Most companies still pitch like it’s 2010, heavy on promises and narrative, light on proof. However, in a world increasingly shaped by AI-driven content discovery and structured visibility, that model no longer holds up. We no longer win hearts or deals with lofty promises. We win with performance clarity. That’s why I’ve recommended a different […]
Epiphany 22: Fewer Words, More Data Read More »
Early last week, Meta was granted partial summary judgment in a copyright lawsuit, with the court concluding that the plaintiffs failed to present evidence of a functioning licensing market disrupted by Meta’s use of their books for AI training. But the ruling wasn’t just about what evidence was missing—it highlighted a more profound issue: the
Should your keynote entertain, educate, or radicalize attendees? That question has been on my mind since a recent industry event. I had planned to use the time to clear out some emails, but the keynote speaker came highly recommended, and there was a fair amount of hype. Against my better judgment, I decided to invest
When Actionable Bullet Points Became Blasphemy: The Search for Substance on Stage Read More »
Across the broader search community and specifically at SMX Advanced last week, the phrase “Delphic costs ” was mentioned multiple times. But while many are referencing it, few outside of those speakers seem to grasp the strategic implications of this emerging concept fully. Delphic costs refer to the hidden costs incurred when users are shielded from suboptimal options
Delphic Costs: An Emergent Phenomenon at the Intersection of Search Theory and AI Read More »
Yesterday, I reviewed my credit card statement and saw eight subscription charges. I opened my handy Evernote tracker, where I log each vendor, renewal date, and notes. Three of the eight had notes to cancel, but none of them were even due yet. Everyone had been renewed early. Buried in my inbox were two emails explaining
The Subscription Cancellation Hellscape: A War on Friction We’re Losing Read More »
We’ve reached a point where nearly every service, from flights to home internet to home security, is wrapped in fees, packages, and hidden upgrades. Companies have figured out that unbundling things that used to be included lets them charge more while pretending to give us options. $12 Billion in “Options” According to a recent U.S.
The Illusion of Choice: Bundling, Unbundling, and the Hidden Cost of Convenience Read More »
The Trap of Traditional Comparison In business and SEO, we’re often tempted to measure our performance against a familiar set of named competitors—those companies we know, respect, or fear. But this approach is comforting at best, misleading at worst, and ultimately self-limiting. Once, when presenting to a room full of sales and business intelligence executives
Why Comparing Yourself Only to Named Competitors Is a Faulty SEO Strategy Read More »
AI-powered search engines don’t just find answers—they shape them. Google SGE, Bing Copilot, ChatGPT, and Perplexity summarize and synthesize what they determine to be the best answer, often by collapsing multiple viewpoints into a single “consensus.” The more frequently an idea appears across authoritative sources, the more likely it is to be cited. But what
Understanding layered intent is the key to staying visible in an AI-first search world. A few weeks ago, I wrote about the need for a VP of Answers and described how AI systems are reshaping what it means to be “the best” in search. It was sparked by a real-life moment: I was researching the
From Search to Synthesis: How AI Mode Decodes What People Really Want Read More »
Most business owners dream of a big exit. But when acquisition talks begin, many are blindsided, not by the offer but by the questions buyers ask. And worse, by what they don’t ask. They’re not buying your clever brand name. They’re buying your systems, your team, and most importantly, your revenue predictability. Often, founders overestimate
The Exit Multiplier: What Acquirers Really Pay For (That Most Business Owners Overlook) Read More »