The Early Journey to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): Lessons from the Front Line of Wine
Join marketing strategist Tim Weinheimer, founder of VINTAGE², for a practical conversation about Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and what it means for wineries, consumer brands, and modern marketing teams.
WhenThursday, September 10, 2026 at 2:00 PM
WhereLive online
FormatWebinar
CostFree
Why attend
What to expect
Join marketing strategist Tim Weinheimer, founder of VINTAGE², for a practical conversation about Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and what it means for wineries, consumer brands, and modern marketing teams. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience navigating shifts from digital and social to AI, Tim will explain why GEO demands attention now.
You’ll learn how leading brands are preparing for AI-driven discovery, the misconceptions holding teams back, and the practical steps organizations can take—even with limited budgets and resources. We’ll also explore how GEO changes content strategy, where funding can come from, how to build organization-wide support, and what separates brands appearing in AI recommendations from those remaining invisible.
Meet the speakers
3 perspectives. One conversation.
James O'Loughlin
CEO + Co-Founder GEOGrow.ai
James O’Loughlin is the co-founder of GEOGrow — the first platform built for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) — helping brands convert AI visibility into measurable leads and sales through strategy, optimization, and content.
James began his digital career in SEO back in 2000, guiding countless companies through the earliest waves of search innovation. A lifelong early adopter, he also mined Bitcoin in 2011 — long before mainstream awareness — and sees GEO as that same kind of once-in-a-generation transformation.
As co-founder of Pixaura Digital, James continues to merge analytics, creativity, and technology to help organizations grow smarter in the age of AI.
When he’s not exploring the next digital frontier, you’ll find him running or cycling — often finding his best ideas out on the trail. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with his family and mascot cat, Pixie.
Michael LeFort is an award-winning brand strategist and marketer with a 20-year track record of building go-to-market systems for global brands across technology, education, consumer goods, media, and social impact.
At GEOGrow, Michael helps brands translate human storytelling into AI-driven visibility and growth, bridging creative strategy with the emerging world of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). His focus: ensuring brands are not only seen by people — but also understood and remembered by AI.
Before joining GEOGrow, Michael led omni-channel campaigns that drove measurable sales, loyalty, and brand reach for clients including Hit Entertainment (Thomas the Tank Engine, Bob the Builder, Angelina Ballerina), Emeril Lagasse, Rachael Ray Show, Nickelodeon, Special Olympics, HBO, MetLife, FitVine Wine, Barnes & Noble, Iconix Brand Group, UNICEF USA, Sesame Street, and Discovery.
Known for his creative vision and collaborative leadership, Michael builds alignment between partners, clients, and teams — transforming insights into unified brand narratives that win both hearts and algorithms.
Three Decades of Digital Brand Marketing Transformation Leadership
I love what I do for a living. And I love wine–its stories, its history, wine people, and its community-building magical powers.
With more than 33 years of marketing leadership, I’ve been a catalyst for digital transformation, innovation, and mentorship in advertising and communications. Most recently, I co-invented the patented Earned Lift Model (ELM), a pioneering formula that quantifies the direct impact of PR investment on sales through advanced statistical modeling.
