Welcome to another episode of the Authority Builder Podcast! In this conversation, Charlotte sits down with Tony Rulli, CEO and Lead Growth Strategist at Intentional Spark, to talk all things online growth, marketing funnels, and the human side of running ads. Tony, based in Portland, Oregon, shares his journey from corporate banking to digital marketing, and how he and his wife Meg built a business focused on helping creators scale profitably.

From Corporate Life to Intentional Spark

Tony’s story is a familiar one for many entrepreneurs: a desire to escape the corporate grind led him and Meg to travel the world, start a travel blog, and eventually dive into the world of social media marketing. Their hands-on experience running a subscription spice box business gave them a crash course in every aspect of marketing, from content creation to paid ads. This real-world experience shaped their approach to helping clients—focusing not just on getting leads, but on ensuring those leads actually convert.

What Makes Intentional Spark Different?

Unlike many agencies that focus solely on media buying, Tony’s team works with clients on the entire marketing funnel. They help creators and businesses serving creators—think course creators, coaches, and software companies—optimise every step, from landing pages to email sequences. Their approach is deeply collaborative, often turning away prospects who aren’t ready for ads and encouraging them to test offers organically first.

Why Being a Growth Partner Matters

Recently, Intentional Spark has shifted from calling themselves an “ads agency” to a “growth partner.” This isn’t just a branding exercise—it reflects the reality that their work goes far beyond running ads. They help clients test funnels, analyse data, and make strategic decisions that drive real business growth. For existing clients, this change is seamless, but it’s helping new prospects understand the depth of support they offer.

Lessons from Subscription Businesses

Both Charlotte and Tony share stories of running subscription businesses—flowers and spices, respectively. These ventures taught them the importance of wearing all the marketing hats and the value of understanding every step of the customer journey. The key takeaway? When you’ve spent your own money on marketing, you bring a different level of empathy and focus to your clients’ campaigns.

Testing Offers: Organic First, Then Ads

Tony is a big advocate for testing offers organically before investing in ads. If your existing audience isn’t buying, it’s unlikely that cold traffic will convert. The only exception is when you’re targeting a completely new audience. Having benchmark data from organic efforts makes it much easier to diagnose what’s working—and what’s not—when you start running ads.

Moving from One-to-One to Group Programmes

Intentional Spark still offers one-to-one services, but Tony is passionate about expanding into group programmes. This allows them to help more creators who aren’t quite ready for full ad management but still need expert guidance. Group delivery also supports their own marketing efforts, helping them move beyond referrals and build their authority in the space.

Building a Funnel That Converts

One of the most valuable strategies Tony shares is the “encore flow”—a funnel that starts with a free lead magnet and offers a low-priced product (sometimes called a tripwire or welcome mat) on the thank you page. This approach not only helps recoup ad spend but also provides crucial data on which leads are most likely to buy. The key is to make each step a no-brainer for your audience, providing real value and a seamless path to your core offers.

Ad Creative: Keep It Human and Simple

When it comes to ad creative, Tony recommends starting with simple, authentic content—think selfie videos or walk-and-talks filmed on your phone. Highly produced videos can work, but often, the most effective ads are those that feel genuine and relatable. The goal is to stop the scroll and engage your ideal audience, not to impress them with polish.

How to Spot the Wrong Leads

It’s easy to get excited about a low cost per lead, but Tony warns that not all leads are created equal. Meta (Facebook and Instagram) is great at finding people who love to opt in—but those people aren’t always buyers. He suggests tracking deeper metrics, like who actually purchases your low-priced offer, and using demographic breakdowns in Ads Manager to ensure you’re attracting the right audience.

Scaling Your Ads: The Metrics That Matter

To know if your ads are ready to scale, Tony recommends focusing on three key metrics:

• Cost per lead
• Conversion rate to your low-priced offer
• Cost per purchase (or deeper funnel action)

Having a funnel that tracks these metrics allows you to make data-driven decisions about where to invest more budget and which audiences to prioritise.

Getting Started Without a Big Team

If you’re just starting out, Tony’s advice is to learn the basics of running ads yourself. This not only saves money but also makes you a better judge when you eventually hire help. Start with a simple lead campaign, use a proven funnel structure, and focus on testing and learning rather than chasing perfection.

Ready to Dive Deeper?

If you want to learn more about building authority and visibility with ads, listen to the full episode of Building Authority and Visibility with Tony Rulli on Buzzsprout. You’ll get even more insights, practical tips, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to grow your business with paid traffic.

For more resources from Tony, check out Intentional Spark’s free guide on building high-converting landing pages.