Future Fuzz - The Digital Marketing Podcast

Summary

Tom Byrne, CEO of RocketMill, discusses the unique employee-owned structure of the agency and its acquisition by PMG. He explains how being employee-owned created a strong culture and sense of belonging within the agency. Tom also highlights the importance of AI in the agency ecosystem and how RocketMill is using AI to enhance their operations and provide value to clients. Additionally, he shares his personal experience with dyslexia and how it has shaped his perspective and approach to business.

About Tom

Tom Byrne is CEO of RocketMill, an integrated full-service, digital-first agency. With a career in data-driven performance marketing spanning over 16 years, Tom leads the business of +200 people offering expertise across data and analytics, media, digital experience and creative services. He is responsible for developing and maintaining the company's unique culture and identifying new areas of growth and acquisition.

Takeaways

- Employee-owned businesses can create a strong culture and sense of belonging within the organization.

- AI is becoming increasingly important in the agency ecosystem and can provide value to clients through automation and data analysis.

- Dyslexia can bring unique perspectives and skills to business, such as pattern recognition and tenacity.

- Language should not be commoditized, and genuine human communication is essential in building relationships and trust.

Summary

Entrepreneur Joe Allan's business was acquired by First Mile, a waste collection company in the UK, shares his journey and insights into the waste management industry. He discusses the challenges businesses face in waste collection, the importance of recycling, and the need for transparency in the industry. Joe also talks about the marketing and sales strategies that have contributed to the company's growth. He highlights the opportunities in working with large corporates and national retailers, as well as the future plans for expansion.

Takeaways

• Businesses in the UK have to pay for waste collection and can choose between private waste collection companies or the council.
• First Mile focuses on providing better service and recycling options for businesses, especially in city centers where traditional waste companies often prioritize convenience over sustainability.
• Organic growth and word-of-mouth referrals have been the biggest drivers of First Mile's success.
• The company aims to expand nationally and become a leader in the waste management industry, focusing on transparency, data-driven solutions, and customer value.

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Ben Gutkovich from Superlinked discusses the value of vector embeddings and how they can be used to personalize and improve user experiences. He explains that while large tech companies have been using vector embeddings for years, smaller organizations have been slower to adopt the technology due to cost and technical complexity. Superlinked aims to make vector embeddings more accessible by providing tools and infrastructure for developers and data scientists. Ben emphasizes the importance of research and community building in gaining trust and educating potential customers. He also discusses the role of influencers and the involvement of different stakeholders in the decision-making process.

Takeaways

- Vector embeddings can improve user experiences by providing personalized and relevant recommendations.

- Smaller organizations have been slower to adopt vector embeddings due to cost and technical complexity.

- Superlinked aims to make vector embeddings more accessible by providing tools and infrastructure for developers and data scientists.

- Research, community building, and engaging influencers are important strategies for gaining trust and educating potential customers.

For more information visit www.superlinked.com and also read more about Superlinked recent round of funding!

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In this conversation, Justin Campbell interviews Jo Spindler from UNDO, a company focused on carbon removal through enhanced rock weathering. They discuss the uniqueness of UNDO's approach and the benefits of enhanced rock weathering in permanently removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They also explore the different stakeholders and customers of UNDO, including individuals, businesses, farmers, scientists, and quarries. Jo emphasizes the importance of storytelling in marketing and creating a community of climate pioneers. They conclude by discussing future plans and funding for UNDO.

Takeaways

• UNDO specializes in carbon removal through enhanced rock weathering, a nature-based process that permanently locks away CO2 from the atmosphere.
• Enhanced rock weathering has the potential to remove four billion tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere every year if scaled correctly.
• UNDO's customers include individuals, businesses, farmers, scientists, and quarries, each with their own unique motivations and benefits from carbon removal.
• Storytelling is a key component of Undo's marketing strategy, focusing on the impact and co-benefits of their carbon removal process.
• UNDO is a for-profit organization aiming to scale globally and work with early adopters to achieve global carbon removal targets.

Visit www.un-do.com for more information on this amazing company!

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In this podcast episode, Justin Campbell interviews James Marscheider, the CMO of evaluagent. They discuss various topics related to digital marketing and the role of AI tools in the industry. James shares his favorite AI software, including ChatGPT, and highlights the benefits of using it for research and content creation. They also discuss the importance of compliance in industries such as financial services and the challenges of selling to traditional banking institutes. James explains evaluagent's growth strategy, including their focus on inbound leads, outbound activities, and building partnerships. They also touch on evaluagent's plans for expansion, particularly in the North American market.

Takeaways

• AI tools like ChatGPT can be valuable for research and content creation.
• Compliance is crucial in industries like financial services.
• Building partnerships and referral programs can be an effective way to grow a business.
• Expanding into new markets, such as North America, can provide growth opportunities.
• Targeting the right customers and focusing on quality rather than volume is key in sales and marketing.

About James

James accomplished, numbers driven marketing professional with broad experience across the marketing mix, encompassing strategic planning, market intelligence, product development, brand management, direct-marketing, PR, channel development and sales enablement. James brings creative, innovative, enthusiastic and forward-thinking leadership and am focused on achieving continuous, improved business performance.

Follow James here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesmarscheider/

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In this conversation, Christian Land, an executive from Performance One and a general marketing expert, discusses the similarities between B2B and B2C marketing, emphasizing the importance of emotions and target groups. He highlights the effectiveness of channels like Google and LinkedIn in the B2B market and the need for personalized targeting. Christian also addresses the challenges faced by brands, such as outdated communication methods and ineffective tracking. He explores the impact of COVID-19 on the German market and the importance of building relationships with clients. Additionally, Christian shares insights on the role of artificial intelligence in marketing and the need for adaptability in a changing landscape.

Christians Bio

With nearly two decades of experience in marketing, communication, and continuous improvement, Christian has developed a deep understanding of the importance of leadership in dynamic environments. His passion for lifelong learning is evident in his career path and leadership style. Christian believes in the critical role of ongoing development and fostering a learning environment within a team to meet the challenges of change. His focus on branding, recognizing the individuality of team members, and networking forms the core of his philosophy, enabling him to devise successful strategies and build long-term business relationships

Takeaways

Emotions play a crucial role in both B2B and B2C marketing, and understanding the target group is essential for effective communication.

Channels like Google and LinkedIn are effective for reaching the B2B market, but personalized targeting is key.

Outdated communication methods and ineffective tracking are common challenges faced by brands.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digitization in the German market, but building relationships with clients remains important. Artificial intelligence can enhance marketing efforts, but companies must adapt to changes and embrace new technologies.

Follow Christian here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-land-mannheim/

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A refreshing and honest chat with Nick Verkoost the CEO of Canopy regarding growing a SaaS business in the procurement space. Nick shares his insights on how the procurement industry and tech players in that industry have been laggards to adopt other growth techniques. Nick and I also speak honestly about his dislike for sales and we speak about useful tactics that B2B companies can use to attract and engage new clients, even with outbound approaches.

Nick Verkroost is CEO of Canopy, a supplier master data and automation platform specifically designed for small, overworked procurement teams.

Nick joined the business in 2020, where he saw an opportunity to capitalise on the team’s expertise harnessed from developing supplier management solutions for some of the world’s biggest companies, including CBRE, Caterpillar and EDF. Canopy was launched in 2021 as an out-of-the-box SaaS platform serving the SME and Mid-Market.

Nick is a start-up veteran of over 10 years. A former strategy consultant, he built a venture portfolio for the Thomson Family Office before transitioning into Chief Operating Officer roles in B2B SaaS spanning MediaTech, EdTech, FinTech and a number of advisory roles. Having been educated as an engineer, he is passionate about how technology can bring efficiency to everyday challenges. In his downtime, you’ll either find Nick up a mountain or on a sailing boat!

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In this episode I talk with Rachel Jones, founder of Snapdragon, who shares her journey of fighting counterfeits and founding her company. She discusses the impact of counterfeits on businesses and the wider implications, including criminal funding and health and safety risks. Rachel explains how Snapdragon helps companies protect their intellectual property and remove counterfeit links. She also talks about the growth of Snapdragon and the marketing strategies that have worked well.

About Rachel

Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at SnapDragon Monitoring, Rachel was thrown into the world of anti-counterfeiting when her invention Totseat - the washable, squashable highchair - was faked. Horrified, she learned how to remove counterfeit products from online platforms using intellectual property and resolved to build software to empower even the smallest brand to fight back. Ten years on and SnapDragon works with some of the world’s most loved brands, protecting their businesses, revenues and, most importantly, customers.

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In this episode I speak with Ralf Haberich, CEO of German scale-up Shopgate - which provides retailers with omni-channel eco-System support. We discuss omnichannel strategies, the industries that can benefit most from these strategies, and how retail companies need to adapt. 

Ralph gives his market outlook for 2024 after a challenging 2023 and notes solutions trends he is seeing. We also discuss how ShopGate is innovating in the German market - which has rapidly changed since Covid-19 - and the various B2B marketing tactics aimed at positioning itself as an expert in omnichannel retail.

About Ralf

Ralf Haberich is an entrepreneur, author and publisher. He is one of the leading experts in Germany on CRM, omnichannel marketing, and digital commerce. A trained economist, Ralf has decades of managerial and executive experience having held various board and management positions.

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On this episode Justin speaks to Tamara we discuss how sales teams always big up their pipeline when in actual fact there are very few deals that will close. We also dive into how women tend not to move into sales or CRO positions and thats a great loss as there is so much talent available on the market. Tamara provides thoughtful insights and shares her wealth of experience with us on the podcast.

About Tamara:

A global executive, C-suite leader, and growth advisor who delivers consistent results at pace and with thoughtfulness; human centric and data driven to deliver lasting value and longterm relationships with investors, clients, partners, customers, and employees.

As a leader, she excels at aligning revenue and operational functions, build high-performance teams, create the right culture, and leverage data to drive transformational growth and customer centricity. As a CRO, Tamara designs and executes holistic GTM plans across product, marketing, sales, and customer success to achieve growth and profitability targets.

Follow Tamara here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaramcmillen/

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In this episode justin speaks to Martine Fraas Vogsborg the head of social media at Dentsu in Norway about all things social media.

We dive into topics surrounding working with creators and how brands can tap into amazing creative by working with their audiences and embracing user generated content as part of their campaigns.

Follow Martine Here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinefraasvogsborg/

Thanks to our sponsor for this episode FlyTrendy:

www.flytrendy.com

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Justin speaks with Jochem van der Veer from TheyDo - a journey management platform. They discuss customer journeys and the mistakes companies make. This conversation delves into how AI can minimise the time involved in managing complex customer journeys. Justin also gets some great insights from Jochem on being an entrepreneur and business co-founder, and managing a fully remote team.

About Jochem:

Jochem van der Veer is the co-founder & CEO of TheyDo. Before starting his latest venture, he worked as a design leader helping to transform Fortune 500 companies to be more customer-centric. With a background in UX and Service Design, he’s currently helping to solve one of the biggest problems at the Enterprise-scale - systemically aligning customer needs to business impact

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In this episode we speak to Chairman of the NetID foundation and CEO of 1&1 Mail&Media Jan about the future of data usage in advertising within Europe and the impact of AI on digital advertising.

About Jan:

This time Justin welcomes Nicola Breyer, CEO of Qwist, the leading independent European Open Banking platform provider. The conversation digs deep into the benefits and power of open banking. Nicola also shares insight into effective change management and team building, and the state of female leadership in the world of fintech.

About Nicola:

Nicola has been building and scaling businesses for over 25 years, from the early days of the consumer internet to today. Her career spans roles as Co-Founder, Managing Director, Investor, as well as Corporate Innovation & Transformation Specialist. Her industry focus includes FinTech, FMCG & Media. She is currently CEO and Managing Director at Qwist, the leading independent European Open Banking platform provider, with key markets in DACH, Spain and Portugal.

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In this episode Justin hosts Adrian Leu, COO of e-bate, an intelligent rebate management Saas solution for businesses. They discuss how businesses should link their operations to customer service and the objectives of their commercial direction, and the key to good leadership. They also touch on how to effectively promote a complicated SaaS solution.

About Adrian:

Adrian Leu serves as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of E-bate Ltd, a prominent fintech, B2B platform that revolutionises the way large enterprises manage their rebates through its cutting-edge, automatic, accurate, real-time and user-friendly SaaS solution.

Adrian's professional journey is marked by a strong technical acumen in software and data, further supported by his academic achievements, including a PhD in Data Visualization and a Masters degree in Electronic Engineering.

His experience garnered from holding a diverse range of senior positions gives him a comprehensive understanding of the link between the technical and commercial facets of business operations. Adrian is a fervent advocate for fostering a strong connection between technology and business domains. His expertise lies at the intersection of technology, business strategy and creative thinking.

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This time Justin talks to Ferdinand Goetzen - a customer insights expert. They discuss dark funnel marketing and the art of understanding the part of the buyer journey before a potential client engages with your marketing or sales channels. They also discuss product-led sales, understanding which product users should be targeted for conversion, and how to target to close deals and upsell.

About Ferdinand:

Ferdinand Goetzen is the CEO & Co-Founder of Reveall, an AI-powered customer insights platform that helps product teams. He has spent the better part of the last decade supporting teams at the intersection of commercial and product.

He was previously the Chief Growth Officer at Recruitee and Director of Growth at Hubs (both exited in 2021) and worked extensively with teams at Homerun, ING, Pipedrive, Transavia and Philips. Topics he’s most passionate about include product-led growth, B2B marketing, product discovery and brand.

Follow Ferdinand and Reveall here: 

In this episode Justin speaks with Matteo Benedetti, founder of receivables management startup Debtist. They talk about the debt collection industry, and how Debtist are solving a massive problem affecting SMEs. The industry is geared towards large companies and large projects - meaning SMEs are mostly overlooked, and struggle to collect debts. Debtist are changing that, offering an effective end-to-end receivables management solution with efficient workflows and smooth handover.

About Matteo: With a background in management consulting at McKinsey & Company and a Master's degree in International Management from Bocconi University, Matteo combines extensive industry knowledge with a passion for innovative solutions. At Debtist, he specialises in seamlessly integrating receivables management into existing software, such as accounting tools. Matteo is a leading expert in the optimisation of financial processes and is driving the development of receivables management.

Follow Matteo and Debtist here:

In this episode Justin speaks with AI and media expert Henry Bol. They discuss AI in digital advertising and the efficiencies to be gained from proper deployment of AI in digital media. We learn how Henry discovered his interest and developed his skills in AI and machine learning. The conversation rounds off with a discussion on the challenges of promoting and marketing SaaS.

About Henry:

Henry has worked in internet businesses since 1997, and since 2007 has consulted as an e-commerce expert focussed on improving online marketing & sales. Since 2017 Henry has integrated AI and machine learning into his skill set - both from setting up AI models and programming, to strategic thinking around the broader impact of AI on the media industry. His work now largely focuses on using AI to optimise marketing performance and deliver business growth.

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Future Fuzz EP. 51 - David Oates

In this episode Justin speaks with David Oates, founder of Kire consulting, all about disruption in SaaS marketing.

The upheaval and continued uncertain business climate of the past few years have seen a massive shift in the way SaaS companies approach their go-to-market strategies. David shares details on how companies are changing the way they market high-end SaaS in this changing environment, and the challenges faced.

About David:

David has a passion for the Commercial Real Estate market and is focused on helping proptech companies grow sustainably and achieve their goals in a challenging market.

He has spent the bulk of his career driving high growth in early-stage or turnaround software and services businesses including: Conga, Argus, Alpha Corporation, and Primavera Systems. 

As founder and CEO of Kire Consulting, David now acts in an advisory capacity for organisations such as Coyote Software, Yavica and UnCapt, focusing on strategic direction, go-to-market, messaging and often in an NED capacity.

Follow David here: 

Future Fuzz EP. 49 - Neil Schambra Stevens

In this episode Justin welcomes Neil Schambra Stevens to discuss his new book “A Bad Hand Well Played”. The discussion covers the growing burnout phenomenon, the changing nature of jobs, and the shift in our relationships with work and the companies we work for.

Neil talks about how we can avoid burnout from our jobs, and get to the point where we derive value from work and enjoy it. 

About Neil:

Neil Schambra Stevens is the founder of Mercury Jam Coaching, focusing on well-being and productivity in the workplace. He believes that people work for people; that good business is achieved by leveraging human values - kindness, gratitude, momentum and resilience. He works with creatives, strategists and rising talent in brands and agencies, enabling them to be seen, heard and valued. Neil draws on nearly three decades of C-suite brand marketing experience for top Fortune 500 brands such as Polaroid, Vans, Levi’s, Heineken, Lenovo and Converse. He is a regular guest, speaker and writer for podcasts, events and business publications, recently contributing to the #1 Amazon Bestselling book - ‘Living Kindly.’ Neil believes in simplicity and the principle of ‘Actionable Kindness.’ ™ He lives and runs Mercury Jam Coaching from a houseboat in Amsterdam.

Follow Neil and Mercury Jam here:

In the last episode before the summer break I speak to the brilliantly minded Bronwyn Williams who works for Flux Trends and is based in South Africa.

We talk about AI, and how it's going to impact our professional and personal lives. We also dive into the world of bullshit jobs and ask the question: "Will AI really bring any major short term benefits?" "Will AI lead to job losses?"

This week we speak to Pippa Shakespeare, expert consultant in social media marketing strategy and founder of Mayfly Social. I speak to Pippa about the way social media has evolved and how B2B marketeers can embrace stronger, more human strategies.

About Pippa: It's my mission to remove the fear, the false starts, the fluster, flounder and frustration that surrounds social media marketing for small- and medium-sized businesses. And I believe strategy is a great place to start.

Combining modern skills in strategic social media marketing with a successful career in Professional and Financial Services marketing and global brand-building consultancy, I work with the founders, leaders and marketers of SMEs to grow purposefully on social media. Pippa has worked with brands including Dulux, Omron, Philips, Heineken and BabyBel.

Links from the podcast:

In this episode we speak to Piers Thurston who is bringing about groundbreaking change in the way we understand how our minds work. Piers works with business teams and entrepreneurs to help bring about profound change in the way they live and perform in the workplace.

About Piers & Quality of Mind:

Quality of Mind is a pioneering, game changing approach, leveraging profound realisations that operate 'BEFORE' psychology, leading to transformative shifts 'IN' psychology (mindset & behaviour). Quality of Mind changes everything for exponential, not incremental results. Shifts in peace, potential and performance.

In the first episode of 2023 (recorded at the end of 2022) we speak to serial entrepreneur Claudia North who has worked in corporates, founded eCommerce businesses and now coaches and supports small businesses to succeed with their ecommerce venture. We speak about Claudia's book which is release on Amazon, check the links below!

Claudia is a Certified Practicing Marketer (CPM) with more than 25 years experience in digital marketing and strategy across Australia, South East Asia, and North America - in large and medium business as well as personally founding businesses in eCommerce.

Claudia founded her first eCommerce business, almost 15 years ago and has a strong appreciation and understanding for the challenges in scaling small businesses in the eCommerce environment. She has since sold her company and the product continues to be sold today in over 30 countries and is thriving 15 years later.

Claudia started with Small Business to empower small businesses to grow sustainably so that they can succeed over the long term. By helping small business owners navigate the digital maze with affordable, expert eCommerce marketing advice.

Here are the amazon links for 'The eCommerce Growth Framework’ book, country specific:

We talk to Connor about his 5 mantras for getting through the recession and what digital marketeers should be focussing on. Conor gives some brilliant advice, references to quotes and some very good reading which you can see linked in the podcast description.

Conor McKenzie-Wilde is a Performance Marketing Strategist at VCCP Media. Conor specializes in finding opportunities for brands to generate growth, efficiencies and understanding of their customers in popular digital spaces.

Quotes: 

"There's no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield 

 "A recession is an opportunity in wolf's clothing" - Robin Sharma 

Reading List