The brands people remember rarely play it safe, and in industries where most companies follow the same path, success often comes from doing something different. So, what’s the most effective way to grow your brand?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith hears from Ryan Shapiro and Rachel McDougall, President and Founder of peomg, to discuss the strategy that fueled their growth and how prioritizing authenticity has become their competitive advantage.

You’ll learn:

• How breaking industry norms can drive brand growth
• Why audience value real, human brands over synthetic marketing
• How authenticity helps B2B brands standout in a saturated market

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Setting the stage for meaningful innovation

(00:27) Meet the guests: The minds behind the conversation

(00:48) Why going against the industry playbook works
(01:17) Choosing authenticity over synthetic branding

(01:33) Inside peomg’s holiday campaign

(01:58) Key takeaways and final insights

Straight to Voicemail is for CMOs, CEOs, and Heads of Marketing in B2B tech who want insights from the people who’ve been there. Each episode centers on one big question answered like a voicemail you’ll want to play again.

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore our big little wins newsletter for more B2B content strategy insights. https://shareyourgenius.com/blog/

Follow Amanda Smith on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-alexander-smith/

Follow Ryan Shapiro and Rachel McDougall on LinkedIn

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

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelmcdougall1/

peomg https://www.linkedin.com/company/peomg/

Innovation without direction is a liability. Ideas alone don’t move the business forward. Sustainable companies know that to create real value, innovation must serve customers, solve meaningful problems, and drive revenue. So how do you build innovation that delivers lasting impact?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith hears from Darrian Mikell, Director of Finance and Strategy at Humanly, about how companies can turn innovation into tangible business outcomes. Darrian emphasizes that it starts with listening to customers and translating insights into measurable results.

You’ll learn:
• Why innovation without a clear purpose can hurt more than it helps
• How to think about innovation differently from simply growing a business
• How innovation connects directly to revenue and cash flow

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Darrian Mikell
(01:13) Innovating with purpose vs. innovation for its own sake
(01:53) Using micro-experimentation and synthesizing customer feedback
(02:51) Balancing cash constraints with incremental growth

Straight to Voicemail is for CMOs, CEOs, and Heads of Marketing in B2B tech who want insights from the people who’ve been there. Each episode centers on one big question answered like a voicemail you’ll want to play again.

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore our big little wins newsletter for more B2B content strategy insights. https://shareyourgenius.com/blog/

Follow Amanda Smith on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-alexander-smith/

Follow Darrian Mikell on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/darrianmikell/

Humanly https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanlyhr/

It’s a classic story: an exciting vision and a bold team making it big with their entrepreneurial spirit… and as soon as they scale, it starts to fade. Decisions take longer, everything gets bogged down in approval processes, and the culture? It turns into a cycle of meetings, endless back-and-forth, and the dreaded “we’ll follow up next quarter.” What was once a fast, agile team now feels like it’s stuck in neutral.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Downey hears from Nick Smarrelli, Professor and Director of Entrepreneurship at Butler University. Nick shares how to keep entrepreneurial thinking alive through growth, highlighting the importance of speed over perfection, enthusiasm as a force multiplier, and embracing risk-taking. Nick’s approach shows that scaling isn’t about avoiding mistakes but learning quickly and adapting.

You’ll learn:

• Why speed is more important than perfection when scaling
• How to use enthusiasm to drive culture and team engagement
• Why celebrating mistakes can foster innovation and growth

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Nick
(00:15) The importance of speed over perfection in scaling
(01:00) How enthusiasm drives team engagement and culture
(02:00) Normalizing risk-taking and celebrating failures
(03:00) Why compounding small efforts leads to bigger outcomes
(04:00) How adaptability is the key to success in scaling
(05:00) The importance of learning and adapting as you scale

Straight to Voicemail is for CMOs, CEOs, and Heads of Marketing in B2B tech who want insights from the people who’ve been there. Each episode centers on one big question answered like a voicemail you’ll want to play again.

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore our big little wins newsletter for more B2B content strategy insights.

Scaling a business is thrilling… until you realize you’re chasing every opportunity and losing sight of what really matters. Too many companies spread themselves too thin, making mistakes that could have been avoided with sharper focus.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey hears from Andrew Thompson, Co-Founder of West2East, about the biggest mistakes companies make when scaling or acquiring businesses. Andrew shares how success comes from sticking to a proven process and focusing on what works, not reinventing the wheel. His advice is clear: stay strategic, focus on growth, and always optimize, don’t complicate.

You’ll learn:

• The importance of staying committed to your growth process
• Why you shouldn’t try to reinvent the wheel when acquiring a business
• How focusing on growth rather than perfection ensures long-term success

Jump in the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Andrew Thompson

(01:44) Lack of process commitment

(02:00) Over-expecting and reinventing the wheel

(02:20) Predicting success via proven models

(02:39) Protecting profitability during acquisitions

Straight to Voicemail is for CMOs, CEOs, and Heads of Marketing in B2B tech who want insights from the people who’ve been there. Each episode centers on one big question answered like a voicemail you’ll want to play again.

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore our big little wins newsletter for more B2B content strategy insights.

Most B2B brands think content is just for driving awareness. But what if content could be the key to solving your biggest trust issues with customers?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith speaks with Cecilia Romero, Founder and Operator of Miss 7x7. With her background in event planning, Cecilia has mastered the art of using content to transform the customer experience. By sharing inspiration boards, behind-the-scenes insights, and process breakdowns, Cecilia helps clients feel confident and involved every step of the way.

You’ll learn:

• How content creates trust before you even meet the client
• Why transparency helps clients make quicker decisions
• How content leads to smoother, faster customer experiences

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Cecilia
(00:12) Why content is key to building trust
(01:00) How inspiration boards help clients visualize their vision
(02:00) The power of behind-the-scenes content
(03:00) How transparency cuts down on back-and-forth
(04:00) Content’s role in setting client expectations
(04:45) How content helps align clients with your brand’s process
(05:30) Cecilia’s approach to using content for long-term client relationships

Straight to Voicemail is for CMOs, CEOs, and Heads of Marketing in B2B tech who want insights from the people who’ve been there. Each episode centers on one big question answered like a voicemail you’ll want to play again.

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights. https://shareyourgenius.com/blog/

Follow Amanda Smith on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-alexander-smith/

Follow Cecilia Romero on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceciliaromero1/

Miss 7x7 https://www.miss7x7.com/

AI continues to change the way buyers discover and choose brands, with many turning to tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude for answers. This has made content planning and development more critical than ever. So how should brands evolve their content strategy to stay visible in the age of AI?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey sits down with Jennifer Jackson, CMO at Actian, to discuss how brands can adapt their content strategy in an AI-driven world. Jennifer shares why discoverability now depends on both human relevance and machine readability, and how brands can build for both.

You’ll learn:

• How AI tools are changing the way buyers interact with brands
• Why clarity and consistency matter for brand visibility
• How to create content that works for both people and AI platforms

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Jennifer Jackson
(00:11) Content Strategy Isn’t What It Used to Be
(00:32) The Rise of AI Search
(00:55) Meet Jennifer Jackson, CMO of Actian
(01:58) The Big Question: Content Strategy in the Age of AI
(02:35) Less Website Traffic, More AI Discovery
(02:57) Double Down on Brand Messaging
(03:16) Writing for Humans and Machines
(04:00) Building Credibility Through Evidence

Straight to Voicemail is for CMOs, CEOs, and Heads of Marketing in B2B tech who want insights from the people who’ve been there. Each episode centers on one big question answered like a voicemail you’ll want to play again.

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

Marketing to blue-collar industries often misses the mark. Many brands lean on polished messaging and big promises, only to lose trust with an audience that values clarity, honesty, and proof.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith talks with Bo Dietrick, President of Robert Dietrick Co. Bo shares how his background in creative media helped him see a gap in how blue-collar brands show their work. He explains why photography and video became essential tools for building trust with both customers and employees, and how showing real operations drives stronger connections.

You’ll learn:

• Why showing real work builds trust faster than polished messaging
• How visual content helps buyers understand how products actually work
• What blue-collar audiences expect from honest marketing

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Bo
(00:27) Bo’s transition from media to manufacturing
(01:35) The missed opportunity in visual storytelling
(02:19) Using photography to show real operations
(02:40) How video builds trust with customers
(03:13) Why transparency matters in industrial markets
(03:20) What honest marketing looks like in practice

Straight to Voicemail is for CMOs, CEOs, and Heads of Marketing in B2B tech who want insights from the people who’ve been there. Each episode centers on one big question answered like a voicemail you’ll want to play again.

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

Revenue marketing gets messy fast. Multiple teams are involved, pressure is high, and results are expected now and later. In 2025, many teams are still spreading their efforts thin without a clear strategy for what actually drives revenue.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith talks with Kate O’Neil, Co-Founder and CEO of Opre. Kate has spent over 20 years building and scaling SaaS companies, including LeanKit and Salesfusion. She shares how focusing on fewer channels, especially LinkedIn, helped her generate millions in pipeline and reach senior decision makers without chasing every new tactic.

You’ll learn:

• How focusing on one channel drives stronger revenue results
• Why CEO led LinkedIn content can unlock inbound demand
• How consistency beats perfection in revenue marketing

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Kate
(00:23) Why doing more is not the answer
(00:38) Why LinkedIn became the primary channel
(01:01) What a strong revenue marketing strategy looks like
(01:18) How CEO posting drives pipeline
(01:32) Why done beats perfect on LinkedIn
(01:56) Building a daily posting habit
(02:27) When inbound demand starts showing up
(02:45) Reaching senior buyers without demos

Straight to Voicemail is for CMOs, CEOs, and Heads of Marketing in B2B tech who want insights from the people who’ve been there. Each episode centers on one big question answered like a voicemail you’ll want to play again.

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.