Wyles Daniel
Image credit: Eric Lay
In a landscape where traditional marketing channels like cold calling and conferences are becoming saturated and less effective, one founder is betting on something different, not just for clicks or impressions, but real ROI. Eric, the founder of Virio, believes the next gold rush in B2B growth lies in content and not just any content, but high-quality, data-driven storytelling tailored to decision-makers on LinkedIn.
The Problem: B2B Marketing Hasn’t Kept Up
“Most B2B companies are still running the old playbooks,” Eric says. “They’re stuck in outdated cycles, heavy on cold emails and conferences, that simply don’t yield the results they used to.” What they’re missing, he argues, is the opportunity right in front of them: organic content.
Eric’s company, Virio, was born from this exact problem. After years of watching B2B brands pour budget into ineffective marketing efforts, he realized there was a gap; these businesses wanted to leverage modern growth channels but didn’t have the internal muscle memory to execute. “They know content is the future. But they don’t know how to build it or scale it in a way that actually drives revenue,” he explains.
The Shift: ROI-Driven Storytelling Over Vanity Metrics
Where most agencies focus on impressions and aesthetic, Virio zeroes in on return on investment. “We’re not just out here making things look good. We’re making things that work with content that converts,” Eric says.
By combining expert talent with a proprietary tech stack, Virio crafts B2B content strategies designed to attract ideal customer profiles (ICPs), drive engagement, and, most importantly, lead to deals. “Content is no longer a brand awareness play,” Eric says. “It’s a growth channel and we treat it like one.”
The Arbitrage: LinkedIn Is Wide Open
One of the biggest opportunities Virio sees is on LinkedIn. “Every B2B decision-maker is on LinkedIn, but very few are actually using it to sell,” Eric says. That’s the arbitrage: massive attention, very little competition.
This insight mirrors one of Eric’s core beliefs from his background in competitive gaming: that the real advantage lies in finding the gap in the place where few are looking, but the rewards are high. “Great marketers are just like great players,” he says. “They look for the underpriced opportunities. The places where you can win without burning your whole budget.”
The Founder’s Journey: From Esports to Entrepreneurship
Eric didn’t start out in marketing. His first taste of high performance came as a professional League of Legends player, ranking in the top 30 in North America. “It sounds like a left turn, but being a top player taught me about strategy, data, and mindset. It’s all the same in business,” he reflects.
That precision and analytical rigor now shapes how he leads Virio, always optimizing, always tracking what works, and always staying ahead of the competition.
The Future of B2B Growth
For Eric and his team, content is the next essential sales channel. “Eventually, everyone will catch on,” he says. “But right now, there’s still time to be early.”
And in business, being early like in gaming is often the difference between winning and watching someone else take the prize.