“Positioning and messaging might be perfect, but without distribution, it doesn’t mean anything,” says Jonathan Pipek, founder and CEO of Blue Manta Consulting

In this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, Jonathan Pipek, founder and CEO of Blue Manta Consulting, joins Jonathan Gandolf to unpack the often-misunderstood world of product marketing—and why distribution, not differentiation, is the real battleground for startups. Jonathan shares why startups should consider fractional product marketing support before making their first full-time hire, what’s broken about personalization at scale, and why webinars feel increasingly outdated in today’s crowded B2B environment. He also dives into the critical role of language, community, and actionable content in building trust with modern buyers.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

When startups should hire product marketing and when they shouldn’t
Why AI personalization at scale often backfires
How distribution has overtaken positioning as the real growth challenge

Resources:

Connect with Jonathan Gandolf on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/

Explore AudiencePlus: https://audienceplus.com

Connect with Jonathan Pipek on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanpipek/

Explore Blue Manta Consulting: https://www.bluemantaconsulting.com/

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:31) Jonathan Pipek’s background and approach to startups

(04:03) Defining product marketing at early-stage companies

(07:02) When to hire product marketing full-time vs fractional

(11:06) What’s not working: AI personalization at scale

(12:30) Why ads are delivering diminishing returns

(13:04) The distribution problem no one talks about

(14:30) How product marketing and content marketing should collaborate

(19:17) Why webinars feel outdated in 2025

(22:19) Why actionable content beats thought leadership today

Draymond vs. KD, Embiid for MVP and the Rise of Podcasts With Malcolm Gladwell and Chris Ryan | The Bill Simmons Podcast (Ep. 442)