ambush on air

B2B marketers, we need to talk. In this episode of AMBUSH On Air, Sam Bush is joined by Tania Konczynski (Director of Partner Engagement at OMEY) and Mary Miller (Director of Marketing at Paytrace) for a real conversation about the B2C playbook that actually works in B2B.

They break down why B2B content feels so stale, how to stop “buttoned up” marketing that nobody engages with, and what it looks like to keep things short, human, and trust-building in 2026. You’ll hear practical takes on bite-sized storytelling, video-first partnership marketing, pricing transparency, and why speed and honesty are credibility now.

Topics include:

• “No more need to be boring and buttoned up” in B2B

• Microdosing messaging to buying committees without wasting anyone’s time

• Short video partnership intros that tell the story, not the feature list

• Trust tactics: honesty, transparency, and saying “I don’t know” (then following through)

• What to avoid: clickbait webinars, demo-bait, and pointless quote cards

• How AI is being used for repurposing, feedback loops, blind spots, and faster execution

• Millennial-first buyer behavior and why your proof needs to be personal, not generic

If you’re still writing the same blogs, pushing the same one-size-fits-all campaigns, and wondering why engagement is flat, this is your wake-up call.

AI didn’t just change content production. It changed what audiences trust.

In this episode of ambush on air, Sam Bush sits down with Sabrina Zimara (CMO, iSolutions) to unpack what’s happening right now in the Microsoft channel: a flood of AI-written content that’s polished, fast—and increasingly indistinguishable.

They talk about Sabrina’s LinkedIn article “Drowning in the Sea of Sameness,” why AI-generated resumes are becoming identical, and how marketers are accidentally training buyers to distrust everything. The core takeaway: AI is a powerful tool—but if you let it replace your voice, you’re trading speed for credibility.

What you’ll hear:

• The real cost of “content at scale” when everyone sounds the same

• Why buyers in 2026 spot generic messaging instantly

• When AI becomes a crutch (and what it does to critical thinking)

• How to use AI like a brainstorming partner—without outsourcing your point of view

• The simplest publish test: could anyone else have said this the same way?

If you care about trust, differentiation, and real thought leadership in the Microsoft ecosystem, this one’s for you.

This episode is a milestone: I’m officially stepping into my next chapter as Chief Marketing Officer at Dooap—and to mark it, we’re tackling the exact topic that will define the next era of growth in the Microsoft ecosystem: the evolving role of the CMO, CRO, and modern revenue leadership.

Joined by Kate Coffey-Bacon (SVP Marketing & Strategy, USTPay) and Khaled Nassra (Founder, Enki Consulting), we go straight at the tension every partner org feels right now: marketing being held to revenue targets without a true seat at the revenue table, sales and marketing operating on separate fields (or worse—against each other), and the “random acts of marketing” playbook collapsing in real time.

We unpack why the future looks less like a funnel and more like a connected, full-cycle customer experience—from first click to renewal. And we get practical: what leaders must stop measuring, what they must start owning, and how marketers (and sellers) can become revenue athletes without burning out.

What we cover:

• Why the CMO and CRO roles are converging—and what “revenue leadership” actually requires

• The real culprit behind internal friction: attribution wars and misaligned accountability

• Why KPIs (as most teams use them) are failing—and what should replace them

• Full-cycle messaging: staying in the story from acquisition through retention and renewal

• Why marketers must learn the P&L—and why sellers must learn marketing fundamentals

• “Liquid networks”: the underrated advantage of relationship-driven collaboration inside and outside the org

• Career advice for aspiring revenue leaders: mentorship, sales fluency, deal velocity, and close-loss discipline

If you’re in the Microsoft channel and you feel the ground shifting under marketing and sales—this one puts language, structure, and a path forward to what you’ve been sensing.

Recorded live at Community Summit North America in Orlando, this episode of Ambush On Air brings together two longtime product leaders from the Microsoft ecosystem for a real conversation about payments, partnerships, and where AI is actually landing in the channel.

Sam Bush sits down with Kevin Pritchard (Fidesic) and Jeremy Bogart (PayTrace) to talk about building in a crowded AR/AP space, why community matters more the longer you stay in the channel, and how their partnership came together at the right moment. They dig into what’s changing fast, what’s already been overhyped, and how product, sales, and marketing roles continue to blur—especially for leaders who “do a little bit of everything.”

The episode closes with practical, human use cases for AI, honest takes on conference learning, and why concierge-style support still wins in a transactional world.

In this episode, Sam Bush is joined by Nicole Ronchetti, for a discussion that was sparked by Nicole's blog - “I Didn’t Leave Tech. I Left a System That Forgot Why It Exists”—a powerful piece that names what so many people are feeling but rarely say out loud.

This is a conversation about burnout, broken systems, and the quiet disillusionment happening across tech and B2B. It’s about how performance replaced people, productivity eclipsed purpose, and how many talented leaders—especially women—are stepping away not because they can’t do the work, but because the system stopped working for them.

You’ll hear honest reflections on:

• Why “resilience” has become a dangerous expectation

• How corporate tech lost sight of its human impact

• The difference between leaving a job and reclaiming yourself

• What rebuilding trust, meaning, and community could actually look like

This episode isn’t about quitting.
It’s about remembering why we started—and deciding what we’re no longer willing to accept.

If you’ve ever felt like you were burning out in silence, questioning your place, or wondering whether the problem was really you—this one’s for you.

Subscribe for more conversations on modern work, leadership, community, and the future of B2B—human-first, always.

In this episode of AMBUSH On Air, Sam Bush breaks down why PartnerIn Vibe is shaping up to be one of the most important Microsoft partner events of the year.

From Azure and BizApps to Modern Work, AI, and data, PartnerIn Vibe brings the full Microsoft ecosystem together—without the noise of massive conferences. Sam highlights standout sessions, including real-world practice-building stories, practical guidance on showing up in AI search and Copilot, and why every ERP partner needs an AI strategy now.

Sam also previews his own 90-minute session on AI-powered account-based marketing, designed specifically for ISVs and VARs with limited marketing resources who want to win more of the right accounts.

This episode is your last call on:

• Why community-led growth is becoming the real funnel in the Microsoft channel

• How intimate events outperform big expos for real partner momentum

• What to look for if you’re deciding whether PartnerIn Vibe is worth it

If you care about sustainable growth, real partnerships, and staying relevant in an AI-driven channel—this one’s for you.

In this live episode of ambush on air recorded from Convergence in Miami, Sam Bush sits down with Christian, Chief Digital Officer at Korcomptenz, to talk about the evolution of the Microsoft ecosystem — and why convergence across platforms, data, and AI is changing how organizations transform.

They discuss Korcomptenz’s end-to-end Microsoft approach, the growing need for partners who can span multiple disciplines, and how Christian’s background in fine arts shaped his path into technology. The conversation blends creativity, AI, and real-world experience from inside the Microsoft channel.

This episode reflects the excitement of Convergence’s return and the bigger shifts already underway across business applications and AI.

You’ll hear about:

• Why Convergence matters in today’s Microsoft landscape

• The rise of full-stack Microsoft partners

• How creativity fuels better digital transformation outcomes

• The role of AI and Fabric in modern ERP ecosystems

• What the next phase of Microsoft innovation looks like

About the show
AMBUSH ON AIR is a podcast covering modern B2B marketing, partnerships, and growth across the Microsoft channel. Hosted by Sam Bush, the show brings honest, in-the-moment conversations with leaders building what’s next.

In this live episode of ambush on air, recorded from Convergence in Miami, Sam Bush sits down with Andy Karteek, Manager of Business Development at Korcomptenz, to talk about what’s really changing inside the Microsoft ecosystem — and why this moment feels different.

They explore the return of Convergence after a decade, the rise of agentic AI, and how Microsoft is moving ERP from transactional systems to autonomous, AI-driven platforms. Andy shares how Korcomptenz is helping organizations modernize with Dynamics 365, Copilot, Fabric, and cloud — and why AI now sits at the center of enterprise transformation.

This conversation blends strategy, real-world application, and the energy of being back together as a community shaping the future of business applications.

You’ll hear about:

• Why Convergence matters now more than ever

• The shift to agentic, autonomous ERP

• Practical AI adoption inside Microsoft partner organizations

• How Copilot, Fabric, and AI agents are changing ERP outcomes

• What AI-first really means for customers and partners

• Why the Microsoft ecosystem is entering a new era

About the show
AMBUSH ON AIR is a podcast covering modern B2B marketing, partnerships, and growth across the Microsoft channel. Hosted by Sam Bush, the show brings honest, in-the-moment conversations with leaders building what’s next.

In this live episode of ambush on air, recorded at Convergence in Miami, Sam Bush sits down with Kristen Lewis, Enterprise Marketing Lead for the Microsoft Practice at RSM, for a deep, human conversation about leadership in the age of AI.

They discuss why Convergence’s return matters now, how agentic AI and AI-powered ERP are reshaping organizations, and why success in this next era depends on pairing technological capability with emotional intelligence, storytelling, and trust.

Kristen shares a powerful perspective on legacy — not as something outdated, but as the foundation that makes today’s innovation possible — and why empowering people closest to the problems is the real unlock of AI transformation.

This episode reflects the mindset required to lead in what many are calling the golden era of Dynamics: curiosity, humility, courage, and a deep respect for the humans behind the systems.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Why Convergence represents a defining moment for the Microsoft ecosystem

• The balance between AI IQ, human EQ, and leadership judgment

• Why agentic AI requires empowered people, not fear-driven adoption

• The role of storytelling, legacy, and origin stories in modern transformation

• How RSM is showing up as a bold, early leader in this next era

• Why legacy systems — and legacy people — deserve respect, not dismissal

• How leaders can help teams move from hesitation to excitement about change

As always… party on, AMBUSH.

Recorded live from Convergence in Miami, this episode features Mary Charuhas, Partner Manager at Celigo, joining ambush on air for her very first podcast. What started as a casual conversation quickly turned into a reflection on community, career paths in the Microsoft ecosystem, and how AI is actually being used—not just talked about.

Mary shared her unique full-circle moment with Convergence, attending her first one years ago as an intern and realizing the Microsoft channel could be a real career. Now, a decade later, she’s still here—and thriving. We talked about how different the Dynamics ecosystem feels compared to other ERP spaces, and why the sense of true community keeps people coming back year after year.

Like many of us, Mary uses AI daily to move faster—drafting emails, streamlining tasks, and identifying patterns in partner communications. On the Celigo side, AI is deeply embedded into the platform rather than treated as a separate offering.

One standout example: customer 360 bots inside Microsoft Teams. By dropping a CRM link into the bot, Celigo’s AI instantly returns customer details—from invoices to integrations—right inside Teams. No tab-hopping. No scrambling before meetings.

Mary summed it up perfectly: you can’t have a real AI strategy without an integration strategy. AI only works when systems talk to each other—and that’s where Celigo plays a critical role.

One of the most impressive use cases we covered was Celigo’s AI-powered error handling. Their platform resolves about 95% of integration errors autonomously, meaning customers experience virtually no downtime—even during high-volume moments like Black Friday. Some integrations have been running untouched for years, quietly doing their job in the background.

Convergence felt like a bonus reunion before year-end—one more chance to see community friends, swap stories, and reflect on how far the channel has come. Mary confirmed she’ll be back next year, and honestly, after these conversations, it’s easy to see why.

If you care about AI that actually works, integration that matters, and community that sticks—you’ll want to catch this episode.

As always, party on.