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Content Inc. - The PodcastAuthor: Joe Pulizzi
Content Inc. is for entrepreneurs and startups who want to be big - not by creating and selling more products and services - but by developing a loyal audience through remarkable content. Podcast creator Joe Pulizzi, known as the "godfather of content marketing," believes that most small businesses and startups are going to market in the wrong way. Instead of leading first with product, Joe believes entrepreneurs should be building audiences...then they can sell whatever they want. Each podcast contains one inspirational idea that can change your business - all in less than 10 minutes per episode. Language: en Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship, Marketing Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Two Storytelling Lessons from My Grandfather (527)
Monday, 22 December, 2025
In this special year-end episode, Joe revisits one of the earliest Content Inc. podcasts, originally recorded in December 2014. It's a deeply personal reflection on growing up around his grandfather's funeral home in Sandusky, Ohio, and the unexpected business and storytelling lessons that came from those years. At the heart of the episode is a simple truth. Great storytelling is not about performance or persuasion. It's about service, empathy, and meaning. Through one powerful story from the Great Depression and a set of foundational content marketing principles, Joe reminds us why helping first and communicating well still matter more than ever. This is a no-video episode, shared intentionally as a reminder of how far the podcast has come and what has remained constant. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why helping others is the foundation of meaningful business How a single story can communicate values better than any strategy deck What great storytelling actually does for trust and connection Why usefulness always beats interruption in marketing The core Content Inc. beliefs that still hold true more than a decade later Key Takeaways Helping people is not separate from business. It is the business. Storytelling works best when it is grounded in empathy and service. Content is more important than the offer. Trust is built over time through consistency, usefulness, and direct communication. Brands can be copied. The way you communicate cannot. Content Inc. Principles Mentioned The content is more important than the offer Customer relationships do not end with the transaction Being the content is more important than surrounding the content Focus on what the customer wants, not just what you have to sell Build your content on owned platforms, not rented land Culture comes before strategy Customers want inspiration, not sales messages About This Episode This episode originally aired on December 16, 2014. It is being reshared to mark the anniversary of Joe's grandfather's passing and to close out the year with a reminder of why Content Inc. exists in the first place. There will be no new episode next week. Content Inc. returns with all-new episodes on the first Monday of 2026. If this episode resonates, share it with one creator who is doing too many things out of habit instead of intention. If you want more insights every Friday morning, subscribe to Joe Pulizzi's Tilt newsletter at https://www.thetilt.com/. Get Joe Pulizzi's new book Burn the Playbook: https://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Subscribe to Content Inc. here - https://www.contentinc.io/
