About Marcus Sheridan

Marcus Sheridan began his career as a co-owner of River Pools and Spas in Virginia, a small fiberglass pool company that was on the verge of collapse during the 2008 recession. By committing to answering every question his customers were asking online — honestly and thoroughly — he transformed the business into one of the most visited pool websites in the world and saved the company from bankruptcy. That experience became the foundation for They Ask, You Answer, and led to a career helping businesses across the globe apply the same principles.

When the 2008 financial crisis hit, River Pools and Spas had almost no marketing budget and was weeks away from closing. Marcus made a simple but radical decision: to answer every question a potential pool buyer could have, publishing honest blog posts and videos even when the answers were uncomfortable — including topics like pricing, comparisons with competitors, and common problems with fiberglass pools. Web traffic surged, leads followed, and the business not only survived but became a case study referenced by the New York Times and Harvard Business School.

They Ask, You Answer is the principle that a business should be willing to answer any question a potential customer is asking — especially the ones most competitors avoid. It originated from Marcus’s experience at River Pools and Spas, where radical honesty online proved to be the most powerful sales and marketing tool available. The philosophy has since been formalised into a framework used by thousands of businesses worldwide and documented in Marcus’s bestselling book of the same name.

Marcus Sheridan has been featured in the New York Times, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Entrepreneur, among other major publications. HubSpot has called him one of the most influential voices in digital sales and marketing globally. He is a frequent guest on leading business and marketing podcasts, and his work is referenced in marketing curricula and business school case studies.

Marcus believes that trust is the most valuable currency in business, and that trust is built by being willing to say things most companies are afraid to say. In practice this means answering difficult questions openly, being transparent about pricing and limitations, and treating potential customers as intelligent adults who deserve honest information. Businesses that communicate this way consistently outsell and outgrow competitors who rely on vague messaging and evasion.