Episode Summary In this episode of OnBase, host Chris Moody talks with Anh Huynh about the evolving role of AI in cybersecurity, especially in email and collaboration systems. Anh shares his journey from early IT setups to today's advanced AI-based security measures, highlighting the shift from heuristics-based to AI-driven threat detection to combat sophisticated business email compromises (BEC). Anh explains how collaboration, communication, and integrating AI across security infrastructures are crucial in staying ahead of cyber threats. They also discuss the importance of emotional intelligence, balancing hybrid work environments, and tools that enhance security and quality of life, especially for remote work. About the guest Anh Huynh is the Director of Messaging Engineering and Head of Security Services at Applied Materials, where he has led teams in securing critical communication infrastructure for nearly five years. In this role, Anh focuses on cybersecurity measures within messaging and collaboration spaces, implementing advanced AI/ML detection processes, and enforcing security protocols like SPF, DMARC, and DKIM to address emerging cyber threats. He also oversees supply chain cybersecurity initiatives, IP protection, and data loss prevention, integrating solutions across platforms like Outlook, Exchange, and Office 365. With over 18 years of experience in global messaging, Anh combines technical expertise with a strategic approach to managing cybersecurity and team development, making him a valuable voice on the role of AI and layered security in modern enterprises.Anh also helps businesses enhance their cybersecurity strategy through his firm, ADH Consulting.Connect with Anh: Phone: 831-277-3525 | Threads: @anhdhuynh75 | Email: anhdhuynh@gmail.com | LinkedIn Key takeaways - AI in Cybersecurity: AI is crucial for detecting sophisticated threats like business email compromises, surpassing traditional methods. - Collaboration is Key: Effective cybersecurity needs strong collaboration and shared intelligence across teams. - Hybrid Work Balance: A balanced mix of in-office and remote work supports productivity and security adaptability. - Layered Security: A multi-layered defense, combining traditional and AI methods, enhances threat detection. - Actionable Insights: AI should provide clear, actionable insights to reduce manual work and improve security. - Emotional Intelligence: Leaders should cultivate emotional intelligence to manage hybrid teams better. - Tech and IoT Tools: Familiarity with various tech ecosystems and using IoT tools can improve personal and professional security. Quotes "The old process of heuristics-based security does not work today in the real world." -Anh Huynh BooksEmotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman: It explores how understanding and managing emotions can enhance personal and professional relationships Connect with Any Huynh | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode Summary In this Special episode celebrating the release of our 500th episode, OnBase welcomes Demandbase CEO Gabe Rogol to discuss the company’s recent rebrand and the future of account-based GTM strategies. Gabe shares the vision behind the transformation, emphasizing Demandbase’s commitment to solving modern B2B challenges through enhanced integration, transparency, and AI-driven automation. He explains how these changes aim to better align marketing and sales efforts for long-term account success. Gabe also dives into the next phase of account-based strategies, highlighting new insights, data strategies, and automation that will drive alignment and efficiency across teams, shaping Demandbase’s path forward. About the guest As the Chief Executive Officer of Demandbase, I'm responsible for fulfilling the company's mission of transforming how B2B companies go-to-market. Since joining Demandbase in 2012, I've been committed to setting the product and corporate strategy for the company. Throughout my two-plus decade career, I've held various leadership positions, including managing world-class customer service and sales teams at IDG and other leading publishers. I received my BA in Comparative Literature and Russian Language and Literature from Brown University. Connect with Gabe Rogol Key takeaways - Purposeful Rebranding: Demandbase’s rebrand isn’t just cosmetic—it reflects a strategic shift to address evolving B2B needs. Gabe highlights the importance of aligning brand, product, and go-to-market strategy to better meet customer challenges. - Account-based GTM as a Strategic Approach: Gabe emphasizes that account-based go-to-market strategies should be treated as a C-suite initiative rather than a marketing tactic. This shift requires cross-functional alignment, especially between marketing and sales, to maximize account lifetime value. - Enhanced Data Strategy: Successful account-based approaches rely on robust data strategies. Gabe discusses how integrating various data sets—like intent, engagement, and firmographics—is essential to provide actionable insights and ensure alignment. - The Role of AI and Automation: AI-driven automation is key to the future of account-based strategies, reducing manual tasks and delivering actionable insights on audience targeting, messaging, and engagement across platforms, creating a more efficient and effective go-to-market approach. - Focus on High-Value Accounts: Demandbase’s approach prioritizes identifying and aligning resources with accounts that offer the greatest potential lifetime value, shifting focus from broad lead generation to targeted engagement with the right customers. Quotes On Rebranding: “Rebranding isn’t just a new look; it’s a whole-company initiative. It’s about understanding where our market is going and clarifying what we want to represent in this new era for Demandbase and the account-based go-to-market category.” On Strategic Alignment: “An account-based approach should be a C-level strategic initiative—not just a marketing tactic. Aligning sales, marketing, and operations around high-value accounts is essential for long-term success.” On Data and Intent: “Intent data is powerful, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Real success comes from layering intent with technographic, firmographic, and engagement data to create a holistic, actionable view of target accounts.” On the Future of Account-Based Marketing: “We’re entering a new phase focused on automation and insights. By delivering audience, message, and action insights across platforms, we’re setting the stage for a more efficient and impactful go-to-market strategy.” On AI’s Role: “AI has the potential to fulfill the true promise of account-based marketing by automating complex processes and delivering the insights teams need to focus on what really matters: driving value for high-impact accounts.” Connect with Gabe Rogol | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode Summary In this episode of OnBase, Kyle Lacy discusses strategies for achieving cross-functional alignment between sales, marketing, and other teams. He identifies the main B2B marketing challenge as aligning these groups around common metrics and goals, emphasizing the need for documented processes and a shared revenue model. Kyle stresses the importance of marketing demonstrating its contribution to sales outcomes, not just brand-building. He also shares insights on leveraging AI tools while cautioning against replacing human sales roles. Overall, Kyle provides practical advice for B2B marketers seeking to improve cross-functional alignment and drive business growth. About the guest Kyle has spent the last 17 years building, scaling, failing, and winning in high-growth software. He’s currently serving the Jellyfish team as their CMO, and before joining the Jellyfish “bloom,” he had the pleasure of building a company called Lessonly. He has also been fortunate to lead teams at Seismic, OpenView, Salesforce, and ExactTarget. But most importantly, he is the father to two wonderful boys, an energetic dog, and one too many books on World War II. Connect with Kyle Lacy Key takeaways - Cross-functional alignment: Success in sales and marketing hinges on aligning around shared performance metrics e.g., pipeline, revenue) and fostering collaboration across teams. - Focus on key numbers: Misalignment often occurs when sales and marketing teams aren’t tracking the same metrics. Agreement on crucial numbers is vital for achieving alignment. - Sales and marketing collaboration: Understanding the sales model, including pipeline coverage and quota attainment, is critical for marketers to contribute effectively to revenue. - Importance of brand: While brand building is essential, it must always tie back to measurable business results like pipeline and bookings. - AI in marketing: AI is useful as an assistant for research, content creation, and data analysis, but it’s not yet capable of fully replacing human tasks, especially in prospecting. - Engaging content: Effective case studies and white papers should focus on clear ROI data rather than just promotional content, making them more engaging and useful for prospects. - Documentation and process: Having a well-documented process and alignment on definitions like MQLs) helps prevent confusion and misalignment between teams. - Marketing’s goal: The ultimate purpose of marketing is to help sales close deals, and success is determined by contributions to pipeline and quota. Quotes "Nobody cares about your brand campaign if your sales team hits 40% quota attainment." "If you're not aligned with the sales leader and not looking at the same numbers, eventually it's going to break." Recommended Resource Books "Elon Musk" by Walter Isaacson: Kyle recommends this biography for its insights into the mindset of innovators with extreme urgency and ambition. Newsletters Ultra Successful by Dr. Julie Gurner: A paid newsletter Kyle highly recommends. He praises Dr. Gurner for her brilliant insights, noting that it’s one of the few newsletters he subscribes to. Connect with Kyle Lacy | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode Summary In this episode of OnBase, host Chris Moody interviews Aristomenis Capogeannis on the critical role of aligning sales and marketing for successful data and AI transformations. Ari explains that misalignment can increase costs and damage competitive advantage. He emphasizes the importance of a unified "single source of truth" to enhance collaboration and avoid redundant efforts. Ari suggests that innovation often requires a fresh look at existing technologies, not just new tools, and recommends books like Crossing the Chasm and The Four Agreements for personal and professional development. About the guest Aristomenis Capogeannis is the Senior Director of Enterprise Revenue Marketing at Nvidia. With over 20 years of experience, Ari is an expert marketing technologist focused on demand creation and marketing led growth via data-driven strategies. He has successfully led marketing transformations from an operations and organizational standpoint, delivering growth and subsequent marketing attribution to pipeline driving acquisition and funding milestones in the Financial SaaS, Robotic Process Automation, and Networking industries. Connect with Aristomenis Capogeannis Key takeaways - Misalignment between sales and marketing can hinder data and AI transformation, increasing costs and harming competitive advantage. - A unified “single source of truth” is essential for effective collaboration and reducing redundant efforts. - Successful data-driven strategies require actionable insights that resonate across all levels, especially at the executive level. - Innovation often involves leveraging existing technologies more effectively rather than constantly seeking new tools. - Bringing fresh perspectives and talent can provide novel insights and boost organizational growth. Quotes “Misalignment between sales and marketing can turn your brand into the spammy brand nobody wants to talk to.” “Innovation doesn’t always mean buying new technology. It often requires stepping back and rethinking how to better use what you already have.” Recommended Resource Books: - Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore - The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz Connect with Aristomenis Capogeannis | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode Summary In this episode, Jayashree Rajan shares her unique journey from electrical engineering to becoming a seasoned marketing leader, emphasizing the importance of aligning marketing and sales strategies through trust, empathy, and shared goals. She discusses best practices for balancing inbound and outbound approaches, determining the right marketing mix based on organizational maturity, and prioritizing accounts and leads in an account-based strategy. Jayashree also highlights common challenges in marketing automation, such as data silos, and the need for vendor support and empathy. Throughout the conversation, she shares insights and recommendations that underscore the value of empathy, continuous improvement, and a customer-centric mindset in driving marketing and sales success. About the guest Jayashree Rajan is a seasoned marketing and product management professional with over 20 years of experience in both B2B and B2C sectors. With a background in programming languages and enterprise software development, she has a unique ability to build marketing infrastructures from the ground up and optimize IT marketing frameworks. Jayashree's management philosophy is rooted in collaboration, leading by example, and fostering team growth. She is passionate about mentoring women and draws on her journey to encourage others to break barriers. Her focus remains on leveraging technology to drive marketing excellence and customer engagement. Connect with Jayashree Rajan Key takeaways- To align marketing and sales build relationships based on empathy and trust, have joint ownership of goals, and work backward from revenue targets. - When balancing inbound and outbound marketing, Jayashree recommends starting small with outbound, training the sales team, and gradually expanding the approach based on success and organizational maturity. - To determine the right mix of inbound and outbound look at past performance, ROI of tactics, and the team's skills and comfort level, then continuously adjust the approach. - For account-based marketing, Jayashree stresses the importance of marketing keeping in touch with target accounts, building their interest, and prioritizing MQLs based on demonstrated intent and engagement. - Key challenges in marketing automation include data silos from too many tools, which can be addressed by simplifying the tech stack and consolidating data to reduce friction for sales. Quotes"Leads don't mean much. It's the opportunities. At the end of the day, we all win when you have the right opportunities." -Jayashree Rajan Recommended Resource Books: - The Advantage by Patrick M. LencioniConnect with Jayashree Rajan | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode SummaryIn this episode, Julie Liu, the Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Marketing at AvePoint, shares her unique journey into the world of B2B marketing. Despite not having a traditional marketing background, Julie has built a successful career by embracing a "T-shaped" approach - being a strong generalist with deep expertise in specific areas. She discusses AvePoint's consistent go-to-market strategy, which is centered around a buyer journey framework spanning five stages from "horizon scanners" to "clients." Julie emphasizes the importance of aligning the entire organization around this framework and associating each stage with specific metrics. She also highlights the value of investing in the next generation of marketers, focusing on cultivating curious, risk-taking individuals who can bring diverse perspectives. Looking ahead, Julie predicts a shift towards targeting end-users rather than just economic buyers, underscoring the need for adaptable, data-driven marketing strategies. About the guest Julie Liu is the Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at AvePoint, a SaaS and data management platform that manages and protects data to secure collaboration in the Microsoft Cloud, SharePoint, Salesforce, and Google. Julie is an industry-recognized marketing leader, most recently mentoring others to create scalable marketing strategies, launching a sustainable global partner program, and establishing AvePoint as a publicly traded company. Connect with Julie Liu Key takeaways- Embrace a "T-shaped" approach to marketing - be a strong generalist with deep expertise in specific areas. This versatility is crucial as the marketing landscape continues to evolve. - Implement a consistent, organization-wide buyer journey framework to align sales, marketing, and customer success. AvePoint's 5-stage model (horizon scanners, explorers, hunters, active buyers, clients) helps drive targeted strategies and metrics. - Empower and invest in the next generation of marketers. Look for self-starters, problem-solvers, and risk-takers who bring diverse perspectives, not just those who think like you. - Anticipate a shift towards targeting end-users, not just economic buyers, as AI and technology increasingly influence the buyer's journey. Adapt marketing strategies to focus on overall account growth, not just individual leads. - Establish "strategic plays" where all resources are concentrated to achieve significant, measurable outcomes, rather than spreading efforts too thin across multiple initiatives. - Leverage inspiring figures like Paid Playa, Scott Brinker, and Brene Brown to inform your marketing approach, from martech to interpersonal relationships. Quotes"I will never stop learning, because the market changes, right? So the second that I get comfortable is the second I become useless." -Julie Liu Recommended Resource Books: - Transforming the B2B Buyer Journey - Hacking Marketing - Brene Brown’s books Connect with Julie Liu | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode SummaryIn this episode, Avishai Sharon, Co-founder and CEO of Trend Demon, discusses the evolving landscape of B2B marketing and the rise of account-based strategies as a solution to the challenges posed by traditional demand generation tactics. He shares data-driven insights on the changing buyer journey, highlighting decreases in buying group size and website engagement, but increases in conversion rates and marketing investment. Avishai emphasizes the critical role of storytelling and audience captivation in supporting the buyer's process, rather than solely focusing on lead capture. He provides recommendations for better alignment between marketing and sales teams around target accounts and the use of listening technologies and AI to optimize account-based efforts. Avishai predicts that ABM's future evolution will center on understanding anonymous buying groups and orchestrating seamless journeys across multiple channels. About the guest Avishai Sharon, Co-founder and CEO of Trendemon, is a passionate entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in the marketing and sales technology landscapes and their transformative potential. Prior to leading Trendemon, a company revolutionizing the way B2B marketers can effortlessly optimize website experiences and orchestrate buyer journeys, Avishai founded GISight, a leading software development agency serving Fortune 500 customers. He developed his leadership skills during his tenure as an officer in the Israeli Air Force, serving in various key technological roles. Connect with Avishai Sharon Key takeaways- Traditional demand generation tactics are becoming increasingly ineffective, leading to the rise of account-based marketing (ABM) as a solution. - Buyer behavior has shifted, with buyers remaining more anonymous and having greater control over their journey. This has resulted in low conversion rates from MQLs to pipeline. - Data analysis by Trend Demon reveals decreases in buying group size and website engagement but increases in conversion rates and marketing investment, indicating a potential shift from the bear economy. - Storytelling and consistently captivating audiences are critical for demand generation, moving beyond just lead capture. This requires educating leadership on the new marketing landscape. - Sales teams need to focus on listening and providing value to support the buyer journey, with the gap between good and poor sales performance widening. - Alignment between marketing and sales around target accounts is essential, with a shared understanding of the buying group and the inputs required to qualify and vet accounts. - Leveraging listening technologies and AI can help uncover insights, personalize content, and orchestrate buying group journeys across multiple channels, which is a key focus for the future evolution of ABM. Quotes"If we are doing our job correctly, we are saving our buyers time. And I think this should be probably the main benefit, or the main advantage, or the objective of any go to market organization." -Avishai Sharon Recommended Resource Podcasts: - NexGen CMO with Kelly Hopping - Nick Bennett’s People-First GTM Model on Marketing Powerups podcast Connect with Avishai Sharon | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode SummaryIn this episode, Christopher Mael discusses how he has made alignment meetings the most enjoyable part of the month. Christopher explains how he created a unified, goal-oriented environment by bringing diverse perspectives together and facilitating honest conversations to address gaps and align perceptions. He emphasizes the importance of understanding leadership's priorities and building consensus, even when different metrics and priorities exist across functions. About the guest Christopher Mael has been the Director of Sales and Operations Planning for Precor subsidiary Peloton and the fitness space for the last five years. Previously he worked for Loud Technologies, a global leader in performance professional audio equipment for over 12 years. Connect with Christopher Mael Key takeaways- Make alignment meetings the most enjoyable part of the month by facilitating difficult conversations and bringing diverse perspectives together - Build consensus and align perceptions by creating space for honest conversations and understanding leadership's priorities - Address misconceptions about alignment, as it is not a given and can prevent teams from being on the same page Quotes"The biggest misconception about alignment is that it exists most of the time. You get into a meeting and people think they're all on the same page, and they might even be grumpy, like, why are we even having this meeting?" -Christopher Mael Recommended Resource Books- "Fundamentals of Demand Planning and Forecasting" by Chamal Jain - "Demand Management Best Practices" by George Palmatier and Colin Crum Journals- Journal of Business Forecasting by Institute of Business Planning and ForecastingConnect with Christopher Mael | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode SummaryIn this episode Bill Kenney shares his journey from an art school student to a business owner, and how he co-founded Focus Lab with a business partner. The discussion covers common reasons why companies need to rebrand, such as company maturity, M&A activity, and addressing trademark issues. Bill offers tips for successful branding projects, including setting expectations, keeping the core team small, and trusting the process even when faced with criticism. He emphasizes maintaining a company's core values and culture while adapting to changing market needs. The episode also explores potential pitfalls in B2B branding, such as over-relying on competitors and seeking too many subjective opinions. About the guest Bill Kenney is the Co-founder, Partner, and CEO of Focus Lab and Odi, two global B2B branding agencies. Past clients include Marketo, Salesloft, Zuora, Braze, Outreach, LaunchDarkly, Twilio, Adobe, ASAPP, Luminate, Netflix, Shopify, and many others. Bill is also the author of the Amazon best-seller "Conquer Your Rebrand." When he's not working you can find Bill in one of three places: his couch, the local Jiu-Jitsu gym, or his camper in Vermont. Connect with Bill Kenney Key takeaways- Common reasons for rebranding include company maturity, M&A activity, trademark issues, and the need to differentiate from competitors. - Tips for successful branding projects include setting expectations, keeping the core team small, and trusting the process even when faced with criticism. - Maintaining a company's core values and culture is crucial when rebranding, as it helps bring the brand's heart and soul forward. - Potential pitfalls in B2B branding include over-relying on competitors, seeking too many subjective opinions, and over-emphasizing measuring ROI. - AI can be a useful tool in enhancing visual storytelling, but it cannot replace the human interaction and strategic decision-making required for successful branding. Quotes"The brand is going to be so much larger and different in received through different meanings than what it is when you're creating it." -Bill Kenney Recommended Resource Books: - “Daring Greatly” by Brene Brown - “Can't Hurt Me” by David Goggins - “Traction” by Gino Wickman - “The Infinite Game” by Simon Sinek Podcasts:- A Bit of Optimism hosted by Simon Sinek Connect with Bill Kenney | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode SummaryIn this episode, Peter discusses the problems with the traditional "marketing qualified lead" (MQL) metric, arguing that it doesn't accurately reflect the relationship between marketing and sales, and suggests focusing on "marketing qualified accounts" (MQAs) instead. Bregman emphasizes the importance of aligning marketing, sales, service, and product teams around a shared go-to-market strategy and customer-centric approach. He also provides recommendations for using AI in marketing to empower sales teams, as well as books, podcasts, and industry experts that listeners should check out. About the guest Peter Bregman is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience propelling organizational growth across diverse sectors. Peter has expertly navigated complex business landscapes, assisting various companies, from startups to Fortune 150s, in both B2B and B2C markets. His approach emphasizes collaboration and building strong alliances across Marketing, Sales, Product, and Tech teams to ensure success. Committed to delivering actionable strategies, Peter empowers businesses to drive substantial growth through strategic innovation. Connect with Peter Bregman Key takeaways- The traditional "marketing qualified lead" (MQL) metric is flawed and doesn't accurately reflect the relationship between marketing and sales. Marketers should focus on "marketing qualified accounts" (MQAs) instead. - Aligning marketing, sales, service, and product teams around a shared go-to-market strategy and customer-centric approach is crucial for successful B2B growth. - AI can be a valuable tool in marketing, but it should be used to empower sales teams, not replace them. The key is finding specific use cases and having enough data to train the AI models effectively. Quotes"Quality Matters way more than quantity, prospects have to be at the right place in their buying cycle, the ideal customer profile has to match, and generating a whole bunch of leads is really just resulting in bad conversion metrics, distrust between marketing and sales." -Peter Bregman Recommended Resource Books:- "Invisible Rulers" by Renee de Resta - A fascinating look at how influence and ideas spread on the internet and the creation of "bespoke realities" on social media. Podcasts:- "Planet Money" - An entertaining economics podcast - "Hard Fork" - A podcast covering the state of technology - "In Depth" from First Round Capital - Interviews with founders of companies they've invested in Connect with Peter Bregman | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode SummaryIn this episode, Mana guides on implementing ethical and unbiased practices when using AI in marketing. She emphasizes the importance of ensuring data diversity, regular model audits, and transparency around how AI makes decisions to avoid bias. Mana suggests marketers ask fundamental questions about AI models, such as how they avoid overfitting, to validate outputs and understand the reasoning behind recommendations, especially for high-stakes decisions. Overall, the discussion highlights the potential for AI to create new opportunities in marketing by enabling more data-driven, scientific practices, and recommends that marketers learn about machine learning concepts to become more proficient in this area. About the guest Mana Ionescu is a digital marketing leader and Head of Digital Marketing at Axos Bank in San Diego. A former agency founder, Mana loves to demystify complex marketing concepts and debunk digital marketing myths. She teaches at the Kellogg Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing and is a sought-after keynote. In her free time, Mana likes to explore the peaks and valleys of our beautiful earth: hiking and SCUBA diving. Connect with Mana Ionescu Key takeaways- Implement ethical and unbiased AI practices through diverse data, regular audits, and transparency - Ask fundamental questions about AI models, like how they avoid overfitting, to validate outputs - Maintain visibility into the "why" behind AI recommendations, especially for high-stakes decisions - Embrace AI's potential to create new opportunities in marketing by enabling more data-driven, scientific practices - Recommend that marketers learn about machine learning concepts to become more proficient Quotes"We can't have a black box. You need to be able to explain to stakeholders how the AI models work and the risks involved." -Mana Ionescu Connect with Mana Ionescu | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode Summary In this episode of OnBase, Victoria Sakal explores effective go-to-market strategies and the delicate balance between data-driven insights and intuition in marketing. She discusses common challenges companies face, such as organizational disconnects and the struggle to be proactive in rapidly changing markets. Victoria emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs, monitoring trends, and using an innovation pipeline framework to guide strategy development. She advocates for quality over quantity in marketing efforts, recommending targeted campaigns for specific audiences rather than broad, unfocused approaches. Sakal underscores the value of curiosity and asking better questions to drive growth and innovation in marketing and product development. About the guest With a passion for turning complex inputs on customers, market dynamics, and competitors into smart strategies that drive growth, Victoria has spent the last decade helping companies ask better questions to get better data, source more powerful insights, and stay on top of important dynamics that matter. Previously at Morning Consult and Kantar, Victoria now focuses on all things demand gen, product marketing, market research, and growth strategies to deliver more value for Wonder users. Connect with Victoria Sakal Key takeaways- Balance data-driven insights with intuition for effective marketing decisions - Focus on customer needs and problems when developing go-to-market strategies - Use an innovation pipeline framework to guide strategy from problem identification to launch - Prioritize quality over quantity in marketing by targeting specific audiences with tailored messages - Stay informed through industry newsletters, podcasts, and thought leaders - Embrace curiosity and ask better questions to drive growth and innovation - Align different parts of the organization for cohesive go-to-market execution - Adapt agile approaches to market research for speed and relevance Quotes "Being a degree off at your starting point can leave you a mile off down the road." -Victoria Sakal Recommended Resource Newsletters: - Scott Clary's newsletter on mental models and business inspiration - James Clear's newsletter on life frameworks and processes - Seth Godin's daily digestible content Podcasts:- Lenny's Podcast, which covers product strategy and related disciplinesConnect with Victoria Sakal | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode SummaryThis episode features Sylvain Awad discussing strategies to optimize demand generation for sales success. Sylvain emphasizes simplifying messaging, aligning marketing and sales goals, and prioritizing lead quality over quantity. He advises repurposing content across verticals for common pain points, validating leads before passing to sales, and generating quality leads through website optimization. Sylvain also touches on implementing account-based marketing tactics and leveraging storytelling in B2B marketing. Throughout the discussion, he stresses the importance of ongoing communication between marketing and sales teams to refine strategies and messaging, providing actionable insights for B2B marketers to improve their demand generation efforts. About the guest Sylvain Awad is an accomplished and dynamic B2B/B2C marketer with extensive leadership experience and a proven track record of orchestrating and optimizing high-impact/global marketing strategies to drive organizational success. Connect with Sylvain Awad Key takeaways- Simplify messaging and avoid overcomplicated demand-gen strategies - Align marketing and sales goals, focusing on lead quality over quantity - Use similar content across verticals when addressing common pain points - Validate and qualify leads before passing them to sales - Generate high-quality leads through organic website optimization and always-on campaigns - Implement account-based marketing approaches for multiple leads from the same account - Leverage storytelling in B2B marketing and sales - Maintain ongoing communication between marketing and sales teams to refine strategies Quotes"Validating and making sure and double checking and triple checking that the lead is valid. And that makes the most sense for getting better quality leads to sales." -Sylvain Awad Recommended ResourceBooks-"The Stories That Stick" by Kendra Hall Connect with Sylvain Awad | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode SummaryIn this episode, Joshua Hoffman discusses strategies to align sales and marketing teams for better business outcomes. He emphasizes focusing on partnership and shared metrics, using data throughout the sales process, involving marketing in forecasting and pipeline discussions, and creating a culture of cross-team collaboration. Hoffman also highlights the importance of leveraging customer success teams for stronger partnerships. About the guest Josh is currently a partner at CH Consulting after spending the last three decades in global leadership roles at Dell, Avaya, Palo Alto Networks, Datto, and Netrix Global. CH Consulting is a team of experts with relevant expertise in Sales, Marketing, Transformation, Strategy, Growth, Operational Excellence, Legal, and more. Connect with Joshua Hoffman Key takeaways- Focus on the partnership between sales and marketing, not finger-pointing- Establish shared metrics and common language across teams- Use data and analytics throughout the entire sales process- Involve marketing in forecasting meetings and pipeline discussions- Create a culture of collaboration and mutual support- Leverage customer success teams to build stronger partnerships- Break down silos to drive better business outcomes Quotes"This is supposed to be a partnership. When sales and marketing get at odds, which happens in a lot of organizations, there has to be a way to bring people back to square." -Joshua Hoffman Recommended Resource Books-The One Minute Manager -Atomic Habits -Everybody Writes Connect with Joshua Hoffman | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode SummaryRebekah Gardner and Jason Keever discuss how the tax industry has evolved significantly in recent years to keep up with digitalization and changing client needs. They explore how Ryan is leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence to improve efficiency and deliver exceptional client value. The speakers highlight the importance of breaking down silos between professional services and product teams. They emphasize building trust, communication, and incentives to encourage collaboration. Gardner and Keever also address balancing innovation through new product development while maintaining important client relationships. Keever provides an example of how AI could streamline processing large volumes of variable tax documents. About the guests Rebekah Gardner Rebekah is a relationship-focused global sales leader with over 20 years of experience as a federal tax partner. She has a proven track record across multiple industries, and from small businesses to Fortune-ranked companies. Her expertise spans private equity, strategic partnerships, and software channels, all underscored by a commitment to collaboration, accountability, and achieving results. Connect with Rebekah Gardner Jason Keever Jason serves as the President of Ryan’s tax.com™ division. With over 15 years of experience in driving revenue for private-equity-backed, high-growth SaaS companies, he leads the executive team in expanding technology services for existing clients and venturing into new markets. Jason's previous leadership roles include Chief Revenue Officer, President, Chief Sales Officer, and Vice President of Sales across various industries. Connect with Jason Keever Key takeaways- The tax industry has significantly evolved to keep up with digitalization and changing client needs and expectations. - Technologies like AI can be leveraged to improve work efficiency and enhance the client experience. - It's important to break down silos between professional services and product teams through improved trust, communication, and aligned incentives. - Companies must balance innovation through new product development while maintaining important client relationships. - Accumulating and analyzing vast amounts of industry data can provide a competitive advantage through solutions like streamlining document processing. Quotes"Now one of the prominent pieces of the conversation with Clients is inevitably, what technology are you using to get this done? How are we certain that you are doing this in the most efficient way?" -Rebekah Gardner "We're uniquely positioned, we’re uniquely focused on corporate tax, and we have the breadth of data that's going to help empower that type of movement in the market."-Jason Keever Recommended Resource Books Good to Great by Jim Collins Dare to Lead by Brene Brown Scaling People by Claire Hughes Johnson Amp It Up by Frank Slootman
Episode SummaryVinod shares insights from growing revenue by 40x in 7 years. Some key strategies include understanding customers thoroughly, offering a diversified portfolio of solutions, and networking extensively. Vinod also emphasizes the importance of building effective relationships with decision-makers through mutual respect, problem-solving focus, and self-awareness. He recommends staying informed by reading competitors' reports, attending industry events, and maintaining a strong professional network. About the guest Vinod Venkatesan is the Vice President of Sales, Strategic Accounts at Amkor Technology Inc. He is one of the emerging leaders at Amkor and is a results-oriented, technology-focused sales executive. Vinod is a problem solver at heart, questions the status quo, passionate about impactful leadership, and is driving change to continue to deliver growth for his organization. Connect with Vinod Venkatesan Key takeaways- Understand your customers thoroughly by learning about their business, market position, goals, challenges, and future plans - Offer a diversified portfolio of solutions to manage risk and provide solutions for multiple customer needs - Build strong relationships through mutual respect, acting as a problem solver rather than taking sides, and having open conversations - Stay informed by reading competitors' reports, listening to industry podcasts and talks, and regularly networking with contacts in your field Quotes"You really need to learn everything about what your customer is doing, their market position, and more importantly, where they're headed." -Vinod V. on understanding customers. Recommended Resource Leadership podcasts to gain different perspectives from various roles and industries TED Talks for innovative ideas and insights Industry-specific newsletters Earnings calls, 10-Ks, and investor presentations for valuable market intelligence
Episode Summary This episode provides insights into effective global marketing strategies and cultural considerations for international expansion. Manuela Furtado shares best practices for localizing content and campaigns to resonate with target audiences in different countries and cultures. She emphasizes the importance of understanding local markets through research and tailoring strategies for each region. Manuela also discusses the need to align global and local marketing efforts with sales to ensure consistent branding while making the experience culturally relevant in each new market. Overall, the episode offers guidance to companies on prioritizing localization from the start of their global expansion planning. About the guest Manuela Furtado has 25 years of experience in the localization industry, driving innovative processes and technologies. With a strong background in languages and communication, she expertly guides clients through best practices, whether they are new to localization or looking to expand their global reach to maximize impact. As a leader in Sales and Account Management, Manuela excels in building meaningful relationships across the globalization ecosystem. She adeptly matches client goals with the most targeted services, technologies, and expertise, ensuring optimal results. Connect with Manuela Furtado Key takeaways- Understand target audiences' cultural sensitivities and preferences through market research - Tailor marketing strategies, content, design, and messaging for each local market - Maintain brand consistency while adapting campaigns to be culturally relevant - Involve localization experts from the beginning of global expansion planning - Align global and local marketing efforts with in-country sales teams - Start with pilot testing and localization of the most important pages/content - Ongoing testing and adaptation is needed as the localization process is continuous Quotes“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” -Manuela highlights Nelson Mandela’s quote that emphasizes the importance of truly connecting with target audiences by speaking to them in their language at a deeper, emotional level rather than just translating. Recommended Resource Books-"Take Your Company Global" by Nataly Kelly. Websites-BornToBeGlobal.com by Nataly Kelly - Accompanying blog to the book above. -AlphaCRC - For localization case studies and resources. -Nimdzi Insights - Consulting agency that publishes content on localization. -Slator - For content on localization and multilingual insights. -CSA Research -Locworld- A conference for localization professionals, networking, and industry innovation.
Episode Summary This episode discusses account-based marketing strategies with guest Amanda Dyson. She shares insights on personalizing ABM approaches based on customer understanding rather than focusing on features. Amanda emphasizes the importance of collaboration between sales and marketing in areas like account nomination and campaign planning. She also outlines how ABM can support customer retention, upsell, and cross-sell efforts by building long-term relationships. About the guest Amanda is a 20-year B2B SaaS marketing veteran. She has run regional and global teams. She has a passion for people and results and a proven track record of success. She has held leadership positions in sales and marketing, including ABM, partnerships, demand gen, field and corporate marketing for global Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) companies. 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. Connect with Amanda Dyson Key takeaways- Lead with customer pain points rather than product features to build trust. - Collaboration between sales and marketing is required through an account nomination process and campaign planning sessions. - Focus ABM efforts to avoid trying to sell everything at once and "boil the ocean." - Leverage ABM for existing customers through custom landing pages and insider advocates to drive retention, upsell, and cross-sell. - Overcommunicate ABM strategies internally through a living overview deck and consistent updates on calls and materials. Quotes"ABM is probably my favorite type of marketing because it can be disruptive and provocative. And, honestly, it's just all about the customer and how to stand out to them." -Amanda Dyson Recommended Resource Books-"How Women Rise" by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith -"Radical Candor" by Kim Scott -"Amp It Up" by Frank Slootman -Fiction books by Kristin Hannah and Frederick Bachman Connect with Amanda Dyson | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode Summary This episode discusses how buyer behavior is changing, especially in manufacturing, and the challenges companies face in aligning their sales and marketing strategies as a result. The guest, Kathy Macchi, shares her insights from over 25 years in the industry on how buyers are younger and want more control over the process. She highlights culture, technology, and data silos as major barriers for manufacturing companies looking to align. The discussion covers how account-based marketing (ABM) can help manufacturers by prioritizing the right accounts for large deals and providing a framework for collaboration. They emphasize starting simple with ABM and having a dedicated sales leader champion the approach. About the guest Kathy has thrived through 25 years in sales, marketing, and IT, and now leads Inverta’s consulting. She takes a no-nonsense approach to the role of digital skills, processes, and tools, and has helped Citrix, Microsoft, and HP transform their marketing. Additionally, she’s one of the foremost authorities in account-based marketing and has been certified by ITSMA as an ABM practitioner since 2007. Kathy conducts workshops, webinars, and training sessions, and has supported hundreds of ABM rollouts and scale-ups. When Kathy isn’t traveling the world, she enjoys a top-shelf vegetarian breakfast taco at her home in Austin, TX. Connect with Kathy Macchi Key takeaways- Buyer behavior is changing, with younger buyers wanting more control over the sales process - Major challenges for manufacturing companies in aligning sales and marketing include cultural resistance, lack of digital tools, and data silos - ABM can help manufacturers target the right accounts for large deals, select key messages, and implement supporting technology - When getting started with ABM, companies should pick the right sales leader, start simply, focus on goals and measurement, and continually reinforce the approach with sales Quotes"Buyer behavior is changing, they're no longer an individual buyer like you used to have, it's a buying group, and a lot of that buying group is anonymous.” -Kathy Macchi Recommended Resource Books-The Next CMO Podcast -The Artificial Intelligence Show Connect with Kathy Macchi | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website
Episode Summary In this episode, host Chris Moody talks with John Common of Intelligent Demand about the ongoing challenge of aligning sales and marketing teams. They discuss why misalignment often stems from a lack of clear strategy and leadership guiding the organization. John emphasizes that B2B growth requires cross-functional collaboration but most companies still operate in silos. John also dives into common mistakes made with account-based marketing programs when they are treated as solely a marketing initiative. He outlines why traditional metrics like marketing qualified leads are outdated. About the guest John Common, CEO and founder of Intelligent Demand brings 20 years of expertise in growth strategy, technology, marketing, sales, and customer success. His career focuses on driving measurable revenue growth for tech and service firms, both internally and as an agency partner. Under his leadership, Intelligent Demand has emerged as a premier revenue growth agency, prioritizing its people, culture, and client success. John also hosts "Growth Driver," a podcast for B2B executives eager to drive growth, featuring thought leaders and experts. Connect with John Common Key takeaways- B2B growth requires cross-functional alignment and collaboration, but most companies still operate in silos due to a lack of clear go-to-market strategy and leadership. - Common mistakes with account-based marketing programs include treating it as solely a marketing initiative, not setting clear growth goals, and relying on outdated metrics like MQLs. - Companies need to critically examine their assumptions around go-to-market approaches and commit to developing integrated growth strategies, as traditional playbook methods are no longer effective. Quotes"B2B growth is a team sport, there is no go-to-market motion where cross-functional alignment is not." -John Common Recommended Resource Books-Kotler on Marketing by Philip Kotler. -Sales Pitch by April Dunford. -Obviously Awesome by April Dunford. Podcast-Growth Driver -Lenny’s Podcast Connect with John Common | Follow us on LinkedIn | Website