Every iconic brand has one thing in common.

It's not a great product … It's an enemy.

And once you find yours, everything about your content strategy make a little more sense.

👋 Welcome back to Content to Commas, this week we're going somewhere that sounds a little dark but it will actually one of the most clarifying things you can do for your brand: finding your enemy.

My enemy is complexity.

That's what drives everything I build. Today I want to show you how to do the same thing.

📌 In this issue:

Let’s get to work!

— Brandon Smithwrick

_{FROM OUR FRIENDS @ CONSENSUS}

AI shouldn’t replace trust-building. It should replace busywork.

The best systems use AI to handle what humans shouldn’t have to:

That frees teams to focus on what actually closes deals: relevance, timing, and clarity.

Automate the boring parts.
Protect the human ones.

Apple didn't just say "we make great computers" … they just hated bland. Anti-Dell & IBM computers.

Nike didn't just sell shoes … they went to war against the "I'll start Monday" mindset.

Having an enemy is one of the most powerful moves in branding.

People don't just rally around what they love. They rally around what they hate.

Shared frustration is the fastest way to build a tribe, because it's the fastest way to make someone feel genuinely seen. (read this to learn more)

You probably heard of the ICP exercise: define your Ideal Customer Profile. Who are they? What do they want? What keeps them up at night?

Flip it.

Instead of asking "Who is my ideal customer?"... ask "What does my ideal customer already hate?", “What is that thorn in their side?”, “What’s the thing they rage text but never say?”

Whatever lives in that gap? That's your enemy.

here's a quick exercise for you:

write down three things your ideal audience complains about. The things they post about in frustration, the things that make them say "somebody needs to fix this." One of those is your enemy, waiting to be named.

Give your enemy a specific, concrete identity.

My enemy? I named it The Hamster Wheel.

The content trap where you're always running but never arriving.

The moment I gave it that name, everything clicked. Every framework I build is an escape from the Hamster Wheel.

Every issue of this newsletter is one more step toward breaking free.

Here's the ultimate test: say your enemy's name out loud.

Does your audience immediately nod? Does it feel like you just said the thing they've been thinking?

If yes, you've got it.

If it still sounds generic, keep going.

Once you have a named enemy, you don't have to stare at a blank screen wondering what to write.

Every piece of content you create is a battle against that enemy.

[To clarify cause I know the email replies will come in. I know you post many things like memes and entertainment, not just one topic. However, if you feel stuck, think about how you can return to this subject.]

You don't have to mention your enemy by name in every post sometimes just showing the solution is the battle.

But your enemy should be living in the background of everything you create.

It's the invisible thread that makes your whole body of work feel like it belongs together.

Think about how Stephen A. Smith operates. Every take whether it's about the Knicks, Lebron, or Caitlin Clark circles back to the same core conviction “too many people in sports media are afraid to say what they actually think”.

That's his enemy. Soft takes. Safe opinions.

Once you have a named enemy, every piece of content practically writes itself.

Key Takeaway: The fastest path to a loyal audience isn't figuring out who you're for it's figuring out what you're both against.

Depending on when you're reading this, it may have just happened or is about to.

On Saturday March 28th, from 2–2:30 PM ET (today), I'll be on ABC News Live talking about leaving corporate America and becoming a full time creator.

This would not be possible without this community and this newsletter … so thank you. Seriously!

This is what happens when you stop chasing opportunities and start making the right moves. Doors open.

Tune in live or catch the replay on YouTube.

If you watch, tag me @BrandonSmithwrick … I'll reshare every single post.

You told me the same thing in a hundred different ways...

Your content is published but it doesn't produce anything.

I heard you and I built something around exactly that problem.

Content to Commas: The Course is coming.

It's designed for people who already know they have to make content but want it to actually do something they can feel.

Here's what you'll walk away with:

Waitlist is now open! Waitlist gets first access, early pricing, and a few extras I'll only share there.

Each week, I share tips on branding, monetization, growth, and useful tools that you might have missed. You can catch up in just a few minutes.

These posts did numbers for a reason. Worth a reread.

The stack I keep coming back to in my own business.

The gear I actually use to capture clean, usable content without overthinking it.