• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, July 23, 2026

Ryan Phelan, the email expert whose career has ranged from Adestra to RPE Origin, signaled a change in direction in a LinkedIn post on Thursday. He also shed light on shifts in the marketing business.

“After nearly three decades in customer engagement, I've noticed something,” he wrote.  “The questions CEOs ask today are very different than they were even five years ago. They're no longer asking, How do we improve email?

"They're asking: How should AI change our business?

“Where should we invest for growth?

“Are our teams organized the right way?

“Is my brand story the right one?

“What's standing between us and the next stage of the business?”

Phelan observes, “Those aren't channel questions. They're leadership questions.”

With that in mind, Phelan is expanding his strategic practice under the name Strategic Growth Advisory.  The company name is The Strongbow Group. 

What is he actually doing? 

“I partner with leadership teams on growth strategy, customer engagement, AI adoption, go-to-market planning, and fractional executive leadership, bringing the perspective of someone who's spent nearly 30 years building, leading, and advising organizations in this space.” 

Phelan has been advising founders, CEOs and executive teams on these challenges over the last several months. He has recently worked with marketing technology companies, SaaS organizations, and growth-stage businesses on scaling revenue and customer engagement.

In a phone call, Phelan argued that companies face challenges in the post-COVID world that weren't there pre-COVID. Firms used to conduct marketing in regular yearly cycles: holiday, back-To-school, etc. But the rhythm has been thrown off, and it has all been complicated by AI.  

Phelan notes that AI enables “one-to-one personalized marketing at scale.” But governance is key, “not only guardrails but education.”

With the speed at which people are getting information, brands need a strategy layer, and it’s much more important with AI than with previous technologies. Strategy must come before tactics. 

You may recall that Phelan stepped down as CEO of RPE Origin, a digital agency, in January of this year. Earlier in his career, he worked at Acxiom, Responsys, Sears & Kmart, BlueHornet and infoUSA. 

Need help with your email? He's still available for that. 

This is the next chapter.