Podcasts about B2B

Burak Karakan is the co-founder of Bruin, an AI-powered data analytics platform that connects every data source inside your organization and delivers answers in minutes — not weeks. Built by engineers who spent years duct-taping data tools together for enterprise clients, Bruin was born out of frustration with how long it takes businesses to get answers from their own data.In this episode, Burak breaks down why most companies are sitting on a goldmine of untapped data, why agentic AI is completely changing what's possible, and what the next phase of business intelligence actually looks like.In this episode:Why 80% of the value your business needs is already inside your own data — you just can't access it yetFrom 6 weeks to 6 minutes: what happens when AI collapses the time between question and answerThe "burger test" — why teams don't trust answers that come too fast, and how Bruin breaks that psychological barrierHow agentic AI differs from traditional AI — and why the ability to iterate changes everythingWhat Bruin's on-premise deployment means for enterprises that can't afford data security risksWhy the companies that think AI can't do something today will be proven wrong within a yearWhat's coming next: proactive analytics, autonomous campaign management, and AI data teams that never sleepConnect with Burak Karakan & Bruin: LinkedIn & getbruin.comPowered by The Lead Ref — the AI-powered business growth platform delivering exclusive, intent-based leads and targeted marketing campaigns with a human touch. We open doors to commercial and B2B relationships you can't access alone. TheLeadRef.com

In this episode, Varun, co-founder of Yoodli, shares insights into how his startup leverages AI to enhance communication skills, from public speaking to enterprise sales training. Tune in to understand how AI can empower humans rather than replace them, and the strategic evolution from consumer to enterprise products.Key Topics:The origin story of Yoodli and its focus on helping people find their voiceTransition from B2C to B2B: What was learned along the wayThe role of storytelling as a meta-skill in a world dominated by AIUsing AI to make communication more authentic and humanHow large organizations like Google and Snowflake are integrating YoodliThe evolution of AI capabilities, from role plays to experiential learningBuilding modular, customizable AI products that adapt to customer needsThe importance of deep integrations and the challenge of SaaS vendor proliferationReal-world growth stats: 900% revenue increase and millions of usersInsights into leadership, authenticity on social media, and the value of vulnerabilityPersonal stories from Sergey Brin's projects and leadership lessons learnedTimestamps: 00:00 – Introduction to Varun and Yoodli's journey 02:01 – Early days of Yoodli: Founding thesis and initial challenges 04:19 – Key lessons about public speaking skills 05:45 – The importance of recording and reviewing oneself 06:25 – Describing Yoodli as “Duolingo for public speaking” 07:25 – The role of storytelling in high-performance communication 08:21 – Building AI to enhance, not replace, human authenticity 09:07 – Judgment as a differentiator in AI-enabled work 10:01 – How Yoodli expanded into enterprise with Google & others 11:24 – Social media as a branding tool for founders 12:38 – The impact of authenticity on LinkedIn and lead generation 14:09 – The Google GTM training case study: How it started 15:07 – Product features for enterprise sales training 16:05 – Impact on sales onboarding and role play automation 17:32 – The future of experiential learning and AI role plays 20:17 – The broader vision for AI in education and training 21:26 – Impressive growth stats and customer insights 22:01 – The technological foundation: Modular AI architectures 23:52 – The influence of LLM improvements on product features 24:46 – The commoditization of AI role plays and experiential learning 25:12 – Building deep, customizable, scalable AI solutions 26:36 – The importance of scale and deep integrations 30:03 – Product differentiation through vertical focus and deep specialization 33:07 – Market challenges: Demand, consolidation, and customer expectations 34:42 – How to find and connect with Varun 35:30 – Sergey Brin's projects, leadership lessons, and human insights 37:36 – Overcoming imposter syndrome: Everyone's learning curve39:01 – Final reflections and looking aheadResources & Links:Varun on LinkedinNataraj on LinkedinTry Yoodli

Guest: Dr Alexander McWilliam All Episodes can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠⁠ All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bio of Alex McWilliam Dr Alexander McWilliam is founder and managing director of Improv4Business. It provides presentation and speaking training, including executive coaching, team sessions and bespoke programmes. It works primarily with B2B clients, from start-ups to multi-billion-pound organisations. These have included ITV, The Entertainer, Kenwood and Computacenter. Dr McWilliam has a background in professional acting and improvisation, and is the only UK PhD graduate in “public-speaking anxiety and performing under pressure”. What we Discussed: 00:00 Introduction 01:13 The Only UK PhD in Public Speaking Anxiety 02:37 Why Friends' Fear of Presenting Sparked His Research 04:22 The 3.5 Year Doctorate Journey 05:48 Brain Freeze: When Practice Meets Reality 07:15 The "Blank" Moment We All Experience 08:33 Being Selectively Shy 10:05 From Shy Kid to Door-to-Door Sales 11:42 How Stories We Tell Ourselves Hold Us Back 13:08 Why the Audience Isn't Your Enemy 14:35 Reading Faces Wrong: Crossed Arms Don't Mean Boredom 16:02 You Are Your Own Worst Critic 17:29 Why Audiences Want You to Succeed 19:03 The Power of Watching Yourself Back 20:38 Audiences Forgive Mistakes, Not Panic 22:04 Recovery Is What People Remember 23:41 When Speakers Freeze and Start Over 25:07 No One Has Your Script 26:34 Adapting When Time Gets Cut 28:01 Pressure Testing Your Presentations 29:38 Making Failure Fun in Safe Environments 31:05 The "Die" Exercise 32:42 Building Resilience Through Improv 34:09 Table Topics and Playfulness 35:46 Impromptu Speaking Builds Real Confidence 37:13 The Science of Self-Efficacy 38:40 Daily Impromptu Practice 40:07 Why Comedy Is Unforgiving 41:34 Group Failure Exercises 43:11 Surviving the Worst Case Scenario 44:38 Social Anxiety vs. Performance Anxiety 46:05 When Shyness Shows Up Selectively 47:32 Teenage Years and Peer Judgment 48:59 How School Experiences Shape Adult Fear 50:26 Domain-Specific Anxiety 51:53 The Public Speaking Threat Inventory 53:20 27 Items Across Three Domains 54:47 Finding Your Focus Area for Growth How to Contact Alex McWilliam https://www.improv4business.co.uk/ All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

If buyers don't care about your product story, how do you meet them where they are and still drive revenue growth? In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Brent Keltner, Ph.D., Founder and President of Winalytics LLC, who leverages his experience leading marketing and sales teams and achieving multiple growth results to explain why most go-to-market efforts fail: they begin with the seller, not the buyer. He explains how to establish a “journey-first” approach that allows buying committees to self-educate, aligns internal teams around a shared value proposition, and turns discovery into the engine that drives real revenue growth. Key Takeaways:→ Most teams talk about themselves first, but buyers care more about what is in it for them.→ A strong value proposition starts with the outcome the buyer wants.→ The best value propositions connect product value, business value, and enterprise value. → Buyers prefer to educate themselves, so companies should give them clear ways to learn at their own pace. → Discovery should be a major part of the sales process because it helps build support across the buying committee. Brent Keltner, Ph.D., is President of Winalytics LLC and the creator of Winalytics' Journey First Growth methodology. Winalytics helps mid-market and enterprise clients accelerate account-based B2B growth. The team has expertise in various industries, including education, human capital, healthcare, and SaaS. Before starting Winalytics, Brent expanded growth as a revenue leader at four different companies. He began his career as a Ph.D. social scientist at Stanford University and the RAND Corporation. His first book was the Revenue Acceleration Playbook. He has published articles on marketing and sales strategy in MarketingProfs, CEOWorld, the Sloan Management Review, the California Management Review, and Sales and Marketing Magazine. Connect With Brent:Website: http://winalytics.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/winalytics-llc/

B2B marketers struggle with dark funnel attribution challenges. Chris Golec, CEO and founder of Channel99 and former founder of Demandbase, explains how to solve marketing attribution problems that hide 70% of website traffic sources. The discussion covers view-through attribution methodologies that reveal 4-5 times more engagement than click-through metrics, account-based tracking systems using network IP and user agent data, and AI-powered decision engines that can generate media mix recommendations in seconds based on cost-per-engagement analytics across channels.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Most businesses struggle with growth not because they lack effort — but because they lack focus.When you try to serve everyone, your messaging becomes generic, your positioning weakens, and your sales conversations lose impact.In this episode, we break down why defining a clear ideal customer profile (ICP) is one of the most important decisions you can make, and how narrowing your focus actually creates more opportunities — not less.We also explore:Why broad targeting leads to weak messagingHow to think about your ideal client in a practical wayThe difference between activity and real progress in salesWhy focus improves both confidence and conversionThis is Episode 2 of the How To Get More Clients mini-series.If you work in B2B sales, SaaS, professional services, or revenue leadership, this episode will challenge common sales assumptions and help you build a more effective sales process.⭐ Unlock free resources (templates, frameworks & prompts):⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coachpilot.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the community & access 157+ templates, frameworks and mega AI prompts used by top revenue teams.Watch Full Episode on YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@revenueleaders⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/davidfastuca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of Future Finance, hosts Glenn Hopper and Paul Barnhurst are joined by John Thomas Foxworthy, the founder and CEO of the Global Institute of Data Science (GIDS). John discusses the role of augmented intelligence in the future of AI, particularly in finance, and shares his insights from his book The Augmented Intelligence Revolution: How Leaders Win in the AI Century.John Thomas is the Founder and CEO of the Global Institute of Data Science (GIDS), a consulting and professional development organization focused on helping organizations successfully implement AI and data science initiatives. He serves as a Fractional Chief AI Officer for Fortune 500 companies and teaches AI and machine learning courses at Caltech CTME and UC San Diego Extended Studies.In this episode, you will discover:The role of augmented intelligence in financeHow GIDS helps companies implement AIOvercoming AI adoption challenges and cognitive biasesThe evolution of machine learning and AI terminologyHow AI enhances decision-making and operations in financeJohn highlights how the rapid evolution of AI can create challenges in its adoption, especially within complex industries like finance. The Global Institute of Data Science addresses these issues by focusing on feasibility studies, AI strategy, and tackling cognitive biases, ensuring the successful integration of AI in business operations.Follow John:GIDS: https://gidsco.substack.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-thomas-foxworthy-m-s-data-science-1718073/Future Alpha Event: https://www.alphaevents.com/events-futurealphaglobal/agenda-page/filter?_gl=1*1j0347f*[…]ovIhoCWOYQAvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAAomEzrlLzh-epjUJjbfXNnASlChgaFollow Glenn:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiiiFollow Paul:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguyFollow QFlow.AI:Website - https://bit.ly/4i1EkjgFuture Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai. Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.In Today's Episode:[01:50] – John's Background and Expertise[03:11] – The Augmented Intelligence Revolution[05:40] – Machine Learning vs. Augmented Intelligence[08:45] – The Global Institute of Data Science[11:04] – Feasibility Studies in AI Projects[15:17] – Managing AI Expectations[17:18] – Closing Thoughts and Book Release

Chief Marketing Officer Jessica Jensen is positioning the platform as a "port in the storm" for job seekers navigating a tough market. She discusses how the message is coming to life in a new campaign from McCann NY. Plus, Jensen describes how LinkedIn is changing its tactics as AI and macroeconomic factors reshape the future of work. She also talks about how LinkedIn is attracting new users, including creators and advertisers beyond its typical B2B target audience.

Full video HERE What happens when you give a stand-up comedian a sales script and tell him to start cold calling? Alex Murphy sits down with his brother Andrew (a comedian in Austin) and gives him a crash course in cold calling. The goal: sell comedy show tickets… using real B2B sales tactics. First, Alex teaches Andrew the classic AIDA framework — Attention, Interest, Decision, Action — the same framework popularized in Glengarry Glen Ross. But learning a framework is one thing… Executing it live on cold calls is another. So Andrew has one challenge: Get 5 connects with sales leaders in Austin and try to sell tickets to his comedy show. Buy 5000 TitanX Credits Get 5000 Free (Mention "30MPC"): https://titanx.io?fpr=30mpc These Courses Will Get You to President's Club: ☎️ Cold Call Course: https://bit.ly/4jqQ4w2

MENOS CURSITIS Y MÁS RESULTADOS DE VENTAS Regístrate en el Top Team de Ventashttps://www.detonadoresdevalor.com/top¿Tienes más dudas del Top Team o quieres saber si es para ti?Manda mensaje directo al WhatsApp

What happens when a multimedia entrepreneur and a concert venue owner sit down for a live podcast? A good conversation – with a couple beers – about creativity, grit, and what it really takes to build something that lasts. In the first live episode of the year, recorded at The Argo in Milwaukee as part of Manufacturing Happy Hour's 10-year anniversary, host Chris Luecke sits down with two longtime friends: Andrew J. Coate, co-founder of The Argo (a 700-capacity venue his team transformed from a historic 1950s cinema in under seven months), and Michael O'Sullivan, Creative Director at Motivation Media. Together they dig into the creative process, building businesses from the ground up, co-founder dynamics, and the long-term friendships that shape your best work. Later in the episode, manufacturing veterans and friends of the show, Kyle Mahan (Former Vice President and General Manager of the Automation Division at Wauseon Machine) and Bill Berrien (CEO at Pela Global Precision) join the stage to bring it all back to the shop floor.In this episode, find out: How Michael O'Sullivan and Andrew J. Coate have known each other since high school on the south side of Chicago, and how their paths kept crossing through business and creativity over more than two decadesWhat it means to build a creative business in industries you wouldn't expect, and why B2B and manufacturing are some of the most exciting places to be creativeTurning creativity into a daily habit. Why practice, not talent, is the real shortcut, and how both guests built their creative muscles over timeHow constraints drive better creative decisions, and why that's one of the most transferable lessons to the manufacturing floorThe “done is better than perfect” mindset: balancing flexibility with process discipline when you're building something newWhat the manufacturing industry looks like from behind a camera lens, and why storytelling is one of the industry's most underused assetsHow Kyle Mahan (EP235) and Bill Berrien (EP160 & EP268) would apply the night's creative lessons directly to industrial sectorEnjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It's feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!Tweetable Quotes:"Creativity really often needs constraints to be the maximum of what it can be." - Andrew J. Coate "Networking doesn't just happen at an event. It's something that can happen over years and decades." - Chris Luecke "I did not start out to form a video production company. Having those people who believed in me along the way gave me that space to keep practicing, to keep pushing it." - Michael O'Sullivan Links & mentions:The Argo, concert venue, bar & kitchen, and event space located in the historic Fox Bay Theater in Whitefish Bay, WI, minutes from downtown Milwaukee Motivation Media, making videos that make a difference for nonprofits, businesses, commercials, fundraising, and so much more Women in Manufacturing (WiM), a global trade association committed to supporting, promoting, and inspiring women across all the manufacturing industry. We've portion of the ticket sales from this show to WiM to support its missionEpisode 160: Buying a Manufacturing Company and Reimagining Upskilling with Bill Berrien, CEO of Pindel Global Precision, where Bill shares his thoughts on upskilling your team and continuous learning in the manufacturing industryEpisode 235: How to Find Automation Talent Anywhere with Kyle Mahan, VP & GM of Wauseon Machine, where Kyle discusses what it takes to find the best automation talent in the manufacturing industry in today's industryEpisode 260: Innovations Transforming Automotive Manufacturing featuring STÄUBLI, RAM Solutions, and More, a look what's transforming automotive manufacturing with interesting takes from eight industry expertsMake sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.Mentioned in this episode:Mfg Happy Hour's Rust Belt Renaissance TourManufacturing Happy Hour is hitting the road this spring, hosting live shows Cleveland on 3/24, Rochester on 3/25, and Pittsburgh on 3/26. Get your tickets today.

This week we chat with Kipp Bodnar!Kipp is the Chief Marketing Officer of HubSpot, the #1 CRM platform for scaling companies, where he leads the company's global marketing strategy—driving awareness, demand, and growth across one of the most influential software brands in the world.Before stepping into the CMO role, Kipp served as Vice President of Marketing at HubSpot, overseeing worldwide demand generation, building out the EMEA and APAC marketing teams, and managing field marketing, localization, strategic partnerships, and social media. He's helped shape how modern SaaS companies think about growth at scale.Beyond HubSpot, Kipp is a trusted advisor to leading SaaS companies like SimplyMeasured, InsightSquared, and Guidebook. He's also the co-author of The B2B Social Media Book, a playbook for marketers looking to generate real results through digital channels.An industry-leading speaker, blogger, and marketing strategist, Kipp combines storytelling with data-driven execution—and has been at the forefront of how B2B marketing has evolved over the past decade.This is going to be a masterclass in modern marketing.✨ This episode is presented by Brex.Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspodThis episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena.RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazersGusto: gusto.com/trailblazersQuo: Quo.com/trailblazersAthena: athenago.me/Erica-WengerFollow Us!Kipp Bodnar: @kippbodnar@thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTokErica Wenger: @erica_wenger

B2B marketers struggle with dark funnel attribution challenges. Chris Golec, CEO and founder of Channel99 and former Demandbase founder, explains how to solve marketing attribution problems that misallocate millions in revenue. The discussion covers Channel99's multi-source approach using smart pixels, API integrations, and CRM connections to reveal three times more website visitor sources than industry standards. Golec demonstrates how AI-powered decision engines can generate strategic media plans in seconds by analyzing account-level engagement costs across channels like LinkedIn organic social and display advertising.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nearly nine in ten B2B buyers have adopted generative AI across their buying process. Jeff Reine, co-founder at Everything Machines, brings two decades of enterprise marketing experience and has built Everything Cache, a brand-side infrastructure that makes websites readable for LLM crawlers without rebuilding human-facing sites. He breaks down the shift from search-and-discover to ask-and-answer behavior, explains why measurement alone isn't sufficient for AI-first discovery, and details the infrastructure framework needed when your first audience isn't human anymore.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Head, Heart, and Boots, Brandon and I dig into something that feels bigger than business but is showing up inside every business anyway: loneliness, disconnection, and the emotional fragility many people are carrying into work right now. We unpack how remote work, constant digital distraction, and the erosion of real face-to-face relationships are reshaping not only mental health, but also trust, confidence, and the way teams respond to pressure and change. We talk candidly about what it feels like to lead in an environment where people seem more depleted, more anxious, and less resilient than they did just a few years ago. From the loss of natural boundaries between work and home, to the challenge of building genuine relationships with employees while still holding clear standards, this conversation wrestles with the tension every owner and leader feels but rarely names out loud. This episode is not about easy answers. It is about recognizing the reality in front of us and asking better questions about how we lead, hire, communicate, and create environments where people can actually feel seen without losing accountability. If you have felt the weight of leading tired people while being tired yourself, this one will hit close to home. Hope you enjoy. Chris Why You Should Listen [00:03:12] Why loneliness and social disconnection are quietly reshaping workplace behavior, resilience, and team dynamics [00:09:48] How remote work and digital life have blurred the lines between personal identity, relationships, and professional performance [00:17:26] The leadership challenge of balancing empathy with accountability when employees are struggling emotionally [00:24:41] Why many leaders feel exhausted trying to carry the emotional weight of their teams while still pushing for results [00:33:05] A candid look at how rebuilding real connection and trust inside teams may be one of the most important leadership skills moving forward Did you know... Only 30% of businesses listed for sale actually find a buyer? Even more striking, just 10% of those sell for the price their owners anticipated or higher, meaning only 3% of all business owners achieve their desired sale price. By focusing on understanding and enhancing your enterprise value, you can significantly boost your chances of joining that successful 3%. Business Health & Value Assessment Start Assessment Know Your Enterprise Value. See Your Potential Gaps. Complete this assessment in less than 15 minutes and receive a free assessment for your business that includes: A Lite Valuation Of Your Business Your Value Multiplier Per Your Industry Health Assessment Per Our PYB Methodology Business Value & Growth Roadmap Tailored For You Value Acceleration Strategies Spotlight on Floodlight: Your Secret Weapon for Sales & Scaling This isn't a paid plug. It's real talk from the front lines. If you've ever thought, “How do I get a VP-level sales leader or even a sales team without hiring full-time?” Floodlight has the answer. Fractional Sales Leadership They act as your outsourced VP of Sales, taking full responsibility for training, managing, and growing your sales team. No six-figure hire needed. Clients often close 20 to 50 percent more deals within six months, thanks to data-driven coaching, CRM setup, scripts, and performance reviews.More at floodlightgrp.com/sales Commercial Sales MasterCourse A self-paced, video-driven B2B sales course designed specifically for restoration teams. Perfect for building commercial revenue and getting free from TPA handcuffs. Covers mindset, prospecting, pipeline building, LinkedIn lead generation, and includes a $250 discount with code SALESBOOST.Details at floodlightgrp.com/courses Tailored Consulting & Coaching Floodlight's Propel Your Business methodology offers a full-circle roadmap: financials, sales, marketing, leadership, recruiting, productivity. All built for contractors. These aren't “life coaches.” They're former restoration owners who've lived the chaos and know how to scale out of it.Explore more at floodlightgrp.com Live Training, Tools & Strategic Partnerships Floodlight also delivers live onsite and virtual training, keynote speaking, and leadership tracks covering operations, project management, and strategic growth. Bonus: They've vetted tools like Xcelerate, Liftify, and Sureti. Floodlight clients get access to exclusive discounts on tech that actually moves the needle.See all partnerships at floodlightgrp.com/partners Why it matters for you as a listener You don't need to figure this stuff out alone. If you're serious about sales growth, operational clarity, exit readiness, or leadership development, Floodlight is already helping folks like you scale smarter. And you get it from industry insiders. People who've sat in your chair, survived the fires, and built systems that actually work.

Is employee advocacy just an engagement pod with a company logo? In this episode, Michelle J Raymond breaks down a growing debate on LinkedIn: when teams coordinate engagement through tools like Slack, is that smart marketing or artificial amplification?You'll learn the difference between engagement pods, employee advocacy and internal content amplification, and why the real issue isn't the tactic — it's the intent behind it.If you're a B2B marketer, business leader or social media manager trying to build a LinkedIn strategy that actually drives results, this episode will help you understand where to draw the line.Key moments in this episode - 00:00 Employee Advocacy or Pod03:20 What Engagement Pods Are05:58 Employee Advocacy Defined08:11 Slack Swarm Debate10:19 Where I Draw the Line13:55 Zooming Out to Goals15:38 Employee Advocacy Reality Check17:23 Final TakeawaysCONNECT WITH MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond on LinkedInBook a free intro callhttps://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/B2B Growth Co newsletterToday's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days. https://metricool.com/michellejraymond/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=20260317_michelle-raymond_march-premium-li_en&utm_content=audio&utm_term=q1#EmployeAdvocacy #LinkedIn #B2BMarketing

In this episode, I talk about the massive shift from traditional social media to "interest media" and what it means for your marketing strategy in 2026. I encourage you to stop relying on fake reports and start focusing on actualized reach through organic social creative. I also discuss the power of LinkedIn for B2B and why you need to stop wasting working media dollars on creative that hasn't been proven. You'll learn about:The transition from Social Media to Interest MediaHow to build and utilize a "Mid-Funnel" strategyThe role of a "Veditor" in modern marketingWhy LinkedIn is the best ad product for B2BPreparing for the GEO and AEO revolution

Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/@mreapodcastSocial media has changed how real estate agents grow their businesses. Yet many agents are posting more than ever and still getting fewer leads.In this episode, we sit down with entrepreneur, investor, and media powerhouse Gary Vaynerchuk. Known to millions as Gary Vee, he has spent decades studying where attention lives and how businesses win it. He built a global media company, invested early in companies like Facebook and Twitter, and has spent more than 20 years creating content online.Gary delivers a serious message to real estate professionals: Attention has moved to social platforms and the agents who win will be the ones who show up there consistently. We talk about why posting five times a week isn't enough in today's attention economy, why listing promotion alone doesn't work, and how agents can become the “mayor of their town” by creating content about local schools, parks, neighborhoods, and community life.We also explore how AI will change the way buyers and sellers find agents, why helpful content beats self-promotional posts, and how agents can expand their reach by showing up across multiple platforms.If you want to understand where real estate marketing is headed and how to stay relevant, this conversation will challenge the way you think about attention, content, and growth.Resources:Visit Gary Vaynerchuk's Website Visit GaryVee.com/attention to download the free “Day Trading Attention” deckFollow Gary on Instagram: @garyveeRead Day Trading Attention by Gary VaynerchukExplore VaynerMediaOrder the Millionaire Real Estate Agent Playbook | Volume 3Connect with Jason:LinkedinProduced by NOVAThis podcast is for general informational purposes only. The views, thoughts, and opinions of the guest represent those of the guest and not  Keller Williams Realty, LLC and its affiliates, and should not be construed as financial, economic, legal, tax, or other advice. This podcast is provided without any warranty, or guarantee of its accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or results from using the information.WARNING! You must comply with the TCPA and any other federal, state or local laws, including for B2B calls and texts. Never call or text a number on any Do Not Call list, and do not use an autodialer or artificial voice or prerecorded messages without proper consent. Contact your attorney to ensure your compliance.

Bob McIntosh is a digital marketing strategist, speaker, and educator who helps businesses grow by building audiences online. Since 2020, digital marketing has become the fastest and most powerful way for companies to capture attention, communicate value, and create lasting community—and Bob has been leading in this space for over 12 years. With more than 4,000 hours on stage and experience helping tens of thousands of businesses, he brings real-world insight across industries, from consumer goods and electronics to coaching, industrial, B2B, and local markets. Bob believes that no matter the business model, winning today requires attention, trust, and connection—and online platforms make that more accessible than ever. Through practical strategies and proven frameworks, he empowers business owners to grow their influence, increase demand, and thrive in the modern economy. During the show we discuss: Why businesses need a predictable system for generating leads, instead of relying on referrals or inconsistent marketing How entrepreneurs can build an audience online to create long-term demand for their products or services The role of attention, trust, and connection in modern digital marketing Practical strategies for using social media and online platforms to grow visibility and influence Why building a community around your brand can lead to repeat customers and long-term growth The importance of consistent content and messaging to establish authority in your industry How digital platforms have made it easier than ever for businesses to reach and engage their ideal customers Ways entrepreneurs can use digital marketing to scale their business and create more predictable revenue Resources: https://go3dc.com/

Most B2B marketers can't act on their attribution data because 80% of website traffic gets misclassified as "direct." Chris Golec, CEO and founder of Channel99, explains how to solve the dark funnel problem that's costing companies millions in misallocated marketing spend. The discussion covers smart pixel implementation for view-through attribution, API integrations with LinkedIn and CRM systems to track account-level engagement, and using AI-powered decision engines to optimize marketing investment across channels based on cost-per-engagement metrics.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mastering Ecosystem Growth and AI Transformation Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://theultimatepartner.com/ebook-subscribe/ Check Out UPX:https://theultimatepartner.com/experience/ In this episode, Vince Menzione sits down with Rebecca Jones, Chief Growth Officer of Bridge Partners, to deconstruct the “Power of Three” co-selling model and the shift from AI experimentation to scalable business outcomes. They explore the critical importance of customer-centricity, the role of agentic workflows in solving complex B2B problems, and why the most successful leaders prioritize progress over perfection to show momentum within weeks rather than years. From her background in the financial sector to her experience scaling with industry titans like Microsoft, Rebecca provides a masterclass on navigating the current “tectonic shifts” in technology through strategic alignment and executive commitment. Key Takeaways Bridge Partners focuses on connecting strategy to execution, boasting a 90% referral rate driven by deep expertise in product marketing and partner ecosystems. The market is shifting from mere AI “dabbling” to purposeful applications in MVP and scale, specifically through agentic AI that tackles real business problems. Success in today's landscape requires knowing your underlying value and maintaining an unwavering focus on customer-centricity. The “Power of Three” (Hyperscaler, GSI, and ISV) remains the ultimate design for go-to-market scaling, provided there is a clear joint value proposition. To show immediate momentum, new executives should focus on “quick wins” achievable within six to eight weeks rather than long-term three-year plans. Effective co-selling requires removing blockers like compensation misalignment and securing top-down executive sponsorship across all leadership silos. If you're ready to lead through change, elevate your business, and achieve extraordinary outcomes through the power of partnership—this is your community. https://youtu.be/nClWjCm6S6A At Ultimate Partner® we want leaders like you to join us in the Ultimate Partner Experience – where transformation begins. Key Tags Rebecca Jones, Bridge Partners, Chief Growth Officer, co-selling, Power of Three, Hyperscaler, GSI, ISV, SAP, Microsoft, agentic AI, AI experimentation, pipeline velocity, pre-sales workshops, account-based marketing, ABM on steroids, GTM strategy, executive sponsorship, partnership ecosystems, B2B growth, tech industry trends 2026, Ultimate Partner, Vince Menzione, orchestration, value proposition. Transcript Rebecca Jones Audio Episode [00:00:00] Rebecca Jones: Because most of the agents I’ve seen drop into um, a lot of the areas where you and I can download are features. [00:00:07] Vince Menzione: Yes, [00:00:08] Rebecca Jones: they’re really feature agents. I love where we are ’cause we’re starting to tackle real business problems. [00:00:17] Vince Menzione: We just finished Ultimate Partners Winter Retreat here in beautiful Boca to a sold out crowd. Today I’m joined by Rebecca Jones, the Chief Growth Officer of Bridge Partners for this compelling discussion. Rebecca, welcome to the podcast. [00:00:33] Rebecca Jones: Thank you, Vince. [00:00:34] Vince Menzione: I am so thrilled to have you in Boca in the studio. [00:00:37] Vince Menzione: We’ve been working together now for a couple of years. We [00:00:39] Rebecca Jones: have, [00:00:40] Vince Menzione: and yesterday we were at the Ultimate Partner live executive winter retreat here in Boca. Uh, we’re recording in late February, early March timeframe. And, uh, just it was so thrilling to have everyone in the room yesterday. [00:00:55] Rebecca Jones: Was it? I mean, the energy. [00:00:56] Rebecca Jones: It was amazing. [00:00:57] Vince Menzione: Yeah, [00:00:58] Rebecca Jones: it was amazing. And thank you so much for having me. I mean, Florida’s gorgeous this time of year. It’s nice to get outta Seattle. [00:01:04] Vince Menzione: Well, it’s, it’s always, I, I, we, we love Seattle. Yes, we love, we do love to be in Seattle and especially in the spring, which we’ll be there together. We’ll talk about that in a little bit, but, um. [00:01:14] Vince Menzione: This is our first time actually having an interview. I mean, we’ve had you on stage. Yes. We’ve had Bridge as a part. Bridge Partners has been a partner. It’s ultimate partner. How’s that? And, uh, you’ve led some workshops. You help organizations to be successful and I thought just like to start out like, tell us more about you. [00:01:32] Vince Menzione: Yeah, bridge Partner and your role at Bridge Partners. And, uh, just to frame, to frame the conversation today. [00:01:40] Rebecca Jones: Okay. Of course. So let me tell you a little bit about my background. Um, I’ve been in the technology industry for a few decades now, and I started within the product and go to market, side of the house. [00:01:54] Nice. [00:01:54] Rebecca Jones: And I’ve navigated across a number of functional areas. From product to partner and sales. [00:02:02] Vince Menzione: So product development, [00:02:04] Rebecca Jones: engineering, [00:02:04] Vince Menzione: product marketing. Product marketing. [00:02:05] Rebecca Jones: Product marketing. [00:02:06] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:02:07] Rebecca Jones: Yes. And so when you look back on the areas of where I focus my time, it’s really how do you help customers grow and how do you help companies grow? [00:02:17] Rebecca Jones: Um, and a lot of my background is in B2B. [00:02:20] Vince Menzione: Very cool. [00:02:21] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. [00:02:21] Vince Menzione: And where’d you get your start? [00:02:23] Rebecca Jones: I started actually in the financial sector. [00:02:26] Vince Menzione: Very cool. [00:02:27] Rebecca Jones: Yeah, [00:02:27] Vince Menzione: very cool. That’s, well, that’s a good grounding and [00:02:30] Rebecca Jones: it’s an excellent grounding. And when you look back, and when I look back at what that provided as a foundation, it’s really the economics of a business and how do you help a business and what are the trend lines behind that by industry and and whatnot. [00:02:45] Rebecca Jones: And so I moved from that over to. More agency view, and so the real market facing view and then back inside to really look at how companies develop their products and bring ’em to market. [00:02:56] Vince Menzione: That’s an exciting, well, I think it’s exciting. I hope our listeners and viewers think it’s exciting and I know Bridge Partners because when I was at Microsoft, we worked with Bridge Partners. [00:03:06] Vince Menzione: But for the listeners and viewers that are with us today, maybe a little bit of background about the company and its, and its structure and go to market. [00:03:13] Rebecca Jones: Yeah, of course. So Bridge Partners is almost 20 years old. [00:03:18] Vince Menzione: Wow. [00:03:19] Rebecca Jones: Wow. [00:03:19] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:03:19] Rebecca Jones: Can you believe it? [00:03:20] Vince Menzione: We were newbies when I was working with you. [00:03:22] Rebecca Jones: We, we were newbies and uh, the company was really founded on the principle of how do you connect strategy to execution. [00:03:32] Rebecca Jones: And within that, our first customer was Microsoft. [00:03:36] Vince Menzione: Interesting. [00:03:37] Rebecca Jones: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh, and that was an incredible spot to be and an incredible time to be in a company that started to evolve and grow with one of the titans in the industry. And obviously a incredible market leader in the tech industry. [00:03:56] Vince Menzione: Well, and that time 20 years ago, ’cause I was, I was along for that journey. [00:03:59] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. [00:04:00] Vince Menzione: Uh, it was a time of tumultuous change at Microsoft. [00:04:03] Rebecca Jones: Yes. [00:04:04] Vince Menzione: Uh, in fact, we were talking about the, uh, entrepreneur’s dilemma earlier, uh, today, and Microsoft was going through that period where, you know, we, everyone loves Steve Bomber, but there was a time within the organization that it was stuck. [00:04:18] Rebecca Jones: Mm-hmm. [00:04:19] Vince Menzione: And it had to transform as an organization. [00:04:22] Rebecca Jones: A hundred percent. And so when you think about companies like Microsoft, it’s not only what they do, but how they bring that to market. Yep. And uh, so when you think about where Bridge Partners started and having the privilege to be in Microsoft of all places to, um, cut your teeth on you look at where we started and where we’ve grown from there. [00:04:44] Rebecca Jones: Uh, within the tech industry, we’ve worked across, um, multiple hyperscalers. We’ve worked across, uh. Really the top tier tech and telco, those top 100. Yep. And all the household names. And then throughout that, across the partner ecosystem, because you and I both know these companies grow and scale their businesses through the partner ecosystem, and so we’ve been privileged to work across. [00:05:08] Rebecca Jones: Multiple depth and breadth partners in that play. [00:05:12] Vince Menzione: And as an agency, are you more known for project management go to market? Uh, what, what are the areas and focus where the outcomes that you achieve? [00:05:21] Rebecca Jones: Yeah, so we’re known for. Being on the growth side of the house. And how I define that is you find us in marketing, but that center of gravity is in product marketing. [00:05:32] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:05:32] Rebecca Jones: And then how you scale that through partner ecosystems and then supporting that field or that sales organization. So when you think about those three pillars within the organization, that’s where you’ll find us. [00:05:43] Vince Menzione: And why would I choose Bridge Partners? [00:05:46] Rebecca Jones: Oh, well, um, based on experience. Um, and then when you think about Bridge Partners, it’s not, um, just what we do, but when you take a look at our engagements and background, we’re over 90% referral. [00:06:01] Vince Menzione: Wow. [00:06:02] Rebecca Jones: And so people take us with them and um, what I look at is have we actually moved the needle or driven the customer outcomes? And when you think about the customers that we’ve worked with and the companies in this industry. It’s quite a roster and I don’t take that lightly because if you’re going to help support these companies and help them grow, it’s a testament to how we were able to accomplish that. [00:06:27] Rebecca Jones: Because all these companies have complex enterprise organizations. Their go to market is nuanced and how they want to, and then, um, get and grow. And so these are just a couple of the different ways that we’ve been able to be successful. [00:06:42] Vince Menzione: Fantastic. You know, you’ve done workshops at our events and talked to our community about how to help them achieve their greatest results. [00:06:50] Vince Menzione: What would you say to them? Now we’re living in this time? I, I I, I said this earlier, I don’t want to use the term tectonic shifts, but I’m running out of words to describe how tumultuous this time feels right now to me. [00:07:03] Rebecca Jones: It’s interesting you say that. I was thinking about that. ’cause both you and I have been in the industry for a bit. [00:07:08] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. And, um, there’s some pattern recognition happening right now for me and how I look at the go to market and these, these points in time and the evolution and. This point in time, it is a tectonic shift. But a lot of companies have other, have had to go through these challenges before. If you think about, um, the migration to the cloud and [00:07:33] Vince Menzione: yes, [00:07:33] Rebecca Jones: all of the unlocks that it has, and at the end of the day it’s, it’s shifting and thinking about new business models and it’s shifting and thinking about go to market, but there is. [00:07:43] Rebecca Jones: There are things that ring true no matter where you are. And one of the things I’ve always taken a look at is, do you know your underlying value and relevance in market? And are you being customer centric? That never goes outta style, right? Do [00:07:58] Vince Menzione: you know your value and are you customer centric? That makes a lot of sense, right? [00:08:02] Vince Menzione: Yeah. And do they, what do you do? And, and do they, how do what, how do they answer to that question? [00:08:07] Rebecca Jones: Well, that’s a, that’s a thinking question. Yes. Right? Yes. It takes a minute to think about that. Um, where is your moment of relevance with a customer? [00:08:16] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:08:17] Rebecca Jones: Where is your moment of relevance with a customer? [00:08:19] Rebecca Jones: And when you think about your reason to exist as a business, you have a really defined ICP, an ideal customer profile, and where’s your moment of relevance and. Yes. There’s a lot happening right now, and I think also because of where we sit in the industry and being in the midst of all of these giants with incredible technology to bring to market. [00:08:44] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. We’re, we’re in the front end of this wave or the, the, the tectonic shift that you’re talking about. It’s just, you know, it’s unsettling to a certain degree, but it’s really energetic and it’s. Dynamic and, and there’s so much opportunity out there. So [00:08:59] Vince Menzione: much so, you know, you had me thinking about the $600 billion that’ll be invested this year and just in cloud infrastructure and chips, right? [00:09:08] Vince Menzione: Yeah. So data centers and chips, and talk about that being like kind of creating this wave, this huge tsunami that’s coming for the beaches and, and everything seems to be. Every week there’s a new announcement, and recently it’s been philanthropic and clawed. And yes, uh, the markets are reacting. They’re, um. [00:09:30] Vince Menzione: They’re almost, uh, imploding in some ca in some cases because they’re trying to react the financial analysts, they’re trying to react to what’s happening right now. [00:09:38] Rebecca Jones: It, the investment is massive and it’s, it’s incredible and it’s massive. And over the last year, you saw a lot of experimentation. Yeah. And you saw a lot of dabbling, a lot of, you know, quite. [00:09:52] Rebecca Jones: Frankly, a little bit of concern about is this gonna pay off? [00:09:56] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:09:57] Rebecca Jones: And when you look at where we are in this chain cycle and this adoption cycle, we’re right at the front end, the early adopters. And so a lot of the work that we’re doing, and where I’m focused on is how do you move from experimentation? To truly having some movement over into MVP and scale. [00:10:18] Rebecca Jones: And so I’ll just harken back to Yeah, [00:10:19] Vince Menzione: please. [00:10:20] Rebecca Jones: That product mindset of when you’re looking at opportunity within the business, there was a lot of, um, there was a lot of pockets of experimentation just for fun. Just for fun. And so when you look across the business, um, and what, what we observed was, um, businesses of all different sizes, experimenting and, and some were just, they’re fun, they’re dabbling, right? [00:10:45] Rebecca Jones: But it, it changed in the second half of last year, people became much more thoughtful, much more purposeful, um, thinking forward about how would this be applied to my business? Yeah, because the question now isn’t. Could we do this? It’s really, should we do this [00:11:03] Vince Menzione: right? And and there was a period of time, I don’t mean to interrupt you, but there was a period of time when we were talking about earlier in in last year, we were talking about halluc hallucinations still. [00:11:13] Vince Menzione: Yes. So there was a lack of confidence on the platform side. Yes. Microsoft had brought out. Uh, it’s copilot solutions early to market. And there was some, uh, pushback from the community saying, we’re not seeing the results of that. Yeah. From the financial community specifically. And then I think what you said is then the second half of the year things started to change. [00:11:35] Vince Menzione: There was greater confidence. The [00:11:36] Rebecca Jones: Yeah, [00:11:37] Vince Menzione: I’d say the models got better. [00:11:38] Rebecca Jones: The models got better. But when you think about innovation, that’s inherent risk, [00:11:43] Vince Menzione: right? [00:11:43] Rebecca Jones: Right. Yes. When, when you’re on an innovation curve, yes, that’s risk. And so you have to look at as any great CFO will tell you diversification innovation. [00:11:56] Rebecca Jones: When you start to look at that market landscape, you’re creating risks. Yes. So they’re investing a lot and they wanna know when the payoff is coming back into the business. Right? Or back into the market. [00:12:08] Vince Menzione: So Rebecca, where is the AI market right now? [00:12:13] Rebecca Jones: Oh, that is a tough and great question, Vince. [00:12:18] Vince Menzione: I mean, we’ve gone through it and I’ll, I’ll kind of frame this for, yes, for, for everyone, at least from my perspective of what’s happened, right? [00:12:24] Vince Menzione: So, uh, September, 2022. Chat, GBT. Yeah. So we get into chat bots or chat bot, chat bot, chat bot, chat bot the first year or so, beginning of last year, 2025. A agentic AI really starts to take hold. It’s, it becomes a new term. In fact, I don’t think we were even using the term agentic AI before the end of 24, beginning of 25. [00:12:47] Vince Menzione: And then agents have really proliferated, um, all of the marketplaces now have agents and people are developing their own agents and so on. And all the tools, like all, all the cloud tools have agent capabilities. And now, um. We’re in 2026 and we’re still in the first quarter. It feels like the agents are starting to rule the world and maybe taking over the world [00:13:10] Rebecca Jones: they might be. [00:13:11] Vince Menzione: Yeah, [00:13:11] Rebecca Jones: right. There is definitely a proliferation of agents and I’m anticipating a lot of consolidation of that. ’cause most of the agents I’ve seen drop into, um. A lot of the areas where you and I can download are features. [00:13:26] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:13:26] Rebecca Jones: They’re really feature agents and those will get consolidated ’cause the where we are and you ask where we are in the market. [00:13:33] Rebecca Jones: What I love. I love where we are ’cause we’re starting to tackle real business problems. And what I’m observing and what we’re working on is really helping connect back into the business to really start that transformational work. [00:13:48] Vince Menzione: So take us through that. I’d love that. I’d love, give us a scenario or [00:13:51] Rebecca Jones: give us a use case. [00:13:52] Rebecca Jones: Do this. Yeah. I think’s really great scenarios here that I can walk you through. And first and foremost it is, and I’m gonna go back and I talked about specialization in specialty areas. Yes. That’s really important. Um, we talked yesterday during the conference around, um, industry. What industry are you in? [00:14:11] Rebecca Jones: You know, I’m in tech and that’s, that’s, we know that industry, we know those business models really well. That’s extremely important. And then you move within that. And what functions do you know and functions in this, you know, order are the product marketing function, how does that work? [00:14:30] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:14:30] Rebecca Jones: How does that work in an enterprise organization or a sales function or a. [00:14:36] Rebecca Jones: Partner function. And within that, what are all the workflows? How do these teams operate together? And so that’s where that curiosity comes in of not just how you did the work. How is the work orchestrated? [00:14:49] Vince Menzione: Inter orchestration is a huge topic area. [00:14:51] Rebecca Jones: Orchestration is a huge topic. Let’s, let’s go [00:14:53] Vince Menzione: there. [00:14:54] Rebecca Jones: E Exactly. [00:14:55] Rebecca Jones: And that’s where that curiosity, you know, I was talking about pattern recognition comes in how is the work designed? And that becomes. The blueprint for how you start to think about agentic workflows. And if you don’t have a great workflow, you don’t wanna replicate that in an agent, but Exactly. You definitely need to understand that. [00:15:18] Rebecca Jones: And so why don’t I take something that, um, I think will resonate for anyone listening to this podcast, because everyone is probably looking for growth this year and wanting to accelerate [00:15:28] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:15:29] Rebecca Jones: Sales. Their pre-sales funnel. So if we just take that pre-sales motion and specifically now with where partners might play in that or where, um, technology companies might want to enable their partners better. [00:15:47] Rebecca Jones: When I start to break down a pre-sales function, you have areas within that. Whole workflow that your marketing department might be driving. They might be driving top of the funnel or or demand programs. And then as you move down the funnel, let’s call it mid funnel, that really has opportunities for partner and field sellers to come in and. [00:16:07] Rebecca Jones: You might be seen or observing that your, um, pipeline velocity is not where you want that, right? Mm-hmm. You might be, you know, as they say, stuck. Stuck. [00:16:18] Vince Menzione: Yep. [00:16:19] Rebecca Jones: And so when you start to look at what agents could do within that, I’ll use a real use case, um, around pre-sales workshops. You and I are both familiar with that. [00:16:28] Vince Menzione: We, we are, we were just talking about this last night, in fact, at dinner, about pre pre-sales workshops and how this is still such a vital component, how organizations work together. [00:16:37] Rebecca Jones: Such a vital component, um, for multiple reasons, right? You get to engage directly with the customer. You get to spend time with that customer. [00:16:46] Rebecca Jones: You get to ensure you understand what are their most pressing use cases and really help them design and buy into a solution far before you get to a proposal. And quite frankly, if you do this right. You also have an adoption plan, and then think about it from other functional areas in the organization. [00:17:02] Rebecca Jones: You start to pattern match across those presale workshops. You can start to see the use cases that are most valuable in market and start to put that into your messaging. So you think about presale workshop, it’s just not the activity of having a workshop, but if you could build an agent. To really help design around partners, enabling partners to deliver better presale workshops. [00:17:27] Rebecca Jones: Interesting. And how are you ingesting information that goes into the workshop? How are you helping, um, develop materials and first drafts faster for proposals post? How are you. Data is informing this. What are you collecting and what are you providing, and then what are you delivering? If you take that one simple component in a pre-sales process, you can see where I’m going. [00:17:53] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. All of a sudden, an ecosystem starts to show up around how could you connect better back with product marketing? What are they doing? What could you inform them with, with the data that you’re bringing in? [00:18:03] Vince Menzione: Interesting. [00:18:03] Rebecca Jones: And then what are the. Deterministic pathways outside of that, that you could be informing downstream down to first, first stress faster on proposals. [00:18:13] Rebecca Jones: Are you helping those partners with an adoption plan? The service partners in there. And so that is the designer and the architect of understanding how that workflow comes to life. And then you can really start to think about the outcomes that you wanna drive. And that’s where I love to start the conversations. [00:18:31] Rebecca Jones: That shouldn’t be an afterthought. That should be where you start. [00:18:35] Vince Menzione: So how do you, how do you, how do you start with this? You gave me a great example, but how do you apply this in the business? Like what do you take when you meet with a client to talk about pre-sales workshops as an example? [00:18:47] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. [00:18:47] Vince Menzione: You take a proforma of what a pre-sales workshop would look like. [00:18:51] Vince Menzione: I’m, I’m, I. I might be wrong on this, but you have, like, you, you now have, uh, AI or AI that they go out and pull the data that you would normally ask maybe in some, some, uh, process, uh, information flow process that we grab and, and pull this into the, to the, to the form. The [00:19:10] Rebecca Jones: first question I always ask is, why. [00:19:12] Rebecca Jones: Why is this so important and valuable? I might have an assumption why, based on my experience, but I want the facts, right? I wanna know how they’re measuring it today, so we have a baseline and I wanna understand what their goals are. [00:19:28] Vince Menzione: Okay? [00:19:29] Rebecca Jones: Are they looking to increase revenue? X percentage. Uh, how many deals are they anticipating? [00:19:38] Rebecca Jones: How many presale workshops do they typically deliver through partner a year? Are they looking to scale that? Probably, yes. Are they looking to increase the value that they’re getting into contract post presale workshop? Probably yes. But I want that empirical data. And then I also wanna know where are they storing that? [00:19:57] Rebecca Jones: Where are they sourcing that? And so it, it really. The question and the question set really is understanding the business outcomes and the why. I, I ask a lot of why, and it really helps you frame in what would be the best outcome or the best solution, and then where do you start? Because there’s a lot of appetite for a. [00:20:21] Rebecca Jones: A transformational workflow from A to Z. And that’s a hard place to, [00:20:26] Vince Menzione: it’s hard show momentum. It’s hard. It’s hard, [00:20:27] Rebecca Jones: right? [00:20:27] Vince Menzione: It’s, it’s hard to document your current workflow flows. [00:20:30] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. [00:20:30] Vince Menzione: Let alone come back and do this ally. [00:20:33] Rebecca Jones: Yes. [00:20:34] Vince Menzione: And create the best outcomes. [00:20:36] Rebecca Jones: Yes. [00:20:36] Vince Menzione: So I go back to this and I go, well, what, what creates the best outcomes? [00:20:39] Vince Menzione: Where the customer signs at the dotted line, and then how do you work back from that to the pre-sales workshop? Is that how [00:20:46] Rebecca Jones: you do it? A hundred percent. It’s a hundred percent. And then where do you start? How do you show, um, progress, not perfection. And so in this world, there’s a lot of, um, pressure. To show progress, outcomes, momentum. [00:21:00] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. And these very significant investments that are being made. And so how do you get them to quick wins? And so you know this, for any new executive coming into role, what are your quick wins? Yes. Right? Yes. You need to transform an organization, you need to transform a function. How do you set them up for success? [00:21:19] Rebecca Jones: And that’s always in my mind, that’s always in the mind of. The bridge partners, leaders of how do you set this leader up for success? And it’s that point between strategy and execution. How do you help them show quick wins? And so I broke you down that process. Yep. Of how would you think about in that use case, how to bring that back and help them show quick wins? [00:21:42] Rebecca Jones: Not in six months or a year, but in six weeks to eight weeks. How do you, how do you get them on that journey and then help them build to that next slide. And [00:21:51] Vince Menzione: in fact, that’s how you, you, you’ve made your, your name or your fame in the industry is really coming in and helping some of these executives, especially when they’re newer in role. [00:22:00] Rebecca Jones: Yes. [00:22:00] Vince Menzione: And those of us who’ve been around the Microsoft ecosystem know this well. Like you get asked day one, what’s your plan? The, while the fire, while the fire hose is blowing in your face at a hundred, a hundred miles an hour? Uh, what’s your plan? [00:22:14] Rebecca Jones: What’s your plan? What’s your [00:22:14] Vince Menzione: plan? [00:22:15] Rebecca Jones: What is your plan? [00:22:16] Vince Menzione: Yeah, yeah. [00:22:16] Vince Menzione: And then you have to show some measurable results fairly quickly. [00:22:19] Rebecca Jones: You have to [00:22:20] Vince Menzione: because you’re asked to get up in front of everyone. Yeah. Very soon. [00:22:23] Rebecca Jones: And that’s a blueprint that we have. We have, it’s a quick win. And when you think about all of these organizations that we’ve worked with, um, speed to market is a value signal. [00:22:36] Vince Menzione: Yep. [00:22:36] Rebecca Jones: Right? And that speed and quality. Where are you willing to take the risk? Where are you willing to fail fast? And what outcomes are non-negotiable and what are, and so when you look at that, there’s, there’s conversations that need to be had on. And being able to filter out the noise to get down to what’s really gonna move the needle, um, for our clients and for the executives that we work with. [00:23:06] Rebecca Jones: So they can show momentum and progress quickly. And then we talked a lot about it. We don’t do three year plans, right? We’re gonna help you show progress in months, [00:23:16] Vince Menzione: nice. [00:23:17] Rebecca Jones: And in quarters, right? It’s not, um, 10 years. [00:23:19] Vince Menzione: Can anybody even have a three year plan anymore? [00:23:22] Rebecca Jones: Who’s got one? [00:23:23] Vince Menzione: I’d love to spend some time on co-selling with you. [00:23:25] Vince Menzione: Yeah. Just because I know this was a topic that came up one of our workshops in the Yeah. We hosted, yes. Last year we hosted a session. With another partner. Bridge Partners. [00:23:34] Rebecca Jones: Yes. [00:23:35] Vince Menzione: And you talked about the power of three and I know you’ve published some information about the power of three. I thought maybe we’d talk about that. [00:23:41] Vince Menzione: ’cause I think that is fascinating and it seems very relevant even in yesterday’s conversation. Uh, there was a conversation about another partner, uh, that is looking to build an ecosystem that hasn’t really thought about building out an ecosystem before, as an example. And this, this, I think is some of the work that you do really applies against this. [00:24:01] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. This, I mean, it, it’s a hot topic, right? Yeah. Power of three, which fits under the umbrella of co-sell Yes. And co-selling. And everyone has a slightly different definition, so I’ll define where we play. Good in there. Um, and then I’ll talk to you about the power of three, um, because that’s one of. Um, I’ll call it the scenarios under co-selling. [00:24:23] Rebecca Jones: Yes. And it’s a very popular one. It [00:24:24] Vince Menzione: is pop Well, it is for v various reasons too because, and I’ll just set the context for this. We were used to co-selling being a technology organization and a and a hyperscaler, like a Microsoft. [00:24:37] Rebecca Jones: Yes. [00:24:37] Vince Menzione: Going to do something together and driving direct output or sales. Now we have finally seen where marketplaces, which has become the co-sell engine, have now enabled the channel. [00:24:49] Vince Menzione: Um, the reseller enabled, uh, offers now to now, uh, operate on behalf of, and so at least in that case, that’s three right there. Now, there might be more than just three. We talk about the seven seats of the table, but the power of three is palpable right now. [00:25:04] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. Let me tell you about that concept of the power of three. [00:25:07] Rebecca Jones: ’cause when you think about the classic one [00:25:10] Vince Menzione: yeah, [00:25:10] Rebecca Jones: it’s a hyperscaler. [00:25:11] Vince Menzione: Yep. [00:25:12] Rebecca Jones: A GSI. And then an ISB. [00:25:15] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:25:15] Rebecca Jones: Right? [00:25:16] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:25:16] Rebecca Jones: I mean that’s the, that’s the power, the powerful power, the three three, [00:25:19] Vince Menzione: the three giants in the [00:25:20] Rebecca Jones: room. The three giants. Yeah. And that’s rarefied air. [00:25:24] Vince Menzione: It is [00:25:25] Rebecca Jones: very [00:25:26] Vince Menzione: verified air. It’s, [00:25:26] Rebecca Jones: yeah. Right. And, uh, we do, we have a published article on that, um, and running a power three with SAP, uh, and it is, um, it changes the dynamics. [00:25:41] Rebecca Jones: Of how companies are gonna scale and grow in this market, right? [00:25:46] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:25:46] Rebecca Jones: Because we know, um, that what got you to this point? Is likely not gonna get you to that next stage of growth. And all the conversations around the platform play is the partner ecosystem, right? And I look at the opportunity, not just with the power through, I’m gonna talk to you a little bit more about that story and what we’re doing there and how we’re looking at that. [00:26:12] Rebecca Jones: Um, but it is the ultimate. Design for your go to market. Yeah. When you think about how partners and the various types of partners can help you scale, but you need to know what you need. You absolutely need to know, [00:26:29] Vince Menzione: yeah. [00:26:30] Rebecca Jones: What are you trying to achieve in your go to market and what’s missing? [00:26:34] Vince Menzione: What are the gaps? [00:26:34] Vince Menzione: Gaps? [00:26:35] Rebecca Jones: What are the gaps? Are the gaps before you apply? Yes. The power of three, or I’ll talk to you about a couple other use cases within that. So the power of three. Has long been on everybody’s, you know, can, can we get this done right? Can you pattern match the customer set? I’ll often refer to it as a BM on steroids, account-based marketing and on steroids. [00:26:59] Rebecca Jones: Can you pattern match, um, the, the hyperscaler, let’s just use Microsoft in this scenario, the, the. High potential customers of Microsoft Joint with SAP joint, with A GSI. And the more specialized and specific you get in there, it’s not just any, because think about the size of these, you know, companies. Yeah, right. [00:27:24] Rebecca Jones: Then you start to look at, well, let’s get a little bit more specific on these product sets, these industries, these use cases. And then you start to refine that where you can start to identify your greatest opportunity for growth. So that’s the first stage of that. And it is, you know, we, we think about where is that overlap and where is that opportunity, but how do you activate that? [00:27:51] Vince Menzione: And it’s complex because, uh, as you, as you mentioned those three. Organizations, each of them have different go to markets. [00:27:59] Rebecca Jones: They do, [00:27:59] Vince Menzione: they have different, a different mapping of their geographies and their ideal customer profiles. [00:28:05] Rebecca Jones: Mm-hmm. [00:28:06] Vince Menzione: Um, and they, yeah, and they apply different tactics and selling tactics and channel tactics and so on that you have to layer in or you have to take into account when you build this. [00:28:15] Vince Menzione: And SAP’s a very different go-to market motion than a Microsoft, than a, than a, an EY or any name the GSI percent. Yeah. [00:28:23] Rebecca Jones: And so that is why not only is it, um, complex from a. Sharing and figuring out what data you’re going to share. Yeah. But how do you activate it? How [00:28:35] Vince Menzione: do you activate it? [00:28:36] Rebecca Jones: And uh, and that is what all companies are striving to do. [00:28:41] Rebecca Jones: Who are you gonna go to market with? Yeah. What is your best play in the industry? And so I, you know, while this one. There’s very few companies that are gonna be able to activate directly with the hyperscaler, right? Yes. Uh, Microsoft AWS or Google. Um, but there are ways in which you can apply this strategy no matter the size of your organization. [00:29:05] Rebecca Jones: And so when you think about. The power of three. It could be any combination. You are the designer, you are the decider of who is in your power of three. And when you start to kind of unpack that a little bit, it could be Microsoft, SAPN one ISV, or it could be a combination of complementary I ISVs that unlock a play. [00:29:28] Vince Menzione: Mm-hmm. [00:29:29] Rebecca Jones: Like migration to the cloud. [00:29:31] Vince Menzione: Right. [00:29:31] Rebecca Jones: Like it, it could be [00:29:33] Vince Menzione: backup and recovery. I could rattle off the different types of solutions. Yeah. [00:29:37] Rebecca Jones: What is, where are you seeing the greatest opportunity to scale and what ISVs could come in to help you do that? So when you extract that from the power of three, the classic power of three of Costone, you brought that down to, you know, how do you think about that in the masses of marketplace? [00:29:56] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. Or partners of any size. I like to bring this back to. Where do you believe your greatest opportunity is? Do you have, um, opportunity or weakness in your portfolio, your product set? Could a partner come in and help augment that? Do you have a tech platform and you need a services arm to help extend that? [00:30:19] Rebecca Jones: I I mean the, it it, the world’s your oyster. Yeah. You get to kit this together any way you need and then. The power of bringing these companies together. And you and I both know, and that was much of the conversation yesterday, is, um, the greater goodness of companies coming together Yes. To compliment one another to solve a customer problem. [00:30:39] Vince Menzione: How do you take it from concept to execution? Because to me, that’s. Especially when you’re talking about not just one organization like a micro, you’re working with a Microsoft or an SAP, but you’re layering in three types of organizations and you’re going across different sales motions. How do you get them all? [00:30:58] Vince Menzione: How do you get them all aligned in working together the right way? [00:31:02] Rebecca Jones: Magic. Magic. [00:31:03] Vince Menzione: Okay. [00:31:04] Rebecca Jones: I’m kidding. [00:31:04] Vince Menzione: Call bridge, call Rebecca [00:31:07] Rebecca Jones: Magic. [00:31:07] Vince Menzione: Nine nine nine five five five five. [00:31:09] Rebecca Jones: Let, let, let me, uh, let me talk about that because [00:31:13] Vince Menzione: Yeah, [00:31:13] Rebecca Jones: it’s one, there’s the good work, there’s the good thought work and the strategy of how to ensure you’re, you’re pointing and you’ve got the team lined up, right? [00:31:22] Rebecca Jones: Right. And the players lined up. But activation of that. Oh, [00:31:28] Vince Menzione: massive work. [00:31:29] Rebecca Jones: It’s massive work. Yeah. And it’s not a set it and forget it. [00:31:33] Vince Menzione: Right, [00:31:34] Rebecca Jones: right, [00:31:34] Vince Menzione: right. [00:31:35] Rebecca Jones: And when you think about the alignment, and you talked about we, we’ve got different fiscal year ends and we’ve got different sales and center plans. I will talk about a few things. [00:31:45] Rebecca Jones: One, executive sponsorship, top down. [00:31:48] Vince Menzione: Yep. [00:31:48] Rebecca Jones: Right. Um, ensuring, you know, compensation. You gotta get rid of the blockers and the barriers. [00:31:55] Vince Menzione: Yep. [00:31:56] Rebecca Jones: And you have to make it easy and you have to create that space because it’s really, and I’ll talk to you about some of the platforms and technology behind it, but it’s humans working together. [00:32:07] Rebecca Jones: There’s a lot of power in what we’re able to do now with, um, part tech platforms and with agentic solutions. And how do you automate this and how do you bring more power and visibility? Better than ever and, and more than ever. But at the end of the day, we’re activating teams. Across companies. Yep. To work together to bring this together. [00:32:34] Rebecca Jones: And there are playbooks, um, and any, there’s great playbooks out there, but you need to activate that. [00:32:41] Vince Menzione: You need to activate it. And you, you said you gotta get the executive commitment at the top? [00:32:45] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. [00:32:46] Vince Menzione: Not just at the CEO level, but across the leadership team. That’s right. In every silo. Uh, you’ve gotta get, uh, the organization, you have to get compensation taken care of because those, those can be blockers, those could be real blockers from getting the results you want to get. [00:33:00] Vince Menzione: And then you gotta get activation. [00:33:03] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. [00:33:03] Vince Menzione: Right? [00:33:04] Rebecca Jones: You gotta get activation and you have to be really clear on how you’re gonna activate what’s gonna move the needle. And you have to be ready to test, learn, optimize, and you need to put those into sprints. So I’ll give some examples around that. [00:33:20] Vince Menzione: Please do take us through the sprints. [00:33:21] Vince Menzione: ’cause this is, this is getting beyond the theory now. This is what I really wanted to capture with you. Take us through it. [00:33:28] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. [00:33:28] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:33:29] Rebecca Jones: So let’s just say we’ve got, we’ve got a power of three. [00:33:32] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:33:32] Rebecca Jones: You know, um, ready to roll and, and we’ve picked our industry and we have our use case. Um, between the three of us, the three players, you’re gonna start by allowing someone, and in this case it’s been Bridge Partners to really ensure we have a joint value prop, um, proposition for that end customer. [00:33:54] Rebecca Jones: Mm-hmm. And, you know, you gotta take a little ego out of the room. Typically on the power of three, you’ve got the leading companies coming in. But at the end of the day, if you’ve done this right, it’s, it’s customer first. It’s what’s gonna help solve this customer pain point in that language. And then when you think about activation, it’s who’s, who’s in role first? [00:34:20] Rebecca Jones: Right. And who’s taking point in these customer conversations. Right. Okay. And that is really, really, that’s important. Important. That is important. Who has the relationship? Yeah. Who is going to take lead and who’s gonna follow? And it gets all the way down to whose paper. Is this on? And that’s, that’s sometimes hard. [00:34:41] Rebecca Jones: You’ve got three players in the room, but it’s incredibly important to have those conversations and ensure that this is really end state for the customer. Yeah. So really going through roles and responsibilities and how are we gonna architect this for the customer’s success. Yeah. So that is a critical component of the playbook and then understanding. [00:35:02] Rebecca Jones: Where and what programs are we gonna drive, and then who’s taking what actions. And so I, I mentioned a BM on steroids a little before. Yes. There’s amazing things that you can be doing in market, [00:35:14] Vince Menzione: account-based marketing, [00:35:15] Rebecca Jones: m account-based based marketing, you dunno. Um, account-based marketing and there are some amazing things. [00:35:20] Rebecca Jones: Really truly connected sales and marketing, in this case. Connected sales, marketing and partner. Yeah. And how do you activate these partners together? [00:35:27] Vince Menzione: You used the term part tech, which. Not everyone understands partner technologies. Yes. Organizations like Partner Tap, work Span. Yeah. Tackle. [00:35:37] Rebecca Jones: Structured. Yeah. [00:35:38] Vince Menzione: Structured. If you, these are companies that help with co-selling methodologies, marketplace methodologies. [00:35:44] Rebecca Jones: Yes. [00:35:45] Vince Menzione: Or combining all of those, [00:35:46] Rebecca Jones: if you know, uh, J McBain, uh. Beautiful visual flat map of, um, it looks a little, the 28 moments. Yes. I was just, well, the 28 moments and he’s got the part tech landscape. [00:35:59] Vince Menzione: Oh, [00:35:59] Rebecca Jones: the islands. The islands. [00:36:00] Vince Menzione: Yes. The islands. [00:36:00] Rebecca Jones: Yes, we got it. But there are part tech solutions that support [00:36:03] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:36:03] Rebecca Jones: Partner programs, co-sell programs, partner marketing, you know. Yes. And really help to automate a lot of those processes. [00:36:11] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:36:12] Rebecca Jones: Um, and a lot of those programs. [00:36:13] Vince Menzione: So Rebecca is such a great conversation today. [00:36:16] Vince Menzione: I mean, we can go. Thank you so deep on this. [00:36:18] Rebecca Jones: I know. [00:36:18] Vince Menzione: Which means that we’re all gonna have to be back together in Redmond. You live in the Seattle area? I do. And you’ll be with us. Um, we’ll be hosting the Ultimate Partner, live in, uh, may, May 11th to the 13th. If you’re marking your calendar as listeners and friends, uh, and you’ll be there and. [00:36:36] Vince Menzione: Probably driving some more of this conversation in a workshop format, I hope. [00:36:41] Rebecca Jones: I hope so too. Yeah, it was really rewarding last year. I mean, there’s nothing more powerful to be in the room with partners because the partners are frontline to customers. [00:36:51] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:36:51] Rebecca Jones: And understanding what they’re seeing and hearing. [00:36:53] Rebecca Jones: And I always think voice of the customer is your ultimate signal. Yeah. So I can’t wait to be there. [00:36:58] Vince Menzione: Very cool. And I have a favorite question I ask all of my guests now. Uh, it is a favorite of mine. You are hosting a dinner party and you can choose where in the world you wanna host this dinner party, and you can invite only three guests, though from the present or the past to this amazing dinner party. [00:37:18] Vince Menzione: Whom would you invite Rebecca and why? And why? [00:37:22] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. Yeah. I’d, um, this is such a great question. I think on every single day I’d have a different collection of folks that I’d want at my home. Uh, I’ve had dinner at some amazing places for me. I would love to host this at my home. [00:37:38] Vince Menzione: Very cool, very [00:37:39] Rebecca Jones: cool. Uh, and the people that I would want there for this particular dinner party, I’m gonna pick, um, three iconic women. [00:37:51] Rebecca Jones: Coco Chanel, [00:37:52] Vince Menzione: Coco Chanel very cool [00:37:54] Rebecca Jones: designer. [00:37:55] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:37:56] Rebecca Jones: Um, really changed how women thought about an identity and wardrobe. Um, I would invite Georgia O’Keefe. Wow. She’s my favorite artist. [00:38:07] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:38:08] Rebecca Jones: Um, she is one of my favorite artists. Uh, I’m, uh, art and history background. And, uh, [00:38:16] Vince Menzione: that explains, [00:38:17] Rebecca Jones: that, explains that, um, a really interesting perspective. [00:38:22] Rebecca Jones: I love her view on landscapes and. She, [00:38:26] Vince Menzione: that’s why I know her as, you know, landscapes [00:38:28] Rebecca Jones: a landscape artist, um, and much more behind that. And then I would bring one of my favorite authors in, who’s Tony Morrison? [00:38:36] Vince Menzione: Tony [00:38:37] Rebecca Jones: Morrison. [00:38:38] Vince Menzione: I don’t know Tony Morrison. [00:38:39] Rebecca Jones: Oh, um, I would, beloved is her book and Oh, yes. When you think about. [00:38:45] Rebecca Jones: Um, and this is really my passion, my background in art and literature and design, and to have three, three women there, that voice of Tony Morrison, you’ve put that book on your list. Okay. It, it, it changed my life. Uh, and, um, Coco Chanel and, um, Giorgio O’Keefe, I think it would be a really interesting conversation. [00:39:07] Rebecca Jones: I love very cool trailblazers, women who really helped. I don’t know how much they recognize how much they really changed the narrative for other women, um, in their fields and together. But I think it’d be a really fun evening. [00:39:23] Vince Menzione: Very different. Very different. Uh, I was, I know a little bit about Cocoa Chanel ’cause my mom was always in the beauty and fashion industry. [00:39:31] Vince Menzione: So as a kid growing up, I mean her shoe was iconic. [00:39:34] Rebecca Jones: Yeah. [00:39:34] Vince Menzione: Iconic. Chanels an iconic brand was iconic. And, and she was a, wasn’t she a survivor of the. Of, uh, Nazi Germany maybe or something. There’s some, there’s some background or there’s [00:39:44] Rebecca Jones: some background. Flee. Flee [00:39:45] Vince Menzione: Nazi Germany [00:39:46] Rebecca Jones: or something. And what she’s really known for is, um, well many things, but yes, as a designer, really changing the tone and temperature Yes. [00:39:56] Rebecca Jones: Of um. How, you know, fashion and female identity. I think she, um, created the, what everybody knows is the little black dress and really got all that more structured and more modern look and feel of how to, how to wear and just really created a powerful path. [00:40:14] Vince Menzione: Very cool. Yeah. Very cool. [00:40:15] Rebecca Jones: So that’s who I’d have it, this one. [00:40:16] Vince Menzione: That will be a funer. [00:40:17] Rebecca Jones: Next time I’m on your podcast, I’d have a whole new crew. [00:40:21] Vince Menzione: Okay. Well I might. Bring dessert. If you don’t mind, I might bring a little, maybe a little chocolates I think maybe might be very appropriate would for this group and just maybe pop in for a few minutes. [00:40:29] Rebecca Jones: That would be great. [00:40:30] Vince Menzione: Because I don’t wanna inter interrupt the flow my, because this is be a great conversation. Oh my, [00:40:33] no, [00:40:33] Rebecca Jones: you would, I think you’d have a ball. [00:40:34] Vince Menzione: Okay. I, [00:40:35] Rebecca Jones: I mean, I know how close you were to your mother. [00:40:37] Vince Menzione: I am. [00:40:37] Rebecca Jones: And so, yeah. [00:40:39] Vince Menzione: So, um, this isn’t, again, I use this tumultuous term, but we are living in interesting times right now. [00:40:47] Rebecca Jones: We are. [00:40:47] Vince Menzione: And for all of our viewers and listeners. What is your advice to them? What is the one thing you would say? We’re in the first quarter of 2026. Yeah. This ball is moving fast or this puck is moving fast. Yeah. If you were a hockey player, um, what would you say to us now? What, what, what is the one thing you would go do if you’re not doing it now that you should be doing? [00:41:11] Rebecca Jones: Take a moment. Take a moment. As leaders. Your company and your organizations are looking for clarity. They’re looking for a path forward, and there’s a lot of energy out there, which is very exciting, but it can be also very distracting. [00:41:30] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:41:31] Rebecca Jones: So hold some confidence and clarity for your organization and figure out where you need to be and where you’re going. [00:41:39] Rebecca Jones: That’ll help set your strategy, and this will all come into view. And so what I look to is how do we help enable the organization to grow? And by doing that, you ha you have to put the oxygen mask on yourself. Yeah. Take a moment. [00:41:53] Vince Menzione: Pause. [00:41:55] Rebecca Jones: Pause. Reflect, reflect. I told you I walked down to the beach this morning. [00:41:59] Rebecca Jones: It’s a great moment. Take a moment for yourself. It’s not passing you by. We’re just getting started. [00:42:06] Vince Menzione: Did you hear that? My friends and listeners? Take a moment. And so great to have you here in the room. Yeah. [00:42:13] Rebecca Jones: Thank you so [00:42:14] Vince Menzione: much. Thank you. And I want to thank our listeners, our viewers, for following along, ultimate Guide to Partnering and our YouTube channel Ultimate Partner. [00:42:23] Vince Menzione: And please, please, please come join us. We have an incredible year ahead. This was our event, number one of five. And Ultimate partner Live will be in Bellevue on the 11th through the 13th of May. [00:42:36] Rebecca Jones: Yeah, I’ll [00:42:36] Vince Menzione: see. You’ll see you there. Rebecca will be there. It’s [00:42:38] Rebecca Jones: in my backyard. [00:42:39] Vince Menzione: It’s in your backyard. And we are gonna have incredible leaders in the room. [00:42:42] Vince Menzione: So thank you for watching. Thank you for listening to The Ultimate Guide to Partnering. [00:42:47] Rebecca Jones: Don’t forget, ultimate Partner Live is coming [00:42:50] Vince Menzione: soon, May 11th through the 13th in beautiful Bellevue, Washington. I hope to see you there.s I, as I wrap up here, I just wanna make sure that what, where

What if the most effective content system isn't more AI, but just one human conversation? Gal Ko is a seasoned marketing expert who serves as a marketing lecturer at Google AI Tech School and is the founder of BoldPMM and Podstar. His mission is to help founders escape the "content hamster wheel" of generic, AI-generated posts by leveraging strategic podcast guesting. By moving away from automated outreach and focusing on high-ROI human conversations, Gal helps leaders become respected industry voices who reach their ideal audience's ears directly. His journey began at age 14, entering the business world early to support his family during a health crisis. This baptism by fire led him through years of product marketing for B2B tech companies, where he noticed a recurring problem: brilliant founders were exhausted by the pressure to produce daily content that failed to drive results. To solve this, he developed the REACH framework—a systematic, research-heavy approach to guesting that prioritizes deep connection and professional preparation over mass-messaging "numbers games." In this episode, we explore how to turn a single podcast appearance into a permanent content generation system. Gal breaks down how to overcome the fear of the microphone and why you don't need a massive following to establish authority. Listeners will walk away with a clear roadmap for landing high-value guest spots that build genuine trust and long-term brand equity without the burnout of traditional social media marketing.   Key Takeaways: Stop the Content Hamster Wheel. Prioritize high-impact human conversations over the exhaustion of producing generic, automated social media posts. Prioritize Quality Over Quantity. Reaching an audience is about the specificity of your targeting, not the sheer volume of your outreach. Leverage Your Unique Transformation. You don't need a massive following to be an industry voice; you only need a compelling lesson to share. Research Before Every Outreach. Save time and resources by deeply researching a platform's themes and audience before initiating any contact. Personalize Your Initial Connection. Increase success rates by mentioning a "personal win" from a prospect's recent work to show genuine engagement. Utilize Professional Networking Platforms. Use sites like LinkedIn to bypass crowded email inboxes and build warmth through established professional profiles. Systematize Your Follow-Up Process. Ensure growth by maintaining a disciplined system for follow-ups so potential opportunities never fall through the cracks.   Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR   Connect with Gal Ko: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gal-ko/  Skool community:  https://www.skool.com/podstar  Website: https://podstar.me/   Closing thought: "All you have to have is a story, a lesson, a transformation to share with your audience, a message that helps your people."   Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts.   Shoutout to our Great Sponsors: Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2026! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand? Podbrandmedia.com can help. Affordable and effective content creation and lead generation!

Sam Jacobs (CEO, Pavilion), AJ Bruno (CEO, QuotaPath), and Asad Zaman (CEO, Sales Talent Agency) debate exactly how to handle team members resisting AI adoption. When to leave them, when to nudge them, and when to fire them. The discussion highlights real-world data, including how leading companies reach the top decile of AI adoption and the mechanics of running a 24-hour, four-squad AI hackathon to force experimentation. We also cover a critical performance heuristic from the past CPO of LaunchDarkly: if your team cannot execute simple tasks in a single day, you are falling behind. The conversation covers change management for revenue leaders, how to integrate AI into your daily enterprise pipeline generation, and why optimizing your GTM strategy means making hard decisions about personnel who refuse to adapt. Key Takeaways: >Driving AI adoption requires clear communication and rewarding good behavior, but AJ Bruno warns that leaders will ultimately have to "leave behind a handful of folks that are just not going to get on the bus, that aren't getting on board." >When implementing new AI tools across your teams, Asad Zaman notes that expectations must scale with seniority, stating "I have more tolerance as I move lower in the org and less tolerance at the higher levels." >AI should be treated as a creative partner for deeper analysis rather than a shortcut for unedited output, a reality Sam Jacobs emphasizes by warning "If you are just the pass through, you will be fired." Connect with the Hosts Host: Sam Jacobs - https://www.linkedin.com/in/samfjacobs/  Host: AJ Bruno - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajbruno3/  Host: Asad Zaman - https://www.linkedin.com/in/azaman1/   Topline is more than a YouTube Channel:  Subscribe to Topline Newsletter: https://www.joinpavilion.com/topline-newsletter  Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech: https://www.joinpavilion.com/topline-podcast  Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders to keep the conversation going beyond the podcast: https://www.joinpavilion.com/topline-slack Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:35 The Question: Employees resisting AI 01:39 Convert them or fire them? 02:07 Running internal AI hackathons 03:54 How CEOs drive adoption 05:08 Mapping tasks to AI agents 06:27 The "Robot Layer" in emails 07:40 Claire Vo's anti-dinosaur framework 08:07 The One-Day Execution Heuristic 12:52 Why you should be scared 14:30 Elevating junior AI talent 16:35 Reducing 3 hours of work to 45 mins 18:54 Summary: How to uplevel the org 21:09 The tension between speed and depth 21:52 Pass-through? Fired! FIRED!!!  

Welcome to another insightful solo episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan draws on his 25+ years of agency experience to tackle a game-changing reality for agency owners: the ways buyers find, vet, and select agencies have shifted—and your approach needs to shift too. Based on the latest industry research and buyer behavior data, this episode serves as both a wake-up call and a practical roadmap, ensuring your agency is "future-proofed" for today's—and tomorrow's—client expectations.  Diving deep into what really happens before an RFP hits your inbox, Drew McLellan reveals that the majority of buying decisions are made before agencies ever take the stage for a pitch. He shares eye-opening statistics—like Forrester's finding that 92% of B2B buyers have a preferred vendor before the pitch even starts—and illustrates why visibility, authority, and trust are now your most important assets. Listeners will discover why authority-building and relationship nurturing trump old-school charm, and why consistent, outcome-focused content is now essential for remaining discoverable in both human and algorithm-driven searches.  Beyond theory, Drew McLellan provides a series of targeted, actionable "homework assignments" you can start right away, from the "5-minute stranger test" to case study revamps and trust broker mapping. You'll learn how to make your agency's value instantly obvious and compelling across every digital touchpoint—website, LinkedIn, third-party mentions—while cultivating the patterns of social proof and authority that today's buyers demand. Drew also explains how algorithms and AI tools are shaping client shortlists, and why crafting machine-readable, buyer-friendly positioning is now non-negotiable.  If you're ready to break old sales habits, update your growth strategies, and implement repeatable steps to increase your agency's desirability, this episode is a can't-miss. Whether or not you attend the Build a Better Agency Summit, Drew McLellan's guidance will challenge you to rethink your approach and take meaningful action toward winning the clients of the future. A big thank you to our podcast's presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They're an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How today's agency buyers make decisions long before the pitch The growing impact of authority, visibility, and trust in landing new clients Future-proofing your agency for AI-driven and algorithm-shaped discovery The four pillars every agency must communicate: clarity, evidence, social proof, and humanity Why building consistent, outcome-focused case studies is non-negotiable The importance of nurturing trust brokers and relationships across your industry Actionable homework to ensure your agency is findable and desirable to the future buyer

The 4 Real Paths to Replace Your Corporate IncomeMost corporate escapees think they only have two options: find another job or figure out how to start a business from scratch. But there are actually four legitimate paths to replacing your corporate income — and one of them is seriously underrated.In this solo episode, Brett breaks down all four paths and then goes deep on the one he doesn't talk about nearly enough: franchising.If you've been thinking about leaving corporate but the blank page feels too risky, this episode is for you.The 4 Paths:

I sit down with Naoma Serna-Zahn, brand strategist and principal behind Nuevo, to talk about the realities of high-level brand work. We also get into:Why public feedback can derail a branding projectThe difference between brand strategy vs. visual designHow Naoma attracts B2B clients with projects starting around $18.5KThe different ways we each generate clientsWhat masterminds actually make sense depending on your dream clientsFollow Naoma⁠FREE Six Figure Designer Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Social Butterfly Club (Marketing Membership For Designers)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Brief Collective Design Biz Academy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Unlock Secret Podcast Episodes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Share Your Unapologetic Opinion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠

A lot of founders say they want freedom, but end up building a business that depends on them for everything. In this episode of Founder Talk, Alex Sheridan sits down with Angelo Sisco, founder of Sisco Advisors, to unpack why that happens and what it takes to build a company that can scale without burning out the person leading it. The conversation gets into founder identity, emotional patterns, control, trust, leadership, and the difference between building a business around a person versus building a company around an idea. Key Takeaways:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:42 What is the founder's trap?A: Angelo explains that many founders believe achievement, money, or scale will finally make them feel fulfilled, only to find the insecurity still follows them. His core point is that founders need to change who they are being before the business can truly change. 00:08:30 How do founders break out of constant striving and burnout?A: Angelo shares how emotional intelligence, self-awareness, retreats, therapy, and putting himself in uncomfortable environments helped him understand his patterns. 00:16:30 How do you build a business that can run without you?A: The shift happens when the founder stops making every decision revolve around themselves and creates shared accountability around a bigger mission. 00:20:35 How can founders scale an advisory or consulting business that depends on their expertise?A: Angelo recommends creating structured programs, building recurring revenue, charging for real value, and removing low-level tasks from the founder's plate. 00:31:25 What helps founders avoid burnout beyond business strategy?A: Angelo argues that nervous system regulation and energy management matter as much as any business plan. 00:37:15 What simple daily habits can improve founder clarity and health?A: Angelo's advice is simple: journal for five minutes every morning and walk every day. He frames journaling as a way to clear mental noise and walking as a practical reset that helps founders think better, feel better, and stay more grounded. 00:45:43 What makes a founder peer group actually valuable?A: Angelo says strong groups need a shared vision, clear values and operating agreements, one strong leader to hold the room accountable, and active contribution from everyone involved. In his view, community works best when nobody is there just to take. Watch the full episode to hear the complete conversation. Subscribe for more authentic, no-fluff founder interviews on Founder Talk.

We help B2B brands launch shows that turn their point of view into pipeline. If you're launching a podcast (or have one already) and are not sure how it can hit your bottom line, book a meeting with Jason: https://meetings-eu1.hubspot.com/jason-bradwell/youtube-meeting-link Most B2B podcasts are quietly failing their businesses, and the owners don't even know it. If your show is only driving downloads and impressions, you're leaving pipeline, revenue, and serious commercial momentum on the table. In this solo episode of Pipe Dream, Jason Bradwell breaks down four powerful podcast segment types that the vast majority of B2B companies are completely ignoring. Whether your show runs fortnightly or monthly, these segments are designed to stretch your content further, fill your feed more consistently, and move prospects through every stage of the buyer journey, from totally unaware all the way through to product aware. Jason explains how to think like a media company, why the standard guest interview format is holding your show back, and how a few simple structural additions can transform your podcast into a genuine revenue engine. Key Takeaways ◼️ How to use a Recap Segment to share your point of view without overshadowing your guest ◼️ Why the Hidden Segment helps you publish more frequently without recording extra episodes ◼️ How to use a Trending News Segment to tag companies and individuals and dramatically increase content visibility ◼️ Why a Company Updates segment is one of the most underrated tools for bottom-of-funnel nurture ◼️ How to map your podcast content across all four stages of buyer awareness ◼️ Why thinking like a media company is no longer optional for B2B brands serious about owned media Chapter Markers 00:00 Intro 01:00 Why Most B2B Podcasts Get Stuck at Top-of-Funnel 02:00 Using Segments to Drive Mid and Bottom-of-Funnel Results 02:45 Segment 1: The Recap Segment 04:00 Segment 2: The Hidden Segment 06:00 Segment 3: The Trending News Segment 07:45 Segment 4: Company Updates What's Next If any of these segments sparked an idea for your show, don't let it sit, book a call with Jason and turn that idea into a content system that actually drives pipeline. Useful Links Connect with Jason Bradwell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbradwell/Listen to Pipe Dream on Podbean: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/bac4p-2a0121/Pipe-Dream-%7C-A-B2B-Marketing-PodcastLearn more about B2B Better: https://www.b2b-better.com

Designing B2B surveys can look straightforward at first glance. But in practice, business-to-business market research comes with constraints that can quietly undermine data quality, respondent experience, and the value of the results. In this episode of Conversations for Research Rockstars, we walk through some of the most common B2B survey challenges—and the practical questionnaire design strategies that help research teams avoid them. If you've ever struggled with expensive samples, long screeners, or unclear respondent roles, this discussion will feel very familiar. Whether you work in market research, customer insights, UX research, or CX research, this episode offers practical reminders that can help protect data quality and keep surveys manageable for busy professionals.

In this episode, you'll hear from Adam Chen, CRO at FinStrat.FinStrat has helped more than 300 founders and supported startups that have raised $480M+ in capital.Shane and Adam break down the patterns behind predictable B2B revenue.If you're a founder trying to close enterprise customers or raise venture capital, this episode will save you months of trial and error.Most founders think sales is about pushing harder.The best founders know it's about asking better questions and uncovering the truth. ✅ What you'll learn:• The signals that show a deal is moving forward• Why founders should send consistent outbound messages• How to identify the internal change agent inside a company• How respectful curiosity beats aggressive selling every time• Why mapping decision makers dramatically increases close rates• The simple outreach structure that removes pressure from salesThis episode is packed with practical advice for founders building.

A popular startup belief says your VP of Sales should “carry a bag” and close deals when they start.The logic sounds reasonable: if they can't sell, how can they lead a sales team? But that idea misunderstands what a real VP of Sales is actually hired to do.In this episode, Ray breaks down why asking a VP to carry a quota creates a direct conflict of incentives, attracts the wrong candidates, and is usually a sign the company isn't actually ready for a VP of Sales yet.If you're a founder or CEO thinking about hiring your first VP of Sales, this episode will help you avoid a costly mistake and understand what problem you actually need to solve first.What You'll Learn in This Episode• Why legitimate VP of Sales candidates won't accept roles that require them to carry a quota• The incentive conflict that happens when a VP is asked to sell while building a team• How needing a quota-carrying VP is usually a signal your company isn't ready for one yet//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

If you're a founder who thinks building a personal brand is a waste of time, this might be the wake-up call you need. The truth is: distribution is the new moat. Your product isn't enough. Your team isn't enough. If no one knows who you are, you're starting every conversation from zero. In this episode, I break down why the founders who are winning right now are visible, how to build a personal brand without becoming an influencer, and the exact framework I used to grow both my personal following and my startup, Rella. Whether you're B2B, consumer, or anywhere in between—this is your roadmap to building trust, standing out, and making sure you don't look back in two years wishing you had started today. 0:00 - The Wake-Up Call: Why Distribution is Everything 1:26 - The Trust Factor: Why People Buy From People They Know 3:34 - Three Types of Personal Brands (And Which One You Should Build) Expert, Entertainer, or Product Extension—find your approach 5:50 - The Regret Conversation: What Every Founder Wishes They Started Earlier 7:27 - The Action Plan: How to Actually Start Building Your Brand 9:52 - The Mindset Shift: This is Not a Waste of Time Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we sit down with John Magnor, a 24-year-old sales strategist who helps B2B companies build scalable, predictable revenue systems. Working primarily with software companies and service providers, John partners with founders through consulting or equity to design the sales infrastructure that growing businesses often lack.John began his career in sales at just 17 years old, learning the craft through real-world experience—cold calling, setting appointments, closing deals, and managing pipelines. Today, he uses that hands-on background to help companies transform inconsistent or chaotic sales processes into structured systems that support long-term growth.In this conversation, John breaks down how he helps organizations hire and train sales teams, develop effective scripts, implement compensation plans, and build repeatable processes that remove the founder as the bottleneck. He also shares insights on CRM systems, outbound sales strategies, call coaching, and the metrics that actually matter when scaling a business.Most of the companies John works with already have strong products or services. Their challenge isn't the offer—it's the lack of a clear sales process, accountability, and reliable systems. John's focus is helping founders step out of day-to-day selling by building teams and structures that allow the business to grow without relying on one person to close every deal.This episode is packed with practical insights on sales execution, leadership, and building systems that drive consistent growth. Whether you run a B2B company or lead a sales team, you'll walk away with actionable ideas on how to create a cleaner, more scalable approach to revenue generation.Connect with John here:ttps://pr.linkedin.com/in/john-magnorhttps://www.facebook.com/@johnpmaghttps://www.instagram.com/@johnpmagDon't forget to register for our FREE LinkedIn Content Workshop here: https://www.thetimetogrow.com/LinkedInContentRoadmap

Revolutionizing Go-to-Market Strategy: AI-Driven Performance Marketing with Lisa SharapataIn a recent episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur Podcast, host Josh Elledge sat down with Lisa Sharapata, the VP of AI & GTM Strategy at Metadata.io, to discuss the radical shift occurring in digital advertising. Metadata is a category-defining platform that utilizes AI agents to automate the technical execution of ad campaigns, effectively removing the manual "grunt work" that often bogs down marketing teams. Lisa shares how this transition allows marketers to shift their focus from bid adjustments and spreadsheet management to high-level media strategy and authentic creative development. Their conversation provides a strategic roadmap for B2B leaders looking to scale their demand generation without scaling their headcount.Beyond Manual Execution: The Power of Multivariate Testing at ScaleThe primary bottleneck in modern B2B advertising is the sheer complexity of testing—a human team simply cannot manually manage the permutations required to find the perfect campaign "winner" across fragmented channels. Lisa explains that Metadata solves this by running dozens or even hundreds of simultaneous experiments across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and Bing. For example, a single campaign involving three different audiences, three unique offers, and three creatives across five channels results in 135 separate experiments; Metadata's AI agents handle the deployment and optimization of these combinations in real-time, shifting budget to top performers instantly. This level of scale ensures that ad spend is always flowing toward the highest-converting opportunities, rather than sitting stagnant in underperforming assets.With AI handling the "doing" of marketing, the role of the modern marketer is being redefined toward strategy, entity optimization (EO), and deep audience understanding. Lisa notes that as search behavior shifts from traditional engines to AI-driven models like ChatGPT, brands must focus on "Entity Optimization"—ensuring their company is recognized as a reputable authority across the web so it is cited by these emerging AI tools. This shift requires marketers to be more present in community-led channels and multi-channel brand awareness efforts, letting AI handle the bid thresholds and technical safeguards while humans focus on the narrative and the brand's positioning in the market.Ultimately, successful AI implementation requires a "human-in-the-loop" approach to maintain control over brand standards and financial parameters. Metadata addresses this by allowing users to set strict spend and bid limits, ensuring the AI operates within a safe "sandbox" of pre-approved strategic boundaries. As trust builds, organizations can gradually increase the autonomy of these agents, moving toward a future of vendor-agnostic optimization where the platform prioritizes what actually works for the client, rather than what benefits a specific social network's inventory. This unified data approach allows B2B firms to connect ad spend directly to pipeline and revenue, providing the transparent attribution necessary to justify marketing investment at the executive level.About Lisa SharapataLisa Sharapata is the VP of AI & GTM Strategy at Metadata.io and a seasoned marketing leader with a track record of driving growth for high-scale B2B organizations. Known for her expertise in Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and demand generation, she is a frequent speaker and thought leader on the intersection of creativity and data-driven strategy. Lisa is passionate about helping marketers reclaim their time through automation, often drawing parallels between the fluidity of her hobby in water ink painting and the organic flow of modern marketing data.About Metadata.ioMetadata.io is the leading operating system for B2B marketers, providing AI-driven automation for performance marketing and demand generation. The platform automates the repetitive, manual tasks involved in running and optimizing ad campaigns across LinkedIn, Facebook, Google, and more. By connecting ad spend to revenue data, Metadata helps organizations achieve higher ROI and provides a unified view of the go-to-market strategy.Links Mentioned in This EpisodeMetadata.io Official WebsiteLisa Sharapata on LinkedInKey Episode HighlightsThe "Strategy Over Execution" Shift: Why AI is finally allowing marketers to abandon manual bid management and focus on creative storytelling.Multivariate Testing at Scale: How AI agents manage hundreds of campaign permutations across LinkedIn, Facebook, and Reddit to find the lowest cost per lead.From SEO to Entity Optimization (EO): Preparing your brand to be recognized and recommended by AI language models and emerging search tools.Spend Safeguards and Human Oversight: Maintaining control over automated campaigns through bid limits and "human-in-the-loop" approval workflows.End-to-End Attribution: Connecting top-of-funnel ad spend directly to bottom-of-funnel pipeline and revenue metrics.ConclusionThe conversation with Lisa Sharapata makes it clear that the future of marketing isn't about human vs. machine, but rather human and machine working in tandem. By automating the mechanical aspects of digital advertising, leaders can empower their teams to focus on the creativity and strategy that truly move the needle for the business.More from The Thoughtful Entrepreneur

This episode is quickly becoming a classic for B2B leaders. As we head into the Forrester B2B Summit, its perspective on buying networks and modern buying complexity is still essential listening for anyone focused on growth. We hope you enjoy this episode.

Avital Knoller is the Head of Ecosystem at Orchid Security. In this episode, she shares her 10 years of hard-won community building wisdom. You will learn about growing Wiz's community to a Google-acquisition exit, B2B community building, and why she believes we're in the golden age of community building.

Rachel Boucher, head of content at Event Marketer magazine, discusses how experiential marketing has evolved from tactical activations to strategic campaign hubs. The conversation covers how the pandemic accelerated planning cycles and hybrid integration, why networking ranks as the top attendee goal at B2B events, and how Gen Z drives demand for offline connection around niche digital communities. Boucher explains why content generation became the number one investment area, how nano-influencers with under 100,000 followers enable personalized messaging at scale, where AI meaningfully improves personalization, and why mobile tours remain among the most affordable and effective formats.

If your product isn't in the protected AI budget line, you're about to become an “optional tool” with a UI.In this episode, Julien Sauvage CMO at Cordial delivers the reality check B2B teams don't want—but need: the AI wave isn't just changing how software gets built, it's changing where money goes. And if you're still running marketing like it's an infinite-seat-count world, you're basically trying to win Formula 1 with a tricycle.AI spend is ballooning, everything else is fighting for scraps, and the CMO job is mutating from campaign conductor to capital allocator. We get into what it takes to stay relevant when “more pipeline” isn't enough, how to prove brand impact with actual data (yes, he built a custom GPT for it), and why “do more with less” is a trap—unless you're willing to do less, but better. We also explore: Why AI gets you to “V1”… and the real work starts afterThe new CMO mandate: get closer to product, budgets, and workflows—or get ignoredHow to use AI for competitive intel + VoC mining without pretending it's magicAI search visibility: why it's Greenfield chaos, and how to measure without chasing ghostsPOV that cuts through: pick a villain, or sound like everyone else

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Mike Wilcox, CFO of Blockchain.com, to unpack the economics of crypto exchanges. They discuss how platforms serve both retail traders and institutional clients, the different ways exchanges generate revenue, and the tension between blockchain's radical transparency and the valuable first-party data exchanges control.—SPONSORS:Brex is an intelligent finance platform that combines corporate cards, built-in expense management, and AI agents to eliminate manual finance work. By automating expense reviews and reconciliations, Brex gives CFOs more time for the high-impact work that drives growth. Join 35,000+ companies like Anthropic, Coinbase, and DoorDash at https://www.brex.com/metricsMetronome is real-time billing built for modern software companies. Metronome turns raw usage events into accurate invoices, gives customers bills they actually understand, and keeps finance, product, and engineering perfectly in sync. That's why category-defining companies like OpenAI and Anthropic trust Metronome to power usage-based pricing and enterprise contracts at scale. Focus on your product — not your billing. Learn more and get started at https://www.metronome.comRightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.comRillet is an AI-native ERP built for modern finance teams that want to close faster without fighting legacy systems. Designed to support complex revenue recognition, multi-entity operations, and real-time reporting, Rillet helps teams achieve a true zero-day close—with some customers closing in hours, not days. If you're scaling on an ERP that wasn't built in the 90s, book a demo at https://www.rillet.com/cjTabs is an AI-native revenue platform that unifies billing, collections, and revenue recognition for companies running usage-based or complex contracts. By bringing together ERP, CRM, and real product usage data into a single system of record, Tabs eliminates manual reconciliations and speeds up close and cash collection. Companies like Cortex, Statsig, and Cursor trust Tabs to scale revenue efficiently. Learn more at https://www.tabs.com/runAbacum is a modern FP&A platform built by former CFOs to replace slow, consultant-heavy planning tools. With self-service integrations and AI-powered workflows for forecasting, variance analysis, and scenario modeling, Abacum helps finance teams scale without becoming software admins. Trusted by teams at Strava, Replit, and JG Wentworth—learn more at https://www.abacum.ai—LINKS: Mostly Talent: https://mostlymetrics.typeform.com/to/cLTxtAsNMike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-wilcox-65078a12/https://www.blockchain.com/CJ: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com—TIMESTAMPS:Here's the trimmed version:0:00 Preview and intro2:12 Tradfi to crypto transition3:49 Blockchain.com origin5:45 CFO as business partner6:01 Finance team backgrounds7:02 Banking relationships8:51 On ramps and off ramps8:51 Retail vs. institutional10:53 Sponsors — Brex | Metronome | RightRev14:09 B2C to B2B motion16:04 Shared infrastructure18:31 Go-to-market differences19:00 Brand equity and low CAC20:06 Education as top-of-funnel21:13 Institutional vs. retail volatility22:37 Exchange vs. brokerage model23:56 How brokerages make money24:06 Sponsors — Rillet | Tabs | Abacum27:31 Setting take rates29:13 Distribution flywheel30:13 Data as a moat31:13 Nigeria market playbook31:44 Crypto balance sheet33:25 Duration matching34:37 Transaction-level risk36:12 Latency arms race37:28 Stablecoins and CFOs38:13 Risk vectors40:01 Annual planning41:51 Lightning round43:00 Finance software stack43:31 Advice to younger self44:09 Credits

IN THIS EPISODEWhat's the #1 way to you stay consistent with personal branding on LinkedIn? While most would say a brand guide, content galore or an AI tool, these are not even close.In this episode, we share and even normalize this reality that can bring incredible opportunities if followed diligently no matter what.CONTACT US:Michelle J Raymond is a globally recognized LinkedIn™️ for business growth speaker, author and consultant. Her services – audit & strategy, LinkedIn training and LinkedIn profile rewrites.LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://b2bgrowthco.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michelle B. Griffin is a TEDx +  keynote speaker, author and educator on personal branding and professional visibility. As the founder of Brand Leaders and creator of the Own Your Lane™ Recognition Roadmap + She's Visible™ movement, Michelle equips professionals to position their personal brands for recognition, media opportunities and industry impact.LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebgriffin/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Websites: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://michellebgriffin.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OwnYourLane.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy your copy on AmazonThe LinkedIn Branding Book, The Power of Two: Build Your Personal and Business Brand on LinkedIn for Exponential Growth -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mybook.to/The_LinkedIn_Branding_Book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://MichelleSquared.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OUR BOOKS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The LinkedIn Branding Book + Workbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Position Yourself Personal Branding Planner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Business Gold: LinkedIn Company Pages⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION:Simply DM both Michelles on LinkedIn to submit your question for a future episode.⁠⁠STAY AHEAD OF WHAT'S WORKING ON LINKEDINIf LinkedIn feels important to your business but messy in practice, Michelle J Raymond's newsletter delivers clear, no-hacks insights to help B2B teams make better LinkedIn decisions each week. Subscribe here - https://b2bgrowthco.com/newsletter/POSITION YOURSELF POWER HOURGet Unstuck in One Focused HourIf you're overthinking your message,positioning, or next move, Michelle's Position Yourself Power Hour gives youclear direction and practical next steps so you can move forward with confidence.Book your session here – [Insert Link]https://michellebgriffin.com/powerhour/

Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Nate Calvin, Founder and CEO of Reliant Rides, and India Brown, Director of Community Partnerships and Strategic Funding, who discuss their transportation services for non-emergency medical needs in Memphis, Tennessee. Nate shares some of his entrepreneurial background and explains that Reliant Rides aims to fill a gap in the industry by offering a trusted service for patients who need transportation to appointments but don't require emergency services. The company is currently in a soft launch phase, having completed research and development and raised seed funding. They are working on partnerships with healthcare facilities and other organizations to provide B2B contract-driven services. India highlights the importance of reliable transportation in Memphis and the company's commitment to community impact, noting some of the different partnerships in place, like with the Memphis Medical District Collaborative and their Small Biz Week, taking place May 11-15. Nate expresses interest in finding strategic funding partners, particularly local Memphian investors, and emphasizes the company's commitment to hiring local drivers and supporting Memphis' healthcare and workforce development initiatives. Visit https://reliantrides.com to learn more about Reliant Rides.

#337 | Dave sits down with Erin May, CMO at User Interviews, who joined as the company's first marketer with a two-page website and zero recurring revenue and helped grow it to $20M+ ARR over eight years. Erin breaks down how she picked one niche audience and went all in, why she led with ungated content, and how she built a quarterly operating rhythm around "Bangers," tentpole marketing moments that get the entire company involved. They also get into podcasting ROI, what she'd do differently with AI-driven search today, and why she thinks the brand vs. demand debate is just noise.Timestamps(00:00) - Intro: 8 years, one niche, a two-page website, and $20M ARR (05:16) - How Erin identified the right audience to go all in on (07:18) - Building the UX Research Field Guide and the early SEO strategy (09:47) - Why she went ungated and still captured 13% email conversion (13:28) - What she'd do differently with content strategy today (16:04) - Stacking channels one at a time instead of doing everything at once (18:43) - How to plan for the next phase of growth before you need it (21:14) - Introducing Bangers: the quarterly marketing OS (23:42) - Top of funnel vs. bottom of funnel Bangers (30:25) - How LinkedIn and employee advocacy fit into the Banger playbook (34:44) - Why Erin started a podcast seven years ago when no one else was (38:07) - How to think about podcast ROI when attribution is fuzzy (40:59) - AI expectations for her marketing team (45:27) - Why the brand vs. demand debate is stupid (48:39) - The real secret: making your customer the hero Join 50,0000 people who get Dave's Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/***Brought to you by:AirOps - The content engineering platform that helps marketers create and maintain high-quality, on-brand content that wins AI search. Go to airops.com/exitfive to start creating content that reflects your expertise, stays true to your brand, and is engineered for performance across human and AI discovery.Customer.io - An AI powered customer engagement platform that help marketers turn first-party data into engaging customer experiences across email, SMS, and push. Learn more at customer.io/exitfive. Convertr - The enterprise lead data management platform that sits between your lead sources and your CRM, automatically validating, enriching, and standardizing every lead before it touches your systems. Check them out at convertr.io/exitfive.Compound Growth Marketing - A full-funnel demand generation agency that helps high-growth cybersecurity, DevOps, and enterprise software companies drive more pipeline through AI SEO, paid media, and go-to-market engineering. Visit compoundgrowthmarketing.com and tell them Dave sent you.***Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more

We help B2B brands launch shows that turn their point of view into pipeline. If you're launching a podcast (or have one already) and are not sure how it can hit your bottom line, book a meeting with Jason: https://meetings-eu1.hubspot.com/jason-bradwell/youtube-meeting-link 56,000 YouTube views, 4,500 podcast downloads, and 2,500 subscribers built from scratch — all in 34 working days. Here is exactly how Pipe Dream got there and what still needs fixing. Around day 40 of the Pipe Dream 100-episode daily publishing challenge, Jason Bradwell pulls back the curtain on the real performance data — the wins, the gaps, and the specific changes the team is making to close them. This is an honest, unfiltered look at what it takes to run a high-frequency owned media programme as a B2B agency while simultaneously delivering that same service for clients. Jason breaks down the full content distribution stack: daily publishing on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, personal LinkedIn, and brand LinkedIn, supported by a modest five-pound-per-episode advertising budget on YouTube. He shares why that paid push was necessary to escape a cold start on a brand new channel and what the experiment of pulling it back will reveal about organic content resonance. On LinkedIn, an important early finding is emerging: long-form video cuts of seven to eight minutes are generating 20 to 30% more engagement than 60-second short clips. That insight is shifting the team's distribution strategy significantly, with native LinkedIn publishing of longer episodes now taking priority over driving audiences off-platform. Jason also addresses where the programme needs work: tighter episode structure using a four-act case study format, more consistent personal LinkedIn promotion across all 12,000 followers, and better packaging through stronger thumbnail design and more compelling opening hooks. Key Takeaways ◼️ How to build a YouTube audience from zero using modest per-episode ad spend to break through cold-start friction ◼️ Why publishing long-form native video on LinkedIn outperforms short clips by 20 to 30% in B2B engagement ◼️ How to use a four-act case study structure to keep every guest episode tight, tactical and under 20 minutes ◼️ Why consistent personal LinkedIn distribution matters more than production volume if you want owned media to drive pipeline ◼️ How to use a daily publishing programme as a test bed for packaging, promotion and format experiments you can apply to client work ◼️ Why thumbnail quality and the first 60 seconds of every episode are the highest-leverage production investments on YouTube Chapter Markers 00:00 Intro 00:30 Why Pipe Dream exists and what it replaced 01:45 The goals (and non-goals) behind 100 daily episodes 02:30 The numbers: downloads, views, subscribers and followers 04:00 How the content is being promoted and distributed 05:10 Why the YouTube ad spend makes sense at this stage 06:00 LinkedIn strategy: why long-form is winning over shorts 07:30 Episode structure and the four-act guest format 08:45 New content formats: industry reaction and news commentary 09:15 Thumbnail and hook quality: practising what we preach 11:00 The bottom line after 35 episodes Relevant Links and Resources Pipe Dream Listen on Podbean: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/bac4p-2a0121/Pipe-Dream-%7C-A-B2B-Marketing-PodcastWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@b2bbetter What's Next If this episode gave you a clearer picture of what a high-frequency owned media programme actually looks like in practice, subscribe and leave a review wherever you are listening — it genuinely helps the show reach more B2B marketers who need to hear this. Useful Links Connect with Jason Bradwell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbradwell/Listen to Pipe Dream on Podbean: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/bac4p-2a0121/Pipe-Dream-%7C-A-B2B-Marketing-PodcastLearn more about B2B Better: https://www.b2b-better.com

In a world flooded with content and incremental business strategies, standing out is more than a competitive advantage, it’s a necessity. Legendary Category Designers Kevin Maney and Mike Damphousse joined Christopher Lochhead on this week’s episode of Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different to dive into their latest thinking on category creation formula and the evolving marketplace. Having helped shape the category design movement with their previous work on “Play Bigger,” Kevin Maney and Mike Damphousse now bring ten years of new insights, tools, and experiences to the table. Their journey reveals the potential for entrepreneurs and established leaders to move from simply competing in existing markets to creating new market categories entirely. You're listening to Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different. We are the real dialogue podcast for people with a different mind. So get your mind in a different place, and hey ho, let's go.   The Category Creation Formula: Context, Missing, Innovation A central development in Kevin Maney and Mike Damphousse's new book, “The Category Creation Formula,” is a straightforward equation: context plus missing plus innovation equals a new market category. This reframing shifts the conversation away from finding conventional “problems” and instead asks, “Given the changing context, what's missing for your target audience?” This subtle change is game-changing. By looking at how context—like technology shifts, societal changes, or policy moves—creates new gaps, innovators can identify true market opportunities. The missing is not just a problem, but an unmet need that, when matched with the right innovation, creates something genuinely new.   From Incremental Competition to Defining New Possibilities Traditional business thinking focuses on being better than the competition. Maney and Damphousse challenge this status quo with their method, which helps companies discover and fill what’s missing in the marketplace, rather than simply outperform existing players. Through hundreds of client projects, they have observed that when teams deeply engage with the formula, they often experience breakthrough clarity. This clarity leads to designing not only new products but building entirely new categories—transforming strategy meetings into the birthplace of the next Uber or LinkedIn Sales Solutions. The emotional impact on entrepreneurs is real, often marking a visionary moment that aligns teams, sharpens belief, and sets the trajectory toward category leadership.   AI and the Future: Accelerating Category Creation Artificial Intelligence is not just the latest innovation but a foundational change in context, similar to electricity's impact more than a century ago. For category designers, AI accelerates both the identification of what's missing and the speed at which innovations reach the market. As AI makes knowledge and execution close to free, what now matters is human insight: judgment about what new needs are emerging and how to fill those with breakthrough solutions. With the adjacent possible expanding, individuals and small teams can create billion-dollar outcomes, making category design skills more critical than ever. Maney and Damphousse's formula provides a framework to navigate this shift, empowering creators to define the future rather than react to it. To hear more from Kevin Maney and Mike Damphousse on their thoughts about the Category Creation Formula and how it can help your business, download and listen to this episode. Bio Kevin Maney Kevin Maney is a bestselling author and award-winning columnist. He's also the co-founder of Category Design Advisors where he helps companies create and dominate new market categories. He has been writing about technology for 30 years, has interviewed most of the tech pioneers you can name, and brings broad and deep context to Category Design conversations. He is co-author of the book Play Bigger, and has been an A-list writer and thinker about technology for 25 years. His other books include The Two-Second Advantage (a 2011 New York Times best seller), Trade-Off: Why Some Things Catch On and Others Don't, and The Maverick and His Machine: Thomas Watson Sr. and the Making of IBM. Kevin wrote a regular column for Newsweek, and has been a contributor to Fortune, The Atlantic, Fast Company and ABC News, among other media outlets. He was a contributing editor at Conde Nast Portfolio and for 22 years, Kevin was a columnist, editor and reporter at USA Today. Mike Damphousse Mike Damphousse is a Category Designer, Investor, and Founder/Partner at Category Design Advisors. He brings over three decades of experience as a company founder, CEO, CMO, and startup advisor, with a track record in building and scaling B2B software companies. Mike was the founder and CEO/CMO of Green Leads, which was acquired by Next 15 (LON:NFC), and served as CMO of Asteria, which IPO'd on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TYO:3853).He is also a limited partner at Stage 2 Capital, a VC firm focused on early-stage B2B software startups, and has participated in ten exits through acquisition and IPO via Category Design Advisors. Mike is a co-author of Play Bigger, the foundational book on category design, and leads workshops and keynotes at major tech conferences like Dreamforce and Inbound. He is also a co-founder of Category Thinkers, a global community for category designers, and a regular speaker on strategic category creation and market leadership. Links Connect with Kevin Maney! Category Design Advisors | LinkedIn | Twitter Connect with Mike Damphousse!Category Design Advisors | LinkedIn | Twitter Check out their new book, The Category Creation Formula!    We hope you enjoyed this episode of Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different™! Christopher loves hearing from his listeners. Feel free to email him, connect on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and subscribe on Apple Podcast / Spotify!

What if the marketing channel getting the least resources is actually shaping your entire brand reputation? Daniella Sampson reveals why B2B teams chase the wrong AI trends while underfunding social media. She breaks down GEO vs SEO, why monitoring 10,000 prompts daily is mostly noise, and how AI agents are forcing brands to evolve from social listening to social intelligence. She explains her 300-data-point framework, manually analyzing competitors across websites, LinkedIn, Instagram, press releases, and ads to create spider chart visualizations revealing genuine white space opportunities. She details why ChatGPT failed to automate this work, why brand fatigue doesn't mean consumers are tired of you, and why Coca-Cola has never changed their red. We explore how to build a properly resourced social team, why B2B brands need to ditch corporate TikTok dances, why LinkedIn + TikTok is the top B2B combo in 2026, and why consistency beats perfection every time. Chapters: 01:10 - Why GEO Matters More Than You Think 02:36 - GEO vs SEO: Conversations Over Keywords 06:44 - Hidden Brand Mentions You're Missing 09:32 - AI Agents and the Future of Social Intelligence 16:12 - Why AI Still Needs Human Taste 17:25 - The Most Valuable AI Use Cases Right Now 37:49 - The 300 Data Point Framework Explained 46:20 - Building the Right Social Team in 2026 48:16 - Where B2B Brands Go Wrong on Social 49:30 - LinkedIn + TikTok: The B2B Power Combo   ----Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of the Revenue Leaders Podcast, we break down how to build a client acquisition system that helps businesses generate predictable revenue and consistently win new clients.Many companies struggle with sales not because their product is weak, but because they lack a structured client acquisition strategy. Without a clear system, teams rely on guesswork instead of a repeatable process for attracting and converting the right customers.In this episode, we discuss:• Why most businesses struggle with client acquisition• How defining your ideal customer profile (ICP) changes your sales outcomes• The key components of a client acquisition system• How to align your sales process with the buyer journey• Why trying to sell to everyone damages your pipeline• How to build a sales system that creates predictable growthThis episode kicks off our 6-part Client Acquisition Series, where we break down the frameworks sales leaders and founders can use to design a scalable client acquisition engine.If you're a founder, sales leader, or revenue operator looking to get more clients consistently, this episode will help you rethink how your sales system should work.Subscribe to the Revenue Leaders Podcast for more insights on B2B sales strategy, revenue leadership, and building predictable growth systems.⭐ Unlock free resources (templates, frameworks & prompts):⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coachpilot.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the community & access 157+ templates, frameworks and mega AI prompts used by top revenue teams.Watch Full Episode on YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@revenueleaders⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/davidfastuca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to learn how to use LinkedIn the right way to build real relationships and generate business? Free LinkedIn Resources: Get Bill's free LinkedIn training videos, profile checklist, and additional resources here: https://bit.ly/allsellingissocialfree In this episode, I sat down with Bill McCormick to talk about why all selling is social and how entrepreneurs can use LinkedIn the right way to build real relationships, start better conversations, and create more business without coming across as spammy. Bill broke down why LinkedIn is such a powerful platform for B2B sales, how most people are using it completely wrong, and what best practices actually work when it comes to your profile, your network, your content, and your follow-up. This was a big one for me personally because I know I have not been using LinkedIn to its full potential, and Bill gave a clear roadmap for how to do it in a way that feels human, intentional, and effective. Complimentary 30-Minute Insights Call: https://calendly.com/bill-mccormick/30-minute-conversation The Social Selling Compass Video Course Special Offer: Use the coupon code 250off to purchase the course for $249 (Regularly $479) More info here: https://allsellingissocial.learnworlds.com/courses ---- About Bill: Bill McCormick is the Founder of Digi-Sales, a Digital Selling & Social Selling training company and Digi-Sales Academy an online video training platform where he shares his passion for helping professionals leverage the power of LinkedIn. Bill first started using digital sales techniques after he and his wife, Sue, started their own promotional product business. By using social platforms, especially LinkedIn, they were able to build a very successful business. Bill then began to help other business owners, entrepreneurs and sales professionals learn how to use LinkedIn to increase sales. Bill has conducted training for companies worldwide and specializes in helping to ‘make Linkedin Human' - explaining the platform in easy to understand ways and this year launched the All Selling Is Social Podcast! Bill resides in Esperance NY with his wife Sue and their pets where they enjoy golfing, kayaking, snowshoeing and spending time with their kids and grandkids! Connect with Bill: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billmccormick/ Website: https://allsellingissocial.com/ Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@Digi-Sales Free Resources: https://bit.ly/allsellingissocialfree About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The Science of Flipping podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur with over and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael McCready is the managing partner of McCready Law, a premier personal injury firm with 16 attorneys, more than 100 staff, and offices across the Midwest. Known for his B2B-first approach, Michael built a referral-driven practice that top advertising firms trust with litigation and casework. He leads the firm remotely from Puerto Rico, where he also runs a consulting LLC. In this episode, Michael shares the playbook behind his firm's 200+ automations, how custom GPTs mimic attorney voices, and why he built a system that reports real-time updates to referring attorneys. Listen to the full episode with Michael McCready on Personal Injury Mastermind, powered by Rankings.io, below: Spotify Apple Podcasts Watch the Episodes On YouTube McCready Law: Website If you like what you hear, hit Subscribe. We do this every week. Buy tickets for PIMCON 2026: pimcon.org Subscribe to our newsletter: newsletter.rankings.io Get Social! Personal Injury Mastermind (PIM) powered by Rankings.io is on Instagram | YouTube | TikTok