This week, we’re getting into all things BFCM. What we’re doing right now to prep for the most important time of year for DTC marketers and what brands need to be thinking about that most people don’t. We dig into pacing, impulse-buyer windows and how to avoid misspending on the day, plus how we’re approaching budget planning, Meta performance, and the lessons we’ve learned from our own campaigns over the years.

We also get into what we’d do if we had a new product or brand idea and how we’d validate it in the market, even without a finished product, and the scrappy, cost-effective ways to test before going all in. We break down real examples of brands that nailed their early launches through smart validation and lean marketing, and what you can take from those approaches.

To wrap up, Connor R shares the three ideal hires he’d make first if he were building a marketing team from scratch and how those roles can help you execute faster, test smarter, and scale sustainably.

Zach Stuck on the Core Marketing Tactics to Drive Growth As You Scale: https://youtu.be/M4xn2aISEbg?si=V_8R4sIklXa487CB

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:08:05 - Less-Talked-About BFCM Tactics & Insights

00:24:17 - BFCM Sale Timelines & Pacing Strategy

00:36:46 - Analyzing ROAS Lift & Scaling Spend Pre-BFCM

00:53:50 - How to Test & Validate a New Product Idea

01:10:14 - The First 3 Hires for a New Growth Team

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Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

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This week, we’re joined by Reza Khadjavi, founder and CEO of Motion, the podcast’s premier sponsor. Reza breaks down who he’d hire first if he were running growth today, why the best marketers right now are the ones who can merge strategy, execution, and AI into one high-leverage role, and how he’s seeing the return of the elite IC reshape modern marketing teams.

Connor M shares a behind-the-scenes look at how Ridge has collapsed entire layers of their go-to-market workflow, cutting out handoffs, speeding up launches, and proving that smaller, sharper teams can actually do more. We dig into how AI is automating execution, why creativity still sets teams apart, and what it really means for how work gets done.

Then we explore the latest creative trends, from Meta’s Andromeda update and what it means for persona-based targeting to how brands should actually be thinking about creative diversity. Reza walks through Motion’s new AI tagging system, the eight most important categories for creative testing, and why so many brands miss the mark on evolving their messaging. We also talk about how getting naming conventions right can unlock better insights, sharper strategy, and way more creative clarity.

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction00:05:41 - The Three First Hires for a Director of Growth

00:26:28 - How Ridge Collapsed Its Go-to-Market Workflow

00:37:36 - When Leaders Become ICs

00:51:14 - Meta Andromeda & The Need for Creative Diversity

01:07:44 - The Power of AI Tagging & Naming Conventions

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Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Rivo.

https://www.rivo.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:

https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

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Learn what separates top 1% creative strategists from everyone else - and why AI is making this the most valuable role in performance marketing.

The Marketing Operators break down the exact skills, mindset shifts, and creative strategy frameworks that will make you indispensable in 2026.

Motion.⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Brought to you by Applovin. Get access to the Operators channel expansion playbook, online masterclass, and up to $5k in ad credits.

https://9operators.com/applovin

Despite a one-page website with nothing but his name and a contact button, David Herrmann is easily the world’s most influential media buyer. Famous or infamous (especially if you’re an ad platform that triggers his X-posting wrath), he’s been shaping the face of ecommerce advertising for almost two decades.

One part storytelling, two parts tactical insights … David shares his journey from selling MRI machines online to managing over a billion dollars in ad spend.

Discover the challenges and triumphs of media buying, creative strategy, and the surprising roles of inhouse versus outsourced agencies. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just starting out, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways and industry insights.

The trio is back together and today we’re getting into the topic of the evolution of the media buying role, and how media buying has transformed from button-pushing inside ad platforms to a more strategic role that demands creativity, data fluency, and taking ownership of the entire customer funnel. We explore friend-of-the-show Taylor Holiday’s growth engineer concept, how automation is reshaping the skill set needed, and we compare notes on how our companies are structuring our growth and paid media teams.

From this, we get deeper into hiring and team culture - what traits we look for in senior marketing hires, how to build and curate self-starting teams, the importance of cultural fit, why marketers today must act like CEOs of their channels, and more.

Watch the last week's episode for more on hiring for marketing: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4uFeSjSwBqe1e39cLQI78x?si=SZH0mEDkQU6VTqX9_QgMkQ

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:06:06 - Deconstructing a Successful Product Launch

00:22:35 - The Evolving Role of the Media Buyer

00:37:48 - The "Marketer First" Mindset

00:51:49 - How to Hire for a High-Performance Culture

01:03:02 - Going Beyond the Resume to Find the Right Fit

Powered by:

Motion.⁠⁠⁠

https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.

⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

First up today, we’re getting into OpenAI and ChatGPT shopping with the Shopify integration - including how we’re approaching GEO, why bigger brands might have the edge, and why we’re not going all in on optimization just yet.

We also dig into SMS and email, where the real limit is on frequency, and the balance between driving conversions short-term vs unsubscribes vs retaining subscribers in the long-term.

We share what we’ve tested, what the data shows about diminishing returns, and why most brands are probably leaving money on the table. We break down the difference between flows and campaigns, why flows can handle more volume, and how post-purchase upsells fit into this, from one-click add-ons to holding orders “double dash” style.

We also check in on how podcast ads are performing at Jones Road - what the early results look like, why standard tracking under-attributes, and how we’re thinking about picking winners to scale. To finish up, we talk through the first three marketing hires we’d make if we were building a brand from scratch today.If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:10:22 - Our Approach to ChatGPT Shopping & GEO

00:27:13 - Finding the Real Limit on SMS & Email Frequency

00:38:37 - Post-Purchase Upsells: One-Click vs. "Double Dash" Style

00:51:51 - Podcast Ads: Jones Road's Early Results & Attribution

01:01:18 - Drafting Your First 3 Marketing HiresPowered by:Motion.⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trendsPrescient AI.⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operatorsRichpanel.⁠⁠⁠https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescAftersell.https://www.aftersell.com/operatorsRivo.https://www.rivo.io/operatorsSubscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPSSign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

Brought to you by Applovin. Get access to the Operators channel expansion playbook, online masterclass, and up to $5k in ad credits. https://www.9operators.com/applovin

Dive into the inspiring journey of McCoy Merkley from Portland Leather Goods.

From answering a Craigslist ad to becoming a pivotal figure in the company's exponential growth, McCoy shares candid insights on transitioning from a one-man army to leading a full marketing team.Discover the challenges and triumphs of scaling a business, the importance of courage in leadership, and the strategic marketing mix that propelled Portland Leather Goods to success.

Tune in for a conversation filled with practical wisdom and lots of humor, as McCoy reflects on the lessons learned along the way.

Today we’ve got a jam-packed episode for you, hitting on some of the things that are top of mind for us this week - product launches, Meta, partnerships, and more.First, we get into the value of teasing products and tactics on the best way to do that, how to make sure there’s social proof and community buzz from day one, and the role reviews play in building momentum at launch. We also discuss how Hollow turned an organic Joe Rogan plug into a marketing moment, before diving into Meta tactics and what’s actually moving the needle for Cody in terms of net new reach, from exclusions and bidding to the way we’re approaching mid-funnel.Finally, we get into partnerships and what we’ve got going on at Jones Road and HexClad - why we’re taking bigger swings, how persona-driven funnels fit into our strategies, and why it feels more like portfolio management than simple channel testing.If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction00:11:18 - Pre-Launch Hype Strategies00:20:00 - The Power of Day-One Reviews & Social Proof00:33:40 - Joe Rogan's Organic Hollow Plug00:41:16 - Is Podcast Advertising Worth It?00:50:06 - How to Increase Your New Customer Rate on Meta01:00:02 - Unlocking Growth with Big-Bet Influencer PartnershipsPowered by:Motion.⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trendsPrescient AI.⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operatorsRichpanel.⁠⁠⁠https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescAftersell.https://www.aftersell.com/operatorsHaus.http://Haus.io/operatorsSubscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:

https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPSSign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/