The playbook for modern marketing is being rewritten in real time. Anthony Kennada sits down with Jake Saper, General Partner at Emergence Capital — one of the earliest backers of category-defining companies like Salesforce, Zoom, and Gusto — to explore how AI, market velocity, and boardroom expectations are transforming what it means to be a CMO today.
Jake shares a front-row view of the AI-native startup era, where growth happens faster than ever, capital markets are “bananas,” and differentiation in a sea of sameness has never been harder — or more essential. Together, they unpack why creativity and humor matter in serious industries, why first-principles thinking is beating experience in the boardroom, and how great marketing leaders are re-potting themselves to thrive in a wickedly fast-moving era.
They also dig deep into ICP discipline, channel experimentation, and the surprising power of referrals over events in modern growth strategy — plus, yes, B2B musical theater.
Topics we cover:
– Why creativity and humor build human connection in tech
– How the CMO role is evolving in the AI-native era
– Why boards are favoring slope over experience
– Reinvention case study: Intercom and Finn
– The “bananas” early-stage funding environment
– ICP discipline as a marketing superpower
– Referrals vs. events: what the data actually says
– How great leaders re-pot themselves to thrive in change
If you’re a CMO, founder, or marketing leader staring down a new era, this conversation will give you both a playbook — and permission — to build differently.
What is The Brand Humanity Show?
Artificial Intelligence is rewriting every rule in business — and the old marketing playbook no longer works.
The Brand Humanity Show explores how B2B founders, CMOs, and operators can build brands that stay human in an age defined by machines — and how the humans behind those brands can stay grounded, creative, and whole while the world accelerates around them.
Hosted by Anthony Kennada and Scott Salkin, co-founders of Goldenhour, each episode features honest conversations with influential voices across business, technology, and culture — decoding what’s changing, what still matters, and how authenticity, emotion, and purpose become real competitive advantages.
Because in the age of AI, the most human brands — and leaders — will win.