Podcast Summary: Travis Makes Money – INTERVIEW | Make Money by Mastering Paid Ads with Ashley Brock

Host: Travis Chappell
Guest: Ashley Brock, Founder & CEO of Paid Ads Academy
Date: February 14, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode of Travis Makes Money, Travis Chappell interviews Ashley Brock, accomplished paid ads strategist and founder of Paid Ads Academy. With over $200 million in ad spend managed and experience with major brands, Ashley has built an eight-figure business by teaching entrepreneurs to master paid advertising in-house, rather than outsourcing to agencies. The conversation dives into what’s actually working in paid ads today, the realities behind effective funnels, and the practical mindset entrepreneurs should adopt to maximize their money-making potential.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Ashley’s Recent Success and Approach to Paid Ads

• Record-breaking success: Ashley shares that Paid Ads Academy has surpassed $10 million in sales and recently had a $1.4 million day, attributing it to strategic, multi-channel advertising (02:13).
• Omnichannel approach: Ashley stresses the importance of not relying solely on Facebook and Instagram ads but diversifying across platforms (Spotify, Google, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, etc.).
  • Quote: “What actually worked for us really well just now was… a combination of Spotify ads, Google Ads, and Facebook and Instagram ads… I find the difference between Facebook and Instagram versus Google is on Google, someone’s just raising their hand saying, I am looking for someone that does your thing. I just don’t know you exist.” (03:09)

Advice on Funnels and Strategy

• No single ‘secret’: Travis and Ashley agree there isn’t one magic funnel or tactic—what works varies by business.
  • Quote: Travis: “Anytime somebody tries to convince you that what they’re selling is the only way to make your dreams come true, it’s…easy to prove, it’s bullshit. It’s not true.” (05:14)
• Detachment in selling: Ashley explains that people buy best when they’re “sold” on the right vehicle (advertising) rather than on her specifically; no hard sell is required.
  • Quote: Ashley: “When there’s a detached outcome, you actually feel like you’re in control of making the decision… you can have passion for what you do while also having detachment.” (07:26)

Getting Started: Ashley’s Origin Stories

• First online earnings: Ashley recalls selling her expertise after teaching at General Assembly—her first big moment was being paid $250 for an hour of coaching, awakening her to the power of knowledge economy (12:03).
• College side hustle: In college, Ashley created a lucrative parking business during game days, showing the importance of identifying “starving markets” (13:53).
  • Quote: “When you find the right opportunity to help somebody, like, money can just fly in.” (13:53)

Practical Paid Ads Advice

Ad Strategy and Algorithm Changes

• Don’t trust autopilot: Ashley prefers data-driven manual segmentation over simply letting Meta’s (Facebook/Instagram) AI automate campaigns, despite industry trends toward ad consolidation.
  • Quote: “I have data to prove that when we let Meta do [everything], 9 times out of 10… being more manual and who you’re targeting, what the ad is… performs exponentially better.” (16:21)
• Experience matters: Knowing ‘why’ something works comes from years of broad experience—most educators have only used the most recent “tools”, missing context for long-term trends (17:24).

Will AI Replace Media Buyers?

• Skepticism on total AI dominance: Ashley compares the evolution of ad platforms to car updates—fundamentals persist, and fully automated AI can’t account for business context and real-time needs.
  • Quote: “The AI doesn’t know why you need like that… human things… will always play a role.” (21:11)
• Platforms follow the money: If AI hurts advertisers’ returns, platforms will adapt to keep budgets flowing (21:50).

In-House vs Agency

• Necessity of expertise: Running ads in-house is not ‘foolproof;’ insufficient expertise leads to subpar results and missed opportunities.
  • Quote: “That’s the hill I’ll die on… people are getting just enough results that they’re like, ‘No, I’ve got this.’ And they just don’t know that that 3:1 could be a 5:1 or a 10:1.” (22:54)

Creative vs. Media Buying: What Matters Most?

• Prioritize messaging: Get your “hook” and offer tight, then optimize targeting/placement—strong offers can offset lesser targeting, but not vice versa.
  • Ashley’s Framework: Identifiability, Credibility, Opportunity, Accessibility, and Memorability/Personality for every ad (27:03).
  • Quote: “Start with identifiability… credibility… opportunity… accessibility… and then personality or memorability…” (27:03)

Creative Volume and Testing

• Quality over quantity, especially for service-based businesses: Start with 5-8 strong creatives for new audiences and 5-8 for retargeting. Rotate 2-3 monthly as needed (29:17).
  • Quote: “If you can have five to eight really good different prospecting ads…[plus] five to eight ads…for only people that have heard of you. At least just start there.” (26:09)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ashley, on intent with ads:
  “On Google, someone’s just raising their hand saying, I am looking for someone that does your thing. I just don’t know that you exist.” (03:09)

• Travis, on marketing dogma:
  “All of it still works. It’s just a matter of what’s going to work for you, what’s going to work for your business.” (05:14)

• Ashley, on detachment in selling:
  “When there’s a detached outcome, you actually feel like you’re in control of making the decision.” (07:26)

• Ashley, on her first big online payday:
  “She’s like, ‘I will literally pay you $250 for an hour of your time.’ And I was like, what? That is insane.” (12:36)

• Ashley, on creative strategy:
  “Start with identifiability… credibility… opportunity… accessibility… and then personality or memorability.” (27:03)

Important Timestamps

• Intro & Ashley’s record launch: 01:57 – 02:32
• Discussion on effective ad funnels: 02:40 – 04:42
• Omnichannel & not dogmatizing one strategy: 04:42 – 06:57
• Selling with detachment; building belief in the vehicle: 07:26 – 08:28
• Ashley’s first paid teaching and entrepreneurial stories: 12:03 – 14:53
• Paid advertising strategy updates: 16:09 – 18:37
• AI vs Manual, and future of media buying: 18:37 – 22:38
• Creative vs media buying focus: 23:56 – 24:38
• Ad volume recommendations & creative quality: 26:09 – 29:17
• Where to follow Ashley / Wrap up: 29:25 – 29:34

Where to Follow Ashley Brock

• Instagram: @adswithashley
  Tip: Search “ads” and she should pop up!
• Monthly Challenge: Info on Ashley’s regular paid ads challenge is shared on her Instagram.

Closing Tone:
The conversation is candid, practical, and motivating—focused on empowerment, experimentation, and self-sufficiency in building wealth through modern paid advertising. If you’re seeking actionable paid ads guidance and long-term money-making mindset shifts, this episode delivers both.