We’ve just wrapped up a tremendous B2B Summit North America. Each year, I leave thinking it will be hard to outdo the experience of the previous year — and each year, I’m proven wrong. I’m leaving Phoenix absolutely exhausted but completely fired up by the conversations, ideas, and many moments of connection that I had over the three days. To everyone who joined us — and especially to those who took the time to share thoughtful, candid feedback — a heartfelt thank you.

This year’s Summit felt particularly momentous. The B2B world is on the precipice of something entirely new. That’s why we chose the theme “Hello, GTM Singularity.” Between sessions, in the Marketplace, during meals, and even out on Chase Field with our Executive Leadership Exchange (ELE) participants, I heard slightly different versions of the same refrain: This is one of the most challenging moments leaders can remember. Just as often, I also heard people say that it helps to know others feel the same way and that they’re not facing it alone. That sense of shared experience and solidarity was unmistakable.

Here are a few reflections on the past three days at Summit that leave me genuinely excited about what’s ahead.

We Have The Resources To Take On The Challenges

We spend a lot of time at Forrester analyzing the pressures B2B leaders face. We see buyers taking more control of their journeys, buying decisions shaped by larger networks, and AI playing an increasingly central role. B2B Summit was purposefully designed to equip people to tackle these problems in the only practical way possible: as a holistic go-to-market (GTM) team, not siloed marketing, sales, product, and customer success functions.

On the mainstage, we talked about the importance of ARC principles — teams augmented by AI, operating models that are resilient rather than fixed, and GTM efforts that are genuinely collaborative. (Keeping with the augmented principle, attendees have been given trial access to Forrester AI through May 5th.) In breakout sessions, the ideas revealed on the mainstage became practical. Attendees explored how to unify GTM teams, bolster answer engine strategies, better connect brand and demand, and rethink how accountability works in an AI‑influenced buying environment.

The emphasis on participation carried throughout the event. In workshops, roundtables, and analyst one‑on‑ones, people rolled up their sleeves and worked through real scenarios and challenges together. Some even began sharing new ideas with teammates back home. “Our entire marketing leadership team has been able to take learnings as they’re happening, put them into Slack, and actively begin engaging our entire team on the learnings,” one attendee told us. There also was tremendous energy emanating from our B2B Immersive Experience — where participants had a buyer’s‑eye view of how fragmentation, mixed messages, and AI‑driven discovery complicate decisions and why alignment and clear strategic focus matter more than ever.

Human Connection Still Matters — A Lot

As much as AI shaped the agenda this year, it was human connection that gave Summit its energy. You could feel it everywhere — in the Women’s Leadership Program, in spontaneous Marketplace conversations, at the ELE dinner on Chase Field, and during our annual concert featuring The Fray. Especially in uncertain times, those moments of connection make a difference.

Our closing session with Second City Works brought that idea home in a memorable way. Navigating this new GTM reality requires new habits and, at times, a willingness to go outside our comfort zone. And traditional improv approaches — “Yes, and … ” and “making your partner look good” — will be critical for our new normal. Putting ARC principles into practice takes patience, flexibility, and curiosity. The session was a good reminder to approach this moment thoughtfully, with humility and, when possible, a bit of humor.

The Future Looks Bright

One of the most energizing parts of this year’s Summit was hearing from future GTM leaders. We welcomed the inaugural cohort of our Future Leaders Program, bringing early‑career professionals — nominated by senior leaders at their organizations — into a curated Summit experience. And through a newly forged partnership with Arizona State University, we heard ideas and approaches from business students during our “Forrester Challenge” as students competed to best answer how B2B organizations should reach and engage younger buyers in an AI‑adapted world.

Their energy, ideas, and perspective were genuinely inspiring. They offered a glimpse of what the next generation of GTM leadership could look like, and it left me feeling optimistic about what’s ahead.

Carrying The Momentum Forward

As strong as the momentum heading out of Phoenix is, no one expects change to happen overnight. Adapting to this new reality takes focus, commitment, and time. Reach out to any of our B2B analysts to set up a guidance session to help you translate ideas into outcomes.

And yes — planning is already underway for B2B Summit North America 2027. As we learned on the mainstage from Forrester AI, we’ll be back in Phoenix on May 3–5, 2027. We hope to continue the conversation with you there.