The Ictus Marketing Podcast is coming back. Stay tuned.

Tom Casano is the founder of Sureoak, a full-service SEO firm dedicated to helping purpose-driven organizations achieve remarkable, long-term growth to make the world a better place to live in. We do this with SEO. The Sureoak team specializes in getting you more targeted organic traffic to help grow your company. We not only help big-hearted organizations reach more people; we also help searchers find what they’re looking for.…

Podcast celebrity. Get used to the term, because there will be more of them in the future as podcasts continue to gain traction in people's media routines. With the success of Criminal , Lauren Spohrer is a bonafide podcast celebrity. She and her team produce one of the longest running and most successful true crime podcasts out there. Lauren says that one rule of telling a good story is to avoid giving it all away at the beginning. It's a great characteristic of the Criminal Podcast. When I'm listening to it, I find myself leaning in and waiting to hear what happens next. They are masters at building tension in a story.…

Jake Scanlan runs Wiild Creative, a creative marketing agency out of Pasadena, CA. Scanlan's training in user experience gives him a unique viewpoint on how to build a strong brand. He specializes in helping companies figure out what makes them unique, and encourages his clients to be themselves in the market.…

Josh Steimle is speaker, writer, and entrepreneur. He has written over 200 articles for publications like Forbes, Inc, Mashable, TechCrunch, Entrepreneur, and Time, and is the author of Chief Marketing Officers at Work , which includes 29 interviews with CMOs from organizations like GE, the Harvard Business School, Spotify, Target, and PayPal. Josh is the CEO of MWI , a digital marketing firm he founded in 1999 with offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, China, and the U.S.…

I think a lot about the convergence of my faith with my profession. In my conversation with author and publisher, Darren Shearer, we talk about how Jesus used some fundamental principles of marketing to change the world.

Tom Hunt, the creator of VirtualValley.io is helping business owners and entrepreneurs get more done by connecting them to a global talent pool of virtual assistants.

People love to hate advertising. It’s interruptive, intrusive, offensive, and 90% of the time it’s irrelevant. But there’s one day in the year that advertising is celebrated. It’s Superbowl Sunday. There’s something nostalgic about watching the super bowl for me. I have great memories of coming home after church to watch the vikings play (or lose, more precisely) when I was growing up. So watching football in general can bring me back to my childhood. But also, the way we watch the super bowl, a live event – one of the most watched tv events in America – has not changed like the way we watch other tv or movie content. So, I’m dedicating this episode, Episode 33 of the Ictus Marketing Podcast to the Super Bowl Ads of 2016.…

Marc Koehler is the President of Lead with Purpose, a company dedicated to helping people lead more purposeful lives. He brings over 30 years of business and life experiences that include US Navy Submarine Officer, Interim CEO/COO, Entrepreneur, Husband, Father, and Soccer Coach.

Erin Youngren is the better half (I think Jeff will forgive me, and probably agree) of the Youngrens photography studio based in San Diego . Through ten years of photography together, Erin and Jeff have learned a lot about what it takes to grow a sustainable business. They own and operate three photography businesses in San Diego and actively teach other photography entrepreneurs how to get started in a crowded market. By sharing their challenges, Erin believes they can help others learn without experiencing the same pain. “Fear was holding me back from doing important work. — Erin Youngren Fear is one of the greatest issues in most businesses. Many of us fear that someone will come along and take business away from us. Erin combats these fears with generosity. Instead of having their acquired knowledge taken from them they give it away freely, and in doing so the Youngrens found success. Jeff began his photography career through the generosity of a mentor – another highly successful photographer. Wedding photography allowed Jeff to combine his love of photography with his passion for telling emotional stories. Wedding photography was not a simple business start up. The Youngren's received help from surprising sources along the way, and this help will never be forgotten by Jeff and Erin. They discovered that wedding photography is a unique and collaborative industry. Photographers have come together to share and make the industry stronger and better. “The help that we received when we started out was so powerful, that we wanted to help other people in the same way. — Erin Youngren The Youngrens noticed that other photographers were willing to share their tips and tricks. Leaders would put on workshops. They noticed that giving was a huge part of the wedding photography atmosphere. Jeff and Erin realized that when they give, they build credibility and trust. Their business began to thrive. “When we do share information, we’ll all learn more and we become more of an expert. — Erin Youngren Generosity in their business is not without its problems. Jeff and Erin discovered some who would take and not give back, but they realized that that is their problem. It is not a reason to stop being generous. “Jeff and I have experienced a lot of hurt by being generous. It’s a hard lesson to learn. — Erin Youngren When people took advantage of the Youngrens' kindness, fear would sometimes pop its ugly head to the surface. When this happens, Jeff and Erin talk with each other and ask, “What are we so afraid of?” Erin believes that generosity has not only helped their photography business, but has helped the wedding photography industry as a whole. Here are some of the ways that Erin has grown their business: Writing prolifically on their business blog – not always about business, but about cooking and their life together. This is a strategic decision to give their audience a way to develop a personal relationship with them. Erin works to connect with their target audience through shared values = Marketing! Erin has written a precise profile of their ideal client. Her name is Emma. Erin has conversations with her when no one is watching. Erin and Jeff established themselves as industry leaders by being open about their business practices and actively helping other photographers be better. “We don’t want to be seen just as photographers, but also as a couple who has fun together. — Erin Youngren Speaking of generosity, Erin created a guide just for Ictus listeners on How To Run A Generous Business which you will find at theyoungrens.com/ictus. Check it out and send them a compliment on Twitter (@theyoungrens)!…

Before the new year ended, I interviewed my good friend and economist, David Carnes. Now that we have entered a new year, I invited David back to discuss the 2015 economy, and we are also going to take a look at the coming economy in 2016. Also, for those who are Star Wars fans, we will examine the impact of the newest movie: The Force Awakens. I asked David what he thought of the 2015 economy, and David told me that he would rate the 2015 economy a B. He says it was a good year; not a great year, but a good year. “We are better economically than we were one year ago. — David Carnes We have watched the Federal Reserve just recently raise interest rates, and I asked David about this move that seems to be an attack against the United State's economy. His answer made so much sense when he explained that inflation is under control, and unemployment is back down to approximately 5%, which is all good. This is why the Federal Reserve raised interest rates. “The Fed protects us by pulling the punch bowl away just as the party is starting. — David Carnes I asked David about the economy closer to home; how is the economy of the Inland Empire, and what are we facing in this coming year? “Education is the biggest issue in the Inland Empire. Turning out a larger percentage of college educated people will help this area. — David Carnes Back to the world economy, I reflected on the country of China. A wide concern across the U.S. is if the Chinese economy were to crash, it could impact the average American. In pointing to this concern to David Carnes, he pointed out that we may be overreacting. “We have worried about the Chinese economy affecting us for nearly 15 years. — David Carnes David sees the economic trend continuing as it is far into 2016. While it isn't fantastic, the economy is good and should maintain stability. This article on LinkedIn pointed out 4 trends to watch in 2016: Cities and States will play an important role in the 2016 economy. Workers commuting long distances for the best jobs. Workers will find new jobs through friends and family. The freelancing economy will grow even stronger. With the discussion about the economy winding down, David and I lightened up the subject when we took a look at Star Wars. “If I had to choose, I would be a Trekky. — David Carnes Disney purchased the Star Wars franchise from George Lucas for $4.05 billion in 2012. Many people wondered if this was a wise move by Disney. On Christmas day, The Force Awakens set both a Canadian and a U.S. record for the largest box office sales with $49.3 million, Disney reported. That topped the previous record of $24.6 million that was set by Sherlock Holmes in 2009. According to this article at the Huffington Post , The Force Awakens is on track to be the fastest film to reach $1 billion in ticket sales. “It is a good movie that no one expected great things from. — David Carnes Whether or not you are a fan of Star Wars, you will enjoy this conversation with David Carnes. It is time that we all hear a positive and upbeat look at the economy of the United States and the Inland Empire. So enjoy this podcast looking at the economy and Star Wars with economist David Carnes.…

In this podcast, I am interviewing Dr. Jeffrey Barnes. Dr. Barnes is a professor at Cal Baptist University, and the author of the top selling book: The Wisdom of Walt: Leadership Lessons From The Happiest Place on Earth . Living in Southern California, I knew that the mention of Walt meant Walt Disney. But what leadership lessons can we learn from Walt. All that comes to my mind is that song about the mouse with big ears...M-I-C K-E-Y MOUSE. Dr. Barnes explains so much more in his book and in this podcast. As a matter of fact, his book has been the #1 best seller in 3 different categories on Amazon, and just recently, the audio book became available. “One of the first Disneyland lessons I learned was Start Early — Jeffrey Barnes Dr. Barnes explains how Walt did not just snap his fingers and make Disneyland appear. Walt Disney had a difficult childhood. His dream was to bring happiness to children because his own childhood was not very happy. Walt Disney had to fight for success. Before moving to California, Mr. Disney went bankrupt in Kansas City. “Every great story requires conflict.1 — Jeffrey Barnes Dr. Barnes also explains how Walt Disney had strong corporate morals and a culture he followed to build Disneyland. Walt felt that every single person who entered the theme park was the hero of a story. He never forgot about all the people who helped him build the Disney extravaganza. The windows on Main Street are used to credit those who helped make Disneyland a reality. Dr. Barnes says that when we have dreams, there will be those who tell us we can't, or it won't work. One of the lessons taught in the book Jeffrey wrote is that Walt had many people telling him he couldn't do it and Disneyland won't work. “Walt set out to prove the naysayers wrong. This was a huge inspiration in making Disneyland work — Jeffrey Barnes Dr. Barnes knew that a business leadership class using Walt Disney as the basis would be a huge hit. He made plans and approached the proper people to start the class at Cal Baptist, but on a visit to his Doctor, Dr. Barnes was told he had a brain tumor. The Doctor told him he should have surgery immediately. Realizing that surgery would halt his dream of starting this leadership class, Dr. Barnes made the risky decision to wait on brain surgery. After all, this was all about Walt Disney and living out our dreams. “This class was a passion that I was willing to put my life on the line for. — Jeffrey Barnes Have a listen to this podcast with Dr. Jeffrey Barnes. I know you will be enlightened. I also recommend you get his book. You will find the links to it below. Now enjoy this podcast with Dr. Jeff Barnes, author of The Wisdom of Walt: Leadership Lessons From The Happiest Place on Earth.…

In today's interview, we brought together two members of The Guild in Redlands, CA . The Guild is a group of creative people who meet to support and help each other. On the first Wednesday of each month, Augies Coffeehouse in Redlands is swamped with creative people of different formats and from various walks of life. The two people we have talking with us today are key members of the Guild. Erin Wilbanks handles all the social media promotion for the Guild, and Paul Gernetzke handles much of the design of the website and other aspects. Other members also work together knowing that when one creative person helps another creative person, the creative world comes alive with joy and singing. The purpose of The Guild is to build a community of creatives to find information and ideas from each other. I then asked who can be a member of the Guild. Is it just artists and photographers, or are there other types of creatives? “Creativity can be applied to any field. — Paul Gernetzke There is no set criteria for being part of the Guild. Not everyone who is creative makes a living with their talents. As a matter of fact, while Erin does make money with her photography, her full time job is with the VA Hospital. Erin's motivation and inspiration with photography is her love of exploring. Both Paul and Erin agreed that the Inland Empire is a perfect living environment for creatives. “We can be at the beach and see snow in the mountains on the same day. — Erin Wilbanks “The access you have from the Inland Empire makes it a great place to live – you can get to the mountains and to the ocean, and to the desert within just a couple of hours. — Paul Gernetzke Paul and Erin explained that the idea behind the Guild came from a 1930s and 40s group that met in England, and were associated with the University of Oxford. They were called The Inklings ; a group of writers and literary enthusiasts who came together to support each other. It seems some of these writers claimed inspiration for some of their best works all because they met with other writers. In today's interview you will learn more about Erin, Paul and the Guild. Erin works magic with photography on her iPhone; Paul found inspiration in art and design when he traveled to South Africa. He started the Global Art and Design Project because of that trip, and has been inspired to fund art scholarships in South Africa. Paul also has his own art and design website called Loka . What I understood from speaking with Erin and Paul is that the primary mission of the Guild is to build the confidence of creatives all throughout the Inland Empire. It just seems that too many of the highly creative residents do not give themselves enough credit for the talents and abilities they have. “The Inland Empire has an underdog mentality — Paul Gernetzke It really does not matter what type of creative talents you have. Maybe you are a poet, a flower arranger, a comedian, or you make paper maché figurines; whatever talent a person has, the Guild welcomes all. Always on the first Wednesday of every month at 6:30 PM at Augie's Coffeehouse in Redlands. The Guild has speakers for these meetings, and just consider the Guild's Vision: “Our vision is to see a sustainable and thriving community of creatives in the Inland Empire. We envision relationships in which people are free to be honest, to wrestle with life together, to support and challenge each other and to spur each other on in their creativity and craft. — The Guild Now enjoy this interview with Erin and Paul.…

Whether you are running a business that longs to attract Christian consumers, or you are a person who wants to learn more about marketing from an expert, this podcast episode with Scott Shuford, the Founder and Chief Engagement Officer at FrontGate Media will interest you. Scott's years of experience in marketing to both secular and more recently, Christian consumers can provide you with ideas, and an avenue to market your brand. Scott graduated from college with a degree in marketing. As a Christian, Scott prayed about the path he should take. “Where should I serve? — Scott Shuford The answer came to Scott with 3 M's: Music, Marketing and Ministry to youth. Scott's journey began; starting with the Christian music site GoFish.Net where he helped the site grow to huge proportions. After GoFish.Net was sold, Scott again looked for guidance through prayer. “I can do more than I am doing now. — Scott Shuford In the mid 1990s before the web was popular, Scott had a vision. With a partner, he started BigMan Media. “As BigMan Media, we handled marketing for all types of businesses. I felt God calling me to focus on Him — Scott Shuford The majority of Christian businesses had no idea how to utilize the world wide web in marketing efforts. Scott taught these businesses how they could attract and market to Christian consumers. I asked Scott if he was concerned about leaving a lot of cash behind by going strictly Christian. His demeanor told me that this was no concern to him. Scott's priority was to follow the path God had for his life, and it is now evident that Scott is being blessed in following that path. Christian businesses and businesses that wanted to attract Christ centered consumers began to utilize the services BigMan Media had to offer. Because the diversity of marketing forms were so large, Scott and his team decided to put everything together. The decision was made to re-brand it all into FrontGate Media. It is clear that God has used Scott and FrontGate Media. FrontGate has helped market the 10 highest grossing films that have hit the big screen. Films like The Passion of the Christ and The Narnia Series were marketed through FrontGate Media. “We work with nearly all media companies who have a desire to reach a Christian audience. — Scott Shuford I asked Scott what marketing to a Christian audience entails. His answers show that he is a marketing master. “You need to know where the outlets are that your audience is listening to or watching. — Scott Shuford Scott explained that building solid lists is probably the biggest key to successful marketing. FrontGate's email list has grown to over 5,000,000 and he says they have the ability to reach 10,000,000 Christians in a moments notice. FrontGate has won several achievements including 2014 Internet Advertising Competition’s Best Marketing Website overall and the Best Faith-based Website. When you listen to this interview with Scott Shuford, you will discover how PR and marketing can grow a business whether it is Christian based or secular. Enjoy this interview with Scott Shuford who stands at the FrontLine of FrontGate Media. Links to People and Things Mentioned in the Show FrontGate Website Scott on Twitter Scott on Linkedin My Broken Palace Project Inspired Opening Music: "The Red One" by John Scofield and Pat Metheny off their album I Can See Your House From Here Closing Music: "Magic Beans" by Peter Mayer off the album Million Year Mind…

Scott Sims is the founder and CEO of BuzzLogix, a social media monitoring tool that can provide a complete look at how a business is measuring up in their marketing methods. BuzzLogix monitors your social media channels and can automate social posting for businesses. BuzzLogix was hatched in 2014. “We are focusing on marketing solutions — Scott Sims As I interviewed Scott, I had to ask him why he decided to jump into a business that seems overcrowded. There are already a lot of tools that will monitor social media for companies, and also many others that will provide automated posts for social media posts. Scott answered that question with pure Logix. “We create a wedding between low end social engagement and high end social management to provide a complete social business management structure. — Scott Sims The fact is, there is no middle ground. Software companies are either catering to the extremely large corporations by finding negative and positive comments via text on Facebook, Twitter, forums and blogs and reporting it to the corporation who must use another service to defeat or uplift these comments. Or there are other software outlets who simply provide automated posting, but do not manage the responses of those who are viewing the content. Scott explained that the objective of BuzzLogix is to marry all of the business social marketing and response into an easy to use software that small, medium and large businesses can all be satisfied with. The BuzzLogix team is consistently training their computer systems to recognize brands, subjects and people. “You can find the attitude toward your brand and your competitors brands. — Scott Sims It is true, businesses are utilizing multiple avenues to achieve their marketing needs. Scott and the other BuzzLogix team have developed a system that achieves all the business marketing and social needs in one software platform. It is both a listening platform and a publishing platform. While BuzzLogix is still in Beta mode, the process is moving rapidly where business structures of all sizes will be able to know what people are saying about them on Facebook, Twitter and other social locations. The BuzzLogix software is also available in 20+ languages, so your company can know how your advertising is working in international markets. “You can’t build a perfect product in a year’s time. — Scott Sims I asked Scott what else BuzzLogix has in store. The answer could bring the conspiracy theorists out, but image recognition is in the plans too. So when a person puts a happy face picture and states your brand under it, the BuzzLogix software will tell you about the love being shown to your brand. “We have future plans of image recognition. — Scott Sims You will enjoy this interview with Scott Sims, the CEO of BuzzLogix. He knows how to explain these highly technical subjects in a way that even people with no computer experience can understand. After listening to this interview, be sure and visit the BuzzLogix website and check out what this system can do for you and your business. The small business price point will be available in early 2016, so you will want to reserve your space now. Links to People and Things Mentioned in the Show BuzzLogix Website BuzzLogix Blog BuzzLogix on Twitter Scott on Twitter Hootsuite BufferApp Opening Music: "The Red One" by John Scofield and Pat Metheny off their album I Can See Your House From Here Closing Music: "Magic Beans" by Peter Mayer off the album Million Year Mind…