Blended Margins & Gas Station Sushi: Surviving the Lead Gen Jungle with Sean McCormick

Marketing, Media & Adtech

In this episode of The ADOTAT Show, host Pesach Lattin sits down with Sean McCormick, a veteran of performance marketing and someone who has built a career balancing grit, growth, and unflinching transparency. Together, they wade into the murky waters of lead generation, industry ethics, and the all-too-familiar chaos of navigating client demands while trying to stay true to values.

Sean opens up about the "dirty secrets" of performance marketing—yes, we’re talking about blending margins, questionable partners, and why some advertisers shop for quality like it’s the clearance aisle at a gas station. From discussing why vendors shouldn't be treated like punching bags to tackling the consequences of regulators stepping in, this conversation pulls no punches.

You'll hear candid takes on why some metrics are more smoke and mirrors than meaningful, the risks of AI becoming a marketer's crutch, and why ethics often end up like kale at a BBQ—nice in theory, but left untouched.

Sean also shares personal stories about firing nightmare clients, surviving fraud scares, and why "never give up" is tattoo-worthy advice in this industry. Plus, we get real about desert island survival kits, family chaos, and the one meal worth swimming back to shore for.

Special thanks to our sponsors:

🔥 Incremental.com – Giving you attribution clarity without the headaches.

🔥 Rembrand.com – Making sure your CTV and DOOH ads don’t vanish into the void.

🔥 Troutman Amin – The legal eagles who help you stay compliant while others are getting subpoenas.

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