The Hard Corps Marketing Show

CTM Takeover Episode: Building Relationships at Scale ft James Furbush

How can empathetic B2B SaaS marketing transform your growth strategy?This special Hard Corps Marketing Show takeover episode features an episode from the Connect To Market podcast, hosted by Casey Cheshire. In this conversation, Casey sits down with James Furbush, VP of Marketing at AccessOne and host of the RCM Ladder Podcast. James shares his insights into effective marketing strategies for B2B SaaS companies, with a special focus on the healthcare sector. James reveals why truly understanding your audience is non-negotiable, and how marketers can stand out by avoiding hostile tactics and instead embracing unscalable but impactful efforts to build real relationships. He emphasizes the value of empathy in every touchpoint, and how this approach leads to more sustainable growth and stronger customer trust.In this episode, we cover:Why deeply understanding your audience is the foundation of effective marketingHow to ditch aggressive tactics in favor of trust-building strategiesThe power of unscalable actions to create genuine connectionsJames’s contributions to the marketing community and how networking fuels innovation🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Hard Corps Marketing.Connect with James:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesfurbush/ Personal Website: https://www.jamesfurbush.com/ AccessOne: accessonepay.com Twitter: https://x.com/JamesFurbush Podcast: https://accessonepay.com/podcasts/ Ways to Tune In:Apple Podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-show/id1338838763 Amazon Music/Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0f4497c6-b402-4cad-9018-1e41b7e8f2bb/the-hard-corps-marketing-show Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/1vVLpNI1LssMTiL6Kdsamn Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-show Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL3RoZS1oYXJkLWNvcnBzLW1hcmtldGluZy1zaG93 YouTube: https://youtu.be/4Zr5UEypFVM Connect To Market is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

MEANINGFUL Qualified Leads ft Melissa McCready | Hard Corps Marketing Show | Ep 446

Are MQLs really dead, or just evolving?In this episode of The Hard Corps Marketing Show, I sat down with Melissa McCready, Founder and CEO of Navigate Consulting Group. With decades of experience in marketing automation, customer success, and growth operations, Melissa is a recognized thought leader and award-winning expert in her field.Melissa unpacks the evolving role of MQLs and why they’re far from obsolete. She explains how engagement scores and persona alignment still make them vital to marketing strategies when used correctly. We also explore the rise of growth operations as a strategic business function, the need for detailed AI implementation, and how leaders can stay ahead by embracing trends like generative engine optimization (GEO).In this episode, we cover:Why MQLs still matter, and how they’re evolving, not disappearingWhat it means to train AI like a new team member using SOPs and expert inputWhy growth operations is broader than revenue ops and demands a seat at the tableHow early adoption of GEO can give you a competitive edgeWhy mentorship, community, and giving back elevate your career and credibilityIf you're ready to rethink traditional marketing operations and strategically prepare for an AI-powered future, this episode is full of actionable insights you won’t want to miss!🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of The Hard Corps Marketing Show!Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-hard-corps-marketing-show/ Connect with Melissa:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamccreadylovesgrowthops/  Twitter: www.x.com/mcp823  HLX: https://teamhlx.com/ Navigate Consulting Group: https://www.navigateconsultinggroup.com/  Ways to Tune In:Apple Podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-show/id1338838763Amazon Music/Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0f4497c6-b402-4cad-9018-1e41b7e8f2bb/the-hard-corps-marketing-showSpotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/1vVLpNI1LssMTiL6KdsamnStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-showGoogle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL3RoZS1oYXJkLWNvcnBzLW1hcmtldGluZy1zaG93YouTube: https://youtu.be/sqMEBK3-MfM Hard Corps Marketing is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

You’re Getting Marketing Ops ALL WRONG ft Mike Rizzo | Hard Corps Marketing Show | Ep 445

What does it really mean to work in marketing operations, and how can leaders better leverage these professionals as strategic enablers?In this episode of The Hard Corps Marketing Show, I sat down with Mike Rizzo, Community-led Founder and CEO of MarketingOps.com. A longtime community leader and champion of the marketing operations profession, Mike brings clarity to the misunderstood world of marketing ops and shares what’s next for the industry.He explains why marketing ops pros are more like product managers for go-to-market systems than just email campaign operators. From the launch of a new certification path to AI’s place in the workflow, Mike reveals how the role is evolving, and what skills the best ops leaders bring to the table.Whether you're leading a revenue team or just starting in ops, this episode offers practical advice to grow your team, your strategy, and your career.Takeaways:What a tiered certification path could do for the marketing ops profession.Why curiosity and self-service learning are essential ops traits.How AI can support, but not replace, strategic thinking in operations.What leaders can do to foster open communication and innovation.Why supporting community participation drives team development.🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of The Hard Corps Marketing Show!Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-hard-corps-marketing-show/ Connect with Mike:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedrizzo/  Marketing Ops Website: https://marketingops.com/  Ops Cast Podcast: https://opscast.marketingops.com/  MOps-Apalooza 2025: https://mopsapalooza.com/ Ways to Tune In:Apple Podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-show/id1338838763Amazon Music/Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0f4497c6-b402-4cad-9018-1e41b7e8f2bb/the-hard-corps-marketing-showSpotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/1vVLpNI1LssMTiL6KdsamnStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-showGoogle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL3RoZS1oYXJkLWNvcnBzLW1hcmtldGluZy1zaG93YouTube: https://youtu.be/Vsh4Qn-OIOU Hard Corps Marketing is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

Curiosity Eats Hustle for Breakfast ft Dave Rubinstein | Hard Corps Marketing Show | Ep 444

How can founders avoid sabotaging their own sales pipeline?In this episode of The Hard Corps Marketing Show, I sat down with Dave Rubinstein, Fractional Sales Leader to funded tech companies who need to scale. Dave brings deep expertise from years of building and leading sales teams, and he shares a practical, no-fluff perspective on what growing startups get wrong about sales, and how to fix it.Dave breaks down why asking a technical founder to lead sales is like handing the keys to someone who’s never driven, and what it really takes to build a sales engine that drives predictable revenue. From hiring the right reps to understanding the importance of urgency in buyer conversations, Dave outlines a roadmap for smarter, more scalable sales growth.In this episode, we cover:Why founder-led sales often fail and what to do about itHow understanding buyer urgency can improve win ratesWhat traits to prioritize when hiring modern sales talentHow fractional leadership helps de-risk and accelerate sales successIf you're ready to build a smarter, more effective sales strategy, this episode is full of actionable insights to help you scale with confidence.🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of The Hard Corps Marketing Show!Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-hard-corps-marketing-show/ Connect with Dave:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daverubinstein/ Ways to Tune In:Apple Podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-show/id1338838763Amazon Music/Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0f4497c6-b402-4cad-9018-1e41b7e8f2bb/the-hard-corps-marketing-showSpotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/1vVLpNI1LssMTiL6KdsamnStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-showGoogle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL3RoZS1oYXJkLWNvcnBzLW1hcmtldGluZy1zaG93YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZFdfpLGDtJk Hard Corps Marketing is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

Can Community SAVE the Connection CRISIS ft Dolores Hirschmann | Hard Corps Marketing Show | Ep 443

How can trust-first marketing and clarity-driven communication lead to stronger business growth?In this episode of The Hard Corps Marketing Show, I sat down with Dolores Hirschmann, Chief Clarity Officer of Masters in Clarity. Dolores brings her expertise in executive coaching, marketing strategy, and business clarity to help leaders build trust-based marketing systems that convert without manipulation.Dolores shares how marketing is fundamentally about trust and invitation—not just conversion. She introduces the concept of “trust funnels,” emphasizing that before any sale is made, relationships must be formed through authentic, value-first communication. She also highlights the power of speaking engagements as platforms for connection and community building, and how preparing a business for acquisition starts with stepping out of the day-to-day and building systems that scale.In this episode, we cover:How trust funnels guide strangers to become loyal customersWhat speaking engagements can do to build credibility and connectionHow business owners can prepare for acquisition by stepping out of daily opsWhy community and belonging are more important than ever in marketing todayIf you’re looking to build authentic client relationships, scale your impact, and lead with clarity, this episode is packed with practical wisdom you won’t want to miss!🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of The Hard Corps Marketing Show!Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-hard-corps-marketing-show/ Connect with Dolores:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhirschmann/  Company website: mastersinclarity.com  Twitter: www.x.com/DglarH  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbc8sZ8Qs-IdmgH1CbHmXWA/videos  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doloreshirschmann/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mastersinclarity/ Ways to Tune In:Apple Podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-show/id1338838763Amazon Music/Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0f4497c6-b402-4cad-9018-1e41b7e8f2bb/the-hard-corps-marketing-showSpotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/1vVLpNI1LssMTiL6KdsamnStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-hard-corps-marketing-showGoogle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL3RoZS1oYXJkLWNvcnBzLW1hcmtldGluZy1zaG93YouTube: https://youtu.be/UH1A4k20A_0 Hard Corps Marketing is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/