Revenue Engine Podcast

Russ Hawkins is the President and CEO of Agilence, a data analytics company specializing in serving large retailers, grocers, and restaurant chains. With over 35 years of experience in tech, Russ has a track record of leading successful strategy transformations and scaling companies — he helped increase revenue at a prior company from $700,000 to $22 million in nine quarters. A Boston native, Russ holds dual degrees in Chemistry and English from Boston College and has a rich history of growing businesses in various states.

Success in scaling a business depends on building a resilient team and harnessing data effectively. But what does it take to lead a company through transformation while creating a culture that prioritizes both growth and innovation? How can leaders develop a data-driven approach that fosters long-term success?

According to Russ Hawkins, a seasoned CEO with a track record of scaling startups, building resilience starts with a focus on people. He highlights that fostering a team culture where each member is aligned with the company’s goals is essential for navigating growth challenges. To drive sustainable success, Russ believes in leveraging data analytics to not only enhance performance, but to create value across the organization. He emphasizes that with the right data-driven approach, companies can transition away from one-off sales models and build recurring revenue streams that support a more stable, scalable business model.

In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Russ Hawkins, President and CEO of Agilence, to discuss how he’s built resilient teams and driven data-powered growth throughout his career. Russ shares his insights on fostering a collaborative company culture, making strategic shifts to adapt to market demands, and the critical role of data in driving revenue growth. He also gives advice on avoiding common pitfalls in scaling.

Michael Tucker is the Founder and Head Systems Architect at Rocky Mountain RevOps, a consultancy specializing in optimizing revenue operations systems for businesses. With over a decade of experience across marketing, sales enablement, and customer success, Michael has held roles from sales representative to Director of Marketing Operations, giving him a comprehensive top-to-bottom perspective of RevOps. His expertise lies in building streamlined, cross-functional systems that align marketing, sales, and customer success to drive growth and efficiency across the entire revenue engine.

Many companies fall into the trap of overcomplicating their revenue systems, which can backfire on efficiency and alignment. But what if the key to success is finding simplicity in complexity?

According to Michael Tucker, a RevOps expert with a decade of experience, the key to effective revenue operations lies in simplicity and strategic alignment. He highlights the importance of connecting marketing, sales, and customer success through a structured, triangular model that puts systems at the center. This approach ensures that each function supports the other, creating a seamless customer journey from lead generation through retention. By focusing on core processes and avoiding unnecessary tech complexity, companies can drive better data accuracy, improve system adoption, and ultimately enhance revenue growth.

In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Michael Tucker, Founder and Head Systems Architect at Rocky Mountain RevOps, to discuss simplifying RevOps strategies for maximum impact. Michael breaks down his holistic RevOps model, explains the dangers of overengineering systems, and shares how to build a data architecture that aligns teams. He also offers practical advice for smaller organizations looking to maintain efficiency without losing critical functionality.

Ashley Widener is the Director of Marketing at GoCo, a company that specializes in HRIS solutions encompassing employee onboarding, document management, payroll, and benefits administration. Under her leadership, the marketing team has significantly contributed to GoCo's growth, building the marketing function from scratch and enhancing brand recognition despite fierce competition in the HR tech space. Ashley’s unique background in cultural anthropology and her experience in diverse marketing roles, including event planning and customer marketing, fuel her passion for experiential marketing.

With the constant rise of new technologies and ever-changing customer expectations, marketing leaders are under immense pressure to adapt quickly and make an impact. What’s the key to navigating this complex landscape while ensuring long-term success?

According to Ashley Widener, a marketing leader with years of experience in the tech space, the answer lies in agility. She highlights that staying responsive to market trends and customer feedback is critical to maintaining relevance and driving results. By continuously testing strategies and aligning closely with sales and customer success teams, companies can pivot quickly and seize opportunities before their competitors. The impact is clear: brands that embrace adaptability can thrive in even the most crowded industries.

In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz speaks with Ashley Widener, Director of Marketing at GoCo, to discuss how agility fuels success in B2B marketing. Ashley explains how building a marketing team from scratch allowed her to create a nimble, responsive approach. She shares how creative event marketing and balancing content value with conversion drive GoCo's growth. Ashley also gives advice on leveraging internal culture to enhance both employee engagement and brand image.

Samantha Bergin is the Chief Marketing Officer at Center, a fintech company specializing in employee expenses management software. She is an accomplished technology marketing leader with over 25 years of experience, particularly in the Pacific Northwest tech scene. Her career spans from product management at big tech corporations to spearheading marketing in the startup space. Holding a MBA with a concentration in marketing, Samantha excels in building brands and technology businesses, utilizing her expertise in understanding customer needs and delivering precise value propositions.

In today’s fast-paced business landscape, companies are constantly challenged to keep customers at the heart of their marketing strategies. How can businesses balance personalization, messaging clarity, and long-term scalability in such a competitive environment?

According to Samantha Bergin, a marketing expert with over 25 years in the technology space, the key is deeply understanding your customer’s needs. She highlights that a customer-centric approach involves crafting clear value propositions and delivering relevant content that directly addresses customer pain points. Businesses can drive long-term success by aligning messaging with customer use cases and providing highly personalized solutions. Samantha also emphasizes the importance of fostering cross-functional collaboration, ensuring that marketing, sales, and product teams are aligned to improve customer experiences continuously.

In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Samantha Bergin, Chief Marketing Officer at Center, to discuss mastering customer-centric marketing strategies. They talk about how customer understanding shapes marketing efforts, the transition from outbound to inbound lead generation, and how businesses can sustain long-term growth through strategic messaging. Samantha also shares advice on building a sustainable revenue engine through collaboration and adaptability.

Caroline Ang Wright is the Head of Marketing at Exodigo, a company transforming infrastructure projects with an AI-powered underground mapping platform. With a non-traditional background spanning English literature and health policy, Caroline found her niche in marketing through diverse roles in hedge funds, large companies, and startups. She's known for her passion for storytelling with data and increasing opportunities for underserved communities. Caroline thrives in early-stage startup environments, eagerly tackling the challenge of constructing marketing departments from the ground up.

Balancing the need for innovative marketing strategies while managing limited resources can be one of the biggest challenges for startups. How can marketing leaders drive success when budgets are tight and teams are small? What strategies can help achieve meaningful impact in a resource-constrained environment?

According to Caroline Ang Wright, a marketing expert with extensive experience in both startups and large companies, success comes from focusing on initial strategy and goal clarity. She highlights the importance of balancing rapid experimentation with quality standards, emphasizing that aligning with stakeholders early on is crucial for long-term effectiveness. Caroline shares that startups must adopt a bias toward action, launching initiatives at 85-90% completion to learn and iterate quickly while maintaining a certain quality level to build credibility and trust.

In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Caroline Ang Wright, Head of Marketing at Exodigo, to discuss building and leading marketing strategies in a startup landscape. They explore the challenges of working with limited resources, the importance of aligning marketing efforts with company goals, and the role of rapid prototyping in driving success. Caroline also shares her insights on using AI tools to empower creativity and adaptability in marketing.

Sherri Schwartz is the Head of Marketing at OvationCXM, a customer experience management platform that leverages AI for unique insights. She graduated amidst a financial crisis and pivoted from broadcast journalism to a successful career in sales and marketing, working across government contracts, financial services, and SaaS technology, gaining deep expertise in product and strategic marketing. Sherri is passionate about effective communication, relationship building, and fostering a strong bridge between sales and marketing teams.

Complex customer journeys can make or break a company's success in today's fast-paced business world. How do companies, especially in industries like finance and SaaS, simplify these intricate processes to deliver a seamless customer experience? More importantly, how can technology and strategy be combined to overcome these challenges and create a unified customer journey?

According to Sherri Schwartz, a seasoned marketing expert in customer experience management (CXM), the key to simplifying complex customer journeys lies in connecting all the players involved. She highlights the importance of real-time collaboration between companies and their third-party partners to eliminate the frustrating "ping-pong" effect many customers face. By leveraging CXM platforms, companies can maintain visibility over every step of the customer journey, ensuring smoother interactions and brand consistency. This approach improves customer satisfaction and reduces inefficiencies, making it a critical strategy for businesses in complex industries like finance and SaaS.

In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Sherri Schwartz, Head of Marketing at OvationCXM, to discuss how to simplify complex customer journeys through CXM. They explore how real-time collaboration can reduce friction in customer interactions, the role of AI in enhancing customer experience, and the challenges of maintaining brand consistency in a fragmented ecosystem.

Amanda Sullivan is the Vice President of Growth at Sierra Interactive, a company specializing in residential real estate technology. She boasts over a decade of experience scaling marketing programs globally within the SaaS space. Amanda is renowned for fostering sales and marketing alignment and excels in developing brand narratives and activating high-performance sales teams.

Sales and marketing alignment is often touted as the secret sauce behind high-performing companies — but how do you achieve it, especially in a competitive and ever-evolving industry like real estate tech? What strategies can bridge the gap between these two critical functions and drive sustainable growth?

According to Amanda Sullivan, a seasoned expert in sales and marketing alignment within the real estate tech industry, the key lies in over-communication and clear goal-setting. She highlights the importance of ensuring that every team member, from marketing to customer success, understands the "what" and the "why" behind company goals. This approach fosters a unified vision and prevents silos, allowing teams to work in harmony toward shared objectives. By consistently reiterating goals and maintaining open communication channels, companies can create a seamless revenue journey that enhances customer experience and business outcomes.

In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Amanda Sullivan, the Vice President of Growth at Sierra Interactive, to discuss the art of cultivating top-tier sales and marketing alignment in real estate tech. They explore the strategic importance of industry-specific events, the role of segmentation in targeting high-value clients, and the necessity of clear communication in aligning diverse teams toward a common goal.

Greg Munves is the CEO of OpenBrand, a cutting-edge market intelligence firm built for the modern age. His journey began at the University of Rochester, where he immersed himself in economics and finance, foreseeing a career on Wall Street that took a pivot into the dynamic world of tech startups. As an early member of 1010data, Greg rose from a jack-of-all-trades employee to President and CEO, eventually leading the company through a successful sale. With a passion for big data and market trends, Greg is now steering OpenBrand to transform how consumer brands understand their market share and consumer behaviors by leveraging real-time AI-driven insights.

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, staying ahead of the competition requires more than just traditional marketing strategies. How can brands leverage modern market intelligence to gain a competitive edge and understand consumer behavior in real time?

According to Greg Munves, a leading expert in market intelligence, the key lies in harnessing the power of AI-driven insights and diverse data sources. He highlights that integrating alternative data with traditional methods can yield deeper and more actionable insights. This approach not only helps brands understand why they are winning or losing market share, but also enables them to respond swiftly to market changes. By tracking brand exposure across various media channels and analyzing consumer interactions, companies can better measure the true ROI of their marketing efforts.

In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Greg Munves, CEO of OpenBrand, to discuss the power of modern market intelligence. They talk about the importance of AI in driving insights, the evolution of big data, and effective hiring strategies. Tune in to learn how leading with a strong product and fostering a culture of passion and resilience can propel your business forward.

Hunter Montgomery is the Chief Marketing Officer at ChurnZero, a leading customer success platform designed to help businesses prevent customer churn. With over 15 years of b2b SaaS marketing experience and 25 years in b2b marketing, Hunter has a rich history in the industry, working as the Vice President of Marketing at Cision and Chief Marketing Officer at Higher Logic, among others. Hunter has been integral in developing marketing strategies that leverage data analytics and customer insights, leading to impactful growth in numerous tech companies.

In a world where retaining customers is just as crucial as acquiring new ones, understanding how to leverage data can be a game-changer. How can businesses effectively use data to enhance their customer marketing efforts and drive long-term success?

According to Hunter Montgomery, a seasoned expert in b2b SaaS marketing with over 25 years of experience, the key lies in harnessing detailed customer data to proactively address their needs and opportunities. He highlights the importance of creating targeted campaigns based on customer usage patterns and engagement levels. By integrating AI to process vast amounts of data, companies can generate actionable insights that inform personalized strategies, resulting in improved customer satisfaction and retention. This approach not only streamlines operations, but also aligns marketing, sales, and customer success teams toward common goals.

In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Hunter Montgomery, Chief Marketing Officer at ChurnZero, to discuss optimizing customer marketing with data-driven techniques. They talk about how proactive customer success strategies can significantly reduce churn, the role of AI in enhancing customer relationships, and the importance of cross-functional alignment.

Mark McEachran is the Senior Vice President of Product Management at Yieldmo. With a degree in computer science and a career that began in 1997, Mark has grown alongside the evolving digital advertising landscape. Starting at a small company that quickly became the third most-trafficked website at the time, Mark has developed a distinct perspective and expertise in ad tech. His experiences include pioneering work at the Rubicon Project, where he contributed to building the first supply-side platform exchange.

The digital advertising landscape is undergoing significant transformation, driven by the decline of third-party cookies and the rise of privacy concerns. How will these changes shape the future of advertising, and what strategies should businesses adopt to stay ahead?

According to Mark McEachran, a seasoned expert in ad tech and product management, the future lies in leveraging first-party data and contextual targeting to deliver personalized and effective advertising. He highlights that as cookies become obsolete, companies must innovate to maintain user privacy while still achieving performance goals. This shift not only demands new technologies, but also a fundamental change in how advertisers interact with consumers, ensuring engagements are both privacy-compliant and meaningful.

In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz sits down with Mark McEachran, Senior Vice President of Product Management at Yieldmo, to discuss the evolving landscape of digital advertising. They explore the importance of first-party data, the role of contextual targeting in a post-cookie world, and future opportunities for privacy-focused startups.