Right About Now - Legendary Business Advice

Latest Episodes:

The End of Traditional SEO: Jason Kocina on Getting Found in the Age of AI Sep 25, 2026

Show notes

Marketing channels have changed dramatically since Jason Kocina began helping companies build websites in the 1990s, but he argues that the foundation of effective marketing remains the same. The Publicity.com partner and digital marketing president joins Ryan Alford to explain how businesses can protect their visibility as audiences move from traditional search engines to AI-generated answers.

Ryan and Jason explore the evolving relationship between earned media, SEO, content marketing, paid advertising, social media, and sales automation. Jason explains why companies need documented messaging, a clearly defined audience, and consistent brand language before an agency or AI platform can market them effectively.

They also discuss how skilled professionals use AI to work faster without sacrificing originality, strategy, or human judgment. This episode gives business owners a practical approach to choosing marketing channels, building authority, and remaining discoverable as search behavior continues to change.

POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH HIGHLEVEL

HighLevel helps businesses manage leads, automate follow-up, book appointments, and use AI to keep opportunities moving. Start your 30-day free trial using Ryan’s link:

https://www.gohighlevel.com/ryanalford

TOPICS COVERED

Jason Kocina’s experience in digital marketing
The similarities between the internet revolution and AI
Declining organic search traffic
Referral traffic from ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok
AI visibility and the future of SEO
Creating consistent company messaging
Earned media and third-party credibility
Public relations, paid media, and content marketing
Selecting channels based on the target customer
Marketing automation and sales follow-up
Using AI to improve professional efficiency
The marketing fundamentals that never change

CONNECT WITH JASON KOCINA

Publicity.com: https://www.publicity.com/

About Publicity.com: https://www.publicity.com/our-story/

Marketing Resources: https://www.publicity.com/publicity-resources/

The CEO’s Guide to Marketing: https://greenleafbookgroup.com/titles/the-ceos-guide-to-marketing

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/media-relations-inc-/

CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW

Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/

Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/

Turn Your Expertise Into Income: Mitch Matthews on Coaching, Speaking and the Authority Bridge Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

Many successful professionals are already coaching people for free without realizing their experience could become a meaningful source of income. Mitch Matthews joins Ryan Alford to share the Authority Bridge, his framework for adding coaching, speaking, and consulting to an existing career without destroying the life you have already built.

They discuss why a small, well-defined audience can outperform a massive following, what most coach-training programs leave out, and how value-based promotion creates trust and consistent content. Mitch also explains why imposter syndrome can signal growth, how human connection keeps coaches valuable in the age of AI, and why the best coaches help clients uncover answers they already possess.

The conversation offers a practical way to define success, dream bigger, and turn your knowledge into greater income, impact, and freedom.

SPONSOR

HighLevel gives entrepreneurs one platform for lead management, marketing automation, appointment booking, and customer follow-up. Start your 30-day free trial using Ryan’s link:

https://www.gohighlevel.com/ryanalford

TOPICS COVERED

The Authority Bridge business model
Monetizing your professional knowledge and experience
Starting a coaching business without leaving your career
Building substantial income without a massive following
Creating a clear audience, offer, and outcome
The business education missing from coaching certifications
Teaching from your journey instead of your destination
Overcoming imposter syndrome and comparison
Coaching, human connection, and artificial intelligence
Asking questions that inspire action
The Dream Think Do approach to personal growth
Creating more income, impact, and career flexibility

CONNECT WITH MITCH MATTHEWS

Official Website: https://mitchmatthews.com/

Authority Bridge: https://mitchmatthews.com/authoritybridge/

DREAM THINK DO Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dream-think-do-motivation-encouragement-strategy/id958773768

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitch.matthews/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchmatthews/

CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW

Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/

Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/

The AI Skills Gap: Why Entry-Level Jobs Are Disappearing with Ryan Lufkin Sep 18, 2026

Show notes

Artificial intelligence is transforming the workforce faster than schools and employers can update how they prepare people for it. Ryan Lufkin, Vice President of Global Academic Strategy at Instructure, joins Ryan Alford to examine the widening gap between traditional education and the skills modern businesses actually need.

They discuss whether college degrees still hold value, why lifelong learning has become essential, and how certificates and microcredentials can help professionals remain competitive. Ryan also explains why communication, creativity, judgment, collaboration, and subject-matter expertise become more valuable as AI takes over routine work.

The conversation offers a practical look at AI literacy, employee training, the future of entry-level jobs, and what businesses must do to develop an adaptable workforce.

POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH HIGHLEVEL

Save time, strengthen your follow-up, and manage more of your business from one AI-powered platform. Start your 30-day free trial using Ryan’s link:

https://www.gohighlevel.com/ryanalford

TOPICS COVERED

The widening gap between education and employment
AI’s effect on entry-level career opportunities
Why workers feel unprepared for the modern workplace
Degrees versus skills-based hiring
Certificates, credentials, and continuing education
The importance of AI literacy
Why subject-matter expertise still matters
Human skills that are difficult to automate
The changing value of coding
Employer responsibility for employee development
The risks of failing to train existing employees
Using AI to expand employee capabilities
How Canvas supports modern education
Preparing students for an AI-powered workforce

CONNECT WITH RYAN LUFKIN

Instructure: https://www.instructure.com/

Canvas: https://www.instructure.com/canvas

Educast 3000: https://www.instructure.com/resources/podcast

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/educast-3000/id1751576704

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QTGC57NLu4id9FhV8GWZu

CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW

Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/

Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

This One Platform Could Replace Your Entire Business Tech Stack | Robin Alex Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Robin Alex, co-founder of GoHighLevel, joins Ryan Alford to explain how better systems can make businesses more productive, profitable, and prepared to scale. He shares how GoHighLevel brings CRM, marketing automation, lead management, customer communication, scheduling, and other essential tools into one platform.

Robin and Ryan examine the hidden costs of disconnected technology, manual follow-up, and inefficient workflows. They also discuss how business owners can use automation and AI to respond to leads faster, provide a stronger customer experience, and give their teams more time to focus on revenue-producing work.

This episode offers a practical look at how the right technology can simplify business operations without eliminating the human relationships that drive long-term growth.

BUILD A MORE EFFICIENT BUSINESS WITH GOHIGHLEVEL

Replace disconnected tools, automate time-consuming tasks, and manage your marketing, sales, and customer relationships from one platform.

EXPLORE GOHIGHLEVEL WITH RYAN:
https://gohighlevel.com/ryanalford

Topics Covered

How GoHighLevel simplifies business operations
Replacing disconnected tools with one central platform
Improving lead management and response times
Automating repetitive marketing and sales tasks
Creating more consistent customer communication
Increasing team efficiency and productivity
Using AI without losing the human element
Building scalable systems for sustainable growth

Connect With Robin Alex and Ryan Alford

Get started with GoHighLevel:
https://gohighlevel.com/ryanalford

Robin Alex on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinalex

GoHighLevel:
https://www.gohighlevel.com/

Right About Now:
https://www.ryanisright.com/

Ryan Alford:
https://www.ryanalford.com/

Ryan on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/

Building Wealth With Other People’s Money: Justin Brennan on Multifamily Real Estate Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

Real estate investor Justin Brennan grew up around construction and watched his father’s business collapse during the 2008 financial crisis. He joins Ryan Alford on Right About Now to explain how that experience led him toward recurring-income assets, apartment investing, and a collaborative approach to raising capital.

Ryan and Justin discuss real estate syndication, cash flow, bonus depreciation, and the two forms of value an investor can bring to a deal: check equity or sweat equity. Justin explains how someone with limited capital can become valuable by finding, analyzing, structuring, and managing promising multifamily properties.

Beyond the financial strategies, they examine money as a tool for freedom, philanthropy, generational wealth, and greater control over your time. This conversation is educational and should not replace personalized financial, legal, or tax advice.

THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY GOHIGHLEVEL

GoHighLevel helps businesses and agencies manage leads, automate follow-up, book appointments, and keep customer conversations moving from one platform.

Explore GoHighLevel with Ryan Alford:
gohighlevel.com/ryanalford

TOPICS COVERED

Justin Brennan’s third-generation real estate background
Lessons from his family’s bankruptcy in 2008
Purchasing his first rental with partner capital
Building recurring income through multifamily real estate
Moving from owning a job to owning investments
Raising capital through real estate syndication
Other people’s money and strategic partnerships
Bringing sweat equity when you lack capital
Finding, underwriting, and managing apartment deals
Potential tax advantages of real estate ownership
The limits of passive-income promises
Philanthropy, freedom, and generational wealth

CONNECT WITH JUSTIN BRENNAN

Justin Brennan: https://www.justincbrennan.com/

Brennan Pohle Group: https://www.brennanpohle.com/

Multifamily Schooled: https://www.multifamilyschooled.com/

Free Multifamily Playbook: https://www.multifamilyschooled.com/free-guide

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialjustinbrennan/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JustinBrennan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinbrennan

CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW

Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/

Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

Are You Marketing Jobs or Just Posting Them? The Critical Difference Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

The workforce shortage is not only a labor problem. According to Nicole Feenstra, it is also a storytelling and marketing problem created by companies that fail to make their opportunities meaningful.

The DNA Agency founder joins Ryan Alford on Right About Now to discuss employer branding, workforce development, skilled trades, artificial intelligence, employee retention, and the changing expectations of younger workers. They explain why employers should communicate purpose, career growth, impact, and culture instead of relying on generic job descriptions.

Nicole also shares how digital advertising, audience targeting, geofencing, customer journeys, and rapid campaign testing can help organizations reach the right candidates. This conversation gives business owners a practical framework for making their companies more attractive to the people they want to hire.

THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY GOHIGHLEVEL

GoHighLevel helps businesses and agencies manage leads, automate follow-up, book appointments, and keep customer conversations moving from one platform.

Explore GoHighLevel with Ryan Alford:
https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ryanalford

TOPICS COVERED

Employer branding and recruitment marketing
Why job descriptions have become “word salad”
Communicating the value of work
Marketing jobs as opportunities
The construction and skilled-trades shortage
How AI could reshape the workforce
Careers that still require human skills
Attracting candidates through storytelling
Employee retention, training, and advancement
Purpose-driven work and younger generations
Improving the online application funnel
Geofencing workforce-development events
Measuring recruitment campaigns
Niche marketing and audience identification
Testing messages before perfecting campaigns

CONNECT WITH NICOLE FEENSTRA

The DNA Agency: https://thednagency.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolefeenstra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenicolefeenstra/

The DNA Agency on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dna-agency

CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW

Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/

Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/

From Broke to Six Figures and Back: Jason Brown on Options Trading, Risk and Rebuilding Wealth Sep 04, 2026

Show notes

Jason Brown grew up sleeping in sleeping bags, entered the stock market with $500, and eventually transformed a $10,000 student loan into a six-figure trading account. After one emotional trade wiped out approximately $250,000, he was forced to move home and rebuild his finances and investment strategy from the beginning.

On Right About Now, The Brown Report founder and Five-Year Millionaire author joins Ryan Alford to explain how that failure reshaped his approach to risk, options trading, and wealth accumulation. Together, Ryan and Jason discuss financial advisors, stock charts, paper trading, financial literacy, and the importance of knowing when to exit a losing position.

Jason also outlines his Five-Year Millionaire framework while emphasizing the education, practice, and discipline required before risking real money. This episode is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice.

TOPICS COVERED

Jason Brown’s childhood and early interest in wealth
Losing most of his first professionally managed investment
Making his first $100 trading Sprint stock
Growing a student loan into a six-figure account
The trade that wiped out approximately $250,000
Greed, ego, and emotional investing
Risk management and predetermined exit points
Stock charts, fundamentals, and market patterns
Using options for leverage and portfolio protection
Paper trading and practicing with realistic amounts
Evaluating financial advisors and investment funds
The Five-Year Millionaire wealth-building framework
Teaching financial literacy at an earlier age

CONNECT WITH JASON BROWN

The Brown Report: https://thebrownreport.com/

Free Trading Resources: https://thebrownreport.com/account/

Five-Year Millionaire: https://fiveyearmillionaire.com/

Power Trades University: https://powertradesuniversity.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brownreport/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbrown1124/

CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW

Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/

Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

How Earned Media Gets Your Business Recommended by AI with Brett Farmiloe Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

Brett Farmiloe built Featured after seeing small-business owners with deep expertise but no reliable way to get quoted by the media. He joins Ryan Alford to discuss earned media, digital PR, AI search visibility, and the revival of Help a Reporter Out.

They explain how media citations may influence LLM recommendations, why AI is compressing the marketing funnel, and why a single high-profile feature rarely produces instant revenue. Brett also shares how Featured and HARO connect journalists with verified experts while giving publishers greater control over AI-generated responses.

The conversation offers a realistic strategy for building authority, earning backlinks, reaching customers, and becoming more visible across traditional search and AI platforms.

TOPICS COVERED

Brett Farmiloe’s journey from agency owner to Featured founder
The difference between paid media and earned media
How businesses can earn credible media coverage
AI search optimization, AEO, and GEO
Getting cited and recommended by large language models
How ChatGPT is changing the customer journey
Why PR results are difficult to measure
Consistency, quality, and quantity in media outreach
The acquisition and relaunch of Help a Reporter Out
Connecting journalists with verified expert sources
Using AI without removing human expertise
Free and paid ways to begin using Featured and HARO

CONNECT WITH BRETT FARMILOE

Featured: https://featured.com/

Help a Reporter Out: https://www.helpareporter.com/

Brett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettfarmiloe

Brett on X: https://x.com/BrettFarmiloe

CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW

Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/

Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/

Ryan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/

Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/right-about-now-legendary-business-advice/id1346054199

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gy9HkTiwpAAgu1DFyIW9h

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

How Mercedes-Benz, Marriott, and TIGER 21 Build Brand Loyalty | Lisa Holladay Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

Lisa Holladay has spent her career building loyalty for Mercedes-Benz, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and now TIGER 21. She joins Ryan Alford to explain how intentional customer experience turns transactions into lasting relationships and why product quality alone cannot create brand love.

Their conversation covers customer journey mapping, experiential marketing, surprise-and-delight moments, community building, and the challenge of creating meaningful value for ultra-high-net-worth members. Lisa also takes Ryan inside TIGER 21’s peer-learning model, where entrepreneurs and executives connect around investing, family, philanthropy, health, and life after a major business exit.

Lisa and Ryan discuss what changed when she moved from global corporations with massive sponsorship budgets to an entrepreneurial organization where ideas can be tested quickly and leaders are trusted to take risks.

TOPICS COVERED

Lisa Holladay’s career at Mercedes-Benz and Marriott
Building luxury customer experiences
The relationship between brand love and customer loyalty
Why a strong product is only one part of retention
Designing an intentional customer journey
Creating memorable experiential marketing
Building communities instead of customer lists
TIGER 21’s peer-to-peer learning model
Serving entrepreneurs after a major liquidity event
Connecting wealth, family, philanthropy, and purpose
Maintaining engagement through digital and in-person experiences
Creating an entrepreneurial culture inside a growing organization

CONNECT WITH LISA HOLLADAY

TIGER 21: https://tiger21.com/

Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaholladay01

Lisa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holladaytime/

CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW

Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/

Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/

Ryan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/

Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/right-about-now-legendary-business-advice/id1346054199

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gy9HkTiwpAAgu1DFyIW9h

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

Why Is Your Best-Selling Product Losing You Money? Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

Yarin Gaon started his first company at 14, built and sold Israel’s largest military-goods e-commerce platform, and now helps founder-led businesses make smarter decisions about growth. On Right About Now, he joins Ryan Alford to explain why so many companies stall after reaching $1 million to $5 million in revenue and how “growth by subtraction” can improve profitability.

Their conversation covers profit mapping, unprofitable bestsellers, ideal customer profiles, leadership alignment, and the hidden risks of building custom technology. Yarin also explains why entrepreneurs should establish predictable cash flow before raising outside capital and why keeping equity can matter more than chasing a bigger revenue number.

This episode offers a practical framework for business owners who want stronger margins, fewer distractions, and a company that actually pays them more.

TOPICS COVERED