Why You DON’T Need a Brand to Start a Business with Ryan Musselman
In this episode of The Atomic CEO Podcast, Tom and Adam sit down with Ryan Musselman—former Google leader and VP of Content at Cinemark turned entrepreneur—to explore what it really takes to step out of the corporate world and build a business on your own terms.
Ryan shares his journey from leading digital content companies and scaling startups to walking away from structured corporate systems and embracing experimentation, iteration, and agency. The conversation dives into unlearning process-heavy thinking, navigating pivots, and building businesses in today’s rapidly evolving AI-driven landscape.
If you’ve ever felt stuck between “doing it right” and just getting started—this episode is your permission slip to move.
👤 About Ryan Musselman Ryan Musselman is a content strategist, entrepreneur, and former corporate executive with a background in sales, marketing, and digital media.
- Former Google employee
- Led multiple startup content companies through acquisition
- Served as VP of Content at Cinemark, exploring new media models like bringing YouTubers to the big screen
- Built a successful business in LinkedIn content, ghostwriting, and coaching.
- Now focused on AI-driven marketing and content systems, with a specialty in bottom-of-funnel strategy that drives action—not just attention.
Ryan is known for his sharp thinking, simple execution philosophy, and ability to challenge conventional “build a brand first” advice.
Connect with Ryan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmuss/
Website: https://www.coacheswhoclose.com/
Atomic CEO.
We help owners who build and maintain buildings install a CEO Operating System so they can think differently, lead differently, and grow the business beyond themselves.
