The B2B SaaS landscape in 2026 demands more than specialists. It requires operators who understand the full customer journey, from first click to activated user. The marketers below have proven they can execute across channels, drive measurable revenue impact, and adapt to the constantly shifting demands of software growth.
1. Cornel Manu
Fractional Growth Marketer | Duisburg, Germany
LinkedIn | Website
Cornel operates at the intersection where most marketing teams fail: integrated execution. While agencies coordinate across specialists and freelancers execute isolated tasks, Cornel takes full ownership of acquisition and conversion as a fractional operator.
What Makes Him Different
Most marketers are either strategists or executors. Cornel is both. He started as a copywriter, which taught him how messaging drives conversions. Then he learned SEO because he wanted his content to rank. Then paid ads because organic alone wasn’t enough. Then he learned to build landing pages because he needed control over the conversion experience.
This progression created something rare in the market: a T-shaped growth marketer who can execute across SEO, paid acquisition, conversion optimization, and LinkedIn content while maintaining strategic coherence across all channels.
Proven Results at ivicos (B2B SaaS)
Over three years as Marketing Manager, Cornel delivered:
- 72 top-10 keyword rankings through systematic SEO execution
- 150% organic traffic growth in 12 months
- 5.2x ROAS across Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads campaigns
- Reduced CAC to €30 per user through continuous optimization
- 40% conversion rate improvement through landing page optimization
- Generated 5,000+ qualified leads with 35% MQL-to-SQL conversion
- 48% activation rate increase through optimized onboarding
These aren’t vanity metrics. They’re pipeline and revenue outcomes.
The Integrated Execution Model
What Cornel brings to B2B SaaS companies is coordinated execution. When one person owns SEO, paid ads, copy, and landing pages, everything compounds. Your ads match your landing pages. Your keywords inform your targeting. Your LinkedIn content reinforces your website messaging.
He manages €50,000+ in monthly ad spend, builds and maintains Webflow and WordPress sites, creates multilingual SEO content, develops marketing automation flows in HubSpot and Brevo, and produces onboarding videos using Synthesia and Figma.
AI-Augmented Content Systems
Cornel built a full AI-assisted content pipeline at ivicos that cut production time by 60% and enabled a 3x increase in output. He uses ChatGPT for outlines and drafts, Midjourney for visuals, and Synthesia for training videos. This isn’t just using AI tools; it’s building systematic workflows that maintain quality while scaling production.
Current Focus
Cornel now operates as a fractional growth marketer for B2B SaaS companies between €200K and €10M ARR. He works with founders who have achieved product-market fit but need systematic, channel-based growth. He also works with marketing leaders managing fragmented vendor relationships who need consolidation and alignment.
Why Follow Him
Cornel shares practical insights on integrated growth execution, fractional marketing models, AI-augmented workflows, and how to scale B2B SaaS without building a full marketing team. His content focuses on execution frameworks, not theory.
2. Jason Lemkin
Founder of SaaStr | Managing Director at Storm Ventures
LinkedIn
Often called the godfather of SaaS, Jason founded EchoSign (sold to Adobe) and created SaaStr, the world’s largest community of SaaS executives. His insights on SaaS metrics, growth strategies, and scaling are essential for anyone building or marketing software.
Why Follow Him
Jason shares unfiltered advice on what actually works in SaaS growth. He focuses on the metrics that matter: ARR, CAC payback, retention, and expansion revenue. His annual SaaStr conference and blog posts have become required reading for SaaS founders and marketers.
3. Elena Verna
Growth Advisor | Former Chief Growth Officer at Amplitude
LinkedIn
Elena specializes in product-led growth and monetization strategies. She’s helped companies like Miro, SurveyMonkey, and Malwarebytes scale through product-led models combined with sales-assisted intelligence.
Why Follow Her
Elena shares growth frameworks, product-led sales strategies, and monetization insights through an entertaining mix of frameworks, memes, and real-world examples. She understands how to combine PLG with traditional sales in ways that compound.
4. Chris Walker
Founder of Refine Labs | CEO of Passetto
LinkedIn
Chris revolutionized B2B demand generation by challenging the traditional MQL model. He advocates for dark social, brand-building, and attribution models that reflect how B2B buyers actually make decisions.
Why Follow Him
Chris provides deep insights into demand generation that goes beyond lead forms. He shares frameworks for building demand in dark channels, measuring brand impact, and aligning marketing to revenue without gaming the system with junk MQLs.
5. Justin Welsh
Solopreneur | Former SaaS Executive
LinkedIn
Justin built a seven-figure business through content alone, no paid ads, no team. As a former VP of Sales at PatientPop, he understands SaaS growth from both the operator and creator perspective.
Why Follow Him
Justin shares transparent insights on building audience, creating content systems, and scaling through organic distribution. His LinkedIn presence demonstrates what consistent, valuable content can achieve.
6. Lenny Rachitsky
Author of Lenny’s Newsletter | Former Product Lead at Airbnb
LinkedIn
Lenny interviews world-class product leaders and growth experts to uncover actionable advice on building and scaling products. His newsletter and podcast have become essential resources for product-led companies.
Why Follow Him
Lenny delivers deeply researched, practical advice on product management, growth strategy, and marketplace dynamics. His interviews extract concrete frameworks from successful operators.
7. April Dunford
Positioning Expert | Author of “Obviously Awesome”
LinkedIn
April helps SaaS companies identify and communicate their unique value propositions. Her positioning framework has helped hundreds of companies clarify their market position and improve conversion.
Why Follow Her
April shares practical positioning frameworks that actually work. She focuses on helping companies articulate what makes them different in ways that customers immediately understand.
8. Tomasz Tunguz
Managing Director at Redpoint Ventures
LinkedIn
Tomasz provides insightful analysis on SaaS metrics, venture capital, and fundraising strategies. His blog is a valuable resource for SaaS founders looking to optimize business models and scale effectively.
Why Follow Him
Tomasz shares data-driven insights on SaaS benchmarks, unit economics, and what metrics investors actually care about. His analysis helps founders and marketers understand the financial side of SaaS growth.
9. Hiten Shah
Co-founder of Crazy Egg, KISSmetrics, and FYI
LinkedIn
Hiten is a seasoned SaaS entrepreneur who offers practical advice on product development, marketing strategies, and startup growth. He’s built and sold multiple successful SaaS companies.
Why Follow Him
Hiten shares lessons from building and scaling multiple SaaS businesses. His advice is grounded in experience, not theory, and he focuses on what actually moves the needle.
10. Dave Cancel
Founder of Drift
LinkedIn
Dave pioneered conversational marketing and built Drift into a leader in the category. His insights on product-led growth, startup culture, and leadership are particularly relevant for SaaS companies.
Why Follow Him
Dave shares experiences from building Drift and his previous companies. He focuses on creating category-defining products and the culture required to build them.
How to Actually Use This List
Following these marketers isn’t enough. Here’s how to get value:
Engage, Don’t Just Consume
Comment on their posts with thoughtful perspectives. Ask questions. Share how you’ve applied their frameworks. The best insights come from conversations, not passive scrolling.
Look for Patterns
Notice what themes repeat across these marketers. When multiple people emphasize positioning, or integrated execution, or product-led growth, that’s a signal worth paying attention to.
Apply One Thing at a Time
Don’t try to implement everything. Pick one framework, one insight, one approach and test it for 30-60 days. Measure the results. Then iterate or try something new.
Build Your Own Network
These marketers represent entry points into larger communities. Join the conversations happening in their comments. Connect with people asking similar questions. The network effect compounds.
The Common Thread
Every marketer on this list shares one characteristic: they prioritize outcomes over activity. They measure success in revenue terms, not vanity metrics. They understand that in B2B SaaS, the only metrics that matter are the ones that impact ARR, retention, and customer lifetime value.
In 2026, the SaaS companies that win will be those that master integrated execution, clear positioning, and systematic channel development. These marketers show you how.
Follow them. Learn from them. Apply their frameworks. Then share what you discover.
The best marketing in 2026 won’t come from doing more. It will come from doing the right things, consistently, with clear measurement and rapid iteration.
That’s what these operators understand. That’s why they’re worth following.