Champion Communications

Crossing the Pond

Business EN ↓ 8 episodes

B2B sales in the UK are worth over £188 billion a year, drawing ambitious companies from around the world - especially North America. But breaking into the UK isn’t simple. Differences in scale, customer behaviour, sales methods, regulation, and media mean success is far from guaranteed, with over 40% of newcomers failing within three years. Crossing the Pond is the go-to podcast for B2B leaders planning or pursuing UK expansion. Hosted by Richard Cook, each episode features candid conversations with executives who’ve made the leap. They share lessons learned, wins, challenges, and practical i...

Author

Champion Communications

Episodes

EP08: Precision, Proof and Peer Referral: The Real Rules of UK B2B Marketing 30.04.2026 18:36

Rachel Allen, founder of Bolt from the Blue Copywriting and fractional CMO, joins host Richard Cook to explore what it really takes to market complex B2B services across borders and why so many North American businesses get it wrong when they enter the UK and European market. Rachel shares the origin story behind Bolt from the Blue, built from scratch in Hong Kong with $200 and no work visa, and h...

EP07: Reinventing the B2B Sales Cycle: Rajan Sodhi on Product-Led Growth That Converts 31.03.2026 43:51

In this episode, Richard Cook is joined by Rajan Sodhi, co-founder and CMO of Hyperview, to explore what it takes to scale a B2B technology company in today’s fast-changing landscape. Rajan shares the origin story behind Hyperview and how a bold shift to a cloud-native, product-led model helped challenge a traditionally complex and slow-moving industry. He explains why removing friction from the b...

EP06: The Power of B2B Podcasting: Bogdan Bratis on Brand Building With Expert Voices 19.01.2026 37:32

In this episode, Richard Cook speaks with Bogdan Bratis, a B2B podcast strategist, producer, and host of The Podfiles. Bogdan’s background spans music, audio production, and corporate communications, giving him a distinctive view on how long-form content builds trust and authority. Bogdan explains why podcasting has become a strategic communications channel for B2B organisations, how smaller audie...

EP05: From Brand to Buyer: Agnes Psathas on Navigating Global B2B Marketing Today 15.12.2025 32:44

In this episode, Richard Cook speaks with Agnes Psathas, VP of Global Marketing for Exclusive Networks. Her career spans automotive, cybersecurity and B2B tech sectors. Agnes shares her perspective on what it truly means to build a “glocal” brand, one strong enough to operate globally while still empowering teams locally. She covers why brand PR is a long-term investment, how B2B buyer behaviour h...

EP04: Brand as a Growth Engine: Alan Edwards on B2B Marketing Strategy That Works 16.11.2025 48:10

In this episode, Richard Cook speaks with Alan Edwards, marketing consultant and director with a career spanning IBM, Sun Microsystems, Peer 1, and multiple scale-ups across the B2B tech sectors. Alan shares his expertise on the importance of brand - often dismissed as a “soft” discipline in B2B - is in fact one of the most powerful growth accelerators . Alan shows how clear brand identity cuts th...

EP03: From Cookies to 20 Million Views: Becca Chambers on Authentic B2B Storytelling 29.09.2025 25:42

B2B marketers expanding into the UK face not only cultural and media challenges but also the shifting dynamics of global communications. In this episode, Richard Cook speaks with Becca Chambers , award-winning PR and communications strategist, LinkedIn Top 0.1% contributor, and transatlantic comms leader. Becca shares her journey from behind-the-scenes corporate communicator to building a personal...

EP02: Taming the UK Media: Lessons in Investor and B2B Communications with Kris Newton 29.08.2025 23:27

Episode Summary Communicating across the Atlantic has never been more complex. In today’s world of fragmented channels, social amplification, and a 24/7 news cycle, controlling your message is nearly impossible. In this episode, Richard Cook speaks with Kris Newton , a veteran B2B technology and investor communications leader whose career spans over 25 years, including key roles at NetApp . Kris s...

EP01: Avoiding the 40% Failure Rate: How B2B Brands Can Thrive in the UK 15.08.2025 30:29

B2B sales in the UK are valued at over £188 billion a year-but entering the market isn’t always straightforward. Over 40% of businesses expanding into the UK fail within three years, often because they underestimate the cultural and media nuances of doing business across the Atlantic. In this episode, Richard Cook speaks with Eric Brown , a seasoned global communications leader who has worked with...