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Thoughts & Musings

Ideas on branding, marketing, AI, and running a small business without losing your mind.


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We built the tracker before we built anything else
30-Day Challenge4 May 2026

We built the tracker before we built anything else

Day 4 of 30. We published the public build tracker before we shipped any of the customer-facing builds. Here's why, and what's on it.

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More roofing leads are not better if half of them waste your quoting time
30-Day Challenge3 May 2026

More roofing leads are not better if half of them waste your quoting time

Most roofing websites are built to collect every lead. This one is built to protect quoting time.

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Social Sharing That Actually Works: OG Images, Specs & Tools
Marketing2 May 2026

Social Sharing That Actually Works: OG Images, Specs & Tools

Every platform has different rules for link previews. Get the specs, tools, and image prompts you need to make your social shares look professional.

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Today I built: a 404 page that doesn't tell customers to check their spelling
30-Day Challenge2 May 2026

Today I built: a 404 page that doesn't tell customers to check their spelling

A 404 page that emails me when real broken links get hit, searches for what visitors actually typed, and turns dead ends into a drag-and-drop game.

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We're Building 30 Products in 30 Days (Because We Suck at Consistency)
PlainBlack1 May 2026

We're Building 30 Products in 30 Days (Because We Suck at Consistency)

Two ADHD founders are building and shipping one product every day for 30 days starting 1 May 2026. It's a public challenge to prove we can stay consistent and an invitation to watch the work.

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Can you really trust Ian?
Opinion30 April 2026

Can you really trust Ian?

Ian wrote a piece predicting AI's future. Then he compared it to human laziness and TikTok addiction. Let's talk about whether you should take him seriously.

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Industries Most Likely Impacted by AI in 2026
Opinion30 April 2026

Industries Most Likely Impacted by AI in 2026

Every generation fears the new tech. But this time the stakes are higher, the adoption curve steeper, and the jobs vanishing faster than you think.

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Brandon told himself he didn't need a website for two years
Client Stories30 April 2026

Brandon told himself he didn't need a website for two years

Brandon got quoted $5k+ for a website and spent two years telling himself he didn't need one. Then we built him something completely different.

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When a customer says they don't need it, they usually do
Business29 April 2026

When a customer says they don't need it, they usually do

Your customer isn't lying when they say they don't need what you sell. They're protecting a story they've been telling themselves for years.

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Stop Calling It a Rebrand When You Just Changed Your Logo
Branding27 April 2026

Stop Calling It a Rebrand When You Just Changed Your Logo

A new logo isn't a rebrand. It's a design update. Real rebrands transform how your business operates, not just how it looks.

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Why Agencies Overcomplicate Everything
Opinion25 April 2026

Why Agencies Overcomplicate Everything

Most agencies profit from complexity. Here's why simpler always wins, and how to cut through the noise without spending more.

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You're Not Bad at Marketing. You're Just Guessing
Marketing23 April 2026

You're Not Bad at Marketing. You're Just Guessing

You're not failing at marketing because you lack talent or drive. You're failing because every piece of advice you've followed was written for someone else's business.

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If Your Marketing Feels Random, This Is Probably Why
Strategy21 April 2026

If Your Marketing Feels Random, This Is Probably Why

You're not bad at marketing. You're just missing the one thing that makes everything else make sense.

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The Hidden Cost of 'Winging It' in Your Marketing
Strategy19 April 2026

The Hidden Cost of 'Winging It' in Your Marketing

Winging it doesn't just waste time. It quietly costs you customers, momentum, and confidence every single day.

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Why Most Marketing Advice Feels Good But Doesn't Work
Marketing17 April 2026

Why Most Marketing Advice Feels Good But Doesn't Work

Post consistently, run ads, build a funnel. None of this is wrong, but without context it's useless. Here's why most marketing advice sounds smart but achieves nothing.

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You Don't Need an Agency (Yet). Here's What You Actually Need First.
Business15 April 2026

You Don't Need an Agency (Yet). Here's What You Actually Need First.

Hiring an agency too early is like hiring a builder before you've decided what house you want. You need to know what should be done first.

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The 3 Biggest Marketing Mistakes We See (And Why They're So Common)
Strategy13 April 2026

The 3 Biggest Marketing Mistakes We See (And Why They're So Common)

After working with dozens of businesses, the same patterns show up again and again. Not because people are lazy, but because no one has ever shown them what actually matters.

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Why 'Doing More Marketing' Is Probably Hurting Your Business
Marketing11 April 2026

Why 'Doing More Marketing' Is Probably Hurting Your Business

More posts, more ads, more platforms. It feels productive, but it's often just noise. The businesses that grow aren't doing more, they're doing less, better.

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Most Small Businesses Don't Have a Marketing Problem
Strategy9 April 2026

Most Small Businesses Don't Have a Marketing Problem

You don't need more content or bigger ad budgets. You need clarity on who you're for, what you're saying, and where you're taking them.

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Your AI Skepticism Is Costing You Customers Right Now
AI Tools7 April 2026

Your AI Skepticism Is Costing You Customers Right Now

While you wait for AI to prove itself, your competitors are using it to respond faster, personalize better, and win the deals you're losing.

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Why Negativity Clickbait Kills Your Brand (And What Works Instead)
Branding5 April 2026

Why Negativity Clickbait Kills Your Brand (And What Works Instead)

Negativity clickbait gets clicks but destroys trust. Here's why short-term engagement tactics crater long-term brand value, and what actually builds advocacy.

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The AI Tools Playbook That Actually Ships Results
AI Tools3 April 2026

The AI Tools Playbook That Actually Ships Results

Most small business owners tried ChatGPT once and quit. The AI Agents & Tools playbook shows you exactly which tools to use and how to wire them together for automated follow-ups, lead handling, and content generation.

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Your Marketing Agency Is Robbing You Blind
Opinion1 April 2026

Your Marketing Agency Is Robbing You Blind

Most small businesses pay $2,000 to $5,000 monthly for marketing work that could be done in a weekend with the right system.

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Why the Best Roofers Aren't Always the Busiest Ones
AI Tools30 March 2026

Why the Best Roofers Aren't Always the Busiest Ones

The roofers booking out weeks ahead aren't necessarily better at roofing. They're just better at showing up first and following up faster.

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Your Website Matters Less Than You Think (Reviews Matter More)
Marketing28 March 2026

Your Website Matters Less Than You Think (Reviews Matter More)

Most businesses obsess over their website and ignore the one thing prospects actually check first: their Google reviews.

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Why Most Tradies Feast or Famine (And How to Fix It)
Business26 March 2026

Why Most Tradies Feast or Famine (And How to Fix It)

Most tradies are brilliant at their craft but terrible at getting consistent work. The 90-Day Job Pipeline fixes that with a system that fills your calendar before you need it.

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How to Fire Your Marketing Agency (And Why You Probably Should)
Opinion24 March 2026

How to Fire Your Marketing Agency (And Why You Probably Should)

Most agencies charge $3-5k/month for processes you can learn in an afternoon. Here's how to take back control without burning bridges.

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Why Sports Fans Stay Loyal Even When Their Team Sucks
Branding22 March 2026

Why Sports Fans Stay Loyal Even When Their Team Sucks

Sports teams create insane loyalty despite terrible seasons. Brands can steal their playbook.

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AI Chatbots Are Transforming Business: What's Changed and What's Coming
AI Tools15 March 2026

AI Chatbots Are Transforming Business: What's Changed and What's Coming

We wrote about business chatbots years ago. The landscape has changed completely. Here's the 2026 update: what the big players are doing, whether Claude and GPT have replaced everything, and what ManyChat's $140M raise means for small business.

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When You're Done Guessing: How PlainBlack Helps You Get Clear
PlainBlack14 February 2025

When You're Done Guessing: How PlainBlack Helps You Get Clear

You've tried the tactics, followed the templates, and still feel stuck. Here's what changes when you stop guessing and start with direction.

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You're testing the system when you should be shipping content. Here's why placeh...
PlainBlack
Marketing22 October 2024

Stop Writing Test Posts

You're testing the system when you should be shipping content. Here's why placeholder posts waste time and what to do instead.

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Four Steps to Get Your Marketing Actually Working
Marketing8 July 2024

Four Steps to Get Your Marketing Actually Working

Most small business marketing fails because it's too complicated. Here's the simple four-step system that actually works.

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Why Most Small Business Websites Are Solving the Wrong Problem
Strategy26 March 2024

Why Most Small Business Websites Are Solving the Wrong Problem

Most small business owners obsess over how their website looks. The ones who grow obsess over what it does. Here's the difference, and why getting this wrong is the most expensive mistake in marketing.

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Most ideas aren't that special. What matters is execution. But NDAs and MCAs sti...
PlainBlack
Business12 December 2023

Your Idea's Probably Not That Special — But Here's Why an NDA Still Matters

Most ideas aren't that special. What matters is execution. But NDAs and MCAs still serve a real purpose. Here's when to use them and when to skip the drama.

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You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression
Branding19 September 2023

You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression

Three speakers blew the roof off the Inspire and Succeed Conference in Brisbane. Sir Richard Branson, Lisa Messenger, and Michael Crossland. Here's what they taught us.

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The Worst Sales Promotion in History: How Hoover Destroyed a Beloved Brand
Strategy8 June 2023

The Worst Sales Promotion in History: How Hoover Destroyed a Beloved Brand

In 1992, Hoover offered free flights to America with every vacuum purchase. It seemed clever. It cost them $72 million, their market share, and eventually the company itself.

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Why We're All Convinced Red vs Blue Politics Is Real
Opinion21 February 2023

Why We're All Convinced Red vs Blue Politics Is Real

The political divide feels undeniable. But what if it's a psychological trick? We break down the biology, media, and identity forces that make left vs right seem like objective truth.

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Why Small Business Websites Fail (And What This Gets Wrong)
Design15 November 2022

Why Small Business Websites Fail (And What This Gets Wrong)

A breakdown of what the Medium article on website failures gets right and dead wrong. Customer clarity matters, but the real problem is simpler.

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Why Hire Us? The Honest Answer.
PlainBlack30 August 2022

Why Hire Us? The Honest Answer.

We taught ourselves everything we know from the internet, made every expensive mistake, and decided to charge what things are actually worth. Here's who we are and how we work.

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Why Airlines Leave Billions on the Table (And How to Fix It)
Strategy19 May 2022

Why Airlines Leave Billions on the Table (And How to Fix It)

Airlines could double ticket velocity and eliminate empty seats with one simple change: transferable tickets. Here's the business case they're ignoring.

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What Progressive Metal Legends TOOL Can Teach You About Marketing
Marketing22 February 2022

What Progressive Metal Legends TOOL Can Teach You About Marketing

No radio play. A 13-year gap between albums. Grammy winners with a 16-minute song. TOOL breaks every rule in the marketing playbook and sells out stadiums anyway. Here's why.

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The Human Touch: Why the Best Marketing Agencies Still Put People First
Branding7 December 2021

The Human Touch: Why the Best Marketing Agencies Still Put People First

AI can optimise a campaign. It can't build a relationship. Here's why the agencies winning long-term are the ones that never forgot who they're actually talking to.

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The Font Fiasco: How a Bad Typeface Can Destroy Your Logo
Design14 September 2021

The Font Fiasco: How a Bad Typeface Can Destroy Your Logo

Your font choice is doing more work than you think. Here's why typography is one of the most overlooked and most damaging decisions in brand design.

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Most People Are Dumb F***s... Wait, What?! National Achievers Congress Auckland
Opinion25 June 2021

Most People Are Dumb F***s... Wait, What?! National Achievers Congress Auckland

Part 2 of the National Achievers Congress Auckland. Gary Vee, Elena Cardone, Adam Hudson, and the speaker who called 5,000 people dumb. Here's the honest review.

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Perceived Value and the Art of Sales
Marketing24 June 2021

Perceived Value and the Art of Sales

National Achievers Congress Auckland, Part 1. Success is a commodity. Here's an honest look at how it gets sold, and what two speakers did with their time on stage.

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Paywalled and Forgotten: How Newspapers Lost the Online War
Strategy12 March 2021

Paywalled and Forgotten: How Newspapers Lost the Online War

When the internet arrived, newspapers chose gatekeeping over generosity. Here's what they got wrong, and what every business can learn from it before AI forces the same choice.

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Everything you actually need to get your business online in 2026. Domain, hostin...
PlainBlack
Business3 December 2020

OK Fine, Do It Yourself: The Honest Guide to Building Your Online Presence

Everything you actually need to get your business online in 2026. Domain, hosting, website, email, social, bookings. No fluff, no upsell, just the honest setup guide.

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Simple answer: yes. Why? Because your customers are there and the algorithm rewa...
PlainBlack
Marketing8 September 2020

Is Social Media Necessary for My Business?

Simple answer: yes. Why? Because your customers are there and the algorithm rewards one thing above all else. Here's the plain-language explanation nobody else will give you.

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In 2020, while the world panicked, we gave away free websites to small businesse...
PlainBlack
PlainBlack15 June 2020

What We Did During COVID, and Why It Still Shapes How We Work

In 2020, while the world panicked, we gave away free websites to small businesses that needed them. Here's what that taught us about what this work is actually for.

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Ian Has Gone Off the Deep End. But Could This Actually Work?
Opinion18 February 2020

Ian Has Gone Off the Deep End. But Could This Actually Work?

Lower the retirement age to 55. Give every Australian over 30 a universal basic income. Insane? Maybe. But the arguments against it are weaker than you'd think.

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Fear Sells... Until It Doesn't: Why Scaring Your Audience is a Lazy Strategy
Marketing5 November 2019

Fear Sells... Until It Doesn't: Why Scaring Your Audience is a Lazy Strategy

Fear-based marketing gets clicks. It won't earn loyalty. Here's why scaring your audience is a shortcut that costs you trust, and what to do instead.

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Don't Lose Them at 404: How to Turn Errors into Engagement
Design22 July 2019

Don't Lose Them at 404: How to Turn Errors into Engagement

A custom 404 page is one of the most underrated tools in your digital arsenal. Here's why it matters for SEO and how to make one that actually works.

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Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve
Client Stories10 April 2019

Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve

Sometimes you meet a client who ticks every box. Passionate about their craft, kind beyond belief, and just trying to share their gift with the world. This is one of those stories.

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