81: Brian (The Bacon Guy) Basilico, Content Marketing Expert

Daniel Giordano

SUMMARY:

On this episode of All-In, Host Daniel Giordano chats with Brian Basilico, known to many as “The Bacon Guy.” The focus is on all things marketing – including the sea change that has gone on as a result of the advent of the internet. The conversation starts out with some background on Brian’s upbringing and early entrepreneurial passion for music, which turned out to reveal a powerful draw to advising people about branding and other facets of business growth.

For anyone who wonders, Brian shares a quirky backstory as to how he became “The Bacon Guy” and what the acronym means (Building Authentic Connections Online Networking). How marketers make those all-important connections has changed drastically with the explosion of social media and other web-based communications tools, but in terms of content Brian says many of the tenets remain the same. It turns out that the delivery of messages can take different forms, while effective, high-quality marketing collateral remains the same across all mediums.

Brian shares thoughts on where he is with his career, his big-picture goals (which involve more than measuring success strictly with dollar values) and a few tricks to avert pitfalls he’s stumbled into over his many years as an entrepreneur in the marketing and coaching space.

There is a lot to dig into and learn about the website optimization, online metrics and compelling content that form the core of Brian’s business – and tremendous success over four decades of helping clients create stronger sales relationships and ultimate outcomes.

To access all things Bacon Guy – including his books, podcasts and other links – click @Linktree.

KEY TOPICS:

Brian shares a little of his background growing up in New York and Chicago, where he currently lives. His early love was recording and performing music, which he credits with helping him find his way into his passion for marketing.
What was life like as Brian worked to transition from one creative area to another? Was there a clear-cut process? Not at all! The internet exploded and all the old ways of marketing were in a state of evolution.
Dan and Brian muse on the old days of the 90s – when handheld devices did not contain access to a virtual universe.
What the “Bacon” in “The Bacon Guy” stands for: Building Authentic Connections Online Networking.”
What drives Brian? Two main superpowers:
- A talent for conducting interviews.
- A passion for teaching and mentoring.
Brian’s career trajectory has not been straight upward. There have been setbacks:
- A raw sewage backup forced the shutdown of Brian’s early recording studio and a subsequent bankruptcy.
- In 2020, Brian fell ill with a serious (non-Covid-related) case of sepsis that put a huge strain on his business (which came through fine on the other end).
Content is still king and not so different than when Brian started out in the 1970s. The big change is delivery – so many social media and other platforms that have altered the game in terms of ways and means of attracting eyeballs.
Brian explains his big goal and vision: Cultivating a combination of lifestyle and success. He chooses the clients and vendors he works with very carefully because quality of life is for him co-equal in importance with success.
Brian offers some hard-earned advice:
- If he’d sought out mentoring and support earlier in his career, he might have built it more quickly and effectively.
- Never stop learning and constantly investing in yourself.”
Dan wraps up with contact info for Brian, who is reachable through a number of links (included below).

KEY QUOTES:

“Through the course of many years, I’ve constantly had to reinvent based on what was going on … I’ve had to learn and grow.”
“What I’ve learned to do is figure out the nooks and crannies that other people are missing in their business and use them in teaching how to get there.”
“Anybody can do execution. Tons of people do that. But coming up with the right strategy for each business in a unique way is a combination of asking the right questions and teaching what people need to know.”
“Everybody is so attached to bright shiny objects, looking for the easy button. But there really is no easy way to circumvent (challenges).”
“Every doctor needs a doctor. Every mentor needs a mentor. Every coach needs a coach.”
“It’s so important to figure out ways to optimize the brain and grow. There’s so much we have to learn that we generally don’t have time for. But it’s uber-important.”

About Brian:

Brian primarily works with B2b Companies ($10-$100 million in sales) and Solopreneurs, teaching them how to use marketing techniques to increase sales through Relationship Marketing & Social Selling.

Contacts for Brian:

Websites:
www.BaconPodcast.com
www.B2b-im.com
@Linktree
@LinkedIn
@Facebook
@Insta
@YouTube

About the All In Podcast Show:

The All-In Podcast Show presents top Entrepreneurs, Innovators and World Changers willing to share their breakthrough moments and how they are changing the world. Focused on being “All-In” on the four areas of life: faith, family, finances, and health, host Daniel Giordano invites mentors who exemplify balance and a commitment to building a bold life of excellence.

Previous Episodes: https://www.allinpodcast.com