Missing Half

50 Marketing
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Rather than being distracted or overwhelmed by new marketing developments, tactics, and technologies, 50 Marketing focuses on studying the strategies that truly produce results in the B2B and manufacturing world, new and old–and we want to share our findings with you. Marketing managers: You're charged with all things digital marketing--there's a lot on your plate. We're here to help you pick the most critical path of priorities among all of the options that are available as you pursue digital transformation.  Learn more about 50 Marketing's experience and playbook, keep up with marketing insights, and sit down with professionals ready to share their own stories.

  1. How Smart Manufacturers Are Winning with Customer Experience and AI | Brian Morrell | Ep 85

    2D AGO

    How Smart Manufacturers Are Winning with Customer Experience and AI | Brian Morrell | Ep 85

    This week, Bill sits down with Brian Morrell, COO of Stern Engineered Woven Substrates, to explore how the 137-year-old manufacturer has evolved its go-to-market strategy. From eliminating traditional sales rep layers to building direct relationships with customers, Brian shares how modern manufacturers must adapt to meet the demands of faster decision-making, technical buyers, and increasing expectations shaped by consumer experiences.Brian also discusses how Stern is improving customer experience through simple but effective digital tools, the role of transparency in industrial supply chains, and how AI and data accessibility are reshaping how engineers source and specify products. With an extensive career in process optimization and operations leadership, Brian brings a practical, transparent perspective on what it takes to modernize without overcomplicating systems, and why people, process, and trust still drive success in manufacturing.Key takeaways this week: • Direct-to-customer strategies improve speed, value, and relationships • Customer experience is no longer optional in manufacturing • Simple digital tools can outperform complex systems • AI will reshape how buyers discover and evaluate suppliers • People remain the most critical asset in manufacturingConnect with Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-morrell-608b9465/ Learn more about Stern EWS and see the product catalog tool: https://www.sternandstern.com/ Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more insights from industry experts, and let us know your thoughts below!

    52 min
  2. Private Equity Branding: The Missing Lever in Value Creation | Marc Rust | Ep 84

    MAR 19

    Private Equity Branding: The Missing Lever in Value Creation | Marc Rust | Ep 84

    Private equity has evolved beyond financial engineering, but branding and messaging are still widely underutilized as value creation levers. In this episode of The Missing Half Podcast, Bill sits down with Marc Rust to explore how private equity firms and portfolio companies can use brand clarity, internal alignment, and audience-focused messaging to drive growth and increase valuation.Marc Rust is CEO and Founder of Consequently Creative, a creative strategist, TEDx speaker, and narrative troublemaker who helps organizations find their true voice and use it boldly. Known for bringing strategic clarity with a poetic edge, Marc works with private equity firms and portfolio companies to turn brand fog into messaging that drives alignment, growth, and differentiation.In this conversation, Marc introduces the concept of “acquisition turbulence,” explains why most companies lead with what they do instead of why it matters, and shares how better messaging can improve employee retention, customer clarity, and long-term business performance.If you’re a private equity professional, operator, or B2B leader trying to improve growth during the hold period, this episode will challenge how you think about branding and its role in value creation.https://www.50marketing.com/contact/Connect with Guest on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcrLearn more about Consequently Creative:https://www.linkedin.com/company/consequently/https://consequentlycreative.com/Connect with Bill on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing:https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more insights from industry experts, and let us know your thoughts below!

    1 hr
  3. AI in Manufacturing: What Private Equity Operators Must Get Right in the Next 24 Months

    MAR 3

    AI in Manufacturing: What Private Equity Operators Must Get Right in the Next 24 Months

    AI is everywhere in manufacturing right now, but most companies are still stuck in pilots, hype cycles, and half-finished experiments. In Episode 83 of The Missing Half, Bill sits down with Sebastian Chedal, Founder & CEO of Fountain City and Co-Founder of TestFox AI, to break down what it actually takes to move beyond proof-of-concept and into repeatable, scalable AI outcomes inside mid-market and enterprise manufacturing companies .Sebastian has spent decades leading digital transformation initiatives and now works directly with manufacturing leaders implementing AI in real operational environments. Together, he and Bill unpack why so many AI initiatives stall after early wins, where executive expectations disconnect from technical reality, and how poor data hygiene and undefined processes quietly sabotage promising projects. They explore the importance of humility in AI adoption, why smaller, focused implementations outperform grand transformation mandates, and how leadership maturity ultimately determines whether AI becomes a competitive advantage or an expensive experiment.The conversation also dives into one of the most pressing issues in manufacturing today: capturing tribal knowledge before it walks out the door. With a generational workforce shift underway, AI presents a powerful opportunity to preserve institutional expertise, democratize it across teams, and accelerate onboarding for the next generation of engineers and operators. Bill and Sebastian also discuss how private equity and investors are evaluating “AI-enabled” companies, how to distinguish real operational leverage from performative AI branding, and why the asymmetrical upside of AI makes experimentation not just worthwhile — but necessary.If you’re a manufacturing executive, operator, or investor trying to separate AI signal from noise, this episode offers a grounded, strategic look at what works now and what will matter most over the next 24 months.Connect with Sebastian at Fountain City: https://fountaincity.techExplore TestFox AI: https://testfox.aiConnect with Sebastian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastianchedal/Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations with founders, executives, and investors shaping the future of manufacturing, marketing, and growth strategy. Let us know your biggest AI challenge in the comments below.

    52 min
  4. Private Equity’s Leadership Hiring Illusion | Ep 82

    FEB 19

    Private Equity’s Leadership Hiring Illusion | Ep 82

    In this week’s episode, Bill breaks down a costly pattern inside private equity backed companies: hiring senior go to market leaders before defining the system they are supposed to run. Too often, slowing growth triggers a reflexive search for a VP of Sales or CRO without first establishing the clarity and structure required for that leader to succeed.This episode explores why leadership cannot compensate for an undefined GTM motion, how mis hires stall momentum for 12 to 18 months, and why adding headcount before repeatability simply multiplies inefficiencies. You will learn the difference between building a system and operating one, what foundational GTM elements must exist before scaling including ICP clarity, documented sales stages, aligned handoffs, and enablement infrastructure, and how PE operators and executive teams can shift from hiring as a shortcut to clarity first, system driven growth.Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more insights from industry experts, and let us know your thoughts below!

    6 min
  5. Why Most Businesses Never Sell and How To Change the Outcome | Tim Martinez | Ep 81

    FEB 5

    Why Most Businesses Never Sell and How To Change the Outcome | Tim Martinez | Ep 81

    Most business owners assume an exit is a single transaction. In reality, successful exits require years of intentional planning across leadership, growth, and personal identity. In this week's episode, Bill sits down with Tim Martinez, President and Founder of The Inside Man, to unpack what truly drives valuation, and why most businesses never make it to a successful sale.Tim works closely with lower middle-market, family-owned, and founder-led businesses navigating growth plateaus, leadership bottlenecks, and exit readiness. Together, they explore why growth and marketing are often the most overlooked levers in valuation, how customer concentration and owner dependency quietly kill deals, and why storytelling—not just financials—determines what buyers are willing to pay.Connect with Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theinsideman/ Learn more about The Inside Man: http://www.theinsideman.biz/ Subscribe to Tim's blog: https://timtheinsideman.substack.com/ Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more insights from industry experts, and let us know your thoughts below!

    44 min
  6. Budgets Don’t Create Growth: Building a GTM Strategy in PE-Backed Companies | Ep 80

    JAN 29

    Budgets Don’t Create Growth: Building a GTM Strategy in PE-Backed Companies | Ep 80

    In this week's episode, Bill breaks down a critical issue inside private equity–backed companies: the absence of a real go-to-market strategy. Too often, post-acquisition growth plans rely on increased budgets, headcount, and activity without a defined, repeatable system for creating real growth.This episode explores the difference between spend-driven growth and system-driven go-to-market strategy, why expansion is often mistaken for scale, and how misaligned incentives quietly erode performance over time. You’ll learn what a true GTM system includes—from ICP clarity and defined sales motion to channel discipline and economic accountability—and how PE operators and leadership teams can shift from reactive spending to predictable, efficient growth.Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more insights from industry experts, and let us know your thoughts below!

    12 min
  7. The 50 Capital Growth Model: Marketing for EBITDA and Exit Multiples | Ep 79

    12/18/2025

    The 50 Capital Growth Model: Marketing for EBITDA and Exit Multiples | Ep 79

    Marketing doesn’t create enterprise value by accident—it has to be engineered, governed, and aligned to the deal thesis. In this week's episode, Bill breaks down the model we use at 50 Capital Growth to turn marketing from a collection of activities into a governed asset that creates measurable enterprise value.This episode is built for owners, executives, private equity operators, and leadership teams in B2B and industrial companies navigating growth, acquisition, or exit. Bill walks through how to align marketing directly to a deal thesis, protect revenue, unlock expansion inside existing accounts, systematize referrals, and scale into new markets with speed and confidence. The result is marketing that behaves like capital—predictable, defensible, and trusted by boards, lenders, and buyers.Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/Follow 50 Capital Growth: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-capital-growth/Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more insights from industry experts, and let us know your thoughts below!

    11 min
  8. Smart Risk, Long Sales Cycles & Modern Marketing: Inside PCC’s Manufacturing Evolution | Chris Riemer | Ep 78

    12/11/2025

    Smart Risk, Long Sales Cycles & Modern Marketing: Inside PCC’s Manufacturing Evolution | Chris Riemer | Ep 78

    In this episode, Bill sits down with Chris Riemer, U.S. President of Process Combustion Corporation (PCC), a global engineering and manufacturing organization specializing in process heating and emissions control systems. With 30+ years of engineering and military leadership experience, Chris shares how PCC has transformed from a conservative legacy business into a forward-focused, diversified global competitor.Chris discusses the company’s management buyout, the cultural shift toward innovation and smart risk-taking, the challenges of multi-year sales cycles, and the growing impact of professional buying environments on engineering-driven manufacturing companies. The conversation also explores global expansion, the rise of new markets such as biochar and carbon reduction technologies, the role of disciplined organizational frameworks, and how modern marketing has become an essential growth lever for PCC.Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-riemer-7481046/Learn more about PCC: www.pcc-group.comConnect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-woods-i/Follow 50 Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/company/50-marketing/Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more insights from industry experts, and let us know your thoughts below!

    53 min
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About

Rather than being distracted or overwhelmed by new marketing developments, tactics, and technologies, 50 Marketing focuses on studying the strategies that truly produce results in the B2B and manufacturing world, new and old–and we want to share our findings with you. Marketing managers: You're charged with all things digital marketing--there's a lot on your plate. We're here to help you pick the most critical path of priorities among all of the options that are available as you pursue digital transformation.  Learn more about 50 Marketing's experience and playbook, keep up with marketing insights, and sit down with professionals ready to share their own stories.

Information

  • Creator
    50 Marketing
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    85
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Missing Half