** Originally published on February 1, 2023 **

This episode is one of my first few recordings - and still one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy - DM me, comment, or write a review to share feedback. Thank you! - Jane

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In this special REPLAY episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra interviews Jen Capstraw, a leading email marketing expert and co-founder of Women of Email. Jen shares her career journey from media and journalism to email marketing, emphasizing the channel's critical role in both B2B and B2C contexts. The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities within email marketing, the importance of investing in professional development, and the need for supportive workplace champions. Jen's insights and personal stories offer valuable lessons on self-advocacy, resilience, and the power of community in navigating the marketing industry.

Jen talks us all through:

• Her career journey from media and journalism to email marketing
• The importance of email marketing in both B2B and B2C contexts
• Challenges faced by women in the marketing industry
• The significance of investing in personal and professional development
• Differences between B2B and B2C email marketing strategies
• Community building and support for women in email marketing
• The role of emotional and professional support in career fulfillment
• Self-advocacy and challenging the status quo in the workplace
• Importance of personal branding and effective communication in job hunting
• Resilience and maintaining a positive mindset in the face of adversity

Mentioned in this episode:

Women of Email - https://womenofemail.org/

Emfluence - https://emarketingplatform.com/

The Ins and Outs of a Strategic Nurture Campaign - https://jen.tips/nurture

Key Links:

Guest: Jen Capstraw: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jencapstraw/

Host: Jane Serra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra sits down with Surbhi Agarwal, the CMO at Applied Intuition. Surbhi shares her impressive career journey, transitioning from engineering and sales to various marketing roles, ultimately becoming a CMO. With experience at industry giants like Intel and Google, as well as startups, Surbhi offers valuable insights into the differences between large corporations and startups, the critical role of product marketing, and leadership strategies. She emphasizes adaptability, continuous learning, and the importance of advocating for oneself in the workplace.

Surbhi walks us through:

• Her career journey from engineering to CMO in B2B marketing.
• Experiences in both large corporations and startups.
• The importance of product marketing in understanding product-market fit and business strategy.
• Challenges faced by product marketers, including lead generation and collaboration.
• The extensive responsibilities faced by product marketers in various aspects of the business.
• Her admiration for the demand generation function and its high-pressure environment.
• The impact of organizational silos on marketing efficiency and effectiveness.
• The Golden Triangle: defining functional pillars and setting clear objectives for team collaboration.
• Strategies for fostering collaboration and alignment within marketing teams.
• Adapting to different cultures while working internationally despite visa restrictions.
• The significance of psychological safety, trust, and open communication in leadership.
• Gender inequality in the workplace and the importance of advocacy for women.
• Lessons on resilience, adaptability, and continuous learning in career development.

Key Links:

Guest: Surbhi Agarwal - https://www.linkedin.com/in/surbhiagarwal/

Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra welcomes Gwen Lafage, VP of Brand and Content at Sinch, to discuss her journey in marketing. Gwen shares insights from her experiences in both B2C and B2B sectors, emphasizing the evolution of marketing tactics and the critical role of storytelling in branding. They explore how brand campaigns integrate with demand generation and highlight the importance of human connection in marketing. The conversation also delves into the value of transferable skills in career transitions and the necessity of self-advocacy and internal communication within marketing teams.

Gwen and Jane talk through:

• Valuing human connections in brand marketing and relationships.
• Gwen's journey from B2C to B2B marketing.
• Advantages of agency experience for in-house roles, including context switching skills.
• Integration of brand campaigns with demand generation efforts.
• The concept of "performance branding" and its impact on business results.
• The importance of understanding business goals in campaign development.
• Linking product features to overarching brand narratives in campaigns.
• Linking complex technical updates to customer stories, enhancing understanding and engagement.
• Collaboration between brand, product marketing, and regional teams for campaign success.
• Insights into the difficulties of forming effective teams post-reorganization, especially after acquisitions.
• Maintaining a forward-moving mindset amidst organizational changes.
• The necessity of self-advocacy and visibility in the workplace.

Key Links:

Guest: Gwen Lafage - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwen-lafage/

Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra speaks with Talya Heller, a competitive positioning advisor and founder of Down to a T. Talya shares her career journey from industrial engineering to product marketing, emphasizing the importance of networking, especially after relocating to a new country. She provides insights into competitive positioning, discussing its strategic significance for both new and established companies. The episode highlights the value of embracing new opportunities, investing in personal development, and celebrating career milestones.

Jane and Talya discuss:

• Career transitions from industrial engineering to product marketing.
• The significance of networking in career development, especially after relocating.
• The role of personal development in achieving long-term career success.
• Insights into competitive positioning for both new and established companies.
• The importance of defining and regularly updating the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).
• Strategies for gathering insights to refine the ICP.
• The relationship and overlap between product management and product marketing.
• The evolving use of LinkedIn for professional networking and knowledge sharing.
• Embracing discomfort and taking risks as a pathway to growth.
• Celebrating career milestones and achievements within the B2B marketing community.

Key Links:

Guest: Talya Heller - https://www.linkedin.com/in/talyahellermba18/

Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra sits down with Irem Isik, Head of Marketing at Storyly, who shares her journey from B2C roles at Unilever and Nestlé to leading marketing in a B2B startup. Erin discusses the transition from structured corporate environments to the dynamic startup world, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer needs and adaptability. Key takeaways include the significance of maintaining brand authenticity, leveraging content as a marketing asset, and building genuine relationships. Erin also highlights the evolving landscape of B2B marketing, where emotional connections and a customer-centric approach are crucial for success.

Irem and Jane talk through:

• Differences between large corporations and startup environments
• Importance of understanding the customer and being customer-obsessed
• Skills and experiences carried over from B2C to B2B marketing
• Marketing the emotional benefits of products rather than just the functional aspects
• The evolution of brand marketing in the B2B space
• The concept of the "media company mindset" in B2B marketing
• Building partnerships and community engagement
• Challenges in conducting customer research in B2B
• The significance of personal branding and networking in marketing careers

Key Links:

Guest: Irem Isik - https://www.linkedin.com/in/isikiremtr/

Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra sits down with Tas Bober, B2B SaaS Digital Marketing Advisor & Founder at Delphinium Solutions. Tas shares her unique journey from journalism to marketing, emphasizing the importance of understanding product marketing and buyer journeys for effective landing pages. She discusses her experiences in sales, the challenges women face in the workplace, and the significance of supportive leadership. The episode offers valuable insights into digital marketing strategies, particularly around landing pages and paid media ads, and underscores the power of resilience and continuous learning in career growth.

Tas and Jane discuss:

• The importance of understanding product marketing and buyer journeys
• Strategies for creating effective landing pages
• How deep product knowledge enhances the quality of landing pages
• Sharing insights from landing page tests with other marketing teams
• Concentrating on a few effective marketing channels rather than spreading efforts too thin
• Why content syndication is just glorified list buying
• The role of sales experience in enhancing marketing effectiveness
• Experimentation and iteration in marketing strategies
• Insights on collaboration between marketing and product teams
• Challenges women face in the workplace, particularly in leadership roles
• Mentorship and support among women in marketing
• The impact of workplace culture on women's career advancement
• Challenges and responsibilities of running a business while managing personal life
• Tas's goal to support minority entrepreneurs and promote authenticity in entrepreneurship

Key Links:

Guest: Tas Bober - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tasbober/

Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

Mentioned in Episode:

Laura Nguyen - Executive Coach (Burnout) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauran546/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra interviews Natalie Marcotullio, the Head of Growth and Operations at Navattic. They explore Natalie's journey into B2B marketing, her insights on the evolution of SEO, and the importance of creating valuable content. Natalie emphasizes brand awareness and value creation over direct conversions, and discusses the collaborative development of a buyers report with Chili Piper. The conversation also highlights the impact of digital platforms like LinkedIn on professional networking and the significance of understanding customer needs and sales enablement.

Natalie talks through:

• The evolution of SEO and its current relevance in digital marketing.
• The importance of creating valuable content that addresses customer needs.
• Collaboration on a buyers report with Chili Piper to enhance B2B buying experiences.
• Strategies for measuring success focused on brand awareness rather than direct conversions.
• The significance of understanding customer pain points and sales enablement.
• Challenges and successes of working in a small marketing team within a larger organization.
• How she collaborates with advisors for product and marketing insights.
• Identifying inefficiencies in business communication and operations.
• The impact of digital platforms like LinkedIn on professional networking and marketing.
• The role of word-of-mouth marketing in generating leads and building trust.

Key Links:

Guest: Natalie Marcotullio - https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-marcotullio/

Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra welcomes Chelsea Castle, Head of Content and Brand at Close. They delve into Chelsea's career journey, from journalism to tech marketing, and her new role's challenges. Chelsea shares her strategies for the first 90 days in a new position, emphasizing rapport-building and impactful contributions. The discussion highlights current content marketing trends, the importance of authenticity, and the need for creativity. They also explore balancing strategic planning with quick wins and the significance of qualitative feedback.

Chelsea and Jane discuss:

• Chelsea's transition from journalism to B2B marketing and content strategy at tech companies
• Her experience in marketing to marketers and sales teams
• Understanding your audience and getting creative with content
• Chelsea's approach to the first 90 days in a new role and the importance of setting achievable goals
• Building rapport within the team and cross-functionally in a new role
• Balancing long-term planning and quick wins in a marketing role
• The shift from SEO-based content strategies to new distribution channels in B2B marketing
• Challenging oneself to think differently and avoid following trends for the sake of being different
• Rethinking the approach to LinkedIn takeovers, making it more organic and impactful
• Seeking inspiration from diverse industries and the role of intuition in marketing
• Fostering creativity, including optional brainstorms and the concept of brain writing
• Defining content that converts, focusing on building connections and trust before driving action
• Significance of a diverse mix of content types and mediums to resonate with the audience
• Unique advantages of written and video content, with an example of successful framework content
• The value of qualitative feedback in measuring content success and the discussion on overrated content practices, emphasizing the need for authenticity and depth
• Returning to work after becoming a mom and the challenges of adjusting to a new version oneself

Key Links:

Guest: Chelsea Castle - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseacastle/

Host: Jane Serra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/