Navigating the AI Wave: A Guide to Authentic Business Growth

Navigating the AI Wave: A Guide for Authentic Business Growth

Back in February, when I first set out on my independent journey after leaving my role as General Manager at Arby’s, I hadn’t fully committed to resurrecting Stigma Marketing & Development. But one thing was clear: I needed to get ahead of the artificial intelligence (AI) curve. The existing and potential impact of AI is impossible to ignore. And so, I dove in. The moment the Marketing Destigmatized blog launched, I knew AI would have to be a topic to explore. From my initial encounters with ChatGPT two years ago while in the MBA program at the University of Montana—using it in its early days to help develop suicide prevention material—to now, AI has shifted from a curios tool to a reality central to business. Since then, I’ve prioritized obtaining certifications and coaching clients on using AI in ways that …

Stigma Marketing & Development Updates: Growth, Relationships, & Business Plans

Stigma Marketing & Development Updates: Growth, Relationships, and Business Plans

Stigma Marketing & Development is built around values that are deeply personal to me, with authenticity at the core. It’s been a long road to get here—one filled with self-discovery, difficult decisions, and growth, both personally and professionally. I’ve had to face the baggage that comes with telling my story, sort through relationships affected by my drinking, and work through what it means to live authentically while creating the business I was building every day. If I was going to build something meaningful through Stigma, I’d have to dig deep, make things right, and do the hard work to become the kind of leader and consultant I believe in. That was February of 2024. This is part of the reason authenticity matters even more to me now—and why it’s central to the work I do. Burnout, poor decision-making, and moral …

How To Grow Your Site On Your Own, One Thing At A Time

How to Grow Your Website: 6 Practical Things for Normal People To Compete

Building or improving a website that drives real business isn’t about luck—it’s about strategy, effort, and smart decisions. Websites aren’t just “set it and forget it.” Even if the front face of your website doesn’t change often, how you use your site makes all the difference in the world. What you do behind the scenes can make your website pop into more people’s scenes. Sites need ongoing work, a blend of both authentic and technical energy, and time spent in the right places. In this post, we’ll walk through how blogging, SEO, design, Google tools, a digital strategy, and backlinking can make the difference between a website that sits quietly in the digital void and one that gets found, converts visitors, and creates lasting connections. When it comes to Local SEO and getting your small business found in your community, …

Adultophobia - Fear of Growing Up in Personal & Professional Development

Adultophobia: Growing Up in Personal and Professional Development

Mark Manson, in Everything is F*cked, points out that the world is having a crisis of growing up—and this is something I don’t just agree with, as if Manson was the first to say it. I’ve lived it, and it has transformed both my life and my business. Growing up is a concept that has helped me more than I can even fully articulate, and it’s not just for people like me who have had to confront deep personal challenges like addiction. It’s for anyone navigating the complexities of life, relationships, and career. Manson’s earlier book, The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck, was a game-changer during my last rehab. It helped me to understand radical acceptance, a practice that became essential in reshaping how I faced fears and life. These lessons not only applied in my personal life …

Mindset & Coaching Matters More Than Education - Why Going In Alone Is A Death Wish

The Importance of Mindset and Coaching in Today’s Learning Landscape: Why Going In Alone Is A Death Wish

In today’s fast-paced world, knowledge is no longer hidden behind the walls of academia or professional circles. With the advent of the digital age and now AI, information is available at our fingertips. A quick search can pull up countless tutorials, articles, and videos on almost any subject you can imagine. From business development strategies to personal growth, the tools for learning have never been more accessible. This reality will only become more typical and continue to accelerate. However, there’s a dangerous temptation lurking beneath this wealth of information: that learning alone is enough. The truth is while acquiring knowledge has become easier, turning that knowledge into sustainable growth—whether for an individual or a business—requires much more than just information. It requires mindset, discipline, guidance, and collaboration. It requires help. This is a lesson I learned the hard way through …

Men's Mental Health: A Glimpse Into Montana's Suicide Statistics

Men’s Mental Health: A Personal Glimpse Into Montana’s Suicide Statistics

If you’re reading this, you’re likely seeking more than just statistics or emotional backstories. This is a real conversation for real people—men and women—who want to understand a part of what’s happening with mental health in our communities and what we can do to make a difference. This does not cover everything nor is it a collective voice. There are things in here that are nuanced and border on topics that can be “delicate” in today’s sensitive polar climate. This isn’t about casting blame or portraying men as victims. It’s about raising awareness, challenging stigma, and taking actionable steps to help those who might be silently struggling. My Journey Through Mental Health, Isolation, and Sobriety My personal journey through mental health, addiction, and sobriety is deeply tied to why I wrote this. Almost three years sober from alcoholism and the …

Website Overhaul & QuickBooks: Stigma Update

Website Overhaul & QuickBooks: More Than Coats of Paint

Some behind the scenes in the mundane marketing & business development Running a startup in the field of development and marketing, particularly one like Stigma Marketing, isn’t just about refining processes or overhauling a website. It’s about weaving together personal growth, recovery, business strategy, and genuine, human-centered marketing. This isn’t a paint-by-numbers exercise; it’s more like throwing a bunch of colors at the wall and finding a masterpiece in the mess. My life, recovery, and the work I do with Stigma Marketing are all about authenticity, and I’ve learned that small, seemingly insignificant changes often lead to the most substantial growth. A Website Overhaul: More Than Just a Fresh Coat of Paint One of my biggest current projects is a complete overhaul of the Stigma Marketing website. At first glance, it might seem like just another facelift. But this isn’t …

AI Llama Art - Business & Recovery: Authentic Lessons from the Startup Process

Business and Recovery: Authentic Lessons From The Startup Process

As someone who’s been in the trenches of both personal growth and professional development, I want to share a genuine update on what’s happening behind the scenes at Stigma Marketing & Development. It’s been a journey of growth—not just for the business, but for me personally. I don’t hide my history with alcoholism, at least not as much anymore. One-on-one, in private, I could easily talk about my recovery and confidently navigate the conversation. Looking back, I was getting more comfortable with it for many reasons: time, growth, and getting over the shame that drove me to alcohol in the first place. Yet, starting Stigma wasn’t exactly a black-and-white, clean decision. What was a clear decision was to leave my GM position at a fast “craft” food restaurant. Several things were going on then: Navigating the Messy Reality of Career …

Marketing Basics: How To Make Authenticity Work For You

Marketing Basics: Building Authentic Connections from the Ground Up Starting a business, especially one rooted in authenticity and genuine human connection, is no easy feat when you’ve spent most of your life avoiding vulnerability. It requires not just a good idea, but mistakes, strategy, and a lot of perseverance. When I launched Stigma Marketing & Development in Missoula, Montana, I knew it had to reflect my journey—both the highs and lows. In part, it started to make me do the kind of things I knew I should be. Drawing from my life experiences—my professional management and development background, my struggles with mental health, GMing an Arby’s, my near-MBA, and the lessons learned from my sobriety journey—I aimed to create a marketing company that wasn’t about gimmicks but about believing in people, their visions, and helping them succeed. This blog post …

Finding Your Why - A Recovering Pastor & Stigma Marketing

Finding Your Why: A Recovering Pastor & Stigma Marketing & Development

The Magic of Digital Marketing: Turning Ideas into Impact As a storyteller at heart, I’ve always believed in the power of a great idea. In today’s digital world, even a simple idea—when paired with the right content, audience, and timing—can do more than just catch fire; it can start a movement. But how do you take an idea and turn it into real, impactful results that resonate with your audience? That’s where authentic digital marketing comes into play. Why Authenticity Matters More Than Ever In a world full of noise, authenticity has become a game-changer for brands and businesses. Which is also kind of sad. People are craving genuine connections—they want to support brands that align with their values, tell compelling stories, and offer real value. In fact, 86% of consumers say that authenticity is a key factor when deciding …