Stop Talking. Start Showing.

By Kristin Oelke, Managing Director, Growth Services, Brightrose Ventures, and author of Trust: Unlocking B2B Growth in Today’s AI World

When trust is low, the last thing people want is more corporate talk. They want proof.

Edelman’s 2023 Trust Barometer showed that businesses seen as delivering tangible impact are 2.4x more trusted. That means your wins have to be visible, shareable, and credible.

The myth? Talking louder fixes skepticism. The reality? Showing consistent proof builds belief.

That’s where many companies get stuck. They produce endless messaging but forget to leverage their greatest trust assets: customer stories, partner wins, analyst endorsements, and employee voices. These aren’t just feel-good content-they’re the building blocks of credibility.

At Brightrose Ventures, our Integrated, Fractional Marketing Team specializes in building those proof points into your GTM. From customer advocacy programs to partner and referral engines, we design trust-building systems that scale.

Because the path to trust isn’t more talk. It’s more proof.

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About Kristin Oelke

Kristin Oelke brings 20 years of experience modernizing and scaling marketing functions across Big Tech, high-growth startups, and global partner ecosystems. She partners with investors, founders, and C-Suite leaders to design and execute strategies that drive measurable revenue impact.

She is also a frequent speaker and the author of TRUST: Unlocking B2B Growth Strategies in Today’s AI World, where she explores how companies build credibility, reduce buyer friction, and scale predictably through transparent execution, public proof points, and trust-driven content.

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FAQs

What are the top reasons SMB and mid-market tech companies work with advisory firms?

Companies partner with advisory firms to tap into battle-tested expertise, access fractional support without long-term overhead, and gain faster connections to trusted resources proven to work with early-stage and scaling businesses. Advisory partners also bring fresh perspective, speed to execution, and the ability to build trust with investors through transparent reporting and measurable outcomes.

How are Brightrose Growth Services different from other tech advisory offerings?

Brightrose Growth Services combine proven operator experience with fast, execution-first support built for today’s AI-driven B2B environment. We help companies break through digital noise with content that educates and resonates, build scalable tech foundations, and deliver the proof points and reporting that earn trust with both buyers and investors.

What makes the Brightrose Growth Services fractional model more effective than hiring in-house?

Rather than relying on a single marketing leader, Brightrose Growth Services provide a senior-led team across demand gen, CRM, lifecycle, content, and analytics. We accelerate growth with integrated execution, a more efficient demand engine, transparent reporting, and trust-building content—all at a predictable monthly cost.

How can startups begin leveraging Brightrose Growth Services on a small budget?

Most begin with a Brightrose Assessment to get a clear, prioritized plan and identify immediate quick wins. From there, startups activate a fractional team that scales with the business—gaining early proof points, trusted content, a scalable tech stack, and investor-ready reporting without overinvesting.