The Marketing Companion

America turns 250 this year. Every brand on the planet is reaching for the moment. And most of them are about to miss it completely. Michael Quinn has spent years studying why, and what to do instead. He is a 3x LinkedIn Top Voice with a following above 360,000, a Forbes Coaches Council member, and the founder of Tenova LLC, with a monthly social reach that exceeds two million people. He knows what makes content land, what makes brands earn trust, and what the difference looks like between honoring a moment and just borrowing it. In this conversation we get into three ideas that every marketer needs right now. Story is the only strategy that lasts. Authenticity is a decision, not a vibe. And the opportunity sitting inside America's AI disruption is bigger than most brands realize. Michael also designs an AI-powered campaign to honor the 250th live, and closes with what he wants every marketer to do the moment this episode ends. If you want to get this moment right, this one's for you. SPOTIFY SHOW NOTES America is turning 250. And the biggest marketing opportunity of the decade is sitting right in front of every brand on the planet. Most of them are going to waste it. In this episode of The AI Marketing Companion, Sandy Carter sits down with Michael Quinn, 3x LinkedIn Top Voice, Forbes Coaches Council member, and founder of Tenova LLC, to talk about what it actually takes to own a cultural moment like America's 250th. He shared 3 ideas that are simple but not easy! 1. Story Is the Only Strategy That Works Brands are flooding the zone with America 250 content right now. Flags. Fireworks. Slogans. Almost none of it will be remembered by August. Michael has built a following above 360,000 on LinkedIn and a monthly reach beyond two million people by doing one thing differently: starting with a real story, not a campaign brief. The brands that will own this moment are the ones that find a human being at the center of the celebration and let that person speak. Not a tagline. A story with stakes, with heart, with something true at the center of it. 2. Authenticity Is Not a Vibe. It Is a Decision. Every brand wants to feel authentic right now. Very few are willing to make the decisions that create it. In a world where AI can generate unlimited content in seconds, the one thing that cannot be faked is a genuine point of view. That is what audiences are filtering for. That is what earns trust. And trust, Michael says, is the only currency that compounds. 3. The Opportunity in America Is Bigger Than You Think AI is reshaping the economy faster than anyone predicted. A lot of people are scared. Michael sees something different. He sees an opening. America at 250 is not just a birthday. It is a reset point. The brands and individuals who use AI as a tool for human storytelling rather than a replacement for it are going to have an extraordinary advantage in the years ahead. The opportunity is real. The window is open. About Michael Quinn SGM (Ret.) Michael Quinn is the founder and Chief Growth Officer of Tenova LLC and its HireMilitary brand, a verified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. He is a 3x LinkedIn Top Voice with a following above 360,000 and a monthly social reach beyond two million people, a Forbes Coaches Council member, and creator of the Digital Networking Professional Program. His brand promise: Teamwork and Innovation. Connect with Michael LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quinnmi Tenova LLC: https://tenovallc.com/ HireMilitary: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiremilitary-us Connect with Sandy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandyacarter/ Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sandycarter/ Sandy Carter: https://sandycarter.net/ If this episode moved you, share it with one marketer who needs to hear it before America's 250th.

Anthropic's Claude has officially surpassed ChatGPT in enterprise adoption—but that's not the biggest story. The real shift is happening beneath the surface. In this episode of AI Marketing Companion, Sandy Carter sits down with Shawn Reddy of Team Nebula to explore why businesses are moving beyond prompts and chatbots toward dynamic AI workflows that can execute real work. From content creation and campaign execution to brand consistency and productivity, this conversation breaks down what marketers need to know about the next phase of AI. In this episode: 00:00 Introduction 02:10 Anthropic surpasses OpenAI in enterprise adoption 05:25 Why marketers should care about the shift 08:40 The most important Claude Opus 4.8 feature most people are missing 12:15 What dynamic workflows actually are 16:40 Dynamic workflows vs prompt engineering 21:05 Turning a webinar or podcast into a complete content engine 27:20 Can AI workflows reduce AI-generated "slop"? 32:10 The marketing skills becoming more valuable in the AI era 37:05 One workflow every CMO should implement in the next 90 days 41:55 What marketers are still underestimating about AI 45:30 Lightning Round 49:15 Final takeaways Key Takeaways • AI is shifting from answering questions to executing workflows. • Dynamic workflows may become more important than prompt engineering. • Marketers can automate entire content distribution pipelines while maintaining brand consistency. • The future competitive advantage won't be access to AI—it will be workflow design. • Human judgment, creativity, and strategic thinking become more valuable as execution becomes automated. Guest Shawn Reddy Founder, Team Nebula Shawn works with organizations implementing practical AI systems and workflows that help teams scale content creation, operations, and business processes. Related Reading • Read Sandy Carter's Forbes coverage of Anthropic's rise in enterprise adoption:https://www.forbes.com/sites/sandycarter/2026/06/05/claude-becomes-the-enterprise-favorite-as-anthropic-passes-openai/ • Read Sandy Carter's analysis of the government's Fable restrictions and what they mean for enterprise AI leaders: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sandycarter/2026/06/13/anthropic-fable-government-lockdown-enterprise-ai-risk/ Subscribe for more conversations on AI, marketing, business transformation, and emerging technology. #Claude #Anthropic #ChatGPT #ArtificialIntelligence #MarketingAI #GenerativeAI #ContentMarketing #CMO #FutureOfWork #AIMarketingCompanion

Marketing is scaling faster than humans can adapt—and most leaders are underestimating the shift. In this conversation with Sandy Carter, Ray Wang, CEO and founder of Constellation Research, and Liz Miller, former leader of the CMO council, and analyst at Constellation Research, reveal what's changed in just two years: AI agents embedded in org charts, accountability rising as decisions digitize, and why selling to humans still demands trust, authenticity, and reputation. From boardroom blind spots to the death of long-held marketing myths, this episode is a roadmap for leaders preparing for 2026.

Sure, we want our marketing to connect with customers in a human and emotional way. But maybe a bigger short-term win is a humane approach that provides people with the help they need as quickly and effortlessly as possible. And that might be the perfect role for AI. Mark Schaefer and Mathew Sweezey talk about this important role and the emphasis on humane versus human.

Mark Schaefer begins the show with a significant announcement about the future of The Marketing Companion. Co-host Sandy Carter kicks off a discussion about how Deep Fakes are overwhelming even the most famous brands and company leaders. Mark and Sandy also cover the impact of AI speed on marketing, the rise of the humanoids and more. Mark Schaefer is a strategy consultant, college educator, keynote speaker, and the author of 10 books including "KNOWN," "Belonging to the Brand," and "Audacious: How Humans Win in an AI Marketing World." His annual marketing retreat is The Uprising. For more of Mark's insights every week, subscribe to his award-winning blog. Mark also offers classes in personal branding and professional speaking. Sandy Carter is COO of Unstoppable Domains and has held marketing leadership positions at IBM and AWS. She is the author of AI First, Human Always.

Special guest Ethan Pierse argues that AI isn't just for developers or technical founders. Instead, non-technical but entrepreneurial folks can now build tech products without deep coding skills. AI is breaking down traditional barriers and letting more people "create their own future." This is the age of the AI Solopreneur and in this episode, Ethan spells out his vision, as well discussing the economics of AI, the future of Web3, and more.

A new research report shows how AI is re-wiring our customers — literally changing their psychology and buying habits. In this episode, Mark Schaefer previews a new book and explores what happens when humans offload their thinking to a machine.

Mark Schaefer has a new grandchild. Amanda Russell has a toddler. Both of them wonder what an AI-dominant world has in store for them. In this personal and introspective episode, Mark and Amanda reflect on what college meant to their careers, the advice they would give to kids about college today, and how education will need to change for Gen Alpha. This is an essential episode for everyone wondering how AI will impact the next generation. Mark Schaefer is a strategy consultant, college educator, keynote speaker, and the author of 10 books including "KNOWN," "Belonging to the Brand," and "Audacious: How Humans Win in an AI Marketing World." His annual marketing retreat is The Uprising. For more of Mark's insights every week, subcribe to his award-winning blog. Mark also offers classes in personal branding and professional speaking. Amanda Russell is a marketing leader, entrepreneur, and scholar. By age 32, she built and sold two successful businesses: an online fitness subscription community for women and a digital marketing and production company. She served as Chief Marketing Officer at a NYC-based portfolio fund and developed the world's first accredited MBA & EMBA Influencer Marketing programs at Northwestern University. She also founded the Global Center for Influence at the University of Texas. Amanda has taught at renowned institutions such as Bocconi University, London Business School, Harvard, Wharton, HEC Paris, NYU, and the University of Stockholm. Her book, "The Influencer Code," explores influence, consumer behavior, and the future of marketing. Amanda advises major companies, including Lamborghini, Cedars-Sinai, Lionsgate, and Silk-FAW.