Introspection as a Marketer

As of writing this, the Demand Gen Therapy newsletter just hit 1,000 subscribers.

I almost missed it. It actually snuck up on me. Since Ben Mackie became that 1000th subscriber, I've been thinking non stop about the road I've been on. Demand Gen Therapy , Ronin ... all of it. It's been an extremely wild ride.

And that brings me to a question I have for you:

When was the last time you truly reflected on your journey as a marketer?

When is the last time you sat down, by yourself and thought about your journey—truly reflected on where you've been and where you want to go?

By diving deep into our own experiences, beliefs, and aspirations, we uncover a wellspring of authenticity.

My journey has been a wild ride—part of which started with a battle against the absurdities of the job market that nearly cost me my sanity. It's a story many of you know too well, yet it’s the raw, unvarnished truth we often shy away from.

Let's take a look at the thing that finally got to me, the thing that finally pushed me over the edge that brought me to a place where I knew I had to think—a lot.

The Absurd Feedback Loop That Almost Broke Me

One day, you're in an interview for a job, and you’re being told you're a strategic genius but apparently can't execute your way out of a paper bag.

Yikes. Ok, that's... a take. The following day, you're in another interview:

Now, you're being told that you’re an "absolute beast" at executing, but you "lack a strategic mindset."

This is the exact moment that blood started to shoot out of my eyes. Two conversations—similar questions, similar responses. Two completely different takes. But it was my reality. This was the straw that broke the Clark's back.

On the brink, staring into the abyss, contemplating a leap from the proverbial cliff.

An Uncomfortable Truth

Like I often suggest to others, I sought advice and guidance from a mentor, somebody I trust.

The only one who's ever understood my brain in the professional sense confronted me with a truth that hit like a freight train.

He explained in text:

"Clark, you’re really f*cking good, but you're intense, man. You're passionate, confrontational, willing to say what needs to be said, and you really know your shit. That's not the problem. The problem is that everybody says they want a unicorn until one actually shows up. Nobody knows what to do with you. And don't let that shit go to your head because there's a real issue here you've got to deal with or you're never going to be fulfilled in a job. You're going to have to either shut your mouth and fall in line, or start your own thing and laugh when they call you to fix their shit."

Oh...

From Soul-Searching to Revolution

I sat with that feedback for a month. This wasn’t just introspection—I became obsessed. Peeling back the layers of my own professional ego, I unearthed a raw, untamed drive that no conventional role could contain.

This was a mission—choose a path and never look back.

Thus, Demand Gen Therapy and Ronin were born—not as mere business ventures, but as beacons for those of us who’ve felt the sting of the industry's contradictions and crave something more genuine, more real.

Why Your Soul-Searching Matters Now More Than Ever

Introspection isn’t just about finding yourself; it’s about breaking free from the industry’s chains. It’s a call to reject the nonsensical feedback, to embrace your quirks, your intensity, your unorthodox genius in whatever form it presents itself.

It's about realizing that the only approval you need is your own.

Embrace the Discomfort

I challenge you, confront your own uncomfortable truths. Dive deep. What part of your professional identity have you been ignoring because it doesn't fit the mold? It's in these uncomfortable spaces that we find our most authentic selves and, by extension, the most groundbreaking ideas.

Share your journey, your battles, your unapologetic truths. It’s time to build a community that thrives on authenticity, that celebrates the rebels, the misfits, and the rogues.

Your story has the power to inspire, to ignite change, and to challenge the status quo.

Get to work.

CB

Demand Gen Therapy

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