
WBSRocks: Business Growth with Enterprise Software and Digital Transformation
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!
Latest episodes

Apr 1, 2025 • 59min
WBSP700: Grow Your Business by Learning the Nuances of ERP Consolidation in the Paper Industry w/ Fred Donatucci
Send us a textGiven these complexities, selecting the right ERP system for the paper industry requires a solution that goes beyond generic functionalities to address sector-specific challenges. From managing raw material fluctuations and complex production scheduling to ensuring seamless integration across newly merged entities, an effective ERP must provide real-time visibility and adaptability. Additionally, regulatory compliance, sustainability tracking, and waste reduction are growing concerns that necessitate robust data analytics and reporting capabilities. Companies that invest in an ERP tailored to the paper industry gain not only operational efficiency but also a strategic advantage, enabling them to optimize production, streamline supply chains, and respond swiftly to market changes.In this episode, Sam Gupta engages in a LinkedIn live session with Fred Donatucci, CIO/IT Executive Advisor in a live LinkedIn session and discusses ERP Consolidation in the Paper Industry and their unique needs & challenges.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.

Mar 31, 2025 • 30min
WBSP699: Grow Your Business by Learning the Top 10 Automotive ERP Systems in 2025 w/ Sam Gupta
Send us a textGiven the complexities of the automotive industry, selecting the right ERP system is not just about functionality but also about long-term strategic fit. Companies must assess how well an ERP solution aligns with their operational structure, compliance needs, and growth plans. While larger enterprises may benefit from robust suite-centric solutions that offer end-to-end integration, smaller firms might prefer modular, platform-based ERPs that allow gradual scaling. Additionally, factors like vendor support, ecosystem strength, and technological innovation should not be overlooked, as they can significantly impact system usability and adaptability. Ultimately, the right ERP choice is one that not only meets current industry demands but also evolves with future advancements in automotive manufacturing, supply chain management, and regulatory compliance.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top 10 automotive ERP systems in 2025. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these automotive ERP systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each automotive ERP 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.

Mar 26, 2025 • 1h 2min
WBSP698: Grow Your Business by Understanding ActiveCampaign’s Capabilities, an Objective Panel Discussion
Send us a textThe marketing automation landscape is split between platforms designed for B2C and those built for B2B, each with unique challenges and priorities. While B2C businesses often require high email volumes to engage customers at scale, B2B strategies typically focus on deeper relationship-building with fewer but more targeted touchpoints. Many email marketing providers emphasize the importance of more interactions, but for businesses selling low-cost products—where the cost of sending emails could exceed the revenue generated—email send limits become a critical consideration. This raises the question: how well do email marketing platforms address these nuances? In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry experts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to conduct an independent review of ActiveCampaign’s capabilities. We covered many grounds including where ActiveCampaign might be a a fit in the enterprise architecture and where it might be overused. Finally, they analyze many data points to help understand the core strengths and weaknesses of ActiveCampaign.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.

Mar 25, 2025 • 60min
WBSP697: Grow Your Business by Learning ERP trends for 2025 w/ Robert Kramer
Send us a textAs we approach 2025, ERP systems are undergoing significant transformation, driven by the push toward modernization and cloud adoption. Vendors are offering enticing migration strategies to help businesses move away from legacy systems, promising enhanced scalability, real-time data access, and improved operational efficiency. However, organizations remain cautious, weighing these benefits against potential challenges such as data security risks, integration complexities, and the hurdles of change management. As a result, many companies are adopting a hybrid approach, strategically transitioning certain functions to the cloud while maintaining critical processes on-premise to mitigate risks and ensure business continuity.In this episode, Sam Gupta engages in a LinkedIn live session with Robert Kramer at Moor Insights & Strategy in a live LinkedIn session and discusses ERP trends for 2025 and what businesses need to know to prepare for their digital transformation journey.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.

Mar 24, 2025 • 22min
WBSP696: Grow Your Business by Learning the Top 10 Large Company ERP in 2025 w/ Sam Gupta
Send us a textSelecting an ERP system for large enterprises—companies generating over $1 billion in revenue—is a complex and high-stakes decision shaped by their scale, operational intricacies, and global footprint. While the lower enterprise segment often faces budget constraints and slower business model evolution, the upper enterprise tier is far more dynamic, frequently undergoing structural shifts due to mergers and acquisitions. Given their presence across multiple countries, these organizations require ERP solutions with strong multi-entity support, compliance capabilities, and localization features to navigate regulatory frameworks like GDPR, e-invoicing mandates, and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. Unlike mid-sized businesses that may operate with a single ERP, large enterprises typically adopt a best-of-breed approach, integrating multiple specialized solutions to optimize financial and operational synergies across subsidiaries. In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top 10 Large Company ERP in 2025. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these Large Company ERP Systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each Large Company ERP.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.

Mar 19, 2025 • 1h 1min
WBSP695: Grow Your Business by Understanding Bloomreach’s Capabilities, an Objective Panel Discussion
Send us a textThe intersection of marketing automation and CMS platforms raises an important question: does merging the two create a more seamless, tailored experience, or does it confine the platform to a specific industry? Some solutions, like Episerver, have positioned themselves around CMS and personalization, integrating marketing automation to enhance customer engagement. Similarly, certain open-source CMS platforms have attempted to enter this space, though their limited market share raises doubts about their influence in defining the category. In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry experts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to conduct an independent review of Bloomreach’s capabilities. We covered many grounds including where Bloomreach might be a a fit in the enterprise architecture and where it might be overused. Finally, they analyze many data points to help understand the core strengths and weaknesses of Bloomreach.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.

Mar 18, 2025 • 1h 2min
WBSP694: Grow Your Business by Understanding Braze’s Capabilities, an Objective Panel Discussion
Send us a textIn the crowded marketing automation space, where countless platforms offer seemingly similar capabilities, real-time customer interaction is a key differentiator—especially for B2C industries. While many solutions claim to enable real-time engagement, only a select few possess the technology to execute it effectively. As businesses refine their data-driven strategies, they encounter an array of tools designed to enhance customer targeting across multiple touchpoints. In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry experts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to conduct an independent review of Braze’s capabilities. We covered many grounds including where Braze might be a a fit in the enterprise architecture and where it might be overused. Finally, they analyze many data points to help understand the core strengths and weaknesses of Braze.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.

Mar 17, 2025 • 21min
WBSP693: Grow Your Business by Learning the Top 10 Mid-Sized Business ERP in 2025 w/ Sam Gupta
Send us a textSelecting the right ERP system for mid-sized businesses in 2025 requires a nuanced understanding of the segment, as companies generating between $100 million and $1 billion in revenue have vastly different needs depending on their scale. The lower mid-market, ranging from $100 million to $250 million, may prioritize ease of implementation and cost-effectiveness, while the upper mid-market often demands more advanced functionality and scalability. While industry-specific ERP recommendations are ideal, broader rankings—like this one—can serve as a helpful starting point for businesses without access to tailored guidance. Given that most companies in this range operate in fewer than 10 countries, their ERP choices typically balance global capabilities with practical implementation constraints. These systems offer greater maturity than small business ERPs, emphasizing advanced forecasting, supply chain optimization, and workflow automation. However, deep customization and extensive third-party integrations are usually reserved for enterprise-level deployments. By evaluating market share, vendor strategies, product roadmaps, and ecosystem engagement, this list highlights the top ERP solutions that align with the unique needs of mid-sized businesses in 2025.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top 10 Mid-Sized Business ERP in 2025. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these Mid-Sized Business ERP Systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each Mid-Sized Business ERP.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.

Mar 12, 2025 • 1h 2min
WBSP692: Grow Your Business by Learning Quantum Technology Trends w/ Kieran N. Blanks
Send us a textQuantum technology is rapidly evolving, driven by advancements in computing, communication, and sensing, with AI acting as a key catalyst for its growing demand. As machine learning and large-scale computations push the limits of classical processing power, quantum systems present a promising solution for solving complex problems more efficiently. Governments, private enterprises, and research institutions worldwide are making substantial investments to accelerate both fundamental discoveries and commercial applications. Beyond technological breakthroughs, quantum innovation is also shaping the workforce of the future by fostering high-tech job opportunities and promoting inclusivity through education and training initiatives. These efforts aim to ensure broader participation in this transformative field, particularly among underrepresented communities.In this episode, Sam Gupta engages in a LinkedIn live session with Kieran N. Blanks at The Blankslate Group in a live LinkedIn session and discusses Quantum technology trends and what businesses need to know to prepare for the next technology revolution.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.

Mar 11, 2025 • 58min
WBSP691: Grow Your Business by Understanding Klaviyo’s Capabilities, an Objective Panel Discussion
Send us a textMarketing automation is a highly competitive space, with numerous tools designed for different industries and platforms. Within the Shopify ecosystem alone, businesses can choose from at least a dozen options, including Shopify's own built-in solutions, all offering similar core functionalities. However, the differences lie in their specialized capabilities—some platforms emphasize eCommerce-driven workflows like product recommendations and push notifications, while others cater more to content management or CPQ processes. Klaviyo, a well-known player in this space, distinguishes itself with a strong focus on data-driven personalization and deep eCommerce integrations. In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry experts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to conduct an independent review of Klaviyo’s capabilities. We covered many grounds including where Klaviyo might be a a fit in the enterprise architecture and where it might be overused. Finally, they analyze many data points to help understand the core strengths and weaknesses of Klaviyo.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.