Win With Paid Ads Podcast Summary: Episode #76 with Katie Lepore

Podcast Information:

• Title: Win With Paid Ads
• Host/Author: Ashley Brock
• Episode: #76
• Guest: Katie Lepore, Owner of Emberlin
• Release Date: July 10, 2025
• Description: The podcast is tailored for entrepreneurs and business owners keen on mastering paid advertising to reach the right audience with the right message, accelerating business growth.

1. Introduction of the Guest

Ashley Brock welcomes listeners to Episode #76, introducing Katie Lepore, the owner of Emberlin. Katie is not only a client of Ashley's but also someone who has achieved significant milestones through the strategies discussed on the podcast.

Ashley Brock [00:00]: "Today, I'm really excited to introduce you to a special guest. Her name is Katie Lepore. She is owner of Emberlin and she's a client of mine."

2. Katie's Business and Niching Strategy

Katie shares her journey as a Squarespace website designer, emphasizing her decision to niche down by focusing specifically on female service providers. This specialization allows her to become an expert in her chosen platform, enhancing her service quality.

Katie Lepore [01:16]: "I work specifically with female service providers on their Squarespace websites."

Ashley appreciates Katie's courage to niche down, highlighting the importance of targeting the right audience rather than casting a wide net.

Ashley Brock [02:01]: "A lot of people are actually scared to niche... you're going to hone in on the people who want what you have to offer."

3. The Leap of Faith: Investing in Ashley’s Program

Katie recounts her pivotal decision to fully commit to her business by investing in Ashley's Mastery Mastermind program. Balancing a corporate job and her business, Katie decided to take a leap of faith after attending a summit hosted by Ashley. This investment meant quitting her 9-to-5 to dedicate herself entirely to mastering paid ads.

Katie Lepore [03:09]: "I decided that if I was gonna do this investment that I had to quit my 9 to 5..."

Ashley shares her admiration for Katie's commitment, emphasizing that success isn't solely about revenue but about the determination to grow.

Ashley Brock [05:15]: "Your revenue isn't the thing that should hold you back... if you will just be the person that will do this, you will get the result."

4. Successes from Paid Ads

Within six months of joining Ashley's program, Katie achieved remarkable results:

• ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): Katie shared a standout success where a retargeting ad yielded a 55 to 1 return.

  Katie Lepore [09:41]: "It was a 55 to 1 return."

• Client Acquisition: Katie has secured five clients through the program and referrals, demonstrating the effectiveness of her ad strategies.

  Katie Lepore [11:13]: "I've already within the first six months of the program have worked with five different clients..."

• Increased Revenue: She hit her first five-figure month shortly after investing in the program, highlighting the direct financial benefits of paid advertising.

  Katie Lepore [19:28]: "Within a month of taking the leap and investing in Ashley's program, I hit my first five figure month."

Ashley underscores the importance of proper ad setup and retargeting, which enhances visibility and client retention.

Ashley Brock [11:54]: "Anybody that even knew you from the past... can be retargeted."

5. Challenges and Lessons Learned

Katie openly discusses a significant challenge she faced: a failed three-day challenge campaign. Despite meticulous planning and a substantial ad investment, only one person signed up. This experience, though initially disheartening, provided invaluable insights.

• Identifying Issues: Katie is currently analyzing whether the failure was due to messaging, landing page design, or targeting.

  Katie Lepore [14:12]: "And not. I'm still looking at the data... was it my messaging? Was it my landing page, Was it the targeting?"

• Resilience and Growth: Ashley commends Katie's ability to extract lessons from failure, emphasizing that all data, even unsuccessful campaigns, are beneficial for making informed decisions.

  Ashley Brock [15:08]: "Whatever the data is, it's actually all good data because it helped us make a decision."

Katie reflects on the experience as her first full business failure, which nonetheless contributed to her growth by teaching her to analyze data and refine her strategies.

Katie Lepore [14:36]: "It was really the first full failure that I would consider a failure in my business. And it just taught me so much."

6. Website Optimization Tips

Towards the end of the episode, Katie offers three crucial tips for optimizing business websites to enhance trust and conversions:

1. Incorporate Testimonials Everywhere:

   • Testimonials should be strategically placed not just on the homepage but across all pages, including the About and Contact pages, to build trust.

     Katie Lepore [21:18]: "It is vital that you have testimonials on your website... they are everywhere."

2. Simplify Navigation:

   • A clutter-free navigation bar with clear and focused links ensures visitors can easily find essential information without distractions.

     Katie Lepore [21:50]: "The main navigation should be super clear. It should have very clear action to your Services to your contact."

3. Use Clear and Actionable CTAs:

   • Calls to Action (CTAs) should be specific and encourage immediate action, avoiding generic phrases like "Learn More" in favor of more direct instructions like "Book a Call" or "Get a Quote."

     Katie Lepore [22:37]: "They should have an action word in that call to. It's called a call to action for a reason."

Ashley adds that using third-grade language—clear and simple language—helps in conveying the message effectively.

Ashley Brock [23:07]: "Clear and understandable what they're getting from you."

7. Final Thoughts and Motivation

In her closing remarks, Katie emphasizes the importance of perseverance and continuous investment in one's business. She likens her journey to a tree that keeps growing its roots, ensuring future growth and success.

Katie Lepore [18:03]: "I have to endure some pain... it's my root system before the fruit system."

Ashley echoes this sentiment, encouraging listeners to embrace resilience and determination to achieve their goals.

Ashley Brock [24:02]: "If you're the person that is willing, that has that grit that Katie does, you can do literally anything."

Notable Quotes:

• Ashley Brock [05:15]: "Your revenue isn't the thing that should hold you back from doing this."
• Katie Lepore [09:52]: "It was a 55 to 1 return."
• Ashley Brock [15:08]: "Whatever the data is, it's actually all good data because it helped us make a decision."
• Katie Lepore [21:18]: "It is vital that you have testimonials on your website... they are everywhere."
• Ashley Brock [24:02]: "If you're the person that is willing, that has that grit that Katie does, you can do literally anything."

Conclusion

Episode #76 of the "Win With Paid Ads" podcast offers a comprehensive look into Katie Lepore's journey from balancing a corporate job and her business to achieving significant success through paid advertising. Despite facing challenges, Katie's determination and strategic approach to niching and website optimization have proven highly effective. Her insights provide valuable lessons for entrepreneurs and business owners aiming to harness the power of paid ads to accelerate their growth.

For listeners interested in mastering paid advertising, Ashley Brock invites them to join the upcoming "Win with Paid Ads" challenge, promising actionable strategies to scale their advertising efforts effectively.