OnBD with ALF

Listen back to highlights from the first season of OnBD with ALF, hosted by Amanda Rosevear, General Manager of ALF Insight.Featured topics and guests include BD100’s Jody Osman who tells us what he thinks distinguishes a ‘great’ business development person from a ‘good’ one. Becky Hipkiss from We Are Futures offers insights on outreach and explains her belief on why ‘people buy people’, whilst global media and tech leader, Evelyn Oluwole, shares follow up advice including common mistakes to avoid. Rob Biagioni, CEO of Time Out, tells us about building community and deepening engagement with their audience to steer content and support commercial aims. And Kim James from Havas Media Network talked us through the steps they take when considering their own growth strategy.Katie Street, founder and MD of Street Agency, spoke to us about overcoming some of the challenges of business development, and sales trainer Debra Sharron offered advice on honing your skills as a salesperson and what she means by ‘consultative selling’.  Charlie Celino, Commercial Services Director at News UK, discusses how AI is transforming planning and buying infrastructure but why he believes a human touch will always remain central. Plus, we hear back from all our season one guests on the advice they would give their younger selves. Topics include authenticity, speaking up, patience, networking, relationships, trusting your gut, and starting your pension sooner!00:00 Summer Bonus Highlights00:19 What Makes Great BD02:28 Outreach That Cuts Through04:10 Follow Up Like a Pro05:01 Audience Engagement at Time Out05:52 Building Growth Communities07:36 Authentic New Business Content10:38 Consultative Selling Skills13:11 AI in Media Sales14:54 Advice to Your Younger Self24:52 Final ThoughtsIf you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo

In this episode, host and General Manager of ALF Insight, Amanda Rosevear, meets Evelyn Oluwole, a global media and tech sales leader to discuss why ‘follow-up’ should be viewed as a strategy not a task. Evelyn highlights common mistakes when it comes to follow up and shares her advice and tips for adding value to cut through noise, the role that AI should and shouldn’t play in your communications and her recommendations for building relationships.  Plus, what should you do if your emails continually get ghosted? Amanda and Evelyn debate different approaches for leaving the door open. If you want to enhance your follow up, then this is a must-listen.  00:00 Welcome and introduction to Evelyn01:30 What Follow Up Means02:42 Three Follow Up Mistakes06:52 Add Value Not Noise09:28 Stakeholders and Account Mapping14:01 Trust and Retention Mindset15:46 AI and Human Touch22:24 McDonalds Follow Up Example26:59 Timing Next Steps and Value32:23 When to Stop Following Up36:39 Dear John Email Debate40:00 Quick Fire Round42:00 One Follow Up Challenge43:36 Final thoughts and goodbye If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

Amanda Rosevear, host and General Manager of ALF Insight, chats to Becky Hipkiss, who leads new business at marketing agency, We Are Futures.In 2025 Becky was named as BD100’s Rising Star with judges citing her "purpose-driven mindset, tenacity and clear results" and in this conversation, she shares her expertise on effective outreach strategies, relationship building, and pipeline health.Discover practical tips on how to cut through digital noise and build meaningful connections that lead to long-term success.00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:27 Bad Outreach Red Flags03:59 Channels That Cut Through06:57 Email vs LinkedIn Messaging10:41 Creating Cut Through13:04 Building a Flexible Framework18:22 Staying Top of Mind23:06 Pipeline Roles and Relationship Equity27:16 Metrics That Matter30:22 Personalisation at Scale33:32 Team GB Outreach Win Story38:55 Quick Fire Questions42:48 Wrap Up and Key TakeawaysIf you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

In this episode, General Manager of ALF Insight, Amanda Rosevear, is joined by Rob Biagioni, CEO of Time Out. Rob shares his journey through the media industry, offering insights on adapting to digital transformation, and strategies for engaging audiences in a rapidly changing landscape. This includes how Time Out is pivoting in the face of AI challenges, why they won’t succumb to the drive for ‘negative news’ clicks and how their 4,000+ members of the ‘Time Out Loud’ community is being used for editorial direction and advertiser insight work.  00:00 Introduction and Rob's Career Beginnings02:51 Rob's Journey from Sports Science to Media08:41 Leadership lessons10:08 Joining Time Out 11:25 Time Out Markets model13:10 The Evolution of Media and Audience Engagement18:14 Moving Away from Page Views to Core Value19:06 The Power of Human Reviews and Authentic Content21:29 Using Community and First-Party Data for Insights30:44 Adapting to Platform Changes and Diversification34:02 The Future of Media and AI Challenges34:44 Leadership, Culture, and Learning from Mistakes35:19 Quickfire Questions If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

In this episode, Amanda Rosevear, General Manager for ALF Insight, is joined by Charlie Celino, Commercial Services Director at News UK.  Charlie shares insights on navigating the evolving media landscape, the impact of AI on news and advertising, and proactive strategies for future success.  Discover how News UK is leveraging technology and innovation to stay ahead in a turbulent industry. 00:00 Introduction and Background of Charlie Celino02:59 Role of Commercial Services Director at News UK04:45 Challenges in the News Industry: AI and Trust06:21 Advertiser Relationships and Brand Safety Concerns13:02 Proactive Strategies in a Changing Landscape16:09 Embracing AI: Opportunities and Internal Initiatives22:24 Revolutionising Sales with Digital Tools31:16 The Future of Media Consumption34:37 Quickfire Insights on Sales and Authenticity40:24 Charlie’s life as a movie and favourite hype songs If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

In this episode of OnBD with ALF, Amanda Rosevear, General Manager of ALF Insight, chats to James Walmsley, Ad Director at Immediate Media.  James shares insights from his career in media sales, including what he loved about his early days at MTV and why he’s stayed at Immediate Media for so many years.He discusses the industry's challenges, including the shifting digital landscape and the resurgence of print media.  James also tells us about the idea behind Atria, a new collaborative initiative among major UK publishers aimed at simplifying media buys and driving investment into trusted, editorial brands and why he thinks joining forces with ‘competitors’ is a positive move. 00:00 Introduction00:47 James’s Career Journey04:11 Life at Immediate Media05:56 Challenges and Innovations in Publishing07:27 Focus on Video and Social Content09:14 Subscriber Growth Strategies12:40 Launch of Atria: A New Marketplace20:31 The Future of Publishing and AI22:06 The Importance of Human Connection in Media23:15 The Value of Trusted Brands24:56 Launching a New Initiative25:59 James's Passion for Media Sales29:03 The Future of Print and Digital Media31:42 Advice for Aspiring Salespeople36:00 James's Career Reflections and Hype Song37:39 Conclusion and Final Thoughts If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

In this episode, Amanda Rosevear, General Manager of ALF Insight, chats to Kim James, Chief Growth and Business Development Officer at Havas Media Network.  Kim shares her journey through the media industry, starting as a graduate TV buyer to her current role at Havas Media Network.  Discover her thoughts behind the importance of building communities for business development and the strategies Havas uses to maintain relationships with prospective clients over long periods.  Kim emphasises the necessity of a team effort in successful pitches and tells us how Havas is working to expand their pitch bench.  The episode also discusses the evolving role of procurement in the pitch process and how Havas is addressing these changes through technology, robust qualification processes, and data-driven strategies. 00:00 Introduction00:43 Meet Kim James: A Journey in Media03:29 Strategies for Business Development05:12 Building and Leveraging Communities14:45 The Art of Pitching21:38 The Changing Landscape of Pitch Processes26:07 Utilising Technology and Data in New Business33:36 Final Thoughts and Advice37:58 Conclusion and Farewell If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo. 

In this special episode of 'OnBD with ALF' host and General Manager of ALF Insight, Amanda Rosevear welcomes co-founders of the BD100, Jody Osman and Rich McHardy, to discuss everything you need to know about submitting your application to the prestigious awards.  Rich and Jody share why they created the BD100, and talk us through the nomination and submission processes, along with tips for crafting a standout entry.  They also explain additional categories such as Win of the Year, Team of the Year, and the newly introduced Industry Impact Award. With key insights and advice, this episode is essential for anyone in business development looking to boost their sales strategies and gain recognition.  Listen now to learn how to get involved and make the most of the BD100 community. 00:00 Introduction02:06 The Importance of the BD100 Community04:44 How to Get Nominated for the BD10024:04 Additional Categories and Awards26:47 Key Dates and Final TipsIf you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

In this episode, General Manager of ALF Insight and podcast host, Amanda Rosevear meets Katie Street, Founder and MD of Street Agency and podcast host of 'Marketing in the Madness.'  Katie shares her journey from falling into sales at a young age to running her own successful marketing agency. They delve into the importance of human-centred, people-powered marketing in the age of AI, discuss content creation strategies, and provide insights on building a personal brand in business development.  Listen in for actionable advice and inspiring stories to elevate your sales game. 00:43 Meet Katie Street: Career Journey and Insights04:30 The Power of People-Powered Marketing06:33 Challenges and Strategies in Personal Branding11:40 Creating Valuable Content for Your Audience18:44 Effective Audience Engagement and Outreach24:06 The Overwhelming Email Overload24:36 Human-Centric Marketing Strategies25:12 Company-Wide Marketing Efforts26:39 The Future of Personal Branding29:07 Gen Z and the Evolution of Sales32:11 Creating Authentic Content36:55 Quick Fire Questions with Katie42:49 Conclusion and Final Thoughts  If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.