#222 – Kasim Aslam: AI-Driven Agencies & The Rise of Answer Engine Optimization

Kasim Aslam is one of the most respected voices in performance marketing. He joins Drop The Mic to share how he scaled his agency to 200+ clients, exited for 8-figures, and why he believes AI and answer engine optimization (AEO) are the future of digital strategy. In this wide-ranging conversation, Kasim gets raw about his entrepreneurial failures, the dangers of chasing hype, and what really moves the needle when building a scalable, sellable marketing business. He also shares why traditional digital marketing is dying, why the quality of your people matters more than your tools, and how businesses can win by adopting a bottom-up AI strategy. We dive into: 🚀 What it takes to sell an agency for 8 figures 💸 Why private equity is targeting media buying businesses 🧠 How AI-enabled executive assistants are transforming operations 🔍 The rise of AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and what comes after SEO 🤖 Why most AI conversations ignore the real opportunity: empowered humans Kasim brings fire, honesty, and real frameworks for marketers, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to stay relevant in a rapidly changing digital world. Episode Timestamps: [01:30] – Building (and exiting) a top Google Ads agency [03:00] – 60 offers in 6 months: Why agency valuations spiked [05:20] – The Google Ads advantage and solving for traffic [09:40] – Post-exit identity shift and investing lessons [12:00] – AI as a bottom-up revolution, not top-down [15:10] – Why mediocre employees + AI = dangerous [18:45] – Kasim’s EA hiring strategy & human capital model [22:30] – What most agencies get wrong about AI adoption [25:40] – Why "Answer Engine Optimization" is the new SEO [29:30] – The future of nimble teams vs bloated orgs [32:15] – Paradigm shifts in training, culture & incentives [36:50] – Empowering team members to lead with AI [41:00] – Building businesses through delegation & ownership [43:30] – Kasim’s vision for owning the AEO category 🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhuntofficial