Mark Bliss: Solving Sales + Marketing Alignment One Modern Team at a Time.

On this episode of Tea Time with Tech Marketing Leaders, guest host Elijah Drown fills in for Kerry Guard (temporarily voiceless but still producing from the sidelines) and chats with Mark Bliss, VP of Marketing at Sutra AI. The topic? All things go-to-market: aligning sales and marketing, building smarter ABM campaigns, and using AI without losing your mind—or your budget.

Mark shares hard-won lessons from his journey as a five-time GTM leader, including what most teams get wrong about attribution, why “Wake the Dead” campaigns are his go-to ABM move, and how to stop chasing perfect and start shipping. He also drops tips for building stronger marketing teams, pushing back on unrealistic KPIs, and staying creative in an AI-first world.

If you’re curious how podcasting fits into ABM (spoiler: it works), Mark breaks down how his own show, GTM After Hours, opens doors, starts real conversations, and even helps guests land jobs. He also shares why marketers and sales teams need to celebrate wins together—and how a quarterly bonus and a well-timed compliment can go a long way.

This show is powered by MKG Marketing, a digital agency helping cybersecurity and data-driven brands grow revenue without wasting spend.

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Come for the GTM talk, stay for the fake webinars, 8-track tapes, and rapid-fire theme song questions. Whether you're leading a team or just getting your footing, this episode is stuffed with insight and personality.

• (00:00) - Introduction to Marketing Leadership and AI
• (03:13) - The Importance of Storytelling in Marketing
• (05:45) - Transitioning from Doing to Inspiring in Marketing
• (08:57) - Understanding Data and Attribution Models
• (11:57) - Setting Realistic KPIs and Targets
• (15:03) - Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Strategies
• (18:05) - Creative Campaigns and Engagement Techniques
• (20:51) - Leveraging AI in Marketing
• (24:06) - Hiring for Creativity vs. Experience
• (26:18) - Creative Thinking in Interviews
• (27:15) - Sales and Marketing Alignment
• (28:45) - Empathy in Marketing and Sales
• (30:46) - The Role of AI in B2B Marketing
• (33:50) - Effective Outbound Strategies
• (35:41) - Building Relationships through Podcasting
• (38:14) - Leveraging Podcasting for Sales
• (41:32) - Challenges of Podcasting in B2B
• (43:32) - The Importance of Action in Marketing
• (49:19) - Learning from Failures in Leadership
• (53:10) - Finding Balance in a Fast-Paced World