Shift & Thrive: CEO Insights on Driving Change

In today’s business world change is the only constant, and mastering transformation is the ultimate key to success. Welcome to Shift & Thrive! Each week, Host Natalie Nathanson will bring you conversations with CEOs, who delve into how they successfully drove critical change in their organization. This show is sponsored by Magnetude Consulting, bringing you the thinking power of a Growth Consultancy and the Getting-It-Done Power of a full-service B2B Marketing Agency.

Shift & Thrive: CEO Insights on Driving Change is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 0 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Shift & Thrive: CEO Insights on Driving Change, a business show with 0 episodes published.

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  Episode #114

  Why You Shouldn't Sell Fear - Yossi Appleboum - Shift & Thrive - Episode #114

  Sep 16, 202642 min

  What does it actually take to change how an entire market understands a problem it doesn't yet know it has? In this episode of Shift & Thrive, host Natalie Nathanson talks with Yossi Appleboum, co-founder and CEO of Sepio, about building a cybersecurity company around a category that barely existed when he started it. Yossi shares why he refuses to sell fear, how he can tell when a prospect's thinking has actually shifted, what it costs in time and money to educate a market from the ground up, and how the investor conversation changes entirely once a company moves from early traction into scale. He also opens up about leadership lessons from three decades of company-building, giving his co-founders and team room to grow, and how his family history shapes the way he thinks about bringing value to the world. Takeaways : Educate before you pitch. In less mature markets, walk buyers through the risk itself rather than assuming they already see the problem. Skip the fear-based pitch. Build trust through dialogue and honest questions instead of worst-case scenarios and pressure. Watch for buyers echoing your language back to you. It's an early signal the idea has landed, well before any deal closes. Match your investor search to your sales cycle. Companies selling to large enterprises need investors willing to accept a longer path to revenue. Give co-founders and senior hires room to lead. Avoid showing up as a unified front to every meeting so others can grow into the space. Simplify your message as you move down-market. What works with sophisticated early buyers won't land with less experienced ones. Keep helping the next generation of founders. Small, consistent mentorship compounds across an industry over time. Quote of the Show: "You don't sell fear, and you should not sell fear, because then you're losing credibility." Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yossi-appleboum-2019/ Website: https://sepiocyber.com Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2D1YbT2QhKxIwbREpU7EMb Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/id1740828813 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fa60b654-1955-4055-93df-fdd40c2a5c8f/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-shift-thrive-ceo-insights-166792501 Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/shift-and-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/PC:1001086797 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClf9QxGUxZw_Sv8_4bZP34Q This show is sponsored by Magnetude Consulting, bringing you the thinking-Power of a Growth Consultancy and the Getting-It-Done Power of a full-service B2B Marketing Agency. Learn more at: https://www.magnetudeconsulting.com

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  Episode #113

  Why Alignment Beats Strategy When Growth Stalls - Mark Schwartz - Shift & Thrive - Episode # 113

  Sep 14, 202652 min

  What does it take to reignite growth once it starts to flatten, and why do so many leaders assume their team already understands the plan? In this episode of Shift & Thrive, host Natalie Nathanson talks with Mark Schwartz, who co-founded and helped scale Fabrinet to over a billion dollars in revenue before taking on the CEO role at STAT. Mark walks through the wake-up call that came when an outside consultant revealed his leadership team had never clearly communicated the company's mission, and how fixing that alignment gap helped growth reemerge within three quarters. The conversation moves into leading through mergers and acquisitions, the role of humility when integrating an acquired team, and how Mark uncovered and corrected misaligned sales incentives at STAT. He also reflects on stepping into go-to-market leadership without a traditional sales background and why CEO visibility in sales meetings matters more than most leaders realize. Takeaways : Repeat your mission and strategic priorities constantly. What is clear in your head is not automatically clear to your team. Vary how you deliver key messages. People absorb information differently, so one format will never reach everyone. Give your extended leadership team visibility into senior decisions. It builds the confidence they need to cascade messages down. Lead M&A integration with humility. Ask what the acquired team does better before asking them to adopt your way. Bring acquired leaders into your executive team early. It reduces uncertainty and helps stabilize their people. Audit incentive plans regularly. A plan built for one behavior can quietly reward another. Stay visible in sales meetings even without a sales background. Your presence signals what matters to the whole team. Quote of the Show: "If the CEO doesn't know the strategic priorities, there's no possible way everybody else in the company understands them." Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markjosephschwartz/ Website: https://www.statrecovery.com/ Email: mark@statrecovery.com Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2D1YbT2QhKxIwbREpU7EMb Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/id1740828813 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fa60b654-1955-4055-93df-fdd40c2a5c8f/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-shift-thrive-ceo-insights-166792501 Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/shift-and-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/PC:1001086797 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClf9QxGUxZw_Sv8_4bZP34Q This show is sponsored by Magnetude Consulting, bringing you the thinking-Power of a Growth Consultancy and the Getting-It-Done Power of a full-service B2B Marketing Agency. Learn more at: https://www.magnetudeconsulting.com

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  Episode #112

  Thought Leadership 2.0: Why Authenticity Wins in B2B - Shift & Thrive - Episode # 112

  Sep 2, 202636 min

  What does it actually take to build trust when AI has made it easier than ever to produce mediocre content? In this special compilation episode of Shift & Thrive, host Natalie Nathanson pulls together candid insights from a range of go-to-market leaders and CEOs on what is really driving attention and credibility in B2B today. The conversation moves through personal branding, employee advocacy, the brand versus demand debate, and the growing premium on authenticity as AI content floods every channel. Together, these voices make the case that the future of go-to-market is not less human, it is more human, powered by technology but proven by real people. Takeaways : Put your executive team's real voices forward, not just brand messaging. Personal branding across leadership builds trust faster than a single company voice. Revisit old-school tactics like handwritten notes and one-to-one outreach. They stand out precisely because everyone else has gone digital and generic. Train every employee, not just sales, to pitch your product with confidence. Their authentic voice on social media is free, credible publicity. Invest in brand even when ROI is not immediate. It quietly shortens the uphill climb your sales team faces on every first call. Commit to founder-led content for at least a year before judging results. Consistency beats chasing a single viral moment. Watch for AI-generated "slop." Audiences are increasingly rewarding authenticity over polish. Bring your whole team to customer-facing events, not just sales. Understanding the buyer firsthand changes how everyone builds and sells. Quote of the Show: "There's never been more noise in all of our ears or all of our screens. And so authenticity has become a real currency." — David Axler Guest Links: Kristina’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinamcmillan/ Stephen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-ochs-mba-1681ba19/ David’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidaxler/ Yossi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yossicarmon/ Michele’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelejohnstonlash/ Christian’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianhyatt/ Sneer’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sneer-rozenfeld-aa993a77/ Natalie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalienathanson/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2D1YbT2QhKxIwbREpU7EMb Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/id1740828813 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fa60b654-1955-4055-93df-fdd40c2a5c8f/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-shift-thrive-ceo-insights-166792501 Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/shift-and-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/PC:1001086797 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClf9QxGUxZw_Sv8_4bZP34Q This show is sponsored by Magnetude Consulting, bringing you the thinking-Power of a Growth Consultancy and the Getting-It-Done Power of a full-service B2B Marketing Agency. Learn more at: https://www.magnetudeconsulting.com

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  Episode #111

  Rethinking B2B Buying - Kerry Cunningham - Shift & Thrive- Go-to-Market Deep Dive - Episode # 111 (Re-Air)

  Aug 26, 202656 min

  How are shifting buyer behaviors and AI reshaping B2B go-to-market strategies? What happens when companies fail to adapt? In this Go-to-Market Spotlight episode of Shift & Thrive, host Natalie Nathanson talks with Kerry Cunningham, Head of Research and Thought Leadership at 6Sense, about the realities of modern B2B buying. With decades of experience, Kerry breaks down how outdated outbound tactics give way to smarter, signal-driven approaches, why "intent data" is often misunderstood as mere interest signals, and how AI is prompting buyers to engage sellers earlier without extending overall cycles. They explore alignment pitfalls, the dangers of "folklore debt" in scaling, and practical ways for CEOs to drive buyer-focused transformations that boost efficiency and trust between teams. Key Takeaways: Shift from cold outbound to signal-based targeting for better results. Identify in-market accounts through interest signals first, then use marketing to drive engagement before involving sales, transforming team productivity and relationships. Treat intent data as interest signals, not guaranteed buying intent. Avoid chasing short-lived spikes by contextualizing signals with sustained activity and engagement history to prevent sales frustration and false positives. Align sales, marketing, and customer success around buyer journeys, not just internal processes. Prioritizing how buyers actually research and decide creates more effective go-to-market motions than inward-focused calibrations. Adapt to AI's impact on buying cycles by engaging earlier. With buyers evaluating unfamiliar AI components, prepare for longer sales interactions while recognizing that overall decision timelines and preferences often remain unchanged. Evolve storytelling as your company scales to avoid folklore debt. Celebrate past successes but actively replace outdated narratives about "how we win" with new ones that support growth, freeing teams from limiting tactics. Quote of the Show: “We acquire debt from the stories that we tell ourselves about how we become successful. The stories about how we won in the past often are not the stories that will help us win in the future.” Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerrycunningham/ Website: http://www.6sense.com/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2D1YbT2QhKxIwbREpU7EMb Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/id1740828813 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fa60b654-1955-4055-93df-fdd40c2a5c8f/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-shift-thrive-ceo-insights-166792501 Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/shift-and-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/PC:1001086797 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClf9QxGUxZw_Sv8_4bZP34Q This show is sponsored by Magnetude Consulting, bringing you the thinking-Power of a Growth Consultancy and the Getting-It-Done Power of a full-service B2B Marketing Agency. Learn more at: https://www.magnetudeconsulting.com

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  Episode #110

  Why B2B Buyer Behavior Demands a New Marketing Strategy - Michele Johnston - Shift & Thrive - # 110

  Aug 19, 202637 min

  If you can no longer draw a clean line from marketing activity to revenue, does that mean marketing isn't working, or does it mean you're measuring it wrong? In this episode of Shift & Thrive, host Natalie Nathanson sits down with Michele Johnston, Director of Digital Delivery and AI Lead at Magnetude Consulting, for a special internal conversation on how AI and shifting search behavior are upending buyer journeys. Michele explains why chasing the technology behind search and AI distracts marketers from the person on the other end of it, why attribution is becoming less reliable as buying gets less linear, and why brand and demand should be treated as a spectrum rather than a rivalry. The conversation closes with an unexpected parallel: what nearly two decades of endurance racing has taught Michele about consistency, patience, and trusting a process you can't always measure in real time. Takeaways : Focus on the person behind the search or prompt, not the technology driving it. Chasing platform mechanics distracts from solving the buyer's actual problem. Spend most of your effort on content that resonates, not technical optimization. Roughly 80 percent of SEO and AEO success comes from relevance, not schema and site fixes. Be skeptical of anyone who claims certainty about how search and AI behavior will evolve. Test, adapt, and get comfortable saying "we don't know yet." Evaluate marketing holistically instead of chasing perfect attribution. Look at top-line lead generation and quality rather than digging into channel-by-channel credit. Treat brand and demand as a spectrum, not competing budgets. Brand builds the trust that gets you on the shortlist before buyers ever contact sales. Use marketing to proactively answer the objections your sales team hears most. Removing those barriers publicly shortens the path to a real conversation. Apply an endurance athlete's mindset to marketing investment. Most of the work looks unremarkable day to day, but consistency compounds into results over time. Quote of the Show: “It is the consistency of doing that day after day, week after week, month after month, that gets you to completing an Ironman or a 10K swim. I really feel marketing's very similar to that, where we're doing a lot of different things, and not everything is immediately measurable, but if you don't do those things, it's gonna hinder your goals and your outcomes.” - Michele Johnston Links: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michelejohnstonlash Website: https://www.magnetudeconsulting.com/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2D1YbT2QhKxIwbREpU7EMb Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/id1740828813 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fa60b654-1955-4055-93df-fdd40c2a5c8f/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-shift-thrive-ceo-insights-166792501 Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/shift-and-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/PC:1001086797 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClf9QxGUxZw_Sv8_4bZP34Q This show is sponsored by Magnetude Consulting, bringing you the thinking-Power of a Growth Consultancy and the Getting-It-Done Power of a full-service B2B Marketing Agency. Learn more at: https://www.magnetudeconsulting.com

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