Customer marketing careers are evolving fast and the path forward is no longer linear.

In this episode, Aparna sits down with Irwin Hipsman, founder of Repetitos, to unpack how customer marketing, advocacy, and lifecycle marketing roles are changing as we head into 2026. Together, they explore why job titles are shifting, how data fluency and AI are reshaping expectations, and what separates marketers who grow deep from those who grow wide.

This conversation moves beyond surface-level trends into the realities behind career progression in SaaS and B2B customer marketing. From navigating manager versus director roles to understanding the growing importance of customer lifecycle marketing, Irwin shares patterns drawn from years of research and real-world experience.

Whether you are entering customer marketing, building advocacy programs, or figuring out how to future-proof your career in a data-driven world, this episode offers clarity without prescriptions and insight without hype.

Pour a fresh cup. This one is equal parts perspective, validation, and forward momentum.

Lookout for 2025-26 Customer Marketing & Advocacy Employment Report

Communities are no longer a nice-to-have. They are the heartbeat of loyalty. But in 2026, that heartbeat is not sustained by louder messaging, smarter algorithms, or endless incentives.

In this episode, I sit down with Gabrielle Herrera from HubSpot for a grounded, honest conversation on what it actually takes to build communities that last. From designing spaces people want to return to, to knowing when to step back and let members lead, this episode explores the quieter, more intentional side of community growth.

You will hear why authenticity scales differently than volume, how connection beats content every single time, and why recognition should advance people, not just brands. There is also a refreshing take on community fatigue, earned media, personal brands, and the courage it takes to build systems that do not depend on you being everywhere at once.

This is not a checklist episode. It is a mindset shift. One that challenges how customer marketers, community builders, and leaders think about engagement, success, and sustainability.

If you are rethinking your community strategy for the year ahead, or wondering why doing all the right things still feels exhausting, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are and gently push you forward.

What if your next advocate isn’t the person filling out your surveys or shouting on social media… but someone quietly cheering for you in the background?

In this episode, I sit down with Shannon Howard, Senior Director of Customer & Content Marketing at Intellum, for a conversation that redefines how we see customers, loyalty, and the hidden stars inside our ecosystem.

From understanding yesterday’s believers to spotting tomorrow’s fans, Shannon unpacks why advocacy isn’t a program you run... it’s a relationship you nurture. We explore the limits of personas, the power of community moments, how to identify advocates hiding in plain sight, and why the strongest customer stories aren’t always the loudest ones.

If you’ve ever wondered how to find your advocates, engage them meaningfully, or build loyalty that lasts longer than a quarter, this episode will reshape the way you think.

Hit play — your perspective on customer personas might never be the same.

In Part Two of this special series, the conversation with TightKnit.Ai CEO Zach Hawtof goes from smart to seriously unmissable. Our chat was so rich, real, and resonant that we had to break it into two episodes, and this is where it gets especially tactical for anyone owning or influencing community and customer marketing.

We pick up right where we left off, talking about how community can become painfully transactional on both sides: for the member and for the manager. From there, Zach unpacks what it really takes for a community to feel alive and valuable today. We get into the three things every community must offer now: real discovery and visibility instead of hidden forums, radical transparency instead of hiding bugs and issues, and thoughtful onboarding that treats the first five minutes like it defines the next three months.

Zach also shares how he thinks about goodwill as gravity, why the CEO should be present in the community, and how connectors quietly build the most powerful networks in the background.

So whether your community lives on Slack, LinkedIn, or somewhere between a DM and a dream, this episode gives you a grounded, human playbook for building spaces people choose to stay in, not just sign up for.

In Part One of this special two-part series, we began talking about how community has become one of those words that everyone uses and no one defines. It shows up in strategy decks, Slack channels, and CRM fields, yet rarely captures what it is meant to hold: real human belonging. In this episode, we dive straight into the heart of that tension with someone reshaping the entire conversation.

I sit down with Zach Hawtof, CEO of TightKnit.ai, a platform rewriting what digital connection looks like. What started as a conversation about Gen Z, Slack cultures, and the evolution of community quickly turned into something bigger. The insights were so layered, so energizing, and frankly so much fun, that we broke this interview into two episodes.

Zach walks through his journey from Salesforce to building TightKnit, why old-school forums were never built for the emotional reality of modern users, and how community has shifted from case deflection to career elevation. We explore the difference between an audience and a true community, what brands keep misunderstanding about connection, and why younger generations are rewriting the rules faster than platforms can keep up.

From the philosophy behind digital belonging to the mechanics of chat-based community design, this first part sets the stage for a new way of thinking about customer loyalty, culture, and technology. If you’re a customer marketer, community leader, or simply someone who has sat in one too many “we need a community” meetings, this episode will feel like a long-overdue reset.

Gifting is Not a Strategy is a conversation about what happens when the heart of customer marketing gets buried under perks, points, raffles, and rewards. If you caught episode nine with Jeni, you will remember how energizing it felt to explore her idea of weaving charitable giving into customer communities. That discussion surfaced something important. In a world obsessed with KPIs and retention curves, it is far too easy for programs built on connection to drift into transactional territory.

In under ten minutes, this episode offers five creative ways to build emotional ROI. Two ideas are perfect for anyone building a program from the ground up. Three are designed to revive a community or advocacy engine that has slipped into transactional habits. It is a quick listen with the power to spark a gentle but meaningful shift in the way you design customer experiences.

PS: Don't miss out on the last two minutes, I am eager to know what you think of the song I made to wrap the episode.

Community is not a tactic. It is people, purpose, and the quiet belief that small actions can create lasting change. In this episode of The Loyal-Tea Talks, Jeni Asaba from Jamf shares how a single trip to rural Uganda turned into Building for Bridget—a nonprofit, a school, and a promise that no child’s fire should fade for lack of opportunity. What began with shoes that grow and backpacks of school supplies became something bigger: a living example of what happens when you stop asking “Why me?” and start asking “If not me, who?”

That same mindset now fuels the way Jeni leads customer advocacy and community at Jamf. Instead of chasing hoodies and points, she invites customers to turn their actions into impact.

We talk about growing shoes, virtual zoo tours, virtual mapping, and the simple truth how even the tiniest dollar amounts can help make a difference while everyone part of the process enjoys it. Suddenly generosity feels accessible. Creativity becomes a lever. And community stops being a dashboard metric and starts being a mirror of our shared humanity.

In this episode you will learn• How to shift rewards from stuff to substance without losing engagement• How to design meetups where people bond as humans, not just users• How to invite leadership,, and customers into a purpose-led model• Why customers stay longer when they feel they helped someone else

If you lead a community or advocacy program, this conversation hands you a place to begin: add a donate-instead option at your next event, invite customers to vote on vetted causes, offer charitable redemptions in your rewards catalog, or host a virtual experience that gives back. None of it requires a perfect budget. It only requires intention and a willingness to start before everything is figured out.

Loyalty is not a transaction. It is a transformation. And sometimes the most loyal thing you can build is simply a better world.

Below is the link to Building for Bridget, for anyone moved to learn, share, or support.

Your employees are your most authentic brand ambassadors, but the way they share, connect, and influence is evolving fast. In 2025, employee advocacy isn’t just about posting on LinkedIn or sharing a press release; it’s about creating a culture where employees feel proud, empowered, and inspired to represent the brand in ways that resonate with today’s audiences.

In this episode of The Loyal-Tea Talks Podcast, I’m joined by Debra Squyres, the CCO of Bonusly, to unpack the five key trends redefining employee advocacy and explore how they’re making a measurable dent in employer branding. From authenticity over polish, to gamified engagement, to the integration of advocacy into everyday workflows, you’ll hear how companies can tap into the voices of their people to build trust, attract talent, and boost retention.