Rooted In Revenue

Google First, AI Second: The Smart Agent Strategy
Your prospects aren't abandoning Google - they're using it PLUS asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude for deeper research.
Here's the reality: Google still processes 373 times more searches than ChatGPT. But the 1% of prospects using AI answer engines? They're your highest-intent leads spending 23+ minutes researching before they ever call an agent.
Most real estate professionals are asking the wrong question. Instead of "Should I optimize for AI or Google?" the question is "How do I dominate both?"
Maurice White, SEO lead at Mod Op and former real estate professional, reveals why your SEO foundation determines your AI visibility. You'll discover why 80% of getting found by ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity depends on fundamental SEO - and what that crucial 20% difference is that separates agents who get cited from those who remain invisible.
This isn't about replacing your Google strategy. It's about extending your reach to capture the early adopters who are doing deeper research and making more informed decisions before they contact agents.
If you serve local clients - real estate, HVAC, restaurants, professional services - this matters now, not later.
About Maurice White:
Maurice White is a Senior SEO Strategist at Mod Op with a unique background that bridges real estate and digital marketing. After spending over 10 years in the real estate industry as a broker's assistant, agent, and licensed broker, Maurice transitioned to leading SEO strategy for one of the industry's top agencies.
His hands-on real estate experience, combined with his technical expertise in data analysis and SEO strategy, gives him rare insight into how local businesses can leverage both traditional search optimization and emerging AI engine visibility. Maurice specializes in helping companies organize complex digital strategies, make data-driven decisions, and implement scalable SEO solutions.
 
BONUS ACTION LIST:
Here's the action list for this episode based on Maurice's insights:
Immediate Actions (This Week)
Test Your Current AI Visibility:
Go to ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity and ask questions about your market that you should be the expert on
Search: "Who are the most knowledgeable agents in [your area]?"
Ask: "What's the market like in [your specific neighborhoods]?"
Note if your name or business appears in the answers
Audit Your Current Content:
Review your last 20 social media posts
Count how many mention your specific market by name
Identify which posts could be used by any agent in any city
Calculate what you're actually paying per valuable, market-specific post
Foundation Check:
Verify your Google Business Profile is complete and optimized
Ensure your service areas are properly defined
Check that your website has basic contact information and location details
Review if your site loads quickly on mobile
This Month Actions
SEO Foundation Audit:
Conduct a technical SEO audit of your website (or hire someone to do it)
Review your site's information architecture and navigation to ensure a logical progression to the next step, which should lead to a conversation.
Verify that schema markup is in place with all of your content. ASK the hosting company or developer. They may not know.
Assess your heading structure (H1, H2, H3 tags)
Content Strategy Development:
Create 5 pieces of content that answer specific questions about your market areas
Create a summary for key landing pages from your top-level navigation, ideally accompanied by a short video featuring you.
Add FAQ sections to key pages on your website - these become part of your content bank.
Write market-specific summaries for each neighborhood you serve - and revisit/edit a couple of times a year.
Include current data, statistics, and local insights in your content as stand-out boxes with H1, H2, H3 tags.
Then, create regular market update blog posts. 
Local Authority Building:
Set up a plan to post weekly to your Google Business Profile - something HELPFUL without having to click to get the info - but they can click and go to your site to the page with the details.
Join relevant local Reddit communities (professionally and helpfully)
Reach out to local publications for market commentary opportunities
Ask satisfied clients to leave detailed, specific reviews
How about you pick 2 industry businesses per month to review positively? Login on Google as your brand and do it.
Ongoing Strategy
Content Creation System:
Develop templates that require local market data
Create a process for adding your unique insights to any AI-generated content
Plan quarterly updates to keep information fresh
Build relationships with other local business owners for cross-promotion
Measurement and Tracking:
Set up Google Search Console to monitor AI Overview performance
Use tools like SEMRush to track your visibility in the answer engines
Monitor which market-specific content gets the most engagement
Track leads that mention finding you through AI research
Provider Evaluation: If you're currently paying for automated content, ask these questions:
Do the automated posts I'm paying for reference my actual market area by name?
Can I customize the post content with my local insights?
Are these exact posts, or pretty similar posts and images, being used for other agents?
How much control do I have over the messaging and tone?
What's my cost per truly valuable post, if there are any?

You've hired great people individually, but your team still isn't performing at its potential. Sound familiar? Most companies focus on individual talent while completely missing the multiplier effect of understanding how team members naturally function together.
In Part 3 of our series with Frederic Lucas-Conwell, President of GRI (Growth Resources Institute), we dive into "The Team Performance Multiplier"—how behavioral dynamics can accelerate revenue growth through better collaboration and decision-making. Unlike generic team-building exercises, this approach focuses on understanding the specific behavioral requirements of different types of teams and how individual dynamics create group performance.
Frederic reveals why it takes just one person to derail team performance and shares insights from working with diverse teams—from Silicon Valley startups to government agencies, accounting departments to sales teams. We explore the critical difference between adapting people to jobs versus adapting jobs to people, and why most companies wait too long to address team dysfunction.
Susan shares real-world examples from her work with startup founders who each want to hire someone to handle "the stuff they don't like to do"—revealing how misaligned expectations create hiring disasters. This conversation moves beyond surface-level team building to practical strategies for creating team alignment, building trust, and leveraging each member's behavioral strengths for maximum revenue impact.
Key Points
Team-Specific Performance Models - Different team types (sales, accounting, startups, executive) require different behavioral dynamics and performance approaches
Individual vs. Group Dynamics - Analyze both personal behavioral patterns and how they interact within the team environment
Job-Person Fit Analysis - Determine whether to adapt the person to the job or restructure the role to match behavioral strengths
Energy Cost Assessment - Understand the energy required for behavioral adaptation and provide appropriate support systems
Alignment Before Team Building - Establish shared goals and expectations before implementing any team development initiatives

The Crisis Killing Service Organizations - And How to Save Them
Rotary clubs, Lions International, Chambers of Commerce, and countless other service organizations are dying. Membership is aging out, younger generations aren't joining, and traditional models that worked for decades are failing spectacularly.
In this eye-opening episode of Rooted in Revenue, host Susan Finch and guest Miguel de Jesus tackle this crisis head-on. Miguel, a seasoned executive who went from East Harlem public housing to building $2B in revenue at Paychex, brings decades of organizational leadership experience. Susan, running a nonprofit in Oregon while watching service organizations struggle, offers frontline perspective on what's not working.
Together, they dissect why Monday noon meetings don't attract busy professionals anymore, how ego-driven leadership kills organizations just like it kills companies, and why value propositions matter more than tradition. But this isn't just about problems - it's about solutions.
Discover how to reach students before they graduate, why "actionists beat activists" with younger generations, and how organizations can adapt their models without losing their mission. Whether you're leading a Rotary club, Chamber of Commerce, or any community organization, this conversation offers a roadmap for survival and growth.
The future of community service depends on leaders willing to evolve. Are you ready to adapt?
 
6 Key Points
Traditional Models Failing - Monday noon meetings and old networking styles are driving away modern professionals and younger generations
Value Proposition Crisis - Service organizations can't answer "what's in it for me?" beyond giving opportunities that don't resonate with everyone
Student Engagement Opportunity - Reaching college and high school students creates future members but requires new approaches and connections
Actionists Over Activists - Younger generations want hands-on, tangible impact projects rather than traditional meeting-heavy service models
Leadership Adaptation Required - Organizations need strategic thinking, not just tactical fixes, to survive the membership crisis
Community Connection Missing - Modern mobility and lack of traditional community structures require intentional relationship-building approaches
 
Miguel de Jesús: Miguel de Jesús transformed from growing up in East Harlem public housing to becoming a powerhouse business executive. His strong family foundation and early discipline through music and sports provided the launching pad for extraordinary career success.
After attending Long Island University and Columbia's MBA program, Miguel joined Xerox and rapidly advanced through executive roles. At Paychex, he helped grow the company from $40 million to over $2 billion in revenue while leading 1,500+ team members.
Today, Miguel is a sought-after business coach, keynote speaker, and trainer specializing in emotional intelligence and AI-influenced business practices. He serves military special operations personnel transitioning to civilian careers through the Honor Foundation and recently completed five years as Director of Business Development at Cal State University San Marcos.
His core values—compassion, competence, achievement, and helping others—drive everything he does as he teaches leaders how to lead with both humility and results.

Your son just graduated college with excellent grades, but can't get past the "AI robot" screening resumes. Meanwhile, companies like Nike are using AI filters as their first hiring step, eliminating potentially brilliant candidates before any human ever sees them. What's going wrong with this approach?
In Part 2 of our series with Frederic Lucas-Conwell, President of GRI (Growth Resources Institute), we dive beyond traditional resume screening into the world of AI-enhanced behavioral profiling. While most companies use AI to filter OUT candidates based on keywords and credentials, GRI uses AI to understand HOW people actually function in roles.
Frederic reveals the fundamental flaw in asking for "perfect" candidates and shares how behavioral intelligence helps you spot the hidden characteristics that drive revenue performance—especially in candidates who might not have the perfect resume. We explore why recent college graduates with stellar academics are being eliminated by systems that can't see their potential, and how companies can identify candidates who are ready to quit their current jobs (and how to attract them).
Susan shares a real-world example of interviewing two best friends using GRI's approach, demonstrating how behavioral insights create instant trust and reveal traits that would never appear on a resume. This isn't just about hiring—it's about seeing what your eyes cannot see.
Connect with Frederic Lucas-Conwell:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/flucasconwell/
https://gri.co
https://x.com/griplatform
https://www.linkedin.com/company/griplatform 

Most hiring managers are drowning in resumes, conducting endless interviews, and still ending up with costly mis-hires that drain productivity and morale. What if the problem isn't finding good candidates—it's understanding what you actually need before you start looking?
In this episode of Rooted in Revenue, host Susan Finch sits down with Frederic Lucas-Conwell, President of GRI (Growth Resources Institute), to explore how behavioral intelligence is revolutionizing the hiring process. Unlike traditional personality tests or gut-feeling interviews, GRI's approach uses objective, nuanced assessments to help organizations understand not just who people are, but how they actually function in specific roles.
Frederic reveals why so many job descriptions ask for "Mr. or Mrs. Perfect" and how this backwards approach leads to expensive hiring mistakes. We dive into the true financial impact of poor hiring decisions—from wasted interview time to costly three-month turnovers—and how behavioral intelligence can help you identify mismatches in weeks instead of months.
Whether you're a CEO struggling with team performance, an HR professional tired of hiring misses, or a manager trying to get the best out of your existing team, this conversation offers practical insights into building high-performing organizations through a better understanding of people.
Connect with Frederic Lucas-Conwell:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/flucasconwell/
https://gri.co
https://x.com/griplatform
https://www.linkedin.com/company/griplatform 

When Frank Scavo sent me his latest article about consulting skills, I knew we had to dig deeper. After 20 years of working together—first as his client, then as colleagues—we've lived the collaborative consulting model he champions. In this conversation, we explore why seasoned executives often struggle to transition into consulting, the critical difference between having authority and wielding influence, and why the best consulting relationships blur traditional boundaries. Frank shares hard-won insights from his 50-year career, including the fascinating failure of his "retread model" and what it really takes to move from telling people what to do to helping them discover solutions together.
Links from this episode:
Frank Scavo on LinkedIn
The Enterprise Spectator on Substack
Arabella Penrose Books
"Flawless Consulting" by Peter Block 
Previous episode we refer to.
Growth Resources Institute
Binky Patrol
 
 
 

Local SEO just got a reality check. Darren Shaw, founder of Whitespark, joins Rooted in Revenue to debunk some widely held myths while sharing what actually drives results for small businesses trying to dominate local search. If you're a real estate agent sharing office space with ten competitors, a service provider working from home, or any brick-and-mortar business wondering why your Google rankings aren't improving despite "doing everything right," this conversation will change how you approach local SEO forever.
Shaw breaks down the local filter that's silently crushing businesses sharing addresses, reveals why citation consistency isn't the ranking factor everyone thinks it is, and explains why your Google Business Profile needs constant attention, not a "set it and forget it" approach. Plus, he tackles the age-old question about Yelp's practices and shares the one ranking factor that trumps almost everything else.
About Darren Shaw
Darren founded Whitespark in 2005 as a web design and development company; however, his passion and curiosity for all things local search led to a shift in focus in 2010, and ultimately to what the company is today. These days, Whitespark specializes in local search software and services and is one of the most respected and cited in the industry.
Darren has been working on the web for over 19 years and loves everything about local SEO. He leads research initiatives such as the Local Search Ranking Factors survey and the Local Search Ecosystem. He is a regular contributor to search marketing publications, and speaks at conferences around the globe.
When Darren isn’t speaking at conferences, researching the latest in local search or designing the next best local SEO tool, he is spending time with his wife and daughter in their hometown of Edmonton, Alberta. In his spare time he’s traveling, sporting fancy socks, and drinking too much coffee.
Social Links:
https://whitespark.ca/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenshawwhitespark/
https://www.instagram.com/darrenshawseo/ 
https://www.facebook.com/darrenshawseo  

I heard Aaron Grando drop the term "pretotypes" on Leader Generation this morning and had to hit pause. Three minutes in, I realized I'd been vibe coding for months without knowing there was a name for it.
But pretotypes? That's when I knew I had to get him on the show immediately.
We're talking about taking your stream-of-consciousness ideas and building working drafts before you've even figured out what you want. For business owners doing $0.5 to 10 million a year, this isn't just another tech trend—it's the shift that stops you from waiting weeks for simple prototypes.
Aaron's VP of Creative Innovation at Mod Op, and in this spontaneous follow-up to his Leader Generation episode, we dig into what vibe coding actually means for your bottom line and why small teams are suddenly punching way above their weight class.
Action items to consider that tie to this episode:
Immediate (This Week)
Identify your development bottlenecks - Where are you currently waiting on programmers or outsourced developers?
Try a simple test - Pick one small coding need and experiment with ChatGPT or Claude
Map your current process - Document how long it takes to go from idea to working prototype
Set prompt boundaries - Practice asking AI for logical, non-emotional responses
Short-term (Next 30 Days)
Assess team capabilities - Identify who on your team has enough coding background to effectively prompt AI tools
Start with pretotypes - Use AI to visualize one business idea before investing in full development
Test platform limitations - Use AI to check if your ideas are feasible within your current tech stack
Calculate current costs - Figure out what you're spending on development delays and outsourcing
Medium-term (Next 90 Days)
Build AI into your process - Make vibe coding part of your standard ideation workflow
Train your team - Get key team members comfortable with AI coding tools
Measure time savings - Track how much faster you can go from idea to testable concept
Expand use cases - Beyond coding, use AI for project planning, gap analysis, and cross-industry perspectives
Strategic (Next 6-12 Months)
Evaluate in-house vs. outsourcing - Determine if AI tools change your staffing strategy
Invest in the right tools - Move beyond free ChatGPT to specialized coding tools if volume justifies it
Create AI-enabled processes - Build systems that let AI agents handle routine business tasks
Develop competitive advantage - Use speed-to-market improvements to outmaneuver slower competitors
Key Questions to Ask Yourself
Before listening:
How long does it currently take us to go from business idea to working prototype?
What development tasks are we avoiding because they seem too time-intensive?
After listening:
What's the first idea I've been putting off that I could pretotype this week?
Who on my team could become our "conductor" for AI-assisted development?
What would it mean for our business if we could cut development time by 75%?
Resources Mentioned
Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor (coding-specific AI)
Concept: Pretotypes (pre-prototype visualization)
Original episode: Leader Generation Podcast - "Vibe Coding" episode with Aaron Grando Here is the episode on Leader Generation.
 
About Guest Aaron Grando:
Aaron Grando, VP, Creative Innovation on Mod Op's Innovation team, is a seasoned technologist with over 15 years of experience at creative agencies. With a background in strategy, design, engineering, and marketing, Aaron has worked extensively in industries like media, entertainment, gaming, food & beverage, fashion, and technology. At Mod Op, Aaron leads efforts to integrate AI into creative processes, creating tools that connect creatives and clients with insights, spark ideas, and enable new brand experiences. Projects include collaborations with companies like NBCUniversal, Bethesda Softworks, Under Armour, Planet Fitness, Dietz & Watson, and more, focusing on infusing creative strategies with innovative technology to create cutting-edge brand experiences. 

Lany and Susan dive into the sometimes murky waters of consultant-client relationships. Drawing from years of experience sitting on every side of the boardroom table, they tackle the age-old question: "Who is responsible for doing the tasks at hand?"
Let's face it—consultants don't come with magic wands, and CEOs don't get to toss the keys and walk away. Whether you've ever wondered "Why isn't this working?" or "I paid a consultant, so why isn't everything fixed?" this episode cuts through the confusion with practical advice on setting boundaries, managing expectations, and creating successful partnerships.
Susan and Lany share real-world stories about scope creep, communication breakdowns, and the emotional rollercoaster that can derail even the best-intentioned business relationships. They also offer straightforward tips for both sides to keep things running smoothly, from clear contracts to honest conversations about decision-making authority.
Tune in for a no-nonsense discussion about what makes consultant-CEO partnerships work, and what doesn't!
 
Key Points from the Episode
Clear Roles and Responsibilities: CEOs and consultants must understand who owns what in the relationship. Consultants provide expertise and guidance, but CEOs remain the ultimate decision-makers.
Communication is Critical: Most problems in consultant-client relationships stem from poor communication or unclear expectations.
Consultants' Role: Consultants bring fresh perspectives, specialized expertise, and assessment capabilities but aren't responsible for the final decisions or outcomes.
CEO Authority: Business owners need to maintain their decision-making power and not abdicate responsibility to consultants.
Documentation and Contracts: Clear contracts and documentation help prevent scope creep and establish expectations for both parties.
Implementation Shared Effort: Even after a consultant provides recommendations, implementation requires effort from both parties.
Knowing When to Part Ways: Sometimes the relationship isn't a good fit, and both parties should know how to amicably end the engagement.

In this episode, Susan Finch and Lany Sullivan revisit a topic we can’t stress enough: branded email addresses. Using Gmail, Yahoo, or even AOL for business? You’re losing trust before the conversation starts. We dig into real examples, onboarding requirements, offboarding protocols, and the risk of letting your team operate with inconsistent or unprotected emails. Your email isn’t just a communication tool—it’s your brand's handshake.
Related Reading:
Domain, Email & Website Evaluation for Your Brand
Why Branded Email Matters – Quick Reminder
Listen, nod, then take action.

Struggling to make your real estate data stand out in a sea of generic market reports? In this episode of Rooted in Revenue, I share practical insights from my recent workshop with NRBA professionals Kelley Kesterson and Angelica Suarez, who are looking to elevate their marketing with meaningful data visualization. Discover how to transform complex market statistics into compelling visual stories that build trust and position you as the go-to expert in your local market—all using tools you already have access to, like Google Sheets. Stop wasting time on generic industry charts that mean nothing to your audience and start creating content that genuinely connects.
Key Points
Data with context builds trust - Generic industry charts without local relevance or explanation provide no value to your audience.
Simplify your data storytelling - Focus on communicating one clear message rather than overwhelming with multiple data points.
Use accessible tools - Google Sheets offers easy chart creation and customization without needing advanced design skills.
Brand your visuals - Customize colors to match your brand and include your logo so graphics remain attributed if shared.
Create master templates - Develop Google Slides masters with different layouts for different content types to maintain consistency.
Prioritize readability - Use high contrast between text and background, and consider accessibility for all viewers.
Post with purpose - Better to post quality content weekly than generic, contextless daily updates.
Establish visual consistency - Different content types should have recognizable, consistent layouts.
Consider format versatility - Create both square (Instagram) and rectangular (website/LinkedIn) versions of your template.
Show local expertise - Position yourself as the authority by translating national trends to your specific market conditions.

Susan sits down with former team member Karen Mares, Content Creator at Event Builder, who serves as her company's "marketing anchor" as she navigates the evolving landscape of AI tools.
Karen shares her journey from initial concerns about AI replacing her writing role to developing a strategic workflow where she remains firmly in control. You'll discover how she has combined multiple AI platforms—each serving distinct purposes in her content creation process—while ensuring that her human expertise, voice, and judgment remain the guiding force.
For marketing leaders seeking practical ways to integrate AI without compromising authenticity, Karen offers invaluable insights: training AI tools in your company's voice, identifying and eliminating phrases that give away AI, and creating approval processes that maintain compliance standards. Her approach has significantly accelerated content production while preserving the quality and distinctiveness that only a skilled human writer can deliver.
Whether you're just beginning to explore AI tools or looking to refine your existing processes, this conversation provides a blueprint for keeping the human element central while leveraging AI's capabilities to expand your content reach and impact.
Join us to learn how to stay firmly at the helm while letting AI help power your content journey forward.
Karen Mares on LinkedInEventBuilder
Love, Hate, Delegate: Transforming Your Business Through Delegation
LEADER GENERATION EP109: AI, Data & Marketing: How To Manage Risks