April Todds (Chief Content): Hi Florin, thank you so much for joining us today. You’ve been at the forefront of AI-driven marketing for over a decade now, and your latest innovation with Next Level Marketing is making waves in the industry. For those unfamiliar with your background, can you start by telling us a little about your journey and how Squirrly—now AISQ—came to be?
Florin Mureșan (AISQ): Absolutely, and thank you for having me, April! My journey with Squirrly, now trading as AISQ, started in 2012. The idea back then was to create AI tools that could simplify digital marketing, especially for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). As you know, SMBs often lack the resources and expertise of larger companies, so I wanted to build something that would help level the playing field.
When we first launched, we focused on creating tools that could assist with SEO and content creation—things that business owners really struggle with. Over the years, our vision evolved as AI matured, and we started thinking bigger. We wanted to give business owners a tool that could do everything—run an entire marketing campaign from start to finish with minimal input from them. That’s where Next Level Marketing came in.
April: That’s a fascinating trajectory, and the work you’ve done for SMBs is truly remarkable. Could you tell us more about Next Level Marketing? Why is it being called a first-of-its-kind AI innovation, and how does it differ from other marketing automation tools out there?
Florin: What makes Next Level Marketing revolutionary is that it’s a fully automated, end-to-end marketing system. It doesn’t just help with one part of the process; it handles everything. From keyword research, to content creation, to social media scheduling, and even sending out email newsletters. Everything is integrated, and the AI makes data-driven decisions to optimize the entire marketing strategy.
The big difference between Next Level Marketing and traditional marketing automation tools is the autonomy. Most tools still require marketers to drive the process—you have to create the content, decide when and where to post, manage the emails, etc. With Next Level Marketing, the AI takes full control of all those tasks. The business owner simply approves the content and makes minor adjustments if needed. It’s like having an entire marketing department, but one that runs 24/7 with AI at the helm.
April: That’s a huge leap forward. I imagine this could be a game-changer for small businesses that don’t have the resources to hire marketing teams or agencies. What kind of feedback are you getting from the first wave of businesses using the platform?
Florin: The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, which is very exciting for us. Over 200 small business owners have already completed the end-to-end implementation of Next Level Marketing, and they’re seeing incredible results. We’ve had reports of increased organic traffic due to AI-optimized SEO, higher social media engagement, and the ability to send out personalized email campaigns without having to manually input anything.
Many of these business owners told us they were initially overwhelmed by marketing in general—there are just so many moving parts. But now, they’re able to focus on running their business while the AI takes care of all the marketing tasks. That’s exactly what we set out to achieve: simplifying the process and making high-quality marketing accessible for everyone.
April: You’ve clearly democratized access to advanced marketing tools, which is no small feat. Let’s talk a little more about your vision. What’s your long-term goal for AISQ, especially with this new platform in place? How do you see it evolving in the coming years?
Florin: My long-term vision has always been to make AI as accessible as possible, especially for non-technical business owners. I believe that AI shouldn’t just be reserved for big corporations with huge budgets. Small and medium-sized businesses should also be able to benefit from cutting-edge technology.
With Next Level Marketing, we’re just scratching the surface. We’re already planning to expand the platform to include more languages, and we’re constantly refining the system based on the feedback we’re receiving. Ultimately, I want Next Level Marketing to become the go-to marketing tool for SMBs worldwide. I envision a future where any business, regardless of size or industry, can deploy AI to drive their marketing—without needing to hire experts or spend large sums of money.
April: It’s an ambitious vision, but given your track record, it seems like you’re well on your way. Let’s talk about the trust factor. Squirrly has built a strong reputation over the years, with over 23,000 paying customers, including big names like Microsoft and the BBC. How have you managed to earn the trust of such a diverse range of clients?
Florin: Trust is built over time, and for us, it has always been about delivering real value. When we first started, our primary focus was on helping SMBs with SEO, which is a critical aspect of digital marketing. We knew that if we could help businesses rank higher in search engines, they would see real results—more traffic, more leads, more conversions. That’s a very tangible benefit, and it’s something we’ve always delivered on.
As we grew, we applied the same principles to the other tools we developed, whether it was for content optimization or social media management. Companies like Microsoft and the BBC took notice because we weren’t just offering generic solutions; we were providing AI-driven tools that made a measurable difference in their online presence. We earned their trust by consistently delivering results.
April: That’s impressive. I can see how your focus on real-world impact has resonated with both small businesses and larger enterprises. Last question: For entrepreneurs and marketers who are still hesitant about using AI in their marketing, what advice would you give them?
Florin: My advice would be simple: don’t be afraid to start. AI isn’t just a trend; it’s the future of marketing. And the great thing is, you don’t need to be an expert to take advantage of it. That’s what we’ve focused on with AISQ—creating a system that does the heavy lifting for you.
Think of it this way: as a business owner, your time is your most valuable asset. If AI can save you time and handle the complex tasks for you, why not give it a try? The earlier you adopt AI tools like Next Level Marketing, the sooner you’ll see the benefits—whether that’s more traffic, more engagement, or simply freeing up time to focus on other aspects of your business.
April: Fantastic advice, Florin. It’s clear that you and AISQ are not just shaping the future of AI in marketing but also making it accessible to the businesses that need it most. Thank you so much for your time today, and we look forward to seeing where AISQ goes next!
Florin: Thank you, April. It was a pleasure to share our journey, and I’m excited about the future of AI and what we can achieve with it.
April Todds is a co-founder of Chief Content, a leading digital magazine for content marketers, business owners, and content strategists.
