How do you go from journalism during the Great Recession to leading growth for a digital agency — and along the way, build a personal brand through podcasting and community?

That’s the career arc of Logan Lyles, Director of Growth at Business Builders, StoryBrand Certified Agency, and HubSpot Platinum Partner. Logan joined me on Marketing by Design to unpack how podcasting sharpened his skills, how sales taught him resilience, and why community is the next big lever for agencies and consultants.

Episode Overview

In this episode, Logan and I dive into:

• How his journalism background shaped his approach to sales and marketing
  
• The lessons sales teaches marketers about persistence and relationships
  
• Why podcasting is a forcing function for communication and content
  
• How communities like Agency Builders accelerate growth
  
• A tactical two-step lead qualification funnel that 5x’ed Logan’s conversions
  

Key Takeaways

• Sales experience makes marketers better. Sales teaches follow-up, persistence, and building relationships — skills many marketers overlook.
  
• Podcasting is practice in public. Hosting and interviewing sharpen communication, build confidence, and create opportunities to share unique perspectives.
  
• Communities compound growth. Surrounding yourself with peers two steps ahead creates faster learning and practical solutions.
  
• Clarity drives conversions. StoryBrand’s framework helped Logan’s team double inbound leads just by rewriting homepage copy.
  
• Lead funnels need a rethink. Logan’s two-step qualification process boosted conversions from 2% → 10%.
  

Episode Timestamps

• 00:00 – How to script podcast intros without making guests uncomfortable
  
• 01:40 – Using SpeakFlow as an online teleprompter
  
• 02:56 – Researching guest posts with AI before interviews
  
• 03:23 – Logan’s winding career from journalism to sales to marketing
  
• 07:32 – How sales made Logan a better marketer
  
• 10:05 – The balance of reach (marketing) and relationships (sales)
  
• 11:28 – What podcasting taught Logan about communication and content
  
• 14:28 – Why reps in podcasting make you a sharper interviewer
  
• 17:21 – Logan’s current role at Business Builders and Agency Builders
  
• 19:40 – How StoryBrand messaging doubled conversions overnight
  
• 21:44 – The power of community for agency owners
  
• 25:33 – Why mentors two steps ahead matter more than celebrity gurus
  
• 29:17 – Logan’s sales story: almost getting punched on a cold call
  
• 34:25 – Applying Tim Ferriss’ “fear setting” to sales and outreach
  
• 36:13 – Logan’s obsession: a two-step lead funnel that converts 5x better
  
• 40:22 – Segmenting leads for more personalized follow-up
  

Guest Links

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loganlyles/
  
• Business Builders: https://www.businessbuilders.us/
  
• Agency Builders Community: https://www.agencybuilders.com/‍
• Free StoryBrand Course: https://storybrandcourse.com/