John Espirian
John at heart is a technical copywriter working for himself having previously held roles at Sky and Fujistu, although we hope he won’t mind us saying that we also consider him one of the most useful sources for Linkedin knowledge on the web. Specifically, John focuses on organic Linkedin, which is where our focus is in this session. John is also the recent author of ‘Content DNA’ which is available on Amazon right now.
Work aside, John is an interesting chap despite an unfortunate affection for Liverpool FC – we’ve still got my fingers crossed the season will be cancelled before they can be crowned champions. John is a Lord (technically), his first music purchase was ‘’Informer’ by Snow’ and John also voted 162 for Leona Lewis to win the X factor back in 2006, which we’re not sure is something to be proud of.
John Espirian’s talks with The Marketing Meetup:
Derek Sivers: The Power of Enthusiasm and the Journey of Derek Sivers in Growing CD Baby
https://www.youtube.com/embed/u5cRw3Ffvqc Derek Sivers, the founder of CD Baby, shares his experience of growing the company with Joe Glover. In this blog post, we will explore key points from their conversation, focusing on the importance of enthusiasm, finding one's...
The Power of a Small Branded House for Small Businesses
https://www.youtube.com/embed/FdEUarg9dr8 As a small business owner, you might be tempted to create multiple brands in an effort to cater to different customer segments or address various needs. However, according to Mark Ritson, a professor at the Mini MBA, small...
Balancing Marketing Budgets for Small Businesses: Embracing ‘The Long and the Short of It’
https://www.youtube.com/embed/FdEUarg9dr8 As a small business owner or marketer, you may face challenges in setting quant objectives and creating a well-balanced marketing budget. According to Mark Ritson, a professor at the Mini MBA, the key to overcoming these...
The Power of Strategy for Marketing Small Businesses: Making Choices for Success
https://www.youtube.com/embed/FdEUarg9dr8 In the fast-paced world of small businesses, it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day challenges, fighting tactical fires, and focusing on short-term goals. However, Mark Ritson, a professor at the Mini MBA, emphasizes the...
The Art of Pricing for Small Businesses: How to Maximize Profitability and Avoid Common Pitfalls
https://www.youtube.com/embed/FdEUarg9dr8 Pricing is a critical aspect of any business, but for small businesses, getting it right can be a challenge. Mark Ritson, a professor at the Mini MBA, offers valuable insights into the importance of pricing and the strategies...
The Power of Picking on the Big Guy: How Small Brands Can Leverage Positioning Against Market Leaders
https://www.youtube.com/embed/FdEUarg9dr8 When breaking into a market as a small brand, resources are often limited, making it challenging to create a strong share of voice. Mark Ritson, a professor at the Mini MBA, suggests a strategic approach for small businesses...
The Power of Ethnography for Small Businesses: Why Quantitative Numbers Aren’t The Only Answer
https://www.youtube.com/embed/FdEUarg9dr8 In today's data-driven world, quantitative research is often seen as a critical component of the marketing process. However, Mark Ritson, a professor at the Mini MBA, believes that small businesses shouldn't stress about these...
The case for reversing the marketing process for small businesses: Strategy then research
https://www.youtube.com/embed/FdEUarg9dr8 The traditional marketing process of market research, strategy, and finally, tactics, may not always be feasible for small businesses with limited resources. Mark Ritson, a professor at the Mini MBA, suggests an alternative...
Why Market Orientation is Important, Particularly for Small Businesses
https://www.youtube.com/embed/FdEUarg9dr8 The myth of the "lone genius" founder, locked away in their garage and single-handedly inventing a game-changing product, has captured the imagination of many aspiring entrepreneurs. However, as Mark Ritson, professor at the...
Top Ten Tips for Marketing Small Businesses
https://www.youtube.com/embed/FdEUarg9dr8 A few weeks ago we interviewed the incredibly popular Mark Ritson on his tips for marketing small businesses. Small businesses often face unique challenges when it comes to marketing. Professor Mark Ritson offers ten...
| Date | Time | Speaker | Name | Location | Get yo' space |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 May | 14:00 - 15:00 BST | Chris Lavigne, Head of Production at Wistia | Short form video for busy marketers: a 2 hour weekly workflow | Online | Sign up here |
| 12 May | 17:30 - 20:00 BST | Laurie Stirling, Business Growth Strategist | TMM IRL: How to Scale When You’re the Talent | Newcastle | Sign up here |
| 12 May | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Tonina Takova, Head of Strategy at Social for Good | TMM IRL: Marketing in the age of the (social) lurker | Manchester | Sign up here |
| 12 May | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Mike Essex, Founder of Devise Marketing | TMM IRL: Optimise Everything! From AIO to SEO and beyond | Southampton | Sign up here |
| 13 May | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Kate Sikora, Co-founder at Noble Performance; and Dominic Baliszewski, Co-founder of Yours Sincerely | TMM IRL: SEO is dead, and GEO isn’t the answer, welcome to the age of Earned Visibility | London | Sign up here |
| 13 May | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Rob Edwards, Founder at No-Nonsense Digital; and James Guerin, CCO at Embryo | TMM IRL: The Marketer’s Guide to video that converts; and How to use AI to improve efficiency | Wrexham | Sign up here |
| 14 May | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Shaira Gatdula, Founder at Dear Girls Club | TMM IRL: From Followers to Friendships – Building a Real Community That Shows Up | Edinburgh | Sign up here |
| 14 May | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Ben Jayston, Head of SMB SEO at GAIN Performance Accelerate | TMM IRL: From Google searches to real customers – SEO that works for small business | Bournemouth | Sign up here |
| 14 May | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Mark Saxby, Founder of Status Social | TMM IRL: How to Get Results from Social Media (without it taking over your life) | Lincoln | Sign up here |
| 14 May | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Jason Suttie, Founder at Charlie Xray | TMM IRL: The Slow Death of a Good Brand | Cheltenham | Sign up here |
| 15 May | 09:00 - 16:30 BST | Coworking, Cake & Nick Crawford | Cowork Crew: From AI frustration to AI confidence | Birmingham | Sign up here |
| 15 May | 09:00 - 16:30 BST | Coworking, Cake & Jean Atkinson | Cowork Crew: Work Smarter, Earn More – AI Tools & Workflow Automation | Leeds | Sign up here |
| 19 May | 17:30 - 20:00 BST | Rupen Shah, Head of Client Services at Thinkbox | TMM IRL: Why Brands Still Matter & How TV Remains The Ultimate Brand Builder | Bristol and Bath | Sign up here |
| 19 May | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Berenice Mann, Director at Bespoke Marketing | TMM IRL: Who am I? (If you can’t brand yourself, can you brand anything?) | Cambridge | Sign up here |
| 19 May | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Alex Wright, Chair of The Marketing Meetup and The Keynote Club | TMM IRL: Planning like a king or sensing like a lion tracker – how to shape your career | Norwich | Sign up here |
| 20 May | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Speaker to be confirmed! | TMM IRL: Exeter | Exeter | Sign up here |
| 20 May | 18:00 - 20:30 BST | Kate Bunyan, Founder and CEO of Sea Magik | TMM IRL: How to grow a beauty brand, without pretending you’ve got it all figured out | Ashford | Sign up here |
| 20 May | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Rachael Bryant, Company Director at Your Video Team | TMM IRL: 1 heroic day, 3 months of content. Here’s how! | Lancashire | Sign up here |
| 20 May | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Philip Gaudoin, Director at MetaMetrics | TMM IRL: Does this stuff work? What SME Marketers Actually Need to Know about Marketing | Fleet | Sign up here |
| 21 May | 09:00 - 16:30 BST | Coworking, Cake & Nick Crawford | Cowork Crew: From AI frustration to AI confidence – how to get reliable results from GenAI | Northampton | Sign up here |
| 21 May | 09:00 - 17:00 BST | Max Hopkinson, Founder of The Keynote Club | Ask Me Anything – Find your speaking territory and build a talk people remember | Online | Sign up here |
| 21 May | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Dré Picart, Co-Founder at Tribera | TMM IRL: The Human Value in Marketing in a world of AI | Birmingham | Sign up here |
| 27 May | 18:30 - 20:30 EDT | Elizabeth Monier-Williams, Marketing Consultant | TMM IRL: LinkedIn Glow-Up – Presenting Your Best Self | Toronto | Sign up here |
| 28 May | 09:00 - 17:00 BST | Luan Wise FCIM, Social Media Consultant, Trainer & Author | Ask Me Anything – How to nail B2B marketing in 2026 | Online | Sign up here |
| 4 Jun | 17:30 - 20:00 BST | Natalie Vasylkiv, Photographer & Content Creator; and Julia Grandoni, Co-Founder at Creative Junii | TMM IRL: Branding and how it shapes perception – a fireside chat | Ottawa | Sign up here |
| 5 Jun | 09:00 - 16:30 BST | Coworking, Cake & Xandrina Allday | Cowork Crew: Where to Focus on Social Media in 2026 (and What to Stop Wasting Time On) | Cambridge | Sign up here |
| 5 Jun | 09:00 - 16:30 BST | Coworking, Cake & Glen Stout | Cowork Crew: Make your website visitors say “shut up and take my money” | Milton Keynes | Sign up here |
| 10 Jun | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Leesa Morris, Brand Story Copywriter & Published Author | TMM IRL: It’s Not About You. How to Tell a Brand Story That’s All About Your Ideal Client | Milton Keynes | Sign up here |
| 12 Jun | 09:00 - 16:30 BST | Coworking, Cake & Steve Simmonds | Cowork Crew: Sales & Kindness | London | Sign up here |
| 16 Jun | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Richard Midgley, Founder of Ponderosa | TMM IRL: Outthinking the Competition: Lessons from the Most Powerful Brands | Leeds | Sign up here |
| 18 Jun | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Ian Bamford, Founder at Foundry12 | TMM IRL: Stop Gambling With Growth. Big or Small, Brand is Your Greatest De-risker | Hertfordshire | Sign up here |
| 9 Jul | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Philip Ainsworth, Founder at BEVAMO | TMM IRL: Celebrity brands – boom or bust in the UK? | Peterborough | Sign up here |
| 16 Jul | 18:00 - 20:00 BST | Speaker to be confirmed! | TMM IRL: Winchester | Winchester | Sign up here |