Happy Sunday,

Welcome back to the 17th edition of the Nord Media newsletter.

Wanting to learn about anything specific? Let me know, as always I appreciate all of you that reply each week and share feedback with me.

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This week, we’re getting real introspective to ask a tough question:

Are you a manager or a leader? 

Let’s rethink who you need to be for your business and your teams.

Managers Control, Leaders Inspire

Managers focus on control. 

They set KPIs, build plans to achieve them, and measure results. 

These tasks are necessary to keep things running smoothly and ensure goals are met. 

Managers focus on the how, making sure tasks are completed and processes are followed.

Leaders, on the other hand, create an environment that inspires innovation and new ways of thinking. 

They focus on the why, motivating their teams to exceed expectations and push boundaries. 

Leaders encourage passion, creativity, and initiative.

Here’s how I see things:

I build an environment that fuels growth and fosters people into leaders.

Over the years I've led teams from me + 1 to teams of 22+.

90% of people want control over their work.

They want to have an impact on the business, and they want to have a voice.

My teams have 110% accountability for their actions, tasks and the success of those aspects.

I also allow them to fail (this is a hard concept for owners and leaders to do, but trust me on this). 

If you don't allow your team members to fail, they never have the opportunity to correct those issues and learn from them. 

This Week’s Tool of the Week - Surefoot
Tell me if this sounds familiar: meh conversion rates and sky-high acquisition costs. 

It’s incredibly frustrating when you don’t know why or what to change so you just spin your wheels hoping something works…

OR you could save all that time and frustration and trust surefoot to handle things in a way that’s unique to your business and your problems.

They’re a small team who focus on real user data to improve your customer’s experience and drive real results. 

They have a 75% renewal rate and a 9.6x ROI for a reason. 

If you’re ready to see real change in your marketing strategy, surefoot can help. 

Find out how — HERE.

Rule Followers to Rule Makers

A manager’s role is to look for people who are smart, diligent, and loyal. 

They value obedience and efficiency. 

But to truly drive a business forward, leaders look for passion, creativity, and initiative. 

They inspire their teams to think outside the box and create new solutions.

Ask yourself: Are you encouraging your team to think creatively and take risks, or are you just overseeing their tasks and making sure they follow the rules?

Here’s a perfect example of letting people you hire do good work and backing them to prove it:

Back when I was running a retention team of 22 at an automotive company, we had a rough start to Q3…

We needed a new marketing concept to go viral and fuel people to talk about the business.

My team came up with a mid-summer promotion and generated the concept:

"Deals hotter than your mom"

It went MEGA-viral and began trending on social media, tiktok, forums etc.

People shared screenshots of the photos, emails, everything… It crushed!

We generated a net lift of 30% month over month.

This concept would've never been approved by my peers or bosses without my support and putting my ass on the line had it not worked. 

Create the Trust You Need to Have

The difference between a manager and a leader boils down to trust and transparency. 

A trusting environment is where people feel safe to admit mistakes, ask for help, and be vulnerable. 

This kind of environment is created by leaders who prioritize their team’s well-being.

If your team doesn’t trust you, they’ll hide mistakes, fake competence, and work in fear. 

All that will get you inefficiency and, ultimately, failure…

As a leader, your goal is to create a space where your team feels supported and empowered.

I've always built my teams around 100% full transparency.

I involve everyone in what's happening, how things are going, next steps etc.

I thrive in an environment (your team will too) where everyone has a voice and can provide feedback/insight.

Make it possible for each person on your team/organization to have the ability to impact change and feel as though they have a say in the overall progression of the company.

The Leader’s Toolkit for Success

1. Turn Feedback into Action: Regularly ask your team what would improve their work lives. 

   Don’t guess or assume—listen, and then act on their feedback.
   

2. Spark Creativity: Encourage your team to come up with new ideas and take risks. 

   Celebrate their successes and learn from failures together.
   

3. Build Trust: Make it safe for your team to be vulnerable. 

   Let them know it’s okay to make mistakes and ask for help.
   

4. Automate Wisely: Use tools and systems that reduce manual work and increase efficiency.

   Have your team to focus on higher-level tasks and innovation.
   

5. Always Improve: Regularly review and refine your systems and processes.

   Look for small, incremental improvements that compound over time.

Ask Yourself the Hard Questions

• Are you focusing more on control or inspiration?

• How often do you ask your team for feedback and act on it?

• Do your team members feel safe to admit mistakes and ask for help?

• Are you encouraging creativity and risk-taking?

• How can you improve and support your team better?

Redefining Your Role and Embrace Leadership

Shift your focus from controlling tasks to inspiring people. 

Leaders create an environment where creativity flourishes and trust is the foundation. 

Do this, and you’ll get a stronger, more resilient team.

Leadership is not about having all the answers. 

Leadership is understanding the power of your influence and using it to elevate those around you. 

It's about creating an environment where the best answers can emerge. 

By embracing the qualities of a leader, you can transform your business, inspire your team, and achieve sustainable growth.

Reflect on your current approach and consider how you can evolve from a manager to a leader. 

Your team, your business, and your future self will thank you for it.

🧠 My Personal Product Recommendations for You
Konstant Kreative - Konstant offers industry leading designs & gives you access to a full design team at a fraction of the cost. I’ve personally used Konstant at our agency and for some of my own brands. Improve Your Design

surefoot - What would a 10% conversion rate increase mean for your business? It meant a lot to Brooklinen, whose VP of Product says “surefoot.me has been a reliable partner for us over the years. Highly recommend them!”

With clients like Helen of Troy, The Shade Store, and Brooklinen their proven strategies ensure you convert more shoppers to buyers. 👉 Get in touch today and start improving your revenue.

minisocial - Join over 1,000 consumer brands who trust minisocial for their micro influencer activations and high-quality UGC content. Brands like Imperfect Foods, Native, Hydrant, and MeUndies turn to minisocial for their fully-managed and transparent projects and content they can use across their marketing channels, yep even ads! Get Started Today 🚀

Juo - There’s nothing more frustrating than losing those subscriptions you’ve worked hard (and paid) for. If you’re struggling with subscription retention, Juo's toolkit helps you keep subscribers by tailoring offers to their needs. Brands using Juo see up to 50% lower CAC and a 30% increase in subscriber retention rates. Book a demo now to see how Juo can help you.

Tresl - Easily sync tailored customer segments into marketing channels like Klaviyo, Google, and Facebook with Tresl. With personalized and well-timed campaigns, brands see up to a 30% increase in customer retention and significant boosts in repeat spend. No need to worry about complex installations or coding—their system processes your store's data within 48 hours. Start your 14-day free trial HERE.

Chase Diamond’s organic LinkedIn growth marketing service is an absolute must for anyone looking to start building a personal brand online. He’s trusted by thousands of industry leaders including myself. Join Thousands of Other Brand & Agency Owners

Have a specific question or something I can help with? Shoot me a message on twitter and I’ll answer to the best of my ability 👉 Twitter 

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Thank you for reading! I appreciate you.

Best Wishes,
Kody