What I Read and How I Read it: Marcus Sheridan

Longtime HubSpot audiences need no introduction to @TheSalesLion Marcus Sheridan (lovingly known as "The Pool Guy.") With the help of incredible innovations through inbound marketing, Sheridan’s company overcame the collapse of the housing market and became one of the largest pool installers in the country. Marcus, who has a conference room named after him at our Cambridge, MA HQ, is easily HubSpot's most famous early customer and one of the very first who so GOT the value of inbound marketing, he launched his own company to help others.

There are actually THREE ways to see Marcus at INBOUND this year. Tuesday 9/16, catch his "Ask Me Anything at 11:45 am, followed by a Partner Track seminar on workshops at 1:45 pm. His biggest talk will be Thursday 9/18 at 11:45 am on the Inbound Experts stage, where he will present Inbound Marketing Success Today, Tomorrow and 10 Years from Now. We caught up with Marcus to see how he keeps his edge.

What is your #1 source for staying on top of your world?

When and what do you read online?

I almost never read when I'm on my laptop, which is my main workstation. If I'm on it, I'm either producing content, meeting with a client, or answering emails. When I do read, it's on my phone, and that generally occurs in unplanned moments or moments when I'm trying to be/feel productive but my laptop isn't with me---waiting in line somewhere, eating by myself at a restaurant, just before falling asleep in a hotel room after a long day, etc.

What is your favorite place on the web?

What's interesting is I can't really say I have a favorite place on the web. I check Facebook once a day normally. I enjoy interaction on Twitter but don't spend much time there either. These days, I simply never feel like I have as much time as I'd like to peruse the web and check out all the great content that is out there.

Which people or feeds or blogs do you follow?

• Social Media Examiner, Convince and Convert, Twist Image, Content Marketing Institute, HubSpot for marketing news
• For general news? I watch/listen to as little of that as possible, as it's way too depressing.
• For inspiration, I actually read magazines---Success is my favorite, but I also like Entrepreneur as well. 

Who is someone undiscovered that we should be reading?

There are many, that's for sure. But Ryan Hanley from www.ryanhanley.com comes to mind as someone who is passionate, thoughtful, and fearless.

What is your biggest pet peeve about content? 

My biggest pet peeve are the "content police"---you know, those folks that act like if content ain't perfect, it should never touch the interwebs. That drives me crazy. No individual or company has ever produced a perfect piece of content. We're all just figuring this out as we go. Perfection is not, nor ever will be attainable. The goal, rather, is "get better."

What is the most memorable piece of content of all time?

The most memorable piece of content of all time? That's easy--the Bible. (Think how many people have memorized bible verses and scriptures...yeah, that's a lot).

My most memorable piece of content was the first blog post I ever wrote at River Pools and Spas. Looking back, that post was poorly written, poorly formatted, and the voice was poorly articulated. But boy did it start something very, very special for me. 

How would you rank your favorite social apps?

If content types were stocks, which ones would you buy, which would you sell, and which would you hold?

BUY: Blog posts, eBooks, video, newsletters, podcasts, video

HOLD: (none) 

SELL: infographics, paperback books, whitepapers

What haven't we asked you that you'd like to talk about?

I think that covers it!! :)

Don't miss Marcus Sheridan, Malcolm Gladwell, Martha Stewart, Simon Sinek and a whole roster of incredible speakers coming to Boston September 15-18 for INBOUND 2014.