From Global Nomad to AI Marketing Maverick: Sid’s Journey into the World of GEO
What does growing up across three continents, launching a failed travel startup, and getting mentioned by Google AI Overview have in common?
They’re all key moments in Sid’s story, a founder turned fractional CMO who’s now leading the charge into the next era of search: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
🌍 Chapter 1: How Moving From Lagos to Pilani Built a Founder’s Mindset
Sid was born in Bangalore, raised in Nigeria, and had already crossed 20+ countries by the time he entered college. But nothing quite prepared him for BITS Pilani.
“Moving to Canada felt easy. Pilani was the real culture shock.”
Imagine 40°C summers, no AC in sight, and the nearest Domino’s Pizza four hours away. That wasn’t just college, it was a startup bootcamp in disguise.
“You learn to thrive in discomfort. That skill saved me more than once.”
That mindset led him to launch his first startup: a travel app called Treadalong. Think Airbnb meets Foursquare for local experiences.
It made sense on paper. But in real life? Not so much.
“We got five bookings a month in Chile. It was crickets.”
Eventually, Sid pulled the plug. And that failure? It taught him everything about when to stop pushing and start pivoting.
🚀 Chapter 2: The Pivot — From Burnout to Fractional CMO
After shutting down the app, Sid took a solo trip, not to escape, but to reset. No job board. No CV blast.
While working on his next blog and interviewing a few people for it, he was invited to guide their company’s team, and from there, consulting opportunities started rolling in. He went on to lead marketing for companies like Thinkific, LemonStand, and Gorgias, without ever applying for a job.
One of his biggest wins? A simple blog post:
“The 30-60-90 Day Marketing Plan” — it ranked #1 on Google and drove thousands of leads for Thinkific.
“A single piece of content can outwork a sales team if you write it right.”
This was the beginning of his obsession with content that actually converts.
And later, it became the foundation for his next big shift, GEO.
🔎 Chapter 3: GEO — What Happens When ChatGPT Starts Sending You Traffic
Most marketers are still chasing Google rankings.
Sid noticed something weird: his blog posts were suddenly getting traffic from AI tools like ChatGPT.
A single explainer post on *Google’s Agent Development Kit* quickly became a breakout hit, driving over half of the site’s total traffic and ChatGPT-based referrals. Its clarity, relevance, and timing struck a chord with both search engines and generative platforms.
“It was wild. SEO wasn’t the only game in town anymore.”
That’s when he coined it:
👉 Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) — content built for AI discovery, not just Google crawlers.
Sid’s 3 Favorite GEO Tactics:
- Build real authority – Interview experts, write deep content, and be the source LLMs want to quote.
- Structure for machines – Use clear headers, schema, FAQs, and a conversational tone.
- Track invisible traffic – Use tools like AI Monitor to see how ChatGPT and Copilot are referencing your site.
- Build real authority – Interview experts, write deep content, and be the source LLMs want to quote.
Fun fact: Sid got serious about GEO when Copilot misrepresented a startup he admired. Now, he’s optimizing to “win” in AI answers.
🧠 Founder Advice from Sid (That Hits Hard)
- Don’t fake product-market fit. If you’re still asking, you don’t have it yet.
- Bet early on GEO. “ChatGPT won’t kill Google—but it will eat its lunch.”
- Never underestimate content. “One 10,000-word guide can feed your funnel for years.”
TL;DR – Why Sid’s Journey Matters Right Now
✅ Resilience built early: Growing up between Lagos and India taught Sid to adapt fast.
✅ Failure taught him speed: His failed travel app opened the door to SaaS growth and consulting.
✅ He writes to dominate: Sid’s long-form content ranks, converts and now gets cited by AI.
✅ He’s betting on the future: GEO isn’t a buzzword—it’s where smart marketers are headed.
Want to Start with GEO?
Sid recommends starting small:
- Write one great guide on a topic you own.
- Structure it.
- Track where your AI traffic is coming from.
- Write one great guide on a topic you own.
Because in the age of AI search, being found by people is great.
Being cited by language models is game-changing.
Do You Know What ChatGPT is Saying about Your Brand?
Don’t wait for a crisis. Proactively manage your brand’s reputation in the age of AI. To learn what AI is saying about you, book 1:1 Meeting with the #1 GEO Expert in the world.
