What if growth wasn’t about acquiring more customers... but about keeping the ones you already have?

In this episode of Reach for Growth, I sit down with Tom Burrell, Founder of Retention Coach and former SVP of Retention at DAZN, who has spent over 26 years mastering customer retention and CRM for brands like Manchester United, TalkTalk, and Digitas LBi.

We dive deep into:

- Why retention is the new growth strategy

- The simple math behind how a 5% retention boost can double profits

- How brands can stop chasing short-term wins and build lasting loyalty

- What the future of retention and CRM looks like in the era of AI

💡 About The Guest:

Tom is the founder of Retention Coach

, a consultancy helping brands drive retention-led growth. He also writes a brilliant free newsletter that breaks down actionable retention strategies every marketer should read — check it out here: 👉 https://theretentionblueprint.beehiiv.com/subscribe

🎙️ About Me, Gamal:

I’m a Growth Marketing Director turned performance marketing consultant and the host of Reach 4 Growth, a podcast where I talk with the brightest minds in marketing, e-commerce, and tech about what really drives growth.

🎧 Recorded at:

Huge shoutout to Cinixar, one of the best podcast studios in Dubai. If you’re looking for a top-tier setup for your own show, check out their website here 👉 https://cinixar.com/

💬 Drop your thoughts in the comment, do you think brands underestimate retention?

From SEO to AEO: How AI Search Engines Are Changing Everything

SEO isn’t dying, it’s evolving. In this episode of Reach for Growth, Gamal sits down with Mahmoud to unpack how AI Search Engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity are changing the rules of visibility, discovery, and organic growth.

We dive deep into AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), the next evolution of SEO, and explore how brands can prepare for an era where AI decides what people see, not Google’s blue links.

🔍 In this episode, you’ll learn:

- What AEO really is (and how it differs from SEO).

- Why AI search might be a bigger disruption than mobile ever was.

- How to make sure your brand gets cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini.

- Whether backlinks still matter in an AI-driven world.

- How paid and organic strategies will collide (and what that means for CAC).

- The future of discovery: who wins the visibility war, Google or AI engines?

💡 Whether you’re a founder, CMO, performance marketer, or SEO pro, this episode is your crash course in staying relevant — and profitable — in the AI era.

About the Guest – Mahmoud Nessim

Mahmoud is a digital growth and SEO expert with deep experience in search strategy, content architecture, and performance-driven organic growth. He helps brands navigate the fast-changing landscape of AI-powered search and stay ahead of the curve with AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) strategies that actually work.

🔗 Connect with Mahmoud on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mahmoud-nessim-al-amir-seo/

🎙️ About the Host – Gamal (Reach 4 Growth Podcast)

Gamal is a performance marketing and e-commerce strategist with over 14 years of experience driving growth for global brands like Nike, Under Armour, and Sun & Sand Sports. He’s the Founder of a performance marketing consultancy that helps brands make their ad budgets lean, efficient, and profitable. Through Reach 4 Growth, he shares real conversations and practical insights to help marketers evolve in the age of AI and automation.

🔗 Connect with Gamal on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gamalgrowth

🎧 Listen on:

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube

💬 Join the Conversation:

Drop your thoughts in the comments, do you think SEO is dead, or just reinventing itself?

الانتقال من مصر إلى دبي قد يبدو صعبًا، لكنه ليس مستحيلًا. في هذه الحلقة من سلسلة Growth Snacks ، يشارك جمال تجربته في العثور على وظيفة في دبي، وما تعلّمه خلال رحلته: ✅ أهمية التواجد المهني على لينكدإن ✅ المهارات التي أحدثت فرقًا حقيقيًا ✅ ولماذا من الضروري بناء علاقات مهنية حقيقية ليست وصفة سحرية، بل تجربة حقيقية فيها دروس بسيطة قد تساعدك في خطوتك التالية. 💡 مناسبة لـ: المهتمين بالتسويق الرقمي • الباحثين عن فرص عمل خارج مصر • أي شخص في مرحلة انتقال مهني 📩 انضم إلى مجتمع Reach 4 Growth—حيث نتعلّم من القصص الواقعية، لا من النظريات فقط.