C-Suite Strategies

S2E24: Stop Hiding Behind Jargon: The Art of B2B Brand Storytelling That Wins

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 01:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Stacie Sussman — Founder and CRO of RevUp Advisory — sits down with Lauryn Warnick, CEO of Villain Branding, to dig into one of the most underestimated levers in B2B growth: brand storytelling.
Most B2B leaders think storytelling is a nice-to-have. Lauryn’s here to prove it’s a revenue driver. When your story is murky, your sales cycles stretch. When your messaging is inconsistent, deals go quiet. When your team can’t agree on what you do, neither can your buyers. This is the conversation that changes how you think about brand — from a marketing expense to a business asset with a measurable ROI.
Want Stacie’s hot take first? This is Part 2 of a two-part series on B2B brand storytelling. In Part 1, Stacie breaks down brand debt — what it is, why it’s costing you deals, and what to do about it before you ever bring in outside help. Listen to Part 1 here → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s2e23-youve-got-brand-debt-heres-what-its-actually/id1766582344?i=1000758388118

What We Cover
Why B2B Leaders Hide Behind Jargon
The real cost of a complicated message — and who’s paying it
Why complex portfolios make the storytelling problem worse, not better
How a confused brand story shows up in your sales cycle before it ever shows up in your pipeline data
Verbal Strategy: The Foundation You’re Skipping
What a “verbal strategy consultancy” actually does — and why visuals without words first is backwards
How to build a message that travels coherently from the CEO’s keynote to the SDR’s cold email
The three pillars every B2B brand story needs: differentiation, credibility, and relevancy
The Villain Framework in Practice
What “raising the bar” actually means when you’re a mid-enterprise B2B company
Why category creation is usually a trap — and what to do instead
How to close the gap between what your business does and what the market thinks you do
Measuring Brand ROI (Yes, You Can)
The three levers that define brand value: choice, premium, and loyalty
What Interbrand and Kantar actually track — and why your CFO should care
Why brand-led organizations capture up to 70% of their value through the brand itself — and what the band-aid companies are leaving on the table
Brand Storytelling in the Age of AI
Why your buyers are researching in ChatGPT and Perplexity before they ever fill out a form
How to make sure bots and humans alike can find you — and understand you
Why jumping into AI execution without a clear verbal foundation just scales your confusion faster
When Leaders Get It Right — and When They Don’t
What Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Coca-Cola are doing that most companies aren’t
Why CEOs going rogue on keynotes is a brand debt problem, not a communications problem
The moment when you know the work landed — and the moment you know it didn’t

3 Things to Do Before the Next Episode
Ask five people at your company what you do — cross-functional, no briefing. Count how many different answers you get. That gap is your brand debt.
Look at your last three sales cycles that went dark — was your story clear enough that the buyer could explain your value internally without you in the room?
Search your category in ChatGPT or Perplexity — see if your company shows up the way you think it does. If it doesn’t, your verbal foundation needs work.

Connect with Lauryn Warnick
Website: villainbranding.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/laurynwarnick
Email: lauryn@villainbranding.com
Connect with Stacie Sussman
Subscribe to the RevUp Advisory newsletter on Substack: https://

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S2E23: You've Got Brand Debt. Here's What It's Actually Costing You.

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 01:00:00 -0400

In this solo episode, Stacie Sussman — Founder and CRO of RevUp Advisory — breaks down one of the most expensive problems hiding in plain sight across mid-market B2B companies: brand debt.
This isn't just about having weak messaging or a tagline that needs a refresh. Brand debt is what happens when your story doesn't keep up with your business — and your buyers feel the disconnect long before you do. It shows up in longer sales cycles, deals that go dark after the second call, and a pipeline that's colder than it should be.
The fix isn't better copy. It's building a system.

What We Cover
The Brand Debt Diagnosis
Why asking five people at your company "what do you do?" will get you six different answers
How brand debt compounds over time — just like financial debt
The warning signs hiding across your org right now
Why This Is a Revenue Problem, Not a Marketing Problem
What the Interbrand research actually says about brand value (your CFO will care)
Why unclear storytelling is costing you deals you don't even know you're losing
How buyers experience the disconnect — even when they can't name it
The System Behind the Story
Why a great brand story sitting in a Google Doc does nothing for revenue
How to build messaging that travels coherently from first touch to signed contract
Why every channel has its own funnel logic — and what happens when you measure them all the same way
Brand Debt in the Age of AI
Your buyers are researching in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude before they ever fill out a form
Why a broken brand story doesn't just cost you human attention — it makes you invisible to AI
What AI tools actually surface (and what they ignore completely)

3 Things to Do Before the Next Episode
Run the five-person experiment — cross-functional, no briefing, just ask
Map your content by channel and be honest about what role each one is actually playing
AI yourself — search your category and see if your company shows up the way you think it does

Up Next Stacie sits down with Lauryn Warnick, CEO of Villain Branding, to go deep on solving the brand story problem at the mid-to-enterprise level. Lauren's working with billion-dollar companies and has a methodology that is equal parts clever and genius. You won't want to miss it.

Connect with Stacie Sussman
Subscribe to the RevUp Advisory newsletter on Substack: https://staciesussman.substack.com/subscribe

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S2E22: From SEO to AEO: The Four Pillars of AI Search Strategy

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 01:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Stacie sits down with Jenna Hannon—first marketing hire at Uber Eats and founder of GetHatter.ai—to break down the shift from SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), and what it means for your attribution model, your pipeline, and your competitive position.

This isn’t just about “showing up in AI search.” It’s about making sure your company, your founders, and your thought leaders are the ones being cited when your buyers are doing that invisible dark funnel research.

Guest: Jenna Hannon
Founder of GetHatter.ai and former first marketing hire at Uber Eats

What We Cover

SEO Fundamentals (And Why They’re Not Enough Anymore)

How SEO has worked for the past 20 years
The constant chase of Google’s algorithm changes
Why keyword strategies and backlink volume dominated the game

The Rise of AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)

What AEO actually is and how it differs from SEO
Why 97% of searches still happen on Google—but summaries are changing everything
How LLMs decide whose content to cite (spoiler: it’s not about hacks)
Why AEO actually rewards good marketing better than Google ever did

The Attribution Blind Spot

Your buyers are researching for weeks before filling out forms
AI-assisted research makes the dark funnel even darker
How to influence research you can’t see or measure
Why this is a revenue strategy conversation, not just a marketing tactic

The Four Pillars of AEO Strategy

Jenna breaks down the four key areas where you can move the needle in AEO—and why most companies are starting from 1% visibility (or 0%). She explains which pillar matters most, where to start if you’re overwhelmed, and why this isn’t about abandoning your SEO investment.

The Truth About “AEO Hacks”

There is no magic button (Jenna tried to build one—Google shut it down overnight)
LinkedIn influencers selling shortcuts? Jenna’s tested them. They don’t work.
What actually works instead (and why it’s better than you think)

Why You Shouldn’t Be Intimidated

The fundamentals haven’t changed—you’re just extending your strategy
AEO rewards strong marketing better than Google’s algorithm ever did
This isn’t a complete rework of your marketing priorities
Where to focus your energy for maximum impact

Key Takeaways

SEO isn’t dead—97% of searches still happen on Google
But AI summaries are changing how buyers consume information
Most B2B brands show up 1% of the time (or less) in AI search results
There are no shortcuts—AEO rewards good marketing fundamentals

Connect with Jenna Hannon

Email: jenna@gethatter.ai
LinkedIn: Jenna Hannon (book a 15-minute call directly from her profile and ask about her free AI visibility tracker)
Company: https://www.gethatter.ai/

Please note: The audio quality in the opening minutes of this episode is not up to our usual standard. Rather than delay sharing this important conversation, we chose to release it as-is because the insights are too valuable to wait. We appreciate your understanding and hope you enjoy the episode!

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S2E21: SEO is Dead. Long Live AEO. (What B2B Leaders Need to Know Before It's Too Late)

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 01:00:00 -0500

What We Cover
What SEO is — and why it’s no longer the whole game
What AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is and how it fundamentally differs from SEO
How your buyers are already using AI tools (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude) to research before ever visiting your website
Why you can have great SEO scores and still be completely invisible to an AI answer engine
The “dark funnel” problem — and how AI makes it even harder to track buyer intent
Why this is a revenue strategy conversation, not just a marketing or technical SEO conversation
Three immediate actions B2B leaders can take right now

Key Concepts Explained
SEO — Search Engine Optimization
The practice of making your website content discoverable by search engines like Google and Bing. The playbook centers on keywords, backlinks, site speed, technical structure, and domain authority — all with the goal of getting a human to click through to your website from a search results page.
AEO — Answer Engine Optimization
Optimizing your content so that AI-powered tools — ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and others — pull from your content to generate direct, synthesized answers. There’s no click, no scroll, no website visit. If your brand isn’t showing up in those answers, you don’t exist in that buyer’s world.
What Answer Engines Look For
Clarity — Is your content answering questions directly and in a structured way?
Authority & Trust — Are credible sources referencing your content? Is your brand seen as a subject matter expert?
Schema Markup & Structured Data — Is your content technically formatted so AI can parse it?
Freshness — Is your content current and regularly updated?

Key Takeaways for B2B Leaders
Your buyers are already using AI to research.
Your ICP is typing questions into LLMs before they ever book a demo. If you’re not showing up there, you’re not in the consideration set.
This is an attribution problem you need to get ahead of.
The dark funnel is already hard to track. AI-assisted research makes it darker. If you’re not monitoring AI-driven brand mentions and traffic, you’re flying blind on a critical part of the buyer journey.
SEO and AEO are not either/or — they’re both/and.
Don’t abandon your SEO strategy. Build a content ecosystem that works for search engines and answer engines simultaneously.
This is a strategy conversation, not just a technical one.
AEO requires thinking about what questions your buyers are asking and whether your content answers them directly and authoritatively. A disconnected content strategy will not cut it in an AI-first research environment.

3 Things You Can Do Right Now
1. Audit your existing content for answer readiness.
Review your top content pieces. Are they answering specific questions directly? Do they have clear headers that map to what someone would actually ask an AI? Can an AI pull a clean, accurate answer from them? If not — that’s your starting point.
2. Test AI research behavior in your category.
Use ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, or Gemini to ask the questions your buyers ask. See who’s showing up, what language is being used, and where you stand. This is free competitive intelligence that will change how you think about content.
3. Get your technical foundation in order.
If your website has messy structure, outdated schema markup, or poorly organized content — fix it. Don’t scale chaos. Fix the foundation first.

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S2E20: The Invisible Architecture of Success

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 01:00:00 -0500

What does it actually take to build an Inc 5000 business without letting it eat you alive? That's exactly what we dig into with Brittany Fox. Brittany and her husband bootstrapped Focus Global Talent Solutions from their second bedroom in Miami — no outside funding, no playbook — and hit $2M in revenue their first year. Last year, they made the Inc 5000 list. But here's the thing: Brittany didn't just build a successful business. She built a sustainable one. And that distinction? It changes everything.

In this episode, we get into the real stuff. The psychology behind why high achievers burn out, what it actually took for Brittany to go from "grinding and hiding" to building a community of ambitious women who are done with surface-level conversations. We talk about morning routines that aren't just checklists, the power of doing hard things before they're trendy, and why showing up to one room can completely change the trajectory of your life.

This one's for the founders, the co-founders, the C-suite leaders who are crushing it professionally but quietly wondering: is this pace actually sustainable?

Key Takeaways:

80% of business is psychology. The other 20% is strategy. Brittany learned this early — and it became the foundation of how she runs everything.
Brittany bootstrapped Focus Global from a condo in Miami with two dogs and hit $2M revenue in year one. No VC. No safety net. Just her, her husband Dave, and a whole lot of hustle — done intentionally.
The Inc 5000 recognition in 2025 wasn't the goal. It was a byproduct of building something real, something sustainable, and something that actually worked.
Brittany's 75 Hard story (before it was an Instagram trend) is one of the best "proof that you can do hard things" stories I've heard. She didn't think she could do it. She did it. And it rewired how she thinks about what's possible.
Meditation isn't just a buzzword for Brittany — it's a practice she's had to actively protect. She actually stopped meditating for a while because it became a checklist item. That level of self-awareness is rare.
She Created — her community for high-achieving women — was born from a very real frustration: the networking events that are all "tell me what you do" and zero depth. Brittany built the alternative.
The advice that stuck with me: Don't make it so overwhelming. Start with one. One room. One book. One action. The compound effect does the rest.

About the Guest:

Brittany Fox is the CEO and Co-Founder of Focus Global Talent Solutions, an Inc 5000 AI and Martech staffing firm based in Miami. Before staffing, she was part of one of the top 10 real estate teams in Manhattan — her team closed $600M in sales, just the three of them. Brittany and her husband Dave bootstrapped Focus Global from scratch and built it into one of the fastest-growing private companies in the country.

In 2024, Brittany founded She Created — a community for high-achieving women who want to go deeper than business. Through curated dinners, intentional social events, and immersive retreats, She Created creates the space for women to have the real conversations that most networking events never get to.

Find Brittany:

Website: shecreated.co
Instagram: @BEFoxy

Resources & Links Mentioned:

Focus Global Talent Solutions

Tony Robbins Business Mastery

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S2E19: Financial Truths CMOs and CROs Can't Ignore

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0500

Season Two opens with a necessary reset for growth leaders.

In this episode, Stacie sits down with Jennifer Yousem, Founder of iHeartEBITDA, to unpack the financial realities behind marketing and sales performance—and why CMOs are often asked to defend results without being given the right financial context.

They explore why top-line growth is a vanity metric, how margin degradation creeps into service businesses, and why honesty in forecasting matters more than aggressive targets. This conversation bridges the gap between marketing strategy and financial truth.

If you’re a CMO expected to drive growth, justify spend, and align with finance—this episode is required listening.

Key topics covered

• Why top-line growth is a vanity metric
• What CMOs need to understand about margins
• How margin degradation happens quietly over time
• Why “not all revenue is good revenue”
• Forecasting honesty vs. hockey-stick storytelling
• Cost control as the only true lever of certainty
• How marketing, sales, and finance should align around truth

Who this episode is for

• CMOs responsible for growth and budget accountability
• CROs managing optimistic pipelines
• Founders scaling through the messy middle
• CFOs pushing for financial rigor
• Operators tired of growth theater

About the guest

Jennifer Yousem is the Founder and CEO of iHeartEBITDA, a fractional CFO, controller, and bookkeeping firm serving mid-market companies. After years leading finance inside large media organizations, she now helps founders and leadership teams turn messy numbers into clear growth decisions—without the BS.

Links & resources

• iHeartEBITDA: https://iheartibda.com
• Learn more about Stacie Sussman & RevUp Advisory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staciesussman/

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E18: From CMO Confidence Gaps to AI Wake-Up Calls: My 2026 Predictions

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 02:00:00 -0500

In this solo episode of C-Suite Strategies, Stacie Sussman breaks down the five biggest trends she’s seeing as we head into 2026—starting with a surprising pattern: CMOs at $30M companies quietly fearing their next board meeting.

Stacie shares why brilliant marketing leaders are losing confidence in the C-suite, what’s driving the rising demand for clean attribution, and why most companies are wildly overestimating their AI maturity. She also unpacks how leaner teams will depend on stronger processes, and how consulting roles will evolve as AI becomes a core operating system rather than a shiny add-on.

If you’re a CMO, CRO, founder, or executive trying to scale without chaos, this episode offers a sharp, unfiltered look at what’s coming—and what it will take to stay ahead.

You’ll learn:
• Why the CMO confidence gap is widening
• The revenue language every marketing leader must master
• Why attribution is no longer optional
• The coming AI reality check for mid-market companies
• How lean operations and process excellence will drive growth
• The new consulting model: human expertise powered by AI

If you’re ready to build real capabilities instead of patching cracks, this episode is your roadmap for 2026.

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E17: The C-Suite Network Strategy: How to Land Your Next Role Before It’s Even Posted

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 01:00:00 -0500

Networking isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s a leadership strategy.

In this episode, Stacie Sussman sits down with Rachel Rozen, a former hospitality executive turned connection strategist, to break down how high-performing leaders can turn authentic relationships into career-defining opportunities before they ever start job-hunting.

Rachel shares how meeting 300 people in one year reshaped her career and how you can apply the same mindset to build a future-proof professional network.

Key Topics Covered:

How to reframe networking from transactional to transformational
The Three I’s Framework — Introduction, Invitation, Information — that keeps your network alive
Why your dormant connections might open your next door
How CMOs, CROs, and Founders can strengthen internal trust across teams
The right time to leave professional communities that no longer serve you
Practical outreach scripts to reconnect without the awkwardness

This conversation is a masterclass in turning “icky” networking into sticky, strategic relationship-building. The kind that gets you the meeting, the opportunity, or even the next C-Suite role.

Guest Links:

LinkedIn: Rachel Rozen
Website: Connection Catalyst
Apply to attend her NYC Executive & Entrepreneur Dinners

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E16: When the Math Isn't Mathing: Building Sales Teams That Actually Scale

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0400

In this episode of C-Suite Strategies, host Stacie Sussman sits down with Matt Austin, a seasoned sales leader with deep expertise in B2B growth and operational excellence. Together, they unpack what it truly takes to scale a business—from navigating the transition to a recurring revenue model to ensuring alignment across leadership and sales teams.

Matt shares lessons learned from years of leading global sales organizations, highlighting the importance of validating product-market fit, implementing structured sales processes, and embedding sales training into company culture. The conversation also explores team dynamics, leadership alignment, and how understanding the context behind every sales strategy can make or break growth efforts.

Whether you’re a CRO, CMO, or founder seeking clarity on how to scale sustainably, this episode delivers practical, grounded insights for driving consistent revenue and organizational alignment.

Key Takeaways
→ B2B leaders often feel stuck in their growth journey.
→ Scaling requires a deep understanding of team dynamics.
→ Validating product-market fit is crucial before scaling.
→ Implementing structured processes enhances sales effectiveness.
→ Sales training matters—for both new and experienced sellers.
→ Context behind sales strategies drives better execution.
→ Operational challenges can hinder growth if not addressed early.
→ Leadership alignment is the backbone of successful scaling.
→ Customer feedback should guide product development.
→ Revenue goals must be grounded in realistic math.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to C-Suite Strategies
02:16 Meet Matt Austin: A Sales Leader’s Journey
04:58 Scaling a Global Company: Insights from Experience
10:09 Understanding Team Dynamics and Initial Steps
12:03 Validating Product-Market Fit
17:15 Implementing Structure and Processes
21:11 Teaching Sales Methodologies: The Importance of Training
26:03 The Context of Sales Strategies
30:51 Navigating Operational Challenges
36:07 Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E15: Your Broken Foundations Is Killing Your AI Dreams

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 01:00:00 -0400

What if AI isn’t failing you—your broken business foundations are?

In this solo episode of C-Suite Strategies, Stacie Sussman, founder of RevUp Advisory, shares raw stories from the boardroom about why companies struggle to see real ROI from AI.

Here’s what you’ll hear:
• The $37M company with a marketing team stuck in Excel chaos for board reporting
• The “12-step content circus” that keeps marketing in approval purgatory
• The sales shuffle—bad data, fake leads, and wasted hours in Salesforce
• Why AI is an amplifier, not a savior (and what it can never fix)
• How RevUp Advisory maps workflows, patches the pipes, and builds real operational alignment
• What it takes for agentic AI to actually accelerate sales, marketing, and growth
• Why fixing workflows is the first step to successful AI implementation

The truth? AI can’t fix bad data hygiene, broken workflows, or toxic culture. It only makes the noise louder. But when your systems are aligned, strategies are clear, and teams are working on solid foundations—that’s when AI shifts from hype to becoming a true growth engine.

RevUp Advisory is trusted by growth-stage companies who’ve outgrown “good enough.”
We’re the team you call when sales is stuck, marketing isn’t converting, and ops can’t keep up. Led by Stacie Sussman and a team of experts you wish you called six months ago, RevUp realigns your go-to-market engine so growth stops feeling like a grind—and starts feeling like momentum.

Email Stacie: stacie@revupadvisory.com

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E14: Fix the Friction: How C-Suite Leaders Unlock Productivity and Profitability

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 01:00:00 -0400

What’s slowing your C-Suite down? Sometimes it’s not lack of ideas—it’s friction in your systems, people, and processes.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of C-Suite Strategies, host Stacie Sussman sits down with Jen Goldman, Founder of My Virtual COO, to explore how leaders can identify and fix the friction points holding back productivity and profitability. From rethinking team structure to visualizing organizational changes, Jen shares practical, neuroscience-backed tools for creating clarity, accountability, and momentum at the top levels of business.

What You’ll Learn:

Why most growth stalls aren’t about sales—they’re about operational cracks.
How visual tools help leaders make big changes without triggering fear.
The “parking lot” method for prioritizing initiatives without losing ideas.
How to set boundaries and manage energy for peak performance.
Why sustainable scaling means caring for your people through change.

Listen if you’re:

A C-Suite leader feeling bogged down by inefficiencies.
A founder ready to scale but facing resistance.
A leader who wants more flow, less chaos.

Referenced Apps & Tools

Fabulous App — habit-building app from Duke and Stanford research.
Lucid (Lucidchart) — for visual org design, flow mapping, and brainstorming.
Canva — for visual diagrams and creative layouts.
Brain.fm — focus music for deep work.
Gamma — presentation/proposal creation tool you use.

Books & Authors

Joe Dispenza — meditations (you specifically mentioned his guided meditations).
Robin Sharma — The 5 AM Club (mentioned as inspiration even though you’re a “6 AM-ish club” person).
Mel Robbins — Let Them (boundaries) and general coaching influence.
Greg McKeown — Essentialism (one focus line vs. many squiggles).
Gino Wickman — parking lot/Traction concepts (if you want to link to Traction by Gino Wickman).

Connect with Jen Goldman:

Website: My Virtual COO
Email: jenniferg@myvirtualcoo.com

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E13: Why Most Marketing Fails: You’re Tracking the Wrong Things

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 01:00:00 -0400

What if the reason your marketing isn't working... is because you're measuring the wrong things?

In this solo episode of C-Suite Strategies, Stacie Sussman, founder of RevUp Advisory, pulls back the curtain on one of the most common problems she sees in professional services, HR firms, and small businesses: spending heavily on marketing without knowing what’s actually driving results.

Most legacy companies are stuck tracking vanity metrics—likes, opens, impressions—while ignoring the micro-conversions that actually build revenue.

Stacie shares real examples from inside companies just like yours and reveals the root cause: disconnected systems, poor attribution, and siloed efforts that make scaling feel impossible.

This isn’t about more tools—it’s about better visibility.
If your funnel feels clunky, if your marketing isn’t converting, and if your sales team is stuck guessing… this episode will show you exactly where the cracks are in your foundation.

Here's what we cover:

• Why traditional marketing metrics are broken and misleading
• What micro-conversions are (and why they’re your growth unlock)
• How to stop relying on spreadsheets and gut feelings
• A real-life story of a $25M firm that transformed with simple visibility
• What attribution really means for non-SaaS companies
• Why you don’t need fancy dashboards—just the right signals
• How legacy businesses can build momentum with clarity, not chaos

RevUp Advisory is trusted by growth-stage companies who’ve outgrown “good enough.”
We’re the team you call when sales is stuck, marketing isn’t converting, and ops can’t keep up.

Led by Stacie Sussman and a team of experts you wish you called six months ago, RevUp realigns your go-to-market engine so growth stops feeling like a grind—and starts feeling like momentum.

Learn more: https://www.revupadvisory.com

Email Stacie: stacie@revupadvisory.com

Book a consult: https://calendly.com/revupadvisory/consult-call-with-revup-advisory

Follow Stacie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staciesussman/

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E12: Parenting with Purpose: Building Bonds and Navigating Modern Fatherhood

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 01:00:00 -0400

What happens when a successful executive realizes his six-figure salary is slowly killing his soul—and his relationship with his kids? Greg Garunov had the perfect life on paper: a suburban house, luxury cars, and two decades of success in the media industry. But behind the polished facade, he was drowning in the "Groundhog Day" cycle that traps so many working dads.

The wake-up call came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when remote work forced him to actually spend time with his children. That's when he discovered the brutal truth: having kids doesn't automatically make you a great father. Greg made the bold decision to leave his corporate career behind and build Millennial Prime, a thriving community that helps working dads master family work-life balance while pursuing parenting with a purpose.

This isn't another feel-good story about work-life balance. This is a raw, honest conversation about the loneliness epidemic plaguing successful fathers, the "golden handcuffs" that keep high-achievers trapped, and the revolutionary mindset shifts that transform both your business leadership and your family relationships.

Grab all the links and resources mentioned in this episode at

https://www.revupadvisory.com/podcast/parenting-with-purpose-greg-garunov

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E11: What Executive Recruiting Won't Tell You

Tue, 13 May 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Ready to uncover the brutal truth about why most executive hiring fails? In this explosive conversation with Conway Shui, veteran recruiter and co-founder of C&C Talent Partners, you'll discover the hidden secrets behind executive recruiting that companies don't want you to know. From Fortune 500 talent wars to startups chasing unicorn dreams, Conway reveals why "scale experience" is dangerously overrated and how a brief 60-minute cold email led to landing top leadership roles at CBS and Time Warner.

Stop waiting for the perfect opportunity to find you—start knocking on C-suite doors today. Whether you're stuck in your current role or ready to take the leap to executive leadership, remember that Conway landed at CBS through a single bold email.

Join our LinkedIn community to share your own bold career moves and discover how other leaders are navigating the real challenges of stepping into executive roles. Because in the game of executive recruiting, the boldest move is often the one that gets noticed.

Grab all the links and resources mentioned in this episode at

https://www.revupadvisory.com/podcast/executive-recruiting-with-conway-shui

Connect with Conway:
LinkedIn

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E10: How to Scale a Business: The GAB Method w/ Celi Arias

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 01:00:00 -0400

When was the last time your business's scaling strategy actually delivered results instead of just more work? In this game-changing episode of C-Suite Strategies, we're joined by scaling expert Celi Arias, creator of the revolutionary "Grown Ass Business" method that transformed our own company from plateaued to powerhouse. Celi isn't your typical business coach dishing out cookie-cutter advice. With 25+ years of hard-won experience starting from her childhood babysitting empire to building multiple 7-figure businesses, she reveals the uncomfortable truths about why most scaling attempts fail and what actually works.

Ready to stop following scaling advice that wasn't designed for YOUR business? Listen to this episode now, then visit grownassbusiness.com to discover how Celi's methodology could be the missing piece in your growth strategy.

See the show notes and resources mentioned in this episode at

https://www.revupadvisory.com/podcast/how-to-scale-a-business-gab-method-celi-arias

Connect with Celi:
LinkedIn

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E9: Proven Strategies for Scaling B2B Sales w/ Pasha Irshad

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Ready to scale your B2B marketing and sales from siloed struggles to seamless success? Join us for a power-packed episode with Pasha Irshad, co-founder of Shape and Scale and former VP who's helped scale giants like Samsung, Microsoft, and Databricks. With 16+ years in the trenches of B2B growth, Pasha reveals why your traditional sales funnel might be holding you back and what it really takes to scale marketing and sales efforts in today's rapidly evolving landscape.

Grab all the links and resources mentioned in this episode at

https://www.revupadvisory.com/podcast/scaling-b2b-marketing-sales-strategies

Connect with Pasha:

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E8: From Stuck to Unstoppable: Proven Strategies to Revitalize Executive Potential

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 01:00:00 -0500

Tired of playing small in the executive suite? Ready to shatter the ceiling of your leadership potential? In this game-changing episode of C-Suite Strategies, leadership powerhouse Stephanie Blair of Know and Flourish reveals the insider secrets to transforming from a high performer into an unstoppable executive force. Whether you're stepping into your first C-suite role or trying to amplify your leadership impact, this episode unveils the rarely-discussed realities of executive coaching and what it really takes to scale both your career and your organization.

Grab all the links and resources mentioned in this episode at:

https://www.revupadvisory.com/podcast/executive-potential-leadership-coaching

Connect with Stephanie:

https://knowandflourish.com/

linkedin.com/in/blairstephanie

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E7: The Power of Conscious Breathing and Self-Care for High-Performance Leadership

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 01:00:00 -0500

Get ready to take a transformative breath! Join Stacie and special guest Kathleen Booker, the “Jedi of Calm,” as they explore how conscious breathwork can elevate both corporate performance and personal well-being. Kathleen shares her wisdom on embracing calm in high-pressure environments, from the C-suite to the everyday grind, offering practical tools to find balance and clarity.

Breathwork is more than a relaxation tool—it’s a gateway to enhanced focus, better decision-making, and authentic self-leadership. Whether you're navigating boardroom challenges or balancing life’s many roles, this episode reveals the transformative power of breath. Tune in to learn how you can access your inner peace and unleash your full potential, one breath at a time.

Grab all the links and resources mentioned in this episode at

https://www.revupadvisory.com/podcast/conscious-breathing-and-high-performance-leadership

Connect with Kathleen Booker:
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube
Instagram

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E6: Cultural Transformation & Peak Performance w/ Therese Gedda

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 01:00:00 -0500

Cultural transformation impacts so much of a business. From increased revenue, to aligned action, to having the entire team on board—these are the benefits of creating a company culture that everyone is on board with. So… what steps do you need to take to begin this transformation? Therese Gedda joins me to discuss everything under the umbrella that is “company culture” to ensure not only your team is thriving, but also your organization as a whole!

Grab all the links and resources mentioned in this episode at

https://www.revupadvisory.com/podcast/cultural-transformation-and-peak-performance

Connect with Therese:
LinkedIn
Website

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E5: Startup Failure Reasons, Stories, & Lessons w/ Hector Forwood

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 01:00:00 -0500

Everyone knows about the flashy success stories of startups—but what about the startup failures? These are incredibly impactful and pretty traumatic events for founders where lots of important lessons are learned. I’m so grateful to be able to have this jam packed conversation with Hector Forwood about his startup failure. He’s amazingly forthcoming about where things went wrong, what he’d do differently, and even what he shares now with his coaching clients!

Grab all the links and resources mentioned in this episode at

https://www.revupadvisory.com/podcast/startup-failure-reasons-and-stories

Connect with Hector:
LinkedIn

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E4: The Power of Personal Branding w/ Patrice Poltzer

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Today’s conversation is all about the power of personal branding and strategic storytelling. Patrice Poltzer—a former Today Show producer who now helps entrepreneurs tell better stories for their businesses—is here with me! We’re talking about practical strategies for integrating your personal experience into your brand narrative, making your story feel heard and felt—in order to move people forward in your world.

Grab all the links and resources mentioned in this episode at

https://www.revupadvisory.com/podcast/the-power-of-personal-branding-and-storytelling

Connect with Patrice:

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E3: Building Scalable Systems for Entrepreneurs w/ Adam Judeh

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 03:00:00 -0400

When it comes to building a scalable business model, you need to have repeatable processes. And not just that—you need them to be automated. Yes, really! Impactful growth takes thought, strategy, and the right tools. But you don’t have to figure that out on your own! Adam Judeh is on the podcast today. He’s sharing about his background in operations in large corporations (think: burritos), a few of his pet peeves about the business operations industry, and some of his favorite tools. Save yourself time, effort, and money by listening to this conversation with Adam!

Grab all the links and resources mentioned in this episode at

https://www.revupadvisory.com/podcast/how-to-build-scalable-systems-for-entrepreneurs

Connect with Adam:
LinkedIn

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E2: How to Expand Your Professional Network w/ Julie Morris

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 02:00:00 -0400

If you’ve been wondering how to expand your professional network effectively—this conversation is for you! Networking is definitely an important part of working in corporate, but it’s critical to the success of entrepreneurs. I can guarantee you my consultancy firm would not be here 6 years later if it weren’t for the communities I’ve joined and the relationships I’ve built. Julie Morris joined me in sharing her journey and insights through professional networking. As the co-founder of DIY Influence, she has a unique perspective on what community builders and members can do better to make the most out of these experiences. Press play and enjoy!

Grab all the links and resources mentioned in this episode at

https://www.revupadvisory.com/podcast/ways-to-expand-professional-network

Connect with Julie:
LinkedIn

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

S1E1: Why Put People at the Center of Operations w/ Jennifer Yates

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 01:00:00 -0400

There are more than just systems and processes that go into business operations. If you don’t have people who adopt new processes or use suggested tools, you won’t get the data you need to make informed decisions for the growth of your company. That’s why I’m excited to have Jennifer Yates join me for this C-suite conversation! Jennifer shares her experience working on teams with members from a variety of cultural backgrounds, what questions you should be asking to get a sense of what’s working and what’s not, and her predictions for the future of operations. Tune into this episode and DM us with your takeaways!

Grab all the links and resources mentioned in this episode at

https://www.revupadvisory.com/podcast/operational-systems-centered-around-people

Connect with Jennifer:
LinkedIn
Website
Substack

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website

Welcome to C-Suite Strategies

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 16:00:00 -0400

Welcome to C-Suite Strategies, the podcast for B2B leaders navigating the messy middle of scaling. I'm Stacie Sussman, CRO at RevUp Advisory.

Let's face it: growing a business can be hard, frustrating, and frankly overwhelming. It often feels like your hair's on fire. That's why we're here.

Each episode, we dive deep with industry visionaries who've mastered the art of scaling companies. We'll share our extensive experience and unconventional wisdom to help you transform that overwhelming mess into strategic success.

Whether you're a seasoned exec or a founder in the trenches, C-Suite Strategies is your backstage pass to turning good companies into great ones. Because going at this with a team of experts feels so much better than going it alone.

Connect with Stacie:
Book a free growth consult
LinkedIn
Website