Radio and records, then Cox Media Group
Twenty-five years in the business, from records to the biggest radio group in the country. Promotions, programming, on-air. Learned how attention is earned, minute by minute.
FounderBrand builderAI marketing systemsNewnan, GA
Twenty-five years in radio and records. One company built, funded and sold. Now, through Taptico, I take the big-brand playbook out of the boardroom and put it to work for businesses with something real to build.
02 The argument
Big brands don't win because they're smarter. They win because they have more. More people. More budget. More reach. That isn't a talent problem. It's a strategy problem. And strategy is the one thing a smaller company can out-do them on.
03 The road so far
Twenty-five years in the business, from records to the biggest radio group in the country. Promotions, programming, on-air. Learned how attention is earned, minute by minute.
Director of Programming and Branding. Built the station from a signal into a brand Atlanta chose over everything else on the dial.
Same lesson, bigger stage: a clear story, told consistently, turns listeners into fans and fans into a business advantage.
From a brand idea to a real operating company. "Roam Free. Live Wild." Raised a $500K angel round. Built the booking platform. Ran it.
Stayed on post-acquisition to run operations. Founder-level urgency is a hard habit to break. I didn't try.
President, AI and Marketing Systems at Taptico. Fractional CMO, revenue engines and AI automation for growing businesses. Strategy and execution, same room.
04 Off the clock
David Clapper is a marketing executive and founder based in Newnan, Georgia, about 40 minutes south of Atlanta. That's me. Most of my clients are here or close to it. The rest are wherever the Wi-Fi is. All of them work with me through Taptico.
I was a music guy before I was a marketing guy, and it still shows. I think in rhythm and timing. The best campaigns have a tempo. So do the best teams.
If you want the full history, LinkedIn has the long version.
Full history on LinkedIn05 Selected work

Built from the ground up in 2016: the "Roam Free. Live Wild." identity, the fleet, the booking platform, the team. Funded, grown, and sold in 2023.
View project
A commercial project management firm in Atlanta. Clean, corporate, and built to close: project showcases, service breakdowns, video testimonials.
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A warm digital showroom for a furniture retailer. Comfort Club signup, product galleries, and reviews wired straight into the CRM.
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High-end design-build renovation. The site had to feel as considered as the houses. It does.
View projectVideo pieces built to drive awareness and support. Real families, real impact, no stock footage.
Watch on the media page06 Client words
"Simply said, David is best in class. For many years he was my go-to for creative ideas, activation, problem solving, crisis diversion, and brainstorming."
"Both his day-part and the station went to #1 under Dave's leadership. I highly recommend Dave for any leadership position around building brands."
"There are those people that, even if you have nothing available, you know you have to get them in the building. Clapper is one of those people."
"One of the most dynamic and creative people I've ever worked with. He connects all the pieces, people and ideas to get a team, client or event to the highest possible level."
"Dave truly understands his audience, not just on-air but how and what they'll consume digitally. I constantly used him as the example for other staff, in-house and in other markets."
07 Services
Every engagement runs through Taptico Solutions, the AI-first marketing company I lead with Nick. Same pricing as taptico.com, same team, same contract. Minimum is a $5,000/month retainer, and a 3-month trial includes a free website.
01 / Revenue engine
Demand creation, qualification, CRM stages, follow-up, and a pipeline you can actually see.
02 / The department
Senior strategy plus the custom systems, automation, content and analytics that keep it running.
03 / Leadership team
Everything in The Department, plus three senior experts, deeper brand work, advanced AI integration and production.
Full deliverables, FAQ and terms live at taptico.com/pricing. Contracts, invoicing and hiring all go through Taptico Solutions.
08 Dave Learns. The Show
I'm 54. I spent 25 years in radio and records, built a company, sold it, then walked into a world that had changed while I wasn't looking. So I started learning AI on camera, mistakes included. New episodes weekly on @DaveLearnsShow.
Latest episode Episode 6 Oct 13, 2026
Episode 6. Every week there's a new AI tool and a new "you're falling behind" video. I'm not trying to learn all of them. I'm working out which ones I actually need, and ignoring the rest.
Watch on YouTube09 Writing
10 Questions people ask
I help businesses build brands people already trust. I'm President of AI and Marketing Systems at Taptico Solutions, where I lead fractional CMO work, revenue engines and AI marketing automation. Twenty-five years in radio and records taught me how attention is earned. Founding and selling Scamper RV taught me how to run the business behind the brand.
A fractional CMO is a senior marketing leader you hire part-time instead of full-time. You get the strategy, the plan and the accountability of a Chief Marketing Officer without the payroll. At Taptico Solutions this is The Leadership Team tier, from $10,000 a month, and it includes a CAIO seat for the AI side.
Newnan, Georgia, about 40 minutes south of Atlanta. Most of my clients are in Coweta County and Greater Atlanta. The rest are wherever the Wi-Fi is.
Pricing is the same as Taptico Solutions, because that is who you hire. The Revenue Engine and The Department each start at $5,000 a month. The Leadership Team, which is the fractional CMO and CAIO tier, starts at $10,000 a month. The minimum engagement is a $5,000 a month retainer, and a 3-month trial includes a free website. Full details are at taptico.com/pricing.
My YouTube show about learning AI after fifty, in public. I'm 54, I spent 25 years in radio and records, built and sold a company, and now I'm figuring out AI on camera so business owners don't have to guess. New episodes are coming soon at youtube.com/@DaveLearnsShow.
Book a 30-minute working session at dclapper.com/book. You can also email dave@taptico.com or call 404-441-9947. Contracts, invoicing and hiring all run through Taptico Solutions.
11 Contact
If you're building something worth paying attention to, I'd like to hear about it. The fastest way is a 30-minute working session at Taptico. Or send a note below and I'll reply myself.
Based in Newnan, Georgia.
Serving Coweta County, Greater Atlanta, and wherever the Wi-Fi is.
Engagements, contracts and payment run through Taptico Solutions.
Company line: 888-606-0404