“What’s one big thing you’ve learned since writing for us so far?” Tod Melnyk, our team leader and CEO of Martell Media, asked me this question last week. I had to stop for a moment. These last 5 months have been such a whirlwind since I started as Dan Martell’s copywriter. After pausing to think for a minute, I responded…

“I don’t think there’s one ‘big thing’ right now. But I will say this… I’ve learned more in the last 4 months I’ve been here than in the last 2 years as a freelance copywriter.” That was not an exaggeration. However, if I had to tell you some of the most powerful lessons I’ve taken away so far, here’s what they would be.

A Few Lessons From Working At Martell Media

This is such a wild environment. It’s easily the most dynamic place I’ve ever worked and the most high-performance team I’ve ever been on. As a result, the lessons are constantly coming. New learnings are always emerging. But here are a few of the things I’ve taken away from working at Martell Media so far.

Default To Action

We move fast at Martell Media. In fact, I’ve never been in an environment where haste is prioritized at this level. It’s exhilarating. The idea is that when you’re stuck on a problem, always have (some type of action) as your default response. You can’t just sit around and ruminate on your challenges—you need to MOVE.

This concept has drilled an important life principle into my head… You can’t solve a problem by thinking about it. Action is the antidote. Even if it’s imperfect. You have to move. You can adjust as you gain feedback, but the core idea is that you need to push through with action when it comes to problem-solving.

Live In Your Calendar

I’ve been doing to-do lists for the better part of a decade now (maybe longer). But working at Dan Martell’s copywriter has taught me just how inefficient I’ve been with that method. We have a rule here: Use your calendar, or you’re off the team. Harsh? Maybe. Unreasonable? Possibly. You may have those objections floating around in your mind.

That is, until you realize how defaulting to your calendar prioritizes your time. It structures your day with the most important tasks that have to get done. The result? Productivity. Progress. Performance. And when you look at it through that lens, it’s hard to see this rule as “unreasonable” anymore.

Dream Bigger

Every Monday at Martell Media, we have a leadership training session at the end of the workday. It was during my first training that I realized I was playing too small. Dan asked us a question that no leader has ever asked me before: “What goal do you have that you could only achieve this year if you increased your income by 50%?”

I didn’t even have to think about it… Run the Queenstown Marathon in New Zealand. This has been on my vision board for a while. And I actually put this goal off into the future simply because of financial constraints. And that one question Dan asked made me realize that I needed to start thinking and dreaming bigger.

So I began asking myself: What if I could hit that goal THIS year? What if by the end of 2026, I made it happen? That line of questioning prompted me to go for it. So, it’s on my list of goals for 2026.

Track Everything

At the beginning of every week, we talk numbers. How did the various platforms do? What were the number of followers, the amount of revenue, and the overall performance on the different channels? We all have to report our performance for the previous week. There’s nowhere to hide. And I love it. Why? Because it’s an opportunity to tighten things up.

If it’s not being tracked, it’s not being improved. Pique performance demands constant vigilance. This is a lesson that has spilled into other areas of my life. I now track my BJJ training, my weight lifting sessions, my running distances each week, etc. It holds me accountable and allows me to see my progress.

Innovation Wins

As a team at Martell Media, we are constantly tweaking, changing, and refining our approach. When a campaign flops, we quickly look to see why. Then, with that new data, we change course immediately. Like I said earlier, we move fast. As a result, we’re always looking beyond what we’re currently doing to find new methods to test.

Innovation is the name of the game in our culture—and I love it. Everyone is expected to learn, grow, and develop within their roles. You can’t coast here. And this is analogous to life. If you sit still in your life, refusing to evolve, you’ll get left behind. You always have to be growing, developing new skills, gaining experience, etc. Innovation wins. Always.

Key Takeaway From 9 Months As Dan Martell’s Copywriter

As of this writing, I’ve only been working at Martell Media for 9 months. But it has already been one of the most transformative experiences (personally and professionally) of my life. The standards and expectations are high; the people are locked in; the culture is one of continual growth. For this reason, I suppose my development was inevitable.

While there have been many learnings since I joined the team, I think the main takeaway at this point is the power of your environment. I had always known that environment impacts people, but it was more of a concept than anything else. Now? It’s an experience. Can’t wait to see where this new chapter of my life takes me.