A Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketing

Better Capitalism with Paul Knowlton

Does it ever feel like something's wrong with the American model of capitalism? If obsession with growth at all costs and maximizing shareholder wealth is disappointing to you, you’re not alone. Many are working to improve this mindset, including Paul Knowlton and Better Capitalism. 

Paul literally wrote the book on how to improve our system to work better for everyone, not just the wealthy. Listen in to learn how you can become a part of this movement, especially as a marketer or small business owner.

Links

• Better Capitalism website
• Better Capitalism book on Amazon
• Better Capitalism blog
• Paul on LinkedIn
• Better Capitalism on LinkedIn
• Donate to support Better Capitalism

The Collision Ahead with Michael Caldwell

Michael Caldwell is the co-founder of technology agency Black Airplane, and the current mayor of Woodstock, Ga. He's also a futurist who thinks a lot about how technology impacts our lives, especially artificial intelligence. At the 2025 Brighter Web Conference, Michael shared how he foresees AI impacting our lives and work, in both positive and negative ways.

• Michael’s talk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y38GCBFQNs 
• Black Airplane:  https://blackairplane.com/
• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caldwellmichael/ 
• Michael on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Caldwell 
• Mayor Caldwell: https://www.mayorcaldwell.com/ 

Fast & Steady Wins the Race with Moira Vetter

Moira Vetter shares her experience founding and running an award-winning marketing agency, Modo Modo, in this talk at the 2025 Brighter Web Conference.

Links:

• Moira’s talk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3YxRa1sdHA 
• Modo Modo: https://modomodoagency.com/ 
• Adventure The Book: https://adventurethebook.com/ 
• Moira on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moiravetter/
• Marketing Madhouse podcast: https://www.podbean.com/media/share/dir-i3562-24e37caa

Radically Relevant with Blake Howard

Co-founder of the Atlanta-based branding agency, Matchstic, Blake Howard shared how his team develops radical relevance for known brands. This talk was given at the 2025 Brighter Web Conference in Atlanta, Ga.

Links:

• Blake’s talk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceRz3XgtuKQ 
• Radically Relevant book: https://learn.matchstic.com/radically-relevant-book 
• Matchstic: https://matchstic.com/about 
• Blake on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardblake
• A Change of Brand podcast: https://www.achangeofbrand.com/about

Nearbound Marketing with Katie Wagner

KWSM agency founder, Katie Wagner, spoke at the 2025 Brighter Web Conference about a new approach to marketing that goes beyond just traditional inbound and outbound—it's called Nearbound Marketing.

Links:

• Katie’s talk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpCx_TWUnBU&t=364s 
• Katie’s agency, KWSM: https://kwsmdigital.com/ 
• Katie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiewagnerkwsm/
• Nearbound and the Rise of the Who Economy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Nearbound-Rise-Economy-Jared-Fuller/dp/B0CW3DKVQD

Dream Small with Jeff Hilimire

At the 2025 Brighter Web Conference, Atlanta tech entrepreneur Jeff Hilimire discusses how dreaming small might be the key to finding meaning in both work and life. He shares from his personal perspective on how starting small has benefited his career and organizations. 

Links:

• Video of Jeff’s talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNBag5WWheQ 
• Jeff’s Website: https://jeffhilimire.com/ 
• Dream Small book on Amazon: amazon.com/Dream-Small-Finding-Turnaround-Leadership/dp/B0DXM9VLJL 
• Ripples Media: https://ripples.media/ 
• Dragon Army: https://dragonarmy.com/ 
• Purpose Group: https://purposegroup.us/
• 48in48: https://48in48.org/

A Quick Update on What We’ve Learned Recently About Using AI

Struggling to keep up with the rapid changes in AI technology and its impact on marketing? Discover how small business leaders and marketers can harness AI tools to stay ahead of the curve and enhance their strategies. This episode dives into the benefits and challenges of AI, emphasizing the need for adaptability in a fast-paced digital world.

Links

• Claude
• ChatGPT
• Robert’s  AI experiment article

Coworking and Remote Work with Courtney Schwartz

Remote work is more common than ever and a highly desired flexible benefit in many jobs. However, it doesn’t come without its own set of challenges and downsides. Coworking spaces like Fireworks in Marietta, Georgia, offer a good balance between flexibility and community. Courtney Schwartz from Fireworks shares the benefits and community aspects of co-working spaces.

Chapters

• [01:15] Meet Courtney Schwartz
• [03:00] The Role of Fireworks Coworking
• [05:45] Benefits of Co-Working Spaces
• [09:30] Addressing Loneliness in Remote Work
• [13:00] Inspiring Stories from Fireworks
• [17:45] How to Maximize Co-Working Opportunities
• [22:00] Flexibility and Events at Fireworks
• [26:30] The Growing Demand for Co-Working Spaces
• [30:00] How to Connect with Fireworks

Quotes from Courtney Schwartz

• "Connecting people together is one of the biggest things that we value here at Fireworks."
• "It's hard to be creative when you're the only person collaborating on it."
• "It's more than just a place where you can go to sit and get free coffee and Wi-Fi. It's really something more."

Links

• Fireworks Coworking
• Email: work@fireworksfly.com 
• Fireworks on Instagram

Freelance Marketing Work with Logan Lewis

Logan Lewis is the creative mind behind Hammerhead Creations and the Your Morning Drive podcast. Logan shares his journey of building a brand that encompasses his diverse creative pursuits, from podcasting to marketing services for small businesses. 

Discover how Logan balances his full-time job with his passion projects and the importance of community and personal relationships in his work.

Chapters:

• Introduction to Logan Lewis
• The Birth of Hammerhead Creations
• Balancing Full-Time Work and Passion Projects
• The Role of Community in Business
• Embracing Failure and Learning

Key Quotes

• "I wanted a company that I could put all my creative fun things under one umbrella."
• "Community is everything. Opportunities will come your way if you're not just focused on me, me, me."
• "Be willing to fail. It's necessary in order to succeed."

Links

• Hammerhead Creations and on Instagram
• Logan Lewis on LinkedIn
• Your Morning Drive Podcast: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube
• Fireworks Co-working Space

Why Creating a Community Online is Difficult But Worth It

Digital marketing isn’t just about posting and hoping people see your content. You also need to do the more difficult work of creating an online community and forming mutually beneficial relationships. What does it actually look like to create an online community? That’s what we’re learning together in our brand-new Brighter Web marketing community. Join us and let’s learn together.