Margins and Mandates
Join Jeff Lortz as he explores the critical balance between
profitability and growth mandates. Each episode delivers frameworks,
insights, and real-world strategies from leaders who've
navigated high-stakes business challenges.
AO GROWTH ADVISORS
The podcast where strategy meets execution for ambitious operators
Essential Listening for Operators
Strategic conversations that tackle the real challenges of balancing margins and mandates
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Johan AbadieIn this episode of Margins and Mandates, Jeff reconnects with Johan Abadie, VP of Demand Generation and Revenue Strategy at SalesIntel, for a candid conversation about building pipeline in an era of AI hype, cheap data traps, and shifting buyer expectations.
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Nate Burke
In this episode of Margins and Mandates, Jeff sits down with Nate Burke, CMO at 7 AI, to unpack what it really takes to build and run a marketing organization inside an emerging AI cybersecurity company.
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Steve Martin
In this episode, Jeff sits down with Steve Martin, a seasoned CMO who’s been in the trenches of SaaS, CRM, and PE-backed growth stories for the past two decades. From his early days at Lotus post-IBM acquisition to his recent role leading marketing at Act!, Steve opens up about the evolving challenges of scaling software compan
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Pam Boiros
In this episode of Margins and Mandates, Jeff sits down with Pam Boiros, fractional CMO, marketing strategist, and co-founder of . Pam shares her journey from leading marketing at major HR tech companies to building her consulting practice,
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Michelle Katz
In this episode of Margins and Mandates, host Jeff Lortz sits down with Michelle Katz, founder of From Prospects — a data-driven intelligence platform shaking up the traditional world of legal recruiting and firm research.
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Ryan De La Parra
This is a long , thin type of bread of French origin, that is distinguishable by its length and crisp crust
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Jeff Nulsen
In this episode of Margins and Mandates, Jeff Lortz sits down with Jeff Nulsen, a seasoned marketing executive, to unpack how he helped transform a brand overshadowed by security crises into a thriving, trusted growth engine while serving as CMO at N-Able.
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Listen to Margins and Mandates on Spotify during your commute, workout, or downtime
Margins and Mandates explores how business leaders build resilient, high-performing organizations in demanding markets. Hosted by Jeff Lortz — an experienced CEO, operator, and founder of the Agile Operator playbook — each episode features candid conversations about the strategies, challenges, and decisions that define real leadership. If you’re an executive, founder, or senior operator driving growth and results, this is your playbook for leading under pressure.
What if the best way to grow a business… is to stop chasing growth?
In this episode, Jeff sits down with Jason Sgro, CEO of The Atom Group, a cybersecurity and software firm serving public sector and critical infrastructure across New England. Jason has built a highly profitable, referral-driven business with no sales team, no marketing engine, and no ambition to scale beyond what the business—and the people inside it—can sustain.
They explore why specialization beats competition, how trust becomes a growth engine, and what AI means for the future of professional services. Along the way, Jason shares a different model for building a company—one focused on durability, discipline, and long-term relationships over speed and scale.
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