About This Episode:
If you’ve ever tried to scale a content-driven sales system, you’ve probably hit the wall: your team’s publishing, but results are stalling. Leads flatten. Sales says content “kind of helps,” but not enough. You start wondering, have we actually nailed the fundamentals, or are we just checking boxes?
At IMPACT, we’ve coached hundreds of companies through this exact problem. We know firsthand that true scalability doesn’t come from flashy tools or clever tactics. It comes from deeply rooted behaviors that align content, sales, and trust.
When we sat down with Ed McKnight, the Resident Economist at Opes Partners, we weren’t expecting a standard growth story. Ed brought something different: candor, clarity, and a track record that proves mastering the basics of the Endless Customers System™ isn’t just helpful, it’s non-negotiable.
This episode was a masterclass in what it takes to scale. Ed and the team at Opes Partners didn’t stumble into success. They earned it. They faced resistance, made expensive mistakes, and wrestled with tough decisions about how and where to invest. But through it all, they stayed committed to the core principles that we teach every day: transparency, consistency, and building from within.
This conversation gave us a rare peek behind the curtain of a company that’s not just using the Endless Customers System™; they’re evolving it. And if you’ve ever wondered what comes after the basics, what scaling really looks like, or what might be holding you back from the next level, this episode is for you.
What did Opes Partners do to master Endless Customers?
Ed kicked off by sharing something that hit home for our team at IMPACT: "You can't scale something that's not working at the base level." It's a simple truth that gets ignored far too often.
Opes Partners didn’t try to skip steps. They didn’t chase shiny tactics. They focused on building a rock-solid foundation, starting with content that answered real questions their buyers had.
That meant owning The Big 5TM topics (cost & price, problems, versus & comparisons, reviews, and best in class). It meant getting rid of fluff and tackling topics most in their industry would rather avoid. According to Ed, this wasn’t just a strategy; it was a mindset shift. They had to move from thinking of content as marketing collateral to recognizing it as a core part of how they build trust and educate buyers.
This required a change in behavior across the organization. Sales had to buy in. Leadership had to model it. Marketing had to be willing to publish before things felt perfect. As Ed said, "We realized the value wasn’t just in what we wrote, but in how consistently we showed up."
And yes, it meant facing some friction. Ed talked about canceling their SEO agency’s credit card because they weren’t seeing the kind of traction that mattered. That’s not a decision most companies take lightly, but as Ed put it: "We realized if it wasn’t working, we had to stop wasting time and money."
They also had to resist the urge to look externally for answers. As tempting as it is to think a new tool or vendor will solve everything, Opes Partners doubled down on internal capability. They started producing their own content. They trained team members. They built the muscle.
The takeaway is this: Endless Customers works when you do. When you’ve got a culture that embraces content as a revenue engine, the system starts to click. Without that, you’re just checking boxes.
Building the foundation isn’t glamorous, but it’s what separates short-term spikes from long-term momentum. And that’s what this system is all about.
What are the signs you're ready to scale Endless Customers?
Ed described it as a plateau. A point where the team had done the hard work. They were publishing content regularly, building alignment across sales and marketing, and creating a website that actually answered questions, but things started to level off.
That leveling off wasn’t a failure. It was a signal. A sign that the systems were in place, the routines were established, and the results had become predictable. In other words, they’d done the work and were now ready to explore what was next.
"We had reached a place where the core system was working. We just needed to take it further," Ed explained. That’s when they started investing in new initiatives like Area Analyzer, their custom tool for property research.
This wasn’t a guess or a gamble. They built it based on real feedback from their audience. People who had specific questions that no other platform could answer in a clear, direct way. That tool became a magnet for website visitors and a reason for people to keep coming back.
It also deepened their relationship with their audience. The tool wasn’t just a flashy add-on. It solved a genuine pain point. It created value.
And that’s the mindset shift every business leader needs to make at this stage. The question isn’t, “What new thing can we launch?” The question is, “What have we learned that tells us where to go next?”
Scaling happens when you're ready to layer on systems, tools, and strategies that extend your impact, not distract from it.
When you hit that kind of plateau, it’s not time to panic. It’s time to ask: What could we do now that builds on what we’ve already proven?
What did scaling look like for Opes Partners?
One of the biggest lessons from this episode? Scaling content means multiplying impact, not simply increasing volume.
Opes Partners built internal systems that allowed their team to create content faster without sacrificing quality. That included hiring an in-house journalist (which they regret not doing sooner), investing in video, and using AI tools to support repurposing.
They also focused on documentation. Standardizing how content was produced, edited, and published so that anyone stepping into the process could contribute with clarity. That kind of operational maturity allowed them to scale without chaos.
Ed said it best: "We stopped trying to outsource our voice. We decided to own it."
Let that sink in.
That decision gave them control, speed, and cohesion. Instead of managing agencies or chasing freelancers, they built a rhythm and tone that reflected who they really were. And their audience noticed.
They also adjusted their perspective on their business. Today, Opes Partners approaches its brand as a media company. Not to sell ads, but to create value through education and information. That shift influenced everything from how they measured success to how they hired.
A great analogy here: Think of it like a university for your buyers. You’re not selling courses, but you are building a brand around helping people get smarter. When you do that well, trust becomes your biggest competitive advantage.
How did AI enhance their content strategy?
Let’s talk tech.
Opes Partners didn’t view AI as a solution in itself. They applied it to strengthen what was already working.
Their Opes AI tool helped speed up research and insight generation, but it didn’t replace the human touch. As Ed shared, "We still needed our people to bring the heart and judgment."
That philosophy extended to every tech decision they made. Before adding tools, they asked: Will this help us do more of what already works? Will this support our people or distract them?
They used AI to turn transcripts into summaries, generate content drafts, and help identify new topic opportunities. But the final say always came from a human who understood their audience.
They approached AI as an assistant, not a replacement. It helped their team move faster and explore ideas they might not have thought of otherwise. But it never led the process. And that was key.
They also avoided the common trap of rushing into automation before nailing the fundamentals. The processes were already strong. The content strategy was already aligned. AI simply helped them do more of it, more efficiently.
It also freed up time. With AI handling the time-consuming parts of production like formatting, summarizing, and first drafts, their team could focus on strategy, storytelling, and refining the voice that had become so core to their brand.
Technology became a multiplier. It worked because the foundation was solid.
Too many teams throw AI into the mix, hoping it will fix what's broken. Opes Partners did the opposite. They earned the right to scale. Then they used the tools that made that scale sustainable.
What were the costly mistakes Opes Partners made?
We loved Ed’s honesty here.
He didn’t sugarcoat it. Opes Partners wasted over $1 million trying to buy growth, including a glossy, high-production magazine campaign that looked beautiful but fell completely flat. As Ed put it, "We should have spent that money building Opes+, our online learning platform."
The numbers were brutal. Beautiful design. Top-tier photography. No return. They were left with a stack of expensive paper and very little to show for it. That experience shook their confidence and pushed them to reevaluate where their audience actually spent time, and what they actually valued.
Another misstep? Waiting too long to hire a full-time journalist, or for many of you, a content manager. That one delay slowed their momentum during a time when they could’ve been doubling down on consistent, high-quality content. They also flirted with the idea of buying a media company before realizing they had all the ingredients to build one from scratch.
And perhaps the most familiar mistake of all: trying to scale content too quickly. Without the right internal systems and capacity, things got messy. There were delays, inconsistent messaging, and real burnout across the team. It cost them time, morale, and a good deal of clarity.
But here’s the thing. These weren’t failures. They were tuition payments. Expensive, yes. But valuable.
Those lessons led to a sharper focus. They decided to stop chasing quick wins and start playing the long game. They realigned their strategy, doubled down on what they could control, and committed to content and media as core pillars of their business.
The big takeaway? You can't outsource credibility. You have to build it, brick by brick, from the inside out.
Scale only after you've earned it
If you're trying to scale Endless Customers, here's what you need to hear:
- The fundamentals are not optional. Nail The Big 5TM. Align your team. Build the culture. Scaling begins when your systems are working consistently and you start to hit a plateau. Content at scale is about depth and value, not just output. Technology should enhance what’s already strong. It won’t fix what’s broken. Investing in your own growth yields better returns than chasing external validation.
This conversation reinforced everything we believe at IMPACT. You grow when you commit. You win when your team stops looking for hacks and starts building systems.
Ed’s story is a reminder that real scale is earned. It comes after the grind. After the repetition. After the boring stuff. And that’s what makes it sustainable.
Most of the companies we see struggling with growth aren’t missing strategy. They’re missing consistency.
Ready to build consistency and scale with confidence? Download the Endless Customers 90-Day Starter Guide and follow the same steps that helped Opes Partners create long-term growth through content and trust.
Connect with Ed
Ed McKnight is the Resident Economist at Opes Partners. He helps New Zealanders understand why property is such a great solution to our retirement problem. In addition to his role, he hosts the Property Academy Podcast, where he shares his knowledge and passion for property investment.
Connect with Ed on LinkedIn
Keep Learning
- Watch: Why Every Business Must Think Like a Media Company Read: Why Buyers Now Control the Sales Process (And What You Should Do About It) Free Assessment: How Does Your Sales and Marketing Measure Up?
FAQs
How did Opes Partners achieve 10x growth?
They started by mastering the basics. Opes Partners committed to producing content around The Big 5™ topics and built alignment between sales, marketing, and leadership. They brought content production in-house, giving them agility and authenticity. Once the foundation was strong, they layered on tools like Area Analyzer based on specific buyer needs. This combination of strategic focus, operational discipline, and audience feedback allowed them to grow revenue dramatically over time.
Why did Opes Partners stop using external vendors?
They realized their outsourced marketing partners weren’t delivering the insight or alignment needed to build a cohesive strategy. External vendors lacked the deep understanding of their buyers and their brand voice. By transitioning content creation and strategy in-house, they gained faster turnaround times, tighter integration with sales, and a stronger sense of ownership over their results.
What made their Area Analyzer tool successful?
The Area Analyzer wasn’t just a feature; it was a solution to a real problem. Buyers had questions about property investment at the regional level—things like projected growth, local factors, and comparative values. No existing tools answered those questions in a clear, comprehensive way. By developing a tool grounded in user needs, Opes Partners offered something that delivered genuine value and built long-term trust.
How does AI fit into their strategy?
Opes Partners used AI strategically to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. AI helped generate first drafts, summarize podcast transcripts, and suggest content topics based on trends. However, every piece of content still went through a human lens to maintain tone, accuracy, and trust. The technology freed up time for deeper storytelling and strategy, serving as a multiplier for a team that had already nailed the fundamentals.
