Earlier this year, we asked you who the up-and-coming folks in B2B were.
We got your answers – the movers and shakers in communications, technology, HR, supply chain, marketing and more, as well as business leaders who are poised to have a big year.
We came up with a shortlist of six people who are set to influence, shape or change the world of B2B this year. These people are generating new ideas, working on something innovative and have new things to say. In short, they deserve some attention.
Here’s our quick guide to the most interesting, innovative and professional B2B people to watch.
Who he is: Stephan Hovnanian
What he does: Content Solutions Architect at Bambu by Sprout Social
Follow him on Twitter: @stephanhov
The content solutions architect at Bambu – a much talked-about employee advocacy platform that gives people a simple way to share curated, pre-approved content across their social networks – Hovnanian works with B2B companies to develop creative, engaging content strategies for their advocacy programs that their employees and brand champions find valuable and easy to share.
Hovnanian spent his career managing most facets of online marketing for his own company, Shovi Websites – a Boston-area-based email marketing and web consultancy – before joining Bambu by Sprout Social. (Sprout Social is a social media management tool created to help businesses grow their social media presence.)
At Shovi Websites, he worked with B2B brands who were transitioning to customer-centric marketing strategies, by revitalizing the relationships they have with their audiences and empowering them.
Specializing in social media management, engagement, analytics, social media ROI, marketing, and team collaboration, Hovnanian creates employee advocacy solutions for customers at Bambu. “I revel in the challenge of developing and executing programs that bring companies in sync with the expectations of today’s savvy customers,” he said on his LinkedIn profile. “And that’s what I do at Bambu.”
Who he is: Jonathan Faber
What he does: Founder, Managing Partner and General Counsel – Luminary Group LLC & Attorney, McNeely Stephenson
Follow him on Twitter: @faberlaw
For the last 10-plus years, Faber has been the founder, managing partner and general counsel of Luminary Group, LLC, a licensing and consulting agency that specializes in representing brands and personalities in the licensing industry.
He also provides expert witness and consulting services on a regular basis, specializing in infringement valuations, business transactions like licensing and acquisitions, litigation support, right of publicity analysis, counsel and representation and trademark analysis, counsel and representation.
Faber has represented over 200 rights owners, including Marilyn Monroe, Vince Lombardi, Princess Diana, Chuck Berry, I(Love)NY, the Beverly Hills Sports Council, and Jesse Owens. He was previously a director at Sommer Barnard (now Taft) where he was Chair of the Licensing Group and a member of the Intellectual Property and Business Law groups. He has also served as a speaker at industry conferences.
Who she is: Shauna Arnott
What she does: Producer and Lead Planner at Haste and Hustle
Follow her on Twitter: @Shaunaclaire
A graduate of the Leadership Niagara program, Arnott has a passion for digital media and has focused much of her education and energy in this area. She is the producer and lead planner for Haste and Hustle, Canada’s most anticipated marketing event and a social-first sales and marketing conference that was held in Niagara-on-the-Lake this past February 2017. The two-day event was designed to inspire explore the alignment of sales and marketing and full of transformative and actionable marketing insights that proved valuable for marketing and sales professionals.
Although Haste and Hustle was a new event, it was chock-full of high-profile keynote speakers, including entrepreneur and VaynerMedia founder Gary Vaynerchuk; Casey Neistat, YouTuber and co-founder of mobile video platform Beme; Manjit Minhas, entrepreneur and CBC’s Dragons’ Den judge; Jon Dick, VP of marketing at HubSpot; Erin Bury, managing director at Toronto-based creative agency 88 Creative; Marc Saltzman, one of the most recognized technology evangelists in North America; Giovanni Marsico, founder of Archangel, a community of entrepreneurs dedicated to making the world a better place through purpose-driven entrepreneurship and philanthropy; Pfizer product manager and author Greg Murray; award -winning entrepreneur Fay Chapple; Paul Copcutt, one of the world’s top personal brand strategists; Alan Smithson, CEO of MetaVRse ; Allie Hughes, founder and owner of Hughes & Co., a large-scale provider of best-in-class digital marketing to global brands and Chris Buttenham, founder and CEO of Tasytt.
Who she is: Kathy Baughman
What she does: Content Supply Chain and Social Business Expert and Member of the Board of Directors with Word of Mouth Marketing Association
A content supply chain and social business expert with expertise in B2B, B2C and employee programs, Baughman is widely considered to be a visionary who looks at challenges in unique ways that result in innovative solutions.
Specializing in content strategy, influencer marketing, online communities, social media, branding, advocate identification and activation, customer and employee engagement, social media measurement and customer experience, Baughman co-founded HLB Communications over 30 years ago to offer strategic counsel and incubate a variety of other businesses. In 2011, HLB Communications merged with ComBlu Inc., a leading content strategy and social business firm, which specializes in helping companies maximize engagement to influence decisions and build brand advocacy.
Baughman is also the author of two ebooks: Content Supply Chain and Alchemy of Content.
Who she is: Samantha Stone
What she does: Founder and Chief Marketing Officer, The Marketing Advisory Network and author of Unleash Possible
Find her on Twitter: @SamanthaStone
A revenue catalyst who helps unleash the possible in organizations that have complex selling processes, Samantha Stone is a B2B marketing junkie, author, speaker, consultant and persona coach.
Stone has launched go-to-market initiatives and led marketing strategies for award-winning, high-growth companies including Netezza, SAP, Ascential Software and Powersoft. In 2012, she founded The Marketing Advisory Network to help savvy business leaders unleash the possible within their enterprises.
In October 2016, her book Unleash Possible was released to further spark new possibilities for businesses looking to grow faster or more efficiently. (B2BNN ran an excerpt from Unleash Possible in December)
Who she is: Sheryl Brown
What she does: Director of the Business Development Analyst Team and Social Media Engagement Manager at Ash Brokerage Corp.
Follow her at: @BionicSocialite
At Ash Brokerage, Brown works with financial advisors, certified financial planners, registered reps, wealth managers, and other advisors with the goal of ensuring financial service professionals are well-positioned in their communities and making an impact.
