

WBSRocks: Business Growth with Enterprise Software and Digital Transformation
Sam Gupta
WBSRocks podcast features in-depth conversations on customer experience, digital transformation, supply chain, eCommerce, industry 4.0, and enterprise software categories such as CRM, ERP, or analytics suites. The purpose of the show is to help CFOs, COOs, CEOs, and business owners with their daily commercial, operational, or financial challenges by taking a deep dive into business cases and processes, technology strategy and architecture, transformation initiatives, and business models. The show also offers an independent analysis of technology trends, various enterprise software vendors and solutions, and their mergers and acquisitions. Subscribe today to stay on top of digital transformation trends!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 14, 2025 • 1h 2min
WBSP778: Grow Your Business by Learning from Enterprise Software Stories - Jun 2025, Ep 20, an Objective Panel Discussion
Send us a textThe enterprise software landscape in 2025 continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, marked by a surge of strategic acquisitions, partnerships, and AI-driven innovations. Acumatica’s acquisition by Vista Equity Partners signals a new phase of investment and potential scaling for the mid-market ERP leader. Meanwhile, alliances like Capgemini’s expanded collaboration with Mistral AI and SAP, and SAP’s new partnership with Alibaba Group, underscore the growing importance of regional and AI-native synergies. On the AI front, DataRobot’s open-source framework for agentic workflows and Deloitte’s launch of a Global Agentic Network both highlight the race to operationalize autonomous digital workforces. Product innovation also remains intense: Snyk’s AI Trust Platform, Gainsight’s Atlas, and Similarweb’s AI Agent collections illustrate how vendors are embedding intelligence across ecosystems. Complementing this trend, Invoca’s acquisition of Symbl.ai and Salesforce’s plan to acquire Informatica show how data and conversational intelligence are becoming central to customer engagement strategies. Even digital service providers like TELUS Digital are doubling down on CRM-centric growth through the acquisition of Gerent, reflecting how every layer of the enterprise stack is being redefined by AI and data infrastructure convergence.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Oct 13, 2025 • 29min
WBSP777: Grow Your Business by Learning the Top 10 CRMs For Small Businesses in 2025 w/ Sam Gupta
Send us a textUnlike startups prioritizing rapid deployment and simplicity, small businesses now seek consistency in customer data, light automation, and limited but meaningful integrations—often with accounting or marketing systems. Their CRM expectations include emerging needs for security, role-based access, and reporting maturity without the overhead of enterprise-grade tools. In compiling our 2025 rankings, we analyzed each vendor’s product share, roadmap alignment, and community ecosystem while factoring in win rates, investor confidence, and innovation direction. The resulting list identifies platforms purpose-built for small businesses—solutions that deliver process efficiency, automation, and integration depth without sacrificing ease of use or affordability.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top 10 CRMs for small businesses in 2025. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these CRM systems for small businesses. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each CRM system.Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Oct 7, 2025 • 1h 2min
WBSP776: Grow Your Business by Learning from Enterprise Software Stories - May 2025, Ep 19, an Objective Panel Discussion
Send us a textThe enterprise technology landscape in 2025 is marked by accelerating AI adoption, strategic partnerships, and expanded automation capabilities across industries. Velixo secured a Series A investment from Elephant to fuel growth in financial reporting automation, while FloQast launched auditable AI agents aimed at addressing the growing talent gap in accounting and finance. Infor and Kinaxis announced a new partnership to enhance AI-driven supply chain collaboration, and Pegasystems introduced an AI-powered solution tailored for governance agencies. Planview unveiled several upcoming product enhancements focused on strategic portfolio management, while Rimini Street rolled out new Workday-centric services to strengthen support options for enterprise clients. SAP introduced its Omnichannel Sales Transfer and Audit solution to drive transparency across sales operations, UiPath expanded its testing toolkit with advanced AI agents, and Workato acquired DeepConverse to bring conversational intelligence into its automation platform—collectively signaling that enterprise software innovation is converging around intelligent, interconnected, and highly automated ecosystems.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Oct 6, 2025 • 25min
WBSP775: Grow Your Business by Learning the Top 10 CRMs for Startups in 2025 w/ Sam Gupta
Send us a textWhen assessing the Top 10 CRMs for Startups in 2025, it’s important to establish a clear definition of what constitutes a startup and how its needs differ from larger organizations. In this context, startups are typically companies with fewer than 20 employees or less than $10 million in annual revenue—businesses still shaping their go-to-market models and refining repeatable sales and marketing processes. These organizations are usually founder-led, with lean operational structures and limited departmental specialization, which means their CRM requirements prioritize simplicity, affordability, and rapid deployment over complex integrations or deep customization. Unlike mid-market or enterprise firms, startups need tools that deliver immediate visibility and momentum without requiring heavy IT involvement or long implementation cycles.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top 10 CRMs for Startups in 2025. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these CRM systems for startups. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each CRM system.Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Sep 30, 2025 • 59min
WBSP774: Grow Your Business by Learning from Enterprise Software Stories - May 2025, Ep 18, an Objective Panel Discussion
Send us a textThe enterprise software ecosystem continues to evolve rapidly as vendors double down on AI, automation, and data-driven orchestration across business functions. Nintex unveiled new generative AI capabilities to enhance business automation, while Circana introduced its Liquid Supply Chain solution to drive agility and responsiveness in complex networks. CloudBolt extended its optimization capabilities to Kubernetes through the acquisition of StormForge, signaling a stronger focus on cloud efficiency. Kinaxis partnered with Databricks to accelerate AI-powered supply chain orchestration and also announced a collaboration with Infor, further expanding its ecosystem reach. Rootstock’s Spring ’25 release reimagined the modern ERP experience for manufacturers, and Tempo launched a Strategic Portfolio Management platform to strengthen business alignment. Meanwhile, Tricentis rolled out new testing innovations in its spring update, Velixo secured Series A funding from Elephant to fuel growth, and FloQast introduced auditable AI agents to help finance teams bridge the growing talent gap—illustrating how innovation is reshaping every layer of the enterprise stack.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Sep 29, 2025 • 23min
WBSP773: Grow Your Business by Learning the Top 10 EAM Systems in 2025 w/ Sam Gupta
Send us a textEnterprise Asset Management (EAM) systems in 2025 remain a specialized and best-of-breed category within the enterprise software landscape, purpose-built for organizations that prioritize the maintenance, tracking, and optimization of physical assets. Unlike ERP platforms that aim to unify enterprise-wide processes, EAM systems are typically siloed—designed to function independently and often deployed at the departmental level. This independence allows maintenance, reliability, and facility teams to manage their operations with greater agility, without the need for extensive cross-functional integration. For organizations seeking rapid implementation, localized asset control, and immediate operational value, modern EAM platforms offer the ideal balance of flexibility, scalability, and focus, delivering tangible impact without the burden of complex enterprise rollouts.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top 10 EAM Systems in 2025. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these EAM systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each EAM system.Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Sep 23, 2025 • 1h 1min
WBSP772: Grow Your Business by Learning from Enterprise Software Stories - May 2025, Ep 17, an Objective Panel Discussion
Send us a textThe enterprise software landscape is undergoing rapid transformation as vendors double down on AI, automation, and data intelligence. ActiveCampaign’s acquisition of Hilos strengthens its conversational marketing stack by expanding WhatsApp capabilities, while HG Insights is redefining data intelligence to refine go-to-market execution. HubSpot’s planned acquisition of Dashworks signals a deeper integration of AI knowledge management, and Sitecore’s launch of the Martech industry’s first AI Innovation Lab underscores the growing urgency for marketers to accelerate their AI journeys. StackAdapt continues to advance transparency in connected TV and cross-screen analytics, whereas Accenture and Pipefy are joining forces on over 450 AI agents to scale process automation. Camunda’s introduction of agentic orchestration brings a new layer of autonomy to enterprise workflows, and Nintex’s generative AI updates further enhance intelligent automation. Meanwhile, Circana’s Liquid Supply Chain solution and CloudBolt’s acquisition of StormForge to optimize Kubernetes environments highlight a broader trend—AI and automation are now converging across marketing, operations, and infrastructure to drive unified, data-driven execution.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Sep 22, 2025 • 25min
WBSP771: Grow Your Business by Learning the Top 10 Marketing Automation Systems in 2025 w/ Sam Gupta
Send us a textBefore exploring the Top 10 Marketing Automation Systems in 2025, it’s essential to define what truly qualifies as a marketing automation platform and the criteria used for evaluation. This category is distinctly siloed—comprising standalone, SaaS-based systems designed to function independently, without the need for deep operational or cross-functional integration. Although some ERP and CRM platforms may offer features like campaign tracking or email management, they do not fall under this category. True marketing automation systems are purpose-built to orchestrate complex, multi-channel campaigns, automate customer journeys, and manage behavioral engagement at scale—delivering the kind of precision and personalization that integrated enterprise systems typically can’t achieve on their own.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top 10 Marketing Automation Systems in 2025. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these marketing automation systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each marketing automation system.Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Sep 16, 2025 • 1h 2min
WBSP770: Grow Your Business by Learning from Enterprise Software Stories - May 2025, Ep 16, an Objective Panel Discussion
Send us a textThe enterprise technology landscape continues to accelerate its AI-driven transformation, with a flurry of announcements underscoring the shift toward intelligence and automation. BMC unveiled new GenAI innovations designed to unlock deeper business value from enterprise data, while Certinia rolled out its Spring 2025 release with enhanced automation capabilities. Laserfiche introduced a suite of generative AI features, and Make launched its Make AI Agents to bring real-time intelligence to no-code workflows. ActiveCampaign expanded its reach into conversational commerce by acquiring Hilos for WhatsApp integration, and HG Insights redefined data intelligence to sharpen go-to-market execution. Meanwhile, HubSpot revealed plans to acquire Dashworks to bolster its AI knowledge capabilities, and Sitecore launched the martech industry’s first AI Innovation Lab to accelerate marketers’ AI adoption. Complementing these moves, StackAdapt advanced transparency in connected TV and cross-screen analytics, while Accenture and Pipefy announced collaboration on more than 450 AI agents—signaling that enterprise AI innovation is scaling from pilots to operational impact across industries.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Sep 15, 2025 • 28min
WBSP769: Grow Your Business by Learning the Top 10 Field Service Systems in 2025 w/ Sam Gupta
Send us a textField service systems have emerged as a critical and independent pillar of enterprise software, complementing ERP and CRM rather than blending into them. Their siloed design is deliberate—crafted to empower technicians and contractors operating in unpredictable environments where connectivity can falter. By truncating transactions and prioritizing speed, these platforms enable uninterrupted operations in the field, with data later synced to the enterprise backbone. This decoupled architecture ensures that essential functions—like customer interactions, service tickets, and work orders—continue smoothly without being weighed down by complex back-end models. Rather than a limitation, this separation is a strategic strength, enabling real-time, device-centric execution in even the most bandwidth-challenged scenarios.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top 10 Field Service Systems in 2025. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these field service systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each field service system.Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.


