Plugged In, Switched On.

Hosted by Splendid Group

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Latest episode

Jul 2026

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EN-AU

About the show

The conversations that matter in B2B Tech marketing Generated by Splendid Group If your career depends on how well you know how to do B2B marketing for technology brands, these are conversations you want to be in. We get some of the most interesting people in the field to tell us how (and why) they do what they do. We look at some of the core skills a marketer needs, pull them apart to see how they work (like a curious kid with a toaster) and wonder if they couldn’t be, y’know, “jazzed up” just a little bit. And we also pull back the curtain on how these teams and leaders operate, look at their day to day and see if we can’t steal a few ideas for our own operations. You’re more than welcome to listen in and steal a few ideas for yourself.

Listen to episodes

24 recent

July 12, 2026Episode 438 min

Have you found your voice at work? 20 Great Answers with Altynai Saralaeva of Acronis

Join your host and Executive Creative Director, Barrie Seppings , as he fires our ‘20 Questions’ at Altynai, uncovering why agencies are a great place to start your marketing career, why Spotify wrapped is so inspiring and how she discovered the power of speaking up. Welcome back to this month’s “ Plugged In, Switched On ” podcast from Splendid Group . The interview format at Plugged in, Switched On is very simple: we ask every guest the same 20 Questions and invariably we get 20 different (but always great) answers. Here are some of our favourites from our interview with Altynai Saralaeva : Who have you learned the most from in your career? What marketing tactics are you not doing anymore? How do you deal with almost constant change? What’s your secret weapon, as a marketer? Altynai Saralaeva has held several roles within leading organisations such as ATEED, UP Education, Megaphone Marketing and Oreta. These placements have enabled Altynai to develop not only specific Digital and Marketing industry experience but also valuable and transferable skill set in this fast-paced sector. Connect with Altynai on LinkedIn. Barrie Seppings is the Executive Creative Director of The Splendid Group and the host of Plugged In Switched On. Connect with Barrie on LinkedIn . Thanks for listening! If you want to learn more about Splendid Group , see some of our work or meet any of our people, visit splendidgroup.com

June 5, 2026Episode 336 min

Do you really want your marketing agency to tell you the truth? 20 Great Answers with Rebecca Beaty of Pleo

Join your host and Executive Creative Director, Barrie Seppings , as he fires our ‘20 Questions’ at Rebecca, uncovering why client agency relationships need more honesty, how a French fashion brand provides endless inspiration and how a trip to Dublin set up a career in Fintech. Welcome back to this month’s “Plugged In, Switched On” podcast from Splendid Group. The interview format at Plugged in, Switched On is very simple: we ask every guest the same 20 Questions and invariably we get 20 different (but always great) answers. Here are some of our favourites from our interview with Rebecca Beaty: Who have you learned the most from in your career? What marketing tactics are you not doing anymore? How do you deal with almost constant change? What’s your secret weapon, as a marketer? Rebecca Beaty is a passionate marketing leader with over 15 years of experience in marketing and sales, leading Pleo's demand generation engine to drive consistent and scalable growth across seven core markets. Her work focuses on creating and nurturing demand through a diverse portfolio of digital demand generation activities, with the support of a highly skilled team. Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn . Barrie Seppings is the Executive Creative Director of Splendid Group and the host of Plugged In Switched On. Connect with Barrie on LinkedIn . Thanks for listening! If you want to learn more about Splendid Group , see some of our work or meet any of our people, visit splendidgroup.com

May 14, 2026Episode 21 hr 5 min

Can you really do B2B marketing if you don’t understand sales? Great Answers with Danny Beck

Join your host and Executive Creative Director, Barrie Seppings , as he fires our ‘20 Questions’ at Danny Beck , uncovering why failures can be more valuable than success, why ‘watermelon metrics’ need to die and all about that one time he walked onstage in front of 2000 people, just as the power went off. Welcome back to this month’s “Plugged In, Switched On” podcast from Splendid Group. The interview format at Plugged in, Switched On is very simple: we ask every guest the same 20 Questions and invariably we get 20 different (but always great) answers. Here are some of our favourites from our interview with Danny Beck: Who have you learned the most from in your career? What marketing tactics are you not doing anymore? How do you deal with almost constant change? What’s your secret weapon, as a marketer? Danny Beck is a passionate marketing leader with 25 years experience across the APAC / ANZ technology landscape. He is both a strategist and tactician able to deliver omni-channel marketing programs to optimise pipeline progression against the funnel, a strong partnering mindset, and a passion for technology infrastructure. Barrie Seppings is the Executive Creative Director of The Splendid Group and the host of Plugged In Switched On. Connect with Barrie on LinkedIn . Thanks for listening! If you want to learn more about Splendid Group , see some of our work or meet any of our people, visit splendidgroup.com

March 26, 2026Episode 154 min

Could accessibility accelerate your marketing career? A deep dive into accessibility with Dr Alaina Beaver and Aileen Hackett of ServiceNow

Join your host, Barrie Seppings, Executive Creative Director, as he sits down with Dr Alaina Beaver, Global Head of Accessibility Customer Engagement, and Aileen Hackett, Director of Accessibility Product Management at ServiceNow. Together, they reveal how ServiceNow is embedding accessibility from the very start of the design process, why the looming “retirement cliff” is turning inclusive technology into a survival strategy for governments, and how a snowboarding accident proved that any of us can become reliant on accessibility features overnight. Welcome back to this month’s “Plugged In, Switched On” podcast from Splendid Group. The ‘Deep Dive’ format at Plugged In Switched On gives us a closer look into a specialist topic within tech marketing, with highly-experienced guests who have pioneered the space. Dr. Alaina Beaver is ServiceNow's Global Head of Accessibility Customer Engagement, bringing over a decade of experience in digital accessibility and inclusive design. She chairs the Accessibility Product Advisory Council, a collaborative initiative that brings together customers to innovate on ServiceNow's products and influence the development roadmap. LinkedIn Aileen Hackett is Director of Product Management for Accessibility at ServiceNow, where she leads the development and implementation of accessibility features across the ServiceNow platform. With extensive experience in product management, design systems, and accessibility strategy, Aileen is dedicated to creating inclusive software that meets the diverse needs of enterprise users. LinkedIn Barrie Seppings is the Executive Creative Director of The Splendid Group and the host of Plugged In Switched On. Connect with Barrie on LinkedIn . Thanks for listening! If you want to learn more about Splendid Group , see some of our work or meet any of our people, visit splendidgroup.com

December 22, 2025Episode 944 min

How can you find the truth when everything is in flux? 20 Great Answers with Philip Meyer, Founder & CEO of Catalyst 345

Philip Meyer , Founder & CEO 345 Catalyst, may have “left the house” but he’s definitely still part of the Microsoft family, taking his three and half decades of expertise into the world of training and consulting. Join your host and Executive Creative Director Barrie Seppings as he quizzes Philip with ‘20 Questions’, uncovering how a stressful blood pressure exam led him into IT, why you should keep your kids ‘poor and busy’ and why you shouldn’t trust commercial AI with your business data. Welcome back to this month’s “Plugged In, Switched On” podcast from Splendid Group. The interview format at Plugged In Switched On is very simple: we ask every guest the same 20 Questions and invariably we get 20 different (but always great) answers. Here are some of our favourites from our interview with Philip Meyer, CEO of 345 Catalyst : What did Philip at school think he was going to go and do? If you had your time again, but you couldn't do anything in technology or marketing, what would be your dream job? Was there a moment in your career where it became clear that you just learned a very valuable lesson? What's the underrated idea or tactic that you think is ripe for a comeback? What's the most unexpected situation you found yourself in thanks to work? Philip Meyer has over 47 years of experience in the computer software industry and 34 at Microsoft. He’s now a Partner Technology Strategist, where he helps service providers architect secure, scalable, and hybrid solutions based on Microsoft technologies. Philip has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Science and Marketing from University of Technology, Sydney, and a Modern Marketer certification in Business and Marketing Strategy. LinkedIn Barrie Seppings is the Executive Creative Director of The Splendid Group and the host of Plugged In, Switched On. Connect with Barrie on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening! If you want to learn more about Splendid Group , see some of our work or meet any of our people, visit splendidgroup.com

October 30, 2025Episode 845 min

How to fix your imperfect partner marketing program? Find out in this deep dive with Claudia Byrnes and Tina Semple of Splendid Group

Join your host and Executive Creative Director Barrie Seppings as he ventures into the ‘imperfect world’ of Partner Marketing with two expert guides: Claudia Byrnes and Tina Semple of Splendid Group. We’re diving deep into the opportunities, challenges and sometimes tensions that arise when partner marketing programs hit the turbulence called ‘reality’. Welcome back to this month’s “Plugged In, Switched On” podcast from Splendid Group. This ‘deep dive’ episode of Plugged In, Switched On takes us into the world of partner marketing. Some say It's a dark art. Some say it's an intricate web. We say all of those things. (And we should know). Splendid Group has been working on partner, disti and vendor management for over 10 years and this episode with a couple of leaders from our business will shine a light on the current state of partner marketing: what’s working, where the opportunities are and why diplomacy is the single greatest skill you can have. So, if it's an area that you work in or an area you think you'd like to move your career into, stick around. This episode is going to be great for you. Claudia Byrnes is the Group Account Director at Splendid Group, a Global B2B Technology Marketing Agency. As part of her role, Claudia helps both tech vendors and their partner teams to build their company’s brand, grow demand for their products and drive market outperformance. LinkedIN Tina Semple leads the partner and media team at Splendid Group, a Global B2B Technology Marketing Agency, helping both tech vendors and their partner teams to build their company’s brand, grow demand for their products and drive market outperformance. LinkedIN Barrie Seppings is the Executive Creative Director of The Splendid Group and the host of Plugged In, Switched On. Connect with Barrie on LinkedIN. Thanks for listening! If you want to learn more about Splendid Group , see some of our work or meet any of our people, visit splendidgroup.com

September 19, 2025Episode 747 min

How many people have you helped get what they want? 20 Great Answers with Patrick Pathinathan, Global Client Director at ServiceNow

Join your host and Executive Creative Director Barrie Seppings as he asks Patrick our patented ‘20 Questions’ and uncovered the power of curiosity, what it takes to mentor 1000 people and how he learnt to speak his mind, even when no-one is asking. Welcome back to this month’s “Plugged In, Switched On” podcast from Splendid Group. The interview format at Plugged In, Switched On is very simple: we ask every guest the same 20 Questions and invariably we get 20 different (but always great) answers. Here are some of our favourites from our interview with Patrick: How do you cope with the rapid pace of change in the tech business? What’s the one moment ion your career you wish you could re-do? How do you maintain a healthy lifestyle in such a demanding role? What’s the one thing that’s gone on for too long in this industry? Patrick Pathinathan is a highly accomplished Sales Director and Non-Executive Board Director with a proven track record of driving revenue growth, building high-performance teams, and delivering transformative outcomes for clients. His expertise lies in the financial services sector, Mutual Banking, Mining and not-for-profit sector. He is currently a Global Client Director at ServiceNow. LinkedIn Barrie Seppings is the Executive Creative Director of The Splendid Group and the host of Plugged In, Switched On. Connect with Barrie on LinkedIn . Thanks for listening! If you want to learn more about Splendid Group , see some of our work or meet any of our people, visit splendidgroup.com

August 21, 2025Episode 640 min

What would your career look like if you knew you couldn’t fail? 20 Great Answers with Dorota Martinez, Head of Marketing for ANZ for Tech Data

Join your host and Executive Creative Director Barrie Seppings as he asks Dorota our patented ‘20 Questions’, uncovering how working for a toxic boss made her a better leader today, why a walk in nature is part of her daily ritual and what you do when you arrive in a new country with only 500 pounds and you don’t even speak the language. Welcome back to this month’s “Plugged In, Switched On” podcast from Splendid Group. The interview format at Plugged In Switched On is very simple: we ask every guest the same 20 Questions and invariably we get 20 different (but always great) answers. Dorota Martinez is the Head of Marketing for Tech Data ANZ. Connect with Dorota on LinkedIn . Barrie Seppings is the Executive Creative Director of The Splendid Group and the host of Plugged In, Switched On. Connect with Barrie on LinkedIn . Thanks for listening! If you want to learn more about Splendid Group , see some of our work or meet any of our people, visit splendidgroup.com

June 26, 2025Episode 538 min

What happens when you learn to get out of your own way? 20 Great Answers with Molly MacDiarmid, APAC Head of Marketing, Crayon.

Join your host and Executive Creative Director Barrie Seppings as he quizzes Molly with our patented ‘20 Questions’, uncovering how working for bad managers can be a good thing, why ‘romantasy’ can be like therapy and the one ‘female trait’ that can be a career killer. Welcome back to this month’s “Plugged In, Switched On” podcast from Splendid Group. The interview format at Plugged In, Switched On is very simple: we ask every guest the same 20 Questions and invariably we get 20 different (but always great) answers. Here are some of our favourites from our interview with Molly MacDiarmid: What’s the one moment in your career you wish you could undo? How do you create your work / life balance? What’s the best way to cope with constant change? How did the pandemic lockdowns change your approach to work? Molly MacDiarmid is the Crayon APAC head of marketing, a dedicated and motivated professional specialising in B2B & Channel marketing in the IT industry. Connect with Molly on LinkedIn Barrie Seppings is the Executive Creative Director of The Splendid Group and the host of Plugged In, Switched On. Connect with Barrie on LinkedIn . Thanks for listening! If you want to learn more about Splendid Group , see some of our work or meet any of our people, visit splendidgroup.com

May 15, 2025Episode 451 min

Would you have the courage to fire yourself? 20 Great Answers with Stephanie Challinor, General Manager of Customer Experience and Alliances for AC3.

Join your host and Executive Creative Director Barrie Seppings as he asks Stephanie our famous ‘20 Questions’ on the podcast. We get to discover what makes her brain explode, why she took up power lifting and all about that time she decided it was time for her to ‘just go’. Welcome back to this month’s “Plugged In, Switched On” podcast from Splendid Group. The interview format at Plugged In, Switched On is very simple: we ask every guest the same 20 Questions and invariably we get 20 different (but always great) answers.. Here are some of our favourite questions from our interview with Stephanie: How can marketing gain a strategic seat at the leadership table? What’s the biggest misconception about marketing in the IT industry? How do you balance the thrill of trying something new with the fear of failure? What’s your perspective on the hype surrounding AI in marketing? What’s your superpower in your role, and how do you leverage it? Also on this episode, Stephanie dives into two classic books by Peter Drucker: Managing Oneself and The Practice of Management . She breaks down how Managing Oneself helps you discover your strengths, understand what drives you, and focus on what you do best. It’s all about finding clarity and purpose. Then, she unpacks The Practice of Management , where Drucker famously said, “The purpose of a business is to create and keep the customer.” Stephanie shows how these insights aren’t just for business leaders—they’re for anyone who wants to grow and make a real impact. Whether you're thinking about your next career move or your business strategy, this episode is packed with wisdom to help you level up. Tune in and get inspired! Stephanie Challinor is the General Manager of Customer Experience and Alliances for AC3 has been working in the technology sector for the entirety of her career. Her guiding principle in business is to "come up with ideas and grow businesses". She is currently the executive sponsor and founder of Rise Up, a group for women at AC3 to connect, share, learn and better themselves. Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn Barrie Seppings is the Executive Creative Director of The Splendid Group and the host of Plugged In Switched On. Connect with Barrie on LinkedIn . Thanks for listening! If you want to learn more about Splendid Group , see some of our work or meet any of our people, visit splendidgroup.com