Denver played host to a remarkable convergence of digital thinkers, innovators, and partners at Progress MartechNEXT 2025. The conversations were as high in altitude as the city itself!
For Flywheel Strategic, the value of this event extended far beyond the sessions. As our collaborator, Stephania Varalli summarizes... it was about connection, collaboration, and clarity. As a Premium Sitefinity Partner, the event gave us early access to meaningful discussions with the Sitefinity product and marketing teams. The encouraging dialog presented a clear commitment to bringing AI into the fold in ways that make website management and content publishing more productive, not more complicated.
And of course, a highlight of the event was the keynote from Neil Patel, whose presentation The Next Marketing Challenge: AI and Its Impact on Modern Marketing set the tone for the entire conference. His insights on how AI reshapes marketing—especially the importance of a unified Customer Data Platform (CDP) as the backbone for personalization—reinforced how strategy, data, and technology must work together to create meaningful experiences.
Patel also shared a sharp perspective on the classic build versus buy debate. His point was straightforward: organizations shouldn’t try to build everything themselves. Instead, they should focus on building what differentiates them and buy the rest. The message resonated across the room, especially as teams look for smarter ways to balance innovation, speed, and sustainability within their technology stack.
You don't need to build everything. Build what differentiates you; buy the rest.
But the magic of MartechNEXT wasn’t only in what we learned. It was also in how we contributed.
Flywheel on Stage
Flywheel was proud to take the stage twice. On day one, Scott Snowden joined fellow members of the Proven Alliance for a roundtable titled Human-Centered by Design: Elevating Digital Journeys with Empathy and AI. The conversation explored how organizations can use AI to enhance empathy, craft, and human connection.
The session closed with a forward-looking challenge: how can we leverage AI to move from chasing conversions to creating moments of care? Scaling those moments will soon be possible in ways we’ve never imagined, but only if we avoid the temptation to take shortcuts with AI-generated content that lacks thought or heart.
On the second morning, Flywheel delivered its session Commerce Reimagined: How Content and AI are Redefining B2B Success. The central message was simple: there has never been a better time to build the digital experience you know you need. With AI-driven productivity gains removing traditional barriers, the call to action was clear: be bold in pursuing the experiences that move your business forward.
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Why Events Like This Matter
MartechNEXT proved that thought leadership thrives where ideas, partners, and innovation intersect. We left inspired by the conversations with peers, the insights from speakers, and the chance to see firsthand how Progress and Sitefinity are shaping what’s next.
MartechNEXT 2025 reminded us that digital excellence isn’t a solitary pursuit. It’s a shared journey, and we’re grateful to be part of it.