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Dan Kahn

@dan_kahn_media

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Marketer and CEO of @kahnmedia and @treadagency, writer, entrepreneur, adventurer, outdoors enthusiast, family man.

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The best strategy session I had this week happened on a tractor.

People ask why I traded a lifetime in LA for a farm in North Carolina. The honest answer: I was cooked.

This week I heard the reason put better than I’ve ever managed, on Chris Williamson’s Modern Wisdom podcast, in his conversation with Dylan Gossett.

Sheridan and I are big fans. We’ve seen him live a couple of times, including a tiny show at Gruene Hall in the Texas Hill Country, one of my favorite places on earth. Raw sound. Kind words. No interest in the flash.

Dylan says he barely thinks about algorithms. He writes songs he finds beautiful and trusts they’ll find the right people. With autotune and AI everywhere, that honesty is exactly why people connect with his music.

Then they hit on something I hear from clients every week.

A musician who only hangs out in Nashville with other songwriters and label executives starts sounding like everyone else. Marketers are no different.

Right now, brands trying to keep up with a landscape that changes by the hour are lining up behind the same gurus. Hormozi. Gary Vee. The usual rotation.

Is there value in what they teach? Yes.
Are they selling something? Also yes. Books, seminars, the next course.
Does it work when everyone in your category runs the same plays? No. You get vanilla ice cream.

Learn the best practices. Then leave enough room to break them. The brands winning right now go narrow and deep, not loud and wide.

That room is hard to find in an echo chamber. In LA I was walking six miles a day, fasting, meditating... anything to clear space for one fresh thought.

Now, after a day of Zoom calls and pitch meetings, I plow a field. Muck a stall. Throw a line in the pond.

Nobody on the farm cares about my deck. That’s where the best ideas show up.

Where do you go to stop thinking like everyone else? by @dan_kahn_media

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7 days ago

“Great companies are made up of awesome people who were given a chance to be great.”

In our latest Best of OTSS re-release, BluePrint Engines CEO Norris Marshall talks about why great leadership means challenging people, investing in their growth and giving them the opportunity to realize what they’re capable of.

Revisit Episode 25 of Only The Strong Survive, now available with video for the first time. It’s one of our favorites, and worth a listen! by @dan_kahn_media

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15 days ago

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17 days ago

You can have all the talent in the world, but that only gets you so far. The people who build long careers are the ones others trust, enjoy working with and want to bring back for the next project.

That was one of the biggest takeaways from our conversation with @larry_chen_foto , and it still holds up years later.

We’re revisiting one of our favorite early episodes of @otsspodcast , and this is one everyone should listen to.

Available to revisit now on all streaming platforms. by @dan_kahn_media

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a month ago

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a month ago

Bruce Meyer is one of the most genuine and caring people in the automotive industry, and his impact on car culture is hard to overstate.

Dan had the privilege of sitting down with Bruce on the latest episode of @otsspodcast to hear stories from a lifetime spent around some of the world’s most significant cars, legendary people, and defining moments in automotive history.

Check out the full episode of Only the Strong Survive now live wherever you listen to your podcasts! by @dan_kahn_media

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2 months ago

Before becoming the new President of the @pebblebeachconcours, Vince Finaldi’s love of remarkable cars started in his family’s garage.

Of all the cars he has encountered over the years, one has always stood out: the Lamborghini Miura.

Vince’s dad owned one, and several others passed through the family garage while he was growing up. Years later, Vince found a Miura in Belgium and had the chance to test-drive it alongside legendary Lamborghini test driver Valentino Balboni.

…Not exactly your average test drive. 😮

Hear the full story in the newest episode of @otsspodcast , available now on all podcast platforms. by @dan_kahn_media

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2 months ago

Busy weekend at Kahn Farm, we’ve been working hard on the pond getting the water level up and keeping it stocked with an ecosystem of fish. But getting in and out of the boat required getting muddy… so we decided to add a dock! taken in Waxhaw, North Carolina by @dan_kahn_media

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2 months ago

“Middle management is where good ideas go to die.”

Matt Stevenson isn’t criticizing middle managers. He’s pointing out a challenge that exists in a lot of organizations.

Some of the best ideas come from the people closest to the work, but without the right processes, they never reach the people who can actually make them happen.

Listen to the full episode now, featuring Matt Stevenson, President and CEO of @holleyperformance. Availible wherever you listen to your podcasts. by @dan_kahn_media

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3 months ago

I am unapologetically patriotic. I love our country… warts and all. I wish we all got along better, and could have disagreements while maintaining respect for others. But at the end of the day, anyone with hustle, grit, resilience, and a big idea can achieve their dreams. There’s no limit, no walls, and no barriers except the self imposed ones. And if you don’t like where you’re at… move and start over. That’s a freedom of living in a republic. It’s not easy, but good things rarely come on the back end of easy. And after a decade of wandering this country exploring 36 states and spending over 350 nights sleeping on public land, I’m more positive then ever that if you turn off the news, shut out the politicians and just talk to people… you’ll find the same thing we did: people are at their core decent and kind. We (Americans) have more trees and open land than people and concrete. And we all live in a truly amazing, beautiful, wild and sometimes crazy place. That’s what I love about it. Happy Independence Day, to all my friends and neighbors past, current and future. 🇺🇸❤️🌲🇺🇸 taken in United States of America by @dan_kahn_media

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3 months ago

“The water isn’t warmer if you jump in later.”

Simple advice from Gordon McCall, but one that applies to just about everything. Stop waiting for the perfect time. Start now, learn as you go, and don’t be afraid to fail.

One of our favorite moments from the latest episode of @otsspodcast.

Watch the full episode at the link in our bio. by @dan_kahn_media

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3 months ago

As we approach year in Waxhaw, thought I’d give a quick farm update and show off this week’s project! I built a mobile watering system for our trees and flower beds around the property that don’t have irrigation, all for a few hundred dollars with mostly leftover and marketplace parts. taken in Waxhaw, North Carolina by @dan_kahn_media

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4 months ago