Performance Marketing | B2B Marketing | Digital Marketing | Demand Generation | Growth Marketing

Founder of Humble Roots Agency - where we don't just target "decision makers," we map how fintech and financial services buying committees actually make decisions.

Over the past decade, I kept seeing fintech companies burn thousands monthly on ads with poor conversion rates. Not bad products or creative - broken targeting.

Marketing teams treated CFOs, Finance Directors, Controllers, and Treasury Managers as one group. But a CFO wants board-level ROI. A Finance Director wants operational efficiency. A Controller wants compliance. A Treasury Manager wants technical integration. Different priorities, different decision triggers.

I founded Humble Roots to solve this through Buying Committee Intelligence - mapping committee structures, identifying which roles convert at each stage, and building role-specific campaigns that resonate.

We embed as operators, not consultants. We own pipeline outcomes and stop budget waste on generic approaches.

Currently helping: Fintech companies (£3M+ ARR) spending £5k+ monthly transform wasted ad spend into predictable pipeline growth.

If your paid media isn't converting because you're treating all decision makers the same, let's talk - book a call.

"Being a white guy in Southeast Asia means I never assume I know anything about my target market". 

Jonathan Nyst said this to me a few weeks ago when we recorded my podcast.
He's Head of Marketing at StoreHub, leading a team across Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand.

And this one insight - being an outsider - is his biggest competitive advantage.

Here's what he meant:
When you look like your target market, you assume you understand them.

"I would do this, so they probably do this too".

But Jonathan can't make those assumptions.

He's Belgian. Living in Kuala Lumpur. Selling to Malaysian, Filipino, and Thai merchants.

So he has to do the work:
- Learn the cultural nuances
- Understand the emotional triggers
- Map out what actually moves people

No shortcuts. No assumptions. Just research.

And it makes him better.

Same campaigns. Different execution for each market.

Because what works in Johor (next to Singapore) doesn't work in Kuala Lumpur.
What resonates in Manila doesn't land in Bangkok.

He can't take shortcuts. So he doesn't.

I told him I see the same thing.

As a black guy in a lot of corporate spaces, I'm often one of the only black people in the room.

And I used to see that as a disadvantage.

Now? I see it as a competitive advantage.

Because if I add value to the conversation, I'm 10x more memorable than someone who blends in.

Jonathan laughed and said:
"Exactly. And if you're self-aware about the preconceptions people might have, you can play on that too".

He gave an example:
When he speaks the little bit of Malay he knows, people stop.
"Wait, this white guy speaks Malay?"
Instant attention. Instant credibility.

The secret sauce:
- Being different isn't a disadvantage.
- It's an advantage if you're self-aware enough to use it.

Stop trying to blend in.

Use the fact that you stand out.

Full conversation with Jonathan dropping November 25th.

We talked about:
- His POP Framework for storytelling in marketing
- Why 90% of company success is product marketing, not channels
- How they saved the equivalent of 2 full-time employees with AI
- Why proactive salary conversations build better teams
- Where B2B SaaS is heading (creator economy)

What's one thing that makes you different that you've turned into an advantage?

Macloud Moyo

Founder at Humble Roots | B2B Paid Media for Fintech | Mapping Buying Committees to Drive Predictable Pipeline Growth for Financial Services Companies

Everyone's using AI now.

ChatGPT for posts. Claude for emails. Jasper for content. Copy.ai for ads.

And most marketers are getting worse, not better.

Katie Hayes, Head of Marketing at Ozone API, called out the problem on my podcast:
"There's a risk that all of this fast tracks and we don't do the education piece. AI shouldn't be your autopilot. It should be your co-pilot making you better".

Here's what's happening:
Marketer A: "Write a LinkedIn post about paid media strategy"
AI spits out 500 words. They post it.
No thinking. No strategy. No unique perspective.
Just... content.

Marketer B: "Here's my thesis on why buying committees matter more than lead volume. Help me sharpen the argument and find the gaps in my logic"
AI challenges their thinking. Surfaces counterpoints. Refines their position.
Same tool. Completely different outcomes.

One is getting replaced.

The other is getting better.

In B2B marketing - especially fintech - this matters more.

You can't AI your way into understanding:
- Why CFOs evaluate vendors differently than CTOs
- How compliance messaging kills deals
- What makes a buying committee say yes

But you can use AI to:
- Analyse patterns in closed vs lost deals
- Test messaging variations faster
- Refine positioning based on data
- Deep competitor research

The education piece Katie mentioned?

Most people skipped it.

They went straight from "AI is here" to "let AI do everything".

No learning how to prompt well.

No understanding what AI is good at (and what it's terrible at).

No strategy for when to use it vs when to think for yourself.

What actually happens:
A flood of generic, indistinguishable content. Everyone sounds the same because everyone's using the same prompts.

The marketers who win:
- Not avoiding AI.
- Not letting AI do everything.
- Using AI to amplify their thinking, not replace it.

I'm figuring this out too. Still learning what works, what doesn't, and when to use it vs when to think for myself (crazy, I know).

But the difference is clear:
- AI as autopilot = you're becoming replaceable
- AI as co-pilot = you're becoming better

How are you using AI? Is it making you better or just faster at being average?

"Gets both the technical execution and the bigger picture of B2B growth".

That's from Sarah Schumacher - Senior Demand Generation Manager at Tapcheck.

I managed her campaigns at Velocity Global when I was agency-side 3 years ago.

Here's her full recommendation:
"I had the pleasure of working closely with Macloud during his time at Ledger Bennett, where he partnered with us to oversee all of our paid channels. For me, when it comes to successful agency relationships, it really comes down to who's managing your account, and Macloud was an exceptional, reliable partner.
He ensured our Paid Search and Paid LinkedIn campaigns were running efficiently and constantly optimizing to hit ambitious KPIs. Macloud is deeply data-driven, quick to act on insights, and always ahead of industry trends, which made a huge difference in our performance.
Beyond his expertise, Macloud is a joy to work with - collaborative, responsive, and genuinely invested in driving results".

Getting this truly means a lot. Delivering the work is a given - but the relationship is what matters most. Humbled to my roots on this one.

What stands out isn't just the compliment.

It's what she identified as mattering:
- Technical execution (campaigns actually work) 
- Bigger picture thinking (tied to business growth)

This stuck with me when I started Humble Roots.

Most agencies do one or the other:
- Run campaigns but don't understand strategy
- Talk strategy but can't execute

Here at Humble Roots, we do both.

We understand:
- Fundamentals (your business)
- Where you're trying to go (business objectives)
- How to get there (technical execution)
- What metrics actually matter (growth, not vanity)

Because I've been on both sides:
In-house as Head of Digital & Head of Performance Marketing (managing agencies, feeling the pressure from sales, COO, CFO and CEO)

Agency-side (delivering campaigns, optimising for client goals)

Now running Humble Roots (bringing both perspectives together)

If you're currently working with an agency, ask yourself:
- Do they understand your business goals?
- Or do they just optimise CPCs and send reports?

There's a difference between someone who manages your ads and someone who's invested in your growth.

It's Q4. You're planning 2026.

If your current paid media setup isn't working or you want to have a conversation about what good partnerships look like - I'm in London next week (Nov 12th).

DM me if you want to grab a drink and talk strategy.

Here's what I'm seeing from fintech accounts over the past 30 days.

The Spend:
- LinkedIn: £3,780
- Google: £5,937
- Meta: £1,975

Total: £11,692

Traditional metrics looked decent:
- 146 leads from Meta
- 10.17% CTR on Google Search
-Decent CTRs on LinkedIn

But the metric that actually mattered:

Audience penetration: >50%

18 contacts engaged across 10 target accounts:
- Account 1 (1 contact)
- Account 2 (3 contacts)
- Account 3 (2 contacts)
- 7 more accounts

3 contacts at Account 2. 2 at Account 3.

That's buying committee penetration, not random leads.

How to set this up.

Step 1: Build Your Target Account List
- Stop targeting "everyone".
- Build a list of 50-100 companies aligned to sales. 
- Upload to your CRM. Tag as "Target Accounts".

Step 2: Set Up Account-Level Tracking
Create these views in HubSpot:

- Target Account Engagement
- Buying Committee Coverage
- Multi-Touch Accounts

Track: Company → Contacts engaged → Touchpoints

Not: "150 MQLs generated"

Step 3: Map Your Cross-Platform Strategy
- Google Ads: High intent when people search. Limited targeting, brutal CPCs.
- LinkedIn: Precise ICP targeting. Expensive reach, audience caps.
- Meta: Efficient reach, powerful algorithms. Broader B2B targeting.

The play:
- Meta: Build awareness (cheap reach)
- LinkedIn: Nurture decision-makers (precise targeting)
- Google: Capture searchers (high intent)

Step 4: Structure Campaigns Around Buying Committees

Bad structure: Campaign: "All Roles"

Good structure:
- Campaign 1: "CFOs - Compliance & Risk"
- Campaign 2: "Controllers - Workflow Efficiency"
- Campaign 3: "CTOs - API Integration"
- Campaign 4: "Treasury - Fund Flow Control"

Clean naming = clear analysis of which roles engage.

Then map creative to each role:
- CFOs see compliance case studies
- Controllers see efficiency metrics
- CTOs see integration docs

Same account. Different roles. Different messages.

Step 5: Report What Matters
- Target accounts engaged: 10/50 (20%) 
- Buying committee coverage: 1.8 contacts/account 
- Multi-touch accounts: 3 
- Accounts with 2+ stakeholders: 3
- Not MQLs, CPL, or CTR

The shift:

From: "How many leads?"

To: "How deeply did we penetrate accounts?"

In fintech, you need 6+ stakeholders to close.
1 contact from 18 companies = 18 dead ends 
3 contacts from 1 company = 1 opportunity

Do this week:
- Build target account list (50-100 companies)
- Set up account tracking in CRM
- Structure campaigns by role, not demographics
- Map creative to each buying committee role

Stop measuring volume. Start measuring penetration.

Are you tracking account-level engagement or just lead volume?

Hear me out.... You're about to pause campaigns for December.
"Nobody buys in December". "Let's save the budget for January".
"We'll launch fresh in the new year and hit the ground running".

Every marketing leader is having this conversation right now.

So you pause. Everyone pauses.

Then January comes and you're starting from cold.

Here's why the balance sheet is a bit off:

December isn't dead. It's different.

Some people are buying. Some people aren't buying. But they're researching.

In fintech, December is actually critical:
- Budget conversations are taking place.
- CFOs are reviewing vendor contracts for renewal.
- New fiscal year planning is happening.
- Buying committees are doing research they don't have time for in Q1.

Your competitors pause. The noise drops.

This is when you should be MOST visible.

What actually happens:

Scenario 1: You pause in December
- December: Zero visibility
- January: Launch campaigns, start all over again
- February: Leads start warming up
- March: First opportunities

Scenario 2: You stay visible in December
- December: Carry on building awareness and consideration while competitors are dark
- January: Launch campaigns to warm audience
- February: Opportunities already forming
- March: Deals closing

You get a 4-6 week head start with the same annual budget just redistributed.

The framework for December:
Don't run:
- Aggressive lead gen
- "Book a demo" CTAs
- High-pressure conversion campaigns
Do run:
- Thought leadership content
- Ungated resources
- "How to plan your 2026 strategy" guides
- Year-in-review insights

Adjust your approach:
- Budget: 40-60% of normal monthly spend
- Goals: Awareness + retargeting audience building, not conversions
- Messaging: Educational, not sales-driven

Channels:
- LinkedIn (people scroll during downtime)
- YouTube (research mode, not buying mode)
- Google Search (yup leave it on but drop the budget)

Your competitors are making budget decisions right now to pause December. Which means less competition, lower CPMs and quieter feeds.

If you stay visible - even at reduced spend - you're the one they remember in January.

When everyone else is scrambling to launch Q1 campaigns, you're already top of mind.

December isn't about closing deals.

It's about being present when your buyers are planning their Q1 priorities.

Are you pausing for December? Or staying visible while everyone else goes dark?

Your 2026 budget is getting cut.

Not because your campaigns aren't working.

Because you're speaking marketing language to people who only speak money.

I've watched brilliant marketing leaders deliver real results - great CPLs, strong 

MQLs, everything trending up - then fail to get budget approved.

I've been that person.

Head of Performance Marketing. 18 slides of green metrics. Everything improving.

COO asks: "What's the return?"

I froze.

I'd spent weeks on marketing metrics. Not business metrics.

That changed when I learned the CFO Translation Formula.

Four numbers:
Spend → Pipeline → Revenue → ROI

Started presenting this way. Got budget approved every time.

Same campaigns. Different language.

You've got 2 weeks before budgets lock.

Swipe through. I've broken down what to calculate, what to say, when to do it.

The framework I wish someone gave me before my first budget meeting.

DM me "BUDGET" - I'll send you the template. Simple sheet that translates campaign data into CFO language.

I know how stressful these meetings are. I've been in them.

In budget planning now? What's the biggest challenge?

Your 2026 Budget Is Getting Cut MM

We ran a lead gen campaign for a fintech client.

Gated asset. "Download our guide".

The results:
£539.80 spend 
2 conversions 
£227.20 cost per lead

Not bad. But here's the problem:
We got 2 email addresses. That's it.

No idea if they read it. No way to nurture them beyond email.

So we pivoted.

Same asset. Same audience. Different approach.

Ungated it. Ran as a LinkedIn document ad.

New results:
£3,769 spend 
16 downloads 
£236 cost per download

Hold up, wait a minute - that's MORE expensive per download than per lead.

But here's what we actually got:
- 644 people engaged with the content (vs 2 email addresses)
- 32 people read at least 25% of it
- 6 people read to 75%
- Built a retargeting audience of engaged prospects
- No friction = better brand perception

The shift:
- From: 2 emails we can spam
- To: 644 engaged prospects we can nurture across LinkedIn

This isn't about cost per lead.

It's about quality of engagement.

Those 2 email addresses might never open our emails.

But those 644 people? They're seeing our retargeting ads. Reading our content. Building familiarity.

Because here's what's changed:
People don't want to give you their email for a 6-page PDF anymore.

ChatGPT. Claude. Perplexity. They can get insights anywhere.

But if you give them value first - no strings attached - you build trust.

Then when they're ready? You're the one they remember.

The framework:
- Gate it when: It's so valuable they'd pay for it (tools, templates, proprietary research)
- Ungate it when: It's insightful but not groundbreaking (guides, overviews, thought leadership)

Most B2B companies gate everything.

Then wonder why their "leads" never convert.

Because they're not actually engaged. They just wanted the PDF.

Ungate it. Build the audience. Nurture them properly.

Better quality pipeline. Higher intent. Actually ready to talk.

What are you gating right now that should probably be free?

Your biggest competitor isn't other companies.

It's internal inertia.

Every marketer thinks they're competing with other vendors in their space.

"We're up against Company X for this deal".

No you're not.

You're competing with:
"Let's just stick with what we have".

Status quo beats new vendors 60% of the time.

Not because your product is worse. Because switching is hard.

In fintech and financial services, it's even worse.

You're not just fighting "stick with what we have".

You're fighting:
- "Switching providers means re-doing compliance". (Legal says no)
- "Migration will take 6 months". (CTO says no)
- "Current contract doesn't end until Q3". (CFO says no)
- "We need to run a full security audit first". (InfoSec says no)

I've watched fintech companies lose deals they should've won.

Better product. Better pricing. Better implementation support.

Lost to: "The switching cost is too high".

Not competitor features.

Not competitor pricing.

Inertia.

Here's what actually wins in fintech:

Making the switch easier than staying.

Stop selling features. Start removing friction.
- Pre-built compliance documentation (Legal can review in days, not months)
- Phased migration plan (Risk is manageable, not all-at-once)
- Early contract exit support (CFO sees path forward)
- SOC 2 / ISO 27001 ready (InfoSec has no blocker)

Your competitors are showing product demos.

You should be showing de-risked migration paths.

The best fintech marketers I know:

Don't spend time on competitor battle cards.

They spend time on: "How do we make switching feel inevitable, not impossible?"

Because in a 9-12 month sales cycle with 6-8 stakeholders, one "no" from Legal or InfoSec kills the deal.

Doesn't matter how good your product is.

This isn't just fintech.

Every complex B2B sale fights the same enemy.

Healthcare. Enterprise SaaS. Professional services.

Status quo is comfortable. Change is risky.

How much of your marketing addresses "why switch" vs "why us"?

Because if you haven't answered the first question, the second one doesn't matter.

What's the biggest "inertia blocker" you see killing deals in your space?

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