"I need content to connect dots that I didn't know were connected before...Otherwise...I could go look all this stuff up already on my own." Tracey Wallace is the Director of Content Strategy at Klaviyo. Prior to that, she was the head of marketing for two early stage start-ups (Eterneva and MarketerHire), and the Editor-in-Chief over at BigCommerce. She has 13 years of experience in content marketing, and began her career in Journalism. She is    also a content creator for WorkWeek, managing her own weekly newsletter called “Contentment.” Questions and topics we covered include: How brands can scale (written) content practically Tracey’s favorite brands that are best-in-class when it comes to content marketing The general misconceptions around content marketing Why all content marketers have to figure out how to tie what they create back to revenue goals The difference between direct-content revenue vs content-assisted revenue The headwinds that content marketers face that performance marketers don’t have to deal with Why attribution is “political at best” and why marketers need to understand attribution modeling vs mixed-media modeling Why you can’t create content without researching a topic first (cough cough, this is why AI content doesn’t work as a *final* draft) How to confirm what really works and how to avoid the BS marketing advice that’s regurgitated online? Why internal marketing is the most underrated skill that all marketers need to learn. And more! Say hi to Tracey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/traceyrwallace/  Say hi to Tracey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TraceWall  *Note you can DM Tracey BUT she’s on maternity leave at the moment, so she’ll get back to you later around the end of the summer.  Subscribe to Tracey’s amazing newsletter if you want to become a better writer: https://workweek.com/brand/contentment/  Say hi to me on LinkedIn and let’s connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennysoto/ Our Podcast Partner - MarketerHire If you’re looking to hire expert freelance talent this year to scale your business (and impress your boss), check out MarketerHire. MarketerHire vets freelance talent so when you hire an SEO expert, Email Marketer, or even a Fractional CMO—you’re not wasting your money or your time. You can hire your first freelancer and get a $500 credit by visiting: www.kennysoto.com/hire

 "When you stop selling, you stop growing...If you think that you're maxed out right now...what if you lose a client?" Ali Schwanke is the CEO and Founder of Simple Strat, an agency of expert strategists in sales and content marketing for B2B tech companies. Ali and her team focus on growing businesses through technology and automations, specializing in the implementation of HubSpot. Ali is a sought-after speaker and co-host of HubSpot Hacks - the popular YouTube channel with over 1M views and 15k+ subscribers. Questions and topics we covered:  Why is HubSpot the best CRM to use? It’s not just a tool for sales… Are CRMs useful for all businesses? Why do so many CRM adoptions fail? Is Hubspot only useful for marketing teams? (Heck no!) Practical ways to start using Hubspot to start growing sales. The advanced tactics within Hubspot to help grow sales (i.e. progressive fields). Marketing tactics to use for growing a personal brand and an agency. Ali’s tips for creating video content—even if you’re shy on camera. How to bleed your marketing budget and how to avoid doing this. How to tie a marketing strategy to company goals. Scaling growth with old content. How can B2B companies create a solid audience-building strategy?  And more! Check out Ali’s HubSpot Hacks Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@HubSpotHacks Say hello to Ali via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alischwanke/ Ali's 30-day posting calendar template for LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alischwanke_linkedin-thoughtleadership-linkedinstrategy-activity-7025505800466944000-p6MD/ Connect with me on LinkedIn too: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennysoto  Our Podcast Partner - MarketerHire If you’re looking to hire expert freelance talent this year to scale your business (and impress your boss), check out MarketerHire. MarketerHire vets freelance talent so when you hire an SEO expert, Email Marketer, or even a Fractional CMO—you’re not wasting your money or your time. You can hire your first freelancer and get a $500 credit by visiting: www.kennysoto.com/hire

“If there’s not a fit between your personality and the environment that you’re in, it’s going to be difficult for you to drive impact. This is regardless of how much you know in your [marketing] domain.”  Patrick Moran was most recently an Executive in Residence at Reforge where he led the Growth Marketing, Experimentation and Testing, and Brand Marketing programs which he also co-developed. Previously, he was the Head of Consumer Marketing at Houzz and held leadership roles at Spotify, YikYak, and was one of the earlier marketing leaders at Netflix during its transition to producing original content (starting with House of Cards). He is currently advising early-stage B2C companies looking to profitably scale their marketing initiatives. Questions and topics we covered include: The 4 components that help you control your career trajectory: your knowledge, your impact, and your network. Why Patrick made the switch from being a performance marketer to a brand marketer. Patrick’s advice for marketers who are getting bigger responsibilities this year (how to deal with a larger scope of work). Patrick’s definition of brand marketing and the basics every marketer needs to understand.  How can marketers continue to grow in their roles (experience vs online education)? And more! If you liked this episode, check out Patrick’s new podcast “Finding Market Fit” which is available on Acast - https://shows.acast.com/finding-market-fit You can connect with Patrick via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pcmoran/ You can connect with me via LinkedIn too: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennysoto/

“It doesn’t matter if you’re employed or not, it matters if you’re employable…if you learn the skills around how to grow ‘capital-efficiently’, [affecting] the growth curve in a positive way—that’s incredibly employable.” Bill Macaitis is an advisor and board member, guiding aspiring unicorns and helping build out world class teams and innovative go-to-market strategies. Over his 20 year career Bill has achieved five successful exits and powered growth at three of the fastest-ever growing companies: Slack (CRO/CMO), Zendesk (CMO), and Salesforce (SVP of Marketing). He has also held leadership positions at Fox Interactive Media (SVP of Online Marketing) and IGN Entertainment (VP of Marketing). Questions and topics we covered include: When is the right time to transition as a marketing leader from one company to another?  What does it mean to have a “marketing philosophy” as you grow in your career? What does it mean to be an employable marketer? The early challenges a 1st-time marketing leader faces when working at a startup. How can marketing teams infuse a personality into their brand? Finding the right balance between goal setting for various channels? How would you define capital-efficient growth? What does the future CMO look like? What are some common misconceptions around brand marketing? And more! You can say hi to Bill via LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmacaitis/ Connect with me on LinkedIn too: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennysoto/ Here’s that Kahn Academy course on reading a company’s financials that I mentioned: https://www.khanacademy.org/economics-finance-domain/core-finance/accounting-and-financial-stateme

“Take a look at your agency and if their tests keep losing and you’re like ‘oh our current ad keeps performing better’…you should have a real hard conversation…[You’re losing] every time they tested…”  Samir Balwani is a marketing thought leader, out-of-the-box thinker, and an intrinsic connector. As CEO and founder of QRY (pronounced “query”), Samir has built a world-class media agency of innovative thinkers and spirited doers who help brands think strategically about e-commerce growth and scale.  A true brand builder, Samir has over 15 years of professional experience as a marketing leader at American Express, StyleCaster, and Rogers & Cowan PMK (formerly PMK*BNC), to name a few.  His successes range from building and managing large scale media campaigns to creating tactical acquisition marketing strategies. Samir has lectured at Barnard College and the Fashion Institute of Technology. He’s been quoted in Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Inc., and has written for Mashable.  Questions and topics we covered include: The common mistakes that hold back brands from scaling ad spend effectively. Why paid media budgets MUST include an allocation for brand awareness campaigns. How to approach ad testing and experimentation in a strategic way (don’t use the “shotgun” approach). Why is high ROAS not always a good thing? Why is cash flow management the #1 killer for most e-commerce businesses?  How to incorporate unexpected events into media forecasting? How marketing attribution will cause the most challenges for brands in 2023.  And more! You can connect with Samir here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samirbalwani/ Say hello via LinkedIn if you enjoyed listening to the podcast: www.linkedin.com/in/kennysoto  The article Samir mentioned, “THE FIVE STAGES OF DTC & E-COMMERCE ADVERTISING” - https://www.weareqry.com/insights/the-five-stages-of-e-commerce-advertising  And my favorite multi-touch attribution tool I’ve used to date is here (not a sponsored or affiliate link): https://www.attributionapp.com

“Failure is the best way to learn…You have to try new methods and new things to surprise your audience and surpass your competitors.” Keren Pakes is the Chief Brand & Communications Officer at Bright Data and the General Manager of The Bright Initiative. After 14 impressive years as an award-winning BBC News journalist (she won an Emmy?!), Keren left the field of journalism to pursue marketing senior leadership roles in the B2B tech space. Today, Keren focuses her efforts on expanding the reach and impact of The Bright Initiative, an organization that uses web data to drive change across the globe. Questions and topics we covered include: The advice Keren has for anyone who is transitioning from one profession into the world of marketing. The unique skills journalists bring to the table. What does the right pitch to a journalist look like? Should you begin your marketing career working at a startup or a big corporation? How to leverage your failures to help you grow in your career. The soft skills you need to learn to become a successful marketing leader. How to build a marketing department. And more! You can connect with Karen here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerenpakesmarketing/ Say hello via LinkedIn if you enjoyed listening to the podcast: www.linkedin.com/in/kennysoto 

“Video is great, and audio is better.” Nora Sudduth, Co-founder of Hello Audio is a leading marketing & conversion strategist who has helped businesses sell over $500M of products & services online. She’s also designed several courses, coaching, and certification programs that have generated millions more. Nora has over 20 years of experience working with startups to Fortune 500 companies and everything in between. From market positioning and messaging, to offers and sales strategies, she’s consulted on thousands of marketing campaigns to help businesses have authentic, compelling conversations with their clients. She was also responsible for rebuilding ClickFunnel’s Certified Partner Program—consulting various businesses on over 1,000 marketing funnels. Questions and topics we covered includes: What’s the difference between a public and private podcast?  How can businesses use private podcasts in their marketing? How to monetize your expertise using The Flagship Formula™. When is it appropriate for marketers to create a course? What are some tactics and strategies Nora has used to promote her own courses? Why should B2B organizations invest in certification programs as a product marketing tactic and when is the right time to launch one? And more! If you’d like to connect with Nora, you can find her on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/noradannersudduth/ Want to connect with me? Shoot me a connection request on Linkedin - www.LinkedIn.com/In/KennySoto 

“When someone interacts with your brand for the first time, it’s literally a first impression.” Sydney Michuda is the owner and creative lead behind Super Creative, a design and branding studio based in Milwaukee. With a nearly decade of design experience under her belt, most of which has been focused on branding small businesses, she's most at home when working with passionate, like-minded creative entrepreneurs. Whether it's designing for brands large and small or educating fellow creatives, Sydney's always game to make something super.   Questions and topics include: How Sydney got her first set of clients. Sydney’s process for onboarding clients and how she’s improved it over time.  How Sydney defines “brand” and brand strategy. Brand heart Customer personas Competitive analysis Brand voice  The importance of maintaining consistency with your brand identity. The key differences in creative work when doing a rebrand. How to measure the success of your work as a creative professional. Is making the transition into a freelance role the right move for marketers who’ve been laid off this year? How marketers can collaborate better with their coworkers on the creative side of their departments. And more! Say hello to Sydney via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydney-michuda-5146435a/ Find Super Creative’s Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/supercreative.co/ Connect with me via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennysoto/ Learn more about design and creative production from other content Sydney is featured in: Adobe Live Part 1 - How Do I Design my Brand Identity - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4em99bfceM Adobe Live Part 2 - How to Create Custom Color Palettes and Layouts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzR9d3z4UqA Funemployed Interview - Going freelance during a pandemic - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABVfRpadBY8&t=1s

“Take your top priorities and cut them in half, and then focus on doing fewer things exceedingly well.” Chad is the VP of Marketing & Communications at Jotform, a leading online form, and productivity software company. He holds a master’s degree in communication and resides with his wife and cats in Oakland, California. Hiring for skills that matter and why writing is one to master! How to build a marketing team from the ground up. When to hire an employee vs freelancer vs a vendor. Defining the inflection points for a marketing team as a startup scales. When should companies consider a rebrand? What does it take to rebrand a company successfully? Why do all SaaS companies need the marketing team to use the product. And more! You can connect with Chad here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reidchad/ You can connect with me here: www.linkedin.con/in/kennysoto  You can get more details on Jotform’s story here: https://www.jotform.com/about/

“A podcast is like a Swiss army knife, it can accomplish so many objectives…” Dan Sanchez is the Director of Audience Growth for Sweet Fish, a podcast agency for B2B brands. Equipped with his MBA and a career that has crossed design, technology, marketing, and education, Dan is ready to teach others how to grow their audience in a digital age. He contributes regularly to the B2B Growth podcast, Linkedin, and his own blog at danchez.com. Dan's also an avid runner, yerba mate drinker, and resides in Nashville with his wife and three princesses. Questions and topics we covered include: Is podcasting appropriate for all B2B businesses? How podcasting is the easiest networking hack to use. What do most B2B businesses get wrong when it comes to creating a podcast? How should clients evaluate podcast agencies and vendors? How to measure the impact generated from a podcast? The key takeaways Dan shares from hosting over 200 podcast episodes. And more! Connect with Dan via LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitalmarketingdan/ Connect with me via LinkedIn here: http://linkedin.com/in/kennysoto/ --- Other episodes to level up your organization's podcasting game include: Episode 88 with Harry Morton - https://open.spotify.com/episode/68Nj1p4SzK94QgWN753TRj?si=K8iatdDsQ8KKW0R2uwgxCQ Episode 89 with Jeff Large - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ETQmqr1xsUr9Cr0NfaCNn?si=NsiSVntiQ5yHoqqXHH39Tg