ABM Retrospective: The Good, the Bad, and the Pipeline | Ep. 196

This is a podcast episode titled, ABM Retrospective: The Good, the Bad, and the Pipeline | Ep. 196. The summary for this episode is: <p>ABM is a trust engine, but building it right takes patience, sponsorship, and more groundwork than most expect. In this live episode of <em>Scrappy ABM</em>, host <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/masoncosby/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Mason Cosby</strong></a> sits down with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagunn/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Ryan Gunn</strong></a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandapalmarchuk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Amanda “Chuck” Palmarchuk</strong></a> for a full retrospective on an ambitious ABM program launched in late 2020.</p><p><br></p><p>Together, they revisit a program that started with <strong>$0 pipeline after six months</strong> and ultimately <strong>influenced $7M within 18 months</strong>. They unpack what worked — executive sponsorship, a sharply defined target account list, and tightly documented operations — and where they’d hit rewind: overinvesting in tech, misaligned expectations, and the pain of forcing MQLs into a sales pipeline.</p><p><br></p><p>Whether you’re building ABM from scratch, stuck in the middle, or scaling with momentum, this conversation reveals both the early signals that matter and the long-game reality required to see real impact.</p><p><br></p><h2>👤 Guest Bios</h2><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagunn/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Ryan Gunn</strong></a> is the founder of Attribution Academy, an education platform helping HubSpot users learn how to tie marketing activity to revenue. He’s known for demystifying marketing attribution and helping teams prove their impact.</p><p><br></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandapalmarchuk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Amanda “Chuck” Palmarchuk</strong></a> is Head of Strategy at Scrappy ABM, with nearly two decades in marketing and seven years specializing exclusively in account-based marketing. She’s helped organizations at all stages — from building ABM programs from scratch to refining them for revenue impact.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><h2>📌 What We Cover</h2><ul><li>The <strong>core truth of ABM</strong>: awareness first, trust always</li><li>Breaking into a <strong>new market segment</strong> without existing relationships</li><li>Why <strong>executive sponsorship</strong> and consultant authority shaped success</li><li>Building a <strong>tight, tiered target account list</strong> (~200 accounts total)</li><li>How <strong>mind mapping and workflow planning</strong> prevented ops breakdowns</li><li>The <strong>cost of overinvesting in tech</strong> before strategy is proven</li><li>Resetting <strong>unrealistic expectations</strong> when early pipeline is slow</li><li>Measuring <strong>influence and account penetration</strong> alongside revenue</li><li>Recognizing <strong>seasonality</strong> and its role in pipeline timing</li><li>Lessons for aligning <strong>sales and marketing without creating friction</strong></li></ul><p><br></p><h2>🔗 Resources Mentioned</h2><ul><li><a href="https://scrappyabm.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scrappy ABM</a> — Visit for more ABM tips and strategies</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/masoncosby/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Connect with Mason on LinkedIn</a> for a conversation about ABM</li></ul><p><br></p><p>If you enjoyed today's episode and found valuable insights for your business, be sure to subscribe to the <em>Scrappy ABM</em> podcast for more expert discussions. Don't forget to leave a review and share this episode with your team or fellow marketers!</p>