B2Human Marketing, Brand Transformation, and Proving Value - with Sarah Roberts of Boldyn Networks

Ash Lockett hosts Babel’s Back to Brave podcast, welcoming guest, Sarah Roberts, a top marketing leader and former Global CMO of Boldyn Networks, discussing how to champion a B2Human mindset in B2B by focusing on customers’ ambitions, fears, and motivations, alongside their product requirements. Roberts explains, combining research, internal stakeholder input, and iterative customer dialogue to shape messaging, especially across M&A, where Boldyn unified multiple businesses under a single purpose (centered on an interconnected future). She describes bringing teams along on the rebrand journey, using AI-generated imagery to create a distinctive visual identity that also built credibility with engineers, while noting AI’s limits for repeatable style and originality. Roberts outlines the “grit work”, that marketing leaders can't avoid, as piloting foundational initiatives to build trust and gain internal advocates. She also details aligning marketing metrics to business strategy, by moving from vanity metrics to value metrics tied to true revenue outcomes.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

00:45 Sarah Roberts Background & Bio

02:04 What B2Human Means

04:48 Finding Human Insights

08:38 Listening and Iteration

09:43 Unifying Brands After M&A

12:56 Rebrand Change Management

17:09 Engineers and AI Credibility

22:12 Brand Versus Performance Trap

23:16 Grit Work and Pilots

27:16 Turning Naysayers Into Champions

30:32 Measuring Brand Value Metrics

35:42 Brand Metrics Beyond Campaigns

38:04 Dashboards to Business Alignment

39:21 Sales Marketing Metric Handoffs

42:16 AI Visual Identity Experiment

48:25 Originality Trust and Human Edge

53:26 Implementing AI Without Tool Sprawl

57:35 Quickfire Bravery Takeaways

01:01:23 Create Value Without Permission

01:03:38 Closing Thoughts and Thanks

Back2Brave is the podcast from Babel: the agency for B2B tech brands ready to move faster. We combine 20 years of deep sector insight with integrated creative strategies to help clients navigate risk and standout in crowded markets. With Babel, it’s safe to be brave.

Visit us at www.babelpr.com.