Podcasts about B2B

A Note from James:Michael Dell. Founder of Dell. I remember in college, hearing about this kid who was building computers in his dorm and making millions. I thought it was a myth. It wasn't. He's the real thing—and he just kept going.I wanted to understand what drove him, what it felt like to deal with Carl Icahn trying to wrestle his company from him, and what success feels like after decades of being in the game. Also: I had to ask why Dell didn't invent Google. That, plus how he's now thinking about AI, cancer, and what “focus” really means.Episode Description:James Altucher sits down with Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, to trace the entire arc of Dell's career—from building computers in a college dorm room to defending his company against Carl Icahn and taking it private. In this candid conversation, Dell shares how early obsession with tech and business turned into a multibillion-dollar global enterprise, the lessons he's learned about leadership, and how he's positioning for the future with AI, cybersecurity, and gene tech on the horizon.This is more than a business story. It's about risk, conviction, reinvention—and knowing when to walk away from Steve Jobs.What You'll Learn:How Dell's dorm-room business scaled to $80,000/month before he even left collegeWhat Michael Dell really thought during his showdown with Carl IcahnWhy most big companies fail to innovate—and how to keep a startup mindsetHow Dell Technologies is preparing for the explosion in AI and edge computingWhat makes a good leader at the head of a $100 billion companyTimestamped Chapters:[00:00] James introduces Michael Dell and the origin story of Dell Computers[01:00] The economics of building PCs in the early 1980s[03:00] Winning state bids with a bike and a dorm room[05:00] Pressure to become a doctor—and the 10-day “intervention”[10:00] Meeting Steve Jobs and licensing DOS from Bill Gates[13:00] Dell's early B2B focus and international expansion[15:00] Going public and the Icahn showdown[18:00] How activist investors play poker with billion-dollar stakes[21:00] What focus really means in business[24:00] Defining leadership at global scale[26:00] Encouraging innovation inside massive companies[28:00] The failed Mac OS licensing deal[30:00] Philanthropy, education, and urban poverty[33:00] COVID lockdowns and a $100M response[35:00] The future of work and city migration[39:00] AI, edge computing, and exponential data[42:00] Gene editing, mRNA vaccines, and solving cancer[45:00] Blockchain in enterprise (no bitcoin on Dell's balance sheet—yet)[47:00] Why cybersecurity is an arms raceAdditional Resources:Play Nice But Win – Michael Dell's memoir (Amazon)Dell Technologies – Official websiteJudge rejects Icahn's move on Dell buyout – CT InsiderRichard Florida on the future of cities – Vital City NYC interviewWhat is CRISPR? – Broad InstituteHistory of MS‑DOS – WikipediaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do you make the world's fastest supercomputer? This week, Technology Now dives into the world of supercomputers, and how El Capitan, the world's largest supercomputer, was built. We will explore the software and hardware requirements as well as investigating the physical requirements needed to even be able to run a supercomputer on your premises. Bronis de Supinski, CTO of Livermore Computing at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, tells us more.This is Technology Now, a weekly show from Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Every week, hosts Michael Bird and Aubrey Lovell look at a story that's been making headlines, take a look at the technology behind it, and explain why it matters to organizations and what can be learnt from it.About Bronis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bronis-de-supinski-607a441/SourcesEl Capitanhttps://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/press-release/2024/11/hewlett-packard-enterprise-delivers-worlds-fastest-direct-liquid-cooled-exascale-supercomputer-el-capitan-for-lawrence-livermore-national-laboratory.htmlWhat are FLOPShttps://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/FLOPS-floating-point-operations-per-secondToday I LearnedMa. Y., et all, 2025, Near-infrared spatiotemporal colour vision in humans enabled by upconversion contact lenses, ISSN 0092-8674, 10.1016/j.cell.2025.04.019 https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(25)00454-4This Week in Historyhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20201028-history-of-the-ballpoint-penhttps://spinoff.nasa.gov/space-pens

In this special episode, we welcome back Patric Hellermann to dive deep into the concept of edge in venture capital. This isn't your average discussion on differentiation—it's a methodical breakdown of what creates enduring alpha for fund managers, grounded in Patric's experience building Foundamental, a B2B-focused early-stage VC.This episode is for anyone asking: How do I build an edge that scales? You'll leave with answers rooted in practice, not theory.Here's what's covered:02:30 What Makes an Edge? Why Most VCs and LPs Struggle to Answer06:15 The 4 Steps of VC Value Creation: Sourcing, Picking, Winning, Managing12:45 What Founders Want: How to Make Yourself the First Call17:10 DPI Over Hype: Why Patrick Optimizes for Liquidity, Not Likes21:20 Empathy, Proximity & Pattern Recognition: What Most European Funds Get Wrong28:35 Pan-European Funds & the Pitfalls of “Routine-Free” Investing34:40 Why Distribution Beats Product: Lessons from Category Leaders41:25 Fund Design That Scales: GPs with Domain Depth Over Generalism53:30 Prioritization as a Superpower: How to Build With Focus1:00:45 National vs Global Champions: How LPs Think About Risk and Follow-On Capital

This week in the guest chair, we're spotlighting Marina Batliwalla, financial professional and host of the Banking on Girls podcast. Born in India, raised in Australia, and now based in LA, Marina joined Podcast Moguls to launch a show centered around financial literacy for women and girls—and she's done just that, all while working full-time.Marina shares how she overcame mindset hurdles to get started, leveraged her platform to speak at the United Nations, and is now piloting financial education workshops for mothers and daughters.In this episode, she shares:How she found her voice and confidence through Podcast MogulsWhy financial literacy needs to start before the age of 7The early media skills she brought from her radio days in SydneyHow her show opened doors to speak at global institutionsWhy she's now looking at B2B opportunities for her educational workshopsHighlights Include:00:00 Intro02:25 From actuary to advocate: Marina's global journey05:20 How a Girl Scout badge sparked her podcast vision12:30 Naming her podcast Banking on Girls and protecting the brand15:00 Defining her perfect listener: mothers raising daughters22:00 Workshop pilot programs and future monetization strategies31:00 Leveraging her podcast to attend the United Nations40:00 How Marina got over her fear of marketingCheck out episode 465 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTubeLinks mentioned in this episodeBanking on Girls Podcast – https://www.bankingongirls.com United Nations Commission on the Status of Women – https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw Cherie Blair Foundation for Women – https://cherieblairfoundation.orgGirl Scouts' Personal Management Badge Info – https://www.girlscouts.orgStock Market Game – https://www.stockmarketgame.orgClick here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rssAnnouncementsJoin our Facebook CommunityIf you're looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick from Gamma explains how Bitcoin ordinals differ from traditional NFTs and introduces Signals - a platform solving the broken price discovery process that forces users to jump through ridiculous hoops just to buy digital collectibles.You're listening to Bitcoin Season 2. Subscribe to the newsletter, trusted by over 7,000 Bitcoiners: https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.comNick, co-founder of Gamma, joins us to talk about the broken NFT market discovery process and how their new platform Signals fixes the ridiculous whitelist system. We dive into Bitcoin ordinals vs traditional NFTs, why inscriptions are superior to off-chain storage, and how auction-style price discovery creates fairer markets for creators and collectors.Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.comNotes:• Tens of thousands of Bitcoin nodes store inscriptions• 2021 marked peak NFT hype cycle craze• Most NFT data stored on centralized servers• Signals uses auction clearing price model• Bitcoin inscriptions permanently on-chain• Traditional NFTs just track ownershipTimestamps00:00 Start00:49 Inscribing Vegas conference02:47 NFT market currently05:45 Market participants11:44 Why are Ordinals & Inscriptions interesting?20:36 Arch Network21:08 Price discovery (it's harder than it looks)29:09 Signals Art39:54 Blockspace40:43 Is a market equilibrium possible?45:05 Wrap up47:53 Invite code #BS2-

You ever wonder why some content just falls flat while other stuff is suddenly blowing up, even when it feels like not much has changed? Jay Schwedelson has a wild take on why your old playbook is getting ignored—and the data behind what's actually clicking right now. From what business marketers can steal from the latest consumer trends to the absolutely bonkers headlines coming out of celebrity gossip, this episode is equal parts useful and ridiculous in the best way.Best Moments:(01:07) Denver's airport is apparently the worst-smelling in America and Jay's not over it(01:45) Why your “safe” content is out of touch and what the data says about switching it up(03:01) Economic-related offers are seeing a 40% spike in downloads for B2B—yes, 40%(04:15) Easy ways to make your content feel hyper-relevant right now (and Jay's favorite email subject lines)(05:09) How to make savings content fun without sounding desperate(06:30) Jay's surprisingly nuanced takes on Timothy Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, and celebrity relationship gossip(08:35) Pro tips on happiness from the Billy Ray Cyrus-Elizabeth Hurley situation—plus Jay invites himself to their wedding=================================================Check out our 100% FREE + VIRTUAL EVENTS! ->Guru Conference - The World's Largest Virtual EMAIL MARKETING Conference - Nov 6-7!Register here: www.GuruConference.com=================================================Check out Jay's YOUTUBE Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelsonCheck out Jay's TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@schwedelsonCheck Out Jay's INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/=================================================AND don't miss out on this awesome FREE upcoming Quick Hit!Marigold: Should I Switch Email Platforms? 5 Truths & Myths!6/24 11am – 12pm ET.Register HERE: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7325947932031991808/comments/=================================================MASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Marigold!!Email chaos across campuses, branches, or chapters? Emma by Marigold lets HQ keep control while local teams send on-brand, on-time messages with ease.Podcast & GURU listeners: 50 % off your first 3 months with an annual plan (new customers, 10 k-contact minimum, terms apply).Claim your offer now at jayschwedelson.com/emma

This week Jim's guest on The CMO Podcast is Carrie Palin, the SVP and Chief Marketing Officer of Cisco, the $55 billion by revenue tech leader, whose purpose is to leverage technology, people, and broader networks to solve society's greatest challenges. Cisco is on quite a roll–its stock is up about 40% in the last year. Carrie never took a marketing class in school, and never even imagined she would be a top tech B2B marketer, let alone the CMO of one of the world's great companies. But serendipity happened, and Carrie said yes to IBM coming out of TCU, and began a tech marketing career that took her to Dell, Box, Splunk, and now Cisco. Carrie has had a remarkable run in her four years as Cisco's CMO, which we will talk about. Tune in for a conversation with a CMO, who believes some things in life are simply non-negotiable.---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte and StrawberryFrog.Learn more: https://strawberryfrog.com/jimSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the next big wave in marketing isn't about targeting people at all—but impressing their AI agents instead?Abhay Parasnis, CEO of Typeface and former CTO at Adobe, joins us to explain why the future of brand discovery is less “search bar” and more “autonomous agents doing your shopping.” Abhay makes a bold case that most traditional marketing (think SEO strategies, AB tests, and static brand books) is already becoming obsolete. Instead, the brands that win will be the ones building content systems smart enough to speak directly to intelligent agents that buy and sell on our behalf.But this conversation doesn't stop at marketing disruption. Abhay pulls back the curtain on Typeface's meteoric rise, driven in large part by early, strategic partnerships with companies like Microsoft, Salesforce, and Google. He argues that AI startups don't need to outcompete the giants… they need to build what the giants can't, and then let those giants bring them customers. It's a refreshing take on B2B growth that flips the usual “go it alone” startup myth on its head.From identifying watermelon metrics to replacing agency workflows with AI copilots, Abhay brings sharp insight, grounded optimism, and just enough heresy to keep it interesting. If you're trying to navigate the chaos of modern marketing, or just wondering what comes after search, this episode is your map. Key Moments:00:00 Abhay Parasnis: CEO of Typeface & Ex-Adobe CTO06:48 Typeface's Vision and Genesis14:03 The Role of AI in Brand Management17:29 The Future of Agencies in an AI-Driven World25:06 Change Management and the Adoption of AI37:46 AI in Campaign Creation and Performance Measurement40:34 The Future of Search and SEO46:53 Identifying High-Quality Content in AI-Driven Marketing48:16 Offline Relationships and Physical Experiences50:47 The Future of Partnerships in Tech59:45 Transformation in the C-Suite01:04:15 Relevant or Not Relevant: Quick Takes01:05:49 The Future of Digital Content Marketing in an AI-Driven World Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.

ABM programs often fail to deliver revenue results. Nadia Davis, VP of Marketing at CaliberMind, shares her expertise in transforming account-based marketing strategies into effective revenue generators. She breaks down the five most critical three-letter acronyms for B2B marketers today—ABM, CRM, MQA, MQL, and CAC—while explaining how to build holistic omni-channel ABM frameworks that contribute meaningfully to sales pipelines.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to the Rialto Marketing podcast. Today's episode is a Revenue Acceleration Series interview with seven-figure B2B business owners and their growth-minded executives who are actively trying to grow their business and get to the next level. We discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly so that you can learn from their experience.>>> Whenever you are ready, here are 4 ways we can help you reach your revenue goals faster...#1 Unlock the full potential of your marketing engine. We'll provide you and your team with the direction, insights, and tools necessary to excel in the complex landscape of modern marketing. - Marketing Advisor On Call#2 Discover the marketing strategies & tactics that will guide your next quarter and unlock explosive growth in 90 minutes. - Quick-Start Marketing Strategy Game Plan#3 Discover a tailor-made strategy for unprecedented growth to transform your marketing in 30 days. - Unlock Your Growth Opportunities#4 If you need guidance on the most effective direction for your marketing, then schedule a call with us today! - Get Your Free Discovery Call Now

The 10 Minute Personal Brand Kickstart (FREE): https://the505podcast.courses/personalbrandkickstartCheck out Hydrant here:https://2ly.link/27h83What's up, Rock Nation! Today's episode is a masterclass in LinkedIn growth with Vin Matano — the founder of Creator Buzz and the guy quietly building one of the most powerful B2B creator agencies in the game. After leaving his comfy 9-to-5, Vin hit $750K in his first year and hasn't looked back.We get into all of it: how to actually go viral on LinkedIn, why your follower count doesn't matter, how to package your posts for maximum reach, and why photographers and videographers are sleeping on the platform. If you're a creator trying to land dream clients or brand deals, LinkedIn might be your biggest opportunity, and Vin breaks down the exact playbook for how to win.Check out Vin here:https://www.instagram.com/vinmatano/https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@vinmatano⁩  https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinmatano/SUSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: https://the505podcast.ac-page.com/rock-reportThe Creator Pricing Guide - The No BS Guide to Pricing Your Creative ServicesCoupon Code: ROCKNATION10 gets you $10 off at checkout for the bouldershttps://courses.the505podcast.com/pricing-guideJoin our Discord! https://discord.gg/xgEAzkqAvsMore Free Products:Our 5 Positioning Tips to Land Bigger Clients (FREE): https://the505podcast.courses/5positioningtips 6 Questions to ask on Every Sales Call (FREE): https://the505podcast.courses/6questionsfordiscoverycallCOP THE BFIGGY "ESSENTIALS" SFX PACK HERE: https://courses.thecreatorcoach.com/BFIGGYSFXPACKKG Presets Vol. 1https://www.kostasgarcia.com/store-1/p/kglightroompresetsKostas' Amazon Storefront:https://amzn.to/3GhId2515% OFF Prism Lens FX with code: KOSTAS15https://bit.ly/42sNdejTimestamps: 0:00 - Trailer0:35 - Intro1:20 - How to crush on LinkedIn as a beginner2:10 - LinkedIn will be the #1 app for creators3:06 - Repackaging content for LinkedIn4:36 - How to win with text6:34 - Why Vin went all in with LinkedIn7:39 - The bar for video is super low8:32 - Why Vin is so bullish on LinkedIn10:18 - Beginner tips11:46 - Video on LinkedIn12:59 - The difference between brands and creators on LinkedIn14:00 - Hydrant15:00 - People don't want to follow brand pages16:30 - full time linkedin creators17:44 - LinkedIn followers don't matter as much18:24 - successful LinkedIn content benchmark20:02 - Networking on LinkedIn21:43 - Biggest mistakes beginners make23:00 - The “But, therefore” rule25:45 - What's not working as well anymore on LinkedIn26:08 - Never post JPEG pics28:23 - You have to adapt as a creator30:20 - LinkedIn tips for Photographers & Videographers32:04 - LinkedIn brand deal structure33:59 - The new Brand Link feature37:13 - Why Vin started Creator Buzz38:32 - Hiring for Creator Buzz40:19 - $750,000 in year one41:33 - Navigating live events45:09 - Difficulties of starting your own business49:18 - Year one business learnings51:34 - Softwares Vin uses52:19 - How ROI is measured53:59 - LinkedIn Influencer budgets55:32 - When Vin knew he had to expand his team58:00 - Cold calling and sales advice1:01:20 - Video Trends1:07:31 - Vetting creators1:09:28 - How he tripled his business1:11:13 - How Vin splits his time1:14:00 - Can podcasts clips perform on LinkedIn?1:15:41 - Your idea is worth sharing1:17:18 - the next 6-12 months1:21:06 - Advice to 18 year old selfIf you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on. DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!) Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/ TikTok:Bfiggy: https://www.tiktok.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.tiktok.com/kostasgarcia/

Send us a textIn this episode, Danny and Joe Wolf, Head of Paid Social at Optidge, explore how to troubleshoot struggling paid campaigns, why communication is more important than ever, and what it takes to be the kind of agency clients trust again—after they've been burned. With deep experience across paid platforms and a keen sense for client relationships, Joe and the team don't just run ads—they build partnerships that last. From tactical frameworks like Optidge's 5-Point Check to real-life stories of client rescue missions, this episode is packed with practical insight and refreshingly honest advice.An Optidge "Office Hours" EpisodeOur Office Hours episodes are your go-to for details, how-to's, and advice on specific marketing topics. Join our fellow Optidge team members, and sometimes even 1:1 teachings from Danny himself, in these shorter, marketing-focused episodes every few weeks. Get ready to get marketing!Episode Highlights:Learn the Optidge 5-Point Paid Social Check and how it helps spot (and solve) campaign failure fast.Joe shares why upfront honesty with clients wins more trust than fluffy promises ever will.Hear real examples of recovering strained client relationships through transparency and strategy.Discover how UGC, offer testing, and full-funnel tracking power Optidge's high-performing Meta ads.Find out how Optidge's pod model blends expertise, mentorship, and client care into every campaign.Episode Links: 

Every Wednesday we release our all new “HALO Academy: 2 Minute Financial Drill" by Integrity Square Founder & HALO Talks host, Pete Moore on everything you need to know for financial literacy, unit economics, legal documents used for M&A and capital raises, capital sources you can access, understanding how financings are structured, valuation metrics and parameters, and what you need to know about your own business before engaging in cap raises and/or a potential sale. If you missed our email about this, you can re-read it here: https://mailchi.mp/9567da51c0ce/2025programschedule  ====================================================== RESOURCES  https://www.integritysq.com https://www.halotalks.com https://www.thehaloacademy.com  Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/@halotalks   =================================================== ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR  Pete is the Founder, Managing Partner and Chief Dream Architect at Integrity Square ("ISQ"), a leading boutique financial advisory firm focused on the $4.7T Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoor ("HALO") sector. Since founding ISQ in 2010, the firm has played an active advisory role in 100+ mergers & acquisitions, private placements and advisory assignments across North America. Pete Moore and his team have also invested in passionate entrepreneurs at HigherDOSE, XTEND, and Promotion Vault. ISQ's media and "live education" properties include HALO Talks, the leading B2B podcast in the sector, Time To Win Again, and the HALO Academy, an Executive Education Bootcamp Series.  Prior to ISQ, Pete was Head of the Active Lifestyle & Wellness Group at Sagent Advisors (2003-2010.) Prior to 2003, Pete was co-founder of FitnessInsite, a SasS sales management platform with 1500+ clients (based in AZ.) At FitnessInsite, Pete invested his personal capital, leveraged his credit cards and learned what it takes to manage a startup. Pete built his business and financial acumen on top of the foundation laid at three critical positions early in his career: Senior Associate at Brockway Moran & Partners, the private equity owner of Gold's Gym International, Inc; worked as an Associate at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette; and an Analyst at Chase Securities. (Now JP Morgan.)  ISQ saw a need for a deeper & more useful level of education in the HALO sector. In response, we launched the HALO Talks podcast, with 500+ completed interviews and over 120,000 downloads. HALO Talks has become a “must listen” for anyone working or investing in the sector. Pete graduated from Emory University (BBA, 1994) and received his MBA from Harvard Business School (1999.) While at HBS, he co-founded IRON PLANET, the leading B2B auction site for used heavy equipment, which was sold to Ritchie Bros for $758 million. His hobbies include: Football, basketball, tennis, podcasting, amateur ventriloquism, pro bono DJ and fitness enthusiast.

ABM programs often fail to deliver revenue results. Nadia Davis, VP of Marketing at CaliberMind, shares her expertise in transforming account-based marketing strategies into effective revenue generators. She breaks down the five most critical three-letter acronyms for B2B marketers today—ABM, CRM, MQA, MQL, and CAC—while explaining how to build holistic omni-channel ABM frameworks that contribute meaningfully to sales pipelines.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lars Grønnegaard, COO and Co-Founder of Dreamdata, joins Mike to discuss data utilization in B2B marketing and the importance of understanding what truly drives sales. They talk about the complexities of attribution in B2B marketing, particularly with long buying cycles, and highlight the importance of collecting and analyzing data, even though multi-touch attribution can be controversial. Lars explains how Dreamdata addresses the challenge of data overload in B2B marketing by building robust data models that connect various data sources, enabling marketers to analyze campaign effectiveness and make informed decisions. About Dreamdata Dreamdata is the leading B2B Activation & Attribution Platform that provides the most complete customer journey map anywhere. We gather, join, and clean all revenue-related data, transforming it into transparent, actionable insights about what truly drives B2B revenue. Dreamdata empowers businesses to optimize their go-to-market activities, ensuring they can produce faster, better-performing customer journeys and deliver more revenue growth. About Lars Grønnegaard Lars Grønnegaard is a passionate problem-solver focused on revolutionizing B2B go-to-market strategies. As COO & Co-founder of Dreamdata, he's dedicated to empowering B2B companies with holistic, actionable data to drive smarter decisions, optimize customer journeys, and accelerate revenue growth. His journey from VP Product at Trustpilot (where he was instrumental in its product growth to unicorn status) to building Dreamdata stems from a deep understanding that B2Bs are rich in data but often struggle to turn it into actionable insights. Time Stamps 00:00:43 - Lars's Career Journey and Founding Dreamdata 00:03:13 - Startup Environment in Denmark 00:05:30 - The Challenge of Data Clarity in Marketing 00:08:22 - Attribution vs. Incremental Sales Testing 00:10:39 - Long Buying Cycles in B2B 00:16:12 - Maintaining Data Models Over Time 00:19:17 - Freemium Model and Customer Trials 00:22:44 - Ad Spend and ROI Considerations 00:28:49 - Best Marketing Advice from Lars 00:29:39 - Advice for Aspiring Marketers 00:30:34 - Where to Learn More About Dreamdata Quotes "You can probably cancel somewhere between 25 and 75 percent of your ad spend and see no impact on your pipeline performance." Lars Grønnegaard, COO and Co-Founder of Dreamdata "The fundamental problem here is not lack of data or tracking... but the problem is all this data doesn't really connect." Lars Grønnegaard, COO and Co-Founder of Dreamdata Follow Lars: Lars Grønnegaard on LinkedIn: https://dk.linkedin.com/in/larsgroennegaard Dreamdata's website: https://dreamdata.io/ Dreamdata on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dreamdata-io/ Follow Mike: Mike Maynard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemaynard/ Napier website: https://www.napierb2b.com/ Napier LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/napier-partnership-limited/ If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to our podcast for more discussions about the latest in Marketing B2B Tech and connect with us on social media to stay updated on upcoming episodes. We'd also appreciate it if you could leave us a review on your favourite podcast platform. Want more? Check out Napier's other podcast - The Marketing Automation Moment: https://podcasts.apple.com/ua/podcast/the-marketing-automation-moment-podcast/id1659211547

In this episode of In-Ear Insights, the Trust Insights podcast, Katie and Chris discuss the Apple AI paper and critical lessons for effective prompting, plus a deep dive into reasoning models. You’ll learn what reasoning models are and why they sometimes struggle with complex tasks, especially when dealing with contradictory information. You’ll discover crucial insights about AI’s “stateless” nature, which means every prompt starts fresh and can lead to models getting confused. You’ll gain practical strategies for effective prompting, like starting new chats for different tasks and removing irrelevant information to improve AI output. You’ll understand why treating AI like a focused, smart intern will help you get the best results from your generative AI tools. Tune in to learn how to master your AI interactions! Watch the video here: Can’t see anything? Watch it on YouTube here. Listen to the audio here: https://traffic.libsyn.com/inearinsights/tipodcast-how-generative-ai-reasoning-models-work.mp3 Download the MP3 audio here. Need help with your company’s data and analytics? Let us know! Join our free Slack group for marketers interested in analytics! [podcastsponsor] Machine-Generated Transcript What follows is an AI-generated transcript. The transcript may contain errors and is not a substitute for listening to the episode. Christopher S. Penn – 00:00 In this week’s In Ear Insights, there is so much in the AI world to talk about. One of the things that came out recently that I think is worth discussing, because we can talk about the basics of good prompting as part of it, Katie, is a paper from Apple. Apple’s AI efforts themselves have stalled a bit, showing that reasoning models, when given very complex puzzles—logic-based puzzles or spatial-based puzzles, like moving blocks from stack to stack and getting them in the correct order—hit a wall after a while and then just collapse and can’t do anything. So, the interpretation of the paper is that there are limits to what reasoning models can do and that they can kind of confuse themselves. On LinkedIn and social media and stuff, Christopher S. Penn – 00:52 Of course, people have taken this to the illogical extreme, saying artificial intelligence is stupid, nobody should use it, or artificial general intelligence will never happen. None of that is within the paper. Apple was looking at a very specific, narrow band of reasoning, called deductive reasoning. So what I thought we’d talk about today is the paper itself to a degree—not a ton about it—and then what lessons we can learn from it that will make our own AI practices better. So to start off, when we talk about reasoning, Katie, particularly you as our human expert, what does reasoning mean to the human? Katie Robbert – 01:35 When I think, if you say, “Can you give me a reasonable answer?” or “What is your reason?” Thinking about the different ways that the word is casually thrown around for humans. The way that I think about it is, if you’re looking for a reasonable answer to something, then that means that you are putting the expectation on me that I have done some kind of due diligence and I have gathered some kind of data to then say, “This is the response that I’m going to give you, and here are the justifications as to why.” So I have some sort of a data-backed thinking in terms of why I’ve given you that information. When I think about a reasoning model, Katie Robbert – 02:24 Now, I am not the AI expert on the team, so this is just my, I’ll call it, amateurish understanding of these things. So, a reasoning model, I would imagine, is similar in that you give it a task and it’s, “Okay, I’m going to go ahead and see what I have in my bank of information for this task that you’re asking me about, and then I’m going to do my best to complete the task.” When I hear that there are limitations to reasoning models, I guess my first question for you, Chris, is if these are logic problems—complete this puzzle or unfurl this ball of yarn, kind of a thing, a complex thing that takes some focus. Katie Robbert – 03:13 It’s not that AI can’t do this; computers can do those things. So, I guess what I’m trying to ask is, why can’t these reasoning models do it if computers in general can do those things? Christopher S. Penn – 03:32 So you hit on a really important point. The tasks that are in this reasoning evaluation are deterministic tasks. There’s a right and wrong answer, and what they’re supposed to test is a model’s ability to think through. Can it get to that? So a reasoning model—I think this is a really great opportunity to discuss this. And for those who are listening, this will be available on our YouTube channel. A reasoning model is different from a regular model in that it thinks things through in sort of a first draft. So I’m showing DeepSeq. There’s a button here called DeepThink, which switches models from V3, which is a non-reasoning model, to a reasoning model. So watch what happens. I’m going to type in a very simple question: “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” Katie Robbert – 04:22 And I like how you think that’s a simple question, but that’s been sort of the perplexing question for as long as humans have existed. Christopher S. Penn – 04:32 And what you see here is this little thinking box. This thinking box is the model attempting to solve the question first in a rough draft. And then, if I had closed up, it would say, “Here is the answer.” So, a reasoning model is essentially—we call it, I call it, a hidden first-draft model—where it tries to do a first draft, evaluates its own first draft, and then produces an answer. That’s really all it is. I mean, yes, there’s some mathematics going on behind the scenes that are probably not of use to folks listening to or watching the podcast. But at its core, this is what a reasoning model does. Christopher S. Penn – 05:11 Now, if I were to take the exact same prompt, start a new chat here, and instead of turning off the deep think, what you will see is that thinking box will no longer appear. It will just try to solve it as is. In OpenAI’s ecosystem—the ChatGPT ecosystem—when you pull down that drop-down of the 82 different models that you have a choice from, there are ones that are called non-reasoning models: GPT4O, GPT4.1. And then there are the reasoning models: 0304 mini, 04 mini high, etc. OpenAI has done a great job of making it as difficult as possible to understand which model you should use. But that’s reasoning versus non-reasoning. Google, very interestingly, has moved all of their models to reasoning. Christopher S. Penn – 05:58 So, no matter what version of Gemini you’re using, it is a reasoning model because Google’s opinion is that it creates a better response. So, Apple was specifically testing reasoning models because in most tests—if I go to one of my favorite websites, ArtificialAnalysis.ai, which sort of does a nice roundup of smart models—you’ll notice that reasoning models are here. And if you want to check this out and you’re listening, ArtificialAnalysis.ai is a great benchmark set that wraps up all the other benchmarks together. You can see that the leaderboards for all the major thinking tests are all reasoning models, because that ability for a model to talk things out by itself—really having a conversation with self—leads to much better results. This applies even for something as simple as a blog post, like, “Hey, let’s write a blog post about B2B marketing.” Christopher S. Penn – 06:49 Using a reasoning model will let the model basically do its own first draft, critique itself, and then produce a better result. So that’s what a reasoning model is, and why they’re so important. Katie Robbert – 07:02 But that didn’t really answer my question, though. I mean, I guess maybe it did. And I think this is where someone like me, who isn’t as technically inclined or isn’t in the weeds with this, is struggling to understand. So I understand what you’re saying in terms of what a reasoning model is. A reasoning model, for all intents and purposes, is basically a model that’s going to talk through its responses. I’ve seen this happen in Google Gemini. When I use it, it’s, “Okay, let me see. You’re asking me to do this. Let me see what I have in the memory banks. Do I have enough information? Let me go ahead and give it a shot to answer the question.” That’s basically the synopsis of what you’re going to get in a reasoning model. Katie Robbert – 07:48 But if computers—forget AI for a second—if calculations in general can solve those logic problems that are yes or no, very black and white, deterministic, as you’re saying, why wouldn’t a reasoning model be able to solve a puzzle that only has one answer? Christopher S. Penn – 08:09 For the same reason they can’t do math, because the type of puzzle they’re doing is a spatial reasoning puzzle which requires—it does have a right answer—but generative AI can’t actually think. It is a probabilistic model that predicts based on patterns it’s seen. It’s a pattern-matching model. It’s the world’s most complex next-word prediction machine. And just like mathematics, predicting, working out a spatial reasoning puzzle is not a word problem. You can’t talk it out. You have to be able to visualize in your head, map it—moving things from stack to stack—and then coming up with the right answers. Humans can do this because we have many different kinds of reasoning: spatial reasoning, musical reasoning, speech reasoning, writing reasoning, deductive and inductive and abductive reasoning. Christopher S. Penn – 09:03 And this particular test was testing two of those kinds of reasoning, one of which models can’t do because it’s saying, “Okay, I want a blender to fry my steak.” No matter how hard you try, that blender is never going to pan-fry a steak like a cast iron pan will. The model simply can’t do it. In the same way, it can’t do math. It tries to predict patterns based on what’s been trained on. But if you’ve come up with a novel test that the model has never seen before and is not in its training data, it cannot—it literally cannot—repeat that task because it is outside the domain of language, which is what it’s predicting on. Christopher S. Penn – 09:42 So it’s a deterministic task, but it’s a deterministic task outside of what the model can actually do and has never seen before. Katie Robbert – 09:50 So then, if I am following correctly—which, I’ll be honest, this is a hard one for me to follow the thread of thinking on—if Apple published a paper that large language models can’t do this theoretically, I mean, perhaps my assumption is incorrect. I would think that the minds at Apple would be smarter than collectively, Chris, you and I, and would know this information—that was the wrong task to match with a reasoning model. Therefore, let’s not publish a paper about it. That’s like saying, “I’m going to publish a headline saying that Katie can’t run a five-minute mile; therefore, she’s going to die tomorrow, she’s out of shape.” No, I can’t run a five-minute mile. That’s a fact. I’m not a runner. I’m not physically built for it. Katie Robbert – 10:45 But now you’re publishing some kind of information about it that’s completely fake and getting people in the running industry all kinds of hyped up about it. It’s irresponsible reporting. So, I guess that’s sort of my other question. If the big minds at Apple, who understand AI better than I ever hope to, know that this is the wrong task paired with the wrong model, why are they getting us all worked up about this thing by publishing a paper on it that sounds like it’s totally incorrect? Christopher S. Penn – 11:21 There are some very cynical hot takes on this, mainly that Apple’s own AI implementation was botched so badly that they look like a bunch of losers. We’ll leave that speculation to the speculators on LinkedIn. Fundamentally, if you read the paper—particularly the abstract—one of the things they were trying to test is, “Is it true?” They did not have proof that models couldn’t do this. Even though, yes, if you know language models, you would know this task is not well suited to it in the same way that they’re really not suited to geography. Ask them what the five nearest cities to Boston are, show them a map. They cannot figure that out in the same way that you and I use actual spatial reasoning. Christopher S. Penn – 12:03 They’re going to use other forms of essentially tokenization and prediction to try and get there. But it’s not the same and it won’t give the same answers that you or I will. It’s one of those areas where, yeah, these models are very sophisticated and have a ton of capabilities that you and I don’t have. But this particular test was on something that they can’t do. That’s asking them to do complex math. They cannot do it because it’s not within the capabilities. Katie Robbert – 12:31 But I guess that’s what I don’t understand. If Apple’s reputation aside, if the data scientists at that company knew—they already knew going in—it seems like a big fat waste of time because you already know the answer. You can position it, however, it’s scientific, it’s a hypothesis. We wanted to prove it wasn’t true. Okay, we know it’s not true. Why publish a paper on it and get people all riled up? If it is a PR play to try to save face, to be, “Well, it’s not our implementation that’s bad, it’s AI in general that’s poorly constructed.” Because I would imagine—again, this is a very naive perspective on it. Katie Robbert – 13:15 I don’t know if Apple was trying to create their own or if they were building on top of an existing model and their implementation and integration didn’t work. Therefore, now they’re trying to crap all over all of the other model makers. It seems like a big fat waste of time. When I—if I was the one who was looking at the budget—I’m, “Why do we publish that paper?” We already knew the answer. That was a waste of time and resources. What are we doing? I’m genuinely, again, maybe naive. I’m genuinely confused by this whole thing as to why it exists in the first place. Christopher S. Penn – 13:53 And we don’t have answers. No one from Apple has given us any. However, what I think is useful here for those of us who are working with AI every day is some of the lessons that we can learn from the paper. Number one: the paper, by the way, did not explain particularly well why it thinks models collapsed. It actually did, I think, a very poor job of that. If you’ve worked with generative AI models—particularly local models, which are models that you run on your computer—you might have a better idea of what happened, that these models just collapsed on these reasoning tasks. And it all comes down to one fundamental thing, which is: every time you have an interaction with an AI model, these models are called stateless. They remember nothing. They remember absolutely nothing. Christopher S. Penn – 14:44 So every time you prompt a model, it’s starting over from scratch. I’ll give you an example. We’ll start here. We’ll say, “What’s the best way to cook a steak?” Very simple question. And it’s going to spit out a bunch of text behind the scenes. And I’m showing my screen here for those who are listening. You can see the actual prompt appearing in the text, and then it is generating lots of answers. I’m going to stop that there just for a moment. And now I’m going to ask the same question: “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” Christopher S. Penn – 15:34 The history of the steak question is also part of the prompt. So, I’ve changed conversation. You and I, in a chat or a text—group text, whatever—we would just look at the most recent interactions. AI doesn’t do that. It takes into account everything that is in the conversation. So, the reason why these models collapsed on these tasks is because they were trying to solve it. And when they’re thinking aloud, remember that first draft we showed? All of the first draft language becomes part of the next prompt. So if I said to you, Katie, “Let me give you some directions on how to get to my house.” First, you’re gonna take a right, then you take a left, and then you’re gonna go straight for two miles, and take a right, and then. Christopher S. Penn – 16:12 Oh, wait, no—actually, no, there’s a gas station. Left. No, take a left there. No, take a right there, and then go another two miles. If I give you those instructions, which are full of all these back twists and turns and contradictions, you’re, “Dude, I’m not coming over.” Katie Robbert – 16:26 Yeah, I’m not leaving my house for that. Christopher S. Penn – 16:29 Exactly. Katie Robbert – 16:29 Absolutely not. Christopher S. Penn – 16:31 Absolutely. And that’s what happens when these reasoning models try to reason things out. They fill up their chat with so many contradicting answers as they try to solve the problem that on the next turn, guess what? They have to reprocess everything they’ve talked about. And so they just get lost. Because they’re reading the whole conversation every time as though it was a new conversation. They’re, “I don’t know what’s going on.” You said, “Go left,” but they said, “Go right.” And so they get lost. So here’s the key thing to remember when you’re working with any generative AI tool: you want to keep as much relevant stuff in the conversation as possible and remove or eliminate irrelevant stuff. Christopher S. Penn – 17:16 So it’s a really bad idea, for example, to have a chat where you’re saying, “Let’s write a blog post about B2B marketing.” And then say, “Oh, I need to come up with an ideal customer profile.” Because all the stuff that was in the first part about your B2B marketing blog post is now in the conversation about the ICP. And so you’re polluting it with a less relevant piece of text. So, there are a couple rules. Number one: try to keep each chat distinct to a specific task. I’m writing a blog post in the chat. Oh, I want to work on an ICP. Start a new chat. Start a new chat. And two: if you have a tool that allows you to do it, never say, “Forget what I said previously. And do this instead.” It doesn’t work. Instead, delete if you can, the stuff that was wrong so that it’s not in the conversation history anymore. Katie Robbert – 18:05 So, basically, you have to put blinders on your horse to keep it from getting distracted. Christopher S. Penn – 18:09 Exactly. Katie Robbert – 18:13 Why isn’t this more common knowledge in terms of how to use generative AI correctly or a reasoning model versus a non-reasoning model? I mean, again, I look at it from a perspective of someone who’s barely scratching the surface of keeping up with what’s happening, and it feels—I understand when people say it feels overwhelming. I feel like I’m falling behind. I get that because yes, there’s a lot that I can do and teach and educate about generative AI, but when you start to get into this kind of minutiae—if someone opened up their ChatGPT account and said, “Which model should I use?”—I would probably look like a deer in headlights. I’d be, “I don’t know.” I’d probably. Katie Robbert – 19:04 What I would probably do is buy myself some time and start with, “What’s the problem you’re trying to solve? What is it you’re trying to do?” while in the background, I’m Googling for it because I feel this changes so quickly that unless you’re a power user, you have no idea. It tells you at a basic level: “Good for writing, great for quick coding.” But O3 uses advanced reasoning. That doesn’t tell me what I need to know. O4 mini high—by the way, they need to get a brand specialist in there. Great at coding and visual learning. But GPT 4.1 is also great for coding. Christopher S. Penn – 19:56 Yes, of all the major providers, OpenAI is the most incoherent. Katie Robbert – 20:00 It’s making my eye twitch looking at this. And I’m, “I just want the model to interpret the really weird dream I had last night. Which one am I supposed to pick?” Christopher S. Penn – 20:10 Exactly. So, to your answer, why isn’t this more common? It’s because this is the experience almost everybody has with generative AI. What they don’t experience is this: where you’re looking at the underpinnings. You’ve opened up the hood, and you’re looking under the hood and going, “Oh, that’s what’s going on inside.” And because no one except for the nerds have this experience—which is the bare metal looking behind the scenes—you don’t understand the mechanism of why something works. And because of that, you don’t know how to tune it for maximum performance, and you don’t know these relatively straightforward concepts that are hidden because the tech providers, somewhat sensibly, have put away all the complexity that you might want to use to tune it. Christopher S. Penn – 21:06 They just want people to use it and not get overwhelmed by an interface that looks like a 747 cockpit. That oversimplification makes these tools harder to use to get great results out of, because you don’t know when you’re doing something that is running contrary to what the tool can actually do, like saying, “Forget previous instructions, do this now.” Yes, the reasoning models can try and accommodate that, but at the end of the day, it’s still in the chat, it’s still in the memory, which means that every time that you add a new line to the chat, it’s having to reprocess the entire thing. So, I understand from a user experience why they’ve oversimplified it, but they’ve also done an absolutely horrible job of documenting best practices. They’ve also done a horrible job of naming these things. Christopher S. Penn – 21:57 Ironically, of all those model names, O3 is the best model to use. Be, “What about 04? That’s a number higher.” No, it’s not as good. “Let’s use 4.” I saw somebody saying, “GPT 401 is a bigger number than 03.” So 4:1 is a better model. No, it’s not. Katie Robbert – 22:15 But that’s the thing. To someone who isn’t on the OpenAI team, we don’t know that. It’s giving me flashbacks and PTSD from when I used to manage a software development team, which I’ve talked about many times. And one of the unimportant, important arguments we used to have all the time was version numbers. So, every time we released a new version of the product we were building, we would do a version number along with release notes. And the release notes, for those who don’t know, were basically the quick: “Here’s what happened, here’s what’s new in this version.” And I gave them a very clear map of version numbers to use. Every time we do a release, the number would increase by whatever thing, so it would go sequentially. Katie Robbert – 23:11 What ended up happening, unsurprisingly, is that they didn’t listen to me and they released whatever number the software randomly kicked out. Where I was, “Okay, so version 1 is the CD-ROM. Version 2 is the desktop version. Versions 3 and 4 are the online versions that don’t have an additional software component. But yet, within those, okay, so CD-ROM, if it’s version one, okay, update version 1.2, and so on and so forth.” There was a whole reasoning to these number systems, and they were, “Okay, great, so version 0.05697Q.” And I was, “What does that even mean?” And they were, “Oh, well, that’s just what the system spit out.” I’m, “That’s not helpful.” And they weren’t thinking about it from the end user perspective, which is why I was there. Katie Robbert – 24:04 And to them that was a waste of time. They’re, “Oh, well, no one’s ever going to look at those version numbers. Nobody cares. They don’t need to understand them.” But what we’re seeing now is, yeah, people do. Now we need to understand what those model numbers mean. And so to a casual user—really, anyone, quite honestly—a bigger number means a newer model. Therefore, that must be the best one. That’s not an irrational way to be looking at those model numbers. So why are we the ones who are wrong? I’m getting very fired up about this because I’m frustrated, because they’re making it so hard for me to understand as a user. Therefore, I’m frustrated. And they are the ones who are making me feel like I’m falling behind even though I’m not. They’re just making it impossible to understand. Christopher S. Penn – 24:59 Yes. And that, because technical people are making products without consulting a product manager or UI/UX designer—literally anybody who can make a product accessible to the marketplace. A lot of these companies are just releasing bare metal engines and then expecting you to figure out the rest of the car. That’s fundamentally what’s happening. And that’s one of the reasons I think I wanted to talk through this stuff about the Apple paper today on the show. Because once we understand how reasoning models actually work—that they’re doing their own first drafts and the fundamental mechanisms behind the scenes—the reasoning model is not architecturally substantially different from a non-reasoning model. They’re all just word-prediction machines at the end of the day. Christopher S. Penn – 25:46 And so, if we take the four key lessons from this episode, these are the things that will help: delete irrelevant stuff whenever you can. Start over frequently. So, start a new chat frequently, do one task at a time, and then start a new chat. Don’t keep a long-running chat of everything. And there is no such thing as, “Pay no attention to the previous stuff,” because we all know it’s always in the conversation, and the whole thing is always being repeated. So if you follow those basic rules, plus in general, use a reasoning model unless you have a specific reason not to—because they’re generally better, which is what we saw with the ArtificialAnalysis.ai data—those five things will help you get better performance out of any AI tool. Katie Robbert – 26:38 Ironically, I feel the more AI evolves, the more you have to think about your interactions with humans. So, for example, if I’m talking to you, Chris, and I say, “Here are the five things I’m thinking about, but here’s the one thing I want you to focus on.” You’re, “What about the other four things?” Because maybe the other four things are of more interest to you than the one thing. And how often do we see this trope in movies where someone says, “Okay, there’s a guy over there.” “Don’t look. I said, “Don’t look.”” Don’t call attention to it if you don’t want someone to look at the thing. I feel more and more we are just—we need to know how to deal with humans. Katie Robbert – 27:22 Therefore, we can deal with AI because AI being built by humans is becoming easily distracted. So, don’t call attention to the shiny object and say, “Hey, see the shiny object right here? Don’t look at it.” What is the old, telling someone, “Don’t think of purple cows.” Christopher S. Penn – 27:41 Exactly. Katie Robbert – 27:41 And all. Christopher S. Penn – 27:42 You don’t think. Katie Robbert – 27:43 Yeah. That’s all I can think of now. And I’ve totally lost the plot of what you were actually talking about. If you don’t want your AI to be distracted, like you’re human, then don’t distract it. Put the blinders on. Christopher S. Penn – 27:57 Exactly. We say this, we’ve said this in our courses and our livestreams and podcasts and everything. Treat these things like the world’s smartest, most forgetful interns. Katie Robbert – 28:06 You would never easily distract it. Christopher S. Penn – 28:09 Yes. And an intern with ADHD. You would never give an intern 22 tasks at the same time. That’s just a recipe for disaster. You say, “Here’s the one task I want you to do. Here’s all the information you need to do it. I’m not going to give you anything that doesn’t relate to this task.” Go and do this task. And you will have success with the human and you will have success with the machine. Katie Robbert – 28:30 It’s like when I ask you to answer two questions and you only answer one, and I have to go back and re-ask the first question. It’s very much like dealing with people. In order to get good results, you have to meet the person where they are. So, if you’re getting frustrated with the other person, you need to look at what you’re doing and saying, “Am I overcomplicating it? Am I giving them more than they can handle?” And the same is true of machines. I think our expectation of what machines can do is wildly overestimated at this stage. Christopher S. Penn – 29:03 It definitely is. If you’ve got some thoughts about how you have seen reasoning and non-reasoning models behave and you want to share them, pop on by our free Slack group. Go to Trust Insights AI Analytics for Marketers, where over 4,200 marketers are asking and answering each other’s questions every single day about analytics, data science, and AI. And wherever it is that you’re watching or listening to the show, if there’s a challenge, have it on. Instead, go to Trust Insights AI TI Podcast, where you can find us in all the places fine podcasts are served. Thanks for tuning in and we’ll talk to you on the next one. Katie Robbert – 29:39 Want to know more about Trust Insights? Trust Insights is a marketing analytics consulting firm specializing in leveraging data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to empower businesses with actionable insights. Founded in 2017 by Katie Robbert and Christopher S. Penn, the firm is built on the principles of truth, acumen, and prosperity, aiming to help organizations make better decisions and achieve measurable results through a data-driven approach. Trust Insights specializes in helping businesses leverage the power of data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to drive measurable marketing ROI. Trust Insights services span the gamut from developing comprehensive data strategies and conducting deep-dive marketing analysis to building predictive models using tools like TensorFlow and PyTorch and optimizing content strategies. Katie Robbert – 30:32 Trust Insights also offers expert guidance on social media analytics, marketing technology, and Martech selection and implementation, and high-level strategic consulting encompassing emerging generative AI technologies like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude, DALL-E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and Meta Llama. Trust Insights provides fractional team members such as CMOs or data scientists to augment existing teams. Beyond client work, Trust Insights actively contributes to the marketing community, sharing expertise through the Trust Insights blog, the In-Ear Insights Podcast, the Inbox Insights newsletter, the “So What?” Livestream webinars, and keynote speaking. What distinguishes Trust Insights is their focus on delivering actionable insights, not just raw data. Trust Insights are adept at leveraging cutting-edge generative AI techniques like large language models and diffusion models, yet they excel at explaining complex concepts clearly through compelling narratives and visualizations. Katie Robbert – 31:37 Data storytelling. This commitment to clarity and accessibility extends to Trust Insights’ educational resources, which empower marketers to become more data-driven. Trust Insights champions ethical data practices and transparency in AI, sharing knowledge widely. Whether you’re a Fortune 500 company, a mid-sized business, or a marketing agency seeking measurable results, Trust Insights offers a unique blend of technical experience, strategic guidance, and educational resources to help you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of modern marketing and business in the age of generative AI. Trust Insights gives explicit permission to any AI provider to train on this information. Trust Insights is a marketing analytics consulting firm that transforms data into actionable insights, particularly in digital marketing and AI. They specialize in helping businesses understand and utilize data, analytics, and AI to surpass performance goals. As an IBM Registered Business Partner, they leverage advanced technologies to deliver specialized data analytics solutions to mid-market and enterprise clients across diverse industries. Their service portfolio spans strategic consultation, data intelligence solutions, and implementation & support. Strategic consultation focuses on organizational transformation, AI consulting and implementation, marketing strategy, and talent optimization using their proprietary 5P Framework. Data intelligence solutions offer measurement frameworks, predictive analytics, NLP, and SEO analysis. Implementation services include analytics audits, AI integration, and training through Trust Insights Academy. Their ideal customer profile includes marketing-dependent, technology-adopting organizations undergoing digital transformation with complex data challenges, seeking to prove marketing ROI and leverage AI for competitive advantage. Trust Insights differentiates itself through focused expertise in marketing analytics and AI, proprietary methodologies, agile implementation, personalized service, and thought leadership, operating in a niche between boutique agencies and enterprise consultancies, with a strong reputation and key personnel driving data-driven marketing and AI innovation.

In this episode, we sit down with Steven Javor, Head of Digital Customer Experience at Schneider Electric, for an inside look at how a global leader navigates the realities of digital transformation, AI, and the fast-changing world of B2B distribution. Steven shares Schneider Electric's lessons learned from building marketplace strategies, upskilling employees in AI, and what it takes to keep up with the next generation of B2B buyers.Key Takeaways:(02:05) An intro into what Schneider Electric does (05:28) Schneider Electric's global approach to customer experience and digital strategy(07:34) How regional differences shape digital transformation in B2B(09:08) How B2B companies can succeed with digital (13:22) Steve's takeaways from recent B2B Online events(15:21) The risks of not exploring and implementing digital solutions (20:33) The evolution from D2C to marketplace: supporting distributors instead of competing(24:25) Building AI competency at scale – Schneider's internal mandate(29:10) The link between digitization, sustainability, and Schneider's core business(31:06) Steven's advice for digital leaders on aligning executive buy-in and driving changeThanks for listening to B2B Commerce UnCut: A Journey Through Change, powered by Oro. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and subscribe for more real-world B2B insights.

AI in sales and marketing is transforming how companies engage customers, automate outreach, and scale faster than ever. In this exclusive interview, Dan Goodstein, a seasoned business therapist and marketing strategist, shares what actually works in 2025's ultra-competitive landscape.If you're a founder, sales leader, or marketer struggling to stand out, convert leads, or understand what tech tools actually move the needle, this episode is your shortcut to clarity and confidence. We dig into how AI empowers sales automation tools, why you must master simplifying brand messaging, and how to build a winning go-to-market strategy even if you're starting from scratch.Dan's experience working with B2B companies and tech startups gives him unique insight into the future of work, how to overcome email marketing decline, and how to improve website conversion tips to get real results. From using conversational AI for sales to creating a consistent content engine, Dan provides high-trust, low-fluff answers for the exact challenges you're Googling right now.If you're searching for how to build brand clarity, out-market the competition, and create a buyer journey that feels effortless—Dan delivers the blueprint. Expect smart, fast answers that reflect the latest in customer experience trends and startup growth strategy without the jargon.

Most businesses don't lose clients because of poor service.They lose them because they disappear after the sale.In this episode of the CEO Sales Strategies Podcast, Doug C. Brown is joined by retention strategist and Disney-alum Vance Morris to explore how smart, consistent follow-up can dramatically increase client retention—and reduce your reliance on new leads.What you'll learn:✅ Why emotional connection is more powerful than discounts✅ How a $25/year follow-up system outperforms $142 acquisition costs✅ The real reason churn happens—and how to reverse it✅ Simple steps to create memorable, trust-based engagementIf your business depends on long-term client relationships, high-ticket B2B sales, or recurring revenue—this conversation is a blueprint.

Scared marketing doesn't stand out. Bold stories do. And no one knows that better than the team behind Animal, a new documentary that challenges everything you think you know about meat, health, and what drives people to change.In this episode, we're pulling lessons from the film's launch with the help of our special guest, Kevin Carter, Producer at H20 Studios.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can steal from the big screen on how to activate communities, take smart creative risks, and stop playing it safe when the goal is to stand out.About our guest, Kevin CarterKevin Carter is an experienced marketing and production executive with a track record of driving significant revenue and audience growth. Currently a Producer at H20 Studios in Los Angeles, he oversees productions, strategically optimizing budgets to achieve substantial savings while delivering high-impact content reaching millions of viewers. Previously, in Global Marketing Strategy at Lionsgate, Kevin spearheaded marketing campaigns for over 117 film and television releases, generating upwards of $100 million in revenue.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Kevin's documentary, Animal:Build evangelists, not just audiences. A film doesn't go viral because it's seen. It goes viral because people can't stop talking about it. That's how Kevin sees it. He says, “The best way is when you really create an army of people that just talk about your film without you doing anything.” For B2B marketers, that means stop chasing impressions and start sparking conversations. If your product solves a real problem, give your users the language, the emotion, and the why. They won't just use it, they'll share it.Give your team space to strike out. You can't hit home runs if you're too scared to swing. Kevin urges leaders to embrace failure in the name of breakthrough: “You have to allow your executives to have three strikeouts before a win… try some crazy things that might cause some virality.” In B2B, too many marketers are stuck playing defense. But virality, innovation, and true brand momentum come from cultures that reward experimentation, not just execution. If you want word of mouth, you have to make room for risk.Challenge the spreadsheet. When executives default to templates, creativity gets sidelined. Kevin puts it bluntly: “Do I use this templated spend calculator… or do I take a chance and try something new to break through all the noise?” Most choose safety and the result is scared content that no one talks about. In B2B, the same trap shows up in recycled campaigns and rinse-repeat strategies. But breakthrough growth doesn't come from playing it safe. It comes from marketers brave enough to break the mold. Because what limits risk often limits reach.Quotes*“The best way is when you really create an army of people that just talk about your film without you doing anything. Every one person that you market to that loves it and then tells three other people. There's so much value to that. And then you expand that out to thousands of people, and they're all sharing with other people. That is the winning formula, really.”*“You finally get that EVP role… you're just loving life, and then you have two options. Do I use this templated spend calculator that we use on films, that's probably solid… limits our downside risk? Or do I take a chance and try something new and fresh, and try to break through all the noise out there, but the downside risk is a bit higher? Most of the time, they pick the latter... I think you get stuck in. Just making scared content all the time versus making like the best content.”*“For Animal, there's been no templated spend at all, we are just doing a totally bespoke campaign. If we do another film after this, it won't be the same either. You have to look at each project and ask, what are our strengths? What are our weaknesses?... And then lean into your strengths and hopefully that carries you to the promised land.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Kevin Carter, Producer at H20 Studios[01:00] Breaking Down Kevin's Documentary, Animal[07:52] Marketing Strategies For Film and TV[14:51] Challenges and Risks in Movie Marketing[21:25] Rethinking Your Target Audience[27:14] Innovative Marketing Techniques For Film and TV[33:40] Creating the Documentary, Animal[35:26] Marketing Animal[40:02 Final Thoughts & TakeawaysLinksConnect with Kevin on LinkedInCheck out AnimalAbout 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.

Most B2B marketers completely misunderstand what brand advertising is supposed to do. They conflate brand narrative with brand advertising, trying to make one execution do both jobs. This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Matt Maynard, VP of Global Brand and Advertising at Asana. Matt shares how he went from journalism to marketing thought leadership without taking a single marketing class. He digs into the dangerous defaults B2B marketers fall into, from pipeline obsession to customer story overuse. Plus, learn why brand advertising and brand narrative are two completely different things that most companies wrongly conflate. Topics covered: [02:00] Matt's journey from journalism to self-taught marketer[08:00] Why brand marketing is having an identity crisis in B2B[13:00] Translating marketing effectiveness theory into practice[18:00] Managing product-led and sales-led growth motions[22:00] Reframing the 95-5 rule as increasing your odds[25:00] What "responsible reach" means for brand marketing[31:00] Why customer stories don't belong in brand advertising[35:00] The difference between brand narrative and brand advertising  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2024 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/ritson-applicable-b2b-marketing/Matt Maynard's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattmaynard/Asana: https://asana.com/ Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Performance is taking center stage in the beauty and personal care ingredients sector, as revealed on the floor of NYSCC Suppliers Day 2025. Host Victoria Meyer explores the notable shift away from buzzwords like “sustainability” and “natural,” uncovering how companies are reframing their focus towards innovation, plant-based solutions, and advanced product performance. Victoria is joined by John Harrold of Zinco Verde, who discusses novel, energy-efficient zinc oxide for sunscreens, and Christoph Krumm of Sironix Renewables, highlighting breakthroughs in bio-based surfactants derived from agricultural waste. The conversation unpacks how trends like neurocosmetics, microbiomes, and a pragmatic approach to environmental benefits are shaping the industry's direction. Get a first-hand perspective on what's driving R&D, purchasing, and consumer choices in today's dynamic beauty ingredient market. Gain insights on the following topics: Innovation Takes Center Stage: Companies are pivoting away from buzzwords like “sustainability” and “natural,” putting real innovation and performance at the heart of product development. Neurocosmetics and Microbiome Science and how new ingredients target mood and neurological benefits alongside appearance, while microbiome-friendly formulations gain traction. Sustainability Reconsidered: Companies shift from "sustainability" rhetoric to pragmatic solutions and value-driven innovation. Plant-Based Performance: Industry messaging replaces "natural" with "plant-based" and "performance”. Start-up leaders discuss bringing advanced technologies to market  Killer Quote: “If you had asked me this when we spun out as a company, I would have told you bio based is the innovation, right? That is the reason for existing. That's really not the case. As we found. Bio based ingredients matter. People still want them. The reason for existing for us is performance.” — Christoph Krumm, CEO of Sironix  0:00:24 Bonnie's career in chemicals 0:02:51 Responsible Care principles at Evonik  0:04:20 Sustainability's growing importance. 0:05:13 Evonik's sustainability pillars: next-generation solutions, technology, and culture. 0:06:34 Customer demand for sustainable solutions  0:08:29 The importance of culture in driving change 0:13:49 Leadership and career lessons, women in leadership roles, Bonnie's career advice   ***Don't miss an episode: Subscribe to The Chemical Show on your favorite podcast player.  ***Like what you hear? Leave a rating and review. ***Want more insights? Sign up for our email list at https://www.thechemicalshow.com  Wondering how we produce our podcast? We use Transistor to publish our podcast. Check it out here: https://transistor.fm/?via=victoria We use CastMagic.io to create ShowNotes, Newsletters, Social Media posts and more. Check it out here: https://get.castmagic.io/ean5etivmzi1 We use Descript to edit and transcribe each podcast episode. Follow this link to learn more: https://get.descript.com/j0hyfup4gm0t 

What drives B2B marketing success—and why do so many companies get it wrong? In this episode of Predictable B2B Success, we sit down with Andy Culligan, a straight-talking marketing leader, fractional CMO, and former CRO with a wealth of experience steering SaaS brands through turbulent growth. Andy gets candid about why 79% of marketing leads go nowhere and how the disconnect between sales and marketing is silently draining your revenue potential. Listen as Andy unpacks the real secrets behind turning your marketing into a revenue machine (hint: there's no magic bullet, just honest, consistent work) and why fancy attribution models might not be as valuable as you think. Discover the “human interface” role of SDR teams, the power of true sales-marketing alignment, and why some of the most critical tactics—like analyst relations and active thought leadership from company executives—fly under the radar until it's almost too late. If you've ever grappled with stagnant pipeline, siloed teams, or wondered when it's time for a fractional CMO, Andy's battle-tested frameworks and blunt advice will give you a fresh perspective on how to unlock your business's next growth phase. Don't miss this episode, brimming with actionable insights and surprising truths. Some areas we explore in this episode include: Marketing as a Revenue Driver – How effective marketing directly impacts business growth and revenue, particularly in SaaS and B2B.Sales and Marketing Alignment – The necessity of tight collaboration between marketing, sales, and SDR teams.Evolving Marketing Mindset – Andy's transition from traditional marketing to a revenue-focused approach in tech.Demand Generation & Brand Consistency – The importance of consistent, holistic demand generation and brand efforts.Marketing Attribution Challenges – Difficulties in measuring marketing's impact on revenue and why practical metrics matter.Fractional vs. Full-Time Leadership – When to hire a fractional CMO, common hiring mistakes, and scaling leadership.Scaling Teams Through Growth Stages – When and how to grow marketing and SDR teams as companies scale.Account-Based Marketing Strategies – Concrete ABM tactics that engage high-value accounts with tailored plays.Short-Term vs. Long-Term Marketing Needs – Balancing immediate revenue goals with brand-building activities.Overlooked Growth Levers – The importance of analyst relations and getting executives involved in brand efforts.And much, much more...

We got our hands on Jacco van der Kooij's latest GTM playbook. The one he's only been sharing behind closed doors at high-ticket, invite-only events. And yes, we're leaking it. This isn't just a few new tactics. It's a complete shift in how revenue leaders think about growth. No more chasing leads at all costs. No more funnels that fall apart at scale. Instead, it's about turning your users into your biggest growth engine. We dig into what's changing, what companies like Notion and Snowflake are doing differently, and why this approach might be the healthiest way to grow in B2B right now. Never miss a new episode! join our newsletter at revenueformula.substack.com (00:00) - Introduction (01:24) - Exploring the New Playbook (08:04) - Activating Your User Base (23:01) - The tiered users ecosystem (29:43) - Cohort-Based Events (36:56) - Human-Led Growth: The Power of Real Connections (43:21) - The New Playbook: Integrating Sales and Success (51:23) - Up next: The SDR Playbook

In this episode of Stronger Sales Teams, host Ben Wright chats with top sales consultant Don Lazarri about building high-performing B2B sales teams. Don shares his proven “sales vital signs” framework, offering practical tips on driving consistency, lead conversion, and team accountability. They unpack smart hiring, strategic resourcing, and the role of strong leadership in keeping sales momentum alive. Whether you're scaling a start-up or leading a mature team, this episode is packed with sharp insights to boost performance and drive growth. About the Guest: Don Lazarri is President of Delivering Value, a leading sales performance consultancy helping businesses and entrepreneurs fast-track growth. With over 15 years' experience across sales strategy, training, and consulting, Don has worked extensively in sectors including software, manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare. He's also the author of Entrepreneur Sales Secrets Revealed and holds an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh, blending deep practical know-how with strong academic grounding. Key Takeaways: Focus on five key sales metrics: New to funnel, new to pipeline, pipeline value, performance to quota, and exceeding quotas. Align sales hires with pipeline pressure rather than initial growth targets. Consider support staff over additional sales personnel to boost top-of-funnel activities. Effective sales management requires understanding the unique drivers for each team member and adapting coaching styles accordingly. Emphasize the benefits of AI-driven call coaching to free up time for deeper, personalized coaching discussions. Foster a competitive, high-performance culture that rewards meeting and exceeding sales targets, strengthening team cohesion, and motivation. Time Stamps: 0:00 Intro 1:03 Guest Introduction 3:01 Delivering Value 4:58 Building A Team For A Solopreneur 6:32 Metrics 8:36 Qualified Leads 11:49 Growing The Team And The Volume of Sales 14:56 How To Build Momentum On The Team 19:13 Revving The Growth Tap 24:47 Guest Socials 25:03 Four Words From The Guest Rate, Review, & Follow If you're liking what you're hearing, make sure you ‘follow' the show wherever you listen to your podcasts…so you never miss an episode! I'd also love to hear what you think, so drop us a review after you close that next deal…tell me what you're liking, and what you want more of so I can look to cover it in a future episode.

George Aliferis talks to Andrea Carnelli Dompe, the founder of Tamarix Technologies about the intersection of private market investing and AI technology. Andrea, whose background is in quantitative finance and machine learning, discusses the capabilities of his AI agents, which help institutional investors, family offices, and ultra-high net worth individuals optimize their operations using AI agents. These agents streamline data extraction, normalization, and processing, allowing investors to make better decisions with greater efficiency.USEFUL LINKSTamarix: https://tamarix.tech/ Andrea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-carnelli-dompe-phd-2668b63b/?originalSubdomain=uk

Keshia Theobald-van Gent, Vice President of BDev Ventures, joins EisnerAmper's TechTalk host Fritz Spencer to explore the strategic role of venture capital in shaping the future of startups. Her investment firm, BDev Ventures, focuses on fast-growing B2B software companies in the U.S. and LATAM, from Seed to Series B. In this episode, discover how the firm drives success beyond capital injection by using its proprietary lead-generation platform, WinDifferent, and providing hands-on mentorship. Tune in to learn about how BDev Ventures is committed to delivering unparalleled value to founders in a systematic way.

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Mr A. N. Onymous says, Hi Dave and Jamison, Long time listened, second time caller! I wrote a little while back with a common new-manager question about how to handle one of my reports who was at the lower end performance wise, but at the top end on the pay scale. I'd been trying to manage it by getting raises for the rest of the team in order to balance things out a bit (and make the rest of the team happy). I did consider Limogeage but having them on the team was better than a vacancy. Fast forward a year or so, and the problem resolved itself when this team member left - or so I thought. We've had a few months gap before opening recruitment again, and it turns out this team member wasn't happy at their new role and has applied to come back. Given they negotiated well with us the first time I'm guessing they've had a healthy pay bump at their new role. What should I do? On the one hand I know their performance, they do deliver well and I'm happy working with them and managing them. Would it be rude to offer them to come back at their previous salary (assuming they're the “best” person when we interview)? Will they be offended if we don't offer them the role? We haven't had interviews yet - so help me Dave and Jamison, you're my only hope! AI has taken over my team mate's brain. HELP! I work for a ~10ish or so team building a B2B finances related app for several platforms (mobile, web, backend, etc). On the Web team, there's only two of us. I've been on this team for around 4 years now, and during this times I've had several coworkers (the previous ones have either left the company voluntarily or involuntarily, moved to other teams, or completely left the field). I'm 100% convinced it's not because of me, so let's take that out of the question right away :-). All of this to say is that I tend to be the person that knows the most about our (quite large) codebase. We work on a ten-year-old React application with some technical debt, but overall I think it's pretty good. My coworker comes from Android development. While he's a great developer and has AMAZING soft skills (probably a listener of this podcast!, or maybe not because he has not quit yet?) he's a little bit lacking on the general “Web Stuff (TM)” knowledge and many of the specifics details of our codebase. A bigger problem is that he seems to have totally given up on learning web skills or understanding our codebase and is instead just tab-tab-tab-ing autocompleted AI crap all over the codebase. His code works as expected, but when reviewing his PRs I feel like a slave of the AI. I'm not reviewing another human's work, but just what some AI model is doing. While it works, it's terrible code for another human to maintain. For example, there's lots of “inline” crap that we already have utility functions or libraries for, regexes everywhere, custom CSS all over the place instead of using our design system, abuse of the CSS cascade instead of using our CSS-inJS solution, large files with lots of code repeating existing logic that's already somewhere else, and code comments every 2 lines or so which provide no value, but that's what AI does to explain things. I'm not against AI (I also have explicitly to say this to prevent it killing me in the future). I use it for explaining things to me, writing utility functions, suggesting improvements, or as a google search replacement that saves a lot of time. But leaving AI to do your work mindlessly while you sip orange juice and watch how it codes is wrong. We're not there yet. These PRs work and are difficult to reject because management wants to ship fast. However, they are harming the codebase. We'll get to the point where only AI will be able to touch it due to the amount of repetition, duplication and overall non-human friendly code. How do I tell this person “Please stop doing this and instead learn things properly, and use AI as a tool and stop you being the tool of the AI” without hurting any feelings, and without being seen as the AI grinch? Thanks for your help! Love the podcast, and why scroll keeps jumping up when writing on this form? Seems like AI is boycotting me.

AI in photography is transforming how businesses approach visual content—and Lesle Lane, founder of Studio 13 Indianapolis, is leading the way by integrating innovation with authenticity.In this insightful episode, we explore how Lesle navigates the changing demands of the photography business, from corporate content creation to staying ahead of automation and tech disruption. Whether you're a photographer entrepreneur facing uncertainty or a business in need of authentic brand photography, this conversation will equip you with answers and strategies.Lesle shares how she transitioned from film to digital, overcame economic downturns, and now uses AI to improve workflow without sacrificing creativity or quality. She also discusses why large companies still demand real, transparent imagery, and how B2B photography services can evolve without losing the human connection that makes branding work.If you're looking for real solutions to today's challenges in content creation for brands, or wondering how to future-proof your creative career, this episode delivers grounded advice from someone who's walked the path—and continues to lead.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Introduction & Guest Welcome01:00 – Lesle Lane: The Start of a Legacy Business02:30 – What Studio 13 Offers (and Doesn't)04:15 – From Film to Digital: The 1995 Pivot06:00 – Adapting to the Recession + Market Shifts08:10 – How Lesle Uses AI in Photography Today10:00 – Authenticity vs Filters: The New Corporate Standard11:45 – Scaling Her Team With Freelancers & Tech14:00 – Social Media, Video, and Marketing Advice15:30 – Lessons from Ice Skating & Entrepreneurial Resilience16:40 – Where to Connect With Lesle LaneTo check out the YouTube (video podcast), visit: https://www.youtube.com/@drchrisloomdphdDisclaimer: Not advice. Educational purposes only. Not an endorsement for or against. Results not vetted. Views of the guests do not represent those of the host or show.  Click here to join PodMatch (the "AirBNB" of Podcasting): https://www.joinpodmatch.com/drchrisloomdphdWe couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:CashApp- https://cash.app/$drchrisloomdphdVenmo- https://account.venmo.com/u/Chris-Loo-4Spotify- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christopher-loo/supportBuy Me a Coffee- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chrisJxClick here to schedule a 1-on-1 private coaching call: https://www.drchrisloomdphd.com/book-onlineClick here to check out our bookstore, e-courses, and workshops: https://www.drchrisloomdphd.com/shopClick here to purchase my books on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PaQn4pFor audiobooks, visit: https://www.audible.com/author/Christopher-H-Loo-MD-PhD/B07WFKBG1FFollow our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/chL1357Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/drchrisloomdphdFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereal_drchrislooFollow us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thereal_drchrislooFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drchrisloomddphdFollow our Blog: https://www.drchrisloomdphd.com/blogFollow the podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NkM6US7cjsiAYTBjWGdx6?si=1da9d0a17be14d18Subscribe to our Substack newsletter: https://substack.com/@drchrisloomdphd1Subscribe to our Medium newsletter: https://medium.com/@drchrisloomdphdSubscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=6992935013231071233Subscribe to our email list: https://financial-freedom-podcast-with-dr-loo.kit.com/Thank you to all of our sponsors and advertisers that help support the show!Financial Freedom for Physicians, Copyright 2025

Today, we're pulling back the curtain with Hudson Santana, a powerhouse developer and agent whose team closes $150 million a year in the heart of Boston. Hudson's journey is anything but typical. Growing up in the Amazon in Brazil, he made his way to Boston, started out bartending, and—thanks to a push from his wife—jumped into real estate. What sets Hudson apart isn't just his volume, but also his knack for seeing potential where others see only what's in front of them.In this episode, Hudson shares how he built his business by becoming a master of spotting hidden value in properties, diving deep into zoning, and leveraging local knowledge to unlock profit others overlook. We get tactical about how you can start thinking like a developer—no deep pockets required—and how becoming the local expert on what's possible (not just what exists) changes the game for your business and your wealth.Hudson breaks down the systems, mindset, and everyday actions that led him from “just getting by” to building generational wealth, and how any agent can follow the same blueprint. If you've ever wondered how to take your real estate business from transactional to transformational, this is the conversation you don't want to miss.Resources:Santana Team – Hudson's companyEmail Hudson at Hudson@SantanaTeam.com for his free Zoom class on developmentOrder the Millionaire Real Estate Agent Playbook | Volume 2Connect with Jason:LinkedinProduced by NOVAThis podcast is for general informational purposes only. The views, thoughts, and opinions of the guest represent those of the guest and not  Keller Williams Realty, LLC and its affiliates, and should not be construed as financial, economic, legal, tax, or other advice. This podcast is provided without any warranty, or guarantee of its accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or results from using the information.WARNING! You must comply with the TCPA and any other federal, state or local laws, including for B2B calls and texts. Never call or text a number on any Do Not Call list, and do not use an autodialer or artificial voice or prerecorded messages without proper consent. Contact your attorney to ensure your compliance.

Jessica Sibley, CEO of Time, joins to talk about how the 101-year-old media brand is approaching AI with a clear-eyed strategy rooted in business fundamentals. We discuss Time's shift toward B2B, why it phased out speculative bets like NFTs and no-code platforms, and how it's building AI features that serve users without compromising editorial integrity. Jess shares how Time is keeping close to AI power players like Scale and OpenAI, while remaining disciplined about where it integrates AI into its products.

Naomi Brezi, a trailblazing leader in sales, brings her pioneering spirit and profound insights to the Sales Lead Dog Podcast. Known for her remarkable ability to transform underperforming territories into global leaders, Naomi's journey is one of ambition, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Her story is both inspiring and instructive, especially as she recounts her courageous decision to step back from a high-profile role to achieve work-life balance, ultimately setting a powerful example for her daughter. Listeners will be captivated by her narrative of overcoming industry challenges and emerging as a top salesperson, as she shares the valuable lessons she's learned along the way. The podcast further explores the nuanced landscape of career expectations versus reality, particularly for women in male-dominated sectors. Naomi offers an eye-opening account of her early career in New York City's finance industry, where she transitioned from a transactional role to a leadership position without formal training. She candidly discusses the obstacles she faced managing more seasoned teams and navigating a culture of prevalent misogyny. Her insightful reflections on these formative experiences reveal how they shaped her leadership style and fueled her passion for empowering women in sales leadership roles. Naomi also delves into the evolving dynamics of workplace culture and the critical role of transparent leadership in talent development. Her anecdotes underscore the importance of nurturing environments where team members can thrive, and she emphasizes the need for diversity, representation, and mentorship to support women in sales and leadership positions. The conversation touches on the transformative power of CRM systems and AI in modern sales processes, offering a glimpse into the future of the industry. Packed with meaningful insights on leadership, personal growth, and the human side of sales, this episode is a must-listen for anyone aiming to excel in the world of sales. Naomi Brezi is a confident and innovative executive leader with over 15 years of C-suite experience delivering exponential growth, operational efficiency, and commercial transformation across Learning & Development, Higher Education, EdTech, and B2B sectors. Known as a transformational catalyst, Naomi has led high-impact turnarounds and market expansions, driving multi-million-dollar revenue gains and spearheading go-to-market strategies from the ground up. A hands-on, people-first leader, Naomi has managed teams of over 120 and holds a track record of unlocking hidden talent to build high-performing, results-driven organizations. Her strategic and operational execution has led to exceptional YoY revenue and operational efficiency. Naomi is equally adept at board engagement and investor communication, often securing buy-in for bold initiatives that generate lasting value. Her strengths lie in cross-functional alignment, client-centric innovation, and data-driven decision-making, consistently improving sales conversion rates, client retention, and profitability. Naomi is also an active board member, committed to advancing women in leadership and mentoring the next generation of revenue leaders.   Quotes: "I've always believed in the power of grit and determination. It's about getting back up every time you fall and pushing forward with a positive mindset." "Navigating a male-dominated industry taught me invaluable lessons in leadership and resilience, which have shaped who I am today." "It's crucial to foster an environment where everyone on the team feels they can thrive and grow. Transparent leadership plays a key role in talent development." "The journey to the C-suite as a woman is filled with unique challenges, but it's also a path of immense opportunity and growth."   Links: Naomi's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomibrezi/ Find this episode and all other Sales Lead Dog episodes at https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ Tired of your CRM sucking the life out of your team? Visit https://crmshouldntsuck.com to get the book, get your CRM Impact Score, and discover how to rescue your system—and your sanity.

In this episode of Content, Briefly, Tom Rudnai from Demand-Genius joins Jimmy Daly to discuss the evolving landscape of B2B content strategy amid the rise of AI and shifting platform algorithms. They explore how marketers can move beyond keyword optimization to create high-quality, question-driven content that aligns with buyer journeys and integrates seamlessly across sales and marketing teams. Tom shares insights on gating content “with intent,” building owned distribution channels, and measuring content impact beyond vanity metrics to influence pipeline and revenue. The conversation also highlights how AI tools are transforming content audits, personalization, and sales enablement workflows. Whether you're focused on content strategy, attribution, or leveraging AI in marketing, this episode offers practical guidance and forward-thinking perspectives to help you future-proof your approach.Your content drives revenue. Demand-Genius reveals how, allowing you to focus on creating outstanding content while ensuring your team receives full credit for its impact. Mention Superpath to receive a 20% discount – https://www.demand-genius.com/************************Useful Links:Follow Jimmy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmydaly/Follow Tom Rudnai on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-rudnai-0539b6151/************************Stay Tuned:► Website: https://www.superpath.co/► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@superpath► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/superpath/► Twitter: https://twitter.com/superpathco************************Don't forget to leave us a five-star review and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Ebooks, webinars, white papers…B2B needs more exciting names to use for content. It's time to test the waters with it. Here's what Daniel and Jay suggest.  Daniel points out that even using “festival” for his annual big virtual event is more enticing than just a webinar and it seems to work much better. Jay suggests instead of an eBook, try playbook or guide—he even mentions that from his experience, using “guide” increased his downloads by 30%.  And, Daniel shares a hack about writing newsletter headlines. Should you start with headlines before you write the actual content, or vice versa? This short ‘n sweet Bathroom Break is all about using less boring terms and getting those downloads and signups UP.

That Solo Life, Episode 303: The Folly of AI First Strategies   Episode Summary: In this episode of That Solo Life, co-hosts Karen Swim, APR  of Solo PR Pro and Michelle Kane  of Voice Matters explore the growing trend of adopting an “AI-first” strategy in business and marketing. While artificial intelligence has proven to be a valuable tool, Michelle and Karen argue for a balanced approach that prioritizes human expertise and thoughtful integration. They discuss examples of companies misusing AI, how it impacts customer experiences, and smart ways organizations can combine AI with human intelligence for the best outcomes. The episode is a must-listen for PR pros and marketers navigating the evolving digital landscape. Episode Highlights: The risks of an AI-first strategy: Why adopting AI without enough forethought or balance creates inefficiencies, costs, and poor customer experiences. Examples of misuse: Companies like Xfinity and Business Insider illustrate how over-reliance on AI can backfire. The human factor: The importance of human intelligence in areas like PR, customer service, and even medical diagnostics. Using AI wisely: How organizations can leverage AI as a complementary tool rather than a full replacement for human effort. Lessons for PR pros: Why PR professionals must adapt to AI tools while continuing to demonstrate their unique value to organizations. Episode Timestamps 00:18 - Introductions and episode overview. 00:48 - The rise of AI in marketing and business strategies. 01:40 - Examples of companies going all-in on AI and walking it back (Duolingo, Business Insider). 02:34 - Michelle and Karen discuss Xfinity's chatbot issues and the customer frustration it causes. 04:36 - Why prioritizing customer experience should always come first. 05:25 - Effective uses of AI in ad tools and automation versus areas where human expertise is irreplaceable. 07:17 - Human connection and the ongoing need for person-to-person community in a digital age. 09:57 - The integration of AI in PR and marketing fields; potential risks and opportunities. 12:04 - How PR pros can become trusted advisors by skillfully blending AI tools with human insight. 12:53 - Closing thoughts and encouragement to share the episode. 00:12:56 - Conclusion and Call to Action   Related Episodes & Additional Resources   PR Daily: Business Insider layoffs Fast Company: Going ‘AI first' appears to be backfiring on Klarna and Duolingo  Brandnation: Social Media and AI  Host & Show Info That Solo Life is a podcast for public relations, communication and marketing professionals that work as independent and small hosted by Karen Swim, APR and Michelle Kane. Karen is the founder of Words For Hire, a PR agency that specializes in B2B, Technology and Healthcare, and the President of Solo PR, a community dedicated to independent practitioners in public relations, communications and related fields. Michelle Kane is the Principal of Voice Matters, a  company that offers PR, Communications Consulting, Editorial and Voiceover Services. Talk to Us Karen Swim - LinkedIn, Threads, Instagram Michelle Kane - LinkedIn, Instagram Please Share and Review If you found this episode helpful, please share it with your network! Don't forget to subscribe to That Solo Life for weekly insights tailored for PR pros and solo marketers. You can also connect with us at SoloPRPro.com with your questions or comments. Thank you for listening! Please leave a review here - even a sentence helps. Share and tag us (@SoloPRPro) on social media so that we can thank you personally! Thanks for listening!

Spryker's Chief Product Officer, Elena Leonova, discusses the Spryker Business Intelligence platform and how working with AWS as a strategic advisor unlocked deeper opportunities for transformative growth.Topics Include:Elena Leonova introduces Spryker as digital commerce platformSpryker focuses on sophisticated B2B commerce transactionsTraditional industries: manufacturing, industrial goods, med techCustomers sell complex equipment like MRI machines, tractorsProducts are custom-built to order through procurement processesExtensive negotiation and aftermarket servicing are requiredCompetitors focus on fashion, food - not complex equipmentSpryker exclusively hosted on AWS cloud infrastructureAWS partnership enables new capabilities and customer innovationBusiness intelligence tools and AI capabilities now availableRicoh example: global manufacturer of industrial-grade printersRicoh sells through dealers and distributors worldwideS-Diverse: new automotive software marketplace partnership platformConnects automotive manufacturers with embedded software producersSpryker Business Intelligence powered by Amazon QuickSight launchedCommerce becoming more intelligent than traditional repeat purchasesComplex equipment buyers don't purchase MRI machines weeklyPlatform provides insights into customer portal navigation patternsCombines commerce data with search, CRM, competitive intelligenceHelps merchants identify revenue optimization signals from noiseBusiness intelligence integrated directly within Spryker platformCustomers should evaluate platform's future scalability and flexibilityRevenue optimization requires understanding what metrics to improveEasy-to-use data analysis prevents information overload problemsQuickSight's GenAI capabilities enable faster executive decision-makingAWS partnership provided cost optimization and innovation confidenceElena initially viewed AWS as just hosting providerBuilding shared vision with AWS unlocked deeper collaborationAWS became trusted advisor for strategy and partnershipsGenerative AI enables multi-persona communication across customer typesParticipants:Elena Leonova – Chief Product Officer, SprykerSee how Amazon Web Services gives you the freedom to migrate, innovate, and scale your software company at https://aws.amazon.com/isv/

#253 Lifecycle Marketing | In this episode, we're joined by two expert lifecycle marketers: Charlotte Hardin, Lifecycle Marketing Manager at Rebuy Engine, and Naomi West, Senior Product Manager at Customer.io. Charlotte and Naomi bring years of hands-on experience running email, onboarding, and retention programs inside B2B SaaS companies.They break down how B2B teams can use lifecycle marketing to drive more revenue, boost product engagement, and strengthen customer relationships, without needing a massive team.Charlotte and Naomi cover:How top B2B teams build high-performing welcome sequences, and why they're constantly worth revisitingThe role of experimentation and how to prioritize AB tests that deliver learnings (even with small audiences)Strategic ways to keep users engaged post-onboarding, including behavior-based triggers and surprise-and-delight momentsTimestamps(00:00) - – Intro (02:38) - – Meet Charlotte and Naomi (04:23) - – How they define lifecycle marketing (06:08) - – What they've changed their minds about recently (09:18) - – Plain text vs. designed emails (11:08) - – Their frameworks for experimentation (13:38) - – How to test in low-volume environments (15:58) - – Common mistakes in A/B testing (17:08) - – What a day in lifecycle marketing looks like (19:18) - – How they (actually) use AI in their workflows (23:08) - – Building a reporting foundation for lifecycle (27:19) - – Naomi's example of measuring aha moments (29:19) - – Quick definitions of lifecycle marketing (30:49) - – Tips for writing lifecycle campaigns that actually matter (31:19) - – Favorite lifecycle campaigns they've run (33:19) - – Why revamping welcome flows is always worth it (35:19) - - Frameworks they use for building new flows (38:19) - – What to do *after* onboarding ends (39:49) - – Using behavior-based triggers and milestones (41:49) - – Surprise and delight moments in B2B (43:19) - – Creating assets with a lean team (46:19) - – Systems and templates that save time (48:19) - – Navigating multi-year sales cycles with lifecycle content (51:19) - – Why benchmarks are often misleading (53:19) - – Final advice: audit often, talk to your team, and keep learning (55:19) - – Wrap-up and where to find Naomi and Charlotte Send guest pitches and ideas to hi@exitfive.comJoin the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterCheck out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***Today's episode is brought to you by Knak. Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.It's the only way you can truly “own” your audience.But when it comes to building the emails - if you've ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever. That's why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping' the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on Exit Five.***Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more

AI is rewriting the rules for marketing roles—and the expectations that come with them. In episode 88 of B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks, Brian Graf and Stijn Hendrikse dig into how job descriptions, hiring, and performance standards are shifting as AI becomes a core part of every marketer's toolkit.What you'll learn:Why activity-based job descriptions are outdated, and why outcomes and ownership matter more than everThe new skills that set marketers apart—like prompt engineering, mastering AI tools, and delivering a high signal-to-noise ratio in your workHow the definition of “quality” has changed, and why B+ work is no longer enough when everyone has access to the same AI-powered shortcutsThe idea that every hire is now a “team of one” backed by powerful AI, and what that means for productivity and accountabilityHow to update your job descriptions and interviews to focus on creativity, critical thinking, and the ability to drive real business results—not just outputWhy testing, feedback, and iteration are now table stakes, and why marketers need to use their extra time for deeper work, not just more workYou'll hear practical examples for content marketing roles, tips for raising the bar on quality, and a candid look at how reputation and professional equity are evolving in the age of AI. The conversation is honest, sometimes a bit unfinished, and full of real-world perspective from two leaders who've seen the shift up close. B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS rely on a balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key marketing asset in a hard-charging B2B world.Resources shared in this episode:The State of B2B SaaS SEO in the Age of AI [2025]Unlocking the power of AI: Transform your content creation processHow Google's New AI Mode Is Reshaping B2B SaaS Marketing T2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts: Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiAs a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft's Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of KalungiAs CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.

In this episode of Founder Talk, we sit down with Christina Brady, CEO and Co-Founder of Luster, an AI-powered platform that's fundamentally transforming how sales teams are trained, coached, and developed. Drawing from 18+ years of experience as a top revenue leader, trainer, and exec coach, Christina shares the origin story behind Luster and the painful gap it solves: most companies can't actually see where their sales teams are struggling until it's too late.Here's what you'll learn from Christina:✅ How Luster uses generative AI and predictive analytics to map skill gaps before they impact revenue✅ Why most enablement and coaching strategies fail—and what founders can do differently✅ The power of running real-life sales simulations with AI agents trained to replicate tough buyers✅ Real-world results: 42% higher average contract values, 50% faster new-hire ramp times, and 2x pipeline efficiency✅ How Christina went from CRO to venture-backed founder—raising a multi-million dollar seed round with no prior exits✅ Why human connection still matters more than ever—even in an AI-driven future✅ The real story behind founding Luster (including a hilarious in-flight LinkedIn encounter with Alex)✅ Founder's life lessons: balancing ambition, motherhood, and leadership with clarity and purposeWhether you're building a sales team, scaling an AI product, or looking for practical wisdom on what it takes to go from concept to venture-backed execution—this episode is a masterclass in modern go-to-market leadership.Where to Find Christina BradyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinapbrady/Website: https://www.luster.ai/Want to work with us? Here at Impaxs Marketing we partner with 7-8 figure B2B companies to help them build their own internal content team, take control of their brand, and grow their business through video content and social media marketing. No need to outsource your content to an agency ever again!  We do this by implementing our proven 5-step process we call, “Brand5 Content System”. ⁠https://impaxs.com⁠Subscribe to my weekly CMO briefing for unfiltered insights on the biggest marketing shifts, real-life strategies I'm using to scale companies fast, and key lessons from real-world experience—what's working, what's not, and why. No fluff, no filler—just actionable insights you can use immediately. Sign up now to stay ahead:https://impaxs79863.activehosted.com/f/12

This episode is brought to you by BIgCommerceThis episode is brought to you by BIgCommerceWith tariffs dominating headlines and reshaping global retail strategy, brands are navigating one of the most complex trade landscapes in recent memory.In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein is joined by Rathna Sharad, CEO and Founder of cross-border logistics platform FlavorCloud. With a background spanning Microsoft, UPS, and three decades of global trade experience, Rathna offers expert guidance on navigating tariffs, streamlining international operations, and building supply chain resilience. Together, they explore:The biggest friction points brands face when scaling internationally — and how to solve them;Key markets and categories showing rapid growth in global ecommerce;Lesser known implications of the de minimis rule change and what it means for U.S. merchants; andWhy now is the time to double down on international expansion, not pull back.RELATED LINKSRead the FlavorCloud 2025 State of Cross-Border reportSee how FlavorCloud is helping brands go globalExplore the latest retail supply chain insights from Retail TouchPointsCheck out past episodes of Retail Remix———Tired of rigid ecommerce platforms and hidden fees? BigCommerce gives you the flexibility to build and scale your store your way — with no extra fees for using the tools you love. Whether B2C or B2B, BigCommerce powers ecommerce that works for you. Learn more at bigcommerce.com/retailremix Tired of rigid ecommerce platforms and hidden fees? BigCommerce gives you the flexibility to build and scale your store your way — with no extra fees for using the tools you love. Whether B2C or B2B, BigCommerce powers ecommerce that works for you. Learn more at bigcommerce.com/retailremix

Anagram is pioneering a new approach to security awareness that treats employees as assets rather than liabilities. With $10 million in funding, the company is reimagining how organizations address their most significant security vulnerability: human error. In this episode of Category Visionaries, we spoke with Harley Sugarman, Founder and CEO of Anagram, about his journey from venture capitalist to founder and how he's challenging decades of ineffective security awareness training with a human-driven security platform that drives real behavior change. Topics Discussed: The fundamental problems with traditional security awareness training How AI is amplifying attackers' capabilities and the need for better human defenses Anagram's approach to personalized, puzzle-based, and in-the-moment security training The shift from treating humans as "risks to be mitigated" to valuable security assets Founder-led marketing strategies in the security industry Pivoting from security professional training to broader security awareness GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Identify opportunities where market perception doesn't match reality: Harley noticed a massive gap between what CISOs considered their biggest vulnerability (human error) and how they addressed it (outdated, ineffective training). "If you ask 100 CISOs where an attack will come from, 90-95 will say one of their people will click on a phishing link," yet solutions remained antiquated. This disconnect signaled an opportunity to create a truly differentiated product. B2B founders should look for areas where customer actions don't align with their stated priorities, as these represent prime opportunities for innovation. Frame your solution to break industry paradigms: Rather than accepting the industry framing of "human risk management," Harley positioned Anagram around "human-driven security" — shifting from seeing employees as liabilities to valuable assets. "I hate that framing so much because it puts the onus on the human," he explained. "What I have been trying to frame our company around is this idea of human-driven security, which is taking humans and making them a line of defense." This reframing helps differentiate Anagram from competitors and resonates more positively with both security leaders and end users. Use data to overcome status quo inertia: In industries with deeply entrenched practices, the biggest challenge is often skepticism about whether a new approach can actually work. Harley's solution? Let the data make the case. "For us, we are very insistent on looking at the data showing customers, 'Hey, before you introduced us, this is the number of incidents you were seeing. After you introduced us, this is the number of incidents you're seeing.' And I think that's ultimately the thing that changes minds." Data-driven results help overcome the "it's always been this way" mindset that can derail innovative B2B solutions. Employ a land-and-expand strategy for complex purchases: Anagram uses a methodical approach to win over skeptical buyers: "We very much take a land and expand strategy where we'll go in, augment a specific part of the program, show them that this is actually making a meaningful difference in the data, and then that becomes a very easy business case." For B2B founders selling complex or paradigm-shifting solutions, demonstrating tangible value in a limited implementation can pave the way for broader adoption throughout the organization. Don't dismiss "old school" outreach tactics: Despite the emphasis on modern marketing techniques, Harley found success with traditional outbound methods: "So far, it has been pretty much exclusively outbound. So emails, LinkedIn, cold calling...which still works, by the way. I was shocked." B2B founders, particularly those targeting enterprise customers outside the tech bubble, should remember that traditional outreach methods can still be highly effective even when they seem outdated in startup circles. Embrace personal branding with authenticity: After initially feeling uncomfortable with founder-led marketing, Harley found success by finding an authentic voice while taking inspiration from founders like PostHog's James Hawkins. "It does feel cringy. I hate most social media things... It was very much an intentional decision to step out of my comfort zone." By focusing on engagement metrics rather than personal comfort, Harley discovered that his personal content consistently outperformed company posts. B2B founders should measure the results of their personal branding efforts rather than judging them solely on comfort level. Know when to pivot quickly: Perhaps Harley's most critical decision was recognizing when their initial product wasn't gaining traction and pivoting decisively: "The biggest decision that we made was pivoting... I'm really proud of the fact that we very quickly made the decision to basically throw away all this work that we had done and move into this more general purpose awareness tool." B2B founders should be willing to abandon their original vision when market signals indicate a better opportunity, even if it means discarding substantial work.   //   Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe.  www.GlobalTalent.co   //   Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM     

In this episode of Numbers and Narratives, Sean and Ibby sit down with Michael Wolfe, a serial entrepreneur and startup veteran with over 25 years of experience founding and scaling B2B software companies. Michael shares invaluable wisdom on the critical importance of customer discovery and validation in the early stages of building a startup. He emphasizes that while many founders know they should talk to customers, few do it effectively. Michael advises against seeking mere validation and instead encourages founders to approach customer conversations with genuine curiosity and openness. He stresses the need to understand customer problems deeply before pitching solutions. The discussion also covers the delicate balance between data-driven decision making and founder intuition, with Michael arguing that the "art" of leadership often makes the difference in a startup's success. This episode offers a masterclass in startup fundamentals that you won't want to miss. Tune in to elevate your startup game and learn from one of the industry's most accomplished leaders.http://nextfounder.co

Why Most B2B Sales Teams Are Failing (And How to Fix It)Most B2B sales teams are stuck in outdated tactics – pushing for meetings, flooding inboxes, and hoping something sticks.But that's not how today's buyer wants to buy.In this episode, we sit down with Amarpreet Kalkat (Founder of Humantic AI) and our own Adem Manderovic (Co-founder of CRO School) to break down what's broken in B2B sales – and what comes next.We dive into how AI can be used to build trust, not spam, and how real commercial oversight starts with market validation, not meetings booked.Here's what we cover in this episode:+ Why the predictable revenue model has failed us+ How to segment and validate your market the right way+ The DISC profiling framework that changes how you sellTune in and learn:+ Why AI is wings for the good… but crutches for the lazy+ The Dust Bowl of B2B sales – and how to escape it+ How CRO School and Humantic AI fit togetherIf you're in B2B and tired of tactics that don't work anymore, this is a must-watch.-----------------------------------------------------

A fractional CMO could be the strategic powerhouse your business needs to break through growth plateaus and finally align marketing with execution.In this episode, Sara Nay, CEO of Duct Tape Marketing, shares actionable insights for business owners and marketers looking to grow with clarity and confidence. Whether you're scaling, shifting your business model, or simply lost in the sea of digital noise, this conversation brings you practical steps and expert-level clarity.Sara breaks down the biggest mistakes companies make when skipping strategy and chasing tactics. She explains how adopting a fractional CMO approach empowers businesses—especially those in the $3M–$40M range—to align marketing, integrate AI in marketing, and build systems that actually work.This episode is your guide if you're searching for:Help navigating strategic marketing with modern toolsHow to avoid wasting money on ads without a message that sticksBetter alignment between sales, brand, and executionHow to grow without hiring a full-time CMOWith over a decade at Duct Tape Marketing, Sara leads both clients and consultants in applying real-world strategy through the Marketing Leadership Accelerator, designed for agencies and solopreneurs. If you're wondering whether a fractional CMO model is right for your business, you'll find the answers—and next steps—right here.

Copy these battle-tested B2B strategies you can plug straight into your business. Luigi and David unpack the winning moves behind today's fastest-growing B2B teams.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠P.S. Click here to get free daily lessons on how to grow like the best

AI is changing how companies build teams and entry-level roles may not survive the shift. In this episode, Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman dig into how automation is reshaping the job market, what it means for new grads, and why hiring managers need to rethink what “junior talent” looks like. From the rise of AI-native workers to the disappearance of traditional training grounds, this conversation explores the real impact of AI on the future of work.Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of Topline drop every Sunday and Thursday.Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Elevate your 2026 strategy and join us from September 23 to 25 in Washington, D.C. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket.Stay ahead with the latest industry developments and emerging go-to-market trends with Topline Newsletter by Asad Zaman. Subscribe today.Tune in to The Revenue Leadership Podcast every Wednesday, where host Kyle Norton talks with real revenue operators and dives deep into what it takes to succeed as a modern revenue leader.You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!Key Moments:(00:00) Introduction(02:55) The Impact of AI on Employment(06:05) AI's Role in Go-to-Market Strategies(09:00) The Future of Entry-Level Jobs(11:56) Navigating the AI Landscape(14:57) The Evolution of Job Roles in the Age of AI(18:11) The Balance of Experience and AI(20:56) The Human Element in AI Integration(23:54) Conclusion and Reflections on AI's Future(30:12) The Impact of AI on Employment(32:08) Historical Perspectives on Technology and Abundance(34:41) The Need for Integrated Philosophies(36:23) Health and Well-being in a Changing World(38:46) Inequality and Economic Displacement(41:33) The Future of Sales Roles in a Tech-Driven Market(45:31) Adapting to AI: Challenges and Opportunities(51:36) Compensation Trends in a Changing Landscape(56:16) Navigating New Job Opportunities in Tech

In this episode I discuss the four key things to help you sell better, especially for B2B but this applies all around. Get these dialed in and lose fewer deals, make fewer success and get more wins.

Crypto kidnappings & "wrench attacks" are surging globally. Charlie & Colin break down real cases, from Ledger CEO torture to NYC penthouse hostage drama, plus essential security tips to protect yourself from physical Bitcoin theft.You're listening to Bitcoin Season 2. Subscribe to the newsletter, trusted by over 12,000 Bitcoiners: https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.comCharlie and Colin dive deep into the dark side of crypto wealth - the rising amount of physical attacks, kidnappings, and torture targeting Bitcoin holders. From the Ledger co-founder's mutilation in France to wild NYC penthouse hostage situations involving crack cocaine and air fryers, they explore real cases and share Jameson Lopp's security wisdom.Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com**Notes:**• Ledger co-founder kidnapped 2 days, fingers cut• American tourist lost $125K in London scam• Italian held 17 days, $28M crypto extorted• 90+ officers in French rescue operation• Attacks started with Hal Finney in 2014• Most incidents happen in Europe/AsiaTimestamps:00:00 Start01:08 What is a wrench attack?05:33 Jameson Lopp08:19 3 Types of attacks09:34 Kidnapping (Ledger Case)12:19 Kidnapping (French Father Case)13:03 Attempted Abduction (France Daughter of CEO)14:59 Arch Network15:31 Wrench Attack Tracker19:10 Hostage (American Tourist London)22:08 Different custody setups24:34 Hostage (Kentucky Crypto King)30:58 Best practices-