We recently connected with Chad Treadway and have shared our conversation below.

Chad, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry.

The biggest trend I am seeing in the industry is the rapid advancement and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs). Their impact will only continue to grow in the coming years. As Wharton Professor Ethan Mollick suggests in his book Co-Intelligence, these new technologies have the potential to be more transformational than the steam engine and increase productivity by as much as 25%!

If you compare this to the Industrial Revolution, where the steam engine accounted for 22% to 41% of labor productivity gains between 1850 and 1880, depending on establishment size. (Source: Steam Power, Establishment Size, and Labor Productivity Growth in Nineteenth-Century American Manufacturing [https://ssrn.com/abstract=876034])

Some may see this as a cause for concern, especially among those whose jobs consist of content writing, data analysis, and campaign optimization. Honestly, they should, as it is already happening even in our own company.

However, there is good news: while these tools present challenges, they also offer tremendous opportunities for those willing to embrace and adapt to this new technology. By leveraging these tools and techniques, marketers can improve efficiency, gain deeper insights into consumer behavior, and create more personalized and engaging campaigns.

Recently, there was a letter to the editor of my town’s local newspaper in which the writer complained about how AI is causing the loss of jobs and creativity. While the author makes some valid points, it shows just how uninformed and out of touch they were with the coming wave.

It reminds me much of the Luddites at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, who resisted the mechanized looms and knitting frames to the point of revolt. The bottom line is that you can’t stop technological innovations. You either adapt or get left behind.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Chad J. Treadway knows the importance of digital marketing and is committed to helping small businesses not just embrace its benefits but break free from overwhelm and take the next right steps to leverage it for their efforts. As the Chief Smarketing Officer and Partner at Cube Creative Design in North Carolina, he helps clients survey their business needs and find customized solutions. With experience spanning advertising, marketing, design, and business development, Chad’s skill set paired with his commitment to building strong client relationships, helps him deliver impactful and innovative digital marketing solutions that drive growth. He draws on his small-town roots and work ethic to provide thoughtful guidance tailored to each client. Chad is actively involved with the local Chambers of Commerce and business organizations in his area. He lives in North Wilkesboro with his wife Amber and son Raylan. Digital Marketing for Rural Small Businesses: A Comprehensive Guide to Getting Found on the Internet is his first published book.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Since digging into the world of LLMs and AI, I have been trying to consume as much information as I can about the topic. Here is a short list of how I have been keeping up with the news:

• Marketing AI Institute Podcast [https://www.marketingaiinstitute.com/podcast-showcase]
• Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick [https://amzn.to/4eyQ2A9 ]
• The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-first Century’s Greatest Dilemma by Mustafa Suleyman and Michael Bhaskar [https://amzn.to/4caGwSn]
• TL;DR; Newsletter [https://tldr.tech/] and its AI newsletter

Also, just force yourself to play with it and dig into how to make it work for you.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Before I started with Cube Creative Design [https://cubecreative.design], I was working at what I thought was my dream job and where I would start and end my career. However, two weeks after my son was born, I felt a vein pop out in my head and said to myself I’m not dying of a heart attack or stroke for this place and not seeing my son grow up. I contacted Adam, my business partner, who was running a solo shop at the time and talked to him about joining him. I won’t lie, I second-guessed the move right before I turned in my notice. But when God tells you to move, you move. The moral of the story is that faithful day sent me on a different path that has provided me with more opportunities and challenges, and I am a better person for it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cubecreative.design/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/chadjtreadway/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadjtreadway/
• Other: https://cubecreative.design/about/chad-treadway

Image Credits

Heather Cardwell – https://timestreasuredstudios.com/
Adobe Stock – https://stock.adobe.com/images/ai-machine-learning-hands-of-robot-and-human-touching-on-big-data-network-connection-background-science-and-artificial-intelligence-technology-innovation-and-futuristic/323829966?prev_url=detail