🗝 Through my BCT formula, I build brands and accelerate growth. | Dealmaker | Fractional CMO | Growth Hacker | Global Expansion | Lead Gen Expert | Canadian-American who speaks Spanish. Y'all, eh, tacos. 🇨🇦🇺🇸🌮

In 2012, I lost my daughter in a car accident. The years that followed became my wilderness experience—preparing me for what I was about to discover in 2019.

After going through a divorce and finding myself as a full-time single dad, fighting to survive the transition, I learned the most valuable lesson about business: your pipeline isn't just your revenue source—it's your lifeline.

In 2018, I was cleaning pools at 5am just to get by. No business. No network. Just two little girls depending on me and a future I couldn't see.

Then 2019 came and everything changed. That's when I discovered the true power of LinkedIn and strategies & tools that felt like superpowers.

Not the "post your resume and hope" version of LinkedIn. The strategic, relationship-building, pipeline-generating approach that most people never discover.

It wasn't the platform that transformed my life—it was the relationships I built through it.

By 2020, I went from survival mode to landing clients like the New Jersey Devils, brokering deals in Dubai and Mexico City, and building Stormbreaker Digital—a LinkedIn-focused marketing firm that understands the fundamentals of good marketing, but also the right tools that get the job done right. We're both technical and creative, which gives our clients a significant advantage when looking to grow and scale.

We've now grown into an AI-first growth partner for businesses who want to adapt faster than their competitors and grow like crazy during this AI gold rush.

If you're looking for a skilled marketing team to build AI systems, tech-enable your business, support your sales team, grow your brand with world-class content in our podcast studio, or successfully go to market, let's have a conversation.

While we have specialized experience in SaaS, financial services, and a dozen B2B industries, we've found our most meaningful work is done with businesses that take a relationship-first approach to growth. This caters to our sweet spot of data + creative + brand + tech—now powered by AI.

I also co-authored "The LinkedIn Advantage" with world-renown Results Coach, Tony Jeary, because I believe every founder deserves to understand the strategies that rebuilt my life and business.

I also built LeadStorm AI - the only all-in-one CRM platform built for relationship-first businesses, especially companies in financial services.

If your pipeline feels like it's running on hope instead of systems, let's talk.

The same relationship-building strategies that took me from tragedy to building a global business can work for you too.

Matt Cretzman

82% of B2B buyers think your reps are unprepared for calls.

The data backs them up.

16% of reps hit quota in 2024.
63% of deals are lost before needs assessment even starts.

The fix isn't training. It's infrastructure.

I built a system that delivers a full prospect intelligence briefing — company overview, org map, hiring signals, regulatory flags, verbatim discovery questions — in under 4 minutes. Any rep, any account, on demand.

Full breakdown in this week's newsletter. ↓

Matt C.

View newsletter: The AI-Powered Business 

Only 16% of reps hit quota in 2024. 63% of B2B deals are lost before needs assessment even begins. And the traditional fix — a research analyst or an 

Open article: 82% of B2B Buyers Think Your Reps Are Unprepared. Here's the System That Fixes It. by Matt C. • 2 min read

82% of B2B Buyers Think Your Reps Are Unprepared. Here's the System That Fixes It.

Blowin' Shit Up at The Krazy Coupon Lady | CPG & Retail Sales Leader | Spreader of Positive Vibes | Proud CHIEF, NextUp Member and DEIB Advocate

🚀 Building Exceptional Shopper Journeys & Inspiring People

I'm on a mission to help Grocery Retailers and CPG brands craft shopper experiences that are not just engaging—but undeniably entertaining and rewarding. At the same time, I’m passionate about supporting professionals in finding both joy and success in their careers.

As a natural connector and networker, I thrive on meeting new people and building meaningful relationships that add depth to both my personal and professional life.

Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with leading CPG enterprise brands like Kenvue, PepsiCo, General Mills, Beiersdorf, Church & Dwight, Chobani, and Georgia-Pacific, as well as regional and national grocery retailers including Kroger, Sprouts, Smart & Final, Big Y, and Brookshire Grocers.

I also have deep expertise in supporting emerging brands in the Natural Channel—helping them gain traction and scale. I played a key role in launching Sprouts' digital coupon loyalty platform, collaborating with up-and-coming brands that have since become household names. 

My goal? To see every brand and grocery retailer I work with succeed.

💡 At the heart of everything I do is hustle, dedication, and a commitment to making my clients happy—no matter what it takes.

Let’s connect and create something amazing!

Specialties: Enterprise Sales, Loyalty Marketing, Technology Sales9, Retail Solutions, Client Success, CPG Advertising, Performance Marketing, Consumer Promotions, Shopper Marketing, Trade Marketing, Brand Marketing, Digital Marketing, Account Management, Strategic Partnerships, Digital Marketing & Promotions, Digital Media & Advertising, Grocery Retail, Program Operations, Strategy & Planning, Global Business Practices, Analytics and Performance Metrics

Maya Mirt

My favorite month of the year! Time to celebrate women, LinkedIn fam…

Let me tell you about one of the greatest women of my life.

My mom passed away when I was 19.

But grief gave me a gift.

Death brings sadness.
Sometimes… it brings fire. 🔥

Losing her built my resilience.

She loved hard.
She worked hard.
She expected excellence.

The work ethic she instilled in me became my anchor.

I’ve dedicated my life to honoring her.

I am a resilient, relentless fighter who is committed to seeing others succeed because someone once poured everything into me.

This month, I asked AI to create a photo of us 30 years older, as if she were still here.

I didn’t have many photos of her as a teenager.  This one has always stayed close to my heart.

She created the woman I am today.

If you see resilience in me…
now you know where it came from.

I carry her with me every single day.

Can’t wait to share more stories of some amazing women this month! Stay tuned…

#InternationalWomensMonth #Resilience #Legacy #WomenWhoLead

Sales Leader Obsessed with CPG Brands and Retailers | Vice President of Retailer Partnerships | Consumer Promotions and Loyalty Expert | DEIB Advocate | Really Bad Golf Player

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March is Women’s History Month.

But recognition shouldn’t be reserved for the obvious names.

So this month, I’m spotlighting women who beat the odds.
Women whose names you might not know...yet.

Every day or two.
One story.
One spotlight.

Now you will know.
Now you will say her name in rooms she hasn’t entered yet.

Help me elevate them!

#NowYouKnow #WomenYouShouldKnow #MarchSeries

Let’s start by recognizing some incredible women in my network.
Women Warriors

Click their profiles.
Read their stories.
Then take it a step further...DM one.
Schedule a virtual coffee.
Discover for yourself why they deserve the spotlight.

Julie Lyle Gina Attard-Bruening Gina Traulsen Katharine Leung Noel Hung Kim-Yasmin Jean-Louis Emily Yager Adrienne Burns Amanda Adams Robenca Hoxha Shannon Flanagan Monica Kretschmer Erika Digirolamo Erika Borges Lori Brown, MS Subriana Pierce Monica Abarca Marla McIntosh Kimberley Yates Elizabeth Alvarez-Sell Elizabeth Johnson Susan Bennett-Solomon Christine Lewis Christy Duncan Anderson Jamey Honeycutt Katie Riddle Virginia Marsh Courtney Adams Suzanne Crettol Leigh Suresky Lauren Griewski Nikki Reyes Stella Araya-Weil KC Boyd HeafyLilly Blaise, MBA Rachel B. Valdez, MA, ABD

Stop performing. Start serving.

Somewhere along the way, selling became a performance for so many sellers I talk to.

Big decks. 
Big promises. 
Big personalities.

But in grocery retail - where margins are tight, shelf space is earned, and every promotion has to justify its ROI - performance does NOT build trust. 

Service does.

It’s easy to sell.
It’s harder to serve.

Selling is talking about what you have.
Serving is understanding what your retailer actually needs:  foot traffic, basket growth, loyalty engagement, trade efficiency

….and aligning your strategy to that.

When you treat your clients like partners, not targets, everything changes.

You ask better questions.
You build smarter consumer promotions.
You focus on sustainable growth instead of short-term wins.

And if you do it right, your clients will become partners.  
And those partners will become friends.

You may win that quarter with performance.

But servant leadership? 

That wins you a career in an industry you will grow to love...and friends for life.

#servantleadership #consumerpromotions #loyaltymarketing #salestraining

Shout out to our North American TCC Global North American Team who lives by servant leadership!  Julie Lyle Gina Traulsen Trevor Oberlander Adrienne Burns Daniel Aversa Normunds Putns Robenca Hoxha Noel Hung Issam E. KLAI - EMBA PMP Katharine Leung Emily Yager Brian Herschaft Kim-Yasmin Jean-Louis

And to The Illuminators who exemplify servant leadership to everyone in our industry. Blessed to be a part of our mission. Lori Brown, MS  Thomas Huls  Marla McIntosh Monica Abarca Kimberley Yates Jamey Honeycutt Christine Lewis  Subriana Pierce Elizabeth Alvarez-Sell Gary Pogue  Paul Kamholz Laura Pesavento Maria Nickless  Courtney Adams  Natalie Van Raalte Loren Llena  Maria Dinh  Emily Mallahan, MBA Amanda Christianson Hayter  Levi Curtis-Switzer  Timme Taylor-Bennett  Malena Worthing, MBA  Roy Mason  to name a few!

Ask AI this one question today...

"Create an image of me based on what you know about me and the things I find important"

I decided to have fun this Friday lunch hour and loved what AI generated.  (Well, ok I cheated and told them to add in a labrador retriever and a beagle because I was annoyed that AI didn't know I'm obsessed with my dogs!)

Simple message today.

Take ten minutes to have a little fun in the middle of the workday.

Have a great weekend!

The Illuminators TCC Global Retail Women in Tech #elevatewomen #groceryretail #servantleadership #consumerpromotions #loyaltymarketing

Now You Know…

There are decisions women make that the world never sees.

The quiet ones.

The ones that happen behind closed doors.
In long conversations.
In moments filled with doubt, hope, and impossible trade-offs.

Years ago, Kelley Betts  and I were on the same team.

Work was intense.
The kind of pressure where every week mattered.
A difficult account we were pushing hard to break through.

It felt like we were trying to do the impossible.

At the same time, Kelley was going through IVF.

A dream she had been chasing for more than a decade.

Becoming a mother.

And the stress of work…
the late nights…
the constant pressure…

She worried it was affecting her chances.

Her last chance.

I remember the conversation clearly.

She felt awful.

She told me she felt like she was abandoning me when so much was happening at work.

But I told her something I meant with every fiber of my being.

I would never forgive myself if work was the reason she couldn’t fulfill her dream of becoming a mother.

So she made the hardest decision.
And we cried together. 
Both of us wanting nothing but to support one another. 

She chose her family.
She stepped away.

And today…
She has a beautiful little girl.

This is the part of women’s stories people don’t talk about enough.

The constant balancing.
The silent sacrifices.

The moments where we try to do the right thing for everyone else…
often giving more emotionally and physically than we even have to give.

And sometimes the bravest decision a woman can make is choosing herself. 

There are women making extraordinary decisions every day.

For their families.
For their futures.
For the lives they dream of building.

And they don’t always get the recognition they deserve.

Thank you for allowing me to share your story, Kelley.

Now you know.

Now say her name in rooms she hasn’t entered yet.

Because recognition is power.
And power grows when it’s shared.

I celebrate your courage and your beautiful family Kelley Betts 💛

#NowYouKnow #WomenYouShouldKnow #MarchSeries

Traveling to new places changes your perspective. (Shout out to our TCC Global Düsseldorf office!) 

Not just about the world.
About the people around you.

Traveling for work has a funny way of doing that.

During the day, we’re learning so much our brains hurt.

And in the evening…
our faces hurt from laughing.

Last night I had dinner with Gina Traulsen  Sophia Jamsheer Weir Marco Camisi Stefan Duda Craig Hamilton Trevor Oberlander Roland Damen Igor Stribos  

Great conversation.
A lot of laughs.
And moments that remind you how much you can learn and laugh just by spending time together. 🩷

#gratitude #leadership #connections #growth

I bought the water.

Not because I was thirsty, but because I believe in backing bold brands and the people behind them. (Shout out to Zachary Parker for the cool swag!)

Liquid Death didn’t just launch water. They built a rebellious, culture-shifting brand in one of the most commoditized categories out there.

Disruptive packaging.
Fearless voice.
Unforgettable shelf presence.

In grocery retail, shelf space is earned.

Attention is rented.

Loyalty has to be built to survive.

And supporting a colleague’s brand isn’t just a consumer decision, it’s a relationship decision.

When you buy the product or share your story, you reinforce belief…in the brand and in each other.

So yes, I bought the water.

And I’ll continue to support my friends, my colleagues, and strong brand messaging.

Loyalty isn’t just a program, it’s a practice.

#loyalty #cpgbrands #brandmarketing #groceryretail

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Vice President of Retail Partnerships, North America

Member

NextUp

Chair, Membership Committee

Mentor

Liquid Death

Now You Know...

People say being a single mom is hard.
But most people don’t really see what that means.

It’s not just the big moments.
It’s the daily ones.

School drop-offs before work.
Late-night homework help after long days.
Soccer practices.
Doctor appointments.
Groceries.
Bills.

All while building a career.
All while holding everything together.

No backup.
No pause button.
No extra set of hands.
Just determination.
Just love.

And knowing no one else is coming to carry the weight.
Single moms don’t just manage life.
They carry it.
They show up for their kids.
They show up for their jobs.
They show up for everyone around them.

And somehow… they keep going.
I’m fortunate to know some incredible women who live this reality every day.  Here are a few:

Courtney Adams 
Crystal Burkhard 
Erika Borges 
Suzanne Crettol  

Women raising families, building careers, and proving that resilience isn’t a buzzword.

It’s a lifestyle.

There are women doing extraordinary work right now.

Leading families.
Building futures.
Showing their children what strength looks like.

And they don’t always get the recognition they deserve.

Now you know.

Now say their names in rooms they haven’t entered yet.

Because recognition is power.
And power grows when it’s shared.

#NowYouKnow #WomenYouShouldKnow #MarchSeries

Shoptalk Spring 2026 is just around the corner and I'm counting down the days! https://lnkd.in/gtyik97C

This event is shaping up to be one of the most important moments of the year for all retail and e-commerce leaders, especially for anyone focused on growth and staying ahead of shifting consumer expectations. 

I'm excited to represent TCC Global and 
bring back new ideas, sharper strategies, and connections that will last well beyond the show floor.

Let me know if you'll be there too!

#ShoptalkSpring2026 #Shoptalk #RetailMeetsAtShoptalk

Now You Know...

Her birthday wish wasn’t for gifts.

It was for words.

Letters.
Advice.
Reasons why we love her.

And if you know Mary Mirt…
you know she’s always done things her own way.

She was born a spitfire.
Marching to her own drum.
And somehow… everyone followed.

She had this effortless mix of charisma, humor, and confidence
that made you believe she’d always be just fine.
And for a long time, I believed that too.

Then came the teenage years that so many parents fear.
The ones where confidence gets replaced with comparison.
Where the right people feel like the wrong ones.
Where sadness and anger start to feel familiar.

There were moments she lost herself.
Moments she pushed people away.
Not because she didn’t care,
but because she didn’t yet know how to care for herself.

She struggled to be a good friend 
because she wasn’t being kind to her own heart.

It was hard to watch as her mom.
But I knew… it was even harder to live as her.

And still...she fought her way back.

Not perfectly.
Not all at once.
But with resilience.
Piece by piece,
she’s finding her way back to the girl she was always meant to be.

And I’ve loved her through every version.
Every high.
Every fall.
Every rebuild.

Today, during International Women’s Month, I celebrate her.
This was what I wrote in my letter to her that she requested of us.

Embrace your imperfections.
That’s where the truth lives.

If we don’t face our flaws, we never really discover who we are.
And if we’re not surrounded by people who love us in those moments...
we’re surrounded by the wrong people.

And to the mothers watching their daughters navigate these same chapters…

This might be the hardest job we will ever have.
To sit back.
To let them fall.
To let them choose wrong sometimes.
Trusting that the very things that break them, will also build them.
Stronger.
Wiser.
More themselves.

NOW YOU KNOW.

Confidence can be lost.
Identity can get shaken.
But when it’s real...it finds its way back.

Mary, I am so proud of you.
Finding joy again.
Building your path.
Finding a job you love and work hard at.
Embracing your family.
And most importantly - learning to love yourself.

Not for where you started.
Not even for where you are today.
But for your willingness
to keep finding your way back to you.

Happy Birthday to my youngest baby.  I celebrate the woman you are becoming and have always been! 💛

And I celebrate every young woman finding her way back to herself.

#nowyouknow #internationalwomensmonth #raisingstrongwomen

Now You Know...

Most people didn’t see her coming.

She was homeless.
Sleeping on airport floors.
Cold-calling investors from a laptop she refused to close.

No pedigree.
No wealthy network.
No safety net.
Just conviction.

Arlan Hamilton built a venture capital firm from nothing while homeless.
In an industry that historically overlooks women.
Overlooks people of color.
Overlooks LGBTQ founders.

She didn’t wait to be invited into the room.
She built her own table.
And then she started funding the underestimated.

She funds what's overlooked.
She looks where others don’t.
And writes checks where others won’t.
She didn’t just build a fund.
She built one aimed directly at systemic imbalance.

She later raised a $36M fund and became one of the first Black women to run a venture firm at that scale in an industry where Black women represent a tiny fraction of decision-makers.

Self-taught.  Studied online.  Attended tech webinars.  Grit.

This is what beating the odds looks like.
There are women doing extraordinary work right now.

Changing systems.
Rewriting access.
Shifting capital.

And they don’t always get the credit they deserve.

Now you know.
Now say her name in rooms she hasn’t entered yet.
Because recognition is power.
And power grows when it’s shared.

I celebrate your grit and resilience Arlan Hamilton 🚀 👊 
#NowYouKnow #WomenYouShouldKnow #MarchSeries

“Do you like me?”

It looks like a simple, almost childlike question.

But if we’re honest, we still ask it all the time.

After the meeting.
After we post a selfie. 
After we post something bold.
After we show up fully as ourselves.

You will never get all “Yes” boxes.

Not everyone will like you. 
Not everyone will agree with you. 
Not everyone will understand you.

And that’s okay.

The freedom comes when you stop chasing universal approval and start choosing authenticity.

While you can’t attract everyone, you will attract the right ones.

Keep being you.

The world may not all check “Yes.”
But the right world you’re trying to create will.

#authenticity #motivationalmondays

How I’m feeling this week.

Perseverance and consistency are everything.

There is no shortcut to trust.
You have to mean it. 

You have to understand someone else’s business and care more about it than your own. 

You don’t win because you had one great quarter.

You win because you stayed disciplined quarter after quarter.

Programs will evolve.
Markets will shift.
Pressure will intensify. 

But consistency compounds.
Perseverance becomes a necessity.
Stay the course. 

Perseverance and consistency aren’t a personality trait.

They are strategic decisions. 

It will be your competitive advantage.

Let’s go attack this week together!

#motivationalmondays #cpg #retail #groceryretail

Now You Know...

Tina Tchen was the daughter of Chinese immigrants.
Raised with the belief that opportunity isn’t given.
It’s earned.

She chose the law.
Not for prestige.
For justice.

Early in her career, she fought discrimination cases and stood up for workers whose voices weren’t being heard.

But she wasn’t interested in staying on the sidelines.
Tina Tchen moved from civil rights law into the highest levels of national leadership.
She became Chief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama.

Helping shape initiatives that empowered girls, expanded education access, and elevated women’s leadership.

Not the spotlight.
The work.

Later, she stepped into another fight.
Leading the Time’s Up Foundation, advocating for safer and more equitable workplaces.
Now she spearheads efforts through the Obama Foundation.
She didn’t just navigate the system.
She worked to change it.

This is what influence looks like.
There are women doing extraordinary work right now.
Changing systems.
Opening doors.
Expanding opportunity.
And they don’t always get the credit they deserve.

Now you know.

Now say her name in rooms she hasn’t entered yet.
Because recognition is power.

And power grows when it’s shared.

I celebrate your leadership and impact Tina Tchen 🚀 👊

#NowYouKnow #WomenYouShouldKnow #MarchSeries

Now You Know...

She trained for years to become a doctor.

A hospital cleft & craniofacial orthodontist by trade.
Researcher.
Professor.

A career built on precision.
Science.
Helping patients and families.

But somewhere along the way, she realized something.
Her impact didn’t have to stay inside a clinic.
Dr. Kathryn Preston made a bold pivot.

From orthodontics…to the stage.
From treating patients…
to challenging workplace culture.

Today she’s a keynote speaker and leadership strategist helping organizations have the conversations that actually change how teams communicate, collaborate, and lead.

Not fluff.
Real conversations.
Real change.

She speaks openly about topics many organizations avoid.
The hidden dynamics between women at work
The cultural barriers that stall leadership
The conversations that never happen, but should

She left a successful clinical career to pursue something bigger.
Helping people find their voice.
Helping women advocate for themselves.
Helping organizations rethink what leadership looks like.

This is what courage looks like.
There are women doing extraordinary work right now.

Changing systems.
Challenging norms.
Opening new conversations.

And they don’t always get the credit they deserve.

Now you know.

Now say her name in rooms she hasn’t entered yet.
Because recognition is power.
And power grows when it’s shared.
I celebrate your courage and impact today Kathryn Preston and I'm so glad we found each other on LinkedIn!🚀 👊
#NowYouKnow #WomenYouShouldKnow #MarchSeries

As we close out Black History Month, I wanted to share The Female Quotient’s  
recent post that moved me honoring  
Dorothy Counts-Scoggins.

Listen to her story. 

“Remember who you are.
You are inferior to no one.
You can do anything you want to do.
Hold your head up high.”

Adversity will always exist.
But courage is a choice.
And bravery is contagious.

When we choose growth over hate and accountability over silence,
we expand what’s possible for everyone who comes after us.

So remember who you are.
Inferior to no one.
Capable of more than you know.

Head held high. 

#blackhistorymonth

Stop chasing outcomes.
Start mastering the process.

Process.

Read that again.

Everyone wants the result.

The promotion.
The big win.
The recognition.

Greatness is built through systems.

You cannot control the outcome.

You can control the process.

Preparation.
Practice.
Discipline.

Show up.
Refine.
Repeat.

Consistency compounds.

The system you commit to
day after day
becomes the edge.

Focus on the process.

Master the process.
The results will take care of themselves.

#leadership #consistency #discipline #growth #motivationalmondays

NOW YOU KNOW

Ruth Bader Ginsburg  wasn’t supposed to change the law.

At least that’s what the legal world told her.

When she graduated from law school, firms wouldn’t hire her.

Not because she lacked talent.
Because she was a woman.

So she spent her career rewriting the rules.

Case by case.
Argument by argument.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg became one of the most influential advocates for gender equality in American history.

Fighting for equal pay, fair treatment under the law, and opportunities many women benefit from today.

Then something unexpected happened later in her life.

She became a cultural icon.

The internet gave her a nickname: “The Notorious RBG.”

Her dissents were powerful.
Fearless.
Unapologetic.

Especially in cases involving voting rights, reproductive rights, and pay discrimination.

When she believed the court was wrong, she said so.

Clearly.
Boldly.
Without hesitation.

Her birthday just passed this March 15th. 

A reminder that courage doesn’t always start with power.

Sometimes it starts with persistence.

Standing up.
Again and again.
Even when the system says you shouldn’t be there.

And sometimes…

One voice refusing to stay quiet changes the rules for everyone who comes next.

Courage changes the course of history.

Now you know.

Happy Monday!

#nowyouknow #leadership #history #womeninleadership #courage

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