Is Anything Real In Paid Advertising?

Anthony Tsigourakos, co-founder of SmartSpend Advertising and growth advisor at Good Name Consulting, knows the hidden costs of scaling. After helping dozens of agencies break through plateaus, he’s learned that real growth isn’t just about adding clients or revenue…it’s about protecting your capacity, your margins, and your energy.

In this episode, we dive into:

• Why most agencies think they’re scaling when they’re a...

What actually works when paid ads stop performing?

In this episode, Patrick Cumming, Head of Marketing at KleintBoost, joins Adam W. Barney to cut through the noise and talk shop: what’s real, what’s BS, and why most agencies are still chasing vanity metrics.

We go deep on:

• 💥 How to audit your funnel without losing your mind
• 📊 The real KPIs that matter for sustainable growth
• 🧠 Client psychology, performance myths...

What do you do when Google, Meta, TikTok, and every other ad platform shut the door in your face? You break the rules, rewrite the playbook, and scale anyway.

In this episode of Is Anything Real in Paid Advertising?, I talk with Pauline Schmiechen: badass founder, consultant, and builder of multiple high-traffic adult platforms, who’s thriving in the shadows of mainstream media.

With 3 million+ users a month and zero...

In Episode 07 of Is Anything Real in Paid Advertising?, we dive deep with Lea Miner, Founder of Intention & Insight, who’s building something truly different: a business rooted in resonance, not just reach.

What started as a small somatic journey experiment on Meetup grew to a thriving 600+ person community in just six months, without a dollar in ad spend.

We unpack:

• Why marketing fails when you skip the “why”
• The ...

What if the real growth play wasn’t grinding on social media or spending wildly on ads?

In this episode of Is Anything Real in Paid Advertising?, I sit down with Ziv Raviv, Founder & CEO of Kivi Media, creator of Daily Cookie, host of Beyond Six Figures, and author of The Fully Booked Coach, for a masterclass in scaling through soul-first strategy.

Ziv built a $600K/year coaching business without burning out on c...

Nuria Garcia of NbN Marketing joins me for a raw dive into the behind-the-scenes reality of creator-led growth. From ad platform bias to client miseducation, this episode unpacks the truth about scaling creative work with integrity, even when it gets messy.

We cover:

• The hidden constraints behind Meta Ads and TikTok
• What Nuria does when client scripts kill performance
• Why real storytelling still wins in 2025
• Building an...

AI may be getting flashier, but is it making your creative work better or just…blobbier?

In this episode of Is Anything Real in Paid Advertising?, I sit down with Christina Magaña, Founder of Modish Creative and creative strategist behind some of the most vibrant, soulful branding campaigns in the game.

We dive into:

• Why AI-generated visuals are hitting a ceiling (and sometimes a wall)
• What agencies are missing...

Is AI driving deeper connections, or just more noise?

In this episode, I’m joined by Nathalie Doremieux, Co-Founder of Podcast LeadFlow, who reveals how to transform podcast listeners into qualified leads through strategic AI-powered conversations. We unpack how the Human → AI → Human model outperforms generic automation, and why quality, not quantity is the future of podcast monetization.

From membership site master...

Performance Max can scale. But only if you control the inputs.

Otherwise? You’re handing the wheel to a robot with no map.

In this episode of Is Anything Real in Paid Advertising?, I’m joined by Ben Lund, founder of Rise Marketing Group and ex-Googler, to unpack what’s real...and what’s wildly misunderstood...about AI-driven campaigns in 2025.

We get into:

⚙️ The real value of human strategy in an AI world

📉 Wh...

In this kickoff episode of Is Anything Real in Paid Advertising?, I sit down with Kristi Broom, Co-Founder of Rising Tide Cooperative to talk candidly about building inclusive cultures, evolving leadership identities, and embracing AI without losing your edge.

We dive into:

• Scaling while staying grounded in your values
• Using transparency and empathy as strategic tools
• Why “being in the weeds” on purpose is part of Kris...

You’ve seen the headlines. You’ve heard the hype. You’ve probably even burned budget on a “proven funnel.”

But let’s be honest: is anything in paid advertising even real?

In this kickoff episode, host Adam W. Barney (author, strategist, energy coach, and $100M+ ad spend veteran) lays out why this podcast exists, who it’s for, and what to expect in the episodes ahead.

🎙️ Expect unfiltered conversations with agency...