Everyone is chasing algorithms.More posts.More AI.More hacks.More engagement tricks.But what if we’ve been solving the wrong problem all along?In this episode of Messy Growth, I sit down with Carmen Vicente -LinkedIn Top Voice, marketing leader, and one of the sharpest thinkers in B2B social to unpack what actually drives attention and trust today.We talk about why going viral can be a curse, how AI is reshaping social platforms, why founder-led content often fails, and what companies completely misunderstand about building an audience.If you create content, lead a company, work in marketing, or simply wonder where the internet is heading, this conversation is for you.We cover:* Why trust is replacing attention as the real competitive advantage* The future of LinkedIn and AI-powered algorithms* Why consistency isn’t the whole story* Why founder content often feels fake* The hidden cost of chasing virality* What great B2B content actually looks like* Why social media keeps us scrolling—even when we’re exhausted* Where AI is taking marketing over the next few years

Everyone talks about digital transformation, AI, fintech, and innovation. But why do so many transformation projects fail?In this episode of Messy Growth, I sit down with Tom Hill, CEO of Zyntrix and former retail transformation leader at Sainsbury’s, Poundland, KFC, and SSP.After spending nearly two decades on both the operational and executive sides of retail, Tom shares why businesses don’t actually care about technology - they care about outcomes.We discuss:• Why great products still struggle to sell• Why resistance to change usually starts in the boardroom—not on the front line• The future of Open Banking and Pay by Bank• Why loyalty programs often fail• What retailers get wrong about customer experience• AI hype vs solving real business problems• Lessons from leading transformation inside large enterprisesWhether you’re a founder, product leader, sales executive, or operator, this conversation is packed with practical lessons on building products people actually adopt.About Tom HillTom Hill is the CEO of Zyntrix, a fintech company focused on Open Banking, digital identity, and loyalty. Before becoming CEO, he spent nearly two decades leading retail operations and digital transformation across major brands including Sainsbury’s, Poundland, KFC, and SSP.

Everyone is creating content.Founders post every day. Companies publish blogs. AI can write almost anything in seconds.So why is trust harder to earn than ever?In this episode of Messy Growth, I sit down with Wendy Jacobson, founder of Incredible Content, who’s spent nearly two decades helping B2B companies turn expertise into credibility.We talk about why going viral is often overrated, why most content fails to bring customers, how AI is changing writing, and why the businesses that win over the next decade won’t necessarily create more content - they’ll create more trust.If you’re a founder, marketer, sales leader, or building a B2B business, this conversation is packed with practical lessons you can apply immediately.We cover:• Why viral content rarely creates great customers• The biggest mistake companies make with content• How to build credibility instead of chasing engagement• AI, authenticity, and what still separates great writing• Why case studies fail (and how to make people actually care)• The long game behind content that drives real businessConnect with Wendy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wjacobson/

Everyone is building.AI has made launching products easier than ever, but building something is no longer the hard part. Getting people to care is.In this episode of Messy Growth, I sit down with Basia Derkowska, Fractional CMO and Go-To-Market Advisor, to talk about what actually happens after you’ve built the product.We cover why “go-to-market” suddenly became everyone’s favorite buzzword, why founders often freeze instead of moving, how to think about distribution before spending money on marketing, and what separates companies that grow from the ones that quietly disappear.We also dive into:* Why founders should stop trying to do everything at once* The difference between freelancers, fractional leaders and full-time executives* How to know if you’re ready to go fractional* Why understanding your customers beats any AI prompt* Why great products still fail* Building a personal brand without becoming another LinkedIn cliché* How AI is changing marketing and what it can’t replaceIf you’re building a startup, thinking about going fractional, working in B2B SaaS, or simply trying to figure out how to stand out in an increasingly noisy world, this conversation is for you.Connect with Basia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-derkowska/

Most founders think product-market fit looks like a full calendar, pilot customers, and growing interest.They’re wrong.In this episode of Messy Growth, I sit down with product marketing leader Elina Bazinas to unpack why attention is not the same as traction, how startups confuse interest for demand, and why positioning is becoming the most important competitive advantage in the AI era.We discuss:• The biggest product-market fit misconceptions founders make• Why most AI products struggle after the demo• The difference between attention and genuine customer pull• Why positioning matters more than features• How great product launches are won before launch day• The role of trust in modern B2B buying• Why AI is making strong product marketing more valuable, not less• How founders can tell if they truly understand their customers• The one question every founder should answer before trying to scaleIf you’re building a SaaS company, working in product, marketing, sales, or trying to figure out why growth has stalled, this conversation is packed with practical insights.

Most businesses don’t have a marketing problem.They have a positioning problem.In this episode of Messy Growth, I sit down with Nick Gulic - founder of Creative Click, former accountant, business coach, consultant, and one of the few people willing to call out the internet’s obsession with looking professional.We talk about why AI is making everyone sound the same, why founders struggle to stand out, the danger of chasing followers instead of building a business, and why personality matters more than polished branding.Nick shares lessons from nearly two decades helping businesses grow, fix broken operations, improve sales, and build websites that actually generate customers instead of collecting compliments.We cover:• Why most websites fail• The Dunning-Kruger effect in business• Luck vs skill in success• Why people stay stuck in jobs they hate• The problem with AI-generated content• How to stand out in a world of templates• Why freedom matters more than status• Building a business without burning out

Courtney Raymond has spent two decades inside companies watching them pour money into growth while quietly bleeding customers out the back door. In this episode we get into why churn happens before most companies even notice it, what customer experience actually means beyond the buzzword, and why the way businesses communicate with customers is still one of the most underrated competitive advantages out there.We also get into founder-led content and when it works vs when it's just performative noise, why the first 90 days of a customer relationship make or break everything, and what words, real human words, still do that AI simply can't replicate.Courtney is sharp, direct, and has seen enough broken customer journeys to know exactly where things go wrong. This one is worth your time.What we cover:

• Why customers leave and companies never find out why
• The difference between communication and clarity
• How to build a customer journey that actually reduces churn
• Founder-led content, genuine vs performance
• Why brand voice matters more than ever in an AI world

Tech layoffs. AI hype. Burnout. Rising costs. Empty careers. Every week I sit down with my friends, Gustavo Frietas and Rui Ferreira and we discuss all things happening inside of tech and the effect it's having on people and the environment around this. This week we unpacked:

• Why AI probably isn’t replacing jobs as fast as people think
• Why modern work feels increasingly meaningless
• The hidden cost of comfort and “successful” careers
• Tech layoffs, corporate greed, and the reality behind the headlines
• Why community, purpose, and family matter more than ever
• The psychological trap of modern consumerism
• Why people feel disconnected despite being more “connected” than ever

This episode goes way beyond startups and SaaS.It’s about the strange moment we’re living through right now and what happens when technology moves faster than people can emotionally process.If you’ve been questioning work, ambition, AI, or where society is heading… this one’s for you.

This week on Messy Growth, Mick Griffin returns to the show and this conversation goes deep into one of the hardest challenges in SaaS:👉 When do you build something new inside an existing company?Mick is leading growth at Traffit, one of Poland’s fastest-growing ATS platforms, and recently helped launch Smart Jobs, a standalone hiring platform designed to fix one of the most broken parts of recruitment: the candidate experience.We unpack:

• Why most SaaS companies think too small about expansion revenue
• The difference between a feature and a new business
• How to launch “startups within a scale-up”
• Why recruitment still treats people like numbers
• The hidden operational risks nobody talks about
• Why most innovation bets fail and why that’s okay
• How founders should think about timing, risk, and momentum
• Lessons from Brand24 and scaling in SaaS
• Why candidates are becoming the new PR risk for companies
• How Smart Jobs was built with only 2 new hires
• Why founders confuse activity with progress
• The mindset required to keep innovating without fear

Mick also shares:This is a conversation about growth, experimentation, expansion revenue, hiring, SaaS strategy, and building things before you feel fully ready.If you’re building a SaaS company, scaling a startup, or trying to figure out what comes after product-market fit this episode is for you.

Helena Fogarty has seen startup fundraising from both sides, as a founder who raised capital herself, and now as a fundraising advisor helping founders close rounds faster and smarter.In this episode of Messy Growth, we unpack the reality of raising venture capital in today’s market:

• Why most founders fail to raise money
• What investors actually care about
• How startup fundraising really works behind closed doors
• Why storytelling matters more than most founders think
• The truth about VC-backed growth and founder pressure
• How to stand out with investors without sounding fake
• Why network and trust still dominate venture capital
• Bootstrapping vs VC funding
• Investor psychology and founder mistakes
• Why some startups are NOT venture-backable

Helena also shares hard truths about startup culture, founder burnout, venture capital expectations, and the emotional toll of building a company under pressure.If you’re a startup founder, operator, entrepreneur, angel investor, or anyone curious about venture capital and startup growth, this episode is for you.