Why I Give Away My “Secret Sauce” (And Why You Probably Should Too)

People ask me all the time why I share so much.

Why I talk publicly about my creative process. Why I walk people through strategies that others would lock in a vault. Why do I give away what many would consider “proprietary” or “the secret sauce”

Here’s the truth: Because I have to. Because I want to. Because it works.

I run one of the best creative marketing and word-of-mouth shops on the planet. That’s not ego. That’s fact, backed by 20+ years of weird, wonderful, wildly effective campaigns. Our team is made up of people from Mad Magazine and The Simpsons, and yet… I still have to prove we belong in the room. Every. Single. Time.

Why? Because what we do is different. Because our way doesn’t look like the McKinsey model. Because people still think “non-traditional” means “not serious.”

So yeah — I share a lot. I write posts, give talks, open up our pitch decks, and break down ideas that other agencies would call “IP” and watermark to hell. I do it not because I want credit… but because I want trust.

Sharing is how you build credibility when you’re selling the unfamiliar. It’s how you teach people to believe in better ideas. And let’s be real — it’s also how you stand out in a sea of sameness.

This industry is allergic to risk and addicted to templates.

That’s the real problem. Most companies are scared to try anything they haven’t already seen someone else do. Which is ironic, because if you're just copying what's already worked, you're always going to be a step behind.

So I give away the sauce. All of it. Because I know the recipe isn’t the secret — execution is. And the truth is, even if you gave 100 people my best idea, 99 would fumble it. Not because they’re not smart, but because what we do is loaded with nuance. It’s in the delivery. It’s in the timing. It’s in the feel. Ideas without craft are just noise.

Have people stolen my work?

Yes. Have they taken ideas from calls and pitches without hiring us? Also yes.

Some of them even pulled it off. Others butchered the idea so badly I wished I’d never opened my mouth. Not because I lost a project, I can live with that. What hurts is that they’ll never come back. Their ego won’t let them admit that the failure wasn’t the idea, it was the execution. That stings. That’s the heartbreak of giving freely.

But I still do it. And I always will.

Because anyone who actually hires us, whether for a full campaign or to speak at an event, knows this: We make them look good. We don’t do what’s safe. We do what works. And our goal is simple, get our contacts promotions, not PIPs.

We’re not here to take credit. We’re here to make a difference.

We’ve been able to thrive because we don’t hoard ideas, we share them. Loudly. Publicly. Repeatedly. Not for applause, but for impact. Because every time we show someone how our brains work, we earn trust. And trust is the most powerful business development tool in the world.

Think of it like this: I’m not trying to be the smartest guy in the room. I’m trying to be the most useful. I want people to say, “That guy Saul, he made me think differently.”

That’s how relationships start. That’s how clients show up. That’s how movements begin.

This is baked into the soul of how we operate. I believe the love you give is the love you get. I share because I know our way is better, not for us, but for the brands brave enough to try it. If more people thought like us, the business world would be a whole lot more fun, and way more effective.

So next time someone says,

“Aren’t you giving away too much?”

I’ll say what I always say:

“You’re clearly reading and benefiting… so no, I’m giving away just enough.”

And if you want to go deeper…

I’m hosting a virtual keynote where I’ll show you exactly where ideas come from. Not the fluffy “get inspired” stuff — the real mechanics behind creative thinking that sells.

This isn’t a TED Talk. It’s a TED with teeth. It’s $20. And it might just change your life.

If you've ever wondered how the best ideas get made — and more importantly, how to make them work for you — this is where you start.

Come hang out with me. Learn something real. And then go use it.