APAC's B2B Growth Podcast

For his third appearance on the show, CEO of efex, Nick Sheehan joins Shahin in sharing the story of efex and how they've used mergers and acquisitions to grow their business into the national name it is today.

This episode also covers...

• The realisation that M&A can be a great growth channel
• The evolution of leadership
• Mistakes and fear
• Balancing life and a business

About Nick...

Nick Sheehan is the founder and CEO of efex, one of Australia's leading & fastest growing MSP's.

Under Nick's leadership, efex has grown exponentially since its inception in 2013 from 2 employees to over 300 across 22 Australian branches.

efex has successfully completed 12 acquisitions to date, with 3 more planned in FY25. In 2021 Alceon Private Equity purchased a 50% stake in efex.

Nick is driven by the belief that IT should be simple, scalable, and ultimately solve for tangible gains to productivity and efficiency of workforces. His energy inspires the team to deliver on this core focus, backed by a depth of decentralised capability and expertise, and an egalitarian, values-driven culture.

When Nick isn't building one of Australia's best IT companies, you'll find him indulging in his other passion - tending to his vineyards in the Adelaide Hills.

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📚 Get your copy of the 2023 report here: https://abm.xgrowth.com.au/2023-report/

Hosted & Produced by Shahin Hoda, Allysa Maywald & Alexander Hipwell, from xGrowth.

🚨 We would love to get your questions, ideas and feedback about Growth Colony, email [email protected]

Or fill out this Google form: https://forms.gle/ybDTyjEreR1WiUg16

And for all our other socials visit: https://mtr.bio/xgrowth

On this episode, we chat to Kris Rudeegraap, Co-CEO & Co-Founder of Sendoso about approaching Influencer Marketing in the B2B space.

This episode also covers...

• How Sendoso built their influencer community
• How to balance transparency and professionalism
• The strategies and tactics of building a community
• The future of Sendoso

About Kris...

Kris has more than two decades of Go-To-Market expertise as an individual seller, sales leader, and CEO. Kris started Sendoso in 2016 out of a problem he faced first-hand.

Sendoso is backed by $150M+ in venture funding and has seen $250M+ spent on the platform with a global footprint across NAMER, EMEA, and APAC.

Kris is passionate about growth hacking, experimental marketing, and AI in GTM. Kris is a California native and currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Amp It Up - Frank Slootman
• Marc Benioff

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🗞 Join our newsletter: https://forms.gle/NaN6W8qj1qQsfpTe9

📚 Get your copy of the 2023 report here: https://abm.xgrowth.com.au/2023-report/

Hosted & Produced by Shahin Hoda, Allysa Maywald & Alexander Hipwell, from xGrowth.

🚨 We would love to get your questions, ideas and feedback about Growth Colony, email [email protected]

Or fill out this Google form: https://forms.gle/ybDTyjEreR1WiUg16

And for all our other socials visit: https://mtr.bio/xgrowth

Join Vinnie and Ashley Faus, Head of Lifecycle Marketing at Atlassian, on their chat about what makes someone a Thought Leader and how you can be one.

This episode also covers...

• How to be a Thought Leader
• The difference between a Thought Leader, a Subject Matter Expert, and an Influencer
• Ashley's Thought Leader model and pillars

About Ashley...

Marketer, writer, speaker by day... singer, actor, fitness fiend by night!

Ashley has handled all aspects of marketing strategy and execution, from product marketing, to demand-gen, to content and events. She loves telling the high-level stories that resonate with an audience and connecting the dots between types of assets and distribution channels.

Her writing has been published on TIME, Forbes, MarketingProfs, and The Muse, and she’s spoken on various marketing topics for INBOUND, Harvard Business Review, and MarketingProfs.

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🗞 Join our newsletter: https://forms.gle/NaN6W8qj1qQsfpTe9

📚 Get your copy of the 2023 report here: https://abm.xgrowth.com.au/2023-report/

Hosted & Produced by Vinnie Romano, Allysa Maywald & Alexander Hipwell, from xGrowth.

🚨 We would love to get your questions, ideas and feedback about Growth Colony, email [email protected]

Or fill out this Google form: https://forms.gle/ybDTyjEreR1WiUg16

And for all our other socials visit: https://mtr.bio/xgrowth

Vinnie is joined by Lyssna's Director of Marketing, Claire Brown, to chat about the importance of approaching marketing research in the B2B space.

This episode also covers...

• the cost-effective methods of marketing research
• how marketing research can help you stay ahead of the curve
• practical insights for startups to refine their marketing approaches

About Claire...

Claire is a seasoned marketing executive with over 15 years of experience across various industries, including technology, financial services, education, and fashion, working with companies in the US, Dubai, the UK, and Australia.

Now specialising in brand, growth, and product marketing for B2B SaaS companies, she currently acts as the Director of Marketing at Lyssna.

With an MBA, Claire has held leadership roles in e-learning, martech, and user experience software companies. She is known for her strategic thinking, creativity, and ability to leverage digital technologies and customer insights to drive results.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Obviously Awesome - April Dunford
• Elena Verna
• Kyle Poyar

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🗞 Join our newsletter: https://forms.gle/NaN6W8qj1qQsfpTe9

📚 Get your copy of the 2023 report here: https://abm.xgrowth.com.au/2023-report/

Hosted & Produced by Vinnie Romano, Allysa Maywald & Alexander Hipwell, from xGrowth.

🚨 We would love to get your questions, ideas and feedback about Growth Colony, email [email protected]

Or fill out this Google form: https://forms.gle/ybDTyjEreR1WiUg16

And for all our other socials visit: https://mtr.bio/xgrowth

Vinnie chats with Sobia Mughal from Workday, about the eye-opening misconceptions of B2B marketing. The duo delve into why B2B is overshadowed by B2C marketing and what we can do to minimise this.

This episode also covers...

• Tertiary education and their approach to teaching marketing
• The key actions to close the gap between B2B and B2C
• How to build a strong brand

About Sobia...

Sobia is a seasoned marketing expert with over 15 years of experience in B2C and B2B sectors, spanning higher education, FMCG, automotive, and technology/SaaS industries. An award-winning academic and practitioner, she is passionate about data-driven marketing solutions that prioritises people. As Chair of the B2B Special Interest Group at the Marketing Association and a frequent guest lecturer and conference speaker, Sobia is dedicated to sharing knowledge and empowering others. Sobia's passionate approach has led to multiple accolades, including best paper award at the MAG Scholar Conference and winning New Zealand's first 3Minute Thesis competition as a postgraduate student in 2016.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Marketing Association NZ
• Axel Sukianto

_________________

🗞 Join our newsletter: https://forms.gle/NaN6W8qj1qQsfpTe9

📚 Get your copy of the 2023 report here: https://abm.xgrowth.com.au/2023-report/

Hosted & Produced by Vinnie Romano, Allysa Maywald & Alexander Hipwell, from xGrowth.

🚨 We would love to get your questions, ideas and feedback about Growth Colony, email [email protected]

Or fill out this Google form: https://forms.gle/ybDTyjEreR1WiUg16

And for all our other socials visit: https://mtr.bio/xgrowth

As AI continues to be added into the way we work in many industries, it's no surprise if you've thought about how AI will affect your job. We spoke with Aaron McEwan, VP of Research and Advisory at Gartner to talk about the future of AI in the marketing workplace.

This episode also covers...

• Gartner’s hype cycle
• What roles are going to be impacted by AI the most?
• AI and revenue generation
• Decision-making with AI

About Aaron...

As a strategic advisor to Heads of HR and senior executives, Aaron appreciates how essential talent is to organisational performance and growth and believes that great ideas, backed by rigorous science, have the power to unlock the potential of individuals, organisations and the world. 

At Gartner, he advises and coaches senior executives to innovate their HR strategies and challenge standard practice by harnessing data and insights derived from the world’s leading companies. 

Recently named a top 100 Global HR influencer by Engagedly, Aaron is a Fellow of the Australian Human Resources Institute, a columnist for InsideHR and serves on the national committee for the Australian Psychological Society’s Interest Group in Coaching Psychology. He also advises several tech start-ups and teaches in the Masters of Organisational Coaching program at Sydney Business School. He is an Honorary Associate at Macquarie University and have guest lectured at the University of Queensland, Griffith University and the Australian College of Applied Psychology. 

Outside of the corporate world, Aaron spent 10 years writing and performing original music where he learned that creativity, authenticity and human connection sit at the heart of great songs and great performances. Whilst he no longer performs on stage, Aaron continues to write songs and gets his live performance kicks from public speaking.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• World War Z - Max Brooks
• Humans + AI - Ross Dawson
• Chris Howard
• Reid Hoffman

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🗞 Join our newsletter: https://forms.gle/NaN6W8qj1qQsfpTe9

📚 Get your copy of the 2023 report here: https://abm.xgrowth.com.au/2023-report/

Hosted & Produced by Shahin Hoda, Allysa Maywald & Alexander Hipwell, from xGrowth.

🚨 We would love to get your questions, ideas and feedback about Growth Colony, email [email protected]

Or fill out this Google form: https://forms.gle/ybDTyjEreR1WiUg16

And for all our other socials visit: https://mtr.bio/xgrowth

Learn the differences between working in a Market Leader company versus a Challenger brand, with Co-Founder and CEO of Truescope, John Croll AM.

This episode also covers...

• Transitioning from Market Leader to Challenger
• How to differentiate yourself in the market
• How to have effective brand awareness

About John...

John is the current Co-Founder and CEO of Truescope, a global Media Intelligence company serving corporate and government clients in a number of countries. Previously, John was appointed CEO of Media Monitors Pty Limited in 1999. John led Media Monitors and subsequently Isentia, through private equity and an IPO on the Australian Stock Exchange to be Asia Pacific’s leading media intelligence company delivering services to 5,000 clients in 11 markets with more than 1,200 employees. 

Isentia was listed on the ASX in 2014 and John resigned in February 2018 after nearly 20 years as CEO and Managing Director. He is a Life Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of Australia, a Fellow of the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communications (AMEC), and a member of the Institute of Company Directors. 

John is Chair of the Australian Sporting Alliance for People with a Disability, was Vice President of the Australian Paralympic Committee for eight years and Chair of Disability Sports Australia. His service to people with a disability and sporting organisations saw him awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2019.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Hard Things About Hard Things - Ben Horowitz
• SaaStr - Jason Lemkin

_________________

🎯 Do the survey here: https://bit.ly/4drohYX

📚 Get your copy of the 2023 report here: https://abm.xgrowth.com.au/2023-report/

Hosted & Produced by Shahin Hoda, Allysa Maywald & Alexander Hipwell, from xGrowth.

We would love to get your questions, ideas and feedback about Growth Colony, email [email protected]

And for all our other socials visit: https://mtr.bio/xgrowth

What do you know about Person-to-Person Communication (P2P)? Well, Vinnie sat down with Fern Canning to find out more on how P2P can help with your B2B strategies.

This episode also covers...

• How to build brand trust
• The importance of employee advocacy
• How to approach personal branding for executives 

About Fern...

Fern is a distinguished marketing communications leader with over 20 years of experience, renowned for her expertise in growing, evolving and safeguarding some of the world's largest brands across diverse industries including technology, FMCG, wellness, retail and automotive. Her career spans both agency and client-side roles, within both B2C and B2B environments.

Fern's leadership roles include serving as Managing Director of Australia, and Executive Vice President, across Asia Pacific, at leading global marketing communications firms, where she drove significant business transformations and fostered high-performing teams across multiple regions. She also led global marketing communications strategy for PayPal, whilst sitting right here in Australia.

Previously, Fern served as Marketing Director at Deloitte Australia, where she continued to shape the future of marketing and communications with her visionary leadership and commitment to excellence.

Fern is currently also co-authoring a book with The Ethical CEO, Adam Long. Titled Getting People to Give a F*ck: Marketing Strategies for Ideas That Matter.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Marketing Academy
• Marc Pritchard
• Syl Saller
• Mark Ritson
• The B2B Institute
• Leandro Perez

_________________

🎯 Do the survey here: https://bit.ly/4drohYX

📚 Get your copy of the 2023 report here: https://abm.xgrowth.com.au/2023-report/

Hosted & Produced by Vinnie Romano, Allysa Maywald & Alexander Hipwell, from xGrowth.

We would love to get your questions, ideas and feedback about Growth Colony, email [email protected]

And for all our other socials visit: https://mtr.bio/xgrowth

This episode is all about how YOU can make YOUR mark in the B2B Market! Growth Tribe's very own, David Arnoux, shares an amazing list of Gen AI tools and a number of growth strategies and tactics that can help you stand out in the B2B space.

This episode also covers...

• How Growth Tribe got to where they are now
• What key tactics are important within your growth strategy
• The importance of experimentation
• How to leverage AI for your business

About David...

David Arnoux is the co-founder and CEO of Growth Tribe, a digital learning platform focused on Marketing, AI and Business skills. Growth Tribe boasts 37000 alumni and 1000+ companies trained, ranked #1 edtech in the Netherlands #1 and #5 in Europe.

A pioneering growth marketing expert, David empowers businesses with data-driven strategies and cutting-edge digital techniques. His innovative approach to education has made Growth Tribe a leader in teaching essential skills for the digital age.

David is a respected thought leader in Growth, Marketing and Business in general.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• G.R.O.W.S experimentation framework
• Deep Work - Cal Newport
• Growth Tribe Blog
• The Rundown AI - Rowan Cheung
• Ethan Mollick

Gen AI tools that are on David’s radar:

• Perplexity - A research tool
• LM Studio - Where you can play around with LLMs
• Make.com - Workflow automation
• MindStudio - Building internal or client-facing apps
• CrewAI - AI agents and multi-agents
• NotebookLM - Research tool by Google
• Uizard - Prototyping and user interface
• ElevenLabs - Replicating voice

_________________

🎯 Do the survey here: https://bit.ly/4drohYX

📚 Get your copy of the 2023 report here: https://abm.xgrowth.com.au/2023-report/

Hosted & Produced by Shahin Hoda, Allysa Maywald & Alexander Hipwell, from xGrowth.

We would love to get your questions, ideas and feedback about Growth Colony, email [email protected]

And for all our other socials visit: https://mtr.bio/xgrowth

To chat about being a modern marketer with a focus on brand and team alignment is Lara (Vandersluis) Barnett, Head of Marketing at Logicalis. She joins host, Vinnie Romano, in finding the true importance of sales and marketing alignment...

This episode also covers...

• How marketers can understand sales
• How brand health surveys can help with market research
• What are marketing development funds (MDF)?

About Lara...

Lara is a senior B2B marketing leader with extensive experience rolling out full-scale marketing programs in the technology and IT services sector across APAC.

Having appeared on stage and in print as a marketing thought leader, Lara loves building out high performing marketing teams, with a focus on harnessing the power of the sales/marketing relationship, producing measurable business outcomes, and creating exceptional customer experiences.

A passionate storyteller and brand builder, Lara has been privileged to foster extraordinary partner and stakeholder relationships throughout her career. She has worked across a range of industries including technology, financial services and construction, utilising her extensive knowledge of the full marketing mix to create innovative and strategic marketing plans with a highly commercial focus.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Start with Why - Simon Sinek
• Mini MBA - Mark Ritson
• Axel Sukianto

_________________

🎯 Do the survey here: https://bit.ly/4drohYX

📚 Get your copy of the 2023 report here: https://abm.xgrowth.com.au/2023-report/

Hosted & Produced by Vinnie Romano, Allysa Maywald & Alexander Hipwell, from xGrowth.

We would love to get your questions, ideas and feedback about Growth Colony, email [email protected]

And for all our other socials visit: https://mtr.bio/xgrowth