In this episode, fintech growth strategist Nikolay Sabev joins Sally Baker to explore how payments are evolving, from invisible transactions to AI-driven fraud prevention, and what it all means for fintech marketers.

Nick shares global insights from his work across embedded finance, cross-border payments, and digital currencies, and explains why the winners in this space will be those who combine speed, security, and simplicity with clear, trustworthy communication.

In this episode:

• The rise of cashless and invisible payments — and what markets like China and Scandinavia can teach us
• How embedded finance is shaping customer experiences without people even realising it
• The role of AI and machine learning in fraud prevention, data protection, and personalisation
• Why stablecoins and digital currencies could transform cross-border payments
• How fintech marketers can build trust and clarity in a complex, compliance-driven world

Useful links:
Connect with Nikolay Sabev on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolaysabev/
Connect with Sally Baker on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallybaker/

As marketing teams head into 2026 with tighter budgets and increasing pressure to perform, this episode is packed with practical advice on how to do more with less without compromising on global impact.

Sally is joined by Katie Hayes, Head of Marketing at Ozone API, who shares how her lean team runs effective global marketing across multiple regions, the smart bets they make, and how AI has transformed the way they work.

Whether you're planning next year’s strategy, re-evaluating your channel mix, or looking for new ways to scale output, this episode gives you a clear and realistic playbook for high-impact marketing in 2026.

In this episode, they cover:

- How to prioritise channels and activity when budgets tighten

- Why global messaging needs local nuance — and how to manage this with a small team

- A practical approach to repurposing content from a single “hero” asset

- How Katie’s team uses Dojo AI to automate insights and reduce manual work

- Low-cost strategies for increasing visibility at major industry events

This is the episode every B2B fintech marketer should listen to before 2026.

Listeners can also enjoy part one of Sally’s conversation with Katie, (episode one in this series) on rebranding for challenger and established B2B brands.

Useful links:

Connect with Katie Hayes on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiejayhayes/

Connect with Sally Baker on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallybaker/

In this episode, Sally is joined by Fractional CMO Jeremy Laight to unpack how buyer behaviour has transformed and why the classic AIDA funnel no longer reflects the messy, multi-channel journeys buyers take today.

Jeremy explains how AI is collapsing the top of the funnel, how buyers are joining the dots long before they ever reach your website, and why trust and credibility now carry more weight than any neatly mapped “journey”.

Together, they explore what this means for B2B and fintech marketers, from the role of content and social proof to how teams can influence the 70% of decisions that happen before a brand even knows it’s being considered.

In this episode, they cover:

• How AI is collapsing awareness and speeding up decisions
• Why modern buyer journeys are mostly invisible
• The impact of multi-person B2B decision-making
• The rise of peer recommendations via Slack and LinkedIn
• The types of content that get discovered, shared and trusted
• What marketers should prioritise to stay relevant in 2026

Jeremy also shares details of The Slice Network, his growing LinkedIn community for fractional CMOs and marketers.

Full episode available now.

Useful links:

Connect with Jeremy Laight on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmolondon/

Join The Slice Network: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-slice-network/

Connect with Sally Baker on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallybaker/