Podcasts about marketing lessons

It's not easy to keep pace with constant change. If you want to stand out, you need to pivot (yes, PIVOT!), adapt, and build real connection with your audience.That's the genius of Friends, a cultural phenomenon built on chemistry, community, and conversations that felt timeless. In this episode, we're decoding its lessons with the help of special guest Lisa Cole, Chief Marketing Officer at 2X.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from embracing constant pivots, building your own Central Perk with your community, and why team chemistry often matters more than individual expertise.About our guest, Lisa ColeLisa Cole is currently CMO at 2X. She's a strategic marketing leader with over 24 years of experience driving transformative growth for B2B technology and professional services. As a former CMO at Huron, FARO, and Cellebrite, she has earned industry recognition for enhancing brand positioning, optimizing demand generation, and leveraging AI to accelerate go-to-market strategies. Through her earned accolades from Sirius Decisions, Forrester, and CMO Alliance and her book The Revenue RAMP, she guides B2B leaders in achieving more with less using her proven frameworks. What B2B Companies Can Learn From Friends:Pivot, pivot, pivot. In marketing, staying still isn't an option. New channels, new buyer behaviors, and now AI advancements mean marketers are in a constant state of change. Lisa explains, “Pivot is certainly one, especially now that, it seems like every week there's a new advancement… marketing as a whole is pivot. We're constantly in a period of time in between pivots is compressing.” The same way Ross couldn't move that couch without shouting “Pivot!” every marketer today needs to be ready to shift strategy, adjust direction, and keep moving forward.Create your Central Perk. Every brand needs a place where buyers feel safe, connected, and part of something bigger than a transaction. For the Friends cast, it was Central Perk, a space where they could gather, vent, and support each other without judgment. Lisa says, “You have to create a place… where your target audience, your buyers feel safe to get together and meet and engage as a community… if you care about Central Perk for your buyers, then they'll care about you too.” In B2B, that means investing in communities and experiences where customers can be candid, connect with peers, and build trust—with your brand quietly in the background.Build team chemistry. The Friends cast worked because the chemistry was real—something greater than the sum of its parts. Marketing teams are no different. Lisa says, “Sometimes it's the chemistry that matters more than the expertise. It's not necessarily that I brought together six experts.  It's the way that they work together, sometimes is the real magic.” Great marketing doesn't just come from the smartest experts; it comes from teams (in-house, partners, or both) who click, collaborate, and push each other toward a shared mission.Quote“  I'm not necessarily saying to marketers that this cast needs to be a large in-house marketing team. I'm just simply saying that the people that are in the day-to-day business of executing marketing for your organization, that there is a chemistry between them and that they are working together in a unified way.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Lisa Cole, CMO at 2X[01:09] Why Friends?[01:52] The Role of CMO at 2X[03:34] The Creation of Friends[07:54] The Chemistry and Dynamics of Friends[21:59] Marketing Takeaways from Friends[32:17] The Humble Leader[37:36] Introducing Brand Gravity[48:11] 2X's Content Strategy[49:46] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Lisa on LinkedInLearn more about 2XAbout 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.

In this episode, Guy Bauer, founder and creative director of Umault, shares the single biggest lesson he's learned about marketing: never stop. Through analogies ranging from hand-pumped water wells to Top Gun, Guy explains why consistency matters more than perfection, why most marketing efforts will fail before they succeed, and why hitting pause is the most dangerous move a brand can make. If you've ever been tempted to cut spend or stop campaigns because results look flat, this short, punchy episode will remind you why momentum is everything.

Cracker Barrel's logo redesign didn't just spark backlash—it exposed cracks in leadership decision-making. In this episode, Sonia Thompson shares 3 timeless marketing lessons every brand leader needs to keep their business backlash-proof. Discover how decisions around values, who's really in charge, and whose voices guide your strategy can make or break customer trust. Tune in for practical insights to help you lead with clarity, avoid costly missteps, and build a brand that resonates with today's consumers. Get the Inclusion & Marketing Newsletter -- www.inclusionandmarketing.com/newsletter

Most brands talk about standing out. Very few actually do it. The ones that win are the ones willing to take a swing, sometimes even a wild one.That's exactly what GoDaddy did with the “Act Like You Know” campaign, a Super Bowl ad that became a cultural moment because of its boldness. In this episode, we explore the marketing lessons behind it with special guest Sydney Sloan, Chief Marketing Officer at G2.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from emotional storytelling, influencer culture, and why building brand in the age of AI requires creativity, boldness, and a willingness to have a little fun.About our guest, Sydney SloanSydney Sloan is a visionary marketing leader with a track record of driving growth and innovation in the tech industry. As CMO of G2, the world's largest and most trusted software marketplace, Sydney is at the forefront of shaping the company's strategic direction. Sydney previously held CMO roles at compliance automation software company Drata, sales tech leader Salesloft, and cloud content management visionary Alfresco.What B2B Companies Can Learn From GoDaddy's “Act Like You Know” Campaign:Take bold swings. Safe marketing doesn't get noticed. To capture attention, B2B brands have to be willing to step outside the comfort zone and take real creative risks. As Sydney shared, “Take a big swing. Go do something outside of your comfort zone.” Boldness is the difference between blending in and breaking through.Your brand is the moat. With paid tactics getting harder, brand is the lasting advantage. It's not about clicks or keywords anymore. It's about the emotional connection people feel. As Sydney says, “Brand is right. It's the emotional connection that you actually build between a brand, which is not a person… and the audience.” In the age of AI, trust and resonance are the true differentiators.Influencers aren't just for B2C. Big-budget companies might hire celebrities, but every B2B brand can find ways to put people at the center of their story. It's about connection, not just reach. Sydney explained, “You can still use influencers, you can still have people connecting to people and doing it in creative ways.” In B2B, credibility often comes best through people, not platforms.Quote“We gotta go back and invest in brand. And what does that mean, and how do I do it? It's not the old playbook. That thing is gone. Display, out the windows. Google search, out the window. We are all at the starting line together. And whoever's the most creative and figures out this new era we're in has an unfair advantage.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Sydney Sloan, CMO at G2[01:17] Why GoDaddy's “Act Like You Know” Campaign[03:55] The Role of Influencers in B2B Marketing[11:39] The Role of CMO at G2[13:19] Understanding GoDaddy's “Act Like You Know” Campaign[19:32] B2B Marketing Lessons from GoDaddy's “Act Like You Know” Campaign[33:29] The Power of Creative Marketing[37:50] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Sydney on LinkedInLearn more about G2About 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.

In this episode, you'll hear how the lessons learned from training for American Ninja Warrior can translate into powerful business growth strategies. From crafting a compelling story that resonates with your audience, to showing up with authentic energy, building the right skills, and developing the perseverance to push through setbacks—these insights will help you attract more clients and create lasting impact. Tap in to discover how resilience, storytelling, and passion can elevate both your business and your life.   “There's a quote by the late Pastor John Wesley, and he says, "If you light yourself on fire with passion, people will come from miles to watch you burn.”   Powerful points to remember: Storytelling is your superpower – A compelling story bridges your client's struggles to transformation and makes your message relatable and inspiring. Energy matters – How you show up, especially on camera, influences how people connect with you; passion and authenticity attract the right audience. Skills drive success – From crafting strong hooks to building systems and leading effectively, developing core business skills is essential for growth. Tailor your message – Share the parts of your story that best resonate with your target audience to create deeper connections. Perseverance is key – Success in both business and life requires resilience, commitment, and staying focused on your vision even through challenges. Practical growth comes from focus – Instead of trying to master everything at once, identify one skill to improve now that will make the biggest impact on your leads and business.     Connect with Jason Meland: Email: jason@goliveonlinemastermind.com Website: https://www.growmyvisibility.com/ Instagram: @coachjasonmeland Facebook: Jason Meland - In Demand Coach LinkedIn: Jason Meland

Being the underdog might feel like a disadvantage or your greatest marketing edge.That's the brilliance of Steph Curry's story. He redefined basketball not by being the tallest or strongest, but by mastering the three-pointer, staying relentlessly consistent, and building an empire as the face of an underdog brand. In this episode, we explore the marketing lessons from Steph Curry with special guest Brian Gilman, Chief Marketing Officer at ThetaRay.Together, we dig into what B2B marketers can learn from embracing the underdog role, cutting through noise with consistency, and focusing on doing one thing better than anyone else to create real brand gravity.About our guest, Brian GilmanBrian Gilam is the CMO at ThetaRay. He is a visionary Chief Executive with a proven track record in spearheading strategic B2B sales/marketing initiatives and driving robust growth. Brian excels in leading companies through critical transitions, including exit events and funding rounds, while managing large-scale projects and multi-million-dollar budgets. He is an expert in crafting high-ROI programs, fostering C-Level engagements, and negotiating impactful partnerships.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Steph Curry:Play the underdog role. Steph could've gone with Nike or Adidas like every other superstar, but he signed with Under Armour, the underdog, and turned it into a cultural force. Brian says, “His role as an underdog… It's endearing to be able to play the role of underdog as well as he does, and I think that's why people resonate with him as well as they do.” For marketers, especially at scale-ups, that lesson is powerful: people root for challengers who feel accessible and relatable. Positioning your brand as the scrappy player in the game can create emotional connection far beyond features and price.Focus on consistency over noise. Steph's greatness comes from showing up every day and blocking out distractions. Brian says, “He controls what he can control.” In marketing, the same discipline applies. Instead of chasing every channel or campaign, concentrate on the actions that matter most. Steph doesn't let the highs get too high or the lows too low, he just executes. That consistency of effort is what makes him durable and dominant. For B2B, that means resisting the urge to “do it all” and instead building steady momentum with tactics that reliably drive results.Do one thing better than anyone else. Steph didn't try to be everything, he mastered the three-pointer until it broke the NBA. Brian explains, “For me, it's always do one thing really, really well. Forget about the marketing machine, you need that one thing, and then build the next thing.” Just as Curry's deep shooting created “gravity” that opened the floor for teammates, one marketing strength executed brilliantly can lift all your other channels. Don't spread yourself thin, find your version of the 30-foot three-pointer and own it.Quotes“I think that in today's market, successful marketers are gonna throw out the book on convention. I've never seen such a highly competitive environment… and unless you're thinking about speed, cutting out the number of touch points, and getting to that face-to-face interaction as fast as humanly possible, you're never gonna get business anymore.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Brian Gilman, Chief Marketing Officer at ThetaRay[01:03] Why Steph Curry?[04:28] The Role of CMO of Thetaray[06:23] Who is Steph Curry?[26:58] B2B Marketing Takeaways from Steph Curry[39:13] Brian's Marketing Strategy[42:20] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Brian on LinkedInLearn more about ThetaRayAbout 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.

Episode Overview In this episode of the John Kitchens Coach Podcast, John Kitchens and Al Stasek dive deep into the power of clarity, consistency, and branding in today's real estate market. From Al's Easy 100 reset challenge that sharpens discipline and eliminates distractions, to the marketing lessons from Alex Hormozi's record-breaking $89M book launch, John and Al unpack how agents can shift their mindset, build trust, and position themselves as the clear choice for clients. This is a no-fluff masterclass on creating clarity in chaos, showing up with energy, and building a brand that wins long after the market shifts. What You'll Learn in This Episode The Easy 100 Reset Why Al Stasek designed his own version of 75 Hard to simplify discipline. How clean living, fitness, and focus eliminate brain fog and sharpen clarity. Why small, consistent wins compound into big results. Clarity and Consistency in Business Why chaos is the enemy of growth and clarity is the cure. How to reset weekly to stay on track with goals and vision. The danger of chasing status instead of freedom and long-term success. Marketing Lessons from Alex Hormozi Breaking down the $89M book launch that set a Guinness World Record. Why “the best marketer always wins”—and how agents can apply it. How branding is really about reputation—and why that's all you'll have in 10 years. The Role of Network and Relationships Why your network truly equals your net worth. How strong vendor, agent, and client relationships save deals and build referrals. Why being an ambassador for your community creates long-term authority. Mindset, Health, and Leadership Why a healthy body is the foundation for a sharp mind. The importance of consistency in both life and business. How to shift from victim thinking to responsibility and leadership. Resources & Mentions John Kitchens Executive Coaching → JohnKitchens.coach Easy 100 Challenge – Al Stasek's personal discipline framework The AI-Driven Leader by Jeff Woods – A must-read for agents and leaders Scaling Up by Verne Harnish – Systems and clarity for business growth Honey Badger Nation – Training, collaboration, and agent resources Final Takeaway Success in real estate doesn't come from grinding harder—it comes from clarity, consistency, and branding. Agents who reset their focus daily, build a reputation of trust, and embrace modern tools like AI will stand out in any market. As John says:  “Life is easy when you live it the hard way, and hard when you live it the easy way.” Connect with Us: Instagram: @johnkitchenscoach LinkedIn: @johnkitchenscoach Facebook: @johnkitchenscoach   If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a review. Stay tuned for more insights and strategies from the top minds. See you next time!

It's not easy to make people rethink their assumptions. If you want to shift perception, you need to challenge expectations, gently, cleverly, and sometimes with a perfectly executed deepfake.That's the brilliance of Orange's Women's Soccer Ad, a mind-bending celebration of women's soccer disguised as a highlight reel of men's soccer. And in this episode, we're decoding its genius with the help of Angie Westbrock, CEO of Standard AI.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from surprising your audience, staying true to both your brand and your customer, and not allowing biases to affect your content.About our guest, Angie WestbrockAngie Westbock's mission is to build high-performance, diverse teams that transform challenges into opportunities. With a solid background as COO and now CEO, she thrives on aligning our company's strengths to create impactful solutions, all while cultivating a culture that celebrates diversity and encourages groundbreaking ideas.Angie is currently serving as the CEO at Standard AI, a startup using AI and computer vision technology to help retailers and brands optimize operations and bottom lines through real-time insights into shoppers' in-store experiences. With a non-traditional background beginning in CPG and then moving into tech, her experience spans from stealth start-ups to IPO to Fortune 500 companies. Leveraging this expertise in commercialization strategy and growth, Angie is able to guide organizations through every phase of development. What B2B Companies Can Learn From Orange's Women's Soccer Ad:Surprise your audience. Great marketing can earn attention through clever misdirection, then deliver a powerful payoff. The Orange ad didn't just say women's sports deserve respect,  it showed it by tricking viewers into watching with existing bias, then rewiring their perception. Angie explains, “Had they not executed the deepfake as well as they did, you would've noticed it from the beginning, and it would've just validated any of the biases that were already there.” The same applies to B2B: stop announcing your message, design it to unfold in a way that surprises and engages.Technology isn't the story; the outcome is. Orange used advanced deepfake technology, but they never made that the headline. The ad wasn't about AI, it was about bias, identity, and respect. The technology was the tool, not the message. “We always try to  tie it to the customer's use cases and ROI versus just about the tech,” says Angie. This is a trap many B2B companies fall into. You're proud of your tech stack, your infrastructure, your proprietary model, and rightly so. But your buyer doesn't care. They care about what your product helps them become. Sell the before and after, not the engine.Don't let your biases affect your content. Too many B2B marketers create content for the people who already agree with them, existing customers, internal stakeholders, or the "safe" ICP. But powerful messaging challenges assumptions. Orange didn't make an ad to celebrate women's soccer for people who already love it, they made an ad to get skeptics to pause and rethink. Angie says, “It wasn't just to the women to honor them and to empower them. It was actually to the men also, to say, you need to revisit your thinking here.” In B2B, you're often selling change: a new workflow, a new tool, a new way of doing things. That means your messaging needs to meet people where they are, not where you wish they were. Quote“ We get so caught up in what we want to say that we don't take into consideration the very specific viewpoints of the customer that you're selling to and making sure that it's going to land with them in a way that aligns with how they're thinking.Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Angie Westbrock, [01:00] Why Orange's Women's Soccer Ad [01:50] What Standard AI Actually Does[05:33] Why Physical Retail Is Still Underrated[11:38] Designed for Rewatching and Social[13:51] Real Tech, Real Players, Real Impact[14:55] Messaging That Reaches the People Who Need to Hear It[21:59] B2B Marketing Takeaways from Why Orange's Women's Soccer Ad [34:38] Not a Cheap Trick — A Trusted Brand Moment[38:13] It All Starts With a Single Shift in Mindset[40:00] What Marketers Want From In-Store Strategy[47:41] Standard AI's Brand Strategy and Differentiation[52:40] Final Thoughts: Break Through the NoiseLinksConnect with Angie on LinkedInLearn more about Standard AIAbout 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.

Class is officially back in session! In this episode of Marketing Insights, host and career coach Shanita Baraka Akintonde sits down with two powerhouse Gen Z voices—Desmond Walker and Alyssa Gail Martin—to decode what brands must learn if they want to connect with the next generation of consumers.Desmond, a sharp creative strategist with a pulse on cultural shifts, and Alyssa, a dynamic communicator and thought leader for her generation, break down how Gen Z is remixing the rules of marketing. From authentic storytelling to TikTok trends and brand loyalty (or the lack thereof), this conversation is loaded with lessons every marketer needs to hear.What you'll learn in this episode:Why authenticity isn't a buzzword for Gen Z—it's the baseline.How social media has reshaped the branding process What brands keep getting wrong when trying to market to younger audiences.Fresh strategies for engaging Gen Z in “sticky” ways. #GenZ #NextGenMarketing #GenZVoices #GenZMarketing #FutureOfMarketing #YouthCulture #MarketingTrends #BrandSchool MarketingInsights #BrandStrategy #DigitalMarketing #MarketingTips #BrandBuilding #MarketingStrategy #Marketing101 #ContentMarketing #AdvertisingLife #ShanitaSpeaksLLC

Copy and paste content doesn't build a connection. If you want your brand to resonate, you need to go deeper, more human, more emotional, more real.That's executed perfectly by The Last of Us, a post-apocalyptic story that became a global phenomenon not because of monsters, but because of its heart. In this episode, we're taking a closer look with the help of our special guest, Ashley Emery, CMO at VelocityEHS.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from emotional storytelling, breaking traditional formats, and building real resonance with your audience (even in the most unexpected places).About our guest, Ashley EmeryAshley excels in driving growth and innovation in B2B technology organizations, both at the global enterprise and high-growth start-up scale. She holds an Executive MBA and specializes in demand generation and revenue-focused marketing strategies. Ashley has a proven track record of building and leading high-performing marketing teams, having served as Head of Global Campaigns for the Database and Analytics category at AWS, VP of Marketing at Emburse, and most recently, the SVP of Demand Generation at Employ, the parent company of JazzHR, Jobvite, and Lever.What B2B Companies Can Learn From The Last of Us:Story comes before product. In B2B, it's easy to get stuck in the habit of leading with features, capabilities, or technical specs. But as The Last of Us demonstrates, what draws people in is a story they care about, not a list of innovations. Your product may be powerful, but unless your audience understands how it impacts their world or identity, it won't matter. Center the narrative on the customer's journey, pain, and outcome, your product plays a supporting role in that transformation. This shift can completely reframe how you approach content, ads, and even your brand voice. Ashley advises, “Lead with a human-centric storytelling. Don't sell features… the product is the enabler, it's not the hero.”Your audience might not be who you think. “Even if you think you understand your audience, you may not,” said Ashley, who was surprised herself, as she was so drawn to the series. Just as The Last of Us broke out of its presumed “gamer” audience, B2B brands often have unexpected buyers, champions, or influencers they're missing. Assumptions based on firmographics or industry stereotypes can be limiting. VelocityEHS found that their safety-focused customers were actually risk-tolerant thrill-seekers outside of work, which changed how they positioned messaging. This is a call to continuously validate personas, run qualitative interviews, and listen for nuance. Your best buyers may not look like your ICP on paper.The medium shapes the message. It's not enough to have a great story, you have to tailor it to the channel and format. A 60-minute podcast moment doesn't automatically become a good TikTok. Just like a video game plot doesn't translate directly into a TV script, B2B content has to be rewritten for the medium it's living in. That means writing social hooks, designing natively for mobile, and assuming low context. Ian reminds us that, “-if you take an idea that Ashley says in minute 50 of a podcast and drop it onto LinkedIn, and the person has no context at all who this person is or what they do, then the actual insight itself isn't as interesting or valuable.” Meet your audience where they are, mentally, emotionally, and contextually, or risk wasting great content on the wrong canvas.Quotes“Often in marketing, we get scared of emotion. We try to stay very neutral in our language. We don't want to be provocative, we don't want to be bold, and I think we as humans crave that. The show is a perfect example. The boldness, the emotional connection, and the conflict of the characters was really valuable. There's so much raw emotion and connection in the stories that could be told, and not being afraid to tell an uncomfortable story… is powerful.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Ashley Emery, CMO at VelocityEHS.[00:56] Why The Last of Us?[01:42] The Role of CMO at VelocityEHS[02:48] Breaking Down The Last of Us[26:47] B2B Marketing Lessons from The Last of Us[27:36] Human-Centric Storytelling in Marketing[35:16 Understanding Your Audience[38:43] Building an Ecosystem of Content[40:20] The Importance of Star Power[42:14] Embracing Emotional Tension in Marketing[46:11] Final Thoughts & TakeawaysLinksConnect with Ashley on LinkedInLearn more about VelocityEHSAbout 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.

I am going to start this marketing monologue with a story.  I'm going to start with a story. I was about four years old and I went into a bakery with my dad. And while he was ordering breads and pastries, I was standing there looking in the glass counter at these beautiful pastries. Eventually, my dad looked down and he says, Lanie, do you want one? Yes, Daddy. So the woman reaches behind the counter and she gets me a Charlotte Russe. Now, if you're not from New York, you may not know what a Charlotte Russe pastry is. It's a little piece of pound cake stuffed inside a tube about the size of a toilet paper roll filled with whipped cream. And then on the very top, there's a cherry. She hands it to me, and I say thank you—because I was a very polite child. I ate the cherry off the top and as we were leaving, the pastry falls to the ground. Before I had a chance to say anything, the woman came running out from behind the counter and said, Don't cry, sweetie, I'll get you another one. Lanie, do you want another one? Yes, Daddy. And so the woman gave me another pastry. This time, as we were leaving, I ate the cherry off the top, and—yep—you guessed it. I dropped the pastry on the floor. Why did you do that? my father asked. And I probably should mention right about now that my dad was not a patient person. I said, I only wanted the cherry. What we had was a failure to communicate. My dad was talking about pastries. I was talking about cherries. Anyone who has spent time with children knows this feeling—talking about something and realizing halfway through the child has no idea what you mean. That's because children come into a conversation with a smaller worldview. They don't have the same vocabulary, experience, or context. So they focus on the parts that make sense and miss the bigger picture. But here's the thing: adults do the exact same thing. Every networking event, every pitch, every sales call—people nod politely while you talk about your process, your platform, or your proprietary system… but if you're not speaking their language, they check out. They're thinking about their next meeting. Or dinner. Or pastries. So how do you keep them with you? How do you connect, especially when your work is a little technical or complex? Here's how: 1. Simplify your message. Strip out the jargon. Ditch the 12-step framework. Lead with the cherry—the one irresistible thing you know they'll understand and care about. 2. Use familiar comparisons. Find a metaphor, an analogy, something from their world. Talk about what you do the way you'd explain it to a 10-year-old—without being condescending. Just clear. 3. Test your message before the real thing. Before your next networking event or client meeting, practice explaining what you do to a non-marketing friend. Or your kid. Or even out loud in the mirror. If you can't make it land simply, it's too complicated. 4. Lead with benefits, not process. You help clients get more leads, increase visibility, or stop spinning their wheels online. That's what they want to hear. The platform, the tools, the magic—save that for later. 5. Watch for confused faces—and adjust. If someone looks puzzled or politely disengaged, pause. Ask a question. Reframe. Don't just keep steamrolling through your pitch. That's how pastries get dropped. The bottom line? If you want better conversations and better results :Say less. Make it clearer. Make it about them. And when you do, you just might walk away with more sales, more referrals… and the occasional cherry on top. If this sparked an idea or reminded you of your own “cherry on top” moment, I'd love to hear about it. Hit the “Let's Chat” button on all my social profiles or drop by morethanafewwords.com.

When it comes to marketing, the boldest ideas often come from imagining a future no one else can see, then making it real.That's exactly what Stanley Kubrick achieved with 2001: A Space Odyssey, a film that married meticulous research with visionary storytelling to create the most realistic depiction of space the world had ever seen. In this episode, we explore the marketing lessons behind it with special guest Josh Golden, CMO at Quad.Together, we dive into how marketers can embrace risk, iterate through failure, compete on imagination rather than resources, and create experiences—both digital and physical—that deliver the elusive “wow” factor. All while staying relevant, resonant, and ready to invent the future.About our guest, Josh GoldenAs Chief Marketing Officer at Quad, Josh Golden is architecting the evolution of Quad as a marketing experience company. He leads a highly collaborative team that works with marketers around the world to clear the path for a frictionless solution to easily communicate with their optimal audience.Quad's clients are the lifeblood of its operations, driving the company's evolution and influencing its every action. Josh is helping the company combine Quad's history as a manufacturer and commercial printer with this marketer-obsessed philosophy to best support client growth and eliminate the interference that otherwise causes them to lose time, money, and customers.Since assuming his role, Josh has defined the Quad brand narrative, developed the company's “marketing experience” framing, implemented a new Quad design system and initiated brand and product marketing campaigns for key verticals.With more than three decades of experience in marketing, branding, media, and content, Josh is one of the most prolific connectors in the marketing industry. Prior to joining Quad in 2021, Josh was President and Publisher of Ad Age where he spurred transformative growth for the venerable, 90-year trade publication and media brand. His passion for driving evolution was also on display as Vice President, Global Digital Marketing, at Xerox; Group Director of Digital Marketing at NBC Universal; Chief Digital Officer at Grey Group; Managing Director, Digital at Havas; and head of the first digital division at Young & Rubicam.A self-proclaimed “professional groupie,” Josh avidly follows and cheers people who pursue their passions. He likes playing a little semi-aggressive tennis and makes a killer “cheater” banana bread. He lives in Westchester, NY with his wife and two teenage children.Josh received his MBA from New York University and his B.S. in communications from Ithaca College.What B2B Companies Can Learn From 2001: A Space Odyssey:Embrace the process, not just the end product. Kubrick went through a massive number of iterations before landing on the film we know and love today. Josh says, “There is not one singular moment; it's a series of failures.” In marketing, abandoned ideas aren't wasted. They're the iterations that lead to something great. Like Kubrick, be willing to test, discard, and refine until you find the version that truly resonates. The process is the work.AI can execute, but humans inspire. Hal, the AI in 2001, could run the ship, but couldn't imagine a better way forward. Josh says, “ Humans have the capacity to do the wow factor.” AI can give you the exact steps to execute a campaign, but it can't create the unexpected spark that makes it unforgettable. Your job as a marketer is to deliver that human insight and surprise that AI can't replicate.Inspiration doesn't have to start from scratch.2001 began as a loose adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's short story The Sentinel, but evolved far beyond it. Josh reflects, “You're ultimately gonna go rewrite it in your own way.” In marketing, you can take inspiration from existing ideas, but the magic comes from reshaping them into something uniquely yours.Quote“There's moments that we all have as marketers where real ideas happen, and I celebrate those…but in truth…There is not one singular moment. It's a series of failures…That inspiration is evident in the film, and it's evident that in the actual process of trying and failing and trying and failing and trying and failing, and then getting to a point where you're like, wow, this is actually kind of okay.'”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Josh Golden, CMO at Quad[01:27] The Role of CMO at Quad[02:54] Overview of 2001: A Space Odyssey[21:45] B2B Marketing Lessons from 2001: A Space Odyssey[25:28] The AI Character and Its Implications[26:42] AI vs. Human Creativity[43:21] Final Thoughts & TakeawaysLinksConnect with Josh on LinkedInLearn more about QuadAbout 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.

When small-market teams face off against deep-pocketed competitors, winning means rewriting the rules of the game. That's exactly what happened in Moneyball, where the Oakland A's turned to unconventional metrics and overlooked talent to outsmart the league's biggest spenders. In this episode, we explore the marketing lessons behind it with special guest Scott Greenwald, CMO at Linedata.Together, we dive into how B2B marketers can rethink the metrics that matter, compete asymmetrically against larger rivals, align teams around bold strategies, and tell stories that stick, all while staying credible, prepared, and ready to adapt.About our guest, Scott GreenwaldAt Linedata, Scott's tenure as Chief Marketing Officer has been marked by the successful leadership of a dynamic, multi-lingual team and the creation of transformative digital marketing strategies. Our efforts have resulted in a staggering 600% year-over-year increase in web traffic, contributing significantly to a 20% generation of the sales pipeline.Scott's role extends to overseeing the marketing budget and launching a new CRM and Marketing Automation tool, which has streamlined Linedata's pipeline review process and accelerated the sales cycle. With a focus on driving market visibility and thought leadership, Scott's strategic campaigns across key global markets have empowered Linedata to cement its presence in the competitive financial services industry.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Moneyball:Focus on the outcomes that matter.  In Moneyball, the point wasn't to sign the flashiest “five-tool” players; it was to score runs. The same is true in marketing. Scott says, “In the end, it's how many of the MQLs turn into opportunities or new business? And that's what we focus on.” Metrics that look good in a report mean nothing if they don't turn into real pipeline and closed deals. In B2B, your scoreboard isn't impressions or clicks, it's revenue.Credibility over volume in content. AI makes it easy to crank out more content than ever before, but more isn't always better. “If we suddenly increased our, our, our output fivefold, we, we would lose that credibility,” Scott says. His team uses AI to adapt and reformat high-quality core pieces, not flood the market with fluff. Your audience notices when your content is consistent, credible, and worth their time—and they notice just as fast when it's not.Compete asymmetrically. The A's couldn't outspend the Yankees or Red Sox, so they had to outthink them. That meant challenging every “sacred cow” in baseball and finding value others overlooked. Scott explains, “You can't come in here and say, I'm going to transform this marketing organization into what I had before… you have to assess the talent pool [and] review the best way of spending the marketing budgets you have.” In marketing, the same rule applies: when you can't match your competitors' budget, you win by rewriting the playbook.Quote“It is our responsibility as storytellers of not just giving the business what they want, but also giving the audience what they need to hear.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Scott Greenwal, CMO at Linedata[01:04] Why Moneyball?[06:45] Behind the Scenes of Moneyball[10:00] B2B Marketing Lessons from Moneyball[31:51] The Importance of Storytelling[37:18] The Role of Communication in Change Management[41:02] The Evolution of Marketing Automation[45:30] Balancing Content Quality and Quantity[47:00 Final Thoughts & TakeawaysLinksConnect with Scott on LinkedInLearn more about LinedataAbout 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.

In a world full of polished content, authenticity is what truly cuts through.That's the secret behind Armchair Expert, the wildly popular podcast from Dax Shepard that mixes candid conversation with crowd-sourced chaos. In this episode, we unpack the marketing insights behind it with special guest Derek Weeks, Chief Marketing Officer at Katalon.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from building real connections, inviting community participation, and letting go of perfection to create content people genuinely trust and engage with.About our guest, Derek WeeksDerek Weeks is the Chief Marketing Officer at Katalon. He is a driven, results-oriented CMO with a proven ability to achieve multiple successful exits, build and execute bold go-to-market strategies for each stage of business growth, and demonstrate solid returns on marketing investments. Accomplished at building high-performing teams, driving quality marketing-sourced pipeline, developing massive communities, and collaborating with sales teams to meet business targets.What B2B Companies Can Learn From the Armchair Expert Podcast:Vulnerability builds trust and attention. Derek Weeks emphasizes that Armchair Expert's standout quality is its authentic vulnerability, which creates a powerful emotional connection with listeners. He explains, “It's really about being human… It builds an emotional connection with your brand.” Derek draws a parallel to B2B marketing, highlighting that it's crucial to showcase real people behind the brand to forge trust.Mix long-form and short-form content strategically. Armchair Expert masterfully balances 90-minute conversations with short, snackable segments like Armchair Anonymous. Derek believes this dual-format approach is essential for B2B marketing: “That kind of mix of long and short is something that you have to play into as a marketer and realize your audience expects different things at different times.” He stresses that marketers must go deep when it matters, but also repurpose content aggressively to cater to varied audience behaviors, especially across platforms like TikTok.Empower community-generated content. Derek praises Armchair Expert for its use of community-driven content through Armchair Anonymous, where listeners share personal stories weekly. He says, “They really don't have to spend time creating content at all… believe in your community and the value that they create.” B2B marketers should harness their user-generated content to scale content creation far beyond the limits of a marketing budget.Quotes“ You have to think about what draws people to the next.  What did you do in that moment that got people to say, ‘This is worth following or paying attention to or coming back again?'  Figure out what's going to make people come back, not what makes people appear the first time.  The first time is kind of an easy win. The second time, or third time, or 10th time is the hard part.”Time Stamps[00:55]  Meet Derek Weeks, CMO at Katalon[01:23]  Why Armchair Expert?[03:01] Vulnerability and Trust in B2B[08:58]  Don't Build Campaigns, Build Conversations[13:37] The Long-Form to Short-Form Pipeline[19:05] Unfair Mindshare[21:47] What Armchair Expert Gets Right[24:01] Practical Ways to Bring Personality into B2B[27:38] Final Thoughts & TakeawaysLinksConnect with Derek on LinkedInLearn more about KatalonAbout 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.

Send us a textWhat happens when the world's biggest pop star drops in on an NFL podcast? A marketing masterclass in collaboration, authenticity, and buzz creation. In this episode, Jeremy Neisser breaks down the viral Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce, and Taylor Swift moment—and turns it into three concrete, locally applicable strategies any sports team can use to sell more tickets and grow their fan base. From cross-audience partnerships to personality-driven content and buzz-worthy activations, you'll walk away with ready-to-run ideas you can launch in your own market.Key Topics CoveredThe “cross-audience moment” and how to find the perfect local partner to expand your reachWhy showing the human side of your players builds deeper fan connectionsCreating quirky, unexpected moments that fans can't help but shareReal-world examples: zoo ice cream shifts, player-chef cook-offs, and mascot mechanic makeoversHow to turn attention into actual ticket sales with bundles, opt-ins, and QR codesAudience verification tips to ensure partnerships drive local resultsBalancing creative activations with bottom-line sales goalsTimestamps 00:00 – Why the Taylor & Travis podcast moment matters for sports marketing 01:33 – Lesson 1: The power of cross-audience partnerships 05:55 – How to bundle game tickets with partner offers for bigger impact 06:21 – Lesson 2: Showing your players' human side 08:44 – Player-chef cook-off activation idea 10:57 – Lesson 3: Give fans something they'll talk about 13:16 – Recap: Turning buzz into ticket salesCall to Action Ready to brainstorm your own collaboration ideas? Visit sportsmarketingmachine.com to schedule a call and map out how these tactics can fit into your ticket sales funnel.Love the podcast? Take a moment to rate or review the podcast on your favorite platform. Quote Pulls / Social Teasers“Don't just partner with brands your fans already love—find ones with a compatible but different audience.”“Your players' content is gold. Show their personality, not just their athletic skill.”“Sometimes the quirky, unexpected ideas create better engagement than polished videos.”Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedInSports Marketing Machine on InstagramBook a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

Turning into your parents might be your worst fear, or your biggest marketing opportunity.That's the brilliance of Progressive's Dr. Rick campaign. It's hilarious, deeply relatable, and sneakily strategic. In this episode, we explore the marketing lessons behind it with special guest Keri McGhee, Chief Marketing Officer at Attentive.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from character-driven storytelling, embracing creative risk, and using humor and relatability to create campaigns that people actually want to talk about.About our guest, Keri McGheeKeri McGhee is the CMO at Attentive, the AI marketing platform for leading brands. She leads strategic global marketing to further build the Attentive brand, overseeing product marketing, revenue marketing, events, partner marketing, communications and content, and brand creative. Keri's past experiences include leading marketing at various start-ups and as a senior director at Zillow, where she led the B2B marketing team of 60+ people, responsible for strengthening partner loyalty and experience for 60,000+ real estate partners. She got her start in tech at Expedia, leading both consumer and corporate travel marketing teams.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Progressive's Dr. Rick Campaign:Take creative risks. Keri's central message is clear: great brand moments come from taking chances. “We take ourselves way too seriously in B2B.  So I think my advice is to step outside of the comfort zone of what the CFO, and the COO, and the CEO say yes to. And do the work to get the customer validation to pitch in some new idea..” B2B marketers often play it safe, focusing on product features, ROI charts, or thought leadership. But real differentiation happens when you create something unexpected, emotional, or funny. The Dr. Rick campaign could've flopped. Instead, it became a cultural reference point.Make your audience feel seen. The best ads are mirrors, not megaphones. Progressive tapped into a deep, relatable insecurity, “Am I becoming my parents?” Keri shares, “It's incredibly memorable, which I think is the most important thing in marketing right now.” For B2B, this could mean identifying moments of self-doubt, imposter syndrome, or job-related stress and playfully reflecting those back to the buyer.Build a fictional persona. A single viral hit is fleeting. A character-driven series builds long-term brand equity. Dr. Rick works because he's a consistent, evolving character. He became a franchise. Most B2B brands invest in one-off videos or campaigns. But serialization keeps audiences coming back, like a show you binge-watch. Keri states, “  I can't think of any B2B that actually has been able to do that…Most of the true B2B play companies are not investing in brand in that way.”Quotes“What we find with B2B buyers is they make decisions as people, not as the companies for which they're spending money for. We undervalue that a lot in B2B marketing…And the reality is, the things that are impossible to measure are where we are starting to place bigger bets because it's the only way to drive differentiation.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Keri McGhee, Chief Marketing Officer at Katalon[01:06] Why Dr. Rick?[02:45] The Psychology of Being Seen[04:02] Who Is Dr. Rick?[11:26] Branding in a Commoditized Industry[13:59] Flow vs. Dr. Rick: A Franchise Strategy[15:26] Why B2B Doesn't Do This[22:14] Parents vs. Homeowners[26:35] Keri's Top B2B Takeaway[28:30] Creating Content Around Insecurity[31:20] Why Brands Don't Take Risks[40:56] Final Thoughts & TakeawaysLinksConnect with Keri on LinkedInLearn more about AttentiveAbout 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.

Two pop culture moments. Two powerful marketing lessons your brand can't afford to miss. In this episode, I breaks down the biggest key takaway for marketers from the American Eagle X Sydney Sweeney controversey, and a viral interview with two stars of Love Island USA season 7. Both examples teach us about what today's customers really want from the brands they buy from. Get the Inclusion & Marketing Newsletter: www.inclusionandmarketing.com/newsletter Episode 174: The Sydney Sweeney x American Eagle Campaign Everyone's Talking About - 5 Real Lessons for Marketers On Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4WpSvXMPSPR4gCxEjQSmsq?si=bc296299d8d24a2a On Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/174-the-sydney-sweeney-x-american-eagle-campaign/id1604907821?i=1000720099771

When AI feels like old news, the most remarkable storytellers don't just talk about it, they show you something you've never seen before.That's exactly what happens in Shell Game, the mind-bending podcast where journalist Evan Ratliff clones his voice and lets it interact with the world without anyone knowing it's not really him. In this episode, we explore the marketing lessons behind it with special guest Kelly Starman, Chief Marketing Officer at MasterControl.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from leading with curiosity, making space for creative risk, and crafting weird, emotional stories that people can't help but talk about.About our guest, Kelly StarmanKelly Starman is a results-focused marketing executive with two decades of driving growth and leading high-performing teams. She has a strong track record in leading large-scale organizational change. Expertise in developing and implementing global go-to-market strategies in the healthcare and technology sectors, including positioning, branding & advertising, digital marketing, demand gen, and marketing automation. What B2B Companies Can Learn From Shell Game:Embrace the weird. Evan Ratliff's podcast stands out because it dares to be different. In B2B, weird isn't a liability—it's an asset. “So much of B2B marketing is just boring,” Kelly says. “I love the idea of being weird… tapping into that and being memorable makes for great marketing.” If your content doesn't break the pattern, it won't break through.Lead with curiosity. Shell Game works because it starts with a single, captivating question: what happens when you clone your own voice and let it speak for you? For Kelly, that spirit of experimentation is essential in modern marketing. “I have not had more fun in my career than I've had in the past six months,” she says. “It has been incredible to really step back and think about what is possible with all this new technology.” Curiosity isn't just a mindset, it's a strategy for discovering what's next before your competitors do.Curate, don't just create. In a world of AI overload, audiences don't want more content, they want better content. That's where curation comes in. “I think there's just so much out there that I find myself really turning to like individuals that I trust,” Kelly says. As marketers, “How do you add value for your customers… where do you go for that curated content to stay as current as you can?” Being a trusted curator builds loyalty in a noisy market.Quote“So much of B2B marketing is just boring... I love the idea of being weird. I usually say like, I want this to be really bold. I want this to be really breakthrough and attention-grabbing."Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Kelly Starman, Chief Marketing Officer at MasterControl[01:07] Why Shell Game?[02:53] The Role of CMO at MasterControl[04:33] What is Shell Game?[12:39] Breaking Down the Content in Shell Game[24:57] B2B Marketing Lessons from Shell Game[28:20] Super Accelerated Learning Techniques[41:28] Mastercontrol's Marketing Strategy[44:38] Measuring ROI Strategically[47:56] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Kelly on LinkedInLearn more about MasterControlAbout 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.

With over 200 Cannes Lions, 2 Adweek Brand Genius Awards and campaigns that shook culture (“Moldy Whopper,” “Proud Whopper,” “Real Beauty Sketches”), Fernando Machado has become one of the most daring voices in marketing.And what better way to celebrate our 200th episode than with one of the boldest marketers of our time?

When your audience thinks they already know your story, the boldest brands flip the script and earn their attention in the process. That's exactly what happens in Wicked, the smash-hit film adaptation that reimagines one of pop culture's most iconic villains. In this episode, we explore the marketing lessons behind it with special guest Allison MacLeod, Chief Marketing Officer & GM of US Education at Flywire.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from reframing brand narratives, building fan-level community, and executing with bold, high-stakes detail that actually gets noticed.About our guest, Allison MacleodAllison Macleod currently serves as Chief Marketing Officer & Head of US Education at Flywire (Nasdaq: FLYW), a global payments enablement & software company. At Flywire, Allison leads global marketing and revenue operations, & US Education sales, relationship management & pre-sales. She played a key role in guiding Flywire to a successful IPO in May 2021.Allison brings nearly 20 years of experience with a background spanning marketing and revenue-focused roles. Prior to Flywire, she spent seven years at Rapid7 (Nasdaq: RPD), where she played a pivotal role in building and scaling demand generation, business development, and analytics. Before that, she held various digital and field-based positions at Forrester, including launching the marketing function in EMEA.Outside of work, Allison sits on the Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council and serves as a strategic advisor to early-stage companies through F-Prime & Underscore VC.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Wicked:Reframe what they think they know. Wicked works because it flips a legacy story on its head. The same power lies in brand repositioning. “How do you really reframe what people think they know about you and your brand,” Allison says. Whether it's entering new markets or expanding product lines, your biggest unlock might come from telling your old story in a completely new way.Community is your flywheel. Wicked isn't just a show, it's a movement. Audiences don't just watch it, they live it. That level of advocacy isn't accidental. “How do you really cultivate that community, whether that's your clients, the advocacy, and make people… feel that deep passion for what you do,” Allison asks. In B2B, fandom might look like retention, referrals, or customer-led storytelling, but it starts with emotional connection.Be bold and unforgettable. Every production choice in Wicked is a masterclass in attention to detail. From the live vocals to the stunts, they took creative risks that resonated. “How do you be bold and unforgettable,” Allison says. The safest move in saturated categories? Standing out.Quote“I think that's sort of the lesson and the beauty in this, taking something that everyone already thought they knew, and they thought they knew the story… and completely reframing it. And I think that's where you just think of us as businesses, us as consumers… there's so much clutter. So the brands that stick out and do things differently, and even if it is trying the same channel but in a different way, there's so much power in that."Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Allison MacLeod, Chief Marketing Officer & GM of US Education at Flywire[01:05] Why Wicked?[02:29] The Role of CMO at Flywire[04:00] Breaking Down of Wicked[09:22] B2B Marketing Takeaways from Wicked[21:54] The Appeal of Villains and Taking Risks[23:37] The Power of Visual Design in Branding[24:54] Marketing Strategies for Global Brands[29:26] Flywire's Unique Differentiation Approach[40:03] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Allison on LinkedInLearn more about FlywireAbout 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.

When timeless advertising principles meet today's AI-saturated landscape, something surprising happens: the old rules still work.Especially when we're talking about the father of advertising himself, David Ogilvy. In this episode, we dive into his iconic book, Ogilvy on Advertising, with special guest Eric Williamson, CMO at CallMiner.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from Ogilvy's approach: why specificity beats slogans, how research powers emotional storytelling, and why writing for humans is the real differentiator.About our guest, Eric WilliamsonAs CallMiner's Chief Marketing Officer, Eric oversees all global marketing functions from brand and events to demand generation. Eric's marketing team works very closely with channel and sales to drive pipeline and CallMiner's explosive growth. Eric has over 20 years of experience in both technology and consumer products marketing from both the vendor and agency side. Before joining CallMiner, Eric was VP Brand & Digital Marketing at Acquia — an open DXP platform built around Drupal — where he led brand, creative services, webops, editorial, and demand generation. Prior to Acquia, Eric was on the agency side of marketing working as SVP Digital & Social at MullenLowe, and before that as VP Digital Strategy at The Martin Agency. During his career Eric has worked with a variety of B2C and B2B brands including Google, Microsoft, Intel, GEICO, Walmart, P&G, Pizza Hut, Acura, Royal Caribbean, and Hyatt. He earned his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University, and an MBA from The University of Texas at Dallas.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Ogilvy on Advertising:Start with the line, not the logo. Great B2B brands don't start with visuals, they start with voice. The sharpest creative begins on the page, not the mood board. “Copy first, research first, copy second, then worry about the visuals,” Eric says. In other words: write the line that earns attention before you pick the font.Write for humans. Most B2B copy dies in a sea of jargon. What buyers actually want is to feel seen. “It's really easy to fall into a place for a technology company to talk about your tech, talk about your features… and there's nothing emotional about that,” Eric says. The fix is to start by writing for humans. Emotion isn't a nice-to-have, it's your edge.Don't guess, ask. You don't need personas when you have real people. The best insights come from your customers, not your whiteboard. Eric says, “Just go talk to them…Why do they keep staying with you? What sort of thing that they worry about at night does this help solve for them?” The answers aren't in your funnel. They're in the field.Quote“ Write for humans because, ultimately, that's who you're selling to, that's who you're trying to influence. It's really understanding their emotions. What are their fears, what are their desires? Even in the B2B world, it's easy to forget that.”Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Eric Williamson, Chief Marketing Officer at CallMiner[00:58] Why Ogilvy On Advertising?[02:49] The Role of CMO at CallMiner[03:38] Origins of Ogilvy On Advertising[06:56] B2B Marketing Takeaways from Ogilvy on Advertising[21:29] Ogilvy's Predictions[37:23] CallMiner's Marketing Strategies[41:57] AI as a Solution[44:20] Advice for Marketing Leaders[45:38] Final Thoughts & TakeawaysLinksConnect with Eric on LinkedInLearn more about CallMinerAbout 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.

In this episode of The Russell Brunson Show, I sit down with Tai Lopez… Someone I've watched, learned from, and admired from a marketing and sales perspective for years. We go deep into the mechanics of success, from how to model winning frameworks, to why curiosity is the overlooked engine behind big breakthroughs. We talk about what it really takes to scale businesses fast, how Tai thinks about brand arbitrage, and why speed of execution matters more than having the perfect plan. Tai also opens up about the environments that shaped him early on and how that affects the way he operates today. This is one of those episodes that hits on mindset, strategy, and practicality all at once. Key Highlights: Why learning frameworks is more valuable than memorizing tactics Tai's “four levels” of understanding and how to move up the ladder faster How curiosity drives decision-making, speed, and skill acquisition The role of environment and peer influence in long-term success Why imperfect action always beats perfect planning One thing that stuck with me in this conversation is how intentional Tai is about absorbing ideas (books, mentors, observations) and turning them into frameworks he can use. If you're feeling stuck in the mud with overthinking, slow execution, or wondering what separates good entrepreneurs from great ones… this episode lays it all out. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sellingonline.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://clickfunnels.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Special thanks to our sponsors: NordVPN: EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://nordvpn.com/secrets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Northwest Registered Agent: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠northwestregisteredagent.com/russell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to start your business with Northwest Registered Agent. LinkedIn Marketing Solutions: Get a $100 credit on your next campaign at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn.com/CLICKS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rocket Money: Cancel unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RocketMoney.com/RUSSELL⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Indeed: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Indeed.com/clicks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When playbooks go stale and everyone's chasing the next big AI breakthrough, the standout B2B brands are doing something else entirely. They're building immersive worlds and inviting their audience in.That's exactly what happens in Silo, the hit Apple TV+ show, where attention to detail creates a gripping, lived-in universe. In this episode, we explore the marketing lessons behind it with special guest Karen Budell, Chief Strategy & Partnerships Officer at Totango.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from crafting immersive brand worlds, creating standout brand visuals, and building trust through curiosity and community.About our guest, Karen BudellKaren Budell is the Chief Strategy & Partnerships Officer at Totango, the industry-leading customer revenue suite that turns AI-powered intelligence into customer-led growth. She previously served as the company's CMO, leading the marketing team responsible for brand and content, events, growth marketing, product marketing, and sales enablement. Budell is an active member of various CMO and GTM executive communities, including Pavilion, and serves on the G2 Executive Advisory Board. Budell previously held marketing leadership roles at SurveyMonkey, as Vice President, Brand Marketing, and Google.During her four years with Google, Budell led a team responsible for narratives and brand building for YouTube Ads and was instrumental in launching Google Marketing Platform. Having found success working with businesses of all sizes, both private and public, Budell's 20-plus year career in brand building and leadership has been fueled by her roots in journalism and a passion for storytelling through integrated, content-fueled campaigns.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Silo:Craft your world, don't just explain it. Silo hits because it's immersive. Every dusty set and muted tone pulls you deeper into its reality. That kind of worldbuilding isn't just for TV. “You need to create a unique world for your company, for your customers,” Karen says. In a sea of same-sounding content, your world is your edge and your responsibility.Curiosity is your competitive advantage. In Silo, curiosity is dangerous, but it's also how characters discover the truth. The same holds for marketers. “That is one of the most important traits of a good marketer… curiosity,” Karen says. It's not about having all the answers; it's about asking better questions and letting that inquiry shape your strategy.Emotion is in the details. Silo doesn't rely on big exposition; it builds feeling through design. You don't need to be told life underground is bleak. You feel it. “You feel claustrophobic as a viewer sitting at home watching this,” Karen says. “You feel like you're underground with them and yearning for a glimpse of what's outside.” In B2B, your content should do the same, evoke emotion through setting, tone, and texture, not just copy.Quote"We are in a great period of unlearning and relearning. I think that's what's exciting to me. Being curious. That's your superpower these days.”Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Karen Budell, Chief Strategy & Partnerships Officer at Totango[01:35] Why Silo?[03:17] Understanding Silo[07:51] B2B Marketing Lessons from Silo[22:34] The Power of Asking Questions[30:12] YouTube Strategy for B2B Brands[33:50] The Rise of Video Content[37:43] Totango's Brand & Content Strategies [39:12] Events and Experiences in Marketing[41:26] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Karen on LinkedInLearn more about TotangoAbout 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.

Want to attract better patients, reduce PPO dependence, and grow your practice with confidence? In this episode of The Thriving Dentist Show, Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah share real-world marketing lessons from thriving practices. Discover what actually works, why most dental marketing fails, and how top practices grow with long-term strategy. Book your FREE Marketing Strategy Meeting:    

When everyone's racing to launch big strategies, success takes more than smart tactics. It takes alignment, discipline, and deep cross-functional trust.That's how the heroes in Spidey and His Amazing Friends, the hit animated Marvel kids' show, defeat the villains. In this episode, we unpack marketing lessons from Spidey's universe with the help of our special guest Emily Ferdinando, CMO at Bugcrowd.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from nailing ABM execution, building content grounded in community feedback, and turning shared goals into real, coordinated action.About our guest, Emily FerdinandoEmily Ferdinando is a go-to-market leader with a focus on pipeline and revenue growth. She brings 15 years of GTM leadership experience, specializing in optimizing operational processes and data-driven strategy. With a background in sales and operations, Emily brings a unique approach to Marketing focused on down-funnel impact and top-line growth. Emily joins Bugcrowd from Veracode where she most recently led the Growth Marketing organization. Her background includes leadership roles across the GTM engine, including Global Business Development, GTM Enablement, and Operational Strategy. While there, she led the team through multiple events and two successful exits. Emily lives in New Hampshire with her husband and two young children. She enjoys the outdoors and stretching her creative muscles through painting, fiction writing and guitar.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Spidey and His Amazing Friends:Alignment over silos. In one episode, Spidey, Ghosty, and Miles all chase Rhino with their own plans, each using their powers, none working together. The mission falls apart. “We can say we have the same goal all day, but if we're not aligned on how we get there… that's what it's gonna look like,” Emily says. In marketing and in superhero teams, the difference between success and disaster isn't talent, it's coordination.One-size-fits-all content fits no one. Spidey's world works because it's made for everyone. Each with different powers, personalities, backgrounds, and their own story. That same inclusive mindset should guide your content. “Many people did not fit squarely into one piece,” Emily says. “If we ran our strategy that way, they were missing exposure to a lot of content that was really relevant to them.” Real impact comes from serving the overlaps, not the edges.Simple stories stick. Spidey and His Amazing Friends makes complex ideas—like teamwork, trust, and problem-solving—land through bright colors and clear stakes. For marketers, that's the goal too. “Making internal assumptions without pressure testing with the people who are going to be receiving the output of your team, it's a huge miss,” Emily says. Whether you're leading kids or customers, never assume they're on board. Ask, listen, and build with them.Quote“Spidey and His Amazing Friends, they really teach you what actual in practice, collaboration is supposed to look like and not look like. And it's really as simple as…you step back. We all know what we're supposed to do. It's just really hard in practice sometimes, and sometimes you can learn from the kids' shows. You just step back and go, we know what to do, we just need to do it.”Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Emily Ferdinando, CMO at Bugcrowd[01:00] Why Spidey and His Amazing Friends?[02:20] The Role of a CMO at Bugcrowd[03:00] Origins of Spidey and His Amazing Friends[19:38] B2B Marketing Takeaways from Spidey and His Amazing Friends[29:21] Bugcrowd's ABM Launch[33:30] Repackaging Content for Better Engagement[40:13] Bugcrowd's Content Strategy and Community Engagement[47:20] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Emily on LinkedInLearn more about BugcrowdAbout 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.

When you're outgunned, under-resourced, and facing giants, success takes more than speed. It takes teamwork, message discipline, and relentless coordination.That's how the Rebel Alliance defeats the Galactic Empire, and it's how great B2B marketing teams win in the real world. In this episode, we unpack marketing lessons from the Star Wars saga with special guest Eric Herzog, CMO at Infinidat.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from thinking like a startup, aligning cross-functional teams, and building content strategies that deliver across every touchpoint.About our guest, Eric HerzogEric Herzog is the Chief Marketing Officer at Infinidat. Prior to joining Infinidat, Herzog was CMO and VP of Global Storage Channels at IBM Storage Solutions. His executive leadership experience also includes: CMO and Senior VP of Alliances for all-flash storage provider Violin Memory, and Senior Vice President of Product Management and Product Marketing for EMC's Enterprise & Mid-range Systems Division.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Star Wars:Business is a team sport. Great marketing doesn't happen in silos. Whether you're a startup or a global enterprise, success depends on alignment across every function. Eric says, “In marketing, having all kinds of people running around with different functions is wrong. They all need to work together in what I call a completely vertically integrated marketing.” Your message, your content, your sales strategy. it all has to move as one.Message discipline wins hearts and minds. When you can't outspend the competition, out-message them. A clear, consistent story can be your greatest weapon. “You need to win the hearts of the minds of your customers, and your prospects, and your channel, and your sales team,” Eric says. If your message isn't aligned, neither is your market.Think like a startup (no matter your size). Speed, focus, and adaptability aren't just startup traits; they're must-haves for any marketing team. Eric explains, “ The most successful big companies in overall functions, as well as in their marketing function, try to act like a startup.” Whether you're leading a lean team or navigating a Fortune 500 org, it's that startup mindset that helps you outmaneuver slower, more bureaucratic competitors.Quote“Business is a team sport, and a subteam of marketing as part of the business is a team sport too. If you don't work as a team, the empire will crush you. You need to be like the Rebel Alliance and all work together.”Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Eric Herzog, CMO at Infinidat[01:08] Why Star Wars?[01:54] Role of CMO at Infinidat[03:03] Origins of Star Wars[08:52] B2B Marketing Takeaways from Star Wars[30:04] Infinidat's Content Strategy[33:39] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Eric on LinkedInLearn more about InfinidatAbout 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.

Have you ever wondered how Disney characters relate to your medspa's marketing strategy? Today, Andrea and Taleesa are talking about different marketing strategies using Disney characters as metaphors and talking about how you can leverage different marketing channels effectively for your practice.Listen to this fun episode to gain insights into building a strong brand and discover how to approach your marketing with confidence and intentionality - all through the unique lens of Disney character traits.If you enjoyed this episode please share, rate and review it! Also mentioned in today's episode: Belle and email marketing 5:44Rapunzel and video content 30:14Mary Poppins and marketing materials 43:10Woody from Toy Story as the perfect character for Google Reviews 47:37Links:Show transcripts: https://smithandcrawford.com/notesEmail us: hello@smithandcrawford.comJoin our newsletter: https://smithandcrawford.com/newsletterhttps://calendly.com/smithandcrawford/30-min-strategy-session?back=1&month=2024-10https://calendly.com/smithandcrawford/aesthetically-discovery-call?back=1&month=2024-08https://smithandcrawford.com/

Great marketing doesn't start with a message; it starts with a mindset shift. If you want to make people feel something, you need more than a clever campaign. You need a story that invites them in and reflects something true.That's the magic of the “Assume That I Can” campaign, where simplicity meets significance, and storytelling sparks real cultural shift. In this episode, we unpack the power of that message with the help of our special guest, Mike Barton, VP of Corporate Communications and Content Marketing at AudioEye.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from building accessible experiences, confronting audience assumptions, and crafting stories that create real connection.About our guest, Mike BartonMike is a marketing and communications leader dedicated to making the internet more accessible for all. As Vice President of Corporate Communication & Content Marketing at AudioEye, Mike leads marketing strategy, driving awareness and demand through blogs, social media, PR, video, and digital storytelling. Previously, at Adobe, he shaped content and executive messaging across Experience Cloud, Creative Cloud enterprise, and Document Cloud. With deep expertise in customer engagement and industry-specific storytelling, Mike excels at aligning business objectives with audience needs—crafting compelling narratives that resonate with C-suite leaders, end users, and decision-makers across industries.What B2B Companies Can Learn From “Assume That I Can” campaign:Start with the barrier, not the message. Before you talk about your product, talk about what's standing in the way. The best campaigns don't lead with features; they lead with mindset shifts. “If your audience already believed what you want them to believe, they'd be acting on it,” Mike explains. “What's the belief barrier that we need to identify and then either bring it down or address it?” Identify the roadblock first. Then your message has somewhere to go.Simplicity scales. Forget the fluff. The most effective campaigns are clear, precise, and emotionally resonant. Mike says, “The best ideas don't need paragraphs, they just need precision.” That's what made the “Assume That I Can” campaign so powerful: four words packed with meaning. Make your message easy to share and impossible to forget.Build stories people can see themselves in. If your marketing is talking at people, you've already lost them. Great content invites the audience into the story. Mike explains, “Connection and empathy really manifest when the person you're talking to sees themself in the story.” Whether it's about accessibility or enterprise software, lead with humanity. That's what makes people care.Quote*“ Data informs, but emotion transforms. And it's not that these are two mutually exclusive delivery mechanisms…it's really bringing data and emotion together. And as we saw in the “Assume That I Can” campaign, it was through the voice of somebody who had Down Syndrome. So we're constantly bringing in blind people or deaf people, or people who have mobility issues and letting them tell their story.”Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Mike Barton, VP, Corporate Communication & Content Marketing at AudioEye[01:13] Why the 'Assume That I Can' Campaign?[03:04] Mike's Role at Audio Eye[07:23] Breaking Down the 'Assume That I Can' Campaign[11:33] How to Make Your Content Accessible[15:13] B2B Marketing Takeaways from the Campaign[29:44] Addressing Belief Barriers in Marketing[31:58] Connecting Through Empathy and Storytelling[33:09] Marketing Strategy at Audio Eye[35:09] The Importance of Accessibility in Digital Experiences[36:02] Combining Data and Emotion for Impact[46:00] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Mike on LinkedInLearn more about AudioEyeAbout 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.

Buckle up for a marketing revolution!

Marketing isn't just about pushing a product anymore. If you want to resonate, you need to think creatively, act authentically, and know when to take the spotlight off the brand and onto the people behind it.That's the magic of Jim Henson, where artistry meets innovation, and characters become cultural icons. In this episode, we tap into that enduring creative power with the help of our special guest, Adam Kranitz, Chief Marketing Officer at Resilio.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from narrative consistency, egoless collaboration, and why it's time to stop making “content” and start telling stories that actually matter.About our guest, Adam KranitzAdam leads the marketing organization at Resilio, responsible for demand marketing, brand, and corporate communications. He is an experienced technology marketing leader with expertise in building and leading global marketing teams and strategies that grow revenue, increase product adoption, and build mindshare with competitive differentiation.Adam has led vision, strategy, and execution for all facets of B2B technology marketing, aligned with sales teams, for publicly traded technology firms, including Avid (NASDAQ: AVID) and Paychex (NASDAQ: PAYX), and SaaS start-ups, including CloudCheckr (acquired by NetApp) and LucidLink.Adam's customer-centric marketing approach has recently produced industry leadership recognition for his companies with a G2 Leader Report for Cloud File Storage and category leader in Cloud Management Wave report by Forrester Research.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Jim Henson Idea Man:Entertainment first, selling second. Jim Henson's early commercials didn't start with a coffee can—they started with chaos, characters, and charm. Adam puts it plainly: “Do we wanna beat people over the head with the technical benefits of the product, or do we wanna entertain and educate our prospects?” The goal isn't to pitch—it's to engage. Use storytelling to earn attention before you explain the value.Narrative consistency pays off. Kermit hasn't changed. Neither should your core brand story. “If we haven't landed our message and are consistently delivering it over time, through multiple channels… what have you created?” Adam asks. Like the Muppets, your brand needs to adapt across formats but stay true to character. A consistent voice builds trust—and keeps you top of mind.Let your experts do the talking. Your audience doesn't want to hear from the brand. They want to hear from the people behind it. “Nobody wants to see an AI talking head avatar… You've got smart people in your organization, it's your job as marketers to coach them up.” For Resilio, spotlighting their CTO, CPO, and CEO on LinkedIn unlocked real results. Empower your experts. That's who your buyers want to meet.Quote*“The best part of my job is when I get to get on a platform like this and do a video interview with one of our customers… and then they kind of unprompted will talk about how much they love Resilio… That magic moment where it clicked for them—that is just magic.”Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Adam Kranitz, Chief Marketing Officer at Resilio[00:56] Why Jim Henson Idea Man?[04:01] The Role of CMO at Resilio[05:31] Origins of Jim Henson Idea Man Documentary[13:07] The Creative Genius of Jim Henson[25:14] B2B Marketing Takeaways from Jim Henson[38:37] The Power of Serialized Content[42:49] The Importance of Video in Modern Marketing[52:59] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Adam on LinkedInLearn more about ResilioAbout 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.

In this episode, we break down the real reasons why your videos might be falling flat, and what truly makes video marketing work. Drawing from insights across hundreds of brand launches, we dive into the psychology behind high-performing video content: from the power of clarity, emotion, and repetition to the role of authenticity in messaging. You'll also learn how to craft videos that not only grab attention but also drive conversions across channels. Tune in now to start creating videos that sell.In today's episode of the Harvest Growth Podcast, we'll cover:Why video marketing has become non-negotiable for product-based businessesThe psychology behind video's effectiveness and how it taps into human decision-makingHow adding video to landing pages can boost conversions by up to 86%How to repurpose long-form content across multiple channels for maximum ROIAnd so much more!Want the complete roadmap to launching and scaling your products? Grab the full book in hardcover or Kindle on Amazon or get your free digital copy at PerfectLaunch.com.To be a guest on our next podcast, contact us today! Do you have a brand that you'd like to launch or grow? Do you want help from a partner that has successfully launched hundreds of brands totaling over $2 billion in revenues? Visit HarvestGrowth.com and set up a free consultation with us today! 

Subscribe to the show and get weekly tips from Tanya on how to grow, scale and diversify your online business.   In this episode of 'The Wire to Crush It Show,' Tanya interviews Nicole, a successful content creator in the beauty space. Nicole shares her journey from struggling with skin issues to becoming a beauty influencer with over a million followers. She highlights the importance of being real on social media, understanding your audience, and using data analytics to refine your messaging. Nicole also discusses how she and her partner Stacy created the SOS 60 method to help others grow their online presence. They delve into the importance of having your own digital product for long-term success and provide valuable insights into balancing personal and professional lives. Additionally, Tanya shares her personal success story using Nicole's beauty products. 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:27 Highlighting Community Success 01:02 Nicole's Social Media Impact 02:19 The Power of Authenticity 02:42 Nicole's Beauty Journey 04:23 From Frustration to Transformation 09:46 Building Influence in the Beauty Industry 10:41 Monetizing Social Media Presence 14:34 Optimizing Content for Growth 19:57 Effective Use of Bio Links 24:10 Owning Your Business: The Importance of Creating Your Own Digital Product 25:21 The Success of the SOS 60 Method 25:39 Transitioning from Beauty to Marketing: Lessons from Shalene Johnson 26:44 Building a Blueprint for Online Business Success 27:47 The Journey of Course Creation and Influencer Marketing 31:33 Balancing Life and Business: Advice for Aspiring Digital Creators 34:43 The Power of Authenticity in Social Media 35:59 Personal Stories and Testimonials: The Impact of Consistency 42:36 The Science Behind Natural Skincare 44:07 Conclusion and Final Thoughts   START HERE | Learn more about the different ways Tanya can help you in your business. Whether it's starting an online business or growing the one you have: https://www.tanyaaliza.com DIGITAL CREATOR STUDIO | My All-In-One Marketing System To Grow Your Audience, Build Your Email List, Build Amazing Marketing Funnels, Attract Perfect Leads & Sell Digital Products, While Building A Multi-Income Stream Online Brand. https://digitalcreatorstudio.com THE DIGITAL PRODUCT LAB | Transform Your Passion, Knowledge & Regular Content Into A Profitable Digital Product, Course, Coaching Program Or Membership—Even If You Have Limited Tech Skills, A Small Audience, or No Prior Experience. https://www.tanyaaliza.com/creator  MY FAVORITES | My personal camera and video gear, my health, wellness and beauty products, my favorite books and more: https://tanyaaliza.com/amazon  CONNECT WITH NICOLE DOMURET: https://my4oils.com  CONNECT ON INSTAGRAM: https://Instagram.com/tanyaaliza  SUBSCRIBE & WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/TanyaAlizaTV  CAN I FEATURE YOU? Rate and review the show and tag me on social (@tanyaaliza)... I feature a new member of the community each week on my Social Media Platforms. The reviews help us and I'd love to feature you for taking the time to share your feedback.   Disclaimers: The discussions and opinions expressed on this podcast are intended for informational and educational purposes only. Results from the strategies or products mentioned can vary and are not guaranteed. Some of the links provided are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, we may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Always conduct your own due diligence before making any financial decisions.

Some of the best campaigns don't come from massive budgets or high-gloss production. They come from leaning into what feels real. Currys' Gen Z ads are a perfect example: low-fi, deadpan, and unexpectedly brilliant.In this episode, we're unpacking what made this retail campaign a breakout success with the help of our special guest David Hooker, Director of Brand at Printful and Printify.Together, they explore what B2B marketers can learn from embracing scrappy creativity, building brand affinity over awareness, and trusting that great content doesn't need to sell a product—it just needs to make people care.About our guest, David HookerDavid Hooker is the Director of Brand at Printify and Printful. He's an experienced Creative Director and Brand Manager. Built the Prezi Evangelism and Creative Services teams. Seasoned speaker, including TED-X Talk (see below). David built the Brand and PR function at TravelPerk, securing coverage in Wired, TechCrunch, Sky News, Al Jazeera, Financial Times, Business Insider, Handelsblatt, Süddeutsche Zeitung, and the BBC. He's currently helping empower entrepreneurs at Printify and Printful. What B2B Companies Can Learn From Currys' Gen Z ads:You don't need a big budget to make standout content. Some of the most impactful marketing doesn't come from a fancy studio—it comes from a phone camera, an employee, and a smart idea. David says, “You don't have to spend thousands and thousands of dollars to make really good, great content that works.” Don't wait for budget approvals. Focus on originality and execution.B2B still means you're selling to people. Behind every buying committee is a group of humans—ones who laugh, scroll, and crave connection just like everyone else. David says, “You are B2B, but that B is a population of people… you can create great quality content that brightens up people's day, that generates awareness and an affinity for your brand.” Lead with humanity, not just logic.Ignore the naysayers—go make something people love. Not every campaign needs to hit every KPI to be worth doing. Sometimes the boldest ideas face the most resistance—and deliver the most impact. David says, “I'm sure there was someone in the meeting room… who went, ‘How are they gonna know where our stores are?' But the naysayer was wrong. If you make really great quality content that people connect with, enjoy—it's going to do good things for your marketing.” Make the thing. Publish the thing. Let the audience prove it out.Quote*“ You don't have to spend thousands and thousands of dollars to make really great content that works. Investing in the content and the quality of the content always pays off… Your B2B, but that B is a population of people, right? You've got an ecosystem of decision makers, but they're all human beings at least for the moment…You can create great quality content that brightens up people's day, that generates awareness and an affinity for your brand, without spending a lot if you focus on the content itself.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet David Hooker, Director of Brand at Printify and Printful[01:08] Why Currys' Gen Z ads?[02:35] The Origin Story of Printful and Printify[09:32] The Power of Merch[13:38] The Demand for Personalization[24:11] Understanding the Currys' Gen Z Ad Campaign[33:11] B2B Marketing Lessons from the Gen Z Currys' Ads[40:41] Authenticity in Advertising[52:21] Advice for Brand Leaders[54:26] Importance of Visual LiteracyLinksConnect with David on LinkedInLearn more about PrintifyLearn more about PrintfulAbout 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.

What does it take to make a B2B show that lasts 150 episodes—and gets better with age?In this special milestone episode, co-hosts Ian Faison, CEO of Caspian Studios, and Meredith Gooderham, Head of Production at Caspian, reflect on the lessons, mistakes, surprises, and joys of building Remarkable over the last few years. From behind-the-scenes pivots to favorite creative risks, this candid conversation offers a meta-view into what makes B2B content stand out—and what happens when you treat your show like the most important product your marketing team will ever build.Whether you're a longtime listener or just tuning in, this episode is packed with real talk, marketing takeaways, and a few inside stories about what it takes to create content that connects.What We've Learned From Creating 149 Episodes: Original ideas are harder—but worth it. Great content almost always starts with one person pushing an idea through resistance. From Murder in HR to documentary-style storytelling, the best creative work came from taking risks and backing a vision—despite obstacles or skepticism.Passion beats polish. The most compelling episodes are when guests bring personal enthusiasm for a topic—whether it's fishing, Formula 1, or reality TV. That energy translates into richer insights, better marketing takeaways, and more authentic conversations.B2B content doesn't have to look like B2B. Audiences crave genres they already love—like comedy, true crime, or documentary. When B2B brands stop copying each other and start tapping into broader content formats, they unlock massive creative potential.Quotes“ I would do this show if nobody listened because it's so valuable for me to talk to other brilliant marketing people about what inspires them, because it inspires so much of my own creativity.”“ It takes conviction to be able to sell a big idea, and big swings make big hits. And that happens over and over and over again.”“ Playing it safe is not safe.”“ It's so cool to find out what people are excited about outside of work, but also to combine that with their expertise and see what lessons they can draw from it. And how they're using their personal life in their professional life and vice versa has been super cool.”Time Stamps[01:10] Reflecting on 149 Episodes[02:44] Lessons From Creating Great Content[08:29] Partnering for Success[10:55] Taking Risks in Marketing[14:53] Takeaways from 149 Episodes[35:57] Mistakes and Lessons Learned[46:30] Guest Booking Insights[48:24] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Ian on LinkedInConnect with Meredith on LinkedInAbout Remarkable!Remarkable! is created by the team at Caspian Studios, the premier B2B Podcast-as-a-Service company. Caspian creates both nonfiction and fiction series for B2B companies. If you want a fiction series check out our new offering - The Business Thriller - Hollywood style storytelling for B2B. Learn more at CaspianStudios.com. In today's episode, you heard from Ian Faison (CEO of Caspian Studios) and Meredith Gooderham (Head of Production). Remarkable was produced this week by Jess Avellino, mixed by Scott Goodrich, and our theme song is “Solomon” by FALAK. Create something remarkable. Rise above the noise.

Welcome to a new episode of Business Lunch, Ryan Deiss and I dissect the recent hype surrounding two new AI-powered gadgets - the Humane AI pen and the Rabbit. Both products promised to revolutionize our lives with features like real-time feedback and enhanced productivity. However, reviews have been scathing, exposing the devices as clunky, unhelpful, and ultimately a letdown. We delve into the challenges of launching new hardware products in a crowded market and explore the dangers of overpromising and failing to deliver, highlighting how a great marketing campaign can backfire if the product itself isn't exceptional.Highlights:"The people are not stupid long term, we're all a little stupid short term from time to time.""It's a game of replacement, not enhancement.""The better you are at marketing, the better your product better be.”Timestamps:00:54 - Introduction02:36 - Memorial Day05:26 - AI Devices and Hype07:17 - The Future of AI Gadgets12:24 - Apple Vision Goggles14:21 - Lessons Learned16:30 - Nobody Wants More Stuff17:32 - Rabbit Using Chat GPT23:10 - Marketing Lessons (and Mistakes)CONNECT • Ask Roland a question HERE.RESOURCES:• 7 Steps to Scalable workbook• Get my book, Zero Down, FREETo learn more about Roland Frasier

Sponsorships aren't just about slapping your logo on something anymore. If you want to make an impact, you need to think bigger, bolder—and know when to step into the driver's seat.That's the appeal of F1 sponsorships, where precision meets pageantry, and brand integration is as strategic as the race itself. In this episode, we tap into that high-speed energy with the help of our special guest, Ondar Tarlow, marketing consultant for action sports. Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from global sponsorships, smart storytelling, and knowing when to go all in—and when to walk away.About our guest, Ondar TarlowOndar Tarlow has over 20 years of experience in marketing and branding. He's known for engaging audiences through data-driven insights and witty, creative storytelling to achieve results. He has been leveraging AI to boost campaign performance results by 5x with propensity models and cutting production time by 75% using Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Adobe Firefly, all while upholding IP standards.As Chief Marketing Officer at Kinecta Federal Credit Union and Pacific Premier Bank, he spearheaded award-winning campaigns that resulted in over $1.7 billion in product volume and tens of thousands of new customers. These successes earned him industry recognition, including Diamond Awards for brand awareness and a Top 100 Marketer award.Currently, Ondar serves as a marketing consultant for motorsports, financial, and lifestyle brands, partnering with organizations like Fast Lane Drive. His passion for motorsports, including attending 11 Formula 1 races worldwide, inspires his focus on high-performance teamwork and precision. Ondar's sponsorship expertise - demonstrated through collaborations with the LA Chargers, LA Galaxy, Anaheim Ducks, Luft 10 (Porsche), and BeachLife Music Festival - highlights his ability to connect brands with their ideal target audiences. Ondar holds a BA in Psychology from California State University, Northridge, and has earned digital marketing certifications from UCLA and trained with the American Red Cross in Crisis Communications and Media Relations. Ondar is also dedicated to community development, serving on the board of Junior Achievement, which provides youth with financial education and career readiness tools.What B2B Companies Can Learn From F1 Sponsorships:Don't just show up—integrate. It's not enough to slap your logo on something and call it a day. True brand partnerships go deeper. “Really any company that can afford it, can get a logo. But when you're doing a true brand integration like Oracle has done with Red Bull, that's really where things can pay off.” The ROI comes from relevance, not just visibility. Think about how your product can become part of the story.No plan, no payoff. As Ondar puts it: “Plan, plan. plan. And then data, data, and data.” B2B marketers must tie sponsorships to broader company strategy from the very beginning. That means aligning with your CEO and CFO, knowing what problem you're trying to solve, and figuring out how to measure impact—before you sign the dotted line.Go niche to go big. F1's PacSun collaboration proves you don't have to outspend Rolex to make an impact. You just need the right story. “They really thought about it... and what they've been able to create is an interest in F1 from this demographic.” By focusing on Gen Alpha and teenage girls, PacSun built a new fanbase and drove fashion sales—without buying trackside banners. In B2B, the same principle applies: niche audiences, well-served, can generate outsized returns.Quotes*“You have to test. There's going to be periods of time where you're gonna do something new, and you can't be afraid to fail…When you're finding out something that's working, then you need to double down and you need to take the risks. You need to take those risks and move forward with them. Things that aren't working, don't marry yourself to them. Figure out what you need to tweak and then continue to test. Marketing is not an exact science.”*“ Plan, plan, plan, and then data, data, and data. So first off, the plan is you have to make sure you're aware of what the strategy is of the company that you're with. And if you're a CMO, you're obviously responsible for the marketing strategy, and you should have a seat at the table as part of developing the strategy as far as the company, in a whole. So that's first off, and then understanding exactly what the challenge is, and then how are you going to be able to come up with a solution based on the decisions that you're making based on brand integration. And then from there is what data can you capture and how can you utilize that data so that you can drive metrics and those reporting metrics to show exactly what the benefit is of the partnership is that you're involved with.”*“ Brands can really leverage [figuring] out what the storyline is. To get the human aspect to it. And I think that that is a great opportunity for brands to look at is that if they're gonna invest in a driver or they're gonna invest in a team is what personalities are making up that team there.”Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Ondar Tarlow, marketing consultant for action sports. [01:07] Why F1 Sponsorships?[02:59] Ondar's Background[04:50] The Rise of F1 in the US[06:34] Understanding F1 Sponsorships[11:28] ROI on F1 Sponsorships[15:03] Drive to Survive: Impact on F1[18:08] Anatomy of an F1 Sponsorship Deal[24:47] The High Stakes of F1 Sponsorships[28:25] The Appeal of F1 Events[29:32] Strategic Brand Integration in F1 Sponsorships[36:34] The Importance of Planning and Data in Sponsorships[40:53] Leveraging F1 Storylines for Brand Success[45:06] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Ondar on LinkedInAbout Remarkable!Remarkable! is created by the team at Caspian Studios, the premier B2B Podcast-as-a-Service company. Caspian creates both nonfiction and fiction series for B2B companies. If you want a fiction series check out our new offering - The Business Thriller - Hollywood style storytelling for B2B. Learn more at CaspianStudios.com. In today's episode, you heard from Ian Faison (CEO of Caspian Studios) and Meredith Gooderham (Head of Production). Remarkable was produced this week by Jess Avellino, mixed by Scott Goodrich, and our theme song is “Solomon” by FALAK. Create something remarkable. Rise above the noise.

Some performances fade. Others stay with you for decades.Buena Vista Social Club is one of them. It isn't just a musical—it's a masterclass in resonance, memory, and experience.In this episode, we're pulling B2B marketing lessons from that spirit of storytelling with the help of Dan Lowden, Chief Marketing Officer at Blackbird.AI.Together, we explore why content should come first, how honesty builds brand resilience, and what it takes to create live experiences your audience will talk about for years.About our guest, Dan LowdenDan is the CMO at Blackbird.AI and leads the company's strategic marketing efforts, including demand generation and brand leadership. He has over 20 years of strategic experience at the executive level. He has served as CMO at cybersecurity firm HUMAN Security (acquired by Goldman Sachs), named one of the TIME100 Most Influential Companies of 2023. Lowden also served as the CMO at Digital Shadows (acquired by Reliaquest) and, before that, CMO at Invincea (acquired by Sophos) and VP of Marketing at vArmour (acquired by Night Dragon). He has held marketing leadership positions at Wayport (acquired by AT&T), IBM ThinkPad (acquired by Lenovo), NEC Technologies, and Sharp Electronics. Lowden holds an MBA in International Business from Rutgers Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Science from Rider University.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Buena Vista Social Club:Content is the foundation—not an afterthought. Even in cybersecurity, content is king. Dan says, “My first hire was a content person. You can have the best ABM strategy or tools, but if you don't have really valuable content, you're not going to get anywhere.” His advice? Lead with education, not asks. Thoughtful reports, relevant use cases, and engaging narratives will earn your audience's attention—and their trust.Honesty builds brand resilience. When it comes to trust, marketing can't cut corners. Especially in high-stakes industries like cybersecurity. Dan says, “There's been a lot of overstatement of things by marketers and salespeople. That's when marketing takes a ding.” Instead, he urges CMOs to stay grounded: deliver real value, communicate with clarity, and show your audience you're in it for the long haul.Live experiences create a lasting impact. If you want your brand to be unforgettable, you need to create moments that move people. “People still come up to us today and say that band and that experience 10-plus years ago—they remember. There's not been anything like that,” Dan says, reflecting on a live concert his team produced. Whether it's a concert, a rooftop dinner, or a one-of-a-kind conference, remarkable experiences turn into word-of-mouth—and brand love that lingers.Quotes*“To me, in marketing—B2B or B2C—it's about creating a relationship, trust, even friendship, a community with your audience.”*"If you treat your customers well, if you serve them well, if you're honest with them… then you have a chance of being very successful as a company.”*“Music is really, really important, really powerful… as a marketer, especially in cybersecurity where there's 5,000 cybersecurity companies, you have to do something different. You have to stand out.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Dan Lowden, CMO at Blackbird.AI[03:42] The Magic of Live Theater[06:21] The Role of a CMO in Cybersecurity[10:23] Understanding Narrative Attacks[14:29] The Evolution of Narrative Intelligence[22:36] The Story Behind Buena Vista Social Club[28:31] The Power of Live Music in Marketing[30:33] Creating Remarkable Experiences[39:21] The Importance of Content in Marketing[45:05] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Dan on LinkedInLearn more about Blackbird.AIAbout 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.

Some stories don't need to be loud to leave a mark. Ordinary People is one of those films—a quiet, deeply human story that lingers long after the credits roll. It's not flashy, but it's unforgettable.In this episode, we're pulling marketing lessons from Robert Redford's directorial debut with the help of our special guest Ruth Zive, CMO of Voices.Together, they explore what B2B marketers can learn from telling emotionally resonant stories, leading with creative conviction, and knowing when to step out of the spotlight to let the work speak for itself.About our guest, Ruth ZiveRuth Zive is the Chief Marketing Officer at Voices. Ruth is a skilled and metrics-driven marketing strategist who believes in evidence-based revenue growth through the coordination and alignment of marketing and sales processes. She has worked for two decades serving B2B clients in the technology, financial services, and nonprofit industries.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Ordinary People:Conviction is part of the job. Strong marketing doesn't come from consensus—it comes from clarity. Ruth says, “Marketing can sometimes devolve into a bit of a crowdsourced exercise. Everybody wants to edit your content or weigh in on the messaging… but we are the experts in marketing and we should make decisions accordingly.” Have conviction in your vision—and own the creative calls that matter.Tell the story of your customer's pain, not just the product. Emotional resonance starts with understanding your buyer's struggle. Ruth says, “The most resonant stories as a B2B marketer are the ones that start with the pain of the person that you're trying to touch. Ultimately, what you're doing is showcasing how you're going to get the prospect to the other side of that pain.” Lead with empathy, not just features.Stretch your team—and your story. Growth comes from pushing beyond the expected. Ruth says, “You never want your marketing to be a rinse and repeat proposition. You always want it to be a little bit provocative and unexpected.” Like casting Mary Tyler Moore in a dramatic role, bold choices unlock surprising results—creatively and commercially.Quotes*“Know your superpower. I talk about this a lot with my marketing colleagues. Robert Redford was the George Clooney of the day. He had very successful movies, he was a fantastic actor, but he was also a heartthrob. And that might have been a distraction in this story. I think that Robert Redford probably had some good self-awareness in that regard, and some of it might have been that he wanted to test his other skills and stretch into new domains for sure, but it might have been a distraction for him to have been the guy on the screen.”*“You don't need the biggest budget to have the biggest impact. [Robert Redford]  didn't have to hire the biggest star, and yet, look at how the movie performed.”*“I think at the end of the day, the folks behind the brand, even in B2B marketing, creating the assets, writing the story, they are humans, and the folks that we are selling to are ultimately humans. And it is our job as the B2B marketers to make those people on the other side of the transaction feel something. That's what we are trying to do is get them to feel something. And there are a lot of different ways we can do that, but I believe wholeheartedly that it starts with the story. The story speaks to their pain. The story showcases how we are going to make that pain go away. It's a simple formula. But I think that if you lead with features and functions, then you've lost the plot.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Voices CMO Ruth Zive[01:30] About 'Ordinary People' the Movie[04:26] What We Learn From Robert Redford's Directorial Debut[08:21] Analyzing Characters and Themes[13:50] Marketing Lessons from the Movie[25:18] Casting Choices and Their Impact[26:51] Marketing Lessons from Unconventional Casting[29:15] Donald Sutherland's Unique Perspective[32:08] Authenticity in Marketing and Storytelling[38:43] The Future of Voice in Branding[44:30] Content Strategy and Vision Videos[47:40] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Ruth on LinkedInLearn more about VoicesAbout 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.

Polish doesn't build trust—personality does. And no one understands that better than TikTok creators, who turn raw ideas into magnetic, shareable content every day.In this episode, we're pulling marketing lessons from TikTok's creative chaos with the help of Rhonda Hughes, award-winning B2B marketing leader.Together, they explore what B2B marketers can learn from leading with authenticity, embracing low-fi experimentation, and having the courage to make something truly original.About our guest, Rhonda HughesRhonda Hughes is a storyteller and connector of people and ideas with 18 years of experience helping brands engage their customers and audiences. She believes in creating value, not noise, and she has a knack for inspiring teams to push boundaries with fresh, fun, relevant content, campaigns, and programs. Rhonda's team's work has earned recognition from Mashable, Business Insider, Hubspot, Sprout Social, KISSmetrics, Content Marketing Institute, and snagged her a spot on North Bay's 40 under 40 “Ones to Watch” list, noted among the “Top 50 Women in Content”, and awarded for "Best B2B Campaign on TikTok."What B2B Companies Can Learn From TikTok Creators:Fun is a strategy—not a distraction. Brands win when they lean into playfulness—not just performance. “The brands that, to me, the companies that feel like they win are the ones that are really always putting their audience in the center and trying to figure out a way to be useful and be human and be playful,” Rhonda says. This kind of joyful creativity builds connection—and makes your brand memorable.Imperfect content is often the most relatable. Audiences don't crave polish—they crave authenticity. “The most engaging content isn't the most polished… you can tell that this was just a creative idea and somebody with their camera and they're rallying the folks internally around how they bring the story to life,” Rhonda says. “And that's part of what makes it so relatable and likable.” Let your audience in on the process, not just the finished product.Iterate like a creator. TikTok's best creators don't get stuck in strategy mode—they test, tweak, and try again. That mindset is essential for B2B marketers too. “TikTok creators are constantly iterating… they've gotta test formats and hooks and trends and sounds, and they have to move fast and be playful with this,” Rhonda says. The takeaway? Strategy doesn't mean overthinking. It means being in motion.Quotes*“You just never know what's gonna work. So you kind of have to be okay with trying and missing and trying again.”*“You want to build content that's gonna resonate with your audience and also be something they want to share.”*“If you're not enjoying what you're making, your audience probably isn't either.”*“It's not about going viral—it's about showing up over and over again.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Rhonda Hughes, Award-Winning Marketer[03:37] The Power of Authenticity on TikTok[06:00] Engaging Content Strategies[10:34] Spotlight on Successful TikTok Campaigns[16:16] Creative Marketing Examples[27:28] The Power of Authenticity in Social Media[29:37] The Bravery of Unique Marketing Strategies[30:33] TSA's Unexpected Social Media Success[32:39] The Importance of Fun and Experimentation in Marketing[42:03] Creating Value, Not Noise[43:37] The Utility of Content and Audience Engagement[50:03] Final Thoughts and Advice for Marketing LeadersLinksConnect with Rhonda on LinkedInAbout Remarkable!Remarkable! is created by the team at Caspian Studios, the premier B2B Podcast-as-a-Service company. Caspian creates both nonfiction and fiction series for B2B companies. If you want a fiction series check out our new offering - The Business Thriller - Hollywood style storytelling for B2B. Learn more at CaspianStudios.com. In today's episode, you heard from Ian Faison (CEO of Caspian Studios) and Meredith Gooderham (Head of Production). Remarkable was produced this week by Jess Avellino, mixed by Scott Goodrich, and our theme song is “Solomon” by FALAK. Create something remarkable. Rise above the noise.

What can a satirical HBO series teach you about building a scalable, high-impact B2B marketing engine? A lot—if you ask Manish Gupta.In this episode, 4-Time CMO Manish Gupta joins Caspian CEO Ian Faison to deconstruct the show Silicon Valley and extract lessons on marketing, storytelling, team dynamics, and startup chaos. Together, they explore how to translate complex technology to engage your audience, prioritizing content in your marketing, and including human moments to build brand trust.About our guest, Manish GuptaManish Gupta is a 4x CMO, having led marketing at companies like LaunchDarkly, Sonar and Redis. Manish brings deep experience scaling B2B technology businesses across public and private markets, including acquisitions and strategic transitions.His leadership spans category-defining companies such as Redis, Sonar, Liaison, Oracle, and Apple, where he has successfully driven both product-led and sales-led growth. With domain expertise in software infrastructure, AI, SaaS, cloud, and communications, Manish is known for navigating complex business models and delivering sustainable growth.He has also served as an advisor, board member, and investor in early-stage startups. Manish holds Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Engineering from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Santa Clara University.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Silicon Valley:Tech needs a translator. Technology is hard to understand—even for your audience. “Translating really complex technologies into simple-to-deliver messaging is an art form,” Manish says. “Great technology needs a great story, right? The narrative is so important, and how you deliver the narrative and how you package it is key to the success.”Content is the engine. Not the garnish. Manish makes it clear: “The whole marketing engine should be built around content.” That means investing in formats your audience truly wants—like hands-on guides and short-form videos—and making sure every asset is tailored to a specific persona and stage in the journey.Human moments build brand trust. Whether it's the "Not Hotdog" app or the team playing their bizarre “Always Blue” game, Silicon Valley nails the emotional truth of startup life. That same humanity should be visible in your marketing. Quotes*“ We as marketing leaders have to be very mindful that not everything and everybody in every marketing organization can evolve and move at an exponentially improved pace just because you have the tools. Yes, it has to move on that trajectory, but there has to be a level of reality put into the expectation. Otherwise there's gonna be burnout.”*”I think particularly in the B2B tech space, you've got almost a bifurcation of folks that use the technology but don't have any budget ownership, versus people that have the decision-making authority and the budget ownership but aren't necessarily very close to the technology. And I think marketing has to deal with that two-pronged approach in everything that it does and the channels that get activated. The messaging that has to align with the audience is certainly the content that has to be created, and that can be complicated. Balancing that is a nuanced execution for marketing teams.”*”A CMO should run the entire marketing engine around content. And this is not to invoke the old adage of ‘Content is king,' but, you know, what are you at the end of the day? Delivering or communicating to your target audience, whether it's an existing customer or a prospect you're trying to win over. It is content and how you package that content, how you position it, what story and narrative is wrapped around the technology to deliver is really, at the end of the day, what matters.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Manish Gupta, 4-Time CMO[01:05] Why Silicon Valley?[08:22] What is Silicon Valley?[16:01] B2B Marketing Takeaways from Silicon Valley[24:02] Balancing Predictability and Innovation[28:10] Targeting Practitioners vs. Decision Makers[30:26] Creating How-To Content[33:18] Importance of Content[39:33] Measuring ROI Around a Series of Content[42:13] Advice for CMOs on Content Strategy[43:25] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Manish on LinkedInAbout Remarkable!Remarkable! is created by the team at Caspian Studios, the premier B2B Podcast-as-a-Service company. Caspian creates both nonfiction and fiction series for B2B companies. If you want a fiction series check out our new offering - The Business Thriller - Hollywood style storytelling for B2B. Learn more at CaspianStudios.com. In today's episode, you heard from Ian Faison (CEO of Caspian Studios) and Meredith Gooderham (Head of Production). Remarkable was produced this week by Jess Avellino, mixed by Scott Goodrich, and our theme song is “Solomon” by FALAK. Create something remarkable. Rise above the noise.

Going viral might get you noticed. But consistency is what makes you unforgettable. And no one proves that better than Alix Earle, a TikTok star who turned daily “Get Ready With Me” videos into a personal media empire.In this episode, we're pulling marketing lessons from Alix's rise with the help of Elizabeth Strickert, Director of Content Marketing at A-LIGN.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from staying consistent, growing with (not past) your audience, and making content that's actually fun to create.About our guest, Elizabeth StrickertElizabeth Strickert is Director of Content Marketing at tech-enabled cybersecurity and compliance company A-LIGN. There, Elizabeth is leading content, thought leadership, comms & customer marketing.She has overhauled their SEO program, resulting in top 10 ranking for high-difficulty, high-volume keywords. She also led the creation of an annual benchmark report, reaching 3 million+ impressions. She leverages internal thought leaders for social media, videos, webinars, speaking opps and written content. She previously served as Director of Communications & Content at Ekos and Marketing Communications Manager at Passport.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Alix Earle:Consistency builds credibility. Viral moments come and go, but Alix Earle's staying power lies in her relentless consistency. No shortcuts, just commitment. It's a reminder that content success isn't just about innovation; it's about endurance. Elizabeth says, “Alix, not only did she get rewarded from doing that, she was on TikTok for a long time before she really got big. But even since making it, she's still posting multiple times a day. She is just there doing it, grinding. All the time.” In B2B, the same rule applies: keep posting, keep showing up.Honor your origin story. Growth doesn't mean forgetting who got you there. Alix still makes the content that first drew her audience in, while smartly layering in new formats. In B2B, you must evolve, but stay grounded. Elizabeth reminds us, “You gotta remember who got you here. You gotta remember your core customer base. You gotta remember the people who you know are…the ones that pay the bills.” Make sure to have a balance, especially as you scale.Find the fun and show it. Audiences can feel when you're enjoying what you're creating. It's what makes content magnetic. Alix's success didn't just come from consistency, it came from joy. She leaned into the formats that were fun for her, and her audience leaned in too. Elizabeth puts it plainly: “When someone is excited about the things they're making, it automatically makes them more interesting. And we just have to lean on that.” In B2B, it's easy to default to polished, sanitized messaging. But the real key is letting your content creators tap into what actually excites them. If your team thinks it's boring, your audience will too.Quotes“ We think, B2B, it needs to be polished, it needs to be sanitized. But the story is the interesting part. That's where someone can relate to it. That's where somebody can get hooked in. That's why you care. And I think a lot of times we forget about that.”“We want B2B content to be polished. Sanitized. But the story — that's the interesting part. That's what people actually relate to. We forget that too often. The story is why people care.”“ I think it's good to be a consumer. As a marketer, you're putting content out in the world, you need to consume it. But…you don't need to be going to a B2B workshop. You can watch TikTok. You can watch people like Alix Earle and other folks and get inspiration from what their doing. You can look at what YouTubers are doing. Everything people are doing is a marketing decisions and there's things you can take away from that.”“Influencers start off because they thought, ‘Oh, it'd be kind of fun to make a video.' That's the initial nugget.  And as marketers who, for a living, have chosen to create content and do marketing. We also need to think, ‘Hey, it'd be a little fun to make a video.' That's where the start of it has to come from.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Elizabeth Strickert, Director of Content Marketing at A-LIGN[01:03] Why Alix Earle?[01:56] The Role of Director of Content Marketing at A-LIGN[02:29] The Rise of Alix Earl[13:41] Relatability and Authenticity in Influencer Marketing[21:07] The Power of Parasocial Influence[29:02] B2B Marketing Takeaways From Alix Earle[45:59] A-LIGN's Content Strategy[47:32] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Elizabeth on LinkedInLearn more about A-LIGNAbout 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.

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.

Cool features don't make a story. Emotional stakes do. And no one knew that better than Knight Rider, a show where a talking car and a lone hero made 80s TV unforgettable.In this episode, we're pulling lessons from that retro icon with the help of our special guest, Ashley Sasnett, Senior Director of Content Strategy at EquifaxTogether, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from classic archetypes, character-driven branding, and the power of giving your product a little personality (or maybe even a voice of its own).About our guest, Ashley SasnettAshley Sasnett is the Senior Director of Content Strategy at Equifax. She is an award-winning, dynamic, and energetic digital marketing strategist with an extensive background in content, social media, mobile, campaign design and execution, and audience development. Ashley is a data-driven leader who embraces social listening and digital analytics to glean insights to solve business problems.Ashley is a marketer who humanizes Brands with social media, digital content, and influencers, creating connections with clients and prospects.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Knight Rider:Storytelling makes the features matter. Knight Rider didn't win fans because KITT had voice activation or turbo boost. It won fans because those features served a bigger story. A story about a hero resurrected to right wrongs with his talking car by his side. Ashley urges marketers to take the same approach. Don't just list functionality. Show how it fits into a compelling narrative. Ashley says, “That's a story. And so I think for me, when I'm thinking about how do you create marketing that really sticks with people is... you need to really pull 'em away from like brochureware.” When tech serves emotion, people remember it. So build the story before you build the spec sheet.Embrace the buddy system. At its heart, Knight Rider was a buddy story—man and machine. That relationship brought emotional grounding to an otherwise tech-heavy premise. Ashley points out how powerful that dynamic is in marketing, too. Even the most advanced products need a human emotion. Ashley explains, “You gotta give him a friend… give them a buddy to keep their humanity, keep them connected so they can go out and be the hero they're supposed to be.” Your product might be brilliant. But it's the companion—the story, the use case, the customer—that brings it to life.Make it iconic, not just informative. KITT wasn't just a car. It had a voice, a silhouette, and a sound you could recognize anywhere. It was branding genius and completely unforgettable. Ashley sees this as a blueprint for marketers: features don't stick unless they're wrapped in a sensory identity people can latch onto. Ashley says, “When the car is driving up…that sound is like Darth Vader's voice. Everyone knows that sound. It's so ownable to the show.” Don't just inform. Design your marketing to be remembered. Own your marketing.Quotes*“When I'm thinking about how do you create marketing that really sticks with people is it's, yeah, you gotta give 'em the AI and the voice of recognition and the bulletproof and the hot car thing. You gotta give them features and functionality, but you need to really pull them away from like brochureware, right? Don't take a product sheet and turn it into a webpage. We're so past that. Because a lot of the time, people are going through and checking boxes for that stuff, but they're not getting the use case, the value prop, the differentiation that's wrapped around those features and functionality. And when you do have something that's different, doubling down on that, so you can stand out, you're gonna do that in storytelling, and you always have these big story arcs.”*“ Market your marketing. The challenge that you've got is throughout your organization, people are seeing your marketing, but they're seeing it more as users. They're seeing the end product, they're not always understanding the strategies behind it. And I love a good dashboard. I love a good metric, I love a good deck, but you don't wanna turn them into crutches. You need to have that elevator pitch…And I think marketers, internally, we get so caught up in the bits and bobs and the how it's made, and we like to geek out on that stuff. We forget that really everybody just needs three or four bullet points… I think that's where it's funny 'cause we don't do for ourselves as we should do for our company or for our customers. Which is market your marketing, make sure people are understanding why you're doing what you're doing and how.”*“Stories are  pretty basic…Things were cranking along, and then you hit a stormy patch, and now things are better because you use this product. The stories  that you unearth in there is how they've used that product, but you've got that big story arc that kind of pulls it all together….  What is the conflict? Who's the protagonist? And then what does that or resolution look like? And when you're able to do that, you're gonna have a fuller, clearer picture for the audience to really glom onto. Because unless you're in the room with them telling that story, you've gotta let your digital content do a lot of work.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Ashley Sasnett, Sr. Director, Content Strategy at Equifax[01:15] Why Knight Rider?[03:13] The Role of Sr. Director of Content Strategy at Equifax[05:21] Origins of Knight Rider[10:37] B2B Marketing Lessons from Knight Rider[37:42] Equifax's Content Strategy[41:26] Creating Memorable Content[43:15] Great Current Marketing Campaigns[47:37] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Ashley on LinkedInLearn more about EquifaxAbout 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.

Rational thinking might drive economics, but emotional behavior drives decisions. And no one understands that better than Dan Ariely, author of Predictably Irrational, a book that's reshaped our assumptions about how people make decisions.In this episode, we're unpacking key lessons from Dan Ariely's work with the help of our special guest, Leslie Alore, SVP of Marketing at Flexera.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from setting the right expectations, why fewer choices close more deals, and how the power of “free” and fear of loss can drive serious retention.About our guest, Leslie AloreAs the SVP of Marketing, Leslie Alore leads Flexera's marketing strategy with an aim to create great experiences and outcomes for our customers.Her passion for people and technology—combined with more than 15 years of marketing leadership in the tech space—has established her as a successful, results-driven executive who enables teams to do their best work.Prior to joining Flexera, Leslie served as the Global SVP of Lifecycle Marketing at Ivanti. Before that, she held various marketing, operations and GTM strategy roles at Iron Mountain. Leslie is an active speaker and mentor in the GTM community, and has been recognized among “Top Women in Marketing” by Ragan Communications and “Women of the Channel” by CRN.Leslie holds a BBA in Management, and an MBA with a concentration in Strategic Leadership from Walsh College of Accountancy and Business Administration.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Predictably Irrational:Set expectations to shape reality. Great marketing doesn't just reflect value, it creates the conditions for it. Leslie highlights how expectations shape reality. When buyers believe something is good, they interpret every detail through that lens. This isn't about manipulation, it's about clarity and consistency. Leslie says, “The effect of expectations… believing beforehand something is good, therefore it will be or the reverse.” So stop hoping your audience connects the dots. Tell them what to expect, then deliver on it. Perception isn't a bonus, it's the foundation.Shrink your options to speed the decision. Too many options stall progress. The paradox of choice tells us more isn't better, it's paralyzing. Leslie urges marketers to curate the path forward: “You actually want to give people fewer options and take control of the options that they see.” Don't just join the shortlist, define it. When you narrow the frame, you speed up the decision for your customers. Turn “free” into staying power with loss aversion. There's magic in “free,” but the real power lies in what people fear losing. Once someone uses your product, whether it's a freemium tool or an ungated resource, they've invested. Now there's skin in the game. Leslie puts it simply, “People will overvalue something that's free and ignore kind of the trade-off costs associated. And loss is psychologically painful. We don't want to lose that, which we already have.” Whether you offer software, content, or services, create early wins. Then make the cost of leaving feel higher than the cost of staying.Quotes*“ There's many organizations that lean into that power of positivity…What's very interesting is that consumer brands do this a lot very, very well. B2B organizations tend to do almost the opposite. They tend to lean more into FUD. And that's a harder road to tread.”*“ If you're an organization that is selling software, the software is designed to provide a business outcome. It's designed to solve a business problem. Instead of focusing on, here's the business problem. Doesn't that suck for you? You can say, ‘here's the solution.*“You have the power, you can feel confident about your ability to achieve X, Y, Z because you've solved this problem.' It's saying the same thing, but orienting it in a positive way and being very, very, very consistent in that message. Beat that drum over and over and over again.”*“ Narrow down the competitive options for them. Your sales process will move faster. You will be able to take better control of the narrative if you say, ‘this is us and these are the two other vendors that look like us. And here's why we are different and better, and here's what you can expect from these guys.' And that doesn't mean saying negative things about them.  It's just highlighting your strengths and your virtues.”*“People are willing to accept trade-offs for something that is perceived to be free…This is the exact reason that PLG, product-led growth, is so powerful. Because if you can get people in the door with some sort of freemium offering, people will actually work harder to do the legwork to get a free product to work and interact with it, than they might be willing to put in for something that they have to go pay for. And then once they have it and they've put in the work, they don't wanna lose it.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Leslie Alore, SVP of Marketing at Flexera[00:56] Why Predictably Irrational?[02:20] The Role of SVP of Marketing at Flexera[02:47] Understanding Predictably Irrational[09:56] B2B Marketing Lessons from Predictably Irrational[37:49] Cognitive Dissonance in Buying Behavior[42:17] Emotional Marketing in B2B[46:18] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Leslie on LinkedInLearn more about FlexeraAbout 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.

Adolescence isn't your typical TV drama. It's raw, immersive, and filmed in a single unbroken shot, forcing you to stay with every moment, no matter how uncomfortable.In this episode, we're pulling lessons from that intensity with the help of our guest, Charlie Ungashick, CMO of Vimeo.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from embracing creative risk, connecting across generations, and resisting the urge to over-polish. Because sometimes, the most powerful stories are the ones that feel the most human.About our guest, Charlie UngashickCharlie Ungashick joined Vimeo as CMO in 2024. He has over 20 years of experience leading marketing teams in tech companies. Before Vimeo, he was CMO and Head of Product at Applause, a leader in crowdsourced software testing. Charlie also advised Gem, a talent engagement platform, and held product, sales engineering, and IT roles at AIG, Novell, and SilverStream Software early in his career. He holds a bachelor's degree from Fordham University and a diploma in economics from the Université de Paris-Sorbonne.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Adolescence:Take risks that stretch you. In Adolescence, everything was a bet. A single-take format. A debut teenage actor. Emotionally loaded material. It had no business working—and yet it did. Charlie sees the same dynamic in great marketing. He explains, “Some of the best projects that we've all worked on are probably like that—they're risky and audacious.” In B2B, we often play it too safe. Big ideas get trimmed down before they even leave the doc. But safe rarely stands out. Sometimes, the smartest move is to back the idea that feels slightly unmakeable—and then go make it.Follow the signals across generations. Charlie and his daughters both watched Adolescence—but saw it through totally different lenses. That contrast sparked something powerful. Charlie says, “Adolescence was interesting because it had something for lots of different generations... it created that human element.” The best B2B content doesn't just target—it connects. Know where your audience is, how they consume, and what matters to them emotionally. Not every story has to hit everyone the same way. But the best ones open up space for conversation across the gap.Lead with authenticity, not polish. Adolescence wasn't glossy. It was real. That's what made it stick. Charlie challenges marketers to do the same: “We should all be comfortable in our B2B marketing by providing the same emotional authenticity that we find on TikTok and Netflix and Instagram.” B2B doesn't have to mean buttoned-up. Lo-fi can hit harder than high-budget. People buy from people, not buildings. The more human your marketing feels, the more likely it is to land.Quotes*“ Some of the things that I've been the most proud of are things that were super out of the box, almost unachievable when you sort of bring the idea to your team. Not all of them are achievable. Not all of them are inspiring, but some of the best ones happen. And so I typically love being visionary when it comes to doing big things that require big sort of game-changing execution. And when I looked at Adolescence, the combination of all the things that we talked about certainly has those elements.”*“ As a marketer, I always continuously look at demographics and psychographics and figure out how to elicit brain chemistry to ensure that people who I'm targeting are the ones that I want to connect with. I think the Adolescence was interesting because it had something for lots of different generations. And in fact, my daughters probably looked at it very differently than I did. And then when we compared notes in our conversations, it created that human element that we talked about earlier.”*“ B2B marketers, they don't buy from a b, they don't buy from a building, they buy from human beings. And I think our storytelling in our marketing can be much more authentic when we're thinking about the consumerization of the types of things that we do. So shorter form, more authentic, maybe even lo-fi. There's a time and a place for those kinds of things, and I think it can propel our results.”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Charlie Ungashick, CMO at Vimeo[01:06] Why Adolescence?[03:19] The Role of CMO at Vimeo[06:20] AI and the Future of Video Creation at Vimeo[09:24] Origins of Adolescence[18:50] B2B Marketing Takeaways from Adolescence[47:36] Vimoe's Brand Strategy[49:59] Creating Authentic Content[53:13] Innovative Uses of AI in Video[54:20] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Charlie on LinkedInLearn more about VimeoAbout 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.

Since 2014, Ryan Holiday's The Daily Stoic newsletter has landed in inboxes every single morning, offering ancient wisdom in bite-size, highly clickable form.It's also a masterclass in content marketing. In this episode, we're unpacking what B2B marketers can learn from The Daily Stoic with the help of Amanda Dyson, VP, Head of Marketing at FourKites.Together, we explore how to break the marketing mold, why the most impactful content is also the most practical, and how anchoring your message in core values makes it stick. Stoicism isn't just a philosophy; if done right, it's a blueprint for modern marketing.About our guest, Amanda DysonWith 20 years B2B software and SaaS marketing expertise, Amanda specializes in go-to-market strategy; consultative marketing; change and people management; lead generation; account based marketing; partner co-marketing; integrated digital marketing; email marketing; live and virtual events; corporate branding and storytelling; account segmentation and targeting; project and budget management, and strategic advisement.Amanda has run regional and global teams. She has a passion for people and results and a proven track record of success delivering on KPIs and OKRs. She has held successively responsible, cross-functional leadership positions in sales and marketing, including alliances, partnership marketing, ABM, demand generation, field marketing, solutions marketing, events, communications, and corporate marketing for global Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software companies.A California girl at heart, Amanda happily resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with her family of five. When she's not growing people or pipeline at leading tech companies, she enjoys spending time with her family in the mountains or at the beach, running daily, and practicing mindfulness. Amanda has an MBA from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University with a focus in Marketing, Finance and Supply Chain, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics with a Minor in Professional Writing from the University of California, Santa Barbara.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Ryan Holiday's The Daily Stoic Newsletter:Break the marketing mold. Stoicism may be ancient, but Ryan Holiday has made it feel new and modern. Amanda sees that reinvention as a creative north star. She says, “Let's do something wild. Some of my favorite marketing campaigns have just been weird stuff. It breaks the mold and it gets something done.” Ryan Holiday didn't market stoicism by copying academic textbooks, he made it approachable and surprising. B2B marketers should do the same. Surprise earns attention. A little weirdness, done with purpose, goes a long way.Make it usable, not just insightful. Ryan Holiday's greatest trick isn't sounding smart, it's making stoicism actionable. Amanda says,  “He does things in such a bite-size, practical way that you can hold onto it.” That's exactly how B2B content should work. Don't just publish thought leadership that nods at trends. Give your audience tools they can actually apply. Teach them something they'll remember at 4 PM on a chaotic Tuesday. If it doesn't help them do their job better, it's just noise.Anchor your content in core values. The Daily Stoic isn't random. It's rooted in four core tenets: courage, temperance, justice, and wisdom. Amanda draws the parallel for marketers: “It's all fostered and rooted in these core values or the stoic virtues, which you could look at your brand pillars in the same kind of light.” B2B content should be more than campaign-deep. When your content reflects your company's true values, it resonates longer and travels farther. Think less about filling the calendar, and more about reinforcing what you stand for. Quotes*“ I really challenge my teams to get back to storytelling. You gotta break out of the box, so let's do something wild. Some of my favorite marketing campaigns I've ever done have just been weird stuff: bobbleheads, robots on the beach. Random things that are not B2B software, but it breaks the mold and it gets something done. I think Ryan's done that with his marketing of stoicism. He's broken the mold, right? He reinvigorated this ancient philosophy, and so that's definitely a lesson I think we can learn from him too on content.”*“ So we are all about how do we take one thing and reuse it in different ways. I think if we look at Ryan and his newsletter, I kind of mentioned his repetition. I don't think he sends the exact same newsletter, you know, multiple times. But there's certainly similar messages where you can go back in your archives and dig those things up again and present it in a different way. Content is huge. It drives, internally and externally, all of our activities. But you gotta be really smart about how you do it and how you use it, 'cause you're competing with so much noise. It can definitely be challenging to again break that mold.”*“ Something that makes him a tremendous marketer is that he really believes in what he's selling us, right? He's created this brand that is a lifestyle. Stoicism is a philosophy, so there's a lot of high value attached to it and how you live your life.”Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Amanda Dyson, VP, Head of Marketing at FourKites[00:58] Why Ryan Holiday's The Daily Stoic Newsletter[03:04] The Role of VP, Head of Marketing at Four Kites[04:18] Origins of Ryan Holiday's The Daily Stoic[09:27] Understanding Tucker Max[13:12] Stoicism 101: Old Ideas for Modern Chaos[20:23] Building a Daily Ritual[22:21] Strategies for Writing Like a Pro[25:35] Inspiration as a Driver for Your Content[35:55] Creating Marketing Tactics That Actually Matter[39:00] FourKites' Content Strategy[40:31] What's Working for Amanda Now?[44:15] Measuring ROI at Four Kites[49:49] Advice for Marketing Leaders[51:27] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Amanda on LinkedInLearn more about FourKitesAbout 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.

Reinvention beats repetition every time. In a crowded market, it's reimagination that sets you apart.That's the real lesson behind The New Look, a drama that follows Christian Dior as he rebuilds a whole new vision of fashion. In this episode, we're taking inspiration from that spirit of transformation with the help of our special guest, Hrishi Kulkarni, Director of Customer Advocacy & Executive Programs at dbt Labs.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from narrative-driven branding, thoughtful reinvention, and the power of showing up with both creativity and compassion.About our guest, Hrishi KulkarniHrishi Kulkarni leads customer advocacy and executive programs at dbt Labs. Previously, Hrishi served as Head of Customer Marketing & Executive Programs at New Relic. He has also worked at Salesforce in Customer Engagement and Marketing and QStream in Customer Success and Professional Services. Hrishi brings with him over 16 years of experience in customer engagement. He is also an equality champion, SF LGBT Center board member and founder of LGBTQ+ ERGs in India and Asia.What B2B Companies Can Learn From The New Look:Storytelling is your superpower. In The New Look, Christian Dior tells stories through his fashion. His work is infused with personal meaning, from tributes to his sister to inspiration from his mother. Hrishi says, “Marketing is all about storytelling. I joined marketing because I love storytelling… it emotionally connects your product and your services to your audience.” In B2B, storytelling isn't fluff, it's how you make people care. It's how you stand out. Don't just tell your audience what your product does, tell them why it matters.Innovation only works when it's authentic. Dior's most memorable move wasn't a massive runway spectacle; it was an intimate, unexpected fashion show that broke every rule. Hrishi explains, “He's not going to have a huge fashion show… He's going to create it in a very small space, a very personalized experience. Which never before any designer had done.” That decision wasn't flashy for the sake of it. It was deeply intentional. For B2B marketers, it's a reminder that innovation doesn't mean gimmicks. It means staying true to your values and finding fresh, genuine ways to express them.Repetition kills good content. Dior didn't copy what worked, he created what was next. Hrishi says, “As a customer marketer… we have to be creative in identifying and securing the right stories and then finding innovative ways to amplify those stories. If you keep amplifying different stories also in similar ways, at some point it is going to fall flat.” B2B marketers often default to the same formats: another case study, another quote, another video. But to keep your audience engaged, you have to rethink how you tell your stories, not just what stories you tell.Quotes*“ I love storytelling. It's because, if you think about it, storytelling truly impacts people's hearts and minds. It emotionally connects your product and your services to your audience. And that's exactly what Dior has done with his fashion. Like the perfume story you shared earlier, right? It's inspired by his sister. Like a lot of his design of his costumes, of his art, his all comes inspired from his mother. So he truly shows us how storytelling can drive the fashion industry. He started his fashion through the art of storytelling. Also thinking outside the box. If you saw the show, he's constantly innovating. He's constantly thinking outside the box. And as a customer marketer, you have to be constantly creative in identifying and securing the right stories and then finding innovative ways to amplify those stories. If you keep amplifying different stories also in similar ways, at some point it is going to fall flat. So it's always “how can I be innovative with these stories?” And then of course thought leadership, right? It's storytelling or thinking outside the box, being creative to showcase the thought leadership of your customers, their brand.”*“ In terms of B2B, customers love to hear how other customers are doing, how they're using your platform. .And I always say that what makes a kickass story is it has to be data driven and there has to be some human element to it. And now that's your recipe of a powerful story. ”*“ In a B2B world, we create all these customer stories, but what's our end goal? Our end goal is how are my sales teams, my how are my account executives going to leverage this story with other prospects, with other customers. So truly thinking that buyer journey, how are your different stories going to influence every stage in that buyer journey?”*“ Being authentic is so important in marketing. That is something we learned from The New Look. Be authentic in what you do. The passion comes across genuinely. It comes across easily. It's very evident. Be innovative. Don't be afraid to take risks.”Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Hrishi Kulkarni, Customer Advocacy & Executive Programs Lead at dbt Labs[01:10] Why The New Look?[04:19] Customer Advocacy & Executive Programs at dbt Labs[06:54] Origins of The New Look[11:54] B2B Marketing Takeaways from The New Look[24:57] Building a Strong Content Strategy[27:53] Measuring ROI in Customer Marketing[32:08] dbt Labs Executive Sponsorship Program[34:12] Advice for Marketing LeadersLinksConnect with Hrishi on LinkedInLearn more about dbt LabsAbout 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.

Send Krystal a Text Message.After 20 years in marketing, I'm sharing exactly what I would do differently if I were starting over today in 2025. These three fundamental strategies will help you stand out in the digital marketing landscape and achieve sustainable success without burning out.• Storytelling is your competitive advantage against AI and other creators, as your unique experiences cannot be replicated• The PREPM method (Plan, Record, Edit, Publish, Market) provides a proven system that scales across all content types• Focus on what matters most to your customers rather than chasing every new trend• Invest in continuous learning, but remember that clarity comes from taking action, not just thinking• Treat marketing like a marathon, not a sprint—be strategic and consistent rather than trying to be everywhere at once• You don't need perfect strategies—you just need to start somewhere and keep improvingLike and subscribe to get more content like this delivered directly to you, and check out our Digital Marketing Tips for Business Owners playlist for additional resources.Click the "Send Krystal a Text Message" link above to send us your questions, comments, and feedback on the show! (Pssst...we'll do giveaways in upcoming episodes so make sure you leave your name & podcast title.)

Escaping the underworld may not sound like a marketing strategy until you look at how Hades turned it into a blueprint for success.Developed by indie studio Supergiant Games, Hades isn't just a video game, it's a critically acclaimed masterpiece thanks to its iterative development, rich storytelling, and a fanbase that helped shape the game in real time. In this episode, we dive into the lessons marketers can learn from this roguelike phenomenon with special guest Zoe Hawkins, Director, Content Marketing & Integrated Campaign Strategy at Sumo Logic.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from fearless experimentation, community co-creation, and crafting content your audience can't help but share.About our guest, Zoe HawkinsZoe Hawkins is a former video game and tech journalist turned content marketer. She has over a decade of professional experience turning technical understanding into fluent communication. Working with a range of B2B tech companies, Zoe has helped create value across marketing and strategy. She also serves as co-lead for Sumo Logic's sustainability-focused ERG, the Planeteers. When not working, Zoe is usually absorbed in speculative fiction – video games, books, or streaming media. She's a mom to two cats and a grade-school-aged daughter, living with her husband in perpetually sunny Arizona.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Hades:Experimentation is the only way forward. In Hades, dying isn't a setback; it's part of the process. Zoe says, “You keep experimenting and you're gonna fail. And that's okay... Each time you learn and you grow and you do it better.” For marketers, it's a reminder that campaigns don't need to be perfect out of the gate. Failure isn't fatal. Failure is how you find what works.Build content with your community, not just for them. Supergiant launched Hades in early access, inviting players to shape the game as it evolved. Zoe explains, “They give feedback. It's almost like a co-design, co-development process with your fans.” B2B marketers can do the same by involving their audience early, whether through feedback loops, pilots, or beta content. Let your audience help build what they want. It not only strengthens relationships, but it also keeps them excited about what's coming next.Create content that people want to share. Hades isn't just a game people play, it's one they rave about. Zoe asks, “How do you make it that people are actually happy to use your product and excited to use it… not just customer loyalty, but advocacy? They wanna tell other people, ‘you will not believe how cool this thing is'.” That's exactly what Hades achieves through intentional design, standout storytelling, and undeniable personality. Marketers should aim for the same. Treat your content the way Hades treats gameplay, and your audience won't just consume it, they'll spread it.Quotes*“ You keep experimenting, and you're gonna fail. And that's okay. If I think about it, you come into a new team or you come into a new product launch or you come into a new organization, whatever it might be. And you think you know how to play the game, you think you know what it takes to succeed, to beat the boss, whatever that is. And you do the run according to the way that you've done it, maybe in other roles or other companies, and you die, you fail. It doesn't necessarily go a hundred percent to plan, and that's okay. And then you get to restart with a new weapon, a new strategy, a new approach, whatever that might be, and pull it back together. Bring it back in to say, ‘okay, let's, let's try it again. Let's run it again and see if we're successful this time.' And that just feels so liberating and then each time you learn and you grow and you do it better.”*“ I love the idea that they only make one game at a time, that they're so focused, and it comes through in the work. It's so polished, it's so well made, and clearly made with love, that transfers to me. And I think if we tie it back to that B2B marketing, I think about working in tech, working in SaaS, how do you give that moment of delight where it's not just like, ‘oh my gosh, your company saved me this amount of money or whatever, or this tool is worthwhile for me.' But how do you make it that people are actually happy to use your product and excited to use it, or have that sense of not just customer loyalty, but advocacy. They wanna tell other people, ‘you will not believe how cool this thing is.'”*“ One of my favorite kinds of content to make is case studies because we get to make our customer shine and tell their story… I know our story backwards and forward. What's your story? Why are you winning with this? Why are you succeeding with this? And being able to tell something cool that they figured out, a way they're using our product that we didn't even think about that's interesting or cool.”*“ Not being afraid to experiment, not being afraid to fail, I think, is such an important marketing lesson, because you're gonna have some risks that are gonna be great, and you're gonna take some risks that are gonna just completely flop. And that's okay. That's how we learn. That's how we try new things.”Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Zoe Hawkins, Director, Content Marketing & Integrated Campaign Strategy at Sumo Logic[02:20] Why Hades?[03:08] The Role of Director of Content Marketing and Integrated Campaigns at Sumo Logic[03:54] Origins of Hades[15:29] B2B Marketing Lessons from Hades[44:32] Importance of Humor in Branding and Content Strategy[49:47] Versatility of Video Content[54:11] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Zoe on LinkedInLearn more about Sumo LogicAbout 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. 

Reviving vinyl in the digital age sounded impossible until the creation of Record Store Day changed everything.Launched with Metallica at a San Francisco record shop in 2008, it became a global celebration of indie music culture and a blueprint for building real human connections. In this episode, we drop the needle on what marketers can learn from vinyl's resurgence with special guest Robert McCauley, Sr. Director of Content Marketing at Upwork.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from community-driven events, the power of exclusivity, and how to build content strategies that truly resonate.About our guest, Robert McCauleyRobert has 20+ years of experience in content marketing, editorial, and communications. At Upwork, he leads a team of more than two dozen amazing content marketers, customer marketers, and multimedia professionals. (In fact, you can find out more about how awesome they are by checking out this link: https://bit.ly/3PGXNcD.) Robert lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and their high-octane fourth-grader. Ask him about his vinyl collection if you're looking to waste an hour or two.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Record Store Day:Sell the experience, not just the product. Exclusivity and differentiation aren't just nice-to-haves; they're why people line up on Record Store Day. As Robert puts it, “Part of the reason that someone is gonna pay $40 for something that they could, in theory, get for free is because the artists and record labels have done a nice job of selling the exclusivity and the differentiation. And, frankly, understanding their audience.” In B2B marketing, it's a reminder that when you make your audience feel like they're getting something rare and tailored, they'll lean in.Community turns customers into believers. Record Store Day isn't really about what you buy, it's about who you're with. Robert says, “This is where the power of community really comes in. It feels like a celebration of music. It feels like a celebration of vinyl... it feels like an event, a way to connect with people that are passionate about something like you are.” That emotional connection is the secret ingredient. For marketers, if your audience feels seen and connected, your brand becomes more than a service. It becomes a shared story.Go analog to cut through the noise. In a world of constant digital overload, physical media feels almost radical. Robert explains, “Analog physical media can really make an impact. We're all flooded with digital stuff all day, every day... the thing that cuts through that are physical things because they're so far, few and far between nowadays.” For marketers, this is a cue to think tactile because sometimes, the most unforgettable touchpoint isn't a notification, it's something your audience can actually hold.Quotes*“ When done right and in a very strategic way, analog physical media can really make an impact, right? We're all flooded with digital stuff all day, every day. There's the whole joke of you going from kind of your midsize screen to your small screen, to your big screen over the course of the day. And the thing that cuts through that are physical things because they're sort of so far few and far between nowadays.”*“ Record Store Day at the end of the day is really an awesome in-person event. And in-person events, I think, in general, can be really effective for marketers. And again, when they're well thought out and done well. One of the great things about this is that, again, it's about community. It's about doing something that people appreciate and like. It's about feeling very kind of personalized to the things that they're passionate about. And, I think again, it just reinforces the fact that there are great ways of connecting with your customers much more directly and, of course, physically than over email or something. And they have a much stronger impact when you are face to face with someone and they remember your name, or you have a conversation, or you enjoy the coffee, or the excitement in the atmosphere that the event brought you. So I think it's the way that these are run are a good example of how in-person events can and should be run and can really make a difference to marketing efforts.”“  We always, as content marketers and B2B marketers, I think, worry that we have one opportunity to kind of hook our audience. If we don't do it now, if we don't get everything we need, this is gonna pass us by. There's this trust of, ‘Hey, I am confident that over time I'm gonna show you the value of my content in this case, my music, and I'm gonna get hooked.' And that will be rewarded down the line. It's definitely a long-term play, but it is very counter to, I think, a lot of our instincts of squeeze as much as we can as quickly as we can.”Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Robert McCauley, Sr. Director, Content Marketing at Upwork[01:26] Why Record Store Day?[03:21] Origins of Record Store Day[10:26] The Draw of Vinyl[16:51] Robert's First Record Store Day[20:15] Value of Physical Music in a Digital Age[28:58] B2B Marketing Lessons from Record Store Day[47:43] Upwork's Content Strategy[51:41] Upwork's Recent Content Creation[55:21] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Robert on LinkedInLearn more about UpworkAbout 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.