Sensible Woo is the mind. Sasquatch Media Grounds is the muscle.
Hey Reader,
This week, a self-funded indie horror film beat studio releases at the box office. Not in a “cute for an indie” way. Not in a niche, midnight-screening, film-Twitter darling way. It showed up, took the literal receipts, and made a very loud point about how power actually moves right now.
How loud? Well, according to the latest report I could get my hands on, about $22 million in exchange for a $3 million price tag.
A creator funded his own film, distributed it without a traditional studio machine, trusted his audience for the entire marketing campaign, committed to craft, and won. Big.
Pause there for a second… because this is where the lesson lives.
I can already hear the reflexive objection forming. ➡️ “But Mary, my YouTube channel is for my business. I’m not making horror movies.”
Exactly. And that’s why this matters.
Your business problems are not going to be solved by more recycled business strategies that are stale as fuck and getting staler by the minute. The economy is unstable. Society is unstable. Attention is fragmented and brittle. And yet so many people are still trying to sell like it’s 2016, hoping a slightly tweaked hook, a shinier Canva template, or one more AI rewrite will magically fix what’s broken.
Most people think they need more money. If they just had a bigger budget, everything would work. The offers would convert. The content would land. The audience would care.
That’s not how this works.
What changes outcomes is how wisely you use the budget you already have… and whether you understand what you’re producing in the first place.
This indie film didn’t succeed because someone threw studio money at it. It succeeded because the creator respected craftsmanship and storytelling. But more importantly, he knew his audience. He understood pacing, tension, and payoff. He delivered an experience. He didn’t talk at people and hope they’d stay out of politeness. He took them somewhere.
This is where I’m going to lovingly but firmly look you dead in the eyes:
Are you telling a story in your business?
Or are you just talking at your audience and expecting them to love you like you’re Simon Sinek… without paying the dues it takes to become Simon Sinek?
You can buy better gear. You can upgrade your editing. You can layer on special effects, AI polish, and all the bells and whistles your credit card can handle. None of that fixes weak storytelling. A poor man’s Simon Sinek talk with a bigger budget is still a poor man’s Simon Sinek talk. It just costs more.
I learned this inside big media environments where budgets were discussed constantly. Even at Disney, the money always drove the production. Always. But the story didn’t get better because more money was spent. A bad idea with a larger budget is still a bad idea… it’s just louder and harder to walk back.
This is why Sasquatch Media Grounds exists. I don’t help people chase vanity metrics or spray themselves across a million podcasts just to feel visible. I help people slow the fuck down and ask the questions most creators avoid because they’re uncomfortable.
🧐 Have you dug deep enough yet?
🧐 Do you feel something when you talk about your work?
🧐 Does your audience feel anything back?
Because there is real & hard truth no funnel can save you from: no emotion means no sales. Period.
This is also why the Creator Economy Dojo has officially kicked off. Our founding members had their first call this week, and the energy was unmistakable. This is what happens when people stop chasing attention and start building infrastructure that can hold growth without burning them out or hollowing them out.
If you’re done copying stale strategies and ready to work within your real budget (while upgrading your storytelling, your positioning, and your conversions), you can still join on a rolling basis.
The old systems are wobbling, which means craft is back. And the people who know how to tell a compelling story are the ones who get heard in the new economy.
Gossip From the Creator Trenches...
🐉 Dear Casting Gods, We’re Watching
Romantasy is having a full-blown live-action moment, and honestly… of course it is. When the world is on fire, people want dragons, longing, and a little cinematic escapism with teeth. Big titles are lining up for adaptations, fandoms are feral, and casting rumors are doing laps around the internet. Personally, I will never say no to dragons on screen. Ever. (Fourth Wing, I'm looking at you!) But Quicksilver has my whole heart, and I know I’m not the only one refreshing feeds like it’s a competitive sport. This is what audience devotion looks like when storytelling hits right.
🔗 See if your favorite title made the list
🤖 Before You Do Something Rash
Yes, I see the OpenAI boycott clickbait in my inbox. Constantly. And listen… if you’re not actively using AI tools, all of this is going to feel terrifying and out of control. That doesn’t mean panic is the move. Knee-jerk reactions aren’t activism. They’re just expensive mistakes in business cosplay. The smarter play right now is education, experimentation, and discernment. A creator I deeply respect laid out a clear, grounded take on what’s happening, why the outrage cycle keeps spinning, and how fast these tools are evolving (what’s “over” today will be back tomorrow with new terms and new features). Breathe. Think. Choose deliberately. Your nervous system and your bottom line will thank you.
🔗 Check your deeper reason first
📡 Mobile Tech That Actually Matters
If you’re spiraling about privacy, surveillance, and security (fair), here’s something worth paying attention to. A new app designed for protesters is gaining traction globally and is now live in the Apple App Store. It allows communication when cellular networks go down (yes, that scenario), uses Bluetooth mesh networking, and doesn’t store user data that can be seized later. Translation: this is tech built for people, not extraction. While the U.S. is late to the party, the use cases are already proving real elsewhere. This is what it looks like when tech serves human coordination instead of selling it. Viva la revolution, but make it functional.
🔗 Learn about Bitchat here
🎧 Awkward? Don't Know Her.
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Thank you for listening! 🥳 Megan and I are so grateful to everyone who tuned in for the premiere week of The Awkward Handshake. Little did we know that our weird obsession with attending networking events would turn into a podcast, launch a series of networking events, and kick off some upcoming workshops to help you get better at human connections. We are kind of floored at the numbers behind these first five episodes and can't wait to bring you more. We hope you enjoy the show. 🤗 |
📣 Mark Your Calendar
I've got a couple of juicy things coming up with registration hitting your inboxes starting next week...
🎙️ 30-Second Ads That Pay
Join the Creator Economy Dojo for the February workshop intensive focused on one core revenue skill: 30-second ad spots.
You’ll learn how to write, read, and edit short ads that sound natural, hold attention, and convert. This includes promos for your own show, cross-promotions with other creators, and host-read ads for paying sponsors.
If you want your podcast or channel to generate income without sounding awkward or salesy, this is required training.
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🗣️ Find the Words
(When Silence Isn’t an Option)
If you feel stuck, muted, or unsure how to speak clearly about what matters right now, this workshop is for you.
I’m hosting a time-sensitive session designed to help you find your words so that your silence does not become complicity.
This is not about being loud for attention. It’s about being precise, grounded, and heard.
The workshop date is being finalized. Opt in now to get first access.
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🐎🔥 Fire Horse Season Is a Hard Reset
Lunar New Year isn’t a cute tradition or a vibes-based refresh. It’s the real energetic reset and 2026 does not arrive quietly.
The Fire Horse rides in on February 17, and this week’s private Woo Crew reading gets into what that actually means for leaders, founders, and people who carry responsibility. This year moves fast. It rewards clarity, internal coherence, and decisive action. It burns down anything built on borrowed authority, overextension, or “I’ll figure it out later” energy.
Inside the full episode, we break down why everything feels so loud right now, how to work with the pressure instead of bracing against it, and what needs stabilizing before the gates officially open. This isn’t aesthetic astrology or surface-level forecasting. It’s grounded, strategic guidance for people who run businesses, make decisions, and can’t afford to dissociate their way through a major cycle shift.
Join the Woo Crew for $7/month… to access the full Fire Horse forecast, CEO-level context, and practical prompts that help you move into this year easily, rather than getting dragged once momentum hits.
New year. New tempo. Come inside before it kicks off. Tap to hear this week's excerpt ⤵️
Want the whole thing?
Let's Hang Out
I have exciting news! I'm officially booked to speak on stage at Podcast Movement Evolutions @ SXSW. I'll be speaking on March 15th at Skybox on 6th. Priority is given to badge holders for SXSW but you can request admission through Podcast Movement for access. I'll have an interest form soon, so I can coordinate an IRL meetup for those of you headed to the ATX.
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Participate + Join In
Thank you to everyone that has already applied! Responses are coming soon!
I’m casting guests for Season 3 of the School of Moxie podcast (airing summer 2026), and this season is reserved for entrepreneurs who are financially self-responsible through their business. Each guest brings a comfort show or movie, which we’ll use to unpack values, decision-making, and the true foundation of your business. If that’s you, apply here.
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