Building With Buyers: Startup Marketing and Growth Fueled By Customers

Christopher Lochhead is 3X Silicon Valley public company CMO, the father of category design, and makes content for entrepreneurs and marketers with a different mind.I invite Christopher on the show to talk about certain topics but I always know we will be twisting and turning to other topics which is why it's so fun to hang with him.Listen to these other episodes if you want more with Christopher:Ep. 44 - Why 98% Of Startups And Marketers Waste Their Time Ep. 108 - Why Most Content Is 100% Content Free And How Non Obvious Ideas HelpEp. 136 - Why Treating Your Creative Marketing Like It’s Not Tied To Revenue Will Get You More RevenueHere’s what we cover:Politics;Israel war;Terrorism;Disagreements are healthy;What does customer obsession mean, really;Why customers are the most important part of GTM;How can Marketing build respect from Sales and Engineering;Examples of how customers help startups build to their next level of growth;Which customers are most important for customer research;What you should look for when analyzing customer research (HINT: it’s not what you think);Why it’s important to learn about how customers use your product as part of their products ecosystem, desires and preferences.Christopher on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/christopherlochheadCategory Pirates: www.categorypirates.comFor more content, subscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com⁠

Always fun when folks refer me to founders building cool products, and that's exactly how I met Melissa. Melissa Rosenthal is Co-Founder at Outlever. Outlever helps companies become the #1 news source in their industry. They're self-funded and $5M in revenue. Here’s what we cover:What you're building;How many customers;Sales cycle length;What’s hard right now;How do you incorporate customers as part of your marketing and sales efforts;How do you incorporate customer research;Tell me about your superfan customers;Where are you placing big bets in 2025.Melissa on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/melissarosenthal5Outlever: ⁠⁠⁠⁠outlever.comFor more content, subscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com

Every so often I like to set the record straight on some terms that people like to toss around. Erin Balsa (Founder of Bland To Bold) and I were emailing back and forth about Positioning, Messaging, Category Design, and Strategic Narrative. And then I realized, hey, I really just want to talk this through.Erin was on the show before, you can listen to Ep. 203 "Hashing Out The Perfect Content Strategy Visual Framework"Here’s what we cover:Define each of these terms;Which path to take? Or do all 4;Of the 4, which is the hardest to do and why;How can startups make sure their messaging is unique, valuable, and consistent.Erin on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/erinbalsaBland To Bold: www.blandtobold.coFor more content, subscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com

Georgiana (Gia) Laudi is co-founder and chief strategist at Forget The Funnel. She's author of the book "Forget The Funnel" that's about Customer-Led Growth and a customer-led approach for driving predictable, recurring revenue.Here’s what we cover:I have to ask why did Gia and April Dunford bash Voice of Customer (VoC) on April's podcast because I'm honestly curious;How to pick the right insights and turn those into positioning and messaging;How to create your messaging guide;How often should you conduct customer research.Gia on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/georgianalaudiForget The Funnel: forgetthefunnel.comFor more content, subscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com

I'm answering Udi Ledergor's questions in this BONUS pod episode: 1. How is AI changing the work that we do on customer research?2. How should we as consultants and advisors prepare for this change?For more content, subscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com

Udi Ledergor is Chief Evangelist and former CMO at Gong. You can centralize all your revenue workflows in Gong’s Revenue AI Platform. Gong is a Unicorn (last valuation was $7.25B). Total funding $583M. Also check out Ep. 156 “Gong’s Marketing Evolution From Early Stage To Unicorn”.Here’s what we cover:In what ways have customers helped Gong build to the next round;How to create raving fans;Where is Gong placing big bets in 2025 (e.g. redefining category boundaries);How do you sell to large strategic customers;Where is Udi placing big bets in 2025 (new book!);Why courage in marketing is so important and oftentimes missing;What’s your favorite use case for using AI.Udi on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/udiledergorCourageous Marketing book: https://mybook.to/courageousmarketingGong: www.gong.io For more content, subscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com

Natalie Marcotullio is Head of Growth & Product Marketing at Navattic. Navattic makes buying easier with interactive demos. Seed funded. Also check out Ep. 139 (be the company that seems to be everywhere), Ep. 180 (podcast, ads, positioning, what’s the ROI) and Ep. 218 (launching the free forever plan).Here’s what we cover:The Navattic Fanatic Customer Event in NYC, what was your goal for the event and did you achieve it;What do you think made the customer event so successful;Anything that surprised you;What will you change for next time;After the event is often the most important - how did you make the event last beyond the two days;Other ways you’re incorporating customers into your business and marketing strategy;Your new role heading up product marketing, what are you planning to tackle first;Natalie asks Anna her burning question;30 days of customer obsession;Thoughts on being audacious to differentiate;What are the top drivers of WOM for Navattic.Natalie on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-marcotullioNavattic: www.navattic.comFor more content, subscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com

Taylor Jennings is lead UX Researcher at Chili Piper. Chili Piper is your all-in-one Demand Conversion Platform. The only solution that consolidates Chat, Routing, and Scheduling all in one platform. They've raised $54.4M.Here’s what we cover:How do you incorporate customer research at Chili Piper;Product research and goals with this research;Pricing research, goals with this research, how you actually did this in the weeds;How have you actually used the research insights;What are your challenges with customer research.Taylor on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/taylorjennings1Chili Piper: ⁠www.chilipiper.comFor more content, subscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com

Elaine Zelby is Co-Founder and CRO at Tofu. Tofu puts top-of-funnel on autopilot for B2B marketing teams, so you can ship integrated marketing campaigns 8X faster. Series A funded (recent). Also check out Ep. 96 “First Time Founders Think Product Wins, Second Time Founders Know GTM Wins”.Here’s what we cover:Your recent funding round, what did it take to get there (HINT: 4 main things);How do you use tofu at tofu;How do you structure your nurture sequences;How do you incorporate customer research at tofu (HINT: product roadmap, website, GTM plan);Both companies and people are building agents and bots, how do you break away and ahead of everyone else;Where are you placing big bets in 2025;How do you know your content is good.Elaine on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/elainezelbyTofu: www.tofuhq.comFor more content, subscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com

Megan Bowen is CEO at Refine Labs. Refine Labs is a demand gen agency for growth stage and enterprise B2B SaaS companies. Also check out Ep. 78 "Hire For Customer Success, Not Customer Support."Here’s what we cover:Brand, Demand, and ABM. What's your approach to client work;I’m exploring the role that customers play in helping startups build to the next round - how have you seen this play out with companies you work with;What’s changed about how buyers buy today, and what’s still the same;Customer research is core to the work I do with my clients - how do you handle customer research at Refine Labs;How are you using AI, and what’s your take on where it’s going;Early stage startups testing paid ads, what’s your advice (HINT: it's an expensive experiment, you need at least $3M-5M ARR);What’s the biggest challenge for companies you’re working with right now;Megan asks me her burning question.Megan on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/meganwhitebowenRefine Labs: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.refinelabs.comFor more content, subscribe to Building With Buyers on Apple or Spotify or wherever you like to listen, and don't forget to leave a review if you're lovin' the show. Music by my talented daughter.Anna on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/annafurmanov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠furmanovmarketing.com