Podcasts about b2b growth podcast

Too many B2B marketing teams are still talking leads when they should be talking revenue. In this episode, Shahin sits down with David Heyworth, GTM advisor and former Head of Marketing at Vocus, to unpack what it really takes to drive commercial outcomes in the second half of 2025. From ditching MQL vanity metrics to building genuine alignment with sales, finance, and product, David brings hard-won lessons from complex B2B environments in Australia. This is a conversation packed with practical frameworks and honest war stories, including one of the most creative ABM activations you'll hear about: a commissioned coin ceremony at the Australian War Memorial, hosted by former Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, that cemented a 20-year defence sector partnership without a single sales pitch. Guest Introduction David Heyworth is a GTM advisor and CMO with deep experience leading marketing in complex B2B environments across Australia, including his tenure as Head of Marketing at Vocus, one of Australia's leading fibre and network solutions providers. He specialises in go-to-market strategy, sales and marketing alignment, and account-based selling for enterprise and government markets. Key Topics Why agility, balance, and growth are the non-negotiables for B2B marketing teams in the second half of 2025Shifting the conversation from lead generation to revenue opportunities and why talking in dollars gets marketing a seat at the tableHow marketing can own the full GTM motion: building interlocks with sales, finance, and product leadership rather than operating in isolationThe case for an inside sales or sales discovery rep function that sits within marketing and how to prove the model before committing headcountWhy ABM works better when reframed as account-based selling (ABS) and how to sequence one-to-many, one-to-few, and one-to-one engagementBattle-tested lessons from event marketing gone wrong and how champions and pre-agreed outreach schedules turned it aroundA standout defence sector ABM case study: creating a custom commemorative coin and hosting a ceremony at the Australian War Memorial to honour a 20-year partnershipGo-to-market fundamentals that get skipped: market definition, value proposition, messaging frameworks by segment and buyer persona, and why these must come before the marketing plan Resources & Links People Peter Cosgrove-former Chief of the Defence Force and 26th Governor-General of AustraliaSeth Godin - Author and marketing thought leader; David recommends his book Purple Cow on differentiation. Companies & Tools Vocus -Australian telco where David served as CMO.Akimbo -Seth Godin's Podcast Books Purple Cow by Seth Godin Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: David Heyworth Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

What does it actually look like to roll out AI at enterprise scale inside one of the world's most recognisable technology companies? Craig Mills, APAC Head of Demand Generation and AI Marketing Transformation Lead at IBM, shares the real story: the internal lockdowns, the false starts, the springtime of ideas that fizzled, and the hard-won clarity that followed. Craig walks through IBM's shift from experimentation to intentional, use-case-driven execution in 2026, with a focus on email marketing as an underrated strategic weapon. He also shares a simple three-part navigation framework any B2B marketer can apply, regardless of the size of their organisation. Guest Introduction Craig Mills is the APAC Head of Demand Generation and AI Marketing Transformation Lead at IBM. With over two decades at IBM, Craig has led marketing transformation across Asia Pacific, focusing on data-driven demand generation and the practical adoption of AI across complex, multi-market enterprise environments. Key Topics IBM's AI adoption arc: from pre-GPT predictive analytics through the GPT moment, internal lockdowns on AI use, the launch of IBM watsonx in 2023, and the shift to focused execution in 2026The "client zero" experience: how IBM employees lived the AI transformation firsthand through changes to HR systems, well before the broader market caught upWhy email marketing is Craig's number one AI use case and how IBM is moving from successful pilots to systematic, micro-targeted execution at scaleMicro-segmentation at enterprise scale: how AI enables hyper-personalised outreach to audience pockets that were previously too small to justify the investmentThe people-process-tools interconnectivity challenge: why enterprise AI is so difficult and why most organisations are still struggling to get it rightCraig's three navigation points for B2B marketers: get closer to customers and partners, get closer to your product, and go fasterBuilding maximum mental flexibility: why clarity of mission is the prerequisite for individual speed and creative agility in an AI-driven environmentThe IBM Enterprise 2030 finding: 79% of executives expect AI to drive significant revenue by 2030, yet only 24% know where it will come from Resources and Links Tools IBM Enterprise 2030 Report -Craig's North Star on AI strategy: 79% of executives expect AI to drive significant revenue by 2030, but only 24% know where it will come from.This Week in Startups -Podcast by Jason Calacanis. Craig recommends it for building a startup mindset inside large organisations.IBM watsonx -IBM's enterprise AI platform, launched May 2023, central to IBM's AI transformation story.Microsoft Copilot -AI productivity tool Craig uses to move faster through emails and meetings.Claude -Anthropic's AI assistant, used by Craig for external customer research. People Mentioned Jason Calacanis -Entrepreneur and host of This Week in Startups. Craig spent a year listening to build a startup mindset within IBM.Ray Dalio -Founder of Bridgewater Associates. Craig follows him for his geopolitical frameworks and historical perspective on the forces shaping the world. Companies IBM -Global enterprise technology and consulting company. Also mentioned  Diablo - The classic video game. Apparently the only thing more addictive than playing with AI tools at midnight.  Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Craig Mills Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

AI has made marketing easier to produce - but harder to win. That's the sharp framing Cameron Partridge, Chief Growth Officer at Humanforce, brings to this conversation. Drawing on nearly a decade in the US, including a front-row seat to the AI boom at Invisible Technologies, working directly with OpenAI, Meta, Google, and Microsoft on AI training, Cameron delivers one of the most grounded takes on where marketing is heading. From the collapse of specialist roles to why marketing must own revenue, this is the episode to send to every marketing leader sitting on the fence about what AI means for their team and career. Guest Introduction Cameron Partridge is Chief Growth Officer at Humanforce, an AI-driven human capital management platform serving frontline workforces globally. He spent nearly a decade in the US, most recently as CMO of Invisible Technologies, one of North America's fastest-growing AI companies, where he helped grow revenue from $25-30M to close to $200M run rate while working directly with the world's leading AI model providers. He previously held senior leadership roles at BBDO and Macquarie Group, and began his career at Medibank, Telstra, and GE Capital in Australia. Key Topics Why AI has lowered the floor of marketing quality and what "AI slop" means for how you actually win in a crowded content landscapeHow the marketing function is collapsing from siloed specialists into generalists - and why that's both an opportunity and a threatWhy Cameron no longer hires for deep channel expertise, and what he looks for instead: cultural fit, outcomes focus, and "neural plasticity"Why marketing must stop reporting on activity and move toward shared revenue ownership with sales - and the rise of the Chief Growth Officer titleThe go-to-market engineer role: what it is, why it's a critical hire, and why these people are rare in AustraliaWhy AI boosts individual productivity but not organisational productivity, and how systems thinking closes the gapCameron's AI toolkit: Claude for deep work, ChatGPT for quick questions, Claude Code for vibe coding - and why courses are the wrong way to learn AIThe job outlook for marketers: why middle managers face the most risk and why now is the time to act Resources & Links Tools Claude - Cameron's go-to for deep work and complex tasksClaude Code - Used by Cameron for vibe coding projectsChatGPT - Cameron's "new Google" for quick questionsManus - Meta owned AI agent platform Cameron is experimenting withNotebookLM - Recommended for knowledge workSEMrush - Part of Cameron's cross-platform insights dashboardX (formerly Twitter) - Recommended for following AI researchersSubstack - Recommended for action-oriented AI insights People Mentioned Allie K. Miller - Top LinkedIn voice on AI; also on Instagram Companies OpenAI - Worked with directly at Invisible Technologies; recommended for following researchersAnthropic - Makers of Claude; referenced as a foundational model provider worth followingGoogle - Referenced in Cameron's analytics dashboard and as a major AI model providerInvisible Technologies - Cameron's former employer; recommended as a source for enterprise AI developments Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Cameron Partridge Produced by:  Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

See the results: https://xgrowth.com.au/reports/abm-pulse/ ABM is evolving fast in APAC, and xGrowth has the data to prove it. In this episode, Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell unpack the findings from xGrowth's latest ABM Pulse benchmark, based on responses from 93 B2B marketers actively running ABM programs across the region. From a dramatic shift away from one-to-few programs to AI quietly expanding the scale of what a single budget can cover, this episode cuts through the noise and tells you exactly what is actually happening with ABM in 2025. If you are making investment decisions or defending the ABM line item to your CFO, this one is for you. Key Topics Why one-to-few ABM dropped from 72% adoption in 2024 to around 38% in 2025, and what that signals about market maturity in APACHow strategic (one-to-one) ABM has held steady at around 50% as organisations focus on protecting and expanding existing customer relationshipsThe AI effect on program scale: why nearly a third of respondents are now running programs targeting 100 or more accounts on the same budgets they used for far fewerABM investment sentiment in 2025: 57% of respondents are holding or growing their ABM budgets, with only 5.2% cuttingWhy inbound is under pressure from zero-click search and LLM-driven traffic drops, and how this is pushing more organisations toward ABM as a primary pipeline channelBudget planning paralysis: why a significant portion of APAC marketing leaders still had not confirmed their 2026 budgets well into Q1, and what that says about market uncertaintyHow to use benchmark data like this as social proof when making the case for ABM investment to a CFO or board Resources & Links xGrowth ABM Pulse Report - download the full benchmark findingsxGrowth - APAC's B2B growth agencyShahin Hoda on LinkedInAlexander Hipwell on LinkedIn Contact & Credits Hosts: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Produced by:  Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

Running a global marketing function from APAC sounds like a logistical headache. For Jon Stona, VP of Global Marketing at Airwallex, it's a deliberate competitive advantage. In this episode, Jon unpacks how one of the world's fastest-growing fintechs has architected a marketing org that's globally consistent yet locally authentic - spanning Singapore, San Francisco, London, and regional hubs across Asia, Europe, and Australia. From making the case for product marketing before performance spend, to using an F1 sponsorship to systematically close a trust gap against legacy financial institutions, Jon brings rare clarity to the strategic decisions that most B2B marketing leaders only talk about in theory. If you want to think bigger about brand, team design, and what marketing can actually own in a scaling business, this episode is worth your time. Guest Introduction Jon Stona is VP of Global Marketing at Airwallex, the Australian-founded global payments and financial platform supporting over 150,000 businesses worldwide. Before joining Airwallex, Jon held senior marketing roles at Stripe, Google, and Nike - giving him deep experience scaling marketing across global technology platforms and challenger brands at every stage of growth. Key Topics Why Airwallex built its global marketing org out of APAC, and why the APAC talent pool - wired for fragmentation and global trade from day one - is a genuine strategic assetHow the team is structured across Singapore, San Francisco, London, and regional markets, and why a flat, matrix model is essential when you're this geographically dispersedThe case for investing in product marketing before growth marketing - and why getting your positioning, segmentation, and value prop right is the "root" everything else depends onThe four truths Jon applies to any market expansion: brand truth, product truth, market truth, and user truth - and how product marketing is the function that calibrates where the variation sitsHow Airwallex uses its McLaren F1 partnership to build trust at scale, structured around the reliability-credibility-intimacy-low self-orientation framework - and how they actually measure the pipeline and employee sentiment impactWhere AI is genuinely delivering efficiency gains in marketing (Writer, Jasper, Profound) and the paradox this creates: as AI levels the playing field on distribution, the non-technical facets of marketing - storytelling, positioning, insight - matter more than everJon's advice for B2B marketers who want to take bolder moves: return to first principles, and remember you're marketing to humans who happen to make business decisions Resources & Links Books Nudge by Richard Thaler and Cass SunsteinPredictably Irrational by Dan Ariely AI Tools Writer - AI content platform for brand voice consistency and marketing workflow efficiencyJasper - AI platform for end-to-end marketing content creationProfound - Tool for tracking how your brand appears across LLM platforms Blogs & Publications HubSpot Blog People Mentioned Reko Rennie - Internationally acclaimed Kamilaroi artist who collaborated with Airwallex and McLaren on the 'Shifted Perspectives' campaign at the 2025 Australian Grand PrixDan Ariely - Behavioural economist and author Companies & Platforms AirwallexMcLaren Racing Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Jon Stona Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

IN THIS EPISODE:If your brand, profile or content are blending in, this episode will change all that. We're sharing 10 surefire ways to stand out on LinkedIn and stop sounding like everyone else.. Let us know, which one will you try first?CONTACT US:Michelle J Raymond is a globally recognized LinkedIn™️ for business growth speaker, author and consultant. Her services – audit & strategy, LinkedIn training and LinkedIn profile rewrites.LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://b2bgrowthco.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michelle B. Griffin is a TEDx speaker and personal brand + PR strategist who helps women authors and experts become recognized authorities and thought leaders in their industries.As the founder of Brand Leaders and the She's Visible™ movement, Michelle equips experts to position their personal brands for recognition, media opportunities and industry impact.LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebgriffin/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Websites: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://michellebgriffin.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ShesVisible.com⁠Buy your copy on AmazonThe LinkedIn Branding Book, The Power of Two: Build Your Personal and Business Brand on LinkedIn for Exponential Growth -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mybook.to/The_LinkedIn_Branding_Book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://MichelleSquared.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OUR BOOKS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The LinkedIn Branding Book + Workbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Position Yourself Personal Branding Planner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Business Gold: LinkedIn Company Pages⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION:Simply DM both Michelles on LinkedIn to submit your question for a future episode.POSITION YOURSELF POWER HOURGet Unstuck in One Focused HourIf you're overthinking your message, positioning, or next move, Michelle B. Griffin's Position Yourself Power Hour gives you clear direction and practical next steps so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.https://michellebgriffin.com/powerhour/⁠SUBSCRIBE TO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR B2B GROWTH PODCASTListen to Michelle J Raymond's Other PodcastIf you enjoy The LinkedIn Branding Show, you'll also love Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast, where Michelle shares practical, no-hacks strategies to help B2B teams turn LinkedIn into real business growth. Subscribe wherever you listen.

Events are one of the highest-effort, highest-impact levers in B2B marketing, but most teams run them on autopilot. In this episode, Shahin sits down with Jannat Dawra, Head of Marketing APAC at Dotdigital, to break down her commercial, revenue-first approach to field marketing and events. Jannat runs 80 to 100 events a year and brings a rare blend of creative instinct and commercial rigour to the craft. From deciding which event type to run, to managing a thin attendance list two weeks out, this episode is packed with practical frameworks for senior B2B marketers. Guest Introduction Jannat Dawra is Head of Marketing APAC at Dotdigital, a leading customer experience and data platform. Based in Sydney, Jannat leads brand and demand generation across the region and has previously held senior marketing roles at Insider and LinkedIn. Key Topics The three event buckets: sponsored industry conferences (brand and first-touch), strategic partner events (deepening executive relationships), and owned events (roundtables, community events, summits).A commercial approach to event prioritisation: reverse-engineering every event from revenue and pipeline goals. Does it add value to the ICP, accelerate existing pipeline, or strengthen retention and expansion?The opportunity cost framework: why a $10K event is never just $10K, and how to factor in team time and effort before committing.Planning across the funnel: quarterly check-ins with sales, CS, and partnerships to flex the event mix based on where pressure sits in the business.The individual event checklist: clear objective and KPI, stakeholder buy-in, a one-sentence audience definition, speakers matched to the audience profile, and a project plan with contingencies.Post-COVID attendee expectations: smaller rooms, curated guest lists, clearer themes, no buzzwords, and ROI scrutiny over vanity metrics.The 70/30 prospect-to-client split: why each audience needs different event design, and what happens when you blur the two objectives.The post-event playbook: individual follow-up, nurture automations, and treating events as one touchpoint in an 8 to 12-step buying journey. Resources and Links People Mentioned Simon Sinek, speaker and author referenced by Jannat Companies and Platforms Dotdigital, Jannat's company, cross-channel marketing automation platform Books and Podcasts Atomic Habits by James ClearThe Diary of a CEO, podcast hosted by Steven Bartlett Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Jannat Dawra Produced by:  Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

Getting your buyer's attention has never been harder. In this episode, Shahin sits down with Scott Albro, serial entrepreneur and GTM advisor to early-stage AI founders, to unpack what modern go-to-market actually looks like. Scott reframes the most common answer to "what's changed?" by showing how AI isn't just a trend; it's an accelerant for the three forces already making buyer attention scarce. From founder brand to manufactured moments, tight customer feedback loops to strategic narrative, Scott shares the GTM pillars he works through with his founder clients. He breaks down why the new breed of AI startups is out-marketing incumbents, what Lovable's live-streamed design competition can teach any B2B team, and why ServiceTitan's origin story is the best strategic narrative he's ever heard. Guest Introduction Scott Albro is a serial entrepreneur and go-to-market strategist who co-founded TOPO, a sales and marketing research and advisory firm acquired by Gartner, and advises early-stage AI founders on building their first go-to-market functions, drawing on 30 years of experience studying the GTM practices of the world's fastest-growing companies. Key Topics Why attention scarcity is the defining GTM challenge today, and how AI makes it worse across three fronts: information overload, professional busyness, and competitive noiseWhat incumbent vendors like Salesforce and Workday need to do to defend their position as AI-native startups grow more innovative in both product and go-to-marketFounder brand as a strategic GTM asset: why it goes far beyond LinkedIn posts, and how Nick Mehta made Gainsight synonymous with the customer success movementGrowth experiments and the "Mr. Beast for SaaS" mindset: how Lovable drove 40,000 live viewers and 3 million replays with a zero-budget design competitionBuilding tight customer feedback loops: why the company that iterates fastest wins, and how AI is finally making weekly feedback cycles achievableManufacturing moments: how Mark Benioff staged a fake protest at Siebel's user conference to launch the no-software movement and put Salesforce on the mapStrategic narrative done right: why ServiceTitan's "the trades stand frozen in time" story is the best B2B narrative Scott has ever encounteredThe danger of performative nihilism: why shock-value launches like Cluely's generate page views but destroy brand equity Resources & Links People Mentioned Nick Mehta, former CEO of GainsightMarc Benioff, Chair, CEO and Co-Founder of Salesforce Companies & Tools TOPO / GartnerGainsightServiceTitanLovableEvidenza - a synthetic customer research platformSalesforceG2 Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Scott Albro Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

What does it take to build a brand from nothing in nine weeks, with no assets, no brand book, and a board breathing down your neck? Penny Elmslie did exactly that as the first Marketing Director Xero hired outside of New Zealand, turning a company most Australians confused with a certain photocopier brand into one of the world's most recognised accounting software businesses. Penny shares the story behind Xero's early Australian growth: the scrappy "Hello, Xero with an X" campaign, guerrilla activations like Cloudstreet, the partner strategy that turned accountants into an army, and the event machine that scaled from 30 people in a winery to thousands globally. She also opens up about joining Affinda as CMO and why AI document processing today mirrors where the cloud was a decade ago. Guest Introduction Penny Elmslie is a CMO, Board Director, and marketing coach who spent over a decade at Xero, rising from Australia's first Marketing Director to Global Director of Brand and Community. She is currently CMO at Affinda, a Melbourne-based AI document processing company named one of Australia's fastest-growing tech companies by Deloitte. Key Topics Building Xero's brand in nine weeks: Launching a full campaign with no brand book, no assets, and a tiny budget, and why the insight was simply making people spell the name correctly.The accountant-as-channel strategy: How Xero built its go-to-market around accountants and bookkeepers, turning that partner network into the most efficient channel to market.From "Hello" to XeroCon: How brand experience evolved from small intro sessions to national roadshows and a flagship conference now running worldwide.Cloudstreet and guerrilla marketing: The pop-up activation that scaled from a city storefront into a shipping container touring Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.B2C thinking in a B2B world: Why Penny approaches every B2B campaign as human-to-human, and how that philosophy shaped her work at Xero.Joining Affinda: What drew her to an AI-first scale-up and the brand-building opportunity still ahead.Reactive vs. responsive: Why responding to market opportunity beats forcing a proactive plan early in a CMO role.Content quality in an AI-flooded world: Why human expertise must stay on the levers, and why brands that commit to their ICP and tone will win. Resources & Links People Chris Ridd- Former MD, Xero Australia (2011–2016)Rod Drury- Co-founder, Xero Companies & Tools Affinda- AI document processing platform; Penny's current companyAffinda Group- Parent company of Affinda, Draftable, Pathfindr, and VesparumDraftable- Document comparison software for legal teamsXero- Cloud-based accounting software for small businessesMYOB- Accounting software competitorLeo Burnett Australia- Creative agency Penny briefed on day one at XeroSputnik Agency- Melbourne agency Penny partnered with to launch Xero's first Australian campaign Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Penny Elmslie Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

LinkedIn has announced its new quarterly class of "Top Voices," and we're peeling back the mystique as to what they are, who qualifies, and how you can become one. Plus, our branding tips help you elevate your voice, value and visibility without the blue badge.CONTACT US:Michelle J Raymond is a globally recognized LinkedIn™️ for business growth speaker, author and consultant. Her services – audit & strategy, LinkedIn training and LinkedIn profile rewrites.LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://b2bgrowthco.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michelle B. Griffin is a TEDx speaker and personal brand + PR strategist who helps women experts become recognized authorities and thought leaders in their industries.As the founder of Brand Leaders and creator of the Own Your Lane™ Recognition Roadmap + She's Visible™ women's leadership program, Michelle equips professionals to position their personal brands for recognition, media opportunities and industry impact.LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebgriffin/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Websites: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://michellebgriffin.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OwnYourLane.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy your copy on AmazonThe LinkedIn Branding Book, The Power of Two: Build Your Personal and Business Brand on LinkedIn for Exponential Growth -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mybook.to/The_LinkedIn_Branding_Book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://MichelleSquared.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OUR BOOKS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The LinkedIn Branding Book + Workbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Position Yourself Personal Branding Planner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Business Gold: LinkedIn Company Pages⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION:Simply DM both Michelles on LinkedIn to submit your question for a future episode.LINKSBE THE EXPERT AI RECOMMENDSAI is now the front door to opportunity for experts like you. The Recognition Ready™ AI Visibility Guide by Michelle B. Griffin is a strategic, yet practical guide to understanding how AI discovers and evaluates your digital presence and what you can do to show up when and where it matters.Download Michelle B. Griffin's Recognition Ready™ AI Visibility Guide. Get it here SUBSCRIBE TO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR B2B GROWTH PODCASTListen to Michelle J Raymond's Other PodcastIf you enjoy The LinkedIn Branding Show, you'll also love Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast, where Michelle shares practical, no-hacks strategies to help B2B teams turn LinkedIn into real business growth. Subscribe wherever you listen. MENTIONSLinkedIn Top Voices - January 2026 global listQualifications CriteriaLinkedIn Top Voice Nomination Form

While everyone panics about ChatGPT stealing traffic and AI replacing jobs, the data tells a different story. For every search on ChatGPT, there are 373 searches on Google. AI's disruption is far less dramatic than media hype suggests. Rand Fishkin challenges this prevailing wisdom about AI's impact on B2B marketing. In this conversation, Rand and Shahin explore why consensus views are usually wrong, how to build marketing strategies around actual audience behaviour, and what Rand learnt from building Moz versus SparkToro. From audience intelligence research to radical transparency about the venture capital trap, Rand delivers insights that help B2B marketers make smarter decisions. Guest Introduction Rand Fishkin is the co-founder and CEO of SparkToro, an audience research software company, and Snackbar Studio, an indie game development studio. Previously, he founded Moz, where he grew the company from debt to $50M+ in revenue over 17 years. He's the author of Lost and Founder: A Painfully Honest Field Guide to the Startup World and is known for his radical transparency about startup life and his contrarian takes on marketing trends. Key Topics AI's real impact on search: Data shows ChatGPT handles one search for every 373 on Google, and AI hasn't caused predicted job displacement (US unemployment remains historically low).Audience-specific research: Rather than following industry trends, marketers should investigate where their audience spends time using tools like SparkToro to discover relevant channels and influencers.Channel strategy and execution: Effective B2B marketing requires both overarching positioning strategy plus channel-specific tactical approaches for LinkedIn, email, and content platforms.Learning from hype cycles: From mobile apps to crypto, media creates fear-based narratives around technology that rarely match reality, and marketers who chase every trend waste resources.Building companies differently: Rand compares growing Moz with VC funding to building SparkToro through alternative funding, highlighting how serving investors rather than customers creates misaligned incentives. Resources & Links People: Amanda Natividad - VP of Marketing at SparkToro, referenced for her philosophy on social media algorithms and authentic engagement Companies & Tools: SparkToro - Audience research softwareMoz - SEO software platformSnackbar Studio - Indie game development studioChatGPT - Large language model by OpenAIDuckDuckGo - Privacy-focused search engine Books & Resources: Lost and Founder: A Painfully Honest Field Guide to the Startup World by Rand FishkinSparkToro Funding Documents - Open-sourced funding model and incorporation docsSnackbar Studio Funding Documents - Open-sourced funding model for indie game studio Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Rand Fishkin Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

In this episode, Udi Ledergor, Chief Evangelist at Gong and author of Courageous Marketing, explains why bold creativity is essential for startups competing in crowded B2B markets. Udi shares the principle behind Gong's rise from zero to hundreds of millions in revenue: “different is better than better.” From fuchsia branding and a bulldog mascot to running Super Bowl ads as a startup, he shows how courageous marketing helps companies punch above their weight. The episode also explores practical ways to create standout content, foster experimentation, and turn customers into passionate fans, even on a limited budget. Guest Introduction Udi Ledergor is Chief Evangelist at Gong and author of the bestselling book Courageous Marketing. He served as Gong's first CMO, helping grow the company from zero to hundreds of millions in revenue whilst achieving a multi-billion-dollar valuation. Over his 20-year career, Udi has led marketing teams at successful companies, advised startups, served as a board member and angel investor, and mentored hundreds of marketers. Key Topics Different is better than better: Why startups should stop trying to incrementally beat competitors at their own game and instead do something completely different to get noticedPunching above your weight: How small startups can use guerrilla marketing tactics like out-of-home advertising to appear much bigger than they are when selling to enterprisesCreating raving fans as a company-wide operating principle: Why marketing can't own brand alone, and how every employee at Gong works to create raving fan experiences for customers, candidates, and partnersBuilding a culture of experimentation: The importance of fostering an environment where teams can take calculated risks, fail safely, and learn from both successes and flopsGong Labs content marketing: How Gong created original, data-driven content by analysing millions of sales calls to position themselves as the most informed voice in sales effectivenessCategory creation strategy: When it makes sense to create a new category (and when it doesn't), illustrated through the De Beers diamond engagement ring marketing campaignBold visual identity choices: The decision to use fuchsia pink and purple with a bulldog mascot in 2018 when all B2B competitors were using corporate blueStartup advertising on a shoestring budget: Creative approaches to billboard advertising, Super Bowl commercials, and other typically expensive channels that small companies can leverage Resources & Links People Mentioned: Chris Orlob - First content hire at Gong who created most early Gong content independently. Devin Reed - Former Gong sales rep who transitioned into leading Gong's content marketing. Kyle Lacy - CMO referenced for using AI to eliminate obvious ideas and push creative thinking. Michael Lewis - Author and podcast host whose show drove inbound interest for Gong. Francis Gerety- Copywriter behind the “A Diamond Is Forever” campaign, cited as a category creation example. Companies & Platforms Mentioned Gong - Revenue intelligence platformGong Labs - Data research and insightsDe Beers - Diamond company referenced for category creation example Books & Resources Courageous Marketing - a practical playbook for B2B marketers to drive impact and accelerate career success. Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Udi Ledergor Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

Season 5 kicks off with a new year, new. year, and new profile (update). This is the perfect time to reassess your personal brand, positioning and messaging to be top of mind on LinkedIn. We share branding tips and the best places to review and update your profile so you're found by the right people, opportunities and aligned for the new LinkedIn 360 Brew expertise-driven algorithm.CONTACT US:Michelle J Raymond is a globally recognized LinkedIn™️ for business growth speaker, author and consultant. Her services – audit & strategy, LinkedIn training and LinkedIn profile rewrites.LinkedIn:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://b2bgrowthco.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michelle B. Griffin is a TEDx Speaker, Author, Podcaster, and Personal Brand Strategist As the founder of Brand Leaders and creator of the Own Your Lane™ Recognition Roadmap + She's Visible™ movement, Michelle equips professionals to position their personal brands for recognition, media opportunities and industry impact.LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebgriffin/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Websites: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://michellebgriffin.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OwnYourLane.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy your copy on AmazonThe LinkedIn Branding Book, The Power of Two: Build Your Personal and Business Brand on LinkedIn for Exponential Growth -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mybook.to/The_LinkedIn_Branding_Book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://MichelleSquared.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OUR BOOKS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The LinkedIn Branding Book + Workbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Position Yourself Personal Branding Planner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Business Gold: LinkedIn Company Pages⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION:Simply DM both Michelles on LinkedIn to submit your question for a future episode.LINKSReady to Be Seen for What You're Really Worth?You're an expert, but your brand doesn't show it. Book a Position Yourself Power Hour™ with me to refine how you show up and map your next visibility move on LinkedIn, in media, on stage and now in AI search.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://michellebgriffin.com/powerhour⁠⁠⁠⁠Catch Michelle J Raymond's Podcast, Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts or here: https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/episodes

What if a $28 Facebook ad could generate $20 million? Stu Heinecke, the father of contact marketing, reveals how micro-focused campaigns connect you with virtually anyone. Stu shares stories of a sales rep who used a live pigeon to reach a famous CEO, a startup that landed Walmart with one targeted ad, and how Kris Kristofferson landed a helicopter on Johnny Cash's lawn to deliver a demo tape. Guest Introduction Stu Heinecke is a bestselling author, Hall of Fame-nominated marketer, and Wall Street Journal cartoonist who helps B2B sellers acquire million-dollar accounts. His campaigns have produced response rates as high as 300% and ROI in the millions of percent. Key Topics Contact marketing defined: Targeted campaigns (as few as one person) marked by creativity, audacity, and relevancePigeon campaign that closed a $250,000 deal with a famous tech CEOOrabrush's $28 Facebook ad that landed a 735,000-unit Walmart orderDeep personalisation through profile research and relevant giftsWhy compelling campaigns exceed 100% response rates through viral sharingGetting started by reading foundational books and researching prospects Resources & Links People Mentioned Dan Waldschmidt - Turnaround specialist who sends swords, achieving 100% response ratesKris Kristofferson - Singer-songwriter who landed helicopter on Cash's lawn for demo deliveryJohnny Cash - Country legend who received Kristofferson's helicopter deliveryJune Carter - Cash's wife who received Kristofferson's demo tapesLeonardo da Vinci - Renaissance artist who used creative approaches with the Count of Milan Books How to Get a Meeting with Anyone - Foundational contact marketing book, top 65 sales books of all timeGet the Meeting! - Follow-up with 60+ illustrated case studies Companies & Organizations Orabrush - Tongue cleaner startup, $28 Facebook ad to WalmartWalmart - Retail giant targeted by Orabrush's Bentonville adsAmerican Marketing Association - Named Stu "father of contact marketing" Subscribe to the xG Weekly Newsletter for weekly insights on B2B growth across APAC: https://xgrowth.com.au/newsletter Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Stu Heinecke Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

Caleb Ralston challenges one of the most sacred rules in personal branding: niching down. While it's technically the fastest path to growth, it's also a fast track to burnout and quitting altogether. In this conversation with Shahin Hoda, Caleb shares hard-won insights from working with some of the biggest names in business (Gary Vaynerchuk, Alex and Leila Hormozi) and reveals the sustainable approach to building a personal brand that doesn't make you hate what you've created. From why you should inject your personality into everything you make, to how organisations can build loyalty by empowering team members to develop their own brands, this episode is packed with contrarian wisdom for anyone building content for the long term. Guest Introduction Caleb Ralston is a brand strategist, content producer, and creator mentor who has worked with Gary Vaynerchuk, Leila and Alex Hormozi, and other leading voices in entrepreneurship. He now helps founders and creators scale content in a way that's sustainable, strategic, and honest through his company Ralston. Key Topics Why niching down is overrated: The conventional wisdom on niching down works in theory but leads to creator burnout and audience fatigue in practice. Caleb explains why sustainability matters more than short-term growth hacks.The sustainability framework for content creation: Building a personal brand is like fitness: you get returns by doing it forever, not by sprinting for a year and quitting. Learn how to create systems that allow you to keep showing up.Lessons from working with Gary V and the Hormozis: What most people assume about these mega-brands is completely wrong. Caleb shares the behind-the-scenes reality of how these creators actually build their influence.Injecting personality without losing focus: How to integrate your interests and quirks into your content without confusing your audience or diluting your message.Building personal brands within organisations: The Barstool Sports approach to content: why Dave Portnoy isn't in all the content, and how this creates a more scalable, sustainable media company. How this strategy applies to B2B companies.Strategic hiring for content bottlenecks: Why your first hire shouldn't be another you, and how to identify the specific constraint that's actually holding back your content production.Being 100% yourself in the age of AI: As everyone starts sounding the same on LinkedIn with ChatGPT-generated posts, authenticity becomes your competitive advantage. Caleb's advice: lean into your insecurities and the things you're terrified to share. Resources & Links People Mentioned: Gary Vaynerchuk - Entrepreneur and Chairman of VaynerXAlex Hormozi - Co-founder and Managing Partner at Acquisition.comLeila Hormozi - CEO of Acquisition.comPaddy Galloway - YouTube strategist and content optimization expertDave Portnoy - Founder of Barstool Sports Books & Resources: Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk - The book that inspired Caleb to pursue his current pathCaleb's YouTube ChannelRalston - Caleb's brand strategy and content company Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Caleb Ralston Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

What if your CEO asked you to double revenue without adding budget or headcount? Robert Chatwani, President and General Manager of Growth at DocuSign, believes not only is it possible - there's never been a better time to make it happen. In this conversation, Robert unpacks the frameworks and organisational changes required to achieve exponential growth with existing resources. From building agile growth squads that operate like engineering teams to leveraging AI agents for hyper-personalised prospecting, he reveals how DocuSign is transforming from an e-signature company into an AI-powered platform. If you're facing budget cuts but still expected to deliver results, this episode offers a roadmap. Guest Introduction Robert Chatwani is President and General Manager, Growth at DocuSign, where he leads the Marketing & Growth organisation to scale its digital strategy across marketing, product, technology and sales. Before joining DocuSign, Robert was CMO of Atlassian, where he helped scale the business to nearly $3 billion in revenue. He also spent more than a decade at eBay, ending his tenure as Chief Marketing Officer for North America where his teams supported $35 billion in trading volume. Robert is the 2023 American Heart Association Bay Area Heart Walk Chair and serves as a West Coast Board Member at the American India Foundation. Key Topics The 2x-10x challenge: Why companies expect exponential output increases without adding resources, and why Robert believes marketing teams can deliver.Thomas Barta's V-Zone framework: Maximising the overlap between customer needs and company needs to drive business impact and secure executive support.The harsh realities facing B2B teams: CAC is up 60% since the pandemic, traditional channels show diminishing returns, and most GTM models are obsolete - creating opportunities for teams willing to rethink their approach.Operating principles over company values: DocuSign's five core principles - "we before me," "dreaming big," "take action," "ignite the way," and "delivering customer delight" - that guide team behaviours and decisions.Growth squads and agile methodologies: Why effective GTM teams operate like engineering teams with two-week sprints, daily standups, and experiment backlogs instead of traditional campaign structures.Building a culture of experimentation: Robert's framework for systematic testing - generating ideas, prioritising experiments, executing with discipline, and scaling what works.AI-powered prospecting in action: How DocuSign used AI agents to turn tens of thousands of exhausted leads into millions in the pipeline, generating 60 replies and 15 meetings within 72 hours.Designing for the future you want: Why leaders must ask whether their current team structure and capabilities match what they would design from scratch to achieve ambitious growth goals. Resources & Links People Mentioned: Thomas Barta-Marketing leadership expert and author of "The 12 Powers of a Marketing Leader"Jeff Bezos-Founder of Amazon, referenced for the "two pizza team" principle Companies & Platforms: DocuSign-Agreement management platformAtlassian-Collaboration softwareeBay-Online marketplaceAmazon-Benchmark for experimentation cultureNetflix-Benchmark for experimentation cultureAirbnb-Benchmark for experimentation cultureUber-Benchmark for experimentation culture Concepts & Frameworks: The V-Zone (Value Creation Zone)-Maximising overlap between customer and company needsThe 12 Powers of a Marketing Leader-Book by Thomas Barta and Patrick BarwiseTwo-Pizza Team-Amazon's principle for keeping teams small (5-8 people) Subscribe to the xG Weekly Newsletter for weekly insights on B2B growth across APAC: https://xgrowth.com.au/newsletter Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Robert Chatwani Produced by:  Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

In this episode, Jon Lombardo, Co-Founder of Evidenza, unpacks the counterintuitive truth about B2B buying behaviour. Drawing on research from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, Jon reveals why most B2B marketers fundamentally misunderstand their audience. The 95-5 rule shows that 95% of potential buyers aren't in the market right now, which means the traditional focus on short-term lead generation is missing the bigger picture.  Jon also explains how AI-powered synthetic research is transforming market intelligence, why B2B needs more brand building than B2C, and what marketers should do about it.  If you're stuck chasing in-market buyers whilst your competitors build future demand, this conversation will change how you think about growth. Guest Introduction Jon Lombardo is Co-Founder of Evidenza, a synthetic AI market research platform that surveys AI-generated customer copies to build evidence-based marketing plans in hours rather than months. Previously, Jon was Head of Research at LinkedIn's B2B Institute, where he helped establish the 95-5 rule and commissioned pioneering research on how B2B brands grow. Key Topics The 95-5 rule: why 95% of B2B buyers are out of market at any given time, and why that matters more than the 5% who are ready to buyThe 11X rule: how B2B buying cycles are 11 times longer than B2C, making brand building even more critical in B2B than consumer categoriesThe evolution from the 60-40 rule to 95-5: how research with John Dawes from Ehrenberg-Bass Institute challenged conventional wisdom about marketing budget allocationMental and physical availability in B2B: creating brand-relevant memories that activate when buyers eventually come into the marketAI and synthetic research: how Evidenza uses AI to interview synthetic customers, delivering market research in hours that would traditionally take monthsBootstrapped growth: how Evidenza launched with paying customers from day one without venture capital, growing to over 100 clientsThe future of AI in marketing: why AI is underrated and will transform marketing beyond what most people imaginePractical applications: how to use AI for execution whilst keeping strategic thinking human Resources & Links People Mentioned: Mark Ritson - Marketing professor, columnist, and founder of Marketing Week Mini MBAJohn Dawes - Professor at Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing ScienceLes Binet - Marketing effectiveness researcher and econometricianPeter Field - Marketing consultant and authorPeter Weinberg - Co-Founder of EvidenzaBrian Watroba - Co-Founder of EvidenzaJenny Romaniuk - Professor at Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing ScienceRachel Kennedy - Professor at Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing ScienceNicole Hartnett - Professor at Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing ScienceByron Sharp - Professor of Marketing Science at Ehrenberg-Bass Institute Companies & Organisations: Evidenza - Synthetic AI market research platformEhrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science - The World's largest centre for research into marketingLinkedIn B2B Institute - Marketing think tank (Jon's former employer) Key Frameworks: The 95-5 Rule - Research on B2B buying behaviour shows that only 5% of buyers are in marketThe 11X Rule - How B2B buying cycles differ from B2CThe 60-40 Rule - Les Binet and Peter Field's framework for balancing brand building and sales activation Subscribe to the xG Weekly Newsletter for weekly insights on B2B growth across APAC:https://xgrowth.com.au/newsletter Contact & Credits Hosts: Shahin Hoda and Vinnie Romano Guest Jon Lombardo Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

Leandro Perez joins to cut through the AI hype and share what's actually working. With Agentforce handling 850,000 conversations and managing 85% of customer inquiries, Leandro reveals the reality behind the marketing claims and addresses the "SaaS is dead" narrative head-on. From managing 30,000 weekly customer inquiries with AI agents to transforming his entire marketing team's workflows, Leandro offers a brutally honest look at what it takes to lead through a technological revolution. This isn't just theory: it's a practitioner's guide to implementing AI at scale, including the mistakes, the breakthroughs, and the systematic approach required to bring an entire organisation along for the journey. Guest Introduction Leandro Perez is Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Australia and New Zealand at Salesforce, where he guides strategic direction and market positioning for the world's leading AI-powered CRM.  With a Computer Science degree from UNSW and an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology, Leandro brings over 20 years of experience combining technical expertise with business acumen.  He previously led global corporate messaging at Salesforce and partnered closely with CEO Marc Benioff. He's a Fellow of The Marketing Academy, serves on the AANA Board, and is a recipient of the Salesforce Chairman & CEO Award. Key Topics AI reality at Salesforce: Agent Force handles 850,000 conversations with 85% resolution"SaaS is dead" narrative: Why enterprise software needs governance, permissions, reliability, not just quick AI codeLeading transformation: Year-long journey from lone voice to company-wide quarterly Agent Force Learning DaysProcess mapping first: Document crown jewel processes to identify pain points before introducing AISystematic change: Company-wide learning days, mandatory training (100% Agent Blazer status), permission to experimentPractical AI adoption: Landing pages, social automation, Slack summaries, 80% email engagement, plus failed experimentsExperimentation culture: Identifying early adopters, showcasing wins, balancing air cover with performance Resources & Links People Mentioned: Marc Benioff - Salesforce CEO & Co-FounderRoby Sharon-Zipser - hipages CEO & Co-Founder Companies & Tools: Salesforce - AI-powered CRM platformAgentforce - Salesforce AI agent platformTrailhead - Salesforce learning platformFisher & Paykel - Appliance manufacturerGoodyear - Tire manufacturerRemarkable - Digital paper tablethipages - Online tradie marketplaceChatGPT - AI chatbotGemini - Google AI assistantPerplexity - AI search toolElevenLabs - AI text-to-speechAANA - Association of National Advertisers Subscribe to the xG Weekly Newsletter for weekly insights on B2B growth across APAC: https://xgrowth.com.au/newsletter Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Leandro Perez Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

B2B content creators struggle to measure real impact beyond vanity metrics. Benji Block, founder of Signature Series and former host of B2B Growth podcast, shares his framework for evaluating content performance. He recommends tracking meaningful comments that spark conversations, monitoring average view duration to gauge content quality, and optimizing click-through rates through systematic thumbnail testing. The discussion covers how engagement metrics connect to business outcomes and the importance of measuring downstream effects like website visits and real-world conversations.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

B2B content creators struggle to measure real impact beyond vanity metrics. Benji Block, founder of Signature Series and former host of B2B Growth podcast, shares his framework for evaluating content performance. He recommends tracking meaningful comments that spark conversations, monitoring average view duration to gauge content quality, and optimizing click-through rates through systematic thumbnail testing. The discussion covers how engagement metrics connect to business outcomes and the importance of measuring downstream effects like website visits and real-world conversations.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Marketing at the pace of AI innovation isn't easy, but Rubina Carlson, Head of Marketing at 90 Seconds, has found a way to stay ahead without burning out. In this conversation with host Vinnie Romano, Rubina shares her honest journey from feeling late to the AI party to becoming an AI-first marketer who dedicates one hour per week to systematic experimentation. This episode is packed with practical wisdom for B2B marketers who feel overwhelmed by the rapid pace of AI evolution. Rubina reveals how she carved out time to test tools like Opus Clip, custom GPTs, and Canva Magic, turning weekly pain points into opportunities for AI-powered solutions. She challenges the myth that prompt engineering requires specialists, arguing instead that it's simply about learning to communicate with clarity. Whether you're struggling to justify AI experimentation to leadership or feeling paralysed by the sheer number of tools available, this episode will give you a clear framework to start testing, learning, and integrating AI into your everyday marketing workflow. Guest Introduction Rubina Carlson is a Certified Practising Marketer and Head of Marketing at 90 Seconds, the global platform empowering enterprise brands to create video content at scale. With over 15 years of experience driving growth across tech, tourism, higher education, and agency sectors, Rubina leads data-driven, growth-focused strategies that fuel brand visibility and revenue. Known for her early adoption of social media platforms and now AI, she's at the forefront of marketing innovation, having built internal GPTs and tested a wide range of AI tools to push marketing performance further. Beyond her corporate role, Rubina serves as Director of Digital Adelaide (South Australia's largest marketing conference) and is a key driver of Adelaide's emerging AI events. Key Topics Overcoming "late to the AI party" fears: Transform anxiety into systematic learningOne-hour-per-week AI testing: Friday afternoon framework for testing solutionsBuilding custom GPTs: Achieve 80% first-draft quality with brand voiceStrategic AI tool testing: Compare tools for real problem-solving vs trendsOpus Clip for video repurposing: Transform long videos into social clipsRebecca Webber's AI success: Cut assessment time from 60 min to 30 secPrompt engineering demystified: Clear communication, not specialist roleNavigating AI restrictions: Build business cases when IT blocks tools Resources & Links People Mentioned Stephen Mayall - Growth marketer focusing on AI and agentic workflowsTim Lillyman - Marketing leader at XPON Technologies Group, active in AI and automationAxel Sukianto - B2B SaaS marketer and growth marketing advisorChristopher Chow - Head of Growth Marketing at Smokeball, LinkedIn video creatorRebecca Webber - Literacy leader at the Department of Education, South Australia, developed an award-winning AI assessment toolSimon Sinek - Author of "Start with Why" Companies & Tools 90 Seconds - Rubina's company, a global video creation platformOpus Clip - AI video clipping tool for creating viral shorts from long videosCanva Magic - AI features within Canva for design and content creationCustom GPTs - OpenAI's customisable AI assistantsDepartment for Education, South Australia - Organisation where Rebecca Webber developed an award-winning AI assessment toolSocial Media Club Adelaide - Early adopter community mentioned by Rubina Books & Resources "Start with Why" by Simon Sinek Subscribe to the xG Weekly Newsletter for weekly insights on B2B growth across APAC: https://xgrowth.com.au/newsletter Contact & Credits Host: Vinnie Romano Guest: Rubina Carlson Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

Marcus Sheridan reveals why most businesses are failing to win trust in an AI-disrupted world, and exactly what to do about it. The bestselling author of They Ask You Answer and Endless Customers breaks down the four pillars of becoming the best-known and trusted brand in your market: saying what others won't say, showing what others won't show, selling differently, and being more human than your competition. From publishing service call data that manufacturers begged his client to hide, generating over $35 million from a single pricing article, Marcus shares real-world case studies that prove radical transparency isn't just good ethics, it's exceptional business. This episode is essential for listening for any founder or marketer who refuses to play it safe. Guest Introduction Marcus Sheridan is a world-renowned communication expert, author, and keynote speaker who has delivered over 750 transformational presentations across dozens of countries. Called a "web marketing guru" by The New York Times and named by Forbes as "1 of 20 Speakers You Don't Want to Miss", Marcus is the author of They Ask You Answer (named "One of the 5 Best Marketing Books of All Time" by BookAuthority) and Endless Customers (a USA Today national bestseller). He saved his swimming pool company, River Pools, from the 2008 crash through radical content marketing, transforming it into the most-visited swimming pool website globally. With over $1 billion in economic impact generated for companies worldwide, Marcus is also the co-founder of PriceGuide.ai, IMPACT, Marcus Sheridan International, and Question First Group. Key Topics The four pillars of trust and why almost no companies consistently say, show, sell, and act more human than their competitorsThe Yale Appliance case study: How CEO Steve Sheinkopf became the most trusted voice in his industry by publishing service call data that threw major manufacturers under the busThe Big Five content topics: Why cost content is the number one traffic and sales generator, and the five levels of pricing transparencyThe pricing estimator revolution: Why companies see 300-500% increases in qualified leads overnight, including the Scottish shed company that saw 500% more leads in one weekendAI's massive impact on search: How over 60% of Google searches don't result in clicks, and why YouTube will become more important than your websiteBuilding a personal brand: Why trying to look smart destroys credibility, and why knowing who you are is not more important than knowing who you are Resources & Links People Mentioned: Steve Sheinkopf, CEO at Yale ApplianceRory Vaden, Speaker, Author, Co-founder of Brand Builders GroupGary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee), Entrepreneur, Chairman of VaynerXSeth Godin, Author, Entrepreneur, Marketing expert Companies & Tools: River Pools, Marcus' fiberglass pool manufacturing companyPriceGuide.ai, Pricing estimator platformIMPACT, Marketing agency and training companyMarcus Sheridan International, Speaking and consultingQuestion First Group, Sales and leadership training company Books & Resources: Endless Customers by Marcus SheridanThey Ask You Answer by Marcus Sheridan Subscribe to the xG Weekly Newsletter for weekly insights on B2B growth across APAC: https://xgrowth.com.au/newsletter Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Marcus Sheridan Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

In this insightful conversation, Kitty Zhao, Head of Marketing for Adhesive Technologies at Henkel ANZ, shares her proven strategies for putting Australia and New Zealand on the global marketing map.  Working for a global organisation with headquarters far from the region, Kitty reveals how she's successfully gained executive visibility, built internal advocates, and implemented innovative marketing approaches that have been adopted across the Asia-Pacific region. This episode is essential listening for any B2B marketer working in a regional market who wants to move beyond execution mode and become a strategic contributor whose voice is heard at the highest levels of their organisation. Guest Introduction Kitty Zhao is a seasoned B2B marketing leader with over 14 years of experience across the manufacturing, mining, automotive aftermarket, and scientific sectors. Kitty brings a strategic lens to every initiative, combining deep expertise in OEM and distribution models with a collaborative leadership style that empowers teams to deliver marketing programs that resonate with customers and drive meaningful business results. Key Topics Why Australian and New Zealand markets risk being overlooked in global decision-making, and how raising your profile ensures local needs are considered proactively.Common mistakes regional marketers make and why you should treat new initiatives like a sales pitch with evidence-based proposals.Pioneering account-based marketing in the mining sector and how this Australian initiative became the pilot program for the entire APAC region.Building internal advocates across technical teams and sales forces, and developing co-branded campaigns with customers.Creating strategic alliances with global colleagues across marketing functions to ensure two-way communication.Leveraging the Australian Institute of Packaging partnership that led to speaking opportunities across Asia-Pacific conferences.How locally-developed initiatives expanded from Australia to Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, and Malaysia.Building trust, demonstrating small wins, and confidently proposing innovative approaches. Resources & Links People Mentioned: Mark Ritson- Marketing professor and founder of Mini MBA in MarketingNatalie Truong- Ex-CMO, Oceania at EY Companies & Organisations: Henkel-Global adhesive technologies companyAustralian Institute of Packaging-Peak professional body for packaging education in Australasia Courses: MiniMBA in Marketing-MBA-level marketing course Subscribe to the xG Weekly Newsletter for weekly insights on B2B growth across APAC: https://xgrowth.com.au/newsletter Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Kitty Zhao Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

Ever wondered if you might already be a product marketer without knowing it? This episode breaks down one of B2B's most misunderstood roles with someone who literally wrote the book on it. Kayla Medica, Australia's leading product marketing advocate and author of The Mehdeeka Method, sits down with host Vinnie Romano to demystify what product marketers actually do and why they're crucial for proving product-market fit. If you're a marketer feeling stuck between sales enablement and strategic growth, or a founder struggling to translate your brilliant product into clear value propositions that resonate, this conversation will change how you think about marketing's role in driving revenue. Kayla reveals why product marketing might be the missing piece in your marketing strategy—and why understanding it could be the key to unlocking sustainable business growth. Guest Introduction Kayla Medica is the author of The Mehdeeka Method, a book all about establishing product marketing in an organisation including all the tricky bits like wrangling big personalities, as well as a fractional product marketer working with B2B SaaS businesses and startups. Having worked in B2B SaaS for over a decade, she's established product marketing functions at companies like Willow, serves as Head of Programming for Generate Summit, and writes the weekly Mehdeeka newsletter. Key Topics Defining product marketing beyond the buzzwords - Why product marketing isn't just another marketing role and how it bridges the gap between what you build and what customers actually needThe product marketer as the "buddy system" to your product - How product marketers change roles throughout a product's lifecycle from concept to sunset, acting as whatever the product needs at each stageWhy sales enablement isn't "just" sales enablement - How internal education and getting everyone on the same page about what your product actually does forms the foundation for all other marketing effortsThe granular work behind product-market fit - Real examples of how product marketers identify new use cases, expand into new markets, and help businesses understand not just who their customers are, but how they actually use the productCareer transition advice for aspiring product marketers - How to identify if you're already doing product marketing work and what skills transfer from traditional marketing rolesThe collaboration imperative - Why product marketing success depends on working across teams (sales, product, customer success) and being the person who brings solutions, not just problemsProduct marketing as a business growth lever - How understanding and maintaining product-market fit becomes crucial for sustainable business growth and why business leaders should care about this functionThe Australian product marketing landscape - Why the role is newer in Australia compared to the US and how the local market is evolving Resources & Links Books Mentioned: The Mehdeeka Method by Kayla Medica - A step-by-step guide to establishing product marketing within organisationsListen Like You Mean It by Ximena Vengoechea - About conducting interviews and listening skills for product marketersTalk to Me by Dean Nelson - A journalist's guide to asking better questions Communities & Resources: Generate Summit - Australia and New Zealand's leading B2B marketing communityMehdeeka Newsletter - Kayla's seasonal newsletter on B2B SaaS marketing People Mentioned: Axel Sukianto - Co-founder of GenerateLara Vandersluis - Generate community organiserKaylee Liu Generate community organiser Subscribe to the xG Weekly Newsletter for weekly insights on B2B growth across APAC: https://xgrowth.com.au/newsletter Contact & Credits Host: Vinnie Romano Guest: Kayla Medica Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

In this episode, we dive deep into the complexities of building growth strategies across APAC with Victoria, who leads marketing for Thomson Reuters across an enormous remit spanning from Africa and the Middle East through to Japan and New Zealand. Victoria shares why expanding into APAC is fundamentally different from other regions, dispels common myths about APAC markets, and reveals how sophisticated buyers in these geographies are driving the future of B2B technology adoption. The conversation explores everything from the nuanced approach needed for different markets like Japan's trust-building requirements versus the rapid innovation appetite in Southeast Asia, to how geopolitical shifts create both opportunities and challenges. Victoria also shares her approach to creating bespoke research that serves as both thought leadership and demand generation, demonstrating how to move beyond traditional marketing tactics to become a true business growth driver. Guest Introduction Victoria Sampson (McCafferty) is a seasoned marketing leader with over 15 years of experience driving growth across Asia-Pacific. As CMO APAC at Thomson Reuters, she leads a diverse regional team, combining data, technology, and customer insight to design demand generation programs that deliver measurable impact. Passionate about understanding buyer behavior, she believes the best marketing comes from truly knowing the customer—what they value, how they operate, and when to reach them. Throughout her career, she has been proud to build inclusive teams, champion an ethical, people-first culture, and position marketing as a precision growth engine that bridges business goals with customer needs in meaningful ways. Key Topics Why APAC expansion is different: Cultural practices, timing (e.g., Eid in Middle East), and diverse innovation drivers require long-term commitment (6–24 months depending on market).APAC myths debunked: Markets are often more advanced than US/EU in tech adoption, with larger buying groups and 70% of the journey completed digitally before first contact.The “gateway market” trap: Limiting operations to Singapore and Australia misses growth in China, Japan, Korea, India, and Southeast Asia.Content as advantage: Bespoke research and executive interviews drive both client retention and sophisticated demand generation.The 70-30 localisation rule: 70% of marketing scales regionally; 30% needs localisation around culture, channels, and geography.Channel diversification: WeChat dominates China, Naver in Korea, WhatsApp is rising in B2B, while Japan's B2B sees low social media impact and declining email effectiveness.Marketing as advisory: Shift from traditional roles to driving business growth with analytics, strategy, and client-centric positioning.Future of B2B marketing: AI handles execution; human skills in messaging, buyer understanding, and connection become key — a return to the “art” of marketing. Resources & Links People Mentioned Professor Scott Galloway - Recommended resource for business insights and contentShahin Hoda LinkedIn ProfileAlexander Hipwell LinkedIn Profile Companies & Tools Discussed Thomson Reuters - Victoria's employerBombora - Intent data platform mentioned6Sense - ABM software platformCanva AI - Content creation toolTableau - Data analytics and reporting Events & Programs Synergy - Thomson Reuters' flagship client event series (Australia, Dubai, Singapore, Tokyo) Subscribe to the xG Weekly Newsletter for weekly insights on B2B growth across APAC: https://xgrowth.com.au/newsletter Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Victoria Sampson (McCafferty) Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

In this episode, we delve into the world of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) with Stuart Matthewman, who shares the hard-won lessons from IR's six-year journey with ABM. From early failures and misalignment issues to achieving an incredible 80X return on marketing spend, Stuart reveals the critical importance of sales and marketing alignment. He provides a detailed blueprint for implementing a successful ABM program. This episode is packed with actionable insights for B2B marketers looking to move beyond traditional lead generation tactics and build sustainable revenue growth through strategic account targeting. Guest Introduction Stuart Matthewman joined IR in 2014 and was promoted to CMO in 2022, having risen through the ranks and strengthened the marketing function. Under his leadership as CMO, he has been a key contributor to IR's remarkable growth, driving a 132% increase in revenue, a 289% growth in EBITDA, and a complete overhaul of the global marketing team. Stuart is a B2B CMO of the Year Finalist for 2025 and brings extensive experience leading global marketing teams across ASX-listed technology companies. Key Topics The early ABM struggles: Why IR's initial attempts at account-based marketing failed over six years, including issues with sales alignment and over-personalisation too earlyThe turning point: How bringing in new sales leadership and rebranding ABM as "Account Based Everything" (ABE) transformed their approach and resultsThe 12-16 week ABM process: A detailed breakdown of IR's structured approach, from pre-warming accounts to SDR activation and sales follow-up sequencesSales and marketing alignment: Practical strategies for getting sales teams fully bought into ABM programs and maintaining consistent executionSDRs under marketing: Why IR moved their SDR function from sales to marketing and the benefits this structure provides for ABM executionMeasuring ABM success: How IR tracks progress without traditional MQL metrics and focuses on account engagement and pipeline generationAI integration: Current experiments with AI to automate and scale ABM activities while maintaining personalisationBranding evolution: IR's journey from "Integrated Research" to "IR" and the market research that guided their brand consolidation strategy Resources & Links People Mentioned: Stuart Matthewman - CMO, IRByron Sharp - Director, Ehrenberg-Bass InstituteProfessor Jenni Romaniuk - Associate Director, Ehrenberg-Bass InstituteMark Ritson - Marketing Professor and Mini MBA FounderKerry Cunningham - 6Sense ABM ExpertKim Scott - Author of "Radical Candor"John Lombardo - B2B Institute (LinkedIn) Companies & Tools: IR (Integrated Research) - Performance monitoring software for critical IT infrastructureEhrenberg-Bass Institute - World's largest centre for marketing research6SenseDemandBase Books & Resources: "How Brands Grow" - Byron Sharp"How Brands Grow Part 2" - Byron Sharp and Jenni Romaniuk"Radical Candor" - Kim Scott"Better Brand Health" - Jenni Romaniuk"Building Distinctive Brand Assets" - Jenni RomaniukWomen in Product Marketing Podcast Subscribe to the xG Weekly Newsletter for weekly insights on B2B growth across APAC: https://xgrowth.com.au/newsletter Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Stuart Matthewman Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

In this episode, Vinnie sits down with ABM marketing expert Melinda Stuart to tackle one of B2B marketing's most misunderstood concepts: go-to-market strategy. What starts as a discussion about business language misuse quickly evolves into a deeper conversation about how marketers can remain strategically relevant in an AI-driven world. Melinda breaks down why go-to-market has become a buzzword that's lost its true meaning, and shares practical advice for B2B marketers who want to move beyond tactics to drive real organisational alignment. This episode is essential listening for anyone tired of seeing "go-to-market" slapped onto job titles without the strategic foundation to back it up. Guest Introduction Melinda Stuart is Enterprise Marketing Lead at Optus and a Marketing and Communications Leader with extensive experience in global and APAC markets. With over two decades of international experience and more than ten years in the technology sector spanning cloud, communications, and software, Melinda has successfully shaped go-to-market strategies across various new territories and verticals. She's worked in both agency and client-side roles, including previous positions at Macquarie Telecom and InterSystems, and serves as an advisor to organisations of varying sizes, particularly within the technology space. Key Topics The real definition of go-to-market strategy – Why it's a cross-functional, organisational approach, not just a marketing functionWhy marketers are taking on GTM responsibility – The rise of growth marketers and how stakeholder fatigue leads to siloed decision-makingThe critical question every marketer should ask – "Who do I need to get in a room?" before taking on go-to-market responsibilitiesStrategy vs tactics in the age of AI – How the abundance of marketing tools is creating more tacticians than strategistsSocial selling as part of account-based marketing – Using executive branding and authentic content to demonstrate growth within target accountsStaying relevant in an AI world – Why human strategic thinking remains the competitive differentiator for the next decadeThe importance of cross-functional collaboration – Breaking out of the marketing corner to ask questions and align with other teams Resources & Links Vinnie's article in Mediaweek: Stop selling tactics as strategy: The dangerous misuse of business languageAdam Turinas – Healthcare ABM specialist and founder of Health LaunchpadDr Catherine Ball – Futurist, Associate Professor at Australian National University, and author of "Converge"Vinnie Romano on LinkedIn – Host and executive branding specialistMelinda Stuart on LinkedIn – Guest and Enterprise Marketing Lead at Optus Subscribe to the xG Weekly Newsletter for weekly insights on B2B growth across APAC: https://xgrowth.com.au/newsletter Contact & Credits Host: Vinnie Romano Guest: Melinda Stuart Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

Welcome to a special programming note! After taking a short break to refresh and refine our approach, we're excited to announce the relaunch of our podcast with some significant improvements. What's New: Brand clarity - We've simplified our name from "Growth Colony: APAC's B2B Growth Podcast" to "APAC's B2B Growth Podcast." Streamlined format - We've tightened up our introductions and optimised our question structure to create a smoother conversation flow that gets straight to the valuable insights you're here for. Enhanced production - You'll notice updates to our music, overall look and feel, and general production quality. Deeper episodes - We're moving from weekly to fortnightly releases, allowing us to invest more time and effort into each conversation to deliver higher-quality content. What Stays the Same: Our commitment to bringing you actionable B2B growth insights from leading voices across the Asia-Pacific region remains unchanged. Got feedback? We'd love to hear your thoughts on the changes. Drop us a line at podcast@xgrowth.com.au Thanks for being part of our journey - here's to the next chapter of APAC's B2B Growth Podcast!

Should you set up a LinkedIn newsletter or an email newsletter for your business? Let's look at the pros and cons of each and explore another option you may not have thought about. Subscribe to my newsletter - https://b2bgrowthco.com/newsletter/Key moments in this episode - 00:00 LinkedIn vs. Off-Platform Newsletters00:31 My Journey Starting a Newsletter02:55 Pros of LinkedIn Newsletters05:44 Cons of LinkedIn Newsletters08:33 Exploring Email Newsletters14:18 The Hybrid Approach18:22 Conclusion and Linked SummitToday's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days. https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners.Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs.Book a free intro call to learn more - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15minsSocial Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website -https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond

Let's explore the underutilised potential of LinkedIn Polls for B2B businesses to gain market intelligence, increase engagement and drive business growth. Key moments in this episode - 00:00 Why LinkedIn Polls03:29 The Power of LinkedIn Polls05:06 Structuring Winning LinkedIn Polls09:18 Common Mistakes with LinkedIn Polls11:12 Using LinkedIn Polls to Grow Your B2B13:29 Listener LinkedIn Poll ChallengeToday's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days. https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners.Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/Book a free intro call to learn more - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15minsSocial Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond2025 Social Media Study - Metricool - Metricool analyzed data from over 1 million accounts and over 21 million posts from 8 social networks to measure the evolution of the different platforms, forecast 2025 trends, and compare the results with our 2024 study.How the LinkedIn Algorithm Works in 2024 [Data-Backed Facts]

Learn why having the most LinkedIn Company Page followers can set your brand apart by establishing social proof, credibility, and industry leadership. Discover how to transform your company's presence on LinkedIn, attract new followers, and engage your audience better.   Key moments in this episode -  00:00 Importance of LinkedIn Company Page Followers 01:16 Why Page Followers Matter 04:43 Audit Your LinkedIn Company Page 08:49 LinkedIn Content for Follower Growth 13:58 The Power of Two 17:03 Action Steps   Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ   ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners. Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #LinkedInCompanyPage #B2BMarketing

The top three LinkedIn trends B2B marketers need to know for 2025. Learn how to navigate LinkedIn's evolving landscape and make the most of these trends to enhance your B2B marketing strategy. Key moments in this episode: 00:00 Introduction to Key LinkedIn Trends 02:36 The Pros and Cons of AI on LinkedIn 06:15 Navigating LinkedIn's Video Content 09:57 Embracing Page Advocacy 13:38 Future Outlook Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ   Try out Descript today.   ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners. Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #LinkedInTrends #B2BMarketing  

If you haven't quite found your excitement for getting started on LinkedIn in 2025, this episode is for you.  Key moments in this episode: 00:00 Reignite Your LinkedIn Passion 00:27 Understanding the LinkedIn Blues 03:55 Strategies to Clean Up Your Feed 05:59 Review and Build Your LinkedIn Community 07:57 Engage Through Direct Messages 10:39 Final Thoughts and Encouragement   Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ   ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners. Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn 

Use this episode as your inspiration to stop and think about what you achieved on LinkedIn in 2024. You might realise you have come much further than you give yourself credit.  Key moments in this episode: 00:00 Reflecting on 2024: A Year in Review 01:11 Overcoming Challenges 02:09 150 Episodes and Beyond 04:00 Taking the Stage Internationally 05:13 Business Growth 06:08 Personal Growth 07:54 Client Success Stories 09:12 Thanking the Support System 10:37 Holiday Wishes and Final Thoughts   Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ   ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners. Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond

Brand partnerships on LinkedIn sure are causing a buzz. Whether you are a LinkedIn creator or a brand looking to partner with them, this episode is for you.  Key moments in this episode: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:01 Understanding Brand Partnerships 04:56 Choosing the Right Brand Partner 07:27 Audience Insights and Brand Alignment 11:41 Pitching to Brands 16:09 Live Case Study: Dreamdata 22:35 Negotiation and Campaign Goals 28:29 Sponsor Magnet Book Launch Buy Your Copy of Sponsor Magnet   Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ   ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners. Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #BrandPartnerships #UGC  

LinkedIn new features include significant changes to LinkedIn audio events, the introduction of LinkedIn Accelerate - AI ad campaigns, the option for Premium users to have rotating profile banners, and the ability to boost personal posts. Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ Key moments in this episode: 00:00 Introduction 01:41 New LinkedIn Features Overview 04:08 Changes to LinkedIn Audio Events 07:49 LinkedIn Accelerate: AI-Powered Ad Campaigns 09:13 Rotating Banners for Premium Accounts 13:06 Boosting Personal Posts on LinkedIn 15:16 Wrap up ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners. Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #LinkedInNewFeatures #B2BMarketing  

How would you rate your LinkedIn content strategy's effectiveness? In a recent study, Less than a third (29%) called theirs extremely or very effective. So, let's ask Ann Handley how she would turn this around in 2025. Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ Key moments in this episode: 00:00 Welcome Ann Handley 04:15 The State of B2B Content Marketing 08:16 Strategies for Spectacular LinkedIn Content 17:48 Personal vs. Personable in Marketing 26:41 Encouraging Experimentation and Differentiation 31:04 Looking Ahead to Content Marketing 2025  Connect with Ann Handley on LinkedIn ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners. Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #ContentMarketing #B2B

How do you sell more on LinkedIn when posting content alone isn't working? First recorded for The Futur Podcast, Chris Do interviews Michelle J Raymond and they look into the business side of LinkedIn.  Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ Key moments in this episode: 00:00 Introduction to a Milestone Podcast Episode 00:38 Flipping the Script: Michelle Gets Interviewed 04:17 The Journey to LinkedIn Success 07:55 Understanding the Resistance to LinkedIn 10:24 Effective LinkedIn Strategies for Businesses 28:01 The Power of Company Pages on LinkedIn 33:30 The Power of Two: A Personal Story 34:39 Employer Branding and Staff Turnover 35:54 Engaging Employees on LinkedIn 36:50 Overcoming LinkedIn Intimidation 41:04 Creating Effective Company Page Content 43:51 Thought Leadership and Originality 56:55 The Future of LinkedIn and Social Media Connect with Chris Do on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechrisdo/ Watch on YouTube  ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners. Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #LinkedInForBusiness #Branding      

The 15th Annual B2B Content Marketing Report is out, and Michelle J Raymond sits down with Robert Rose to unpack what it all means for the future of B2B marketing. Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ Key moments in this episode:00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:52 Origins of the B2B Content Marketing Report 04:10 Current Trends and Challenges in B2B Marketing 05:32 The Identity Crisis in B2B Marketing 07:38 Encouraging Creativity and Differentiation 13:25 Practical Tips for Marketers 19:42 The Role of Technology in Marketing 26:30 Looking Ahead to 2025 30:23  Final Thoughts Connect with Robert Rose on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robrose/ The Content Marketing Research is available here - https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/articles/b2b-content-marketing-trends-research/ ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners. Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #ContentMarketing #B2BMarketing

If you're planning your 2025 LinkedIn Ad strategy, this is where you want to start. Michelle J Raymond sits down with the LinkedIn Ads expert, AJ Wilcox, to give you the inside scoop on what's working to reduce your CPC and increase leads. Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ Key moments in this episode:00:00 Introduction to LinkedIn Ads 01:36 The State of LinkedIn Ads 06:50 Common Mistakes in LinkedIn Ad Campaigns 09:39 Optimising LinkedIn Ad Performance 15:37 The Power of Thought Leader Ads 20:46 New LinkedIn Ad Formats and Features 25:53 Final Tips and Upcoming Events Connect with AJ Wilcox on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilcoxaj/ ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners. Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website -  https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/   Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond   #LinkedIn #LinkedInAds #B2BMarketing

If you want your content seen by more people - first look at what content formats are working best on LinkedIn, then how can you improve the copy on your posts and saving the best for last - the guaranteed way to improve your LinkedIn content performance.  Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ Key moments in this episode: 00:00 What Content Works Best on LinkedIn? 00:53 Tactics for LinkedIn Marketing in 2025 03:43 Types of Content That Excel on LinkedIn 06:04 Formats and Strategies for LinkedIn Content 10:15 Secrets to High Performing LinkedIn Posts 17:33 The Importance of Serving Your Community   Metricool new features   ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners.  Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn™️ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #ContentMarketing #B2BMarketing    

No budget for LinkedIn Ads? No worries. In this episode we look at the top organic strategies for LinkedIn Marketers in 2025.  Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ Key moments in this episode: 00:00 Crushing LinkedIn in 202504:44 LinkedIn Content Planning07:29 LinkedIn for business foundations10:05 Employee Advocacy on LinkedIn14:39 Thought Leadership on LinkedIn18:41 Upcoming Episodes   ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners.  Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn™️ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #ContentMarketing #B2BMarketing

LinkedIn is crowded, and playing it safe and putting out boring content will not help your brand stand out and win opportunities on LinkedIn. What will work? I asked expert guest and LinkedIn insider - Robin O Connell to share what's working and what isn't for brands as we head into 2025.  Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ Key moments in this episode: 00:00 LinkedIn Marketing Challenges for 202500:48 LinkedIn Insider: Robin O Connell02:08 The Growing LinkedIn Demographic07:13 Breaking Free from Boring: Creative Strategies for B2B Brands13:35 Balancing Brand Consistency and Creativity20:06 The Power of Branding and Creativity20:57 Sales and Marketing on LinkedIn21:51 The Risks of Focusing Solely on Lead Generation22:37 Balancing Short-Term and Long-Term Marketing Strategies26:51 Practical Tips for Differentiating Your Brand29:38 Injecting Creativity and Emotion into B2B Content33:28 Final Thoughts and Actionable Tips   Connect with Robin O Connell LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinoconnellin/ ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners.  Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn™️ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #ContentMarketing #LinkedInForBusiness

The benefits of employee advocacy are well known, but LinkedIn is making a change that will limit how this works on the platform. To make sure your business is prepared let's go through the changes and alternatives for your business.  Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ Key moments in this episode: 00:00 LinkedIn Announcement03:20 The My Company and Employee Advocacy Tabs on LinkedIn04:49 The Impact of Removing These Features06:18 Exploring Alternatives for Employee Advocacy08:27 Cost-Effective Solutions for Small Businesses09:47 Planning for LinkedIn Success in 2025 For more details - https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a6836874?hcppcid=search ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners.  Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn™️ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #EmployeeAdvocacy #LinkedInForBusiness  

Are you a small marketing team or a solo entrepreneur struggling to keep up with content demands? In this episode, Michelle J Raymond shares her best-kept secret for creating endless content without burning out. Learn about the tools and strategies she uses, and how you can implement them today! Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ Key moments in this episode: 00:00 Overcoming Content Creation Overwhelm 01:45 11 Reasons to Love LinkedIn Live 05:54 Getting Started with LinkedIn Live 09:31 The Six W's Framework for LinkedIn Live Success 13:56 Maximising Content from LinkedIn Live 16:25 Essential Tools for Content Creation 19:04 Upcoming Special Guest ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners.  Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn™️ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #LinkedInLive #ContentMarketing    

Ever heard ‘I don't need LinkedIn' from a sales rep? Or maybe a team member saying, ‘That's not my job'? Join Coach Michelle J Raymond as she tackles the seven most common objections to LinkedIn and reveals how to flip the script to get your team on board. Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ Key moments in this episode: 00:00 Overcoming LinkedIn Objections 02:27 Common LinkedIn Objections and How to Address Them 04:23 My Customers Prefer Calls 05:50 I Already Have an Established Network 06:53 I'm Too Busy for LinkedIn 09:16 My Customers Aren't Active on LinkedIn 11:35 I'm Successful with Email Marketing 13:45 LinkedIn Didn't Work for Me 16:06 LinkedIn - It's Not My Job 18:19 Flipping the Script on LinkedIn Objections   ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners.  Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn™️ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #SocialSelling #B2BSales  

LinkedIn changed this data privacy setting without notifying members, which means many members are now automatically opted-in to allow LinkedIn AI to use your personal data and content for training LinkedIn's generative AI content. UK listeners read this - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy89x4y1pmgo Key moments in this episode: 00:00 Urgent Announcement01:16 LinkedIn's Automatic Opt-In for AI Training02:02 How to Opt Out of LinkedIn's AI Training02:50 Personal Experience and Concerns04:19 Final Thoughts ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMOND Michelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners.  Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn™️ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #AI #LinkedInTips

Is not being "salesy" enough sabotaging your B2B marketing results on LinkedIn? In this episode we share three great lessons you can learn from social selling to improve your marketing results.  Key moments in this episode: 00:00 Embrace the Salesy Approach 00:52 The Sales vs. Marketing Debate 04:42 Social Selling on LinkedIn 06:49 Lesson 1: Know Thy Customer 10:30 Lesson 2: Reframe Your LinkedIn Strategy 14:15 Lesson 3: Humanise Your Brand 18:18 Bridging Sales and Marketing for Better Results ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners.  Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn™️ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #SocialSelling #B2BMarketing  

Start planning your LinkedIn strategy for 2025 today. Want to know where you should focus your time and effort? Michelle J Raymond shares her strategies for building community and driving growth.    Today's episode is sponsored by Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days.  https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ Key moments in this episode: 00:00 The LinkedIn Content Surge 00:18 LinkedIn B2B Strategy Planning for 2025 02:05 Building a Community on LinkedIn 07:03 LinkedIn Content Trends for 2025 12:49 Boosting Engagement and Thought Leadership 18:40 Preparing for LinkedIn Success in 2025 ABOUT MICHELLE J RAYMONDMichelle J Raymond is an international LinkedIn™️ B2B Growth Coach. To continue the conversation, connect with Michelle on LinkedIn™️ and let her know you are part of the community of podcast listeners.  Connect with Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn™️ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/ B2B Growth Co offers LinkedIn™️ Training for teams to build personal and business brands and a LinkedIn™️ Profile Recharge service for Founders/CEOs. Book a free intro call to learn more  - https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast is a fully accessible podcast. Audio, Video, Transcript and guest details are available on our podcast website - https://socialmediaforb2bgrowthpodcast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleJRaymond #LinkedIn #MarketingStrategy #B2BMarketing