💡 Emily Askham, CMO at Natixis Investment Management, explores the crucial role of marketing in building trust within the B2B financial sector. She highlights strategies for fostering credibility, including voice-of-the-customer programs and third-party research. The discussion also covers proactive problem-solving and CX-driven differentiation for long-term success. 💡

"Most people will listen to you if they like you. But unless they trust you, they won’t do business with you. That’s why trust is the most critical part of it." - Emily Askham

Reflecting on Emily Askham’s insights, trust emerges as the goal and outcome of sophisticated, customer-centric B2B strategies. Transformation happens when trust becomes measurable through enhanced customer experiences, increased referrals, and lasting relationships. This journey requires a collective effort, uniting cross-departmental contributions with a deep understanding of the customer’s voice and needs.

Follow Emily Askham on LinkedIn

Follow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Peggy Studer, CMO at Klaxoon, explores the complexities of driving sustainable hypergrowth in B2B. She shares insights on cultural nuances, marketing technologies, and the balance between short-term wins and long-term growth. She emphasizes product marketing, brand building, and data-driven strategies and highlights team dynamics, customer voice, and adaptability as key to success. 💡

"If you want to achieve hypergrowth, you have to be willing to open up and carefully examine things to see what works and what doesn’t. If you’re just going through the motions without a strategy that addresses a problem or need, it’s not really going to work." - Peggy Studer

Peggy Studer highlights the importance of team dynamics, customer voice, and marketing fundamentals in driving hypergrowth. Rather than chasing short-term wins, she advocates for fostering innovation, data-driven decisions, and a customer-centric vision. Companies that embrace these principles achieve immediate success and build a foundation for long-term excellence.

Follow Peggy Studer on LinkedIn

Follow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Felix Bartels, CMO of the Serviceplan Group, shares his journey from medicine and sports science to marketing. He explores blending emotional engagement with AI, automation, and big data while maintaining authenticity. This episode highlights storytelling, trust, and human connection as keys to B2B marketing success. 💡

"For companies nowadays, go-to-market strategies are complex. I think the solution is to leverage technology to manage this complexity. However, the real secret is adding an emotional touch—being human, real, and transparent. It's not just about being the first to use the best technology." - Felix Bartels

Felix presents a transformative perspective on modern B2B marketing, emphasizing a human-centric approach, storytelling, and consultative strategies. This shift moves businesses from traditional product-focused messaging toward an integrated experience that prioritizes authenticity, emotional connectivity, and innovation. By adopting these insights, companies can strengthen relationships and enhance brand loyalty in an evolving market.

Follow Felix Bartels on LinkedIn

Follow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Jonathan Metrick, Chief Growth Officer and Partner at Sagard, shares invaluable insights into the importance of focusing on a profitable Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) as a strategic approach to sustainable business growth. This interview emphasizes understanding and doubling down on your most profitable customer segments, especially in changing economic conditions where profitability is prioritized over mere expansion.💡

"  Not having a clear sense of what is our superpower, what are we doubling down on, what are we going to be best in class at, is a really important item to note, because as you scale, you have to continue to get better at that thing and eventually become best in class in the world at it." - Jonathan Metrick

Jonathan delves into the principles of constructing a profitable ICP, stressing the need for companies to analyze their market fit, customer retention, and profitability metrics. He also discusses the critical need for internal alignment within go-to-market teams and how the right data can bridge these gaps. Amidst the ongoing shifts from aggressive growth tactics to more calculated, sustainable strategies, Jonathan provides a roadmap for companies looking to navigate this change effectively.

Follow Jonathan Metrick on LinkedIn

Follow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Brian Cody, Chief Marketing Officer at Basys, delves into the pivotal role of a CMO in fostering sustainable long-term growth and strategic alignment within an organization. With Brian’s rich background in technical and digital marketing leadership, he emphasizes the integration of strategy, processes, and customer service excellence as key drivers for competitive differentiation at Basys.💡

" Moving fast is great, but don't move forward unless you really have confirmation that everyone is aligned to doing what you said you're going to do." - Brian Cody

Brian Cody highlights the importance of prioritization and process management in marketing. He underscores the necessity of alignment and collaboration across departments to ensure consistent strategic direction and optimize the marketing impact. He also explores how having a deep understanding of customer needs through tools like NPS scores can drive alignment with organizational goals, ultimately enhancing customer experiences and achieving growth.

Follow Brian Cody on LinkedIn

Follow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Manisha Khadge, Chief Marketing Officer at Mindbowser Inc., delves deeply into the necessity for adaptability in marketing, the rapid pace of technological advancements, and how these factors shape effective leadership and company dynamics. Manisha shares her journey from the technical side of the industry into marketing, underscoring the importance of balancing strategic planning with hands-on practice. 💡

" The real strength of an organization lies in its ability to adapt, experiment and grow in alignment with its unique context and that's the reason I always believe that what works for one will not work for another. " - Manisha Khadge

Manisha unpacks the significance of not depending solely on marketing playbooks due to the unique ecosystem each organization operates in. She emphasizes that real organizational strength is derived from the ability to adapt and innovate. She discusses the evolving landscape of B2B marketing, where understanding your ideal customer profile (ICP) is critical, and the importance of establishing a robust corporate culture for sustainable growth. Manisha also touches on how technology and AI are transforming marketing processes and how companies must stay agile to remain competitive.

Follow Manisha Khadge on LinkedIn

Follow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Derek Weeks, Chief Marketing Officer at Katalon, delves into a thought-provoking discussion about the power of community-led marketing and its transformational role in B2B marketing strategies. He shares insights from his rich experience, particularly focusing on how communities can serve as substantial differentiators in competitive markets. With expertise garnered from years of leading marketing departments in software companies, Derek presents compelling arguments for why building authentic communities is crucial in the modern marketing landscape.💡

"Authenticity is key to any really great marketing. Part of authenticity is you have to be very empathetic to your audience, know who you're talking to, go out and talk about the things that they want to talk about, be honest in your approach to doing that." - Derek Weeks

Derek explains the nuances of managing both product-based and interest-based communities, highlighting their individual and collective impacts on brand affinity, customer success, and thought leadership. Authenticity and being genuinely helpful are underlined as the core pillars of effective community engagement. Derek shares tangible examples from his career, such as how discourse forums and community-driven content have significantly enhanced brand visibility and customer loyalty.

Follow Derek Weeks on LinkedIn

Follow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Bryan Burdick, President and Co-Founder of ClearGov, shares his journey, recounting his incredible trajectory from a standout 11-year-old national sales competition winner to leading successful startups. As the discussion unfolds, Bryan delves into his critical role in companies like ZoomInfo and Bizzo, highlighting his knack for understanding customer needs and identifying product-market fit to drive growth. 💡

" You need to have that good product fit to get you going right on growth. If you don't have that, you're not going to have a growing company to begin with." - Bryan Burdick

This episode is a treasure trove of insights on scaling businesses, emphasizing the importance of grit, cash management, focus, company culture, and people as the five keys to success. Burdick shares tried-and-tested strategies such as customer-driven product development and fostering a robust culture by design, not by default, to attract top talent. The conversation touches on the evolution of ClearGov and its approach to aligning product strategy with customer pain points, reinforcing the integral role of customer engagement and team alignment in achieving sustained growth. 

Follow Bryan Burdick on LinkedIn

Follow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Tom Stuart, Chief Marketing Officer at Lula, shares his insights on exploring the critical role of internal alignment in driving growth for B2B companies. He also shares his extensive experience in scaling brands like eBay and designing robust marketing strategies in various corporate environments. He also highlights that many barriers to growth are internal rather than external, providing fresh perspectives on overcoming these obstacles. 💡

"If you can get those internal platforms and alignment around who your customers are, what their needs are, what your brand needs to stand for, and how you plan to grow, the chances of success are much greater." - Tom Stuart

Tom Stuart’s insights explore internal barriers that hinder growth, stressing the need for alignment between marketing, sales, and credit teams. Drawing on case studies and experiences, he highlights how misaligned Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) disrupt progress. He also shares strategies for startups to leverage data, refine products, and focus on customer retention, ensuring sustainable growth and adaptability.

Follow Tom Stuart on LinkedIn

Follow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

💡 Ryan Torresan, CMO at Peak Dental Services, shares his journey from a focus on research and analytics to leading marketing departments in the dental industry, highlighting the pivotal role of data in shaping successful marketing strategies. He delves into the challenges of marketing in an intentionally overloaded economy and explores innovative ways to capture the attention of decision-makers. Ryan emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing the specific pain points of target audiences, especially in highly competitive B2B environments. 💡

“To market in an attention-overloaded economy, you need to go back to being a little old-fashioned while also leveraging modern strategies. Bringing those two approaches together, combined with authenticity, can go a long way.”- Ryan Torresan

Ryan Torresan’s insights highlight the evolution of B2B marketing and the indispensable role of LinkedIn as an underutilized platform for reaching decision-makers. His perspective on how dental marketing can inform B2B marketing strategies provides valuable insights for listeners across industries. Ryan also underscores the significance of building authentic relationships and maintaining transparency to foster trust with potential clients.

Follow Ryan Torresan on LinkedIn

Follow host Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn