Chief Evangelist with Ethan Beute Chief Evangelist

Watch or listen to this week's episode on driving innovation and revenue through evangelism!
Matt Coats, Chief Evangelist at SchoolMint, shares his path from sales to evangelism - what sparked the vision, how he sold the concept internally, how it affected his compensation, and why it landed him on the senior leadership team.
Watch or listen for insights into the role of a Chief Evangelist, the need to turn the voice of the customer into new customer value, and strategies for preparing the market for these new solutions.
Takeaways:
The primary role of an evangelist is innovation - continuously identifying new opportunities to create customer- and market-informed solutions. A Chief Evangelist is uniquely positioned to help turn the voice of the customer into realized customer value.
Variable compensation can be part of an evangelist’s package. But that variable comp should look more like the CEO’s than a sales rep’s - not necessarily in quantity, but definitely in what it’s tied to.
Three types of external meetings for an evangelist: direct prospect or customer contact in a formal way (presentation, exec briefing, etc), informal customer interactions (coffee, lunch, or a call), and conferences (panels, sessions, and networking).
Evangelism is sales, but you’re selling ideas, not products. An evangelist can help sell employees on the meaning, purpose, and results of the company’s work, as well as sell to prospects and resell to customers the promise of improved outcomes.
Quote of the Show:
“We need somebody who’s going to go out and sell this concept. It’s not about selling a product or a thing, we need to sell this idea to the market.”
 Links Related to This Episode:
Matt Coats on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattcoats SchoolMint: https://schoolmint.com 
See or Hear More Conversations on Chief Evangelist with Ethan Beute:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/Vszsdge-7xwSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5tEPLXnkNSYAsjpwD3O69tApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chief-evangelist-with-ethan-beute/id1652687400Chief Evangelist: https://www.chiefevangelist.comChief Evangelist is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Creator of the Zero Trust model of cybersecurity, John Kindervag serves as Chief Evangelist at Illumio. He joins host Ethan Beute to share insights from his journey turning a new idea into a global movement.
More than a dozen years ago as a Forrester analyst, he turned primary research into a new model of information security. Rather than a perimeter-based approach, a segmented approach that assumes zero trust is more effective. An affront to the status quo at the time, Zero Trust is now a global movement that’s reached every continent and resulted in an Executive Order by President Biden. Behind it all is passion, persistence, and evangelism.
Takeaways:
The most important role of a Chief Evangelist is to create and communicate a compelling narrative and story that they genuinely believe in. Go beyond technical details to business strategy - and do it with expertise, enthusiasm, and human centricity.Put the problem and opportunity ahead of the product. Zero Trust is a strategy that’s product, technology, and vendor neutral. Evangelize the problem, not the product.Embrace both external and internal evangelism. Engage with customers and prospects while also fostering understanding and buy-in among teammates. And align with the CMO for maximum impact.No matter your problem, solution, or market, evangelism should be based on a deep and sincere desire to make people’s lives better.
Quote of the Show:
“The only purpose for doing all this is to make people’s lives better. That’s the reason for technology. If you’re just into it for the technology, but not the human aspects of it, it’s not a good fit for you.” - John Kindervag
 Links Related to This Episode:
John Kindervag on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kindervag-40572b1 Illumio: https://www.illumio.com ON2IT: https://on2it.net Final Draft Report to the President: Zero Trust and Trusted Identity Management: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Final%20Draft%20NSTAC%20Report%20to%20the%20President%20on%20Zero%20Trust%20and%20Trusted%20Identity%20Management.pdf DOD SkillBridge Program: https://skillbridge.osd.mil 
See or Hear More Conversations on Chief Evangelist with Ethan Beute:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/d7EJU3XaDXYSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5tEPLXnkNSYAsjpwD3O69tApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chief-evangelist-with-ethan-beute/id1652687400Chief Evangelist: https://www.chiefevangelist.comChief Evangelist is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Listen in on a conversation on the relationships between sales, technical marketing, product marketing, and evangelism. Join Brian Robison, Chief Evangelist and Vice President of Product Marketing at Corellium. To that role, Brian brings experience in marketing and evangelizing hardware and software solutions with Blackberry Cylance, Citrix, McAfee, and Tripwire.
The theme throughout his career: making a bigger impact inspired by the belief in the solution and its importance to people’s lives. The work throughout: developing assets, narratives, and hands-on experience with the product.
Takeaways:
The most important role of an evangelist is to support the sale. Everyone is in sales, including the evangelist. The evangelist is there not to drive a transaction, but to discover, communicate, and establish clear value. You’re selling trust and relationships, not SKUs and prices.Often functioning as a “one-person production house” of product demos, stories, and presentations, Brian balances routine tasks with creative responsibilities is essential for efficiency, creativity, and innovation. Customer needs and customer use cases shift. Being aligned with your customers and being a hands-on user yourself deepens understanding and unlocks new ideas and enhanced value.Two tell-tale signs that you need an evangelist are a young company bringing something revolutionary to the world or a big company in an established market trying to create a paradigm shift. Both need a bigger conversation about the outcomes of a new approach, not just one about a tool.
Quote of the Show:
“I have always sought out companies and products that are different, that change how people do things, that have a much bigger impact.”
 Links Related to This Episode:
Brian Robison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianrobison1 Corellium: https://www.corellium.com 
See or Hear More Conversations on Chief Evangelist with Ethan Beute:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/-xmX4KoH570Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5tEPLXnkNSYAsjpwD3O69tApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chief-evangelist-with-ethan-beute/id1652687400Chief Evangelist: https://www.chiefevangelist.comChief Evangelist is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Join Kelly Ryan Bailey, CEO and Global Skills Evangelist at Skills Baby, as she explains the dynamic role of an evangelist with host Ethan Beute. The focus is on innovation, transformative work, and storytelling - all fueled by an authentic passion.
Learn why and how Kelly developed an open-source vocabulary around skills in service of all stakeholders in the labor market, why someone referred to her as a “one-woman SWAT team” in an evangelist role, which other names an evangelist might go by, and how she advocates for equality and empowering working women, addressing the significant gaps in the workforce.
Takeaways:
The most important role of an evangelist is authentic connection through genuine belief. You must believe in what you’re talking about to your core, connect with people immediately, and take people on a journey through storytelling.
Embrace the evangelist role: Straddling inside and outside an organization, you work across all departments, providing a unique perspective and essential skills for driving innovation and transformation.
Communicate your value effectively as an evangelist: Track and integrate outcomes into your stories, consistently sharing achievements. When discussing your value with employers, highlight tangible, positive changes your work has brought to organizations.
Continuous learning is key for evangelists: Adaptability and a broad skill set are crucial. Gain new skills to enhance your value, recognizing that qualities like communication, problem-solving, and adaptability, though not easily quantified, are integral to your narrative of value.
Quote of the Show:
“The more we empower others into these leadership roles and unlock those barriers, the world can change into a beautiful place.”
 Links Related to This Episode:
Kelly Ryan Bailey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyryanbailey Skills Baby: https://www.skillsbaby.com Kelly’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/kellyryanbailey  Personal Website: https://kellyryanbailey.com 
See or Hear More Conversations on Chief Evangelist with Ethan Beute:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/rZIStf8q3hsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5tEPLXnkNSYAsjpwD3O69tApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chief-evangelist-with-ethan-beute/id1652687400Chief Evangelist: https://www.chiefevangelist.comChief Evangelist is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

In this episode, Corrina Owens, Chief Evangelist at purple cork, draws from her account-based marketing and demand generation experience with companies like Profisee and Gong to explain how evangelists can work across functions to better serve customer needs.
Hear the customer-turned-team-member story of Corrina joining purple cork and why the Chief Evangelist role made sense for her, the company, and the competition. Learn about her current focus on positioning and the impact of AI on go-to-market strategy. 
Takeaways:
The most important role of a Chief Evangelist is to deeply understand the voice of the customer, where the customer is, what their goals and aspirations are, and what you’re solving for them.
When considering implementing an evangelist role, look to your ideal customers. When considering hiring the right person, consider an evangelist title - especially if you want them to work across traditional boundaries and have a broader, more holistic impact on customer experience..
If your product or service doesn’t have a clear category in the minds of your customers, you and your competitors have a problem and an opportunity. An evangelist may be uniquely prepared to help.
Despite the role of AI and technology, recognize the irreplaceable value of human creativity and human connection that evangelism can bring for business success.
The need to feel seen and heard remains constant, but few people are getting what they need. Invest in active listening and open conversation to make people feel valued. Whether managing teams, connecting with customers, or interacting with anyone else, a little patience, empathy, and curiosity go a long way.
Quote of the Show:
“In the age of AI, creators and evangelists are going to reign supreme. Because it’s the person behind the tools, technologies, frameworks, templates, and playbooks who’s really the secret sauce.”
 Links Related to This Episode:
Corrina Owens (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/corrina-owens Direct with Corrina & Taylor (podcast): https://marketersindemand.com/direct/purple cork (Website): https://www.purplecork.wine 
See or Hear More Conversations on Chief Evangelist with Ethan Beute:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/M5N2jzYOjicSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5tEPLXnkNSYAsjpwD3O69tApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chief-evangelist-with-ethan-beute/id1652687400Chief Evangelist: https://www.chiefevangelist.comChief Evangelist is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

This episode features Udi Ledergor, Chief Evangelist at Gong. Udi’s been along throughout Gong’s success journey, primarily as CMO. Learn why the shift to evangelism made sense for him, the company, and their community.
Get insights into how Udi created the job description, how he sources 20-25 speaking engagements each quarter, how he lines up appointments with people in customer and target accounts, what his quarterly KPIs include (like influenced and impacted revenue), and more!
Four top takeaways:
The most important role of a Chief Evangelist is to ignite market demand and create other evangelists in order to drive a self-sustaining movement.B2B marketing, influenced by B2C practices, has adopted a more human, approachable, and communicative style, exemplified by Gong's vibrant, unbuttoned branding. The rise of evangelism is consistent with this more human approach.After years of growth, a VP or C-suite role can become slower and more operational. If this doesn’t play to your strengths, shifting to an evangelist role brings you back to the work of solving problems, acting quickly, and - in Udi’s case - doing hands-on marketing.When hiring an evangelist, consider their domain expertise, connections, and credibility. Ensure genuine alignment with your company's values. Strong communication skills, especially in public speaking, are obviously helpful, too. Look for someone who can tell a bigger story—whether your company is creating or disrupting a category. Evangelism isn't for every company, but for those with transformative ideas, it can be a powerful strategy.
Quote of the Show:
“I do see evangelism as an extension of marketing. More and more companies are starting to realize the importance and impact evangelism can make. And I see more companies talking to me about hiring this function for themselves.”
 Links Related to This Episode:
Udi Ledergor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/udiledergor Gong (Website): https://www.gong.io Gong (Blog): https://www.gong.io/blog Gong & Forrester Article: https://www.gong.io/press/gong-named-a-leader-in-revenue-operations-and-intelligence-forrester 
See or Hear More Conversations on Chief Evangelist with Ethan Beute:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/OJ1egx1k0fQSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5tEPLXnkNSYAsjpwD3O69tApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chief-evangelist-with-ethan-beute/id1652687400Chief Evangelist: https://www.chiefevangelist.comChief Evangelist is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/