Former “Kickboxer” Jack Wrigley joined me on this episode to talk about staying focused and developing real relationships. I’ve always admired Jack’s blend of sharp business insight and genuine relationship-building skills. He’s currently the President of Omnivery, a secure, high-deliverability transactional email platform, and in this episode, we tackled something a lot of people are thinking about right now: how to stay focused and thrive in a noisy, uncertain business climate.
We started by talking about how businesses can get pulled in a million directions with AI, remote work, shifting budgets, and all the other distractions out there. Jack emphasized the need to double down on your core values and mission, not just writing them out, but making sure they’re baked into how everyone shows up to work every day. I added a few tips on how to keep those values top-of-mind, like automating monthly Slack reminders, adding them to your workspace, or even incorporating them into your custom GPTs if you’re using AI tools.
One thing I loved about our conversation is that we both believe good leadership doesn’t just flow top-down. Jack pointed out how powerful it is when people are empowered to articulate how their work contributes to the company’s mission. I completely agree, leadership happens at every level. Whether you’re a founder or an entry-level team member, your ideas matter.
We also got into the nitty-gritty of email marketing and cold outreach. Jack didn’t hold back, he’s not a fan of cold email, and I get it. Deliverability is harder than ever, inboxes are tighter, and honestly, most cold emails just don’t land. Instead, he encourages brands to build trust through content, storytelling, and relationships. I shared some of my thoughts too, if you’re going to do cold email, make it thoughtful, personal, and extremely targeted. But more importantly, find ways to make people come to you.
And we couldn’t have an episode without touching on networking, one of Jack’s superpowers. He broke down his no-pressure approach to connecting with people: walk into a room, be curious, and lead with genuine interest rather than an agenda. It’s a refreshing reminder that real relationships still matter more than flashy pitches.
🔑 Key Takeaways
🌟 Stick to your mission and values
Don’t just write them—live them. Print them out, set up reminders, and make sure they guide every decision.
💬 Leadership isn’t just top-down
Empower your team to connect their work to the bigger mission. That kind of buy-in is how great cultures are built.
📧 Cold email is getting harder to do well
Focus more on building relationships through valuable content and let potential customers come to you.
📖 Storytelling still works (and always will)
People connect with stories, not features. Make storytelling a consistent part of your brand voice.
🤝 Great networking isn’t about angles
Approach every interaction without expecting something in return. Ask questions. Be interested, not just interesting.
🎯 Email with purpose
Whether it’s for marketing or transactional, make sure your email strategy is secure, relevant, and aligned with your brand.
Connect with Jack on Linkedin.
Make sure to check out Omnivery for your transactional email needs!
Get 5,000 free Kickbox credits with the code HMBT
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