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MarTech platforms fail when brands can't bridge digital and physical experiences. Danielle Pederson, CMO at Amaze, explains how virtual merchandise creates real emotional connections with younger audiences. She discusses launching Amaze Digital Fits on Roblox to let users dress avatars and purchase matching physical products. The strategy treats gaming platforms as communication channels rather than just entertainment, recognizing how Gen Z builds community through digital-first interactions.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Everybody loves a good origin story, but not every story is worth retelling. The real skill is knowing when to evolve, not repeat.That's the lesson of Andor, the Star Wars series that turned subtle storytelling into a strategy for lasting relevance. In this episode, we explore its B2B marketing takeaways with the help of our special guest Rachel Sterling, CMO of Identity Digital. Together, we break down what B2B marketers can learn from spotting product fatigue early, tailoring stories for evolving audiences, and creating content that sparks conversation, not just clicks.About our guest, Rachel SterlingRachel Sterling serves as Chief Marketing Officer where she is focused on expanding Identity Digital's impact on driving awareness and adoption of our top level domain portfolio. Prior to joining Identity Digital, Rachel held senior leadership positions at Proximie, Instagram, Twitter, and Google where she developed impactful strategies around product, integrated, content, and event marketing.Rachel also possesses a creative background, spending the first eight years of her career working in TV production and post-production. Rachel lives in Belmont, CA with her husband and two children.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Andor:Recognize when the story has run its course. Just like Disney realized Luke Skywalker's arc had reached its limits, Rachel ties that lesson to brand fatigue. Audiences, like customers, eventually want something new. As she puts it: “Their main characters had been exhausted… you have to consistently monitor for user sentiment.” Andor worked because it didn't cling to nostalgia; it built from a blank slate. In B2B, that means knowing when your message or product line has hit its ceiling and having the courage to reinvent before your audience tunes out.Segment for meaning, not just demographics. Disney didn't make Andor for everyone. It made it for the fans who grew up with A New Hope. Rachel explains: “By exploring more mature themes, you're building content specifically for the core audience that had been there since the very beginning.” The same rule applies in B2B. As your audience evolves, so should your tone, themes, and depth. Mature buyers crave nuance; new ones need accessibility. Build the right story for the right segment, and you'll meet each generation where they are, not where they were.Make content that talks back. Rachel points out that Andor isn't a passive show. It demands engagement long after the credits roll. As she says: “Content no longer exists in a passive experience… The sign of a good show is when you can engage in conversation beyond just a simple, ‘that was good.'” In B2B, the same holds true. The best content doesn't just get attention; it gets people talking, sharing, and connecting around a shared idea. Don't settle for applause, aim for conversation that keeps your brand in motion.Quote“Just because you feel affinity for the product does not mean that people will continue to share that affinity. I definitely think that marketers, from seeing the decision that Disney made to Greenlight Andor, can take away the message [to] understand when you have product fatigue.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Rachel Sterling, Chief Marketing Officer at Identity Digital[01:51] Why Andor?[03:36] The Role of CMO at Identity Digital[04:45] What is Andor?[22:32] B2B Marketing Lessons from Andor[42:14] Identity Digital's Brand and Content Strategy[45:52] Advice for First-Time CMOs[48:27] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Rachel on LinkedInLearn more about Identity DigitalAbout Remarkable!Remarkable! is created by the team at Caspian Studios, the premier B2B Podcast-as-a-Service company. Caspian creates both nonfiction and fiction series for B2B companies. If you want a fiction series check out our new offering - The Business Thriller - Hollywood style storytelling for B2B. Learn more at CaspianStudios.com. In today's episode, you heard from Ian Faison (CEO of Caspian Studios) and Meredith Gooderham (Head of Production). Remarkable was produced this week by Jess Avellino, mixed by Scott Goodrich, and our theme song is “Solomon” by FALAK. Create something remarkable. Rise above the noise. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Revenue Generator Podcast: Sales + Marketing + Product + Customer Success = Revenue Growth
MarTech platforms fail when brands can't bridge digital and physical experiences. Danielle Pederson, CMO at Amaze, explains how virtual merchandise creates real emotional connections with younger audiences. She discusses launching Amaze Digital Fits on Roblox to let users dress avatars and purchase matching physical products. The strategy treats gaming platforms as communication channels rather than just entertainment, recognizing how Gen Z builds community through digital-first interactions.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
About Liana Guzmán:Liana M. Douillet Guzmán is a seasoned CEO and consumer-tech leader known for driving transformative growth across healthcare, finance, education, and professional services. As CEO of FOLX Health, she has expanded the company's national reach and service offerings, helping establish it as the leading digital healthcare provider for the LGBTQIA+ community. With nearly two decades of experience scaling disruptive companies, she previously served as CMO at Skillshare and COO at Blockchain, where she played a key role in growing the platform from 4 million to 40 million users and building a globally recognized brand. Liana also spent nine years shaping Axiom's international expansion and marketing strategy across the U.S., EMEA, and APAC regions. A Henry Crown Fellow and three-time Fast Company Queer 50 honoree, she is a sought-after speaker at global forums including DAVOS, Fortune Brainstorm, Web Summit, and HLTH. Beyond her executive work, she co-founded The Pink Agenda and serves on the boards of GLAAD and The Elizabeth Park Conservancy. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, she brings a global mindset and people-first leadership style to every role.Things You'll Learn:Whole-person, patient-centered, community-oriented care is the future. When these three pillars align, outcomes improve and trust increases across populations.Telehealth is not a compromise; it's often the safest, most accessible option. For many people, digital care is the only environment where they feel safe, respected, and willing to seek support.AI can either transform healthcare or exacerbate and dangerously amplify inequality. Without careful oversight and representative data, large language models can reinforce harmful misinformation.Affirming care is a clinical and financial necessity, not a niche service. Avoiding preventive care can lead to dangerous delays and significantly higher system costs.Demographic shifts make inclusive care a strategic imperative. With a quarter of Gen Z identifying as LGBTQIA+, employers and payers who invest early will capture long-term loyalty and economic value.Resources:Connect with and follow Liana Guzmán on LinkedIn.Follow FOLX Health on LinkedIn and Instagram, and visit their website.
Kakav odnos CEO-a i CMO-a čini kompaniju liderom na tržištu? U novoj Digitalk epizodi, sa Aleksandrom Nikolićem (Na Sva Zvona) analiziramo šta je potrebno da marketing postane strateška funkcija, a ne samo servis. Aleksandar naglašava da je kultura ključna: ako CEO ne vidi marketing kao stratešku funkciju, CMO će brzo otići. Zato je uloga moderne agencije ključna: ona ne sme biti samo kreativni servis, već strateški saveznik koji pomaže CMO-u da sve kreativne ideje prevede na merljive poslovne parametre – prihod, profit, lojalnost. Govorimo o tome kako izgleda usklađen jezik i kako se gradi strateško poverenje koje marketing transformiše u generator rasta. Pričamo o tome kako agencija postaje saveznik u ovom prevodu, pomažući CMO-u da pred CEO-a izađe sa dokazima o poslovnom učinku, a ne samo sa kreativnim idejama. Aleksandar Nikolić, Founder & Chief Bell Ringer @ Na sva zvona - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandarnikolic82/ O čemu smo pričali: - Uvod i predstavljanje - Od ljubavi prema umetnosti do advertising industrije - Kako CEO vidi svoju ulogu u marketingu, a kako CMO? - Koje metrike CEO ceni i kako CMO treba da ih predstavi? - Kako izgleda zdrav odnos CEO-a i CMO-a u praksi? - Kako agencija može pomoći CMO da bude partner CEO - Tehnologija u kreativnoj industriji - Agencijski modeli koji će opstati Pratite Digitalk podkast za više tema iz digitalnog marketinga, advertajzinga i karijere u kreativnoj industriji: LN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digitalkrs FB: https://www.facebook.com/Digitalk.rs IG: https://www.instagram.com/digitalk.rs/ Posetite naš sajt i prijavite se na našu mailing listu - https://www.digitalk.rs Prijavite se na naš YouTube kanal: https://bit.ly/3uWtLES Veliku zahvalnost dugujemo kompanijama koje su prepoznale kvalitet onoga što radimo i odlučile da nas podrže i daju nam vetar u leđa: Partneri podkasta: - Raiffeisen banka - https://www.raiffeisenbank.rs/ Digitalne usluge Raiffeisen banke koje preporučujemo za mala i srednja preduzeća: https://bit.ly/48J4ch9 - Kompanija NIS - https://www.nis.rs/ - Ananas - https://ananas.rs/ - kompanija Idea - https://online.idea.rs/ Prijatelj podkasta: - BiVits ACTIVA vitamini i minerali - https://bivits.com/kategorija/bivits-paketi/ Puno obaveza, stres, prekovremeni rad... zvuči poznato? E, za to imamo pravo rešenje. To su BiVits ACTIVA vitamini i minerali. Sa njima ćete lako uzeti zdravlje u svoje ruke i više od toga. Preporučujemo vam NO STRESS paket – kombinacija tri suplementa koja pomažu da se bolje naspavate, smanjite napetost i podignete energiju. Na BiVits sajtu možete pronaći kombinaciju koja je baš za vas, a uz poseban kod DIGITALK ostvarujete i 25% popusta! Uzmite zdravlje u svoje ruke – uz BiVits ACTIVA vitamine i minerale! - Izdavačka kuća Finesa - https://www.finesa.edu.rs/ U ovoj epizodi podelićemo dve knjige "Strategija plavog okeana" izdavačke kuće Finesa onima koji budu najbrži i najkreativniji sa komentarima, a možete nam slobodno pisati i na info@digitalk.rs i direktno nam uputiti komentar, sugestiju ili primedbu. Takođe, svi oni koji na Finesinom websajtu poruče knjige i unesu promo kod digitalk dobiće 10% popusta na već snižene cene izdanja na sajtu: https://www.finesa.edu.rs/
Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by SK. In this episode, we explore how businesses can break through growth plateaus by leveraging fractional CMO strategy, gaining clarity, expertise, and momentum without full-time executive costs.Joining us is Manuel Rodriguez, Marketing Manager at Able & Howe, a strategist whose journey from immigrant to marketing leader shaped his ability to position, adapt, and build value under pressure. Manuel shares how the fractional CMO model helps businesses cut through noise, build trust, and turn digital efforts into predictable growth engines.Key Highlights:Adaptability & Growth: How Manuel's journey shaped his approach to helping companies compete. Overcoming Trust Barriers: Why SMEs struggle with agencies and how to build transparent partnerships. Fractional CMO Advantage: How SMBs gain strategic leadership without full-time overhead. Independence-Focused Model: How Able & Howe helps clients reduce agency dependence over time. Future of Digital & AI: How SMBs can stay ahead without overwhelm and Manuel's vision for Able & Howe.Special Thanks to Our Partners:RBC: https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/dms/business/accounts/beyond-banking/index.htmlUPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWAGoogle: https://www.google.ca/A1 Global College: https://a1globalcollege.ca/ADP Canada: https://www.adp.ca/en.aspxFor more expert insights, visit www.canadiansme.ca and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age!Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.
What's up everyone, today we have the pleasure of sitting down with Pam Boiros, Fractional CMO and Marketing advisor, and Co-Founder Women Applying AI.(00:00) - Intro (01:13) - In This Episode (03:49) - How To Audit Data Fingerprints For AI Bias In Marketing (07:39) - Why Emotional Intelligence Improves AI Prompting Quality (10:14) - Why So Many Women Hesitate (15:40) - Why Collaborative AI Practice Builds Confidence In Marketing Ops Teams (18:31) - How to Go From AI Curious to AI Confident (24:32) - Joining The 'Women Applying AI' Community (27:18) - Other Ways to Support Women in AI (28:06) - Role Models and Visibility (32:55) - Leadership's Role in Inclusion (35:57) - Mentorship for the AI Era (38:15) - Why Story Driven Communities Strengthen AI Adoption for Women (42:17) - AI's Role in Women's Worklife Harmony (45:22) - Why Personal History Strengthens Creative Leadership Summary: Pam delivers a clear, grounded look at how women learn and lead with AI, moving from biased datasets to late-night practice sessions inside Women Applying AI. She brings sharp examples from real teams, highlights the quiet builders shaping change, and roots her perspective in the resilience she learned from the women in her own family. If you want a straightforward view of what practical, human-centered AI adoption actually looks like, this episode is worth your time.About PamPam Boiros is a consultant who helps marketing teams find direction and build plans that feel doable. She leads Marketing AI Jump Start and works as a fractional CMO for clients like Reclaim Health, giving teams practical ways to bring AI into their day-to-day work. She's also a founding member of Women Applying AI, a new community that launched in Sep 2025 that creates a supportive space for women to learn AI together and grow their confidence in the field.Earlier in her career, Pam spent 12 years at a fast-growing startup that Skillsoft later acquired, then stepped into senior marketing and product leadership there for another three and a half years. That blend of startup pace and enterprise structure shapes how she guides her clients today.How To Audit Data Fingerprints For AI Bias In MarketingAI bias spreads quietly in marketing systems, and Pam treats it as a pattern problem rather than a mistake problem. She explains that models repeat whatever they have inherited from the data, and that repetition creates signals that look normal on the surface. Many teams read those signals as truth because the outputs feel familiar. Pam has watched marketing groups make confident decisions on top of datasets they never examined, and she believes this is how invisible bias gains momentum long before anyone sees the consequences.Pam describes every dataset as carrying a fingerprint. She studies that fingerprint by zooming into the structure, the gaps, and the repetition. She looks for missing groups, inflated representation, and subtle distortions baked into the source. She builds this into her workflow because she has seen how quickly a model amplifies the same dominant voices that shaped the data. She brings up real scenarios from her own career where women were labeled as edge cases in models even though they represented half the customer base. These patterns shape everything from product recommendations to retention scores, and she believes many teams never notice because the numbers look clean and objective."Every dataset has a fingerprint. You cannot see it at first glance, but it becomes obvious once you look for who is overrepresented, who is underrepresented, or who is misrepresented."Pam organizes her process into three cycles that marketers can use immediately.The habit works because it forces scrutiny at every stage, not just at kickoff.Before building, trace the data source, the people represented, and the people missing.While building, stress test the system across groups that usually sit at the margins.After launch, monitor outputs with the same rhythm you use for performance analysis.She treats these cycles as an operational discipline. She compares the scale of bias to a compounding effect, since one flawed assumption can multiply into hundreds of outputs within hours. She has seen pressure to ship faster push teams into trusting defaults, which creates the illusion of objectivity even when the system leans heavily toward one group's behavior. She wants marketers to recognize that AI audits function like quality control, and she encourages them to build review rituals that continue as the model learns. She believes this daily maintenance protects teams from subtle drift where the model gradually leans toward the patterns it already prefers.Pam views long term monitoring as the part that matters most. She knows how fast AI systems evolve once real customers interact with them. Bias shifts as new data enters the mix. Entire segments disappear because the model interprets their silence as disengagement. Other segments dominate because they participate more often, which reinforces the skew. Pam advocates for ongoing alerts, periodic evaluations, and cross-functional reviews that bring different perspectives into the monitoring loop. She believes that consistent visibility keeps the model grounded in the full customer base.Key takeaway: You can reduce AI bias by treating audits as part of your standard workflow. Trace the origin of every dataset so you understand who shapes the patterns. Stress test during development so you catch distortions early. Monitor outcomes after launch so you can identify drift before it influences targeting, scoring, and personalization. This rhythm gives you a reliable way to detect biased fingerprints, keep systems accountable, and protect real customers from skewed automation.Why Emotional Intelligence Improves AI Prompting QualityEmotional intelligence shapes how people brief AI, and Pam focuses on the practical details behind that pattern. She sees prompting as a form of direction setting, similar to guiding a creative partner who follows every instruction literally. Women often add richer context because they instinctively think through tone, audience, and subtle cues before giving direction. That depth produces output that carries more human texture and brand alignment, and it reduces the amount of rewriting teams usually do when prompts feel thin.Pam also talks about synthetic empathy and how easily teams misread it. AI can generate warm language, but users often sense a hollow quality once they reread the output. She has seen teams trust the first fluent result because it looks polished on the surface. People with stronger emotional intelligence detect when the writing lacks genuine feeling or when it leans on clichés instead of real understanding. Pam notices this most in content meant for sensitive moments, such as apology emails or customer care messages, where the emotional miss becomes obvious."Prompting is basically briefing the AI, and women are natural context givers. We think about tone and audience and nuance, and that is what makes AI output more human and more aligned with the brand."Pam brings even sharper clarity when she moves into analytics. She observes that many marketers chase the top performer without questioning who drove the behavior. She describes moments where curiosity leads someone to discover that a small, highly engaged audience segment pulled the numbers upward. She sees women interrogating patterns by asking:Who showed upWhy they behaved the way they didWhat made the pattern appear more universal than it isThose questions shift analytics from scoreboar...
Coinbase's CMO, Cat Ferdon, shares the strategy for moving beyond crypto natives, normalizing "internet money," and defining the future of finance through culturally resonant campaigns. Joining Gen C, Coinbase CMO, Cat Ferdon shares the strategy behind marketing one of the world's most powerful crypto brands. Cat discusses why economic freedom is Coinbase's core mission, how the company is moving beyond the "crypto native" audience to onboard the next generation, and her plan to normalize "internet money" by delivering culturally resonant campaigns that define the next decade of global adoption. - Links mentioned from the podcast: Cat's Twitter Coinbase Website Coinbase Brand Campaign - Everything Is Fine - Follow us on Twitter Sam Ewen, CoinDesk - From our sponsors: Break the cycle of exploitation. Break down the barriers to truth. Break into the next generation of privacy. Break Free. Free to scroll without being monetized. Free from censorship. Freedom without fear. We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design. Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free Need liquidity without selling your crypto? Take out a Figure Crypto-Backed Loan, allowing you to borrow against your BTC, ETH, or SOL with 12-month terms and no prepayment penalties. They have the lowest rates in the industry at 8.91%, allowing you to access instant cash or buy more Bitcoin without triggering a tax event. Unlock your crypto's potential today at Figure! https://figuremarkets.co/coindesk - "Gen C" features host Sam Ewen. Executive produced by Uyen Truong.
Combining five creator brands into one unified platform creates customer confusion and fragmented marketing spend. Danielle Pederson, CMO of Amaze, led the consolidation of five distinct creator commerce solutions under one corporate umbrella without losing individual brand equity. She implemented a phased taxonomy approach using "by Amaze" modifiers, unified three separate CRMs into HubSpot, and created a scalable framework that allows new acquisitions to integrate immediately into the brand architecture.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Find Your Leadership Confidence Podcast with Vicki Noethling
What does building a business with heart really look like? ❤️
In this week's episode of The Venue Rx Podcast, host Jonathan Aymin sits down with Sean Garner, founder of Sean Garner Consulting, a full-service agency and fractional CMO partner for local service-based businesses. Sean specializes in helping business owners cut through the noise with simple, actionable marketing strategies that drive real results. Sean breaks down the balance between personal branding and business branding, revealing why showing your face online can build trust faster than any polished logo. He also explains how to create a strong marketing foundation rooted in clear messaging, and why many businesses struggle simply because they're doing the right tactics in the wrong order.Sean dives into practical, realistic ways to use AI without falling into the common pitfalls that derail most business owners. He shares why video podcasts are one of the most powerful tools for content creation, SEO, and positioning yourself as the expert in your market. And for anyone thinking about hiring outside help, he offers essential advice on choosing the right marketing agency, along with the red flags venues and service providers should never overlook. About Our Guest: Sean Garner is an entrepreneur, marketing strategist, and founder of Sean Garner Consulting, a full-service agency and fractional CMO partner for local, service-based businesses. With more than a decade of hands-on experience, he's helped health and wellness brands, medical clinics, law firms, coaches, consultants, and home service providers grow with clarity, confidence, and consistent lead generation.What makes Sean unique is the real-world journey behind his expertise. From gym owner to firefighter to faith-driven family man, he understands exactly what it's like to run a business while balancing life's most important priorities. His superpower is cutting through the complexity of modern marketing and turning it into simple, actionable steps that actually work. Through StoryBrand messaging, website design, and smart funnel strategy, Sean helps business owners take control of their marketing and position themselves as the trusted, go-to choice in their market.Find Him Here: Website: https://www.seangarner.co/venuerx LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanagarner/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeanGarnerConsulting/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seangarner/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/seangarner
Revenue Generator Podcast: Sales + Marketing + Product + Customer Success = Revenue Growth
Combining five creator brands into one unified platform creates customer confusion and fragmented marketing spend. Danielle Pederson, CMO of Amaze, led the consolidation of five distinct creator commerce solutions under one corporate umbrella without losing individual brand equity. She implemented a phased taxonomy approach using "by Amaze" modifiers, unified three separate CRMs into HubSpot, and created a scalable framework that allows new acquisitions to integrate immediately into the brand architecture.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Coinbase's CMO, Cat Ferdon, shares the strategy for moving beyond crypto natives, normalizing "internet money," and defining the future of finance through culturally resonant campaigns. Joining Gen C, Coinbase CMO, Cat Ferdon shares the strategy behind marketing one of the world's most powerful crypto brands. Cat discusses why economic freedom is Coinbase's core mission, how the company is moving beyond the "crypto native" audience to onboard the next generation, and her plan to normalize "internet money" by delivering culturally resonant campaigns that define the next decade of global adoption. - Links mentioned from the podcast: Cat's Twitter Coinbase Website Coinbase Brand Campaign - Everything Is Fine - Follow us on Twitter Sam Ewen, CoinDesk - From our sponsors: Break the cycle of exploitation. Break down the barriers to truth. Break into the next generation of privacy. Break Free. Free to scroll without being monetized. Free from censorship. Freedom without fear. We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design. Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free Need liquidity without selling your crypto? Take out a Figure Crypto-Backed Loan, allowing you to borrow against your BTC, ETH, or SOL with 12-month terms and no prepayment penalties. They have the lowest rates in the industry at 8.91%, allowing you to access instant cash or buy more Bitcoin without triggering a tax event. Unlock your crypto's potential today at Figure! https://figuremarkets.co/coindesk - "Gen C" features host Sam Ewen. Executive produced by Uyen Truong.
Brand building or performance? TV or TikTok? Data or gut? Every marketer wrestles with how to spend smarter, not just more.In the seventh episode of The Brand Builder's Playbook, hosts Jim Stengel and Ryan Barker, along with guest co-host Kate Lamberton, dig into the art and science of the marketing mix. They explore how brands can cut waste, make every dollar work harder, and balance the short-term demand for results with the long-term need for brand strengthJoining the conversation is Damon Berger, Head of Consumer Digital Engagement at Gap Inc., who shares his perspective on building a culture that embraces both measurement and creativity. From MMM (marketing mix modeling) to cultural relevance, Damon breaks down how Gap is revitalizing iconic brands by staying true to their DNA while staying agile in a fast-changing marketThe takeaway: when you put the consumer at the center, smart spending isn't about choosing between brand and performance…it's about making both work harder together.—Download this week's worksheet: https://bit.ly/3JI5FdVRead about upcoming episode topics and guests here: https://bera.ai/podcast/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Learn how to fix your sales team's low closing rate with the seven-hour content system modern buyers demand Your struggling sales team isn't the problem - they're being handed leads that aren't even close to ready to buy, then blamed when those leads don't convert. The brutal truth is that modern buyers now consume an average of seven hours of content and take 211 days to make a B2B purchasing decision, yet most companies are still pushing their sales teams to close deals within 48 hours of first contact. This fundamental mismatch is killing conversion rates and trapping founders back into doing sales themselves instead of scaling their businesses. In this episode, I'm joined by Tom Trush, our head coach and CMO at Predictable Profits, to expose why traditional sales processes are failing and reveal the exact content strategy that turns cold leads into buyer-ready prospects before they ever speak to your team. Tom has been my secret weapon for over a decade, helping grow multiple companies onto the Inc 5000 fastest-growing companies list and generating well over a billion dollars in increased revenue through marketing strategies, copywriting, and coaching. As someone who's tested these buyer-journey strategies across dozens of industries, Tom brings firsthand insight into why 86% of our clients broke sales records during COVID while competitors struggled - and why this AI-driven disruption represents an even bigger opportunity for those willing to adapt their content strategy right now. KEY TAKEAWAYS: The average B2B buyer now requires 211 days and seven hours of content consumption before making a purchase decision - your sales team can't overcome that timeline Buyers are now researchers, not prospects waiting to be educated - by the time they contact you, they've already made 80% of their buying decision through content consumption By 2030, 100% of buying decisions will happen through "rep-free sales experiences" where prospects decide to buy before ever speaking to sales Sales teams are stuck in the "founder's trap" - getting handed unqualified leads, struggling to close them, then having the founder step in to "save the day" which only creates more chaos The solution isn't better sales tactics - it's creating a "bingeable bank of content" across written, audio, and video formats that nurtures leads into buyer-ready prospects Ask yourself the difficult question: do you actually have seven hours of quality content available for prospects to consume before they reach your sales team? Companies that master content-driven nurturing will qualify prospects instead of selling them - sales calls become about fit, not education AI disruption is creating a massive divide - businesses embracing the seven-hour content strategy will capture unprecedented market share while competitors who ignore this change will simply disappear Growing your business is hard, but it doesn't have to be. In this podcast, we will be discussing top level strategies for both growing and expanding your business beyond seven figures. The show will feature a mix of pure content and expert interviews to present key concepts and fundamental topics in a variety of different formats. We believe that this format will enable our listeners to learn the most from the show, implement more in their businesses, and get real value out of the podcast. Enjoy the show. Please remember to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes. Your support and reviews are important and help us to grow and improve the show. Follow Charles Gaudet and Predictable Profits on Social Media: Facebook: facebook.com/PredictableProfits Instagram: instagram.com/predictableprofits Twitter: twitter.com/charlesgaudet LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/charlesgaudet Visit Charles Gaudet's Wesbites: www.PredictableProfits.com www.predictableprofits.com/community https://start.predictableprofits.com/community
Renegade Thinkers Unite: #2 Podcast for CMOs & B2B Marketers
CMO+ signals a bigger remit: marketing plus another lane the business depends on. Drawing from her CMO+ tenure at Altair, Amy Messano (Thomson Reuters) talks with Drew about how unifying marketing and communications and empowering employees to carry the story from the inside out helped fuel rapid growth and a multibillion-dollar acquisition. She shows how treating earned, owned, and paid as one system and tying internal comms to go-to-market kept everyone aligned on the same promise. In this episode: Centralizing marketing and communications in an engineering-led company Moving from a house of brands to a branded house built around "Only Forward" Linking a consistent brand to investor confidence and deal value Plus: Simplifying product architecture and naming through acquisitions Aligning marketing, PR, AR, and internal comms to tell one story Using listening and clear brand architecture to bring cultures together What CMO+ leadership really requires: new capabilities and a close CEO partnership If you're stepping into CMO+ or stretching beyond marketing's lane, this episode's for you! For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/
Episode Summary: In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, host Benoy Thanjan jumps to the other side of the mic with Kevin (“Kadro”) and Mike (“Higo”) from Climate Hive. They dig into the massive cost declines in solar and storage, why solar is a technology and not a fuel, and the impact of Let's Share the Sun's recent work in Puerto Rico. The conversation also explores how financing and innovation are accelerating clean energy adoption. Biographies Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions. Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla's Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market. As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm's renewable portfolio. Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund. Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar. Kevin Drolet Founder and CEO of ClimateHive Kevin Drolet is a certified marketing and sales expert with over 20 year experience in company growth strategies. He has worked with thousands of companies and managed over 100M in marketing campaigns. Highlights include developing a 4 year student recruitment campaign for UC San Diego elevating the school to the number 2 position in the UC system. He has led and taught hundreds of sales reps nationally in understanding and positioning marketing solutions and sales. His superpower is connector. He founded KDRO Consulting, his second marketing agency, in 2019 to provide fractional CMO services, marketing and business development consultation and coaching programs for renewable energy and climate tech companies. Through storytelling and strategic networking he helps companies attain business opportunity, talent and investment. His mission is to enable climate innovators to become climate impactors. Kevin and his wife Susan live in San Diego CA with their two dogs. Kevin is passionate about climate, learning, coaching and exploring the intersection of human behavior and positive climate impact. Mike Higgins Founder/Partner of ClimateHive Mike Higgins has a 30-year track record of sales success and executive leadership in large companies and startups. He's known for developing customized sales strategies and automation to boost sales engagement, improving efficiency and revenue. His expertise lies in driving revenue growth through people, processes, and infrastructure. Mike has founded 5 companies and sold 3, demonstrating his ability to build and scale businesses. He's experienced in leadership as the former Executive Vice President and COO of MediaNews Group Interactive, overseeing 50 regional markets and leading a 100+ staff in sales, operations, business development, finance, and IT. Recently, Mike served as CoFounder and Chief Revenue Officer at Onemata Corporation and Managing Partner at BrushFire Sales and Top Funnel, working with clients like Time Warner Cable and Home Advisor. He has also held senior roles in MapQuest, Weatherlabs (acquired by Weather Channel/Landmark), Indigo Group (acquired by Bridgeline Digital NASDAQ: BLIN), and TruMeasure (acquired by McClatchy Corp). Mike and his wife, Val, reside in the Rocky Mountain Empire, actively supporting the Colorado Pug Rescue and the Golden Retriever Rescue. Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com Kevin Drolet Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-drolet-3625378/ Website: https://climatehive.co/ Email: kevin@climatehive.co Mike Higgins Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelghiggins/ Website: https://climatehive.co/ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition. Join Us for the Winter Solstice Fundraiser! I'm excited to invite you to our Winter Solstice Fundraiser, hosted by Reneu Energy and the Solar Maverick Podcast on Thursday, December 4th from 6–10 PM at Hudson Hall in Jersey City, NJ! https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reneuenergy/1919391 This event brings together clean energy leaders, entrepreneurs, and friends to celebrate the season while raising funds for the Let's Share the Sun Foundation, which installs solar and storage systems for families and communities in need in Puerto Rico. We'll have: -Great food and drinks -Amazing networking with solar and sustainability professionals -Sports memorabilia auctions (with proceeds benefiting Let's Share the Sun) -An inspiring community focused on making an impact through solar energy If you or your company would like to get involved as a sponsor, please message us at info@reneuenergy.com. Reneu Energy Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets. Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.
✨ Creative Roots to Fractional CMO — Denine HarperIn this Inventive Journey episode, Devin Miller talks with Denine Harper about her unusual and inspiring career path. From early motherhood to 3D animation, Manhattan agency life, the .com boom and crash, and the shift into brand marketing and fractional CMO work — Denine's story is packed with lessons on resilience and reinvention.Great for founders, creatives, and anyone navigating a career pivot.
When you think of some of America's most recognizable household brands: Brawny, Angel Soft, Dixie, Quilted Northern…there's one company behind them all: Georgia Pacific. And at the helm of marketing for that incredible portfolio is Jim's guest this week, Laura Knebusch, the Senior Vice President of CPG Marketing and Customer Experience. Laura is a seasoned marketing leader and transformation champion who has spent the past 15 years at Georgia Pacific. She has been the head of marketing for the past two-plus years, and has been focused on modernizing one of the most iconic CPG companies in the world. Under her leadership, Georgia Pacific has become an early mover in retail media and a shining example of how legacy brands can stay relevant in the digital age. Before joining Georgia Pacific, Laura began her career at Procter & Gamble where she developed her grounding in consumer insight and brand discipline. Tune in for a conversation with a leader who is applying a rigor to a new era of marketing, one that's faster, more digital, and more unpredictable than ever before. Recorded live at the ANA Masters of Marketing in Orlando, powered by TransUnion. ---Learn more, request a free pass, and register at iab.com/almPromo Code for $500 of ticket prices: ALMCMOPOD26---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte, TransUnion and the IAB.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this episode of TechMagic, hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler break down the biggest shifts shaping tech, entertainment, and personal branding. They explore emerging trends, from real-world experiences like Beastland, to the growing influence of spatial computing, and why authentic human content is becoming a premium as AI saturation rises. In the second half, Cathy sits down with David Cash, Founder and CSO of Cash Labs, Founder and Executive Producer of Catalyst Content Haus and Head of Marketing and acting CMO of DeLorean Labs, to discuss building a future-proof personal brand, repurposing content at scale, and why founders must take ownership of their digital presence now. Together, they reveal practical strategies for standing out and earning trust in an AI-driven media landscape.Come for the tech and stay for the magic!David Cash Bio:David Cash is the Founder of Cash Labs and Catalyst, recognized as a leading force in bringing Web3 and emerging technologies to market. After a 12-year acting career and seven years running a production company, working on campaigns for brands like Brisk, Gaviscon, and Netflix, David became an early leader in Web3, authoring the first Master's thesis on NFTs and producing Metaverse Fashion Week. Through Cash Labs, his work has driven billions of impressions and major revenue for global brands. His newest venture, Catalyst, helps executives create high-impact, future-ready content.David Cash on LinkedInKey Discussion Topics: 00:00 Intro: Tech Magic Returns from the Middle East00:03 Beastland: MrBeast's Pop-Up Amusement Park Phenomenon in Riyadh00:08 Apple Vision Pro & Real Madrid: The Future of Immersive Sports Content00:12 Tim Cook's Potential Departure and Apple's Need for Disruption00:16 Meta Quest 3S at Costco for $200: The VR Hardware Game Heats Up00:20 Meet David Cash: From Child Actor to Web3 Pioneer and Content Strategist00:24 Why Business Leaders Must Own Their Content Strategy Now00:27 Catalyst: Productizing Executive Content Creation Into a Luxury Service00:30 How to Build a Personal Brand Session in One Day00:33 The Dead Internet Theory: Why Authentic Voices Are Your Competitive Moat00:36 Syndication Strategy: Turn One Piece of Content Into 1,000 Assets00:37 Legacy Media Still Matters: Why Adweek and Vogue Amplify Personal Brands00:40 The Evolution of Entertainment: From Broadway to Authentic Vlogging00:43 Human-Crafted Content as Luxury: The OnlyFans to OnlyWalks Future00:44 The Metaverse Isn't Web3: Redefining Virtual Spaces and Digital Identity00:48 How Your Content Choices Today Shape Your XR Future Tomorrow00:52 AI as a Tool: When to Use Generative Tech and When to Create Authentically00:53 The "Human Authored" Label: Why AI Slop Is Making Credibility Scarce00:57 Silicon Valley's Billion-Dollar Paradox: Oracle, SoftBank, and Unsustainable Bets01:00 Hardware Matters: Why Lam Research Is the Invisible Infrastructure Winner01:03 Key Takeaways: Personal Branding, Content Strategy, and the Human Edge Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
"Link building is dead," they said. They were dead wrong. Dan Petrovic just explained why on Marketing Speak—and it's not what you think. Traditional link building? Evolving. Content seeding with brand associations? Essential. Digital PR for AI visibility? Critical. Here's why: Models need to be TRAINED on your brand associations. Even without backlinks, content seeding influences: Model training data Grounding citations Brand mention frequency Selection rate when models choose what to recommend Dan's been in SEO since before Google existed. His 2013 prediction that we'd "chat to Google by 2023"? Spot on. Now he's building tools (AI Rank, Tree Walker, semantic compression) that reveal: ✓ Where models lack confidence in your brand ✓ What competing brands do they associate with your entities ✓ Which geographic/contextual biases are blocking visibility If you're a CMO, brand manager, or SEO professional and you're not thinking about how AI models perceive your brand, you're about to get disrupted. The show notes, including the transcript and checklist to this episode, are at marketingspeak.com/529.
Why Your Content Looks Good but Isn't Bringing In ClientsMost contractors are posting content that looks solid but it's not converting. And the surprising part? It's not because your business is boring. It's because you're doing everything yourself, reacting instead of operating with a real strategy.In this episode, we break down why DIY content stops working the moment your business starts growing and how a trained virtual assistant can turn your social media from random posts into a real lead-generating pipeline.You'll learn: • The #1 shift that turns before-and-after photos into a story clients actually care about • Why consistency is king and nearly impossible when you're on the job site all day • How to stop working in your social media and start working on it like a true CMO • How a VA can handle the editing, posting, structuring, scheduling, and strategy so you can focus on the work only you can do • The exact reason clients start reaching out, even when they never like or commentIf you're tired of posting randomly, tired of inconsistent results, or tired of trying to be a full-time marketer while running a full-time construction business, this episode is going to hit home.Ready to turn posts into pipelines? Shoot us a DM on Instagram with the word SMMSocialMediaManager and we'll walk you through how our team can support your next level of growth.
For their 100th episode, Ray "Growth" Rike and Dave "CAC" Kellogg get philosophical, inspired by the notion that many hold, which is "nothing works" in B2B GTM anymore - especially in regards to pipeline development.They dive into the 2025 State of B2B GTM Report by Kyle Poyar and Maja Voijc to challenge this idea and find out what GTM leaders are actually prioritizing.In this episode, The Metrics Brothers break down:The State of the Market: Analyzing a survey of 195 GTM leaders, including data on small companies, growth rates, and the surprising lack of correlation between GTM motion and growth.The "Pipeline Crisis": Discussing why scaling existing GTM motions is the number one priority, even when many GTM leaders feel their current efforts aren't effective.Too Much Noise: A look at the "distraction chart" [slide 12] showing the staggering number of channels and strategies B2B companies are trying, and why the report suggests this is "too much".The Tried and True GTM Quadrant: Highlighting the activities with the biggest likelihood of impact, including Intimate Events, Intent-Based Inbound, and LinkedIn [slide 13].The Winner Take All Future: Exploring the massive trend of investing in Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) [slide 18] and breaking down tactical recommendations for optimizing for ChatGPT and other answer engines, emphasizing the importance of facts and platforms like Reddit and G2 [slide 19].Must Try GTM Tools: Reviewing the next generation of GTM tools, with a focus on cutting-edge platforms like Clay, Lovable, Sora, and Replit for data automation, outbound, and video generation [slide 29].Whether you're a Founder, CMO, CRO or GTM leader, this episode offers a data-driven look at where to focus your budget and attention in the year ahead.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
For years, the retail playbook was simple: Cut the price, drive the sale. But in the age of AI, the playbook is changing every day.And while Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) are still the biggest shopping days of the year, the strategies driving them are shifting beneath retailers' feet as brands try to keep up with the rapidly evolving consumer habits fueled by technological advancements.In this episode, we sit down with Jamie Domenici, CMO of Klaviyo, a marketing platform for e-commerce businesses, to dive into the evolving consumer psyche, explaining how customers are moving beyond just chasing discounts. She details the immediate, massive impact of agentic AI on consumer habits, forcing brands to be quicker, smarter and more adaptable than ever before. Domenici outlines how businesses must shift their focus from single-transaction sales to building deep, lasting customer relationships through personalization tactics and make an effort to gain a deep understanding of what truly drives purchase decisions in the new era of retail.The key takeawaysAI is transforming the shopping experience, making it more personalized and efficient.Consumers are spending earlier this holiday season, indicating a shift in shopping habits.Based on consumer behavior, brands are moving away from deep discounts and focusing on building customer loyalty.Brands must capture every interaction with customers to enhance their shopping experience.The pandemic significantly accelerated the shift toward digital shopping and consumer engagement.Creative marketing and brand identity remain crucial in a world increasingly driven by AI.Consumers are spending more time on product views, demonstrating a focus on purchase consideration before the final transaction.The future of retail will be shaped by how well brands adapt to AI and consumer expectations. campaignlive.com Music - Take you Out by Lucid Tides, courtesy of Triple Scoop. What we know about advertising, you should know about advertising. Start your 1-month FREE trial to Campaign US. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Nick Tran, is the CMO and President of First Round, leading Diageo's new joint venture with Main Street Advisors to oversee two of the world's most culturally driven spirits brands: Ciroc and Lobos 1707. Nick shares how he's approaching brand reinvention vs continuation, why product innovation and cultural relevance are key, and what goes into long-term brand growth. We also touch on the future of social media, AI's role in marketing, and what it takes to build a truly modern CMO career.00:00 - Intro00:36 - How the Diageo and Main Street Advisors partnership happened?02:49 - The long term view for Ciroc and Lobos 170706:10 - The plan for Ciroc08:57 - Reinvention vs continuation when transforming a brand11:31 - Focusing on product innovation and serve for Ciroc and Lobos 170714:14 - Is alcohol drinking trending down?19:00 - How do you become culturally relevant?22:07 - Using the Liquid Death challenger mindset24:08 - The role of celebrities and influencers for drinks brands27:16 - Why Nick is investing in his personal brand31:53 - What does it take to become a successful CMO?37:04 - How Nick invests in other companies41:59 - Nick Tran's thoughts on AI45:47 - Have we reached peak social media?50:39 - Bonus Question
Why Brands Should Stop Avoiding News with Jack MarshallBrands have long shied away from advertising in news, fearing controversy or association with “negative” stories; but that hesitation is costing them results. This week, Mike Shields talks with Jack Marshall, Head of News at DoubleVerify, about why avoiding news is a missed opportunity and how advertisers can take a smarter, more nuanced approach to brand safety and suitability.Jack shares insights from DV's research, which shows that news content drives 16% more engagement than non-news media, and explains how AI-driven tools are helping advertisers target responsibly while supporting trusted journalism. The conversation covers the shifting perceptions of news advertising, AI's role in brand safety, and why authentic reporting may soon stand out as the antidote to AI-generated “slop.” Highlights:
"At the core - every interaction, every connection that we make, we try not to ever look at an order as just another dollar. It's an interaction with someone." In this episode, Tim is joined by Gary Yoder, President of Sales and CMO at Stoll Industries, to discuss generosity and their notoriously positive approach to business. In the heart of the season, they talk about the purpose of business and stewardship of our resources, in order to be generous to the people around us. Tim and Gary cover: Relationships being at the core of what you do and having your impression and impact be more than just dollars and cents. Making wise and sustainable decisions in how and what you give back to the community. How an approach of generosity inspires people, builds momentum, and fuels team member engagement. Challenges that come with having an approach of service and generosity. Check out Stoll at https://www.stollindustries.com and don't miss this episode to hear how harnessing generosity as a superpower supports your team, grows deep customer loyalty, and can be a force for good. ------ Become a supporter of The Fire Time Network and get access to awesome rewards: https://itsfiretime.com/join To hear more audio articles from our magazine, subscribe to the Fire Time Magazine Podcast: https://www.itsfiretime.com/magazine Read The Fire Time Magazine Reader Edition online: https://magazine.itsfiretime.com Download The Fire Time Magazine app to get full access to the magazine (for free): https://www.itsfiretime.com/app
Bachelor and bachelorette parties: the final frontier of chaos, poor decisions, emotional instability, and someone ending the night crying in a bathroom for reasons no one fully understands. This week, we're counting down the Top 10 WORST Things You Can Do at Your Bachelor or Bachelorette Party — the nuclear-level mistakes that guarantee drama, breakups, medical emergencies, missing persons cases, and screenshots that will haunt group chats for the rest of time. But that's not all — we've got a STACKED lineup of chaos in our other segments.In Emails From the Listeners, a listener writes in because her boyfriend is perfect… except in bed... Then Joseph from San Diego wants to know if he's wasting his time on a cross-country long-distance romance with a woman he met at a wedding. We break it all down, judgement-free (ish).Then in The News, we dive into the political earthquake of the week: Marjorie Taylor Greene's shocking resignation from Congress. We get into the infighting, the meltdown, the fallout, and why MTG quitting before we even got Grand Theft Auto VI was absolutely NOT on our 2025 bingo card.And finally, in Not The Drag Queens, we spotlight the spectacular downfall of Alexander Steven Back — the ICE auditor who got busted in a child-sex sting, then tried to save himself by shouting “I'm ICE, boys!” like he was cutting a promo on Monday Night Raw. Spoiler: he was not saved. Another week, another mountain of chaos. Strap in. This one goes HARD! Got a question, comment or topic for us to cover? Let us know! Send us an email at fratchatpodcast@gmail.com or follow us on all social media: Instagram: http://Instagram.com/FratChatPodcast Facebook: http://Facebook.com/FratChatPodcast Twitter: http://Twitter.com/FratChatPodcast YouTube: http://YouTube.com/@fratchatpodcast Follow Carlos and CMO on social media! Carlos: IG: http://Instagram.com/CarlosDoesTheWorld YouTube: http://YouTube.com/@carlosdoestheworld TikTok: http://TikTok.com/@carlosdoestheworld Twitter: http://Twitter.com/CarlosDoesWorld Threads: http://threads.net/carlosdoestheworld Website: http://carlosgarciacomedy.com Chris ‘CMO' Moore: IG: http://Instagram.com/Chris.Moore.Comedy TikTok: http://TikTok.com/@chris.moore.comedy Twitter: http://Twitter.com/cmoorecomedy Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
SHOW NOTES:In this episode, Matt Zaun sits down with Stewart Cohen, award-winning director/photographer and CEO of SC Pictures and Superstock, to unpack how brands can use video and imagery to stay on message in a chaotic, multi-channel world. From keeping large organizations aligned with the role of authenticity (and where it can backfire) to practical ways leaders can tell stories people actually want to binge, Stewart shares practical ways leaders can tell stories people actually want to binge.In this episode, they cover:✅ From TV spots to everywhere: how video evolved from 30-second ads to an always-on content engine across divisions✅ Staying on brand at scale: why messages start focused, then get watered down, and how to keep guardrails in place✅ Who owns the vision: the CMO's real job (and why short tenures sabotage brand consistency)✅ Authenticity that works: “strategic authenticity” vs. oversharing; telling the truth without losing professionalism…and more.BIOS:Stewart Cohen is a director/photographer and founder of SC Pictures, creating brand films and campaigns for leading companies and agencies. He is also the owner of Superstock, a global licensing company with 29M+ photos, videos, illustrations, and fine art. Known for visually rich, human-centered storytelling, Stewart helps brands sustain message discipline while producing content audiences want to watch.Matt Zaun is an award-winning speaker and strategic storytelling expert who helps leaders inspire action and drive results through the power of story. He's the author of The StoryBank, a practical playbook for using narrative to build culture, boost sales, and strengthen marketing.
A CMO Confidential Interview with Evan Wittenberg, Chief People Officer of VuMedi formerly CPO of Ancestry and Box, Google's Head of Leadership Development, and a Saturday Night Live Page. Evan discusses why HR has become a much tougher position over the last 5 years, AI's negative impact on leadership development, and the similarities between marketing and HR. Key topics include: his belief that every function should have a dedicated people partner; why "the burden of proof" is often higher for marketers; why he always interviews for "learning agility;" and why "doing the job you are hired for is better for your career than trying for "the next job." Tune in to hear questions marketers should ask in an interview and a great behind the scenes story from SNL Season 18. **What HR Really Thinks About Marketing — Evan Wittenberg (CPO) on CMO Confidential**Four-time Chief People Officer Evan Wittenberg sits down with host Mike Linton to unpack the real relationship between HR and Marketing: decision rights, how DEI evolves, AI's impact on entry-level careers, why hybrid work threatens apprenticeship, and what great CMOs do differently at the exec table. Evan also shares hiring signals (what CPOs look for now), the right way to use engagement surveys, and a live-from-8H SNL story you won't forget. **Guest:** Evan Wittenberg — CPO (VuMedi; ex-Box, Ancestry, Pivot Bio; Google/Wharton leadership)**Host:** Mike Linton — former CMO (Best Buy, eBay, Farmers), CRO (Ancestry)**Chapters**00:00 – Welcome + sponsor message (Typeface)02:00 – Evan's background and today's HR reality03:30 – “Seat at the table” meets burnout and intractable problems04:40 – Inside the COVID pivot: who owned it and why HR took point06:10 – Should HR own cross-functional crises? Coordination vs. ownership07:10 – HR ↔ Marketing parallels: everyone has an opinion, few have the brief09:00 – Sponsor break (Typeface)10:00 – DEI after the backlash: belonging, equity, and business need11:30 – Pay parity and what still isn't fixed12:00 – AI's real risk: erasing entry-level ladders and craft-building13:30 – Hybrid work, lost apprenticeship, and how leaders must respond15:10 – “People are our #1 asset” (or not): how to actually tell16:10 – HR nirvana: solutions that serve both the company and the person18:00 – How HR sees Marketing: service vs. business driver21:10 – What great CMOs do: range (data ↔ creative) and business framing22:40 – At the exec table: problem → data → options → choice → execution24:20 – The higher burden of proof for HR and Marketing24:40 – Should Marketing have a dedicated HR/People partner?26:10 – What CPOs now screen for: learning agility28:00 – AI fluency: no tourists, hands-on only29:10 – Real collaboration vs. heroics and end-runs30:40 – Due diligence for candidates: decision rights & cross-functional buy-in33:00 – Extra interview questions worth asking (on both sides)34:10 – SNL cold open rescue: the Rob Schneider story38:30 – Career advice: do the job you have at 120%40:00 – Sponsor close + sign-offCMO Confidential, Mike Linton, Evan Wittenberg, Chief People Officer, CPO, HR strategy, Marketing leadership, DEI, diversity equity inclusion, belonging, employee engagement, pay parity, hybrid work, return to office, mentorship, apprenticeship, AI in HR, AI in marketing, entry-level jobs, recruiting, learning agility, collaboration, decision rights, org design, people partner, HRBP, Box, Ancestry, Pivot Bio, Vmed, Google leadership, Wharton, SNL story, Rob Schneider, executive team, business outcomes, brand vs performance, Typeface, marketing operations, C-suite leadership, career adviceSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Today's episode of the Punk CX podcast features a discussion I recently had with Elizabeth Maxson, CMO at Contentful, a digital experience platform trusted by more than 4,200 companies around the world. Elizabeth joins me today to talk about a research report they recently published called When Machines Make Marketers More Human, whether marketers are moving beyond experimentation with AI tools, what sort of pain points/challenges they are facing, the possibility that all of these new tools are creating their own complexity problem and what sort of differences in behaviour and performance they are observing between marketers in EMEA and the US. This interview follows on from my recent interview – Why you need the I4JM in your life – Interview with Mark Smith and Ray Gerber – and is number 564 in the series of interviews with authors and business leaders who are doing great things, providing valuable insights, helping businesses innovate and delivering great service and experience to both their customers and their employees.
In this episode of The Fractional CMO Show, Casey Stanton dives into what it really means to work as a fractional CMO—and why sometimes that means rolling up your sleeves and doing the work yourself. He's pulling from years of real client experience, from managing multi-million-dollar launches to helping clients navigate gaps in their teams, and he's calling out the patterns he sees: overextending yourself, letting scope creep happen, and trying to do everything instead of delegating strategically. Casey shares straight-up stories from his work—like stepping in when a key team member's paternity leave threatened a project, or designing a custom data workflow to connect a client's CRM systems. These examples show the fine line between having fun, experimenting, and solving problems that only you can solve as a CMO. Key Topics Covered: -How to handle scope creep without burning out -When it makes sense to roll up your sleeves—and when to delegate -Building systems and teams to work smarter, not harder -Using curiosity and play to maintain an edge and stay sharp -Leading through hard times, not just easy wins -Structuring fractional CMO engagements for maximum impact -Why fewer clients and bigger problems equal better outcomes and higher fees
Andy Crestodina, Co-Founder and CMO of Orbit Media, joins Jim Flynn and Leslie Castillo to explore how AI can transform the way marketers understand brand perception and analyze competitors. Tune in to learn how to leverage AI to refine your brand strategy and stay ahead of the competition.
With an early focus on cold coffee, energy drinks and a flavor-forward menu, Dutch Bros has established itself as a leader in the increasingly competitive beverage segment. CMO Tana Davila joins the Menu Talk podcast to share how the brand combines menu innovation and hospitality to create a culture that connects with guests. Customization continues to be a key trend valued by consumers, and Dutch Bros has long been at the forefront of that trend. The menu offers a large selection of coffees, lemonades, matcha, smoothies, shakes and the chain's signature Rebel energy drinks, all of which can be customized. Davila describes how limited-time seasonal items are also a big draw, including summer's colorful and refreshing mocktail-inspired drinks and the current line of holiday beverages. And an expanded food program is in test, designed to drive beverage sales and frequency throughout the day. As CMO, Davila also prioritizes the hospitality side. She shares how Dutch Bros' unique service culture is a differentiator and why community engagement is built into its mission. The Dutch Rewards Program also fosters a strong customer connection, she points out.Listen as Davila talks about Dutch Bros' push into the CPG space, how menu innovation is shaping up for the future and the plans for growth as the chain moves East from its West Coast roots.
This week on Behind the Post, we're getting supercharged with Eeshita Mittal, Marketing Manager at HCLTech and the driving force behind the Supercharged Ambassadors Club, HCLTech's employee advocacy program that's redefining talent attraction and retention in the B2B tech space.Eeshita shares how this purpose-driven initiative evolved from a pilot to a global community of 200+ employees across 25+ countries. From fresh grads to senior VPs, the program spans functions, geographies, and career stages, making it more than just advocacy; it's a movement.She dives into how HCLTech empowers ambassadors through personal branding workshops, hybrid content creation sessions, and direct engagement with leadership, including the CMO, who reads and interacts with employee posts. Spoiler: Some ambassadors saw their LinkedIn followers grow 5-10x within six months.With a 187% increase in LinkedIn reach and rising earned media value, this initiative proves that human storytelling and community-building are powerful tools in a B2B world.If you're looking for tactical ways to attract top talent, scale advocacy, or build a loyal internal brand army, this episode is your blueprint.Hot Topics:How HCLTech launched and scaled their employee advocacy program globallyWhat makes the Supercharged Ambassadors Club so effective, and in such high demandWhy employee advocacy is crucial for both attracting and nurturing talentHow leadership involvement fuels ambassador motivation and program success
Did you know that a fractional CMO can bring down your costs while increasing signed cases? In this episode, co-hosts Tanner Jones and Matt Smyers sit down with the co-founder and managing partner of LawFirm Fractional CMOs & S3 Growth Partners, Stuart Foster, to discuss how fractional CMOs can not only improve your numbers in signed cases but also your workload and spending. In running a law firm, Stuart knows that there are many roles to play. He talks about how LawFirm Fractional CMOs will not only take on most of those responsibilities, but also give your firm a complete audit and evaluation, so your hard-earned money is going where it should be. He discusses what signs may be showing and when it is appropriate to hire a fractional CMO. He also talks about his version of a funnel: the customer journey. To capture the attention of potential clients, he uses a time-based structure of how the potential clients go from not knowing you exist to becoming a client. Stuart also clarifies some common fallacies most people have about fractional CMOs, like how fractional CMOs work with current agencies that law firms have already hired. To learn more about fractional CMOs, listen to the latest LAWsome episode today! You can connect with Stuart on his two websites, LawFirm Fractional CMOs and S3 Growth Partners and on his LinkedIn. TLDR: In this episode, you will learn about When it is appropriate to bring in a fractional CMO How fractional CMOs and agencies work together What fractional CMOs do to increase cases while decreasing costs
With increased AI Adoption, is the most valuable skill for a modern marketer empathy with customers, or is it successfully prompting? Contentful, in partnership with Atlantic Insights, The Atlantic's marketing research division, recently conducted a study of over 425 marketing decision makers including 103 CMOs. This study, “When Machines Make Marketers More Human,” challenges the notion that AI will replace many marketing functions and instead demonstrates how AI can amplify marketers' effectiveness, creativity and impact. Today, we're going to talk about how AI is reshaping the very definition of a modern marketer. We'll explore the shift from simply automating tasks to augmenting human creativity, the rise of the ‘full stack' marketer, and what skills are becoming non-negotiable in an AI-driven world.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Elizabeth Maxson, CMO at Contentful. About Elizabeth Maxson Elizabeth Maxson is the Chief Marketing Officer of Contentful, a content management platform trusted by more than 4,200 companies around the world. Elizabeth brings nearly two decades of integrated marketing leadership to the role and is focused on driving marketing strategies that leverage AI and personalization to help brands deliver personalized and scalable content to their audiences. Prior to Contentful, Elizabeth served as the Chief Marketing Officer at Tableau, a Salesforce company, where she led go-to-market strategy, drove end-to-end marketing initiatives, and spearheaded strategic technology partnerships, launching critical relationships with industry giants such as AWS, Google, Alibaba, Apple, and many others. In addition to her role at Tableau, Elizabeth has also served as the Head of Marketing at Quip, another Salesforce acquisition. She holds a BAA in Facility Management and Marketing from Central Michigan University. ,Yes,This will be completed shortly Elizabeth Maxson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emaxson/ Resources Contentful: contentful.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/ Contentful, in partnership with Atlantic Insights, The Atlantic's marketing research division, conducted a new study, When Machines Make Marketers More Human, challenging the notion that AI will replace many marketing functions and instead demonstrates how AI can amplify marketers' effectiveness, creativity and impact. They surveyed 425 marketing decision makers, including 103 CMOs, across industries, company sizes, and regions to show how forward-thinking marketing leaders are incorporating AI into their critical infrastructure. Get the report hereConnect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
What do LEGO, Megan Thee Stallion, and a Ford Mustang have in common? They're all proof that the right partnership can supercharge a brand.In the sixth episode of The Brand Builder's Playbook, hosts Jim Stengel and Ryan Barker, joined by guest co-host Lindsey Wehking, explore why not all partnerships deliver equal value…some enhance brand equity, while others can dilute it.This week's guest is Kristen D'Arcy, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Digital Growth at True Religion, who unpacks how collaborations and partnerships drive growth, cultural relevance, and long-term brand equity. From bold campaigns with Megan Thee Stallion to unexpected collabs with Ford, True Religion demonstrates how math, magic, and cultural insight come together to keep a brand not just alive, but thriving.Kristen shares the playbook behind building a culture of collaboration inside the marketing team, tapping into subcultures that matter, and designing partnerships that actually move the needle.Bottom line: when you know your customer and lean into culture, partnerships don't just create moments, they create momentum.—Download this week's worksheet: https://bit.ly/47oVdBaRead about upcoming episode topics and guests here: https://bera.ai/podcast/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Descubre el Swift Mastery Program 2026: https://acoding.academy/smp26. La única forma de llegar a la Maestría para convertir en el profesional que buscan las empresas. Descarga Be Native, la app para aprender programación en Swift y estar al día de la tecnología Apple: https://benative.dev. ----------- ¿Por qué un modelo de IA tarda unos segundos antes de empezar a responder, pero luego las palabras fluyen a velocidad de vértigo? La respuesta está en cómo funcionan los LLMs y Apple acaba de hacer con el chip M5 que mejora este flujo exponencialmente. En este episodio desentrañamos los nuevos aceleradores neurales que Apple ha integrado en cada núcleo de la GPU del M5. No estamos hablando del Neural Engine de siempre, sino de algo completamente nuevo que está cambiando las reglas del juego en inteligencia artificial. Exploramos: Cómo funcionan realmente los modelos de lenguaje y por qué son máquinas de multiplicar matrices. La diferencia entre Neural Engine y Neural Accelerators: por qué Apple necesita ambos. Qué significa que generar el primer token sea 4 veces más rápido en el M5. Por qué la generación posterior solo mejora un 20-27% (y por qué tiene sentido) Hablamos de MLX y cómo ejecutar modelos de 30B parámetros en tu MacBook Pro sin despeinarse. Con datos del paper oficial de Apple Machine Learning Research, números reales de benchmarks y explicaciones que hacen accesible lo complejo. Desde multiplicaciones matriciales hasta arquitectura de memoria unificada, todo explicado para que lo entienda tanto un desarrollador senior como alguien que simplemente quiere saber qué está pasando bajo el capó de su Mac. Este es el tipo de contenido que hace que entiendas no solo el QUÉ, sino el CÓMO y el POR QUÉ. Porque ser un maestro de la tecnología significa entender los fundamentos. El desarrollo ha cambiado para siempre con la llegada de los agentes de IA, y para poder sacarle el mayor provecho y ser un desarrollador de los que buscan las empresas por su ultra-productividad, tienes que ser un Maestro: consígue la Maestría con el Swift Mastery Program 2026. Descárgala ya desde el App Store: Be Native y escúchanos desde ahí. Suscríbete a nuestro canal de Youtube: Apple Coding en YouTube Descubre nuestro canal de Twitch: Apple Coding en Twitch. Descubre nuestras ofertas para oyentes: - Cursos en Udemy (con código de oferta) - Apple Coding Academy - Suscríbete a Apple Coding en nuestro Patreon. - Canal de Telegram de Swift. Acceso al canal. --------------- Consigue las camisetas oficiales de Apple Coding con los logos de Swift y Apple Coding así como todo tipo de merchadising como tazas o fundas. - Tienda de merchandising de Apple Coding.
In today's episode, Dr. Disha Spath sits down with Dr. Zwade Marshall—Emory- and Harvard-trained anesthesiologist, interventional pain specialist, CMO of Regenerative Spine and Pain Specialists, and co-founder/CEO of Doc2Doc Lending, a lending platform built by doctors for doctors. Dr. Marshall shares the real story behind why traditional banks misunderstand early-career physicians, how his own relocation struggle sparked Doc2Doc, and how their proprietary underwriting finally evaluates doctors based on potential, not current cash flow. Whether you're an early-career doctor trying to get approved for a loan, or an experienced physician thinking about launching your own practice, this episode is full of practical, real-world financial advice that medical training never covered. Key Topics Covered: 1. Why traditional banks undervalue physicians How big student loans and low early income distort our financial picture and why banks overlook our recession-proof earning potential. 2. How Doc2Doc Lending was born The moment Dr. Marshall realized the system was broken and how he built a lending model that evaluates physicians prospectively, not punitively. 3. What makes Doc2Doc underwriting different NPI verification, training stage, specialty, geography, cash-flow behaviors, and machine-learning insights that actually reflect physician realities. 4. When using leverage makes sense Why personal loans can be powerful tools for practice start-up costs, fix-and-flips, or bridging SBA delays and why they shouldn't be used for consumption. 5. Understanding loan types, rates, and flexibility How Doc2Doc's unsecured personal loans work, the monthly rate model, no-prepayment-penalty structure, and common use cases among physicians. 6. Credit scores, shame, and starting from scratch A discussion especially relevant for immigrants and young physicians with thin credit files plus why your early FICO score doesn't define your financial future. Listener Takeaways: How Doc2Doc evaluates doctors differently than banks Why physicians are statistically low-risk borrowers (even with $300K+ in loans) What new attendings need to know about credit scores, debt, and loan approvals Accessing fair and fast personal loans as a resident, fellow, or new attending How physicians can use lending to start a medical practice The most common mistakes new practice owners make and how to avoid them Why private practice and cash-based care models are creating new physician freedom Connect with Us: Host: Dr. Disha Spath, The Frugal Physician Guest: Dr. Zwade Marshall, CEO of Doc2Doc Lending This episode is brought to you by Doc2Doc Lending. Doc2Doc Lending offers personal loans up to $100,000 for doctors — designed to help you consolidate debt, invest in your goals, or get ahead financially. Founded by doctors for doctors, we make funding simple, transparent, and tailored to the medical community. Visit their website at: https://www.doc2doclending.com/personal-loans-for-physicians/?utm_source=FrugalPhysician&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=FP This episode is brought to you by Black Swan Real Estate, led by physician-investor Dr. Elaine Stageberg. Dr. Stageberg, a Mayo Clinic–trained physician, together with her husband Nick, has spent years building Black Swan Real Estate into a diversified, large-scale portfolio now approaching half a billion dollars across 2,000 doors. Now, through their Secure Freedom Fund, a 10% fixed rate of return offering, you can invest alongside them. The Secure Freedom Fund offers institutional-quality real estate opportunities—designed to deliver strong cash flow, long-term growth, and remarkable tax advantages. This fund is uniquely structured so that each investor can tailor it to their own individual goals: a minimum investment of just $25,000, the ability to choose monthly cashflow distributions or to elect the compounding option for higher overall growth, the option to exit the fund on your timing, the flexibility to invest in your personal name, a trust, an LLC, or a retirement account, and so much more. If you're an accredited investor who's ready to diversify beyond Wall Street and invest with experienced, trust worthy operators who've been exactly where you are, visit SecureFreedomFund.com today to learn more. From there, you can review the slides, watch the webinar, and even a book a call directly 1:1 with Dr. Elaine Stageberg. That's SecureFreedomFund.com.
We weigh the promise and peril of the AI agent economy, pressing into how overprovisioned non-human identities, shadow AI, and SaaS integrations expand risk while go-to-market teams push for speed. A CMO and a CFO align on governance-first pilots, PLG trials, buyer groups, and the adoption metrics that sustain value beyond the sale.• AI adoption surge matched by adversary AI• Overprovisioned agents and shadow AI in SaaS• Governance thresholds before budget scale• PLG trials, sandbox, and POV sequencing• Visualization to reach the aha moment• Buying groups, ICP, and economic buyer alignment• Post‑sales usage, QBRs, NRR and churn signals• Zero trust limits and non-human identities• Breach disclosures as industry standards• Co-sourcing MSSP with in-house oversightSecurity isn't slowing AI down; it's the unlock that makes enterprise AI valuable. We dive into the AI agent economy with a CMO and a CFO who meet in the messy middle. The result is a practical blueprint for moving from hype to governed production without killing momentum.We start by mapping where controls fail: once users pass SSO and MFA, agents often operate beyond traditional identity and network guardrails. That's how prompts pull sensitive deal data across Salesforce and Gmail, and how third‑party API links expand the attack surface. From there, we lay out an adoption sequence that balances trust and speed. Think frictionless free trials and sandboxes that reach an immediate “aha” visualization of shadow AI and permissions, then progress to a scoped POV inside the customer's environment with clear policies and measurable outcomes. Along the way, we detail the buying group: economic buyers who sign and practitioners who live in the UI, plus the finance lens that sets pilot capital, milestones, and time-to-value expectations.We also challenge sacred cows. Zero trust is essential, but attackers increasingly log in with valid credentials and pivot through integrations, so verification must include non-human identities and agent-to-agent controls. Breach disclosures, far from being a greater threat than breaches, are foundational to ecosystem trust and faster remediation. And while MSSPs add critical scale, co-sourcing—retaining strategic oversight and compliance ownership—keeps accountability inside. If you care about ICP, PLG motions, PQLs, NRR, or simply reducing AI risk while driving growth, this conversation turns buzzwords into a playbook you can run.Vamshi Sriperumbudur: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vamsriVamshi Sriperumbudur was recently the CMO for Prisma SASE at Palo Alto Networks, where he led a complete marketing transformation, driving an impact of $1.3 billion in ARR in 2025 (up 35%) and establishing it as the platform leader. Chithra Rajagopalan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chithra-rajagopalan-mba/Chithra Rajagopalan is the Head of Finance at Obsidian Security and former Head of Finance at Glue, and she is recognized as a leader in scaling businesses. Chithra is also an Investor and Advisory Board member for Campfire, serving as the President and Treasurer of Blossom Projects.Website: https://www.position2.com/podcast/Rajiv Parikh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivparikh/Sandeep Parikh: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepparikh/Email us with any feedback for the show: sparkofages.podcast@position2.com
Most new account executives stare at their territory list and feel the weight of it immediately. Fifty accounts. A hundred accounts. Sometimes more. Each one needs research, a plan, and outreach that doesn't sound like every other cold email clogging their prospect's inbox. Jake McOsker, an account executive at Forrester Research, found himself facing exactly this problem when he moved from BDR to AE. He cracked it by changing how he used AI for account planning. "Rather than taking 10 to 15 minutes to get an account plan out or understand who the notable stakeholders and the decision makers that I need to go with," he explained, "it's a 2 to 3 minute process to go through each one of these accounts." The traditional approach to AI account planning doesn't solve the territory problem. You ask ChatGPT or Claude for company information, and you get Wikipedia summaries. Founded in 1987. Headquartered in Dallas. 15,000 employees. The chief sales officer you're calling doesn't care about any of that, and showing up with generic facts makes you look lazy, not prepared. When you're new to the role, you don't have years of pattern recognition to fall back on. You don't know what good account planning looks like yet. You just know you need to get meetings with people who have better things to do than talk to a rep they've never heard of. The solution isn't using AI as a search engine. It's using it as a sales assistant with a specific job to do. The Problem With How Most Reps Use AI for Account Planning Here's what usually happens. A rep needs to prepare for a call with a VP of Marketing at a healthcare company. They open their AI tool of choice and type: "Tell me about [Company Name]." The AI spits back: Company history Product offerings Recent press releases Maybe some executive names The rep skims it, copies a few bullet points into their CRM, and calls it account planning. Then they get on the call and realize they have no idea what this VP is actually trying to accomplish this quarter. They ask surface-level questions. The prospect checks out. The meeting goes nowhere. This happens because most reps are using AI like a faster Google. They're asking for information instead of asking for intelligence. AI account planning only works when you give the AI a role and a specific outcome to deliver. Not "tell me about this company." Instead, "You're an account executive trying to book a meeting with this company's CMO in the next two weeks. Based on their recent announcements and what their executives are posting on LinkedIn, what initiatives are they likely prioritizing right now?" How to Set Up AI Agents for Account Planning The difference between a basic AI chat and an AI agent is memory and context. When you create an agent, you're teaching it what kind of output you need every single time. You're not starting from scratch with every account. Here's the framework that works: Step 1: Give Your AI Agent a Clear Role Don't just ask questions. Set up the scenario with urgency and context. For example: "You are an account executive at [Your Company]. You've been tasked with bringing in [Target Company] as a new customer within the next 90 days. Your first call is with their [specific role, like Chief Sales Officer]. Based on the materials I'm providing, what are the top three business initiatives this person is likely focused on right now?" This does two things. First, it forces the AI to think from your perspective instead of just summarizing data. Second, it prioritizes current, actionable information over historical background. Step 2: Feed It the Right Source Material Wikipedia summaries don't help you. But these sources do: Recent press releases about new initiatives or leadership changes LinkedIn posts from executives at the company (especially the person you're calling) Company blog posts about their strategic direction Industry news articles mentioning the company Their "About Us" or "Newsroom" page for current priorities Analyst reports or industry trend pieces relevant to their sector If you're selling to publicly traded companies, earnings call transcripts and annual reports (10-Ks) are gold mines. But most new AEs aren't calling on Fortune 500 companies. The good news is that smaller companies often share more on LinkedIn and their blogs because they're trying to build their brand. Upload PDFs or paste content directly into your AI tool. Then let it analyze the content through the lens of the role you gave it. The output will focus on strategic priorities, not corporate history. Step 3: Ask Follow-Up Questions Based on Persona If you're calling into marketing, tech, security, or customer experience, the priorities are different. Your AI agent should help you understand how company-wide initiatives affect the specific person you're talking to. After the initial analysis, ask: "How would these initiatives specifically impact the VP of Marketing's goals this quarter?" Now you have talking points that matter to the person on the other end of the call. Step 4: Validate With Human Intelligence AI gets you 80% of the way there in three minutes instead of fifteen. But you still need to cross-check. Look at LinkedIn. Check recent news. If you have access to account managers or customer success reps who work with similar companies, ask them if the trends you're seeing match reality. AI account planning is a tool, not a replacement for critical thinking. If the output feels off, it probably is. Trust your gut and adjust. How to Turn Research Into Value Messages The goal of account planning isn't to memorize facts about a company. It's to walk into a conversation with an informed hypothesis about what they're trying to accomplish. When you do this right, your opening changes. Instead of starting cold with "Tell me about your role," you can say: "I saw your CEO recently posted about accelerating your digital customer experience, and I'm assuming that's putting some pressure on your team to modernize how you're approaching customer engagement. But I could be completely wrong. What's actually taking up most of your time right now?" Here's how you've impacted your prospect: First, it proves you did real research. Second, it gives the prospect something specific to react to instead of making them explain their entire world from scratch. Third, and this is critical, it still leaves room for discovery. You're not skipping the "What are your biggest challenges?" question. You're earning the right to ask them by showing you've already thought about their business. When prospects talk about their challenges in their own language, you learn how they frame problems, what matters to them, and where your solution might actually fit. Even if your hypothesis is wrong, you've separated yourself from the 90% of reps who show up with nothing. And when you're right, you skip past the surface-level conversation and get straight into the dialogue that matters. That's how you earn credibility as a new account executive, even when you don't have ten years of experience to lean on. Building a Repeatable AI Account Planning Workflow This only scales if you systematize it. You can't rely on remembering the perfect prompt every time or recreating your process from scratch for every account. Create separate agents for different use cases. One for account planning. One for prospecting outreach. One for call preparation. Train each agent for the output you need so you aren't constantly course-correcting. Save your account plans in a central location. The information changes, so plan to refresh your research quarterly. What mattered in Q2 might not matter in Q4, and your account planning needs to reflect that. The key is building a system that you can repeat across your entire territory without burning out. Two to three minutes per account. Not fifteen. Not thirty. That's how you research 50 accounts in a week instead of just five. What This Actually Looks Like in Practice Let's say you're targeting a mid-market software company. You start by checking their LinkedIn. The CEO posted last week about expanding into healthcare verticals. You pull up their blog and find three recent posts about compliance challenges in healthcare tech. You upload screenshots or copy the text into your AI agent and give it the prompt: "You're an AE trying to close this software company in 90 days. The first meeting is with their Chief Revenue Officer. What are the top three priorities they're likely focused on, and how do those connect to the company's broader goals?" The AI analyzes the content and tells you: They're investing heavily in healthcare vertical expansion, but facing longer sales cycles due to compliance requirements They're dealing with the need to build credibility fast in a regulated industry Their CEO has committed to proving ROI in healthcare within two quarters Now you have a hypothesis. The CRO is probably under pressure to close healthcare deals faster while managing a team that doesn't have deep healthcare expertise. That's your angle. You cross-check this with LinkedIn and see that the CRO has been engaging with posts about sales enablement in complex verticals. You look at recent news and find they just hired a VP of Healthcare Sales. Everything lines up. Your outreach message writes itself. You're not pitching. You're acknowledging what they're working on and offering a perspective on how companies in similar situations have approached the same problem. What to Do After the Meeting Your AI workflow doesn't end when the call does. This is where most reps leave value on the table. After your meeting, take the transcript from your call recording tool (Fathom, Gong, Chorus, whatever you use) and upload it to your AI agent. Then ask specific questions:
For episode 633 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Dan Mulligan, Head of Marketing at Reserve, a DeFi platform backed by Sam Altman and Peter Thiel. With over 12 years of experience in SaaS, fintech, and digital assets, Dan brings a proven track record of scaling products, growing user bases, and driving measurable business impact through marketing strategies.Before joining Reserve, Dan served as CMO at AscendEX and Tea Protocol, where he led marketing initiatives that fueled massive user adoption and retention. At Tea Protocol, he scaled the platform to 1M+ users, including 500K+ KYC-verified users, while at AscendEX, he drove trading volume, listings, and user engagement. Earlier in his career, Dan was a Senior Strategist at Verisk Analytics (S&P 500), where he built data-driven growth frameworks for enterprise SaaS solutions that generated over $20M in digital pipeline. ⏳ Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction(1:12) Who is Dan Mulligan?(2:53) What is Reserve?(4:31) What is a DTF?(7:32) DTF Partners(9:10) DTF Survey(10:55) Why is demand high for DTFs?(12:20) Launching a DTF(15:44) Marketing in Web3(18:52) Common marketing hurdles in Web3(22:15) DTFs on traditional brokerage platforms(24:32) Reserve roadmap for 2026(25:51) Crypto in Hong Kong
If you are Canadian, and you hear the words Tim Hortons, you conjure up a wide and deep range of emotions. Few brands inspire the kind of passion that Tim Hortons does in Canada. With nearly 6,000 restaurants in 22 countries, the 60-year-old brand continues to grow like a startup while holding a special place in Canadian culture. In this week's episode of The CMO Podcast, Jim sits down with Hope Bagozzi, Chief Marketing Officer of Tim Hortons, to discuss what it takes to steward such an iconic brand.From her early career in psychology and executive recruiting in New Zealand, to 15 years at McDonald's Canada, to now leading marketing at Tims, Hope brings a unique perspective on brand storytelling and customer connection. Recorded as part of the Next Gen CMO Academy at Deloitte University, this conversation explores the emotional power of brands, sustaining growth across decades, and the art of keeping a beloved brand fresh.---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The brands everyone talks about are not the safest ones. They are the bold ones.And few people understand that better than Nick Tran.The former TikTok Global Head of Marketing and current Diageo President and CMO joins Marketing Trends to break down how he built momentum inside fast moving environments, rebuilt brands under pressure, and helped TikTok become a cultural engine instead of just another app.Nick explains why the traditional marketing playbook is obsolete, how to create ideas that move culture instead of reacting to it, and what today's fastest moving teams get wrong about attention, creativity, and risk. CHAPTERS / KEY MOMENTS00:00 Engineering a Viral Influencer02:20 What Bold Marketing Looks Like in 202604:20 Crisis Marketing at Taco Bell07:05 Lessons From Stance and Samsung09:30 Reinventing Hulu With Culture Marketing11:00 Why the Old Marketing Playbook Is Dead13:40 Inside TikTok's Project Cheetah16:45 Making Creators Culturally Famous on Purpose19:35 Five Marketing Behaviors Leaders Must Unlearn22:20 The ROI Trap and Bad Marketing Metrics25:00 Why Modern CMOs Should Become CEOs26:00 The Ocean Spray x DogFace420 Breakout Moment29:10 The Rise of AI Influencers and Virtual Icons30:00 Worldbuilding: The Future of Brand Marketing33:00 Reinventing Ciroc Through Lifestyle Experiences37:00 Pickleball, Pop-Ups, and The New Experiential Playbook43:00 Out-of-Home Creative, Simplicity, and Cultural Signals This episode is brought to you by Lightricks. LTX is the all-in-one creative suite for AI-driven video production; built by Lightricks to take you from idea to final 4K render in one streamlined workspace.Powered by LTX-2, our next-generation creative engine, LTX lets you move faster, collaborate seamlessly, and deliver studio-quality results without compromise. Try it today at ltx.studio Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Message us here!What if you've tried everything, but are still depressed? Did you know that one third of people with depression don't get enough relief from antidepressants? In this episode, I talk to psychiatrist and CMO of Neuronetics, Dr. Geoffrey Grammer, about what should people do when our mainstream treatments for depression fails us. He sheds light on new advancements for treatment-resistant depression: transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and nasal esketamine, two evidence-based treatments that target the brain differently and raise the odds after meds stall.We first talk about just how disappointing traditional medications and psychotherapies can be for chronically depressed patients. Then, Dr. Grammer explains how TMS works (precise, noninvasive brain stimulation that strengthens underactive mood circuits), what a session feels like, timelines for improvement, and why side effects are minimal compared to systemic drugs. We also explore nasal esketamine (Spravato) and how it works. Along the way, we dig into augmentation meds, common pitfalls, and the role of psychotherapy in turning short-term gains into lasting change.Real patient stories ground the science in hope: remission after years of struggle, renewed presence with family, and the hard-won confidence that life can feel different. If you've tried two antidepressants without clear progress or hate the side effects, your next step shouldn't be “another pill” - it should be to advocate for yourself with your providers and explore these new options.Resources:NeuroStar website: https://neurostar.com/NeuroStar's assessment quiz for depression: https://neurostar.com/self-assessment-for-depression/Find a doctor page: https://neurostar.com/enter-zip-code/?as=0Connect to Dr. Grammer on social:https://www.instagram.com/NeuroStarAdvancedTMS/https://www.facebook.com/NeuroStarAdvancedTMS/https://www.youtube.com/user/NeuroStarTMSTherapySupport the showIf you're navigating someone's mental health or emotional issues, join KulaMind, our community and support platform. In KulaMind, we'll help you set healthy boundaries, advocate for yourself, and support your loved one. Follow @kulamind on Instagram for podcast updates and science-backed insights on staying sane while loving someone emotionally explosive. For more info about this podcast, check out: www.alittlehelpforourfriends.com
In this episode, Dan Englander sits down with Garrett Jestice, former CMO and founder of Prelude, to unpack how to turn that randomness into a repeatable Go-To-Market (GTM) system that actually compounds.Garrett helps B2B agencies and service businesses replace scattered marketing efforts with a focused GTM strategy built on customer proof — clarifying audience, offer, messaging, and channels so growth stops being a guessing game.They break down why most agencies start with the wrong things (channels before clarity), how to pick the right market segment, and how to make growth repeatable without losing focus or burning resources. What You'll LearnWhy most agencies get stuck after $1M — and how to fix itThe four foundations of a real GTM system: Audience, Offer, Messaging, ChannelsHow to pick one market segment and own it (without overthinking TAM)Why you can't scale custom work — and what to do insteadThe “maintenance and support” offer that helped one agency grow fasterWhen to productize vs. stay bespokeHow to make referrals and warm intros systematic, not luckyWhy every audience–offer combo needs its own GTM strategyHow to align sales, marketing, and delivery around the same message
On this episode of Practical Pivots, marketing veteran Rachel Shayne, of B2B R&D, unpacks why “brand is your moat” and how the real challenge isn't besting your competitors, but cutting through marketplace confusion. From her insights working with technical founders, Shayne lays out her playbook for building resilient, memorable brands in complex industries. Whether you're leading a high-growth tech venture or steering strategy in a legacy sector, this interview offers the candid perspective and actionable inspiration today's business decision-makers crave.About Rachel Rachel Shayne is a fractional CMO and brand strategist known for translating complex clean-tech and energy science into market conviction. She has helped create entirely new categories across methane monitoring, geothermal baseload power, and other frontier sectors—using disciplined storytelling to move customers, investors, and industries.Her career spans global consumer powerhouses such as P&G, Nestlé, and Sephora, as well as some of the most innovative climate-tech and deep-tech companies, including GreenFire Energy, LongPath Technologies, Project Canary, Sionic Energy, and TrelliSense. That blend of Fortune-50 rigor and venture-backed scrappiness shapes a unique approach few CMOs can match.Shayne is widely recognized for aligning founders, boards, and teams around clear narratives that fuel growth, culture, and category leadership. Her work has supported more than $200M in capital raised, driven market share above 60%, and positioned multiple brands as leaders in the energy transition.She also serves as a mentor with Blackstone Entrepreneurs' Network, TechStars, and CU Leeds—reflecting a commitment to developing the people who will lead the next generation of markets.
In a world obsessed with conversion rates and customer acquisition costs, have we forgotten the one thing that actually makes both of them better?Agility requires more than just the ability to react quickly to market signals. It demands a stable, strategic core—a brand—that provides the necessary context and direction to ensure your pivots are purposeful, not just panicked. Today, we're going to talk about a fundamental truth that many organizations are wrestling with: what looks like a growth problem is often a brand problem. When acquisition costs are climbing and churn is a constant threat, the default response is often to double down on performance marketing. But in crowded markets, that's a race to the bottom. We'll explore why brand is the ultimate lever for creating sustainable demand, pricing power, and the kind of loyalty that performance channels simply can't buy. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Kimberly Storin, CMO at Zoom. Kim, welcome to the show! About Kim Storin I've always believed that great marketing is about creating real connections with customers, partners, and teams. These connections are the moments that define a brand. As CMO of Zoom, I lead a global marketing organization focused on evolving how the world sees and experiences Zoom. We're much more than a meetings platform—we're a modern communications platform that powers collaboration, culture, and connection across the customer journey and employee experience. I draw from my experiences scaling marketing at fast-growth startups and global enterprises alike, grounded in a passion for people, purpose, and performance. I've helped bring AI-powered solutions to market, and today, I use AI to supercharge our team and unlock speed, creativity, and focus across everything from content and campaigns to strategy and insights. Throughout my career, I've navigated complexity, balanced brand and pipeline, and built teams that thrive in change. Today, my role is as much about strategy and positioning as it is about building a culture that can adapt and lead.,Yes,This will be completed shortly Kim Storin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlystorin/ Resources Zoom: www.zoom.us The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/ Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company