Podcasts about B2B

Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/@mreapodcastWhat if real estate didn't compete with family life, but actually made more room for it?In this episode, we sit down with two agents who prove that building a meaningful business and being a present parent do not have to be opposing goals. Andrea Ryan and Zach Clark join us from two different Texas markets with one shared belief: real estate should support the life you want, not steal from it.Andrea shares how a high-risk pregnancy and bed rest forced her to rethink everything she thought she knew about lead generation. From her bedroom, she built a buyer webinar model that still drives her business today while keeping her family at the center. She walks us through the mindset shift, the structure, and the conversational framework that turns online education into long-term clients.Then we talk with Zach Clark, a former teacher who traded the classroom for open houses, diapers, and a brand built on community impact. Zach breaks down how hosting more than 100 open houses jump-started his career, how he converted strangers into clients, and how he now sells 20–25 homes a year while staying fully present as a dad. His community scholarship model shows how contribution can quietly become one of the strongest pillars of a business.This conversation is honest, practical, and deeply human. If you are building a business while raising a family, or hoping real estate can give you more time instead of less, you will see yourself in this episode.Resources:KW Ignite TrainingOrder 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.

Zevi Arnovitz is a product manager at Meta with no technical background who has figured out how to build and ship real products using AI. His engineering team at Meta asks him to teach them how he does what he does. In this episode, Zevi breaks down his complete AI workflow that allows non-technical people to build sophisticated products with Cursor.We discuss:1. The complete AI workflow that lets non-technical people build real products in Cursor2. How to use multiple AI models for different tasks (Claude for planning, Gemini for UI)3. Using slash commands to automate prompts4. Zevi's “peer review” technique, which uses different AI models to review each other's code5. Why this might be the best time to be a junior in tech, despite the challenging job market6. How Zevi used AI to prepare for his Meta PM interviews—Brought to you by:10Web—Vibe coding platform as an APIDX—The developer intelligence platform designed by leading researchersFramer—Build better websites faster—Episode transcript: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-non-technical-pms-guide-to-building-with-cursor—Archive of all Lenny's Podcast transcripts:https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/yxi4s2w998p1gvtpu4193/AMdNPR8AOw0lMklwtnC0TrQ?rlkey=j06x0nipoti519e0xgm23zsn9&st=ahz0fj11&dl=0—Where to find Zevi Arnovitz• X: https://x.com/ArnovitzZevi• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zev-arnovitz• Website: https://zeviarnovitz.com—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introduction to Zevi Arnovitz(04:48) Zevi's background and journey into AI(07:41) Overview of Zevi's AI workflow(14:41) Screenshare: Exploring Zevi's workflow in detail(17:18) Building a feature live: StudyMate app(30:52) Executing the plan with Cursor(38:32) Using multiple AI models for code review(40:40) Personifying AI models(43:37) Peer review process(45:40) The importance of postmortems(51:05) Integrating AI in large companies(53:42) How AI has impacted the PM role(57:02) How to improve AI outputs(58:15) AI-assisted job interviews(01:02:57) Failure corner(01:06:20) Lightning round and final thoughts—Referenced:• Becoming a super IC: Lessons from 12 years as a PM individual contributor | Tal Raviv (Product Lead at Riverside): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-super-ic-pm-tal-raviv• Wix: https://www.wix.com• Building AI Apps: From Idea to Viral in 30 Days: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2w4y7pDi8w• Riley Brown on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMcoud_ZW7cfxeIugBflSBw• Greg Isenberg on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GregIsenberg• Bolt: https://bolt.new• Inside Bolt: From near-death to ~$40m ARR in 5 months—one of the fastest-growing products in history | Eric Simons (founder and CEO of StackBlitz): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/inside-bolt-eric-simons• Lovable: https://lovable.dev• Building Lovable: $10M ARR in 60 days with 15 people | Anton Osika (co-founder and CEO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-lovable-anton-osika• StudyMate: https://studymate.live• Dibur2text: https://dibur2text.app• Claude: https://claude.ai• Everyone should be using Claude Code more: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/everyone-should-be-using-claude-code• Bun: https://bun.com• Zustand: https://zustand.docs.pmnd.rs/getting-started/introduction• Cursor: https://cursor.com• The rise of Cursor: The $300M ARR AI tool that engineers can't stop using | Michael Truell (co-founder and CEO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-rise-of-cursor-michael-truell• Wispr Flow: https://wisprflow.ai• Linear: https://linear.app• Linear's secret to building beloved B2B products | Nan Yu (Head of Product): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/linears-secret-to-building-beloved-b2b-products-nan-yu• Cursor Composer: https://cursor.com/blog/composer• Replit: https://replit.com• Behind the product: Replit | Amjad Masad (co-founder and CEO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/behind-the-product-replit-amjad-masad• Base44: https://base44.com• Solo founder, $80M exit, 6 months: The Base44 bootstrapped startup success story | Maor Shlomo: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-base44-bootstrapped-startup-success-story-maor-shlomo• v0: https://v0.app• Everyone's an engineer now: Inside v0's mission to create a hundred million builders | Guillermo Rauch (founder & CEO of Vercel, creators of v0 and Next.js): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/everyones-an-engineer-now-guillermo-rauch• Cursor Browser mode: https://cursor.com/docs/agent/browser• Google Antigravity: https://antigravity.google• Grok: https://grok.com• Zapier: https://zapier.com• Airtable: https://www.airtable.com• Build Your Personal PM Productivity System & AI Copilot: https://maven.com/tal-raviv/product-manager-productivity-system• The definitive guide to mastering analytical thinking interviews: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-definitive-guide-to-mastering-f81• AI tools are overdelivering: results from our large-scale AI productivity survey: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/ai-tools-are-overdelivering-results-c08• Yaara Asaf on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaarasaf• The Pitt on Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/The-Pitt-Season-1/dp/B0DNRR8QWD• Severance on AppleTV+: https://tv.apple.com/us/show/severance/umc.cmc.1srk2goyh2q2zdxcx605w8vtx• Loom: https://www.loom.com• Cap: https://cap.so• Supercut: https://supercut.ai...References continued at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-non-technical-pms-guide-to-building-with-cursor—Recommended books:• The Fountainhead: https://www.amazon.com/Fountainhead-Ayn-Rand/dp/0451191153• Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike: https://www.amazon.com/Shoe-Dog-Memoir-Creator-Nike/dp/1501135910• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success: https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com

Seeing more consultants in your space? Referrals slowing down? You're not imagining it. But here's the truth: if you do these four things consistently, you'll be in the top 1% of consultants. In this episode, learn what separates those consultants who continue to grow, from those who struggle in this new environment.   ---   When you're ready to break through to the next revenue level in your consulting business, here are three ways I can help you.   1. Connect with me on LinkedIn for weekly insights on landing better clients and charging for the value you deliver.   2. Get your copy of my Referrals on Repeat guide, and learn five strategies you can implement straight away to take control of the referral process and attract more of the right inquiries – no more sitting around hoping they'll happen. Get your free copy at smartgetspaid.com/referrals   3. Build a repeatable sales and marketing system that gets you better clients, better rates, and less stress in your consulting business. If you're ready to stop leaving your success to chance, learn the proven system women consultants are using to attract ideal clients consistently and get paid for their value. Plus, you'll get help from me and my team every step of the way. If you've been in business for at least two years, you're making at least $120k, and you want to implement a system that's designed specifically for B2B consulting businesses, email team@smartgetspaid.com with "BREAKTHROUGH" in the subject line and I'll get you the details.  

17.01.2026 – Langsam Gesprochene Nachrichten – Trainiere dein Hörverstehen mit den Nachrichten der DW von Samstag – als Text und als verständlich gesprochene Audio-Datei.

The Three-Box Storytelling Framework The Hidden Psychology Behind Stories that Change Behavior Episode 288 (Graham is based in Singapore) This is a repeat of episode #68. In this conversation with Graham Brown, we explore: how the three-box storytelling model simplifies complex ideas why backstory builds trust before persuasion begins how fear of the unknown blocks decision-making why analogies help audiences understand faster how familiar stories lower resistance to change why emotion outlasts facts in memory how storytelling increases confidence over time why selling is really about guiding people through uncertainty ----- Graham Brown is the founder of Pikkal & Co, an award winning podcast agency based in Singapore. He has the experience of hosting over 400 episodes on his podcast.  Podcast Guesting Pro is a dedicated Podcast Booking Agency that works with B2B thought leaders. They help you reach new audiences and build your authority by booking you on podcasts to showcase your expertise and spread your message. Learn more here... https://www.podcastguesting.pro/ ----- Key Lessons from this conversation with Graham Brown: Effective business storytelling follows a simple three-scene structure: past, present, and future Audiences connect with backstory before they care about solutions Selling is about reducing fear of the unknown, not proving superiority Familiar stories make unfamiliar ideas easier to accept Analogies act as short-form stories that speed understanding Trust is built through shared experiences and common ground Change happens when staying the same feels riskier than moving forward Emotion—not facts—is what people remember after a presentation Confidence comes from practiced storytelling, not natural talent Every presentation improves through testing, feedback, and refinement ----- ----more---- Your Intended Message is the podcast about how you can boost your career and business success by honing your communication skills. We'll examine the aspects of how we communicate one-to-one, one to few and one to many – plus that important conversation, one to self. In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.   Your host is George Torok George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He's fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.   Connect with George www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com https://superiorpresentations.net/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/ https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills    

Most B2B deals don't end in “no”. They die quietly. No decision. No movement. No momentum. In this episode, Marcus Cauchi speaks with Carl Schmidt, one of the original researchers behind *The Challenger Sale*, about what's really broken in modern B2B selling, and what replaces it. Buyers now do most of their thinking before they ever speak to a salesperson. Buying committees have doubled. Information is everywhere. Confidence is not. This conversation explores why traditional sales approaches struggle in this reality, and why the best sellers are no longer pushing solutions. They're helping buyers make sense of risk, complexity, and internal politics. You'll hear: • Why decision confidence matters more than solution confidence • The fears that quietly kill deals • How sellers unintentionally strip buyers of agency • Why “no decision” is the real competitor • What framemaking looks like in real sales conversations If you're a founder, CEO, sales leader, or an aspiring top performer, this episode will change how you think about discovery, deal reviews, and what it really means to help a customer buy. This is not about tactics. It's about leadership in the buying process. Resources Mentioned: The Framemaking Sale by Karl Schmidt and Brent Adamson: https://amzn.to/4jHYYpU The Challenger Sale https://amzn.to/4qv7w63 Noise by Daniel Kahneman https://amzn.to/4pzcGwr More resources at theframemakingsale.com   Contact Karl:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-schmidt-q/        

"No pain, no deal." It's standard sales advice for a reason: painkillers are always easier to sell than vitamins. But are there exceptions?In this episode, I break down the only two scenarios where a prospect will buy from you even if they aren't feeling active symptoms. I discuss the concept of "high-stakes latent pain" (and why a blocked artery motivates action when slightly high blood pressure doesn't) and how intense desire—like the urge to buy a Porsche 911—can create its own internal pressure to buy.If you think your prospect has "no problems" but you still want the close, you need to understand these two specific triggers.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.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 want to own a business without wasting years figuring it out, this episode explains why franchising is the fastest on-ramp to ownership in 2026. We break down the economic tailwinds driving franchise growth, why the job market + AI shift is pushing more professionals toward control and asset-building, and why service-based franchises(home services, senior care, essential B2B) are scaling fast.Stay until the end — I share a few brands expanding in 2026 that could fit your goals and budget, plus how to evaluate “fit” the right way.

Most marketing and revenue leaders know their data model is flawed. The elite ones actually architect something new. This is how.This episode is part of a 5-part series exploring the journey B2B revenue leaders take from reactive chaos to finally understanding, measuring, and transforming their entire Revenue Factory. Each stage represents a critical inflection point and the exact moments that separate leaders who consistently hit targets and drive real, provable results.This episode explores Stage 4: Architecting Transformation—where you shift from recognizing what's broken to designing what comes next. This is where transformation moves from concept to practice.What We Cover in This Episode:The two realizations that trigger readiness for transformation: understanding the career-ending cost of staying in a broken system AND seeing lived proof of what's possible when you rebuildThe 4 core elements your new data model MUST have: removing department silos, multi-dimensional tracking, the new GTM stages, and unified metrics with separate accountabilityWhy the old Demand Waterfall model is structurally broken and what the Engage → Prospect → Pipeline framework unlocksHow to operate GTM like a relay race instead of siloed teams competing for creditThe exact business case framework to get leadership buy-in (including how to quantify the revenue you're leaving on the table)Build vs. buy: Understanding the "Time Tax" and why elite teams move 4–5x faster with proven frameworksThe 3 critical mistakes that kill transformation before it even starts and how to avoid themThis is the episode for every revenue, marketing, or GTM leader who has ever thought:"I know what needs to change, but I don't know where to start""How do I get leadership to invest in this transformation?""What does the new model actually need to look like?"Stage 4 is where you become the architect of your own transformation. This is where you stop talking about change and start building it.

In this episode, I talk with CJ Gustafson, the former CFO behind Mostly Metrics. CJ didn't come from journalism or media. He came from operating. He started writing to document the playbooks he'd built as a finance executive. That side project turned into a $3 million business with no full-time employees, built around a narrow, high-value audience of CFOs.We talk about why subscriptions are a useful base but not where the money is in B2B, how sponsorships actually work when sales cycles are long and considered, and why CJ has deliberately avoided becoming an events company. Mostly Metrics is now largely sponsorship-driven, sold out well into the future, and optimized for cash flow and leverage.

Authority-building has entered a new era—visibility hinges on context and credibility, and your expertise must be discoverable not just to humans but to machines. In this episode of The Trending Communicator, host Dan Nestle explores these seismic changes with Stephanie Grober, Marketing and PR Director at the Horowitz Agency and a true trailblazer in legal and professional services PR. Stephanie has mastered the art (and science) of making experts both visible and quotable, securing more than 200 high-impact media placements in a single year while connecting the dots between traditional PR and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). She was already making her clients discoverable to the machines before most of us had even heard of ChatGPT. Listen in and hear about: How traditional media relations thrives by blending strategic expertise with authentic human connection Why building credibility and visibility is essential for experts aiming to shape public narratives What role generative engine optimization (GEO) plays in making experts visible to AI-driven search How the definition of newsworthiness is shifting amid a relentless, minute-by-minute news cycle Why earned media placements influence discoverability but are not a magic bullet for GEO How leveraging both personal and firm branding helps legal and professional services stand out What opportunities and risks AI introduces for PR professionals, reporters, and the stories they tell Notable Quotes On the rapidly changing news cycle: "Evergreen stories...there's no room for them right now. Think about how much news, how much breaking news is coming at us. The news cycle doesn't even feel like 24 hours. It feels like 24 minutes." [00:12:09 - 00:12:27] On the human element in PR (and reluctance to let AI take over): "PR is still very human...We aren't using it to pitch. And I'll say that there are some agencies that may be writing their pitches with AI. We are not. And that is a choice. We want to stand out as being authentic and human." [00:19:36 - 00:20:58] On why traditional PR isn't dead—it's evolving: "It's a science and an art is what I like to say. Every time we try to make it a science, it shows us that it is an art and vice versa." [00:27:25 - 00:27:45] On discoverability in the era of AI: "We've been training the LLMs this entire time without realizing it. So for us, you know, some of the ways our clients have been referred to colloquially, you know, now that's how they're being discovered in a generative summary." [00:46:47 - 00:47:14] Resources and Links Dan Nestle Inquisitive Communications | Website The Trending Communicator | Website Communications Trends from Trending Communicators | Dan Nestle's Substack Dan Nestle | LinkedIn Stephanie Grober: Stephanie Grober | LinkedIn Horowitz Agency Timestamps 0:00:00 Authority Building's Evolution & AI's Role in Visibility 0:06:12 Legal & Accounting PR in a Fast-Moving World 0:12:09 Shifting News Cycles, Pitching for Relevance 0:17:30 Traditional Media Relations: Still Vital? 0:22:35 AI, Authenticity, and Human-Centric PR 0:27:25 Art vs. Science in Media Outreach 0:33:49 GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) Disrupts PR Strategies 0:39:06 Earned Media's True Influence in GEO 0:44:34 Discoverability, Signal vs. Virality for B2B & Legal 0:50:56 Pivoting Expertise—Challenges in AI Search 0:57:30 Human Relationships, Strategy, and ROI in Legal PR 1:02:00 Supporting Journalists and the Future of Media (Notes co-created by Human Dan, Claude, and Castmagic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most founders know they should be visible, but very few understand what it actually takes to show up with clarity, confidence, and conviction—without performing or posturing.In this episode of Founder Talk, Alex Sheridan sits down with Donna Marie Post, keynote curator, speaker coach, wardrobe consultant, and founder of TEDx Arlington Heights. Donna Marie works with leaders, founders, and executives to help them craft ideas worth sharing—and deliver them in a way that creates real impact, not surface-level inspiration. Together, they unpack what visibility really demands of founders, why fear of being seen often masquerades as fear of public speaking, and how ego quietly derails otherwise strong ideas.Key TakeawaysWhy fear of visibility is often fear of being seen, not fear of speakingHow founders accidentally dilute their message by copying what already existsThe difference between performing confidence and embodying convictionWhy service-driven messaging builds more trust than self-promotionHow imposter syndrome shows up at higher levels of leadershipWhat makes a keynote, video, or message truly memorableWhy play, curiosity, and presence matter more than polishQ&A-Style Takeaways with Timestamps00:00:00 – Introduction00:07:23 – Why would a founder choose to build under an existing brand like TEDx instead of creating their own event?Donna Marie explains how attaching to an established global brand creates instant credibility, trust, and momentum.00:11:39 – What hidden leadership challenges come with running a volunteer-driven organization?The conversation highlights how leading unpaid, mission-driven teams forces founders to develop clarity, emotional intelligence, and purpose-driven leadership.00:17:00 – How does imposter syndrome show up after you've already “made it”?Donna Marie shares how imposter syndrome often intensifies at higher levels of visibility.00:18:00 – Why are successful founders still afraid to get on camera or speak publicly?Alex reframes visibility as service, not self-promotion.00:29:06 – Is fear of public speaking really about speaking at all?The episode reframes the fear as discomfort with being seen, judged, and perceived.00:31:26 – What does it actually take to move through fear instead of trying to eliminate it?Donna Marie explains why surrender—not confidence hacks—is what allows founders to stay present.00:49:04 – What's the biggest mistake founders make when creating content or keynotes?They discuss how copying language, frameworks, and “safe” messaging leads to forgettable ideas and erodes trust.00:54:01 – Why does over-professionalism hurt connection with an audience?The conversation introduces the idea of “death by professionalism”.00:58:12 – How can founders use AI without losing their voice or originality? AI can act as a mirror that helps founders clarify what isn't aligned—strengthening their authentic perspective.This episode is especially relevant for founders navigating visibility, leadership presence, or the pressure to “show up” as an authority. Watch the full conversation to hear the nuance behind these ideas—and subscribe for more grounded, no-fluff founder interviews on Founder Talk.

We're joined by Rachel Platt, Founder & CEO of Plattinum Consulting, on the latest episode of The Biz To Biz Podcast.Rachel brings deep expertise in payments, fintech, and strategic consulting—sharing real-world insights on navigating complex payment ecosystems, scaling smart, and building sustainable growth.This is a must-listen for anyone in fintech, payments, or B2B leadership.

Chef Robotics has produced 80 million meals—more than all other food robotics companies combined. The company has cracked what dozens of well-funded startups couldn't: profitable deployment of AI-enabled robots in food manufacturing. In this episode of BUILDERS, Rajat Bhageria, Founder and CEO of Chef Robotics, reveals why he focused on manufacturing before restaurants, how a single contract term change accelerated his sales cycle, and why the food assembly problem requires intelligence that traditional automation can't provide. This is category creation in real-time, with expansion to Germany and the UK planned for 2026. Topics Discussed: Why 60-70% of commercial food labor is in assembly, not cooking or prep The systematic failures of B2C robotics companies (Zume) versus B2B approaches (Miso Robotics) Chef's manufacturing-first strategy to build training data and field operations scale Why six-axis robots with vision outperform gravity-fed dispensers for food variability Reframing contract structure from "site acceptance test" to "trial" for faster closes Trade show strategy: multiple robots across partner booths, not just your own The economics of robotics-as-a-service in traditionally capex-driven industries GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Validate unit economics before building in hardware: Rajat secured early contracts before engineering anything. This wasn't just customer validation—it was economic validation. He identified that robotics companies fail when "they're trying to charge a human salary, but they're not able to provide the full set of tasks that a human is able to do in an eight hour shift." By selling first, Chef confirmed customers would pay for assembly automation specifically, not a general-purpose kitchen robot. For hard tech founders: pre-selling de-risks both product-market fit AND your business model assumptions. Target the labor concentration point, not the obvious automation opportunity: While competitors automated cooking (low labor intensity), Chef mapped the entire food production workflow and discovered assembly consumed 60-70% of labor hours. Rajat's insight: "One person can cook for 100 people or a thousand people. So even though the cooking process can take a while, you're amortizing it over a lot of people." This workflow analysis revealed where ROI actually existed. Founders should map labor distribution across their customer's entire operation, not just automate the most visible or technically interesting task. Build your moat through training data and field operations density: Chef's manufacturing focus isn't just about easier sales—it's strategic infrastructure. Rajat explained: "Today, Chef has done 80 million meals...If we can be really good at food manipulation, we have the biggest data set of training data...as we build more robots, our bill of material gets lower...We have people all over the country servicing these robots, which obviously those same people can service robots in restaurants." For AI-enabled hardware, your moat compounds through deployment volume, not just product features. Reframe risk through contract structure, not just pricing: Chef's breakthrough wasn't discounting—it was renaming their "site acceptance test" to a "trial." Rajat described the impact: "Literally exactly the same thing. It's kind of like you go to your Google Doc and you replace all SAT into trial. That has an immense impact on the sales velocity." The cognitive reframing transformed how buyers perceived commitment risk. For founders selling novel technology: audit your contract language for terms that trigger buyer risk aversion, even when the underlying mechanics protect them. Trade show ROI multiplies through partner booth placement: Rather than maximizing their own booth presence, Chef places robots in partner booths across the trade show floor. Rajat noted this approach yields more deal closures because "the champions saw the thing at the trade show." This isn't about lead volume—it's about removing skepticism. Manufacturing buyers don't believe flexible automation exists until they see it operating. For hard tech companies: distribute proof points across the physical spaces where your skeptical buyers already congregate. Customer success IS your market education strategy: In a nascent category with a "graveyard" of failed predecessors, Chef's market education relies entirely on reference customers. Cafe Spice scaled from 4 to 16 robots and now hosts prospective customer visits. Rajat's approach: give exceptional pricing to customers willing to become advocates. The conversion rate from a skeptical prospect visiting a working deployment far exceeds any other marketing channel. For category creators: your unit economics on early lighthouse customers should account for their sales force value, not just their revenue. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

Hubble Network is redefining what's possible in satellite connectivity by connecting standard Bluetooth chips to satellites over 500 kilometers away using advanced antenna arrays and digital beamforming. Founded in 2021 by Alex Haro (co-founder of Life360, which IPO'd in 2019 and grew to 80+ million monthly active users) and Ben Longmier (whose previous company's protocol became Amazon Sidewalk after acquisition), Hubble has launched seven operational satellites via SpaceX and is serving enterprise customers across intermodal logistics, off-grid construction, and outdoor recreation. In a recent episode of BUILDERS, I sat down with Alex to explore how Hubble is building the infrastructure layer for global IoT—positioning as the "T-Mobile of space" rather than competing in device markets. Topics Discussed: The technical architecture behind connecting Bluetooth to satellites: lowering bit rates, optimizing modulation, and deploying hundreds of antennas for digital beamforming SpaceX's rideshare program mechanics and what it actually takes to book satellite launches as a startup Why Hubble deliberately chose to be network infrastructure rather than building hardware for specific verticals The psychology barrier of overcoming Bluetooth's short-range association—even among experienced RF engineers from Google, Amazon, and Starlink Strategic focus decisions when facing unlimited market opportunity across construction, agriculture, mining, logistics, and defense Transparent pricing as a developer-first GTM strategy versus traditional enterprise carrier sales models The transition from Life360's consumer hardware exploration to founding a satellite networking company GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Choose your competitive layer strategically—infrastructure scales differently than applications: Hubble explicitly positioned as network infrastructure, not a device manufacturer. Alex stated: "We're not focused on building the hardware or devices. We very much view ourselves as a networking company." This allows enterprise customers to integrate Hubble connectivity into their existing devices with just a software change to the Bluetooth chip. The result: each B2B customer can deploy hundreds or thousands of devices to their end users, creating exponential reach. For founders building horizontal technology, consider whether competing at the infrastructure layer—even if less immediately tangible—creates superior unit economics and market leverage versus building full-stack solutions. Developer-first positioning requires operational commitment, not just marketing: Hubble's pricing transparency wasn't a marketing tactic—Alex described it as "hardcore to our ethos" because their goal is connecting billions of devices. They explicitly modeled after Twilio and Stripe rather than Verizon or AT&T, making it possible for engineers to validate unit economics independently and start free trials without sales conversations. This wasn't debated internally because both co-founders and the early team aligned on this approach. For infrastructure companies targeting massive scale, half-measures on developer experience will fail—the entire go-to-market motion must support self-service validation and transparent economics. Constraint forces clarity—unlimited TAM demands disciplined ICP filtering: Despite viable use cases across construction, oil and gas, mining, agriculture, supply chain, and defense, Alex emphasized: "In the early stages, focus is the most important thing. Every hour matters and being able to focus matters quite a bit and defocusing yourself can really hurt." Hubble's "sexy hook of Bluetooth to space" generates inbound interest across industries, creating constant pressure to expand. Their active debate centers on which industry leaders are "solving important use cases" with existing customer bases of "hundreds, if not thousands of customers." For founders with horizontal technology, resist opportunistic deals—filter aggressively for partners who provide concentrated distribution rather than one-off deployments. Physical demonstration collapses credibility timelines for counterintuitive technology: Hubble faced skepticism even from sophisticated RF engineers because of hardwired associations between Bluetooth and short range. Alex noted: "Some of the investors that joined our A or B, they passed on our seed and A because they thought, well, I believe in Alex, but is this really physically possible?" Post-launch with working satellites, the conversation shifted from "is this possible?" to commercial terms. The lesson isn't just "show don't tell"—it's that for technically improbable innovations, rushing to demonstrable proof compresses months of explanation into minutes of validation. Founders should potentially sacrifice feature breadth to reach a single, undeniable proof point faster. Operational domain expertise reveals infrastructure gaps others can't see: Alex spent years as CTO of Life360 attempting to build connected hardware for families—smart pet collars, GPS watches for kids, fall detectors—but existing networks had "super short battery life, very bulky, no global coverage, way too expensive." He invested in Ben's previous mesh network company and became a close advisor before co-founding Hubble. The insight wasn't theoretical—it came from failing repeatedly to solve the problem with existing infrastructure. Founders should treat operational frustrations in previous roles as proprietary market intelligence: you've already paid the learning cost that competitors will need years to acquire. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

F2 is the AI platform for private markets investors, automating due diligence and portfolio monitoring workflows with agentic AI. After building ARK into a digital banking platform that scaled from tens of millions to tens of billions in loan volume, Donald Muir developed AI technology to automate debt placement on ARK's marketplace. When upmarket institutional lenders requested access to the AI for their entire deal flow—not just ARK's marketplace deals—Donald recognized the technology's standalone value. In this episode of BUILDERS, Donald shares how he's commercializing enterprise-grade AI for an industry where he personally spent years in the private equity bullpen, and how F2 is addressing the reliability and trust barriers that prevent AI adoption in high-stakes financial decision-making. Topics Discussed How F2 emerged from ARK's internal need to automate debt marketplace screening memos The technical approach to eliminating hallucination in Excel-based financial analysis Replicating private equity's "super day" interview format to prove AI capability with live deal data Sales team composition: hiring ex-finance professionals instead of traditional sales reps AI's role in evolving private equity analysts from menial tasks to system operators Product roadmap from due diligence to portfolio monitoring to deal syndication platform Maintaining operational independence while preserving strategic alignment with ARK GTM Lessons For B2B Founders Solve your own hardest problem first, then productize: Donald built F2's core technology to scale ARK's debt marketplace, focusing on the most difficult engineering challenge—reliable financial analysis of unstructured Excel data—because the marketplace required it. This resulted in technology that foundation models still haven't replicated over a year later. The aha moment came when institutional lenders wanted the AI for all their deal flow, not just marketplace transactions. Organic internal development created category-leading capabilities and validated product-market fit before commercialization. B2B founders should identify which internal operational challenges, if solved, could become standalone products serving the broader market. Design sales processes that mirror how your ICP evaluates talent: Donald replicated private equity's "super day" format where analyst candidates receive a data room, laptop without internet access, and three hours to produce an LBO model and investment thesis. F2 runs identical timed tests—customers send live deal data rooms under NDA, F2 generates investment committee memos using their templates, and presents same-day results. This proves the AI can perform at the standard funds use to evaluate human analysts they hire 18 months before start dates. B2B founders selling into industries with rigorous talent evaluation processes should reverse-engineer those frameworks into product demonstrations that speak to buyer expectations. Prioritize credibility over sales experience in technical markets: Donald's entire sales team consists of ex-finance professionals who lived in the seat—no traditional salespeople. These reps can screen-share investment memos created that morning and discuss them authentically with MDs and principals using industry-specific language. After 4.5 years running go-to-market at ARK, Donald teaches sales methodology to domain experts rather than teaching domain expertise to salespeople. For deals averaging half a billion dollars flowing through the platform, buyer credibility outweighs sales polish. B2B founders in specialized verticals should evaluate whether domain fluency or sales pedigree matters more for their specific buyer personas and deal complexity. Engineer for auditability before optimizing for speed: F2 focused on eliminating hallucination and achieving mathematical accuracy—solving what Donald calls the "reliability and trust" gap—before addressing workflow efficiency. The company name references the F2 keystroke used to audit Excel calculations at 3 AM in the PE bullpen. This positioning directly addresses the barrier preventing AI adoption for investment decisions: LLMs hallucinate, can't do math, and lack auditability. Only after proving the AI produces auditable, trustworthy output did F2 layer on speed benefits. B2B founders building for high-stakes decision environments should identify the fundamental trust barrier and make it the core technical focus before feature expansion. Leverage institutional knowledge as competitive differentiation: Beyond automating existing workflows, F2 enables firms to pipe in decades of institutional knowledge via API—instantly benchmarking new deals against thousands of historical transactions by vertical, revenue size, leverage levels, and management quality. This transforms screening memos from isolated analyses into context-rich evaluations informed by complete firm history. The AI doesn't just work faster; it has comprehensive context that individual analysts manually searching SharePoint folders could never access. B2B founders should identify where accumulated institutional data creates compounding value beyond point-in-time automation. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

Parable is building an end-to-end intelligence platform that quantifies how organizations spend their collective time—the foundation for measuring real AI impact. With a thousand data connectors ingesting activity and log data across the enterprise software stack, Parable constructs proprietary knowledge graphs that size opportunities and measure outcomes in hard dollars, not adoption metrics. In this episode of BUILDERS, I sat down with Adam Schwartz, Co-Founder & CEO of Parable, to explore why 95% of CFOs see no AI ROI, how his decade running profitable businesses under resource constraints shaped his focus on inputs over outcomes, and why 2026 requires moving AI from CapEx experimentation to measured OpEx. Topics Discussed: Why the 95% CFO stat on AI ROI matters as an arbiter of truth, despite backlash Building knowledge graphs from activity data to quantify collective time allocation across hundreds of people The fundamental problem: enterprises lack quantitative frameworks for operational efficiency pre-AI Running parallel ICP experiments to achieve sales-market fit before product-market fit Why Parable has never lost a POC once leaders see quantitative baselines Market dynamics creating false signals—unprecedented curiosity without buying intent The demarcation between companies treating AI as product work versus those waiting for vendor solutions Why AI transformation demands century-old management structures to be questioned GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Engineer disqualification in momentum markets: Market-wide AI enthusiasm creates pipeline illusion. Prospects will engage indefinitely for education without purchase intent. Adam's framework: "How do we get people to say no to us and not drag us along... They want to keep talking because they want to learn and they want to know what's going on and they are genuinely interested." In enterprise sales during category shifts, build explicit qualification gates that force prospects to reveal resource commitment or disqualify. Extended evaluation cycles feel like traction but destroy unit economics. Use go-to-market as ICP discovery mechanism: Adam intentionally pursued multiple customer segments simultaneously—different company sizes and AI maturity stages—to let data reveal fit rather than rely on hypothesis. His memo to the team: "We're going to go after these three, you know, many different sizes of companies in order for us to decide like, who we like best." The key insight: get to problem-market fit and sales-market fit validation before optimizing product-market fit. This inverts conventional wisdom but works when TAM is massive and the bottleneck is identifying who feels pain acutely enough to buy now. Qualify on organizational structure, not verbal commitment: Every enterprise claims AI is strategic. Adam's hard filter: "Who in the organization is responsible for AI transformation? And if you don't have a one person answer to that question, you're not serious." Serious buyers have a named owner reporting to C-suite with dedicated budget and team. Buying Gemini, Glean, or other point solutions isn't a seriousness KPI—it's often passive consumption of AI as a byproduct of existing software relationships. Look for companies doing five-year work-backs on industry transformation and cascading effects on their operating model. Target post-experimentation, pre-scale buyers: Adam discovered the sweet spot isn't companies beginning their AI journey—it's those who've deployed initial programs and now need to prove value. "The market of people that have started to build AI into their operating model or into their strategy in like a coherent way, there's a team, there's an owner, there's budget... those are the people that we really want to be talking to." These buyers understand the problem viscerally because they're living it. They do product work daily—talking to stakeholders, generating use cases, building briefs, triaging roadmaps. They need your solution to professionalize what they're already attempting manually. Build measurement into your category narrative: The AI tooling market has over-indexed on soft efficiency claims that won't survive renewal cycles. Adam's warning: "There is too much hand waving around soft efficiency gains... you're going to have to renew and you need NRR and I don't think it's going to be that usage of the tool internally by employees and adoption is going to be enough." The last decade over-rotated to "everything drives revenue" due to VC pressure. This decade requires precision: does your product save time, reduce headcount needs, or accelerate revenue? Quantify it. Partner with measurement platforms if needed. Adam's insight on Calendly is instructive—it clearly saves time, but most buyers can't quantify how much, which weakens renewal economics. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

"Problems are facts, pain is feeling." This mantra is tattooed on my brain for a reason.I recently reviewed a sales call where a service provider uncovered a complete train wreck of a client situation. The prospect agreed with every single finding, yet still refused to pay to fix it. Why? Because the seller was pitching problems, not pain.In this episode, I explain why clients can acknowledge a problem but still refuse to solve it. I'll show you how to connect the dots between technical facts and the emotional or business impact that actually drives a purchase. If you're presenting logical solutions but still losing deals, this is exactly what you need to hear.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.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

Allyssa Baker's story is the definition of Nightmare Success. What began as a prescription for pain spiraled into addiction, homelessness, and a six-year prison sentence. But behind bars, Allyssa made one decision that changed everything: she refused to quit. She earned her degree with honors, completed recovery work, and fought her way into Televerde—one of the most competitive, highest-paying jobs inside prison—learning elite B2B sales skills while incarcerated.Now an Account Executive at Paychex, Allyssa opens up about the real moments that broke her, the discipline that rebuilt her, and how second chances—combined with relentless accountability—can turn rock bottom into a foundation. This is a masterclass in resilience, reentry, and the quiet power of doing the next right thing.Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They'll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"

新藥拿到 FDA 核准，真的就結束了嗎？對藥廠的行銷與商業團隊來說，戰鬥其實才正要開始。 過去《生技來一刻》介紹過 R&D、法規、臨床試驗、保險給付等等，但我們始終少了一塊拼圖：負責將科學價值轉譯給市場的行銷 (Marketing)。 本集邀請到目前在美國 Biogen 擔任 Payer and Channel Marketing 資深經理的韓璦璘，她擁有在台灣 GSK 與 Baxter 的豐富經驗，並成功轉戰美國生技重鎮波士頓，她將為我們揭開藥廠行銷的神秘面紗。不同於大眾消費品，藥廠行銷受限於嚴格法規，還要面對醫生、病人、保險公司等多方角力。璦璘將分享她如何作為「幕後軍師」，透過策略與溝通，讓新藥真正能被病人使用。 此外，對於許多仍在台灣、嚮往美國職涯的聽眾，璦璘也分享了她當初一邊工作、一邊準備出國的轉職心路歷程。從本土經驗到適應美國職場文化，這一路上的衝擊與成長，都在本集精彩內容中！ ＊以上言論僅代表來賓個人立場，不代表其現任或曾任公司之官方立場。   生技來一刻 Facebook 專頁：https://www.facebook.com/moment.in.biotech BTBA Facebook 專頁：https://www.facebook.com/btbatw BTBA Podcast 網站：http://btbatw.org/podcast 聽眾問卷：https://forms.gle/Et3xPRnhLRnrwfZD9 節目地圖：https://www.btbatw.org/podcast/episode_guide.html ✨ 生技來一刻感謝國科會與駐波士頓辦事處科技組贊助我們製作節目。我們也歡迎聽眾小額捐款生技來一刻，您的支持能幫助我們製作更優質的節目。 https://www.paypal.com/US/fundraiser/charity/2101877  

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We're breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.In this episode, Elena and Rob explore why B2B brands struggle with physical availability and how marketers can reclaim control over where and how their products are sold. They break down three key strategies: presence, prominence, and portfolio management.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Easy to Find: Being Where B2B Buying Happens"[02:00] Mental vs. physical availability[03:00] Presence: Showing up where buying happens[05:00] Prominence: Building owned vs. rented visibility[07:00] Portfolio: Protecting your core products[08:00] The lighthouse and harbor analogy  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Nenycz-Thiel, M., & Romaniuk, J. (2025, November). Easy to find: Being where B2B buying happens. Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science.  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

What does sovereignty actually mean? This week, Technology Now dives into the world behind the words, exploring the reality versus the fantasy of data and technological sovereignty. We ask how definitions can change across location, and why this is important to understand when trying to work across boarders. Sana Kharegani, Chief Strategy Officer at Carbon3.AI tells us more.This is Technology Now, a weekly show from Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Every week, hosts Michael Bird and Sam Jarrell look at a story that's been making headlines, take a look at the technology behind it, and explain why it matters to organizations.About Sana:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sana-khareghani-4346771/?originalSubdomain=ukSources:https://gdpr-info.eu/issues/fines-penalties/https://www.dataversity.net/articles/brief-history-cloud-computing/https://www.kiteworks.com/risk-compliance-glossary/data-sovereignty-protecting-our-digital-footprint-in-the-age-of-information/https://gdpr.eu/what-is-gdpr/

Why B2B Lead Qualification Fails and How to Fix It  Traffic is cheap, but qualified B2B sales conversions are not. Too many CMOs in the B2B space are watching brilliant creative go to waste at the top of the marketing funnel because what's passing through as a “qualified lead” often isn't really qualified. How can B2B marketers identify where the real lead qualification bottleneck is? Why is rethinking how MQLs are defined, scored, and routed one the most strategic fixes a CMO can make to improve pipeline performance? That's why we're talking to Gabe Lullo (CEO, Alleyoop), who shared some insights around why B2B lead qualification fails and how to fix it at the top of the funnel. During our discussion, Gabe challenged the common misconception that poor lead quality is the issue when sales aren't closing. Instead, he emphasized the importance of a clearly-defined Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), a strong product-market fit, and a well-mapped B2B sales journey. Gabe also stressed the need for A/B testing, identifying and resolving funnel bottlenecks, and using data-driven decision-making to improve lead conversion rates. He underscored the value of nurturing leads and cautioned B2B marketers against dismissing traditional marketing channels without rigorous testing. https://youtu.be/KXVmywNsfP0 Topics discussed in episode: [02:36] Why top-of-funnel lead qualification breaks down in B2B. [16:37] How to define and operationalize your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). [12:17] When MQLs hurt more than they help, and how to fix them. [26:14] How A/B testing and data-driven decisions improve lead conversion. [27:53] Why lead nurturing is critical to long sales cycles. [34:05] When to test (not abandon) traditional B2B marketing channels. Companies and links mentioned: Gabe Lullo on LinkedIn  Alleyoop  ZoomInfo  Salesloft  Adobe  Transcript SPEAKERS Gabe Lullo, Christian Klepp Gabe Lullo  00:00 So we’re doing top of funnel activities, and then we’re sending leads over. The sales team takes them, and then what we find, a lot, we hear this all the time, is leads aren’t closing. And what’s interesting is that it was never a lead problem. It was more of a, you know, seller problem. I don’t mean to put blame on it, but companies come to us saying, hey, my sellers are saying we don’t have enough leads, we don’t have better leads, we don’t have good leads, and they’re the ones complaining about the lead. So they come to us to fix the lead problem. We fix the lead problem, but it doesn’t fix the revenue problem. It’s still not closing. So what is it? Christian Klepp  00:30 Traffic is cheap, but conversion is not too many CMOs (Chief Marketing Officer) are watching brilliant, creative go to waste at the top of the funnel, because what’s passing through as qualified just isn’t so how can you identify where the real bottleneck is, and why is rethinking how MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads) are defined and scored the single most strategic fix? A CMO can make welcome to this episode of the B2B Marketers on the Mission podcast, and I’m your host, Christian Klepp. Today, I’ll be talking to Gabe Lullo, who will be answering these questions. He’s the CEO of Alleyoop, a sales development agency working with industry giants such as ZoomInfo, Salesloft and Adobe. Tune in to find out more about what this B2B Marketers Mission is, and off we go. Mr. Gabe Lullo, welcome to the show, sir. Gabe Lullo  01:17 Christian. Thank you so much. First off, I’m a huge fan of yours, so is my team, and we just appreciate all that you do for the industry. And I’m so excited to be here. Thanks for the invite. Christian Klepp  01:28 Wow, wow. Thank you. Thank you so much. Right off the gate with the praise, thank you, sir. Gabe Lullo  01:33 Well, you deserve it, man, you’re the best. What do you do. I love it. I love your show, and I love being a part of that. Christian Klepp  01:38 I appreciate that. I appreciate that. You know, we really had an awesome, like, pre-interview conversation. I’m gonna say, like, you know, talking about coming up to Toronto and Buffalo and what have you. And I’m really looking forward to this conversation, Gabe, because, man, you know, what? As much as some Marketers probably don’t want to hear this. It’s an, I think this is an absolutely necessary conversation to have. Right this topic that we’re going to talk about, and I will not keep the audience in suspense for too long. I’m just going to jump into the first question, if you don’t mind. Gabe Lullo  02:09 Yeah, no problem. Let’s get right into it. Christian Klepp  02:11 All right, so Gabe, you’re on a mission to provide the ultimate assist to your clients by setting them up for success. So for this conversation, let’s zero in on the following topic of how B2B Marketers can fix qualification at the top. So here comes the first question in our previous conversation. You talked about many marketing funnels being a leaky bucket. Can you please explain what you meant by that? Gabe Lullo  02:36 Yeah, I think companies right now are going to market in a very hodgepodge type of way, you know, ICP (Ideal Customer Profile), you know, we throw that terminal around a lot, and, you know, people think they know what it is, or feel like they have it drilled down, or feel like it’s completely locked, locked in. And then clients invite us in, and we realize it’s not the case, and it’s not just what the ideal client profile is, which, of course, is quintessential to going to market, and it’s really the first step to qualification, isn’t it, right? But on the other side of it, it is, you know, is there a product market fit? Is there a pricing that needs to be aligned? What’s the competitive landscape look like? So when we’re having live conversations, our sellers are making, you know, 11 million cold calls a year. That’s front of the line conversations, right? And we can hear, understand, and truly, you know, debrief with what each call is sounding like, so we can then narrow in what those qualifications should be. You know, a lot of you know, let’s say VPs of sales come into the sales development side of the house or the marketing side of the house, and they apply sales training methodologies to top of funnel qualifications, and it really gets broken as well. So there’s a lot to unpack, but I’ll give you an example. You know, band for instance, but you know budget authority needed timing. Like, is that really the right qualification at the top of the funnel, or does that really, you know, evolve the seller and the demo and the discovery call at that moment in time. So really understanding who’s in charge of that top of funnel and what their experience is also as a part of it, in my opinion. Christian Klepp  04:13 Absolutely, absolutely and you’re absolutely right. There’s so much to unpack here, but I have to ask just from your experience, and I know you have a lot, it seems like it’s just, there’s so many moving parts in this ecosystem, and a lot of like, well, what causes the leaky funnel? I’m gonna say is a lot of the things that you just mentioned, right? It’s a lack of understanding of who the actual ICP is. It’s probably also, especially the bigger the the organization gets sorry to everyone out there, but the lack of ownership and accountability, the lack of an actual strategy, like, where’s this all gonna go? Right? Gabe Lullo  04:54 Oh, it’s interesting. Yeah, I find this to be our except we so we’re doing top of the funnel activities, and we’re sending leads over, the sales team takes them, and then what we find, a lot, we hear this all the time, is leads aren’t closing. And what’s interesting is that it was never a lead problem. It was more of a seller problem. Now I don’t mean to put blame on it, but companies come to us saying, hey, my sellers are saying we don’t have enough leads, we don’t have better leads, we don’t have good leads, and they’re the ones complaining about the lead so they come to us to fix the lead problem. We fix the lead problem, but it doesn’t fix the revenue problem. It’s still not closing. So what is it? It’s the entire channel, right? It’s the entire sales journey, and we have to make sure that all of those things are working like an engine, right? All the cylinders are working at the same time in the same motion, to truly know what the problem may be. So that that’s really exposed a lot when we step in and start doing top of funnel activities, Christian Klepp  05:55 Absolutely, absolutely. And that segues into the next question, which I feel you’ve already answered to a certain extent. But where do you feel the true bottleneck lies, and that may be dependent on the company, right? Because each company maybe has a different set of challenges. And most importantly, okay, where does the bottleneck lie? And how do how can B2B Marketing teams help address the bottleneck and not be part of the bottleneck? Gabe Lullo  06:21 Yeah, absolutely. I mean, there’s an eight step approach to sales. That’s what we call your sales journey, right? You have, obviously, you know, list building, and then we have, of course, outreach, we have qualification, we have discovery call, we have demo, we have, you know, closing or negotiating. We have client success. I mean, that’s the basic funnel, if you will. So is our, I should say, all of those things operating at the best of its ability. And what is broken, and it’s, it’s the old, you know, Henry Ford approach the assembly line. You know, there’s an assembly line and building a car, and there’s an assembly line in sales. And you have to know those steps, firstly, two, you have to know if those steps are working correctly, and figure out where that bottleneck is, and then, you know, take those blockers away so that those cars are flowing in and the production line doesn’t stop and we’re, you know, executing on the results that we need to serve our clients. Christian Klepp  07:16 100% agree. But now I’m gonna throw in another like wild card question, and I know you can handle it, right? When companies like yours come in to help organizations, right, there are times, even from my own experience, where the internal teams look at you and go, What are those guys doing here? Right? Like, is my job on the line. So they feel, they feel threatened, right by by somebody coming in and providing an external perspective. So I guess the question is, how do you deal with that kind of push back to help fix this leaky marketing funnel? Gabe Lullo  07:57 Yeah, it’s very important, right? Because a lot of companies come, you know, come in like us, and say, You know what, we’re going to come in here and try to solve the problem, or rip and replace or threaten the job. And it’s interesting, our point of contact, usually is the person who may be, you know, being fired because of our success. Well, we don’t want to approach it that way. So we set clear expectations that, hey, listen, we’re not here to rip and replace we are here to work as a parallel to what you’re existing doing, so we can A/B test and share best practices and be collective in those results. A lot of companies who have existing teams in place usually put us in scenarios where we’re bringing something new to market, or we’re reaching out to a market that is you know, you know, a new product line or a new segment, and we’re bringing that in. We do, however, see about a 20 to 30% increase in existing production when an outside partner comes in, because, again, we are sharing best practices. We’re all working together, but there is some pressure on the line when they see it. You know, another great player on the team playing ball. However, we did put a mechanism in place that really helps alleviate the fear, if you will, of that rip and replace scenario. Very unique thing to us, only a handful of companies I know about, of hundreds and if not thousands, that do what we do, do this. And here’s what it is, a lot of companies want to hire everything within and bring everything in house, in the sales development side within, because they graduate those people into account executives or closers or higher level performers or managers, so that graduation of career placement is there if you do it in house. So what we say is, you know what? You can have that great feeling of growing and building your team in house with us too. So all of our reps (representatives) who come work here, and all of our clients who enroll with us know that they can hire our reps and and bring them into their payroll and into their in house team with our help. So that’s a really good way of curving the fear, because they know, hey, this person who’s executing this outbound activity could be our next closer, and we can hire them to not take again, to not take away from what their current teams are doing, but to add to and grow that existing team they have. Christian Klepp  10:14 Absolutely, absolutely, and you know where I’m going with this, right? Because, like, you know, far too often, especially the higher ups that are not involved in the day to day, that are looking at this from the, I call it the Mount Olympus perspective, right, looking down at the land of the living, right? Like, why are you bringing in an external partner? Isn’t that your job to fix it? Right? But there are benefits to your point of, like, bringing in somebody that’s external, that’s not privy to, perhaps, some of the bias, some of the, certainly, the, certainly the organizational like dynamics and politics, which may, may be more detrimental than useful, right? Gabe Lullo  10:50 Yeah. I mean, we do punchy contracts, right? We have a six month minimum engagement. But so when we do that, you know, we’re saying, Hey, listen, we’re, we’re going to work with you for six months. We’re going to give it everything we got. And if it’s something you want to bring in-house from our team, great. If it’s you want to continue, great, or if you’ve learned a lot and you’re able to duplicate our efforts, also great too. So again, we’re not going in there saying, Oh, this is our world. Now. Get out of the way. Good luck, you know, and giving pink slips to people, it’s about really, again, how can we help? How can we assist? How can we hit this number? It’s not getting hit. There has to be reasons why. And let’s figure those numbers out, and let’s figure out the reasons why. And then, and then we move on, you know. So there’s short contracts, and then there’s very, very long contracts, you know, ZoomInfo has been a client off and on for the last decade. We’re doing a program right now where they just launched a lot of cool things, and we’re helping them so companies like that, size and stature, still come to outside help when necessary, when the timing is right and the fit is right. Christian Klepp  11:55 Amazing. Amazing. All right. Next question. So why do you believe rethinking how MQLs are defined and scored as the most strategic fix that a CMO can make, and what are some of these other key pitfalls that Marketers should avoid, and what should they be doing instead? I mean, let’s, let’s keep the conversation constructive here, right? Gabe Lullo  12:17 So defining and scoring MQLs is by far one of the first things, if not the most important thing, to start with, right? Because that is, again, the start of that assembly line. You know, garbage in, garbage out. And so if we’re not actually understanding why those MQLs are, the MQLs that we are saying they are, and what those triggering events are causing them to be considered. MQLs could truly dictate whether or not we’re receiving garbage into the funnel versus excellence and extraordinary leads and MQLs into the funnel. So again, it’s going back to that ICP, like we discussed earlier. It’s determining, okay, are these worthy and does it make sense to continue this, lead this MQL down the funnel, and will it produce results? Should it even be in the system at all? So knowing that up front, like I said earlier, it’s like the raw material. You know, if you have really bad raw material that you’re using to build your cars, you know, no matter how great it comes out at the other end, it’s not going to be a quality vehicle. So it’s that, it’s the raw material that we need to make sure that’s first and foremost, because it’s the start of the entire process. Christian Klepp  13:29 Yeah, yeah, no, that’s for sure. Because, you know, how many times have you heard that, right? Like the marketing team says, well, we’ve, we’ve got, we’ve generated the MQLs, we’ve passed them on to the sales team now, so we’re good, yeah, but that’s not where it stops, right? Like, so especially if the MQLs are, like, not qualified, right? Gabe Lullo  13:48 No, I couldn’t agree with you more. And again, having sales and marketing work synergistically in that determination is paramount. You know, so many companies, and it’s the old adage, and I think it’s almost a cliche now, because it’s been said so many times that you know, sales is throwing spears over the fence to marketing, and marketing is throwing another spear back to them, and they’re fighting back and forth over this wall. The deal is, you got to break down the wall and start having conversations. And again, sellers have to give feedback on why we’re seeing this to not be the right fit, and Marketers have to be curious and asking what those things may be happening on those conversations, so they can go find the MQLs that that is worthy. Christian Klepp  14:30 Absolutely, absolutely. And on that topic, what are some of these other pitfalls that marketers should be looking out for, and what should they be doing instead? Gabe Lullo  14:39 Yeah, I think what right now is that you have to really understand your channels. You know, a lot of Marketers right now are doubling down on things that may not be producing the results that they have been expecting. Maybe a year from now, two years from now, every company is different, every ICP is different, and every industry is different. I’ll give you an example. You know, if you’re reaching out to sellers and you know, red. Heads of revenue, you have to have a totally different approach than if you’re reaching out to VPs of technology and cyber security. Now that may sound basic, but if you were coming from a company and you’re in your head of marketing, and you’re coming from a company where your ICP and your persona is all tech based companies, or all tech based personas, and you go into a new industry or a new company, and you come with that lens. It’s not the right approach. You know, sellers like to pick up the phone. They think they’re customers. They use the phone all day long. They pick up the phone all the time. Maybe that’s the right channel, right? CTOs (Chief Technology Officers), CIOs (Chief Information Officers), CSOs (Chief Security Officers), they are not usually picking up the phone. Maybe they’re their channels significantly different, and so you have to realize, understand what your persona is, so you can do marketing activities towards that total addressable market that resonate and hit home and get their attention. And it could be just as much as where they live in regards to where, where do they associate with, what, what channel are they living on? Are they people that pick up the phone? Are they ones that live on LinkedIn? Are they ones that go to Instagram? Are they ones that go to conferences? Where is your audience? And know that first and then go talk to them? Christian Klepp  16:10 That’s definitely a great insight. You know it. I know it. The problem is that there’s so many teams out there that skip this part, right? Like that, like that. That detailed breakdown you just gave us about the different let’s call them like, the different personas, the different behaviors, the different channels, like, Why do you think a lot of teams out there skip this part? Is it because of the the time crunch, the pressure to deliver immediately is all of the above? Gabe Lullo  16:37 Yeah, I think, you know, there’s a lot of boardrooms out there. They come out with this unique product, and then with all they do is they do is they look at the TAM, what’s the total addressable market? But that’s like saying, I want to go catch a tuna fish. But you know, let’s just look at the entire ocean. Like, okay, we have to be more specific. Where do the tuna fish actually swim? Where part of Do they like warm water? Do they like the coast? Are they more towards New Zealand, or are they up towards the Massachusetts? So you have to know where your school of fish are. If you want to go fishing, you can’t just look at the entire ocean as the market. And I think narrowing it down to understand patterns and where people are so you can go talk to them is the right approach, versus this spray and pray mentality that I feel marketing has been living in for many, many years, and now it’s becoming more self evident because of AI, right? Because AI can tell us a lot of these things. AI can do a lot of analysis and research, and it’s giving us insights that we’ve never been able to really see before because of the speed and quickness of it. And so I think we are getting to a point, and I’m hopeful that we are more specific with our total addressable markets in new companies specifically that may not have the experience or the capacity like they used to. And I think it’s exciting. Christian Klepp  16:37 Oh Gabe, you just open the door to another question there. Man. Gabe Lullo  16:37 Like, start with an A. Christian Klepp  16:37 Yeah, it starts with an A. But, like, you know, since you brought it up, I’ve got to ask AI, right? Gabe Lullo  16:37 Yeah. Christian Klepp  16:37 And in terms of, like, helping to fix a leaky marketing funnel, how do you from your experience and your perspective, how do you think AI is helpful, and how is it harmful? Gabe Lullo  17:23 Sure. I mean double edged sword, right? We love AI. We accept it. We know it’s here. We’re not scared of it. We’re not running away from it, but we’re also not ripping and replacing things too abruptly with with the implementation of it, either. For instance, I’ll give you real examples. Are we telling AI to go make cold calls? Well, no, it’s illegal, technically. Secondly, are we using it, though, on the flip side, to train our reps on how to effectively handle great questions and objections through an AI sparring partner? Yeah, we are, and it’s amazing at it. So we actually have our reps when they’re brand new and onboarding or launching into a new campaign. We program the robot, the AI right to be able to have conversations in real life time with our reps, to literally spar with them. And it’s like practice. It’s a sparring partner before they go live onto a campaign, and it prepares them immensely before the live show, before they’re before they’re active, right on the campaign. So this is one way we’re doing it. Other ways, obviously email, messaging, obviously personalization, obviously research, you know, pre-call research, account research, determining who’s picking up the phone when they pick up the phone, how many times does it take to call them? You know, time zones? What’s the best time to call them? And it’s crazy what it could do, but it’s really, really helpful. But it’s not a crutch. It’s an assistant, and that’s how we’re approaching it. It’s not replacing human to human communication. If it was. Maybe you and I would just have our AI avatars do this podcast right instead of we’ll be on a beach somewhere, maybe we’ll be there in the future. I’m not predicting it, but I will say there’s a huge, significant role it plays right now, but it is not a role that’s, in my opinion, supposed to replace everything. It can replace a lot, but not everything. Christian Klepp  20:20 Absolutely. I mean, it certainly requires a lot of like, human intervention, right? And it’s and it’s constantly learning, and it’s learning quickly, which I think is to its benefit, to its detriment. And I think that’s, that’s your point as well. There’s a lot of stuff out there that’s AI generated that just looks off, starting with videos even, even like in I don’t know if you’ve dabbled with Google notebook, right? It can, it can take all that content and turn it into an audio file. And it’s scary. How real it sounds. Gabe Lullo  20:54 It is pretty scary. And I have seen tools like that. I love there’s one right now, where it’s actually tracking not even what someone is saying, but how they’re saying it. So tonality, right is a huge piece of communication, as we know, and so it’s literally listening to calls and sales calls, and not just again, we’ve seen it before, like, you know, Gong and others, where it’s telling, hey, maybe say this. Don’t say that, but it’s also giving that score of how they’re delivering that message, which, in my world, is huge because, you know, I could read a script, or I can, you know, have an amazing performance, and that’s how we approach, you know, the way we communicate on a phone call. So that is why we’re so excited. Because there’s new tools coming out all the time that are really, really impactful, for sure. Christian Klepp  21:42 Absolutely, absolutely. So you’ve touched on this a little bit like in the past couple of minutes, but explain how market research and strategy help to develop a solid marketing funnel, not a leaky one. Gabe Lullo  21:55 Yeah. I mean, I think it’s your playbook, right? You know, you have to have a built out playbook, and it’s your guide. And it’s not just important to go to market with a playbook, but it’s also going to market to scale, right? You know, once you get it to work, the ever everything after that is, how do we duplicate and how do we scale? So the playbook is that design is the architecture behind your strategy. So when we do start pouring fuel on the fire and we’re adding people, we’re adding leads, we’re adding workflows, we’re adding everything outside of that, we still go back to the playbook. It’s like the Constitution, right? Everything based off that in our country. I know we’re in different ones, but my point is is, is you have a framework, right, that we go off of and that playbook is so vital to our importance of market research gives us a great understanding of where that playbook is built and how it’s designed and how it’s architected, and that’s how we that’s how we do it here. Christian Klepp  22:55 And even how the playbook can be iterated, right? Because let’s not forget that it’s not written in stone. Gabe Lullo  23:01 Evolving. Yeah, absolutely. I do want to warn people, though, evolve with time. Be patient, right? You know, marketing, sales, development, it’s not a light switch. Yeah, I always say it’s like boiling water, right? So a watch pot technically does boil. It’s just painful to watch. So, but the point is, is that you have to give it enough time to see if that playbook is yielding results. What you don’t want to do is change the play, you know, too many times in the middle of the game, because then you look confused and confused. People do nothing, right? So, yes, is it evolving? Does it pivot? Does it grow? Do you do you change things up, of course. But also you want to do it in a tactful timeline to make sure that it is truly a working playbook or not. Christian Klepp  23:47 Absolutely, absolutely. And you brought something up, and I have to ask this, this next question, it’s… We know, from a marketing point of view, that rolling out these initiatives and seeing the results takes time, yeah, but we’ve had, I’ve certainly had this experience in B2B, that there are people, again, at the top, that don’t have oversight into the day to day, and probably also don’t understand quite how the process works, that don’t have that patience, right, that are telling you, like, hurry up and deliver like, we want results right now. So what do you say to those, I guess the people that are doubting that this initiative needs more time than they think it does. Gabe Lullo  24:30 Yeah. I mean, I think looking at benchmarks and case studies and past results is very important, like I said, Back to the boiling of water. You can show a thermometer as well, like you can see, is it working well? You can put a thermometer in a boiling pot of water and watch the temperature go up, right? And it gives you a clear indication and forecast, if you will, that you’re going to achieve boiling point eventually. It’s not just again, you put the water in and then. And you all of a sudden, measure boiling. You have to measure along the way, and that’s we want to do. So what the ways we do it specifically is, if we’re working on a campaign that is almost a look alike campaign to another company, maybe it’s in the same industry, same ICP, you know, same your size, same scope, we can look at that historical result and say, Hey, by the way, if we do these, these, these and these, you’re going to we’re going to expect boiling point at this time based on a company that’s very similar to yours. Now, is it identical? No, maybe that company has really bad sellers we talked about. Maybe that company doesn’t really care about content and they’re just missing the boat there. Maybe they have a crappy website, like, I don’t, there’s different levers that could, you know, alter the recipe, but we can absolutely make highly educated guesses, as opposed to just trying to wing it or give false expectations. Christian Klepp  25:54 Yeah, yeah, no, that’s absolutely right, all right. I mean, you’ve given us a lot of, like, recommendations, a lot of actionable tips. So walk us through, and I know it varies from company to company and case by case, but walk us through the process of how you actually fix a leaky marketing funnel. Like, what are the steps? What are those key components that absolutely have to be in that process? Gabe Lullo  26:14 Yeah, you have to, you know, inspect what you expect. You have to understand what your messaging is, and you have to A/B test it all the time. I A/B test everything, whether it’s data vendors, whether it’s email messaging, whether it’s LinkedIn content, what you have, obviously mechanisms, depending on what tech you’re working with, what vendors you’re working with, or your history or historical results are to give you grades and scores and A/B testing everything. So if you have, you know campaigns that are running that are successful, you should be able to know how to measure that. That’s what’s so important. So you have to have inspect, inspection tools in place across everything you’re doing on those campaigns to tell you, Hey, this is broken, this is leaky. This isn’t working. Or on the flip side, this is crushing right now. This is totally resonating right now, and we’re loving these, seeing these numbers, and then pour fuel on that fire and focus on that and remove the other ones, and still A/B test, because you always want to keep getting better. So A/B test everything, define the leaks, and then try to fix those leaks as fast as possible. Christian Klepp  27:23 Fantastic, fantastic. And because we’re talking about marketing funnels, I mean, like, I can’t help myself but ask you, okay, but what about metrics? Because that’s something that people want to see, right? But I’m not talking about like, let’s, let’s come up with this like, laundry list of like metrics, and you go down this deep rabbit hole. Like, what are the metrics that you would say, or you would advise B2B Marketers to look at to say, like, okay, we’re trying to fix the leaky marketing funnel here, and these metrics will help you to indicate that there is progress. Gabe Lullo  27:53 Yeah. I mean, it’s harder now than ever before to metric things out, and it’s because of tech that’s kind of getting in the way. You know, for instance, in an email campaign, there’s been some rules and regulations in the last recent years that prevents us from seeing whether or not there’s clicks and opens that are happening on email campaigns. I’ve actually removed many of those triggers completely away from our campaigns, because it’s preventing deliverability, and it’s preventing our ability to keep domains healthy. So there are a lot of moving parts right now that’s happening because of these AI filtration tools. I just heard Google just released that it’s going to now put disclaimers and emails saying that this was written by AI. And so there’s it’s ever involving so depending on I guess when your listeners are hearing this, it may be completely different in a year, but I will tell you that there are definitely things that we need to metric and we need to have KPIs for. But I think the priority of what we used to measure two, three years ago, is significantly different than what we measure today, because of those rules and regulations. So if we’re talking about emails, I want to know what we’re sending, who we’re sending it to, who obviously is responding. What are those responses look like? Is it turning to an actual lead? Are we turning on warm leads, or are we just looking at set meetings? You know, it’s interesting, right? There is only about 2 to 3% of the market ever wants to truly buy, and they’re in buying mode, and I think a lot of companies are just looking for those people, and about 20% of the market is actually interested in buying and we turn that entire segment off. It’s about 10 times more people. But if we can warm the nurture them correctly, and message them correctly, that’s where the rubber meets the road, and that’s where your gold is. I like to analogize everything. So, yeah, when you have a green apple, right? What do you do with the green apple? You put it on the window sill, and then the sun on the windowsill warms it up. Now, that doesn’t mean you just throw out the apple. That means you have a lot of opportunity. You just have. To nurture, and you be patient. And you have to know that timing is everything in business. So if you’re just looking for the red apples, you’re only gonna get 3% if you’re looking for green apples that turn into red apples, now you’re getting 25% so focus on the 25, be patient. Fix those leaky buckets, of course. A/B test, and then then you measure. Christian Klepp  30:20 Yeah or you get yourself an apple orchard. You mentioned one keyword there, nurture, right? I think that’s the one that’ll I see a lot of, like people in sales and even in marketing, right? They just don’t take that time to nurture those leads. They close in. I keep saying they close in for the kill too fast, right? Gabe Lullo  30:44 Yeah. I mean, go back to that food analogy, that the fruit analogy, again. Christian Klepp  30:49 Sure. Gabe Lullo  30:49 I’m on a roll with that. Christian Klepp  30:50 Please. Gabe Lullo  30:50 It’s the low hanging fruit cliche, right? Christian Klepp  30:52 Yes. Gabe Lullo  30:52 Everyone focuses on the low hanging fruit. They’re not focusing on what else is part of that harvest. They’re not focusing on the nurturing. They’re not focused on watering. They’re not focusing on circling back, following up, checking in, providing value in those checks. Not just say, Hey, I’m following up, no, provide value in those seconds, right? And that’s again, that’s where you see excellence happen, you know? And there’s a lot of young, and I don’t mean to be age, but like tenure, people that are experienced, that are in these experience roles right now, and I feel that they’re just trying to get that quick answer and that quick response. And we’re in this like dopamine, like, you know, hit like social media environment right now. Not to go off topic, but I think people are not again, they’re in this microwave society, and they don’t understand the value of nurturing. And if you do and you treat that part seriously, wow, it usually is a windfall at that time. Christian Klepp  31:47 Absolutely, absolutely. It’s an art, a skill, a craft, isn’t it? Right? All of you love, okay, my friend, we come to the point in the conversation where we’re talking about actionable tips, and Gabe, you’ve given us plenty, all right, but just think of this kind of like a recap. If there was somebody listening to this conversation that you and I are having, and you want them to walk away with three to five things that they that they can take action on right now, when it comes to fixing a leaky marketing funnel, what would they be? Gabe Lullo  32:17 Well, I think the best thing is you have to really decide if you have the right people in place, right, and are they? And it doesn’t mean that they are the ones that are going to bring it home. It doesn’t mean that they’re they don’t need support and training and love, like, do they have the commitment? Do they have good experience? Are they willing to roll up their sleeves and get get a little dirty, and if you feel like you have a great team in place of people that are ready to get to work and solve some problems. I think that is literally step one. Step two is, do we have the messaging in the mark, in the ICP nailed down? We really need to know that, because, again, there’s no point of building a campaign if you don’t know who you’re sending it to. And then, thirdly, you really have to make sure that you’re willing to A/B test. It’s hard enough to build a campaign, but it’s much more difficult to build two or three campaigns. Run three campaigns, right as opposed to one, and score each of them to determine what’s working, what’s effective, and what’s not, and then you pivot based on those results. So I think finding a great team is basic and fundamental. Finding a great ice or determining a great ICP is before you build the messaging and then measure the message across multiple campaigns, and then you should be on your way Christian Klepp  33:29 And test, test, test, everything, right? Gabe Lullo  33:34 Yes, it’s great. It could be working. It’s exciting, but maybe there’s a significantly more effective way of doing it, even though it’s still working, and let the data make those decisions for you and drive everything based off data driven decisions, and that’s how you should be operating. Christian Klepp  33:51 Absolutely, absolutely. All right. Here comes the soapbox question, a status quo in your area of expertise that you passionately disagree with and why? Gabe Lullo  34:05 Yeah, I think the big thing right now, and I have to just kind of talk about my space, because you said in my industries, like, there’s a lot of, you know, people out there soapboxing, to be exact, on things that are dead or not. And I will tell you that, you know, cold calling is dead, emailing is dead. You know, LinkedIn is dead, or all of these things and and when you peel back the onion, you notice that those individuals who are saying that users are trying to sell a book or something, and nothing against selling books, but it sounds like there’s a personal agenda and not actual operational intelligence that is dictating what they’re saying. So to your point about testing everything, don’t assume something is not going to work just because someone said it on the internet. Test it and then decide if it’s going to work. And it may surprise you in a big, big way. Christian Klepp  34:56 I truly believe that, man, I truly believe that. I mean to your point. About, like, email being dead. I mean, I did close one client who was a guest on the show, and it took me a year to close, but I closed it through email. Gabe Lullo  35:09 Yeah. Christian Klepp  35:11 Right. And it’s to your point, it’s sending, sending that person articles that were relevant to that person’s industry and saying, like, Hey, I read this the other day, what are your thoughts on this? And here’s my take. What do you think? Gabe Lullo  35:24 That is the best way to do an email, right? You know, we do a lot of content and on social media, we do a lot of podcasting, posts on LinkedIn, but that’s all great, but where the rubber meets the road is you take that post and you send it in an email or a direct message and say, Hey, listen. This made me think of our last conversation, and I really liked the way that this person mentioned this. Do you think you know that there is, is the timing right here to reopen this conversation, and you feel like the problem is still existing in your world, and love to see if we can solve it for you, that type of content, that type of message, that type of verbiage at the right time in a nurture campaign like we discussed, close one business, right? That’s how it works. Christian Klepp  36:08 Absolutely, absolutely okay. Here comes the bonus question, and for those of you that are listening to the audio version, Gabe’s got two guitars right behind him, so I’m just gonna go on a hunch here that he likes playing guitar, right? So the question is, if you had the opportunity to, like, go on a tour with your favorite guitarist/musician, who would it be, and where would you go? Gabe Lullo  36:36 Wow, I love this question. I do play the guitar. I’m a bet big avid music player. Love Rock as well, but all genres, I will say, in real life, we just actually my family, my wife and daughter and I went to go see Oasis reunion tour, which was in Toronto, actually, out of all places. Christian Klepp  36:53 That’s right, you mentioned it. Gabe Lullo  36:54 Yeah, we went to see that. It was epic. Obviously, the brothers have been apart for many years. A lot of drama there. But yeah, you know, I’m old enough to remember their original songs, so it was cool to reminisce and introduce my daughter to that music, which was pretty cool. We’re gonna go see Paul McCartney in a few weeks. He’s on tour now and never seen him or I’m a big fan of The Beatles, and I think that would be really exciting to tour with him, obviously. And I think those are definitely both of those right there kind of sum up the type of music that I resonate with. Christian Klepp  37:26 Amazing, amazing. I just remember, like, this is, this is a couple of years ago. I think he’s already passed away, but Compay Segundo. Gabe Lullo  37:33 Oh yeah. Christian Klepp  37:34 Buena Vista Social Club. And the guy was in his 90s, and they were, they had a concert, and they they brought him up in stage in his wheelchair, helped him get up, get out of that wheelchair, and they gave him that guitar, and off he went, Man, like, Gabe Lullo  37:48 Yeah, yeah, that’s amazing, man, that’s amazing. Christian Klepp  37:53 Gabe, this has been such a great conversation. Thank you so much for coming on and for sharing your experience and expertise with the listeners. So please quick intro to yourself and how folks out there can get in touch with you. Gabe Lullo  38:03 Yeah, LinkedIn is the best way to connect with me directly. I post twice a day, every day. We’re very bullish with our content. There’s a lot of free material there. We have a newsletter, so please take a look at that, and if you like what you see, and he heard today, you know, reach out, and I’ll definitely be responsive. And you know, anyone who is looking or struggling with the after-sales motion, which are after marketing motion, that sales development function, that’s where we play, and we’d love to look at what you’re looking for and see how we can help. Christian Klepp  38:33 Sounds good. Gabe, once again, thank you so much for your time. Take care, stay safe and talk to you soon. Gabe Lullo  38:38 Thanks, Christian. Christian Klepp  38:39 All right. Bye for now.

#321 | Jess Cook, VP of Marketing at Vector, joins Dave to break down what's actually working in early-stage B2B marketing. They dig into how she thinks about attribution for brand channels, how Vector's podcast became a top marketing channel, why they created a brand mascot, and details on what content strategy is working on LinkedIn right now. They also cover shift from content leader to VP of Marketing and how to drive demand without a massive team or budget.Timestamps(03:06) - — Meet Jess Cook & What is Vector? (07:39) - — B2B Influencer pilot setup: why this channel, why now (14:57) - — The result: 45 demos, ~$1.1M pipeline, and how she tracked it (16:55) - — How to run influencers (22:20) - — Scaling idea: retainer-style influencer partnerships (26:00) - — Vector's podcast: “awareness magnet” and the format that works (28:24) - — The production system: in-person batch recording a full season in 2 days (42:10) - — Jess's LinkedIn strategy: why she started posting and what she optimizes for (53:58) - — Content → VP shift: the two muscles she's building (metrics + leadership) 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:Optimizely - A no-code AI platform where autonomous agents execute marketing work across webpages, email, SEO, and campaigns. Get a free, personalized 45-minute AI workshop to help you identify the best AI use cases for your marketing team and map out where agents can save you time at optimizely.com/exitfive. 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.Visit exitfive.com/retreat to apply for Exit Five's first-ever, in-person Marketing Leadership Retreat, March 18–20, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Join 100 CMOs and VPs of Marketing from companies like like Zoom, Snowflake, Manychat, Bitly, G2, HP, and more for two days of thinking bigger around a trusted group of peers in marketing. ***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

What if account-to-account payments felt as dependable as swiping a card? We sit down with Keith Raphael, Co-founder and CEO of Straddle, to explore how a trust-first approach can transform ACH, RTP, and FedNow into fast, reliable options that product teams and finance leaders can actually count on. Keith's journey from hardcore compliance to building a unified API offers a rare, inside look at what it takes to replace “file uploads and hope” with identity-led orchestration and clear, real-time visibility.We unpack the core idea that money moves at the speed of trust and how the lack of a strong identity layer has kept A2A stuck in 1970s-era uncertainty. Keith explains how Straddle combines KYC, fraud detection, open banking connectivity, tokenization, and multi-rail routing to solve the “where is my money” gap for subscriptions, stored-value wallets, remittances, marketplaces, and B2B flows. We also dig into US-specific headwinds: no regulatory mandate for open banking or instant payments, incumbent pricing strategies that protect debit economics, and the resulting friction for adopters.From the rise of platforms and embedded finance to direct-to-rail integrations and the cautious reality of stablecoins, Keith lays out a pragmatic roadmap for scaling bank payments without sacrificing compliance or customer trust. The lesson from Stripe and Square still stands (simplicity wins) but it now applies to ACH, RTP, and FedNow. 

Are you mistaking engagement for more information and unintentionally overwhelming the people who already trust you?In this episode of Sequence Over Strategy, Michelle unpacks why engagement isn't about teaching more, explaining more, or proving yourself again. It's about helping people slow down, process what they already know, and feel confident moving forward. Drawing from real questions that came up during her Build Your Relationship Funnel intensive, she explains why peer-to-peer industry gatherings can be one of the most effective ways to bridge awareness and sales, especially in B2B.ResourcesThe Michelle WarnerNetworking That PaysFree WorkshopPrevious Episodes

Welcome to the first Sharp Cut from The Sleeping Barber Podcast — a tighter, opinion-led format designed to challenge marketing's most persistent assumptions. In this episode, Vassilis and Marc take on one of the industry's most widely accepted beliefs: one-to-one personalization.Despite overwhelming surveys claiming consumers want personalization and businesses need it, the evidence tells a very different story. Drawing on peer-reviewed research from Ehrenberg-Bass, MIT, Melbourne Business School, Nielsen, and the Journal of Advertising Research, this Sharp Cut separates belief from evidence.They unpack why personalization systems are built on inaccurate data, why targeting errors compound rather than optimize, why click-through rates are meaningless, and how narrow targeting actively undermines growth by excluding future buyers.Most importantly, they outline what actually works: reach, creative quality, mental availability, contextual relevance, and proper experimentation.If you care about effectiveness over mythology, this episode is for you.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction04:13 - Beliefs vs. Evidence07:48 - The Targeting Effectiveness Evidence11:07 - The Compound Problem12:54 - The Measurement Illusion14:47 - The Hidden cost of Narrow Targeting17:21 - What Actually Works20:00 - Our Final TakeKeyKey TakeawaysPersonalization is widely believed, not well proven. Most supporting stats come from surveys and vendor case studies, not controlled experiments.Data accuracy is poor. Identity and attribute targeting accuracy often ranges between 32–69%, with many segments no better than a coin flip.Targeting errors compound. Stacking multiple “precise” attributes multiplies mistakes, not accuracy—often reaching less than 15% of the intended audience.Third-party targeting performs no better than random. This holds true in both B2C and B2B contexts, even for senior decision-makers.CTR is a vanity metric.Studies show click-through rates have near-zero correlation with brand outcomes or ROI.Narrow targeting hurts growth. It focuses spend on the ~5% in-market while excluding the 95% who drive future demand.What works instead:Reach over precisionContext over profileFirst-party data for retention, not acquisitionCreative as the real targeting leverMeasurement tied to business outcomesControlled testing with holdouts

In this episode of Disruption/Interruption, marketing veteran Ed Locher pulls back the curtain on B2B marketing's biggest lie: that the MQL machine actually drives growth. As CMO of PureFacts Financial Solutions and author of "Digital Transformation: People, Process and Technology," Ed reveals why 15 years of marketing automation created a sugar rush that's now crashing, and how AI can help fix it without repeating the same mistakes. This is a no-holds-barred conversation about emotional connection, the 95% of buyers marketers ignore, and why marketing tenure averages just 18 months. Four Key Takeaways: The MQL Mirage Is Built on a Lie 8:56Marketing automation promised accountability through MQLs, but overdelivering on MQL targets quarter after quarter never translated to actual revenue growth. The entire system targets only the 5% of the market ready to buy right now—ignoring the 95% who need demand creation, not demand capture. B2B Buying Committees Have Tripled in Size 16:30The buying committee for enterprise B2B purchases has exploded from 5 people to 16. You can't build credibility and trust with 16 stakeholders through email sequences—you need emotional connection and personalized storytelling that speaks to each person's specific drivers (CFO cares about ROI, compliance cares about regulations, operations cares about not making headlines). AI Raises the Floor, Not the Ceiling 29:59AI protects terrible marketers from themselves by raising the quality floor, but it hasn't raised the bar for great marketing. The real opportunity lies 3-4 standard deviations above the mean—where human empathy, emotional triggers, and genuine understanding of customer pain create outsized impact that AI can't replicate. Marketing Attribution Is a Myth 44:13There will never be a "cast iron steel rod of attribution" connecting marketing activities directly to purchases. Marketers who work for leadership that doesn't understand this are doomed to 18-month tenures, chasing MQL targets that deliver short-term sugar rushes followed by revenue crashes. The rare CEO or investor who recognizes this broken motion is the problem—not the marketer—creates space for real growth. Quote of the Show (44:13):"There will never be a cast iron steel rod of attribution that says marketing did X, which led to this person buying something. It just doesn't work that way.” — Ed Locher Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we’re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome. Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval Ways to connect with Ed Locher: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edlocher/ Company Website: https://purefacts.com How to get more Disruption/Interruption: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlDSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In less than 12 months, Shahar went from an idea to a $30M Series A and a team of 40. He didn't sell another AI tool—he built an AI-first service that replaced expensive human consultants in the massive pen-testing market.In this episode, Shahar breaks down the "Service-as-Software" playbook that allowed him to hit $1M ARR in just three months. He reveals how to convert design partners into paying customers before the product is finished, why he refuses to sell to service providers, and how to achieve a 40% SQL-to-Close rate in the enterprise.Why You Should ListenHow to hit $1M ARR in a single quarter with zero marketing spend.Why asking "Would you use this?" is useless and the one question that actually validates demand.Why "Service-as-Software" is the single best business model for AI startupsHow to maintain a 100% win rate against competitors in live bake-offs.The ultimate litmus test for knowing if you have true Product-Market Fit.Keywordsstartup podcast, startup podcast for founders, product market fit, finding pmf, agentic AI, cybersecurity startup, B2B sales strategy, service as software, rapid scaling, Felicis00:00:00 Intro00:04:06 Why Manual Pen Testing is Broken00:15:42 Ideation and The Wallet Test00:22:38 How to Convert Design Partners to Paid00:28:05 40 Percent SQL to Close Rate00:33:14 The Service as Software Business Model00:46:06 Hitting 1M ARR in One Quarter00:48:50 Raising a 30M Series A from Felicis00:50:01 The Turn It Off PMF TestSend me a message to let me know what you think!

LinkedIn Post mentioned in the episode: https://msp.sale/49SzpiuIn less than a year, I took a new business from zero to $93,000 in monthly sales. I didn't do it by adding more services or chasing new trends—I did it by killing everything else and focusing on just one thing.In this episode, I break down why most entrepreneurs completely misunderstand what true focus looks like. I share my take on a controversial LinkedIn post where a CEO turned down "free" work (and why he was right to do it), discuss my own battle with 'shiny object syndrome,' and explain why more businesses die from indigestion than they do from starvation.If you feel like you're doing too much but not moving forward, this is the reality check you need.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.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

Kiera joins Jill Simonds, founder of Savvy Strategic Partners, to talk about all things leadership mindset, including what to do when you feel trapped by your business (Kiera gets personal on this one!), the ebb and flow of motivation, psychology of ownership, and a ton, ton more. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript:   The Dental A Team (00:01) Hello, Dental A Team listeners, this is Kiera And today it's a special podcast. I was so lucky to be featured on a podcast with Savvy. They are actually a fractional company and we have hired them to get different team members on our team and their founder, Jill Simonds and I got on the podcast and talked about all things from founder mindset to guilt of being an owner to how we stay trapped in businesses. And I just felt that this is such a   poignant and pertinent podcast for all of you. So I hope you all enjoy this episode. I hope you learn a lot. And as always, thanks for listening and I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team Podcast.   The Dental A Team (00:37) Welcome everyone to vision untethered conversations with inspirational leaders. My name is Jill Simonds, founder of Savvy Strategic Partners. We are a dedicated leadership team of fractional executives. I am so thrilled to introduce my special guest today, Kiera Dent, the dynamic founder of the Dental A Team, a consulting firm dedicated to helping dental practices simplify operations, strengthen leadership and elevate patient care.   With her unique background as both a dental clinician and business owner, brings a powerful blend of insight and business strategy to every practice she partners with. Her and her team have worked with hundreds of practices nationwide to build systems that reduce stress, increase efficiency, and foster long-term success. Kiera, I'm so excited to have you here. Thank you, Jill. Thank you. I'm so excited and honored to be here.   It's fun. love what you're doing out there. I love these kinds of conversations and wow, it's always fun to sit back and hear your own bio. So thanks. It feels, feels a good way to kick off the podcast. Let's hope I deliver up to that, but truly just honored to be here. Super excited and just love what you're doing for all the founders out there like myself. Just helping us get to that executive level that we need when we maybe aren't quite large enough to bring on all these amazing players full time into our company. So just super jazz and excited to be here with you today.   Yeah, me too. I'm excited to get into it. I don't actually think I know your full story and inspiration behind Dental A Team and your purpose and passion. So let's start there. What inspired your journey and how does your purpose align with the unique challenges that you face in scaling a business today? Yeah, well,   Dentistry was never meant to be in my blood. I just happened to be in high school and saw a really fast path to wearing scrubs. thought I can be a dental assistant or I can be a nurse. I don't want to learn the whole body. That's disgusting. Mouth, I could probably handle. So that's honestly what kicked this off. So was in high school. It was a random career. And then everybody kind of teases me because my last name is Dent. It's not a stage name. And I make the joke that's real life. I just had to get three fiancees to get that last name.   That was really what got me into it. I love dentistry. It turned out to be a perfect career for me. And so I did it in high school and then I went to college and college. I actually did an undergrad in marriage and family therapy. I was planning to be a therapist and I remember being, I was interviewing in Oklahoma for grad school and I remember sitting in the interview and I was thinking like, I wonder how that like filling's going. I wonder how that crown prep's going.   And I thought, gosh, this is going to be such a weird world. Like I am trying to like pitch myself to this future college. but I'm thinking about how much fun I had back in the office and how my patients were doing. And so I got a full ride scholarship and I decided to put it on pause. went to, pharmacy school with my husband. and we went out there and we decided we'll put this on pause. We'll see if we can both get into the same school.   But I just realized my heart, my soul, my passion is in dentistry. I'd been a dental assistant, a treatment coordinator, a scheduler, a biller, an office manager, all the pieces. And so when we went to pharmacy school, decided, you know what, I'm going to call around to all of his schools and I'm going to see if we can get a spouse discount if I work at the college. Because some schools, and man, pharmacy school was not for the faint of heart. So I called around and luckily Arizona, they did and Jason got accepted to it. So I was like, all right, sights are on.   I've always been a little hustler. I'm like, sites are on, I'm to get a job at this college. And I just felt truly, truly blessed. So many people tried to get jobs there. All my friends were trying to get jobs there. And I randomly was talking to this lady in the pool at our complex and she says she has nothing to do with me getting the job there. But I fully believe that Laura had a lot of, a lot of strings behind the scenes to get me the job at Midwestern in Arizona. So I a discount on the tuition, which was great.   Um, but I was able to then work at the dental college and that truly is what kicked off this Dental A Team consulting company because I worked at the college for three years, got the, got the discount. And then while my husband was doing his residency, one of the students actually asked me to come and start a practice with her in Colorado. And I thought, Oh my gosh, like good thing I said no to the marriage and family therapy. Like let's go from dental assistant to practice owner three years. Like, let's do this. So   actually helped start a practice in Colorado. ⁓ took our first office from 500,000 to 2.4 million in nine months, opened a second location and I was like hooked on this adrenaline junkie of business ownership. But at the same time, just like we were drinking from a fire hose. My marriage was almost in shambles. I was in shambles. Like I'm 5'8". I was 98 pounds. I was not sleeping. I was up at 2 a.m. staying like up till 10 p.m. Like just it was an exhausting road.   drain, everything was falling apart. And so when I split from that partnership, ⁓ I sat there and I remember just sitting, I didn't know what to do. Like I'd lost my marriage practically. I'd lost my identity. I was like on death row in lots of different facets. And I remember just thinking like, I don't even know who Kiera Dent is anymore. And so I sat there and I was like, well,   I'm going to start a consulting company. Like I love dentistry. If I could help her, I could probably help more people. And I think that this is the fuel of founders where when we're at rock bottom, we've got to have something that builds us into our next version. And that's what Dental A Team was for me. So Dental A Team, say, was built from like the ashes of my life. Like it feels like the Phoenix rising for me. And so I started a company. Like I just, I didn't even know what I was doing. Had no background in it.   And I went and consulted my friend and I was like, I just need to practice on you. I don't even know what I'm doing. And we took his practice and we grew it tremendously. He then introduced me to a consultant overnight. had 50 clients. I started like just making things up as I went. And it was really like an overnight success, but I went from like rookie don't know what I'm doing to this. I know that I can help practices and I want to serve. And I've got all these dentists that are just like these little babies that are going to get.   ripped apart in the industry, there's gotta be a way. And so it's always said, like I always said, I wanted to positively impact the wealth of dentistry in the greatest way possible. And that's what I've said since day one, that's how it is. And now I realize that life is my passion, dentistry is my platform, but changing people's lives, helping them live their best lives. And it's wild that we're even talking Jill, because what you do for me and my business is what I do for dentists. And so it's this weird annoyance to me that I'm like, I can be a miracle grow.   and I can grow dental practices and it can be so fun. But yeah, I have no idea how to do that in a corporate world. And so learning it and evolving, and that's actually how you and I even got together was I needed someone but not a consultant. I was like, listen, I know what consultants do. I am a consultant. Like I need, I need someone with me. So that's how we got here and that's how my passion's been. I don't get to wear scrubs. That's the only bummer. Like the whole story started with scrubs and now you like wear clothes.   ⁓ You can make some really stylish scrubs as part of the entire. I would love to, but I do joke. like, took my marriage and found my therapy background, tethered it with my passion of dentistry and created a company from like just true passion and love. man, it's just been a, I think it's good. We don't know the end from the beginning. So many people want to know that. I don't think knowing what I know now I would have ever started, but I think I needed that as a person.   to build, execute. And I think that that's how founders are. We're just meant to build, we're meant to create, we're to be these creators. And so to build something that's just been magical and changed so many lives, like, gosh, the joy it's brought me has been like a hundredfold beyond anything I could have imagined. ⁓ beautiful story. And yeah, quite funny too, the path ⁓ and steps that you took to get here, but wait a listen. mean, just listen to your intuition.   And it sounds like you have some of those key core memories along the way of like your thought process sitting in scenarios where you're like, wait, is this me? Is this even what I want? And acting on it and taking that initiative and to where it's got you. That's a beautiful story. Thank you. Yeah. Can you share a specific experience from this where you have felt trapped by your business? Every day,   What strategies have you implemented or are you to create space for true growth and scalability? Yes. This is such a good and I hope like listeners, they're probably like, I don't know. I just hope that what I share is making you not feel alone. I think is probably the biggest piece because I hear this from dentists. I'm like, I know I'm not alone and I joined a bunch of groups for it. But ⁓ I say that Dental A Team is a dragon that never sleeps. Like this thing just is a crying baby of   breathing dragon that just never ever stops. And I think that there have been times, so especially last year, last year was like my rock bottom. So technically we're eight years into the company, but like I was partnered with that other guy for five, for four years. So I feel like I'm like five years in on my own trying to do this, even though I know it's like just had a funny path. But last year I hit rock bottom.   Like I went cold turkey. I checked out of work. I remember just being like, I am sick. Like not physically sick, but mentally, emotionally, spiritually, like I'm apathetic to life. Like things just need to shut down. and I'm sure a lot of founders get to this level where you just, you're doing everything. Like the whole company is riding on you and you are so rad that you built this company, but it's outgrown you and you don't know how to shed that and to build and to create and to evolve. And so my, ⁓   And I think it was, I feel like I tell myself lies all the times, which I'm sure most people can relate to of, okay, care, just push through like three more months and we're going to be better. Like three more months, we got to hire three. So you're always in this like, okay, it's going to get better at three months. And then you're like, well, shoot, like this person didn't work out. So I got to keep doing sales or, this didn't work out. So I've got to keep doing this aspect of the business. that could be a me that could be not me, but last year my strategy was like completely checked out of life. I,   came back from a conference, I was so exhausted, so burnout that I just called my executive team and said, all right, you guys have it. Like, I don't want to hear from anybody. Like I put all the things like, here's a lawyer, here's the CPA here. Of course, I'm not just going to let this thing fail, but I needed a complete shut off reset and I slept for 17 hours a day for an entire month. Like it was every day just exhausted. felt numb. felt like I lost like,   The way to best describe it is I felt like I was watching a movie in color that went black and white and that was my life. Like there was no color, there was no emotion. There was no, I feel like I lost feeling to life. And I think that was just coping mechanism to get through. We did a lot of therapy, like lots of different pieces. And I realized like, okay, we got to take care of Kiera first and then we have to get to these spaces. So when you say like, do you ever feel trapped by your business? Yes. Cause it's like, what do you do?   This is a company that's a consulting company built on Kiera. That's Kiera Dent. That's her face. Like, how do you even sell this type of a B2B business to somebody? So I did meet with people. did find two potential buyers. I was like, I need a way out. I need to figure out how do I get rid of this crying baby? Like it's got to just stop, like make the crying stop. ⁓ And then that's where we actually pulled in a traction coach. So Rick, we hired Rick. I was like,   I need someone who's outside of this company who can see it that can also be the motivating voice for my team and help them see like, Kiera can't keep carrying all this. So I will say like Rick was a huge blessing. He came from a great network of people and then the leadership team. was like, we had to have a complete reset of everything's not on Kiera's plate, but I don't think it was all leadership team. think that there's a lot of pieces of Kiera perfection that my ego.   needed to feel important and to be able to let that go. Things aren't going to be perfect, Jill. I still stress like my, I have a little bracelet on that says trust and flow. And that's this year's theme of like, here, you got to trust people and you've got to go with the flow more than trying to curate and force because that's always going to be the hardest path. So, and then we obviously hired you. We hired Jenna who's been a phenomenal fractional. we brought on a CRO.   who's helping in the sales and marketing department. But I also think that businesses when they hit a certain level, they finally have the cash to be able to hire the expertise that you need to bring on. But before that, I was so cash flow scared that I think I maybe held on to profitability too hard rather than hiring help sooner that could have probably prevented it getting that low. So now it's like mandatory, I go to the gym.   three times a week, non-negotiable. have sets time, like we shut off from work every single day at five o'clock. My husband has alarm that goes off and like, we don't talk work. We hot tub every night. Like, I don't think I realized the mental bandwidth that being a founder, operator, doer requires to recharge. And now I'm just like really pro like, no, no, no guys, I don't care what goes on. Like if these things don't happen, I'll fall apart. And that's just, I don't show up the best for anybody on the team. So.   Yes, I still feel trapped. I still wish that some days I could quit my own job. But I think the fact that you can't quit is also a really beautiful blessing because it forces innovation and creation. ⁓ So well said. the help and the support and leaning on others in your circle, finding your people who you can trust.   That's the first step for sure. You're not alone. And the second we realized that, I mean, this it's lonely. It's lonely at the top. And even with a dynamic team, nobody else wears the pressure, the weight, the risk involved like you have to, you know, but knowing that you're not alone and you have a team that you can lean on, the more you can lean into that, grow that, expand that.   It's a give and take and an ebb and flow for sure. It's not linear, but. Yeah. You made me think about my brother-in-law has a very, very, very successful high end builds these beautiful custom homes in Utah. Like one of the top builders he's been on Netflix. Like he just has this very, very incredible company. And I remember when my husband, got married where ⁓ my husband's eight years younger than him. I was like, he's always so grumpy. Like this man is so angry all the time.   And then I realized he's a business owner and he's at the spot that I'm at right now. And I'm like, I am always just like in this space of anger and frustration. And he's actually been this really randomly. He was the one I didn't like. I like, had like clashes when we first got married. I feel like I understand him on an entirely different level now. And I'm like, I get it. Like, I see, I see why you were the way you were. Like it makes so much more sense to me, but he told me, he said, Kiera, the day you become free is the day that you stopped caring so much about.   Like in the day you realize that nobody can take anything from you. Like that is such a freeing moment. So if you do get sued or if you have a teammate that like writes, like last year it was like, we got reviews galore and it's crazy. You can't take those down because if you are a CEO executive, you are no longer a human and that doesn't matter. And I think just like the bullets, we had like a pending lawsuit. We had people writing awful things about me. Like it just felt like it was just this tumultuous tumbleweed.   But I think you go through that and you do build that. I don't want to say it's a calloused soul because for me, feel like becoming angry or bitter is never going to serve. think it's an internal knowing that you have the confidence and the certainty in yourself that no matter what bullets come your way, you are capable of solving anything and everything that comes. I think when you can... Yeah.   navigate enough storms to have that confidence. I think there is so much more freedom in there. And I just think about him, he's so much happier, but he's like, I'm not reliant on anybody for my happiness. No one can take anything away from me. And I'm not dependent on anybody for like this success. And I think that's a, it's a certainty. It's not an air of ego. And I think it could be possibly taken that way. It's an air of confidence and certainty within you that I think then the highs and lows are not as turbulent. And I think that that was   similar to what we were saying, it just becomes a, I think, an evolution of you as a person. And I think that that's ultimately why we all become business owners is for that evolution of soul that we are seeking, that maybe we don't want to go through the process to get there. But on the other side, it's a beautiful version of yourself that's far grander, far more beautiful, far stronger, far more confident than you ever could have imagined yourself being. Yeah. Well said.   That freedom point too is it's almost like a stance of serenity too, because, and if you know, you know, the serenity prayer, it's, is the, the acknowledgement of what we can or cannot control what is outside of us. And when we finally let go of people's perception, what they're going to, what they even think, right? We cannot.   even control as good as of work as we can put forward and as best as we can show up. We can't control others perceptions of us, what they're going to say, what they're going to do with that. And so that level of understanding and acceptance and wisdom to know this is mine, this isn't mine and let go of everything that we carry that, you know, we think we have some control over.   letting that go is ultimate freedom, I think, when we can see, be in that confidence and in a state of serenity. Yeah, the more you let go of that and just lean into what's within our realm and our controllables is the best you can do. And we show up better. Absolutely. That's the trust and flow mindset mantra for this year of   Yeah, there is no pain in change. There's pain in the like resistance to it. And so like you said, it's a surrendering. It's a surrendering of   I think just acknowledging that this is life, this is who you are, this is what you can control. And I never thought that you could really come back from being so low. But you hear it, like you see people, like you hear media talk about it. But I think business owners, someone said once, business is such a spiritual journey. And I was like, how? I don't get it, ⁓ but I do get it.   It's such a spiritual journey. It's such an evolution of soul. It's a surrendering. It's a give. It's a take. It's a beautiful blessing. It's a call. There's so much beauty in it. then I think like, turn it into a puzzle, turn it into a game, turn it into like, how can we make this into more fun? So I started just adding more fun too. was like, why do I need to always be the gladiator? Why don't we just have like a good time and like giggle about all these things?   But I think that that's truly an evolution of you as a person too. I don't think that that is not an overnight sensation. Anyone who tells you it is like, good luck. think that that is, that's a crafted, it's an evolution and it's a beautiful surrender like you said, and grace for yourself and for others. But I feel like the person you become through it is there's so much empathy, there's so much love, there's so much compassion for others that I don't think you get there any other way.   Yeah, that's so true. Having it for ourselves first is so much harder than having that for others. So the compassion and care and giving love of ourselves and acceptance, that's the only way to give it outside of ourselves. So good. What are what are some common psychological barriers either for you or that you see show up? You work with a ton of business owners in very specific industry, too. So   What are some of those barriers you see that prevent owners from stepping back and not being so tethered, you know, to their business? What contributes to that? What are some of the psychological factors, beliefs maybe that we carry that keep us stuck? Yes. And you're right. Like I've coached hundreds and thousands of offices. That's where it's so like.   so aggravating to me to be like, Jill, need help. Like I know how to do this for someone else, but I don't want to do it for my own. I think that there's beliefs of because you're a business owner, you have to know it all. I know that that's like a big one of there's humility, but at the same time you're like, well, I'm in this, I have to figure it out. I think one of my psychological ones that I know dentists have as well is in B2B when you are the service provider, it's,   It's a psychological belief of if you are the product and you step back, how does your business continue? And it's odd because as random as it is, I was able to give up consulting much faster and delegate that, which is shocking to me. think about it often, like you give that up, but you don't give up sales and marketing and reputation. Like it's fascinating to me that I'm like the biggest portion of it and like dentists, they'll hire an associate dentist. But to me, I think those are possibly easier skillsets because I   I have that skillset that I know I can look for it and I can train that and can evolve it versus like sales and marketing in different places. Like, I don't know if I'm trying to figure it out. How am I supposed to coach this up? So I think those keep us stuck. I think there's a, I think there's a, I don't know. I don't know what it is. I feel like it's societal. But I think I'm with this like asking for help or I don't know. Is this weird? Like for me,   I feel like I'm a very highly high capable human. Like we were talking the other day and it was, on client escalations, like it's either the CEO, the salesperson or the consultant, whoever knows them best. I was like, cool. I'm a trifecta. Like no wonder I'm good at this. Like I'm the CEO, I am the salesperson and I am a consultant that I think that there's sometimes this like this weird, because I'm so high functioning and so capable that I should be able to do this and I should be able to continue carrying all these pieces.   Why am I tired? Like get it together girl. And just like, keep moving on. I think that keeps you so bound in. And then truly when I even say that out loud, I'm like, it's just your ego screaming at you, wanting you to feel important. And if you step back at all, I know what I think about stepping back. A lot of my team is the same age as me too. And I sometimes feel very awkward about like, so I'm going to have a CEO lifestyle and not be eight to five with you guys because the business never stops crying.   But it's as weird. Like sometimes I also think I'm tethered and a lot of my doctors are because like same age, same demographic, same, like you feel so similar and so close that it's almost like, why are you better than them? It's so awkward. hate it. Like you can even see I'm like playing with my hair more than I should be like, that's the stress of like, I know what I need to be doing, but I feel like I need to be sitting at the table with them every day and in the trenches with them, but they're not sitting up on the, on the hill looking down the line.   but you feel like you've got to do both. it's this weird, like I said, I don't know if it's societal, I don't know if it's female, I don't know if it's ego. I think it's probably a combination of all, but those are psychological traps. And when I see it in a client, I'm like, all right, great, you need to delegate and we need to like take these things off your plate. But I think when you're a founder living through it or the business owner, I think sometimes it's very hard to even see that ego showing up around you or see where you should let go of things.   And then I think it's a lack of trust. Like I've delegated some of these things out. We've hired, like we have paid, last year was a $300,000 oops. And I hired really great people, but like it just didn't pan. So I think that there's also that like, well, how much do you want to throw at this problem to make it go away versus just continuing to carry the torch? So it's like this ball and chain you get out of it and you get back in it. It's like this weird, awkward relationship with yourself and your business that I think is slightly toxic.   but also very addicting, which is probably why it's so toxic on certain levels. So those are mine. I know that was like a very jumbled thought, but those I think are some of the psychological ones that I've seen personally and professionally that keep people very tethered. But I will say, I like boil it down, it's always ego. Always that keeps us tied in because who are we if we don't have all this busyness badge? think that that feels like a deep hollow dark hole for me anytime I think about it.   So I know that I haven't quite grown enough to see that there's a path out. But I think is also maturity and letting go of the ego. Absolutely. Well, and it's so common. It's really what would I kind of boil down oftentimes to founders guilt, owners guilt, right? You're the hero in a lot of situations or can come in and swoop in and help and   There's an identity crisis piece of it to that ego that's like, well, if I'm not doing all these, if I'm not still holding this, who am I for one? And maybe, maybe internally we have this perception of, and you know, we've, we've grown or we've healed in ways that we know, no, I like, I know I am worthy and valued and valuable outside of what I contribute here. But like, what about what everyone else thinks? Then it's this perception of.   Well, if I'm not doing all these things, what does my team think of me? And are they going to think I'm just off on an island somewhere slacking off when I don't deserve that? Or right, like all these, these guilt trips that founders often carry because we can do all these things. So there's, there's no excuse why we shouldn't or couldn't if we can, therefore we should do them. Right. So we just continue to hold and carry that.   but yeah, guilt, ego, those are definitely some, some key pointers that we see a lot. So, as you said, Jill, it just made me think about like, but why, like, where does this stem from? Because we all feel it like I do. And then I'm like, what, does it matter? So then you justify and you rationalize and you hang out in this other Island. And then it's like, I'm going on vacation because I worked like 50,000 hours. And it's like, there comes a line where I think that that   that serenity, that like, I remember there was a day I had to Google, what does a CEO do? Like, I didn't even know. I was like, what do you, like, what do you, if I'm not doing all the things, like, what am I even supposed to do? But I think when you can, when you realize that your company needs a captain, the company needs somebody looking down the line, you start to shift and change and realize that you've got to start shedding off a lot of these things.   and I think you, you feel the guilt and do it anyway, I think has been my mantra to, don't think it will ever be easy. I think you feel the guilt and do it anyway. For sure. Because that guilt is typically self-inflicted for the most part. If you have the right team around you and in the business that care about and are aligned with the division that you've crafted, that you've put forth, they need that from you.   just as much, right? You stepping away, you coming and showing up refreshed, aware, whole, right? Those fragmented pieces of us when we're scrambling to try to just uphold and keep all the plates up in the air is not the best version of ourselves. And so when we realize that too, and the more the team can even vocalize like, yes, like we need this of you and look at   look at all the places that a visionary needs to show up looking down the line, what's ahead, looking outward and not down and in is that pulls the rest of the energy and the rest of that, you know, that perspective for the rest of the team to see that more and more clearly if that's where your focus is. So you're doing them a favor, you're doing a service. ⁓   Cause every, yeah, every successful business needs someone charting that vision. And that is where your eyes are focused. That is where your pull is going toward that. That is what grows the I think that because it feels like it's just this like vision that's not tangible, I think for me at least, and for other people that often can keep us tethered into the company because it doesn't, there's no way to put on a KPI scorecard that I did my visioning.   for the day. It's like, do I even know that I'm showing up and having that as a checklist? But I think when you really are solid in it and you watch a team who has a vision versus a team who doesn't have a vision, you see the intangible, like it's a subconscious push. It's the wind behind the sails. You can see a sail, can't see the wind, but the wind is ultimately what makes it go. And I think when visionaries realize that you are an invisible, very tangible, intangible part,   I think it becomes much more clear of like, no, I need the white noise space. Like I need these things because ultimately it's my job. And I've got to be able to show up as that wind to push this boat in the direction it needs to truly go. I love that. I'm going to use that analogy. That's so well put. That's a good one. Well, to finalize the conversation today, what steps would you suggest to founders struggling to   let go, delegate, while also maintaining alignment with their vision.   That's a great question, Jill. I feel like such an Oreo. I've got a white side of me and it's a black and white in me. Because I'm like, what would I tell my clients? I would tell clients, the way you are able to step back is we set these pieces and we do all this. And then I'm like, well, let's speak from Kiera's perspective of, I've done this. This is where I'm at.   to step back and what I also watched. So I think they do actually go like, I'm like, okay, I'm not an Oreo. Like I've got both parts of the cookie on. Like I brought it together for everybody here. I think both sides, my side and client side would be, I think having a vision for yourself. When I got crystal clear of where I really wanted to go personally and professionally in the next one, three, 10 years, like I grabbed a big sticky pad. It was written out and I stick it in front of me every single day. So I'm looking at that.   that became a lot more clear. My decisions became much cleaner. So I think it would even tie to the book. Like 10 X is easier than two X when you have this big audacious vision, the path becomes so much cleaner and easier than when you're trying to just do a two X move. So I would say for visionaries who feel stuck, that is ultimately where you're at. If I get your 10 X vision, where is that going? Clean up the paths and stay laser focused on that. And then get your team rally behind it.   They get excited. They get the joy behind it. And I think like, even when I say that, I'm like, the 10X path is just so much easier. It's so much cleaner. It's so much more freeing. And then I think like, again, it's hard, but do it anyway. Right now it's a stripping down of letting go of clients for me. And I feel like such an awkward identity. I'm like, if I'm not a consultant, am I going to lose my edge? And it's like, but I'm so clear on the 10X, the 10 year vision.   that that part has to sheath off in order for me to progress and to grow. And I think when you are aligned, also be really careful not to lose that vision. I lost my leg last year. Like it was still there, but I buried it. think keeping that radiant, keeping that vibrant, keeping that like for me, it's a post-it note on the wall, like a giant one. Like this is where I'm headed. This is where the boat's going. This is where the wind needs to push me and the company. I think that that can help you stay true to you.   It can say true and it makes all the other decisions so much easier because then it's a yes or a no. And if you can get that black and white crystal clear and then truly trust and empower your team, that to me is like, I recognize it's a let go of control. It's a surrender like we discussed earlier and belief in your team that they're going to crush it. And if these aren't the right people, right seat, you're going to find them, you're going to grow, you're going to evolve. But the 10X vision is a non-negotiable.   But it's a 10X vision that makes you happy, fulfilled and not like exhausted, out at the end of the finish line. I think I used to feel it was a muscle through rather than a joyous journey. That 10X vision needs to be joyous journey. And who am I at the vibrant self at the end of it? I'm not going to muscle through anymore. I'm going to gracefully navigate. So I've got energy for me, energy for team, energy for family. because I think if we're not thriving in our businesses, we might as well just go get a job from someone else.   You don't want to have a worse job with you as the boss than you would somewhere else. So hopefully that, but I think it's just crystal clear on where you're enjoy that. ⁓ Kiera, thank you so much for your insights, your wisdom and sharing your heart. just truly and authentically it's beautiful. Thank you, Jill. Appreciate being here. Really, really appreciate what you're doing too. Well, thank you so much.   If anyone wants to learn more about you, Dental A Team and expertise of your team, where's the best place to find you and information or get connected? Yeah. We have a podcast, the Dental A Team podcast. So come on over. We'd love to have you there. Tips for teams and for owners. And then also Hello@TheDentalATeam.com or online, like social, we're on Instagram. Dental A Team would be great. But yeah, love to just share, inspire, help.   because I believe like all of us succeeding together is what this journey is about, but succeeding and being fulfilled. It's not, life should be fun. Owning a business should be fun. It does not need to be hard. So let's make it easy and fun together. ⁓ I love that. Well, thank you everyone for listening. Kiera, thank you again for being here and we'll see everyone next time.

Mark Donnigan is a B2B tech marketing strategist, startup growth expert, and leading advocate for intelligent adoption of AI in marketing. With a track record of helping technology companies overcome resource constraints and secure multimillion-dollar deals, Mark is known for building and accelerating nimble, effective teams. He specializes in leveraging AI for research, content creation, and productivity, empowering marketers to be T-shaped, deeply knowledgeable, and highly adaptive in a rapidly evolving landscape. In this episode of Marketer of the Day, Mark Donnigan joins Robert Plank to share how AI is enabling small marketing teams to punch above their weight, create high-quality content, and deeply understand their buyers. Mark elaborates on the transformative power of LLMs, the overlooked capabilities for market research, and the vital importance of combining AI with genuine market insight. Discover why embracing AI is crucial, how to update your processes for maximum growth, and what makes resilient teams thrive in tech's fast-changing environment. Quotes: “AI gives marketers a superpower; anyone can become T-shaped, expanding depth and range exactly where the moment demands.” “What once looked like under-resourced teams now looks like untapped advantage. With AI, small teams can break through big limitations.” “Don't chase every new AI train. Spend that time learning your market, show up, listen deeply, and understand what your audience actually needs.” Resources: Connect with Mark Donnigan on LinkedIn Explore Growth Stage Marketing Visit the GrowthStage Marketing Blog Check out Mark Donnigan on YouTube

Most sellers don't miss their targets because of effort.They miss them because they don't plan the work behind the number.In this episode of Revenue Leaders, we break down how top sellers and sales leaders reverse-engineer their year, map activity to targets, and remove guesswork from execution.You'll learn:Why targets alone don't drive sales performanceHow to reverse-engineer your sales year into daily activityWhat to do when deals slip and results fall behindWhy controlling activity matters more than controlling outcomesHow top sellers plan for pressure instead of reacting to itIf you sell complex or B2B deals, manage sales teams, or want more consistent performance, this episode is for you.⭐ 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, Sasha Orloff speaks with Tarek Alaruri, CEO and Co-founder of Stuut, about raising a Series A from Andreessen Horowitz to build an AI-powered accounts receivable platform that automates the entire AR function—from credit and collections to cash application and disputes—delivering a 40% reduction in DSO in the first six months compared to the 3% improvement from legacy software, while implementing in just 3.6 days for mid-market and Fortune 100 companies. -- SPONSORS: Notion Boost your startup with Notion—the ultimate connected workspace trusted by thousands worldwide! From engineering specs to onboarding and fundraising, Notion keeps your team organized and efficient. For a limited time, get 6 months of Notion AI FREE to supercharge your workflow. Claim your offer now at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://notion.com/startups/puzzle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Puzzle

Send us a message!In this episode, we sit down with Moriya Rockman, founder of Smiling House Luxury, to explore how a single personal vacation home in the Swiss Alps became the starting point for a global luxury vacation rental portfolio.Moriya shares her journey from accidental host to global founder, including why she and her husband chose to stay hands-on operators while scaling internationally. She explains how staying close to hospitality standards shaped every stage of growth, from property management to technology.The conversation also explores Villa Tracker, a B2B-to-C platform she founded that connects luxury homes with travel designers, concierges, and advisors booking on behalf of clients. Moriya breaks down why this channel matters, how it opens untapped demand beyond OTAs, and what it means for hosts and property managers looking to reach a different tier of traveler.We also dive into global luxury travel trends, emerging destinations, and why private homes continue to outperform hotels for group travel, longer stays, and experience-driven trips.This episode offers a grounded look at scaling thoughtfully, building through relationships, and creating long-term opportunity in luxury vacation rentals without losing sight of hospitality.Episode Chapters:00:00 – Welcome to Alex & Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals01:18 – Turning a Swiss Chalet Into a Vacation Rental Business03:25 – How to Scale a Luxury Vacation Rental Portfolio06:57 – Building a Global Luxury Brand While Staying an Operator09:49 – B2B Travel Bookings for Vacation Rentals Explained12:30 – Beyond Airbnb and OTAs for Luxury Rentals14:33 – How Luxury Travel Advisors Book Private Homes18:57 – Working With Individual Hosts and Property Managers22:59 – Technology Partnerships for Luxury Vacation Rentals25:57 – Is Luxury Travel Recession-Proof?28:10 – Why Groups and Multi-Generational Travel Choose Private Homes30:33 – Emerging Luxury Travel Destinations to Watch33:59 – Experiencing Luxury Properties in the Off-Season38:19 – Women in Vacation Rental LeadershipConnect with Moriya:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moriya-rockman-a3467a13a/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/smiling-house/ ✨ Exclusive Offer to Alex & Annie Listeners:Streamline your short-term rental operations with Hostfully.Mention the Alex & Annie Podcast when you sign up and get free onboarding ($1000 value).

Brand vs Demand: Why B2B Marketing Is Stuck in a Measurement TrapIn this episode of The Metrics Brothers, Dave "CAC" Kellogg and Ray "Growth" Rike tackle one of the most persistent and controversial questions in B2B marketing: Brand vs. Demand.The discussion is grounded in new data from the 2026 B2B Brand vs Demand Benchmark Report. While most marketing teams say they believe brand and demand are complementary, the numbers tell a more complicated story.Today's reality?Marketing budgets are still heavily skewed toward short-term demand generation, with roughly 70% of spend allocated to demand and only ~25% to brand. Yet when asked how they want to invest, marketing leaders overwhelmingly say they'd prefer a much more balanced future, closer to 50% demand and 40% brand.So why the disconnect?Ray and Dave dig into the root cause: measurement.Demand generation is tied to metrics CFOs understand like pipeline dollars, opportunities, and ARR. Brand, on the other hand, is still largely measured using proxy metrics like website traffic and awareness, leaving many executives unable to confidently link brand investments to revenue outcomes. Only 28% of companies say they can directly tie brand activity to pipeline, and when budgets are cut, brand is sacrificed five times more often than demand.The episode also explores:Why performance marketing struggles are pushing CMOs back toward brandThe growing inefficiency of demand spend aimed at “future buyers”How much of the “demand” budget is effectively unmeasured brand spendThe dangerous gap between belief in brand and proof of impactWhy AEO, AI search, and LLM visibility will make brand ROI even harder and more urgent to measureRay and Dave don't just highlight the findings, they discuss the reality of Chief Marketing Officers making the Brand vs Demand budget allocation trade-offs.One key takeaway? Until brand investments can be credibly connected to pipeline efficiency, win rates, and ARR, it will remain more a faith-based investment instead of a financial one the CFOs understand.If you're a CMO trying to defend brand spend, or a CFO trying to understand where marketing dollars truly drive growth, this episode is required listening.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Jeff Clark, our resident B2B marketing strategist and our host Ian Truscott are inspired by an article by Dave Kellogg, which describes a pipeline crisis for B2B, and they pick 5 of the best suggestions of what Kellogg would do from the 13 he lists in that article.  The five they discuss: Think holistically Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Get good at AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) Leverage the CEO  Build first-party audiences As always, we welcome your feedback. If you have a hot topic you'd like us to discuss, please contact us using the links below. Enjoy! — The Links The people: Ian Truscott on LinkedIn Jeff Clark on LinkedIn Mentioned this week: How To Navigate the Pipeline Crisis - Kellblog Rockstar CMO: The Beat Newsletter that we send every Monday Rockstar CMO on the web, Twitter, and LinkedIn Previous episodes and all the show notes: Rockstar CMO FM. Track List: Stienski & Mass Media - We'll be right back Panic in Detroit (2013 Remaster) - David Bowie You can listen to this on all good podcast platforms, like Apple, Amazon, and Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric Franchi and Joe Zappa discuss takeaways from tvScientific-Pinterest with a focus on B2B marketing and investing: why tvScientific's narrative struck the right notes, how they implemented the CEO evangelism playbook, and what their success signals for investors.

Unified Office has been one of those companies I have been watching for years as they have expanded their customer base from Restaurants to Auto dealer, Hotels, Dentists and Wellness and beyond.  They did this while expanding their product solutions from VoIP telephony to IoT, Business Communications Platform, a Visual Performance Suite, and now to a TCNIQ AI Analytics Suite. Ray Pasquale In today's podcast Don Witt, of the Channel Daily News, a TR publication, speaks with Ray Pasquale, CEO and Founder. You will hear about Unified Office’s transformation into an AI-focused company with Ray explaining their HQRP protocol for reliable voice communications and detailing their technology that emulates T1 cables over the internet. They will also cover topics including port security, regulatory compliance, and robocall protection with Ray sharing insights about their focus on B2B vertical markets and AI-powered communication solutions. Ray discusses the company’s use of transcription services and their proprietary AI tool Engage IQ for analyzing business calls, while emphasizing the importance of regulatory compliance and data security. They are not just ANY voice company, they are Unified Office. If you just want a voice company, you can find a long list on Google, but if you want a company that will constantly innovate for you, with your business always at the heart of everything we design, you're in the right place.   About: Unified office is a leading managed communications technology company, driven by passion, purpose and commitment, driving relentless constant innovation in Voice, AI, Internet of Things (IoT), Analytics and more to help provide solutions and opportunities for small-and-medium sized businesses to stay ahead in a rapidly changing world, with support that will never let you down. Unified Office gives small- to mid-sized businesses the convenience of voice to do what we have done for years with phone, IoT, text messaging, and other data. We will continue to innovate communications so you can concentrate on running your business, provide exemplary customer service, drive more revenue, and increase employee and operational effectiveness. For more information, go to: https://unifiedoffice.com/.

In this first episode of Future Finance for 2026, hosts Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper take time to reflect on how AI actually showed up in finance over the past year, and what that means going forward. Without a guest, the conversation focuses on real experiences, observations, and lessons from working directly with finance teams, CFOs, and operators who are navigating AI adoption day to day.Paul and Glenn discuss how individuals have become far more comfortable using AI tools in their own work, while companies as a whole have moved much more slowly. Topics include ongoing data quality problems, hesitation around governance and security, and why many organizations still struggle to integrate AI into core systems and workflows. They also share their thoughts on notable developments from 2025, including OpenAI's shift toward consumer use, Microsoft Copilot's mixed results, Google Gemini's rapid improvement, and Nvidia's continued growth.In this episode, you will discover:How AI adoption differs between individuals and organizationsWhy poor data quality still limits many finance teamsWhat recent changes from OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, and Nvidia suggestWhere Microsoft Copilot works well today and where it falls shortWhy automation and basic app-building are becoming more importantPaul and Glenn share concrete examples from Excel, Outlook, reporting, and close processes. They also emphasize that banning AI use is no longer realistic and that clear guidelines matter more than strict restrictions.Join hosts Glenn and Paul as they unravel the complexities of AI in finance.Follow 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:[02:47] – How Individuals vs. Companies Used AI in 2025[06:12] – OpenAI, Monetization, and Market Signals[09:27] – Google Gemini's Turnaround[15:56] – Big Models vs. Specialized Tools[21:21] – Consumer AI and Platform Control[26:26] – Real Copilot Use Cases in Excel[35:28] – What Finance Professionals Should Focus on in 2026[39:31] – What Finance Leaders Need to Do Now[41:45] – Automation, Vibe Coding, and What's Next[43:07] – Final Thoughts and Closing

This podcast is brought to you by Outcomes Rocket, your exclusive healthcare marketing agency. Learn how to accelerate your growth by going to⁠ outcomesrocket.com At-home blood testing is moving diagnostics out of clinics and into people's lives, removing friction while expanding access to critical health insights. In this episode, Michael Dubrovsky, co-founder and CEO of SiPhox Health, discusses how his team is reimagining blood testing through painless at-home collection and advanced diagnostics focused on longevity and overlooked biomarkers. He explains why traditional blood testing in the U.S. is burdened by complexity, how SiPhox fills gaps left by primary care, and the growing consumer demand for deeper health data. Michael shares the origins of the company's silicon photonics technology, the challenges of clinician trust and FDA clearance, and how home testing is already saving lives by identifying conditions like heart disease and hemochromatosis earlier. He also explores B2B use cases, funnel optimization, health equity, and why betting on fully home-based testing is a bold but necessary move for the future of healthcare. Tune in and learn how at-home diagnostics could fundamentally change how care is delivered and experienced! Resources: Connect with and follow Michael Dubrovsky on LinkedIn. Follow SiPhox Health on LinkedIn and visit their website! Listen to Michael's podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Email Michael directly here.

Is your outreach being ignored? Try the one channel your competitors have forgotten. In this episode of the CEO Sales Strategies Podcast, Doug C. Brown sits down with Wilson Zehr, CEO of Zairmail, to break down how direct mail is making a powerful comeback in high-ticket B2B sales. They explore how physical mail can outperform digital in both prospecting and follow-up—and how to do it in a way that's scalable, personal, and profitable. You'll discover: – Why direct mail builds trust and gets opened – The 70/20/10 formula behind winning campaigns – How to blend automation with personalization – When to use mail for cold vs. warm outreach – How direct mail fits into a modern outbound sales strategy If you're relying on 1:1 sales, long-cycle deals, or high-margin offers—this episode is your new playbook.

Every marketer wants to create a campaign that cuts through, but most B2B brands try to do it with more spend, more channels, and more polish. The real lever is simpler: say something people actually feel.That's the lesson of Oura Ring's ‘Give Us a Finger,' a campaign that nailed cultural timing, sharp copy, and product-specific boldness without losing its soul. In this episode, we explore its B2B marketing takeaways with the help of our special guest Sylvia LePoidevin, CMO & Creator of The Zero to One Marketer.Together, we break down what B2B marketers can learn from making your copy the multiplier, leading with tension, and turning cultural insight into measurable demand.About our guest, Sylvia LePoidevinSylvia LePoidevin is a B2B SaaS marketing leader who has gone from the first marketing hire to CMO at two companies now valued over $2 billion combined. Most recently, Sylvia was the CMO at Kandji. She joined as employee #4 and helped scale the company from pre-seed to an $850M valuation with global offices across the US, London, Sydney, and Tokyo. A former early hire at DataFox (acquired by Oracle's AI group) and FloQast (now valued at $1.6B), Sylvia has spent her career building go-to-market engines from zero, often without playbooks, resources, or precedent. Her passion is helping founders and scaling teams build with the buyer first, using messaging, content, and community as multipliers for growth. Raised in remote Africa before moving to the US alone at 17, Sylvia credits her resilience and outsider perspective as her greatest assets in navigating zero-to-one challenges in both life and business.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Oura Ring's ‘Give Us the Finger' Campaign:Make your copy the multiplier, not the footnote. Sylvia's first lesson from ‘Give Us a Finger; is that the words are the performance channel. She says, “You think so much about the budget and the metrics, but if you put half as much of that effort into just like what the freaking copy is saying, that can change the unit economics of your whole campaign more than anything.” Oura didn't win because they spent more, they won because the headline is sticky, visual, and instantly understandable. In B2B, it should be the same. Before you tune targeting or add spend, pressure-test the message. One sharp line that people repeat will outperform five “optimized” versions nobody remembers.Lead with tension. What makes this campaign work, in Sylvia's eyes, is that it taps a real, shared feeling in the market. She grounds it in one clear idea: “The whole concept of ‘Give Us the Finger' is sort of an act of defiance against aging.” That's why it resonates beyond the cult fans. It's selling an attitude, not a tracker. For B2B marketers, the move is to find the tension your buyers already live in and build the campaign around that. When the audience feels seen first, the product lands as the natural weapon.Keep the wrinkles in your writing. Sylvia loves this campaign because it doesn't feel sanded down into safe brand mush. Her takeaway is blunt: “ AI takes the wrinkles out of your writing… People are now looking for the wrinkles because it shows that it's real.” Oura's creative has an edge, personality, and a little defiance, which is exactly why it sticks. In B2B, where everything tends to sound committee-approved, the fastest way to disappear is to over-smooth. Let your voice have texture. Keep the sharp edges that make your brand human. That's what people notice, trust, and remember.Quote“ 95% of your buyer is not in market at any moment, only 5% is. And it's very lucrative and tempting to pour all of your resources into that 5% and try to capture the existing demand. But eventually it's going to cap out. And to really achieve that hockey stick, long-term growth, you need to invest in the 95%.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Sylvia LePoidevin, CMO & Creator of The Zero to One Marketer[01:26] Why Oura Ring's “Give Us the Finger” Campaign?[04:32] Sylvia's Career Journey in Content Marketing[05:47] Inside the Strategy Behind Oura Ring's ‘Give Us the Finger' [10:52] B2B Marketing Takeaways from Oura Ring's ‘Give Us the Finger' Campaign[26:48] A Content Marketing Playbook for First-Time CMOs[31:47] Modern Marketing Strategies That Actually Work[40:26] The Hidden Power of Internal Influencers[43:55] AI in Content Creation: What to Use, What to Avoid[49:29] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Sylvia on LinkedInAbout Remarkable!Remarkable! is created by the team at Caspian Studios, the premier B2B Podcast-as-a-Service company. Caspian creates both nonfiction and fiction series for B2B companies. If you want a fiction series check out our new offering - The Business Thriller - Hollywood style storytelling for B2B. Learn more at CaspianStudios.com. In today's episode, you heard from Ian Faison (CEO of Caspian Studios) and Meredith Gooderham (Head of Production). Remarkable was produced this week by Jess Avellino, mixed by Scott Goodrich, and our theme song is “Solomon” by FALAK. Create something remarkable. Rise above the noise. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kaskade & CID take over this episode with a special B2B.Experts Only Intro 00:00:001. Kaskade & CID ft. Anabel Englund – Vision Blurred 00:00:072. CID – Pump It Louder 00:05:373. Daft Punk – Around the World (Westend Edit) 00:07:524. Tiga vs Meduza – You Gonna Want Me 00:11:525. Kaskade – Unspoken 00:16:226. Kaskade – I Can't Make You Love Me 00:18:527. Kaskade & deadmau5 – Move For Me (Kaskade Edit) 00:21:378. Hyperbeam – System 00:24:529. Cirez D – On & Off (Edit) 00:27:2210. Alok & Script ft. Faangs – Substance 00:29:3711. CID & Kaskade – Sweet Memories 00:33:0712. Kaskade vs James Haskell, Mark Knight & Gene Farris – Let Me Go Deep 00:35:3713. Benny Benassi & Tobias Gerrard – Discoteka 00:39:2214. Marten Hørger – Tom's Diner 00:41:5215. Will K – Lick It 00:43:2216. Dont Blink – It's Our House 00:46:0017. Tiga – Bugatti (CID Remix) 00:49:0718. Mr. V & Fedde Le Grand ft. Mr. V – Back & Forth (Tony Romera 2025 Rework) 00:53:2219. Max Styler – You & Me 00:57:22

Referrals are still the #1 growth channel in home services — but most contractors treat it like hope marketing.In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Murphy Nadauld (ReferPro) to break down how the best operators turn word-of-mouth into a systematic, trackable, ROI-positive referral engine.They unpack why 83% of customers are willing to refer, yet only 29% actually do — and the three levers that close the gap: awareness, attribution, and automated rewards.You'll learn how top HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, and restoration companies:Activate referrals directly through technicians in the homeBuild a B2B “affiliate army” (realtors, plumbers, inspectors, restoration partners)Tier incentives by job value so referrals scale without blowing up CACUse attribution and automation to make referrals predictable — not randomIf you're a contractor owner who wants referrals on demand, not vibes, this episode is your blueprint.In This Episode, We Cover:The referral gap: why customers want to refer but don'tThe 3-part referral system: Awareness → Attribution → RewardsHow “power referrers” actually emerge (and why spend ≠ referrals)Technician-driven referrals: QR codes, NFC, truck signage, leave-behinds

Send us a textIn this episode, AMEC's CEO Johna Burke joins host Jason Mudd to discuss the Barcelona Principles 4.0 and PR measurement best practices.Tune in to learn more!Meet Our Guest:Our episode guest is Johna Burke, CEO and Global Managing Director at the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC). With more than 30 years of experience in marketing, PR, communications, and strategy for B2B and B2C organizations, Johna is a global leader in communication measurement and evaluation and a sought-after speaker on PR, media relations, and metrics.Five things you'll learn from this episode:1. The 7 Barcelona Principles Explained2. How to apply the Barcelona Principles 4.0 to measure and evaluate PR effectiveness across channels3. How AMEC's Integrated Evaluation Framework can guide planning, measurement, and reporting in your organization4. Practical ways to use data ethically to build credibility, trust, and impact in communications5. How professional development and resources from AMEC can strengthen measurement skills and PR strategy Quotables“When we looked at the Barcelona Principles, because they were rooted in best practice, a lot of them are just making them clearer statements.” — Johna Burke"Supporting the Barcelona Principles, being compliant, helps communicators make a greater value to their organization and gives credibility and reliability to their data." — Johna Burke“It gives you the planning elements, and it is a fill in the text box for what you are doing, starting with your objective and going through to put your activities, your outputs, the outcome, so that when you use this with your team and you put everything in the framework, it also helps you understand which efforts are paid, earned, shared, and owned.” — Johna Burke“Use it as the planning tool as much as you use it as a measurement tool, which arguably, if you're doing measurement effectively, you need to have good concrete planning in place to have those well-defined objectives to know and understand what's working and what's not working.” — Johna BurkeIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.More About Johna BurkeJohna Burke, CEO and Global Managing Director at the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC), has more than 30 years of experience driving results in marketing, public relations, investor relations, general management, communications, strategy, and operations for B2B and B2C organizations. She is an expert in strategic planning, analytics, research, business growth, and operational efficiency and is a national and international speaker on PR, media relations, measurement, social media, and metrics. With over 20 years of focused experience in B2B and B2C marketing and public relations, Johna is recognized globally for her leadership in communication measuSupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America's Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

What distinguishes a leading brand from the rest of the market? In this episode of Predictable B2B Success, Vinay Koshy interviews Barry LaBov, a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and author of "The Power of Differentiation." Barry shares insights on principled entrepreneurship, his transition from musician to founder, and how successful companies are built on more than revenue alone. This episode explores why many businesses miss their true differentiators, how leveraging team strengths can drive engagement and profitability, and why striving for perfection may hinder brand success. Barry shares lessons from working with brands like Harley Davidson and offers practical frameworks to help any company stand out, even in traditionally less dynamic industries. Are your employees engaged with your brand's mission, or are they simply completing tasks? This episode provides actionable insights for organizations of any size. Learn why differentiation is essential for predictable B2B success. Some topics we explore in this episode include: Barry LaBov's accidental entry into entrepreneurship and the founding of his firm.The actual value of business awards and recognition.Lessons from music applied to business leadership and teamwork.Identifying and celebrating employees' unique strengths.The impact of employee engagement on revenue and business health.The importance and challenge of differentiation in business.Real-world examples of successful differentiation (Harley Davidson, Copperworks).Building a passionate company mission and community.Barry LaBov's five-step framework for uncovering differentiators.Key metrics for tracking the success of differentiation strategies.And much, much more...

Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/@mreapodcastWhat if the “headache” side of real estate is actually the hidden edge?In this episode, we sit down with Gaurav Gambhir, a true operator who has built a real estate empire. His organization helps roughly 7,000 families a year and his property management company now oversees close to 5,000 homes across 14 states.We go deep on why property management is the back door most agents ignore, and why that back door can lead to predictable, recurring revenue, deeper investor relationships, and a steady flow of listings and off-market opportunities.Gaurav lays out the two paths: build your own management company or partner with one through a JV model. He breaks down the buckets that matter (including compliance, systems and tech), the four key roles you must staff, pricing ranges, and the vendor network that makes or breaks the client experience.If you want to build a bigger business with more stability, more leverage, and more long-term clients, this one is for you.Resources:Learn about Gaurav's companyAppFolio Property Management SoftwareBuildium Property Management SoftwareSubscribe to the episode notes newsletter Order 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.