Most people don’t approach big podcasts or major media the right way. They think it’s about spreading as many messages as possible. In reality, it’s about finding one powerful message and repeating it until it sticks.
The trick is to watch the media cycle closely, spot the gaps, find the trends, and hitch your story to them.
At the same time, the media is about big, timeless ideas. If you look at many bestselling books, they succeed because they’re built on ideas that resonate across history. That’s what gets attention and what keeps it.
For me, that timeless idea wasn’t podcasting itself. It was the Roman Empire.
The Shift in My Media Story
For years, I had been talking about podcasting as the “new media.” I started podcasting back in 2014 and have since appeared on hundreds of shows.
Those conversations were solid, they positioned me as someone who understood the power of podcasting, and they helped me connect with many leaders. But they weren’t breaking me into the big podcasts I dreamed of.
I wanted to be in rooms where people weren’t just curious about podcasting, they were shaping culture.
And then, something unexpected happened in late 2023.
When the Roman Empire Went Viral
If you were online in late 2023, you probably saw it. Videos started popping up of women asking their boyfriends how often they thought about the Roman Empire. The answers were hilarious and revealing.
For many men, Rome was a daily thought. The trend took off on TikTok and Instagram. Soon Saturday Night Live was parodying it. Memes and think pieces followed.
And here’s the funny part: I actually hold a master’s degree in the Roman Empire. My specialty? How the first emperor convinced people he was a god.
But for years, that part of me never seemed to connect with my business or media work. I left it in the background. I thought it was “too niche.”
It wasn’t because suddenly, the culture had turned its attention to Rome.
How One Interview Changed Everything
In January 2024, I was invited onto the show of legendary interviewer Cal Fussman. Cal has interviewed icons like Larry King, Tom Cruise, and Muhammad Ali. He could have asked me about podcasting. Instead, what caught his attention was my background in the Roman Empire.
So we didn’t spend our time talking about new media strategies. Instead, we dove into the fall of the Roman Republic.
I prepped like crazy. I reread source material, listened to history courses, and sharpened my perspective. When the interview went live, it felt like everything clicked.
That one conversation planted the seed for what would become my new positioning: not just a business owner who knows podcasting, but a thinker who can connect timeless history to our current moment.
The Third-Century Hypothesis
Here’s where it got interesting. Over the years, I’ve developed a theory I call the “Third-Century Hypothesis.”
When most people talk about Rome, they focus on the first century, the fall of the Republic or the fifth century, the fall of the Western Empire. But the third century was Rome’s real crisis. It was a period of:
- Hyperinflation that wrecked the currency
- Border instability with constant invasions
- Weak, ineffective leadership with emperors rising and falling almost monthly
Sound familiar?
To me, it looks a lot like where we are right now in the modern world. But for a long time, I hadn’t found the right stage to share this idea. I didn’t think it would connect.
Until Rome went viral.
From Niche Story to Mainstream Momentum
After the Fussman interview, I pitched the Roman Empire topic to bestselling author and podcast host James Altucher.
He loved it. We recorded an episode that began with Alexander the Great and quickly turned into a deep dive on Rome’s third century.
Then came the big turning point. A week later, I was listening to Timcast IRL when Tim Pool mentioned he wanted to cover the Roman Empire. I reached out, shared my perspective, and landed an in-studio appearance on Tim Pool’s Culture War.
That episode changed everything. Suddenly, my “niche” topic wasn’t niche at all.
I was crisscrossing the country, appearing on shows I had once only listened to as a fan.
ROI of Media Positioning
In the past year and a half, I’ve become a sought-after guest on the Roman Empire.
My appearances include:
- The James Altucher Show
- Man in America with Seth Holehouse
- Big Questions with Cal Fussman
- Timcast’s Culture War with Tim Pool (In Studio)
- The Dinesh D’Souza Podcast
- The Michele Tafoya Show
- The Flyover Conservatives
- MARIO ZNA (one of the largest shows in Serbia)
- Wake Up America with Austin Petersen
- Jenna Ellis Tonight on Salem TV
- The Alex Jones Show (In Studio)
- Drinkin Bros Podcast (In Studio)
- Unusual Suspects on the Valuetainment Network (In Studio)
- Digital Social Hour with Sean Kelly (In Studio)
- Citizen (In Studio)
- History Unplugged
- Quite Frankly (In Studio)
- Tinfoil Hat with Sam Tripoli
- Normal World on The Blaze (In Studio)
And many more.
The results have been massive:
- My X (Twitter) account tripled to over 20,000 followers.
- My Instagram engagement skyrocketed.
- The same shows that booked me started booking our clients.
It changed how I was seen, not just as a podcasting guy, but as someone who can connect timeless history to today’s world.
That’s the real ROI of positioning. It’s not about chasing every story. It’s about aligning with the right story at the right moment.
Here’s some photos from this journey that I would like to share with you.
Why This Matters for Founders & CEOs
So why should you care about my Roman Empire journey?
Because the principle behind it applies directly to you.
Most founders, CEOs, and experts make the mistake of spreading themselves too thin in the media. They try to be everything to everyone. The result? Their message gets lost.
The real play is to find one powerful, timeless idea that connects with who you are and what you stand for. Then, repeat it until it sticks.
When you align your story with cultural trends and timeless ideas, you don’t have to chase the media. The media comes to you.
That’s what happened to me. And it’s what we do for our clients at Command Your Brand.
Why Talking About the Roman Empire Changed Everything
At the end of the day, my Roman Empire journey worked because it wasn’t fake. It wasn’t manufactured. It was me.
I’ve always loved history. I’ve always seen connections between ancient civilizations and our world today. For years, I thought that part of me didn’t “fit” in my business life. But when the cultural moment arrived, it turned out to be my best positioning tool.
That’s why it changed everything for my media appearances. It wasn’t just about relevance, it was about resonance.
The Roman Empire gave me a way to talk about timeless challenges, cultural collapse, and leadership lessons that every audience can connect with.
And it reminded me of the most important truth about media:
You don’t need more messages. You need the right message.
The Roman Empire trend may have faded from TikTok, but the momentum it created for me has only grown stronger.
It positioned me as more than a podcasting expert. It gave me credibility on big stages, opened doors I never thought I’d walk through, and built momentum that continues to benefit both me and our clients.
At Command Your Brand, that’s exactly what we help our clients do. We don’t just get you booked, we help you find the message that positions you for credibility, visibility, and long-term ROI.
So, if you’re ready to stop introducing yourself and start attracting the right people, let’s talk. Book a call with our team today and let’s position your story to create momentum that changes everything.
