In this episode of The Changemakers, Dave welcomes back Melissa Rosenthal - marketer, media veteran, and now co-founder of Outlever - for a conversation that unpacks how companies can truly own their voice through thought leadership.

With experience leading creative at ClickUp, along with shaping the rise of media brands like BuzzFeed and Cheddar, Melissa brings a unique perspective on why traditional media models are no longer enough - and what brands should be doing instead.

She shares the story behind founding Outlever, a platform helping B2B companies transform into modern media hubs by amplifying subject matter experts, customers, and partners - not just executives. This isn’t about vanity publishing. It’s about scale, speed, and relevance. Melissa explains how AI-powered media listening, layered with editorial expertise, can surface the right angles, elevate authentic perspectives, and unlock a new kind of brand-building: one rooted in trust, timeliness, and community insight.

If your brand’s thought leadership strategy starts and ends with LinkedIn posts or recycled threat reports, this conversation is the wake-up call you need. Melissa dives into why most companies are still stuck in old playbooks, how to break out of them, and what it takes to create a differentiated voice in crowded markets - especially when budgets are tight and attention is scarcer than ever.

Whether you’re leading marketing at a tech company, building brand awareness in a crowded category, or rethinking your content strategy, this episode is full of practical insights and fresh thinking on how to turn thought leadership into a true business asset.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview

00:34 Upcoming Trip and Recent Projects

01:17 Episode Focus: Thought Leadership in B2B

02:18 Guest Introduction: Melissa Rosenthal

04:32 Melissa's Journey and Founding Out Leave

13:14 The Role of AI in Thought Leadership

16:10 Trends and Insights from Out Leave's Platform

21:02 Challenges and Differentiation in Branding

24:54 Conclusion and Future Directions

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Here’s another of our Byte-Size episodes! These are little chats between the team at Shaped By, sometimes about creativity in B2B, sometimes about something completely different.

In this one, Nick Farrar, Founder and CEO of Shaped By, and Jess Evans, Head of Delivery, get into B Corp. Why did we become a B Corp? What does it mean for us as an agency? And what’s next, both for us and for B Corp more broadly? They cover everything from the certification process to the ongoing work of embedding B Corp values in a way that actually makes a difference - not just a badge for the website.

00:00 Introduction to the podcast
00:15 Why Shaped By became a B Corp
02:03 What B Corp means to us
04:25 The role of SMEs in driving change
06:48 The certification process - how tough was it?
10:14 Where we did well (and where we could improve)
14:29 What we’ve done in our first year as a B Corp
17:02 Plans for 2025 and beyond
21:18 The bigger picture: what’s next for B Corp?
24:41 Embedding B Corp values into agency life
27:05 Wrapping up

Send us a message if you enjoyed this episode

If you enjoy the chats then there are more ways to quench your thirst for creative inspiration in the world of B2B tech.

👉 Watch episodes on YouTube
👉 Follow us on LinkedIn for regular snippets in your feed
👉 Visit our website for more in-depth thinking on topics
👉 Subscribe to Beyond our monthly collection of insight, opinion and inspiration

And finally please rate our podcast on Apple if you enjoyed it!

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Motion design is often the unsung hero of brand and product storytelling - especially in B2B tech. But what does it take to bring complex, sometimes ‘unsexy’ products to life? And how can you move beyond one-off animations and build a scalable, strategic motion system that strengthens a brand over time?

First, Joshua Baron, Senior Brand Designer – Motion at Jasper, shares his approach to crafting motion systems that bring clarity to intricate products, the balance between abstraction and realism in design, and the evolving role of AI in motion.

Then, Peter Dickinson, Head of Motion at Skyscanner, dives into the power of motion systems at scale, how consistency builds brand trust, why motion should have a seat at the table from day one, and how to develop flexible guidelines that adapt across platforms.

If you’re a motion designer, marketer, or creative looking to sharpen your approach to motion in branding, this episode is packed with insights on both the craft and strategy of motion design.

Send us a message if you enjoyed this episode

If you enjoy the chats then there are more ways to quench your thirst for creative inspiration in the world of B2B tech.

👉 Watch episodes on YouTube
👉 Follow us on LinkedIn for regular snippets in your feed
👉 Visit our website for more in-depth thinking on topics
👉 Subscribe to Beyond our monthly collection of insight, opinion and inspiration

And finally please rate our podcast on Apple if you enjoyed it!

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Welcome to another byte-size episode! In this one, Dave and Alex, Shaped By's marketing director, chat about the upcoming webinar on the challenges of working with founders to build a strong brand. They cover the common roadblocks - like navigating emotional attachments, getting buy-in from disengaged founders, and aligning leadership on brand direction.

They also introduce the expert panel joining the webinar:

• Kira Klaas – VP of Corporate Marketing at Later

• Tim Bauer – Director of Brand Experience at Scale AI

• Tom Ovens – Creative Director at Shaped By

If you work with founders this session is packed with insights on turning vision into a brand that actually works in the market. 

To join the conversation register here: https://shaped-by.com/building-a-founder-led-b2b-brand/

And here's the link to Kira Klass's brilliant Substack 'On Brand': https://kiraklaas.substack.com/

Send us a message if you enjoyed this episode

If you enjoy the chats then there are more ways to quench your thirst for creative inspiration in the world of B2B tech.

👉 Watch episodes on YouTube
👉 Follow us on LinkedIn for regular snippets in your feed
👉 Visit our website for more in-depth thinking on topics
👉 Subscribe to Beyond our monthly collection of insight, opinion and inspiration

And finally please rate our podcast on Apple if you enjoyed it!

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So here it is, the first ever “Part 2” in the history of The Changemakers. And it’s nothing less than a pleasure to bestow that honour on our guest, Carta’s creative lead Dave Breckon.

In Part 1, our Dave’s (we’ll call him Dave C) conversation with Dave B explored his wonderfully diverse career path, delving into the various lessons he learnt as he wound his way from the cobbled streets of Brighton to the bright lights of London, Madrid, Copenhagen, New York and San Francisco.

Part 2 sees Dave and Dave hooking up again to discuss how those experiences have shaped Dave B’s perspectives on design and creativity.

Their conversation touches on a range of subjects including managing in-house teams, fostering a culture of kindness, the evolving role of agencies, the application of AI in the creative process, and the challenges of scaling a brand in the dynamic fintech industry. They also delve into the nuances of building brand consistency while adapting to rapid changes in the market.

If you haven't checked out Part 1, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/kpPkTFYqHRE

Send us a message if you enjoyed this episode

If you enjoy the chats then there are more ways to quench your thirst for creative inspiration in the world of B2B tech.

👉 Watch episodes on YouTube
👉 Follow us on LinkedIn for regular snippets in your feed
👉 Visit our website for more in-depth thinking on topics
👉 Subscribe to Beyond our monthly collection of insight, opinion and inspiration

And finally please rate our podcast on Apple if you enjoyed it!

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Most of our previous episodes to date on The Changemakers have focused on a particular area of B2B tech marketing or branding that has the power to be elevated by creativity.

For this one, we’re taking a bit of a departure from that, and going deep into one creative leader’s journey. Why? Because it’s equally inspiring, especially for designers out there who may not have everything figured out just yet!

Dave Breckon is Creative Lead at the fintech firm Carta. In this episode, our Dave chats with his namesake about his rather unconventional career path, from growing up in a creative family, starting out in photography, working in various studios in the UK and Spain, transitioning from freelance work to in-house roles at tech firms in Europe and the US.

Listen to Dave’s story, and you start to understand the importance of adapting to different cultures, embracing uncertainty, and fostering collaboration. It also offers valuable advice for aspiring designers on navigating the design industry and finding personal fulfilment in their careers.

And the great news? This is only part one! In part two, we delve into how Dave’s career has shaped his perspective on the current design and creative landscape. Just like this one, it’s not to be missed.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Warm Welcome

01:07 Early Career and Creative Beginnings

01:52 Family Influence and Creative Environment

09:06 Passion for Photography and Education

13:20 First Steps into Design and Freelancing

16:21 Transition to Design Studios and Learning

20:35 Life in Spain and Career Growth

24:20 Return to the UK and Agency Work

27:14 Embracing Startup Culture

33:46 High Salaries and Remote Work Challenges

34:45 Creative Company Culture and Remote Events

35:56 Transition from Office to Remote Work

38:36 Cultural Differences in Work Environments

46:58 Career Journey and Mentorship

01:01:29 Advice for Aspiring Designers

01:05:33 Conclusion and Future Discussions 

Send us a message if you enjoyed this episode

If you enjoy the chats then there are more ways to quench your thirst for creative inspiration in the world of B2B tech.

👉 Watch episodes on YouTube
👉 Follow us on LinkedIn for regular snippets in your feed
👉 Visit our website for more in-depth thinking on topics
👉 Subscribe to Beyond our monthly collection of insight, opinion and inspiration

And finally please rate our podcast on Apple if you enjoyed it!

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Vincent Sacco is a brand leader who has been in the trenches and, having built brands from the ground up at multiple fast-growing tech companies, has wisdom to impart in absolute spades. 

He currently leads the creative team at Fivetran, a data management platform that has seen explosive growth, expanding from around 400 to over 1100 employees during Vincent's 3.5 year tenure. Previously, he built the brand at fintech startup Blend as they underwent rapid scaling. Vincent’s unique background also includes branding San Francisco's pioneering food trucks in the early days of the food truck movement. 

In this episode, Vincent shares his hard-earned wisdom on building a brand amidst hyper-growth. Some key topics covered:

• How Vincent transitioned from branding bars and food trucks to tech startups
• The challenges of establishing a brand when a company has found product-market fit and is scaling rapidly
• Key first steps to take when you need to build a brand fast
• How to get buy-in across the company and turn everyone into "brand cheerleaders"
• Partnering with product marketing to align brand and product
• Engaging engineers and developers who are typically harder to reach with brand
• Collaborating cross-functionally and getting the C-suite aligned with the brand vision
• Adapting the Fivetran brand for the enterprise market while retaining its distinctiveness
• The importance of brand flexibility and rolling with unexpected sources of brand affinity
• What's next for the Fivetran brand as the company continues its rapid ascent

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and Vincent's background 

03:51 - Joining Blend and Fivetran amidst hyper-growth
06:12 - First steps to building the brand foundation 

09:22 - Getting company-wide brand buy-in 

14:18 - Aligning brand with product marketing 

17:34 - Engaging technical audiences with brand 

21:35 - Cross-functional collaboration on brand 

25:28 - Tailoring brand for enterprise without losing soul 

30:44 - Leveraging organic sources of brand affinity 

33:49 - The future of the Fivetran brand 

35:36 - Conclusion

Send us a message if you enjoyed this episode

If you enjoy the chats then there are more ways to quench your thirst for creative inspiration in the world of B2B tech.

👉 Watch episodes on YouTube
👉 Follow us on LinkedIn for regular snippets in your feed
👉 Visit our website for more in-depth thinking on topics
👉 Subscribe to Beyond our monthly collection of insight, opinion and inspiration

And finally please rate our podcast on Apple if you enjoyed it!

✌️

Here's the second of our new Byte-Size episodes! These are little natters between our team at Shaped By, on...well, anything really. Mostly related to creativity in B2B, But maybe the odd one about cake or something.

In this one, hosts Nick Farrar, Founder and CEO, and Alex Waite, Marketing Director at Shaped By, dissect key insights from the Bring Your Own Bold (BYOB) Virtual Summit. Themes include the importance of authentic and bold branding in the B2B sector, strategies to stand out in competitive markets, and the resurgence of brand investment. They also discuss the pivotal role of AI in business, touching on both the opportunities and challenges it presents. 

00:00 Introduction to the podcast
00:14 Reflecting on the BYOB Virtual Summit
01:37 Defining and Embracing Boldness
03:13 The Importance of Authenticity and Differentiation
07:18 Key Themes from the Summit
09:22 The Renaissance of Brand Focus
13:43 Aligning Brand with Audience Values
15:13 Unexpected Insights from CMOs and CFOs
16:46 Bridging the Gap: Marketing and Finance Collaboration
19:57 AI in Business: Opportunities and Challenges
22:27 The Future of AI: Navigating Rapid Changes
24:41 The Strategic Importance of Brand
26:35 Female Leadership in a Male-Dominated World
28:32 Conclusion and Where to Watch More

Check out all the sessions from Bring Your Own Bold here: https://shaped-by.com/byob-event/

Send us a message if you enjoyed this episode

If you enjoy the chats then there are more ways to quench your thirst for creative inspiration in the world of B2B tech.

👉 Watch episodes on YouTube
👉 Follow us on LinkedIn for regular snippets in your feed
👉 Visit our website for more in-depth thinking on topics
👉 Subscribe to Beyond our monthly collection of insight, opinion and inspiration

And finally please rate our podcast on Apple if you enjoyed it!

✌️

Li-Anne Dias is a design leader who has shaped world-class brands and led high-impact design teams. 

Currently she leads brand and enterprise growth design at Handshake, a software firm that enables schools, companies, and students come together to help students and recent grads make career moves. Her previous achievements include building Reddit’s first brand identity and design systems as the company’s first brand designer, and scaling Grammarly’s brand design team as the company grew revenue growth from $43M to over $250M.

In episode 46 of The Changemakers, Li-Anne sits down with Dave to share her thoughts on what goes into making great creative work.

They discuss her journey in brand design, insights on balancing creativity with strategy, and the significance of iterative processes and embracing failure. They also delve into the role of creative leaders in maintaining hands-on involvement and evolving a brand. They chat about how Leanne's experience at Handshake, including their successful rebrand, highlights the importance of perseverance and collaboration in achieving great creative outcomes.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
00:59 Defining Great Work
01:37 The Role of Creative Leaders
02:46 Conversation with Leanne Diaz Begins
03:20 Leanne's Journey and Experience
07:57 Making Great Work Happen
17:58 The Importance of Strategy in Creative Work
24:02 Leveraging Past Insights for New Projects
26:08 The Creative Director's Journey
27:33 Balancing Leadership and Hands-On Work
35:48 The Importance of Brand Voice
42:42 Achieving Great Work Through Team Effort
47:07 Concluding Thoughts on Great Work

Send us a message if you enjoyed this episode

If you enjoy the chats then there are more ways to quench your thirst for creative inspiration in the world of B2B tech.

👉 Watch episodes on YouTube
👉 Follow us on LinkedIn for regular snippets in your feed
👉 Visit our website for more in-depth thinking on topics
👉 Subscribe to Beyond our monthly collection of insight, opinion and inspiration

And finally please rate our podcast on Apple if you enjoyed it!

✌️

Welcome to our new byte-size episodes! These are little natters between our team at Shaped By, on.....well, anything really. Mostly related to creativity in B2B. But maybe the odd one about cake or something.

In this one, Dave and Alex, Shaped By's marketing director, chat about the agency's annual virtual summit, 'Bring Your Own Bold' (BYOB), scheduled for October. The event features back-to-back webinars and discussions centred on building bolder B2B brands. Dave and Alex discuss why they put the event on every year, who it's aimed at, and which of the sessions they're looking forward to. They also spill the beans on a couple of upcoming sessions that haven't been officially added to the agenda yet. Oops...

Check out the Bring Your Own Bold agenda and register here: https://shaped-by.com/byob-event/

It's free, and it's going to be awesome!

00:00 Introduction to the Change Makers
00:16 Introducing Bite-Sized Episodes
00:52 Bring Your Own Bold Event Overview
01:38 Why We Host BYOB
04:30 Exciting Sessions at BYOB
05:03 Exploring Weirdness in B2B
05:57 Balancing Short and Long Term Wins
10:40 Female Leadership in a Male World
11:36 Positioning Creativity as a Business Driver
12:50 Unlocking Your Creative Team's Ultimate Toolkit
06:26 Integrating AI Tools
17:50 Getting the Most Out of Your Creative Agency
20:24 Adapting to Build Brands
24:58 Conclusion and Housekeeping

Send us a message if you enjoyed this episode

If you enjoy the chats then there are more ways to quench your thirst for creative inspiration in the world of B2B tech.

👉 Watch episodes on YouTube
👉 Follow us on LinkedIn for regular snippets in your feed
👉 Visit our website for more in-depth thinking on topics
👉 Subscribe to Beyond our monthly collection of insight, opinion and inspiration

And finally please rate our podcast on Apple if you enjoyed it!

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