Steve Schmidt 🧲

Content Strategy and Revenue Architecture - Creator of SOS (Sales Operating System), for top of funnel

I’m all about direct, data-driven lead generation. By that, I mean I turn cold emails into serious revenue machines for my clients.

With access to our database of over 280 million verified leads, I mix Firmographic, Technographic, and Persona data to create highly focused playbooks that hit the right people at the right time. My goal? Equip sales teams with a clear view of their Total Addressable Market (TAM) and a blueprint for finding the companies that need their solution the most.

It’s all in the details: open job data, employee growth (or lack thereof), social media spikes, web traffic, product launches, and tech stack investments—these indicators reveal who’s ready for a solution and set you up with messaging that resonates. When sales teams embrace this approach, it changes the game. You’re not just emailing—you’re connecting with people already facing the pain points you can solve.

I train teams to work smarter with tech that multiplies output and turns potential into predictable results. Let's make those numbers work.

With over 25+ years of experience in B2B sales, I have worked with world-class organizations such as Outreach, AT&T, and T-Mobile, and successfully founded and exited TIDAL, the leading worldwide sales development company.

The mission - to empower B2B leaders to grow their revenue and influence through content strategy and outbound, together!

I look forward to seeing you become MAGNETIC!

CRO, Owner and Content Led Selling Evangelist

MAGNETIC is the global leader in Content Led Selling, guiding the B2B world into the new method of generating revenue.

Steve Schmidt

I got my start sales living under a friend‘s kitchen table.

Started from the bottom, literally, now we’re here.

Stay the course.

Steve Schmidt 

Magnetic - Content to Cashflow | Chief Revenue Officer @Magnetic and SpotLight (Sioux Falls)

Sales is less about being great at “selling”, and more about being resilient to handle the losses with grace in order to hang on for the wins.

i’m not always been great at that and I’ve taken the loss - at times -  pretty hard over the last 26 years.

But, over time, I’ve learned that 

- Follow Up Matters 

- Persistence can’t turn a no into yes. 

- Unqualifying is great and necessary for fast growth venture backed SaaS companies. In Service companies, you are literally there to serve.  No’s do become yes’s in time, but not if your are an asshole and disregard them quickly. 

- It is always an average. Refine, repeat. This loss doesn’t define you just like the next win doesn’t define you.

I used to put my weight in how many impressions a post would get, or how people would react to something I posted…., waiting for leads to pour in. 

About a year ago  I realized how silly that was and how damaging it can be.  

What goes up must come down and that goes for the ego as well.

Now, I rely on the quality of the work to do the talking.  

And it works, extremely well. 

Give it a shot.  Happy selling, and even happier living!

No pressure, no progress.

It’s hard to argue that pressure doesn’t motivate people in a positive way.

Balance is important.

Rest is imortant.

But pressure is the great motivator.

Justin Rowe

Impactable - B2B Linkedin Ads Agency

Impactable is dedicated to helping B2B brands grow through LinkedIn advertising, multi-channel demand generation, and data-driven insights. Acquired by a data-centric investor in 2021, we leverage our LinkedIn Ads expertise to drive consistent, scalable growth for over 150 clients in the B2B space.

Key Capabilities:
LinkedIn Ads: We specialize in LinkedIn Ads management and create campaigns tailored to each client’s goals. We use LinkedIn’s precise targeting to reach decision-makers and convert leads.

Demand Generation: Our approach combines LinkedIn with Google Ads, Facebook, and programmatic channels, building a cohesive marketing ecosystem that accelerates the buyer’s journey and enhances engagement.

Website Visitor Identification: Our proprietary tech uncovers high-intent website visitors, providing insights for personalized retargeting and follow-ups.

Automated Lead Gen: Our automated LinkedIn outreach solution captures ICP-fit prospects, generating qualified leads with efficient workflows.

Custom SaaS Tools: We continuously expand our tech stack, providing clients with tools that streamline digital advertising and lead generation.

Results & Impact:
Client Growth: Increased qualified leads and conversion rates, driving revenue growth across 150+ brands.

Optimization: Leveraged A/B testing, segmentation, and data-driven adjustments to deliver up to 30% higher ROI on multi-channel campaigns.

Advanced Reporting: Developed custom reporting for clear insights into campaign performance, ensuring clients see measurable results.

Impactable builds efficient, results-focused marketing ecosystems for scaling B2B brands, blending strategy, technology, and insights to achieve long-term growth.

Other capabilities include website visitor identification, automated LinkedIn lead generation, and a few SAAS tools we are working on.

Chief Executive Officer

Linknlearn - Acquired by Impactable in 2021

Linknlearn was started as a Linkedin lead generation agency and then was acquired in 2021. We served over 1,000+ clients before the sale. 

We started out as a scrappy freelance team and then grow to an agency with a global reach. 

After the acquisition, I've stayed on as part-owner and CEO as we pivot into Linkedin ads, data, and a more comprehensive multi-channel marketing approach.

Founder

Potbelly Sandwich Works

I am currently the Managing Owner of 4 Potbelly Sandwich Shops in Louisville KY, and IN.

Restaurant Owner of 4 Locations

Founder/CMO @ Impactable - B2B LinkedIn Ads Agency | Acquired in 2021 | 2x Acquisitions in 2024 | Making things up as I go

From Restaurant Hustle to LinkedIn Agency Founder → Acquired → Now Scaling the #1 LinkedIn Ads Agency

I went from serving tables to serving over 1,000 clients in 30+ countries - and building an agency that was acquired in an all-cash buyout.

Starting in the restaurant industry, I had a hunger for something more (pun intended). I turned to LinkedIn to document my journey and connect with people. That content led to job offers, investor conversations, and even a deal to co-launch a restaurant franchise.

I saw the power of LinkedIn firsthand and started helping others. That side hustle turned into Linknlearn, a global lead gen agency built entirely through Upwork and LinkedIn outreach. I became the #1 ranked LinkedIn expert on Upwork, launched a $500 website, and scaled the agency internationally.

In 2021, we were acquired. We pivoted to LinkedIn Ads, launched new tech tools, and Impactable was born.

Today, I lead Impactable — a LinkedIn-Centric B2B Marketing Agency and creators of DemandSense, our proprietary LinkedIn Ads platform. We’ve been recognized by LinkedIn, invited to speak at their Indie Agency Summit, and continue working toward deeper partnerships with their team.

💡 What I’m Focused On Now

👉 Helping B2B brands scale with LinkedIn + Google + Programmatic full-funnel campaigns
👉 Working with clients spending $5K–$200K/month in ad budget to scale high-value pipelines
👉 Building smarter offers, audiences, and funnels through our 90-Day Validation Sprints
👉 Empowering internal marketers with DemandSense: ad scheduling, audience testing, and signal tracking for LinkedIn Ads

🧰 Resources (Free & Paid)

🎯 Free Strategy Resources & Templates
→ linktr.ee/justin_rowe

🛠 LinkedIn Ads Toolset (DemandSense)
→ https://impactable.com/dgp-linkedin-ads-tools/


🎥 LinkedIn Ads + B2B Demand Gen on YouTube
→ https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCATGD6P27kWXDVuaAZeZBuQ/videos

📈 LinkedIn Ads Agency (Done-for-You)
→ https://impactable.com/

💬 Want to Collaborate?

→ Send me a DM if you want to:

Test your audience + offer fit on LinkedIn

Migrate from Google to multichannel demand gen

Build a scalable paid strategy with a trusted partner

Impactable is a Linkedin Ads Agency that specializes in Linkedin Marketing for B2B companies. We were acquired in 2021 by a data-heavy investor and made a strong pivot into Linkedin advertising. Impactable now manages over 150+ B2B brands with Linkedin advertising being our core focus. 

Other capabilities include website visitor identification, automated Linkedin lead generation, and a few saas tools we are working on.

It’s November. Targets for next year are going up.
Your marketing budget probably isn’t.

If leadership just asked you to grow pipeline by 30% without growing spend, you are not getting there with “more cold.”

You get there by squeezing every drop out of the warm audiences and first party data you already paid for.

Here is how I’d use the last 4-5 weeks of the year 👇

1️⃣ Map the warm demand you already have
Before you touch budgets, answer:

“If I had to show sales the top 50–100 warm accounts to go all‑in on this quarter… could I?”

-Open a doc and list:
-Open opps (especially mid/late that went quiet in the last 60–90 days)
-Closed‑lost for timing/budget, not bad fit
-Accounts on pricing / demo / comparison / integration pages in the last 30 days
-Trials or freemium users with strong usage
-Engaged subscribers, webinar attendees
-Companies that keep showing up across content + LinkedIn


Rough tier it:
Tier A = high fit, high intent
Tier B = high fit, medium intent
Tier C = medium fit, earlier stage

That’s your warm universe. You already paid for it.

2️⃣ Rebalance from “more cold” to “better warm”
Most ad accounts right now:

-60–80% of spend on cold
-Warm retargeting underfunded or on autopilot
-Success defined as CPL and lead volume

If you need more pipeline on a flat budget, that math does not work.

For the rest of Q4 I’d:
-Push 30–40% of paid budget into Tier A + B
-Protect branded search so competitors don’t close the deals you warmed up
-Judge cold by how many new warm accounts it creates, not just cheap leads

Cold fills tomorrow’s warm pool.
Warm protects CAC today.

3️⃣ Give warm audiences something better than a generic ad
Tier A/B don’t need another “who we are” explainer.

They need:
-Proof
-Clarity
-Help making the internal case


Think:

-Thought‑leader ads from you/your execs: “How we’d use the next 90 days if we were in your seat”
-Short videos that call out CAC / pipeline pressure and show a concrete path
-Landing pages that assume they’re evaluating, not discovering you for the first time

By January, a warm account should feel:
“Of course we’re seeing you, and of course this is relevant right now.”

If you want the structured, in‑depth version of this (warm‑audience mapping, budget models, creative examples, reporting that survives CFO scrutiny), that’s exactly what I break down in my new on‑demand CXL course on building a warm‑audience‑first B2B ecosystem that actually lowers CAC.

You can find the link to this course and other useful resources in my profile resource link (i'll include in comments too). 

But even if you never touch the course, using the rest of this year to:

-Map your warm demand
-Rebalance spend
-Upgrade what warm accounts see

…will put you in a much better spot when Q1 hits.

You can find the link to the CXL course here - https://lnkd.in/gQWzYwYb

Founder & CEO @ Impactable | B2B LinkedIn Ads Partners | Paid Ads + Demand Gen + AI + Audiences + Automation + Strategy |

Vector’s ghost mascot isn’t just a quirky idea. 
It’s proof that emotion drives every purchase, even in B2B.

When I spoke with Jess Cook, Head of Marketing at Vector, she told me the ghost mascot wasn’t created by marketing. 

It came straight from their CEO, Joshua Perk 👻.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵.

Before a single marketing hire, Joshua and COO Nick Masters had already built a brand that felt human with bold colors, personality, and a tone that stood out from the industry’s usual gray.

Jess knew instantly that was a brand she wanted to help grow.

Because it’s rare to see a B2B company act like a consumer brand, focusing on connection and likability first.

And that’s exactly why it works.

Be the brand people actually 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 to root for.

#B2BMarketing #BrandBuilding #MarketingStrategy #BrandPersonality #Impactable

Quick note: I’m starting to document my AI experiments publicly.

I’m tired of half-baked AI posts and flashy n8n templates that look cool but do nothing. 

I want to show what actually works in B2B: the messy data, the ingestion hacks, the governance, and the small, repeatable experiments that actually move the needle.

Right now we’re building three agents at Impactable: 
1. LinkedIn Ads Expert Agent
2. Company Support Agent
3. Copywriting Agent

Not an expert here but I believe I'm getting a lot more clarity where the most practical applications of AI are for most orgs and what makes sense for us. 

I'm guessing this could be helpful for others looking to understand what's possible and what might make sense for you/your org. 

I’ll be posting regular updates as we build, test, and break things (and oh will things get broken lol).

by Justin Rowe, Founder at Impactable No this is not going to be one of those "comment AI agent" and I send you a useless but cool looking n8n templat

Open article: Building our First Real AI Agent - (And Where You Could Start) by Justin Rowe • 10 min read

Building our First Real AI Agent - (And Where You Could Start)

B2B Marketing isn’t about algorithms or ad types. 
It’s about people.

Before running a LinkedIn ads agency, I ran restaurants. And I learned quickly that if you want to build something great, it starts with people.

You need to create an environment where good people can thrive. 

You need to understand what motivates them, how they work, and what they need to succeed.

That same principle applies to marketing. 
You’re still serving people, just in a different way.

When you understand your audience deeply, you create content that feels natural to them. 

And if it works organically, it deserves to be amplified with ads.

It’s simple: 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲-𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲-𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Build for people first, and everything else follows.

Website LinkedIn Ads Agency: https://lnkd.in/guEafPKk
B2B Strategies and Guides: https://lnkd.in/gB-WQ82f
Impactable YouTube Channel: https://lnkd.in/emYVDn_T

#Leadership #B2BMarketing #PeopleFirst #LinkedInAds #Impactable

More traffic 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 the answer.
𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀.

We’re entering an era where privacy laws limit what you can 𝘴𝘦𝘦… but they don’t limit what you can 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥.

Your website visitors used to leave a trail of data you could use to personalize, retarget, and convert.

Now? 
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.

Which is why we’re seeing a shift from “collect everything” to “create assets so good, people 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 to identify themselves.”

So the question becomes:
What are you offering that’s 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 an email address?

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗗𝗙𝘀.

Start building:
📘 Playbooks they’ll bookmark
📩 Newsletters they’ll forward
🧠 Resources they’ll remember

The brands that win will be the ones who stop 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 for data and 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 with content that leads to connection.

What’s the top value asset you’re using to build your owned audience?
Drop it below 👇

Website LinkedIn Ads Agency: https://lnkd.in/guEafPKk
B2B Strategies and Guides: https://lnkd.in/gB-WQ82f
Impactable YouTube Channel: https://lnkd.in/emYVDn_T

#FirstPartyData #AudienceBuilding #B2BMarketing #LeadGeneration #Impactable #OwnYourAudience

In the age of AI, the most valuable thing your brand can own is its original thinking.

In a recent live chat with Jess Cook, Head of Marketing at Vector, she shared a concept that really stuck with me: 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗣.

In a world where anyone can produce a blog post or social clip with a few prompts, the question becomes:
What are the things only 𝘺𝘰𝘶 can say?

What insights, experiences, or opinions are so rooted in your brand and expertise that no one else could copy them even if they tried?

That’s your moat.

Your 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗣 is what separates you from the noise, and the smartest brands are building around it.

𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.

#B2BMarketing #ContentStrategy #ThoughtLeadership #AIinMarketing #Impactable

Most marketers treat LinkedIn Ads like a standalone growth engine. But here’s the truth:

🚨 LinkedIn Ads work best when fueled by other channels. 🚨

If you’re only focusing on LinkedIn cold outreach, you’re missing a massive opportunity. 

LinkedIn retargeting is one of the best ways to convert traffic from Google Ads, SEO, and organic sources.

Instead of just dumping more budget into LinkedIn, try this:
✔ Scale up paid search to bring in high-intent traffic
✔ Tighten your Google Ads targeting for better quality leads
✔ Treat your channels like an ecosystem, not silos

The best LinkedIn Ads strategy? A balanced, multi-channel approach.

Are you using LinkedIn Ads in isolation or as part of a bigger system?

Website LinkedIn Ads Agency: https://lnkd.in/guEafPKk
B2B Strategies and Guides: https://lnkd.in/gB-WQ82f
Impactable YouTube Channel: https://lnkd.in/emYVDn_T

How to get the most out of your LinkedIn ads - Scheduling, rotating, and avoiding LinkedIn min daily spend limitations

We leverage a pretty cool tool for this - DemandSense.

Ad scheduling
Ad rotating
Better reporting
Demographic breakdowns
Insights
And more....

Are you currently using any scheduling tool for LinkedIn ads?

Did you know 50% or more of your budget might be spent between 10 pm and 3 am if you don't use a scheduling tool?

Yes, there is a solution for this problem - link in the comments. 

#linkedinads

The best marketers don’t always start in marketing.

When I sat down with Selim Maalouf, Director of Marketing at HarvestROI, we talked about how his journey into marketing was anything but traditional.

He started as an industrial engineer, designing robotic and packaging solutions for seven years before realizing his creative side needed an outlet. 

That’s when he pivoted into marketing.

What gave him an edge? Subject matter expertise.

He already understood the industrial audience, the products, and the challenges, so creating meaningful content didn’t require endless back-and-forth with SMEs.

Over time, that blend of technical knowledge and marketing skill made him both a strong strategist and a HubSpot expert.

Selim’s story is a reminder that the best marketers often come from unexpected places.

Your background is your superpower. Use it to make your marketing sharper, smarter, and more human.

Website LinkedIn Ads Agency: https://lnkd.in/guEafPKk
B2B Strategies and Guides: https://lnkd.in/gB-WQ82f
Impactable YouTube Channel: https://lnkd.in/emYVDn_T


#MarketingCareers #B2BMarketing #Leadership #HubSpot #Impactable

How precise does your b2b marketing data get?

Lately, I've been exploring technographic data – a tool that’s reshaping how I approach marketing personalization.

Technographic data refers to information that describes a company's current technology stack, including the software, platforms, tools, and technologies they use to run their business.

This data can reveal insights into a company's operations, technological capabilities, preferences, potential needs, and challenges.

For instance, knowing a company uses WordPress not only tells us about their web platform choice, but can also indicate specific challenges they face, from security concerns to customization issues.

Rather than a generic pitch, you can address their unique situation with a solution that fits perfectly.

👉 This level of personalized outreach doesn't just get attention; it positions you as an expert.

You're already halfway through the door by demonstrating an understanding of their tools and challenges, shifting from a cold outreach to a meaningful conversation starter.

#DigitalMarketing #TechnographicData #Personalization #MarketingStrategy

It takes 30-45 days to see ROI when you retarget your cold layer with programmatic ads.

Since you’re relying on other sources to bring quality cold traffic to your TOFU, your programmatic ads help to warm up/nurture an already warm audience that’s shown some level of intent

That’s when you’ll see a good view to conversions... but there’s one problem. 

The programmatic ads overstate the results because the placement is so good that it takes credit for a lot of conversions

For example, you might think that everyone who booked a call from the ads came from the programmatic ads

Programmatic ads have so much distribution that you can almost guarantee that it’ll be part of the journey

To accurately track programmatic ads, track the noticeable lifts (e.g. 13% lift in call bookings)

Everything else should be the same because programmatic ads make other campaigns more effective by nurturing/warming up the cold layer much faster.

--

Start with $2,000 per month on display ads, native programmatic, and CTV, and see people get saturated with our ads.

Just because someone sees one ad doesn’t mean that all the programmatic ads convert.

Website LinkedIn Ads Agency: https://lnkd.in/guEafPKk
B2B Strategies and Guides: https://lnkd.in/gB-WQ82f
Impactable YouTube Channel: https://lnkd.in/emYVDn_T

#paidads #programmaticadvertising #entrepreneurship #marketing #b2b

taplio

The Battle

Steve Schmidt

Justin Rowe

Followers

Posts

Engagements

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Performance ScoreSteve Schmidt's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreJustin Rowe's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Steve Schmidt

Justin Rowe

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Steve Schmidt's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreJustin Rowe's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreSteve Schmidt's LinkedIn Performance