Guy's 'What's Coming Up'
A bi-monthly(ish) lighthearted insight into the world of PII's publisher Guy Ullmann's latest going's on, together with updates about PII and details of ‘What's coming up‘ in each issue
Hello and welcome to my September WCU!
And just like that, summer was over.
How was yours? I hope it brought you plenty of good times and left you recharged and ready for a busy final stretch of the year. Mine has been a whirlwind and I’ve got plenty to catch you up on — including an introduction I’m slightly nervous (but excited!) to make…
First things first: A little introduction…
Back in April, I was at a music event with friends when a chap with a long beard caught my eye — he had some serious moves to go with his serious beard! But even more eye-catching was the girl in bright pink dancing with him. She was equally talented on the dance-floor and truth be told, she did more than just catch my eye 
I even took a short video that day because it captured the vibe so perfectly (you can check it out in my video-short below).
Fast forward to June. I’m at another event where I get introduced to a really interesting lady, we hit it off and swap numbers. One evening while WhatsApping, I mention the April event I went to. To my surprise, she tells me she was there too. Yup, you guessed it – she was the girl in pink!
From that moment on, we’ve been pretty inseparable and I am one very happy chappy
So, everyone… meet Amelia:
August Entrepreneur Meetup
This summer, I introduced Amelia to our monthly Entrepreneur Meetups. This one was hosted by a stunning countryside restaurant that generously laid on food and drinks (much to Amelia’s delight!).
Amelia, by the way, is a professional hip-hop dancer (her moves put mine firmly to shame!), where she is frequently away hosting events and also runs a growing website offering courses for instructors. Her entrepreneurial energy is super contagious and it’s been inspiring learning about everything she has achieved.
To help her progress to the next level my agency is now in the process of updating her website, so watch this space!
Summer Holiday Adventures
This year’s holiday was one I shalt forget. I met up with an old South African mate I’d only seen twice in 20 years since our early career days (before PII). He now lives back in Cape Town (apparently it beats Guildford!).
We reunited for a festival in Croatia and decided to make a road trip of it via Budapest and Vienna.
Budapest was incredible, a buzzing city with so much to see. Two days wasn’t enough, and I’ll definitely be back.
Vienna started quietly but ended with one of the funniest nights of my life. Let’s just say it was so bad, it was brilliant (but needs its own newsletter to explain the entire evening!)
The Croatian festival itself was my first multi-day festival – four days of pure magic. The crowd was so aligned musically that the whole thing felt like one big shared experience.
Below are few snaps of the trip, starting with the amazing Budapest:
Next Vienna….
And finally Croatia….
A Brush with Musical Royalty
Another highlight of the summer was being introduced to a couple of Amelia’s best friends – one of whom, Simon (a.k.a. Moses), Amelia described as a musician, little did I know he was more than your average karaoke singer!
At first, I just noticed how many people were stopping him to chat & take photos etc.
Then after another night out a friend ‘Googled' him and told me he’d actually won Italy’s Got Talent and had a YouTube video with nearly 5 million views!
I recently saw him perform at an intimate beach bar gig – an incredible mix of live traditional instruments and vocals. Moses and his wife are such humble, warm people and I feel lucky to call them friends 
Here’s one of his videos:
Other Bits & Bobs...
It’s been a truly action-packed couple of months, and here’s just a small glimpse of what I’ve been up to, from first dates and pool parties to river walks and breathtaking sunsets. I feel very lucky to call such a beautiful place home.
A short video of some of the singers – all of whom improvised together with the musicians, such talented artists.
What were the chances of me taking this video and meeting Amelia 3 months later! Beardy dude deserves some credit though!
A very quick collage of other bits & pieces over the summer…
Why Our Email List is Pure Gold
Our most recent Direct Email Campaign for POWTECH delivered outstanding results:
– 48% open rate
– 27% click-through rate
You can see the full breakdown here: Full Campaign Report.
Why Our Email List Matters
I manage our email list as if it were my own child – because it’s far more valuable than social media followers. These are people who actively sign up to hear from us, not just click a follow button and hope they catch your latest update while scrolling.
Comprehensive Campaign Services
We offer a full-service approach to email marketing, including:
– Copywriting
– Graphics and design
– Landing page creation
Everything is designed to make your campaign as impactful as possible.
Continuous Promotion for Maximum Visibility
We don’t stop at sending your campaign. We continue to promote it long after its launch to generate maximum visibility and engagement.
Let’s Make Your Campaign a Success
Drop me a line to see how we can help: guyullmann@piimag.com
AI, Jobs and the Future We Might Not Survive: A CEO’s Wake-Up Call!
Diary of a CEO
Episode: Dr. Roman Yampolskiy: These Are The Only 5 Jobs That Will Remain in 2030
This one’s not for the faint-hearted. Dr. Yampolskiy has been studying AI security for 20 years – that’s before AI even looked like what we know today. Basically, if he doesn’t know it, it’s probably not worth knowing.
I’ve never been AI’s biggest fan and this interview just cements why…
Do we really want a world where AI and robotics don’t just take over our jobs, but also creep into every corner of our lives? According to Dr. Yampolskiy, it won’t be long until AI can upgrade itself without humans, evolving on its own. Pause for a second… think about the implications for mankind.
The part that genuinely freaked me out? Using AI to create viruses – potentially way worse than COVID. Just the thought sends shivers down my spine.
AI is starting to feel like the universe – vast, unknowable and impossible to predict where it will go.
How far away are we from asking AI to build products; pumps, control panels, instrumentation… the list goes on? Hopefully a long, long time.
Are you feeling Perplexed yet?
Unless you’ve been under a rock, you’ve probably heard about Perplexity – a new search engine that’s being touted as a real challenger to Google.
As Neil Patel put it:
“If Google & ChatGPT had a baby, it would be Perplexity.“
Unlike traditional search, Perplexity gives conversational answers with context, not just lists of links. Already valued at $14B after just two years, it’s making waves.
For businesses, being cited as a trusted source is becoming more important than ever.
That’s where building your brand and where PII can help with GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) comes in….
Media Publishers as Key Players in GEO
GEO, or Generative Engine Optimisation, is the next evolution of SEO. It’s not just about keywords anymore; it’s about being recognised as a trusted, authoritative source that generative AI engines can cite directly. Here’s where media publishers come in:
Authority & Trustworthiness: Media outlets are already seen as credible sources. When a generative AI system pulls information, it prefers sources with established authority. Being cited by reputable publishers improves your brand’s visibility in generative search results.
Structured & Shareable Content: Journalistic content is often well-organised, fact-checked, and formatted with clarity – perfect for AI models to interpret and summarise. This makes it easier for your business to appear in AI-driven answer boxes.
Amplification & Context: Media publishers have reach and influence. By collaborating or contributing content, businesses can ensure their expertise is contextualised for audiences and for AI systems that aggregate and summarise information.
What's Coming Up in the Sept/Oct edition of PII
We’ve got another packed issue to kick off this busy stretch of the calendar and it’s brimming with insights from some fantastic contributors. Inside, you’ll find features from BlueTree Technologies, BM Engineering, Epicor, Mettler Toledo and Anderson-Negele, covering everything from cutting-edge innovations to practical solutions shaping the industry right now. It’s a great mix of expertise, ideas and inspiration to carry us into the final part of the year — making it the perfect platform for your advertising message.
- – Valve & Control Technology
– ERP Solutions
– Hygienic Engineering
– Plant Maintenance
– Liquid Level Measurement
– Devices for Ex Zones
Columnists:
– Sean Moran
– Gavin Smith
– David Green
If you missed our August edition, you can flick through below (click the 3 dots in the bottom right to open full screen).
Book in
I course would love to hear from you for any enquiries, please drop me a line for advertorial/advertising via the form opposite or email me on: guyullmann@piimag.com
Final booking/copy date: October 3rd
And finally....Something a bit different!
You might have seen on social media that Peter Crouch – aka Crouchy, the ex-Premier League star and England international, recently lost a bet. The forfeit? He had to don a mascot costume for Farnham Town… one of my old teams!
Here’s the thing: Crouchy is already a legend, but what really stood out was how he handled it. Not only did he go through with it, he even stopped to take photos etc including with my best mate’s nephew!
That’s the kind of generosity, humility and fun that reminds you sports are about more than just goals and glory.
Honestly, we didn’t get crowds like that back in my day, but that’s the beauty of seeing someone genuinely enjoy the game, no matter their status.
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