Revenue Engine Podcast

Tara Clever is the Chief Revenue Officer at MarginEdge, a restaurant management and bill payment platform that leverages automation and AI to streamline restaurant operations. Under her leadership, MarginEdge has marked its 10-year anniversary by reaching major milestones, including onboarding its 10,000th restaurant customer and expanding its AI-powered product offerings. Tara brings a unique blend of sales, operations, and marketing experience, with a background in DTC and B2B growth, and focuses on customer-centric alignment and operational clarity to drive scalable go-to-market outcomes. In this episode… Restaurant tech is evolving fast, but building a real revenue engine in this space takes more than just clever software. It requires understanding the operators behind the businesses, the shifting market, and where growth can either leak or accelerate. So what actually separates companies that scale from those that stall? For Tara Clever, the key lies in treating marketing and sales as one unified system, not two separate worlds. Drawing from her DTC growth instincts, she explains that revenue only works when every part of the funnel stays aligned and accountable. Her perspective shows how obsessing over customer feedback, human connection, and pipeline fluency can turn restaurant technology into something that truly drives lasting business impact. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz is joined by Tara Clever, Chief Revenue Officer at MarginEdge, to discuss building revenue engines in the restaurant technology space. They explore aligning sales and marketing, applying DTC funnel discipline to B2B growth, and creating fast customer-driven feedback loops. Tara also shares why scalable human connection matters even more in an AI-powered world.

Angela Earl is the Head of Marketing at Darrow AI, a B2B SaaS company specializing in leveraging artificial intelligence to deliver actionable insights and drive revenue growth for technology organizations. With over 20 years of experience in the tech sector, Angela is a seasoned go-to-market leader who has built high-performing teams and contributed to the success of multiple high-growth software companies. As an author and advisor, she focuses on culture, transparency, and revenue performance, and often emphasizes the importance of communication and trust in achieving organizational goals. In this episode… Revenue issues rarely begin with the numbers themselves. They usually show up earlier as misalignment, cautious conversations, or teams operating from entirely different assumptions. Does predictable growth depend less on new tools or processes and more on a culture of trust and communication? According to Angela Earl, a seasoned go-to-market leader, the answer lies in transparency. She believes revenue performance improves when teams feel safe being honest about risks, gaps, and what's actually happening in the pipeline, rather than presenting overly optimistic forecasts. When transparency becomes the norm, pressure turns productive, decisions get clearer, and revenue stops breaking down at handoffs. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz is joined by Angela Earl, Head of Marketing at Darrow AI, to discuss building a revenue culture rooted in transparency and alignment. They explore how culture directly impacts forecasting accuracy, why trust matters more than polish in pipeline reviews, and where revenue breakdowns really occur between teams. Angela also shares advice on using technology as an accelerator, not a fix, for culture and strategy gaps.

Alex Gluz is the Founder and CEO of Digital Marketing at T.A. Monroe Digital, an agency that specializes in helping B2B and SaaS companies perfect every step of their sales funnel. With years of experience in the industry, Alex creates systems and frameworks for scalable, profit-driving B2B digital marketing strategies, frameworks, and executions to drive ROI. Alex is also the host of the Revenue Engine Podcast, a show highlighting the top leaders in technology and marketing. In this episode… Businesses today face the challenge of balancing rapid growth with the increasing demands of trust-building, personal branding, and AI-driven innovation. While these elements have the potential to significantly accelerate business success, missteps can hinder progress, especially when companies fail to effectively integrate them into their strategy. So how can businesses harness these powerful tools to drive long-term growth and success? From building authentic relationships to embracing AI technology, leaders in this episode share invaluable insights on how to navigate these challenges. Mark Stiltner explains how AI can optimize marketing strategies, particularly in account-based marketing (ABM), making campaigns more efficient and impactful. Patrick Ferdig emphasizes the importance of trust in business relationships, highlighting how consistency and reliability build the foundation for long-term partnerships. Sylvia LePoidevin discusses the shift in branding, where individual employees are becoming the face of companies, using their personal influence to elevate the brand's message and connect more authentically with audiences. Kristin Oelke highlights how combining financial insights with a strong customer base provides a clearer picture of a business's future trajectory. Meanwhile, Usman Sheikh dives into the world of agentive AI, exploring how intelligent bots can transform sales processes by automating key tasks and generating measurable outcomes. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, Alex Gluz reflects on his insightful conversations with Mark Stiltner, Patrick Ferdig, Sylvia LePoidevin, Kristin Oelke, and Usman Sheikh. These industry leaders uncover the power of trust, personal branding, and AI in driving business growth. Together, they offer practical strategies for leveraging these tools to create scalable, sustainable success in today's competitive market.

Steven Peltzman is the CEO of FeedbackNow, a company that provides real-time customer experience monitoring solutions using physical sensors and digital platforms for spaces like airports, hospitals, and retail locations. Under Steven's leadership, FeedbackNow has deployed its technology in major US airports and leading healthcare facilities, helping organizations move from traditional surveys to actionable, real-time feedback, with proven impact on both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. Steven's diverse career spans roles as an Air Force officer in stealth technology, CTO at the Museum of Modern Art, and Chief Business Technology Officer at Forrester Research. In this episode… Real-time customer feedback has become one of those ideas that everyone claims to value, yet few organizations truly know how to use. It's easy to gather opinions after the fact, but far harder to understand what's really happening while an experience is unfolding. What if companies could see issues the moment they emerge and fix them before customers even complain? According to Steven Peltzman, a longtime leader in technology-driven customer experience innovation, the answer starts with capturing what people feel in the exact moment they feel it. Drawing from his experience building systems that merge digital intelligence with physical-world interactions, Steven explains that real-time signals reveal patterns surveys will never catch. He shares how airports, hospitals, and convenience stores are transforming operations by reacting instantly to sentiment shifts and predicting problems before they escalate. And with multiple data streams working together, he believes companies can finally bridge the gap between insight and action. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz is joined by Steven Peltzman, CEO of FeedbackNow, to discuss how real-time customer feedback is reshaping operations. They explore how sensor-driven insights outperform traditional surveys, how organizations can react and predict issues in the moment, and why certain industries are primed for transformation. Steven also shares how tying feedback to outcomes like revenue unlocks true operational change.

Brandon Rhoten is the Chief Marketing Officer at GroundTruth, an advertising platform that uses real-world location and purchase data to show how media drives store visits and revenue. As the former CMO at Wendy's, Papa John's, and Potbelly, Brandon was instrumental in building Wendy's groundbreaking digital and social marketing programs, contributing to 40 consecutive quarters of growth for the brand. In addition to his executive experience, he is a tech investor, advisor, and recognized trailblazer in blending art and science to drive marketing ROI. In this episode… Marketing was supposed to get easier once everything went digital, yet many teams feel more overwhelmed than ever. With endless dashboards and touchpoints to untangle, proving what actually drives revenue has become its own full-time job. So in a world where every impression is technically "trackable," why are so many companies still flying blind? According to Brandon Rhoten, a longtime marketing leader known for marrying creativity with accountability, the real issue isn't a lack of data; it's that most organizations still treat marketing like a black box instead of a measurable driver of business results. He explains that the shift begins with embracing both sides of the craft — the art that earns attention and the science that proves impact. He points to everything from funnel complexity to outdated buying habits as reasons leaders still struggle with attribution. But when companies learn to connect media exposure to real-world behavior, the fog lifts. The bigger payoff, Brandon says, is a marketing function that's finally seen as an investment rather than a cost. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz is joined by Brandon Rhoten, Chief Marketing Officer at GroundTruth, to discuss how modern marketers can finally link advertising to tangible business outcomes. You'll hear why attribution is still broken, how to rethink media through an omnichannel lens, and what it takes to align marketing with the CFO's expectations. Brandon also shares practical advice on using AI to sharpen both strategy and creative execution.

Jona Youdeem is a Senior Product Marketer at Xero, a global platform that helps small businesses manage their finances more efficiently. He focuses on helping entrepreneurs leverage AI to reduce inefficiencies and eliminate what he calls the "coordination tax." With over a decade of experience in product marketing, Jona has specialized in positioning, messaging, and go-to-market strategy across SaaS and AI-driven products. Jona blends customer insight, data, and creativity to build products that solve real-world business challenges. In this episode… Product marketing often sits at the crossroads of strategy, storytelling, and sales. But it's also one of the most misunderstood roles in B2B SaaS. Too often, it's boxed in as "launch support" or a "content engine," missing its deeper, strategic influence on growth. Does the real impact of product marketing come from how it connects insights, people, and processes across the entire business? According to Jona Youdeem, a product marketing leader focused on B2B SaaS and AI-powered go-to-market strategies, product marketing is a full-system discipline, not a single function. He believes its strength lies in connecting intelligence, positioning, launch execution, and enablement into one continuous loop that evolves with the product and market. Drawing from over a decade in SaaS and AI-driven products, Jona explains how real success comes from synthesizing signals to uncover insights others miss. He cautions against quick-fix consulting approaches that treat positioning as a one-time deliverable rather than a living process. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz is joined by Jona Youdeem, Senior Product Marketer at Xero, to discuss the real impact of product marketing in B2B SaaS. They explore why the discipline is so often misunderstood, how demand generation acts as a reality check for messaging, and why consultants often miss the bigger picture of positioning. Jona also shares his perspective on the future of marketing, explaining why human skills will matter even more in the age of AI.

Alex Tinsley is the Director of North America Field Marketing at SUSE, a global leader in open-source enterprise software solutions. Under his marketing leadership, SUSE has driven significant revenue growth and deepened collaboration between sales and marketing teams, bolstering their position in the enterprise software market. Alex's career spans roles in both software vendors and resellers, and he is known for championing innovative segmentation strategies and uniting cross-functional teams to accelerate business outcomes. In this episode… Bridging the divide between sales and marketing remains one of the toughest challenges in B2B organizations. Too often, these two departments operate in silos — each chasing different goals, using different metrics, and misunderstanding what truly drives the other. But what if aligning them could unlock faster revenue growth, deeper trust, and a more predictable sales pipeline? According to Alex Tinsley, a marketing leader with deep experience across sales, operations, and field marketing, the key lies in empathy and shared understanding. He highlights that misalignment often stems from false assumptions: sales thinking marketing just plans events, and marketing assuming sales ignores their leads. Alex emphasizes that when both teams take the time to learn each other's motivations and constraints, they realize they're chasing the same outcome: revenue. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz speaks with Alex Tinsley, Director of North America Field Marketing at SUSE, to discuss how uniting sales and marketing can supercharge B2B revenue. They explore the impact of removing internal silos, improving the sales-to-marketing handoff, and aligning goals around shared outcomes. Alex also shares how empathy, structure, and data transparency build trust that drives long-term growth.

Jeff Baker is the Senior Director of Global Marketing at smartShift, a company that helps enterprises accelerate and automate SAP custom-code transformation. With more than 20 years of experience in enterprise software, he leads global efforts in strategy and branding. Jeff plays a key role in driving awareness and demand for smartShift's AI-powered solutions. In this episode… Marketing is often seen as a creative function or a cost center, but what if it could be reframed as the engine that drives growth? In a world where buyers control their own journeys and retention is the new acquisition, how can companies shift their perspective and prove marketing's real impact? According to Jeff Baker, a marketing leader with nearly three decades of experience, the key lies in connecting every activity directly to revenue outcomes. He highlights that today's customer journey is no longer linear — it's dynamic, unpredictable, and shaped by peer reviews, research, and digital touchpoints. Retention, he stresses, is now just as important as acquisition, with loyalty and advocacy fueling long-term growth. By focusing on ROI, aligning with sales, and proving financial impact to boards, marketing can evolve from being dismissed as a cost to being recognized as a true growth engine. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz speaks with Jeff Baker, Senior Director of Global Marketing at smartShift, to discuss turning marketing from a cost center into a growth engine. They explore why the old funnel is dead, how post-sale experiences build advocacy, and what boards really want to see from marketing. Jeff also shares the biggest challenges facing B2B SaaS leaders in 2025 and how to overcome them with a value-first approach.

Derek Weeks is the Chief Marketing Officer at Katalon, a company that provides an AI-augmented software quality management platform for automating testing and improving software development workflows. He brings over 30 years of marketing experience, including leadership roles at Sonatype and the Linux Foundation. Derek co-founded All Day DevOps and has pioneered efforts in open-source software supply chain security. He is also the author of Unfair Mindshare: A CMO's Guide to Community-Led Marketing in a Product-Led World.  In this episode… Building a loyal audience is harder than ever in the crowded B2B SaaS landscape. Traditional marketing tactics can struggle to break through, and customer acquisition costs continue to rise. How can companies create authentic connections that lead to long-term growth? According to Derek Weeks, a seasoned marketing leader and pioneer in community-led strategies, the answer is to put audience needs first and consistently provide value before selling anything. He highlights that trust is earned by creating spaces where people can learn, share, and engage without feeling pitched. By leveraging user-generated content and empowering practitioners to create authentic conversations, he has seen communities grow to hundreds of thousands of members. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Derek Weeks, Chief Marketing Officer at Katalon, to discuss how community-led marketing drives sustainable B2B SaaS growth. They explore strategies to scale a product community from 60,000 to 117,000 members, why user-generated content lowers acquisition costs, and how to adapt content for the age of LLM search. Derek also shares lessons from building the All Day DevOps community and keeping audiences engaged over time.

Christine Royston is the Chief Marketing Officer at Wrike, an intelligent work management platform that helps teams build, connect, automate, and scale workflows. She joined in June 2024 after more than 20 years in B2B enterprise marketing. Before Wrike, Christine was VP and Global Head of Marketing at Udemy, where she helped grow annual recurring revenue from $100M to over $450M and led initiatives including an IPO and rebrand. She also held leadership roles at Bitly, Dropbox, Imperva, and Salesforce. In this episode… In today's marketing landscape, every dollar spent is under a microscope, and leaders are under pressure to prove impact faster than ever. How can CMOs align their budgets, metrics, and customer strategies to show real business value while navigating constant change? According to Christine Royston, a seasoned B2B marketing leader with global experience, the key is balance. She emphasizes that marketing must be both data-driven and customer-focused, ensuring pipeline and bookings remain at the center of conversations with executives. She highlights how aligning budgets with measurable outcomes builds trust across the business and creates room for innovation. By focusing on efficiency, clear communication, and proactive performance tracking, marketing leaders can demonstrate value early and often. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Christine Royston, Chief Marketing Officer at Wrike, to discuss how CMOs can align budgets, metrics, and customer value. She explains why data transparency builds stronger executive relationships, how to balance brand and demand generation, and the role of customer-centric thinking in growth. Christine also shares insights on adapting to AI-driven changes in marketing.

Usman Sheikh is the Founder and CEO of Agentive, a next-generation AI platform that helps B2B companies generate pipeline, identify quality leads, and accelerate sales outcomes. A serial entrepreneur based in Silicon Valley, he specializes in building businesses at the intersection of AI and enterprise sales and marketing. Agentive envisions AI agents seamlessly collaborating to support revenue teams with a measurable, results-focused impact. This is Usman's fourth startup, reflecting his deep experience in creating and scaling innovative technology ventures. In this episode… Too many sales teams struggle with missed quotas, inconsistent pipelines, and wasted hours on administrative tasks. Even with AI tools at their disposal, companies often see little improvement in outcomes. Is the problem with the technology or with how it's being applied? According to Usman Sheikh, a serial entrepreneur who has built multiple ventures at the intersection of AI and B2B sales, the core issue is that most companies use AI to replicate human tasks instead of reimagining entire sales processes. He highlights that focusing solely on task automation leads to fragmented workflows and lost opportunities, while an outcome-driven approach can transform the entire sales cycle. By building systems that integrate ideal customer profiling, opportunity identification, and daily recommendations, sales teams can spend more time engaging prospects and less time bogged down in admin work. This shift not only increases efficiency but also improves conversion rates and revenue predictability. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Usman Sheikh, Founder and CEO of Agentive, to talk about fixing broken B2B sales workflows with AI-powered strategies. They explore why traditional sales processes fail, how to build and maintain a rolling pipeline, and ways AI can enhance sales performance without replacing human judgment. Usman also shares key KPIs for measuring the impact of AI in sales organizations.

Kristin Oelke is the Managing Director for Growth Services at Brightrose Ventures, an enterprise software advisory and investment firm that provides strategic guidance, fractional executive teams, and execution support to mid‑market business software companies. In 2024, her firm Green Street Advisors merged with Brightrose to expand its reach and deliver efficient, trust‑driven marketing capabilities to investors and management teams. At Brightrose, Kristin leads go‑to‑market advisory services and is the author of Trust: Unlocking B2B Growth in Today's AI World. In this episode… Trust is the invisible force that drives B2B growth. But in an AI-driven world flooded with content, automation, and noise, earning that trust is more difficult than ever. How can companies prove their value and credibility when buyers are skeptical and overwhelmed by options? According to Kristin Oelke, a B2B growth strategist and marketing expert, trust is built through validation — not volume. She highlights that companies struggling to move prospects through the funnel often lack the third-party proof, consistent messaging, and real-time feedback mechanisms that signal credibility. The result is a stalled pipeline, even when product-market fit exists. Kristin emphasizes that building a "public trust profile" is essential, especially in complex B2B sales, and that trust can only be earned when happy customers, aligned teams, and transparent data come together to support the brand promise. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz is joined by Kristin Oelke, Managing Director for Growth Services at Brightrose Ventures, to talk about why trust is more important than ever for growth in today's AI-driven world. They discuss how companies can actively manage their public trust profile, align cross-functional teams around shared goals, and use AI without losing the human element. Kristin also shares insights on helping companies navigate strategic pivots.

Mike Braund is the Senior  Director of Marketing Operations and Digital Marketing at Iterable, an AI-powered, multi-channel communications platform. He leads cross-channel orchestration efforts, overseeing Martech, account management, email, web, and analytics to drive pipeline growth and operational efficiency.  In this episode… Standing out in B2B SaaS marketing requires mastering more than just performance metrics and automation tools. With budgets tightening and the buyer's journey growing longer, how do leading marketers balance long-term brand building and short-term revenue generation? According to Mike Braund, a seasoned marketing leader with a deep background in operations and analytics, achieving that balance starts by connecting data with gut instincts. He highlights the importance of testing hypotheses quickly through iterative campaigns, using data to validate direction without stalling creative momentum. This blend ensures marketing efforts perform and resonate. Creative constraints can unlock innovation, especially when teams are empowered to move fast with limited resources. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Mike Braund, Senior Director of Marketing Operations and Digital Marketing at Iterable, to discuss how to align brand and performance marketing in B2B SaaS. They dive into the role of data-informed creativity, how team structure can enable efficiency, and the importance of full-funnel thinking. Mike also shares lessons from leading paid media and operations under one unified strategy.

Ani Obermeier is a Board Advisor at WorkBuzz, a company that provides real-time employee feedback and engagement solutions for organizations with deskless, hybrid, and remote workforces. She brings over 15 years of experience in technology marketing, having held leadership roles at companies like Workday and Peakon. Currently, Ani serves as Chief Marketing Officer at Quinyx, where she leads strategic marketing initiatives to drive business growth. In this episode… Cutting through the noise is one of the greatest challenges for modern B2B brands. In industries crowded with similar offerings and endless noise, what actually makes one company stand out over another? Is it product features, pricing, or something more human? According to Ani Obermeier, a seasoned marketing strategist and board-level advisor, the true differentiator is trust built through authentic, emotionally resonant communication. She highlights that most B2B companies focus too much on themselves while ignoring the human decision-makers on the other end. Instead of obsessing over competitors, Ani urges brands to listen deeply to their buyers, speak their language, and focus on building long-term relationships. In doing so, businesses not only differentiate but also stay relevant in markets where feature parity is the norm. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Ani Obermeier, Board Advisor at WorkBuzz, to talk about building trust and standing out in saturated markets. They explore how to unify sales and marketing teams under a single go-to-market strategy, why authenticity beats automation, and what makes messaging truly connect. Ani also shares how cultural nuance shapes global marketing success.

Sylvia LePoidevin is the CMO at Kandji, a B2B SaaS company that provides Apple device management and security automation for IT and security teams. She joined Kandji as its fourth employee and rose to CMO by her late twenties, leading marketing during its rapid growth to an $850 million valuation. Before Kandji, Sylvia held key product marketing roles at DataFox and Oracle AI and was the first marketing hire at FloQast, now a billion-dollar company. In this episode… Standing out in B2B marketing has never been more difficult or more essential. With noise at an all-time high and AI reshaping content at scale, how can marketing leaders create lasting brand impact and foster genuine community around their companies? According to Sylvia LePoidevin, a seasoned marketing leader who has scaled multiple brands from the ground up, the key lies in focusing on people-first branding and building content engines powered by strategic AI use. She highlights the importance of empowering internal influencers and subject matter experts to lead brand storytelling, rather than relying solely on corporate messaging. The result is a more authentic and differentiated brand presence that cuts through digital clutter. Sylvia also emphasizes the value of niche-focused communities and original content anchors as foundations for an efficient, AI-enhanced content flywheel. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Sylvia LePoidevin, CMO at Kandji, to talk about reinventing modern B2B marketing through branding, community, and AI. They discuss why people — not logos — build the strongest brands, how anchor content drives scalable distribution, and why marketers must continuously reinvent themselves to lead effectively. Sylvia also shares insights on navigating long buyer journeys and rising acquisition costs.

Nick Naso is the Chief Revenue Officer at Recurly, a leading subscription management and billing platform that helps businesses automate and optimize recurring revenue operations. With over 15 years of experience in the software and technology industry, he has built high-performing teams and led strategic initiatives to drive significant growth. Before joining Recurly, Nick served as Chief Revenue Officer at Cayuse, where he led the global sales organization and helped the company achieve record revenue growth through new customer sales and geographic expansion. In this episode… Understanding your ideal customer profile can make or break your B2B SaaS growth strategy. Without clarity around who you're selling to, it's easy to waste time, miss revenue targets, and stall your momentum. So how often should companies revisit and refine their ICP to keep pace with a fast-changing market? According to Nick Naso, a seasoned revenue leader with deep experience in scaling SaaS companies, companies should formally reevaluate their ICP at least once or twice a year. He highlights the importance of ongoing data analysis to inform micro-adjustments before larger shifts are needed. This kind of consistent review ensures sales teams focus on high-fit prospects and avoid spending resources on poor matches. The result is tighter alignment, faster sales cycles, and stronger pipeline efficiency. He also emphasizes that fit is everything: the right customer at the right time drives not only sales, but long-term success. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz is joined by Nick Naso, Chief Revenue Officer at Recurly, to discuss why a sharp ICP is central to B2B SaaS growth. They explore how to identify ICP signals from pipeline data, when to make structural changes in your team to match your market, and why sales success starts with strategic focus. Nick also shares insights on leading cross-functional teams and building a culture of revenue ownership.

Patrick Ferdig is the Founder and Principal Consultant at The Power of Partnering, a firm dedicated to helping B2B technology and service providers build and scale effective partner-led growth strategies. With over two decades of experience in the technology industry, Patrick specializes in developing partner programs — including reseller channels, integration marketplaces, and referral networks — that drive revenue and innovation. His approach is grounded in five core principles: trust, alignment, collaboration, accountability, and facilitation, which he applies to help organizations unlock their full potential through strategic partnerships. In this episode… As traditional sales and marketing tactics reach their limits, businesses are looking for smarter, more sustainable ways to grow. What really makes a partnership thrive in today's crowded and complex market? According to Patrick Ferdig, a veteran partnership strategist and consultant, it all starts with trust. He highlights that internal alignment across teams is just as crucial as external collaboration. Without a clear structure and shared understanding of goals, even the most promising partnerships can falter. Patrick explains that the most successful companies treat partnerships as a core growth strategy, not a side initiative. He also emphasizes that revenue impact doesn't come from signing more partners but from engaging deeply with fewer, well-matched ones. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz speaks with Patrick Ferdig, Founder and Principal Consultant at The Power of Partnering, to discuss the five pillars of partnership success. They explore why trust drives results, how alignment shapes execution, and what businesses must prioritize to turn partners into revenue engines. Patrick also gives advice on scaling outreach using AI tools.

Mark Stiltner is the Senior Director of Content and Web Marketing at Rapyd, a global fintech company that simplifies and advances commerce by providing integrated payment and fintech solutions across over 100 countries. With a background in advertising and journalism from the University of Colorado Boulder, he has led creative and brand strategy initiatives across multiple industries. Prior to joining Rapyd, Mark held leadership roles at agencies like Karsh Hagan and Market Creation Group, where he developed award-winning campaigns and drove brand growth. At Rapyd, he oversees content strategy and digital marketing efforts, helping businesses navigate the complexities of global payments and cross-border commerce. In this episode… In today's fast-changing digital world, marketers face a growing challenge: how do you stay ahead when AI is rewriting the rules of SEO, content, and customer engagement? As traditional tactics lose traction, brands must rethink their strategies to remain visible and relevant. What does it really take to build a content engine powered by AI that drives results instead of noise? According to Mark Stiltner, a veteran content strategist, building an AI-driven content engine starts with experimentation and adaptability. He highlights the importance of using AI not as a replacement for creativity, but as an accelerator for research, ideation, and production. The key, he explains, is integrating AI tools thoughtfully into workflows while keeping human insight at the center to maintain authenticity and relevance. This balanced approach allows teams to scale content efficiently without sacrificing quality, enabling marketers to respond faster to shifting algorithms and buyer behaviors. Mark also emphasizes the growing need to optimize not just for search engines, but for AI models driving new traffic sources. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz speaks with Mark Stiltner, Senior Director of Content and Web Marketing at Rapyd, to talk about building an AI-powered content strategy. They discuss weaving AI into SEO workflows, shifting from traditional search optimization to AI model visibility, and balancing automation with creativity. Mark also shares practical ways to future-proof marketing teams in an AI-driven landscape.

Bethany Prettyman is the Senior Director of Marketing Operations at Huntress, a cybersecurity company specializing in managed detection and response solutions for small and mid-sized businesses. With a robust background in strategic operations, she leads initiatives that enhance marketing efficiency and drive growth. Bethany's leadership ensures that Huntress's marketing strategies effectively communicate the company's mission to protect underserved organizations from cyber threats. In this episode… The traditional B2B marketing funnel might be doing more harm than good. In an era of complex buyer journeys and intent-driven decisions, is it still realistic, or even useful, to imagine prospects moving through neat, linear stages? What if the funnel model we've relied on for decades is actually leading marketing ops teams astray? According to Bethany Prettyman, a seasoned expert in marketing operations and data-driven strategy, the funnel is no longer linear, it's a loop. She highlights how today's B2B buyers bounce between channels, revisit research, and often re-enter the journey post-purchase, making linear tracking obsolete. The result? Misaligned attribution models and missed opportunities to optimize real engagement. Bethany explains that the obsession with MQLs is outdated and that teams should instead prioritize intent and velocity, focusing on signals that indicate purchase readiness rather than arbitrary lead scores. This mindset shift not only improves conversion but also strengthens alignment with sales. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz speaks with Bethany Prettyman, Senior Director of Marketing Operations at Huntress, to discuss why the traditional B2B funnel is broken. They explore why loop-based models better reflect today's buyer behavior, how attribution should evolve, and the dangers of tech bloat in marketing stacks. Bethany also shares her agile approach to reporting and how to bridge gaps between sales, marketing, and finance.

Ronnie Manning is the Chief Brand Associate at Yubico, a global cybersecurity company renowned for inventing the YubiKey, which offers phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication solutions. With over 20 years of experience in agency and corporate communications, he has focused on public relations and marketing strategies to bring new technology products to market. Prior to joining Yubico, Ronnie held positions at Raytheon/Websense and Edelman Public Relations. At Yubico, he has been instrumental in promoting the adoption of hardware-based authentication solutions and advocating for enhanced cybersecurity measures. In this episode… Cyber threats are evolving faster than ever, yet many users and organizations still rely on outdated or weak authentication methods. With phishing attacks on the rise and data breaches growing costlier, the need for robust-yet-intuitive security solutions has never been greater. But how do you convince people to adopt a physical device for digital protection in a world that's increasingly mobile and virtual? According to Ronnie Manning, a cybersecurity branding expert, the answer lies in simplicity. He explains that strong security doesn't necessitate complicated processes. Ronnie also highlights how real-world usability, like eliminating the need to fumble with codes or apps, drives faster adoption. This shift toward user-friendly security builds trust, saves time, and reduces risk. He adds that educating new markets with human-centered storytelling plays a key role in overcoming resistance and legacy perceptions about hardware-based solutions. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Ronnie Manning, Chief Brand Associate at Yubico, to talk about making cybersecurity simple, scalable, and phishing resistant. They explore how physical keys streamline enterprise authentication, why user education is key to adoption, and how phishing-resistant methods like FIDO are gaining traction. Ronnie also shares strategies for large-scale rollout and onboarding in hybrid work environments.