Guest: Mario Paganini, SVP of Marketing at Overjet

Laura is joined by Mario Paganini, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Overjet. Mario is known for his unique approach to building B2B brands and his commitment to creating hyper-relevant stories and differentiated campaigns that capture the audience's attention, even in very competitive industries like logistics and dental AI.

In this episode, Laura and Mario delve into key aspects of career growth, discussing good and bad managers, the role of luck in success, and how to find meaning and excitement in your role. Mario also shares the one piece of advice that changed how he behaves in meetings and manages his team.

They discuss:

• The role of luck and preparation


• Risk-taking, marketing, and storytelling


• How to evaluate a company’s market position and its potential


• How to find a role that suits you


• Transitioning from individual contributor to a manager role


• How to build trust and influence your team

Connect with Mario Paganini:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Laura Colagrande:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠


• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠

Mario also gives a shout out to ⁠Udi Ledergor⁠, ⁠Michelle McNamara⁠, Joe Spisak.

Timestamps

(00:00) -- Intro
(03:16) -- The Role of Luck
(04:11) -- Opportunity and Mentorship
(07:19) -- Learning from the Managers You Didn't Like
(08:13) -- Building Influence through Trust and Action
(11:14) -- Creating the Game You Want to Play
(11:56) -- Taking Bigger Risks
(12:49) -- Differentiating in a Competitive Market
(17:42) -- The Importance of Execution and Content
(22:43) -- Choosing the Right Industry and Surrounding Yourself with the Right People
(29:30) -- Finding Job Satisfaction
(40:57) -- Closing and Influence Shout Out

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit softsides.substack.com

Guest: Lindsey Traub, Senior Director, Head of Partner Programs & Ops at Simpro

Laura is joined by Lindsey Traub, Senior Director at Simpro. Lindsey began her career as a BDR (business development representative), learned the fundamentals of B2B tech while working in customer success for many years, and eventually moved into leadership by crafting her own role in partnership operations. She is now highly regarded in the B2B and partnerships community.

In this episode, Lindsey shares her framework for preparing for a big meeting with an executive, the importance of communication, and how she approaches driving influence with different groups and stakeholders.

They discuss:

• The journey from BDR to leadership in partnerships


• A (non-cringe) framework to share wins and updates with GTM teams


• How to prepare for a meeting with the C-Suite


• How to handle feedback and avoid defensiveness


• The importance of managing up

Connect with Lindsey Traub:

• ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Laura Colagrande:

• ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠


• ⁠⁠Youtube⁠

Timestamps

(00:00) -- Intro
(04:01) -- Crafting a Unique Role in GTM and Partnerships
(09:21) -- How to Think about Influence
(11:58) -- How to Think about Internal Communication
(27:41) -- Preparing for Executive Meetings
(27:57) -- Creating a Concise Talk Track
(28:51) -- Rehearsing to Reduce Fear and Improve Delivery
(30:00) -- Controlling the Conversation
(30:55) -- Handling Defensiveness and Responding to Questions
(34:37) -- Assuming Trust and Understanding Different Perspectives
(36:33) -- How to Get Yourself Mentally Ready for Important Meetings
(40:02) -- Building Rapport and Understanding the Audience
(41:24) -- Life Hack: Video Recording (and Gong shout-out)
(41:41) -- Closing: Influence Shout Out and Rapid Fire Questions

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit softsides.substack.com

Guest: Alex Poulos, CMO at Crossbeam

Laura is joined by Alex Poulos, Chief Marketing Officer at Crossbeam. Alex is a software engineer by training who transitioned into product management and later moved into marketing and leadership roles. He has extensive experience across all GTM functions and is an award-winning CMO with multiple exits.

In this episode, Laura and Alex delve into the importance of what Alex calls “radical responsibility” and the balancing act that CMOs must perform. Alex emphasizes that these traits are seemingly conflicting (humility and decisiveness, agility and conviction, etc.). He also explains his approach to driving influence cross-functionally, starting with an effort to understand other executives' priorities.

They discuss:

• The importance of “radical responsibility”


• The balancing act of seemingly conflicting CMO traits


• Understanding cross-functional priorities and driving influence


• GTM strategies and Ecosystem-Led Growth

Connect with Alex:

• ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Connect with Laura Colagrande:

• ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠


• ⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠

Book referenced in their conversation: Ecosystem Led Growth by Bob Moore

Timestamps

(00:00) -- Intro
(01:29) -- Alex's Non-Linear Journey to Becoming a CMO
(05:12) -- CMO's (seemingly) Conflicting Traits
(10:08) -- Building Self-Awareness as a Leader
(13:29) -- Dealing with Unknowns and Ambiguity
(14:39) -- Taking Radical Responsibility
(17:07) -- Focusing on What You Can Impact
(17:48) -- Radical Responsibility
(19:12) -- Cross-Functional Executive Relationships
(21:08) -- The Leverage of an Executive Team
(21:31) -- Building Alliances and Navigating Internal Dynamics
(22:34) -- Ownership and Solution-Oriented Thinking
(25:01) -- Product Market Fit and the Pull of the Market
(26:00) -- Beyond the Obvious: Are We REALLY Listening?
(26:55) -- Ecosystem-Led Growth and Partnerships
(30:00) -- Listening to Customers and Prospects
(31:51) -- Understanding Vertical Use Cases
(40:06) -- Closing: Influence Shout Out and Rapid Fire Questions

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit softsides.substack.com

Guest: Simone Thomas, Product Marketing at Meta

Laura is joined by Simone Thomas, Product Marketing Manager at Meta. Simone started her career in advertising, got her MBA at Wharton, worked in product strategy at Nordstrom, and then joined the product team at Meta.

In this episode, Laura and Simone dive deep into the importance of storytelling and people skills. Simone also explains how non-work related experiences (like volunteering at homeless shelters) have shaped the way she approaches product marketing and cross-functional collaboration.

They discuss:

• Why people skills are a superpower


• Volunteering experiences, community, and storytelling


• How to build trust with product teams


• Influencing cross-functional teams and managing up


• Self-awareness in professional growth

Connect with Simone Thomas:

• LinkedIn

Connect with Laura Colagrande:

• ⁠LinkedIn⁠


• ⁠Youtube⁠

Book referenced in their conversation: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg.

Timestamps

• (00:00) -- Intro


• (00:50) -- Day in the Life: Product Marketing at Meta


• (05:05) -- Volunteering Experiences and Developing Empathy


• (08:52) -- Creating Authenticity and Vulnerability in the Workplace


• (11:53) -- Overcoming Fear and Building Human Connections


• (15:30) -- The Power of Storytelling in Influencing Others


• (25:13) -- The Most Important Skill You Need in Tech


• (26:16) -- The Power of Self-Awareness and Vulnerability


• (32:00) -- Trust as the Ultimate Currency


• (36:09) -- The Importance of Listening and Thoughtful Communication


• (46:58) -- Closing: Influence Shout Out and Rapid Fire Questions

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit softsides.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit softsides.substack.com