The Inflection Point
Personal clarity, professional alignment, and why the MAC is no longer just an idea, it’s becoming a real alternative to how marketing gets done.
Wednesday was the best day of my year.
My son, Gavin, graduated from middle school. A few days earlier, my daughter, Marissa, finished 5th grade and will be starting at a new school in the fall.
On the surface, these look like ordinary transitions. But anyone who knows us knows how hard-won they are.
They came after years of turbulence, difficult decisions, and a lot of quiet resilience. It hasn’t been easy for any of us. But we’re still here. Still connected. Still moving forward.
That alone feels like progress.
The day itself was calm. I was present with them and with myself. That kind of presence had to be earned.
Then on the way home, I stumbled across a 35-piece orchestra playing outside at Lincoln Center. Completely unplanned. I stopped. I listened. And for the first time in a while, I let it land. A small, quiet moment that reminded me: things are different now.
Adrian Younge was performing Something About April III—the final piece in a trilogy that blends psychedelic soul with cinematic strings. He’s the mind behind so many iconic soundscapes, from Ali Shaheed Muhammad (Tribe Called Quest) to Wu-Tang to Kendrick. It turns out that he even recorded a full album in Portuguese, designed to sound as if it were pressed in 1968 and tracked in a studio built to evoke the feel of the 1970s.
It was a reminder: brilliance doesn’t announce itself. The wildest, most specific ideas, the ones no one would greenlight in a traditional system, are often the ones that land the deepest. The ones that make people stop. That shift something.
You don’t plan moments like this. But when they hit, you remember them.
Because they are.
Professionally, I’ve shifted. I’m no longer trying to get back to anything. I’m building from where I actually am and with people I respect.
The Marketing Accountability Council (MAC) is the clearest example of that. It’s not theory anymore. It’s operational:
We hold open sessions every Friday at 3pm EST
→ Join us live: https://streamyard.com/wfjjdzjg74
→ Or watch on YouTube, LinkedIn, or SubstackOur reach is growing. The conversations are real.
We’re monetizing through tools, consulting, and a course in development.
Another project, shaped through MAC conversations and now co-developed with MAC Member, Michael Munson of
is exploring a better approach to data, trust, and value in education and insight. It builds on everything we’ve been wrestling with at MAC, and it’s moving.I’m also much more comfortable now speaking plainly, documenting what’s real, and creating content that, despite how much noise is out there, feels meaningful. To me, and increasingly to others too.
What to Expect from MAC in the Coming Months
Toolkits and Worksheets
We’re rolling out a set of practical tools for marketers who want to get clear on what’s working, what’s not, and what to do next. These aren’t frameworks for show, they’re designed to be used.Courses
We’re developing a course for professionals who are tired of playbooks that don't hold up. It will focus on how to build marketing that’s aligned, transparent, and built for long-term value, not vanity metrics.Paid Consulting Opportunities
We’re opening the door to organizations that want help refining their strategies, clarifying their messaging, and aligning their teams. The same principles we talk about publicly, we’ll bring inside your organization.Ongoing Friday Sessions
We’ll continue to meet weekly and invite more guests. If you’ve been watching but haven’t joined the conversation yet, now’s the time.Expanded Distribution and Transparency Work
We’re tracking issues such as undisclosed AI-generated content and influencer deception, and we plan to develop tools and conduct investigations to expose and address them.
This isn’t a phase. It’s a shift.
If any of this resonates, consider joining us on a Friday. Or reach out.
We’re not trying to save marketing.
We’re just trying to make it make sense again.
Gavin. Marissa. Myself. We’re in forward motion. And that’s enough.
MAC Compass Disclosure
This reflection was created with the help of AI, but the insights, experiences, and intent are entirely my own. No part of this story was generated passively or repurposed. Tools like ChatGPT were used to help structure and sharpen what I was already thinking and feeling.
At the Marketing Accountability Council, we believe in clear authorship, responsible content practices, and owning your voice, even when AI is part of the process. If we’re going to use these tools, we should say so. And we should say how.
If you have questions about how this post was made, or how we think about AI and authorship, come to a Friday session. We talk about this stuff openly.
Join us Fridays at 3pm ET: https://streamyard.com/wfjjdzjg74
Or watch on YouTube, LinkedIn, or Substack.