The Marketing Scientists

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Rucha Fulay, Data VP at Confluent, discusses how real-time data can drive resilient growth for B2Bs. Drawing from her journey at Chime, Credit Karma, and now Confluent’s data streaming platform, she explains why AI makes batch processing obsolete––and real-time data a necessity. Rucha recounts a jaw-dropping $40M rebranding flop that ignored data, shares why even smaller companies should hire full-stack talent, and advocates for B2B marketers to measure success on leads vs. revenue.About the guest: Rucha Fulay is a seasoned data leader with over 20 years of experience––from Series A startups like Invoice2go to late-stage companies such as Credit Karma and Chime. Currently VP of Data at Confluent, she excels at driving growth with data-driven decisions.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Aditya Vempaty, VP of Marketing at MoEngage, reveals why the future of B2B growth looks a lot like DTC. Drawing inspiration from Apple’s emotional storytelling and Amazon’s experience-driven branding, Aditya explains how the best B2B marketers are ditching playbooks built on CAC and spreadsheets and replacing them with narrative, positioning, and trust.He also dives into why most companies fail at category creation, how to win mindshare with brand-first messaging, and why emotional resonance is the real growth unlock in crowded markets.About the guest: Aditya Vempaty is VP of Marketing at MoEngage, a leading customer engagement platform. With a background spanning high-growth SaaS and a passion for narrative-led marketing, Aditya brings a fresh, strategic lens to B2B go-to-market and brand building.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Peep Laja breaks down why most B2B marketers are stuck chasing performance metrics — while ignoring the brand fundamentals that actually drive long-term growth. Peep explains why mental availability matters more than MQLs, how category size can make or break your entire business, and why most B2B companies are still decades behind their B2C peers.We dive into the real relationship between brand and performance, how to design category entry points that influence buying decisions, and why tracking brand lift is the smartest marketing investment you can make.About the guest: Peep Laja is the founder of Wynter, CXL, and Speero, and one of the most outspoken voices in B2B growth. With a no-BS approach to brand, positioning, and messaging, he’s on a mission to help companies stop wasting money on short-term hacks and start building brands that actually sell.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Daniel McCarthy breaks down how top brands like Netflix and Nike use customer lifetime value (CLV) to drive smarter growth decisions — and why most startups are still stuck on outdated metrics.We dive into the science behind CLV modeling, what CAC doesn’t tell you, and how to use predictive analytics to scale efficiently. Daniel also shares how CLV can shape everything from brand strategy to investor valuation, and why cohort retention is the growth metric that actually matters.About the guest: Daniel McCarthy is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. He’s one of the world’s leading voices on CLV, customer analytics, and predictive modeling — with research that’s influenced startups, Fortune 500s, and VCs alike.#CustomerLifetimeValue #CLV #StartupGrowth #MarketingScience #MarketingPodcast

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Elaine Zelby shares the real levers behind startup growth — and it’s not just product or GTM strategy. Elaine dives into how culture, hiring, and operational systems shape whether a marketing engine can actually scale.From building trust and clarity across teams to designing systems that don’t break at $10M ARR, Elaine breaks down what most founders miss. She also shares why brand is often an output of culture, how to hire for execution and alignment, and why growth marketing fails without shared values at the core.About the guest: Elaine Zelby is the Co-Founder and CRO of TofuHQ, and a growth advisor to early-stage startups. With leadership experience spanning marketing, operations, and product, she brings rare clarity to the intersection of brand, culture, and scale.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Dyan Khor shares the strategy behind Cash App’s explosive growth, and why true scale requires more than channel hacks. Dyan built Cash App’s full-funnel growth engine, developed user-level LTV models, and implemented incrementality testing before iOS 14 changed the game.We dive into how brand, creative, and product come together to drive results; why “growth” isn’t a department , it’s a company strategy; and how AI is reshaping team workflows, content pipelines, and experimentation velocity.About the guest:Dyan Khor is a growth advisor and fractional marketing leader who scaled Cash App through its hypergrowth phase. With deep experience in data modeling, cross-functional growth, and performance strategy, she’s now helping top tech startups build marketing systems that last.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Nik Sharma and Ari Murray of Sharma Brands break down how they manage one of the most creative and data-driven growth machines in e-commerce. From launching up to 1,000 ads a week to testing across every stage of the funnel, they share how smart systems — not just instincts — drive results.We dive into the shift from DTC to retail, why attribution is mostly noise, how incrementality testing is changing everything, and why creative velocity (done right) beats any channel hack. They also unpack the impact of AI on workflows, how they keep a swipe file in Slack, and why truly understanding your customer is still the ultimate unlock.About the guests: Nik Sharma and Ari Murray lead Sharma Brands, a full-service growth engine helping consumer brands scale through sharp creative, efficient media buying, and relentless experimentation. Their work spans eComm, retail, and content — and they’ve built one of the most respected voices in the DTC space.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Amrita Mathur, former marketing leader at Superside, ClickUp, and Zapier, shares hard-earned truths about startup growth, product-market fit, and why creativity — not just tactics — drives sustainable success.Amrita challenges the common myths around growth hacking, breaks down why product strategy is inseparable from marketing strategy, and explains how smart brands are navigating the AI disruption without losing their edge. She also dives into the importance of differentiation, the hidden power of creative obsession, and why building your own brand “universes” is the future of marketing.About the guest: Amrita Mathur has scaled some of the fastest-growing SaaS companies in the world and now advises early-stage startups on brand, marketing, and growth strategy. With deep hands-on experience from 0 to 1 and beyond, she brings a rare, practical lens to what really works — and what’s just noise.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Ian Martins, Managing Director of Zenith, joins us for a no-filter look at the modern agency world. Ian unpacks why the creative/media divide is still costing brands big money, how the traditional agency model is ripe for reinvention, and why the current obsession with AI-driven cost savings is missing the point.We explore the rise of "Power of One" models, why media teams need a seat at the creative table, and how smart brands are blending brand + performance thinking. Ian also shares practical insights on creative testing, algorithmic buying, and why most media metrics are still chasing the wrong goals.About the guest: Ian Martens is the Managing Director of Zenith , part of the Publicis Groupe. With a career that spans scrappy independents to global HoldCos, Ian brings a uniquely candid perspective on what’s broken — and what’s possible — in media, creative, and marketing leadership today.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Keith Putnam-Delaney, CEO of Primer, reveals how his company is reinventing B2B audience targeting across channels like TikTok, Instagram, and even Amazon. He unpacks the limitations of traditional ad targeting, the misconceptions around "dead" channels, and why marketers need to rethink attribution and incrementality. Keith also dives into the evolving role of AI in advertising, shares a spicy take on LinkedIn ads, and explains how creative and audience experimentation is still the ultimate unlock.About the guest: Keith Putnam-Delaney is the co-founder and CEO of Primer, a fast-growing startup transforming how B2B marketers activate audiences across social and programmatic platforms. With a background in data and growth strategy, Keith brings a sharp and opinionated view on what’s broken in modern marketing—and what’s coming next. From holdout tests to AI-driven targeting, he's helping companies navigate the future of ad performance with clarity and precision.