29. Fast data, slow data and the courage to decide with Frans Riemersma

Buying MarTech is easy. Deciding what you want it to do is the hard part, and AI has removed the last excuse for putting that decision off. Frans Riemersma, founder of MartechTribe, is back to swap notes with Emma Storbacka on use cases, scale and why outperformers do less.00:00 Introducing Frans Riemersma01:31 How value engineering became the focus07:13 A use case is not a capability14:43 Why scale is a leadership question19:06 Decide what you are actually trying to do27:53 What outperformers do differently34:25 Fast data and slow data38:23 AI turns everything into a decision45:08 Leadership, humility and emotions as data55:41 The CMO title and the machine from hell

Thirty percent of manufacturing companies won't survive the next wave of digital transformation. Antti Rantanen, Principal Consultant of Industrial AI at EFESO explains why, and what leaders need to do right now. From shop floor AI to the mindset shifts that separate survivors from casualties, this is a conversation about operational excellence, cross-functional collaboration, and the window that's closing fast.

Business wants to move fast. IT wants answers first. This tension is at the heart of most enterprise transformation efforts, and AI is forcing both sides to rethink how they work together.In this episode, Emma Storbacka talks with Rozita Sehat, former CIO at Dustin and business development leader at Telia, about why business and IT speak different languages, why data ownership sits with business (not IT), and what happens when AI agents become part of the workforce. Rozita also shares her most advanced AI hack: a meta-thinking partner she built in Claude to get smarter, not lazier.(00:38) Introduction and Rozita's background(07:30) Transformation and the importance of the human side(11:15) Business vs IT: why the struggle exists(12:14) Who owns the data and the processes?(15:25) Getting structured before going fast(17:26) The data question: is our data really that bad?(19:36) The future of the CIO role(22:59) The industrial revolution for knowledge work(25:04) Leading in uncertainty(28:05) Building diverse teams(30:11) AI hack: meta-thinking with Claude(33:09) Outro

With 15,000+ MarTech vendors to choose from, how do you decide what's right for your organization? In this episode, Emma Storbacka talks with Kalle Heinonen and Gustav Malmqvist about the big architectural question: platform or composable? They discuss how MarTech has evolved over the past 20 years, why so many companies are reconsidering their stack right now, and what role the data layer plays in all of this. The conversation also covers why metadata matters more than ever in the age of AI, and whether you can vibe code your own MarTech solution.Avaus.com(00:38) Intro(01:57) Introduction and backgrounds(07:51) How MarTech has evolved: from a handful of vendors to 20,000(12:22) Why companies are reconsidering their MarTech stack(16:31) Platform vs composable vs hybrid: the options(19:21) MACH principles and composable architecture explained(23:26) The benefits of a platform approach(28:28) The data layer as the source of truth(39:12) When platform ecosystems make sense(43:33) Can you be half composable and half platform?(45:57) Why metadata matters for AI and automation(52:02) Can you vibe code your own MarTech solution?(53:48) Where to find Kalle and Gustav

Why do most complex B2B deals fail? Not because of a competitor. Because of no decision at all.In this episode, we talk with Christopher Engman, founder of Njord and author of Megadeals, who shares the three-step formula behind Fortune 500 B2B companies, the psychology of how large organizations actually make buying decisions, and what happens when AI agents start joining sales meetings as buyers.(00:00) Intro(00:38) Introduction to Christopher Engman and Njord(03:18) The three-step formula behind every Fortune 500 B2B company(05:24) What is Njord: 20 systems, 5 roles, one platform(10:43) The services: stakeholder maps, targeted media, and AI-powered meeting intelligence(16:31) From Megadeals to Decidable: how to win vs where to play(19:58) The behavioral constraint line: why big decisions stall(20:54) Understanding complexity 4, 5, and 6: from multiple stakeholders to ecosystem sells(23:23) Why risk-carrying roles kill deals: no decision is the real enemy(30:37) The three gates to getting a decision: awareness, relevance, and safety(38:12) Concentric growth: why 80% of your energy should go to existing clients(46:47) The rainmaker dependency: why 6 out of 250 close the big deals(50:04) AI agents as buyers: what B2B sales looks like in two years(53:47) Where to find Christopher

Retail media is one of the hottest topics in marketing right now. But what does it actually take to build it from scratch inside an established organization?In this episode Christian Skaarud, Head of Media & Retail Media at Coop Norway, shares how he went from personalization expert to salesperson, why retail media competes with Google and Meta rather than trade marketing, and why in-store is set to become the biggest opportunity in the space. The conversation covers measurement technology, the privacy trade-off, change management, and why getting started matters more than getting it perfect.(00:00) Intro(00:37) Introduction and Christian's journey into retail media(03:30) What is retail media and first-party data(07:27) From trade marketing to media budgets(09:46) Becoming a salesperson in a new category(17:19) In-store screens and measurement technology(21:11) Navigating data privacy and consumer trust(24:10) The paradox of personalization in retail(27:10) Change management and getting the organization on board(30:19) Selling first, figuring out delivery later(34:30) Technology: the biggest battle ahead(40:32) Advice for getting started in retail media

In this episode, we talk with two of our Avaus colleagues, Claes Kaarni (Country Manager, Finland) and Gustav Malmqvist (Director of Technology), about why so many organizations are rethinking their MarTech stacks right now, and why the platform itself is rarely the real problem. The conversation covers what really needs to change, who should own this work, and the top mistakes to avoid.(00:37) Introduction to Claes and Gustav(02:33) Why MarTech modernization is happening now(08:49) Data, technology, and operating model: what really needs to change(13:55) The bike shedding problem: focusing on what actually matters(22:00) Design principles, leadership, and breaking silos(28:28) Who should own MarTech modernization(34:35) Top mistakes to avoid in MarTech modernization(36:42) Where to find Claes and Gustav

In this episode, we talk with Robin Lejonhuvud, independent advisor specializing in growth, marketing and commercial transformations, about navigating the chaos of marketing in 2026. Drawing from her experience at H&M and agencies like PhD and Omnicom, Robin reveals why every marketer feels one step behind and why that's actually normal. We explore what Western companies can learn from Chinese competitors' test-and-learn mentality, why blueprints fail but systematic ways of working succeed, and her 50% baseline approach. Stop doing everything on the surface and go deep on three things per quarter. With discipline and focus, you can achieve cultural change within six months.(00:00) Introduction to Robin's Background(04:00) Navigating Marketing Challenges in 2026(05:22) Learning from Chinese Competitors(09:19) The Importance of an Operating System in Marketing(18:28) The Balance of Strategic and Operational Skills(22:23) Creating Effective Structures for Teams(24:47) Prioritizing Goals in Marketing(28:18) Aligning Metrics and Business Goals(30:50) The Importance of Experimentation and Learning(33:51) Leadership in Times of Change(36:16) Finding Clarity Amidst Chaos(39:39) Final thoughts and advice  from Robin

In this episode, we talk with Frans Riemersma, founder of MartechTribe and co-author of the "MarTech for 2026" report about cutting through the AI hype. He reveals what's actually happening in marketing: 90% claim to use AI agents, but only 23% have them in production. Frans shares his brutally practical approach: forget the experiments, follow the money to your biggest customers and highest-margin products, focus on 2-4 journeys that drive 80% of revenue, and watch out for anyone stuck in "always/never" thinking.https://www.martechtribe.com/(00:38) - Introduction and Welcoming(01:33) - The MarTech Research on Agents: What is Going On?(04:50) - Agent Adoption: Hype vs. Reality(8:18) - From Technology Stack to Organizational Thinking(13:50) - The IT-Marketing Power Struggle and Why Marketing Lost the Boardroom(19:28) - Introducing Value Engineering: From Cost-Cutting to Revenue Growth(24:35) - Ownership and Experimentation(27:48) - Brand, Narrative, and the Hack, Pack, Stack methodology(39:26) - Customer Journey Ownership and Breaking Down Silos with Context(45:38) - Bringing Joy Back to Marketing and How to Connect with Frans

In this episode, we talk with Jerker Olofsson, VP Commercial Excellence at Alleima, about how systematic sales excellence can deliver 30-40% increases in order intake per salesperson. Drawing from 26 years at Atlas Copco, he explains why sales has been treated as a "black box" for too long, how to turn salespeople into their "Kobe Bryant" versions through structured processes, and why you need processes before you can automate or apply AI.His advice? Stop treating sales like magic and start treating it like the competitive sport it is.https://www.alleima.com/[00:00] Introduction and Background[02:34] Sales Excellence and Commercial Excellence[05:15] The Journey into Sales[07:26] The Importance of Sales[10:20] Sales Excellence Methodology[12:32] Framework for Commercial Excellence[14:18] Challenges in Sales Management[18:22] Driving Change in Sales[21:04] Centralization vs. Decentralization in Sales[24:41] The Future of Sales and AI[27:30] The Evolving Role of Salespeople[34:54] Building Customer Confidence[38:10] The Importance of Content in Sales[45:11] Future of Commercial Excellence[46:34] Measuring Success in Sales