Advertise on podcast: C-Suite Sales & Marketing Perspectives

Episode #345: Charlie Harris, Chief Marketing Officer at Connective3, explains why past success cannot define a company’s next growth strategy. She shares how direct conversations with enterprise buyers revealed new challenges, changed positioning, and strengthened internal decisions. Charlie also explores the revenue impact of customer insight, executive events, thought leadership, and LLM search. “We have to think about what's happening outside of our world, and then how do we better position ourselves to tackle those challenges. Those conversations are the evidence I need to be able to come back and have growth conversations quite confidently.” - Charlie Harris Charlie explains why B2B leaders must test their positioning against the needs of the customers they want next, not only the customers they already serve. She shares practical ways to turn executive conversations into stronger strategy, more credible boardroom recommendations, better inbound demand, and measurable revenue growth. She also explains why LLM search and employee-led thought leadership are becoming essential growth investments. Follow Charlie Harris on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Episode #344: Vincent Placer, Chief Executive Officer at Teletech, explains why customer conversations should be treated as a source of business value, not simply a customer service cost. He shares how companies can use the voice of the customer to identify churn risk, uncover growth opportunities, and improve the customer experience. He also explores how AI can turn thousands of customer interactions into actionable insight. “Customer experience is interesting because it is within the business of acquiring or retaining your customers. It is not just listening to fix problems. It is also to say we could give them more.” - Vincent Placer This conversation emphasizes how leaders can differentiate in competitive markets by listening more closely to customers and turning what they say into action. Vincent explains how AI-powered analysis can help organizations move beyond operational metrics and use customer insight to improve loyalty, prevent churn, and create cross-sell opportunities. The discussion offers practical insight for executives who want to raise the voice of the customer inside their organization and connect experience directly to business growth. Follow Vincent Placer on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Episode #343: Tim Farrel, Chief Sales Officer at Soleo, explains why customer obsession is the operating logic behind sustainable revenue growth. He shares how companies can replace heroic wins with repeatable systems, build trust before buyers are ready, and align teams around customer needs. Tim also explores how AI can reveal intent within customer conversations. The human relationship remains essential to every outcome. “The revenue problems are not always just a sales problem. We need to be listening to the customer to bring everything we have planned and visioned down into execution.” - Tim Farrel Tim Farrel shares a practical view of growth that moves beyond sales targets and isolated wins. He explains how leaders can create repeatable systems, earn executive trust, use customer conversations to uncover intent, and help every team act on what buyers truly need. The conversation shows why human relationships remain the foundation of scalable revenue, even as AI expands access to data and insight. Follow Tim Farrel on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Episode #342: Jan Willem Doornbos, Chief Marketing Officer at Nomentia, explains why sustainable B2B growth starts with strong foundations. He shares how customer outcomes can align sales and marketing around a common direction. Jan Willem also outlines why companies must build trust with future buyers and create distinctive marketing before demand becomes visible. “Our job as marketers is to earn a place on that shortlist before a buyer even raises their hand. We are not just capturing demand; we are creating future demand. It’s tempting to focus only on the 5% who are buying today, but ignoring the 95% is one of the fastest ways to limit your long-term growth.” - Jan Willem Doornbos Jan Willem explains why B2B leaders must build the foundations for growth before attempting to accelerate. He shares practical perspectives on defining the ICP, connecting sales and marketing around customer outcomes, identifying patterns in customer feedback, and building relevance with future buyers. The conversation also explores why bold ideas and a clear point of view help companies stand out before buyers begin evaluating solutions. Follow Jan Willem Doornbos on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Episode #341: Amy Martin, Chief Marketing Officer at TRG, explains why strong sales and marketing alignment cannot be created through shared dashboards alone. She shares how daily relationships, honest discussion, customer understanding, and shared accountability make collaboration real. Her approach positions marketing as an active partner in every important commercial conversation. “The more that you can market authentically, the better you are, and the only way that kind of reality comes true is that you hear both sides and you really listen and you really understand that both sales and marketing are striving for excellence.” - Amy Martin Amy Martin shares a practical model for replacing sales and marketing friction with a shared commercial effort. She explains why marketers need direct exposure to customer and sales conversations, how teams can prepare for fewer and more important buyer interactions, and why trust must be built before a prospect is ready to buy. The conversation reframes marketing as an active contributor to revenue, customer understanding, and sales-cycle acceleration. Follow Amy Martin on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Episode #340: James Nester, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Director of Client Advocacy at MCNC, explains why the modern CMO must become a chief growth architect. He shares how deep customer understanding can connect marketing, sales, product, and customer success around shared business outcomes. The conversation explores why customer empathy, trust, and internal alignment are becoming essential competitive advantages. James also outlines how customer intelligence can turn a fragmented organization into a unified revenue engine. “The revenue engine isn’t a piece of technology. It’s what happens when the organization is aligned around the customer and then, more importantly, consistently delivers the value throughout that customer journey.” - James Nester This conversation explores how CMOs can move beyond campaigns and lead a more connected approach to sustainable growth. James breaks down why customer obsession must become an organizational capability, not simply a marketing message. He also shares how clear communication, shared intelligence, and an understanding of the customer’s real needs can create stronger relationships, faster action, and lasting revenue impact. Follow James Nester on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Episode #339: Michael Gumiela, Chief Revenue Officer at Rabine, explains why customer obsession is a revenue strategy, not simply a service mindset. He shares how trust, honest conversations, and operational expertise create lasting customer relationships. Michael also outlines how AI can strengthen preparation while sales leaders balance renewals, expansion, and new business. “Without the customer, the revenue doesn’t happen. The obsession part comes from learning your customer and what truly will help them, and then the revenue comes after that.” - Michael Gumiela Michael explains why revenue leaders must earn trust long before a buying decision or RFP. He shares practical ways to help customers solve problems, use AI to improve preparation, and organize sales teams around both expansion and new business. The conversation offers a clear model for making customer understanding a measurable driver of lasting growth. Follow Michael Gumiela on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Episode #338: Vlad Berson, Chief Marketing Officer at SOLVE, explains why ABM is an enterprise-wide go-to-market motion, not a marketing program. He outlines the alignment, skills, and long-term investment needed to earn executive trust. He also shows why strong segmentation and buyer relevance create the foundation for sustainable enterprise growth. “ABM does not save you money. ABM gives you opportunity for bigger returns. For these types of programs to be successful, you have to over-invest in all of the people that are involved.” - Vlad Berson Vlad Berson shares a practical view of ABM maturity for B2B leaders pursuing larger enterprise opportunities. He explains why organizations must align sales, marketing, leadership, and customer-facing teams around shared account outcomes. The conversation covers executive trust, longer sales cycles, better measurement, stronger segmentation, and the investment required to build a sustainable enterprise revenue motion. Follow Vlad Berson on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Episode #337: Maxime Guirauton, Vice President, Global Head of Marketing and Sales Development at Visa Direct, explains why growth extends beyond the initial sale. He shares how connected marketing, sales development, brand, and customer success teams improve customer value and revenue outcomes. The conversation explores the bow-tie journey, buyer trust, opportunity quality, and healthy commercial tension. “Bringing together marketing and sales development into one department is when you create a healthy tension between sales and marketing. The power of marketing is bringing all of this together to serve your business and act as a business partner.” - Maxime Guirauton Maxime explains why sustainable revenue depends on treating the sale as the midpoint of the customer journey. He shares how SDRs can improve opportunity quality, how brand investment earns trust before buyers enter the market, and why marketing must connect the entire commercial system. The result is stronger customer value, better conversion, and a more credible growth function. Follow Maxime Guirauton on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Episode #336: Liz Emmott, Chief Revenue Officer at CIBT, explores how commercial leaders can rebuild revenue organizations amid changing technology and buyer expectations. She explains why customer understanding, internal trust, and expert collaboration create meaningful differentiation. Her perspective shows how aligned teams can build credibility, improve the customer experience, and drive sustainable revenue growth. “Being able to articulate, understand, and speak the language of our customers and prospects is actually the only way we are going to win. We have to demonstrate that we know their industry better than they do, and this is why they need to trust us.” - Liz Emmott Liz Emmott shares a practical view of revenue leadership when automation accelerates outreach but makes differentiation harder. Drawing on experience across enterprises, startups, and CIBT’s global mobility businesses, she explains how leaders can turn specialist knowledge into buyer relevance, align commercial and service teams, and make internal trust visible to customers. The conversation connects customer obsession to stronger credibility, better decisions, and durable revenue growth. Follow Liz Emmott on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Episode #335: Stephanie Crockett, President and CEO at Eric Mower + Associates, explains why customer obsession should influence decisions across the entire organization. She explores how customer intelligence can align teams, reduce risk, strengthen trust, and support bolder decisions. Stephanie also shows how CMOs can turn the voice of the customer into greater strategic influence and sustainable growth. “That's where the revenue comes. It's about creating products and services, front of the house and back of the house, where all of the things that a customer experiences demonstrate that obsession with their needs.” - Stephanie Crockett Customer obsession becomes a revenue strategy when insight shapes more than marketing. Stephanie explains how continuous customer intelligence can reveal operational issues, align leaders around shared evidence, reduce the risk behind major investments, and give teams confidence to make bolder choices. She also explores why brand, demand, trust, and emotional connection must work together before B2B buyers create their shortlists. Follow Stephanie Crockett on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Episode #334: Zach Calef, Chief Revenue Officer at Infinity, explains how customer obsession becomes a practical revenue strategy. He explores client economics, strategic alignment, innovation, trust, human capital, and disciplined execution. Zach shows why understanding what customers truly need can help revenue teams differentiate, strengthen relationships, and build repeatable growth. “The obsession is where it starts, and without the obsession, you're going to minimize the revenue that you're capturing for your clients. You have to start with the centerpiece, which is the client.” - Zach Calef Customer obsession becomes more valuable when it shapes how revenue teams make decisions. Zach explains why leaders should understand customer economics, align strategy before applying technology, invest in people, and execute with discipline to produce measurable outcomes. He also explores how trust, experimentation, internal influencers, and repeatable proof can help companies differentiate in increasingly commoditized markets. Follow Zach Calef on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Episode #333: Jennifer Knecht, Chief Revenue Officer at Western States Lodging, explains how emotional intelligence strengthens B2B revenue performance. She explores how awareness, trust, transparency, and meaningful connections influence buyer decisions. Jennifer also shares how AI can help sales teams understand different perspectives, strengthen human relationships, and reach the emotional level behind buying decisions faster. “Revenue is driven by the exchange of value. The faster you can get to the emotional level, the faster you can get to a true, solid decision that sticks.” - Jennifer Knecht Jennifer explores why emotional intelligence is becoming a practical revenue capability for B2B sales organizations. She explains how stronger self-awareness, buyer understanding, confidence, and trust can improve sales performance, while AI-powered digital teammates can help sellers recognize different perspectives and build meaningful connections faster. The conversation shows revenue leaders how technology can reinforce human relationship skills, improve sales consistency, strengthen internal champions, and help complex opportunities move forward. Follow Jennifer Knecht on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Episode #332: Mike Head, Chief Revenue Officer at Orderful, explains how customer understanding can strengthen every part of the go-to-market organization. He shares practical ways to prepare for executive conversations, improve discovery, coach teams with AI, strengthen retention, and align teams around customer priorities. Mike also explains why consistent execution, genuine curiosity, and continuous customer engagement can build trust, improve revenue performance, and create sustainable growth. “Your technology, your logo slide, all that stuff doesn't matter. What really matters is the customer and what they care about, and if you focus on that across your engagements in sales, marketing, customer success, and partnerships, great things will happen.” - Mike Head Executive access is getting harder, buyer conversations are becoming shorter, and prospects often enter the sales process with strong opinions already formed. Mike explains how CROs can respond by preparing earlier, building deeper customer understanding, strengthening post-sale relationships, and creating better alignment across revenue teams. He also shares why great people, consistent execution, customer-led discovery, and genuine curiosity can become durable competitive advantages. Follow Mike Head on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn

Episode #331: Matthias Holder, Chief Sales Officer at Lindner Recyclingtech, explains how customer obsession creates sustainable revenue by helping sales organizations understand customers, their markets, and their needs. He explores how salespeople can become trusted advisors by discussing business needs, market conditions, productivity, quality, costs, and competitive advantage before recommending solutions. Matthias also shows how continuous customer insight can guide sales strategy, product development, internal decisions, and stronger long-term customer relationships. “Never fall in love with your products. Fall in love with your customers, your customers' success. Products change, technology changes, markets change, customer expectations and challenges change even faster, so stay in touch with your customers. That's where we need to absolutely focus on.” - Matthias Holder Customer obsession becomes a revenue strategy when organizations turn continuous customer and market insight into better decisions. Matthias explains how understanding customers and their customers helps sales teams identify changing needs earlier, build trust, recommend stronger business solutions, and guide product and sales strategy around measurable outcomes that support sustainable growth. Follow Matthias Holder on LinkedIn Follow Steve MacDonald on LinkedIn