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Laurence Paquette, VP of Marketing at Vestas, had a rough 2024. Divorce, losing a best friend, burnout — and 35,000 colleagues watching. She still went to work. And at some point, she told her team.

This episode is about what happens when leaders actually do the thing they tell others to do — be vulnerable, be human, be present. Not as a culture initiative. As survival.

We also get into the unusual world of industrial B2B marketing: no leads, ~300 customers, deals worth hundreds of millions, and a TikTok account featuring cows next to wind turbines. Laurence makes the case that even in that world, people buy on emotion — and that marketers who won't accept that are still making PDF brochures nobody reads.

One thread runs through all of it: the cost of pretending everything is fine.

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In this episode, we talk about Adobe Summit — what it really is, and how to get value from it.

Because let’s be honest…

It’s not just about sessions.

We break down:

• Why we go (hint: it’s not for the slides)
• How to actually get value from events like Summit
• The importance of meeting customers and partners face-to-face
• Why some of the best conversations happen outside the agenda
• And yes… the unofficial competition: who has the best swag

Whether you're attending or just curious what all the hype is about — this episode gives you a practical take on what actually matters.

And if you’re going to Summit…
we might see you there 👀

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AI isn’t the real problem.

Marketing is.

In this episode, we talk about a growing trend:
Mass layoffs in marketing — driven by AI.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth:

AI isn’t replacing marketing teams.
It’s exposing them.

Because when marketing is seen as a workflow…
it can be automated.

We break down:

• Why marketing is often first in line for budget cuts
• Why AI is accelerating a problem that’s been there for years
• And why most teams still struggle to prove real business impact

The key question:

👉 Are you building a marketing function… or just running workflows?

Because if you can’t prove value to the business —
someone (or something) else will do it cheaper.

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Marketing isn’t underperforming.

It’s just not trusted.

In this episode, we unpack a striking insight:
90% of CEOs don’t trust marketing to report commercial impact.

Not because marketing isn’t delivering results —
but because the way we report doesn’t connect to the business.

We break down:

• Why marketing focuses on channels instead of business impact
• Why CFOs win the argument (almost every time)
• And how this has become a structural problem — not a performance problem

Plus, we share a simple 3-step approach we’re seeing work across companies:

1. Move from platform reporting → holistic reporting
2. Take true data ownership
3. Align marketing with what the CFO actually cares about

Because until marketing can prove impact in business terms…
it will never be the most trusted voice in the room.

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In this episode, we dig into one of the most honest conversations in consulting: what does it really mean to build a great team when the talent pool is small, the tools are niche, and your best people are always in demand?

We talk about:

• Why Adobe talent is so hard to find — and why the same people keep circling the same companies
• Junior vs. senior: what's the right split — and why you need to map the team before you post the job
• The stepping stone philosophy — building a company where people grow, even if they eventually leave
• Culture over control — why the 9-to-5 office empties the second the clock hits, and what to do instead
• The boomerang effect — why celebrating departures is actually good for business

Because if no one wants to hire your people, that's the real problem.

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Most companies don’t have a data problem — they have a trust problem.

In this episode, we break down a simple leadership framework we’re seeing across enterprises that are winning right now:

1. Align data to business outcomes (start with the questions, not the tools)
2. Establish data ownership (who owns definitions, standards, and quality?)
3. Build marketing data confidence (not perfect data — trusted data leaders can act on)

Because when leadership doesn’t trust marketing numbers, you get the usual loop: endless dashboards, constant explanation, and decisions made on gut feel — while AI gets trained on noise.

If you want faster decisions, better budget allocation, and fewer “prove it” conversations… this is the place to start.

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We’re back — welcome to Season 2.

In this kickoff episode, we reflect on what we learned from Season 1: why most podcasts die before episode 3 (and how we cheated the odds), what we’re changing in our recording setup, and why publishing consistently matters more than having the “perfect” production.

We also zoom out: AI is accelerating marketing and decision-making — and that only works if the data foundation is actually solid. Tools are important, but the real shift we’re seeing is organizations focusing on data, people, and outcomes (not just technology).

Plus: stress, breathing exercises, and a cliffhanger dad joke for next episode.

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Being data-driven isn’t about tools, dashboards, or technology stacks.

In this episode, we talk about data culture — and why people, leadership, and shared understanding matter more than any platform. We discuss what successful data-driven organizations have in common, how teams become motivated (not just informed) by data, and why ownership and clear outcomes are the real foundations.

Technology enables.
Data informs.
But culture is what actually makes it work.

If you’ve ever wondered why great tools still don’t lead to better decisions, this episode is for you.