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.

 

 

Why This Simple 29-Second YouTube Ad Gets a 98.6% Watch Rate

Dylan Haugen Dylan Haugen on November 16, 2025

When most people see a YouTube ad, they skip within seconds. Dennis Yu opened this section of his DigiMarCon session with the opposite scenario: a 29-second clip that holds 98.6% of viewers all the way through. No actors. No studio. No script. Just a raw moment with a real sales rep named Alex.

The knee-jerk reaction is to assume that the watch rate results are fake—bots, bad data, or some trick in the setup. But the numbers are real, and the leads they generate are very real. The reason they work comes down to a simple principle Dennis repeated throughout the training: the content itself is the targeting.

In the session, Dennis pulls up a short YouTube ad featuring Alex, one of HVAC Quote’s top sales reps. When leads come in, they get booked with her, and she’s the one walking HVAC owners through the tool and closing demos. Dennis explains that Alex was very shy and didn’t want to be on video at first, but he convinced her to try a quick, casual clip with the reassurance that it wasn’t live and they could always redo it. On camera, she simply talks through what she sees every day: homeowners want price first, HVAC companies worry about objections, and the quoting tool lets them show pricing upfront while still positioning against competitors. She’s not a marketer, not a “video person” — she just knows the product and the customers. That authenticity, combined with the high watch time on the ad, is what sends a strong signal to YouTube’s algorithm and keeps driving qualified leads.

Once that signal kicks in, the machine goes to work. YouTube shows the clip to more people who behave like the ones who watched the whole thing. Then it retargets the ones who stayed for the next set of clips. No complex targeting. No lookalikes. No giant ad budget. Just behavior doing the heavy lifting.

Dennis pointed out that the performance wasn’t an accident or an outlier. The video continues to deliver leads months later. Watch-time stays stable, cost per lead stays low, and the system keeps finding the right HVAC companies because the viewer reactions shape the audience far better than any manual filter ever could.

It’s a reminder that marketers often over-engineer what platforms already solve for. If the content is relevant in the first three seconds, if real people appear on camera, and if the message speaks directly to a specific group, the algorithm will route the video to the right viewers. And when you give the system this kind of proof, the results compound — clip after clip, lead after lead.

Want to learn how to apply this for your family’s or sponsor’s local service business?

This is exactly what we teach inside High Rise Academy—how to capture real proof, turn it into simple videos like this, and let the platforms do the sorting. Whether you’re helping a parent, a mentor, or a local business in your community, we train you step-by-step to run the same systems Dennis uses with companies like HVAC Quote.

The Dollar a Day System for B2B: Why Simple Cell Phone Videos Outperform Big Budget Ads

Dylan Haugen Dylan Haugen on November 16, 2025

Most people in B2B think marketing has to look expensive to work. They hire production crews, build landing pages, buy lists, and spend months planning campaigns. But during his DigiMarCon Silicon Valley session, Dennis Yu demonstrated the opposite. The best-performing ads for a SaaS company called HVAC Quote weren’t polished at all — they were raw, one-take clips shot on an iPhone.

And those clips booked over 100 new SaaS customers in just a few months.

This training walks through exactly how the system works, why behavior does the targeting for you, and how Dollar-a-Day turns simple content into predictable B2B leads.

The Big Shift: From Polished Ads to Proof-Based Content

HVAC Quote sells a $350/month software tool for HVAC contractors. Like most B2B companies, they raised money, built a sales team, and attended industry events to get demos. But the real breakthrough came from something far simpler: recording everyday moments.

Interviews at the booth. Walk-and-talk conversations in the hallway. A clip shot at dinner where the founder explained the tool in 20 seconds while plates were still on the table. None of it was scripted. None of it was edited. Yet these videos became the most effective ads they’ve ever run.

The reason is simple. B2B buyers want to see real people doing real work. They want to feel like they’re listening in on an industry conversation — not being pitched. When Dennis interviewed a well-known trainer in the HVAC space or asked a salesperson named Alex to explain how she closes deals, viewers stayed. One 29-second clip held a 98.6% watch rate on YouTube. That alone explains more than any targeting hack.

Why High Watch Time Beats Traditional Targeting

Dennis showed the analytics live. A three-minute video held viewers for over two minutes. A one-minute clip kept them for almost the entire runtime. None of these ads used custom audiences, job titles, lookalikes, or detailed demographic filters. They were broad.

The platforms did the sorting for them.

Here’s the underlying idea:
When people skip, scroll, or bounce quickly, the system learns who not to show the ad to. When people lean in, watch, and engage, the system finds more users like them.

That’s the actual targeting.

Once you understand this, Dollar-a-Day becomes obvious. You don’t try to force ads onto the perfect audience. You let the algorithm figure out who cares, because it already knows more about user behavior than any human could map manually. Dennis showed YouTube, Facebook, X, TikTok, and LinkedIn — all running the same raw clips — with each platform adapting based on how real viewers reacted.

Conferences, Zoom Calls, and Daily Work: The Real Content Factory

This session reinforced something we teach constantly inside High Rise Academy: the most powerful content in B2B isn’t staged. It comes from daily work.

HVAC Quote had:

• booth interviews
• customer testimonials
• informal conversations
• product walk-throughs
• reactions from agency partners
• short explanations filmed in the moment

Each one became a small asset that could be boosted for a dollar a day. Because the videos were authentic and tied to real industry relationships, they carried built-in trust. Buyers saw the founder, sales reps, trainers, and partner agencies all in the same ecosystem. That context made the content believable.

And as more clips accumulated, HVAC Quote gained more “proof pages” and more opportunities to retarget warm viewers. Dennis described this as a compounding loop — the more content you produce, the more signals you give the algorithm, and the easier it becomes to attract ideal customers.

Dollar-a-Day Isn’t About Cheap Ads — It’s About Letting the System Learn

The reason these campaigns work so well is that they respect the full funnel.

The point of the first video isn’t to force a demo. It’s to filter the audience by behavior. The next clip explains a feature. Later, viewers see a testimonial. Eventually they hit a product walk-through or a strong offer.

The call-to-action happens when the viewer is already warmed up, not when they first meet the brand.

Dennis joked about sales reps who chase customers the moment they walk into a store — the type who ask for the credit card before giving the customer time to breathe. Dollar-a-Day avoids that trap. When the viewer is ready, they’ll book a call. The system naturally brings the right people to the bottom of the funnel because they’ve already self-selected through watch time.

LinkedIn Isn’t Enough — YouTube Often Outperforms It

One of the sharper moments in the training came when Dennis contrasted LinkedIn with the other platforms. LinkedIn still relies heavily on explicit targeting because its algorithm doesn’t learn from engagement the way YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok do. If you want to reach a CTO or a specific job title, you can. But targeting alone won’t save content that doesn’t resonate.

Dennis wasn’t dismissing LinkedIn; he showed how it fits into the system. You can boost posts through a personal profile, especially if the CEO has authority in the industry. But the real momentum still comes from the videos themselves — the signals buyers send when they watch or skip.

Good content connects across every channel. Weak content dies on every channel.

What Students Should Take Away

This session gave a clear message to anyone working inside a B2B company or training through High Rise Academy: the real advantage isn’t production quality or complex funnels. It’s consistency, authenticity, and the willingness to capture real proof every day.

Record at the booth. Record at dinner. Record a walkthrough with a customer. Record an answer to a question someone asks you after a meeting. Then boost it. Let the system learn. Let behavior do the targeting. And build a library of moments you can repurpose again and again.

When done right, Dollar-a-Day becomes the simplest and most sustainable way to build trust, fill your funnel, and spark real sales conversations.

Want to Learn How to Apply This for a Real Local Business?

Inside High Rise Academy, we train young adults to use these exact systems to help their parents’ or sponsors’ local service businesses. Students learn how to capture proof, run Dollar-a-Day the right way, build authority, and tie everything back to leads and revenue. If you want practical skills that drive real outcomes—not just theory—this is where we teach it step by step.

The 6 Phases of the Social Amplification Engine

Dennis Yu on November 14, 2025

Most people treat digital marketing like a slot machine, pull a lever, and pray for leads. The Social Amplification Engine (SAE) fixes that. Instead of chasing hacks, trends, or whatever a YouTube guru is yelling about this week, SAE gives you a predictable, repeatable system for visibility, engagement, and conversions across every channel.

If your business already converts and you have at least a little bit of content and reputation, you’re sitting on a gold mine. SAE simply turns up the volume.

Let’s walk through the six phases.

1. Plumbing

Before you touch ads, boosting, or “going viral,” your plumbing must be airtight. This is the tracking, tagging, and audience-building infrastructure that makes everything else work.

Without plumbing, you’re basically flying blind while paying Facebook to keep the lights on.

Plumbing includes:

  • Google Tag Manager (your command center).
  • Google Analytics.
  • Google Ads + MCC.
  • Facebook Business Manager.
  • Remarketing tags across all channels.
  • Custom audiences, URL parameters, triggers, pixels.
  • AMP + Instant Articles if needed.

This isn’t glamorous; nobody posts screenshots bragging about their event tags. But proper plumbing is what lets you see where each dollar is actually working. It’s the reason seasoned marketers crush amateurs running “gut-feel ads.”

If you want to go deep, the Digital Plumbing Course is the playbook.

2. Goals

Most businesses skip straight to ads and then wonder why nothing works. SAE forces you to get clear first.

You need two things:

  1. A mission: your WHY, rooted in who you serve.
  2. Numbers that define success: your cost per lead, your ROAS, your 90-day outcome, your #ACC (Awareness, Consideration, Conversion) metrics.

Goals tell your content team what to create. They tell your ads team what to amplify. And they prevent you from chasing “vanity metrics” like reach and likes that look great but don’t move revenue.

Set the goals now, then hit them repeatedly.

3. Content

Great content isn’t about fancy cameras or being “viral.” It’s about authenticity and distribution.

Content inside SAE falls into three buckets:

Authority (third-party proof)

Reviews, PR mentions, podcasts, articles, stories.
This converts better than anything because it’s not you bragging; it’s others validating.

WHY content

Your 3-minute WHY video. Your story. What you stand for.

The 6 Phases of the Social Amplification Engine

This builds trust and turns cold audiences warm.

One-minute videos + micro content

Answers to objections. How-tos. Behind-the-scenes moments.
These feed your remarketing engine forever.

Your Content Library is where everything lives: positive mentions, topic wheels, greatest hits, raw footage, snippets, and repurposed posts.

The Content Factory process turns all this into a nonstop pipeline of assets: long-form → short-form → snippets → articles → emails → ads.

If you don’t have content, good news: your camera roll is full of it.

4. Targeting

This is where most businesses accidentally burn money, by showing the wrong content to the wrong audience at the wrong time.

Targeting in SAE fixes that through people-based marketing:

Owned audiences

  • Email lists.
  • Website visitors (1/30/180-day buckets).
  • App users.
  • Video viewers.
  • CRM segments.
  • Existing customers.

Lookalikes

Based on:

  • Purchasers.
  • Leads.
  • High-value page visitors.
  • Viewers of key videos.

Core interests

  • Competitors.
  • Industry influencers.
  • Media outlets.
  • Shared customer interests.

Targeting is how we build funnels like:
Awareness → Consideration → Conversion → Loyalty → Advocacy

This is where chains, sequences, and remarketing come alive.
This is where those one-minute videos start printing money.

You’re now running true cross-channel marketing (email, Google, Facebook, YouTube, website, podcast, events) all synced and sequenced.

5. Amplification

Once the first four phases are in place, it’s time to amplify, not before.

Amplification ≠ advertising.
Amplification = paid word-of-mouth.

We don’t guess. We don’t “spray and pray.”
We take the top-performing organic content and boost it to the right audiences.

This includes:

  • Boosting 3–5 “greatest hits” posts.
  • Dollar-a-Day ads.
  • Video view campaigns.
  • Remarketing ads for abandoners.
  • Unpublished (dark) posts.
  • Media inception ads.
  • Thank You Machine posts.
  • Roundups, listicles, social commenting.

Amplification is how you:

  • Reach more people who look like your best customers.
  • Stay in front of warm audiences.
  • Drive conversions without being pushy.
  • Seed press, influencers, and partners.

This is the stage where most businesses finally say, “Wow, Facebook actually works now.”

Because you’re a system, not a random post-and-pray operator.

6. Optimization

Optimization is where the pros separate from the amateurs.

You monitor your metrics decomposition.
You compare this period vs. last period.
You update lookalikes.
You adjust budgets.
You refine your audiences.
You find the next three things to execute this week.

You don’t chase hacks.
You don’t rebuild the funnel every month.
You optimize what’s already working.

Optimization never ends, and that’s a good thing.
Because once a system works, scaling it is just math.

Why the Social Amplification Engine Works

Because it’s built on 3 principles that never change:

1. Word-of-mouth beats advertising. Social ads don’t create desire; they amplify what’s already working.

2. Cross-channel > single channel. Your audience lives everywhere. Your marketing should too.

3. Data + content + sequencing = unfair advantage.

Custom audiences let you follow people across:

  • Social.
  • Search.
  • Email.
  • Website.
  • Apps.
  • Events.
  • Offline touchpoints.

That’s digital word-of-mouth at scale.

This is the same engine used by major sports teams, franchises, professional services, and thousands of local businesses. It works for plumbers, chiropractors, roofers, attorneys, and anyone who already has customers and content.

When the 6 phases work together, you get:

  • Higher conversion rates.
  • Lower ad costs.
  • Stronger authority.
  • More warm leads.
  • Better SEO.
  • A system your team can follow.
  • Predictable results.

SAE isn’t magic.
It’s not “growth hacking.”
It’s a checklist-driven machine that turns brand, content, and targeting into revenue.

If you have something that already works (even a little), this engine makes it work a whole lot better.

Client Meeting Checklist: Before, During, and After the Call

Dennis Yu on November 13, 2025

Most people treat client meetings like a chore. They show up unprepared, ramble for an hour, and wonder why the client doesn’t respect them.

That’s not how we operate.

A client meeting is a performance. It’s where you prove you’ve done the work, you understand their business better than the last dozen “experts” they hired, and you can move the project forward without wasting anybody’s time.

Here’s the real system: what to do before, during, and after the meeting so you look like a pro instead of a flailing rookie.

Before the meeting: This is where you win or lose

If you’re prepping during the meeting, you’ve already lost. The client can smell it. So let’s avoid that embarrassment.

Know the client like you actually care

Don’t go into a meeting blind. Do your homework.

  • What are their goals?
  • What content do they have?
  • What audiences matter?
  • What’s their personal stake?
  • Who is actually showing up to the call, and what do they care about?

Look them up on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, wherever.
This isn’t stalking. It’s called being a professional.

Executives notice when you know the details. They also notice when you don’t.

Lock down the logistics

If it’s virtual:

  • Use the correct Zoom account.
  • Test your mic and camera like a grown-up.
  • Put your camera on top of your monitor.
  • Put the Zoom window right under the camera so it looks like you’re actually looking at them instead of staring at your own face in the corner.

If it’s in person:

  • Show up early. Not “on time.” Early.
  • Bring printed materials.
  • Leave your phone and laptop shut. Your attention is the flex.

Prepare the actual materials (not a data dump)

A report isn’t enough. Anyone can dump numbers into a Google Doc.

Your job is to analyze, not regurgitate.

You need:

Then run it through someone senior for a sanity check.
One typo and the client starts wondering what else you missed.

Send the agenda + “looking forward” note

The day before the meeting:

  • Send the agenda.
  • Send any pre-reading.
  • Post a “Looking forward to our meeting tomorrow” message in Basecamp.
  • Make sure the Zoom link is correct (stop making clients chase you for it).

It takes 30 seconds and instantly makes you look organized.

Set expectations like a leader

You’re not a vendor taking orders. You’re the one driving the process.

So you set expectations:

“This should take no more than 30 minutes. Here’s what we’ll cover. Here’s what we need decisions on.”

Clients love clarity.
They hate surprises.

During the meeting: Run the room

This is your stage. Don’t wander onto it looking lost.

Start with structure

Kick off the meeting with confidence:

  1. Agenda.
  2. Introductions.
  3. What decisions need to be made?
  4. Quick tie-back to the previous meeting so it’s clear you actually remember things.

No rambling. No awkward small talk unless it serves a purpose.

Don’t look like you’re half-listening

Some ground rules:

  • No multitasking.
  • No typing during in-person meetings.
  • No phone on the table.
  • Eyes on the camera.
  • Sit up straight, you don’t need to hunch like you’re defusing a bomb.

People pick up on micro-signals. Your posture tells them whether you’re confident or guessing.

Notes = action items

Notes should be:

  • What needs to be done.
  • Who owns it.
  • When it’s due.
  • What depends on what.

That’s it. Nobody needs a transcript.

Call out at the beginning who is taking notes so the client knows the trains are running on time.

Keep the meeting tight

Most client calls default to “one hour” because nobody has the spine to challenge it.

You do.

If you prepare properly, a great meeting rarely needs more than 30 minutes.

Stay on the agenda.
Don’t go down rabbit holes.
Focus on decisions, not storytelling.

Executives want the executive summary.
Give it to them early and often.

End like a professional

Never end a meeting with “Alright… I think that’s everything?”

Here’s your script:

“Okay, Tom, here are the items we agreed on. Let me know if I missed anything.”

Then ask:

  • “Anything we can do to make you look good?”
  • “Any feedback for me?”
  • “Anything you’re worried about that we haven’t addressed?”

Then, and this is key, schedule the next meeting before anyone hangs up.
The calendar is where momentum lives.

After the meeting: Close the loop

This is where average account managers drop the ball. Not you.

Clean up your notes (same day)

If your notes read like a toddler typed them, fix them before posting.

Then drop them in the Basecamp Client Meetings thread the same day.

Same. Day.

Upload the recording

Put the Zoom recording next to the notes.
This saves your team from asking you the same questions five times.

Convert notes into actual tasks

Put every action item into:

  • Basecamp To-Dos.
  • With owners.
  • With deadlines.
  • With dependencies.

Don’t trust your memory. Memory lies.

Reply like a pro, not a panicked intern

If the client:

Emails you + CCs leadership:

Reply in that thread. Everyone stays in the loop.

Messages you privately:

Reply in Basecamp or with a quick call depending on urgency.

The executive summary: Your superpower

This is the only section executives reliably read.
So make it count.

It should include:

  • Their goals.
  • What we’ve done.
  • What we’re doing next.
  • Results, conversions, ROI.
  • Budget changes.
  • Dependencies.
  • Time remaining in the project.
  • What to expect next.

Make it:

  • Clear.
  • Bold.
  • No passive voice.
  • No “legal document” tone.
  • No saying “their”, talk directly to them.

Executives want clarity, confidence, and direction.

The mindset: every minute should feel worth $50

When a client meets with you, they should feel like:

“This was worth my time. These guys are sharp.”

We’re here to run multi-million-dollar campaigns, improve people’s businesses, and give clients the confidence that they’re in good hands.

You do that by owning the meeting, start to finish.

Common Mistakes People Make in Content Processing

Dennis Yu on November 12, 2025

AI SEO is a joke for local businesses—and not because AI is bad, but because people misunderstand how it actually works, especially when it comes to content processing.

If you’re a plumber, roofer, or landscaper, no one’s finding you by asking ChatGPT who the “best local business” is. ChatGPT just regurgitates what’s already visible online: your Google listings, your reviews, your social proof, and how well your content processing surfaces that.

AI recommending Anthony’s Lawn Care and Landscaping as the best lawn care in Bloomington, IN

Google recommending Church Candy as the best digital marketing agency for churches in the US

ChatGPT recommending Ad Astra Softwash as the best exterior cleaning service in Overland Park

Google recommending The Awad Law Firm as the top-rated personal injury law firm in Atlanta

Here’s the truth: AI doesn’t make bad content good. It amplifies what’s already there.
Garbage in, garbage out.

Most content fails before it ever hits publish, not because of weak gear or sloppy captions, but because the person behind the screen doesn’t know why the content exists. They just start cutting clips, slapping on captions, and praying for a viral miracle.

That’s the #1 VA mistake:
Working on content without understanding the brand’s GCT: Goals, Content, and Targeting.

When you don’t know why a video matters, what it’s meant to communicate, or who it’s for, you’re not editing, you’re vandalizing it with good intentions.

This guide is your safety manual: the seven biggest mistakes we see in content processing and how to fix them. Miss one, and you’ll keep polishing videos that look great but do nothing. Nail them, and you’ll start producing content that actually drives calls, leads, and sales.

The 7 Most Common Mistakes in Content Processing

1. Ignoring the Core Message

Jumping into edits before understanding the point creates pretty, meaningless videos.
Fix: Write down the one-sentence message before editing. If you can’t explain it clearly, don’t hit play. Every piece of content should serve a measurable goal tied to GCT.

2. Weak or Missing Hook

The first 5-15 seconds decide whether people stay or scroll.
Fix: Start with the moment that makes you stop scrolling. No intro fluff. No “Hey guys.” The hook is your handshake, make it strong.

3. Generic Targeting

If your content is for everyone, it’s for no one.
Fix: Match tone, captions, and pacing to your real audience.
A contractor podcast should sound blue-collar, not corporate. Talk to real people in their language, not to an algorithm.

4. Sloppy Visual Standards

Mismatched fonts, awkward crops, and cluttered graphics scream “lazy.”
Fix: Follow your brand style guide like a pilot follows a pre-flight checklist. Every visual builds or erodes trust. Consistency equals credibility.

5. Overpowering Background Music

When your beat drowns out the voice, you’ve sabotaged yourself.
Fix: Keep background music subtle (around -25 dB).
Voice around -6 dB, with light sidechain compression. The message always wins over the music.

6. Typos and Caption Errors

Misspelled names or wrong titles destroy credibility instantly.
Fix: Run captions through GPT proofreading, then manually check all names and quotes.
Machines fix grammar, humans protect reputation.

7. Skipping the QA Checklist

Every recurring mistake traces back to someone skipping the process.
Fix: Use the Content Factory QA checklist every time. It exists because we’ve already paid the price for not doing it.

Why Most VAs Struggle (and What to Do Instead)

Most VAs think technical skill equals value.
You can be the best editor on earth, but if you don’t understand GCT, you’ll never produce results.

Let’s break it down:

  • Goals: What is this content supposed to achieve? (Leads? Awareness? Authority?)
  • Content: What story or message communicates that goal?
  • Targeting: Who is this for, and what tone and platform fit them best?

Without these, your edits are random, disconnected from the mission.
Editing without GCT is like walking into Apple HQ and asking, “What’s an iPhone?”

Here’s what separates pros from amateurs:

— They build topic wheels, not calendars.
Each piece of content ties back to key topics and relationships, reinforcing authority.

— They test before scaling.
Using the Dollar a Day strategy, they amplify what already performs, not what “feels good.”

— They measure outcomes, not likes.
Through digital plumbing, they connect impressions to leads and revenue.

— They repurpose with precision.
Evergreen content becomes shorts, articles, snippets, multiplying results without multiplying effort.

You don’t need more content.
You need content that deserves to live forever.

Required Checklists

One-Minute Videos

  • Names spelled correctly.
  • 1080×1080 or 1080×1920 format.
  • Captions ≤ 3 lines, centered, filler words trimmed.
  • No intro bumper.
  • Lower thirds (5s duration, bottom corner).
  • Copyright-free music, subtle volume.

Long-Form Podcasts

  • Hook first (≤15s), then bumper.
  • Color-grade and normalize audio.
  • Remove filler chatter.
  • Lower thirds for guests.
  • Reset attention every 10s with b-roll or overlays.
  • Natural CTA.
  • SEO title, description, thumbnail.

YouTube or Landing Page Videos

  • Format: 1920×1080.
  • Hook → OBB → Main content.
  • Strict brand colors and typography.
  • Proofread captions.
  • Clean transitions.
  • CTA at the end.

How to Cancel Office Hours Subscriptions

Dennis Yu on November 11, 2025

As part of our team, you may occasionally be asked to assist clients in managing their Office Hours subscription.

This program, which provides exclusive access to Dennis Yu—a leading expert in Facebook Ads with over $1 billion in ad spend experience—offers valuable guidance and resources for $297 per month. However, retainer clients receive Office Hours at no additional charge. For clients who are not on a retainer, this service is available as part of a paid subscription.

If a client decides to cancel their subscription, it’s important to follow the correct steps to ensure the process is completed smoothly and efficiently.

This guide will walk you through the necessary steps to cancel the Office Hours subscription on behalf of a client, ensuring that everything is handled professionally and without hassle.

Task Checklist

Information that you will need

  • The Email Address or Complete Name of the account you wish to cancel.
  • Reason for cancellation (this will need to be specified in Keap when updating the subscription status).

Tools that you will need

  • Keap account (for managing the subscription and updating the status).
  • Facebook (Admin access to the Office Hours – Members Only group, which provides weekly live support and training).
  • BlitzMetrics Academy access (for removing users from the Academy).
  • Ahrefs or another SEO tool (for identifying and tracking backlinks).
  • Google Search Console (to reindex pages after backlinks are removed).

Steps to Cancel Office Hours Subscriptions

1. Login to your Keap account and click on the search button.

2. On the dropdown menu, choose “Contact”.

3. Input the “Email Address” or “Complete Name” of the account you wish to Cancel.

4. Click on the (>) symbol just beside the account.

 

5. Click on the “ORDERS” tab.

6. Click the product or course under SUBSCRIPTION

7. Once you’re in the Subscription Setup, change current status to “INACTIVE” and put an end date and the reason for cancelation.

8. Scroll down and under Recharge Information,  select “NO” to autocharge and “None selected” in the credit card dropdown.

9. Click “SAVE” and just to be sure that it’s all set, you can click on “Contact”.

10. Check on “Orders” then “Subscription” And see if it is indeed set to “Inactive”.

11. Once you set the account to  “Inactive” via Keap, you can now proceed with removing the member’s access to Facebook Office Hours (Members Only).

Note: You should be an admin to the page for you to be able to do this step. For access issues, please email operations@blitzmetrics.com.

12. Go to the Facebook Office Hours (Members Only, weekly live support and training) group. Click on  “Members”.

13. Find the name of the member you wish to remove.

14. Once you find the name of the member you wish to remove, click on the 3 dots and then click on “Remove Member”.

15. You have successfully removed a member and are ready to proceed with removing Academy access.

16. Go to the Academy and click “User” and then “All Users”.

17. Search on the email address of the member you wish to cancel the subscription.

18. Click “Edit”

19. Go down “User enrolled in group”. Click “Office Hours” and then the “Left Arrow” icon.

20. Click Update.

Link Removal Process (Backlinks)

If BlitzMetrics has provided backlinks to a client’s website as part of the service, we need to remove those links after the cancellation of their subscription to ensure they no longer benefit from the SEO ranking boost.

Follow these steps to remove backlinks given to the client’s site:

Steps for Backlink Removal

1. Identify the Pages with Backlinks

Use a tool like Ahrefs to identify all the pages where BlitzMetrics has included a backlink to the client’s website.

2. Edit the Posts or Pages with Backlinks

Access the backend of the site where the link was placed. Find the specific post, page, or other content that includes the client’s backlink and edit it.

3. Remove the Backlink

Once you’re in the editor, locate the client’s link within the content. Either remove the hyperlink entirely or replace it with a non-affiliated resource. Ensure the anchor text or hyperlink is fully removed from the content.

4. Save and Publish the Updated Content

After removing the link, save your changes and publish or update the content.

5. Check for Link Removal

Verify that the backlink has been removed by revisiting the page or post. You can also use Ahrefs or similar tools to double-check that the link no longer exists.

6. Reindex the Page in Google Search Console

After the link is removed, go to Google Search Console and submit the updated page(s) for reindexing. This will help ensure the link is deindexed by Google and no longer contributes to the client’s SEO ranking.

If a “Cancellation” request is accompanied by a “Refund” Request

1. Follow all the steps in “How to Cancel Office Hours Subscriptions on Keap (Infusionsoft)”.

2. Once done, go to the main account page and click “Invoices”.

3. Click on the product you want to issue a refund to.

4. Click on “Refund Payment”.

5. Check on the box under “Refund”, input the Reason for the refund, and click “Next”.

6. For the next 2 screens, click “Next”.

All set, congratulations!

Verification Checklist

✅ Verified the subscription status is set to INACTIVE.

✅ Correctly set the end date for the subscription.

✅ Entered the reason for cancellation in Keap.

✅ Disabled autocharge and ensured no credit card info is selected.

✅ Removed the client from the Facebook group.

✅ Removed the client from the Office Hours group in BlitzMetrics Academy.

✅ Removed all backlinks from the relevant content.

✅ Confirmed all steps have been followed and no actions were missed.

Leadership Lessons Behind David Carroll’s $100M Company

Dennis Yu on November 10, 2025

I met David Carroll over ten years ago when he was running a local home-service business. He didn’t come from a marketing background. He came from long days in the field, late nights trying to figure out how to get more customers, and an endless curiosity about why things worked the way they did.

That curiosity made him stand out. He wasn’t looking for shortcuts or “secrets.” He wanted to understand. That’s the first thing I teach every entrepreneur inside High Rise Academy—if you stay curious and keep testing, you can build systems that outlast luck.

Today, David runs Dope Marketing, a print automation company approaching a $100M valuation. He’s proof that the right combination of curiosity, consistency, and humility can turn local hustle into scalable infrastructure.

The student mindset

When I first met him, David was experimenting with Facebook ads, CRMs, and every kind of list imaginable. He’d show me screenshots of tests he ran overnight—different targeting rules, landing pages, and lookalikes. He wasn’t trying to look smart. He was trying to learn.

“If someone else has figured it out, I know I can learn it too,” he said. “I’ll just work harder until I understand it.”

That mindset hasn’t changed. Even now, when he’s leading a fast-growing team, he’s still a student first. Every conversation we’ve had over the years—about automation, delegation, or leadership—comes back to the same principle: you can’t teach what you haven’t done.

That’s the heart of High Rise Academy—learn deeply, execute honestly, then teach from proof.

Turning experience into systems

Dope Marketing came from David noticing something most people ignored: print was slow, manual, and stuck in the past. “I realized it wasn’t about ink or machines,” he told me. “It was about timing. If you can tie mail to real events, it becomes modern again.”

So he built software to automate the timing—sending direct mail when jobs close, when reviews post, or when customers go inactive. It’s one of the cleanest examples I’ve seen of someone building systems around real-world signals.

Most people chase novelty. David modernized something old—and that’s often where the biggest opportunity hides.

Building around your weaknesses

David used to often talk about how hard it was to manage people. He’s a visionary—full of energy and ideas—but not a natural manager.

“I finally realized I can’t lead by chaos,” he said. “I need structure.”

He built around that truth instead of pretending it didn’t exist. He brought in an integrator to handle day-to-day operations, limited his direct reports, and started running meetings with written expectations.

That shift—from improvising everything to documenting everything—is one of the hardest lessons for entrepreneurs to learn. It’s also the line between being a founder and becoming a real CEO.

Inside High Rise Academy, we call that scaling yourself out of the bottleneck.

The discipline of transparency

David talks openly about his past, including mistakes that most people would hide. That authenticity is part of why people trust him now. “I’ve been through the worst of it,” he said. “Once you tell the truth, there’s nothing left to be scared of.”

That kind of transparency is a competitive advantage. It builds trust faster than marketing ever could. And it’s what I’ve always respected about him—he owns his story completely.

That’s what I try to teach our students: your real story is your strongest asset. Don’t bury it under branding. Shape it into something that helps others.

From chaos to calm

In the early years, David would text me about how overwhelming it was—dozens of clients, long nights, constant changes. Now, he talks about calm. He prepares when things are good, not when they’re falling apart. “If everything’s smooth,” he says, “that’s when I start asking what could break next.”

That’s the mark of maturity in business. Anyone can react when it’s on fire. The real pros build resilience while things are quiet.

Growth that matters

What I admire most about David isn’t the valuation. It’s the balance. He got sober with his wife. He’s deliberate about his schedule. He still works hard, but he’s not trying to be everywhere or prove everything.

“I’ve been around billionaires,” he told me. “I don’t want that life. I just want to build something real, take care of my people, and be home for dinner.”

That’s what success looks like when you finally define “enough.”

The takeaway for founders

David’s evolution—from running a power washing truck to leading a national software-powered print company—isn’t about luck. It’s about mastering a few timeless habits:

  • Learn it before you lead it.
  • Build systems that work without you.
  • Hire for curiosity, not credentials.
  • Be honest about your weaknesses.
  • Stay calm when things are going well—and prepare for what’s next.

These are the same principles we teach inside High Rise Academy. The goal isn’t to make you busier—it’s to help you think and operate like a real owner.

If you’ve built something good but know it can run smoother, that’s where the next level starts.

Join High Rise Academy — Learn the systems, leadership frameworks, and operating habits that have guided entrepreneurs like David Carroll to build companies that grow without burning out their founders.

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 This Matters

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.

Blueprint for Real Influence: High Rise Influence Podcast from Neuschwanstein Castle

Dennis Yu on November 10, 2025

In our inaugural High Rise Influence podcast, Dennis Yu and Jack Wendt discuss the blueprint for real influence from Neuschwanstein Castle. They explore how genuine accomplishments, relationships and reviews form the foundation of your digital authority.

Hosted by Dennis Yu and Jack Wendt.

In this conversation, Jack Wendt and Dennis Yu share how real influence comes from genuine accomplishments, meaningful relationships, and authentic reviews. They outline a step-by-step blueprint for building influence that includes identifying your target audience, systematizing your content production through a team of virtual architects, and nurturing authentic relationships rather than pushing sales. They emphasize preparing clients with a clear roadmap and setting expectations for long-term growth.

Key takeaways from the episode include:

  • Identify and serve a specific audience that already has proof of expertise to amplify.
  • Systematize influence by building a team of virtual architects to execute your strategy so you can stay focused on client relationships.
  • Build authentic relationships and partnerships instead of relying on aggressive sales; let real results and strategic partnerships speak for themselves.
  • Prepare clients with a clear journey and manage expectations—success is a long-term game that requires consistent effort over time.
  • Focus on authenticity and follow-through to build trust and long-lasting relationships

In this episode, Jack Wendt and Dennis Yu outline a blueprint for building real influence by focusing on genuine accomplishments, meaningful relationships, and credible reviews. They stress that influence isn’t about vanity metrics but about serving a defined audience, creating systems to scale your work, and nurturing authentic connections.

Key takeaways:

  • Identify and serve a specific audience that already has proof of expertise to amplify.
  • Systematize your influence by building a team of Virtual Architects (VAs) who handle content repurposing and amplification, freeing you to focus on strategy and relationships.
  • Build authentic relationships and partnerships instead of relying on aggressive sales; let real results and strategic partnerships speak for themselves.
  • Prepare clients with a clear journey and manage expectations—success is a long-term game that requires consistent effort over time.
  • Focus on authenticity and follow-through to build trust and long-lasting relationships.

If you’re a young adult—or a parent looking to help your teen develop real marketing skills—consider joining High Rise Academy. Our hands-on program teaches you the same systems for building influence and driving results that Dennis and Jack discuss in this podcast. Click here to learn more.