Best Story Wins
Business & Finance
About
Welcome to “Best Story Wins,” a podcast for marketing and branding professionals looking to unlock their growth potential. Hosted by Column Five—a B2B marketing agency that specializes in brand and content marketing for SaaS companies—each episode features insightful conversations with industry leaders who are winning customers’ hearts and minds by building world-class brands. Tune in to hear expert insights, hard-won lessons, and key strategies to take your own marketing efforts to the next level.
Episodes
- In the AI Age, Taste Is the Last Moat with Avi Ashkenazi of Deel
Avi Ashkenazi, Senior Product Design Director at Deel, discusses how his team operates in a high-velocity environment and the importance of taste and design in the age of AI. He explains why certain qualities are essential for designers to…
- The Secret to Building Products People Fall in Love With with Jon Howell of Ramp
Jon Howell of Ramp, formerly of Twitch, Lyft, Robinhood, and Dropbox, joins Best Story Wins to discuss building products that users love. He shares insights on integrating brand and product design, the impact of AI on brand design, and str…
- The Force Multiplier Most B2B Brands Are Ignoring with Ryan Hammill of ServiceNow
Ryan Hammill, Creative Director at ServiceNow, discusses B2B marketing and brand strategy. He shares insights on humanizing technology and developing effective campaigns that achieved high creative effectiveness scores.
- Stop Catching Up. Start Doing Something with Asher Rumack of C5
Asher Rumack, VP of Creative Strategy at Column Five, discusses effective AI implementation in B2B marketing. He argues for a strategic approach to AI, integrating creative, strategy, and marketing functions to avoid common pitfalls.
- The AI Shortcut That Backfires Every Time with Jason Lankow from C5
This episode features Jason Lankow from C5 discussing the pitfalls of using AI as a shortcut for content creation. He breaks down why AI is a brand system problem, not a content problem, and how to build a brand operating system.
- Most AI Advice Is Completely Wrong with Julien Palliere from Column Five
Julien Palliere from Column Five joins Josh to discuss the impact of AI on B2B strategy, content, and sales. They explore how AI is reshaping trust in B2B and the common pitfalls companies face when implementing AI.
- The Content Mistake Killing Your Growth with Jacqui Morgan
Jacqui Morgan explains why most B2B content fails to generate growth and offers strategies to create effective social media content. She covers topics such as algorithm independent growth, employee advocacy, and building high-value communi…
- AI Just Changed Content Marketing Forever with Lexi Croisdale from Varonis
Lexi Croisdale, Director of Global Content Marketing at Varonis, explains how AI is transforming content marketing. The discussion covers the impact of AI on search and content discovery, emphasizing the need for B2B teams to prioritize cr…
- How AI is forcing CMOs to Adapt and Evolve with Julien Sauvage from Cordial
Julien Sauvage, CMO at Cordial, discusses how AI is transforming the role of CMOs and marketing strategies. He covers adapting to changes in budget allocation, leveraging data to demonstrate brand impact, and the evolving mandate for CMOs…
- The Sea Of Sameness Is Your Opportunity with Devin Bramhall
Devin Bramhall talks about why B2B companies fail and offers ideas for achieving growth through new strategies. He discusses the collapse of marketing as a fixed set of activities and how to get executive buy-in for new approaches.
- The Funnel Is Dead And Your Team Hasn’t Noticed with Matt Hemsley from Asana
Matt Hemsley, Marketing Operations Team Lead at Asana, discusses the obsolescence of traditional marketing funnels and the impact of AI on demand generation. He explores the shift in marketing operations, the challenges of data overload, a…
- The Real Reason Your POV Isn’t Landing with Amanda Verdino from Forma
This episode features Amanda Verdino, Director of Content Marketing at Forma, who discusses why B2B marketers' traditional storytelling approaches may be failing in an AI-driven environment. She explains how buyers are using AI for credibi…
- How Loop Marketing is the Answer to the Death of Inbound with Kyle Denhoff
Kyle Denhoff, Senior Director of Marketing at HubSpot, explains how traditional inbound marketing is evolving. He discusses why channel-first thinking is outdated and how HubSpot has adapted its strategy to focus on audience-first content…
- The Only Content That Cuts Through with Jillian Hoefer Head of Content at UserEvidence
Jillian Hoefer, Head of Content at UserEvidence, discusses why generic AI-driven content is ineffective and how to create credible, relevant customer evidence. She explains how to adapt content strategies for risk-averse buying committees…
- How to Build a Winning Brand in the Era of AI Search with Kevin White Head of Marketing at Scrunch
Kevin White, Head of Marketing at Scrunch, discusses how AI is changing brand content and search. He explains that traditional content is now summarized and re-ranked, and emphasizes the importance of brand presence in this new environment.
- AI Content Volume Won’t Save You with Jessica Rosenberg Head of Brand at AirOps
Jessica Rosenberg, Head of Brand at AirOps, discusses why AI content volume isn't beneficial for B2B brands. She emphasizes the importance of quality, narrative, and effective systems over simply generating more content.
- AI Visibility Is The Only Way to Win with Artem Kubatkin of Attune
Artem Kubatkin of Attune explains how AI overviews are changing SEO traffic. He discusses the importance of AI visibility, covering topics like content strategy and brand alignment.
- Taste as a Secret Weapon with Jeff Stark of Suki AI
Jeff Stark, Head of Creative at Suki AI, discusses the importance of human taste and creativity in the context of AI. He shares insights on how AI can be used to unlock better ideas while preserving human elements in creative processes, as…
- How to Increase Brand ROI Through Scale, Speed, and Quality” with Dan Schwer of Rippling
This episode features Dan Schwer of Rippling, who discusses how to increase brand ROI through scale, speed, and quality. He addresses common challenges in B2B content, including the "brand vs. demand" debate, the role of video, and the imp…
- The Bold Bet Smart CMOs Are Making in 2026 with Sylvia LePoidevin
This episode of Best Story Wins features Sylvia LePoidevin, who explains why brand building and human-centric content are crucial for B2B marketers in an era of AI. The discussion covers how AI-native teams operate and the importance of un…
- SEO, AEO, and the Return of Good Marketing with Jenna Hannon of Hatter
Jenna Hannon, CEO of Hatter, discusses the evolution of SEO to AEO and its implications for B2B marketers. The conversation covers the importance of quality content, integrated marketing efforts, and product marketing's role in growth.
- Ditching Best Practices: How Courageous Brands Get Remembered with Udi Ledergor of Gong
Udi Ledergor, author of Courageous Marketing and Chief Evangelist at Gong, discusses how brands can move beyond "best practices" to create a differentiated point of view. He explains why courageous marketing is essential for standing out i…
- Tomato Sauce and the Stories Behind What We Buy with Andrew Lee of Microsoft
This episode features Andrew Lee of Microsoft, who discusses modern marketing challenges. He covers the importance of taste, building owned distribution channels, and strategic planning in marketing.
- The Feeling of Knowing: Brand in the Age of LLMs, with Ari Yablok of Island
This episode explores how LLMs are influencing brand perception and the importance of shaping brand narratives. It covers topics like AI Engine Optimization (AEO), creating experiential brands, and leveraging "unreasonable hospitality" in…
- Everything’s Changing: How Smart CMOs Stay Ahead with Drew Neisser of CMO Huddles
This episode features Drew Neisser of CMO Huddles discussing how CMOs can adapt to the changing B2B marketing environment. Topics include navigating budget constraints, redefining 'brand' as 'reputation,' and leveraging AI for workflow opt…
- Story Is the Moat: How to Build One at Scale with Julien Palliere of Column Five
Julien Palliere, AI Strategist at Column Five, joins Jason and Josh to discuss the importance of a strong brand story in marketing, particularly in the age of AI. They explore why relying solely on AI can lead to generic content and how to…
- Building a Growth Engine That Converts with Nicole Gates of Varonis
Nicole Gates, VP Growth Marketing at Varonis, discusses building a growth engine and effective B2B marketing strategies. She covers product launches, customer impact, integrating SDRs under marketing, and strategic AI utilization.
- The Missing Ingredient to your B2B Strategy with Jess Ellis from Attentive
Jess Ellis, Head of Brand, Content, Creative & Comms at Attentive, joins the show to discuss strategies for building a brand that drives pipeline in the B2B market. The conversation covers brand clarity, consent-based personalization, and…
- The Truth About Category Creation — and Why Most Get It Wrong with Adam Greco of Hightouch
This episode features Adam Greco of Hightouch discussing category creation and the concept of composable CDPs. He shares insights on data and marketing alignment, annual planning, and the shift towards short-form video for credibility.
- Community as a Growth Engine with Sandy Mangat of Pocus
Sandy Mangat, Head of Marketing at Pocus, joins the "Best Story Wins" podcast to discuss how community can serve as a growth engine. She shares insights on aligning product, growth, and brand teams, and cutting through marketing hype to cr…
- From ABM to Contact-Based Marketing and Building a New Category with Jess Cook of Vector
Jess Cook, Head of Marketing at Vector, shares strategies for balancing brand building and demand generation. She discusses creating valuable content, repurposing for wider reach, and leveraging unpredictable moments for brand stories.
- How Brave Work Actually Gets Approved with Andrew Chen of Hive
In this episode, Andrew Chen, Head of Brand Design at Hive, explains how taste and trust are crucial for approving creative work. He emphasizes that while tools are helpful, genuine connection comes from intentional design and effective co…
- How to Build Brands That Break the Rules and Win with Scott Smith of Intercom
Scott Smith, VP of Brand at Intercom, discusses building a brand that breaks rules and the creation of their AI agent, Fin. He shares insights into launching a new brand, utilizing billboards, and the impact of AI on creative work.
- Building Brands People Actually Care About with Steph Bowker of Metaview
In this episode, Steph Bowker, Head of Marketing at Metaview, discusses building brands that connect with people in the B2B landscape. She shares insights on creating human-centric brands and leveraging storytelling.
- The Marketer’s Guide to Modern Storytelling with Roman of Sifflet
Roman of Sifflet discusses why modern marketing content has less impact despite increased creation. He shares insights on rethinking content approaches, the rise of founder content, and the return of traditional marketing tactics.
- How to Turn Marketing into Entertainment with Chris Cunningham of ClickUp
Chris Cunningham of ClickUp discusses how his team created a successful in-house content engine. He shares how they utilized creativity, comedy, and community to achieve over 200 million impressions.
- Bold Moves That Build Real Brands with Bill Macaitis of SaaS CMO Pro
Bill Macaitis, founder of SaaS CMO Pro, discusses building memorable B2B brands. He explains what is not working in current B2B marketing and how to fix it by focusing on brand building, customer marketing, and consistent brand moments.
- Building Trust in a Noisy World with Kelly Phillips of Faire
This episode features Kelly Phillips, VP of Brand Marketing at Faire, discussing how to build trust and connection with a brand in a content-saturated world, including insights on brand investment for AI-first companies.
- Building B2B Brands with Authentictiy with Kevin Branscum of Typeform
Kevin Branscum, VP of Brand Marketing at Typeform, discusses how to build authentic B2B brands. He explains how to inject personality and culture into brand marketing and highlights the importance of connecting with customers.
- The Quiet Revolution Behind B2B Brand Wins with Deanna Adams of Dropbox
Deanna Adams, Senior Director of Integrated Campaign Marketing at Dropbox, reveals how to make a brand present across the entire customer journey. She shares insights on re-engineering content, building emotional resonance through integrat…
- How to Rebuild a Legacy Brand from the Ground Up with Carla Weis of Docusign
Carla Weis, from Docusign, discusses the process of rebranding the company into an intelligent agreement platform. She explains the strategic decisions and challenges involved in transforming a 22-year-old brand.
- How to Build a Brand with Bite with Emily Anne Epstein of Sigma
Emily Anne Epstein, content lead at Sigma, discusses how to build a brand with a strong point of view. She shares insights on using content as an engine, justifying creative decisions with data, and scaling thought leadership for B2B brand…
- The Unscalable Stuff That Scales with Ross Mayfield of Zoom
Ross Mayfield, Head of Product for Workplace AI at Zoom, joins to discuss the importance of trust and human connection in the age of AI. The episode explores how product experience, trust, and AI are reshaping marketing and business growth.
- Why Trust Is the New Brand Currency with Ethan Bloch of Hiro
Ethan Bloch, founder of Digit and Hiro Finance, discusses the importance of trust and product value in fintech. He explains how AI is enabling personalized financial support and reshaping product development.
- Becoming Marketing’s Big Sister with Trish Seidel of Teal
Trish Seidel, Marketing Director at Teal, joins to discuss the challenges and opportunities in modern marketing, including AI's role in content creation and the cultural differences in startup marketing. She shares her perspectives on main…
- The Cult of Rebranding in B2B with Matt Maynard of Asana
Matt Maynard, Head of Brand and Advertising at Asana, discusses B2B brand strategy. He challenges rebrands, emphasizes distinctiveness over differentiation, and explains building mental availability for brand growth.
- Smarter GTM for Marketing Leaders with Brandon Redlinger of The Forge
This episode features Brandon Redlinger from The Forge, who shares insights on building successful go-to-market strategies, the significance of brand, and effective community building. He also discusses how to prevent common marketing pitf…
- What Smart Brands Do Differently with Harrison Iuliano Moving you to BCC
Harrison Iuliano, cofounder of Moving You to BCC, discusses why the classic agency-client model is outdated. He shares how high-performing brands are building modern marketing structures using fractional talent, creative partnerships, and…
- How to Build Micro-Communities That Last with Allison Stadd of Shipt
In this episode, Allison Stadd from Shipt explains how brands can create lasting micro-communities by focusing on human connection and care. She discusses cultural activation, customer anecdotes as a growth channel, and the "drummer mindse…
- B2B is Broken, here's how to fix it with Victoria Gamlen CMO of Boundary Analytics
Victoria Gamlen, CMO of Boundary Analytics, discusses how to fix broken B2B marketing. She explains why traditional attribution models fall short and how marketing leaders can better align with buyer decisions.