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This newsletter is presented by HiveKind.AI
This newsletter is brought to you by Hivekind—the team solving the most overlooked stage of revenue: pre-pipeline. Stop chasing leads and start earning pipeline. Join founder Raj Badarinath at tomorrow's Expert Session to learn how.
This week in startup marketing: Via has words of wisdom on upskilling, Mike Richter reminded us to stop doing boring sh*t, and marketers are bracing for AI agents taking over search in 2026. Let's get into it.
IN THIS ISSUE
✍ The Ink Well
🎧 Last Week's Tea Time Recap
🌎 Around the Web
📍 SUM Community Events
🏆 Introducing: SUM Badges
💼 SUM Job Board
😂 In the Meme Time
THE INK WELL
Meet Via Perkins
This week's Marketer Spotlight features Via Perkins, who holds two fractional marketing leadership roles at Fave and Feeture. Via shares honest takes on the myth that good marketing means chasing trends, why data-driven decisions matter more than going viral, and how her 15+ years as a musician inform every brand decision she makes for music startups.
Her marketing hill to die on? Personal branding doesn't have to be cringe, it can actually be fun and fulfilling.
Have a strong POV? Submit your pitch to get published in The Ink Well.
🎧 LAST WEEK'S TEA TIME RECAP
"Mike's advice: stop doing boring shit!”
On February 5th, Mike Richter dropped truth bombs about B2B marketing. The big takeaway? Playing it safe is actually the riskiest move you can make. We forgot that humans still buy on emotion, even in business contexts, and that's why B2B got so boring.
Mike's advice: Pick one thing, whether that's finding a new voice on social or changing how you approach content, and do it consistently. You won't know unless you try.
Your Entire Business Should Work as One
Most experts aren't limited by their expertise. They're slowed by scattered tools that don't connect. Starter platforms, point solutions, and mismatched workflows create chaos, cap revenue, and dilute credibility.
Kajabi is the operating system for human expertise. Identity, strategy, products, marketing, payments, and client transformation all working together in one place.
No more guessing. No more fragmentation. No more ceiling on your growth.
Clarity replaces confusion. Simplicity replaces complexity. Growth becomes intentional.
You move faster because everything connects. Built to scale, not stall.
If your expertise is real, your system should be too.
SUM COMMUNITY EVENTS
Block off every Thursday at 1 pm ET for SUM events—consider it your weekly power hour for growth, insights, and community. These events are exclusively available to SUM members. Not a member?
👉 Join now 👈
Pipeline doesn't start in your CRM. It starts with the decisions you make long before a rep ever sends a message.
In this focused session, Raj Badarinath, Founder & CEO of Hivekind, unpacks one of the most overlooked stages of revenue growth: pre-pipeline. He explores the critical groundwork that needs to happen before opportunities ever enter the funnel — defining who to target, when to initiate sales efforts, and how to strategically engage buying groups for maximum impact. You'll learn why most pipeline problems are created upstream, and what you can do to 'earn pipeline'.
Having been on the other side of the fence as a 4x CMO and CRO, Raj will also talk about how to use AI beyond content creation and small automations—walking through the workflow he wished existed at past companies
🏆 INTRODUCING: SUM BADGES
Help others, share insights, stay active—get recognized and most importantly, have fun
We've just launched our badge system that celebrates the members who make this community valuable. It's not about points, it's about recognizing the contributions that matter: answering questions, sharing your wins and failures, and showing up for your fellow startup marketers.
Check out the full badge system and start unlocking achievements today.
💼 SUM JOB BOARD
New startup marketing roles for members seeking new opportunities or just exploring what is out there. Our Job Board is built for how you actually search: filter by seniority level, connect with other job seekers, and apply directly. Updated daily with fresh opportunities from companies that value scrappy, resourceful marketers.
AROUND THE WEB
91% of marketers now use AI, yet only 41% can confidently prove ROI—down from last year as expectations rise. Governance and legal review have become the primary blockers to scale. Marketing Profs
Google launched a Discover-specific core update this week, meaning publishers could see Discover traffic shift without the same movement in traditional Search. The focus: more locally relevant content, less sensational clickbait. Marketing News Weekly
Average comments per post fell 24% on TikTok and 16% on Instagram, suggesting a shift toward more passive engagement as brands post an average of 5 posts per week on both platforms. Social Media Today
YouTube is expanding auto-dubbing access to all creators in 2026, opening up opportunities to translate content and reach audiences outside primary language markets with improved natural-sounding dubs. Marketing News Weekly
IN THE MEME TIME
