10 Minute Martech

When someone clicks your ad and the experience falls apart, perfect attribution data doesn't save you. Paula Mantle, VP of Marketing at Branch, has watched this play out across a decade in tech where she learned that most purchase decisions are made long before anyone reaches for a bottle. Paula brings that lens to how AI is reshaping discovery, why the "more content" era of AI produced mostly noise, and what marketers actually need to do now. In this episode: why linking infrastructure beats tactical channel thinking, what a recent rebrand at Branch taught her about consistency as a competitive asset, and why curiosity is the only skill with a long shelf life right now. 3 Takeaways: Treat linking as infrastructure, not a tactic. Consistency is what feeds AI — and what builds recognition. Measurement precision is overvalued when the experience it's measuring is broken. Subscribe to 10 Minute Martech for fast, practical insights from senior B2B marketing leaders on what’s working right now. Chapters: [00:18] AI shifts discovery [01:54] Signals and intent [02:56] Intent beyond channels [03:56] Rebrand consistency playbook [07:59] Curiosity as core skill [09:48] Who to follow now [11:31] MarTech hot take About the Guest:Paula Mantle, VP of Marketing at Branch, a leading linking and measurement partner for retailers, enterprises and everything in-between. With over 15 years of experience leading multi-channel marketing efforts, Paula takes pride in building and executing creative marketing that informs and educates.  Follow This — Paula’s Recommendations: Mada Seghete: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madalina/  Dan Ahmadi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dahmadi/ Connect: Paula Mantle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulamantle/ Sara Faatz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213 Progress: www.progress.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The most common AI mistake in marketing isn't choosing the wrong tool. It's skipping the foundational work that makes any tool effective. Al Moore, VP of Marketing at Fluency—a platform built to deploy advertising at scale through AI-powered automation—has watched this play out from both sides: as a vendor and as a practitioner running his own team. His argument: AI accelerates whatever's already there, which means authentic storytelling, audience clarity, and cross-functional alignment matter more now, not less.  He joins Sara to break down what it looks like to move from scattered AI experimentation to a governed, org-wide operating model—and why the HR mindset, not the tech mindset, is what separates teams that scale from teams that stall. 3 Takeaways: ➞ AI amplifies your fundamentals—which means weak ones get louder.  ➞ The path from experimentation to scale runs through cross-functional governance. ➞ Treat AI like a new team member, not a new tool.  🚀 Subscribe to 10 Minute Martech for fast, practical insights from senior B2B marketing leaders on what’s working right now. Chapters: [00:48] AI and changing behavior [01:55] Principles for AI in Marketing [03:01] From experiments to operating systems [04:39] Change management and skills [06:16] People to follow for inspiration [08:00] Hot take: AI as HR strategy About the Guest:Al Moore is a creative, collaborative, and values-driven B2B marketing leader with a 15+ year track record of driving outcomes through integrated brand and performance marketing strategies. A proven people leader, he builds high-performing teams, earns trust across organizations of all sizes, and develops thriving integrated marketing programs. Al is known for turning disparate inputs from customers and business stakeholders into crisp, coherent messaging and compelling value propositions that drive employee engagement and sales results. Executive teams rely on him for critical messaging and communications that require both strategic clarity and a sensitive touch. Follow This — Al’s Recommendations: ➞ Exit Five: http://exitfive.com  ➞ Eric Mayhew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmayhew/ Connect: ➞ Al Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/al-moore/ ➞ Sara Faatz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213 💡 Learn more about Progress: www.progress.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kyle Lacy’s team at Docebo is running 50 AI experiments a year and says the results are generating a multimillion-dollar pipeline... from tools his team built in a week. The Chief Marketing Officer joins the show to connect the dots between those two outcomes: whether leadership is investing in upskilling or just issuing mandates.  Kyle is one of the most experienced go-to-market executives in SaaS, having scaled marketing through acquisitions, high-growth phases, and now a period where AI is rewriting the rules faster than most playbooks can keep up. 3 Takeaways: Hyper-personalization is finally achievable — but only for teams that do the work.  Agent search and LLM-optimized web presence are non-negotiable priorities. Any marketer who can't describe how they use AI tools shouldn't expect to stay relevant much longer. Subscribe to 10 Minute Martech for fast, practical insights from senior B2B marketing leaders on what’s working right now. Timestamps: [00:38] AI in Marketing: The Real Risk No One Talks About   [02:30] The Personalization Problem (And How AI Fixes It)   [04:35] AI Upskilling: The New Competitive Advantage   [07:35] The Most Important AI Skill for Marketers   [08:55] AI Agents, Search, and the Future of Website Strategy Connect: Kyle Lacy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylelacy/ Sara Faatz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213 Progress: www.progress.com Follow This — Kyle’s Recommendations:Karen Flanagan: AI newsletterClaire Vo: How I AI podcastJordan Crawford: Cannonball GTM substack Kyle’s Best Insights: "You have a responsibility as a business owner, as a CEO, as a CMO, as a team leader, to upskill your team to be able to use these tools appropriately instead of just buying the tool and telling them to use it. Because then it just is gonna fail." "Anybody that I'm talking to right now in marketing that can't explain to me how they use AI, I'm not interested in hiring." "Used the right way, you can do more creative, more responsible marketing that will give you an edge on everybody else who's just trying to build stuff for the hell of it." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Informed buyers. Generative AI. Faster decision-making. The buying journey is undeniably changing, but the real question is how to keep up without losing focus?Chae O’Brien, Principal Strategist at Thought Bakery, says the answer to ambiguity is  discernment. In this episode, host Sara Faatz sits down with Chae to explore why discernment has become the must-have tool for B2B marketers, and how to use AI as a strategic accelerator without letting it pull your team off course.Chae: “For us to really have that discernment to know what should be part of our customer experience and what just doesn’t represent who we are, you need to intimately know what their day-to-day looks like.”“I am not going to read ten blogs. I am not going to read fifty-page PDFs.”“That discernment between what the AI is giving you and the context that you have is what’s really important—because if you can’t discern between the options, you’re not yet sure where your brand really plays.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Chae: linkedin.com/in/chaenaraLearn more about Progress: www.progress.comTimestamps:00:40 – Diving into AI Challenges for Startups02:35 – Understanding Customer Experience03:15 – The Changing Landscape of Digital Interactions05:25 – Leveraging AI for Go-to-Market Strategies06:40 – Influential Figures in AI08:50 – Future of Work and Leadership Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kevin Hein, Chief Growth Officer at GIPHY,  sits down with Sara to discuss how AI, automation, and shifting consumer behaviors are reshaping the marketing landscape—and why brands can’t rely on legacy playbooks to keep up. Instead, he makes the case for surrendering control strategically through experimentation. The conversation explores the risks of over-automation, creative fatigue, and data paralysis, and why even the most sophisticated AI systems still need human insight to protect brand authenticity and drive long-term growth.3 Key Takeaways:You can’t outpace AI. Experiment instead.Automation without insight leads to creative fatigue.More data doesn’t mean better decisions.Kevin: “The speed at which this moves—how does a brand stay at that pace? I believe the answer is you don’t. You have to surrender to an extent. And it comes down to testing, learning, and experimentation.”“We have a lot of data that can be paralyzing. I’m interested in insights—not dashboards that just tell you X, Y, and Z.”“AI can be incredibly effective, but there’s a risk of numbness—creative fatigue that happens when everything is optimized but nothing is truly new.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Kevin: linkedin.com/in/kevinaheinLearn more about Progress: www.progress.comTimestamps:00:50 – Shift from Feeds to Group Messaging01:50 – Harnessing Group Messaging for Business02:35 – Challenges and Opportunities in Experimentation03:25 – The Role of AI in Brand Authenticity06:20 – Future Trends in AI and Retail11:10 – The Evolution of Websites and Digital Experience13:25 – Balancing Automation and Creativity Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Eudald Camprubí, Co-Founder of Nuclia and Progress Software Fellow, joins Sara to demystify agentic RAG—what it is, why it matters, and how it’s transforming the way marketers deliver hyper-personalized, contextual experiences at scale.Eudald explains how retrieval-augmented generation allows organizations to ask questions of their own knowledge—securely, privately, and without the hallucinations that plague general-purpose LLMs. He breaks down: The critical step most teams overlook.The emerging role of small language models.How the combination of agents, MCP, and RAG will soon enable autonomous, high-value workflows across the entire customer journey.Eudald: “RAG is a way for organizations to ask questions to their own knowledge and get answers—while keeping data security and privacy in place.”“We’re not using general knowledge. We’re using a very small context we know is useful to answer the user’s question—and this is how we avoid hallucinations.”“Humans are changing how they want to access information. Everything is about conversations and getting answers in the right context.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Eudald: linkedin.com/in/eudaldcamprubiLearn about Progress® Agentic RAG platform: progress.com/agentic-ragLearn more about Progress: www.progress.comTimestamps:00:45 – Understanding AI and Avoiding Hallucinations01:20 – The Concept of Agentic RAG02:40 – Combating Hallucinations in AI03:50 – Marketing Use Cases for Agentic RAG06:05 – Small Language Models vs. Large Language Models07:15 – Future of AI and Agentic RAG09:40 – Inspiration Behind Nucleus and Progress Agentic RAG Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Suzanne Reed, Chief Marketing Officer at LBMC, joins Sara to unpack the modern marketer’s biggest challenge: keeping pace with AI-driven change without losing the human touch.Together, they explore why a smaller, integrated MarTech stack delivers better results, how buying communities reshape the B2B playbook, and why AI can accelerate great marketing—but can’t replace the marketer’s critical thinking.Suzanne also reveals LBMC’s recent experiment comparing AI-generated brand outputs across competitors—an eye-opener about commoditization and the importance of brand distinctiveness in the age of large language models.You’ll learn:Why simplifying your MarTech stack may be your highest-ROI moveHow “HGO—Human Engine Optimization” reframes modern marketingWhat AI can (and can’t) do when it comes to buyer understandingHow to equip early-career marketers to thrive in an AI-heavy worldWhy direct mail is back—and what personalization really means todayWhat LBMC discovered when analyzing competitors via LLMsSuzanne: “I call it the HGO… Human Engine Optimization. The human is the hub of all of this.”“Marketing has always been about the psychology of the buyer. AI can help us be smarter and faster, but it cannot address those things.”“We think we control our brands—but the models showed we’re all in the same bucket. We’re commoditizing ourselves.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Suzanne: linkedin.com/in/suzannereedfranklintnLearn more about LMBC: www.lbmc.comLearn more about Progress: www.progress.comTimestamps:00:40 – Marketing Challenges and Technology01:20 – MarTech Integration and Success03:17 – Human Element in Marketing05:15 – Advice for New Marketers08:56 – Hyper-Personalization in Marketing09:58 – Experimentation and Brand Differentiation10:57 – Inspiration and Industry Leaders Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2025 was the year AI stopped being a headline and became a reality in every marketer’s workflow. In this special year-end edition of 10 Minute Martech, we revisit the most impactful insights from guests across the season—operators, CMOs, analysts, and innovators who helped define what human-centered marketing looks like in an AI-first world.You’ll Learn:How leading marketers are redefining “human in the loop” to drive creativity, strategy, and better outcomesWhere AI is delivering real, measurable impact across workflows, personalization, and productivityThe hottest Martech takes of the year—from content strategy to customer experience to rethinking systems entirelyYou’ll hear from: Mariam Tariq, SVP, Marketing & Digital Strategy, Progress [00:44] Scott Brinker, Martech Analyst & Advisor, chiefmartec [01:52] Karen Steele, Founder, Steele-Alloy [03:20] Jennifer Ortiz, EVP & CMO, Progress [04:32] Juan Mendoza, CEO, The MarTech Weekly [05:34]Tom Wentworth, CMO, Incident.io [06:54]Elizabeth Edwards, Founder & CEO, Volume Public Relations [07:58]Frans Riemersma, Founder, MartechTribe [08:47]Mallory Russell, Award-Winning Content Marketing Strategist [09:40] Hazem El Zayat, Chief Experience Officer, Ogilvy One [10:13]Amanda Cole, CMO, Bloomreach [11:08]Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Learn more about Progress: www.progress.comTimestamps:00:40 – The Role of Humans in the AI Era04:25 – Practical AI Tools in 202505:40 – Martech Hot Takes Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Elizabeth Edwards, Founder & CEO of Volume Public Relations, joins Sara to explore how modern marketing is being reshaped by AI, affective science, and rising expectations around trust. She breaks down the pitfalls of weaponized language, the risks of false scarcity, and why brand credibility matters more than ever in an era of generative search and offsite reputation signals.You’ll learn:Why false urgency and hyper-personalization can erode trust—and even violate compliance normsHow behavioral science can guide healthier, more resonant customer communicationThe emerging risks of AI-driven emotional manipulationHow to rethink AI as a verbal collaborator for richer context and better outputsWhat it means to design marketing for relationship-building rather than rapid reactionElizabeth: “You do not need to encode false scarcity, urgency and fear into everything. It's a hyper manipulation… and it doesn't make me feel like you're an authentic company I want to trust and do business with. Marketers need to downshift a gear or two and realize we are here to create relationships, not just reaction.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Elizabeth: linkedin.com/in/volumeprLearn more about Volume PR: www.volumepr.com Learn more about Progress: www.progress.comTimestamps:01:30 — Ethical Marketing in the Age of AI03:00 — Examples of Manipulative Marketing04:50 — The Importance of Ethical Communication10:25 — Legal and Business Implications11:50 – Final Thoughts and Advice Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mike Rizzo believes marketing operations pros are sitting on one of the biggest untapped opportunities in business today: owning the tech stack as a strategic function.In this conversation with Sara, Mike shares why modern marketing doesn’t happen without technology—and why the people managing that technology need a seat at the leadership table. He breaks down how ops teams can bring structure, product thinking, and ROI discipline to their tech investments, especially as AI and consumption-based pricing reshape how we buy and use software.You’ll learn:Why MOPs leaders should be treated as business strategists, not just system adminsHow to “begin with the end in mind” when implementing new tech or AI modelsThe dangers of unchecked tool sprawl in the age of consumption pricingWhy slowing down to design intentional processes can actually accelerate growthMike: “Modern marketing doesn’t happen without technology. Someone needs to run the technology—and translate the language of the business to the tools.”“These new models should force people to stop and think: where will this actually make an impact? Slow down to speed up.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Mike: linkedin.com/in/mikedrizzoLearn more about MarketingOps.com: www.marketingops.comLearn more about Progress: www.progress.comTimestamps:00:23 Guest Introduction: Mike Rizzo00:40 Challenges in Marketing Operations02:20 The Role of AI in Marketing Ops03:43 The Evolution of MarTech and RevOps05:52 Navigating AI Tools and Implementation10:42 Resources and Inspiration for Marketing Ops Professionals#MarketingOps #MarTech #AIinMarketing #Podcast #Progress #MarketingLeadership Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Kihlstrom, Principal of The Agile Brand, joins the show to talk about the practical side of AI adoption in MarTech.Greg and Sara dig into the tension between innovation and operational guardrails, the risks of tool sprawl when “anyone can build an app,” and why proactive leadership is essential to keep experimentation from turning into chaos. Greg also offers clear advice for cautious adopters: start with a small, meaningful use case and be ready to fail a couple of times—because those early failures are how you build long-term success.Greg: “Pick a small [AI] use case and follow through with it. If you're the kind of person that's reluctant to do something that might fail, try to be okay with getting it wrong the first 2 or 3 times. Those are good muscles to build regardless.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Greg: linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromLearn more about Progress: progress.comTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction to Greg00:32 - AI Hype and Realities02:20 - Effective AI Implementations05:01 - Challenges of Democratizing AI09:21 - Advice for AI Beginners11:08 - Final Thoughts#martech #AIinMarketing #contentstrategy #datamanagement #progress Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Amanda Cole, Chief Marketing Officer at Bloomreach, joins the show to explore how AI is reshaping marketing roles, data strategy, and the customer experience.Amanda and Sara dig into how AI agents consume and reframe content, why brands should focus on “overwhelming the agents” with rich, structured information, and how new data enrichment tools open the door to leapfrog past old data management challenges. Amanda also shares how Bloomreach customers are already experimenting with conversational shopping assistants and AI-driven fraud detection, while reflecting on what this shift means for creativity, entry-level talent, and the evolving role of marketing leaders.Amanda: “Now we have an opportunity to really overwhelm the agents, if you want to call it that, for AI—with information and make sure that they have the tools to actually build context and respond.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Amanda: linkedin.com/in/amandajoycoleLearn more about Progress: progress.comLearn more about Bloomreach: www.bloomreach.comTimestamps:00:40 – Why AI is keeping marketers up at night02:15 – Rethinking creativity and human value in the AI era03:45 – Data hygiene, unstructured data, and enrichment opportunities05:30 – Training AI and the future of marketing roles06:50 – Real-world AI use cases: fraud detection and conversational shopping assistants08:40 – Sources of inspiration and ongoing learning09:30 – Amanda’s MarTech hot take: rethink everything#martech #AIinMarketing #contentstrategy #datamanagement #progress Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Progress SVP of Digital Experience Marketing & Strategy Mariam Tariq joins host Sara Faatz to unpack why the website isn’t a “brochure” anymore—it’s the structured source of truth that powers your AI agents, headless experiences, and every channel that needs clean, reusable content. They dive into how to keep CMS strategy relevant in an agent-driven world, where humans add judgment, taste, and context, and AI accelerates repetitive work.Mariam: “The website is the brand’s control center—the one owned channel—and a clean, structured source of truth for AI.” - Mariam TariqLinks & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Mariam: linkedin.com/in/mariamtariqLearn more about Progress: progress.comTimestamps:00:45 - The Overwhelming Volume of Martech 01:40 - The Role of CMS / Websites in the Age of AI03:45 - Humans vs. AI: Finding the Balance05:15 - Practical Use of AI in Martech06:30 - Inspiration and Learning Sources10:40 - The Future of Content Management and Marketing Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Reed Hansen, Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge, joins Sara to talk about the evolving role of marketers in the age of AI. From the renewed value of liberal arts degrees to the resurgence of old-school human interaction, Reed shares his take on where marketing is headed and what it takes to stay ahead.Reed: “Humanities majors of all varieties are going to be ultimately the most empowered by AI… with their ability to think and think critically… I think that the humanities majors are back in the game.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Reed: linkedin.com/in/reedhansenLearn more about Progress: progress.comTimestamps:00:15 – Reed’s biggest concern as a marketing consultant01:10 – Why human touch still matters in a tech-driven world02:30 – Merging human language with AI output03:45 – How to get fluent with AI (before buying martech tools)05:10 – Composable stacks vs. monolithic platforms06:10 – Where Reed finds inspiration (hint: Product Hunt + DMs)07:10 – The rise of the liberal arts marketer in the AI age Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tom Wentworth, CMO of incident.io, joins the show to discuss how AI is reshaping modern marketing infrastructure—starting with the CMS. Tom makes the case that as AI streamlines content creation and personalization, marketers who invest in design, language, and experience will come out ahead.Tom and Sara dig into what AI can and can’t do, why high-quality design still beats average AI outputs, and why “taste” is the most underrated skill in today’s marketing org. He also explains how AI is speeding up execution while giving marketers space to deliver more intentional, human-centered brand experiences.Tom: "[AI] makes [the CMS] more relevant because now marketers will be able to get more personalized experiences out to people faster. We'll be able to build these bespoke design experiences. If I'm a design agency today, I use the tooling to speed up building but I focus all my effort on taste.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Tom: linkedin.com/in/twentworthLearn more about Progress: progress.comTimestamps:00:30 –  The Role of AI in Marketing02:20 – AI’s Impact on CMS03:50 – Discoverability and Content Strategy 03:50 – Hot Takes on Attribution and MQLs07:50 – Inspiration for Martech Insights Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is your marketing team still measuring success the old way?In this episode, Matt Bertram, Head of Digital Strategy at EWR Digital, fractional CMO, and podcaster, shares how the digital landscape is shifting beneath our feet. Traffic is down. Impressions are up. Buyers are more informed than ever — but most of the buying journey now happens before anyone lands on your website.Sara and Matt dig into how AI, off-page search behavior, and frictionless web experiences are changing the rules of digital strategy. They also explore why it’s time to retire outdated KPIs and focus on building brand equity, not just lead funnels.Matt: “They're true buyers if they're coming to your website because 75% of search is happening before it even gets to your website. So, your digital PR needs to be strong.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Matt: linkedin.com/in/mattbertramliveListen to The Unknown Secrets of Internet MarketingListen to Oil & Gas Sales and Marketing PodcastLearn more about Progress: progress.comTimestamps:00:30 –  Changing Landscape of Search02:20 – Adapting to New KPIs and Metrics03:10 – The Role of AI in Digital Strategy09:35 – Navigating Negative SEO 12:40 – Inspiration for Martech Insights Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a MarTech landscape saturated with tools and AI-powered everything, Phil Gamache offers a timely reminder: the tech only matters if the humans using it are empowered. He and Sara dive into the rise of “counterculture” marketing—where brands win by spotlighting the people behind the process, not just the tools that power them.Phil: " It's not a differentiating factor to say that you're AI-powered. It's the default now. You should be, and it shouldn't really be part of your messaging.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Phil: linkedin.com/in/gamacpExplore The Humans of MarTech: humansofmartech.comLearn more about Progress: progress.comTimestamps:00:30 –  Spotlighting Martech Tools03:15 – The Human Element in Martech04:55 – Innovative Uses of AI in Martech07:05 – AI Advice for Beginners09:05 – Industry Leaders for Inspiration Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hazem El Zayat, Chief Experience Officer for the MENA region at Ogilvy, joins Sara to challenge the status quo of how AI is used in marketing today. From content generators to so-called chatbots, Hazem argues we’ve only scratched the surface of what AI can and should be doing. Hazem discusses why strategy must always come before tech selection, how brands can co-design relationships with customers, and why predictive modeling and next-best-action frameworks are the future of AI-powered experience. Hazem: "Is writing emails what AI was meant for? Not really. Let’s talk about predictive modeling, natural language processing, and elevating healthcare, travel, and more."Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Hazem: linkedin.com/in/hazem-el-zayat-ccxp-2871593 Learn more about Progress: progress.comTimestamps:00:20 – The overwhelming MarTech landscape: too many tools, not enough strategy01:40 – AI misuse: What it’s doing vs. what it should be doing04:30 – Why chatbots often disappoint05:00 – True CX: Relationship co-design, not customer “management”07:45 – CX done right: Banks, airlines, and even a luxury retailer08:35 – MarTech hot take: CX is everyone’s job10:05 – Go-to sources for MarTech inspiration Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Juan Mendoza, CEO of The Martech Weekly, joins the show to unpack a major shift in customer experience: volitional personalization. As consumers increasingly rely on AI agents like ChatGPT to guide purchase decisions, marketers are losing control over the touchpoints that once defined the buyer journey. Juan and Sara dive into how this pull-based model flips the script on traditional campaign strategies and forces brands to rethink their approach to data, content, and visibility.Juan: “Consumers actually using AI agents to do their bidding for them is an entirely new channel that we have no idea how to grapple with yet.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Juan: linkedin.com/in/juan-mendoza-2b3a63a4Read The Martech Weekly: themartechweekly.comLearn more about Progress: progress.comTimestamps:00:25 – The rise of agentic AI in marketing01:15 – Navigating the hype vs. harm of AI agents02:45 – Real-world example: AI-driven real estate personalization03:50 – Volitional personalization vs. speculative personalization05:30 – Why combining push and pull strategies matters07:00 – Alarm clocks, AI, and the new search experience08:10 – Juan’s hot take: The death of marketing visibility10:20 – Where Juan goes to learn: Hacker News & hands-on experimentation Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mallory Russell, an award-winning content marketing strategist, joins the show to share why marketers need to lean into AI experimentation and rethink traditional playbooks. As the lines between content, MarTech, and AI continue to blur, Mallory explores how to make smart, strategic bets without losing sight of brand, quality, or human connection.Sara and Mallory discuss approaching AI as a tool - not a strategy. They also cover the shifting landscape of SEO, how zero-click search is impacting content distribution, and why composable MarTech stacks are the future.Mallory: “There’s no playbook for AI yet. That makes it exciting. Everyone is experimenting… and that’s exactly what we should be doing.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Mallory: linkedin.com/in/malloryrussellLearn more about Progress: www.progress.comTimestamps:00:20 — MarTech’s Role in Scaling Content01:30 — From “More Content” to Better Content03:00 — New Metrics for the AI Era04:30 — Zero-Click Search & Brand Visibility06:00 — AI as a Tool, Not a Strategy07:45 — Experimentation Over FOMO09:10 — Composable MarTech Stacks & Citizen Developers12:00 — Building Tools for Non-Technical Teams13:00 — Where Mallory Finds Her Inspiration Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Karen Steele, Founder of Steele-Alloy and seasoned Fractional CMO, joins the show to talk about the future of B2B marketing and why data quality is more important than ever.Karen and Sara explore how account-based marketing (ABM) has evolved into more sophisticated strategies centered on buying groups and behavioral signals. They also dive into the challenges of data integration, the critical role of marketing ops in maintaining data hygiene, and how AI can elevate human creativity when fed with the right data.Karen: “You can only do smart AI and get great content and results if you have good data that you're using with the AI… You’ve got to get the data right, and somebody has to be the shepherd of that data. Marketing ops, sales ops, revenue ops—they hold the keys to the kingdom.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Karen: linkedin.com/in/karenmsteeleLearn more about Progress: www.progress.comLearn more about Steele-Alloy: www.steele-alloy.comTimestamps:00:20 - Current MarTech Trends: Data and AI01:35 - SEO and AI: The Future of Search04:00 - Marketing Metrics and Data Quality06:10 - AI Tools and Sales Enablement07:30 - Evolution of Buyer Journeys Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Scott Brinker, VP of Platform Ecosystem at Hubspot and Editor at chiefmartec, joins the show to break down what not to do with AI agents, and why the ever-expanding martech landscape is actually a win for marketers.Scott and Sara also dig into the transition from siloed databases to more integrated data warehouses, the growing role of AI in enhancing customer service and content production, and the importance of maintaining human oversight.Scott: “I understand the complex landscape is challenging to navigate but if you pull back the cover of the capitalistic engine that's at work, it is this incredible span of entrepreneurship that is focused on empowering marketers. That is a gift to marketing, not a problem.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Scott: linkedin.com/in/sjbrinkerLearn more about Progress: www.progress.comCheck out chiefmartec: chiefmartec.comTimestamps:00:35 -     The Evolution of Data in MarTech02:15 -    AI in Customer Service and Content Production04:10 -    The Role of Humans in AI-Driven Marketing06:00 -    SEO, AI Agents, and Content Validation10:00 -  Marketing Technology Landscape Report  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jennifer Ortiz, EVP of Marketing at Progress, joins 10 Minute Martech to share how marketers can keep the human touch alive in an AI-driven world.As AI agents reshape customer journeys, Jennifer and Sara dive into why personalization still matters, how the AI era is unlocking new opportunities for marketers, and practical ways to put AI tools to work. They also explore the future of SEO—and why keeping content fresh is critical for AI-powered marketing strategies.Jennifer: “Talking to your customers, your communities, user groups, your peers—that's going to keep human connection. Building trust is a human element.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Jennifer: linkedin.com/in/jennifer-ortiz-8428572Learn more about Progress: www.progress.comTimestamps:00:35 -  Classic, Moderate, and New MarTech Challenge02:00 -    AI and Marketing: The Future is No04:25 -   Human-Centered Marketing in a Tech-Driven World06:30 -    Practical Applications of AI in Marketing09:15 -  Content in the AI Era Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Frans Riemersma, Founder of Martech Tribe, joins 10 Minute Martech to talk about the real magic of data—connecting it to the soul of your brand.Frans and Sara cut through the hype on AI, breaking down why customer-centric marketing drives real results. They dive into the State of Martech report, the gap between AI’s promise and reality, and how “Brand LLMs” can streamline campaigns without losing your brand’s identity.Frans: “You believe software will solve your problems and then get angry because it doesn't… Maybe the answer is inside. Maybe I should look deeper and resonate with my customer. ‘What should I do?’ linked with data. Storytelling is what we do as marketers, so then you start to learn how to connect your soul and data, which is storytelling.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Frans: linkedin.com/in/fransriemersmaLearn more about Progress: www.progress.comLearn more about MartechTribe: www.martechtribe.comTimestamps:00:25 - GenA in Martech02:55 -   State of MarTech Report03:15 -  Avoiding Random Acts of Marketing11:10 -   Brand Identity and AI12:35 - Outside Inspiration Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Matt Heinz, founder of Heinz Marketing, joins 10 Minute Martech to talk smart strategy. His advice? Use fewer tools—but the right ones.Sara and Matt break down how to prioritize efficiency, leverage AI without losing human insight, and ditch “random acts of marketing” in favor of predictable revenue impact. Plus, Matt shares his take on collaboration drag and the must-have strategy for content success.Matt: “ Strategy is choosing. Strategy isn’t always saying, ‘We're going to do all these things’. It's saying, ‘Here's the things we're not going to do, and here's why. We're making bets on things that we have a higher level of confidence that are going to work.’  If you know your audience, the channels that work, where they engage, and you focus on the places that make the most sense—that is going to generate the most results. It's not going to be perfect, but you literally can't do everything and do it well. You have to be selective. That takes a level of courage and discipline for leaders, as well as organizations and cultures, to align behind.”Links & Resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Matt: linkedin.com/in/mattheinzLearn more about Progress: www.progress.comLearn more about Heinz Marketing: www.heinzmarketing.com---Timestamps:00:00 - Meet Matt Heinz, Founder & President, Heinz Marketing00:28 -  The Problem with Too Much Tech01:40 -  Leveraging AI in Marketing03:15 -  Avoiding Random Acts of Marketing07:50 -  Collaboration Drag and Its Impact10:05 - Martech Hot Takes#martech #mattheinz #podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

AI tools are evolving fast—but they’re not a magic fix. How can marketers stay ahead? Pam Didner, B2B Marketing Consultant at Relentless Pursuit, joins 10 Minute Martech to break it down.Sara and Pam dig into how AI is shaking up sales enablement, the sales-marketing disconnect, and the smartest moves teams can make right now.Pam:“We are witnessing the technology evolution in front of us. We don't know the outcome. We don't know how far it will go. We just know that the train has left the train station… If you feel like, ‘Oh my God, I'm missing out’. Yes and no…  Understand what you can benefit out of it right now, but you have to understand the supply and demand. The supply is: there's a lot of AI tools being built, but not a lot of people buying.”Pam’s books:The Modern AI Marketer in GPT EraThe Modern AI Marketer: Guide to Gen AI PromptsEffective Sales EnablementGlobal Content MarketingLinks & resources:Connect with Sara: linkedin.com/in/sara-faatz-b67213Connect with Pam: linkedin.com/company/pamdidner/Learn more about Progress: www.progress.comLearn more about Relentless Pursuit: https://pamdidner.comTimestamps:00:25 - Meet Pam Didner, B2B Marketing Consultant, Relentless Pursuit00:40 - Current Martech Focus01:15 -  Sales Enablement: Common Mistake02:48 - 90-Day Sales Enablement Challenge04:50 -  Integrating AI in Sales Enablemen07:20 -  The Human Touch in AI Content Creation08:40 -  AI Adoption and Market Trends10:40 -  Resources and Influencers in Martech Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the first episode of 10 Minute Martech!To kick off the show, we have a special guest, Neil Patel, Co-Founder of NP Digital. Sara and Neil discuss the new era of what Neil coins as ‘Search Everywhere Optimization’ and why he believes building a brand is the only moat left in marketing and business. Neil:“ What really separates one business from another is not even product or service. AI is making it easy to replicate other people's products, right? What's the real difference between Nike and Adidas? They both make quality shoes. But the real difference between those two brands is the logo, the brand. And I believe that's the only real moat left in marketing and in business. Building that brand really separates you. So, companies in 2025 and beyond really need to double down on building a brand, because that's what's going to create that loyalty. Because everyone has access to the same Martech stack that others have. And if you don't build that brand, you won't do well in the long run.” Neil’s book recommendations:The Dip by Seth GodinArt of the Start by Guy KawasakiPrinciples by Ray Dalio Links & Resources:Connect with SaraConnect with NeilLearn more about ProgressLearn more about NP Digital Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Martech is evolving faster than ever, and staying informed has never been more critical. That’s where we come in.Welcome to 10 Minute Martech. Your go-to resource for insights from the Martech Mavericks shaping the future. We cover everything from DX to AI, tech stacks to data tracks, and deliver actionable advice so you, too, can become a Martech Maverick.Fast? Absolutely. Essential? Without a doubt. It’s everything you need to know, without the noise.Your shortcut to staying ahead. Made with love by the team at Progress. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.