Why Attention is the New Currency?

“Sweet! A new lead,” I thought to myself.

An elderly gentleman had reached out to schedule a LinkedIn brainstorming session, and little did I know how much this conversation would open my eyes.

As the days passed, I prepared for what I expected to be a routine call:

1/ Introductions

2/ Learning about his business

3/ Discussing his LinkedIn goals

4/ Sharing a playbook

But when we joined the meeting room, I realised this call had a different energy.

“Josh, tell me, how did you get into this industry?” he began.

“Where do you see the industry evolving?”

“And how do you foresee your battle with AI playing out?”

Here was a man well into his years but sharp and curious, asking thoughtful, forward-looking questions. It turned out I was speaking with the largest mattress manufacturer and supplier in New Zealand.

He had found me on LinkedIn, and we just had the most engaging, hour-long conversation, comparing marketing strategies from 40 years ago to the ones shaping today’s world.

_{Observations from the Call:}

1/ Attention is still valuable, but we’ve put a premium on it

Maybe this is due to the rise of social media?

Eyeballs have always held value, but in today’s world, attention is treated like gold.

2/ Distribution is everything

By the time he was 25, he was “on top of a mountain,” running 10 mattress stores across the country.

His secret?

Dedicating all his resources to mailing and hand-delivering flyers with his offers to every home within reach.

3/ Never underestimate the power of sharing your thoughts

Curious about how he found me, I asked towards the end of our conversation. His answer still gives me chills.

“Josh, I had a 5-minute chat with Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, at an event the other night. He gave me some advice that I took to heart and acted on immediately.”

Sam’s message: “Look into the crowd. They’re the future. Get close to the younger generation.”

A 70-year-old gentleman and a 22-year-old marketer jamming over the evolution of marketing… all because of a connection made through LinkedIn, where he resonated with my thoughts and ideas.

Wild.

P.S. Here’s a snapshot I took this week. Consider it my small moment of calm in a crazy, busy world.

Until next Thursday!

Best moves,