Inside High Rise Academy: What You Can See in the Students

Dylan Haugen on December 4, 2025

High Rise Academy exists because there’s a lot of noise in the AI and marketing space, and it’s hard to tell what training actually holds up in the real world. In this High Rise Influence YouTube video, Dennis Yu gave a simple filter for sorting that out. As he put it, “Don’t judge a program by the person selling it. Judge it by the students it produces.”

After Dennis lays out that idea, the video shifts to student builders and lets you hear directly from us about what we’re working on and how we’re applying the training with local service businesses.

The Principle Dennis Shared

Dennis’ point is blunt: it’s easy to make a program look good on the surface. The harder test is what students can actually produce once they’re inside it — their work, their thinking, and how that work holds up when applied to real clients.

That’s why the video centers on the people inside the program. You get to see how students talk about their work, what they’re building, and the kinds of problems they’ve learned to solve for clients.

What High Rise Academy Trains

High Rise Academy is an apprenticeship for young adults who want to build a concrete skill set in AI‑assisted marketing. The training is tied to local service businesses because the work is practical and the feedback is immediate.

Students practice:

Building and improving personal brand sites and business sites
Using AI tools to speed up research, content production, and operational tasks
Running and refining ads using proven systems like Dollar a Day, while tracking performance
Managing deliverables, communication, and client relationships

The idea is to learn repeatable systems and apply them on live accounts, so students leave with work they can stand behind.

Student Examples From the Videos

Dylan Haugen (Me)

I came into the program as a content creator and professional dunker. I knew how to grow an audience, but most of that lived on platforms I didn’t control. The shift for me was learning how to turn content skill into owned assets and clear client value.

What that looked like:

Building a personal brand website I control
Strengthening search presence, including my Knowledge Panel
Learning to package content and relationships into services for local businesses
Delivering real marketing outputs alongside the team

Jack Wendt

Jack’s story shows what happens when someone combines big‑picture vision with consistent execution. He’s been able to travel and still build because he runs work like a professional: projects stay on track, communication stays clear, and relationships keep compounding.

What stands out in his path:

He builds partnerships and opportunities through strong relationships
He keeps a steady operating rhythm even while moving across time zones
He treats marketing like a long game, not a short sprint

Luke Crowson

Luke started in fitness coaching, and Dennis noticed something that carries over into marketing: he cares about outcomes and sticks with a process. Inside the program, Luke applies that mindset to client work that’s built on steady improvement.

His focus areas include:

Campaign structure and ongoing tuning
Landing page and site improvements
Lead quality and follow‑up alignment with owners

The takeaway here is straightforward: consistent, client‑first execution plus good process is what drives dependable results.

Sam McLeod

Sam is still in school and leans heavily into engineering. His role is building tools and workflows that remove repetitive work for students and standardize delivery for clients.

Where that shows up:

Automating tedious steps so students focus on high‑value tasks
Turning proven processes into repeatable workflows
Supporting scale without lowering quality

One Shared Thread

Different backgrounds, same direction: we’re learning practical systems and applying them to real businesses. And the four of us you saw in the video are also building this alongside Dennis. We are founders of High Rise Influence and Local Service Spotlight, so we’re learning how to create an agency, start a business, and pressure‑test what we learn by using it every week.

Advice We Shared at the End

We wrapped the video with short advice for anyone considering this path:

Use AI like a teammate. It helps you draft, research, and troubleshoot faster, but you still steer the work.
Mindset drives follow‑through. Skill only compounds if you stay in the game long enough to apply it.
Aim for steady improvement. Getting a little better daily beats waiting for a perfect moment.
Learn by doing. You grow fastest when you ship work, get feedback, and refine.

Takeaway

Dennis’ filter is simple: student work tells you more than marketing ever will. The video applies that idea by showing what students are building and how they think about the work.

If you’re evaluating any program in AI or marketing, whether it be the High Rise Academy or something else, look for a trail of real output: projects you can inspect, processes students can explain, and progress that shows up across more than one person. That’s the safest way to decide what’s worth your time.

Behind the Scenes at Local Service Spotlight and High Rise Influence: What We Do and Why It Works

Grant Haugen on November 22, 2025

“What do we actually do here?” is a fair question—especially when you hear us talk about helping local service businesses build their brands. This video was a quick, honest rundown from the Local Service Spotlight (LSS) and High Rise Influence (HRI) team about what that help looks like in real life and who is doing what.

LSS and HRI work together as partners. Our job is to take the everyday work local pros are already doing—jobs completed, customer stories, before‑and‑after wins, and five‑star reviews—and turn that into consistent online visibility and campaigns that bring in more calls.

The Problem We’re Solving for Local Service Businesses

Plumbers, HVAC techs, roofers, and other local service owners don’t usually have time to be full‑time marketers. They’re running routes, answering phones, managing crews, and taking care of customers. That means their online presence often lags behind the quality of their work.

Our teams step in so the business owner doesn’t have to learn five tools, edit videos at midnight, or guess at ads. We build the systems, the content, and the campaigns around their real‑world service so they show up where customers are searching and scrolling.

What Each Role Contributes:

Sam: Engineering, AI Tools, and Automation

Sam McLeod’s focus is speed and leverage. He builds websites and automations, using AI tools and code so repetitive tasks take less time. When content can be repurposed quickly and websites update smoothly, clients get faster turnaround and faster results.

This fits the Content Factory approach BlitzMetrics teaches: create once and repurpose into multiple assets without adding extra workload.

Luke: Facebook Ads, Creative, and Client Care

Luke Crowson handles the marketing side that clients actually see. He creates the ad creatives that go into Facebook campaigns, helps manage spend, and keeps improving the client’s website and online presence.

He also emphasized something most agencies ignore: client care. Meeting with clients, making them feel heard, and staying close to their goals is part of performance. The ads and the website are supposed to make a homeowner feel, “Okay, these people will take care of me.”

When we do this right, we’re applying the same Goals‑Content‑Targeting (GCT) foundation BlitzMetrics lays out—get clear on the goal, build the right content, and aim it at the right audience.

Jack: High Rise Academy Training and the LSS–HRI Bridge

Jack Wendt’s explains how HRI connects directly into the work LSS does through High Rise Academy. HRI runs training while partnering with LSS on tools and processes. Sam helps build the tools students use, and Jack makes sure students know how to apply them.

The students learn to make a local business owner more visible, build better ad campaigns, and drive more calls and revenue for whoever they’re representing. It’s practical training with real businesses, not theory.

Dylan: Content Repurposing, Websites, Ads Support, and Training

Dylan Haugen’s role has been wide by necessity. Over the last six to seven months he’s done content repurposing with AI tools like Descript, worked on client websites, helped create content for local businesses, supported Facebook ads with Luke, and trained Academy students weekly.

He also made a helpful point for anyone watching: the tools we use are intentionally simple. If you’ve ever edited a video before, tools like Descript make repurposing fast once you know the system.

Jack’s Close: Credibility and Invitation

Jack ends by giving real context on the team’s experience: Dylan has generated over 100 million views across his social channels, Luke is known for delivering results with ad spend (including work with Ad Astra), and Sam is the engineer making the backend run smoothly. The invitation was simple—if this kind of work sounds interesting, check out LSS, HRI, and the Academy.

Why LSS and HRI Are Stronger Together

Watching the roles side‑by‑side makes the partnership obvious.

LSS builds and refines the operational system: AI tools, websites, ad creative, and client delivery. HRI multiplies that system by teaching it through High Rise Academy, so more trained people can support more local businesses.

It’s one pipeline from real service work to real marketing output—supported by engineering, creative, and training all moving in sync.

The Big Takeaway

Local service businesses don’t need to reinvent a brand from scratch. They already create proof every day in their jobs and customer outcomes. Our job at LSS and HRI is to capture that proof, repurpose it into content people actually watch, and put it behind campaigns that convert into calls.

If you’re looking for a clear path, real skills, and a way to put them to work on projects that matter, High Rise Academy could be a great fit.

Is This Too Good To Be True? The High Rise Influence Program Explained by Its Founders

Dylan Haugen on November 22, 2025

When people first hear about High Rise Influence, the reaction is almost always the same: “There’s no way this is real.” Free access to training, mentorship from leaders like Dennis Yu, and hands-on experience helping real local service businesses sounds impossible—especially for young adults still figuring out their path.

But the video we filmed together tells a different story. Four of us sat down for a real, honest conversation about where we’re at in life, what this program has done for us, and why we believe it’s worth sharing.

This article breaks down what we shared in that conversation and why the High Rise Influence model works so well for young adults.

Why Young Adults Are Uniquely Positioned to Succeed

In the video, we talked about how each of us founders lives a completely different life. One of us is married and in school. One is 27 and trying to find clear direction. One is 20 and already confident in his path. And then there’s me—I’m still in high school, and I’m a professional dunker.

Even with those differences, we share something important: we grew up surrounded by technology.

A lot of local service business owners haven’t had to live inside social media and modern tools the way we have. It’s not that they’re incapable—it’s just not their world. For young adults, using Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and now AI tools feels natural. We recognize patterns in interfaces and content without thinking about it.

That’s a massive advantage.

Inside High Rise Influence, we lean into that advantage instead of ignoring it. We plug those natural instincts into structured systems like the Content Factory, which breaks down how to market to actually drive results. When you combine what you already know with a clear framework, your skills become valuable very quickly.

Real Experiences We Shared

In the video, each of us shared where we were in life and what led us into this program.

I’m still in high school, and I’m a professional dunker. I travel across the country competing in dunk contests and creating content around that journey. On paper, it looks like I shouldn’t have much time for anything else.

But that’s exactly why my story matters here.

For most of my life, I made social media content just for myself—filming dunks, editing clips, posting on Instagram, and learning what caught people’s attention. I never thought of that as a “professional skill.” It was just something I did because I loved it.

When I got involved with High Rise Influence, I realized those same skills were incredibly valuable to local service business owners. The same instincts I use to pick the best angle on a dunk or to edit a hype clip help me decide what makes a strong testimonial, a compelling ad, or a short that stops people from scrolling.

That’s when it clicked: what feels normal to me can be life-changing for someone’s business.

How High Rise Influence Helps Young Adults Find Purpose

In our conversation, one of the guys talked about hitting 24 or 25 and suddenly asking himself, “What am I actually doing with my life?” That moment hits harder than most people admit.

I’ve seen versions of that same feeling in a lot of young adults—drifting through school, changing majors, trying random jobs, or scrolling all day because nothing feels meaningful.

Purpose didn’t show up for me in some huge, dramatic way. It came from being put in a position where my skills were useful to someone else.

Inside High Rise Influence, purpose looks like:

Helping a local business owner who genuinely needs support
Seeing your work turn into leads, reviews, and real results
Being trusted with responsibility and held accountable
Working alongside other young adults who are aiming higher than “just get by”

Real progress comes from doing real work, learning from your mistakes, and slowly realizing, “I’m actually good at this—and it matters.”

Direction isn’t something you wait around for. You build it through deliberate practice and real work.

Digital Skills Young Adults Already Have

If you’re a young adult reading this, there’s a good chance you already have your own version of the skills needed in this space. You grew up in a digital world—using social media, creating and consuming videos, learning new tools quickly, and navigating technology as second nature.

Most of us don’t even realize how much we’ve picked up just by living online: understanding what makes content engaging, recognizing patterns in how platforms work, and adapting to new features and trends without thinking too hard about it.

Young adults are also surprisingly good at reasoning with AI tools. Because we’re used to technology evolving fast, things like prompting, experimenting, and iterating feel natural. Those instincts translate directly into this work—helping local businesses tell their stories, produce content, and run campaigns that actually perform.

All of these everyday digital habits become valuable when they’re applied inside a clear process with real clients.

A Community Built on Real Work, Not Hype

We’re very clear inside the program: this is not a “get rich quick” scheme.

We’re not promising overnight success or crazy income screenshots. What we’re offering is:

Real work with real local businesses
Systems and frameworks that have been tested
Mentorship from people like Dennis and the rest of the BlitzMetrics and High Rise teams
A community of young adults who are serious about building something

In the video, you can see how much we genuinely enjoy working together. That’s not acting. We joke around, challenge each other, and push each other to do better—not because we’re trying to impress anyone, but because we actually care about the work and the people we’re serving.

How to Get Involved

If you’re a young adult and any of this resonates with you—feeling directionless, wanting to use your existing skills for something that matters, or just wanting a path that isn’t “go to school and hope it works out”—then this is worth exploring.

High Rise Academy is the training path where young adults like me get real-world experience, build portfolios, and learn how to run campaigns the right way.

If you’re looking for direction, purpose, and a place to put your skills to work in a meaningful way, High Rise Academy might be the right next step for you.

AI Apprentice Program

Dennis Yu on November 18, 2025

Imagine your young adult becoming the person who actually makes phones ring for real local businesses using AI, proven marketing systems, and hands-on apprenticeship.

This is learn-by-doing, directly with Dennis Yu and Jack Wendt, inside a community of 400+ motivated young adults building real skills, real experience, and real income.

Why this program exists

Local service businesses (plumbers, landscapers, roofers, dentists, HVAC, contractors ) are drowning in agencies that overcharge and underdeliver.

We train young adults to become the opposite.

Your young adult becomes the AI-powered marketing operator who:

Makes the phone ring.
Ranks businesses on Google.
Creates videos that convert.
Uses AI agents to scale execution.
Runs Dollar-a-Day ads.
Fixes bad SEO and exposes fake agencies.
Drives measurable revenue for a real client (often your business).

They don’t graduate because a calendar year passed.
They graduate when they can prove they can drive real leads at an acceptable cost per result.

See if you qualify (15-minute Zoom call)

Success stories

Dozens of professionals (from young apprentices to established business leaders) have sharpened their marketing skills and launched new opportunities through mentorship and collaboration with Dennis and Jack.

Ethan Van De Hey

Went from a stuck marketing role to leading campaigns at Infinity Exteriors.

After mentorship from Dennis, he mastered Dollar-a-Day ads and storytelling frameworks that now generate measurable ROI for a multimillion-dollar construction company.

Dylan Haugen

Former high-school athlete turned content creator and host of the Dunk Talk Podcast.

Under Dennis’s guidance, Dylan transformed his already extensive library of viral content (amassing over 100 million organic views) into a structured personal brand with real authority.

He learned how to make his online presence visible on Google through his personal brand website, articles, and structured data, ultimately earning his own Knowledge Panel.

This shift turned his reach into lasting digital credibility.

Marko Sipilä

Started with BlitzMetrics as a teen and built a seven-figure agency by applying Dennis’s mentorship framework.

He’s now mentoring other young marketers around the world.

David Carroll

Agency owner who credits Dennis for his growth in digital marketing and strategy execution, applying the same processes that power Fortune 500 campaigns.

In 5 years, David Carroll has led his innovative print marketing company Dope Marketing to be evaluated at $100 million.

Heather Dopson

Industry leader and keynote speaker who collaborates with Dennis Yu on mentorship and professional development programs, embodying the “learn-do-teach” philosophy.

Caleb Guilliams

Founder of BetterWealth and long-time mentee of Dennis.

His storytelling-driven approach to financial education reflects the systems Dennis helped pioneer.

Natalie Ferreyra

From social media consultant to leading roles at Snap Inc. and now Netflix, Natalie’s career showcases how mastering core marketing frameworks and consistent execution can open doors to global opportunities.

Taylor James

Owner of Dumpster Dogs in Austin, TX.

Taylor was paying an SEO company $750 a month for “optimization” that delivered zero measurable results until he learned how to do it right through mentorship from Dennis.

In just a few weeks, he learned to spot fake SEO tactics, take control of his own analytics, and build true authority the right way by creating authentic one-minute videos, writing helpful blog posts, and connecting with other local businesses.

Brennan Agranoff

Six years ago, Brennan was stitching socks by hand in his parents’ garage.

Today he’s built a seven-figure sock brand, a logistics company, and a software platform while becoming one of the clearest examples of what happens when you combine grit with systems.

We’ve put him on stages across the country to teach how the Content Factory works in real life: hiring and training VAs, building scalable SOPs, and applying the 9 Triangles to grow from “kid with an idea” to a multi-business operator.

Brennan shows young entrepreneurs exactly what’s possible when you follow the framework and put in the reps.

What your young adult will actually do

All apprentices work on a live client project.

If they’re doing this for your business, perfect.
If they’re joining solo, we assign them a client.

During the first 90 days they:

Produce

— Capture authentic, short-form videos (15–60 sec) using just their phone.
— Coach business owners on what to say and how to say it.

Process

— Edit in Descript or CapCut.
— Subtitle, trim, format.
— Follow the SOPs step-by-step using AI agents.

Post

— Upload across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and website.
— Use correct titles, descriptions, hashtags, schema markup.
— Fix broken websites and analytics setups.

Promote

— Boost top-performing content using Dollar-a-Day.
— Set up retargeting.
— Improve Google entity authority.
— Optimize Google Business Profiles.
— Run Google, Meta, and LSA campaigns.

Measure

— Track calls through CallRail, ServiceTitan, or similar.
— Submit weekly MAA (metrics, analysis, and action) reports.
— Identify what’s working and what’s not.
— Present findings clearly and confidently.

This system is the same framework we used with Nike, Adidas, Red Bull, Quiznos, The Golden State Warriors, Rosetta Stone, Johns Hopkins University, and thousands of local service businesses.

How the program works

Weekly live coaching

Every Thursday at 2 PM Pacific.
You bring real problems, we solve them live.

Hands-on implementation

Not homework.
Real campaigns.
Real budgets.
Real phone calls.

Weekly reports

Every apprentice submits a weekly MAA report.
Even if they’re traveling.
Even if it takes 3 minutes.

Active AI tools & agents

Each student gets access to our internal AI agents that we burn $15–20k/month maintaining in credits and tooling.

Your young adult learns to be the manager of these agents, the true skill of next-gen marketing.

Community & accountability

Inside the private Facebook group, students help each other, solve problems, and collaborate 24/7.

This is a group of A-players who compete, push each other, and level up.

Who this is for

Young adults who:

Want real skills and real-world results.
Can follow checklists.
Can communicate clearly on video.
Are humble, hungry, and willing to put in the reps.
Want a portfolio of work they can show to any employer.

Parents & business owners who want:

A capable young adult running their marketing.
Authentic content instead of agency BS.
More phone calls and better visibility.
A system that has already worked for hundreds of local businesses.

You must be:

Based in the United States.
Working with (or willing to work with) a Local Service Ads category business.
Willing to put in at least 5 hours per week.
Not afraid of learning new tools.
A decent human being who doesn’t complain, whine, or ask for refunds every time life gets hard.

If you’re an excuse-maker, a complainer, or someone who needs hand-holding, don’t join.

Who this is not for

People outside the U.S.
People running e-commerce, SaaS, or crypto projects.
People who want “motivation” instead of execution.
People terrified of video.
People not willing to submit weekly reports.
People who want babysitting.
People who want to “try it for a week.”
People who don’t want to give back or help others.

We’re building a culture of execution, accountability, and mentorship.
If that scares you, this isn’t for you.

Program cost

$7,500 for the full year.

You’re investing in weekly coaching, AI tools, SOP library (hundreds of checklists), full Content Factory pipeline, over 140 courses (constantly updated), access to our AI agent system, a real client project, accountability and mentorship, a community of peers, and a year of guided execution.

Before joining, we require a quick call to make sure it’s a mutual fit.

Book a 15-minute qualification call

If we’ve already spoken and agreed you’re a fit:

Make a payment

If you’re all-in, committed, and willing to show up each week, you will win here.

If you’re looking for shortcuts, passive courses, or easy buttons, this isn’t for you.

We’re here to build the next generation of marketers who can run real businesses, manage AI agents, and drive measurable outcomes.

If that fires you up, welcome home.

How Jack Wendt & Dylan Haugen Coach Young Adults to Build Authority Through AI and Google’s Knowledge Graph

Dylan Haugen on November 16, 2025

When Jack Wendt and I spoke at DigiMarCon Las Vegas 2025, our goal wasn’t just to teach marketing systems — it was to show how young adults can learn to build digital authority using AI, Google’s Knowledge Graph, and structured personal branding systems.

Through High Rise Influence and our coaching package, High Rise Academy, we’ve been training students to take these same tools and frameworks and apply them to real-world clients — often their parents’ or sponsors’ local service businesses. The results have been powerful: students gain tangible experience, and business owners get measurable growth in visibility, reputation, and authority.

The Topic Wheel: Coaching People to See Their Story

We opened our session with the Topic Wheel, a framework originally developed by Dennis Yu to help individuals map their expertise and professional network.

In the middle sits your name. Around it are your six core topics — the key areas you want to be recognized for. What makes this framework so valuable is the connections it reveals. Each topic branches to people you’ve collaborated with — mentors, clients, and peers.

For example, Jack shared how his first mentor, Caleb Williams, founder of BetterWealth, helped him discover his purpose and eventually introduced him to Dennis Yu. That one connection led to a chain of opportunities that shaped both of our paths — and that’s what we coach our students to recognize: authority grows through relationships built on shared content and collaboration.

When our students map their own Topic Wheels, they begin to understand how their interests, work, and connections form a digital fingerprint that Google can see — one that can be built into lasting authority.

The Content Factory: Turning Coaching Into Action

Once you’ve mapped your expertise, the next step is turning your real-world experience into structured, shareable content. That’s where the Content Factory comes in — the four-stage system we teach inside High Rise Academy:

Produce — Capture what’s already happening: interviews, team meetings, client calls, or training sessions.
Process — Use AI tools like Descript to clean up audio, remove filler words, and transcribe content automatically.
Post — Repurpose that material into videos, blogs, or short-form posts for multiple platforms.
Promote — Test which content performs best with strategies like the Dollar-a-Day ad method and scale from there.

We tell every student: the hardest step is just pressing record. Once content exists, the rest can be automated with the right tools and structure.

For example, we had students film five-minute clips interviewing a family business owner. They used Descript to edit the footage, exported it for YouTube and Facebook, and then generated blog posts using a custom GPT trained on our writing standards. Within a week, those small businesses had content outperforming their competitors — all while our students learned real skills that transfer to any career in marketing or media.

The Google Knowledge Graph: Understanding Digital Trust

We then demonstrated how Google’s Knowledge Graph is the backbone of modern authority. Every recognized person, business, or brand is assigned a Knowledge Graph MID — a digital ID number used by Google to verify who you are and what you’re known for.

We pulled mine up live — Dylan Haugen, trust score 259 — and explained what it means: Google has enough consistent data from multiple verified sources to confidently associate me with my work, media mentions, and social content.

We use this same concept in coaching. For our students, the Knowledge Graph becomes a tangible way to measure progress. As they help real clients organize websites, link social accounts, and publish consistent content, they see those clients’ digital trust scores grow — and sometimes even reach the point where Google generates a Knowledge Panel (the “blue checkmark” of search).

This transforms abstract lessons about SEO and branding into real, measurable outcomes — and it gives young professionals a way to prove they can deliver results.

AI Tools in Coaching: From Learning to Application

During our talk, Jack showed the audience how we use Descript and Custom GPTs in our workflow. Using just a YouTube link, Descript imported the video, transcribed it automatically, and with a few clicks, removed filler words, shortened pauses, and improved audio quality.

From there, we took that transcript into our in-house writing assistant, Jennifer, a custom GPT designed for the High Rise content process. We demonstrated how to refine AI output — removing emojis, bullet lists, and generic phrasing to create content that sounds professional, human, and true to the speaker’s voice.

This hands-on process is exactly what we coach. AI should not replace creativity — it should amplify it. Our students learn to collaborate with AI, giving clear direction and improving the work it produces. That’s what separates automation from craftsmanship.

Mentorship in Action: Learning by Doing

A major part of our mission at HiRISE Influence is mentorship through real work. Inside High Rise Academy, students don’t just learn from lessons — they gain experience by implementing these systems for actual businesses.

Students get matched with real clients — local service businesses that need help building their personal brands. The students create and manage content using AI systems, measure Google authority scores, and apply everything we teach in a live environment.

This structure bridges generations: business owners share experience and trust; students bring digital fluency and energy. Together, they produce meaningful work that benefits both sides — and both learn in the process.

The Future of Coaching: From Training to Implementation

At High Rise Influence, everything we do is built around the Learn–Do–Teach model. We don’t just teach theory — we coach young adults to implement what they learn through hands-on mentorship.

That’s why our collaboration with Local Service Spotlight and their Spotlight Core program is so powerful. While Spotlight Core provides affordable personal brand websites and authority-building systems for business owners, it also gives our students a live environment to apply their training.

Inside High Rise Academy, our students use these same frameworks — the Content Factory, the Topic Wheel, and Knowledge Graph optimization — to help real businesses grow. They gain skills, build portfolios, and see the real-world impact of what they’ve learned.

That’s what makes our coaching unique: it’s not about memorizing concepts, but mastering them through execution and mentorship.

How Coaching Young Adults Through the Knowledge Graph Builds Real Careers

Speaking alongside Jack at DigiMarCon Las Vegas 2025 was an incredible opportunity to share what we’ve been building through HiRISE Influence and High Rise Academy. It proved that with the right structure, coaching, and mindset, anyone — whether a business owner or a student — can become a trusted authority online.

Authority isn’t claimed. It’s built, demonstrated, and reinforced through content, collaboration, and consistency. And our mission at HiRISE Influence is to help the next generation learn how to build it for themselves — and teach others to do the same.

What Makes Young Professionals Like Dylan Haugen Succeed — And Why Most Don’t

Dennis Yu on November 10, 2025

When I first met Dylan Haugen, he was a 17-year-old student who somehow managed to balance school, dunk training, client work, and real business responsibilities — all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Most people at that age are still figuring out how to manage their homework, but Dylan was already managing clients, editing podcasts, creating content, and mentoring others in the High Rise Academy.

Over time, I’ve seen hundreds of young adults try to build digital marketing careers. Some thrive, others fade. The difference isn’t raw intelligence or talent — it’s execution and communication. Dylan proves that success comes down to a few fundamental habits.

1. Action Beats Overwhelm

When people join the High Rise Academy, they’re faced with dozens of tools, emails, and systems. Some freeze under the pressure; others dive in. Dylan’s first lesson was to take action — even if it’s messy. He doesn’t let a full inbox sit for weeks or overthink small details. He moves, adapts, and communicates.

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about not letting small tasks pile up until they become impossible. That simple discipline is what separates the professionals from the dreamers.

2. Time Management Is Everything

Dylan’s schedule isn’t forgiving — he’s in school from 8 to 3:30, trains daily for dunk contests, and still finds hours each day to deliver for clients. When I asked him how he does it, he said something simple: “There’s downtime everywhere. You just have to stop wasting it.”

Whether it’s 15 minutes between classes or an hour after dinner, Dylan uses those windows to move projects forward. That’s what real remote work looks like — not clocking in for a shift, but owning outcomes and using your time wisely.

3. Communication Creates Freedom

Remote work only works when people communicate. If Dylan’s traveling for a dunk contest or on a family trip, he doesn’t disappear — he lets his team know in advance, asks someone to cover tasks, and ensures the project stays on track.

That’s a skill most adults struggle with. But it’s the foundation of leadership: taking ownership and respecting others’ time.

4. From Hourly Work to Ownership

Dylan’s path in the High Rise Academy followed a clear progression. He started with hourly work, proved he could deliver consistently, then began managing others, leading projects, and now co-founding Local Service Spotlight with other graduates.

This is how real entrepreneurs are built — not through a single “big break,” but through structured progression: learning the basics, proving reliability, and earning ownership.

Why Dylan Haugen’s Work Ethic Sets a Standard for Young Professionals

There’s no shortage of young people who say they want to start a business. But very few understand what it actually takes: organization, communication, consistency, and initiative. Dylan embodies that.

If you’re a student or young professional who wants to build real skills — not just consume motivational content — the High Rise Academy is where you start. You’ll learn to manage projects, communicate with clients, and use AI tools that real businesses depend on.

Ready to build a career that actually matters?
Join the next cohort of High Rise Academy and start learning the skills that helped Dylan turn his education into real-world impact.

AI Apprentice Onboarding Checklist

Dennis Yu on November 5, 2025

Welcome to the AI Apprentice program, where you’ll learn how to build, automate, and execute real marketing systems using AI the right way.

This checklist is what our Operations team follows every time we onboard a new apprentice.

It ensures each person has access to all the tools, training, and communities they need to succeed from day one.

Step 1: Create the Basecamp Project

Create a new Basecamp project for the apprentice.

Use the naming format:
HRI’s AI Apprentice – [Full Name]

Add:

The apprentice.
Program manager / mentor.
Operations team member for oversight.

Post the welcome article inside Basecamp:
Welcome to the AI Apprentice Program

Step 2: Invite to Private Facebook Group

Invite the apprentice to our private community:
Office Hours with Dennis Yu Facebook Group

Encourage them to introduce themselves with a short video or post.

Step 3: Share Live Office Hours Info

Give the apprentice the recurring link to our weekly Office Hours:

Every Thursday at 2 PM PST.
Format: Live Q&A, real-time audits, and apprentice showcases.

Remind them to come prepared with a progress update.

Step 4: Grant Academy Access

Provide login credentials to the Academy, which includes over 150+ paid courses they get free access to.

Confirm they can log in and navigate the dashboard.

Step 5: Share Level 1 VA Guide

Send the Level 1 VA Guide, which covers:

Our Content Factory process.
Task structure and documentation standards.
How to report daily updates and submit completed work.

Confirm they review it within their first 48 hours.

Step 6: Introduce MAA (Metrics > Analysis > Action)

Each apprentice must complete a weekly MAA every Friday to build real data analysis habits.

Share both reference articles:

How to Do MAA Like a Pro
https://www.digitalmarketer.com/blog/data-and-how-to-optimize-like-a-champ/

Remind them:

Every Friday = MAA time.
Review data, analyze what it means, and suggest next actions.

Step 7: Encourage YouTube Learning

Share Dennis Yu’s YouTube Channel:
Dennis Yu on YouTube

Assign them to watch 3–5 recent videos.

Step 8: Confirm Completion

When all steps are done:

Tick each item in the internal tracking sheet.
Post a “✅ Onboarding Complete” message in Basecamp.
Tag the apprentice.

Done! They’re Officially Onboarded

Once the checklist is completed, the apprentice is now ready to start contributing to real projects, attend Office Hours, and advance through our levels of mastery.

Mindset Shifts for Local Service Success: Climbing in the Dolomites with Dennis Yu

Dennis Yu on November 4, 2025

In this episode, Dennis Yu discusses mindset shifts necessary for local service success while climbing in the Dolomites. He shares insights on how to achieve personal and professional growth while scaling up local service businesses.

If you’re a young adult or the parent of one, consider joining High Rise Academy to learn marketing skills that get results: https://highriseinfluence.net/high-rise-academy/

Parents: Prepare Your Teen to Be an AI Apprentice for Your Business with High Rise Academy

Grant Haugen on November 2, 2025

If you run a local service business and want your son or daughter to take over the digital marketing, here’s a practical path—grounded in what actually worked on real projects, not theory. Dennis Yu, Jack Wendt, and Dylan Haugen recently sat down to discuss how parents can help their kids become successful AI apprentices through the High Rise Academy, sharing what’s working, what young adults are learning, and how families can apply these lessons to real businesses.

Why Teens are a Great Fit and how to Test it Fast

During the discussion, Dennis explains why young adults often pick up AI tools faster than seasoned professionals. They tend to reason with AI instead of treating it like a search bar. Jack suggests a simple test for parents: have your teen open voice mode and talk through a problem with the AI for five minutes—then ask it to outline next steps. Speaking out loud encourages richer prompts and better plans. A second quick test, mentioned by Dylan, is to record a simple one-minute video explaining what your business does and who it helps. That short clip becomes raw material for posts, a blog, and even a lightweight ad.

Dennis shares how this exact process helped a cosmetic dentist in Atlanta. The team started with plain, phone-shot videos about smile makeovers, the doctor’s process, and the office itself. Those clips were repurposed into website articles, Google Business Profile updates, Instagram/TikTok posts, and ad variants—a single shoot fueling weeks of distribution. Businesses that follow the properly repurpose videos can multiply their reach without multiplying effort.

Doing, Measuring, and Iterating Weekly

Jack and Dylan emphasize that success comes from consistent action and feedback. Apprentices wire the digital plumbing first—analytics and call tracking—so we can see exactly which videos, pages, and ads move the needle. Every Friday, they submit an MAA (Metrics → Analysis → Action) report, a system Dennis developed to help keep projects data-driven and accountable.

Accountability isn’t lonely: work is organized in Basecamp, and there are live office hours every Thursday at 2 p.m. Pacific where apprentices present campaigns and dashboards for critique. Dylan points out that this structure helps young marketers build confidence. On the dentist project, one weekly MAA revealed a patient-story clip outperforming equipment demos, leading the team to double down on testimonials across blog, reels, and ads.

Learning by Applying, not Just Taking a Course

Dennis and Jack share how this hands-on model grew from a six-week applied module at Johns Hopkins, where students paired with real local businesses—no simulated assignments. The same “learn → do → teach” framework powers the apprenticeship: learn a tactic, implement it on a live account, document it so the next person can repeat it. Dylan mentions that this approach taught him to solve real problems—like when he got stuck swapping a website image, used AI to troubleshoot it, and then documented the process so others could benefit.

What the Work Actually Looks Like

Capture: Short, authentic videos from the owner and team (think FAQs you answer daily).
Repurpose: Turn one clip into a blog post, a GBP update, two social cuts, and an ad variation—five outputs from one input.
Distribute: Publish across site, search, and social.
Amplify: Layer Local Services Ads, Google Ads, and Facebook Ads (Dollar a Day) once the content proves itself.
Measure: Track calls and form fills back to the specific asset and keyword.
Improve: Scale the winners, fix or drop the laggards.

On the dentist account, that flow moved the business from “invisible online” to a steady stream of measurable calls—because Google could finally “see” the same reputation locals already knew.

What Success can Look Like

Dennis recalls Sal Sciorta, from Plumbing Pros in Eastern Pennsylvania, which followed the same framework. Revenue grew from roughly $30–40k/month to nearly triple, and marketing was intentionally dialed down while the team hired to meet demand. Growth became manageable and repeatable, rather than chaotic.

Compensation also evolves with results. Dylan, who began as an apprentice, advanced from $17/hour to $25/hour through performance and client satisfaction—not time on the clock. Along the way, he built lasting professional assets like a personal brand website and Google Knowledge Panel, helping him stand out in search results. These principles mirror what we teach for building your personal brand on Google, where visibility and credibility reinforce one another.

Who Thrives in This Model

Jack notes that strong communication and self-management are key indicators of success. Apprentices who try, measure, and then ask targeted questions grow quickly. Remote teamwork is part of the experience—Dennis and his team span multiple time zones—but the shared MAA process and weekly reviews keep everyone on track.

Why This Beats Influencer Thinking

Dennis often reminds parents that their kids don’t need viral fame to make an impact. Local businesses grow by showing up consistently in maps, search, and social with authentic content. Genuine videos, regular updates, and measurable results build trust faster than follower counts ever could.

He and the team emphasize that success comes from visibility within your community, not popularity online. When your content reflects real stories, honest expertise, and steady improvement, Google and AI tools start recognizing your business as the local authority—helping you win right where it matters most.

Partnering to Build the Next Generation

The conversation between Dennis, Jack, and Dylan shows how this program blends mentorship, accountability, and applied learning. Parents who want to give their kids real-world marketing experience—and see results for their own business in the process—can join forces with High Rise Academy. The program pairs young adults with experts who guide them through real projects, helping them gain confidence, technical skill, and a clear career direction while supporting your local business growth.

AI Apprentice Builder Mindset Scorecard

Dennis Yu on November 2, 2025

Thinking of applying to our $7,500 AI Apprentice program? Before you step into the dojo, run yourself through this scorecard. It’s designed to separate builders from spectators and show you whether you’re ready to thrive in our high-velocity environment.

Portrait of a woman to represent our team in the AI Apprentice program.

Tool Curiosity

Ask yourself: what’s a tool or app you recently discovered, and how did you learn it?
Good sign: you dove in, broke it, and figured it out by doing.
Red flag: you only watched tutorials but never touched it.

Execution Velocity

Ask yourself: what’s something you shipped within 48 hours of learning a new tool or concept?
Good sign: you value momentum over perfection.
Red flag: you research forever and never start.

Grit & Follow‑Through

Ask yourself: when you get stuck on a task you’ve never done, what’s your first move?
Good sign: you start Googling, ask ChatGPT, and try small iterations until it works.
Red flag: you wait for someone to tell you the answer.

Documentation Reflex

Ask yourself: how do you keep track of what you learn so others can reuse it?
Good sign: you record Looms, maintain a Notion page or write short SOPs.
Red flag: you keep it all in your head.

Attitude Toward Change

Ask yourself: AI is making some jobs obsolete — how do you feel about that?
Good sign: you’re excited and see opportunity in staying ahead.
Red flag: you feel threatened or insist AI can’t replace human creativity.

Scoring and Interpretation

Use the table below to assign yourself points in each area. Then total your score to see where you stand.

Category	Points Range
Tool Curiosity	0–30
Execution Velocity	0–25
Grit & Follow‑Through	0–20
Documentation	0–15
Attitude Toward Change	0–10

85–100 points – Builder: you’re ready for our program (think Marko / Danny tier).
60–84 points – Trainable: you have potential; expect a learning curve.
Below 60 points – Pass for now: you’ll need more self-drive before you can thrive here.

Use the Builder Mindset Scorecard to Track Apprentice Growth

Age isn’t the issue — mindset is. Younger applicants often adapt faster because they’re used to experimenting with new tools. But anyone with curiosity, humility and the will to tinker can become a builder. Use this scorecard honestly and decide if you’re ready to dive into our AI Apprentice program.