B2B Marketing Leaders Podcast

Olga Bondareva

Olga Bondareva, founder of ModumUp, brings together B2B marketers from big tech companies to exchange ideas and share real-world experience

Episodes

  1. Aug 13

    B2B Marketing Metrics and KPIs: insights from experts at Sage, Sun Life and VitalPath

    In this episode of B2B Marketing Leaders, Olga Bondareva - founder of ModumUp Agency (https://modumup.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=episode9) - talks about metrics and KPIs in B2B with experts from different B2B companies: • Bridget Locke, VP of Strategic Marketing at VitalPath • Ravi Raj Pareek, Senior Marketing Data Manager at Sage / ravi-raj-p-637299104   • Nick Starikov, Manager, Marketing Analytics and Insights at Sun Life / nikita-a-starikov   Key themes discussed: • Why MQL volume alone misleads: ICP fit, MQL-to-opportunity conversion, opportunity value, and pipeline by channel • A VitalPath laser-components campaign that created about half a million in pipeline by tracking touchpoints beyond lead count • How sales feedback by lead source exposes gaps in MQL-to-SQL conversion and opens optimization opportunities • Three biases that distort metrics: wrong time windows, unlike audience comparisons, and misleading aggregation • Why pre-post analysis without proper tests can be skewed by outside factors • Event ROI beyond lead count: two pipeline opportunities from a small room vs. hundreds of top-of-funnel leads • Reverse-funnel math for unrealistic targets: from sales goals back through opportunities, activity, and spend • Checking market size before committing to growth targets that the market cannot support • Metrics vs. KPIs vs. OKRs: what defines success, what explains the path, and what sets timed priorities • Attribution and ROI across long B2B cycles: CRM as source of truth, multi-touch credit, and lifetime value • AI for measurement with guardrails: Snowflake Cortex, Power BI Copilot, Claude - and why humans keep the decision layer A grounded conversation about how B2B marketing teams choose metrics, avoid vanity volume, and connect marketing activity to pipeline and revenue. With practical examples from Sage, Sun Life, and VitalPath on reverse-funnel planning, attribution, ROI, and where AI helps without replacing judgment. Subscribe to our Newsletter

  2. Jun 17

    Demand generation in B2B: Insights from NetApp and Thermo Fisher Scientific

    Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/social-selling-for-b2b-7250113707765067776/ In this episode of B2B Marketing Leaders, Olga Bondareva - Founder of ModumUp Agency - talks about demand generation in B2B with experts from enterprise companies: • Irina Chernova, Demand Marketing Manager EMEA & LATAM at NetApp • Aleksandra Savina, Demand Generation Manager, Global Marketing, Olink Proteomics, part of Thermo Fisher Scientific Key themes discussed: • How targeted demand works as the last mile between strategic programs and sales-ready conversations • Turning engineering-led webinars into ongoing demand gen engines through repurposing and audience expansion • Building campaigns around buyer problems and search questions rather than single product assets • Why appointment-setting vendors did not fit NetApp's model compared to nurture-led journeys • What happens when one asset is promoted without a full customer journey and clear messaging • How demand gen teams coordinate field marketing, events, communications, digital, and sales • Using AI as a copilot for briefs, analytics, and scheduling - not as a goal in itself • Early steps for AI search visibility: FAQ content, llms.txt, and natural-language blog structure • Account selection through therapeutic-area priorities vs. target account lists with propensity signals • Measuring pipeline in Salesforce: lead-generated and account-influenced opportunities • Long B2B cycles, many touchpoints, and signals that show a lead is moving toward a conversation • The engagement work behind demand gen that makes event conversations possible A grounded conversation about how enterprise B2B teams build demand generation programs, repurpose content, measure pipeline, and align expectations between marketing and sales. With real examples from NetApp and Thermo Fisher Scientific on what works, what teams learn along the way, and how AI fits into the process.

  3. May 14

    ABM in B2B: insights from NetApp, Octave and Acronis

    Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/social-selling-for-b2b-7250113707765067776/ In this episode of B2B Marketing Leaders, Olga Bondareva - Founder of ModumUp Agency - talks about account-based marketing with experts from enterprise companies: • Irina Chernova, Demand Marketing Manager EMEA&LATAM at NetApp  • Viviane Ross, Senior Marketing Campaign Manager at Octave  • Elena Simkina, Sr. Digital Marketing Director at Acronis  Key themes discussed: • How enterprise teams implement ABM in practice: one-to-one, one-to-few, one-to-many, and hybrid approaches across different company sizes • Real ABM case studies - from winning a Middle East oil and gas account through an AI-focused strategy during COVID, to VIP event programs and public sector vertical campaigns • Why early ABM programs often fail: misaligned sales and marketing expectations, and the shift from "hot leads" to working together on a specific account list • ABM as a customer experience, not a marketing tactic - and why sales commitment matters as much as running the campaigns • How to prioritize accounts and choose the right ABM tier: intent signals, ICP fit, wallet size, competitive position, and scorecard-based segmentation • Balancing personalization with scalability: role-based messaging vs. hyper-personalization, and when deep personalization becomes too much • Account research in ABM: intent data tools, CRM, AI, LinkedIn, sales insights, and internal sources like professional services teams • Measuring ABM success: buying committee coverage, engagement scores, sourced pipeline, influenced pipeline, and interim KPIs along the funnel • How AI is used in ABM today - content creation, campaign analysis, localization - and why marketers still coordinate the work with a human in the loop • Getting sales and other teams on board: setting expectations upfront, choosing the right sales partners, and translating marketing language for sales teams A grounded conversation about how B2B marketing leaders at NetApp, Octave, and Acronis run ABM programs - from strategic one-to-one plays to scalable one-to-many campaigns. With honest lessons on what goes wrong, how to track results, and why sales alignment has to come first. Timestamps: 00:58 - Introduction of speakers 04:21 - ABM success stories and case studies 11:40 - When ABM initiatives don't go as planned 16:25 - Prioritization and selecting the right ABM approach 20:49 - Balancing personalization and scalability in ABM 26:51 - Account research, tools, and the human side of ABM 32:40 - Measuring ABM efficiency and key metrics 37:25 - Using AI in ABM workflows 39:14 - Cross-functional alignment with sales and other teams

  4. Apr 14

    Marketing planning in B2B: insights from experts at BESTMIX Software, Trystar, Kibo Commerce, and Digital Science | B2B Marketing Leaders Podcast

    Subscribe to our Newsletter In this episode of B2B Marketing Leaders, Olga Bondareva - Founder of ModumUp Agency - talks about marketing planning in B2B with experts from enterprise companies: • Natalija Pavic, Sr. Director of Product Marketing at Kibo Commerce  • Olga Bakanova, Head of Marketing at BESTMIX Software  • Rahul Agarwal, Strategic Marketing Manager at Trystar • Doug Kimball, Sr. Director Product Marketing at Digital Science Key themes discussed: • How company size and structure shape the planning process: from complex multi-segment organizations to lean, goal-driven teams • Annual, half-year, and quarterly planning cadences, and when to rebuild the plan from scratch mid-year • Why one metric is never enough: full-funnel measurement, the close rate trap, and the case for tracking multiple KPIs • Brand awareness vs. lead generation: how one company puts 60% of its budget into brand and why it outperforms direct lead gen • How AI is changing the speed and depth of competitive intelligence and campaign planning • What it takes to get leadership buy-in: what executives actually care about • How to allocate budget for experiments when results are not guaranteed • What to do when external factors force an overnight pivot • Bottom-up budgeting: building from this year's goals, not last year's numbers A grounded conversation about how B2B marketing teams at different company sizes approach planning, set goals, allocate budget, and adapt when reality changes. With real examples of AI-powered planning, disruption recovery, and the case for flexibility over rigid annual plans. Timestamps: 00:31 - Introduction of speakers 02:47 - Marketing planning process in the company 07:01 - Planning time horizons in B2B marketing 11:23 - Goal setting in B2B marketing 16:47 - Balancing brand awareness and lead generation 25:12 - Making marketing plans transparent for leadership 29:26 - Budgeting and validating experimental initiatives 34:40 - Using AI in B2B marketing planning 41:06 - Handling disruptions and external factors in planning 48:32 - Advice for marketers building planning from scratch

About

Olga Bondareva, founder of ModumUp, brings together B2B marketers from big tech companies to exchange ideas and share real-world experience