My New Book
A survival guide for every artist, entrepreneur, and content creator! Just click on the image and you’ll get the first 2 chapters of the book.
Try Things That Might Not Work
How a short-lived collaboration helped shape the future of my business
Let’s get something out of the way:
Some things just aren’t meant to last — and that’s okay.
A while back, I took a shot on a local business collaboration. We had honest conversations, shared some values, and committed to growing together. For a little while, it was working. I was helping them with content and marketing. They were giving me weekly pay and full access to their office on weekends to run my own business experiments.
It felt like a win-win.
Until it wasn’t.
But here’s the twist: it didn’t have to “work out” to be a success.
You Have to Try Things That Might Break
That partnership opened up possibilities I hadn’t seen before:
I had a dedicated physical location for my projects.
I was testing ideas in real time.
I was building deeper community ties than any ad campaign could offer.
Eventually, our paths diverged — and it was clear that the relationship wasn’t built to scale long-term. We wanted different things, we had different work styles, and we learned that fast.
But because I gave it a shot, I discovered something huge:
Ghost retail + local influencers = one of the most powerful small business models I’ve ever touched.
Real Space + Real People = Real Commerce
While working from that shared space, I realized I could run multiple storefronts out of one location — no physical retail lease required.
If delivery apps like DoorDash and UberEats just need a legitimate address, then any underused space can become a micro-retail hub. Combine that with creators who already have trust in their communities, and you’ve got:
Clothing pop-ups
Food or drink pilots
Jewelry brands testing new SKUs
Cottage businesses going direct-to-door in their own town
And best of all: you’re doing it with people who live near you, who can show up, promote, collaborate, and evolve the concept in real time.
That model didn’t come from a pitch deck. It came from trying something messy, small, and uncertain.
Local Is Still the Most Underrated Opportunity
We spend so much time trying to get noticed by big brands, venture-backed startups, and national chains that we overlook what’s right in front of us:
your neighborhood is full of people with great ideas and zero infrastructure.
If you’re a creator, local is where your value skyrockets. You’re not just one voice in a sea of followers — you’re the bridge between a business and the community it’s built to serve.
If you’re a business owner, creators aren’t just “content people.” They’re your first investors. They care more than your ad budget ever will — if you build the relationship right.
The Lesson? Do the Thing Anyway.
Even if it breaks.
Even if it only lasts two months.
Even if it makes you realize that you want something else.
That first try will show you the real path.
And you don’t need it to last forever to learn exactly what to do next.
That short-lived partnership helped me refine my whole direction.
It gave me belief in ghost retail, shared space, and community-backed brands. And now I’m all in on that future.
Trying something new is the job. Failure is just the tuition.
Show Us What You Love to Do
Why imperfection, honesty, and creative courage matter more than ever
Excuse me for being brash, but I don’t think you and I have that much time to fuck around right now.
I can feel it — the weight of every decision pressing on you like a 2am anxiety attack. The same questions keep pecking at you, over and over again:
How the hell did I get here?
Where am I going?
Am I okay?
Is my family okay?
Should I have quit my job?
Should I quit my job?
Where am I going to find more money right now?
I’m not judging you — I’m right there with you. 2023-2025 has hit us hard. Not just economically, but emotionally. Tech breakthroughs collided with burnout, and if you’re feeling left behind, you’re not alone.
The Noise Is Deafening — and You’re Expected to Keep Up
Every week it’s something new:
You’re bombarded with 50 brand-new AI tools.
You signed up for something called Zapier, but have no clue what it actually does.
You’re being told you have to be a content creator and a media company and a founder — just to stay visible.
Even if you just want to run your business, or shoot the shit behind a microphone and camera, you’re being dragged into a storm of constant reinvention.
It's overwhelming. But you're not crazy. You’re just living through a massive cultural and economic shift — and no one handed us a manual.
This Is the Revolution (Sorry If No One Told You)
You're not stuck. You're part of history.
Everything is decentralizing: media, marketing, and even physical gathering places.
The gatekeepers? They’re scrambling. Radio and TV never imagined we’d all own our own global “ham radios.” But guess what? The basement podcasters and backyard vloggers won. TikTok didn’t just disrupt content — it broke the whole system open.
People Are Watching Lawns Get Mowed Instead of the NFL
If I had told my media bosses back in 2010 that I’d rather binge-watch a guy mow overgrown lawns than tune into the 1:00 PM NFL slate… they would’ve laughed me out of the building.
But here I am.
SB Mowing gets 1.6 million people to watch landscaping videos — and honestly, it’s therapeutic as hell.
People don’t want polished. They want real.
They want connection, consistency, and someone who just shows up and shares something human.
The Low-Hanging Fruit IsYou
You don’t need a character. You don’t need to fake it.
Sure, there’s value in crafting a persona to support your message — that’s art. But don’t let it block the most powerful thing you have: your actual story.
Just show people what you love to do.
That’s it. That’s the whole trick.
The audience you’re looking for is already out there — they’re just waiting for someone honest enough to make them feel a little less alone.
Stop Building for Followers — Start Building for People
The goal isn’t to go viral. It’s to let people in on your journey. To build something they can believe in. Something they can support. That’s the real economy now — the one powered by people who just walked away from corporate America, same as you.
We’re all tired of giving our time and money to lifeless, sterile brands. We want to back humans again. And if you’re here, reading this, it means you probably do too.
And that? That’s enough of a start for me.
What’s the Best Way to Get a Sponsor?
It’s not a pitch. It’s a relationship.
Let me get straight to it:
Just ask.
That’s my first response anytime someone asks: “How do I get a sponsor for my podcast, Instagram, or TikTok page?”
Or:
“How do I get my product into the hands of [insert major creator]?”
ASK.
It really can be that simple. Emails, DMs, texts, love letters—whatever your language is, start the conversation. Most people never do.
The Power of Mutual Fanship
That’s exactly how it happened between me and Liquid Death Mountain Water.
Back in 2018, Mike Cessario—founder of Liquid Death—was a fan of my Eagles podcast and a regular listener to 94WIP. At the time, Liquid Death was just getting started. He sent me a care package with one of their earliest can designs—and it was the coolest fucking can I had ever seen.
I don’t drink much. I’m a cheap date. But I hang with Eagles fans, and they party hard. Holding a can of water that looked like a beer? Game changer. Especially at tailgates drowning in plastic bottles that would inevitably end up in a New Jersey landfill. This can was sustainable, on-brand, and punk as hell.
And here’s the kicker: Mike already knew I loved Tool and Soundgarden—bands I talked about constantly on the show. He understood me. His brand fit me, and I fit them.
You Can’t Fake That Kind of Fit
That can of water changed my life.
I loved Liquid Death from the moment I cracked it open. I never once promoted it because I “had to.” I promoted it because I wanted to. I wanted them to succeed.
So much so that when they bought ad space on my show, I didn’t ask for more money—I asked if we could use that money to put Liquid Death vending machines in Suburban Station in Philly. I wanted the ad budget to create passive income for the show and for our future team.
That’s what I call being an on-the-ground investor—and it’s what all creators really are.
You’re not just a voice or a face.
You’re someone who knows their audience better than any media buyer ever will.
Relationships Pay Better Than Metrics
In 2021, when I asked Liquid Death to fund my new Eagles podcast, they gave me $10,000 upfront. No questions. No paperwork. No pitch deck.
I had:
0 listeners
0 subscribers
But I had trust.
They knew who I was, how I worked, and what I cared about. They’d been listening for two years. Supporting me for two more.
That deal didn’t come from analytics. It came from actual connection. And now? Liquid Death is one of the coolest, most recognizable brands on the planet.
Just being associated with during that time got me meetings. It’s opened the door to work with two active Philadelphia Eagles players. That’s more valuable than anything that shows up in my bank account.
For Entrepreneurs: Stop Praying, Start Listening
If you’re a business owner, I know you’re busy.
But instead of spraying micro-influencer cash at random creators, take five hours a week and do this:
Search keywords that relate to your mission on IG and Tik-Tok.
Watch or listen to creators who already talk like your audience.
Who makes you laugh? cry? creates value?
Reach out. Build a relationship. Make them a fan first.
Forget the media buyers. You’re not just buying impressions — you’re buying culture fit. That’s the ROI that matters.
For Creators: Don’t Chase Short-Term Money
Creators, listen up:
You do not want a sponsor who just throws you $200–$2,000/month based on your follower count.
Because:
That money rarely shows up on time.
You’re likely being underpaid and undervalued.
You’ll spend more time chasing invoices than creating.
Instead, partner with entrepreneurs you believe in. People who will let you shape the brand’s story, marketing, and direction as they grow.
Because when you build something together, you’re no longer just a “placement.” You’re an asset.
The Real Secret: Go Local First
If you remember anything from this post, let it be this:
Staying in your local community is king.
That’s where trust lives. That’s where your name carries weight. And that’s where a real partnership starts.
So go ahead. Ask. That’s the whole secret.
Want help writing your first sponsor pitch or building a brand deck that doesn’t feel corporate?
I’ve done it. Let’s do it together.
SB Nation Stole Podcasts, Then Got Rid Of Them.
SB Nation removed every single podcast from their platform.
To most people, this was just another media shakeup headline in 2024. But for me — it hit deep.
I helped build the very first podcast for SB Nation. And I’ve got a lot more to say about that somewhere later on down the line
But that moment proved something I’ve been saying for a while:
You are the platform.
A Quick Backstory, If You’re New Here
SB Nation is (or was) a massive network of fan-run websites for teams across the NFL, NBA, MLB, MMA, and more. If you were obsessed with your team in the 2010s, you probably landed on one of their blogs.
But what most people didn’t realize: They ran on free labor.
Writers weren’t employees. They were “contributors.” That meant no pay — just the promise of “exposure” and maybe a press credential. Meanwhile, the company made bank off Google Ads and traffic.
In 2013, there was interest in an Eagles podcast on Bleeding Green Nation — their Eagles site. But no one had executed it. And the company didn’t see the value.
So we started BGN Radio.
They told us flat out: podcasting wasn’t profitable.
They told us, in writing, we could own our show and monetize it ourselves.
That sounded like a dream.
By 2017, we had turned that dream into nearly $100,000 in revenue. The Eagles won the Super Bowl.
Sponsors were emailing us daily.
Then they changed their tune.
When It Became Profitable, They Tried to Own It
Once we proved it worked, SB Nation wanted in — not as partners, but as owners.
They told us they owned everything.
They gave us a take-it-or-leave-it deal: give up the rights or walk away.
We had built an audience of 20,000–30,000+ listeners per episode. We laid out the blueprint they’d later use to expand podcasting across the network. And we thought we were about to get real roles and a real future.
Instead, they offered us $5,000/month in "ad share" and never sold another ad again.
Not one.
So I Left
I took the podcast to Sportsradio 94WIP in Philadelphia. That move cost me more than I can describe. It was the hardest decision I’ve made in my career — and it damaged a lot of relationships I cared deeply about.
We had our own internal issues, sure. But most of them would’ve been solved with a living wage.
No one wanted to pay us — but they sure as hell wanted to profit off us.
A Message to Creators and Business Owners
If you’re a creator:
Never do anything for “exposure.”
If someone won’t pay you — but still wants to build a business using your work — run.
If you’re a business owner:
Stop chasing vanity metrics and views. Start scouting real people — because marketing agencies are ripping you off every time they step in as the middleman.
Here’s your checklist:
Do I love the content this person is putting out?
Can I count on them for 6–12 months of consistent work?
Will they speak directly to the audience I care about?
Creators are asking the same of you. The best partnerships are mutual bets not paying tons of money to each other. That’s how businesses grow now.