I Built the ABM Category. It's Broken, So I'm Back.

I haven't made a video about ABM in five years. New research shows 78% of ABM programs are still failing after a decade of tools, conferences, and billions in software spend. So I'm back.

I co-founded Terminus, helped build the entire ABM category, wrote the book, started the FlipMyFunnel movement, and then walked away because I thought the category had grown up. I was wrong. 

In this video I break down the real state of ABM in 2026 (widespread adoption, widespread failure), the five mega shifts that separate the 22% who are crushing it from everyone else, and six concrete steps to fix your program. The short version: your best targets are the customers you already have, static lists are dead, small focused tiers beat big ones, you should measure account penetration instead of leads, and no pile of tools replaces an actual operating system. AI doesn't fix bad ABM, it multiplies it.

⏱ TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Why I haven't talked about ABM in five years
(01:16) Moving on to GTM Partners and the MOVE book
(02:16) The research that changed my mind: 78% still failing
(02:43) Why I'm coming back to ABM in 2026
(03:43) The state of ABM: 80% adoption, 25% success
(05:07) Widespread adoption, widespread failure
(06:39) Shift 1: from new logos to existing accounts
(08:50) Shift 2: from static lists to real-time signals
(11:57) Shift 3: from big lists to small focused tiers
(14:15) Shift 4: from MQLs to account penetration
(16:03) Shift 5: from tool stacks to operating systems
(18:47) What AI actually does for ABM (multiplies, doesn't fix)
(19:53) The 6 steps that make ABM work
(22:22) A personal note: why I take this one seriously

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