Becoming the Brand Everyone Talks About, ex-CMO of Gong ($300M ARR)| Belkins Podcast Episode #23

What does it take to build a brand in B2B that people actually talk about? Udi Ledergor has a word for it. Courage. He was employee #13 at Gong. The first, and for a long time, only marketer. He joined when nobody had heard of them, with 11 paying customers and zero brand presence. By the time he stepped back, Gong was doing $300M ARR, had five of the Fortune 10 as clients, and had become one of the most recognisable names in B2B. He did it by building what he calls courageous marketing — the belief that attention only goes to brands willing to do something genuinely different. Not different for the sake of it. Different because playing it safe, copying competitors, and following the same templates everyone else follows is the surest way to be completely invisible. We sat down with Udi live in London, and the conversation went places we didn't expect. 🔑 What we get into: 🔹 The science behind great sales — why the best salespeople talk less than half the time, and what Gong's research revealed about the difference between winning and losing deals 🔹 How buyers actually decide today — 85% of the journey is done before they contact you. What that means for where you spend your marketing time and budget 🔹 Courageous marketing in practice — not as a concept, but as a series of real decisions Udi made at Gong that most marketers wouldn't have had the nerve to make 🔹 Creative teams and real results — why psychological safety without process accountability produces great ideas that go nowhere 🔹 Navigating uncertainty without losing focus — Udi has been through the dot-com crash, 2008, COVID, and the current cycle. His perspective on what you can and can't control is genuinely useful "I never really understood why B2B defaults to boring." — Udi Ledergor In this episode, we get into exactly how he built a $300M company by doing something about it. 00:00 - Intro: Udi Ledergor: The Marketing Mind Behind Gong 10:32 - Why Best Practices Produce Average Results 13:59 - Personalization, Relevance and What Buyers Actually Respond To 18:47 - Storytelling as a Business Weapon 39:42 - How to Build a Culture of Creative Experimentation 51:15 - Decision Making, Hiring and What to Build In-House 01:08:20 - Marketing Through Uncertainty, AI Disruption and Finding Balance 01:20:31 - What's next for Udi & Priorities About the Show What does it really take to grow a B2B business today? We ask the people doing it. The Belkins Podcast dives deep into the strategies, decisions, and behind-the-scenes insights driving real growth at top B2B companies. Each episode features candid conversations with industry heavyweights—CROs, CMOs, founders, and seasoned operators—who've navigated market downturns, scaled teams, and mastered the realities of revenue growth. You'll hear hard truths, unfiltered insights, and actionable tactics directly from leaders who've actually done the work. 🔔 Subscribe to never miss an episode. 💬 Enjoyed the conversation? Share it with your network and help spread real insights. ⭐ Leave a review—your feedback helps us keep bringing you valuable conversations. About our Guest Udi Ledergor is the Chief Evangelist at Gong, where he helped define and dominate the revenue intelligence category, taking the company from zero to hundreds of millions in revenue and achieving a multi-billion-dollar valuation. A five-time marketing leader at B2B startups, Udi is known for his bold, human-centric approach to branding and storytelling. An author, speaker, mentor, angel investor, and board member, Udi is also a passionate advocate for startups, storytelling, and creating unforgettable brand experiences. Udi joined Gong in 2016 as employee #13 and was the first of what is now a team of 60 talented marketers. Along the way, he contributed to taking Gong from a couple hundred thousand in revenue into a business making hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue. And so, you can imagine that Udi has a couple of priceless pieces of advice to share - advice you can implement to grow your own business. About the Host Michael Maximoff is the Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of Belkins, the #1 ranked B2B appointment-setting agency, recognized by Clutch, G2, and Inc. Over the past decade, Michael has built Belkins into one of the most respected voices in B2B sales and marketing, helping over 1,000 companies across 50+ industries achieve predictable, scalable growth. Known for his straightforward style, Michael hosts the Belkins Podcast to speak directly with top growth leaders and uncover what truly moves the needle today. 🔗 Connect with Michael: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-maximoff/ 🔗 Learn more about Belkins: https://belkins.io 🔗 Learn more about Gong: https://www.gong.io 🔗 Connect with Udi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/udiledergor/