‘If There Is a Will, There Is a Way’: Jasmin Guthmann talks MACH, AI, triathlons, and her new book on living your best life

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When Jasmin Guthmann joined me for a recording of “The Critic’s Corner” podcast, I already knew about her impressive professional credentials. We’ve known each other for a few years through our board roles at the MACH Alliance, and we shared the stage for the opening keynote at the Boye & Company CMS Summit in Frankfurt earlier this year.

What I didn’t know was just how accomplished an athlete she is. Over the years, I've seen periodic LinkedIn posts of her posing with medals at some festive finish lines. As I learned during our call, she’s completed two of the grueling IRONMAN full-distance triathlons and 12 shorter IRONMAN 70.3 races (the latter are half the distance, but still a massive grind). 

If you don’t “run” in these circles, the IRONMAN is recognized around the globe as the pinnacle of all triathlons. It’s a punishing 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bicycle ride, and 26.2-mile marathon rolled up in one race. Only elite athletes attempt this breathtaking competition – and many struggle to even complete it.  

Get this: In 2023, she was a Championship finisher, meaning she successfully completed the challenging, long-distance IRONMAN World Championship race within the event's strict time cutoffs. For her next act, she's tackling mindboggling ultramarathons.

A medal-moment after completing a 56KM ultramarathon. Source: LinkedIn

As a long-distance runner myself with multiple half and full marathons under my belt (along with a bunch of other crazy training distances), I have mad respect for the mental and physical hurdles of such an endeavor. But admittedly, I find her IRONMAN accolades impressive – and even swoon-worthy. 

Competing at this level was more than a goal for Jasmin. It was a passion. It sparked joy. Still, getting there required a huge commitment. As she told me, it took 15 to 20 hours of training each week, to say nothing of the persistent fatigue, aches, and pains that accompanied it. 

But like she says: “If there is a will, there is a way.” 

That’s been a guiding principle for this inspiring trailblazer. Along with her athletic achievements, Jasmin is an accomplished digital leader with deep experience in the CMS space. She spent over three years at Contentstack, shaping corporate communications and supporting the marketing strategy as the headless player transformed into a composable DXP – one that’s now challenging the top of the market with its agentic vision. 

But she also worked on the other side of the partner fence. Her agency heritage includes global heavy hitters like Valtech, and today she’s the Vice President of Composable Consulting at Accenture Song – the technology-powered creative arm of the mammoth professional services firm.

As mentioned, I know Jasmin from our intersection within the MACH Alliance. She was a fixture all the way back in 2020, working with co-founder and former Alliance president Sonja Keerl. As she related to me, their conversations at the time revolved around a common phrase in Jasmin’s lexicon: We’re better together. 

Navigating change, from MACH to AI

But getting to that plateau of collaboration took more than just the planets aligning. There was serious effort involved – and the gut-feeling of knowing when to take a few risks to put things into action. 

“When we say, ‘Opportunity presents itself,’ it doesn’t just present itself,” she said. “Your hard work is what puts you where the good luck can find you.”

During our recording, Jasmin talked about her journey to CMS, which is seldom a straight line. She got frank about the evolution of the MACH Alliance, particularly in the age of AI. We also discussed what’s at stake as vendors compete for the same RFPs and wallet share – and how the agentic race is reshaping the landscape. In the mounting chaos and complexity, the biggest challenge she sees for companies is finding uniformity.

She also reflected on the pressures that agencies are under as AI casts the specter of job displacement and automation. There's a lot of uncertainty ahead, but this is a moment for change. Even revolution. 

“As agencies, we all need to rethink our revenue models,” she said. “Billing by the hour may not be very relevant moving forward. That’s the pink elephant in the room. Who goes first to challenge the market with new models? We're all seeing the same things, and we need to discuss them together.”

Jasmin also reflected on her involvement with programs like Women in MACH, where she's helping to elevate her peers in the technology industry through mentorship and community. It's just another inspiring example of how she has turned passion and resolve into real impact.

Here’s a few minutes of the podcast to whet your appetite:

Finding your ‘True North’

It’s not surprising that Jasmin has now added “author” to her illustrious resume. In fact, there might not be anything she can’t do if she's passionate enough – and that’s kind of the point of her new book. Finding your passion is the key to everything, but to take action, we might need a little help unblocking ourselves. 

In If There Is a Will, There Is a Way, Jasmine draws on her professional and life experiences, sharing big-picture mindsets and practical ideas for dreaming big, taking bold action, and mastering the behaviors that can lead to success. She gets real about her early challenges, eventually finding a passion that “lit her up like a Christmas Tree.”

Jasmin’s story blossoms from the early trauma of losing her father and feeling, in her own words, that “Dreams were not for me. Dreams were for the more fortunate.” And while many labeled her perseverance as brave, she never saw it that way. 

Instead, she used her pain to build a relatable narrative – and help others.

Borrowing from her personal and professional tribulations, Jasmin’s book offers a framework for navigating authentic and illusory goals and uncovering your “True North.” She shares strategies for planning, taking action, and (she says irreverently), “getting shit done.” As she relayed in our conversation, becoming an IRONMAN triathlete required diligence, commitment, and consistency – and she translated those lessons for readers who are eyeing big goals.

“We often want to rush things, and we’re setting ourselves up for failure,” she said. “Instead of trying to do it all in a day, instead of running a full marathon, look at the reality and take incremental steps.”

As Jasmin explained in the pod, we’re all trapped by the limitations of time. None of us has more than 24 hours in each day, so regardless of your goal – whether it’s business or personal – the real resistance is around making space, and saying “no” is your real superpower.

The finish line

Jasmin Guthmann is a champion – and she keeps breaking through with her personal and professional accomplishments. Much like her IRONMAN training, she's always preparing for the next race, and we're lucky to have smart, motivated people like her helping to shape the trajectory of our industry. 

Regardless of your field or background, If There Is a Will, There Is a Way is a fantastic primer for inspiring bold action toward your dreams. This book is the real deal: it's honest, authentic, and truly written from the heart. Whether you’re considering a new personal goal (like running a marathon) or a big shift in your career, this quick read will give you practical tools, a relatable foundation, and a whole lot of hope that you can get what you want from life.

You can run to your local bookseller and order a copy – or buy it here. 

“The Critic’s Corner” podcast with Jasmin Guthmann

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