist who’s spent 30+ years helping companies earn loyalty by delivering real value and unexpected delight. We dig into why word-of-mouth still beats advertising, how to build brands people are proud to share, and why the best sales conversations are about helping people transform—not just closing...
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Episode 115 – From Pedicures to Profits – Scaling Beyond One-to-One with Angela Thomas
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From selling cakes in her family bakery as a kid to building a multimillion-dollar beauty business and now running a family office that helps entrepreneurs across multiple industries, Angela Thomas knows what it takes to scale. In this episode of Call The Damn Leads, Angela shares her wildest sales story ever (spoiler: it involves “French pedicures” and one very unusual request), the mindset shift that took her from one-to-one client work to one-to-many programs, and how she now helps entrepreneurs avoid the trap of scaling expenses instead of scaling profits. This conversation is...
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Episode 114 – SEO, AI, and Building Trust in a Noisy World with Wes Towers
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The way people search, shop, and buy online has changed forever. Google AI overviews, ChatGPT, and new platforms are taking center stage, and if you’re still relying on traditional SEO alone, you’re already falling behind. In this episode of Call The Damn Leads, I sit down with Wes Towers, founder of Uplift 360, to talk about how business owners can adapt to the new digital landscape. Wes shares a client story where a $3K investment in SEO led to a $140K contract after ChatGPT named his client the best in Australia for their service. We dive into website mistakes that cost businesses...
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Episode 113 – The Human Edge in an AI-Powered Sales World with Jonathan Kvarfordt
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AI is here — but it’s not replacing salespeople anytime soon. In fact, if you’re smart about how you use it, AI can give you back the most valuable resource in sales: time. In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan “Coach” Kvarfordt, a sales leader and AI strategist at Momentum, to dig into the hype versus the reality of AI in sales. From CRM automation that doubles your selling time to the legal landmines of AI cold-calling, Coach drops serious truth bombs about how to use AI responsibly — without sacrificing the customer experience. If you’ve ever wondered whether AI is about...
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Episode 112 – Marketing that Builds Trust with Sarah Stahl
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Sales pros love to hate on marketing… and marketers love to remind salespeople they don’t know everything either. But what happens when someone like Sarah Stahl bridges that gap? You get the kind of results that turn a zero-visibility treehouse resort into a seven-figure revenue machine with 93% occupancy in just one year. Sarah brings 15+ years of marketing experience and breaks down how sales professionals can harness influencer marketing, AI, and social platforms to stand out in crowded markets, build trust faster, and create a consistent pipeline of leads that are already warmed up...
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Episode 111 – Finding Your Voice & Beating Imposter Syndrome with Marc Schmidt
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Most people would never guess that today’s guest, Marc Schmidt, grew up with a cleft lip and palate. That challenge could’ve held him back, but instead, he turned it into fuel—building a successful podcast, stepping into public speaking, and proving to himself and others that your story is your superpower. In this episode, Marc and I dig deep into the realities of imposter syndrome, what it really means when you feel like a “fraud,” and how to keep creating content even when the results are small at first. Marc’s journey is living proof that you don’t need millions of listeners...
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Episode 110 – Building Trust, Authority & Authentic Sales Conversations with Bryan McDonald
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Sales doesn’t have to feel fake, forced, or manipulative. In fact, the most powerful sales strategy might just be showing up as yourself, being consistent, and having the courage to challenge prospects when it matters most. In this episode, I sit down with Bryan McDonald, sales coach and founder of On Purpose Growth, to dig into the psychology of selling, building authority, and why respect will take you further than being liked. From his early career “trial by fire” that help sales pros succeed without losing themselves, Bryan shares straight-talk strategies you can put into play...
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Episode 109 – Shifting Subconscious Blocks with Dr. Joey Drolshagen
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In this follow-up conversation, I sit down again with Dr. Joey Drolshagen to dive deeper into the power of the subconscious mind and how it impacts success in sales, business, and life. Joey doesn’t just “teach” this stuff—he’s lived it. From burning out on the road to now helping entrepreneurs and sales professionals reprogram their subconscious and unlock rapid results, Joey shares actionable tools and mindset shifts that anyone can use to break free from limitations. This episode isn’t about theory—it’s about results. If you’ve ever felt stuck despite reading the books,...
info_outlineIf you've ever felt like you're lighting your marketing dollars on fire or chasing leads that just don't convert—this is your episode. I sat down with Michael Buzinski, founder of Buzzworthy Integrated Marketing and author of The Rule of 26, and we dropped serious game on the connection between sales, marketing, and ROI that most business owners miss.
Michael shares an insane story about pitching a pro football team to the AFL, and we go deep on the difference between real marketing versus flashy distractions. He breaks down why your website is the only digital asset you truly own, the myth of social media security, and how to finally stop throwing money at marketing that doesn’t move the needle.
If you’re a sales pro, business owner, or marketer trying to scale profitably, this one’s non-negotiable. Let’s get it.
✨ Episode Highlights
🧲 Marketing is the Magnet, Sales is the Collector
Michael lays out one of the cleanest analogies I've ever heard: marketing is what attracts the right people to your business, but without a solid sales system to catch and close those leads, you're just spinning your wheels. So many entrepreneurs and sales teams treat marketing like a separate animal when in reality, marketing and sales are two hands on the same body. You can’t close what never shows up, and you can’t build trust without consistent, strategic messaging.
💸 The $350K Referral Disaster
We talk about one of my clients who lost $350,000 in revenue overnight because a key referral partner decided to switch lanes. It’s a brutal lesson: if your business relies on one stream of leads, you're always one relationship away from disaster. Buzz breaks down how smart marketers prepare for this with diversified traffic strategies and owned digital assets—no more putting all your eggs in Zuckerberg’s basket.
🏚️ Why Your Website Is the Only Digital Real Estate You Truly Own
A lot of folks still think a Facebook page or a LinkedIn profile is "good enough." Michael makes it clear: if you're building your empire on rented land, you're asking for a shutdown. Social platforms can delete you with no warning. Your website, your email list, and your data are what let you build a sustainable business without bowing to the algorithm gods.
🔥 Burning Cash Without Tracking It
If you’re spending money on ads, content, or SEO—and you’re not tracking KPIs—you might as well be lighting $100 bills on fire and throwing them off a cliff. We dive into why pixels, tracking, and analytics tools aren’t optional in 2025. If you can't tell what's working and what’s not, you can’t scale with confidence.
📘 The Rule of 26: A Blueprint for Doubling Revenue
Michael’s book lays out a no-fluff formula that any business can follow: increase website traffic, conversion rate, and average revenue per client by just 26% each, and you’ll double your revenue. It’s simple, trackable, and it actually works. It’s not theory—it’s math. And it’s something you can start implementing today.
⛔ Saying No Makes You More Profitable
Not every sale is a good sale. We talk about how 80% of your profit comes from 20% of your clients, and how the most successful businesses are ruthless about who they say “yes” to. If you want to scale sustainably, you need to fire the wrong clients and focus only on your top-tier audience. Buzz calls them P3Ps: Perfectly Profitable Prospects.
💡 Key Takeaways
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✅ Sales and Marketing Must Be Aligned
Stop treating them like enemies. Marketing creates awareness and opens the door—sales builds the relationship and closes the deal. When they work together with shared KPIs and strategy, that’s when the magic happens. -
🧠 Track the Right Metrics, Not Just the Flashy Ones
Vanity metrics (likes, views, reach) don’t pay the bills. Start tracking the metrics that move the needle: traffic, conversions, customer value. You can’t improve what you don’t measure. -
🏗️ Own Your Platform and Protect Your Business
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn—those platforms can and do shut people down with zero warning. You need a solid website, email list, and first-party data that you control so no one can pull the plug on your revenue overnight. -
🎯 Marketing That Doesn’t Convert is Just a Distraction
If your ads aren’t leading to conversions and sales, they’re just noise. Focus on strategy-first marketing that ties directly into your sales system. Every dollar spent should have a clear path to ROI. -
📈 Use the Rule of 26 as Your Growth Playbook
You don’t need 100 metrics. You need three powerful KPIs: website traffic, conversion rate, and ARPC. Improve each one by 26%, and you’ll see 100% revenue growth. No fluff, just facts. -
🛑 Just Because You Can Close a Sale Doesn’t Mean You Should
Learn to say no to unprofitable clients. They cost you energy, time, and backend resources. Saying “no” to the wrong people is what creates space to say “yes” to the right ones. -
🛠️ Control the Controllables
You can’t control the algorithm. You can’t control the economy. But you can control how you market, how you track, and how you respond to trends. That’s where your power is. Don’t waste time worrying about what you can’t change—focus on the levers you can actually pull.
🧠 Episode Wisdom
“If you don’t have KPIs, you’re driving blind. You don’t know if you’re about to get rear-ended, side-swiped, or if you’re even going the right way.”
— Michael Buzinski
🔗 How to Connect with Michael Buzinski
🎁 Free Signed Copy of The Rule of 26
Just cover shipping: ruleof26.com
🌐 Work with Michael : www.buzzworthy.biz
📘 LinkedIn Connect with Michael Buzinski
🎯 Call to Action
Call The Damn Leads
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