Transcript
WEBVTT 1 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:16.960 Conversations from the front lines and marketing. This is be tob growth. This 2 00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:21.000 is B tob growth. Coming to you from just outside Austin, Texas. 3 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:25.879 I'm your host, Benjie Block, and joining us from Nashville, Tennessee our 4 00:00:25.920 --> 00:00:32.240 director of audience growth here at sweet fish, Dan Sanchez, and from Louisville, 5 00:00:32.359 --> 00:00:36.799 Kentucky, our creative content lead, Emily Brady. Now here. In 6 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:40.880 just a few minutes we're going to jump to a recent conversation that I had 7 00:00:40.920 --> 00:00:45.439 with Brian Walker. He's the chief strategy officer over at Bloom reach and we 8 00:00:45.479 --> 00:00:50.000 talked a lot about his go to market strategy and how they're creating this and 9 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:54.520 cultivating a unique ecosystem over there. Before we do that, we're here for 10 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:58.640 some show and tell and we want to talk about some recent things we've seen 11 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:02.399 in and around marketing. Dan, what are you taking to look at today? 12 00:01:02.679 --> 00:01:07.079 We did a large survey of informal interviews with a lot of the guests 13 00:01:07.079 --> 00:01:11.959 we have on B tob growth. We interviewed over a hundred BEDB marketing leaders. 14 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:15.359 We have some variety of questions, about dozen different questions, but one 15 00:01:15.400 --> 00:01:19.680 of the big questions we asked them was what is the major hurdle for your 16 00:01:19.760 --> 00:01:22.799 team over the next quarter of the next year? We tried phrasing the question 17 00:01:22.840 --> 00:01:26.640 different ways, but generally, what's the biggest problem you have in your marketing 18 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:30.040 team? And over and over and over again I at different responses, but 19 00:01:30.040 --> 00:01:34.920 they are all communicating the same thing, and this is the major hurdle facing 20 00:01:34.920 --> 00:01:41.000 most marketing teams right now is the lack of focus, and that comes out 21 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:44.400 in different forms. It comes at as we have too many things to do, 22 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:48.239 not enough hands to do them, not enough budget to execute it and 23 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:52.959 just generally lack of prioritization, lack of focus. It is the thing that 24 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:57.920 plagues all marketing teams and I think there's a number of different reasons for this 25 00:01:59.319 --> 00:02:04.640 and some possible solutions, but I have to say that I've I've certainly experienced 26 00:02:04.680 --> 00:02:07.599 that. I Know Benjie and emily were nodding their head like yes, this 27 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:12.560 is a thing and even runs a little bit counter to the conversation we had 28 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:15.400 in the last conversation at last previous episode, what a week ago, Benjie, 29 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:20.120 about the good, the good it is to experiment. So it opens 30 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:22.759 up a can of worms, like we need to focus, yet we need 31 00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:24.680 to experiment and try new things, because there's all these different things going on. 32 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:32.240 So what's the right answer and how can we essentially conquer this problem and 33 00:02:32.280 --> 00:02:38.840 do it while still experimenting so that we aren't left left behind? I think, 34 00:02:38.840 --> 00:02:45.439 man, this is what makes marketing difficult. Is like knowing what to 35 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:49.680 use language we've talked about here before, what waves we actually want to ride 36 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:53.479 and what to sort of sit out. You have to have a system for 37 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:58.800 experimentation so you don't get left behind. But if you experiment so much that 38 00:02:58.840 --> 00:03:02.960 you aren't an expert in anything in your marketing, like your strategy is so 39 00:03:04.039 --> 00:03:07.960 convoluted, you're just going while, we tried that, and we tried that, 40 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:10.199 and we do the new thing every two weeks and new week, a 41 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:15.759 new thing every month, and you get to this place of like, man, 42 00:03:15.879 --> 00:03:19.360 it will bog you down real easily because you know there's a million things 43 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:23.240 you could be doing or even sometimes, and I'm I feel this, there's 44 00:03:23.240 --> 00:03:25.599 a million things I should be doing, like that's that lack of focus. 45 00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:30.319 The mind game for me is I hear in the back of my head like, 46 00:03:30.360 --> 00:03:35.120 Oh, you should be doing fill in the blank, and that kind 47 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:38.319 of motor that's always running, that's aware of all the things that I'm not 48 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:43.639 doing, makes me actually kind of worse at the things I am doing because 49 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:47.879 I'm slowed down by the lack of focus. I don't have like this great 50 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:53.520 answer for it. I we talked about it previously that we have to experiment, 51 00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:55.360 and one of the ways we experiment is by having it baked into our 52 00:03:55.400 --> 00:04:00.120 team or like time in our schedule where we're doing that. Maybe by only 53 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:06.439 having a certain time for experimentation, it frees us up to truly focus on 54 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:11.199 what we should be focused on the rest of the time. I don't know, 55 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:14.319 Emily, what are you what do you think? Like? I mean, 56 00:04:14.360 --> 00:04:16.639 we all experience this. We've all been nodding our heads. Yeah, 57 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:19.959 I don't think it has to be. It doesn't always have to be an 58 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:26.879 either or scenario. Like you can experiment with focus, which is really difficult 59 00:04:26.920 --> 00:04:30.279 to do and easy to say, but because I've definitely experience this where there 60 00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:34.680 are so many ideas and so many things that I want to test and I 61 00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:38.480 need someone to come in and say, let's just do a couple of these 62 00:04:38.519 --> 00:04:43.360 things. or it even comes from top down sometimes, where you know your 63 00:04:43.399 --> 00:04:46.720 manager, whoever is like, okay, there's all these things we should be 64 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:49.680 trying out. I think these would be really good and I think that being 65 00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:55.879 an efficient, productive team requires some pushback from all sides to like yeah, 66 00:04:55.920 --> 00:05:00.560 these are really great ten ideas, but what if we focused on these two? 67 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:03.920 And so it comes from. We do need focus, obviously, and 68 00:05:03.959 --> 00:05:09.160 we do need experimentation, and I think it's just deciding what are the right 69 00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:14.079 things to focus on, because clearly you can't spread yourself that thin and nor 70 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:18.480 should you. Nor should you be having your resources and several different buckets. 71 00:05:18.600 --> 00:05:23.839 It's just not as productive as focusing on a few. So I don't have 72 00:05:23.879 --> 00:05:28.079 an easy answer for it, because I'm not. I haven't mastered focus, 73 00:05:28.120 --> 00:05:32.600 but I know that it's it can be done alongside experimentation. Okay, quick 74 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:35.720 run through of each of us. What's our natural wiring or bent? Do 75 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:41.519 you naturally lean more towards being obsessed with the new experimentation side of things, 76 00:05:41.560 --> 00:05:43.759 like Oh, let's go try this, let's try this, or do you 77 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:46.519 lean more towards focus? You Find Your Lane and you kind of stick in 78 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:49.680 it and maybe you're more of like a late adopter. Emily, you go 79 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:55.079 first. Yeah, I'm definitely more of the first one. Yeah, there 80 00:05:55.079 --> 00:05:58.639 are so many. I will find something and I'll start working on it and 81 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:00.959 then it's that shining odd Jack Syndrome. Right, something else comes along I'm 82 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:03.240 like, Oh, I should be looking at this, I should be working 83 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:06.399 on this, and I need to just put myself in this, in this 84 00:06:06.519 --> 00:06:11.040 zone of just this is the one thing you're doing, do it really, 85 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:15.240 really well, instead of trying to do twenty different things. It depends on 86 00:06:15.240 --> 00:06:18.120 what group you put me in. You put me with the bunch of entrepreneurs 87 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:24.000 and I look like the steady, focused one, because entrepreneurs are on the 88 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:28.480 extreme side of always chasing the new thing. But if you put me in 89 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:31.199 a group of, let's say, I mean, of course, like accountants, 90 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:33.600 right, they're going to be on the other side of like stay, 91 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:38.800 stay with it, like financial people or project managers, then I look like 92 00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:42.519 the crazy one coming up with ideas. In amongst marketers, I find them 93 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:46.879 a little bit more focused and steady. Amongst marketers I will usually pick a 94 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:50.360 few channels and then trying to hammer those channels before and do well with those 95 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:56.199 channels before branching out. I'm usually the one like which is interesting in this 96 00:06:56.279 --> 00:07:00.040 last conversation about experimentation. I'm usually killing more ideas that I'm starting them, 97 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:05.519 and those are ideas from below and from above, mainly because, and I 98 00:07:05.560 --> 00:07:09.000 used to tell this to James R CEO all the time, it's like, 99 00:07:09.079 --> 00:07:10.959 James, it's not that I don't like your idea. I think it's a 100 00:07:10.959 --> 00:07:13.920 great idea, I just think your idea from two weeks ago is even better. 101 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:17.199 Trying to protect it, trying to protect your last great idea from your 102 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:20.639 current great idea. Okay, yeah, otherwise we're not going to get either 103 00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:23.959 of them done. So which would you rather have? All of it? 104 00:07:24.040 --> 00:07:29.000 Well, no, we can't do all of it. We can't accomplish everything. 105 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:30.240 We have to pick which was going to do and marketing. We all 106 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:34.439 know good. All marketers know good marketing. Just takes time. Unfortunately, 107 00:07:34.439 --> 00:07:40.000 we have things we have to accomplish and benchmarks and leads. We need to 108 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:43.720 generate demand that needs to come through so we have more higher, larger sales 109 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:46.519 pipeline before the end of the quarter and all this kind of stuff. So 110 00:07:46.120 --> 00:07:50.600 not always easy to balance, but it is. There is a balance there. 111 00:07:50.959 --> 00:07:54.920 Yeah, I think for me I resonate was what you just said. 112 00:07:55.000 --> 00:07:59.560 Dan. That depends on the room you put me in. I love thinking 113 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:03.439 and like processing ideas with people and like making them as good as they can 114 00:08:03.480 --> 00:08:07.040 be. So I'm never I don't like being the person in the room that's 115 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:11.399 like necessarily killing the idea. I would rather like see how good we could 116 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:13.800 make it. But then, in my mind, because I can play devil 117 00:08:13.800 --> 00:08:18.480 with the advocate, I can also just shoot holes and ideas all day long 118 00:08:18.480 --> 00:08:22.079 and it's so it's really frustrating. I feel like I tend to be a 119 00:08:22.279 --> 00:08:26.600 why guy in like why are we actually doing this? And that can be 120 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:31.000 helpful in marketing, but also can cause you to not go past the start 121 00:08:31.039 --> 00:08:35.600 line because you're like constantly questioning why? Why is this important? Why is 122 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:39.000 this important? You know there's another way of coming. You know there's so 123 00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:48.639 like a long for enough focus to like really just be locked in and okay, 124 00:08:48.679 --> 00:08:52.759 this is what we're doing for this amount of time and then we'll come 125 00:08:52.840 --> 00:08:58.080 up and we'll reevaluate. That's it goes back to what I was advocating for 126 00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:01.519 in the last episode, honestly, is if we could just get some time 127 00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:09.240 in our schedule for experimentation to where, you know it's state exists somewhere in 128 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:13.639 your life and it in your marketing team, but it doesn't have it the 129 00:09:13.720 --> 00:09:20.159 ability to grow like weeds everywhere else in your schedule and in your marketing. 130 00:09:20.320 --> 00:09:22.840 That, I think, is that balance that I desire at least, to 131 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:30.759 just go let's have both, but less experimentation. Then focus, way, 132 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:35.039 in my opinion, way more focus. These are the things were committing to 133 00:09:35.080 --> 00:09:37.639 for the cord or these are the big things that we care about this. 134 00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:43.919 We know those things. And then we have this ability somewhere in our lives 135 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:46.919 to go okay, and we have this green space, this white space, 136 00:09:46.960 --> 00:09:50.759 do something totally different, try throw things at the wall over here. I 137 00:09:50.759 --> 00:09:54.080 almost wonder if it's better to to limit the experimentation to micro experiments rather than 138 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:58.240 macro experiments. Like we don't have to experiment with the whole freaking new channel. 139 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:01.519 How about we just continue doing great experiments in the channels were already end 140 00:10:01.559 --> 00:10:05.799 in order to like, be mad, be masters of those channels? Like 141 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:09.159 emily, you're frecking fantastic at your experiments with like den and Tick Tock, 142 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:11.399 like. I've seen you post some things over last couple of months, like 143 00:10:11.480 --> 00:10:16.200 what the heck like whole new content formats. Yet it's still in the same 144 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:20.559 channel, but it's really good and it really drives it forward, which is 145 00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:22.240 why you're getting a lot of attention. People want to talk to you because 146 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:26.320 you're you're having some breakthroughs with their experiments, and not all of them break 147 00:10:26.360 --> 00:10:28.639 through right. Some of them probably don't get as much as tension as you 148 00:10:28.759 --> 00:10:33.519 thought it might have or was worth, but some of them certainly are, 149 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:35.360 and I think that's where a lot of the energy can go as into the 150 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:39.759 micro experiments and then probably slowing down or being slow to move on the big 151 00:10:39.799 --> 00:10:43.759 experiments, which is opening up a new channel. That's one thing I really 152 00:10:43.799 --> 00:10:48.240 disagree with Gary Beyond is being everywhere. I'm like NA being a few places 153 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:54.600 really well as what I found I can realistically handle, and when you scaled 154 00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:56.879 and you add more, but that's kind of been my my Princi Bal that 155 00:10:58.080 --> 00:11:01.320 I stick to. Yeah, it would be awesome if we could be everywhere 156 00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:05.720 and we had all the machines running to the point where you could be, 157 00:11:05.799 --> 00:11:09.360 but you don't see, you can't. There's no way you start with everywhere. 158 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:13.840 There's no way. Like I think I look at the last few years 159 00:11:13.879 --> 00:11:16.840 of the reason people are on different platforms just because they were told they should 160 00:11:16.840 --> 00:11:22.279 be, and then you see this trail of dead twitter accounts and dead instagram 161 00:11:22.279 --> 00:11:26.200 accounts and like all these things you should do and should becomes this word. 162 00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:31.440 That's just man. You can't base your marketing off of what you should be 163 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:35.399 doing. Like got to kind of at some point, block out some voices 164 00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:39.919 and get some focus. Final thoughts, emily. Yeah, here you guys 165 00:11:39.960 --> 00:11:43.519 talk about how you're wired. It makes me really thankful to be on a 166 00:11:43.720 --> 00:11:48.639 on a diverse team, like as someone who is so distracted all the time 167 00:11:48.840 --> 00:11:52.840 and and has so many ideas, like and I've experiences working with each of 168 00:11:52.840 --> 00:11:58.759 you, to like Dan always makes me feel more focused and like he helps 169 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:03.200 me put my ideas more are on a streamline instead of going crazy. And 170 00:12:03.240 --> 00:12:05.080 then I appreciate also how been do. You always are asking why are like, 171 00:12:05.159 --> 00:12:09.200 if that's a good idea of and challenging those a little bit. So 172 00:12:09.279 --> 00:12:13.279 I think that's really valuable and not having a team that all looks like you, 173 00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:20.000 and especially like in staying focused. So I think I'm really grateful for 174 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:24.759 that and I think that's really awesome and a big part of it. Yeah, 175 00:12:24.840 --> 00:12:28.200 Damn, final thoughts. I had a really good final thought and it's 176 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:35.480 now gone well. We would love to hear you guys thoughts on this topic, 177 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:39.120 especially because these last two round tables we've done are sort of on those 178 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:43.679 opposite ends of the spectrum experimentation and focus. How are you balancing them? 179 00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:46.639 Can reach out to us on Linkedin and find the show as well. Search 180 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:52.120 be to be growth over there. All right, it's time for today's featured 181 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:58.480 conversation. Enjoy my interview with Brian Walker, chief strategy officer that bloom reach. 182 00:12:58.679 --> 00:13:01.960 Welcome in to be to be growth. I'm your host, Benjie Block, 183 00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:07.679 and today I am joined by Brian Walker, who is the chief strategy 184 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:11.360 officer at Bloom reach. Brian, we're thrilled to have you here with us 185 00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:13.320 today on BB growth. Thanks for having me, Ben Jie. It's my 186 00:13:13.320 --> 00:13:20.320 pleasure. So people are going to hear chief strategy officer is my first question 187 00:13:20.360 --> 00:13:24.120 needs to be around your title. Tell me a little bit about what that 188 00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:28.600 position means, Brian, and what your day today looks like. Yeah, 189 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:31.399 I've been asked that question before. You know, I think that lots of 190 00:13:31.480 --> 00:13:37.559 organizations out there do have you know, heads of strategy or a chief strategy 191 00:13:37.559 --> 00:13:41.559 officer. I think inside each organization it means a little something different. Here 192 00:13:41.639 --> 00:13:48.240 at h bloom reach I'm focused on both go to market and product strategy and 193 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:52.840 very involved in the ecosystem. But I started using the title a number of 194 00:13:52.919 --> 00:13:58.200 years ago actually, when I joined a commerce platform many may know, called 195 00:13:58.360 --> 00:14:03.679 hybrists, which is now part of SAP, and I use the title when 196 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:07.080 I joined the company, even though I took on the role of leading marketing, 197 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:13.120 really as a way to stay very active and involved outside the company. 198 00:14:13.480 --> 00:14:18.200 To be frank, not all customers or partners are going to be necessarily interested 199 00:14:18.279 --> 00:14:24.639 in engaging a CMO. Yeah, because they're going to interpret what you're saying 200 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:30.080 is marketing. Of course, chief strategy officer enabled me to continue to engage 201 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:35.840 with customers and partners and kind of a meaningful way and to be more active, 202 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:39.200 I think, from a thought leadership perspective or, you know, when 203 00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:43.960 comes to public speaking and things of that nature. And and really, while 204 00:14:43.960 --> 00:14:48.039 what I do here a bloom reach is very much focused on strategy a number 205 00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:54.840 different dimensions, the role and the title do enable me to kind of be 206 00:14:54.919 --> 00:14:58.600 more active outside the company in a meaningful way. Yeah, talk a little 207 00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:05.080 bit about how maybe your previous experience in marketing has helped you in your current 208 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:09.759 role in some of the the synergy that's that's happened there. Well, you 209 00:15:09.799 --> 00:15:13.840 know, my approach to marketing, you know, like many out there, 210 00:15:13.080 --> 00:15:20.679 is to want to engage with prospective customers or partners in a authentic way. 211 00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:26.440 Yeah, so what's important to them, what's meaningful to them, how to 212 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:31.519 respond and react to to various trends in the market and to, you know, 213 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:37.240 lay the foundation for their business in a way that makes sense for them, 214 00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:41.639 including the technology solutions that they're working with. And so, you know, 215 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:46.720 in a sense, my approach to marketing and, you know, how 216 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:50.240 I approach my role today are very much in sync. Right. I don't 217 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:56.120 think there's really a difference. So it's understanding the customers pain points, challenges, 218 00:15:56.240 --> 00:16:00.600 unique dimensions and aspects of their business and then helping them, you know, 219 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:04.200 again in an authentic way, get to the right, you know, 220 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:10.480 solutions and strategies and tactics, and so there's not really a disconnect between, 221 00:16:10.519 --> 00:16:14.600 you know, how I may have approached marketing leadership or how I approach my 222 00:16:14.679 --> 00:16:17.639 role today. I think you know, if you're in a market for as 223 00:16:17.639 --> 00:16:25.039 long as I've been in ECOMMERCE technology and digital marketing and you continue to engage 224 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:29.559 the market in that way, you know good things come from that. Yep. 225 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:32.399 Well, I got to say I'm a big Fan of the the term 226 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:37.240 change there. I like strategy. I think it has it has a whole 227 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:42.519 different way of what you think about and the way people perceive you. So 228 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:48.120 I just like that language shift and I'm a firm believer in the power of 229 00:16:48.120 --> 00:16:52.320 words. And so how we think strategy over maybe just a traditional marketing there's 230 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:56.240 a lot there that is worth talking about. There's also kind of a joke, 231 00:16:56.320 --> 00:17:00.519 let's hear it, that sometimes I let's say, which is simply that 232 00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:03.400 you know, look, the strategy is never wrong. Yeah, yeah, 233 00:17:03.480 --> 00:17:07.920 yeah, yeah, it's good. Yeah, you know, certainly. No, 234 00:17:07.160 --> 00:17:11.519 just kidding, of course, but the the reality is that there's a 235 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:21.079 lot of pressure on marketers and and the role of leading marketing and today's technology 236 00:17:21.160 --> 00:17:27.119 landscape, or really any industry, has become a lot more complex, and 237 00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:30.920 so the joke, of course, is that, you know, it can 238 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:34.680 kind of insulate you from from some of that some of those challenges from a 239 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:41.720 career perspective. HMM HMM. Well, I wanted a chat because one thing 240 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:47.160 that bloom reach has started doing specifically, I believe, kind of when the 241 00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:52.359 pandemic hit right was to use this medium of podcasting, which is what we're 242 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:56.680 doing right now, and you actually host a show for bloom reach. Wanted 243 00:17:56.720 --> 00:18:00.279 to talk about like what was the genesis of that show and that moved it's 244 00:18:00.519 --> 00:18:03.079 that medium for you guys. Brian, it was actually something that I'd wanted 245 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:07.279 to do for some time. But you know, truthfully, when the pandemic 246 00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:12.160 hit, of course travel, you know, ground to a halt and I 247 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:18.119 had maybe some some time back that I was spending commuting to California. I 248 00:18:18.119 --> 00:18:21.960 live in Seattle, I was community to California. I was also on the 249 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:26.599 road, you know, meeting customers, meeting partners, going to industry events, 250 00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:30.240 etc. And you know, I found it difficult to try to fit 251 00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:36.000 something like a podcast into my schedule. So, first and foremost, the 252 00:18:36.039 --> 00:18:40.839 pandemic enabled me personally to just free up some time to do something that I 253 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:45.480 was interested in doing. But certainly the timing was really meaningful in the sense 254 00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:49.160 that there was so much happening right and change occurring and everyone was sort of 255 00:18:49.160 --> 00:18:56.480 thinking through how to adapt to, you know, the pandemic closing stores, 256 00:18:56.559 --> 00:19:02.759 changing business in a meaningful way and obviously a huge inflection in digital commerce and 257 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:06.759 the role of digital marketing for every organization out there. And so the the 258 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:11.359 podcast, enabled me to really just engage what I have as a large network 259 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:15.960 of people out there, very smart people that I could engage with in meaningful 260 00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:22.240 conversations about what was happening out in the market and bring that to an audience 261 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:26.480 and, yes, in a sense, use it as a as a tool 262 00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:33.240 to help our customers, partners, prospect x become smarter about what was happening 263 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:36.839 in the marketplace. Yep, the first thing I did was not even really 264 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:41.119 the podcast. I started just recording, you know, like zoom video conversations 265 00:19:41.119 --> 00:19:45.960 with with some people that I that I knew in the market. was kind 266 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:51.160 of US personally processing what was happening, but also reflecting on what this may 267 00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:56.839 mean for the industry. And then that sort of led into launching the podcast. 268 00:19:56.839 --> 00:20:02.079 And, frankly, I just really enjoy the opportunity to have smart conversations 269 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:07.279 with people and in a sense that is very much been my philosophy, going 270 00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:11.319 back to my days as an industry analyst. You know, I used to 271 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:14.000 say, well, I'm only as smart as the smart people I get to 272 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:17.640 talk to, you know, about what's happening in the market, and the 273 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:21.359 podcast in a sense as an extension of that. So that's really kind of 274 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:23.839 what led to US starting it and you know, it's been something I've really 275 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:29.319 enjoyed doing personally and, you know, I think is paid some some great 276 00:20:29.400 --> 00:20:34.680 benefits for us as a software solution provider, to to convey again, you 277 00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:41.880 know, thoughtful a meaningful aspects of our industry in a wide variety of ways, 278 00:20:41.880 --> 00:20:48.759 talking to smart people involved in many different roles in the market may be 279 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:52.799 to be growth listeners. We want to hear from you. In fact, 280 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:56.279 we will pay you for it. Just had over to be tob growth podcom 281 00:20:56.279 --> 00:21:00.240 and complete a short survey about the show to enter for a chance to win 282 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:04.559 two hundred and fifty dollars. Plus. The first fifty participants will receive twenty 283 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:08.119 five dollars as our way of saying thank you so much one more time. 284 00:21:08.200 --> 00:21:18.319 That's Bob, growth podcom. Letter B number two. Letter be growth podcom. 285 00:21:18.359 --> 00:21:21.720 One entry per person must be an active listener of the show. To 286 00:21:21.880 --> 00:21:27.880 Enter and look forward to hearing from you. So that's really kind of what 287 00:21:27.960 --> 00:21:32.720 led to US starting it and you know, it's been something I really enjoyed 288 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:37.240 doing personally and you know, I think is paid some some great benefits for 289 00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:44.200 us as a software solution provider to to convey again, you know, thoughtful, 290 00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:48.599 a meaningful aspects of our industry in a wide variety of ways, talking 291 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:53.680 to smart people involved in many different roles in the market. Yeah, it 292 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:57.480 gives you this kind of unique platform to give your unique point of view away 293 00:21:57.680 --> 00:22:03.039 as well, which I think, as those in marketing listening to this snow, 294 00:22:03.079 --> 00:22:06.480 I mean what a great thing to be able to when there's not a 295 00:22:06.519 --> 00:22:10.920 ton. Sometimes we're in very crowded markets, right, but personality and being 296 00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:14.559 able to talk about our unique point of view in a medium like this is 297 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:18.400 is pretty unique and and I love it. That's why I love doing this. 298 00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:22.119 I love getting talk to people like you. So I wonder that beginning 299 00:22:22.119 --> 00:22:26.759 of the pandemic right, makes sense. Travel, traveling, last lots Tokay, 300 00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:32.240 the world's kind of reopened. How has the show morphed over time and 301 00:22:32.319 --> 00:22:36.039 some of maybe even the strategy behind it? Has Your thinking changed at all? 302 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:38.960 There with the the world kind of reopening, or how have your conversations 303 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:45.799 even shifted? I wouldn't necessarily say it's connected to the world reopening per se, 304 00:22:45.880 --> 00:22:48.720 but a couple thoughts. One is just the medium. You know, 305 00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:53.720 we're also recording video here now. When I first started the PODCAST, I 306 00:22:53.799 --> 00:23:00.079 was very committed to like we just need to focus on audio videos, not 307 00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:07.519 really a way that are very busy audience would necessarily sit down and watch the 308 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:12.359 conversation, but really just wanting to enable them to time shift and use their 309 00:23:12.440 --> 00:23:17.720 time to consume this, whether that's, you know, washing the dishes, 310 00:23:18.200 --> 00:23:22.759 which is where I end up listening to a lot of podcasts. It's why 311 00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:26.079 I always believe that a podcast should only be as long as it takes to 312 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:33.319 really clean the kitchen well like that, or whether it's gardening or walking the 313 00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:37.000 dog or what have you. Right, I really felt that podcasting was a 314 00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:42.079 was a great medium to help people gain access to new ideas and thoughts and 315 00:23:42.119 --> 00:23:47.000 perspectives. Well, kind of time shifting and using their time that way. 316 00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:52.759 But clearly today video has is being used as a tool to to also market 317 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:56.839 these things, whether that's, you know, short snippets on Linkedin Yep or 318 00:23:56.880 --> 00:24:02.240 youtube. So obviously that's something that we're are also going to evolve, just 319 00:24:02.279 --> 00:24:04.839 in terms of the medium. I think in terms of the content side of 320 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:11.160 it, think a recognition that our format has an opportunity to also evolve. 321 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:17.559 So again, really just when we started the podcast and really for almost every 322 00:24:17.559 --> 00:24:22.240 episode, we've just been having conversations, me and the guest, exchanging thoughts, 323 00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:26.880 ideas. I pitched them questions and then we met riff from there. 324 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:30.759 But now I think there's an opportunity for us to take what we're calling kind 325 00:24:30.759 --> 00:24:37.559 of a more documentary style right when it comes to deeper, more complex topics, 326 00:24:37.559 --> 00:24:41.240 may be incorporating multiple voices, but then also kind of a point of 327 00:24:41.279 --> 00:24:45.000 view or a narrative, whether that's, you know, a more complex topic 328 00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:51.960 or more of a historical view on something. And to be frank, we 329 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:56.519 haven't done much of that yet, but that's something that we're looking to evolve 330 00:24:56.720 --> 00:25:02.799 in terms of the content to again make this a meaningful resource, you know, 331 00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:04.480 for the for the community, so to speak, and then also, 332 00:25:04.519 --> 00:25:08.160 of course, convey our point of view through that to some degree. So 333 00:25:08.200 --> 00:25:11.880 I think those are really two things that, in terms of how we're thinking 334 00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:18.319 about podcasting and the in the show that were evolving. Got To ask you 335 00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:22.759 a selfish podcast host question real quick because obviously I feel like I've learned a 336 00:25:22.759 --> 00:25:26.480 lot in whether it's in communication or just in how I connect with people, 337 00:25:26.519 --> 00:25:30.119 because of my time hosting podcast and was to be to be growth and I 338 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:33.880 love doing it. What do you feel like is your biggest lesson that you've 339 00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:37.880 learned in your time hosting? Well, that's a really good question. I 340 00:25:37.880 --> 00:25:44.400 think maybe a couple things to think about. Their one relax, enjoy. 341 00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:48.519 Right. This is a in some ways kind of a casual medium. Maybe 342 00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:52.519 feel free to incorporate a little bit of humor, but but make it really 343 00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:56.359 conversational, and the way to do that, of course, is to relax. 344 00:25:56.319 --> 00:26:00.960 That would be one. And then the second it's more of a not 345 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:04.759 necessarily related only to podcasting, but I think when I was an industry analyst 346 00:26:04.839 --> 00:26:08.480 I also sort of learned this in some ways, but it's easy to forget, 347 00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:15.160 and that is oftentimes the best question is the simplest one and rather than 348 00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:19.640 try to kind of pack a question with complexity, back up and ask the 349 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:26.400 more simple and sometimes obvious question, and sometimes that leads to greater insights and 350 00:26:26.519 --> 00:26:32.400 opportunity to engage on something. So I'd say those are really the two things 351 00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:36.880 that I've learned. One is maybe more of a reminder, but you know, 352 00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:41.880 so relax and simple questions are good. Don't feel like you need to 353 00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:47.240 show off with a complex question in order to get a meaningful conversation. Yeah, 354 00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:49.640 as the host, that can be you can be tempted right in the 355 00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:56.079 direction of let me prove that I know what we're talking about, but kind 356 00:26:56.079 --> 00:26:59.400 of here to shine a light on the other person. So I'm I love 357 00:26:59.480 --> 00:27:03.079 learning things from the guests we have on this show and this some great learnings. 358 00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:07.160 there. Last question I'll ask you on this front is just going back 359 00:27:07.160 --> 00:27:11.319 to the beginning. We were talking about your role chief strategy officer. anyways 360 00:27:11.400 --> 00:27:17.160 that you've found a medium like podcasting informing your role, or even before it 361 00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:21.039 was travel, and now you're meeting with people in a podcast setting right, 362 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:26.920 you're recording together shifts there, and how you feel any learnings that have informed 363 00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:33.519 being a CSO well, I think it encourages me to first of all, 364 00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:37.680 you're often doing a prep call with a guest, and so you might also 365 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:44.279 like, naturally, through that process have a conversation about, you know, 366 00:27:44.400 --> 00:27:52.160 whether it's partnering with another Tech Company or agency or consultancy that is in our 367 00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:57.039 ecosystem or you're, frankly, you know, gaining some interesting, you know, 368 00:27:57.160 --> 00:28:03.039 insights into a niche in the market that maybe haven't focused a lot on 369 00:28:03.160 --> 00:28:08.680 or a market like geographical market, that we haven't been particularly focused on as 370 00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:14.079 a business. And you know, through interacting and engaging with guests in this 371 00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:18.400 kind of way, you know you do end up learning things or or recognizing 372 00:28:18.440 --> 00:28:23.599 that maybe you need to double click and even challenge some assumptions along the way. 373 00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:26.640 So I'd say, you know, again, if you're talking to smart 374 00:28:26.680 --> 00:28:30.960 people, you're going to learn something. And so, both through the the 375 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:34.640 actual conversations that are recording, but also through the prep calls and so forth, 376 00:28:34.839 --> 00:28:38.160 there's some interesting things. I'll tell you a little bit of an aside. 377 00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:44.880 This is not really related to the our technology work necessarily directly, but 378 00:28:45.599 --> 00:28:48.920 you know, bloom reach, like many in the e commerce in digital marketing 379 00:28:48.920 --> 00:28:56.000 space, have many partners with a significant presence in Ukraine and Russia M and 380 00:28:56.039 --> 00:28:59.759 you know that was not lost on me. I've had an opportunity to travel 381 00:28:59.880 --> 00:29:03.960 to that region in the past have met many people who have significant presence in 382 00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:11.400 those markets, teams supporting clients in the US or in Europe out of that 383 00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:15.359 market and so forth. And so when the crisis occurred, you know I 384 00:29:15.400 --> 00:29:21.400 had done my my bit to not only personally donate to humanitarian relief and so 385 00:29:21.440 --> 00:29:25.000 on, but it also like shared through linkedin and other things, like just 386 00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:32.079 a perspective on the interconnection of our industry, Bloom reaches industry, with what's 387 00:29:32.079 --> 00:29:37.720 happening in the market, and that led me to engage with some CEOS and 388 00:29:37.759 --> 00:29:44.680 founders of some of these companies and asked if they would be open to joining 389 00:29:44.720 --> 00:29:48.480 me on the podcast to share. Yeah, and you know I had a 390 00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:52.839 few who are open to doing that, but I ended up speaking with Egregoran, 391 00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:57.599 who is founder, one of the founders, of astound commerce, and 392 00:29:59.400 --> 00:30:03.200 wow, I thought I was pretty educated on what was happening. You know, 393 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:07.720 it kind of nerded out a little bit on the situation and also, 394 00:30:07.960 --> 00:30:12.559 you know, I enjoy learning about history and so forth anyway, so I'd 395 00:30:12.599 --> 00:30:17.440 kind of done some some of my own reading and so forth it, but 396 00:30:17.480 --> 00:30:22.079 I can just say that, more on a personal level than anything both the 397 00:30:22.119 --> 00:30:26.960 prep call and then the podcast itself just really drove it home for me the 398 00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:33.799 depth of the the the crisis and the humanitarian impact of what was happening. 399 00:30:33.920 --> 00:30:37.400 And so that was like, on a personal level, you know, let 400 00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:45.119 alone a business perspective, how the podcast really impacted me and, you know, 401 00:30:45.240 --> 00:30:48.279 things that I was able to learn, Yep, by doing this kind 402 00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:51.599 of thing that otherwise maybe I wouldn't have done that, you know, maybe 403 00:30:51.640 --> 00:30:56.319 I wouldn't have reached out and had these kind of conversations and gain a very 404 00:30:56.440 --> 00:31:00.480 personal and almost visceral perspective on what was happening. So it's just kind of 405 00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:07.839 an a side story of how something like hosting a podcast can end up having 406 00:31:07.880 --> 00:31:12.000 a an impact. We saw it beyond work as well. Yeah, I 407 00:31:12.039 --> 00:31:17.079 do think we talked about in business a lot, like, especially in BTB 408 00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:22.000 space right, making it more human or this connection, and sometimes that can 409 00:31:22.079 --> 00:31:23.680 even on Linkedin. It can just become, oh, I see this all 410 00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:27.319 the time. But in a story like that, Brian, I love how 411 00:31:27.400 --> 00:31:33.039 you bringing that home because it's like, outside of all the things, the 412 00:31:33.079 --> 00:31:37.160 goals, the KPI's, everything that is be tob there is a personal level 413 00:31:37.160 --> 00:31:41.119 to a lot of this stuff. That is it's incredible to be a part 414 00:31:41.160 --> 00:31:45.640 of, and that what a timely example and something that we're still walking through 415 00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:51.680 and and yeah, so I really appreciate that example. I want to talk 416 00:31:51.720 --> 00:31:56.279 about and shift into a little bit of a conversation on growth here, because 417 00:31:56.319 --> 00:31:59.640 I know your background in marketing and you've had your hands and go to market, 418 00:31:59.640 --> 00:32:04.200 which you mentioned, and that strategy for bloom reach. You also mentioned 419 00:32:04.200 --> 00:32:07.000 this up front and I waited tell the tale end to bring it up, 420 00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:13.480 but you talked about cultivating an ecosystem and it's great language, but also I 421 00:32:13.480 --> 00:32:15.680 would love to know what that means for you guys right now. So when 422 00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:22.440 you talk about cultivating an ecosystem for bloom reach, what is that exactly entail? 423 00:32:22.200 --> 00:32:28.559 Great Question. Where a commerce experience solution, rouette or so? We've 424 00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:31.559 got a number of different solutions that our clients are going to use to drive 425 00:32:31.599 --> 00:32:38.599 and optimize their digital commerce and digital marketing, and the reality is that bloom 426 00:32:38.640 --> 00:32:44.720 reaches solutions, just like many in the market, need to integrate and interact 427 00:32:44.799 --> 00:32:49.000 with many other solutions right that a client's going to use, so that there's 428 00:32:49.079 --> 00:32:53.039 one dimension, there's many different companies that most of our clients are going to 429 00:32:53.079 --> 00:32:57.480 be working with and they need those to kind of work together and to the 430 00:32:57.519 --> 00:33:02.960 benefit of of the them right it behooves us to pick smart partners and integrate 431 00:33:02.960 --> 00:33:09.240 effectively in a value added way and at the same time, often and agency, 432 00:33:09.279 --> 00:33:16.319 a consultancy or a systems integrator will be involved in implementing our solutions or 433 00:33:16.319 --> 00:33:22.599 supporting a client in that so they're also a key part of our ecosystem. 434 00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:30.799 So when we talk about cultivating one right, it's implementing programs and approaches from 435 00:33:30.799 --> 00:33:37.720 a partner marketing standpoint or marketplace type programs, as well as ensuring that the 436 00:33:37.799 --> 00:33:43.960 right agencies and consultancies are available to support what our clients are trying to do 437 00:33:44.039 --> 00:33:50.119 and that they're well vetted and they're certified and they're experienced and also supported by 438 00:33:50.160 --> 00:33:54.839 our organization to make the client successful. So cultivating an ecosystem is really just 439 00:33:54.880 --> 00:34:01.200 a way of saying it's making sure that the right solution providers and implementation and 440 00:34:01.240 --> 00:34:09.039 consultancy providers are a part of our ecosystem and that we're working in a collaborative 441 00:34:09.079 --> 00:34:15.639 way that benefits the customer ultimately and what they're trying to do and it's a 442 00:34:15.719 --> 00:34:22.159 it's a pretty large, heterogeneous and very fast evolving, you know, market 443 00:34:22.280 --> 00:34:28.199 out there. And so you know, especially as we've kind of adapted some 444 00:34:28.280 --> 00:34:32.239 of our capabilities at bloom rage to involve more, you know, a focus 445 00:34:32.320 --> 00:34:39.960 on on marketing channels and personalization and the Holy Grail of single view of customer 446 00:34:39.960 --> 00:34:45.519 and enabling our clients to interact with their customers in a personalized way, etcetera. 447 00:34:46.119 --> 00:34:52.480 It really takes multiple different kinds of solutions coming together, ultimately, yeah, 448 00:34:52.480 --> 00:34:54.239 to deliver on the customers vision. So we need to make sure we 449 00:34:54.280 --> 00:34:59.480 have a we have the right partners in place to make that happen. If 450 00:34:59.519 --> 00:35:02.199 I was taking what we've talked about so far, I'd say we've been advocates 451 00:35:02.239 --> 00:35:08.079 for strategy, for podcasting, for the human connection that happens even in these 452 00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:12.320 crisis right and then we're talking about ecosystems here, and so here's what I 453 00:35:12.320 --> 00:35:14.199 want to do as we wrap up, is I want to just give you 454 00:35:14.199 --> 00:35:20.079 an opportunity to say, as you've done the work of trying to cultivate this 455 00:35:20.159 --> 00:35:23.719 ecosystem, anything that you find to be unique that maybe you know, though 456 00:35:23.760 --> 00:35:27.639 we can't see them. You're talking to a room full of marketers on this 457 00:35:27.679 --> 00:35:30.360 show, anything that you are doing right now that you find unique that maybe 458 00:35:30.360 --> 00:35:35.360 our audience of marketers could learn from when it comes to your guys as marketing 459 00:35:35.440 --> 00:35:38.960 efforts and in the things that you're really focused on right now, well as 460 00:35:38.960 --> 00:35:45.079 it relates to ecosystem specifically, I mean I think, you know, often 461 00:35:45.159 --> 00:35:50.119 times organizations are tempted to just add partners, at partners, at partners, 462 00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:55.360 and certainly on the ISB side or you know other technology solution providers out there, 463 00:35:55.480 --> 00:36:00.400 often we kind of skip a step and it is focusing on the use 464 00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:06.599 cases in the problem to be solved. Yeah, and how does these multiple 465 00:36:06.679 --> 00:36:09.840 solutions, or you know the partner solution plus your own, come together to 466 00:36:09.840 --> 00:36:15.800 really solve a distinct problem? And you know testing that, testing that with 467 00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:22.599 customers most importantly, versus just the proverbial NASCAR slide of here's all our partners, 468 00:36:22.719 --> 00:36:25.800 Yep, and this sort of competition to add partners, which can also 469 00:36:25.880 --> 00:36:30.760 lead to the you know, paradox of choice. You're giving your customers too 470 00:36:30.800 --> 00:36:36.440 many options and presenting a problem they have to navigate between all of those. 471 00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:40.920 So I think first and foremost, you know, focusing on high quality partners 472 00:36:40.920 --> 00:36:49.239 with a high quality solution that solve a problem by combining their solution in some 473 00:36:49.280 --> 00:36:53.400 way with your own, is something that I think is often missed. And 474 00:36:53.440 --> 00:36:58.800 if you're a marketing professional who is like yeah, we need we need partners, 475 00:36:58.840 --> 00:37:02.800 we need an ecosystem, etc. Think about it also from kind of 476 00:37:02.880 --> 00:37:08.679 a product management perspective, which would be what's the problem? What's the market 477 00:37:08.760 --> 00:37:13.599 problem? What are we solving for here? What's the value add of our 478 00:37:13.599 --> 00:37:21.480 solution plus the partners? That's perhaps unique as well as it's it's practical and 479 00:37:21.480 --> 00:37:25.880 it's tangible and you know the customer is going to benefit and ultimately hopefully make 480 00:37:25.920 --> 00:37:30.639 your own solution also more sticky. Yeah, and more of liable. So 481 00:37:30.719 --> 00:37:37.000 the customer, because they they're getting even more value out of your solution when 482 00:37:37.039 --> 00:37:42.320 you add a partner. So that's maybe something to highlight. The you know, 483 00:37:42.360 --> 00:37:44.760 there's a there's a lot to it. We can it's probably a long 484 00:37:44.800 --> 00:37:47.400 conversation, but that's just one thing I would I would highlight. I think 485 00:37:47.400 --> 00:37:51.920 of Shiny Object Syndrome and in this case I think of Shiny Partner Syndrome. 486 00:37:52.519 --> 00:37:57.119 Like all the options we could give people. But what is what are we 487 00:37:57.159 --> 00:38:00.800 actually trying to achieve here, and I think that is a quality question to 488 00:38:00.800 --> 00:38:04.400 be asking in to be wondering, is a fun conversation. I love getting 489 00:38:04.400 --> 00:38:07.440 an overview of kind of what you're up to and I think this is a 490 00:38:07.719 --> 00:38:12.119 really great place to start to land the plane. Brian. If people want 491 00:38:12.159 --> 00:38:15.159 to connect with you, stay connected with what bloom reach is doing, go 492 00:38:15.159 --> 00:38:19.199 ahead highlight what the company's up to and then also where we can stay connected 493 00:38:19.239 --> 00:38:22.679 to your you and your work. Yeah, I mean where the markets leading 494 00:38:22.679 --> 00:38:25.800 commerce experience platform. We're kind of a hidden giant out there. We're already 495 00:38:25.800 --> 00:38:30.840 impacting over four hundred billion in annual ECOMMERCE out there in the market, which 496 00:38:30.880 --> 00:38:35.000 is a big number. tomazing. We work with, you know, large 497 00:38:35.199 --> 00:38:42.719 lots of large retailers, brands, be tob companies who are driving digital commerce, 498 00:38:42.760 --> 00:38:45.760 their digital experience and looking to optimize their marketing. So that's kind of 499 00:38:45.800 --> 00:38:50.679 what we do. The terms are getting in touch, I think from a 500 00:38:50.719 --> 00:38:53.039 professional level, I would say, you know, Linkedin is probably the best 501 00:38:53.039 --> 00:38:57.599 of we connect with me right, Yep. On a personal level, yes, 502 00:38:57.639 --> 00:39:04.760 I'm on instagram. You're likely to encounter my mixology enthusiasts. Let's go. 503 00:39:05.599 --> 00:39:07.800 Yes, I got a new follow I got to find you. Yeah, 504 00:39:07.880 --> 00:39:13.440 so I'm fen posting, you know, cocktails that I'm that I'm cooking 505 00:39:13.559 --> 00:39:19.480 up and and then I'll so my passions around soccer and fly fishing and things 506 00:39:19.519 --> 00:39:22.760 like that. But on a personal level, I would say probably instagram and 507 00:39:22.920 --> 00:39:28.320 our professional level, Linkedin, and you have a podcast commerce that's variants, 508 00:39:28.320 --> 00:39:30.440 a podcast series with Brian Walker. You can find it, go take a 509 00:39:30.480 --> 00:39:36.079 listen. It's been such a pleasure to get to chat with you and thank 510 00:39:36.119 --> 00:39:38.480 you for taking time today, Brian, to stop by BB growth. Well, 511 00:39:38.480 --> 00:39:42.400 thanks again for having me on Benjie. My pleasure. Well, for 512 00:39:42.519 --> 00:39:45.760 all of our listeners, we love these types of conversations. We hope that 513 00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:51.559 they help fuel your growth and your innovation. If you have yet to subscribe, 514 00:39:51.559 --> 00:39:54.239 if you do that today, you'll never miss a future episode. So 515 00:39:54.400 --> 00:39:58.760 go ahead and do that on your favorite podcast platform, and we say thanks 516 00:39:58.800 --> 00:40:01.400 in advanced for that. You can connect with me on Linkedin. Just Search 517 00:40:01.440 --> 00:40:06.159 Benjie Block. I'm talking about marketing, business and life over there and would 518 00:40:06.239 --> 00:40:08.599 love to chat with you. Keep doing work that matters. Will be back 519 00:40:08.679 --> 00:40:25.119 real soon with another episode. If you enjoyed a day show hit subscribe for 520 00:40:25.239 --> 00:40:29.920 more marketing goodness and if you really enjoyed the day show, take a second 521 00:40:30.039 --> 00:40:34.000 to rate and review the podcast on the platform you're listening to it on right 522 00:40:34.039 --> 00:40:37.280 now. If you really really enjoyed this episode, share the love by texting 523 00:40:37.320 --> 00:40:40.679 it to a friend who would find it insightful. Thanks for listening and thanks 524 00:40:40.679 --> 00:40:42.519 for sharing.
