On this episode of Practical Pivots, marketing veteran Rachel Shayne, of B2B R&D, unpacks why “brand is your moat” and how the real challenge isn’t besting your competitors, but cutting through marketplace confusion. From her insights working with technical founders, Shayne lays out her playbook for building resilient, memorable brands in complex industries. Whether you’re leading a high-growth tech venture or steering strategy in a legacy sector, this interview offers the candid perspective and actionable inspiration today’s business decision-makers crave.

About Rachel 

Rachel Shayne is a fractional CMO and brand strategist known for translating complex clean-tech and energy science into market conviction. She has helped create entirely new categories across methane monitoring, geothermal baseload power, and other frontier sectors—using disciplined storytelling to move customers, investors, and industries.

Her career spans global consumer powerhouses such as P&G, Nestlé, and Sephora, as well as some of the most innovative climate-tech and deep-tech companies, including GreenFire Energy, LongPath Technologies, Project Canary, Sionic Energy, and TrelliSense. That blend of Fortune-50 rigor and venture-backed scrappiness shapes a unique approach few CMOs can match.

Shayne is widely recognized for aligning founders, boards, and teams around clear narratives that fuel growth, culture, and category leadership. Her work has supported more than $200M in capital raised, driven market share above 60%, and positioned multiple brands as leaders in the energy transition.

She also serves as a mentor with Blackstone Entrepreneurs’ Network, TechStars, and CU Leeds—reflecting a commitment to developing the people who will lead the next generation of markets.