The SDM Show discusses all things Business, Marketing and WordPress. This show was formerly known as The SDM Business, Marketing and WordPress Show.
The SDM Show: Closing the Brand Narrative Gap with Todd JonesIn this monthly segment of The SDM Show, host Rob Cairns sits down with regular co-host and copywriter Todd Jones to break down the concept of the Brand Narrative Gap.They explore how the explosion of AI, rising paid acquisition costs, and shifts in organic visibility…
Rob Cairns steps away from WordPress security discussions to share a personal list of the podcasts currently in his regular listening rotation. While he spends his days immersed in web tech and marketing, his personal playlist leans into tech news, hockey, business storytelling, and media insights.
In this episode of The SDM Show, host Rob Cairns is joined by recurring co-host Ryan Waterbury (One Dog Solutions) to cut through the hype around "vibe coding" and explore how digital agencies are actually leveraging AI today. Rob and Ryan dive into real-world agency workflows, the economics of closed vs. open-weight AI models, hardware…
In this episode of The SDM Show, host Rob Cairns tackles one of the most common debates in web development: Is WordPress inherently insecure, or should you switch to another platform? Rob pulls back the curtain on digital security to explain why platform-hopping won't protect you from vulnerabilities. The core issue rarely lies with the…
In this episode of The SDM Show, host Rob Cairns sits down with good friend Ryan Logan to celebrate the second anniversary of InfluenceWP. They dive deep into the WordPress ecosystem, candidly discussing the realities of creator burnout, avoiding online drama, navigating the affiliate model, and prioritizing mental clarity.
Rob Cairns reflects on the journey of The SDM Show as it approaches its 700th episode milestone and outlines an updated, sustainable release schedule designed to balance business growth, personal life, and consistency.
In this episode of The SDM Show, host Rob Cairns sits down with longtime productivity strategist, speaker, and author Mike Vardy to discuss his career journey, evolution in the productivity space, and his latest book, Productiveness. They dive into moving past rigid metrics and system obsession, focusing instead on bringing humanity, trust, and flexibility into…
In this episode of The SDM Show, host Rob Cairns breaks down the number one mistake businesses make when sending email newsletters and marketing blasts: using a do-not-reply address. Drawing from a real-world example, Rob discusses why treating email like one-way broadcast media harms customer engagement and relationship-building. He explains how opening two-way conversations with…
In this episode of The SDM Show, Rob Cairns sits down with marketing strategist and monthly co-host Bridget Willard to dissect the unique blind spots SaaS companies face when marketing their products. Bridget shares why she recently eliminated outside distractions to double down on SaaS, the critical importance of understanding your true billable worth, and…
In this episode of The SDM Show, host Rob Cairns sits down with good friend Marcus Burnett to dive deep into Marcus’s latest side projects, the realities of building for the WordPress ecosystem, and where WordPress core is headed next. Marcus shares the latest updates to The WP World, including real-time AI-powered multilingual messaging and…
In this candid and personal solo episode of The SDM Show, Rob Cairns opens up about dealing with grief, personal stress, and overwhelming weeks as an entrepreneur. Reflecting on a recent productive discussion with Mike Vardy about the human side of productivity, Rob explores why business owners need to grant themselves permission to hit pause,…
In this episode, Rob Cairns is joined by monthly co-host Todd Jones to break down how the humble website "About Page" has transformed over the last decade. Once viewed as an afterthought or filler content, the About page has evolved into one of the most critical digital assets for search visibility, brand narrative, and entity-based…
In this marketing AMA episode of The SDM Show, host Rob Cairns sits down with marketing strategist and author Bridget Willard. They dive into Bridget’s journey into digital marketing, the persistent disconnect between IT and marketing departments, why SaaS and WordPress founders struggle with self-promotion, and how authentic, consistent communication stands out against AI noise.
In this episode of The SDM Show, host Rob Cairns sits down with Nat Miletic to discuss the current landscape of web design, digital agencies, and WordPress development. From the impact of AI to client communication and security hygiene, Rob and Nat share actionable advice for both website owners and agency professionals.
In this episode of The SDM Show, Rob Cairns breaks down the critical importance of Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) across all digital platforms. Rob explains how 2FA works as a vital secondary defense against phishing and credential theft, why securing your primary email account should be your top priority, and how implementing strict authentication practices protects…
