WBSRocks: Scaling Growth with AI, Enterprise Software, and Digital Transformation

Hosted by Sam Gupta

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Episodes

865

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-US

About the show

WBSRocks podcast features in-depth conversations on AI-enabled business models, customer experience, digital transformation, supply chain, eCommerce, industry 4.0, and enterprise software categories such as CRM, ERP, or analytics suites. The purpose of the show is to help CFOs, COOs, CEOs, and business owners with their daily commercial, operational, or financial challenges by taking a deep dive into business cases and processes, technology strategy and architecture, transformation initiatives, and business models. The show also offers an independent analysis of technology trends, various enterprise software vendors and solutions, and their mergers and acquisitions. Subscribe today to stay on top of digital transformation trends!

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60 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 86759 min

WBSP867: Scale Growth by Learning from Enterprise Software Stories - Apr 2026, Ep 55, an Objective Panel Discussion

Send us Fan MailThis week’s enterprise software developments further demonstrate how rapidly vendors are embedding agentic AI, governed automation, and composable data architectures into core enterprise workflows. Rootstock Software strengthened its manufacturing and warehouse execution strategy through the acquisition of Ascent Solutions, while Anaplan expanded its AI planning portfolio with CoModeler, Custom Analyst, and Agent Studio to accelerate enterprise planning automation. In the go-to-market space, Apollo.io acquired Pocus to build a more agentic revenue operations stack, and Zapier partnered with Rillet to connect general ledger workflows with thousands of operational applications. Meanwhile, Databricks introduced Lakewatch as an open, agentic SIEM platform built on the lakehouse architecture, and Oracle launched Fusion Agentic Applications designed to place coordinated AI agents directly inside ERP workflows. Governance and enterprise trust also emerged as central themes, with Relyance AI unveiling Lyo to monitor how AI agents interact with enterprise data, while Salesforce introduced AI Foundry to operationalize research into enterprise-ready AI models. Finally, Spade raised significant funding to transform messy transaction strings into finance-grade AI data, reinforcing how semantic normalization and governed enterprise context are becoming foundational to the next generation of AI-native enterprise systems.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hekHpEgI0zMQuestions for Panelists?🔗Sam Gupta: linkedin.com/in/samguptausa/🔗Robert Kramer: linkedin.com/in/robert-kramer-58239b22/🔗Charles Brennan: linkedin.com/in/charles-brennan-048901132/🔗Donald Farmer: linkedin.com/in/donalddotfarmer/🔗Kenneth ("Kengon") Gonzalez: linkedin.com/in/kengon/Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

June 15, 2026Episode 86624 min

WBSP866: Scale Growth by Learning the Top Automotive ERP Systems in 2026 w/ Sam Gupta

Send us Fan MailThe automotive ERP market remains one of the most operationally complex and ecosystem-driven segments within enterprise software in 2026, making ERP selection highly dependent on business model alignment, manufacturing architecture, and supplier ecosystem participation. Automotive ERP spans organizations of all sizes, from emerging EV startups to global OEMs and multi-tier suppliers, yet the operational requirements across OEMs, Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 manufacturers differ dramatically in terms of compliance, traceability, production strategies, quality management, and supply chain coordination. As a result, no single ERP platform universally fits every automotive environment. One of the most important evaluation criteria is understanding whether an organization operates in a manufacturing execution-centric model—where MES integration, plant-floor coordination, machine connectivity, and real-time production visibility dominate—or a more ERP-centric model focused on procurement orchestration, forecasting, compliance management, and financial coordination. In addition, major automotive ecosystems such as Toyota, Honda, Ford, BMW, and Tesla often impose highly specialized supplier collaboration standards, EDI frameworks, and operational protocols that shape ERP vendor alignment strategies. While these ecosystem-specific optimizations can create strong operational fit within certain automotive networks, they may also introduce challenges when organizations expand across different supplier ecosystems, making historical industry alignment and ecosystem depth critical factors during ERP evaluation.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top automotive ERP systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these ERP systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each ERP system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k5ObVkvPMoRead: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/automotive-erp-systems/Questions for Panelists?🔗Sam Gupta: linkedin.com/in/samguptausa/r-58239b22/Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

June 10, 2026Episode 8651 hr 1 min

WBSP865: Scale Growth by Understanding How to Make Legacy Data SAP-Ready, an Objective Panel Review

Send us Fan MailModernizing SAP environments requires far more than executing a software upgrade or signing a new licensing agreement. Organizations migrating to SAP S/4HANA or consolidating multiple regional ERP systems into SAP often face significant risks tied to fragmented legacy data models, inconsistent master data, and undocumented transformation logic that can undermine production cutover readiness. In this session, SNP CTO Steele Arbeeny explains how Kyano Crossway supports legacy-to-SAP conversion programs beyond traditional ETL approaches by governing the entire data conversion lifecycle. Rather than treating migration as isolated data loads, Crossway structures and manages mapping logic, transformation rules, validation workflows, and traceability controls to ensure transparency and audit confidence throughout the process. As a result, organizations gain visibility into what changed, why it changed, and whether the transformed data is fully prepared for production deployment within a governed SAP-ready architecture.Video: https://www.elevatiq.com/events-and-webinars/legacy-sap-workloads-readiness-turning-legacy-data-into-sap-ready-data/Questions for Panelists?🔗Sam Gupta: linkedin.com/in/samguptausa/🔗Dr. Steele G Arbeeny: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steelearbeeny/Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

June 9, 2026Episode 86459 min

WBSP864: Scale Growth by Learning from Enterprise Software Stories - Apr 2026, Ep 54, an Objective Panel Discussion

Send us Fan MailThis week’s enterprise software announcements further confirm that the market is rapidly converging around agentic AI, semantic intelligence, and autonomous workflow orchestration. Blue Yonder introduced new AI agents and mobile applications aimed at strengthening supply chain execution and frontline operations, while Zendesk expanded its AI customer service strategy through the acquisition of Forethought. Actian launched an AI analyst designed to convert business glossaries into a live semantic layer, highlighting the growing importance of governed enterprise context for AI-native operations. Meanwhile, ActiveCampaign and Contentsquare announced new capabilities focused on customer engagement and digital experience intelligence. On the enterprise planning side, Anaplan expanded its AI planning portfolio with CoModeler, Custom Analyst, and Agent Studio, while Oracle continued embedding coordinated AI agents directly inside Fusion ERP workflows through its new Fusion Agentic Applications initiative. In parallel, Apollo.io acquired Pocus to strengthen its agentic go-to-market stack, Databricks introduced Lakewatch as an open agentic SIEM platform built on the lakehouse architecture, and Rootstock Software acquired Ascent Solutions to deepen its manufacturing and warehouse execution capabilities.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksS15kccXPcQuestions for Panelists?🔗Sam Gupta: linkedin.com/in/samguptausa/🔗Robert Kramer: linkedin.com/in/robert-kramer-58239b22/🔗Shashi Bellamkonda: linkedin.com/in/sbellamkonda/🔗Brian Jackson: linkedin.com/in/urbanpaddler/🔗Michael Fauscette: linkedin.com/in/mfauscette/Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

June 8, 2026Episode 86321 min

WBSP863: Scale Growth by Learning the Top Construction ERP Systems in 2026 w/ Sam Gupta

Send us Fan MailThe construction ERP market remains one of the most fragmented and industry-specific segments within enterprise software, making ERP selection particularly challenging in 2026. Before evaluating the top construction ERP systems, organizations must recognize that construction ERP extends far beyond large commercial contractors alone. The category includes a wide range of operational models, including general contractors, specialty trades, engineering and infrastructure firms, developers, public sector construction organizations, property maintenance providers, and real estate-focused businesses. These organizations vary significantly in project complexity, compliance requirements, subcontractor coordination, procurement workflows, field operations, and financial structures. As a result, construction ERP systems differ substantially in their project accounting models, job costing depth, resource scheduling capabilities, document management workflows, and field-service integration, making industry alignment and operational fit far more important than generic ERP functionality comparisons.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top construction ERP systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these ERP systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each ERP system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu8rU9s8xaYRead: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/top-construction-erp-systems/Questions for Panelists?🔗Sam Gupta: linkedin.com/in/samguptausa/r-58239b22/Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

June 3, 2026Episode 8621 hr 7 min

WBSP862: Scale Growth by Understanding Aleph’s Capabilities, an Objective Panel Review

Send us Fan MailSelecting a modern FP&A platform is no longer simply a budgeting or reporting decision—it is a strategic architecture choice that shapes how finance organizations operate, collaborate, and scale. Today’s FP&A and broader CPM/EPM platforms directly influence forecasting speed, executive visibility, scenario modeling, data governance, and cross-functional decision-making across the enterprise. As a result, finance leaders must evaluate far more than dashboards and planning features alone. They must assess the underlying data architecture, integration depth with ERP and operational systems, scalability across business units, workflow flexibility, and the platform’s alignment with the organization’s long-term operating model. In many cases, the wrong architectural decision creates fragmented planning processes, inconsistent metrics, and governance challenges that limit finance’s ability to function as a strategic business partner.In this episode, Sam Gupta and Shrestha Dash from ElevatIQ, Andy Pratico from Essential Software Solutions, and Phil Coerper from Ringling Business Solutions conduct an in-depth independent review of a leading FP&A platform Aleph.Video: https://www.elevatiq.com/events-and-webinars/aleph-an-independent-in-depth-review/Questions for Panelists?🔗Sam Gupta: linkedin.com/in/samguptausa/🔗Phil Coerper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philcoerper09/🔗Andy Pratico: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-pratico-80175410/🔗Shrestha Dash: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shrestha-dash-662b00204/Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

June 2, 2026Episode 8611 hr 2 min

WBSP861: Scale Growth by Learning from Enterprise Software Stories - Mar 2026, Ep 53, an Objective Panel Discussion

Send us Fan MailThis week’s enterprise software announcements highlight how rapidly the market is evolving toward agentic architectures, semantic intelligence, and AI-driven operational orchestration. Anthropic expanded MCP with a framework designed for full-stack agentic applications, reinforcing the industry’s push toward composable AI ecosystems. Meanwhile, Hubbl Technologies raised funding to position itself as an intelligence layer for the Salesforce agentic environment, while Salesforce continued broadening its AI footprint through Agentforce for Communications. Sage enhanced the Sage Intacct Suite with new capabilities focused on finance operations, and Sinch introduced a collection of AI agent features targeting customer engagement workflows. On the operational side, Typeface unveiled a marketing orchestration engine, while Blue Yonder announced new AI agents and mobile applications aimed at supply chain execution and workforce enablement. At the same time, Zendesk moved deeper into AI-powered customer support through its acquisition of Forethought, and Actian launched an AI analyst designed to transform business glossaries into a live semantic layer, signaling the growing importance of governed enterprise context for AI-native operations.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds, including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendor. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCxtpqQ_vIwQuestions for Panelists?🔗Sam Gupta: linkedin.com/in/samguptausa/🔗Robert Kramer: linkedin.com/in/robert-kramer-58239b22/🔗Thomas Wieberneit: linkedin.com/in/thomaswieberneit/🔗Kenneth ("Kengon") Gonzalez: linkedin.com/in/kengon/🔗Jon W. Hansen: linkedin.com/in/jwhansen/Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

June 1, 2026Episode 86021 min

WBSP860: Scale Growth by Learning the Top Distribution ERP Systems in 2026 w/ Sam Gupta

Send us Fan MailDistribution-centric ERP systems represent one of the most operationally diverse categories in enterprise software, making ERP evaluation far more complex than many organizations initially expect. Before reviewing the top distribution ERP systems in 2026, it is critical to understand that distribution extends well beyond traditional wholesale operations. Many distribution businesses also manage light manufacturing, assembly, kitting, fabrication, ecommerce fulfillment, or retail processes, yet their primary operational complexity revolves around inventory movement, procurement, warehousing, logistics, fulfillment, and multi-channel coordination. This category spans a broad range of industries and company sizes, including industrial supply, HVAC, automotive, medical devices, food and beverage, construction supply chains, and ecommerce-driven businesses. Consequently, ERP systems designed for distribution vary significantly in their warehouse models, inventory strategies, fulfillment capabilities, pricing structures, and supply chain workflows, making business-model alignment far more important than generic feature comparisons alone.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top distribution ERP systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these ERP systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each ERP system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA4XdEACxZoRead: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/top-distribution-erp-systems/Questions for Panelists?🔗Sam Gupta: linkedin.com/in/samguptausa/r-58239b22/Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

May 27, 2026Episode 8591 hr 5 min

WBSP859: Scale Growth by Understanding ERP Readiness vs ERP Selection, an Objective Panel Review

Send us Fan MailERP initiatives frequently fail because organizations confuse ERP selection with ERP readiness. Selecting an ERP system is primarily a procurement and evaluation exercise, while ERP readiness is a far more complex organizational transformation involving process alignment, governance, data discipline, and executive consensus. ERP systems do not repair broken workflows, resolve ownership conflicts, or clean inconsistent master data—they simply automate and enforce whatever structure already exists. Unfortunately, many organizations develop a false sense of confidence once software is selected, assuming the implementation partner or vendor will absorb integration complexity and operational gaps. In reality, ERP readiness is what determines long-term success. It defines the target operating model, clarifies process accountability, strengthens data governance, and aligns stakeholders before implementation risk compounds. While ERP selection feels tactical and visible, ERP readiness requires strategic intent, organizational discipline, and executive commitment to prevent adoption failures, financial overruns, and architectural misalignment.Video: https://www.elevatiq.com/events-and-webinars/erp-readiness-vs-erp-selection-selecting-an-erp-will-not-make-you-ready/Questions for Panelists?🔗Sam Gupta: linkedin.com/in/samguptausa/🔗Shrestha Dash: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shrestha-dash-662b00204/Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

May 26, 2026Episode 8581 hr 0 min

WBSP858: Scale Growth by Learning from Enterprise Software Stories - Mar 2026, Ep 52, an Objective Panel Discussion

Send us Fan MailThis week’s enterprise software announcements reveal how aggressively vendors are repositioning around AI agents, composable integration, and industry-specific workflows. NetSuite introduced its new integration platform to simplify connectivity across enterprise ecosystems, while Oracle expanded both its process manufacturing capabilities and AI agent portfolio inside Fusion Cloud Applications. QAD and Tata Consultancy Services strengthened their manufacturing operations strategy through the Redzone partnership, reinforcing the growing importance of connected frontline execution. Meanwhile, Intuit Mailchimp rolled out new e-commerce enhancements, and Seismic and Highspot announced a major merger that could reshape the sales enablement landscape. On the AI infrastructure side, Anthropic expanded MCP with a framework for full-stack agentic applications, while emerging vendors like Hubbl Technologies positioned themselves as orchestration layers for the Salesforce agentic ecosystem. Finally, Sage, Salesforce, and Sinch continued the broader trend of embedding AI agents deeper into finance, communications, and customer engagement workflows, signaling that the enterprise software market is rapidly shifting from passive systems of record toward autonomous systems of execution.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds, including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendor. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0Ktqz2rXh8Questions for Panelists?🔗Sam Gupta: linkedin.com/in/samguptausa/🔗Robert Kramer: linkedin.com/in/robert-kramer-58239b22/🔗Shashi Bellamkonda: linkedin.com/in/sbellamkonda/🔗Michael Fauscette: linkedin.com/in/mfauscette/🔗Charles Brennan: linkedin.com/in/charles-brennan-048901132/Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.