PRODUCTEA with Leah, Growth & Senior Leadership

Emily Kramer, a B2B marketing expert with a track record at startups like Asana, dives into the shifting landscape of marketing. She highlights the decline of influencer marketing and emphasizes the need for authenticity in a noisy digital world. Kramer discusses the importance of identifying unique strengths and the pitfalls of traditional strategies. She advocates for focused, adaptive approaches tailored for startups, stressing integration between marketing and other departments to boost engagement and conversion rates.

Kris Rudeegraap, Co-CEO of Sendoso and expert in B2B marketing, discusses the company's transformation from sales-led to product-led growth. He highlights the rising importance of underutilized marketing channels like direct mail and gifting, emphasizing their effectiveness in 2025. Rudeegraap also explores the role of personal branding in navigating the crowded digital landscape, addressing how AI is reshaping customer interactions and content strategies. He underscores the need for a balanced approach to growth for sustainable business success.

Dave Kellogg, an experienced CEO and CMO in the enterprise software realm, shares his wisdom on organizational design and scaling. He delves into the signs of organizational health versus conflict, emphasizing that high internal conflict reflects poor health. Kellogg stresses that growth should be a shared responsibility and highlights the crucial role of C-level executives as translators between departments. He also discusses the importance of internal curiosity and warns against the dangers of scaling too quickly without solid foundations.

Harini Gokul, CCO at Entrust with extensive experience at Microsoft and AWS, dives into the evolving landscape of sales and customer success. She discusses the shift from outdated sequential sales models to modern strategies that focus on securing and growing customers. Gokul highlights the necessity for C-level executives to prioritize cross-functional collaboration and effective communication. Simplifying metrics is crucial for decision-making, as traditional customer metrics can fall short. Transforming organizations means challenging the status quo and embracing change.

David Yockelson, a Distinguished VP analyst at Gartner with 30 years in B2B tech, discusses the crucial role of interactive demos in B2B SaaS. He reveals how these demos enhance buyer engagement by allowing self-service exploration before sales conversations. Yockelson highlights the impact of Gen.AI on revolutionizing demo creation and the emerging trend of value-driven marketing. He also emphasizes the shift in sales dynamics, showcasing the need for companies to adapt strategies around independent buyer journeys.

Teresa Torres, an accomplished author and product discovery coach, shares insights on solopreneurship. She discusses the crucial balance between personal boundaries and professional demands, emphasizing the need for clarity in help requests. Teresa reveals her unique pricing strategies and how they reflect the value of services offered. She also addresses the importance of energy management during speaking engagements and highlights the nuances of client investment in coaching. Get ready for a candid look at the pressures and pleasures of running your own business!

Francesca Cortesi, a seasoned product leader with over ten years in scaling digital products, discusses the challenging transition from product-market fit to IPO. She highlights the critical need for sustainable growth, balancing speed with structured decision-making. Francesca shares insights from Hemnet's journey, including the importance of defending core values while scaling and the shift from product-centric to organizational leadership. Additionally, she emphasizes the role of innovation and customer feedback in navigating the complexities of the B2B2C landscape.

Joan Palmiter Bajorek, an expert in technology and social innovation, discusses the current climate of layoff anxiety within the tech industry, exacerbated by COVID-19 and AI advancements. She emphasizes the critical role of networking, personal branding, and the importance of establishing multiple income streams to enhance job security. The conversation highlights the intersection of personal fulfillment and career choices, as well as the evolving skills needed in the AI landscape. Continuous learning and resilience are key themes throughout their discussion.

Wes Kao, the co-founder of Maven and expert in executive communication, shares valuable insights on effectively communicating with leaders. He emphasizes the importance of building credibility and reducing cognitive load in discussions. Kao advocates for celebrating good decision-making processes rather than just outcomes and highlights the need for proactive communication to minimize surprises. With practical strategies for framing conversations and aligning proposals with leaders' priorities, he shows how to make collaboration more effective in the workplace.

Kristi Faltorusso, a seasoned customer success executive and coach, dives into the interconnected worlds of customer success and product management. She emphasizes the necessity of effective onboarding strategies that focus on delivering quick value and the importance of aligning customer success with product development. The conversation critiques traditional customer happiness metrics like NPS, promoting a shift toward leading indicators. Kristi shares insights on bridging communication gaps between teams and the impact of customer feedback on product improvements.