Your Business Doesn't Need Hype, It Needs This

🎙️ Thorn City Spotlight — Live Pop-Up (Episode 001)

Systems Over Hype. Visibility That Pays.

This episode marks a milestone.

This is the very first Thorn City Spotlight pop-up on my solo mission, captured live with doors open and mics warmed — and it also marks Mr3thehardway’s first solo event as well. Two firsts. One room. One shared belief: real growth comes from systems, not slogans.

The energy is local and practical: Portland roots, boardroom mindset, and a clear plan to make visibility work.

📈 Promotion vs. Marketing (The Line Most People Miss)

Posting flyers is a reminder — not persuasion.

Marketing meets buyers already in the market, attaches a story to their need, and guides them to purchase with confidence. We break down:

🤖 Automation = Freedom

This is how we change that:
Systems. Marketplaces. Partnerships that pay when value lands.

🔔 Next Steps

👉 Subscribe for more live pop-ups and real conversations
👉 Share this episode with a creator who needs momentum
👉 Leave a quick review to help more people find the show

Then tap http://www.thorncitysyndicate.com to get your free digital report card and plug into the marketplace.

Get visible. Get structured. Get paid.

🎙️ Podcast Host System™

Not a course. Not just production.

A repeatable system for independent podcast hosts who want consistency, visibility, and momentum—without burnout.

Build your podcast with intention, not guesswork.

DIY • DWY • DFY

🔗 https://www.thorncitysyndicate.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:13

I did what I had to do, and so should you. We live, brother. We live, we live, man. With the spotlight show pop-up, man. It's your boy Nine Hall, the Thorn City podcast guy. Yep. Today, it's not I'm not just doing another show. This is actually my first Thorn City pop-up event. I haven't done it by myself. Yes, sir. Okay. You know, I've always had my team behind me and working with me, but now kind of doing my solo thing. Okay. So I'm at my Cuddy's event, Mr. Three the Hard Way. His birthday weekend. Mm-hmm. What is this thing? The AI Authority Network Mixer? Yep. Yep.

SPEAKER_00 0:49

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

Man, so tell me a little bit about what we got going on here.

Live Pop-Up And Host Intro

Themed Mastermind And Monthly Format

SPEAKER_00 0:52

So today we are, I'm hosting every monthly event. So we're going to have a monthly mastermind. This will be monthly. Every month it does have a theme. This this month is the corporate. So it's the boardroom. We are in our boardroom, you know, from the corner, from the corner boys to the corner office. So we are doing our thing with the with uh with the uh event. And you know, we just want a little corporate today. And again, every month is gonna have a theme. I think the next month in January will be we're in your lap, so it's gonna be like tracksuits and stuff like that, you know. But we want to mix entertainment, culture, politics, and business education. So, you know, every month we have a different speaker to be given different forms of value in business. This month we have AI doing AI and automation, how to make sure that your business is being able to run, sometimes even and take yourself out of the business. And like he got AI runs his total whole business. So that way he can just focus on the clients and the customers and things that he has going on. So if you have your AI, because business system and processes, that's what business is, right? So the more system and process you have, you can actually take yourself outside of your business and work on your business. You can't work on your business if you're constantly working in your business, right? So every month we're gonna be having a um a different event. We will have different speakers that live, deliver different value so that you can learn how to scale your business or start a business. So that's what we got going on.

Systems Over Hustle

The Thorn City Ecosystem Explained

Creator Marketplace And Visibility Network

SPEAKER_01 2:13

Nice. Oh, that's dope, man. So, like I said, you know, I've been doing my own thing. And so I always hear you always talk about systems and processes, just uh. So that's what I've been doing as I step into my own realm. I've been working on building my own systems and processes. And so what I came up with is, you know, I'm Thorn City, Thorn City podcast guy. So I've been building the Thorn City ecosystem. Okay. So I've been building it piece by piece. And so basically, what it is, it's a podcast host system for production. That's what we got set up here. So I love it. So I teach people how to do this. Um if you if you got the budget and you can buy all this, you can do this. If not, you just do it, do it what you got, man. Just start. Absolutely. Just start. That's the key, man. You can really do it with a phone if you want to. Wow. Because it's about your message and and what you're talking about, really. It's good to capture video, everybody likes to see it, but you know, the audio is more important. And so, yes, the um it's the the podcast system. Um, you see my backpack screen over here. I got another mobile type screen that I'm I'm I'm I like to set up in some coffee shop or business. So it's the the uh the digital screens, advertising screens, the visibility network. That's what that is. Right. And then the third part is the creative vendor marketplace. Right. And so that's the last part I need to activate in the system. Um so I built the system. Now I'm learning how the system works. How the system works. How the system works. Absolutely. You know, you can build it, but if you don't know how to run it and how to do it, then the system ain't no good. System ain't no good. You know what I'm saying? So this was actually perfect for what I'm trying to do for this part of the system, to create a vendor marketplace. Yeah. It's all about a marketplace for creators and videographers and designers, editors, photographers, social media managers, anybody with talent, but they don't got the visibility they deserve. No, visibility. Oh yeah. If you're a creator in Portland, if you need her, if you if you want to help me turn this part of the system on, I got a QR code here. Scan that QR code, and it's gonna take you to my form to apply and submit yourself into the Venom Network Marketplace.

Marketing Vs Promotion

SPEAKER_00 4:16

Yeah, that's important, man. I like told people to before, like a lot of people got a lot of great businesses and got a lot of great ideas, but a lot of people don't know what you do. So I think a lot of people don't understand the difference between, you know, marketing and promotion, like I spoke about before, right? So when you think about marketing, a lot of 90% of people say they online say they're marketing, but really they're just posting flyers, cute carous sales, and I was one of those guys. Right. I was one of those guys as well, right? Just like, hey, I'm marketing. Yeah, flyer. Right? But a flyer is really promotion. Flyer is a a tool that you use to remind somebody there's something that they already are aware of. They know that you got a show, so you go and post a flyer to remind them to come to your show. Marketing is something totally different. When you think about marketing, you have to think about there is people that's in a market for a certain thing. So you're running a podcast, you're in a market for equipment, microphones, sound equipment, mixer boards. You're in a market to purchase something, right? So how do you sell that? Well, how you sell is that you got to be able to become a better speaker. When you become a better speaker, you could then tie a story to the actual market that people are in the market for. They already in a market for microphones, right? But short microphone or roll microphone, they have to then be able to speak to you so that you can buy something that you already know that you're in the market for and but and purchase it, right? So when you can connect the story to the market, that's when the market would then pay you. So don't say you're marketing if you're just posting flyers. You're just gambling at that point to say, I hope somebody look at my flyer and purchase something or sign up for something. You don't have to guess what the market, yeah, you just got to supply the actual market.

Why A Local Creator Directory Matters

SPEAKER_01 5:51

Man, that's dope, bro. So let me break it down real quick. Portland's full of creative talent, but the problem is nobody knows who does what, nobody knows where to find the right people, and there's too many creators getting overlooked because there's no structure. So that's why I built the vendor the creative vendor marketplace. It's our directory, our centralized hub, a place where businesses can find real local creators, and a place where you can finally be seen for what you bring to the table. So it's not a random freelancer list, it's a visibility engine for the sea for the city. So if you got a service or a skill and you want in, tap in. You can visit my website, www.thorncity syndicate.com. Fill out the free what I got on there, the free digital report card. It's gonna give you, it's gonna break down your visibility across the net across the web. Nice. Man. So, like I said, I got my guy, Mr. Three the Harway, in here. He's from Portland, like we we real Portland Northeast guys. Absolutely, you know, really. So tell them again if they don't know what lane are you in as far as creativity and business-wise.

Brand Building, Funding, And Tiers

SPEAKER_00 6:55

Creativity. So, what I do is I help entrepreneurs create digital products to the to a digital field, and I teach them how to market, scale, and brand their business on social media so they can become more visible with brand visibility, right? Like you just said, brand visibility is an important thing, but a lot of people, again, like I just said, don't really know how to elevate their brand. So that's what I end up doing, and then I also provide a way for them to get funding because I have a funding company. So if you have a business and you need funding, then my company and my team will be able to get you funding at 0% interest rate. That way you can take that bank's money and then be able to scale your business. You ain't gonna be able to scale with just taking that the earned money. You should be investing the earned money and then leveraging the bank's money, right? So we get you, we get you funding. And if your credit isn't so right, we also provide credit repair so that you can get ahead and be able to get that funding as well. So, what type of clients or opportunities are you looking for right now? Right now, you know, it's it's open. If anybody is willing to learn and come, there's different tiers that I do have, right? Because everybody's at different levels. So if you're willing to come learn about a business, then we have a community of people that's on my actual school community. Then it's a free tier. You can jump in for absolutely free. Is uh if you guys got school S-K-O-O-L, you go to authority brand builder. Authority brand builder, it'd be in black and red letters, and you assist just see the writing. And then uh you'll be able to jump into the free tier network and have community with the other entrepreneurs in there. When you move into the paid tier, that's when you get the videos and a little bit more, right? So everything is about investing. You either have to invest money or you have to invest time. Anything that you don't invest into, you're not gonna actually use. So we believe if you don't pay, you don't pay attention. No transaction, no transformation. So I know a lot of people be like, yeah, you're gatekeeping, but the problem with gatekeeping is that if I give you the information, you're not able to use it and you don't act on the information that I first give you, then it's not doing you any good. Like you said, systems would know you're not be able to use the systems, it doesn't do you any good. So I can give you all the systems in the world, like, oh, you're gatekeeping the system. Or if you're not able to use the system or you don't have the drive and want to use the system, then you're wasting my time and you waste the yours. So the second tier I think is only like ten dollars. That's just to make sure you can see the videos and everything else. The next one goes up and that gets a little bit more access, and that is gonna be that's gonna be an investment, absolutely.

Affiliate Marketing As Growth Engine

SPEAKER_01 9:08

See, so everything you just share right there, that's exactly why I built the creator in the marketplace. So this is the part I need you to help me activate. I need to put you in the marketplace. Put me in the marketplace.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

In the marketplace. I'm in the market. If y'all in the market and get getting to me, put me in the marketplace.

SPEAKER_01 9:28

So that's the thing about the marketplace. It's really built on the affiliate marketing thing. So you share, I pro I promote your business, I get you a sale, you break me off a little piece. Absolutely. You know what I'm saying? And then likewise, we promote my business. If you get me a sale, break you off a little piece. That's work. And then we eat together. That's business. That's it, man. And so a lot of people don't know about the affiliate marketing. That's really one of the easiest ways to connect, collaborate, and make money together. You know what I'm saying? Because it don't it don't cost you nothing. It don't cost you nothing. It don't cost you nothing to like, share, and subscribe and tell somebody else to do the same thing. You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_00 10:06

So jumping in something that's already going. It's people ask me, like, if you lost it all today, what would you do to get it back? I would absolutely jump into affiliate marketing and start selling things that already have a track record of selling until I'm able to get back on my feet, and then I will start my business back up.

AI Automation That Runs A Business

SPEAKER_01 10:19

Yes, sir. Man, right on, brother. I appreciate you uh inviting me out today. You know what I'm saying? You make you tell me to show up, or you know I'm gonna show up. Absolutely. You need me to show up, I'm gonna show up as well. Absolutely. Man, so that's the spotlight show. We just getting started. I'm gonna get a couple more guests out there. We got my guy, Ace is still on the stage. Ace is still on the stage, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:38

Tell me what Ace is talking about right now. Asa is talking about AI automation. He develops AI as well. Not just using AI and telling you guys to use Chap GPT. He actually has his own software he developed, it runs his business, it answers his emails, it it actually runs his whole automated business. So again, when you can't you can't work on your business if you're constantly working in your business. If you are still working in your business, you don't have a business. You just have a you have a job. You traded a job for another job, right? So you can't take yourself outside to go learn how to scale your business, go to a mastermind, learn how to elevate your business because you're constantly working in it, then you're you're always, you just have a job. You know what I mean? So he learned how to create AI and develop AI to where his business can run from the automation and then he can deal with his clients. He can go do meetings, and he doesn't have to worry about having to have to answer the emails. You don't have to answer everything. His AI will then answer and then sends it over to him, and he just deals with the clients when they're ready. He knows what they need, he knows what they want, what they're in the market for, and he just supplies them what they need.

Launching The Marketplace And Final CTA

SPEAKER_01 11:39

Yep, that's it. That's dope. Man, so y'all, if y'all don't know, it's asuspay.ai on Instagram. Go check it out. He has a link right now, and you can actually see his presentation he's going through right now. Man, so that's it, y'all. Like I said, I got my first creative vendor that I'm gonna drop into the marketplace now. So now I got the the full system is gonna be up and running. So if you're a photographer, videographer, editor, designer, stylist, if you want to get into the uh ecosystem, into the creative vendor marketplace, man, tap in on www.thornecity syndicate.com. I want you in the system. It's how we build a city, it's how we create opportunity, and it's how we get creators seen, get booked, and get paid. Absolutely. Follow me on Instagram, Mr. Sir the Hardway. Mm-hmm. So, yeah, I'm gonna get somebody else in here at some point. You know what I'm saying? It's all about content right now, so we'll be doing it. I appreciate y'all tuning in to another episode of the Thorn City Spotlight Show, where we highlight entrepreneurs and creators who are putting in the work. Because visibility isn't about fame, it's about focus. Make sure y'all tap in on the tap-in, tell a friend to tell a friend, subscribe, like, comment, leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. And if you're building consistently, but feeling stuck with clarity and growth, this next part's for you. I am Naeem Hall, the Thorn City Podcast Guy, and this is the Spotlight Show. Be seen, be heard, be remembered. If today's episode helped you, the system behind it might help you too. It's the podcast system. Visit ThornCitySyndicate.com to get your free digital report card today.