In this episode of The Entrepreneur's Logbook, host Zachary Bernard sits down with Aya Kikimova, founder of LeapEngine, a digital marketing agency that brings Fortune 500-level strategies to startups and small businesses at a fraction of the cost. Aya shares her remarkable journey from immigrating to the US from Kazakhstan at 16, not knowing how to type on a computer, to managing over $50 million annually in ad spend at Microsoft and earning the prestigious Platinum Club Award given to just 0.01% of the company.

Key Topics & Timestamps

• AI in Marketing [00:00-04:00]
• The GPS Framework [06:00-08:00]
• Marketing Myths [16:00-19:00]
• ROI Measurement Mistakes [28:00-32:00]
• AI Implementation Strategy [22:00-26:00]
• Key Takeaways

• Ensure business readiness before marketing investment
• Test attribution by pausing different channels
• Setting expectations - Focus on lifetime value, not short-term returns
• Choose AI tools with human guidance and verification

Aya Kikimova – LeapEngine

Website: leapengine.co

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akikimova

Zachary Bernard – We Feature You PR

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itszachb/

Website: https://www.wefeatureyou.com/

Personal site: https://zacharybernard.com/

Want press/podcast/TV features? Visit wefeatureyou.com

• (00:00:00) - The Lockbook
• (00:00:49) - Starting a Business With 0.01% of the Company
• (00:02:28) - How Is AI Affecting Your Company's Business?
• (00:05:06) - How to Get Your Business Profile on Google Maps in 2 Minutes
• (00:15:01) - MR: Marketing Myths that Small Businesses Fall for
• (00:20:56) - How to Integrate AI into your Business?
• (00:25:47) - How To Train an AI Tool for Google Ads
• (00:27:48) - MT: Small Business Marketing ROI