The Peerbound Podcast

Brittnee Dawson, VP of Product & Customer Marketing at Service Express, on Advocacy at Every Stage

kathryn@peerbound.com (Sunny Manivannan, Brittnee Dawson) — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Episode Description:

Brittnee Dawson is VP of Product & Customer Marketing at Service Express, with previous experience leading customer marketing at AlphaSense, Experity, and Anaplan. She started her career at Thomson Reuters, where she worked in video production and product management before finding her way into customer marketing.

In this episode, Brittnee and Sunny talk about why advocacy should never be an afterthought. Brittnee shares how she embeds customer marketing into every stage of the customer lifecycle, from onboarding to expansion, so that advocacy becomes a natural output of a great customer experience rather than a one-off request. She talks about why the playbook is more similar across industries than people think, what erodes customer trust (siloed experiences), and how to make sales enablement work by getting the right proof to reps at the right moment. They also get into the tension between scaling with AI and maintaining genuine human connection, and why customer marketers have a strategic advantage as the people who can use AI in a human-first way.

Topics covered:

→ How a background in film and visual storytelling shaped Brittnee's approach to customer marketing

→ Why the customer marketing playbook is more universal than people think across industries

→ Embedding advocacy into the full customer lifecycle instead of treating it as an add-on

→ What builds and what erodes customer trust

→ The evolution of sales enablement and putting customer proof in front of reps at the right time

→ Scaling with AI while keeping the human connection intact

→ Why customer marketers are uniquely positioned to use AI in a human-first way

Chapters:

00:00 Advocacy Is Built In

00:57 From Film To Customer Marketing

02:36 Storytelling And AI Shift

11:33 Lifecycle Design And Trust

17:18 Sales Enablement With Advocacy

19:53 Content Libraries Are Dead

21:20 Personalized Enablement Moments

22:11 Full Automation Meets Trust

24:30 Human Stories Beat Data

30:58 Recommendations And Wrap Up

Jess Walker McFarland, Customer Advocacy Leader, on Leadership & Building Advocacy for IPO Readiness

kathryn@peerbound.com (jess walker mcfarland, Sunny Manivannan) — Thu, 8 Jan 2026 09:00:00 +0000

About the Guest

Jess Walker McFarland is a customer marketing and advocacy leader with experience at BMC Software (7+ years), Splunk, and Rubrik (3.5+ years). At Rubrik, she led customer advocacy and executive programs through the company's IPO. She's currently a free agent exploring what's next.

Description

In this episode, Sunny sits down with Jess Walker McFarland, a customer marketing and advocacy leader with experience at BMC Software, Splunk, and Rubrik, to discuss building customer advocacy programs, preparing customer stories for IPO, and what it really takes to make the leap from senior manager to director.

Jess shares how she transitioned from partner marketing to customer advocacy at Splunk, why she sought out the challenge of IPO readiness at Rubrik, and her management philosophy of "enable, empower, and get out of the way." We dive into how customer storytelling changes when your audience shifts from buyers to investors, what makes the senior manager to director leap so difficult, and her take on AI: the tools are incredible, but the thinking is still your job.

Whether you're navigating your first leadership role or preparing your advocacy program for a major company milestone, Jess's insights on building trust with your team and articulating the "why" to stakeholders will give you plenty to think about.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Early Career Beginnings

00:38 Navigating PR and First Major Career Pivot

03:14 Expat Experience and Life-Changing Moments

09:10 Transition to Field and Partner Marketing

15:14 High Growth at Splunk and Leadership Lessons

25:33 The Leap from Senior Manager to Director

27:26 Navigating Leadership and Team Dynamics

30:29 Transitioning to Rubrik and IPO Experience

38:51 Exploring AI and Personal Growth

47:16 Recommendations and Final Thoughts

Jess Walker McFarland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicawm/

Sunny Manivannan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/

Jennifer Thompson, Sr. Customer Marketing Manager at Amperity, on Your Greatest Sales Team

kathryn@peerbound.com (Jennifer Thompson, Sunny Manivannan) — Thu, 4 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Sunny sits down with Jennifer Thompson, Senior Customer Marketing Manager at Amperity, to discuss the evolution of customer marketing, building advocacy programs, and why your happiest customers deserve more attention than they're getting.

Jennifer shares her journey from account management to pioneering customer marketing roles, including how she helped the Seattle Seahawks tell their fan engagement story in record time. We dive deep into what makes great customer marketers, how to prove your value internally, and why customer marketing is about so much more than just case studies.

Whether you're new to customer marketing or a seasoned pro, Jen's insights on the customer journey flywheel, working with AI tools, and creating advocates at every touchpoint will inspire you to think differently about your role.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:35 Jen's Career Beginnings

01:33 Transition to Customer Marketing

07:08 Impact of AI in Marketing

11:11 Customer Success Stories

19:43 Characteristics of a Successful Customer Marketer

22:51 Building Internal Support

23:40 Creating Advocates and Proving Value

28:48 Examples of Great Marketing

33:30 Favorite Apps, Technologies, and Recommendations

Resources & Links Mentioned

People:

Jennifer Thompson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-t-/

Sunny Manivannan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/

Case Studies:

Seattle Seahawks Case Study - https://amperity.com/customers/seattle-seahawks

Extra:

Witches of Moonshyne Manor - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60421214-the-witches-of-moonshyne-manor

Chris Dalton, Director of Customer Marketing at Clari, on Proactive Customer Marketing

kathryn@peerbound.com (Chris Dalton, Sunny Manivannan) — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 15:35:07 +0000

Episode Description

Chris Dalton manages customer testimonials, speaking engagements, reference programs, peer reviews, a customer advisory board, and ad hoc requests, all by himself. His secret? Building autonomous systems and focusing relentlessly on what actually accelerates revenue.

In this episode, Chris shares how Clari's CMO mandates voice of customer content in every campaign, why content utilization matters more than content creation, and how he's building a proactive customer marketing system that serves the right references and content at exactly the right time. If you're trying to scale customer marketing with limited resources, this conversation is packed with strategies you won't want to miss.

What You'll Learn

How to build autonomous customer marketing systems that run without daily involvement
Why the shift from reactive to proactive is the future of customer marketing
The utilization problem: why having 100 case studies means nothing if reps don't use them
How AI enables entirely new work rather than just replacing existing tasks
Productivity habits from Deep Work and 7 Habits of Highly Effective People that create real efficiency
How to build strong relationships with revenue teams and prove your impact
Why tools don't solve behavior problems and what actually drives adoption

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:44 Chris Dalton's Career Journey
03:14 Role and Responsibilities at Clari
04:17 Challenges and Innovations in Customer Marketing
06:41 The Future of Customer Marketing
10:53 Voice of Customer and Its Importance
14:47 AI in Customer Marketing
19:33 Efficiency and Productivity Tips
26:22 Building Relationships with Revenue Teams
34:37 Final Thoughts and Conclusion

Guest Bio

Chris Dalton is Director of Customer Marketing at Clari, where he runs all advocacy programs as a one-person team. With over a decade of experience at companies like SurveyMonkey, Evanta (now Gartner), and Clari, Chris has mastered the art of scaling customer marketing through automation, AI, and strategic enablement. He's known for his efficiency, his strong relationships with revenue teams, and his vision for building proactive customer marketing systems.

Key Takeaway

The future of customer marketing isn't about getting really good at reactive work. It's about building systems that deliver the right content, references, and insights before your teams even know they need them. When you shift from reactive to proactive, you unlock the full potential of voice of customer content and create measurable revenue impact.

Connect with Chris Dalton:

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

Mary Green, Founder of CMAWeekly, on Building an Engaged Customer Marketing Community

kathryn@peerbound.com (Mary Green, Sunny Manivannan) — Thu, 6 Nov 2025 12:04:29 +0000

Episode Description

Mary Green didn't realize she'd been doing customer marketing for years until she saw a job posting that finally named what she'd been building all along. Now, as the founder of CMA Weekly and Director of Community Platforms at Infor, she's created a 1,500-member community that's become an indispensable resource for customer marketers navigating an evolving profession.

In this episode, Mary pulls back the curtain on building authentic professional communities, the changing landscape of customer marketing roles, and why working without community in 2025 is like working without AI. You're simply leaving opportunities on the table.

What You'll Learn

The origin story of CMA Weekly and how it grew to 1,500+ active members
What the "no vendors" channel is and how it became essential for honest, confidential vendor feedback
How customer marketing roles are expanding and what the current job market looks like
Why professional community isn't optional anymore and how it saves months of learning time
Strategies for fostering authentic engagement and maintaining community trust

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
01:37 Mary Green's Journey into Customer Advocacy
03:50 Building and Growing CMA Weekly
05:21 Community Engagement and Support
11:38 The No Vendors Channel
16:23 Vendor Competition and Community Dynamics
24:55 The Evolving Role of Customer Marketing
31:01 Job Market Insights and Advice
39:49 Future Plans for CMA Weekly
41:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Guest Bio

Mary Green is the founder of CMA Weekly, an authentic community of over 1,500 customer marketing professionals, and serves as Director of Community Platforms at Infor. With years of experience building customer advocacy programs before the role officially existed, Mary has become a leading voice in the customer marketing space, creating resources and connections that help professionals navigate this evolving field.

Key Takeaway

In today's fast-paced marketing landscape, having access to a trusted professional community isn't a nice-to-have. It's essential infrastructure. Whether you're troubleshooting vendor relationships, understanding market rates, or simply learning from others' experiences, community accelerates your growth and saves you from costly mistakes.

Connect with Mary Green: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marygreencny/

Resources Mentioned:

CMA Weekly Community: https://cmaweekly.com/

Daniel Palay, Director of Customer Marketing at Grafana Labs, on Metrics That Prove Impact

kathryn@peerbound.com (Daniel Palay, Sunny Manivannan) — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Daniel Palay, Director of Customer Marketing at Grafana Labs, joins Sunny to challenge how we think about customer marketing success. They cover the power of saying no strategically, why you should measure net dollar retention instead of activity metrics, and how to use AI to focus on work that actually moves the needle. Daniel also shares lessons from building customer marketing teams at two high-growth startups.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:45 Daniel's Early Career Journey
01:36 Transition to Customer Marketing
02:12 Building Customer Marketing at Elastic
03:56 Joining Grafana Labs
07:34 Pandemic Reflections and Personal Growth
11:30 The Power of Saying No in Customer Marketing
18:07 Strategic Customer Marketing and AI
19:25 The Strategic Promise of AI in SaaS
20:11 Embedding in Core Constituencies
21:06 Challenging Traditional Metrics
22:36 The Pitfalls of Activity Metrics
27:32 Advocacy and Net Dollar Retention
31:25 Deal Velocity and Customer Marketing
35:58 Embracing AI for Strategic Growth
38:43 Building Effective Customer Marketing Teams

Daniel's CMA Summit SF 2025 Talk:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/119iNfiaqP8AVTs7Np2xInrsRXvxWS8mLkwKMDBAHQl8/edit?slide=id.g1d7246a57b5_0_8#slide=id.g1d7246a57b5_0_8

Featuring:
Daniel Palay:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielpalay/

Sunny Manivannan:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/
X — https://x.com/sunnymanivannan

Tune in:
Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peerbound-podcast/id1708825056
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5GO3n6pATX10fkY8lgf3GX
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@peerbound

Mel Cornford, Customer Marketing Lead at Canva, on Scaling Human-First Content Made for the Platform

kathryn@peerbound.com (Mel Cornford, Sunny Manivannan) — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Mel Cornford, Customer Marketing Lead at Canva, joins host, Sunny Manivannan on the Peerbound Podcast to discuss her transition from journalism to customer marketing. She shares her career journey, highlights from her work at notable media brands, and how those experiences shaped her approach at Canva. Mel emphasizes the importance of understanding sales teams' needs, creating human-first storytelling, and leveraging AI for efficiency. The conversation also explores the significance of testing, building internal and external relationships, and creating platform-specific content.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
01:00 Mel Cornford's Journey into Customer Marketing
01:12 Early Career and Journalism Background
02:10 Transition to Digital and Fashion Media
03:14 Shift to News and Building Digital Presence
07:48 Joining Canva and Initial Role
10:24 Finding and Celebrating Community Stories
14:22 Switching to B2B and Enterprise Marketing
16:23 Storytelling Approach and Social Content
23:47 Sales and Marketing Synergy at Canva
31:04 Leveraging AI in Customer Marketing
36:12 Advice for Early Career Customer Marketers
38:32 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Canva's Video Content:
Sam Barker Story: https://www.canva.com/newsroom/news/sams-story-lessons-wwii-veteran-turned-childrens-book-author/
Elsewhere Story: https://www.canva.com/newsroom/news/how-two-entrepreneurs-launched-a-travel-business-in-a-pandemic-with-canva/
Docusign Case Study: https://www.canva.com/case-studies/docusign/

Featuring:
Mel Cornford:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/mel-cornford-8751393/

Sunny Manivannan:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/
X — https://x.com/sunnymanivannan

Follow us:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/peerbound-inc

Tune in:
Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peerbound-podcast/id1708825056
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5GO3n6pATX10fkY8lgf3GX
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@peerbound

Michael Sciano, Customer Marketing and Advocacy Leader, on Standing Out in a Competitive Job Market

kathryn@peerbound.com (Michael Sciano, Sunny Manivannan) — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 11:02:35 +0000

In this episode of The Peerbound Podcast, host Sunny Manivannan sits down with Michael Sciano, a seasoned customer marketing and advocacy leader with more than 15 years of experience across industry-leading companies including Adobe, Salesforce, and ServiceTitan. Michael shares his unique path from high school history teacher to tech, highlighting lessons learned along the way and what it takes to build a resilient career in customer marketing.

The conversation explores the evolving role of customer marketing, how AI is reshaping the job search, and the importance of networking and genuine relationships in today’s competitive market. He also makes the case for why customer marketing deserves more investment and visibility at the leadership level, offering actionable advice for professionals looking to grow in this fast-changing field.

Whether you’re navigating the job market or building advocacy programs, Michael’s perspective provides grounded, practical insights for the future of customer marketing.

Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction and Guest Welcome
(01:04) Early Career and Education
(02:27) Transition to Tech Industry
(04:33) Experience at ExactTarget
(05:37) Roles in Technology and Marketing
(07:16) Customer Marketing Evolution
(11:08) Job Market Challenges and Advice
(24:39) The Power of Networking
(25:49) Building Genuine Relationships
(26:47) Navigating the Job Market
(32:51) The Role of AI in Job Searches
(38:16) The Future of Customer Marketing
(43:48) Final Thoughts and Takeaways

Featuring:

Michael Sciano:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsciano/

Sunny Manivannan:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/
X — https://x.com/sunnymanivannan

Follow us:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/peerbound-inc

Emily Coleman, Senior Manager of Customer Marketing and Advocacy at LaunchDarkly, on Empowering Customers Through Authentic Storytelling

kathryn@peerbound.com (Emily Coleman, Sunny Manivannan) — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode of The Peerbound Podcast, host Sunny Manivannan sits down with Emily Coleman, Senior Manager of Customer Marketing & Advocacy at LaunchDarkly, to talk about her unexpected path into customer marketing, which began in politics and later led to high-pressure communications work during the SolarWinds cybersecurity crisis. Today, she focuses on building scalable advocacy programs at LaunchDarkly, with AI playing an increasingly important role.

Emily shares how her early work in politics sharpened her empathy and storytelling instincts, the lessons she learned navigating a cybersecurity crisis at SolarWinds, and how she’s rethinking advocacy at LaunchDarkly with a focus on authenticity, design, and emerging technology.

Whether you’re revamping your customer story motion or looking to scale with limited resources, Emily’s story offers a thoughtful, grounded view of what it takes to build trust and elevate the voice of your customers.

(00:00) Introduction and Guest Welcome
(01:05) Emily Coleman's Early Career and Education
(05:39) Political Career and Casework
(10:22) Transition to Tech and Initial Challenges
(15:02) Growth and Success at SolarWinds
(17:53) Navigating a Big Company
(19:36) Facing Challenges at SolarWinds
(20:29) The SolarWinds Hack: A Crisis Unfolds
(23:03) Building Trust and Advocacy Post-Breach
(24:39) Transition to LaunchDarkly
(28:49) Revamping the Customer Stories Page
(32:54) Incorporating AI in Customer Advocacy

Featuring:
Emily Coleman:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyecoleman/

Sunny Manivannan:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/
X — https://x.com/sunnymanivannan

Follow us:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/peerbound-inc

Kevin Lau, VP of Customer Engagement at Freshworks, on Elevating Customer Marketing for Career Success

kathryn@peerbound.com (Sunny Manivannan, Kevin Lau) — Thu, 5 Jun 2025 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode of The Peerbound Podcast, host Sunny Manivannan welcomes back Kevin Lau, Vice President of Customer Engagement at Freshworks, to discuss the evolving landscape of customer marketing and its increasing importance within organizations. Kevin shares his professional updates, including his new role and personal milestones, and dives deep into significant shifts affecting customer marketing, especially post-pandemic. They explore the fluidity between various roles like customer success, support, and marketing and how AI is reshaping these functions. Kevin provides actionable advice on elevating the role of customer marketers, achieving organizational visibility, and the importance of fostering cross-functional relationships. The discussion also touches on promotion pathways within customer marketing and the need for effective communication of program impacts to leadership. Kevin concludes with a hopeful outlook, emphasizing the unique opportunities for customer marketers to shape their career paths in an AI-driven future.

(01:10) Kevin’s Big Career & Life Shifts
(01:54) How Customer Marketing Has Evolved
(04:09) Org Structure & Success Metrics That Work
(07:16) Climbing the Ladder in Customer Marketing
(11:21) How to Know You're Ready for Promotion
(16:45) The “Orchestrator” Role: Driving Strategy & Execution
(24:39) Earning Influence Across the Organization
(33:27) How to Advocate for Yourself Without Burnout
(38:47) Why the AI Era Is a Win for Customer Marketing

Featuring:
Kevin Lau:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinkennethlau

Sunny Manivannan:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/
X — https://x.com/sunnymanivannan

Follow us:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/peerbound-inc

Alexie Glover, Co-Founder at Frank Advocacy, on Turning Customer Relationships into Revenue Growth

kathryn@peerbound.com (Alexie Glover, Sunny Manivannan) — Thu, 1 May 2025 08:00:00 +0000

What is the real value of building meaningful customer relationships in today's competitive tech landscape? In this episode of The Peerbound Podcast, host Sunny Manivannan is joined by Alexie Glover, co-founder and marketing consultant at Frank Advocacy. The discussion covers the motivations behind starting Frank Advocacy and the importance of customer marketing. Alexie shares her unique journey inspired by her mother, highlighting the need for businesses to appreciate their customers and build lasting relationships. The conversation delves into the challenges and opportunities in the customer marketing function, touching on the shift towards non-transactional relationships and the role of technology. Alexie also emphasizes the importance of making work visible to secure a seat at the table and shares insights into Frank Advocacy's innovative marketing strategies, including customer-centric initiatives like 'customer marketing cuties' and 'customer marketing cowboys.'

(00:00) Introduction and Guest Welcome
(00:38) Founding Frank Advocacy
(02:18) Family Influence and Early Career
(03:56) Working with Family: Challenges and Benefits
(06:33) Modern Customer Advocacy Trends
(09:50) Customer Relationships and Market Dynamics
(16:33) Marketing Strategies and Challenges
(20:19) The Sticker Revolution
(21:32) Direct Mailers and Job Postings
(24:16) The Future of Customer Marketing
(29:17) The Importance of Visibility
(33:53) Proud Projects and Peer Influences
(37:16) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Featuring:

Alexie Glover:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexie-glover/

Sunny Manivannan:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/
X — https://x.com/sunnymanivannan

Follow us:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/peerbound-inc

Tune in:

Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peerbound-podcast/id1708825056

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5GO3n6pATX10fkY8lgf3GX

Ari Hoffman, Customer Marketing & Advocacy Expert, on the Impact of Effective Customer Storytelling

kathryn@peerbound.com (Ari Hoffman, Sunny Manivannan) — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 08:00:00 +0000

How do you harness the power of storytelling to resonate with buyers in a world overwhelmed by data and noise? In this episode of The Peerbound podcast, host Sunny Manivannan is joined by Ari Hoffman, a customer marketing advocacy expert with a rich background in companies like Coveo, Influitive, and Amplitude. The discussion centers on the art of customer storytelling in the B2B space, particularly the importance of weaving qualitative human elements with critical business metrics. Ari emphasizes the role of the 'hero's journey' in crafting compelling narratives, the necessity of making stories relevant and impactful, and the significance of internal recognition in fostering a storytelling-centric culture. The episode also highlights the strategies to empower sales teams with effective stories and how customer marketers can demonstrate their value within their organizations.

(01:16) The Power of Human Stories in B2B
(04:02) Combining Metrics with Storytelling
(04:26) Challenges in Finding and Using Stories
(08:15) The Hero's Journey Framework
(10:37) Personalizing Stories for Impact
(12:55) Empowering Sales with Effective Stories
(18:24) Tracking Business Impact
(18:50) Celebrating Customer and Employee Success
(19:01) The Hall of Heroes Concept
(20:12) Gathering Customer Testimonials
(22:08) Storytelling in Sales Kickoff (SKO)
(24:16) Creating a Culture of Storytelling
(26:20) The Value of Customer Marketing
(34:10) Final Thoughts and Advice

Takeaways:

Customer stories resonate more than self-promotional metrics.
Human connections are essential in B2B storytelling.
Storytelling should be relevant and impactful.
The hero's journey is a timeless storytelling framework.
Sales teams need to be equipped with relatable stories.
Celebrate partnerships, not just customer success.
Create a culture that values storytelling.
Start small and pilot storytelling initiatives.
Use metrics to measure the impact of storytelling.
Avoid burnout by prioritizing storytelling efforts.

Featuring:
Ari Hoffman:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/arijhoffman/

X — https://x.com/arigobie

Sunny Manivannan:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/
X — https://x.com/sunnymanivannan

Tune in:

Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peerbound-podcast/id1708825056

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5GO3n6pATX10fkY8lgf3GX

Ali Jawin, CMO at Pontera on Embracing Change, AI in Marketing, and Hard Career Lessons

kathryn@peerbound.com (Ali Jawin, Sunny Manivannan) — Thu, 3 Apr 2025 08:00:00 +0000

What do ancient Greek philosophy and cutting-edge sales enablement have in common? In this episode, we sit down with Ali Jawin, CMO at Pontera, to delve into her unconventional career path, leading marketing teams, and embracing AI. Ali is a marketing executive renowned for her focus on data-driven strategies. She has been responsible for reshaping marketing initiatives that drive global customer acquisition and company growth. In our conversation, we discuss embracing change, navigating the rapid evolution of AI in marketing, and the underrated skills that drive success in today’s fast-paced world. We explore how her focus on preparation shaped her career and why she believes in building strong, authentic professional relationships. Discover the "strawberry smoothie strategy" for content creation, steps for fostering creativity and innovation in AI-powered environments, why adaptability and experimentation are essential, and more. Join us for a masterclass on staying adaptable and ready in an ever-changing industry with Ali Jawin. Tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:

(0:01:57) Ali’s unique path from academia to marketing leadership in SaaS.
(0:08:50) Why every company is on a scale from "hot mess" to "dumpster fire."
(0:14:57) How she navigates bad ideas and focuses on impactful marketing efforts.
(0:22:26) The role of mentors in Ali's career and how she builds professional relationships.
(0:26:12) Find out what Ali thinks is the most underrated skill in marketing.
(0:33:17) Explore the future of marketing, AI, and the skills required to thrive.
(0:38:11) Best AI marketing uses cases and why marketers should embrace AI.
(0:45:15) Uncover the limitations and common pitfalls of AI-driven marketing.
(0:49:11) Her favorite SaaS marketers and best book recommendations.

Featuring:

Ali Jawin:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/alijawin/

Sunny Manivannan:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/
X – https://x.com/sunnymanivannan

References:

Pontera – https://pontera.com/

Outreach – https://www.outreach.io/

Yesware – https://www.yesware.com/

RepTrak – https://www.reptrak.com/

6sense – https://6sense.com/

No Forms. No Spam. No Cold Calls – https://www.amazon.com/Forms-Spam-Cold-Calls-account-based/dp/0578699451

Carilu Dietrich – https://www.carilu.com/

Hypergrowth Leadership – https://www.carilu.com/

The Wide Wide Sea – https://www.amazon.com/Wide-Sea-Imperial-Ambition-Contact/dp/0385544766

Follow us:

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/peerbound-inc

Tune in:

Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peerbound-podcast/id1708825056

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5GO3n6pATX10fkY8lgf3GX

Liz Egan, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Chainguard on AI, Growth, and Marketing Leadership

kathryn@peerbound.com (Liz Egan, Sunny Manivannan) — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Liz shares her remarkable account of scaling Yext from a $10 million startup to a $400 million public company and takes us into the complex world of marketing leadership, where balancing creativity with data-driven strategies is key. She discusses her approach to company building through marketing, the evolving impact of AI, and offers invaluable leadership and career advice for marketers and entrepreneurs alike. To find out how Liz's unique insights on visionary leadership, adapting to technological shifts, and navigating challenges can inspire you to drive growth and innovation in your own work, be sure to tune in today! You won’t want to miss this opportunity to gain actionable takeaways from one of the industry's top marketing leaders.

Key Points From This Episode:

(0:00:53) Introducing Liz Egan and her journey into marketing.
(0:04:15) Scaling Yext from a 75-person startup to a $400 million public company.
(0:07:04) Why strategies that didn’t work previously could work now.
(0:08:24) The value of diverse experience in both data and creative marketing.
(0:10:45) Liz’s take on the ‘Founder Mode’ essay by Y-Combinator’s Paul Graham.
(0:15:17) Balancing the art of marketing with data-driven strategies.
(0:19:20) What marketers often miss about sales.
(0:22:55) The impact of AI on marketing: balancing market expectations with hype.
(0:30:41) Visionary leadership advice for early-career marketers.
(0:32:14) What it means to keep your “company hat” on when making decisions.
(0:33:21) SaaS Talk: Liz’s favourite software company homepages and apps.
(0:36:50) Peerbound Talk: TV shows and marketing leaders that inspire her.

Featuring:

Liz Egan:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethwaltonegan/

X — https://x.com/lizwalton

Sunny Manivannan:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/
X — https://x.com/sunnymanivannan

References:

Lattice — https://lattice.com/

Sprig — https://sprig.com/

Yext — https://www.yext.com/

Howard Lerman — https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardlerman/

‘Founder Mode’ Essay — https://paulgraham.com/foundermode.html

Gong — https://www.gong.io/

Vercel — https://vercel.com/

Figma — https://www.figma.com/

Apple Health — https://www.apple.com/health/

Arc — https://arc.net/

Artifact — https://artifact.news/

Shōgun — https://www.hulu.com/series/shogun

Slow Horses — https://tv.apple.com/za/show/slow-horses/umc.cmc.2szz3fdt71tl1ulnbp8utgq5o

MKT1 Newsletter — https://newsletter.mkt1.co/

Emily Kramer — https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilykramer/

Katie Mitchell — https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinesmitchell/

Tune in:

Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peerbound-podcast/id1708825056

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5GO3n6pATX10fkY8lgf3GX

Jason Perocho, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Amperity on the Future of AI in Marketing and SaaS

kathryn@peerbound.com (Jason Perocho, Sunny Manivannan) — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In our conversation, Jason tells us about the medical diagnosis that shifted his career from the US Navy to tech marketing, leading him to roles at Salesforce and Braze. We get into the formative lessons Jason learned in product marketing, from prioritizing clear messaging to positioning yourself correctly, and how they’ve shaped his approach. Jason also discusses the challenges of transitioning from a large organization like Salesforce to smaller, more agile environments, and why fostering team well-being is essential to success. Additionally, he shares details on the role AI plays at Amperity, and how tools like perplexity.ai enhance efficiency. Stay tuned for Jason’s career advice, what is top-of-mind for him as a marketing lead, his thoughts on the evolving role of AI in SaaS, and much more!

Key Points From This Episode:

(0:00:21) Jason’s journey from US Navy pilot to marketing leader at Amperity.

(0:02:45) Key challenges Jason faced transitioning from the military to marketing.

(0:05:22) Formative lessons learned at Salesforce on mastering product marketing.

(0:09:25) Adapting to smaller companies after Salesforce.

(0:12:08) Career advice: choosing your job and creating support systems.

(0:15:46) What is top-of-mind for Jason as a marketing lead: performance and team health.

(0:17:51) Broader trends in SaaS and software: value articulation and AI.

(0:20:47) Using AI tools like perplexity.ai to boost productivity at Amperity.

(0:22:40) The future of AI in SaaS and its potential impact on the workforce.

(0:26:04) Jason’s favourite Saas homepage, customer story, and technologies.

(0:32:36) Book recommendations and shoutouts to noteworthy peers.

Featuring:

Jason Perocho:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/perocho/

Sunny Manivannan:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/

Twitter - https://x.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=/sunnymanivannan

References:

Salesforce - https://www.salesforce.com/

Braze - https://www.braze.com/

Amperity - https://amperity.com/

perplexity.ai - https://www.perplexity.ai/

claude.ai - https://claude.ai/login

AmpGPT - https://amperity.com/demo/amp-ai

Spline - https://spline.design/

Strava - https://www.strava.com/

Slaughterhouse-Five - https://www.amazon.com/Slaughterhouse-Five-Novel-Modern-Library-Novels/dp/0385333846

FYI: For Your Improvement - https://www.amazon.com/FYI-Improvement-Competencies-Development-Guide/dp/1933578904

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/peerbound-inc

Tune in:

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peerbound-podcast/id1708825056

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GO3n6pATX10fkY8lgf3GX

Shannon Duffy (Chief Marketing Officer at Asana) on Leading with Authenticity and Embracing AI in Marketing

kathryn@peerbound.com (Sunny Manivannan, Shannon Duffy) — Tue, 8 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In our conversation, Shannon discusses her journey from working in a startup to being part of Salesforce’s meteoric rise, and how she ultimately ended up at Asana. We delve into the importance of staying authentic in the face of corporate pressure, how AI is reshaping knowledge work, ways Asana is leveraging this technology to unlock new levels of human potential, and more. Shannon also shares actionable leadership advice and explains why embracing a growth mindset is essential as a leader. Join us as we explore the future of work, AI, and leadership, and discover how you can stay ahead in a rapidly changing industry. Tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:

(0:00:31) Introduction to Shannon Duffy and her early career experience.
(0:05:50) Explore what unique aspects make Salesforce a ‘CMO factory.’
(0:07:25) The importance of understanding the mechanics of the business as a marketer.
(0:09:04) Shannon offers advice for people beginning their leadership journeys.
(0:12:07) She reflects on joining Asana and how the company has embraced AI.
(0:16:34) Learn about the common misconceptions and fears of utilizing AI.
(0:18:39) Shannon’s top SaaS company and the tools she uses on a daily basis.
(0:20:14) How companies use Asana to manage global marketing campaigns.
(0:21:10) Uncover her approach to building and managing a strong marketing team.
(0:24:35) Ways Asana balances work management while differentiating their product.
(0:26:09) Asana’s mission of making AI accessible to all kinds of organizations.
(0:27:30) Recommendations and resources for enhancing your leadership skills.
(0:28:48) Hear who her favourite SaaS marketers are and her final takeaways.

Featuring:

Guest Name: Shannon Duffy
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonduffy/

Sunny Manivannan:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/
Twitter - https://x.com/sunnymanivannan

References:

Slack - https://slack.com

MuleSoft - https://www.mulesoft.com

Tableau - https://www.tableau.com

Asana - https://asana.com/

Salesforce - https://www.salesforce.com/

Finding Nemo - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266543/

HubSpot - https://www.hubspot.com

DoorDash - https://www.doordash.com

Accor - https://group.accor.com

IPG Mediabrands - https://www.ipgmediabrands.com

Multipliers, Revised and Updated - https://www.amazon.com/Multipliers-Revised-Updated-Leaders-Everyone-dp-0062663070/

Tune in:

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peerbound-podcast/id1708825056

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GO3n6pATX10fkY8lgf3GX

Sara Varni (Chief Marketing Officer at Datadog) on SaaS Marketing Leadership

kathryn@peerbound.com (Sara Varni, Sunny Manivannan) — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In our conversation, Sara Varni, Chief Marketing Officer of Datadog, reflects on her experiences with different growth stages at Twilio, Attentive, and Datadog, highlighting how she established crucial processes like pipeline councils and executed major ad campaigns. She unpacks some of the most common mistakes new CMOs make, emphasizing the importance of balancing swift changes with thoughtful analysis, and her advice on how best to navigate your first 90 days. Our conversation also examines the pros and cons of embracing evangelism in marketing, versus a more reality-based approach (and when to use which), how to tailor your marketing for different audiences, and much more. With a wealth of experience across top tech companies, Sara’s advice offers a valuable guide for anyone looking to navigate the complex world of SaaS marketing and leadership, so be sure to tune in!

(00:00:25) Introducing Sara Varni.
(00:00:43) Integrating product-led and sales-led growth motions.
(00:02:31) Lessons on prioritizing sales-led growth.
(00:04:14) Twilio’s approach: Helping rather than selling.
(00:07:16) Marketing to different audiences.
(00:09:08) Embracing evangelism as a marketer vs. a reality-based approach.
(00:11:32) Finding the right balance between evangelism and reality.
(00:13:57) Advice for your first 90 days as CMO.
(00:17:59) Sara’s first 90 days at Twilio, Attentive, and Datadog.
(00:23:46) Common mistakes new CMOs make (and how to avoid them).
(00:25:48) Inspiring customer stories from Sara’s SaaS marketing career.
(00:27:28) Sara’s favorite SaaS company homepage.
(00:28:33) Why Tableau is Sara’s favorite enterprise tool.
(00:29:25) Book recommendations from Sara.
(00:31:31) Sara’s inspirational marketing leaders.

Featuring:

Sara Varni:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/saravarnibright/

Sunny Manivannan:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/
Twitter - https://x.com/sunnymanivannan

References:

Datadog - https://www.datadoghq.com/

Attentive - https://www.attentive.com/

Twilio - https://www.twilio.com/en-us

Medtronic - https://www.medtronic.com/us-en/index.html
Tableau - https://www.tableau.com/

Demon Copperhead - https://www.amazon.co.za/Demon-Copperhead-Pulitzer-Prize-Winner/dp/0063251922

Denise Persson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisepersson/

Jamie Domenici - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdomenici/

Shannon Sullivan Duffy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonduffy/

Jeff Titterton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefftitterton/

Follow us:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/peerbound-inc

Tune in:

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peerbound-podcast/id1708825056

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GO3n6pATX10fkY8lgf3GX

Harriet Johnston (VP of Marketing at Ashby) on Building Effective Marketing Strategies and Teams

kathryn@peerbound.com (Harriet Johnston, Sunny Manivannan) — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In today’s episode of The Peerbound Podcast, we sit down with Harriet Johnston, the Vice President of Marketing at Ashby to explore key strategies for refining recruitment processes and how to build a marketing team from scratch. Tuning in you’ll hear Harriet’s expert insights on attracting the best talent, enhancing the candidate experience, and why recruiting presents a rich brand-building opportunity. Discover key aspects you need to consider during the recruitment process, like prioritizing differentiated and compelling job descriptions, and why you should always treat candidates as potential customers. Harriet also elaborates on Ashby's journey navigating a dynamic market landscape, and the challenges they had to overcome while maintaining a cohesive narrative amid rapid changes. Stay tuned to the end for Harriet’s advice on staying connected with the Voice of the Customer (VoC) and her top reading and listening recommendations!

(0:00:35) Ashby’s unique offerings.
(0:01:58) Why Harriet joined Ashby.
(0:03:45) Building Ashby’s brand.
(0:05:11) Competitive differentiation in ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems).
(0:09:41) Building a marketing team from scratch.
(0:17:24) Strategies for hiring your first designer.
(0:19:37) Advice for attracting the best talent.
(0:20:17) Differentiated and compelling job descriptions.
(0:23:06) Delivering a good interview experience.
(0:24:31) Recruitment as a brand-building opportunity.
(0:27:25) Maintaining a narrative that works in a rapidly changing environment.
(0:31:30) Staying connected with the Voice of the Customer (VoC).
(0:34:56) Reading and listening recommendations.
(0:37:05) Recognizing influential figures in SaaS marketing.

Featuring:

Harriet Johnston:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hajohnston/

Sunny Manivannan:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnymanivannan/
Twitter - https://x.com/sunnymanivannan

References:

Ashby - https://www.ashbyhq.com/

Exit Five: B2B Marketing with Dave Gerhardt - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exit-five-b2b-marketing-with-dave-gerhardt/id1599954536

Storytelling with Data - https://www.amazon.com/Storytelling-Data-Visualization-Business-Professionals/dp/1119002257

Educated - https://www.amazon.com/Educated-Memoir-Tara-Westover/dp/0399590501

Why Fish Don't Exist - https://www.amazon.com/Why-Fish-Dont-Exist-Hidden/dp/1501160273
Creativity, Inc. - https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Inc-Overcoming-Unseen-Inspiration/dp/0812993012

Follow us:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/peerbound-inc

Tune in:

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peerbound-podcast/id1708825056

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GO3n6pATX10fkY8lgf3GX

Heather Larrabee (CMO of OfficeSpace Software) on Embracing the Entreprenuerial Mindset

kathryn@peerbound.com (Heather Larrabee, Sunny Manivannan) — Thu, 6 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode of the Peerbound Podcast, Chief Edition, host Sunny Manivannan is joined by Heather Larrabee, the Chief Marketing Officer of OfficeSpace Software. Heather discusses her extensive career, highlighting her transition from consumer brands like Whole Foods to B2B, particularly in software. She shares insights on effective marketing strategies, the importance of calculated risks, and aligning initiatives with broader business goals. Heather also delves into specific success stories from her career, including a significant innovation at Whole Foods involving a SaaS solution for vendor sampling. Beyond marketing tactics, the conversation touches on career advice for both early-stage professionals and those ten years into their careers, emphasizing the significance of a growth mindset, curiosity, and cross-functional collaboration. Heather's experiences underline the role of entrepreneurial thinking, mentorship, and community in personal and professional growth. The episode wraps up with a discussion on impactful customer stories and the future of work in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

(00:36) Heather Larrabee's Marketing Journey
(01:19) Innovative Solutions at Whole Foods
(05:15) Transitioning from B2C to B2B
(06:49) Digital Transformation and Career Path
(08:28) The Importance of Right Livelihood
(10:57) Navigating Post-Pandemic Work Environments
(15:02) Problem Solving and Growth Mindset
(23:51) Choosing the Right Marketing Strategy
(24:36) Entrepreneurial Mindset in Marketing
(25:07) Career Advice for Early-Stage Professionals
(27:53) Career Advice for Mid-Career Professionals
(30:44) The Importance of Mentorship and Community
(31:59) Influential Books and Resources
(33:48) Favorite Marketing Leaders and Brands
(40:32) Customer Stories and Final Thoughts

Featuring:

Heather Larrabee (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

References:

Tune in:

The Peerbound Podcast

Brittnee Dawson, VP of Product & Customer Marketing at Service Express, on Advocacy at Every Stage

Jess Walker McFarland, Customer Advocacy Leader, on Leadership & Building Advocacy for IPO Readiness

Jennifer Thompson, Sr. Customer Marketing Manager at Amperity, on Your Greatest Sales Team

Chris Dalton, Director of Customer Marketing at Clari, on Proactive Customer Marketing

Mary Green, Founder of CMAWeekly, on Building an Engaged Customer Marketing Community

Daniel Palay, Director of Customer Marketing at Grafana Labs, on Metrics That Prove Impact

Mel Cornford, Customer Marketing Lead at Canva, on Scaling Human-First Content Made for the Platform

Michael Sciano, Customer Marketing and Advocacy Leader, on Standing Out in a Competitive Job Market

Emily Coleman, Senior Manager of Customer Marketing and Advocacy at LaunchDarkly, on Empowering Customers Through Authentic Storytelling

Kevin Lau, VP of Customer Engagement at Freshworks, on Elevating Customer Marketing for Career Success

Alexie Glover, Co-Founder at Frank Advocacy, on Turning Customer Relationships into Revenue Growth

Ari Hoffman, Customer Marketing & Advocacy Expert, on the Impact of Effective Customer Storytelling

Ali Jawin, CMO at Pontera on Embracing Change, AI in Marketing, and Hard Career Lessons

Liz Egan, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Chainguard on AI, Growth, and Marketing Leadership

Jason Perocho, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Amperity on the Future of AI in Marketing and SaaS

Shannon Duffy (Chief Marketing Officer at Asana) on Leading with Authenticity and Embracing AI in Marketing

Sara Varni (Chief Marketing Officer at Datadog) on SaaS Marketing Leadership

Harriet Johnston (VP of Marketing at Ashby) on Building Effective Marketing Strategies and Teams

Heather Larrabee (CMO of OfficeSpace Software) on Embracing the Entreprenuerial Mindset

Trish Borrmann (Director of Global Customer Advocacy at ServiceNow) on Building Customer Relationships and Brand Engagement

Mark Boothe (CMO at Domo) on Leading with the Customer

Katlin Hess (Director of Customer Marketing at G2) on the Power of Customer Reviews

Emily Ward (VP of Global Marketing at Turnitin) on Evolutions in EdTech and Performance Marketing

Kirsten Newbold-Knipp (CEO at Ask Nicely) on Transforming Customer Experience Through Empathy and Technology

Trinity Nguyen (VP of Marketing at UserGems) on Customer-Centric Pricing Strategies

Paola Johnson (Director of Community and Customer Advocacy at ThoughtSpot) on The Art of Social Selling & Community Building

Jane Menyo (Head of Customer Marketing at Gong) on Elevating Customer Voices for Market Leadership

Sara Steffen (Sr. Director, Customer Marketing at Databricks) on Putting Humanity at the Forefront in Customer Marketing

Sara Spivey (former CMO at Braze and Bazaarvoice) on Building High-Performing Teams and the CMO’s Evolution

Thao Ngo (SVP of Marketing at Uptempo) on Building a Curious, High-Performing Marketing Team

Caroline Solis Wright (VP, Marketing at 360Learning) on the Importance of Customer Feedback and Understanding your Audience

Mike Molinet (Co-Founder of Branch and Thena) on Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Customer-Centricity

Jillian Bejtlich (Community Lead at Calendly) on Cultivating Customer-Led and Data-Driven Communities

Nisha Baxi (Head of Community and Digital Customer Success at Gong) on Community, Category Creation, and Career Advice

Toby Coulthard (CPO at Phrasee) on Bringing Technical Expertise and Commercial Strategy to Product Leadership

Junan Pang (Head of Customer Success at Slack) on Developing Customer Success Expertise

Chandar Pattabhiram (former CMO at Marketo and Coupa) on CMO Strategy and Impact

Alison Bukowski (VP, Customer Experience at Point of Reference) on Being Truly Customer-Led

Evan Hamilton (Director of Community at HubSpot) on The Power of Community in the Age of AI

Leslie Paterson (VP, Customer Advocacy & Engagement at BMC) on Leading, Building, and Reinventing Advocacy Programs

Dave Hansen (Global Advocacy Marketing Director at LRN) on Building and Nurturing Customer Advocacy and Community

Katie Pope (Sr. Director, Brand & Community at Iterable) on Evolving Customer Marketing Programs

Bill Lee (Founder of Center for Customer Engagement) on Pioneering Customer-Led Growth

Nicole Saunders (Director of Community at Zendesk) on Fostering Cross-Functional Collaboration

Lauren Turner (Director, Customer Marketing at Alyce) on the Power of Customer Voice

Kevin Lau (Sr. Director, Global Customer Engagement at F5) on Strategic Alignment in Customer Marketing

John Gleeson (Founder & Managing Partner at Success Venture Partners) on the Strategic Role of Customer Success

Hillary Curran (Sr. Director, Customer Voice & Implementation Strategy at Guru) on Leveraging Customer Insights for Growth

Will Crocker Hay (VP, Customer & Partner Education at Braze) on Scaling Successful Customer-Facing Functions

Ciana Abdollahian (Director, Customer Advocacy at Snyk) on Building Advocacy Programs from the Ground Up

Elizabeth Kinsey (Sr. Director, Community & Advocacy at Braze) on Interviewing, Career Development, and the Power of Community

Welcome to The Peerbound Podcast