AI founders are finally turning to paid marketing… and the internet is losing its mind!This week, James and Daniel unpack the debate sparked by Andrew Chen and Bill Gurley, and question whether paid marketing really kills creativity. They also explore why, despite 25+ years of data, there’s still no clear startup playbook and why that might never change.Plus: the shift from hiring people to hiring tech, why AI could reward leaders like Mark Zuckerberg, and a few bold takes from Paul Graham.It’s the funniest era of tech, where everything is easier to build, harder to grow, and somehow… ads still work.

The ecommerce marketing playbook has evolved and most brands haven’t caught up yet. In this episode, guys sit down with Olivia Kory, Chief Strategy Officer at Haus, to talk about why the modern marketing stack is more complex, more fragmented, and more important than ever.

Olivia explains how brand strategy has evolved in the age of omnichannel, what it actually takes to measure marketing effectiveness across channels, and why the brands winning right now are the ones treating measurement as a competitive advantage from day 0.

This week is a bit of a reality check (in a good way). If you think you’ve missed your window, this episode might change your mind.

James and Daniel talk about why execution is becoming more important than ever, how having a clear “playbook” can be a cheat code, and why the ability to tell a great story is quickly becoming one of the most valuable skills you can have.

On the AI side, things are getting interesting—algorithms are becoming less secret, entire marketing teams are shrinking to one person, and the barrier to building something is basically gone.

We also get into why things that used to feel like weaknesses (being chronically online, ADHD brain, etc.) might actually be the biggest edge in today’s world.

Building something has never been easier. Getting people to notice? That’s a different story.

Hear the #1 food trend coming out of the biggest food show in the world and how George Zhou, founder of BUFFS, is transforming salty snacks with a better tasting, better for you, "beef Cheetos".

George shares his experience at Expo West, one of the biggest food trade shows in the world, what trends he's seeing in food and beverage, how he built BUFFS while still in college, and why the next wave of food brands might look a lot more like farm-to-table than lab-to-shelf.

George also shares the unexpected role AI played in building Buffs, how trial-and-error (and a lot of ChatGPT) helped shape the product, and why tools like Claude are becoming part of the modern founder toolkit.

Plus, George shares a few insights on the wild world of TikTok and what it really takes to earn consumer attention.

STAY CONNECTEDJAMES on Twitter & Linkedin – /jamesborowDANIEL on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok – /danieldruger

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This week it’s all about AI optimism and looking at the posts that really dig into what happens when AI starts working with us…instead of just for us.

James and Daniel dig into the viral chart on AI that’s been making the rounds and what it reveals about where AI is actually showing up across industries and where it still has a ways to go. This opens up a bigger question: are we further along than we think, or still just scratching the surface?

They also talk about what jobs will get replaced by AI, those that will evolve, and even some jobs that get more valuable in an AI world. SaaS-pocalypse isn’t quite what it’s made out to be, and who will be the ultimate winners.

And this week’s primary posts feature data from Ramp’s Economics Data Lab and how starting from scratch may be an easier path forward than fixing old problems.

STAY CONNECTEDJAMES on Twitter & Linkedin – /jamesborowDANIEL on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok – /danieldruger

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What do Nikita Bier, zerohedge, Ben Horowitz, and Burger King all have in common? Their Twitter takes were all featured on this week’s ADSN.

James and Daniel check out the decline of office construction while data center construction is skyrocketing, clear signal that we’re moving even faster from physical to digital. The guys also unpack what that means for the future of work (hint: Revenue Per Agent is coming), the rise of bots creating bots, and why we’re in the geocities era. They also talk about why great salespeople are even more valuable in an AI world. And of course don’t miss this week’s primary posts.

Joining the guys is Dante Dicicco, restaurant owner and product leader at Block, also known as Square, who brings a grounded, real world perspective on how AI is affecting operators today. They discuss procurement, payment processing economics, customer support, and how platforms like Square and Toast are getting restaurants to adopt AI. Dante also brings his experience being a restaurant owner to the show and shares first hand how he’s building tech into his main street business.

STAY CONNECTED

JAMES on Twitter & Linkedin –⁠ /jamesborow⁠

DANIEL on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok –⁠ /danieldruger⁠

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In this episode of ADSN, James and Daniel follow the money. We break down the new monetization plays and where dollars are starting to flow. Including how Gemini and Amazon's Rufus are already printing billions, Snap embracing even more creator monetization, and what Web 4.0 means for revenue and payments, and much more.

Bryan Kim, partner at Andreessen Horowitz, joins the show to talk about why adtech is having a moment again, how AI is ushering in a new era of engagement and distribution, and where the future is heading.

STAY CONNECTED

JAMES

Twitter –⁠ /jamesborow⁠

LinkedIn —⁠ /jamesborow⁠

DANIEL

Instagram —⁠ /danieldruger⁠

TikTok —⁠ /danieldruger⁠

LinkedIn —⁠ /danieldruger⁠

👉 Hit Subscribe, then leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on Spotify & Apple Podcasts. It takes 10 seconds and makes all the difference in helping other people discover ADSN.

James and Daniel break down Peter Steinberger's massive move taking OpenClaw to OpenAI, Meta’s counter by integrating its recent Manus acquisition directly into ad and chat platforms. We also dive into why media and IP are in trouble, what ice dancing and AI have in common, and Netflix’s little brother moment.

Later in the show, we sit down with Ben Putley, CEO of Alkimi, to discuss the fascinating convergence of AI and crypto. We explore how stablecoins and agent-to-agent payments are poised to fundamentally rewire digital ads.

STAY CONNECTED

JAMES Twitter –⁠ /jamesborow⁠ LinkedIn —⁠ /jamesborow⁠

DANIEL Instagram —⁠ /danieldruger⁠ TikTok —⁠ /danieldruger⁠ LinkedIn —⁠ /danieldruger⁠

👉 Hit Subscribe, then leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on Spotify & Apple Podcasts. It takes 10 seconds and makes all the difference in helping other people discover ADSN.