In Episode 16 of the Killer Growth Podcast, Samuel McVay sits down with Tyler Brickley, Chief Brand Officer at Killer Growth and founder of The Kindness Mob, for a candid conversation about creativity, purpose, and building something that genuinely improves the internet. Tyler shares his unconventional path-from dropping out of college after six weeks, to car sales at Suzuki of Wichita, to restaurant ownership at Jacob's Well in El Dorado, and eventually discovering his true calling in content creation and brand building.
Throughout the episode, Tyler reveals how his lifelong habit of making videos and content led to unexpected opportunities and how he learned to pivot from entertainment-focused content to impact-focused work with The Kindness Mob. The conversation touches on the tension between chasing metrics (followers, engagement) and focusing on genuine impact, a struggle Tyler faces daily. He explains how The Kindness Mob works-averaging 650 comments per "mob" to uplift someone-and how he keeps himself grounded when engagement dips below expectations.
The episode closes with Tyler's core advice for anyone wanting to start a movement or spread goodness online: do it messy, do it today, and don't lose sight of your original vision. It's a masterclass in balancing ambition with authenticity, and a reminder that meaningful work doesn't always look like viral success.
Tyler Brickley's journey to founding The Kindness Mob wasn't planned. It was the result of years of making things, failing at traditional sales, and eventually discovering that his real gift was building brands and creating content that moved people-not content that just got views.
From College Dropout to Content Creator
Tyler spent six weeks at Butler Community College before realizing formal education wasn't for him. At 18, he had no real goals, wasn't paying for school, and had zero investment in the outcome. He left to pursue real work, starting as a car salesman at Suzuki of Wichita under Scott Pittman. The job taught him discipline. Unlike college, where you could skip classes, car sales required showing up every week-or you didn't get paid. It was a hard lesson in accountability.
But Tyler was terrible at selling cars. He moved 2-5 cars monthly while peers hit 20+. The problem? He couldn't convince people to make financially destructive decisions. He'd tell customers with bad credit to wait 18 months, build their score to 600, and come back for a better rate. It cost him commissions. It also revealed something crucial about who he was: someone who cared more about doing right by people than hitting numbers.
Finding Purpose Through Creation
Since age 12, Tyler had always made stuff-funny videos for every occasion, always with a camera in hand. At Suzuki, management noticed. They created a job around his skill set in 2009, when social media was still the Wild West and hiring a teenager with a flip camera to make content was unconventional. This was before "content creation" was a real career. Tyler had freedom to experiment, throw things up, and iterate. It worked.
After Suzuki came six years running Jacob's Well, a restaurant in El Dorado. There, Tyler applied the same philosophy-turn negatives into narratives. When they got a bad review calling them "weird," he launched an entire advertising campaign celebrating it. He even wrote satirical blog posts about a man discovered living under the restaurant. The Wichita news picked it up. That's the power of understanding your audience and building a brand people want to be part of.
The Kindness Mob: Impact Over Metrics
The Kindness Mob is Tyler's current mission. It's simple: gather people online and have them leave kind comments on someone's post. The original vision was ten people, ten comments. Now they average 650 comments per "mob." Sometimes it's 50, sometimes 3,000. Tyler struggles with this tension constantly. When they hit lower numbers, he feels like he's failed the person being mobbed. But then he reminds himself: 50 people saying something kind to a stranger is still a miracle. It still changes lives on both sides.
The movement has forced Tyler to let go of entertainment metrics-views, followers, reach. The Kindness Mob audience doesn't care about jokes. They care about action. That discipline has made his work sharper and more purposeful.
The Advice for Anyone Starting Something
Tyler's closing wisdom: don't wait for perfection. If you want to start a movement or spread goodness online, do it today and do it messy. Change it as you go. Don't be too hard on yourself about results at first. Define a realistic but impactful North Star-maybe it's one person, maybe it's five. Then be brave enough to hold to that original vision without losing sight of it when expectations grow.
What is The Kindness Mob and how does Tyler Brickley's creative purpose connect to building a brand?
The Kindness Mob is Tyler Brickley's initiative focused on spreading kindness and creative purpose. As Chief Brand Officer at KillerGrowth, Tyler demonstrates how authentic brand storytelling-like sharing your mission and values-creates deeper connections with your audience. For local service businesses, this means your brand story (why you started, what you stand for) becomes a competitive advantage when communicated consistently across your website, ads, and social media.
How do creative service businesses and content creators benefit from digital marketing?
Creative professionals like Tyler need digital marketing to build visibility and reach beyond word-of-mouth. Local SEO helps creative agencies and purpose-driven brands show up when potential clients search for their services. Google Ads and Meta Ads amplify brand messaging to targeted audiences. A strong website showcases portfolio work and builds trust. Without these channels, even great creative work stays hidden.
How does KillerGrowth help creative professionals and brand-focused businesses get more clients online?
KillerGrowth combines local SEO, Google Ads, Meta Ads, custom website design, GoHighLevel CRM, and social media management to build a complete digital presence. For mission-driven businesses like The Kindness Mob or creative agencies, we ensure your brand story reaches the right audience through paid and organic channels, nurture leads with CRM automation, and convert inquiries into clients.
What makes KillerGrowth different from other Wichita digital marketing agencies?
KillerGrowth is founded by and works with entrepreneurs who understand that marketing is about building real connections, not just vanity metrics. We specialize in local service businesses and mission-driven brands-not one-size-fits-all solutions. Our team (including Chief Brand Officer Tyler Brickley) focuses on authentic storytelling, conversion-focused strategy, and measurable results. We're hands-on, direct, and committed to your growth.
How can a local business owner or creative professional get started with KillerGrowth?
Book a free strategy call with Samuel McVay at killergrowth.com/booking. During the call, we'll discuss your business goals, current marketing challenges, and which services (local SEO, Google Ads, Meta Ads, website design, GoHighLevel CRM, or social media management) will drive the most impact for your growth.