Business
In this episode of E-Coffee with Experts, our host Austin Willman sits down with Jake Tlapek, Chief Growth Officer at Finch, to break down what actually works in 2026.
Jake shares why personal branding is no longer optional for agency owners, founders, and marketing leaders, and how human-centric content has become a shortcut to trust, referrals, and deal flow. They dive deep into omnichannel marketing, why analytics alone can’t explain growth anymore, and how marketing efficiency ratio (MER) is replacing outdated metrics like clicks and impressions.
You’ll also learn:
→ Why relationship-driven marketing beats “value content”
→ How to quantify brand and content investments
→ Why video volume matters more than viral hits
→ How SEO, paid media, DSP, and content now work together
→ When it makes sense to sacrifice margin for growth
If you’re a founder, CMO, marketer, or agency leader trying to grow in a noisy, AI-driven market, this episode will shift how you think about marketing entirely.
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In this episode, we discuss:
00:00 – 02:10: Introduction
02:10 – 06:30: Why personal brands drive agency growth
06:30 – 10:40: Do you need a personality to make content?
10:40 – 14:30: Trust and relationships matter more than data
14:30 – 18:30: Why content volume beats viral success
18:30 – 22:40: Measuring brand without vanity metrics
22:40 – 27:20: What omnichannel marketing really means
27:20 – 31:10: How SEO and paid ads are changing
31:10 – 34:40: Marketing efficiency ratio explained
34:40 – 38:30: How much to spend on marketing
38:30 – 40:28: Final Thoughts
Connect with Jake Tlapek
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-tlapek-10b55962/
http://finch.com/
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-web-solutions./