In this video, Jack and Dennis discuss how young adults can help fix the digital marketing for their parents’ businesses. They share practical insights into advertising, content creation, and SEO fundamentals.
If you’re a young adult looking to build real marketing skills and serve local businesses, check out the High Rise Academy program to get hands-on training and mentorship.
Interested in the AI Apprentice Program?Learn more about High Rise Academy — hands-on AI marketing training with real clients and real results.
If you’re tired of vague “consulting” promises and want a repeatable blueprint for building a service agency that actually scales, this candid conversation is for you.
Dennis Yu and Jack Wendt pull no punches as they share how High‑Rise Influence helps 7‑ and 8‑figure founders earn a Google Knowledge Panel — the digital stamp of legitimacy most gurus can’t deliver. They reveal why clarity and proof matter more than hype, why you must draw a line on who you serve, and how to create an operations playbook that lets you hire and train without reinventing the wheel each time.
Highlights include:
Why “customizable” beats “custom” — and how to productize services without becoming a cookie cutter.
The hard truth about clients who think they’re the exception: you can’t make a beef Wellington out of baloney.
Real numbers: thousands of AI bots (from Claude, ChatGPT, and others) hitting their content, turning free education into actual leads.
How to leverage AI, social snippets and small ad spends to attract the right people — and repel the wrong ones.
Lessons from plumbing and HVAC agencies: focus on one niche, own your proof, and watch referrals snowball.
If you’re ready to stop selling air and start delivering results that even Google recognizes, hit play. Then let us know in the comments: what’s the one thing holding your agency back from scaling?
High Rise Academy is led by three practitioners who train students on real business projects using documented processes and live feedback.
Jack Wendt — Founder & CEO, High Rise Influence
Jack started young — at 12–13 he was buying and reselling watches, learning how to negotiate, reinvest profits, and build relationships. That early hustle turned into a passion for entrepreneurship and mentorship. He built High Rise Academy so motivated teens don’t have to guess their way forward or build businesses alone.
“When I was 13, I had to figure it out myself. Now we can give young people a system — and help real businesses along the way.” —Jack Wendt
How Jack mentors
Assigns live business tasks: editing vertical videos, writing platform-native captions, basic ad setups.
Shows students how to publish once, then distribute across channels without duplicating work, following our cross-posting guide.
Models client communication and simple reporting (before/after assets, notes, and next actions).
Helps students channel their entrepreneurial energy into real businesses — generating calls, creating content, and directly contributing to client revenue.
Dennis Yu — Former Search Engine Engineer & Co-Creator of the Content Factory
Dennis designs the systems our teams use to execute reliably at scale — checklists, SOPs, and feedback loops rooted in the Content Factory framework. Students don’t watch theory; they ship assets and get reviewed. He also emphasizes E-E-A-T — real people, real places, real work — to make content credible and reusable.
“There’s no age too early to start building a brand or learning how to learn.” —Dennis Yu
Layering proof — names, locations, client artifacts — to establish trust via E-E-A-T.
Avoiding common VA pitfalls by tying every task to a clear goal, content asset, and target.
Works with students from age 17 to 60, proving that the Academy’s structure supports all levels of experience — from teenagers just starting out to adults seeking to sharpen their skills.
Dylan Haugen — Professional Dunker & Creator
Dylan is a professional dunker who performs in contests and live shows while documenting his journey online. His creative background gives him a unique perspective on content and storytelling. After connecting with Dennis and Jack in late December, he discovered how to use the Academy’s structure to transform his passion into professional growth.
“After joining the program, I learned more in a few weeks than I had in years on my own.” —Dylan Haugen
How Dylan teaches
Short-form storytelling on real client pages (clear hook, proof, next step).
Practical feedback on pacing, framing, and retention.
Works with business owners — from local gyms to personal brands — showing them how consistent storytelling drives measurable results online.
What You’ll See in Practice
Live weekly coaching with screen-share reviews and action items.
Documented SOPs with examples for each step.
Real distribution on business accounts, followed by sensible republishing.
Proof built in — faces, places, and outcomes attached to the work.
Range of participants from teens to age 60; quality is driven by checklists, not age.
Students are paid as they demonstrate competency on production tasks.
Why High Rise Academy Matters
Students learn marketing by doing: edit videos, post on business accounts, and follow checklists until their work meets spec. Parents see consistent habits and professional communication develop over time. Business owners get useful assets instead of vague ideas.
For parents who want to see their teens develop real-world skills, build meaningful relationships, and gain confidence through hands-on experience, High Rise Academy provides a clear path — while also contributing real work for the businesses they support.
If you’d like to learn from mentors like Dennis, Jack, and Dylan, or know a young adult who would thrive in this environment, explore how to get involved with High Rise Academy. It’s a place where curiosity turns into capability, and learning turns into real results.
Learn more about the Content Factory framework — the 6-stage system behind everything we do at High Rise Influence.
Now that you’re officially inside, here’s the exact roadmap so you don’t feel lost staring at 140+ courses, 27 tools, and a pile of skills you think you “don’t have yet.” Let’s cut through the noise.
Join the Office Hours Facebook group
By now, you should have an email inviting you to our Office Hours Facebook Group. If it didn’t arrive, give it a few minutes; it’s on the way.
This group is where everything happens:
Weekly Office Hours: Thursdays at 2 PM PST / 5 PM EST. We record all sessions, so if you miss one, no meltdown necessary.
If you do this well for your parents’ business or first client, you will get more. And when you’re reliably executing, we’ll promote you and send an opportunity your way. (Not because you bought the program, but because you earned it.)
Where not to ask for help
There’s a giant free Facebook group called Digital Marketing with Dennis Yu (44k+ members).
That’s not your support channel.
Your help and team support are inside Office Hours, the private group.
Stay there.
If you’re ever truly stuck
Message Stephanie (stephanie@blitzmetrics.com).
If it’s something only I can solve (rare), you can email me.
You can text me too. Just make sure it’s worth waking me up over.
Your first real assignment: Make a 1-minute video
Record a simple cell-phone introduction and post it in the Office Hours group.
No scripts. No fancy camera. No “I need to get ready first.”
Just you, talking for 60 seconds:
Who you are.
Where you’re from.
What you’re working on.
What you want to learn.
If we were sitting around a dinner table at a mastermind, you’d introduce yourself. This is the same thing.
This expanded guide builds on our overview of the High Rise Influences AI Apprenticeship Program, or High Rise Academy, giving you deeper insight into how we help apprentices turn passion into a professional career. From paid client work to mentorship and advanced certifications, here’s what sets our program apart.
Hands-On Paid Work & Real Client Experience
Our apprentices don’t just study theory – they learn by doing. After completing the foundational courses, apprentices can qualify to become part of the Digital Marketing Training System. Entry-level specialists start at $10 per hour, with tiered raises of $5 per hour as they earn certifications. This paid work isn’t busywork; apprentices produce deliverables for real clients, gaining the experience and case studies needed to build personal brands and portfolios.
Mentorship & Career Guidance
Mentorship is at the core of our program. Dennis Yu credits his own success to mentors and encourages apprentices to follow the same path. We teach a simple four-step approach: follow the mentor’s content, show you’ve done your homework, demonstrate gratitude, and offer small favors in return. Our faculty members and industry professionals guide apprentices through project reviews and career planning, helping them make the leap from apprentice to marketing professional.
Entrepreneurial Skills & Building Agencies
Many of our apprentices aim to start their own agencies. That’s why our curriculum covers practical advice on scaling, managing freelancers, and working with big clients. We emphasize balancing learning with networking and execution to avoid common startup pitfalls. Whether you want to launch your own agency or become a high-impact marketer in a larger organization, this program equips you with entrepreneurial skills.
Faculty & Administrator Options
We offer a range of options for universities and organizations interested in collaborating. These include one-hour live webinars on topics like Facebook Ads for $1 a day, project management, personal branding, content marketing, and measuring social media ROI. Qualifying apprentices can join the specialist program to earn while they learn, advancing based on performance. For colleges and student groups, Dennis Yu waives his standard speaking fee for on-campus workshops and keynotes, sharing his experiences from Yahoo! and his predictions for the future of digital marketing.
Partnerships & Schools
The High-Rise Influence University Program collaborates with a growing list of educational institutions. Partners have included the University of Louisville, UC San Diego, BYU, Hofstra University, Ridgewater College, Syracuse University, the University of Connecticut, the University of San Diego, LDS Business College, and Baruch College. These partnerships help integrate our curriculum into degree programs and create employment pipelines for apprentices.
Real-World Systems & Processes
We use checklists and processes similar to those found in aviation and surgery to ensure repeatable excellence. Frameworks like the Topic Wheel and 3×3 Goals help apprentices structure their personal brands and content strategies. Our specialist and virtual assistant collaboration model ensures that tasks such as video editing, ad management, and micro-targeting are handled efficiently.
Scale & Ongoing Growth
The program offers access to over 44 professional courses, with more added every month. This ensures apprentices can continue advancing their skills long after they complete the core curriculum. As the program grows, we measure social media ROI and define the impact of likes, comments, shares, and reviews to set the standard for social measurement.
Conclusion & Next Steps
The High-Rise Influence University Program doesn’t just teach marketing; it creates employable, experienced marketers with personal brands and real client results. Whether you’re an aspiring marketer, a university partner, or a business seeking certified talent, we invite you to explore the program and discover how it can accelerate your goals.
Interested in joining? Read our main overview of the High-Rise Influence University Program here: https://highriseinfluence.net/high-rise-influence-university-program/. Or contact us to learn more about partner packages and opportunities.
If you are a professor or administrator interested in bringing this program to your campus, visit our University Partnership Program page for details on guest lectures, case studies, and collaborative projects.
This page is free training for local service business owners who want to understand how marketing actually works before delegating it to an agency or investing further.
Most businesses don’t struggle because they aren’t trying hard enough. They struggle because the systems behind search, social, ads, and content aren’t explained in a way that connects actions to real business outcomes.
Each resource below focuses on a specific area where confusion is common—how platforms interpret your business, why content often fails to perform, and how to evaluate what is (and isn’t) producing revenue.
You don’t need to watch everything. Start with the section that best matches where you feel uncertain, and use the rest as reference as questions come up.
Below is a curated collection of videos selected because they address the most common points of confusion and failure.
How SEO actually works
Start here. This video explains the underlying framework the rest of these trainings build on.
This is the first episode in my Marketing Mechanic series, which focuses on identifying the underlying mechanism that actually drives performance in a marketing channel.
SEO continues to be a frustrating mystery for home service businesses.
Much of that confusion comes from focusing on tactics instead of understanding how search engines interpret businesses at a structural level.
As a search engineer who helped build Yahoo! over 25 years ago, I explain how search engines, social platforms, and tools like ChatGPT interpret entities, and why this matters far more than traditional SEO checklists.
This episode establishes a foundation you’ll see repeated throughout the rest of the trainings: once you understand the mechanic, decisions become simpler and more controllable.
The first seven Marketing Mechanic episodes are designed to build on each other, moving from foundation to execution.
Content strategy that drives sales
Most home service businesses fail spectacularly at content marketing because they pursue a content calendar approach instead of the evergreen Topic Wheel.
In this video, we cover how to go from random posts that get no engagement and die out to revenue-producing assets that continue to live forever.
We’ll discover the 90/90 rule, 3×3 grid, and Greatest Hits, which you can implement immediately.
Own your name on Google
If you don’t own your name on Google, you don’t own your business.
Type your name into search right now. Do you see you… or do you see LinkedIn’s rented billboard?
That’s like running a million-dollar company but letting someone else hold the keys to your front door.
In this video, I break down exactly how to take back your name, structure your personal brand site, and trigger Google’s Knowledge Panel so you become the undisputed authority on you.
If Google can’t tell who you are, neither can AI. And that means customers can’t either.
5 steps to own your own marketing
Whether you use an agency or do it in-house, you should always OWN your own marketing.
Not just to verify you have ownership across all your assets, but to also understand what’s actually driving revenue and where calls are coming from.
Even if you’re not “technical”, you as the business owner deserve to know from your service providers how much money is incrementally being generated by each tactic, without having to ask.
And you should be able to see the actual numbers in your own systems, not a 3rd party interface dressed up to make them look good.
Here are 5 steps to take back control.
There are thousands of legitimate marketers out there who aren’t afraid of letting the client own their own systems and to show them the data.
+ Get access to all your assets (web, social, email).
+ Look at the spend and change history in ad accounts.
Clients can be unhappy with our results, even though we’re working hard.
Each of us is doing what appears to be good work, but must understand MAA (business impact) to truly deliver.
Content creation and website tweaking is only half of the equation (conversion), while the other half is traffic (getting people to these pages).
The combination of traffic x conversion = qualified customers.
And that’s what we should all be looking at, no matter what part of the puzzle we’re working on– Google ads, tweaking the new veneer landing page, building links, editing videos, posting on YouTube, answering the phone, etc…
The Social Amplification Engine
Most people post randomly and hope something works. The Social Amplification Engine turns that chaos into a precise, repeatable system.
This guide walks you through the full stack of digital marketing (plumbing, goals, content, targeting, amplification, and optimization) and shows how each layer works together to generate consistent leads.
You’ll see how to build the infrastructure, set measurable objectives, create content that actually performs, target the right audiences, and measure what’s driving real revenue instead of chasing vanity metrics.
This is the original framework we’ve used for years with seven- and eight-figure local service companies.
How to build a Content Library
The articles I’ve written, social posts I’ve made, speaking, marketing materials have been scattered all over the place.
I’ve figured out an effective process to centralize it– which has helped me trigger a Google knowledge panel and help my companies grow.
Give this training to your marketing person to build and organize your Content Library.
For your company and your personal brand– to drive your content strategy, advertising, podcast, and other content efforts.
Want to accelerate? Join the AI Apprentice program
The free trainings above are designed to help you understand how modern marketing systems work and how to evaluate what’s driving real business outcomes.
Some business owners, however, want to apply these ideas inside their own businesses by developing a capable young adult who can execute, learn quickly, and grow with the company.
That’s why the AI Apprentice Program exists—a structured, year-long group coaching program led by me and a hand-picked expert team, focused on implementation, skill-building, and accountability.
What you get:
Hands-on work applied directly inside your business
Weekly live coaching every Thursday at 2pm PST.
Private Facebook group for daily support.
Full OpenAI Teams access (we pay for it).
API credits + tools we’ve built and licensed.
A structured path to mastery.
Accountability to ensure you execute.
This allows your marketing to be handled internally, rather than outsourced to an agency you can’t see into, and instead carried out by a trusted young adult inside your business. You know what’s being done, why it’s being done, and how it connects to real business results.
Investment:
$7,500 for a full year (Yes, people charge more for a weekend workshop.)
This is the same system that helps young adults do in 3 months what normally takes 3 years trying to learn alone.
