Connect To Market

Ringmaster

5.0 (4)
BUSINESS

A movement of B2B marketers who realize direct connection with buyers is the foundation of all growth.

2D AGO

George Smith: Human Connection Is the Only Marketing AI Can't Fake - Episode #48

If everyone is using AI to create content, what actually makes your brand stand out? In this episode of Connect To Market, host Casey Cheshire sits down with George Smith, Community Engagement Manager at Rewst, to explore how marketers can connect to their market by doubling down on what AI cannot replicate: genuine human connection. Smith argues that as AI-generated content becomes noisier and easier to spot, the competitive advantage shifts to marketers who listen deeply, slow down, and make customers and communities feel heard and valued rather than processed through a funnel. Smith shares practical ways to build those human touchpoints, from picking up the phone for relationship check-ins unrelated to tickets or renewals, to capturing personal details that show customers they matter beyond the transaction. He illustrates the power of plain-language communication with an RFP pitch that was saved by focusing on timelines, budget, risk, and commitment rather than technical jargon. Smith then breaks down what makes community work, explaining that it succeeds when it is genuine, non-transactional, and built around shared interests, citing Rewst's Discord community and the Flow Conference as examples of in-person and digital spaces where real connection drives loyalty and advocacy. In this episode, we cover: Why AI-generated noise is making human connection the new competitive moat for marketersHow simple, non-transactional touchpoints like phone check-ins and personal detail capture build lasting customer relationshipsTranslating technical solutions into plain language to win over decision-makers who care about timelines, budget, and riskWhat separates thriving communities from dead ones, and why genuine, shared-interest spaces like Rewst's Discord and Flow Conference drive real loyaltyIf you're a B2B marketing leader watching AI flood every channel with sameness and wondering how to cut through, Smith's playbook for human-first marketing and community building is the differentiation strategy no algorithm can replicate. 🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market. Connect with George: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-smith-rewst/ Rewst: https://rewst.io/ 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/

40 min
MAY 14

Brian C. Reed: How Community Storytelling Builds Brands That Stand Out In The AI Era - Episode #47

Does AI make every brand sound exactly the same? In this episode of Connect To Market, host Casey Cheshire sits down with Brian C. Reed, Chief Market Officer at Corsha and veteran B2B tech marketing executive, to explore why marketers who lean on AI for differentiation are actually flattening their messaging into sameness, and how authentic, human storytelling rooted in community is the real engine for memorability and brand preference. Reed makes the case that AI is essential for speed and analytics but cannot replace the kind of stories that come from, flow through, and are amplified by real communities, giving marketers a powerful framework to connect to their market in ways algorithms simply cannot replicate. Reed walks through the sources of strong stories, from founder origin narratives to practitioner communities, drawing on examples ranging from Mad Men-era advertising and Steve Jobs' MacBook Air launch to modern standouts like All Day DevOps, OWASP, and Wiz's memorable RSA presence. He explains how community-led evangelism helped grow NowSecure's credibility, why communities fail when vendor pitching overwhelms peer value, and how organizations like CMO Coffee Talk and the Cybersecurity Marketing Society model authentic community building. Reed also shares his own career journey from engineering to product marketing and offers advice on learning business mechanics beyond building technology. In this episode, we cover: Why AI "flattens" marketing messaging into sameness and where human storytelling becomes the true competitive advantageHow to source authentic stories from founder origins and practitioner communities that build lasting brand preferenceThe three paths to community building and what separates vendor-proof communities from ones that collapse under self-promotionLessons from Reed's engineering-to-marketer career arc on understanding business mechanics to become a more effective marketing leaderIf you're a B2B marketing leader wrestling with how to stand out when every competitor has access to the same AI tools, Reed's community-first storytelling framework offers a differentiation playbook that no algorithm can copy. 🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market. Connect with Brian: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briancreed/ Corsha: https://corsha.com/ Article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-flattening-marketing-cue-return-mad-men-brian-c-reed-yfnle MacBook Air Launch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJqP8P0dh2o 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/

50 min
MAY 7

David Kosloski: Stop Prompting, Start Building AI Systems That Scale - Episode #46

What if the real threat to your marketing isn't falling behind on AI, but not having the systems to use it? In this episode of Connect To Market, host Casey Cheshire sits down with David Kosloski, VP of Marketing at SNUC and host of the Edge Tech Podcast, to explore how marketers connect to their market by building experience, expertise, authority, and trust before chasing tools or tactics. David makes the case that in emerging categories like edge computing, relationships and problem-solution expertise consistently outperform product specs, and that the marketers who win are the ones who start with content and customer insight rather than keyword lists. David walks through his approach to building authority in a new market, from launching podcasts and conducting customer interviews to creating mind maps and repurposing content across formats. He then dives into his perspective on AI, arguing that it won't save teams that lack strong systems, management discipline, and the ability to pressure-test their own work. He shares his framework for agentic workflows, breaking down the difference between skills and agents, the importance of validation loops and structured data (RAG), and how voice-first input is reshaping his personal productivity. He also reflects on his unconventional path from touring music and healthcare into marketing leadership, and shares his take on AI's impact on jobs and the SaaS landscape. In this episode, we cover: Why E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authority, trust) matters more than product specs when marketing in emerging categoriesHow to build market authority from scratch using podcasts, customer interviews, and content repurposingWhy AI amplifies existing systems instead of replacing them, and how to build agentic workflows with validation loopsUsing voice-first input and a "second brain" RAG approach to unlock personal productivity with AIIf you're a B2B marketing leader navigating a new or technical category and wondering how to layer AI into your workflow without losing the human judgment that makes your marketing credible, David's systems-first framework is the reality check you need. 🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market. Connect with David: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-kosloski/ SNUC: http://www.snuc.comEdge Tech Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFLnc878Df6a2ExKDZEBeJXwHvegv5eUa&si=vGi729ZCr0moeJvQ 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/

45 min
APR 30

Aaron Bean: Arm Your Buyer Champion to Win CFO Approval - Episode #45

What if your biggest competitor isn't another vendor, but your buyer's fear of making the wrong decision? In this episode of Connect To Market, host Casey Cheshire sits down with Aaron Bean, Co-Founder and Head of Go-to-Market at Supercase.ai, to explore why the most dangerous competitor in B2B isn't a rival product, but buyer indecision. Aaron makes the case that marketers need to connect to their market by focusing on the late-stage buyer journey, equipping champions to win the internal sale in a room the seller will never be in, especially when the CFO starts asking what the problem is costing and why it can't be fixed internally. Aaron shares research showing 61% of deals are lost to indecision and breaks down the three options every buyer weighs: do nothing, build, or buy. He walks through a framework for building decision confidence by quantifying the cost of inaction, creating CFO-credible business cases, and mapping internal advocacy moments into the buyer journey. He also introduces tracking "business case attach rate" as a leading indicator of deal health, and shares lessons from his background in philosophy, entrepreneurship, and global go-to-market work at Lenovo. In this episode, we cover: Why 61% of B2B deals are lost to buyer indecision, not competitors, and how to fight backHow to arm buyer champions with CFO-credible business cases that quantify the cost of doing nothingAdding internal advocacy moments to your buyer-journey map so champions aren't left unsupportedTracking "business case attach rate" as a leading indicator of deal confidence and close ratesIf you're a B2B marketing leader watching qualified deals stall in committee and losing to "no decision," Aaron's framework for building decision confidence and arming your buyer champions is the playbook you've been missing. 🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market. Connect with Aaron: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronbean/ Supercase.ai: https://supercase.ai/ 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/

41 min
APR 23

Brandon Pittser: Drink Your Own Kool-Aid to Build Marketing That Converts - Episode #44

Is your marketing falling flat because you don't actually believe in what you're selling? In this episode of Connect To Market, host Casey Cheshire sits down with Brandon Pittser, VP of Marketing and Funding Development at Filament Games, to explore how marketers can connect to their market by leading with authenticity instead of automation. Brandon makes the case that the most effective marketing starts with genuinely believing in your organization's value, and explains why formulaic, AI-templated outreach is eroding trust with buyers. He shares why humility, honesty, and respecting your audience's intelligence are the real competitive advantages in a landscape flooded with generic messaging. Brandon walks through his playbook for internalizing a company's story, from interviewing discipline leaders to synthesizing perspectives and aligning teams around core value. He then breaks down how Filament Games drives growth through a disciplined inbound content engine, including long-running SEO-driven blogging, a structured editorial calendar, and an expanding video strategy built around repurposing livestreams into short-form clips. He also shares how to build modular content campaigns, maintain editorial flexibility, and lean into your organization's existing strengths to create content that compounds over time. In this episode, we cover: Why authentic belief in your product is the foundation of marketing that resonates and convertsHow to align your team around a unified company story by interviewing internal leaders and synthesizing their perspectivesBuilding a disciplined inbound content engine with SEO-driven blogging and a flexible editorial calendarExpanding into short-form video by repurposing livestreams and leaning into organizational strengthsIf you're a marketing leader tired of watching templated outreach fall flat and looking for a more genuine, sustainable approach to content and demand generation, Brandon's framework for authentic, inbound-first marketing is one worth stealing. 🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market. Connect with Brandon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-pittser-1b656855/ Filament Games: https://www.filamentgames.com/ Filament Games Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/filamentgames 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/

37 min
APR 16

Max Maurier: Essential Marketing Adaptation Skills in the AI Age - Episode #43

How can marketers stay adaptable, leverage AI effectively, and earn a true seat at the table? In this episode of Connect To Market, host Casey Cheshire welcomes Max Maurier, VP of Marketing at Absolute Security, to explore why adaptability is the most critical skill for modern marketing teams. Max shares how marketing is uniquely positioned to pivot faster than other functions, and why leaders must continuously evolve their strategy, channel mix, and team capabilities in response to shifting buyer behavior, company priorities, and emerging technology. He dives into the importance of aligning deeply with company-wide goals (not just reacting to sales requests), and how strong analytics and system fundamentals can help marketers build credibility and trust at the executive level. From rethinking event-heavy strategies to creating a more balanced, targeted digital approach, Max outlines what it takes to operate as a truly strategic marketing function. He also unpacks practical AI use cases, like account research and planning, while emphasizing the need to keep humans in the loop to avoid low-quality, “AI slop” outputs. In this episode, we cover: Why adaptability, not rigid planning, is the key to modern marketing successHow to align marketing with broader business objectives to increase impact and influencePractical ways to apply AI across marketing teams without over-relying on itHow to use data, analytics, and systems to earn trust and a seat at the executive tableIf you're a marketing leader looking to stay ahead of constant change, better integrate AI, and elevate your role within the organization, Max’s insights will challenge how you think about strategy, execution, and leadership. 🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market. Connect with Max: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxmaurier/ Absolute Security: absolute.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/

52 min
APR 9

Alex Schutte: 6 Ways To Drive Revenue & Earn Executive Trust - Episode #42

What if the fastest way to improve your marketing performance isn’t better messaging but better data? In this episode of Connect To Market, host Casey Cheshire welcomes Alex Schutte, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Hubstaff, to explore how marketers can connect to their market by prioritizing data clarity before refining messaging. Alex explains why many B2B teams struggle with alignment and trust due to inconsistent definitions and fragmented reporting, and how fixing these foundational issues can unlock stronger decision making and revenue impact. He shares why marketers who lead with data, not just campaigns, are better positioned to earn executive trust and drive meaningful growth. He breaks down how leaders can move from disconnected metrics to a unified, revenue driven strategy by standardizing key definitions across the funnel, building a centralized executive dashboard, and adopting a bow tie growth model that captures the full customer lifecycle. From analyzing top customers and segmenting effectively to operationalizing LTV and aligning spend accordingly, Alex outlines practical ways to turn data into a strategic advantage. He also touches on forecasting, attribution realities, and how to lead teams with clear expectations and unbiased insights. In this episode, we cover: Why data clarity is the foundation for effective go to market strategyHow to standardize definitions and build a single source of truthUsing a bow tie model to understand growth across the full customer lifecycleAligning marketing efforts to revenue and using LTV to guide smarter decisionsIf you’re a marketing leader looking to improve performance, strengthen alignment, and build credibility with executives, Alex’s approach offers a clear roadmap for turning better data into better business outcomes. 🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Connect To Market. Connect with Alex: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexschutte/ Hubstaff: https://hubstaff.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/

45 min
APR 2

Melissa Moody: Concentric Circles, Empowering Teams & Customer Success as Marketing - Episode #41

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 landscapeUnderstanding and applying the concentric circles of influence frameworkEnabling employees and internal stakeholders as authentic brand advocatesLeveraging partnerships and customer success as powerful growth driversIf 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/

47 min

TRAILER

Connect To Market Trailer!

A movement of B2B marketers who realize direct connection with buyers is the foundation of all growth. Join us as we learn from marketing leaders who are driving founder-led growth. Connect To Market is sponsored by Ringmaster, building B2B podcasts and communities to reconnect you with your audience.

E1

•

24 sec

5

out of 5

4 Ratings

A movement of B2B marketers who realize direct connection with buyers is the foundation of all growth.

Creator

Ringmaster
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

50
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Ringmaster
Show Website

Connect To Market