Markigy: The Science of Marketing Strategy

You Can’t Do Everything: Ruthless Growth Prioritization In this episode, Leanne sits down with Theresa Potratz to break down growth strategy, marketing prioritization, and opportunity cost in modern B2B marketing. From hyper-personalized outbound to mid-funnel conversion gaps, they unpack why most marketing strategies fail—and how to focus on the channels and tactics that actually drive results. If you’re a marketing leader trying to improve ROI, reduce wasted spend, and build a smarter GTM strategy, this episode is for you. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: How to prioritize marketing channels for maximum ROI Why most growth strategies fail in the mid-funnel How to balance paid vs. organic marketing effectively Why not all marketing efforts should be measured by direct ROI How brand, trust, and experience impact revenue How to use AI in marketing without losing strategy Why testing and MVP thinking drive better results Connect with Theresa Potratz: LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresapotratz/ Get in, we're doing a newsletterSubstack Copyright © 2022-2025 Markigy LLC, Leanne Dow-Weimer All rights reserved

In this episode, Leanne sits down with Ethan Edwards to unpack one of the most overused—and misunderstood—concepts in modern marketing: authenticity. From agency strategy to building a coffee brand from the ground up, Ethan shares why most brands misuse authenticity and what it actually takes to do it right. If your brand is trying to “sound real” but isn’t seeing results, this episode will challenge your entire approach. Why “Authenticity” Is Often Just a Surface-Level Tactic Most brands treat authenticity like a switch they can turn on—without doing the internal work required to support it. The result? Messaging that feels off, forced, or completely disconnected from reality. The Organizational Risk Behind Real Authenticity True authenticity isn’t just marketing—it requires alignment across leadership, teams, and stakeholders. It means opening the door to real dialogue, transparency, and feedback—something most companies aren’t structurally prepared for. The Difference Between Brand Authenticity and Brand Consistency Not every brand should aim to be “authentic” in the same way. Some of the strongest brands win through consistency, precision, and polish—not transparency. Knowing which lane you’re in is the strategy. If authenticity isn’t embedded in how your company operates—not just how it markets—it will always feel performative to your audience. Get in touch: Ethan Edwards: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethankrauseedwards/ Website: https://www.pretentiouscoffee.co/coffee Leanne Dow-Weimer Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannedow/ www.markigy.com Get in, we're doing a newsletterSubstack Copyright © 2022-2025 Markigy LLC, Leanne Dow-Weimer All rights reserved

In this episode, Leanne sits down with Quincy to unpack the disconnect between marketing leadership and marketing operations—and why understanding the work behind the scenes is essential for building effective marketing organizations. From Martech decisions that create years of technical debt to the communication gap between technical teams and executives, this conversation dives into what really happens when leaders don’t fully understand the systems powering modern marketing. They also explore why curiosity is one of the most underrated skills in marketing—and how translating technical complexity into business outcomes is what separates operators from strategic leaders. Whether you’re a marketing leader trying better to support your team, or a marketing operator trying to get buy-in from leadership, this episode is packed with insights on how to bridge the gap between strategy, operations, and real business impact. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: Why marketing leaders need to understand the work—even if they’re not the ones doing it The hidden cost of incomplete Martech investments and “half-built” tech stacks Why marketing operations professionals must learn to speak both technical and business language How curiosity and asking better questions leads to better marketing strategy Why marketers need to tie their work directly to business outcomes and ROI How internal stakeholder alignment can make or break marketing initiatives   Connect with Quincy Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qujohnson/ Connect with Leanne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannedow/ www.markigy.com   Get in, we're doing a newsletterSubstack Copyright © 2022-2025 Markigy LLC, Leanne Dow-Weimer All rights reserved

Personalization is supposed to build trust. So why does it feel like surveillance? In this episode of Markigy: The Science of Marketing Strategy, Leanne sits down with Danielle Belestra to unpack a growing problem in B2B: We’re over-automating. We’re misreading signals. And we may be quietly eroding the very trust we’re trying to scale. We talk about: When hyper-targeting crosses the line Why “high intent” doesn’t equal revenue AI scraping Reddit for your pricing story Risk-averse marketing teams stuck in analysis paralysis Why brand awareness still matters in 2026 If your top-of-funnel is strong but revenue feels soft, this episode is your reset. Because personalization without context isn’t strategy. It’s noise. And trust is still the real KPI. Connect: Danielle Balestra LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellebalestra/ Leanne Dow-Weimer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannedow/ www.markigy.com Get in, we're doing a newsletterSubstack Copyright © 2022-2025 Markigy LLC, Leanne Dow-Weimer All rights reserved

In this episode, Leanne sits down with partnerships leader and multi-hyphenate creator Amanda Nielsen to talk about the real power behind modern marketing: authenticity, community, and the compounding force of partnerships. From reclaiming harmful workplace experiences to navigating sudden layoffs with transparency, Amanda shows how human-first marketing isn’t just refreshing — it’s effective, scalable, and the future of GTM.Be Your Real Self (Seriously): Amanda says being totally honest—even about tough stuff like layoffs or dealing with a jerk at work (which inspired her brand, Thought Leader Labs)—is what actually gets you noticed and builds trust. Forget the perfectly polished stuff.Partnerships are the Secret Weapon for Growth: Teaming up with influencers, consultants, and other partners is way better than cold calls. Why? Because you're borrowing their community's trust, and that shared credibility equals exponential reach (think big companies like HubSpot and Salesforce).Relationships > Fancy Funnels: Stop stressing about perfect marketing dashboards. People buy based on relationships, word-of-mouth, and who they trust, not because they slid neatly through a chart. Amanda's take: Marketing attribution is basically made up. Lead with humanity, not metrics.If you’re burnt out on traditional GTM or craving a more human, flexible path, partnerships may be your next career move — and Amanda’s Pivot to Partnerships cohort is where to start. Check out her Thought Leader Labs store for tech-humor merch, follow her on LinkedIn, and tap into the Markigy community for more episodes that blend strategy, creativity, and real-world marketing science.Connect:Amanda NielsenLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verydemanda/Websites:https://verydemanda.com/https://thotleaderlabs.com/Maven Course:https://maven.com/partnershipsschool/pivot-to-partnerships-the-best-kept-secret-in-go-to-market-careers?utm_campaign=markigypodcast LeanneLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannedow/www.markigy.com Get in, we're doing a newsletterSubstack Copyright © 2022-2025 Markigy LLC, Leanne Dow-Weimer All rights reserved

In this episode of Markigy: The Science of Marketing Strategy, host Leanne Dow-Weimer sits down with Jessica Zall, Chief Marketing Officer at Burford Capital, to explore how modern marketing earns trust in complex B2B environments.Jessica brings two decades of experience across fintech and financial services — and a powerful perspective on why attention, alignment, and authenticity are the true currencies of marketing success.💡 Key TakeawaysAttention is a privilege. When someone gives you their time, marketers have a responsibility to make it worthwhile — not just push products or brand messages.Marketing must span the full customer lifecycle. It’s not just top-of-funnel; it should be integrated across awareness, onboarding, retention, and renewal.Alignment is everything. Sales, marketing, customer success, and leadership must work from a shared strategy and “sing from the same hymn sheet.”Culture drives clarity. Breaking silos starts internally — through transparent communication, meetings with purpose, and consistent internal messaging.Change management is marketing. Internal education, patience, and persistence are key to transforming how organizations view marketing’s role.AI is a tool, not a replacement. Technology can enhance efficiency, but empathy, storytelling, and human oversight make marketing truly matter.Be adaptable. In complex, high-pressure environments, CMOs need to be strategists, educators, and relationship-builders — often all at once.Marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. Sustainable impact takes time, data, and consistent alignment around value creation.🎧 Listen ForReal examples of uniting sales, marketing, and legal teams under a single go-to-market strategy.How to educate internal teams on what “real marketing” means — and earn credibility at the executive table.The future of marketing as an orchestrator: connecting strategy, culture, and technology into one seamless customer experience.🔗 ConnectJessica Zallhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicazall/Host: Leanne Dow-Weimerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/leannedow/Website: markigy.com Get in, we're doing a newsletterSubstack Copyright © 2022-2025 Markigy LLC, Leanne Dow-Weimer All rights reserved

Owning Your Brand Narrative with Melissa RosenthalIn this episode, Leanne is joined by Melissa Rosenthal, co-founder of Outlever and former executive at BuzzFeed, Cheddar, and ClickUp. Melissa shares her journey from scaling media and SaaS brands to building a company that helps others own their narrative and ditch the outdated playbook. Their conversation dives into the collapse of traditional marketing metrics, the hype (and hollowness) of AI-powered content, and what truly drives sustainable growth today.Key themes from the conversation include:Vanity Metrics vs. Real Impact: Why traffic, impressions, and clicks are often distractions—and what to measure instead if you want to build long-term brand value.The AI Gold Rush & Content Saturation: How overreliance on generative tools is flooding the market with sameness—and why human-first, POV-driven content cuts through.Distribution That Actually Works: Why Melissa believes distribution isn’t about channels, but about people—and how to tap into referral networks and real relationships that compound over time.Owning the Message, Not Renting It: The risk of building brand visibility on borrowed channels—and how Outlever helps companies become their own media powerhouse.The Collapse (and Rebuild) of GTM Strategy: A candid take on how go-to-market models are breaking under AI-era pressure, and what new strategies high-growth teams are testing instead.From missed opportunities in content strategy to Melissa’s take on why outbound is on life support, this episode is packed with real talk, marketing strategy that’s built to last, and the mindset shifts needed to thrive in 2025 and beyond.Where to find Melissa:www.linkedin.com/in/melissarosenthal5/https://www.outlever.com/Connect with Leanne:https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannedow/Email: info@markigy.com Get in, we're doing a newsletterSubstack Copyright © 2022-2025 Markigy LLC, Leanne Dow-Weimer All rights reserved

In this episode, Leanne is joined by Brennan Tobin, founder of Odd Duck Marketing Group, a growth marketing agency with a specialty in social commerce and TikTok Shop. Brendan shares his journey from top companies to building a nimble agency that helps brands unlock rapid scale. Their discussion dives deep into the strategies, mindsets, and tactical considerations behind social commerce success—and where it can go wrong.Key themes from the conversation include:Speed to Scale: How TikTok Shop offers brands a new seven-figure channel in months—but only if they're ready to iterate fast and accept early failures as critical data. Content at Volume: Why Brendan has changed his mind about prioritizing quality over quantity, embracing high-volume, low-friction publishing to learn what resonates. Audience Segmentation in Practice: How selling the same product to very different audiences requires messaging nuance that marketers often skip. Organic Trust vs Paid Scale: The difference between B2B client acquisition and B2C sales—and why trust-building organic strategies are essential even for agencies specializing in paid social. Real Talk on Who Shouldn’t Use TikTok Shop: Brendan’s candid view on why early-stage brands lacking product-market fit should focus elsewhere before investing in TikTok Shop's resource-heavy demands. Explore how to validate creative ideas rapidly, the importance of creative testing before scaling campaigns, and the traps marketers fall into when they assume tactics are one-size-fits-all.Whether you’re a brand exploring social commerce or a marketer navigating changing buyer journeys, this episode is packed with practical insights, cautionary tales, and a refreshingly honest look at what drives real results.Where to find Brennan:LinkedIn (look for the 🦆 emoji next to his name)Connect with Leanne:https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannedow/www.markigy.com Get in, we're doing a newsletterSubstack Copyright © 2022-2025 Markigy LLC, Leanne Dow-Weimer All rights reserved

In this episode, Leanne sits down with Darrell Alfonso to unpack why so many marketing strategies fail at the execution stage—and what organizations can do to fix that. Drawing from experience at Amazon, startups and now Indeed, Darrell shares the frameworks, mindset shifts, and real-world examples that have helped him turn chaos into clarity.We explore:Why strategy without execution is just a slide deckHow growth hides operational debtCommunicating the value of ops (without sounding like a broken record)The order of operations: people → process → techScrappy pilots vs. shiny platformsWhy data quality is non-negotiable in an AI worldDarrell also opens up about hard lessons from his career—like how being a brilliant SME isn't enough if you can't translate your impact—and how writing everything down became the game-changer for both his leadership and creator journey.Whether you're a CMO, a RevOps leader, or someone who’s just tired of firefighting instead of building, this one’s for you.Connect with Darrell Alfonso:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellalfonsoNewsletter: https://darrellalfonso.substack.com/Connect with Leanne Dow-WeimerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannedow/ Get in, we're doing a newsletterSubstack Copyright © 2022-2025 Markigy LLC, Leanne Dow-Weimer All rights reserved

In this episode, Leanne sits down with Oleg Kovalev to unpack the not-so-secret secret behind his astonishing growth results: scaling from $200K to $2.5M in 9 months. It wasn’t a growth hack, a viral post, or paid ad wizardry. It was systems—thoughtfully designed, constraint-breaking, customer-informed systems.Oleg shares how startup founders and marketers can escape the “tactics trap” by focusing on what not to do, using data-driven customer insights, and applying just enough structure to unlock scale without rigidity.Leanne and Oleg dive into:● Why smart marketing systems aren’t bureaucratic; they’re accelerators● The difference between content that drives trust vs. content that collects likes● Why repetition is branding and boredom is a feature, not a flaw● The overlooked power of asking “what should we not do?”Whether you're drowning in ideas or unsure what to prioritize next, this episode is a strategic reset for marketers and founders ready to build sustainable traction that lasts beyond launch.🔗 ConnectOleg Kovalevhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/alecko/Leanne Dow-Weimerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/leannedow/www.markigy.com Get in, we're doing a newsletterSubstack Copyright © 2022-2025 Markigy LLC, Leanne Dow-Weimer All rights reserved