The Kula Ring

Marcelo Kreindel took an unlikely route into manufacturing marketing—from an Argentinian software career to fifteen years running a wholesale gelato business to building North Shore Steel’s marketing department from scratch. That winding path shaped a rare kind of patience, and it produced the insight at the heart of this conversation: the message discipline marketers apply to customers is exactly what they fail to apply to their own sales teams and leadership. Rather than complaining that the organization doesn’t appreciate marketing, Marcelo turned the lens on himself, treating internal misalignment as a communication problem he owned. It’s a candid, empowering look at how personal responsibility, continuous learning, and trust move marketing from tolerated to understood.

Inbolt’s AI vision guidance now steers 200+ robots across 100+ factories at Stellantis, Toyota, Ford, and GM, and Carl Standertskjold runs the entire marketing function alone. He joins Jeff and Carman to talk about what changes when a startup shifts from landing first logos to expanding inside a plant, and how a team of one holds up under it. Carl builds every plan down from the business outcome, leans on an AI-first stack, and still draws a hard line where human judgment and creativity can’t be handed off. The conversation explores the two roles he’s hiring, why systems thinking separates the marketers who thrive, and where real buyers actually spend their time.

Chloe Linsmeier has spent twelve years marketing Advanced Blending Solutions, a plastics-equipment manufacturer in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, most of it as a team of one or two. She walks through the trade-offs of a tiny marketing function: the creative freedom of no approval chains against the impossibility of keeping pace with shifting AI, AEO, and zero-click search. Her throughline is relationships. In an industry where nobody stays and everybody knows everybody, she built a career and a pipeline out of showing up, asking questions, and refusing to sound like she had it all figured out. It’s a candid look at how a younger generation is quietly reshaping how manufacturers market and buy.

Josue Vermes took a winding path—high-end wine, JPMorgan, Amazon apparel at HanesBrands—before landing as the most senior marketer at Carolina Handling, a Raymond forklift dealer expanding into intralogistics. In this episode he makes the case for borrowing B2C discipline without abandoning B2B fundamentals: geotargeted paid media, streaming TV built around football season, a video-first podcast, and a TikTok channel his own leadership questioned. The throughline is counterintuitive: broad, low-intent reach and a genuine brand personality aren’t a distraction from pipeline—they’re part of the growth strategy when your buyers are younger than you’d expect and educating themselves on channels most manufacturers refuse to touch.

Maria Birdwell came to industrial packaging from media and advertising, with no B2B background and no allegiance to how the category has always sold itself. At Franklin Mountain Packaging, a corrugated manufacturer that started up in 2022, she markets a young company against multi-generational competitors by refusing to fight on age or even on machinery. Instead she lets customer requirements drive the conversation and, in a recent pivot she credits directly to macroeconomic uncertainty, leans the whole message toward flexibility. She tells Jeff White and Carman Pirie why she downplays sustainability, why video of machines in action outperforms everything, and why marketing means nothing if operations can’t capture and convert the lead.

Benjamin Toomey didn’t come to additive manufacturing from engineering — he came from fireworks and craft beer. That outsider’s vantage turns out to be the point. In this episode, Ben tells Jeff White and Carman Pirie how he went from feeling like an alien at his first trade show to becoming a “messenger” who can connect large-format 3D printing to a stranger’s field of interest. Along the way he makes the case that marketing complex technology isn’t about being the smartest person in the room or hiding what you don’t know — it’s about building a common language, grounding claims in data, and keeping the divergent outside interests that let a marketer connect dots the engineers can’t.

Chris Persson sells something buyers never see: polypropylene fiber woven into cars, couches, and carpets. On this episode he unpacks the peculiar challenge of marketing an ingredient brand with a guerrilla-sized budget, and why the sustainability pitch keeps colliding with a price tag. His answer is a reframe he calls “sustainability plus one” — lead with a greener story, then stack innovation, cleanability, and low specific gravity on top so the customer never has to choose good over cheap. Along the way he makes the case that a manufacturer’s deepest competitive moat isn’t its equipment but the decades of intellectual property walking around on its factory floor.

Nancy Verdezoto-Feijoo spent 15 years as a reporter and editor in Ecuador before landing in Manitoba as marketing manager at IHT Group, which builds heating, cooling, and lighting systems for the swine industry. She argues the newsroom taught her the one skill industrial marketers most often skip: listen before you speak. Her buyers are technical, deeply experienced, and allergic to buzzwords, and they talk to each other, which means a single bad experience travels faster than any campaign. Nancy walks Jeff and Carman through months-long buying cycles, why proof beats claims, and why she treats marketing as a growth function rather than a support function.

ElectraMet uses electrochemistry to pull copper and other critical minerals out of industrial wastewater — technology invented by PhDs and sold to wastewater managers at the world’s largest semiconductor fabs. Chris Richardson, a communications major with no electrochemical background, has to make that legible without dumbing it down. His answer isn’t better explaining. It’s association: make sure Google and the LLMs know which published scientists belong to your company, then build content on top of that link. Along the way he argues GEO is mostly just SEO done well, that earned backlinks still pay dividends, and that the surest way to win over a camera-shy expert is to show them what the internet already says about them.

In a category where production outstrips demand and the end customer cares more about how a room looks than whose logo is on the box, Mauricio Inglada makes a counterintuitive case: the brand that matters most is the one you build with your distribution channel. As VP of Sales & Marketing at Del Conca USA, he walks Jeff and Carman through winning at the channel level — earning distributor trust, removing the fears that quietly kill deals (dead inventory, builder callbacks, the homeowner’s permanent regret), and competing against far larger rivals with a small but relentlessly responsive “Navy Sales” team. Along the way: why Pinterest is a secret intent engine and where AI will reshape the buying cycle.

Shane Colella, an Emmy-winning cinematographer turned marketing director at automation firm Westfalia Technologies, makes the case that the agentic era has no historical analog — and that the marketers who win won’t wait for permission to find out. He walks through the agentic infrastructure he’s actually building, from research dashboards to a Claude-and-n8n pipeline that erases hours of list-building, and argues the real bottleneck isn’t technology but getting everyone else on board. Along the way he reframes the fear of lost jobs and vanishing entry-level roles as a perception problem, and lands on a provocation: this moment belongs to disciplined creatives with the clearest vision.

Authenticity was a Web 2.0 buzzword — and Luke Wittenbraker, Marketing and Sales Director at Mactech On-Site, argues it matters more than ever now that AI can make every brand sound the same. In this episode, Luke explains why blue-collar buyers see straight through corporate jargon, how he turned ten years of CRM data into short, punchy “job stories” that actually generate leads, and why figuring out what not to work on became his biggest marketing unlock. Along the way he shares a hard-won warning: lean on AI too heavily and you’ll be coached into a groupthink that sounds nothing like you.

When private equity owns the company, the clock is always running — and as Paul Olesh, CEO of Magneto Movement, puts it, everybody has an expiration date. Paul joins Jeff and Carman to explain how that urgency reshapes marketing inside a PE-backed platform: why a long 18-to-30-month sales cycle demands relentless funnel-building, how he holds his acquired brands together under a single Procter & Gamble–style promise, and why he insists marketing isn’t truly effective until the purchase order lands. It’s a candid CEO’s-eye view of building a marketing machine when both time and resources are scarce.

For Impack, a Quebec maker of folder-gluer packaging equipment, video does something a spec sheet can’t: it sells machines prospects often won’t see in person until late in the deal. Brand Creative Lead Dmytro Zhurov explains how a well-produced video becomes proof of a six-figure machine’s quality—when the production matches the price tag, buyers trust that the product does too. He digs into using video to explain complex, sometimes competitor-less machines, why his team flies crews to client sites for documentary-grade footage, and how he prioritizes production around the deals already in flight. The throughline: quality video doesn’t just inform the sale, it justifies it.

Milford built its business on relationships in oil and gas. But breaking HDPE pipe into the municipal water market meant playing an entirely different game — one of competitive bids, regulatory hurdles, and contractors set in their ways. Tyler Fowler, Director of Marketing at Milford, explains why relationships rarely cross verticals even when the product does, and why he and his competitors put their differences aside to grow the category together. Along the way he shares how he treats organic social as a test bed for paid, why he resists vanity metrics, and why winning a new industrial market is a five-to-ten-year grind with no easy button.

Account-based marketing isn’t new to manufacturers, but the way they have to run it is unlike anyone else’s. In this episode, Demandbase’s Nick Cholakis unpacks the defining tension of industrial ABM: a sales cycle that can stretch past two years, punctuated by a buying window that slams open and shut in weeks. With most research now happening anonymously and offline — increasingly inside LLMs — Nick explains how signal aggregation helps manufacturers spot in-market accounts, why behaviour should override firmographics when tiering, and how to arm distributors and channel partners with the context they need to act before the window closes.

As a solo marketer in a 30-person engineering firm, Reshmee Bissundyal has built something most industrial companies struggle to achieve: a LinkedIn presence that actually drives inbound leads. In this episode, Reshmee walks us through how she dramatically grew Mechanical Solutions’ LinkedIn following. Reshmee shares her approach to content planning and why she often leads with emotion rather than promotions. And how she has navigated the tricky task of getting engineers to participate in marketing.

Helene Tessier didn't plan a career in marketing. She started at the French consulate in China and taught English abroad. When COVID brought her home, she stumbled into TPAC as an interpreter. Soon after, leadership asked her to run marketing. In this conversation with Jeff and Carman, she explains why TPAC's PhD-heavy, flat organizational culture wanted someone willing to learn. She also shares how she rebuilt the company's go-to-market strategy. Her approach centered on trade shows, application-driven web content, and a bold brand presence at the World Conference on NDT (non-destructive testing) that the industry still talks about. Helene also digs into why technical, engineering-led firms struggle with brand rollout. She explains how regulatory and certification changes act as buying triggers in NDT, and what a five-person buying committee means for content strategy. To close, she offers a refreshingly grounded take on AI for marketers entering the field today.

Teikoku USA makes the canned motor pumps that the chemical, hydrocarbon, and nuclear industries reach for when leaking is not an option. For years, growing public awareness of dangerous chemicals quietly expanded the company's addressable market for them. Then, leadership asked the sales and marketing team to grow faster anyway. Chaitanya Sakhalkar joins The Kula Ring to share what came next: modularizing a product that had always been engineer-to-order, building decision trees so the sales team and channel partners could tell the right story to the right buyer.

Most small-to-mid manufacturers know they’ve under-invested in marketing, but where do you even begin? Javier Lozano, Founder of Bolder Media and a fractional CMO, joins Carman and Jeff to lay the foundation. He explains why your founder's origin story falls flat, how to mine real differentiation from customer interviews, and why your brand should be more Yoda, the guide, than Luke, the hero. Plus: how to find a wedge in a “red ocean” without making yourself unfindable, and what a fractional CMO actually does that a consultant or full-time hire can't.

Brandon Clark, VP of Marketing at Q-Pac, joins Jeff and Carman to unpack what it really means to create a new product category within a deeply traditional industry. Q-Pac makes multimotor plenum fans, a commercial HVAC product that looks like a fan array on the surface but operates as a fundamentally different technology. Brandon explains how the company defined the category and why they invested $1M to build the world's largest airflow test tunnel based on the AMCA 270 standard to silence skeptics. He also shares some advice for any marketer who finds themselves selling something that genuinely doesn't fit an existing bucket. He also reflects on making the leap from grocery retail into manufacturing marketing.

AI is transforming more than just marketing; it’s reshaping how manufacturers hire, train, and build their future workforce. In this episode, Friddy Hoegener, President of SCOPE Recruiting, joins Jeff White and Carman Pirie to explore how AI is impacting recruiting, from automating interview notes to flooding applicant pools with polished, AI-generated resumes. The conversation dives into a critical emerging challenge: the erosion of entry-level roles that traditionally help develop future leaders. As AI takes over repetitive tasks, companies risk losing their talent pipeline unless they rethink how early-career roles are structured. Friddy shares insights on how forward-thinking organizations are adapting by creating AI-augmented roles that emphasize strategy, cross-functional thinking, and innovation. They also discuss the growing importance of soft skills, the pitfalls of over-automating hiring processes, and why smaller, more agile manufacturers may have a unique advantage in attracting talent in this new landscape.

B2B e-commerce is evolving rapidly, and manufacturers can’t afford to sit on the sidelines. In this episode, Meghan Flynn, VP of E-commerce and Digital at Justrite Safety Group, joins Jeff White and Carman Pirie to unpack the forces reshaping digital commerce in industrial markets. From generational shifts in buying behaviour to the rise of AI-driven and agentic commerce, Meghan explains why traditional assumptions about B2B buyers no longer hold. She explores how personalization, content, and customer journeys have become more complex and more critical than ever. The conversation also delves into the growing influence of Amazon Business, the importance of balancing e-commerce with distributor relationships, and how marketers can position their brands to win in an increasingly automated, competitive landscape. If you’re a manufacturing marketer navigating digital transformation, this episode offers practical insights and a forward-looking perspective on where B2B commerce is headed.

What happens when a manufacturing company truly lives its mission? In this episode of The Kula Ring, Ian Antioch from NorthGate shares how the company formalized its people-first philosophy into the Be Ready Enrichment Program. Investing over $125,000 annually in employee development, financial planning, and life services, NorthGate has created a model that not only transforms lives but also strengthens recruitment, retention, and brand storytelling. Ian discusses the challenges of marketing both capabilities and culture, the power of authentic storytelling, and why manufacturers are sitting on untold stories that can differentiate them in the market.

What happens when a Gen Z marketer joins a legacy manufacturing company and throws out the modern social media playbook? In this episode, Lizzy Anderson of Hoosier Crane explains how she discovered that “cutting-edge” tactics weren’t resonating and why a return to simple, community-driven content worked better. From “2012 Facebook” style posts to highlighting local involvement and company values, Lizzy breaks down how manufacturing marketers can build trust, attract talent, and stay top-of-mind without overcomplicating their strategy. It’s a refreshing look at aligning marketing with audience reality, not trends.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff White and Carman Pirie sit down with Paul Kelly, COO of NY Creates, to explore the future of semiconductor innovation and workforce development. Paul shares how NY Creates is enabling next-generation chip technology through global partnerships, supporting startups and industry leaders alike, and tackling one of the sector’s biggest challenges: building a skilled and diverse talent pipeline. From AI-driven manufacturing to advanced packaging and quantum technologies, this conversation offers a fascinating look at the forces shaping the semiconductor industry and the opportunities available to those entering it.

What happens when a guerrilla marketer enters the world of industrial manufacturing? In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff White and Carman Pirie are joined by Michael Garza, Marketing Specialist at Sanyo Denki America. Michael shares how his background in street team and experiential marketing, promoting concerts, festivals, and events, shaped his creative approach to B2B marketing. The conversation explores how unconventional thinking, experimentation, and community-focused marketing can bring fresh energy to manufacturing brands. From trade show giveaways to adapting messaging for different verticals, Michael explains why marketers should abandon “set it and forget it” thinking and instead focus on continuous learning, testing, and authentic engagement with their audiences.

Caterpillar is one of the most recognizable industrial brands in the world; but even iconic brands face challenges when it comes to modern social media. In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff White and Carman Pirie are joined by Jenni Gritti, Senior Marketing Communications Consultant at Caterpillar, to explore how industrial brands can create social content that truly resonates. Jenni breaks down how Caterpillar approaches different audiences across platforms, why educational entertainment consistently outperforms promotional content, and how data and split testing guide every decision. The conversation also dives into AI’s growing impact on social media, the rise of “AI slop,” the importance of human authenticity, and why reuse and repurposing are not only acceptable—but essential. This episode is packed with practical insights for industrial marketers at any stage of maturity.

What happens when your company not only builds a better product, but creates a whole new category? In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff White and Carman Pirie speak with Florian Neugue, Regional Marketing Manager for North America at A-Safe. Florian explains how A-Safe pioneered polymer safety barriers that flex and return, replacing traditional steel barriers in industrial facilities. The conversation explores the power of category design in manufacturing markets. Florian outlines why redefining the problem is the first step to building a new category, how marketers must balance education with demand capture, and why patience is critical when shaping how buyers think about safety solutions. From forklift safety and operational costs to market maturity frameworks and industry standards, this episode offers a practical look at how category creators build long-term market leadership.

How do you market a company that can’t always show what it makes? In this episode of The Kula Ring, Alex Dove, Senior Marketing & Communications Specialist at August Electronics, shares her unconventional path from sales into manufacturing marketing. With a background in textiles, furniture, and drapery manufacturing, Alex brings both inside and outside sales experience to her role, blending data-driven thinking with deep relationship building. Alex explains how August Electronics, a low-to-mid volume contract electronics manufacturer based in Alberta, markets partnership over product in a horizontally aligned industry. She discusses navigating NDAs, marketing capabilities instead of finished goods, aligning marketing and sales around shared KPIs, and proving service through video and transparency. The conversation also explores long-term brand building vs. short-term revenue pressure, what sales often misunderstands about marketing, and why curiosity and operational knowledge are essential for success in manufacturing marketing.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff White and Carman Pirie welcome Maeve Ferguson, founder of Maeve Ferguson Consulting, to explore the power of diagnostic thought leadership. Maeve shares how sophisticated assessments go far beyond traditional quiz funnels, acting as intelligent routing engines that personalize messaging, qualify leads, and optimize sales conversations. From collapsing long B2B sales cycles to filtering out unqualified prospects, Maeve explains how diagnostics serve as both a value-delivery mechanism and a powerful data play. The conversation dives into lead classification systems, personalization at scale, and how agentic AI is transforming marketing infrastructure. For manufacturers navigating complex buying journeys, this episode reveals how diagnostic experiences can increase close rates, accelerate sales conversations, and build deeper trust with prospects.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff White and Carman Pirie sit down with David Kilzer, founder and principal of Strategic Transformation Advisors, to explore the convergence of artificial intelligence and advanced humanoid robotics. Drawing on more than 50 years of experience in automation, David shares why this technological shift may dwarf previous revolutions like the internet and smartphones. The conversation dives into what makes AI-enabled humanoid robots fundamentally different from traditional industrial automation, why change management and human readiness are critical to success, and how manufacturers can begin preparing today. David introduces the concept of the “Humanoid Readiness Quotient,” a framework to help organizations assess their preparedness for this emerging era. The discussion also explores open-source robot operating systems, the importance of data infrastructure, and the competitive implications of dramatically lower operating costs. This episode is a forward-looking, practical guide for manufacturing leaders who want to navigate and capitalize on the coming transformation. To hear more from David on this fascinating topic, please give his Tedx talk a look, you can find that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjHic4hRwsw">here.</a>

What happens when a manufacturing company applies startup thinking to one of the most conservative industrial sectors? In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff White and Carman Pirie are joined by Preston Wickersham, Director of Content Marketing at Giga Energy, to explore how vertically integrated manufacturing, founder-led storytelling, and “dogfooding” industrial equipment are reshaping electrical infrastructure and AI data centers. Preston shares Giga Energy’s origin story, their role in powering the AI boom, and what marketers can learn from bringing SaaS-style thinking into heavy manufacturing.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff White and Carman Pirie sit down with Cody Warner, Commercial Vice President and Board Member at Deep Trekker, to explore how the company evolved its go-to-market strategy as both the market and its customers matured. Cody shares Deep Trekker’s journey from hustling at trade shows with water tanks and on-the-floor sales to building highly targeted micro events focused on real-world demonstrations, training, and education. The conversation dives into digital thought leadership, customer-led case studies, community building, and why experiential marketing can outperform traditional trade shows, especially in complex B2B, B2G, and defense markets.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff White and Carman Pirie are joined by David Ceballos, Marketing Manager for the Industrial Emissions Division at Testo Instruments. Drawing on his background in automotive sales, David shares a practical, buyer-centric approach to improving lead quality in B2B manufacturing. The conversation explores how asking better questions, reducing unnecessary form friction, and respecting buyer intent can lead to more meaningful sales conversations, stronger trust, and higher-quality MQLs; without sacrificing the customer experience.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff White and Carman Pirie peel back the curtain on the Q4 edition of the Industrial Buyer Pulse from Kula Partners. Drawing on insights from 258 industrial buyers across the US and Canada, they explore buyer confidence, spending priorities, shortlisting behavior, and the growing role of digital self-service and AI in supplier research. The conversation digs into what actually triggers buying decisions, how often new suppliers are winning deals, where human interaction matters most, and what supply chain risks buyers are navigating today. This episode offers practical insight for industrial marketers and sales teams planning for 2026.

What does “marketing with purpose” actually look like in practice? In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff and Carman are joined by Alice DiSanto, VP of Marketing at Autonomous Solutions. Alice shares how deeply understanding culture, leadership, and people is the foundation of authentic, effective marketing. From conducting confidential listening tours to aligning teams around shared values, she explains how purpose-driven marketing starts inside the organization and becomes a powerful competitive advantage. This conversation is a must-listen for marketers looking to humanize technology, build trust, and create brands that genuinely reflect who they are.

For our final episode in the Holiday Series we are returning to our chat about creating a brand made for loyal customers. Klein Tools has been manufacturing tools made for trades people for over 165 years. In today’s episode, we sat down with Greg Palese, Vice President of Marketing at Klein Tools, to discuss how they continue to grow engaged customer relationships. By speaking directly with end users, Klein Tools is able to deepen relationships and increase sales. Even more, Greg discusses how they focus on solving end user problems by visiting job sites to see first-hand how Klein Tools can help their customers.

For our second episode in our Holiday Series we are taking a second look at when we chatted with Cynthia Kellam, Global Senior Director, Digital, Data and Customer Experience Center of Excellence at TE Connectivity, again to discuss how collecting and using digital data can create better customer experiences. She explains their journey of building a better Voice of Customer system to help all business units in TE Connectivity make customer-focused decisions. Cynthia explains how she avoids survey fatigue, uses automation techniques, and visualizes data for actionable success.

For the first episode in our 2025 Holiday Series we are looking back at our conversation with Augie Ray, Senior Research Analyst and Executive Advisor of Customer Experience at Gartner, about how CX is the most important aspect of marketing and how to focus on customers' unmet needs.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Hall of Fame keynote speaker and AI technology creator Sam Richter joins Jeff and Carman to explore how AI, search tools, and thoughtful research can help sales teams become dramatically more relevant to prospects. Sam shares why modern buyers expect sellers to arrive informed, how to use AI and search more effectively, and why “customer relevance management” should replace traditional CRM thinking. He also explains how understanding what prospects truly care about improves trust, opens conversations, and drives more successful sales outcomes. This conversation is packed with practical tactics and sharp insights for any manufacturing marketer or salesperson navigating today’s digital-first buying environment.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Rachel Cossette, Marketing Manager at Rogers Machinery Company, walks us through how she built a powerful, education-focused webinar program that has become a core pillar of the company’s marketing engine. Rachel explains why webinars were the perfect solution for delivering value, growing first-party data, and creating demand while strengthening relationships with vendor partners along the way. She shares how she scaled the program from a handful of events in 2022 into a full calendar featuring expert presenters, vendor co-marketing, PDH certifications, and a library of long-form content that supports sales, onboarding, and SEO. Rachel also offers practical advice for small or one-person marketing teams looking to launch their own webinar program without big budgets, agencies, or complex tech stacks.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, sales expert, keynote speaker, and author Shawn Casemore joins Jeff and Carman to explore how sales have fundamentally changed, especially in the manufacturing sector. Shawn breaks down why today’s buyers spend far more time researching independently, how little time salespeople actually get in the buying cycle, and what both sales and marketing teams must do to earn attention and trust. He introduces his Unstoppable Sales Method and Prospecting System, explains the power of “value assets,” and shares practical strategies for connecting with modern buyers across multiple channels. From aligning sales and marketing to overcoming outdated sales habits, Shawn offers a clear roadmap for manufacturers looking to grow in today’s environment. More from Shawn <a href="https://shawncasemore.com/">here</a>

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jennifer McQuilken, Vice President of Corporate Communications at Enchanted Rock, joins Jeff and Carman to discuss the unique challenge of marketing a single natural-gas generator platform across numerous industries and use cases. Jennifer shares how her team builds core messaging that works across verticals, then adapts it to fit the needs of hospitals, data centers, utilities, and community microgrids. She also explains how product packaging, naming, and reframing help overcome misconceptions and open the door to meaningful sales conversations. The conversation explores shifting sustainability expectations, the rise of flexible capacity solutions, the surprising benefits of smaller modular generators, and how Jennifer’s non-traditional career path, boat captain included, shapes her approach to communications, problem-solving, and working with technical teams.

Carl Tolbert, author of The 10 Immutable Laws of the Industrial Distribution Specialist and head engineer at Malloy Electric, joins The Kula Ring to discuss how industrial distribution is evolving in a world of consolidation, AI, and direct-to-customer manufacturing. He shares insights from interviews with 32 industry leaders and explains why value-added specialists are key to the survival of distributors, how brands can better collaborate with them, and what’s next for the industrial supply chain.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, we sit down with Cynthia Barnes, Global Marketing Content Specialist and Community Relations Manager at Clark Material Handling. Cynthia shares Clark's unique approach to marketing, which centers on authentic community engagement and philanthropy rather than traditional product-focused advertising. She delves into the origins of their "Raising Hope" initiative, inspired by the company owner's personal story of resilience and the kindness of strangers. Discover how Clark leverages its volunteer paid time off program and the "Champions Club" to foster a purpose-driven workforce and strengthen community ties. Cynthia also offers valuable advice for brands looking to deepen their connection with the nonprofit world, highlighting key trends and effective strategies. This conversation reveals how genuine care for the community can become a powerful differentiator, attracting both talent and customers who share similar values.

In this special episode of The Kula Ring, co-hosts Carman Pirie and Jeff White flip the script as Carman interviews Jeff about his <a href="https://content.kulapartners.com/q3-25-digital-buying-enablement">UX</a> and <a href="https://content.kulapartners.com/the-two-website-problem-kula-partners">accessibility</a> POVs inspired by the 2025 Industrial Buyer Pulse research. They explore how industrial websites must evolve to support self-serve quoting, mobile accessibility, and B2B e-commerce experiences that foster trust. Jeff discusses how integrating functionality, maintaining design consistency, and honouring complexity can transform manufacturing sites into powerful sales tools. You can find the full report <a href="https://content.kulapartners.com/industrial-buyer-pulse-research-report/q3-2025">here</a>

In this episode of The Kula Ring, hosts Jeff White and Carman Pirie talk with Dan Gingiss, Chief Experience Maker at The Experience Maker, about why customer experience is the ultimate competitive differentiator. Dan breaks down his WISE framework and explains how manufacturers can apply these principles to create memorable, talk-worthy moments that drive word-of-mouth. From finding fun in everyday touchpoints to creating immersive sensory experiences, Dan reveals practical ways to humanize your brand and make every interaction remarkable.

When Jackie Slaght joined E Tech Group, she didn’t expect to become the “accidental B2B marketer.” Now as Director of Marketing Communications, she’s helping unify a global team through storytelling and a newly launched podcast, Beyond Tech. In this episode, Jackie shares how the show amplifies technical voices, strengthens internal communication, and fuels eTech’s growing brand presence across multiple global locations.

In this episode, Andy Francis, Vice President of Marketing at Q-Lab, joins The Kula Ring to discuss how his team reaches new audiences for their materials-durability testing instruments. Andy explains how Q-Lab tailors content around specific industry standards to attract technical buyers, the balance between paid and organic search, and the company’s evolving approach to generative-AI search optimization. He also shares insights on bridging the gap between marketers and engineers, keeping messaging simple, and how Q-Lab continues to innovate in a highly specialized niche.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, we’re joined by Ruth Stevens, President of eMarketing Strategy and professor at NYU Stern. Ruth explains why retention, reactivation, and expansion are the most underleveraged levers in B2B marketing and how marketers can partner with sales to maximize customer lifetime value. From data-driven “reasons to call” to subscription-based models, Ruth offers tactical advice on how manufacturers can double revenue without acquiring a single new customer.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, we sit down with Tom Greensall, Head of Marketing at BGR, to explore how the company is shifting from a sales-led approach to a marketing-driven growth engine. Tom discusses the challenges of redefining marketing’s role in a traditionally sales-focused industry, building a new website with intent-driven design, and leveraging AI and freelancers to scale a lean marketing team. He also shares how patience, leadership buy-in, and a focus on long-term strategy are key to transforming marketing into a core driver of revenue and growth.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, hosts and Kula Partners co-founders Carman Pirie and Jeff White introduce the Industrial Buyer Pulse, a new quarterly research initiative that uncovers how North American industrial buyers are thinking and behaving today. From buyer confidence and digital enablement to supplier research and supply chain resilience, Carman and Jeff share key findings that will help manufacturers shape go-to-market strategies and align more closely with the realities of their buyers’ journeys.

Defining an ideal customer and sourcing a target account list to match should be easy, but it isn't. On this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff and Carman discuss how to craft an ideal customer profile (ICP), identify tools that can help, and warn about pitfalls along the way.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff and Carman explore some unconventional but highly practical applications of artificial intelligence in marketing and sales. Far from the hype of AI replacing humans, Carman shares how he uses AI as a research intern, a sales coaching tool, and a strategic partner in uncovering hidden insights. The discussion dives into improving brand strategies, refining marketing communications for the C-suite, identifying gaps in thought leadership, and building deeper buyer personas. Tune in to discover how AI can enhance expertise in industrial marketing.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff Yurek, VP of Marketing at Nanosys, discusses the unique challenges of marketing breakthrough nanotechnology. He explains quantum dots, tiny semiconductor particles that emit precise, tunable light for displays and imaging, and how he built awareness through blogging and storytelling, fostering relationships with global brands despite the technology's inherent secrecy. Jeff also explores the future of B2B marketing, content creation, and the importance of staying curious in a rapidly evolving landscape.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, hosts Jeff White and Carman Pirie talk with Rajeev Thakur, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Silanna Semiconductor. With over 25 years in the automotive industry and a unique blend of engineering and marketing expertise, Rajeev discusses navigating long, complex sales cycles, balancing highly technical conversations with business value, and adapting messaging across industries. He also shares insights on building trust in niche markets, fostering partnerships, and leveraging conferences for targeted outreach.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff White and Carman Pirie discuss how manufacturers can adapt their web presence for 2025 and beyond. They explore the impact of AI-driven search, evolving privacy rules, the critical role of site speed, and the importance of structured data and product data governance. This conversation is a practical deep dive into what it takes to stay competitive in a changing digital landscape. Guest Bio: Jeff White and Carman Pirie are the co-founders of Kula Partners, a digital agency specializing in helping manufacturers transform their marketing. Together, they bring decades of experience in B2B marketing, web development, and digital strategy.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Nicole Kangos, Director of Marketing at Snaptron, shares the story of how an engineering-led manufacturer undertook a major brand refresh, without big-agency budgets or losing sight of its core values. Nicole walks us through how she built trust with leadership, leveraged internal and external insights, and strategically positioned Snaptron to maintain its market leadership amid increasing competition. From winning executive buy-in to aligning the brand with the company’s true innovation story, this episode offers a practical and inspiring look at what it really takes to modernize a manufacturing brand from the inside out.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Alexandra Corey, Director of Marketing at Mosaic Manufacturing, explains how her team leverages global geopolitical shifts, particularly around tariffs and supply chain volatility, to inform their B2B go-to-market strategy. From hosting panels with other innovators to offering vendor-neutral playbooks on additive manufacturing, Mosaic builds trust and drives demand by leading with education and empathy. Alexandra also discusses how automation and scalability are Mosaic’s key differentiators in the evolving 3D printing landscape.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Elizabeth McKusick, Marketing and E-Commerce Manager at PFERD North America, shares how her team is redefining what it means to support distributors in industrial manufacturing. From building a B2B e-commerce portal with a headless frontend to deploying a robust PIM strategy, Elizabeth details how PFERD enables partners to sell more with better data, more efficient ordering, and ongoing collaboration. Tune in for a conversation about smart platform rollouts, balancing personalization with automation, and why half-hearted e-commerce just won’t cut it.

This week on The Kula Ring, Jay Aguilar, Global VP of Business Development and Marketing at Chance Rides, gives us an inside look at what it takes to market thrills. From classic carousels to massive rollercoasters, Jay explains how Chance Rides uses both B2B and B2C tactics to reach park owners and ride enthusiasts alike. He dives into the importance of brand legacy, how user-generated content influences purchasing decisions, and what it’s like navigating a global market that ranges from zoos to mega-projects in Saudi Arabia. A fascinating discussion on marketing responsibility, generational brand equity, and the power of the nostalgic diesel smell.

This episode of The Kula Ring features Michael Frank, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Arctic Walk-Ins, a 40-year-old company specializing in custom and quick-ship cold storage. Michael delves into the complexities of marketing to various niches, including the relationship-driven food service sector and the technically nuanced commercial industries. He shares insights into how Arctic Walk-Ins navigates competition, utilizes different marketing tactics for distinct audiences, and adapts to the evolving landscape of digital search, including the rise of AI. The conversation touches on the challenges and opportunities in the manufacturing industry, emphasizing the growing importance of interest-based media and the potential for a renewed appreciation of B2B businesses.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Alec Graham, Marketing Manager at LEL Critical, shares a provocative take on what marketing can and should be within industrial manufacturing. Alec explores why marketers must act as the voice of the customer inside the business, how empathy-driven systems can create better outcomes for both users and employees, and why not everything should be measured in a straight line. From customer service gaps to probabilistic strategy, Alec invites listeners to reconsider where the real value of marketing lies: in creating meaningful, lasting experiences that go beyond transactions.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Brad Davis shares how his company took a counterintuitive approach to growth by narrowing its sales pipeline, focusing on high-fit opportunities, and avoiding the trap of chasing quick wins. In a mature and shrinking sector, Brad explains why clarity in sales strategy, upstream marketing, and sustainable profitability are key to long-term success. From horizon growth planning to resisting vanity metrics and innovation theatre, Brad offers a masterclass in disciplined, methodical growth for manufacturers.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Sam Rajkovich dives into the complexities of working with independent manufacturers’ representatives. He unpacks how to compete for reps’ time and attention, maintain brand consistency across third-party sellers, and build emotional connections that create loyalty. Sam also explores the economic tradeoffs of the model, its scalability, and its uncertain future as younger professionals shy away from commission-only roles. From messaging challenges to hybrid sales strategies, this episode offers a candid look at the evolving landscape of indirect sales in manufacturing.

Dive into this episode of The Kula Ring with Sean Momsen, VP of Business Development and Marketing at Evology Manufacturing. We discuss the secrets behind rapid manufacturing and how speed can revolutionize the customer experience. Sean shares his unique journey from aspiring car designer to leading a company that values your time as much as top-notch quality. Learn how Evology utilizes cutting-edge tech to deliver unparalleled service and projects on schedule while never losing sight of the human element. product development, or just fascinated by innovation and efficiency, this episode is a must-listen!

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Brittany Bachman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Boulter Industrial Contractors—a 133-year-old rigging and transport company—shares how she uses marketing to bridge the gap between tradition and innovation. From her roots in nonprofit social media management to running recruitment campaigns for industrial companies, Brittany discusses her journey and how she’s leveraging hands-on events and social media to inspire a new generation of talent in the skilled trades. She also explores the dual challenge of promoting both customer value and career opportunities, often through the same channels. You won’t want to miss this one!

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Olivier Bousette, Head of Marketing at Rittal Canada, shares his perspective on how B2B manufacturers can use automation to scale their marketing efforts, especially when working with small teams or serving global markets. Olivier explores how automation tools like AI-generated social media posts and chatbots can free up time for higher-value marketing work while helping maintain brand consistency across regions. He also addresses the challenges of adapting HQ-created content to local markets, navigating team churn, and aligning regional and global marketing priorities. This episode offers valuable insights for marketers managing complex product messaging across distributed teams and geographies.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Angela Jackson, Marketing Director at Clark Pacific, unpacks how the company is transforming the building industry’s understanding of prefabrication. Angela discusses Clark Pacific’s strategic pivot from bespoke project work to a productized approach, emphasizing how designing for manufacturing creates efficiencies, enhances quality, and accelerates timelines. She explores the challenges of marketing to traditionally hard-to-reach stakeholders like building owners and architects, and shares how Clark Pacific invests heavily in education. Angela also highlights how internal culture has adapted to embrace creativity within standardized systems and how being consistently specced into projects marks a major marketing milestone. If you’re in manufacturing, architecture, or construction and especially if you’re exploring how to scale with a product-based mindset, this conversation offers valuable insights into how to align innovation, communication, and execution in a complex industry.

This week, Tyler Simmons shares his journey from summer intern to marketing and e-commerce leader at Energy Management Corporation, and how that path through sales and marketing has uniquely positioned him to bridge the gap between the two. Tyler breaks down the realities of running a successful e-commerce platform in the B2B manufacturing space. He discusses how talking directly with customers and internal sales teams provides critical feedback and why consistency beats one-time wins when scaling a digital storefront. If you're navigating the grind of e-commerce in B2B manufacturing, this episode is packed with grounded insights, tactical takeaways, and a refreshing dose of honesty.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Nelson Bruton, Founder of Manufacturing Chats, joins Carman and Jeff to explore the role of live chat in modern B2B manufacturing websites. Nelson shares how real-time, human-enabled chat, not bots, can unlock conversions from prospects who would otherwise stay silent. Drawing from 20 years in the digital space, he outlines why staffing chat with internal teams often falls short, and how businesses can successfully integrate chat into their buyer engagement strategy without overwhelming their teams. Whether you're considering bots, hybrid AI, or fully staffed human support, this episode offers clear advice on how to maximize conversations and move beyond form fills.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Phil Harris of Paulo Heat Treating shares an honest and insightful look into the often murky handoff between sales and marketing. Phil walks us through how fostering a shared understanding of responsibilities and handoff qualifications combats inter-team tensions and strengthens leads. He discusses the mounting pressure on sales teams, the demand for higher-quality leads, and how a lack of SDR infrastructure in manufacturing intensifies these challenges. Phil outlines how redefining lead qualification and raising the bar for sales engagement significantly improved alignment and results. Plus, he shares actionable insights on using evergreen content, doubling down on newsletters, and experimenting with high-intent CTAs. If you’re a marketer in manufacturing struggling with lead quality, ownership, or sales enablement, this conversation will hit home.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Casey Cheshire introduces the concept of "Disconnected Marketing," the slow, creeping separation between marketers and their customers caused by over-reliance on tech and automation. Casey shares how launching a podcast helped him reverse that disconnect by creating real, human connections with customers, starting relationships with generosity rather than a sales pitch. Alongside hosts Carman Pirie and Jeff White, Casey explores the importance of knowing your customers by name, and even more critically, understanding their real pains and challenges. They discuss how podcasting serves as a powerful tool to foster reciprocity, build authentic relationships, and bring marketing teams back to their foundational role as the voice of the customer. For B2B manufacturing and beyond, this conversation is packed with insights on how marketers can reconnect with the people they serve and create genuine growth opportunities.

In times of economic uncertainty, many manufacturers instinctively pull back on marketing, but according to Una de Boer, that’s exactly the wrong move. In this episode of The Kula Ring, Una joins hosts Carman Pirie and Jeff White to challenge the idea that marketing should take a backseat when times get tough. She shares practical, data-driven strategies for manufacturers looking to grow revenue through diversified customer bases, without breaking the bank. From assessing existing customer data for hidden opportunities to taking the first steps into international markets through scalable digital campaigns, Una outlines how B2B manufacturers can move beyond their comfort zones with confidence, securing new business from a wider variety of geographies and cultures. She also explores how changing markets can help revitalize core marketing efforts and why now might be the perfect time to reexamine product-market fit. Whether you’re trying to get your leadership team to see the value of investing in marketing or looking to extend your brand’s reach globally, this episode is packed with actionable advice for growth-minded marketers.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Stephanie Nolan of Square Robot shares how submersible robotics is transforming tank inspections. We also dive into the marketing and sales strategies that innovative solution utilizes. Introducing cutting-edge tech into a risk-averse industry isn’t simple. Stephanie dives into the challenge of marketing something most people don’t even know exists, and how a fully integrated sales and marketing team is using account-based marketing, webinars, and targeted messaging to drive adoption. From the importance of building the right contact list to adapting messaging across industries and organizational levels, this episode is full of actionable insights for marketers navigating niche markets with complex buying committees. If you’ve ever wondered how to get traction when you're competing with "how it’s always been done," this episode’s for you.

Bringing a new product to market is no small feat, especially in the B2B manufacturing space, where development cycles are long and expectations are high. In this episode of The Kula Ring, Stu Accola shares his expertise on the nuances of successful product launches, from crafting an effective go-to-market strategy to aligning marketing and sales teams for maximum impact. He breaks down the critical differences between a business case and a go-to-market plan, the importance of customer involvement in product development, and why proof points are often overlooked but essential for building credibility. Whether you're launching into an existing category or creating demand for something entirely new, Stu's insights will help manufacturing marketers refine their approach and drive greater success.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, we sit down with Fuad Hasanovic, Director of Marketing at Kamps Pallets, to uncover the fascinating world of pallet recycling, supply chain optimization, and sustainability. Kamps Pallets has evolved from a small operation retrieving discarded pallets to a nationwide leader in comprehensive pallet lifecycle management. Fuad shares how the company has embraced innovation, from Total Pallet Management programs to data-driven supply chain strategies that help manufacturers reduce waste and lower costs. We also explore how education plays a critical role in shifting the industry's mindset from price to total cost, and why the future of pallets might just be a key indicator of economic health. Plus, a few fun stories—like Carman’s experience as a human forklift and Jeff’s childhood bike ramp experiments!

The world of 3D printing has seen vast changes in recent years. IP constraints on those early technologies lifted, and an explosion of offers and solutions hit the market, leading to the consolidation we are seeing in the industry today. But for Dani Mason and B9Creations success in this industry hasn’t been about outspending competition, it’s about out-listening them. In this episode, Dani shares how B9 has built a competitive edge by prioritizing deep customer relationships over flashy R&D budgets. From customer-funded innovation to a structured voice-of-the-customer process, B9 integrates real-world feedback at every stage, ensuring products solve actual industry pain points. Forget gimmicks and gift cards, this is a masterclass in authentic customer engagement.

Karlaa Gregory is transforming industrial marketing with AI, streamlining content creation and localization across global markets. By training a custom GPT with product catalogues and documentation, she ensures campaigns align with regional needs while maintaining brand consistency. Her AI-driven approach also includes persona-based marketing, tailoring content for engineers, procurement specialists, and other key decision-makers. Beyond content generation, Karlaa is using AI-powered automation for analytics and reporting, integrating tools and ecosystems like Zapier and Google to track campaign performance in real time. She emphasizes that AI isn’t replacing marketers, it’s making them more effective. Tune in to hear how she’s pushing the boundaries of AI in industrial marketing.

How do you shift from traditional marketing to an inbound approach in the manufacturing industry? Josh Gravelle, Marketing Manager at Calvary Robotics, joins The Kula Ring to share his journey from TV production to B2B marketing and how he’s helped evolve Calvary’s marketing strategy over nearly a decade. Josh discusses the challenges and rewards of getting engineers involved in content creation, the role of brand storytelling in establishing thought leadership, and why consistency in marketing efforts pays off. He also dives into the impact of launching a podcast, leveraging speaking engagements, and integrating HubSpot to strengthen Calvary’s inbound marketing efforts. If you're looking for insights on how to develop a meaningful content strategy that goes beyond just generating leads, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, we sit down with Alex Koepsel, Director of Product Marketing at Vention, to discuss the art of managing up and across in product marketing. Alex shares his journey from electrical engineering to product marketing, revealing how his technical background and entrepreneurial mindset shaped his approach to positioning products and influencing key stakeholders. We explore how Vention is democratizing industrial automation, making it easier for manufacturers of all sizes to implement automation solutions. Alex also unpacks the strategies behind building trust, aligning with leadership goals, and persuading decision-makers to invest in marketing initiatives. Whether you're in product marketing, sales, or leadership, this episode is packed with insights on navigating cross-functional teams and driving meaningful change within an organization. Tune in to hear how product marketers can act as “mini CEOs” and leverage influence to move the business forward.

For decades, Pack-Smart has been at the forefront of packaging automation, seamlessly integrating robotics and software to deliver turnkey solutions. Yet, despite its technological leadership, the company relied almost exclusively on YouTube for lead generation—until now. In this episode of The Kula Ring, we explore how Pack-Smart is embracing digital marketing for the first time. With new strategies in SEO, CRM integration, and thought leadership content, the company is expanding its brand presence and driving data-driven decision-making across the organization. We dive into the challenges of shifting from product-focused messaging to industry leadership and how Pack-Smart is positioning itself as a go-to resource for emerging trends and regulatory changes. Tune in to hear how a company that has innovated in manufacturing for years is now innovating in marketing—creating a stronger, more connected approach to customer engagement.

Deploying marketing automation at scale in the manufacturing sector comes with an array of challenges and opportunities. In this week’s episode of The Kula Ring, Carlicia Layosa shares her firsthand experience implementing and refining marketing automation strategies. She discusses the importance of data integration, audience segmentation, and behavior-based campaign triggers to create personalized customer journeys. Carlicia also reflects on lessons learned, including the need for an early focus on data quality, the power of AB testing, and the balance between personalization and crossing the "creepy" line. Plus, we explore the evolving role of AI in automation and what the future holds for engagement-driven marketing.

This week on The Kula Ring, Tara Vincar, Marketing Director at Alpha Controls, shares her journey of transforming the company's marketing approach from the ground up. She discusses how she navigated the steep learning curve of the instrumentation industry, built a small but mighty marketing team, and gained executive buy-in for long-term strategy. Tara also reveals the early wins that fuelled momentum, the challenge of maintaining growth after the "newbie gains" phase, and how she strengthened collaboration between marketing and sales.

How do you transform scattered customer insights into a structured, data-driven approach to marketing and sales? Cory Peterson shares the journey his organization took—from early, informal customer interviews to a comprehensive digital customer journey framework. In this episode, Cory walks us through the process of mapping the customer journey, the evolution from a linear model to a dynamic flywheel, and the role of rigorous testing in refining digital interactions. He also discusses the challenges of attribution, the importance of integrating sales and marketing, and how even small organizations with limited traffic can leverage research to drive meaningful improvements. Join us as we explore how a data-driven mindset can unlock deeper customer understanding and business growth.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Todd Carroll, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at B&B Manufacturing, shares the remarkable growth story of a company that started in a garage and evolved into North America’s largest synchronous drive pulley manufacturer. Todd discusses how B&B has doubled its footprint, innovated manufacturing processes, and expanded its inventory to meet customer needs. He highlights the company’s "belted drive expert" philosophy, their hands-on approach to customer service, and creative marketing strategies like "Todd Talks" that blend humour and insight to drive awareness. Tune in to discover how staying close to customers and embracing change fuels success in the power transmission industry.

This week we explore the transformative power of automation in the food and baking industry with Doug Henderson and Jamie Bobyk from Apex Motion Control. Utilizing brand-new collaborative robots (cobots) to revolutionize manual processes, Doug and Jamie share how their team blends creativity and technology to solve complex challenges. They discuss the importance of video content in driving customer engagement, the humanization of cobots on factory floors, and the leadership needed to embrace these innovations. Tune in to discover why automation is reshaping food production and creating long-term partnerships.

Mitchell Jerine joins The Kula Ring this week to explore the evolving dynamics of sales and customer engagement. We delve into the challenges and opportunities of this transition, including: Differentiating through value-added services and solutions. Overcoming internal resistance to change and navigating change management. Leveraging technology to access untapped markets while fending off new competition. Real-world examples, like GE’s IoT solutions and Caterpillar’s service-centric strategies, illustrating how manufacturers are driving innovation and redefining customer relationships. Discover actionable strategies to transform your manufacturing organization into a solutions powerhouse.

The final instalment of The Kula Ring Holiday Series is upon us! Oh man, this week we cover something near and dear to Kula’s heart. We are discussing ABM and ABX with Jessica Woodside of WIKA this week. We dive deep into the nuts and bolts of embarking on the journey to an account based strategy and how to avoid some of the pitfalls. This episode is so packed with information we suggest taking notes (or reading the full transcript on our website). Don’t miss this one gang!

In another showcase of the Kula Partners team, Floyd Blaikie, Senior Strategist, explains how manufacturing marketers can benefit from developing a strategy with multi-year goals before getting started with ABM. Then with this roadmap, they can better align with sales to gain early wins. Floyd also provides tips on avoiding common ABM missteps.

Welcome to part one of The Kula Ring's Holiday series! This Holiday season we are going on an ABM journey, first up! Defining an ideal customer and sourcing a target account list to match should be easy, but it isn't. On this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff and Carman discuss how to craft an ideal customer profile (ICP), identify tools that can help, and warn about pitfalls along the way.

BALYO is a global manufacturer of autonomous robotic forklifts. In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff and Carman sit down with BALYO’s Global Marketing Director, Rob Patey, to discuss what makes marketing in manufacturing unique. They also talk about the challenges of digital marketing for manufacturing companies, the best way to find and reach customers online, and what sets BALYO apart.

Sarah Carson from packaging design and manufacturing company, Rohrer, talks about bringing together marketing and sales teams from two organizations, building in-house capabilities, and her approach to creating powerful sales enablement content.

This week on The Kula Ring we are taking a second look at an amazing conversation with John Joyce. Please enjoy! Customer demand for real-time data is driving manufacturers to build web-enabled systems to share information more efficiently across channels. In this episode of The Kula Ring, John Joyce, Global Marketing Director of Brennan Industries, talks about how he helped his organization make data more accessible to their distribution channels and partners. He shares insights on how leveraging data improves customer experience and the role of the marketing department in implementing customer-facing technology.

In this episode, we explore the fascinating journey of three long-standing companies that merged to create a unified entity while preserving the rich heritage of their origins. Amy Rodgers, Marketing Director at KMM Group, shares insights into navigating the complex challenges of integrating multiple brands, streamlining operations, and evolving a cohesive identity in a highly competitive industry. Hear how cultural alignment, strategic branding, and a relentless focus on personalization can create a competitive edge and foster growth. Amy also discusses the power of building thought leadership, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to position leaders as industry experts and establish a relatable, impactful voice. If you’re interested in how companies can grow while staying true to their roots, this episode offers inspiration and practical advice.

This week, Paul Drabble joins the show to dive into the transformative impact of electrification in material handling and construction. Paul shares insights into the brand’s approach to market entry, focusing on raising awareness and educating potential customers before introducing product pitches. He emphasizes leveraging in-person events and webinars, supported by a robust network of subject matter experts, to build credibility across sectors. We also discuss Paul’s excitement about advancements in marketing tools, including AI-driven localization and automation, which rounds out this insightful conversation on navigating a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

In this episode, Liz Shovlin Burnett joins The Kula Ring again to explore the challenges small and mid-sized manufacturers face in talent acquisition and adapting to modern growth strategies. Liz highlights the pressing talent shortage in manufacturing and shares insights from the IMTS trade show, where a surge of women in manufacturing roles is helping to bridge the gap. She also discusses how technology, especially digital marketing tools, can support growth. Liz advocates for a strategic, agile approach that leverages both technology and focused talent investments to stay competitive in the rapidly changing landscape that SMEs face.

In this week’s episode, Lucy Chen discusses long-term strategic marketing planning and how to move from working in isolation to collaborating effectively. We explore how to keep a clear long-term vision while dealing with short-term pressures. Lucy shares her approach to aligning teams, highlighting the need for patience, accountability, and welcoming ideas—even if they feel awkward at first. She believes in creating lasting value that benefits the entire industry, rather than just focusing on immediate results. This episode covers many topics, and Lucy offers a lot of helpful insights.