Episodes

  • The Agentic Prospecting and Content-Led Marketing Episode

    The Agentic Prospecting and Content-Led Marketing Episode
    May 16 2026
    This week, former Forrester Research Director, Jeff Clark, is back in the studio with our host Ian Truscott to discuss an article from Anthony McPartlin, Principal Analyst at Forrester, Agentic Prospecting: Seven Reasons The Hype Falls Short. Demand generation and prospecting have changed, with sales teams now armed with tools that allow them to run lead generation campaigns across LinkedIn and email, which was traditionally the role of marketing, but now this role is being handed to the robots, with agentic prospecting handling everything from deciding the ICP, buyer personas, to executing the campaign. Picking 5 f’in’ things from the article, as is the editorial policy of the podcast, Ian and Jeff discuss: Agentic Prospecting Assumes Signal Quality That Doesn’t Exist The Assumption that Sales is a Numbers Game Accuracy is Fragile Due to Heavy Reliance On LLMs & External Data The Fallacy of End-To-End Autonomy Claims The Spam Problem Ian then joins Robert Rose in the virtual bar, The Rose & Rockstar, to discuss Robert’s recent article from The Content Marketing Institute - Content-Led Marketing: The Essential Strategy for the AI Era. They discusses the evolution of marketing strategies from campaigns to content-led marketing, and the impact of AI and community building on brand storytelling. Enjoy! — The Links The people: Ian Truscott on LinkedIn Jeff Clark on LinkedIn Robert Rose on LinkedIn Mentioned this week: Agentic Prospecting: Seven Reasons The Hype Falls Short Tuesday 2¢ - The Cost of the Easy Button Content-Led Marketing: The Essential Strategy for the AI Era Robert’s podcast: This Old Marketing Robert’s newsletter: Lens, his websites, robertrose.net and seventhbear.com Rockstar CMO: The Beat Newsletter that we send every Monday Rockstar CMO on the web and LinkedIn Previous episodes and all the show notes: Rockstar CMO FM. Track List: We’ll be right back by Stienski & Mass Media on YouTube Piano Music is by Johnny Easton, shared under a Creative Commons license The Miracles - Love Machine You can listen to this on all good podcast platforms, like Apple, Amazon, and Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    48 mins
  • The Earned Email, You Are a B2B Service and Caring If It’s Human Episode

    The Earned Email, You Are a B2B Service and Caring If It’s Human Episode
    May 10 2026
    This week, with his guests away, our host Ian Truscott takes a turn in the studio, going solo, and shares 5 f’in’ things that have caught his eye this week. Those things were: Email has become earned, not owned - inspired by an issue of Ann Handley’s newsletter - Email Is Dead, Long Live Email Building a campfire - inspired by Joe Pulizzi’s newsletter - Stop Trying to Build a Community AI disruption of the software industry, at both ends of the scale Getting the creative balance right with AI - inspired by a LinkedIn post by Adriaan Bloem We are all a B2B service providers now Ian then joins Robert Rose in the virtual bar, The Rose & Rockstar. They keep the AI theme going with a discussion of whether people really care if content is AI-generated and how that opinion might be evolving. Enjoy! — The Links The people: Ian Truscott on LinkedIn Robert Rose on LinkedIn Mentioned this week: Email Is Dead, Long Live Email - by Ann Handley Joe Pulizzi’s newsletter - Stop Trying to Build a Community The quadrant of polished content - posted by Adriaan Bloem BBC Sounds - Everything Is Fake - (also available on Apple podcasts) Producers of AI-generated podcasts - Inception Point AI Robert’s podcast: This Old Marketing Robert’s newsletter: Lens, his websites, robertrose.net and seventhbear.com Rockstar CMO: The Beat Newsletter that we send every Monday Rockstar CMO on the web and LinkedIn Previous episodes and all the show notes: Rockstar CMO FM. Track List: We’ll be right back by Stienski & Mass Media on YouTube Piano Music is by Johnny Easton, shared under a Creative Commons license You can listen to this on all good podcast platforms, like Apple, Amazon, and Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    39 mins
  • The Jon Miller Predictions and Editing the Mediocre out of AI Episode

    The Jon Miller Predictions and Editing the Mediocre out of AI Episode
    May 2 2026
    This week, former Forrester Research Director, Jeff Clark, is back in the studio with our host Ian Truscott to discuss a predictions post from Jon Miller on the ChiefMartec blog, from back in January. Jon Miller is described as a legend in our industry, the co-founder and original CMO of Marketo, and the former CMO of DemandBase; his opinion is well worth watching. The extensive article that inspired this conversation makes 13 predictions, and, of course, following the show's editorial policy, Ian and Jeff pick 5 that resonate most with them. They discuss: Marketers will begin marketing to agents, not just humans Taste, trust, and accountability will become the antidote to AI slop Composable stacks will be mainstream by 2030, but <20% will adopt in 2026 AI will completely transform legacy SaaS martech - but not in 2026 AI-driven uncertainty will intensify in 2026; preparation is the only answer Ian then joins Robert Rose in the virtual bar, The Rose & Rockstar. They keep the AI theme going with a discussion about an article from The Content Marketing Institute - Good Editing Makes AI Content Memorable - and discuss whether it’s true that editing can make mediocre AI content memorable, following some criticism of this article on LinkedIn. Enjoy! — The Links The people: Ian Truscott on LinkedIn Jeff Clark on LinkedIn Robert Rose on LinkedIn Mentioned this week: Jon Miller’s Predictions for B2B Go-To-Market in 2026 – chiefmartec Adriaan Bloem’s LinkedIn post on AI content Keith Smiith's post about using CoPilot for BD Fathertime Bourbon Good Editing Makes AI Content Memorable Robert’s podcast: This Old Marketing Robert’s newsletter: Lens, his websites, robertrose.net and seventhbear.com Rockstar CMO: The Beat Newsletter that we send every Monday Rockstar CMO on the web and LinkedIn Previous episodes and all the show notes: Rockstar CMO FM. Track List: We’ll be right back by Stienski & Mass Media on YouTube Piano Music is by Johnny Easton, shared under a Creative Commons license Life During Wartime (2003 Remaster) You can listen to this on all good podcast platforms, like Apple, Amazon, and Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    59 mins
  • The Cathy on Personalization and Career Hedging with Robert Episode

    The Cathy on Personalization and Career Hedging with Robert Episode
    Apr 25 2026
    This week, Ian and Cathy McKnight discuss a recent piece of research from Cathy on her Bear Essentials series on the Seventh Bear blog - Bear Essentials: You Can’t Personalize What You Don't Understand They discuss: Audience segmentation beyond job titles Building and operationalizing personas The role of AI and content in marketing Customer journey mapping and needs analysis Ian then joins Robert Rose in the virtual bar, The Rose & Rockstar, for a classic cocktail and a chat. This week, Ian and Robert discuss Robert’s latest article in his Rose Tinted Glasses column on the Content Marketing Institute blog: The Career Hedge: Why Even Your 'Satisfied' Employees Are Running an Exit Strategy Enjoy! — The Links The people: Ian Truscott on LinkedIn Cathy McKnight on LinkedIn Robert Rose on LinkedIn Mentioned this week: Bear Essentials: You Can’t Personalize What You Don't Understand The Career Hedge: Why Even Your 'Satisfied' Employees Are Running an Exit Strategy Robert’s podcast: This Old Marketing Robert’s newsletter: Lens, his websites, robertrose.net and seventhbear.com Rockstar CMO: The Beat Newsletter that we send every Monday Rockstar CMO on the web and LinkedIn Previous episodes and all the show notes: Rockstar CMO FM. Track List: We’ll be right back by Stienski & Mass Media on YouTube Piano Music is by Johnny Easton, shared under a Creative Commons license You can listen to this on all good podcast platforms, like Apple, Amazon, and Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    54 mins
  • The Fighting Do Nothing and 6 Year Anniversary Episode

    The Fighting Do Nothing and 6 Year Anniversary Episode
    Apr 18 2026
    This week, former Forrester Research Director, Jeff Clark, is back in the studio for a discussion with our host Ian Truscott, to discuss how marketing can help sales defeat the biggest competitor in many B2B deals - do nothing. They discuss: Quantify the cost of inaction Understand persona needs Lower risk of change Bring proof Build internal consensus Ian then joins Robert Rose in the virtual bar, The Rose & Rockstar, to celebrate 6 years of the podcast. Over a fabulous cocktail, they revisit the first chat they had in the bar, about expressing your point of view in “unprecedented” times and how this relates to his work today, and their discussion two weeks ago about showing your “pointy bits”. Enjoy! — The Links The people: Ian Truscott on LinkedIn Jeff Clark on LinkedIn Robert Rose on LinkedIn Mentioned this week: The JOLT Effect What is Customer Indecision? Understanding and Overcoming Buyer Hesitation The Greatest Sales Deck I’ve Ever Seen | by Andy Raskin | Mission.org | Medium Rockstar CMO FM #9 - Ahmed Hasan and Cocktails with Robert Rose Robert’s podcast: This Old Marketing Robert’s newsletter: Lens, his websites, robertrose.net and seventhbear.com Rockstar CMO: The Beat Newsletter that we send every Monday Rockstar CMO on the web and LinkedIn Previous episodes and all the show notes: Rockstar CMO FM. Track List: We’ll be right back by Stienski & Mass Media on YouTube Piano Music is by Johnny Easton, shared under a Creative Commons license Prince - Nothing Compares 2 U (Official Music Video) You can listen to this on all good podcast platforms, like Apple, Amazon, and Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    51 mins
  • The Educating the Buyer and AI’s Impact on Marketing Jobs Episode

    The Educating the Buyer and AI’s Impact on Marketing Jobs Episode
    Apr 11 2026
    This week, former Forrester Research Director, Jeff Clark, is back in the studio for a discussion with our host Ian Truscott about buyer education, inspired by an article by Kerry Cunningham, of 6Sense: “Buyers are not blank slates”, and give it the 5 f’in’ things treatment. They discuss: Some categories still need basic education Keep the education grounded Present your unique POV on how to solve buyer challenges Do buyers want to be experts? Campaigns need to master “answer engine optimization” Ian then joins Robert Rose in the virtual bar, The Rose & Rockstar, for a classic cocktail and a chat. This week, Ian and Robert discuss the latest article from Robert in his Rose Colored Glasses Series on the Content Marketing Institutes blog - The Ghost Workforce: How AI Is Reshaping Content and Marketing Roles in 2026 Enjoy! — The Links The people: Ian Truscott on LinkedIn Jeff Clark on LinkedIn Robert Rose on LinkedIn Mentioned this week: Buyers are not blank slates - Kerry Cunningham, 6Sense The Beat Newsletter - Just Enough Education to Perform The Ghost Workforce: How AI Is Reshaping Content and Marketing Roles in 2026 Robert’s podcast: This Old Marketing Robert’s newsletter: Lens, his websites, robertrose.net and seventhbear.com Rockstar CMO: The Beat Newsletter that we send every Monday Rockstar CMO on the web and LinkedIn Previous episodes and all the show notes: Rockstar CMO FM. Track List: We’ll be right back by Stienski & Mass Media on YouTube Piano Music is by Johnny Easton, shared under a Creative Commons license Stereophonics - Mr. Writer (Official Music Video) You can listen to this on all good podcast platforms, like Apple, Amazon, and Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    53 mins
  • The Cathy on Funnels and Robert’s Pointy Bits Episode

    The Cathy on Funnels and Robert’s Pointy Bits Episode
    Apr 4 2026
    This week, Ian and Cathy McKnight discuss a recent piece of research from Cathy on her Bear Essentials series on the Seventh Bear blog - The Funnel Isn’t Dead, Your Version of It Is. They discuss: The funnel is not dead, but it needs a refresh The impact on marketing when this foundational work is broken. What a modern funnel looks like (and it’s not about attribution) Mapping to the customer journey, and thinking beyond the buying journey Focusing on solving the customer's problems, not showcasing features Metrics to focus on Ian then joins Robert Rose in the virtual bar, The Rose & Rockstar, for a classic cocktail and a chat. This week, Ian and Robert discuss a phrase Robert has been using in his writing, “The Pointy Bits”, as he encourages B2B writers to stand out and show their pointy bits, instead of smoothing all their content with AI, but include the slightly uncomfortable, but differentiated things about you, your company, and brand. Enjoy! — The Links The people: Ian Truscott on LinkedIn Cathy McKnight on LinkedIn Robert Rose on LinkedIn Mentioned this week: Bear Essentials: The Funnel Isn’t Dead, Your Version of It Is Robert’s YouTube Channel Robert’s newsletter: Lens, his websites, robertrose.net and seventhbear.com Rockstar CMO: The Beat Newsletter that we send every Monday Rockstar CMO on the web and LinkedIn Previous episodes and all the show notes: Rockstar CMO FM. Track List: We’ll be right back by Stienski & Mass Media on YouTube Piano Music is by Johnny Easton, shared under a Creative Commons license You can listen to this on all good podcast platforms, like Apple, Amazon, and Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    53 mins
  • The Slice And Rick Rubin on Work Episode

    The Slice And Rick Rubin on Work Episode
    Mar 28 2026
    A slightly different episode this week, as our host Ian Truscott has two guests in the studio sharing their marketing street knowledge. Catherine Nichols and Jeremy Laight, two successful fractional CMOs who founded The Slice in July 2025, a community for fractional marketers that has expanded rapidly to over a thousand members from across the globe. They discuss: The Slice community and what inspired it Defining fractional CMOs Why organizations choose fractional talent Lessons Learned from the Community Advice for transitioning to fractional marketing What they would have on their riders when starting a new gig What they would chuck into our Rockstar CMO Swimming Pool Ian then joins Robert Rose in the virtual bar, The Rose & Rockstar, for a classic cocktail and a chat. This week, Ian and Robert discuss a recent article that describes Rick Rubin as the future of work and our role as creative production moves to AI. If you have any comments or thoughts on this topic, we would love to hear them! Enjoy! — The Links The people: Ian Truscott on LinkedIn Catherine Nichols on LinkedIn Jeremy Laight on LinkedIn Robert Rose on LinkedIn Mentioned this week: The Slice Network The Slice Network LinkedIn Group Robert’s podcast: This Old Marketing Rick Rubin Is the Future of Work - by Tom White The New Marketing Skill Isn't Prompting. It's Building Sticky Flow Mapper Robert’s newsletter: Lens, his websites, robertrose.net and seventhbear.com Rockstar CMO: The Beat Newsletter that we send every Monday Rockstar CMO on the web and LinkedIn Previous episodes and all the show notes: Rockstar CMO FM. Track List: We’ll be right back by Stienski & Mass Media on YouTube Piano Music is by Johnny Easton, shared under a Creative Commons license You can listen to this on all good podcast platforms, like Apple, Amazon, and Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    51 mins