It’s no secret, most B2B content feels lifeless and overly cautious. And even though we have proven research that says the bolder and braver the content the better your engagement will be, it’s rare to find B2B content that isn’t bland–or another obvious statement labeled as the latest ‘hot take.’

Today we’re exploring why traditional approaches to B2B content often fail to captivate audiences, the dominance of video, podcasts, and the influence of dark social in decision-making. It’s time B2B marketers challenge the status quo of "safe" content and rethink their approach to storytelling, tone, and audience engagement…but how do you actually do that?

Tune in with us as we sit down with James Carbary, founder of Sweetfish Media, for a masterclass on how B2B brands can break free from outdated content norms. From the power of co-hosted commentary to the importance of embracing imperfection, John and James dissect the mindset shifts needed to produce not just good content, but memorable and impactful content. Whether you're a seasoned CMO or just beginning to explore content strategy, this episode delivers the inspiration and tools you need to escape mediocrity and take your content to the next level.

About the Guest

James is married to the kindest human on planet Earth. His wife Lisa was a dolphin trainer at Disney World for 12 years, and is now pursuing her Master’s degree in Marine Mammal Science. Their son JJ, and foster son Zion, are currently being trained up to love God and add value to people’s lives. Team Carbary is on a mission to inspire millions of people to pursue Jesus, family, and growth.

Professionally, James is the founder of Sweet Fish (3x Inc. 5000 video podcast agency), Creator House (video podcast production studio), and B2B Growth (top 100 marketing podcast).

Growth Driver is powered by Intelligent Demand. Visit intelligentdemand.com to learn more about how they can help your organization hit its growth goals.

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With today’s B2B buyers, every word counts. Getting your messaging right can mean the difference between closing a deal or losing it to a competitor. Crafting messages that resonate and convert is more than just a creative exercise—it's a strategic imperative. Yet, many organizations fall into the trap of using the same messaging tactics across all stages of the customer lifecycle, missing opportunities to leverage buyer psychology effectively.

This episode explores the nuances of messaging and positioning, diving into how value propositions must evolve based on where your buyer is in their journey. We break down the critical difference between "value selling" and "solution selling" and why it's essential to tailor your approach. For customer acquisition, it's all about disrupting the status quo, shaking up your prospects' thinking to show them why change is necessary. But when it comes to expansion and renewals, your messaging needs to shift gears—focusing on the value and outcomes you've already delivered to reinforce why sticking with you is the best choice.

Joining us is Tim Riesterer, a seasoned expert on the intersection of messaging, psychology, and sales effectiveness. Tim brings decades of experience helping organizations understand what truly drives conversion and how to leverage buyer psychology to craft messages that align with each stage of the customer lifecycle. In this episode, he shares actionable insights into how you can transform your messaging strategy to not just communicate, but truly connect—and convert.

About the Guest

Tim Riesterer, Chief Strategy Officer at Corporate Visions, is the sought after expert on evidence-based revenue growth using counterintuitive approaches. Known for his candid thought leadership and engaging keynotes, he’s spent decades testing and refining go-to-market strategies that put buyers squarely at the center. Tim is the author of four insightful books, including Customer Message Management, Conversations that Win the Complex Sale, The Three Value Conversations, and The Expansion Sale.

Growth Driver is powered by Intelligent Demand. Visit intelligentdemand.com to see how we help B2B companies grow revenue.

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Theory & Practice, a special subseries within the Growth Driver podcast, is where John Common, CEO of Intelligent Demand, cuts through surface-level strategies and explores what truly drives B2B growth. Season 1 brought insights that challenged assumptions and transformed growth into more than just a metric—here are some of the standout moments!

From John Common’s advice to have the CMO, CRO, CEO, and CFO at the table for strategic planning to breaking down real growth goals, every episode challenged the status quo. With a call for courageous and wise decision-making, John reminds leaders that driving growth isn’t about waiting for a crisis but about proactively instigating change for long-term success.

As the industry shifts towards “efficient growth,” Theory & Practice continues to explore how many companies over-focus on short-term acquisition, ignoring the deeper fundamentals. John emphasized the power of alignment: connecting brand, demand, sales, and customer success by holding every team accountable for the unified message that speaks to customers with one voice.

Growth Driver is powered by Intelligent Demand. Visit intelligentdemand.com to learn more about how they can help your organization hit its growth goals.

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In this episode of Growth Driver, John welcomes AJ Gandhi, Chief Growth Officer at Marlin Equity Partners, for an in-depth exploration of the emerging role of the Chief Growth Officer (CGO) in modern B2B growth. They unpack what makes this role unique—its core responsibilities, how it compares to other C-level titles, and how CGOs drive aligned growth across diverse functions.

AJ shares insights from his experience as a CGO, shedding light on the evolving demands of go-to-market strategy. With businesses prioritizing both growth and efficiency, AJ breaks down his “DRIVER” framework, a powerful approach for scalable, cross-functional alignment:

D for Differentiation: Craft compelling, customer-centered messaging to stand out.

R for Raise Sales Talent: Prioritize skill development and continuous enablement.

I for Ideal Customer Profile Pipeline: Target ICP-based opportunities that drive true value.

V for Value Realization: Measure and communicate ROI at every customer stage.

E for Expansion of Existing Customers: Foster lifetime value through smart renewal and cross-sell tactics.

R for Revenue Team Excellence: Encourage cohesion and innovation across functions.

Tune in to understand the CGO’s role in building end-to-end growth strategies and transforming growth into a true team sport.

About the Guest

Entrepreneurial general manager with expertise in B2B sales strategy, productivity and operations and proven ability to sell enterprise deals. 20+ years of experience with over 50 B2B companies covering all major geographies (NA, EMEA, APJ), customer segments (Enterprise, Commercial, SMB) and routes to market (Field, Inside, Channel, OEM Sales).

Distinctively known for: GTM acumen, team building and development, collaborative problem solving, driving change and creating a high aspiration, yet fun, winning culture. Intrinsically motivated by the opportunity to contribute and make a difference.

Active non-profit leader and proudly recognized as "Father of the Year" by Board of Supervisors of San Mateo County, CA.

Growth Driver is powered by Intelligent Demand. Visit intelligentdemand.com to learn more about how they can help your organization hit its growth goals.

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What if your account-based strategy needs to become your business's lifeline? More and more organizations are claiming ABX is the cornerstone of their go-to-market strategy, but they didn’t get there overnight. The journey from simply “ABX curious” to running a full-scale pilot highlights how companies can elevate both engagement and conversion rates by focusing their efforts on the accounts that matter most; and the critical elements that will prevent account-based success if not addressed early and head-on.

That’s why we’re exploring what happens when ABX goes beyond being just one of many strategies in a marketer's playbook and instead takes center stage as the primary motion to drive both demand and efficiency. This transition requires a transformative shift in the way companies target, personalize, and engage their audience. But more than just tactical adjustments, ABX done right impacts the entire organization—from aligning marketing and sales to building transparency and cross-functional coordination.

Join us as we dive into the strategic evolution from broad-market targeting to laser-focused account-based strategies with Kevin Sellers, CMO at Avalara and formerly with Intel, Ping Identity, and Avnet. Kevin shares the strategic decisions, executive alignment, and hard-earned lessons that came from piloting and scaling ABX. Join us as we unpack the mechanics of effective ABX strategy and the cultural shifts that make it work.

Kevin Sellers is responsible for Avalara’s worldwide marketing and branding to reinforce the company’s market leader position in tax compliance and to drive demand for its software solutions and services. He joined Avalara in 2024 and brings more than 25 years of broad-based marketing expertise in digital, data/analytics, complex channels and storytelling – driving growth and relevance for world-class brands and moving buyers to action. Prior to Avalara, Kevin has held CMO positions at Ping Identity and Avnet and spent more than 20 years at Intel in various global marketing and investor relations leadership roles. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and an MBA from Brigham Young University.

Growth Driver is powered by Intelligent Demand. Visit intelligentdemand.com to see how we help B2B companies grow revenue.

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Welcome to a world where the role of CMOs is rapidly evolving, demanding not just creative genius but strategic acumen and data-driven decision-making. It’s up to today’s marketing leaders to understand how their responsibilities intertwine with sales, product, and finance to drive cohesive growth strategies.

Today, we’re diving into the art of driving efficient growth as an enterprise CMO, while juggling limited budgets, lots of competition, product complexity, and the never ending challenges of alignment. From defining and refining your Ideal Client Profile (ICP), to driving an orchestrated execution of your go-to-market strategy, the CMO role feels a lot like a pressure cooker.

Pull up a seat as we dig in with Corey Livingston, and discover the lessons, insights, and warning signs she’s gathered in her decades of steering growth in complex enterprise environments. This episode provides an insider's view on strategies that will keep your marketing and sales teams harmonized amidst product innovation and shifting market dynamics.

About the Guest

Corey Livingston is a results-driven marketing leader with over two decades of experience in strategic marketing, demand generation, and revenue operations. Formerly the Senior Vice President of Marketing & Sales Operations at OneNeck IT Solutions (now US Signal), Corey leads cross-functional teams in executing go-to-market strategies that drive brand visibility, customer acquisition, sales pipeline and revenue. Her leadership has been pivotal in implementing a data-driven demand generation engines, resulting in increased sales pipeline and new logo growth across complex buying journeys. Corey holds an MBA from Loyola Marymount University and a BBA from Texas Tech University.

Growth Driver is powered by Intelligent Demand. Visit intelligentdemand.com to learn more about how they can help your organization hit its growth goals.

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As revenue leaders, we spend the majority of our time working on strategy, processes, and metrics... And we should. But when you step back and look at how our customers and prospects actually get to know us, what they really interact with, it’s our content.

Content is the heartbeat of B2B growth—yet, let's face it, much of it is uninspired and forgettable. B2B content is often generic, jargony, and timid. And it’s not a stretch to say you could swap logos on the content in most categories and not even tell the difference.

So how do you create content that doesn’t suck? That’s what we’re going to cover today with content expert Ardath Albee. Join us as we walk through the key steps of the content process and uncover insights, advice, and mistakes to avoid so we can create content that is super engaging, highly relevant, differentiating, and actually drives growth.

About the Guest

Ardath Albee is a B2B Marketing Strategist and CEO of Marketing Interactions where she creates personas and persona-driven content marketing and buyer enablement strategies for her clients. She’s written two books—Digital Relevance and eMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale—and is often found speaking at industry events, leading workshops, and on the lists of the top B2B industry experts to follow.

Growth Driver is powered by Intelligent Demand. Visit intelligentdemand.com to learn more about how they can help your organization hit its growth goals.

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B2B buyers have changed—and your strategy should too. Are your strategies still centered around the outdated MQL model? You're not alone, but it's time to break free and step into the realities of new buyer behavior, buying teams, and multi-threading. These challenges are more connected than you might think.

Today we’re tackling the monumental shifts in B2B buyer behavior and why clinging to Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) is no longer the path to revenue success. It's time to equip your business with the know-how to engage buyers on their terms and dramatically improve your revenue process.

Join us as we reconnect with two game-changers from season one, Terry Flaherty and Kerry Cunningham. With their decades of experience in shaping B2B marketing and sales processes–the funnel model to name one–they bring a wealth of insights into the 'why' and 'how' of aligning your strategies with modern buyer behavior.

Terry Flaherty is a senior marketing executive with a passion for sales and marketing integration through effective demand generation. His background includes more than 15 years of experience delivering enterprise-level software solutions, including business process management (BPM), IT infrastructure management, business intelligence, and application development.

Check out Terry’s first episode on Growth Driver:

https://www.growthdrivershow.com/mqls-are-out-buying-groups-are-in-with-terry-flaherty/

Kerry Cunningham is a research director, analyst, and thought leader with over 25 years of experience in all aspects of B2B. He’s authored numerous B2B frameworks including the latest versions of the Revenue Waterfall model. Most recently at 6sense, Kerry leads research and insights, including the just-released B2B Buyer Experience Report.

Check out Kerry’s first episode on Growth Driver:

https://www.growthdrivershow.com/how-b2b-buyer-behavior-has-changed-with-kerry-cunningham/

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