Phil Pallen's Recent LinkedIn Posts

A few rows from the front at Adobe Summit, I got to soak in some of the best conversations I’ve heard on AI and creativity. Adobe I also hosted a "Lunch & Learn" with business leaders to talk about real solutions. Tools like Adobe Express and Adobe Firefly help teams create faster, stay on brand, and personalize content at scale. Firefly content is commercially safe and backed by indemnification. That gives businesses the freedom to actually use what they create—with no legal gray area. Missed Summit? The main sessions are available on demand. Highly recommend carving out time to watch. 🔗 https://adobe.ly/3DeEjZQ #AdobeSummit #AdobePartner

My very first speaking engagement was on whales. (Narwhals to be exact.) I was in 6th grade, and I remember being completely petrified. I even dropped my cue cards—a disaster. However, as my speech went on, I looked at my "audience" (AKA classmates) and realized something: figuring out how to keep them engaged was exhilarating. After that, I was hooked. While it's been several decades and grey hairs since 6th grade, that thrill of speaking publicly has never changed for me. And when I have opportunities to present at events like Adobe MAX next week, it's surreal to realize how far Little Me has come. My shameless plug: If you're at MAX next week, here’s where you can find me: 💻 Lab (in-person only) Work At Speed: Make Cross-Channel Campaigns in Adobe Express [L6457] This lab will repeat a few times, including: Tues. Oct 10 • 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM PDT Wed. Oct 11 • 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM PDT Thur. Oct 12 • 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM PDT 📢 AI mini talk (in-person only) Beyond the Hype: Real-World Possibilities of Generative AI [CP6826] with Rufus Deuchler Tues. Oct 10 • 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM PDT Creative Park Stage 🚨 Adobe Live (in-person & online) First Takes from the Community: Adobe Express for Professionals [AL611] with Cynthia Lagos Wed. Oct 11 • 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM PDT Best of all, you can attend MAX free online. Register here: http://max.adobe.com And if you have any questions about 'em, comment below! #AdobeMax #AdobeExpressAmbassadors

Whether you’re building recruitment posts to attract top talent, launching campaigns quickly, or creating sales content to connect with prospects, Adobe Express makes it easy to design professional, on-brand content in minutes. Get practical tips, live demos, and real examples as Adobe experts guide you through content creation workflows in Adobe Express and help your team communicate better and faster on social media. In just one hour, you and your team will: • See how Adobe Express drives business content. • Attend live demos tailored to your role. • Learn branding best practices from industry expert Emanuele Breccia. • Ask questions and explore real use cases.

Every time I go to Adobe Summit, I walk away inspired. It’s the place where businesses, marketers, and content creators come together to explore the latest innovations in AI, creativity, and digital marketing. And this year, I’m heading there to bring you behind the scenes. Adobe has been pushing boundaries with tools like Adobe Express, making high-quality content creation faster and more accessible than ever—especially for teams that need efficiency without sacrificing brand consistency. I’ll be on the ground at Summit, learning how enterprise teams are leveraging these amazing tools to scale their content while staying on-brand. If you create content or run a business, Adobe Summit is your chance to: • Connect with leading business decision-makers • Learn how AI is transforming digital workflows • Uplevel your marketing strategy with real-world insights And the best part? Even if you can’t be there in person, you can join virtually for free to watch keynotes and select sessions. I’ll be sharing real-time updates, takeaways, and what I learn from industry leaders. If you're attending in person, let me know—I’d love to connect! 📌 Register here: https://lnkd.in/deqQEeCT Adobe Express #AdobeExpressPartner

It’s not often you get the chance to discuss the future of AI and marketing with a leader who is truly shaping the industry. That’s exactly what I did on Friday at the Association of National Advertisers' Masters of Marketing Conference on Friday, interviewing Hannah Elsakr from Adobe—a real 'pinch me' career moment! Hannah’s insights highlighted why Adobe’s approach to AI is so remarkable. Instead of racing to be first, they’ve prioritized responsibility and quality. She discussed how brands like Mattel, Inc., Coach, and Gatorade are leveraging generative AI to drive innovation. From reimagining packaging and product design to offering personalized experiences, it’s clear that AI is transforming how companies connect with their audiences. Even as someone who's comfortable on stage, moderating this discussion for Adobe was a unique challenge—and a really exciting one! It reminded me that saying yes to new opportunities can be incredibly rewarding. #AI #Adobe #AdobeFirefly

Sometimes the “boring” channels like email and SMS are actually the smartest. Email still delivers one of the highest ROIs in marketing. SMS has open rates north of 90 percent. And when you use them together, you cut through the noise in a way social feeds rarely can nowadays. One of my favorite parts of my job is testing new tools and sharing the ones worth your time. Lately I’ve been trying Textmagic. You probably know it for SMS, but now you can send email campaigns from the same dashboard. One place to send, track, and follow up without juggling multiple tools. Small business owners and marketers: don’t sleep on this combo. Build channels you own, not ones an algorithm controls. Curious how it works? You’re in luck because I made a little video demo for you:

🎉 It’s book launch day! 🎉 AI for Small Business is finally here. This book is for small business owners looking to integrate AI thoughtfully to save time, improve processes, and focus on what matters most. Sending love to everyone struggling right now. Thank you for your support!

I started my branding agency in 2011 with a laptop and an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription after graduating Full Sail University. I found my designer in 2014 on Behance after being stunned by his portfolio, and a decade later, we've designed over 100 brands together. Today, my story will be featured on Adobe Spotlight at 3pm ET (12pm PT), streaming live on Adobe Live on Behance and YouTube. I plan to share: • Actionable takeaways to build and grow your brand • Career highlights with important lessons learned • A peek behind the curtain on some of my favorite branding projects • A first-look at my own rebrand I hope you'll join us live, or catch the replay!

Discover what makes brands stand out, how to find success through social media and the key to personal branding in episode 5 of In the Making. 🔑 Tune in to this captivating podcast featuring Phil Pallen, a celebrity branding expert, alongside Teresa Au. Listen now: https://lnkd.in/e5kyjsdJ

My trip to LA last week has me feeling all nostalgic. I moved there in 2011 after graduating Full Sail University and it's where I launched my business at 22—selling my barely sufficient practical skills (logo and website design, social media strategy) to small business owners that needed help, so I could pay my rent the following month. I also didn't drive or own a car, which many describe as impossible in LA. Uber didn't exist yet and I couldn't afford taxis, so I took the bus or my bike everywhere, which added to the stress. Nowadays, my agency transforms established professionals of all industries into digital leaders, but that's not how it started. I actually moved to LA to pursue a career in TV hosting, but the stiff competition and uncertainty was discouraging. I promptly put my hosting dreams on hold to focus on helping those aspiring hosts build their brands, which paid my bills and kept me connected to an industry that I loved. I always hoped that hosting opportunities would present themselves when I was ready and I had earned it—more so as an expert in my field. Today, I'm hosting (in some form) almost daily—my own video content for YouTube, and for brands. Virtual and in-person presentations. All of it around my schedule, and on my terms. Next week, I head to back to California already (San Francisco this time) to host and present on branding for Adobe Live, which is just one of many exciting projects that Adobe keeps me busy with, satiating that desire to teach and present. It took 12 years to get here, but I'm proud to have a career that truly fulfills me. Beyond that, it's my mission to help others achieve the same amount of happiness and fulfillment. Cool, right?! 🙂 #tbt #throwback

In 2024, my business underwent a massive transformation. After 13 years as a branding agency owner, I shifted gears, and now, as a content creator, I make more than I ever did as a service provider. What started as a “pandemic” project—posting YouTube videos weekly—has evolved into my main income stream, with partnerships across 100+ brands. That transformation inspired me to revisit content trends, and Artlist's 2025 Trend Report (https://lnkd.in/d3kvb_rF) felt like a perfect catalyst. The report’s insights on human-centered storytelling, quality over quantity in AI, and the growing influence of creators align closely with what I’ve observed firsthand. I’ve written a post unpacking their findings—plus my own takeaways on what these trends mean for creators and small businesses in 2025. Here’s a sneak peek of the five key themes: 1. The Human Renaissance: AI is powerful, but storytelling is still deeply human. 2. Quality and Compliance: Tools that prioritize privacy and licensing matter more than ever. 3. Fast-Moving Trends: Staying relevant doesn’t mean chasing every trend—it’s about strategy. 4. Collective Marketing Power: Long-term partnerships build deeper connections with audiences. 5. Cross-Generational Content: Content that bridges age gaps can unlock massive engagement. Curious about what these trends mean for your business? Read the full post here below, featuring insights from Ori Winokur, Joe Gardner, and Lauren Moore.

I’m on the ground at Adobe Summit—just a few rows from the stage—as Adobe unveils its latest innovations. How freaking cool! For years, I’ve recommended Adobe Express to business owners and creators. It’s my go-to tool for content creation—both for myself and my clients. Now, Adobe is taking Express to the next level for businesses and enterprise. At Adobe Summit today, new enterprise capabilities were announced, making it even easier to scale content production while maintaining brand control. With Adobe Workfront integration, Express now connects directly to: • Firefly-powered AI for generating and adapting content quickly • GenStudio, Adobe Journey Optimizer, and Marketo Engage for seamless marketing execution • Built-in approval workflows to keep teams aligned and content on-brand Express makes content creation fast, efficient, and scalable—with the added confidence of Firefly’s indemnification. Watch Adobe Summit sessions on demand: https://lnkd.in/dJXGRmeS #AdobeSummit #AdobeExpressPartner

Come party with me next week! 🎉 My 'AI for Small Business' Book Launch Party is happening next Tuesday, January 28th at 2:30 PM ET, hosted by the amazing team at Ecamm Network, LLC. Get ready to hear from me with actionable AI strategies for small business owners, and these guest speakers: • Katie Fawkes, Head of Marketing at Ecamm, diving into creator AI adoption and hesitations • Lauren Moore: Founder of Book Huddle, reflecting with me how we pulled this book off! • Rebecca Harpain: Founder of InsideTheSquare, discussing SEO in the age of AI • Mike Russell: AI Creator and Creative Director at Music Radio Creative, chatting advanced AI strategies for SMBs with me Prizes for attendees—bring your book (physical, Kindle, or audio) to be entered to win! RSVP now and join the fun:

Today at #AdobeMAX, Adobe announced major updates to Adobe Express, including the new AI Assistant in beta. I’ve rounded up 20 of the best and newest features in one video, including new design tools, smarter scheduling, and impressive social features. There’s a reason I’m a hype man for Adobe Express! Watch the full video to see how you can use them in your workflow. Linked in the comments. #AdobeAmbassadorsAtMAX #Ad

Presenting for 30,000+ creators at the Instagram Summit by Manychat (starting today!) is a definitely a career highlight. Join my session tomorrow at 11:10AM PT, “Work Less, Create More: The AI Workflow You Needed Like Yesterday,” where I'll share how to reduce busywork, focus on creativity, and connect deeper with your audience. Key takeaways: • Use AI to boost your creative process • Automate low-impact tasks • Organize ideas for content creation Plus, don’t miss sessions with Trevor Noah, Hank Green, Jenna Kutcher, Brock Johnson, and more.

Most of my conversations these days are about AI. But in this episode with Betsy Gardner, I had the chance to go back to my roots: personal branding. Back in 2011 when I started, social media was the “now.” Today it’s AI. Independent of either, branding is timeless. It’s about creating consistency between the in-person and online experience of you. That matters more than ever. Betsy has been an incredible student of this work, and our conversation on the B Student Podcast shows why. We talk about first impressions, showing up authentically as a leader, and why consistency online and offline is the foundation of trust. Thanks for the great chat, Betsy! Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/dVF_SJGa Winter Park Chamber of Commerce Addison Cursey, MBA

I built a vendor recommendation assistant without writing a single line of code. In my vendor portal (which we use to source photographers for brand shoots), I wanted something that didn't exist as a standard building block. I needed a way to describe a client's needs and instantly get the best vendor match based on data already in my system. So I used Softr's AI Vibe Coding block. I literally just described what I wanted: "Recommend the best vendor based in New York with a mid-range budget, approved status, pricing, and notes." That was it. The block reads live vendor data from my database, evaluates status, ratings, pricing, and internal logic, then returns a concrete recommendation based on records I already trust. So awesome, so I had to share! 🙂

Full Sail University’s Hall Of Fame is one of my favorite events of the year. Shortly, I’m excited to share some AI tips to save time, stay organized, and bring yoir creative ideas to life. Join me live at 10am ET: https://philp.al/hof15 #FullSailHOF

I'm excited for this in-person presentation on Thursday at BECO—my first entirely focused on practical advice for small businesses to implement AI. Join us virtually: http://philp.al/watch-beco

AI might take your job. Just as an assistant might take your job. Just as your direct report will eventually take your job. These people take your job or responsibilities so you can move up and do bigger things. It’s no different with AI. When you know how to use it properly, AI helps you work from a more efficient and creative place. In fact, I'm going to go as far as saying that I HOPE AI takes your job so you're freed up to do more exciting and impactful work! It's an exciting time.

My friends at RingCentral have just launched something I’ve been testing, and I think a lot of businesses will find it useful: AI Receptionist, their new voice-first AI agent that answers calls, handles FAQs, and routes people to the right place. It even handles booking, reschedules appointments, sends texts, and shares relevant links with your customers. It’s like having a 24/7 digital employee. I had a chance to set it up and try it with my own business, and I’m seriously impressed! Here’s what stood out: • Setup took just a few minutes (no IT help needed) • You can train your AI receptionist to answer questions using your website, FAQs or any additional documentation • It sounds natural and knows how to respond based on real context You can read my opinion on LinkedIn, or you could watch me actually try it out (hint: the better option): https://lnkd.in/dVHN2Nk4 Full video review is linked in the comments if you’re curious to see how it works. Congrats, team! #RingCentralPartner

How many leads have slipped through the cracks because you forgot to follow up? I just started using Textmagic's new Automation Flows feature and it's one of the most practical tools I've seen for small business owners and solopreneurs. You can build automated SMS and email sequences that trigger when someone joins a list, opens a message, or goes inactive. There are 17 ready-made templates, a drag-and-drop builder, and conditional logic that lets you branch based on customer behavior. Build it once, it runs forever. Link in comments if you want to try it! #ad #TextmagicPartner #SMS

Our little agency has caught the eye of Stripe, and now we're featured on their website as a case study. It's a huge honor! I’m a big believer in nailing that first impression. Whether it’s presenting our brand or sending out an invoice, every detail counts. We aim to make every interaction with our clients reflect our brand's unique vibe, especially when it's time to talk numbers. Serving over 360+ clients worldwide, we're all about using smart tools (like Stripe & Xero) to keep our operations slick. And yes, I obsess over our invoices looking just as sharp as our services. I'm glad it paid off this time. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dYtxeJT8 🔗

After our 'AI Real Talk' session yesterday, one message stood out: AI’s role is to lighten your workload, not add complexity, and to help you focus on the parts of your business that matter most. So proud of how this session turned out! Catch the replay and learn how tools like RingCentral's AI Receptionist keep small businesses efficient and human. Watch on demand: https://lnkd.in/dn9rv6Wg

Marketing Trends 2025: What’s Changing and What to Do About It I’m excited to join Usercentrics and Navah Hopkins for a live webinar this Thursday, February 20th at 2 PM CET. Privacy is reshaping marketing, influencing brand strategy, community-building, and AI-driven content. We’ll break down the most important shifts and what they mean for marketers and business owners. What we’ll cover: • How Privacy-Led Marketing is shaping digital strategy • The growing role of creators in brand engagement • Key trends like niche communities, hyper-personalization, and AI-driven creativity And this session is free. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/ds4kWsAN (If you can’t make it live, register anyway to receive the recording!)

My voice is my moneymaker. After moving overseas, I’m working out of a space with high ceilings, hard surfaces, and plenty of echo. This is the kind of room that exposes audio problems fast. I’ve tested a lot of microphones over the years, and the SM7dB by Shure Incorporated is the one I trust in spaces like this. The built-in gain reduces extra gear on my desk, and it delivers clean, steady sound in untreated rooms. This video was recorded with the SM7dB in a space with no sound treatment. If you’re upgrading your gear this holiday season and care about audio quality, this is a strong option to consider: https://shu.re/4rG2HI6 #ad #Shure

Creator Camp is back! And it’s one of my favorite events of the year. Last year, Ecamm Network, LLC hosted a fireside chat to launch my book (and campers left with a copy). This year, I’m excited to return as a speaker alongside some truly brilliant creators like Jeff Sieh, Cat Mulvihill, Luria Petrucci, Liz Wilcox, Brandon Washington, and Lou Mongello. What I love most about Creator Camp is that it’s NOT conferencey. It’s much more hands-on (with only 75 attendees). You’ll learn, workshop, and leave with an actual action plan for your next 90 days of content. 📍 Portsmouth, New Hampshire 📅 September 29 – October 1, 2025 🎟 Final few tickets left! If you’ve been waiting for the right event to invest in yourself as a creator, trust me. This is it. Use my link for $50 off your ticket: https://lnkd.in/dcpAa9qv Hope to see you at camp!

It’s less flashy to talk about commercial safety in AI, but in business, it’s everything. Just like you can’t pull an image from Google and use it in your marketing, you can’t assume AI-generated content is free to use—unless it’s built for business. At Adobe Summit, Adobe reinforced what sets Adobe Firefly apart: • Every asset created is commercially safe—no licensing gray areas • Enterprise-grade indemnification protects businesses from legal risk • Firefly integrates directly into creative workflows, ensuring brand consistency and compliance This means AI isn’t just for concepting—it’s for creating real, usable assets at scale. Firefly gives businesses the confidence to use AI for production, not just inspiration. Learn more from Adobe Summit: https://adobe.ly/3DeEjZQ #AdobeSummit #AdobePartner

AI should sound human, but never pretend to be human. That’s the mindset small businesses need to keep as AI becomes part of daily operations. Join me and the team at RingCentral for their 'AI Real Talk' on November 12, where we’ll explore what “human-first AI” really looks like in action, and how AI is transforming how SMBs engage with their customers. Register here! I hope to see you there: https://lnkd.in/dn9rv6Wg

After years of trying to make tools like Notion, Sheets, or shared folders “work” as client portals, I finally built one that actually works. • Clients see live project updates • I control exactly what they see • No code, no workarounds (or stitching a bunch of tools together) I built it using Softr and, honestly, I wish I had done this sooner. Rather than having a static site or PDF, this is a live dashboard that pulls from our project tracker and updates automatically. Clients log in, check timelines, leave comments, grab files. It took just a few hours to set up, and I’ve already invited all my clients to start using the portal. I used one of Softr’s templates, connected our data, styled it to match our brand, and launched. If you’re running an agency or managing client work, this is worth checking out. I filmed a full walkthrough here: https://lnkd.in/dzsZ8Ahw Or try it yourself! That's an even better idea: https://philp.al/softr-li #Softr #nocode

Big news! 🗞️ Creative Cloud Pro and Adobe Firefly subscribers get unlimited generations on all AI image models and the Firefly Video model through Dec. 15th! In this video, I'll show you what we're creating using Firefly. That means unlimited creativity with Firefly, Google, OpenAI, Flux, and more all in one place. #AdobePartner

Small business owners don’t need more tools. They need simpler ones. That’s why I’m joining RingCentral 'AI Real Talk' webinar tomorrow to share how to make AI practical for everyday use. I'm so excited for this! Register here: https://lnkd.in/dn9rv6Wg

Creator Camp by Ecamm Network, LLC is easily one of my favorite events of the year. It feels more like a reunion than a conference, even for the new attendees. In fact, I’m SO comfortable with this community that I delivered part of my keynote sitting on the floor. (It’s actually a pretty comfy down there!) A big thank you to Katie, Caleb, Paul, Jillian, Doc Rock, and the entire Ecamm Fam for making space for creators come together to share, learn, and support one another. 📸 Stonetree Creative & Fuljens Henry

Brand photos are CAPTURED! 📸 They reflect real people, real work, and real presence, and that matters now more than ever. So I'm actually not a big fan of generating brand photography with AI. However, I do think AI has an important role in branding nowadays. Just not as a replacement for photographers or lived experience. In partnership with Adobe Firefly, I’m sharing how I use the new FLUX.2 model as an assistant in the branding process—helping refine ideas after a shoot and reducing pressure on getting everything perfect in advance. Thanks to Lupe Monroy for being my gorgeous model in this example! If you’re navigating how AI fits into your creative workflow, I’d love to hear where you’ve found it genuinely helpful, and where you draw the line. #AdobeFireflyAmbassadors #Ad #AdobePartnerModels

“Which AI tools are actually worth paying for?” It’s the question I get asked most, so here’s my honest answer.

I’ve spent years helping brands create content that looks great and drives results. But today, teams across marketing, HR, and sales are being asked to move faster than ever (while staying perfectly on brand, which is hard!). That’s why I’m thrilled to be co-hosting Express Fest live on Nov. 18th with Hannah Elsakr, Vice President of GenAI New Business Ventures at Adobe. We’ll explore how Adobe Express and Firefly are helping businesses go from concept to campaign in minutes. We'll include practical workflows, AI-powered tools, and remixable templates you can start using right away. See you there!

We get it, branding your live streams doesn't seem like the simplest task in the world! That's why we are partnering with Phil Pallen to showcase how Adobe makes live branding simple. You can sign up for our FREE branding workshop here👇 https://lnkd.in/eXQHh3CT

Adelaide had me on her podcast Staying Wild to talk about something I care a lot about: building and leading a remote team. I’ve been running a remote-first business for more than 15 years, long before it became the norm. In our conversation, we explore why freedom and trust create stronger results, how I approach hiring and delegation, and the systems that keep my team motivated for the long haul. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/diuagvfA

My client Carey Thiels will be documenting her branding journey with us here on LinkedIn. I'm excited! 😍 #branding #personalbranding #linkedin

Tomorrow I'll demo some exciting features for businesses announced at MAX from both Adobe Firefly and Adobe Express—live, with over 3,000 people registered! (I'm trying to not to think about that part.)

I was recently featured on a YouTube video by Phil Pallen, a content creator and brand strategist who advises business owners and entrepreneurs on tools and strategies that they can use to reach their target audiences and get ready for the next stage of growth. Phil and I talked about some of the most common accounting and organizational mistakes that I’ve seen my business owners make time and again, and what can be done to mitigate them. As a fractional CFO and consultant, my job is so much more than just balancing the books, and often I’m called on to take a hard look at how my clients are running their businesses and how they can reorganize to maximize efficiency. One of the things I often advise my clients to do is to invest in good marketing. When paired with future-forward, accrual-based accounting strategies, you’ll have a recipe for long-term success that will help you grow at a steady, sustainable rate, and reach the milestones you dream of for your business. You can watch the full video at https://lnkd.in/g5zQY-mX, and be sure to check out the description box because I’m offering a FREE 30-minute consultation to the first 50 people who click the link to Vistance’s website.

This is awesome! For so many, it's easy to get hung up on creating your first website. But achieving "proof of concept" early on is key to subsequent growth. I'm proud of Caroline for clicking publish on her first website, and excited that she's discovered Durable after my recommendation. Durable helps you create a website in 30 seconds using AI, and it just launched its AI blog builder, which can create dozens of blog posts in minutes! More: https://lnkd.in/efxXahQk Even if you have a website, it's fun to try it out for yourself—a website in literally 30 seconds: http://philp.al/durable #ai #websitebuilder #aitools

In this live YouTube video, I’ll walk through the best tips for improving your website, as well as review websites (my followers submit) live to provide feedback and advice for everyone watching.