FutureCraft GTM

Episode Summary: Rebecca Shaddix joins Erin and Ken to blow up tired go-to-market tropes and rewrite what it means to lead with product marketing in an AI-native era. She shares the frameworks behind “acceptable mistakes,” why critical thinking is the superpower in a world of noisy AI outputs, and how to avoid chasing 80 experiments that go nowhere. If you’re a CMO, PMM, or founder trying to separate signal from AI hype, this is your roadmap. About Our Guest: Rebecca Shaddix is the Head of Product & Lifecycle Marketing at Garner Health, Forbes contributor, and GTM strategy pioneer. She’s built GTM engines for high-growth SaaS and EdTech, founded Strategica, and is known for making complex data actionable (without losing trust or speed). Her frameworks are shaping the new AI playbook for marketers who want repeatable results, not just activity. 00:59 Ken's AI Sandwich Framework 04:26 Erin's AI-Powered Book Series 07:10 Interview with Rebecca Shaddix 08:24 Rebecca on Acceptable Mistakes in AI Implementation 17:44 AI's Impact on Product Marketing 23:30 Balancing AI Training and Deep Research 28:41 AI Tools and Budget Constraints 30:32 Navigating the Rapid Evolution of AI in Business 30:59 Balancing Risk and Reward in AI Tool Selection 32:44 Effective Team Collaboration and AI Integration 37:08 Building Trust in AI Insights 45:15 The Future of Product Marketing 54:13 Lightning Round and Final Thoughts   Quote of the Episode: “Trust in AI starts with transparency and ends with collaboration. Bring your teams in early, and let them own the process.” – Rebecca Shaddix 🎧 What You’ll Learn: How to Make (the Right) Acceptable Mistakes: Rebecca’s “acceptable mistakes” framework—why defining what you won’t optimize is the move that unlocks true speed and clarity for GTM leaders. Experiments Without Strategy Are Chaos: Why most teams run too many experiments and how to build a ruthless prioritization model that gets buy-in before the test. The Real Role of AI in Product Marketing: How AI gives PMMs “junior analyst superpowers” but why human discernment, critical thinking, and cross-functional trust still win the day. Segmentation, ICP, and the New Power User: How machine learning is uncovering hidden patterns in the middle of your user base (not just among your superfans)—and why most marketers overweight the wrong signals. Building Trust in AI-Generated Insights: Rebecca’s battle-tested approach to cross-functional buy-in, demystifying black box outputs, and making AI actionable across the org. Budgeting for AI When Cash Is Tight: The no-BS guide to picking AI tools (hint: treat it like every other investment—hypothesis, use case, ROI) and why you should always start manual. 🧠 Next-Level Insights: The difference between motion and momentum in modern marketing—why activity ≠ impact Why the “blank page” problem is now dead for good (and why that changes who wins in marketing teams) How to democratize AI experimentation without losing control—or trust The hidden risk: Over-relying on your top users for feedback and missing the 10x opportunity in the “middle layer” Action Steps Audit your own “acceptable mistakes.” What are you over-optimizing that doesn’t matter? Try running a single, ruthlessly prioritized experiment—get buy-in, define the problem, THEN launch Empower your team to bring AI wins (and failures) to the table—share the learning Stop listening only to your power users. Find what the “middle” is doing and why. Resources Mentioned: Human-Centered Marketing by Ashley Faus ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini (and why switching tools is easier than switching marketing automation) LinkedIn: Connect with Rebecca Shaddix Stay tuned for more FutureCraft episodes at futurecraftai.media Liked this episode? Rate us on Spotify/Apple, share with a forward-thinking marketer, or DM us with what you want to hear next. Let’s keep crafting the future of GTM, together. Music: Far Away - MK2

Lennard Kooy, CEO of Lleverage, discusses how AI is reshaping business operations by emphasizing that companies care more about outcomes than the technology itself. He highlights the importance of 'assist before replace' strategies to drive AI adoption and reveals how Lleverage automated 70% of its hiring process. Lennard also demonstrates building a cold outreach AI agent live and shares practical tips for GTM leaders to stay relevant in an evolving landscape. This conversation is a wake-up call for those in recruitment and marketing!

Liza Adams, AI MarketBlazer and influential LinkedIn personality, returns to discuss the pressing challenges of AI adoption within marketing teams. She emphasizes that despite advancements in technology, human change management remains a significant hurdle. Liza shares a practical framework for implementing AI, highlights the innovative 'digital twin' strategy to enhance organizational readiness, and advocates for the '80% rule' that leverages human oversight with AI outputs. Her engaging live demonstration turns a dense marketing report into an interactive Jeopardy game, showcasing her dynamic approach.

Episode Summary: In this packed episode, Lacey Miller joins Erin and Ken to demystify what it means to be a "Go-to-Market Engineer" in today’s AI-fueled marketing landscape. She breaks down how she uses agentic AI workflows to build repeatable, high-output growth systems without the team bloat. If you’ve ever wondered how AI changes content strategy, brand building, or TikTok for B2B... this is your playbook. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: Why the first 100 days in a marketing role now demands a full AI-first mindset How AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) flips SEO on its head and what it means for your content The creative tech stack behind Lacey’s agent-led outbound machine (yes, Lindy + Replit + persona recognition) Why brand visuals and voice need prompt engineering too How AI is changing buying behavior—and what smart marketers are doing in response Practical ways to use podcasts, transcripts, and conversational content to win in LLM search The real ROI of TikTok for B2B and why your team needs a “TikTok hour” 🛠️ Gladiator Round: Behind the Scenes of Lacey’s Stack Lacey walks through how she classifies inbound leads, triggers AI workflows, and scales one-to-one GTM—all without a dev team. You’ll see her build live in Replit and Lindy. 📢 Next Steps Try using NotebookLM to create your own podcast content Share your AI wins or roadblocks with us on Twitter @FutureCraftpod   01:00 Ken's AI Journey: Building Connectors 02:16 Erin's AI Research Project 03:37 Guest Introduction: Lacey Miller 04:24 Lacey Miller's Marketing Insights 07:43 The Role of AI in Modern Marketing 11:37 AI-Driven Search and Content Strategies 16:57 Challenges and Opportunities in AI Marketing 22:12 Future of AI in B2B Marketing 25:01 SEO Strategies for AI Enthusiasts 25:38 Trends in User Engagement 26:50 The Evolution of Search Behavior 29:22 Disrupting Traditional Advertising 36:01 The Rise of TikTok in B2B Marketing 40:20 Practical AI Tools for Marketers 41:17 Lightning Round: Quick Marketing Insights 44:09 Final Thoughts and Takeaways About our Guest: Lacey Miller Lacey Miller is a highly experienced and impactful marketing executive, currently spearheading Growth Marketing at Perigon, an AI context engine. She is recognized for her innovative approaches to AI Visibility Optimization (AIVO), "Answer-Engine Optimization (AEO)," and pioneering TikTok-for-B2B playbooks. She focuses on  how to leverage ai in saas b2b in  content marketing As a proven first-hire marketing leader, Lacey specializes in building robust Go-to-Market (GTM) strategies from the ground up, particularly for B2B, developer, and enterprise AI SaaS products. Her expertise lies in translating complex technical capabilities into compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences and drive revenue growth. At Perigon, she is actively driving category creation, positioning the company as a leader in real-time AI context. Prior to Perigon, Lacey served as Head of Marketing at Bezi, where she built the initial GTM framework and integrated AI into product strategy. Her experience also includes building high-performing marketing functions at LoudCrowd, where she significantly contributed to ARR and fundraising, and leading full-funnel GTM strategies at VertifyData. Notable Quotes: “Robots are making us sound more human.” “You can’t blog your way into LLMs—you need conversation.” “AI is not your replacement, it’s your multiplier.” “Your GPT isn't a toy. It’s your co-pilot.” “We’re not just building campaigns anymore—we’re building products.” Resources: Lindy.ai Stay tuned for more insightful episodes from the FutureCraft podcast, where we continue to explore the evolving intersection of AI and GTM. Take advantage of the full episode for in-depth discussions and much more. To listen to the full episode and stay updated on future episodes, visit the FutureCraft GTM website. Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered advice. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are our own and do not represent those of any company or business we currently work for/with or have worked for/with in the past. Music: Far Away - MK2

In this engaging discussion, Christopher Penn, co-founder and Chief Data Scientist at Trust Insights, shares his insights on cutting through the fluff surrounding AI in marketing. He highlights why much AI content fails and introduces effective prompting frameworks to drive better results. Chris also demonstrates how to transform chaotic data into actionable strategies. Furthermore, he addresses the real challenges facing SaaS and education, emphasizing the need for personal branding as a safety net in an AI-driven world. This conversation is packed with practical wisdom and spicy truths!

Chase Hannegan, founder of Chase AI and former Marine Corps Osprey pilot, shares his journey from military aviation to becoming a viral sensation in AI. He reveals why n8n is his go-to platform for building scalable agents without coding. Chase explains the crucial differences between AI workflows and true agents, and how to sidestep tutorial overload for effective building. He also walks through his personal assistant agent and offers practical tips like starting with a 'minimum viable agent' to enhance productivity using AI.

Tahnee Perry, an AI marketing expert and author of "Zero to Unicorn," shares her insights on harnessing AI to boost business strategies. She emphasizes measuring AI’s impact by linking it to revenue outcomes and the importance of refining prompts for better results. Among the exciting topics, she outlines how to conduct fast SEO audits and assemble a lean AI-driven tech stack. Listeners also get a glimpse of GenSpark—an AI tool that can create an impressive pitch deck in seconds, showcasing the balance between human creativity and machine efficiency.

Mike Sweeney, a strategic executive coach, dives deep into leadership's challenges in the era of AI. He shares insights on managing paradoxes during rapid change and the importance of emotional intelligence in effective team dynamics. Sweeney emphasizes adopting a balanced mindset to navigate pressures while fostering collaboration. The conversation touches on practical strategies for building great teams and aligning AI initiatives with strategic goals, alongside innovative tools that enhance productivity in the workplace.

Jonathan Kvarfordt, known as Coach K, is the Head of Growth at Momentum.io and CEO of GTM AI Academy, specializing in AI-driven go-to-market strategies. He shares insights on the transformative role of AI, highlighting the need for trust, education, and intent in its application. Key topics include the evolving dynamics within sales and marketing, practical AI integration tips, and common pitfalls that leaders face. Coach K also dives into his vision for an 'Iron Man' style AI plugin to optimize efficiency, wrapping up with quick insights on trending AI tools.

AI, BDRs & Building a GTM Team of the Future – with Rachel Truair, CMO at Simpro Group Episode Title: How to Scale GTM with AI Agents, Digital Twins & a Growth Mindset Still wondering how AI fits into go-to-market? This episode delivers a masterclass in what actually works—from real AI SDR deployments to digital twins for execs. If you’re leading a GTM team, Rachel Truair's playbook is required listening. What We Talk About: AI SDRs that actually convert: Rachel shares how Simpro's AI BDRs (like Daniella and Sam) are handling warm leads, executing playbooks, and integrating with human reps—cutting "no contact" rates by 80%. Workforce planning in an AI era: Learn why Rachel's biggest surprise wasn’t in sales, but marketing ops. Autonomous strategy, not just execution: She breaks down the shift from AI as a tool to AI as a co-pilot for market insights, segmentation, and campaign direction. Digital twins for leadership scale: How Rachel created a digital twin of herself to scale comms, culture, and visibility across global teams—including writing her monthly team updates. How to evolve your org without boiling the ocean: Practical tips on building a maturity model for AI and where to start with lean teams. AI and culture change: Why adoption isn't a tooling problem, it's a hiring one. And what questions she now asks in interviews. Rapid Fire Round: Best AI tip: Don't boil the ocean. Favorite workflow: Digital twin board members for scenario planning. Go-to AI trend source: Simpro's exec Slack. Hidden gem tool: Peak AI for search visibility. Tool Spotlight: Ken and Erin demo Eleven Labs' conversational AI agent builder and walk through creating a journalist-style interviewer bot that captures SME insights for content, enablement, and more. Call to Action: Not using AI yet in GTM? Let us know. We want to talk to you. Reach out for a chance to be featured on a future episode. Subscribe, Rate & Share: If you got value from this episode, hit subscribe and leave a review—it helps more GTM teams learn how to lead (not lag) with AI. Connect: Simpro Group: https://www.simprogroup.com ElevenLabs: https://elevenlabs.io Six Sense Conversational Email: https://6sense.com Subscribe, give us a rating and share with a friend! It helps us get the word out. FutureCraft is where GTM gets built, not just discussed. Let’s keep crafting the future together.