Creating a new Category in the Middle of the AI Revolution

In this episode, I sit down with Kristin Russel, CMO of symplr, to unpack how she’s building a unified brand in one of the most complex corners of healthcare — and doing it right in the middle of the AI revolution. 

Kristin shares how symplr has evolved from a collection of acquired companies into the “backbone of healthcare operations,” and why that’s required not just smart marketing but category creation. We explore her concept of “branded demand,” how she balances ABM, demand gen, and opportunity marketing, and why she believes you can’t outwork complexity — you have to outsmart it. 

From AI-driven personalization to surviving the shift toward AI-powered search, Kristin offers an inside look at how one of healthcare’s biggest players is keeping their marketing fresh, relevant, and human.

Key Topics:

• “(00:00) Kristin’s untraditional path to marketing”

• “(03:00) The symplr story”

• “(09:30) Creating a new category”

• “(16:00) Growth marketing beyond new logos”

• “(21:45) The art of “branded demand”

• “(26:00) Adapting to the AI search shift”

• “(30:00) Always On / Always Optimizing”

• “(35:00) AI in content creation”

• “(39:00) Personalization at scale”

• “(41:45) Kristin’s closing advice”

Check out our full blog post where I break down Kristin’s approach to “Branded Demand”.

Interested in exploring how to build your brand? Reach out to me directly to schedule a no-obligation discussion. This isn't a sales call—just an opportunity to talk through your LinkedIn questions and challenges.

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