B2B Agility with Greg Kihlström™

Episode #60: Anticipating and Adapting to Change with Kathleen Pomento, ProcureAbility
Date: September 9, 2025
Guest: Kathleen Pomento, CMO, ProcureAbility
Host: Greg Kihlström

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the evolving complexities of B2B marketing—especially in the procurement services industry—during times of economic uncertainty. Key themes include strategic marketing in a misunderstood field, how to communicate value to diverse stakeholders, the power of thought leadership, and the crucial role of mentorship for nurturing future leaders. Kathleen Pomento, CMO of ProcureAbility, shares her perspectives on anticipating market changes, creating agile and data-driven marketing strategies, and fostering a culture that supports both clients and internal teams.

Main Discussion Points and Insights

1. Unique Challenges in Procurement Marketing

[02:27]-[04:01]

• Kathleen dispels the myth that procurement is mere corporate red tape, emphasizing that “every firm has to buy something,” and that procurement has become increasingly strategic.
• She details the expanded role of procurement in navigating supply chain disruptions, from pandemics to geopolitical tensions.
• Transforming procurement from a tactical to a strategic function creates deeper business value and enables early involvement in business processes.

Notable Quote:

"Procurement is not just about cost savings, it really is about value enablement...when we go in, we are able to transform these organizations...from tactical to strategic."
— Kathleen Pomento [03:18]

2. Communicating Procurement’s Value to Stakeholders

[04:01]-[05:47]

• The core stakeholders—CPOs, CEOs, CFOs—must understand and see data-driven results from procurement.
• Kathleen highlights the necessity of translating marketing metrics (like lead gen, MQL/SQL ratios, pipeline wins) into business outcomes that matter to leadership.
• The team tailors messaging to each stakeholder, ensuring alignment with their KPIs and expectations.

Notable Quote:

"I have to speak the CEO's language. I could use vanity metrics like impressions, but that doesn't mean anything."
— Kathleen Pomento [04:43]

3. Evolving Professional Services Marketing

[06:18]-[08:45]

• Professional services (like those in procurement) rely on trust, authority, and relationship-building, given the longer sales cycles and intangible offerings.
• Early and ongoing case study development, even before identifying clients, strengthens proof of value.
• Success is demonstrated via agnostic case studies—stories of real business impact, shared thoughtfully with prospects.

Notable Quote:

"We're not looking to be a transactional vendor. We are looking to be a strategic long term partner. And that takes time."
— Kathleen Pomento [06:31]

4. Thought Leadership as a Growth Engine

[08:45]-[10:43]

• ProcureAbility’s marketing invests heavily in thought leadership to provide value before a client even engages services.
• Content is designed to be actionable, forward-looking, and respectful of the audience's time, across formats from blogs to podcasts.
• Thought leadership is less about a hard sell and more about cultivating authority and trust over time.

Notable Quote:

"Our thought leadership is not a hard sale...it's a value add well before someone even contacts us."
— Kathleen Pomento [09:13]

5. Mentorship and Talent Development

[10:43]-[16:01]

• Kathleen, recipient of Consulting Magazine’s “Mentor of the Year,” views mentorship as a twofold endeavor: guidance and active advocacy.
• She encourages everyone to mentor—regardless of tenure—and reflects on the reciprocal growth it provides.
• At ProcureAbility, a formalized, thoughtfully matched mentorship program drives talent development, with mentees steering the relationship.

Notable Quotes:

"Everybody has something unique to offer, whether you’ve been in the workforce six months or 30 years."
— Kathleen Pomento [11:25]

"It’s not just about mentorship. It’s about advocacy. You have to say their name in a room that they're not in."
— Kathleen Pomento [12:15]

6. Building a Culture of Organic, Effective Mentorship

[14:01]-[16:01]

• The program at ProcureAbility blends structure with an organic, listening-driven dynamic.
• Mentees drive the agenda, and trust is built through showing vulnerability and sharing personal stories, not only professional wins.
• Flexibility in topics, from business skills to personal challenges, is encouraged.

Notable Quote:

"You have to let the relationship evolve naturally...I always listen more than I speak because I want to know what the mentees want to get out of the relationship."
— Kathleen Pomento [14:35]

7. Marketing Through Uncertainty and Volatility

[16:01]-[19:18]

• Marketers must align initiatives closely with business priorities, distinguishing between offensive (growth-focused) and defensive (competitive maintenance) moves.
• Kathleen shares specific examples like invitation-only roundtables and curated webinars, designed for high-impact engagement rather than exposure for its own sake.

Notable Quote:

"We don't sit...creating marketing collateral no one's using or events nobody wants to attend. We're doing very targeted things."
— Kathleen Pomento [18:10]

8. Fostering Agile, Adaptive Teams

[19:18]-[21:43]

• Agility is built into team culture via flexible planning (e.g., leaving 15–20% of the calendar open for emerging trends).
• Two pillars: intellectual curiosity (continuous learning and humility) and smart risk-taking (bold experiments, data-driven pivots).
• Readiness and responsiveness are achieved by anticipating industry trends and actively learning from both successes and missteps.

Notable Quote:

"I focus on intellectual curiosity...and smart risk-taking. I'm not afraid to try bold strategies...but I'm also not afraid to pivot if it’s not working."
— Kathleen Pomento [20:13]

Memorable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)

• [03:18]: “Procurement is not just about cost savings, it really is about value enablement...” — Kathleen Pomento
• [04:43]: “I have to speak the CEO's language...I need to communicate what's working.” — Kathleen Pomento
• [06:31]: “We’re not looking to be a transactional vendor. We are looking to be a strategic long term partner.” — Kathleen Pomento
• [09:13]: “Our thought leadership is not a hard sale...it's a value add well before someone even contacts us.” — Kathleen Pomento
• [11:25]: “Everybody has something unique to offer, whether you’ve been in the workforce six months or 30 years.” — Kathleen Pomento
• [12:15]: “It’s not just about mentorship. It’s about advocacy. You have to say their name in a room that they're not in.” — Kathleen Pomento
• [14:35]: “You have to let the relationship evolve naturally...I always listen more than I speak because I want to know what the mentees want to get out of the relationship.” — Kathleen Pomento
• [18:10]: “We don't sit...creating marketing collateral no one's using or events nobody wants to attend...” — Kathleen Pomento
• [20:13]: “I focus on intellectual curiosity...and smart risk-taking. I'm not afraid to try bold strategies...” — Kathleen Pomento

Key Takeaways

• Procurement marketing must transcend stereotypes and champion its strategic, business-enabling role.
• Authentic relationships, data-driven storytelling, and high-quality thought leadership are vital for growth.
• Effective mentorship programs combine structure with deep listening and proactive advocacy.
• Agility hinges on intellectual curiosity and bold, measured experimentation—leaving room for adaptation.
• All marketing activities must tie directly to business impact, especially during market uncertainty.

For more insights from Kathleen Pomento and the ProcureAbility team, see the show notes for links and further resources.