In this episode of B2B, No Bull, hosts Liz Brohan and her brother Mark Brohan are joined by innovation veteran Richard Guha, whose 45+ year career spans four continents, multiple C-suite roles, startups, boardrooms, and classrooms. Together, they unpack a hard truth: most companies don’t struggle with innovation because they lack ideas—they struggle because they don’t understand the real problems worth solving.

Richard challenges the myth that innovation is about big brainstorming sessions, flashy product launches, or chasing the latest technology. Instead, he argues innovation is a diagnostic discipline rooted in listening deeply to customers, understanding unmet needs, and applying technology as an enabler—not the driver. Through vivid examples from energy, manufacturing, CPG, software, and retail, he shows how breakthrough ideas often emerge from customer pain points, adjacent industries, and overlooked byproducts.

The conversation explores why large organizations resist innovation, how culture and leadership signals can either unlock or kill new ideas, and why innovation must be team-driven and top-down. Richard also draws sharp distinctions between innovation and entrepreneurship, emphasizing that sustainable growth comes from curiosity, data, and constant engagement with the market. This episode is a masterclass in practical, human-centered innovation for B2B leaders.

Resources & References Mentioned

1. ASML – Semiconductor manufacturing leader spun out of Philips
2. 3M & the McKnight Principles – A long-standing model for corporate innovation culture
3. Wayfair – Example of leadership staying close to customer insight through call-center engagement

Highlight Quotes

1. “Innovation isn’t a brainstorming exercise—it’s a diagnostic process rooted in understanding real customer pain.”
2. “Technology should never drive the idea. The need comes first; technology simply enables it.”

In this solo episode of B2B, No Bull, host Liz Brohan welcomes Lindsay Young, President of 3 Aspens Marketing, for a deep dive into why storytelling still matters in B2B—especially in an AI-saturated world.

Liz and Lindsay unpack how SEO-driven content and automation have slowly drained the soul from B2B marketing, replacing human insight with keyword-stuffed noise. While AI can accelerate workflows, Lindsay argues it should never replace thinking, empathy, or original insight. At its best, storytelling helps prospects see themselves in the narrative—reflecting their real pains, messy processes, and hard-won wins.

The conversation explores how brands can reinvigorate storytelling through customer interviews, frontline sales insights, and original research. Lindsay shares practical advice on choosing quality over quantity, making long-form content worth the reader’s time, and repurposing “evergreen” stories across marketing, PR, and sales enablement. A standout theme is embracing the “messy middle” of customer journeys—being transparent about challenges rather than polishing everything to perfection.

The episode closes with a fast-paced “Bull or Noble” segment tackling hot takes on AI, authenticity, long-form content, and whether storytelling really works in B2B (spoiler: it does). This episode is a reminder that even in a tech-driven era, great B2B marketing still starts—and ends—with humans.

🔗 Resource Links / Reference Materials

1. Harvard Business Review – Storytelling That Moves People
   https://hbr.org/2014/06/storytelling-that-moves-people
2. Content Marketing Institute – B2B Storytelling Best Practices
   https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/articles/b2b-storytelling/
3. Edelman Trust Barometer (for credibility, research, and authenticity insights)
   https://www.edelman.com/trust-barometer

Highlight Quotes

1. “AI can speed up marketing—but it can’t replace thinking, empathy, or a story worth telling.”
2. “Nobody ever read a white paper that changed their life. Storytelling works when people see themselves in it.”
3. “B2B buyers aren’t afraid of complexity—they’re afraid of surprises. Show them the messy middle.”

In this episode of B2B No Bull, Liz and Mark Brohan dive headfirst into the “black hole of marketing” with returning guest Cindy Greenglass, President of Livingston Consulting Strategies. The conversation tackles one of the most urgent challenges facing B2B marketers today: how buyers get answers in an AI-driven world—and what happens when your brand isn’t part of those answers.

The group introduces answer marketing and answer optimization, clearly distinguishing them from traditional SEO. While search delivers lists and rankings, answer optimization delivers recommendations—exactly what modern buyers expect from generative AI tools. As Cindy explains, SEO isn’t going away, but it’s no longer enough on its own.

The discussion explores how marketers can anticipate buyer questions by mining internal data from customer service, sales conversations, events, and chat logs, then using AI prompts to uncover the questions buyers haven’t even articulated yet. The episode also covers the rise of AI agents, proprietary “walled garden” data, and why answer marketing is becoming a true source of competitive differentiation.

The key takeaway: B2B marketers must stop pushing content and start engineering answers—or risk disappearing into the black hole.

🔗 Resources & References Mentioned

1. Andy Crestodina (Orbit Media) – AI for B2B Content & Lead Generation + Prompt Libraries
2. Orbit Media Blog – Practical guidance on AI, content, and digital strategy
3. Google Gemini / Generative AI Search Tools – Examples of answer-driven discovery

Highlight Quotes

1. “Search gives you a list. Answer optimization gives you a recommendation—and that’s what buyers want now.”
2. “If AI is answering your buyer’s questions and your brand isn’t part of the answer, you’re already behind.”
3. “The future of B2B marketing isn’t more content—it’s better answers, powered by better prompts.”