Coffee & Careers

04/22/2025

We are thrilled to kick off the 2025 Houston AIM Conference with an inspiring vision for the future of marketing!

I'm delighted to announce that Menaka Thillaiampalam, Chief Marketing Officer at Hitachi Digital Services, will be delivering our opening keynote. Hitachi Digital Services, a global systems integrator and subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd., empowers enterprises by seamlessly integrating people, technology, and AI to build and manage mission-critical platforms.

Menaka's keynote will tackle critical insights on how marketing leaders can navigate complexity, drive meaningful enterprise transformation, and lead confidently in our AI-driven world.

Explore the full agenda here: https://loom.ly/DxlHOSI

Use my special discount code SPONSORAIM15OFF for 15% off your registration.

Register now—I can't wait to see you there!

Check out the exciting lineup of keynotes, breakouts, and panels lined up for Houston’s biggest B2B Marketing conference.

04/29/2024

Are we looking down the barrel of a recessionary market?

The Future of Commerce says there's a good chance based on data from October 2023. B2B businesses are responding proactively by implementing risk-averse strategies and frugal decision-making practices. Usually, as the year goes on these restrictions get looser, but do you want to wait for that to happen?

With potentially fewer opportunities and greater scrutiny on spending, it's important for B2B sellers to focus their time and resources on opportunities that have a real chance of success. Focused selling is a B2B sales strategy that emphasizes understanding and addressing the needs, challenges, and goals of the prospect rather than focusing solely on the product or service being sold. It's an extremely effective strategy to get through lean times and come into the busier season on a good note.

https://loom.ly/9NiyaNs

B2B sales 2024 include ethical generative AI, perfecting the hybrid sales model, focused selling, personalized sales engagement, mobile first

04/24/2024

A hard question organizations have to ask themselves about their DEIB efforts... Are we really being intentional?

Make your DEIB statements clear and concise. Talk about them and how they influence your company at multiple levels. Show your commitment to DEIB through actions, messaging, and support.

Having it as a part of your true company identity will remove doubts from your brand's perception that you practice what you preach, and help you attract top talent.

In this episode of Coffee & Careers, we discussed DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging) in the 2024 workplace. Our guests offered valuable perspectives and insights, shedding light on the intricate dynamics of today's corporate world. Many thanks to these incredible ladies for their contributions!

Marie Bonn, Bonn Search Partners
Audra Woods, Allegis Global Solutions
Brittany Evans, CEI

You can watch the full recording on HelloKindred's website any time!

04/19/2024

Bout to be starting something…

04/19/2024

My favorite!

04/15/2024

How are CANDIDATES using DEIB to evaluate the companies they are interviewing with?

It's not just the company interviewing the candidate for an open role anymore. When an interview takes place, both sides are evaluating each other. Don't underestimate how powerful an impactful DEIB program can be in attracting top talent.

These days more than ever, candidates want to work for companies that value diversity. They're looking at the leadership structure at all levels and making decisions about whether the company is a good fit for them, not just the other way around.

Organizations need to show that they truly have an inclusive culture and take DEIB seriously at every stage of the interview process.

In this episode of Coffee & Careers, we discussed DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging) in the 2024 workplace. Our guests offered valuable perspectives and insights, shedding light on the intricate dynamics of today's corporate world. Many thanks to these incredible ladies for their contributions!
Marie Bonn, Bonn Search Partners
Audra Woods, Allegis Global Solutions
Brittany Evans, CEI

You can watch the full recording on HelloKindred's website any time!

04/07/2024

What's more important to your Marketing team? Independence, or collaboration?

HelloKindred doesn't think you need to choose one or the other. We specialize in flexible staffing solutions that give CMOs and marketing leaders the best of both worlds.

Find out more about it in our article on collaboration vs operation!

https://loom.ly/ZlC4B-4

Balancing collaboration and independence in marketing through flexible staffing solutions for a collaborative ecosystem.

04/05/2024

Who still send thank you cards anymore? We do!

I can count on one hand the number of times I got an actual thank you card in my 10 years as a recruiter, but I remember every one of them.

They really make an impact, especially this day and age. Now, business development professionals can use tools like Postable to make sure they never miss a good reason to send a card, and the cards themselves will make your clients feel appreciated.

I'm the new host of the National Business Development Association's BD Coaching Call. Every few months I'll host my guests within the NBDA to talk about the most important topics in the Business Development industry and share our insights with you. Keep your eyes out for more!

04/04/2024

A marketer in 2024 needs to:
Be creative.
Know how to interpret data.
Understand how to apply data to decisions.
Have project manage skills.
Be creative.

Yes, I said be creative twice.

Marketing is about using your creativity in a business-centric way. You need creativity to be good at marketing in the first place.

But all the creativity in the world won't make you successful unless you know how to channel it.

At the end of 2023, I sat down with my friend and colleague Shannon Carlson of BlueByrd Strategic Sales & Marketing in a special Ask Me Anything session. We went over HelloKindred's eBook, Marketing Trends and Strategies for 2024, and discussed the major issues marketers would face in the new year. Thank you to everyone who joined us, we loved your questions and insight! You can view the full recording at HelloKindred.com.

04/03/2024

How do you create an interview panel for hiring candidates that reduces unconscious bias?

Start with leadership. Showcase integration and appreciation for diversity from the top, and make sure it shows through in your interview process right from the beginning.

Candidates these days are doing their homework before meeting with you. They are coming to interviews with questions ready, and are evaluating companies just as companies are evaluating them. Having DEIB thoroughly woven into your company culture is the only way to make sure you demonstrate that you are a diversity-forward organization.

In this episode of Coffee & Careers, we discussed DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging) in the 2024 workplace. Our guests offered valuable perspectives and insights, shedding light on the intricate dynamics of today's corporate world. Many thanks to the incredible ladies for their contributions!
Marie Bonn, Bonn Search Partners
Audra Woods, Allegis Global Solutions
Brittany Evans, CEI

You can watch the full recording on HelloKindred's website any time!

04/01/2024

When you've been in B2B Sales as long as I have, you're used to trends coming and going in the marketing industry like any other. The norm used to be a long, drawn-out sales cycle that lasted several months. In late 2020, a McKinsey survey revealed that a mere 20% of B2B buyers longed for traditional sales methods.

In 2024, businesses and clients expect faster results once they've decided what they want. According to this article by The Clueless Company, "sales teams are adapting by streamlining processes, reducing bureaucracy, and shortening sales cycles to meet the demands of the modern business environment." We as B2B marketers have to get with the times, or get left behind.

Give the rest of the article a read, there's some great information about how sales teams can leverage the most modern techniques to succeed.

https://loom.ly/Hc8XaRA

Get an outlook on the B2B sales trends set to reshape the industry in 2024. This forecast is your guide to staying on top of the sales game.

03/29/2024

AI and sales tools apply to the business development industry too!

My favorite AI driven tools for business development: Apollo, ReplyIO, and ZoomInfo. These tools let me target the right people, get their contact info, create sequences for them, and suggest when they're ready for me to pick up the phone and call. They even let you filter down by buyer intent, so you can be even more effective.

Sounds like business development to me! Don't be afraid of bringing artificial intelligence to the old school world of business development.

I'm the new host of the National Business Development Association's BD Coaching Call. Every few months I'll host my guests within the NBDA to talk about the most important topics in the Business Development industry and share our insights with you. Keep your eyes out for more!