Last week in B2B: Marc Benioff bets on AI reps, CMOs evolve, HubSpot goes all-in on AI in inbound, and more

Hey B2B folks,

Last week felt like a strategy masterclass.

HubSpot’s $25B playbook got unpacked, Canva’s growth to $4B ARR came with hard-won lessons, and Stripe showed us what a $1.4T platform strategy looks like.

Meanwhile: Google’s antitrust ruling could reshape SEO, Marc Benioff swears by AI SDRs, and everyone’s suddenly talking about “AI credits.”

Additionally, new GTM benchmarks, destination content in the zero-click era, and a growth model that might just surpass freemium.

Let’s get into the best from last week, but first, a quick story.

And now, let’s get into the best stuff from the last week:

• AI-driven vs. traditional GTM strategy: A head-to-head breakdown
  What happens when you run an AI-native GTM next to a traditional one? This breakdown shows the differences in speed, cost, and results. [Read the analysis]
  

• From zero to $25B in 17 years: HubSpot’s domination strategy
  How HubSpot turned inbound marketing into a category, a movement, and a $25B company. [Check the story]
  

• New GTM benchmark: why you need to break through 120% NRR
  A fresh benchmark report shows the new standard for B2B growth is 120% NRR. Here’s how teams are getting there. [See the data]
  

• Creative people will be at the heart of marketing’s AI revolution
  AI can write, design, and automate. But creativity is still the edge. Here’s why marketers who think differently will win. [Read the piece]
  

• Why everyone’s switching to AI credits
  Tokens, credits, and consumption models. AI economics are evolving. Here’s what that means for SaaS pricing and packaging. [Read more]
  

• Do AI SDRs work? Marc Benioff says yes
  Salesforce’s CEO claims AI reps already outperform humans in parts of the funnel. Here’s what that means for your sales org. [Check the insight]
  

• The changing role of the CMO (and what it means for growth)
  CMOs are moving from brand stewards to growth architects. Here’s how the role is shifting in 2025. [Read here]
  

• HubSpot debuts a new AI playbook at Inbound
  Content marketing is wobbling, but HubSpot is betting big on AI. Here’s what’s inside their new playbook. [Full breakdown]
  

• Destination content: A lifeboat in the Google zero era
  If Google keeps killing clicks, the only safe bet is to make content people seek out directly. Here’s how to do it. [Read the guide]
  

• SaaS at scale: Lessons from Canva’s $0 to $4B ARR journey
  Cliff Obrecht breaks down the mistakes, pivots, and plays that took Canva from nothing to $4B ARR. [See the story]
  

• The growth model that beats freemium and free trials
  Freemium isn’t always the best move. This playbook examines a model that outperforms in SaaS growth. [Read the breakdown]
  

• Will Google’s antitrust ruling impact your SEO strategy?
  Google’s search monopoly is under fire. Here’s what the ruling means for marketers and future traffic. [Full analysis]
  

• Stripe’s $1.4T platform strategy
  Stripe’s quietly building the rails for the internet’s economy, here’s how they got to a $1.4T payments ecosystem. [See the breakdown]

The Secret To Building B2B Brands That Stand Out | Colin Campbell

Colin is one of the most inspiring marketers I have ever had a chance to talk with. He’s currently leading content and community at Pixis, and previously led Saleshacker at Outreach.

Just some of the things we covered in the episode:

• SaaS commoditization and 4Ps - why you can’t out-promote anyone

• How to stand out with authority and conversation-led content

• How to crack crowded categories with content

• How to turn a company into a media brand

• Inside Saleshacker → how their operations and content systems looked

• Should you build or buy a media company?

• and more…

Listen to the episode on your favorite podcasting platform:

• YouTube

• Spotify

• Apple Podcasts

Guys, that’s a wrap for this week!

See you next Monday 🙂 

Cheers,
Ugi - Founder at ContentMonk & Ops24.ai