What if your most powerful growth strategy isn’t reaching more people, but starting with the ones closest to you?

In this episode of Connect To Market, host Casey Cheshire welcomes Melissa Moody, Founder of Wednesday Women and Host of the Joy of Connecting podcast, to explore how brands can drive growth by returning to authentic human relationships. Melissa introduces her “concentric circles of influence” framework, a practical approach to prioritizing the people closest to your business first, employees, leaders, and internal advocates, before expanding outward to investors, partners, customers, and ultimately the broader market. She explains why starting from the inside out creates stronger alignment, clearer storytelling, and more effective market engagement.

She breaks down how organizations can activate employees as brand storytellers, align incentives with investors and advisors to unlock opportunities, and build strategic partnerships as a scalable growth lever. Melissa also highlights the importance of customer success as a marketing function, emphasizing customer-driven content over feature-heavy messaging. From prioritizing inner circles in small teams to maintaining brand consistency at scale, she outlines a more human, relationship-first approach to modern go-to-market strategy.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why human connection outperforms automation in today’s noisy marketing landscape
• Understanding and applying the concentric circles of influence framework
• Enabling employees and internal stakeholders as authentic brand advocates
• Leveraging partnerships and customer success as powerful growth drivers

If you’re a marketing leader looking to build stronger relationships, create more authentic engagement, and scale your impact from the inside out, Melissa’s framework offers a clear and actionable path to connecting with your market in a more meaningful way.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market.

Connect with Melissa:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissammoody/
• Wednesday Women: wednesdaywomen.org
• Joy of Connecting Podcast: https://www.joyofconnect.ing/
• Sign up for Alaska Salt Company's email list: https://alaskasaltco.com/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01kCcPP1ib9MSE9aNb5SQa
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/connect-to-market/id1822777920
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b5c3fb03-482f-4496-bcd0-82c1d66fed3d
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/282837141/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/connect-to-market-6138391
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP_sn6_Cwun_qxaOz94Epgf6zdqeTFjJV

Connect To Market is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

How can B2B SaaS companies build a strong go-to-market foundation and turn their website into a true driver of pipeline?

In this episode of Connect To Market, host Casey Cheshire welcomes Ian Dowe, Senior Vice President Marketing at HealthAxis, to explore how marketers can connect to their market through a deeply data-driven foundation. Ian explains why understanding your total addressable market, identifying active buyers, defining ICPs and personas, and mapping solutions to real pain points must come before any campaign execution. He shares how gaps in this foundation often stem from organizational maturity and why early success can create false confidence as markets inevitably shift.

He breaks down how leaders can build from the ground up by aligning product to buyer needs using frameworks like the KANO model, then layering in narrative, brand, and go-to-market strategy. From structuring MarTech stacks and internal processes to defining product marketing roadmaps and revenue metrics, Ian outlines a practical, step-by-step approach to building a scalable marketing engine. He also reframes creativity as strategic problem-solving and challenges teams to rethink websites as buyer enablement platforms that educate and qualify prospects deeper in the funnel.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why a strong data-driven foundation is critical before executing marketing campaigns
• Aligning product, messaging, and GTM strategy using buyer needs and the KANO model
• Reframing websites as buyer enablement platforms that drive deeper funnel engagement
• Building scalable marketing systems across MarTech, processes, and revenue metrics

If you’re a marketing leader looking to strengthen your GTM foundation while turning your website into a true growth engine, Ian’s approach offers a clear roadmap for building, scaling, and adapting in an ever-changing B2B landscape.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market.

Connect with Ian Dowe:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-dowe/
• Health Axis Group: healthaxis.com

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01kCcPP1ib9MSE9aNb5SQa
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/connect-to-market/id1822777920
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b5c3fb03-482f-4496-bcd0-82c1d66fed3d
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/282837141/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/connect-to-market-6138391
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP_sn6_Cwun_qxaOz94Epgf6zdqeTFjJV

Connect To Market is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

How can booth design and messaging transform your trade show results?

In this special episode of Connect To Market, I sat down with Bill Kenney, Founder & Client Advocate of MEET. Bill brings his wealth of knowledge on booth strategy and lead generation, offering practical insights that help businesses turn trade show floors into high-performing sales opportunities.

Bill breaks down why traditional booth setups often fall short and how a customer-centric approach makes all the difference. He shares how focusing on pain-point-driven messaging, like asking direct, relatable questions, can immediately attract qualified prospects. Bill also emphasizes the importance of keeping booth designs clean and simple, ditching cluttered text and irrelevant graphics for bold headlines that speak to real customer needs. Plus, he explains how to train your team for short, high-impact conversations and collect the right data for post-show follow-up.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why customer-focused booth messaging outperforms company-centric designs
• The power of short, strategic conversations over lengthy sales pitches
• Why cluttered booths and generic giveaways can hurt your brand presence
• Bill’s framework for turning trade shows into high-performing lead gen channels

If you’re ready to transform your trade show booth into a lead-generating powerhouse, this episode is packed with actionable insights you won’t want to miss!

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market.

Connect with Bill:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkenney/
• MEET Company website: https://meetroi.com/
• Blog: https://meetroi.com/blogs/
• Belly 2 Belly Podcast: http://meetroi.com/podcast/
• Softland Partners Company website: https://softlandpartners.com/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01kCcPP1ib9MSE9aNb5SQa
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/connect-to-market/id1822777920
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b5c3fb03-482f-4496-bcd0-82c1d66fed3d
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/282837141/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/connect-to-market-6138391
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP_sn6_Cwun_qxaOz94Epgf6zdqeTFjJV

Connect To Market is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

How can marketers better connect with their market when customer insights are often filtered, polished, or stuck in silos?

In this episode of Connect To Market, host Casey Cheshire welcomes B2B GTM Leader Angela Earl to explore how organizations can strengthen their connection to customers by listening more closely- not just to feedback, but to the real conversations happening across their teams. Angela explains why the most valuable insights often emerge when things aren’t going well, and why leaders must create an environment where honesty and vulnerability are encouraged so teams feel comfortable sharing what they’re truly hearing from customers.

She shares why building a shared understanding of the customer across go-to-market teams is critical, and how marketers can capture real signals such as objections, friction points, and recurring questions through tools like call transcripts and systems like Salesforce or HubSpot. Angela also emphasizes the importance of establishing a regular cadence to review feedback and ensure insights move across teams rather than getting lost in isolated systems. From using AI to accelerate research to validating insights through real conversations, she outlines practical ways leaders can stay close to the voice of the customer.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why real conversations often reveal more than polished customer feedback
• Building a shared understanding of the customer across go-to-market teams
• Capturing and sharing real customer signals through tools and systems
• Creating a regular feedback cadence to prevent insights from getting stuck in silos

If you’re a marketing leader looking to strengthen alignment across teams while staying closer to the voice of the customer, Angela’s approach offers practical ways to turn everyday conversations into meaningful market insight.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market.

Connect with Angela:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelanearl/
• Book: https://a.co/d/1oth0TT

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01kCcPP1ib9MSE9aNb5SQa
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/connect-to-market/id1822777920
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b5c3fb03-482f-4496-bcd0-82c1d66fed3d
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/282837141/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/connect-to-market-6138391
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP_sn6_Cwun_qxaOz94Epgf6zdqeTFjJV

Connect To Market is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

How can B2B brands win discovery, trust, and positioning when most cybersecurity messaging blends together?

In this episode of Connect To Market, host Casey Cheshire welcomes Valerie Zargarpur, Head of Marketing at Monad, to explore how marketers can connect to their market through brand story rather than just visual identity. Valerie explains why B2B, especially cybersecurity, often relies on jargon and executive-focused messaging, even though day-to-day users champion products. She shares why focusing on real customer insights and validated use cases can help brands stand out and build trust in a crowded market.

She breaks down how leaders can move from generic messaging to earning understanding by listening to customers, reviewing sales conversations for themes, challenging assumptions about the ideal customer profile, and positioning around use cases that resonate. From creating cohesive go-to-market narratives to leveraging origin stories for brand personality, Valerie outlines practical ways to differentiate and connect with audiences. She also reflects on iterative testing of messaging and applying B2C lessons in niche B2B contexts.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why B2B and cybersecurity brands often blend in and how storytelling can differentiate them
• Building a cohesive narrative from customer insights and validated use cases
• Leveraging origin stories to create brand personality and emotional connection
• Iterative testing of messaging to ensure clarity, simplicity, and resonance

If you’re a marketing leader looking to break through the noise while building deeper market trust, Valerie’s approach offers a clear roadmap for sharpening positioning, increasing credibility, and connecting with real users through authentic brand story.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market.

Connect with Valerie:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-zargarpur/
• Monad: https://www.monad.com/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01kCcPP1ib9MSE9aNb5SQa
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/connect-to-market/id1822777920
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b5c3fb03-482f-4496-bcd0-82c1d66fed3d
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/282837141/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/connect-to-market-6138391
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP_sn6_Cwun_qxaOz94Epgf6zdqeTFjJV

Connect To Market is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

How can marketers escape the tactics trap and build category strategy that actually connects to the market?

In this episode of Connect To Market, host Casey Cheshire welcomes John Rougeux, Founder of Flag & Frontier, to unpack why marketers are often set up for failure when they’re handed KPIs without influence over strategy. John argues that real market connection starts with understanding the category, buyer environment, and problem maturity - not chasing isolated tactics. Using a race car analogy, he explains why fundamentals matter more than surface-level optimization and how marketing becomes powerful when it shapes direction, not just execution.

John outlines three core pillars: first, aligning on the real problem and who it’s for by talking directly to customers; second, assessing the maturity of that problem to determine whether to create a category, carve out a niche in a mature market, or reinforce leadership like Salesforce; and third, distilling strategy into a clear narrative that aligns internal teams and guides external messaging. Drawing a parallel to a trial lawyer’s structured argument, he explains how strong strategy blends logic and emotion to move markets. He also shares lessons from his path from finance to performance marketing to advising companies at strategic inflection points, including examples like how Zoom reinvigorated a crowded space.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why marketers get trapped in tactics without strategic influence
• How to define the right problem through customer conversations
• How category maturity shapes whether you evangelize, niche down, or lead
• Why strategy must be distilled into a narrative that aligns teams and drives growth

If you’re a marketing leader navigating crowded markets, executive misalignment, or a major inflection point, John’s framework offers a practical roadmap for moving from activity to alignment and from tactics to true category strategy.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market.

Connect with John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbrougeux/
• Flag and Frontier: flagandfrontier.com
• Substack: https://substack.com/@johnrougeux

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01kCcPP1ib9MSE9aNb5SQa
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/connect-to-market/id1822777920
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b5c3fb03-482f-4496-bcd0-82c1d66fed3d
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/282837141/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/connect-to-market-6138391
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP_sn6_Cwun_qxaOz94Epgf6zdqeTFjJV

Connect To Market is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

How can challenger brands win discovery, trust, and positioning as generative AI reshapes how buyers find and evaluate solutions?

In this episode of Connect To Market, host Casey Cheshire welcomes Valerie Riley, Vice President of Marketing & Strategy at Unbounce and Co-Host of the Closing Time podcast, to explore how generative engine optimization (GEO) is transforming modern marketing. Valerie explains why GEO is emerging as a defining 2026 trend and how it shifts discovery from traditional search rankings to AI-generated recommendations. She shares why this shift can favor focused challenger brands over large incumbents that have historically dominated through budget and content scale.

She breaks down how marketers can move from buying attention to earning understanding by sharpening positioning, embracing specificity, and creating content that educates rather than shouts. From building credibility through transparent comparisons to activating authentic B2B influencer relationships, Valerie outlines practical ways to increase trust and relevance in AI-driven discovery. She also reflects on internal AI adoption, top-down leadership support, and the discipline required to focus strategy when resources are limited.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why GEO is reshaping discovery and favoring challenger brands
• How specificity and niche positioning improve AI visibility
• Practical strategies for trust-building through education and comparisons
• The role of influencer marketing and internal AI adoption in accelerating growth

If you’re a marketing leader looking to compete in an AI-powered landscape while building deeper market trust, Valerie’s approach offers a clear roadmap for sharpening positioning, increasing credibility, and winning in generative search.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market.

Connect with Valerie:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-riley-marketer/
• Unbounce: https://unbounce.com/
• Closing Time Podcast: https://www.insightly.com/closing-time/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01kCcPP1ib9MSE9aNb5SQa
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/connect-to-market/id1822777920
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b5c3fb03-482f-4496-bcd0-82c1d66fed3d
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/282837141/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/connect-to-market-6138391
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP_sn6_Cwun_qxaOz94Epgf6zdqeTFjJV

Connect To Market is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

How can mastering MarTech unlock customer connection and marketing success in the age of AI?

In this episode of Connect To Market, host Casey Cheshire welcomes Scott Brinker, Martech Analyst and Advisor at ChiefMartec, to explore how marketing is evolving in a technology-driven world. Scott shares how prioritizing direct customer engagement, maintaining brand integrity, and delivering exceptional experiences provides a foundation for more effective, human-centered marketing.

He explores how AI is reshaping consumer behavior, why traditional marketing principles remain important, and how marketing leaders can balance technology with human connection. From leveraging customer advocacy to ethical considerations in algorithmic pricing, Scott breaks down actionable strategies for creating loyal audiences, building trust, and driving meaningful impact. He also reflects on his journey in MarTech and how it informs his approach to marketing leadership.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why customer interaction is essential for modern marketing
• How AI is transforming marketing strategies and consumer expectations
• Practical strategies for fostering customer loyalty and advocacy
• Ethical considerations in AI-driven marketing and algorithmic pricing

If you’re a marketing leader looking to thrive in a fast-paced digital landscape while keeping human connection at the center, Scott’s approach offers a clear roadmap for building more strategic, customer-focused, and impactful marketing.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market.

Connect with Scott:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjbrinker/
• Chief Martec: chiefmartec.com

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01kCcPP1ib9MSE9aNb5SQa
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/connect-to-market/id1822777920
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b5c3fb03-482f-4496-bcd0-82c1d66fed3d
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/282837141/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/connect-to-market-6138391
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP_sn6_Cwun_qxaOz94Epgf6zdqeTFjJV

Connect To Market is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/