Videos

A talk with JD Schramm, Keynote Speaker, Communication Consultant and Trainer of JD Schramm Communications. JD emphasized that communication and leadership are inextricably linked. Effective communication is not just a tool for leaders; it is the essence of leadership. When JD is called in to address communication issues within organizations, he often finds that these issues are symptomatic of deeper leadership problems. Leaders must be able to communicate in a way that inspires and mobilizes their teams. Without this ability, even the most innovative ideas and strategies can fall flat.

A talk with Jim Yu, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Board of BrightEdge Technologies. Jim's story is a testament to the power of resilience and determination. Growing up as the only Asian kid in a South Dakota trailer park, he faced numerous challenges that shaped his entrepreneurial drive. This environment instilled in him a relentless pursuit of success, which he carried into his professional life. Embracing challenges can catalyze growth and innovation while cultivating grit is essential for overcoming obstacles and achieving long-term success. Staying mission-driven with a clear vision and purpose can sustain you through difficult times.

A talk with David Karel, a four-time B2B CMO powerhouse. David's currently steering the ship as CMO at CrunchTime and Zenput, bringing his wealth of experience from his previous roles at Clari and Bizo, which LinkedIn snagged. Under his leadership, B2B marketing solutions soared to new heights!

A talk with Dmitry Shevelenko, the Chief Business Officer of Perplexity. Dmitry's journey led him through some of Silicon Valley's most influential companies and his current role in shaping the future of AI-driven knowledge consumption. Dmitry's career, the psychology of the modern knowledge consumer, and the innovative strides Perplexity is making in the AI space.

A talk with Dmitri Alperovitch, Co-Founder & CTO of CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD, Market Cap: $85bn), Chairman at Silverado Policy Accelerator, National Bestselling Author (World on the Brink) and Host of the Geopolitics Decanted podcast.

A talk with Stan Christensen, a Lecturer at Stanford University. After graduating from Harvard Business School, Stan became a negotiating advisor at the Harvard Negotiation Project. He traveled to over 75 countries, working with corporates and governments, mediating and negotiating some of the most difficult conflicts in the world. He then applied all of these lessons as a Managing Director of an entrepreneur-focused investment bank, Arbor Advisors.

A talk with Daniel Melkersson, Co-founder and Board Member of PinMeTo. Daniel's journey is a testament to the philosophy that one is never too old to try new things. Of the 12 companies he started, only three succeeded, but these successes were not without their share of challenges and lessons. His transition into the tech industry and his curiosity about venture capital funding led to the creation of PinMeTo, a platform designed to enhance location marketing for multi-location enterprises.

A talk with the CMO of Planable, Miruna Dragomir. Social media marketing is a beast that never sleeps, constantly shifting with new platform updates and demanding increased collaboration within teams.

A talk with the President and CEO of LaBov & Beyond Marketing Communication, Barry LaBov. Barry shared a powerful message with the audience: "Marry the message to the experience."

A talk with the CEO of Foundersuite and Fundingstack, Nathan Beckord. Nathan shared the importance of simplicity in your initial communications with investors. Founders often make the mistake of inundating potential investors with too much information too soon. Nathan's recommendation? Keep your intro email as short as possible.

A talk with the CCO, Author, Speaker, and Advisor, Mary Poppen. Mary emphasized the often-underestimated link between how employees feel and how customers perceive a company.

A talk with the Managing Director of Intersection Capital, Oren Klaff. Oren started the discussion with a fascinating story about a colleague's unconventional approach to closing a multimillion-dollar deal.

A talk with the Co-Founder and CEO of Katana Cloud Inventory, Kristjan Vilosius. Kristjan shed light on how Estonia's limited internal market compels startups to think globally from the outset.

A talk with the Founder of Saastock, Alex Theuma. SaaStock began its journey in 2015, stemming from a vision to create a content platform that would unite B2B SaaS companies. Inspired by the legendary Woodstock festival, Alex wanted to craft an event that would leave a lasting impact on the community.

A talk with the Author, Founder, and CEO of CultureGene, Brett Putter. The shift to remote work has been one of the most significant transformations in the modern workplace.

A talk with the CEO and Keynote Speaker of Coeus Creative Group, Jay Johnson. Jay brings a wealth of experience to the table, with 15 years of guiding leaders in organizational culture and working with prestigious companies and institutions.

A talk with the C-Suite Transformational Leader, Keynote Speaker, Board Director, Author, and Passionate Diversity and Inclusion Leader, Victoria Pelletier. Victoria's journey is one marked by significant adversity. She shared how she harnessed these challenges as catalysts for growth and success.

A talk with the General Partner of NFX Pete Flint. Pete's candid recount of the challenges he faced while scaling Trulia is both enlightening and inspiring. He opened up about the 2008 real estate crash's impact and the strategic decisions that led to a successful IPO and exit.

A talk with Dr. Timothy Chou, the man that consults for Fortune 500 companies and serves on the public company board of Teradata. He was one of only three people to ever hold the title of President at Oracle. While at Oracle, he authored his first landmark book 'The End of Software'.

A talk with the Founder of Practical Founders, Greg Head. Greg Head brought to the table a wealth of experience from his years in the CRM sector. He had seen the transformation of CRM software and how it has shaped the way companies interact with their customers.

A talk with the Global Credibility Expert of Credibility Nation, Mitchell Levy. Mitchell opened the conversation with a powerful message about the importance of expressing gratitude.

A talk with the President and CEO of Octain Growth Systems, Clare Price. Clare emphasized the need for a strategic foundation in marketing.

A talk with the CEO and Founder of Next Level University, Alan Lazaros. Alan Lazaros, a peak performance business coach, shared his journey and reflected on his growth and learning over the years.

A talk with the Senior Vice President of Kodi Collective, Eric West. "One of the privileges of being a founder is you get to work with customers who have innovation in their blood and who help you co-create a change in the world.

A talk with an entrepreneur Lloyed Lobo who shares his insights on building successful businesses through community-led growth. He discusses the importance of defining personal success, understanding customer needs, and focusing on a growing target audience. He also highlights the significance of creating a community around a startup, citing examples of successful businesses like Atlassian. He also advises on the importance of engaging with the audience consistently and understanding their pain points. Lobo shares his journey of bootstrapping his business, the importance of finding meaning in work, and his personal definition of success. The conversation also touches on the startup ecosystem's obsession with venture capital and the potential for alternative paths to success.

A talk with RJ Grimshaw, CEO of UniFi Equipment Finance. The speakers discuss the importance of entrepreneurship within established businesses. Grimshaw shares his experience of growing UniFi from $13 million to $120 million in revenue in six years, attributing this success to the Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS). They discuss the value of fostering entrepreneurial qualities in employees, the significance of aligning personal and company values, and the importance of customer-centricity. The conversation also covers effective communication, learning from failure, and the role of risk-taking in entrepreneurship. Grimshaw emphasizes the need for authenticity and conscientiousness in business leadership.

A talk with the Chief Impact Officer of Business for Social Responsibility, Laura Gitman. Laura, a game-changer in the field of sustainability, shed light on BSR's mission, which has remained steadfast for over 30 years. The organization's primary focus is to work directly with large businesses due to their significant impact and ambition. BSR offers membership to companies, providing them with thought leadership, advice, networking opportunities, and collaboration. Unlike other consulting firms that offer cookie-cutter solutions, BSR focuses on leading-edge work. They engage in multi-company or collaborative work, bringing together competitors to solve specific issues. They also conduct grant-funded research to stay ahead of cutting-edge sustainability issues. One of the key takeaways from the conversation was Laura's emphasis on the misconception about companies and sustainability. She clarified that there doesn't have to be a trade-off between profitability and sustainability. In fact, she believes that companies can be both profitable and sustainable. It's a positive thing when companies pursue sustainability for profitability because it means they are more likely to invest in sustainable practices in the long term.

A talk with the CEO of ProductLed, Wes Bush. Wes is the author of the book "Product-Led Growth: How to Build a Product That Sells Itself", which has been read by over half a million people. The conversation revolved around creating experiences, particularly content experiences, and how they support various aspects of business growth. Wes, as a content-led business owner and an expert in product-led growth, provided valuable insights into what product-led growth means and how it is evolving. Wes defines product-led growth as using the product to acquire, engage, and monetize users. He emphasized the importance of creating a product that sells itself and delivers an exceptional user experience. This approach contrasts with the traditional sales journey, focusing on selling and then engaging customers. In product-led growth, the emphasis is on acquiring, engaging, and then monetizing customers. Wes explained that this shift changes everything in how businesses approach acquisition, engagement, and monetization. Wes discussed the challenges of implementing a product-led growth strategy. One of the difficulties is that the category is still immature, so people may not fully understand the problem that the product solves. Wes also talked about the importance of creating a content journey that guides customers through the decision-making process. This involves providing content assets that help customers think through the decision of whether the product is right for them.

A talk with the CEO of FE International, Thomas Smale. FE International specializes in tech-focused M&A advisory services for businesses in the $1 to $100 million exit sector. With over 1500 deals closed and a total value of over $50 billion, Thomas' experience in the SaaS, e-commerce, and digital media content categories is awe-inspiring. One of the key topics discussed was why small business owners choose to engage with Thomas and pursue an M&A exit strategy. Thomas firmly believes that every entrepreneur should have an exit strategy in mind, even if it's not immediate. Whether it's due to personal or financial changes, or the emergence of a new business opportunity, having a specific financial exit goal is crucial. Thomas shared his insights on the changing landscape of M&A deals. He explained that while strategic acquisitions are still important, the opportunistic aspect of M&A is becoming more challenging. Interestingly, he mentioned that buyers are becoming more disciplined but also more creative. For instance, private equity funds that previously wouldn't consider deals below a certain valuation are now open to smaller deals. This means that there is a lot of demand for relatively small businesses with valuations below $100 million. Thomas emphasized the importance of focusing on building a good business rather than solely planning for an exit. He cautioned against getting caught up in specific metrics that may not be relevant to every business and advised entrepreneurs to prioritize revenue growth and the overall size of their business. He also highlighted the significance of profitability and tangible results, rather than relying on potential and big visions that have yet to be realized.

A talk with the CEO, Host, and Head Coach of Categorynauts, Mark Organ. Mark Organ is a firm believer in the power of customer advocacy. Firstly, customers should feel like part of the team, this sense of identity and connection can turn them into "superheroes" for the brand. Secondly, it's crucial to show customers the impact they're making on the company. Lastly, companies should help their customer advocates prosper in their personal and professional lives. This can be achieved by providing opportunities for career growth, such as writing content or speaking at events. Category development is all about serving a specific persona or niche. In the case of Eloqua, these were the demand-generation professionals who came from engineering and sales backgrounds. By focusing on serving these professionals, Eloqua was able to dominate the category and achieve significant growth. In today's digital age, capturing attention is a challenge. Mark believes that community plays a crucial role in creating relevant content, allowing companies to mobilize their best customers and involve them in content creation.

A talk with Gayle Terry, a customer-focused commercial leader with 20 years of experience in the financial services and utility industries. She's the CMO and President of Domestic & General US, the leading appliance care provider worldwide with over a century of history and over 3000 employees. Gayle is most passionate about driving positive customer value and experience. She provides great leadership for her teams and creates a culture of ownership, opportunity, and high performance. She's also skilled at engaging stakeholders at the Board level and maintains a strong network with many industry experts, suppliers, and partners.

A talk with a true pioneer in the field of growth marketing, Guillaume "G" Cabane. With a career marked by groundbreaking roles at Segment, Drift, and Gorgias, Guillaume brings over two decades of invaluable experience to the table. As Co-Founder and GP at HyperGrowth Partners, an advisor to B2B SaaS startups, a captivating speaker, and an astute investor, Guillaume embodies the intersection of strategy, innovation, and success in the world of growth marketing.

A talk with Mike Folgner, a serial entrepreneur in the video space with exits to Twitter/X and Yahoo!. He founded SnappyTV, later bought by Twitter/X. So we can call him the Elon Musk of video content. He also founded Jumpcut and later sold it to Yahoo!. Currently, Mike is the CEO of the Scenery platform that has investors such as Greylock, Craft, Figma, and others.

A talk with Anthony Coppedge who leads the vision, strategy, and execution for how business agility is infused in Global Digital Sales at IBM. His leadership focuses on composing a strategic symphony, orchestrating iterative work prioritization, and coaching leaders, managers, and teams on delivering outcomes over outputs. He's a pioneer in leading the transformative work of Agile Selling to create value for prospects and clients instead of traditional sales methods of extracting value from clients.

A talk with "The Godfather" and one of the biggest influencers in the MarTech Community, Scott Brinker — the VP of Platform Ecosystem at HubSpot! Scott Brinker has over 20 years of experience at the intersection of marketing and software. He is the creator and editor of the Chief MarTech blog. He is also the founding Program Chair of the MarTech Conference and author of the book “Hacking Marketing: Agile Practices to make marketing smarter, faster, and more innovative”. Scott is a frequent keynote speaker on marketing and technology topics worldwide and has written articles published by AdAge, Adweek, Harvard Business Review, InformationWeek, TechCrunch, and VentureBeat.

A talk with Sabine VanderLinden who is well-known as the "InsurTech Queen" and CEO of Alchemy Crew. She has over 25 years of experience in insurance. She was the CEO & a co-founder of Startupbootcamp InsurTech & Hartford’s InsurTech Hub Accelerators where she worked with over 30 corporate insurers and accelerated over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is also a co-editor of The INSURTECH Book: The Insurance Technology Handbook for Investors, Entrepreneurs and FinTech Visionaries.

A talk with the Founder of Lookout, Kevin Mahaffey. Lookout Cloud Security Platform is the only cloud-native solution that delivers zero trust security by reducing risk and protecting your corporate data on any device, any app, and any location. With a centralized dashboard and unified policy framework, Lookout helps you consolidate vendors for endpoint security and cloud security. Lookout's mission is to secure and empower productivity in a privacy-focused world, where work can happen anywhere. As the leading provider of Data-Centric Cloud Security, Lookout sets a new standard for helping businesses protect the sensitive data and information they care about most.

A talk with the Vice President and General Manager of NWS, Glenn Poulos. Established in 2012, NWS is a technology infrastructure solutions provider committed to helping companies of all sizes build the connected world of today and tomorrow. From custom connectivity, kitting, logistics, telecom infrastructure materials, and test and measurement solutions, their goal is to develop and deliver solutions for what the world needs next. NWS's cable solutions showcase cutting-edge copper, fiber, and hybrid designs. With a proficient team of engineers, manufacturing, and supply chain experts, they can tailor these custom cable solutions to your precise specifications, ensuring your organization benefits from the most reliable and efficient telecom solutions on the market.

A talk with the best-selling author on B2B Marketing and Sales for Early Stage SaaS, Tech, and B2B Services of Modern Revenue Strategies, Mark Osborne. Working with CEOs and Sales Leaders at SaaS, Tech, and B2B Services firms for the last 20 years, Modern Revenue Strategies knows the importance of system-based solutions for growth; using data and technology for Revenue Systems that attract the right customers, Accelerate opportunities through the Pipeline, and Activate clients for renewals, upsells, and referrals. Mark Osborne. Recognized by AdAge Magazine as a “Marketing Technology Trailblazer" in 2017, Mark Osborne brings decades of experience creating Revenue Systems that integrate Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success for SaaS, Technology, and B2B Services firms navigating long sales cycles and complex buying committees to secure large contracts.

A talk with the board member, strategic advisor, and investor in early-stage technology companies, Steve King. A five-time CEO with many exits to boot and now sits on the boards of exciting companies. Known as a pioneer in the field, Steve is not only a mentor and investor but also a friend. Steve's perspective is truly inspiring. His advice is to stay calm and put things into perspective, actively involving oneself and taking control of the situation rather than being a passive observer. He has played a significant role in building definitive cloud companies, and his wisdom is invaluable. Steve realized the potential of DocuSign. He saw that there were other companies in the space but no major players or market research on electronic signatures. After conducting research and evaluating the product and management team, Steve was convinced that there was a market for DocuSign.

A talk with Kyle Poyar, the operating partner at OpenView, a venture capital firm, who's also known for his weekly Substack newsletter, Growth Unhinged. Kyle gives us the lowdown on Product-Led Growth (PLG), a revolutionary way for software companies to acquire, convert, and retain customers. From the differences between extreme and hybrid models of PLG to the important role sales teams play, Kyle’s insights will leave you equipped to navigate the complexities of PLG. This episode also tackles the potent combination of PLG and SEO. Kyle highlights the impact of building communities around PLG products and how user advocacy plays a crucial role in product discovery and use. He contrasts the communities created by PLG products and those created by Salesforce-style products and elaborates on how high-touch events and organic love can help promote a PLG product. We also delve into the role content plays in accelerating growth and its importance in problem-solving. Learn how content can make a job easier, enhance problem-solving skills, and foster a community of like-minded people. Kyle also provides insights on using content for ABM-style marketing, evaluating success, and cultivating a target audience. This episode is an enlightening journey for anyone looking to explore and apply PLG to their software business.

A talk with Aaron Au. Aaron co-founded SuccessFactors, a company that became a global leader in cloud-based HR software. It went public in 2007 and was later sold to SAP for a staggering $34 billion. Aaron also served as the president of SAP Gem Collaboration Division, boasting over 50 million subscribers. Aaron is a true pioneer in the software as a service (SaaS) revolution, and his journey offers invaluable insights for anyone interested in the world of tech startups and SaaS.

A talk with the Professor of Wharton Marketing Dept., Dr. Peter Fader. Dr. Peter Fader is a professor at Wharton Marketing Department, researching things such as: the lifetime value of the customer, sales forecasting for new products, using behavioral data to understand and forecast shopping/purchasing activities across a wide range of industries, and managerial applications with focus on topics such as customer relationship management. He is a winner of the Frances and Pei-Yuan Chia Professorship by demonstrating an interdisciplinary approach to business teaching and research, especially in retailing, marketing, banking and information technology. He also works with firms from a wide range of industries, like telecommunications, financial services, gaming/entertainment, retail, and pharmaceuticals.

A talk with the Advisor and Fractional CMO of UniSphere Ideas and author of the book Simply Put, Ben Guttmann. Ben Guttmann is a Marketing Entrepreneur, educator and writer. He assists good individuals and well-known brands in communicating their importance to the world. He frequently gives talks on marketing, branding, business, and technology at conferences, businesses, and universities. Ben ran the Digital Natives Group for 10 years. The group started as a small town business and then grew into a partnership with various well-known organizations. They published over 60 best-selling books from major publishing companies, including works from acclaimed individuals. Ben started his career by working with small ice cream shops and camera repair stores. Now, he is known as a major player in the world of branding, working with multi-billion dollar industries and other successful companies.

A talk with the Founder, CEO, and Executive Chairman of Alteryx, Dean Stoecker. Data-driven decisions matter now more than ever. Drive business value at scale by empowering everyone to generate insights from data. Alteryx is enterprise-ready so you can be ready for anything. Alteryx customers understand the power of data and analytics. That’s why they chose Alteryx to help empower their employees to make transformational outcomes. They help customers win by making data easy to access and use by everyone – for immediate value, higher operational efficiency, and lower risk.

A talk about startup cultures and leadership in the digital industry with Blaine Graboyes. Blaine is an artist, an inventor and a founder. Blaine has been involved in developing various interactive experiences, including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). He is also well known as an investor for many tech companies.

A talk with the Founder and CEO of G2, Godard Abel. G2 is the largest and most trusted software marketplace. More than 80 million people annually—including employees at all Fortune 500 companies—use G2 to make smarter software decisions based on authentic peer reviews. G2 is democratizing software, disrupting the traditional analyst model, and building trust by showcasing the authentic voice of millions of software buyers. When you choose software based on the experiences of people just like you, you can reach your true potential.

A talk with the CEO of Overdose Digital, Paul Pritchard, formerly Chief Digital Officer at Ogilvy. Overdose Digital has envisaged a global Digital Commerce Anti-Agency with enterprise capability. Overdose Digital provides a complete suite of Digital Commerce services with the capability to deliver across the full functional needs of high-performing B2C & B2B retailers. Their Service Pillars are all led by noted industry experts, and their Client Success process ensures clients have unfettered access to talent through the distributed retainer model. Paul Pritchard is a digital visionary, challenging the traditional agency model to deliver exceptional business outcomes. Under Paul's leadership, Overdose achieved widespread recognition in the digital transformation industry. Paul's work at Ogilvy, growing brands and businesses through borderless creativity—operating, innovating, and creating at the intersection of talent and capabilities, has aided him in his visionary leadership.

A talk with the Founder of MicroFame Media, Michael F. Schein. Michael is the author of the book The Hype Handbook. At MicroFame Media, they have spent years analyzing the methods of history’s most effective persuaders, promoters, and benevolent mischief-makers. They've taken all of this research and distilled their findings into a comprehensive system that lets them generate fanatical attention for your best ideas. Their mission is to hype up their clients, so they can focus on what they do best.

A talk with the General Manager of Logitech B2B, Scott Wharton. Logitech B2B is a division that includes all products, software, and services for business and enterprise customers. Scott brought Logitech to a new era of growth, changing the culture to create a scalable business prepared for the future. Logitech entered the video conferencing industry, optimizing the digital experience to be superior to an average meeting.

A talk with the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of Tata Consultancy Services, Abhinav Kumar. Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses for the past 50 years. They believe innovation and collective knowledge can transform all our futures with greater purpose. At TCS, they go beyond helping businesses transform through technology.

In the first episode of Experience-focused Leaders, Josh Elledge of UpMyInfluence speaks to the creator and host of the show, Alex Shevelenko. Alex is the CEO and founder of RELAYTO and he shares what makes business leaders stand-out, no matter their industry; creating cutting-edge experiences for their customers.