110: From Creative to Credible: Why Marketers Must Own the Numbers - with Kim Tran, Former Head of Marketing & Business Development at Gimmal
In this episode of Women in B2B Marketing, host Jane Serra chats with Kim Tran, a full stack marketing leader who helped take Gimmal to a successful exit as Head of Marketing and Business Development.Kim's path into marketing was anything but linear. She started in First Amendment law before building a career focused on growth, brand transformation, and operational rigor across fintech, edtech, and data governance. With a background in psychology and a clear-eyed view of how teams and businesses scale, Kim shares the mindset shifts and tactical lessons that shaped her journey.Jane and Kim explore:Why marketers need to become financial and data stewards to earn trust and influenceHow to market marketing internally and build advocates across the orgWhat it really takes to modernize a legacy brand without losing its coreHow to approach marketing during an acquisition and speak to buyers, not just customersThe importance of protecting your team’s emotional and mental bandwidthHow to pitch yourself and take up space, especially as a woman in leadershipWhy failing safely is more realistic than failing fastKey Links:Guest: Kim Tran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimtrandc/Host: Jane Serra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/ ––Like WIB2BM? Show us some love with a rating or review. It helps us reach more women marketers ready to take the mic.
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109: Marketers of the Future Own GTM - and Build the Systems to Support It - with Chaenara O'Brien, Product Marketing Leader & Strategist at Thought Bakery
In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra is joined by Chaenara O’Brien - a sharp strategist who splits her time between leading digital GTM at vFunction and consulting with startups via Thought Bakery.Chaenara brings a refreshingly grounded, systems-first lens to modern marketing, shaped by a background in energy trading, operations, and engineering services. The conversation unpacks what it really takes to build future-ready go-to-market teams, avoid burnout, and lead with both curiosity and clarity in a time of constant change.Jane and Chaenara dig into:How her career in ops + energy trading led to B2B marketing leadershipWhat “scenario planning” actually means - and how to make it actionableWhy marketers need to stop reacting and start building systemsHow AI is reshaping what it means to “do more with less”Creating space for failure and curiosity on high-performing teamsWhy outdated ideas of brand control and executive presence need to goWhat GTM leadership should look like - and where it’s headedOutgrowing tech and how to protect your sparkKey Links:Guest: Chaenara O'Brien: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaenara/Host: Jane Serra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/ --Like WIB2BM? Show us some love with a rating or review today! <3
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108: Inbox, Interrupted: How to Actually Win with B2B Email - with Kestrel Lemen, Senior Manager Lifecycle Marketing at Zillow | REPLAY EP 05
** Originally published on January 18, 2023 **This episode is a favorite for anyone who's ever argued about buttons vs hyperlinks, wondered if open rates still matter, or just wants to get better at email without sounding like a spam bot.Kestrel Lemen is an email powerhouse: part strategist, part storyteller, and hands down one of the most insightful voices in email marketing. Her take on what actually drives conversions, how to balance plain text with visuals, and what marketers still get wrong about newsletters is full of gold.It’s one I still reference, and if email is even remotely in your job description, you’ll want to give this one a listen.Want a part two with Kestrel? Leave a review, drop a DM, or just say the word.— Jane--In this episode of Women in B2B Marketing, host Jane Serra sits down with Kestrel Lemen, email marketing expert and former Senior Strategist at Seguno Software (now Senior Manager Lifecycle Marketing at Zillow!) From her start in the art world to building Bronto’s London office and becoming an email force in both B2B and B2C, Kestrel’s journey is as fascinating as it is full of lessons.They get into:The difference (and surprising similarities) between B2B and B2C email strategiesVisual vs. plain text emails - and when each actually performs bestWhat’s still true about email above the fold (and what’s totally changed)The metrics you should be tracking now - and which ones are just vanitySpam triggers, button design, and real talk on segmentationHow privacy laws like GDPR and Apple MPP are reshaping email as we know itWhy your “free Yeti cooler” giveaway is probably not the moveBuilding emails that convert and don’t annoyPlus: how to keep your resume “conversion-optimized” for your future selfIf email is part of your job - or just gives you heartburn - this episode is a goldmine.Key Links:Guest: Kestrel Lemen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kestrellemen/Host: Jane Serra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/ Community: Women of Email - https://womenofemail.org/
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107: Oops, We Did it Again: Marketing F*ckups and Fixes - live panel discussion with Kacie Jenkins (SVP Marketing, Sendoso) and Trinity Nguyen (CMO, UserGems)
***Recorded LIVE at WIB2BM LIVE ATLANTA***In this first-ever LIVE IN PERSON episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra sits down with Trinity Nguyen (CMO at UserGems) and Kacie Jenkins (SVP of Marketing at Sendoso) for an unfiltered conversation about the mistakes, missteps, and full-on f*ckups that shape great marketing leaders.They open up about failed campaigns, tool disasters, event regrets, and how they’ve built teams that don’t just tolerate failure - they learn from it. From creating psychological safety to pushing back on prescriptive execs (even the ones with AI patents), this episode is a candid look at what it really takes to lead with empathy, resilience, and a little rebellion.Packed with tactical advice, personal stories, and plenty of f-bombs, it’s a masterclass in growing your team-and yourself-through the hard stuff.This live panel unpacks:Why failure is a must-have in high-performing marketing teamsHow to build psychological safety without babying your teamTactics for turning a f*ck-up into a team-wide learning momentThe CEO “parking lot” trick for pushing back on prescriptive leadershipHow to evaluate AI tools (and avoid shiny object syndrome)What to do when your event investment flops—and how to design ones that actually workThe power of structured gatherings and thoughtful details at live eventsCareer pivots, personal advisory boards, and defining your authentic marketing pathHow to create space for younger team members to build resilience and take ownershipKey Links:Guests: Kacie Jenkins: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaciejenkins/Trinity Nguyen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trinitynguyen/Host: Jane Serra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/ --Like WIB2BM? Show us some love with a rating or review today! <3
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106: The 3Fs of Managing Up: How to Work with Leaders, Consultants, and Teams - with Leanna Adeola, VP Marketing & Chief Brand Strategist at Black Onyx Management, Inc.
In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra chats with Leanna Adeola, VP of Marketing and Chief Brand Strategist at Black Onyx Management. Leanna, recognized as one of the "Top 40 Under 40" by the Indianapolis Business Journal, shares her journey through various marketing roles, from agency work to in-house positions. They discuss the challenges of integrating management consultants, emphasizing transparency and collaboration. Leanna highlights the evolving nature of B2B marketing, stressing the importance of authenticity, relationship-building, and balancing value with sales. Leanna and Jane talk through:Leanna’s career path from agency to in-house to consultancy leadershipWhy her agency background helps her empathize with brand-side complexityHow she balances in-house marketing with client-facing consultingTactics for making brand messaging stick internallyHow Canva and quick videos help reinforce brand standardsAdvice for building trust when bringing in external consultantsThe 3Fs framework for managing up: Framing, Frequency, For OthersHow to communicate effectively with boards, CEOs, and CFOsThe human side of B2B: building relationships, not just pipelineWhy outdated ideas of executive presence are holding us backThe power of thought leadership and long-term brand affinityHer advice: remember what drew you to marketing and protect that sparkKey Links:Guest: Leanna Adeola: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ladeola/^^ And follow her on IG: https://www.instagram.com/leannaadeolaHost: Jane Serra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/ --Like WIB2BM? Show us some love with a rating or review today! <3
Women in B2B Marketing is a weekly podcast dedicated to motivating marketers at all levels in their careers through real-life stories of victory and defeat, challenge and triumph. Our goal is to inspire listeners to achieve more, strive for success, and feel a sense of understanding and community.
This is a place where CMOs, VPs of Marketing, and all strong women B2B marketing leaders discuss their top tactics, strategies, and tips for building teams, leveraging trends, and ultimately rocking their marketing careers - however that looks to them.
Leading marketing teams everywhere from fortune 500s to startups and challenger brands, these women share their stories of rising to the top - and how they overcame any obstacles that came their way.
Made by and for women, insightful for all.
Podcast Host: Jane Serra, 17+ years in B2B marketing across all industries from SaaS to Marketing Agencies and International Outsourcing.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womeninb2bmarketing/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/womeninb2bmktg