About Playbook Broken

Playbook Broken is a no-fluff blog and show for marketers, strategists, and business builders who know the old playbooks aren’t working—and want to find what’s next.

Created and hosted by Marc Sirkin, Founder and Principle of Marc Sirkin Consulting, the show explores the collapse of conventional thinking in an algorithmic world. Expect unapologetically honest solo takes, interviews with disruptors, and rapid-fire insights that challenge assumptions and reframe your strategy.

Subscribe for posts, episodes, hacked insights, and ideas you won’t hear anywhere else. If you're ready to break the model, you're in the right place.

About me

Marketing isn’t broken. The way we lead it is.

We’ve buried common sense under jargon, frameworks, and “AI transformation” decks that do more for optics than outcomes.

I work with leadership teams who are done performing confidence. Together, we cut through the noise, focus on what’s real, and build systems that create traction in uncertainty.

- Growth that compounds, not quarterly sugar highs.
- Events and content that build credibility, not vanity metrics.
- AI strategies that actually change how work gets done.
- Operating models built for speed, not theater.

After a decade leading Third Door Media through transformation, acquisition, and integration with Semrush, I’ve seen the messy middle where strategy meets reality. That is the space I operate in now, helping ambitious companies navigate chaos with clarity.

I also host Playbook Broken, a podcast and newsletter about the gap between what we say and what actually works in modern marketing, leadership, and technology.

If your team feels stuck between the old model and the next one, let’s talk.

No frameworks. No theater. Just real progress.

Why subscribe?

Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and website. Never miss an update. Play with me in Substack notes!