The Marketer's Journey

In today's episode of the Marketer's Journey, I interview Jessica Gilmartin, CMO of Calendly. You've probably used Calendly to book meetings, appointments and organize your busy schedule- but how does Jessica juggle their astounding 20 million users? We dive into that today while tracing Jessica's nontraditional route to CMO from investment banking, and explore her two decades' worth of B2B and B2C experience. We also discuss how Jessica is redefining what Calendly can be for an organization, how she segments users, and why marketers need to understand the people, the story, and the data. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify Key takeaways from this episode:Effective CMOs are well-rounded. Jessica stresses that effective CMOs need to understand every aspect of marketing, because every decision they make will impact the brand's image and messaging. She also says that having a well-rounded understanding of marketing allows her to be a more empathic and effective leader. Team communication is key. Jessica says she spends a lot of time focusing on how she can create an effective communication process with her team. Marketing teams work best when everyone understands what they are doing, why they are doing it, and how it ladders back into company goals. Find the right level of engagement. When deciding what path to send leads down, Calendly focuses on key personas when sending leads to a salesperson. Most leads don't need to speak with a customer service person, so sales shouldn't be flooded with leads who don't need them. Jessica and Calendly are constantly tweaking their lead scoring to make sure the level of engagement each lead receives is right for them. Learn more about Calendly here: https://calendly.com/Learn more about Jessica here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicagilmartin

In this episode of the Marketer's Journey, host Randy Frisch sits down with Jennifer Ravalli, CMO of Harri. Jennifer is an award-winning executive who is passionate about HR tech. During her year at Harri, the company has been rapidly growing, which has meant that Jennifer has had to create clear frameworks for determining their best-fit market and expand their ideal customer profile. In this episode, Randi and Jennifer discuss her time at Harri, where content lives in the funnel, and how she is leveraging ABM as Harri grows. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Saying no is just as important as saying yes. Jennifer and her team are very clear on what they will and won't do. She says that making sure the team is on the same page about strategy and expectations means there is room to pivot and adapt, while staying on track. Be a leader, not just a marketer. Jennifer emphasizes that at the beginning of your career, you're paid for what you do, and later on, you're paid for what you know. To be an effective leader, you need to share that knowledge with your team and allow them to execute ideas.Account executives need to be part of the funnel. Jennifer believes that as a buyer approaches the middle of the funnel, an account executive should step in, and help build the case for why the buyer needs to make a change and continue down the funnel. Learn more about Harri here: https://harri.com/Learn more about Jennifer here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferravalli

Welcome back to The Marketer's Journey! In this episode, Randy sits down with Susan Beermann, CMO at Contentstack. As a three-time CMO and former salesperson, Susan brings years of expertise to the table and has worked to build Contentstack's marketing team from the ground up. Today the team has over 50 people, and Susan is a leader who wants to keep her team empowered to do their jobs. Susan shares how she does just that, along with what she sees as the role of BDRs in the marketing team, the role of automation, and her predictions for the future.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Look for leads who are qualified and ready. Contentstack is a technology that is disrupting the traditional CMS space, and Susan emphasizes that in addition to being qualified, leads also need to be ready to embrace new technology. Enable your managers to manage. As a CMO, Susan doesn't have the time to review every single budget and decision. That's why she ensures her managers have the tools and oversight they need to run their teams successfully without having to constantly come to her.You need a system. When Susan first started at Contentstack, there weren't systems in place to ensure that everyone was on the same page. One of the first things Susan did was create a process of checks and balances to ensure that the right decisions were being made and that the right people were aware of what was going on. Learn more about Contentstack here: https://explore.contentstack.com/Learn more about Susan here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susancbeermann

In this episode of the Marketer's Journey, I had the pleasure of interviewing Peter Mullen, CMO of Interactions. With a background in communications and tech, including his time at Netflix during their CD-mailing era, Peter's expertise has been shaped by his journalism roots. Today's episode revolves around the central theme of communication, a vital aspect that Peter emphasizes as a CMO. Interactions specializes in developing intelligent virtual assistants that offer personalized service at every stage of the buyer's journey, so Peter has navigated balancing AI's capabilities to enhance communication, foster trust, and instill confidence, all while maintaining authentic human connections. Our conversation delves into empowering teams, finding the equilibrium between technology and human interaction, and "yelling at robots." Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify Key takeaways from this episode:Communicate the value you bring. Peter emphasizes that it is crucial that you effectively communicate with everyone inside and outside your organization the value you bring to the marketplace. Effective messaging will ladder back into your value proposition. Don't lose the human connection. Peter believes that there must always be a human engaged in communication to deliver an outstanding experience. While AI is important and here to stay, there should always be a human guiding the process. The perfect formula is trust and confidence. Peter's North Star is nurturing trust and connection on the buyer's journey. Using tools like those developed by Interactions is one of the ways in which organizations can foster trust and decrease frustration. Learn more about Interactions here: https://www.interactions.com/Learn more about Peter here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phmullen

Welcome back to The Marketer's Journey. In this episode, I interview Caroline Goles, CMO of Pax8. With an impressive reach, Pax8 collaborates with a staggering 30,000 partners, all the while catering to the needs of a customer base totalling 500,000. Caroline manages a team of 65 marketers serving 17 markets, and uses her background in sales strategy to propel growth and manage her team efficiently. We have a great conversation about getting the right content in front of the right audience, working as a single team, and why marketing is the perfect combination of science and art. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify Key takeaways from this episode:You have to be a learner. Caroline stresses that the best salespeople and marketers are learners who don't pretend to know everything. This is especially important when working across 80 product lines as they do at Pax8. A willingness to learn is what creates great marketers and salespeople.Make content that educates. Caroline believes that part of the reason a lot of content goes unread is because it doesn't educate. At Pax8 they make content that helps prospects understand why their solutions are good for their business, and what pain points they will help them solve. Don't be afraid of failure. As a former science major, Caroline likes to think about experimentation in marketing as a scientific experiment. Even if your hypothesis fails, you've gained data that you can use to innovate and create better solutions and products. Learn more about Pax8 here: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/Learn more about Caroline here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinegoles

In this episode of the Marketer's Journey, I interview Alyssa Hall, CMO of CDI. Alyssa has never worked in the same industry twice and pivoted from roofing and manufacturing when she joined CDI. CDI is an I.T. integration company that has experienced tremendous growth, expanding from $250 million to $1 billion in revenue in the past couple years. Alyssa has navigated and managed that growth while simultaneously building a cohesive brand as CDI went through multiple acquisitions. We discuss how her career led her to become a CMO, bringing teams together after acquisitions, and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify Key takeaways from this episode:It's ok to be a little uncomfortable. Alyssa loves the work she does, but she also stresses that she had to step outside her comfort zone to get where she is today. As a brand marketer, she learned how to be a data-driven as she stepped into her role as CMO. Do the job you want before you have it. Alyssa knew that her goal was to become a CMO. As CDI grewm she continually stepped up to the plate and demonstrated her ability to do the job…and it paid off. Content needs to solve problems. Whether it's inbound or outbound, Alyssa stresses that what gets people to click on content is relevance. Content that promises to solve a pain point is what earns a click. Learn more about CDI here: https://www.cdillc.com/Learn more about Alyssa here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssajhall

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I'm joined by Rob Gonzalez, CMO and co-founder of Salsify. Rob is an ‘accidental CMO,' with a background in engineering and product management and design. He took on the role of salesperson when he and his co-founder started Salsify and from there, eventually scaled the marketing plan to keep up with Salsify's rapid growth. As a founder, he's stayed focused on where he can add the most value to the organization and ensuring they stay true to the tactics that drive awareness and growth. In this episode, we discuss a founder's role as a super-generalist, Rob's path to CMO, and why running too many experiments at once can be a bad thing.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify Key takeaways from this episode:Less is more. Rob believes that many young marketers fall into the trap of trying too many things at once. This can lead to attribution problems on top of being exhausting for marketing teams. Give yourself and your team the chance to discover what strategy is working before jumping onto the next marketing trend. Stick to the tactics that work for you. Rob and his team were aware from the start that advertising was not going to be effective in awareness building for their category. Instead, they focused on strategic outreach and invested in that tactic once it delivered results. CMOs need to be comfortable with numbers. Rob believes that CMOs must be good with quantitative revenue marketing, which means being able to analyze the numbers in front of you and understand how they inform your strategies. Learn more about Salsify here: https://www.salsify.com/Learn more about Rob here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgonzalez

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I sit down with Bryan Law, CMO of ZoomInfo. As the CMO of an organization that does over a billion dollars in revenue, Bryan brings unique insight into how to continue to achieve a high level of growth and lead a large team of marketers to success. We discuss consistently looking for new opportunities for growth and how to identify areas for improvement through leveraging both data and content. We also dive into his twelve years as a consultant and his time at other public companies including Salesforce, Google and Rackspace, and how he translates those experiences into his role as CMO. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify Key takeaways from this episode:Create messaging pillars. Bryan stresses the importance of creating high-level messaging pillars that ensure consistent content across channels. Once these have been established, sales and marketing messaging can both ladder into the pillars for consistency and connectivity.B2B customers want to unlock data. After surveying customers and prospects in Q4, Bryan and ZoomInfo discovered that B2B respondents want to leverage data to engage with customers in an integrated way, and improve conversion rates through automation and scaling. Sales and marketing teams need to be aligned. Bryan believes that in the current economic climate, sales and marketing teams need to be aligned on overall goals and the metrics that will be used to measure success. He thinks that there is waste between those two departments and that increased connectivity is where the market is going. Learn more about ZoomInfo here: https://www.zoominfo.com/Learn more about Bryan here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanbasdenlaw?

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Shay Howe, CMO of ActiveCampaign. He lets the audience in on his unique career journey so far, including how he's had multiple diverse roles that have all touched go-to-market strategy, but often from more of the design or product perspective. Shay also shares how he landed his current role as CMO by sticking to what he loves, and the benefits of a product-led growth strategy.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:There's wisdom in letting go. When he transitioned in his current role as CMO, Shay inevitably had to let go of control when it came to some of the elements he had worked so closely on for so long, including design. Shay reminded us that letting go doesn't happen overnight—it's all part of evolving into a leadership role.Stay engaged. With the marketing world continuing to change a mile a minute, CMOs need to constantly stay on their toes to roll with the punches. Shay says part of his strategy as CMO is to constantly be re-evaluating your plans to see if they make the most sense in the current climate.Embrace automation while retaining humanity. Shay believes there's a sweet spot to be found between leveraging AI to be more efficient and adding a human touch to every customer interaction. Every touchpoint within the customer journey is crucial, so it needs to feel personalized every step of the way.Learn more about ActiveCampaign here: https://www.activecampaign.com/ Learn more about Shay here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayhowe/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview John Solomon, CMO of Therabody, the well-known brand behind Theragun. John discusses how he's helped to take the brand to the next level since joining in 2021, and how a big part of his strategy has included positioning the product as an essential component of a specific lifestyle. By making this connection, he believes that customers will be empowered to view the product as an integrated lifestyle solution that they can benefit from on an everyday basis.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Think holistically. John's experience working with brands like Beats by Dre taught him to integrate digital touchpoints from the beginning to create a holistic experience from start to finish. That way, he was able to act as the voice of the consumer while merging this knowledge with the expertise of his team. Ensure your influencer strategy is relatable. John mentioned that when developing the company's influencer strategy, it was important to consider that it featured a mix of aspirational and relatable figures. For example, in addition to working with athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James, they also made a point of educating consumers and demonstrating how the product fits into the lifestyle of an everyday person.Build the brand through the products. With Therabody, the team's focus is to continue building the brand through products like Theragun. By placing the emphasis on the product's benefits, John and the team have been effectively positioning the company within the health and wellness market while continuing to build relationships with customers.Learn more about Therabody here: https://www.therabody.com Learn more about John here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsolo/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Bill Talbot, CMO of OpsRamp. This is an interesting episode because just before the interview, OpsRamp was acquired by the well-known brand Hewlett Packard Enterprise. We take advantage of this timing to discuss what this acquisition will mean for OpsRamp, what it means for Bill as CMO, and how he's planning on navigating the change. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Avoid getting hung up on titles. Throughout his career, Bill has held several various roles, responsibilities, and titles. Rather than getting hung up on titles, he's always been focused on the kind of impact he can make, the company culture, and the team he's working with—which has ultimately led him toward the right path for his own career development.Demonstrate success to sellers. Bill talks about why, as the team begins to navigate the post-aquisition shift, it will be crucial to grab the attention of sellers and win them over. Part of his strategy to do this is pointing to some of the joint successes OpsRamp and HP have seen in recent years in order to demonstrate their proven track record.Prioritize the customer. Bill also notes that when it comes to building relationships, it's important to show the customer that you genuinely care about their concerns on a regular basis—not just when it's getting close to renewal time. Authenticity is key, so learning to build real relationships with customers is pivotal.Learn more about Redwood OpsRamp here: https://www.opsramp.com/ Learn more about Bill here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/btalbotjr/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Wendy Steinle, CMO at Domo, a cloud software company. Wendy has worked across a variety of sectors prior to her time at Domo, including positions at Adobe, Novell, and Degreed. Throughout her career, she's tied her love of words with data to become a well-rounded marketer and storyteller. Wendy believes strongly in needing a robust content marketing strategy that connects with people throughout the buyer's journey—and that positioning yourself in a place of trust is key to conversion. In today's episode, we discuss the importance of having a variety of experiences to be a great CMO, the human element of marketing, and the importance of consistent messaging. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify Key takeaways from this episode:People buy from people they trust. Wendy stresses the importance of trust in the buyer's journey. Humanizing your marketing and anchoring your strategy in a human approach fosters trust and connection, which can ultimately lead to conversions.Connect your content. Your content strategy should connect a consistent message and compelling story to resonate with different buyers.Be a full-journey marketer. Wendy and her team look at every step of the buyer's journey in depth, developing personas and pain points for each, and then creating strategies for reaching each persona and addressing their questions. Learn more about Domo here: https://www.domo.com/Learn more about Wendy here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendysteinle

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Bryan Urioste, CMO of Redwood Software. Bryan has spent his career in the tech world, becoming an expert at building revenue acquisition strategies for long-term growth. We discussed his path to becoming a CMO and the opportunities marketers have to invest in customer marketing. Bryan shares his insights into announcing acquisitions, the role of newsletters, and finding work-life balance. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Talk to your customers. Bryan believes that too many marketers don't take advantage of the amazing resource that is their customers. By talking with customers, you can discover their pain points and solve them, and also uncover opportunities for growth you would otherwise be unaware of. Invest in customer marketing. Bryan emphasizes the value of investing in tools that will help your team understand what your customers are thinking. He emphasizes the huge growth opportunity in leveraging customer marketing and giving current customers additional value. Raise your hand. Bryan was able to develop a wide array of skills and advance in his career by raising his hand and taking on new projects, even when they seemed difficult. He's a believer that every job gives you new skills and helps you grow, even if you eventually realize the role isn't the right fit. Learn more about Redwood Software here: https://www.redwood.comLearn more about Bryan here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/b2bonlinemarketing

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Stephen Gold, CMO at SparkCognition. Stephen brings a holistic view to his role, having served as CEO and President at his previous companies, Azerty and Aberdeen Group. Trained as an engineer, he later became passionate about marketing and made it his career focus. We discuss the importance of knowing what makes your product relevant, the role of AI in marketing, and why marketers need to tell relatable stories. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:The CMO role is about more than being a great marketer. Stephen has learned that being a great CMO comes down to much more than being an expert marketer. CMOs need to understand their product and the industry inside and out, which means learning how to effectively communicate with leaders across their company and following what's going on in the world that will keep their product relevant. Segment your stories and sell solutions. Stephen emphasizes the importance of segmenting the story you tell prospective clients to fit their pain points. The value you bring each buyer will inherently be different, so aim to package the story to be relatable to them and their needs. To manage these different stories, he recommends finding a basic common thread that applies to all of them. Sell solutions. Stephen knows that no one is going to raise their hand and ask to be sold to. People lean into stories they find value in and relate to, so marketers need to ensure that the top of the funnel knows what the company can do for them and what challenges they will help them solve. AI will be a marketer's best friend. Stephen wants marketers to embrace AI. AI used to be about what it could do for your customers, but now it's about what it can do for you and your communications strategy. Learn more about SparkCognition here: https://www.sparkcognition.com/Learn more about Stephen here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephengold

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Joe Sawyer, CMO at Mirakl. Joe began his career as one of the first e-commerce analysts and witnessed the dot-com boom, then became a CMO of an e-commerce company, bringing his journey full circle. I was eager to hear how his experience as an analyst has informed his current approach, and what he thinks most CMOs misunderstand about the role of analysts. We discuss when to use an analyst and when to use your company's own internal knowledge, and the importance of focus for a robust marketing strategy. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Don't see your relationship with analysts as transactional. Joe believes that CMOs and MarTech executives fundamentally misunderstand the role of analysts. Analysts like to engage and ask big questions about the ‘whys' of your company, and you need to prove to them that your company or tech is the next big disruptor in the market. If you understand they are your partners, they can help you shape your organization's story. Externalize the internal. Joe believes vendors need to remember that they have a lot of value internally, which they can ultimately transform into external assets. Creating assets that are independently valuable is a key lead-generating tool, and empowering internal thought leaders with the tools they need to create these assets is something that Joe believes is often overlooked. Sometimes you don't need an analyst paper—you have all the tools you need already. Don't create a category, redefine one. Joe believes that instead of creating a new category, organizations need to redefine a static, existing one. The way forward for many vendors is to disrupt how a category is perceived, while redefining the needs and expectations of the space. Learn more about Mirakl here: https://www.mirakl.comLearn more about Joe here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-sawyer-a4255

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Latané Conant, CMO at 6sense, who I previously interviewed more than three years ago at the tail-end of 2019. Of course, a lot has changed since we last spoke, so I was eager to hear her exciting updates about how much her team has grown over the years. We discuss how buyer expectations have shifted, how she's managing those changes alongside her colleagues, and how she encourages everyone on her team to help move the needle. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Don't fall too far behind the wave. Latané uses an imaginative analogy to explain the importance of keeping up the momentum during stages of high-growth. When wake-surfing, it's important that you avoid falling too far back behind the wave—otherwise, no amount of movement will help you stay afloat. The same goes for companies that are growing fast: hiring should be a top priority if you hope to keep pace. Understand your employee value proposition. Latané believes that learning to hire well is one of the most important aspects of the CMO role. Part of this includes communicating your company's value proposition clearly to candidates. For example, she mentioned that at 6sense, work/life balance isn't a major draw for the organization, but since it offers such a high-growth experience, they can guarantee that employees will learn a lot on the job—and fast.Take the time to communicate effectively. Latané also reminds us of the importance of clear communication, especially as we scale. Regardless of the size of your marketing team, we live in a world that's changing rapidly. It's essential that leaders take the time to sit down with their teams and explain the things that people may not see on the surface.Learn more about 6sense here: https://6sense.com/ Learn more about Latané here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latane-conant/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Kelly Buchanan Spillers, CMO at Infor, a large organization with over $3 billion in revenue and 7,000 customers in 70 countries. The company was acquired by Koch Industries a number of years ago for a massive sum of $13 billion. Kelly came to Infor after leading digital marketing at L'Oreal, so she has a lot of insights to share about bringing B2C strategies into a B2B organization. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Always put the consumer first. Coming from a B2C background, Kelly started her role at Infor with the mindset that marketing teams should always be prioritizing the consumer's needs. Despite not having a set B2B playbook to work from, Kelly used her B2C background from L'Oreal to communicate with Infor's customers in a way that would resonate. Position your brand as a market expert. When it comes to carving out an authoritative position in the market, Kelly says she and the team at Infor have been focused on establishing the brand as high-level experts for specific industries. By communicating their expertise in certain niche areas, Infor has been able to set themselves apart from the competition and earn customers' trust.Go back to basics. Recently, Kelly and the team at Infor have been taking a more holistic approach to the brand, ensuring that their online presence is clean and consistent across the board. When she first started as CMO, one of the first tasks she and the team undertook was to clean up anything that could be diluting their brand equity, and create streamlined brand guidelines to protect the brand's image.Learn more about Infor here: https://www.infor.com/ Learn more about Kelly here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellybuchanan/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Sandeep Singh Kohli, CMO at Venafi. Coming from a product marketing background, Sandeep has a strong passion for the technology space, and his impressive career reflects that. During our conversation, we discuss concepts like embracing the voice of the customer, as well as realizing the responsibility we have as marketers at every stage of the buyer journey.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Do your homework. Venafi is a company that's growing exponentially because so many brands are in need of their solution, so I was curious to know how Sandeep and the team strategized to achieve this. He mentioned that a part of the company's success was just honest luck, but they also committed to doing their homework by really understanding the market, talking to the right people and researching the different buyer personas within the landscape. Keep messaging consistent. Sandeep mentioned that there are two aspects of customer marketing: marketing to customers, which relies on demand gen and growth marketing, and leveraging the customer's voice and advocacy for marketing, which tends to rely on content strategy. As an organization matures and there's a steady flow of opportunities, Sandeep says it's essential that the team remains consistent with its messaging to maintain momentum.The responsibilities of a CMO have shifted. Sandeep noted that over the years, we've witnessed several different generations of marketing, and as the industry has evolved, so have the expectations surrounding the CMO role. Now, CMOs are considered responsible for driving revenue throughout the various stages of the funnel like closing, retention and cross-selling.Learn more about Venafi here: https://venafi.com/ Learn more about Sandeep here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skohli1/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Ashley Kramer, CMO and CSO at GitLab—a company that's a true force in the DevOps space. Having previously held roles as Chief Product Officer at Sisense and GM at Tableau Software, Ashley has plenty of wisdom to share about taking an unconventional route to the CMO role. She also offers her perspective on how to make all customers feel welcome and connect with them through a smart content strategy. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Create a consistent experience. During her time at Tableau Software, Ashley learned the importance of creating a consistent experience for customers despite any major differences among the company's various business units. In Ashley's words, “no matter what you're talking about, no matter what you're promoting, no matter what you're trying to get customers to understand about the company, it has to feel like the same company.” Passion comes in threes. For Ashley, when it comes to choosing a company for her next position, she needs to feel strongly passionate about three things: the product, the space, and the people on the team. She emphasized the importance of finding a position that feels like a fit culture-wise since it very often sets the tone for your entire role and tenure with the company.Empower your team to think outside the box. When it comes to content, Ashley is always thinking of new ways to encourage her team to think creatively and find fresh ideas to keep audiences engaged. For example, she's keen on keeping a finger on the pulse of the community to seek inspiration and gain new insights daily.Learn more about GitLab here: https://about.gitlab.com/ Learn more about Ashley here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyekramer/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Tom Butta, CMO and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at Airship. As someone who's held almost 10 different CMO roles throughout his career, Tom's learned a thing or two about positioning a brand in the market along the way. Tom shares his tricks of the trade from a leadership perspective and explains what it takes to be an effective CSO.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Being a great CSO means taking a strategic approach to marketing. For Tom, the CSO role begins with positioning the company effectively within the market and clearly articulating its vision. The role of the CSO and the CMO, then, is to find alignment behind the company strategy, bringing it to life through each interaction within the ecosystem.Work with challenger brands. Since the beginning of his career, Tom has been drawn to working with what he calls “challenger brands,” companies that are shaking up the status quo and disrupting a space by thinking outside of the box. By doing this, he's been able to carve his own unique career path and gain experience that sets him apart from the crowd.Walk your talk. Tom argues that excellent marketing really begins within the organization. Companies need to first ensure they're truly delivering on their value proposition before they focus on marketing efforts because, otherwise, it's just “fake news,” as Tom says. This is one reason why he spends so much time with the product team at Airship—so he can develop a solid understanding of the product and the value it brings to customers.Learn more about Airship here: https://www.airship.com/ Learn more about Tom here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tombutta/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Carin Van Vuuren, CMO at Greenhouse Software, a high-growth organization operating in the recruitment space. Carin describes how when she first joined the team at Greenhouse, she was challenged with going upmarket, entering into an entirely different segment. She explains why marketers need to take a different approach depending on if they're targeting SMBs or enterprises, and she shares the simple segmentation strategy that works for her team.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:C-level executives should prioritize hiring. Carin believes that hiring is the most important job for every business leader, so strong partnerships between a recruiter and a c-level executive is crucial. She recommends that CEOs and CMOs stay involved in the hiring process from beginning to end because building the right team is so essential. For any rebrand, team buy-in is essential. Carin notes that one of her first challenges as Greenhouse's CMO was to elevate the brand to ensure it reflected the sort of company that large enterprises would feel comfortable partnering with. From the beginning, she knew that uniting the entire organization through one aligned vision and getting clear on their brand promise would be critical.Take leadership notes from the bees. As a former beekeeper, Carin says that many of the best lessons she's learned about leadership have come from observing the behavior of bees. For example, the queen bee is first and foremost a servant leader, which means she always puts the hive first rather than prioritizing her own interests.Learn more about Greenhouse Software here: https://www.greenhouse.com/ Learn more about Carin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carinvanvuuren/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Ran Avrahamy, CMO at AppsFlyer. Our discussion reminded me that as long as you're consistently learning and challenging yourself, then being comfortable in your role isn't always such a bad thing. One of the main themes from this episode is the need to reinvent yourself and your strategy as a marketer, and specifically, how marketers can do this with events in a post-COVID world. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Strike a balance between growth and comfort. Ran points out that the term “comfort zone” tends to come along with some negative connotations, but it's not necessarily a terrible thing to be comfortable in your role. It's best to find the balance between feeling comfortable and consistently learning new things so you can continue progressing throughout your career.Reinvent yourself at least once a year. As we head into 2023, there's no better time to take stock of your life and determine what you need to change in order to improve as a marketer. Ran says he commits to reinventing himself every year, which can mean pushing yourself professionally—or seeking fresh inspiration in your personal life.When it comes to events, it's all about impact. Ran mentions that a core pillar of AppFlyer's strategy in 2023 will be events, and they're likely to make a big comeback in the new year. That said, he cautions listeners that it's not always about the size or scale of an event. The quality of your impact and the connections you make with your audience is often more important.Learn more about AppsFlyer here: https://www.appsflyer.com/ Learn more about Ran here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ranavrahamy/?originalSubdomain=il

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Megan McDonagh, CMO at Amperity, a customer data platform (CDP). Having spent more than 20 years at Intel Corporation, Megan had some wise words to share about the different opportunities she's encountered throughout her career that have led her to her role as CMO today. Megan also unpacks the need for marketers to unify and understand our buyers and their diverse channel interactions to deliver a more personalized experience.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Consider your impact. When Megan was looking to make the jump into her next CMO role, she prioritized choosing a company solving big problems on a big scale. It was important to take a glimpse into the future to understand the company's growth trajectory and just how she could make a powerful impact as CMO.Unify customer data. At Amperity, Megan works with lots of B2C companies that tend to be owned by a single parent company. In cases like these, there's a strong need to unify their customer data from multiple sources, so they can market to different customers across various brands. That's where a CDP like Amperity comes in as a clutch tool for helping them understand their customers inside and out. Prioritize personalization. One of the major themes that emerged from my conversation with Megan was personalization. Customers today expect a personalized experience that demonstrates a brand's commitment to understanding them and their needs. Marketers should be focused on creating a tailored experience with every piece of content they share.Learn more about Amperity here: https://amperity.com/ Learn more about Megan here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganmcdonagh/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Kevin Marasco, CMO of Tebra, a company specializing in healthcare marketing. One of the running themes of this episode is fun—why marketing should be fun and why so many brands tend to forget this. Kevin has years of experience working for several amazing brands, so he has plenty of marketing wisdom to share throughout the episode.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:The ceiling is getting higher. In recent years, the tech landscape has grown so much that the expectations for companies in the healthcare space have skyrocketed. This has opened up a whole new world of possibilities, which is why Kevin is constantly looking towards the company's vision or north star to stay focused.Step outside your comfort zone. If he could give his younger self one piece of advice, Kevin says it would be to learn as much as possible in as many different areas of the marketing world as possible. By remaining constantly curious and eager to learn, you'll become a more well-rounded marketer with the ability to bring much more value to your team.Build an approachable brand. Finally, Kevin shares his tips for building a brand that feels approachable and authentic to your customers. Avoid using too much jargon and instead opt for plain language to ensure you're connecting with customers in a way that feels human. Trust is everything today, so it's essential that your brand is relatable at every touchpoint.Learn more about Tebra here: https://www.tebra.com/ Learn more about Kevin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmarasco/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Amanda Bird Malko, CMO at G2, a software marketplace that reaches more than 60 million software buyers each year. Amanda discusses the importance of bringing teams and various stakeholders together to work towards one shared vision. She offers tangible and tactical tips for breaking down the silos among various teams like marketing, engineering and product so everyone can work together more symbiotically. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Marketing is a blend of sales and creativity. Amanda mentioned that she was initially drawn to the marketing world because it lies at the intersection of creative selling and achieving tangible business results. In particular, she's passionate about the art of creative persuasion combined with generating revenue in a way that provides maximum value to the customer.Building a brand that benefits all stakeholders within an ecosystem is challenging but worth it. Amanda said that one of the main aspects that attracted her to her role at G2 was the complexity of the ecosystem and the many stakeholders that were involved in the process. To truly benefit all parties within the ecosystem, Amanda and her team work on creating “flywheels” or “growth loops” that leverage one another to build connections and keep the momentum going across the business.Build trust. Whether you're buying something on Amazon or investing in expensive software, Amanda believes that buyers are becoming increasingly empowered by leveraging the voices of peers and people they trust—all through a frictionless customer experience. In other words, there's never been a better time to build a trusted brand and offer a credible source of information in a competitive marketplace. Learn more about G2 here: https://www.g2.com/ Learn more about Amanda here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-hart-campbell/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Lisa Campbell, CMO at OneTrust. Lisa shares her perspective on making the jump from Autodesk, a massive company where she was also CMO, to a smaller-scale operation, including tips for managing your own expectations. She also reveals her perspective on content, data, building customer trust, and much more. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Get in the right mindset. Lisa notes that when making the move to a smaller one, it's important to be prepared to do more with less. Larger companies tend to have more infrastructure and resources in place, so preparing your mindset to make the best use of what's available in a smaller company is key. Lisa shares a few ways you can do this by preparing your mindset in advance.Balance paved roads with dirt roads. Lisa provides a great analogy about learning to strike a balance between paved and dirt roads, knowing when to rely on more structure and rigor versus going with the flow. For some marketing activities, such as brand positioning, a more structured approach is required, whereas for others, an experimental approach makes more sense. Be curious. Whether you're an expert in your field or you've just launched a career in a new sector, it's important to keep a curious attitude and remember that we can all be lifelong learners if we choose to be. Lisa recommends spending time with the experts and asking plenty of questions to learn the ropes, especially “what have I not asked you about that I should know?” Because you don't know what you don't know.Learn more about OneTrust here: https://www.onetrust.com/ Learn more about Lisa here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-hart-campbell/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Quinn O'Brien, the CMO at Carnegie Learning, an ed-tech leader that is shaping the future of learning through AI. Letting us in on his unique career background so far, Quinn shares the story of his humble beginnings working as a receptionist at a marketing agency, and how that role piqued his interest in the brand side. He also shares stories from his past role at Lenovo, where he spent a large part of his career, and what he learned from launching his own company. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play!Key takeaways from this episode:Follow your passion. It sounds cliché (and maybe it is) but that doesn't mean it's untrue: following your passion will take you far in your career and in life. In Quinn's case, this meant looking for opportunities in the world of education, where he felt he could truly make a difference.Understand each market segment's pain points—inside and out. Once he had made the leap into the education industry, Quinn quickly realized just how complicated the system was in North America. By taking the time to gain a deeper understanding of each market segment, he was better able to identify their pain points and therefore, provide solutions.Get clear on your definition of success. In a fast-moving industry like education, Quinn and his team need to ensure they have a crystal clear vision of what success means to them so they can stay consistently focused on their goal. With the concrete benchmark of helping teachers overcome daily challenges in mind, the company is in a better position to hit the ground running when it counts.Learn more about Carnegie Learning here: https://www.carnegielearning.com/ Learn more about Quinn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quinnobrien/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Jennifer Griffin Smith, CMO of Brightcove. Jennifer is in her sixth CMO role so far, so she has plenty of words of wisdom to share about what it takes to be a great marketing leader. She also shares her perspective on the realities of virtual engagement today, including advice for adapting to this digital-first landscape and ever-shrinking attention spans.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts! Key takeaways from this episode:Jennifer truly takes a holistic approach to internal collaboration. Work closely with engineering and product leads within your organization to develop a solid understanding of what the market needs, what the customers want, and how the team can develop a value proposition that sets you apart from the competition.The traditional buyer's journey has evolved dramatically in recent years. Now, the funnel has flipped, which means marketers are tasked with targeting their audience using unique messages and creating advocates. Accomplishing this requires a different technology stack, different resources, and a different mindset overall.The average attention span has changed. Jennifer reminds us that over the past few years, the typical buyer's behavior, daily routines and expectations have shifted dramatically. For this reason, the entire buyer journey needs to be easily accessible, quick, and to-the-point.Learn more about Brightcove here: https://www.brightcove.com/en/ Learn more about Jennifer here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifergriffinsmith/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Udi Ledergor, CMO at Gong. Udi gets vulnerable about the challenges he's faced helping to scale the organization to over $7 billion in value and over 1,200 employees—60 of whom are marketers—as marketer number one. He discusses some of the obstacles and realities of each growth stage, including self-doubt, marketing in a downturn, and more.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Get inside your buyer's head. As someone who has been a marketing leader at five different companies throughout his career, Udi has learned that he always does his best work when he can truly get into the shoes of the company's buyer persona. From that perspective, he says, it's much easier to understand what the buyer's day looks like, why they might care about the product, and how the company can add value to their life.Know when to delegate. As a leader, Udi is wise enough to know that he's not going to be the right fit for every single project, campaign, or function within the company's marketing team. He's big on recognizing his own weaknesses, and he delegates work when he feels someone else will be more skilled or passionate in the role.Be well-rounded. Udi believes a good CMO should balance an analytical mindset with creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. Maintaining a strategic perspective is another key to success: marketers need to be able to see the big picture and take a long-term view of the journey—beyond the current quarter or year. Learn more about Gong here: https://www.gong.io/ Learn more about Udi here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/udiledergor/

In this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Venkat Nagaswamy, EVP and CMO at telecommunications company Mitel. As someone who's held roles as a CEO, an analyst, a sales executive, and currently as a CMO throughout his 30-year career, Venkat has plenty of perspective, experience and wisdom to impart. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Focus your efforts. According to Venkat's philosophy, one of the greatest risks most companies face is trying to compete with too many different players at once. In his role at Mitel, Venkat has made it his mission to focus their marketing efforts in just one market (in their case, the U.S.) in order to optimize outcomes and avoid spreading themselves too thin.Tell customer stories. Another big focus of Venkat's when it comes to his role as CMO includes identifying and sharing Mitel's most inspiring customer stories. By weaving great storytelling into the majority of their marketing plans, the team is better positioned to connect with new prospects and communicate the value of their products succinctly.Market the way you'd like to be marketed to. Venkat mentioned that part of his mission as CMO is to do away with negative stigmas surrounding marketing, and instead create the kind of marketing campaigns that truly add value to audiences. By making use of the abundance of data we have at our fingertips today, Venkat believes we can become more targeted in our efforts and therefore, reach people in a way that resonates.Learn more about Mitel here: https://www.mitel.com/en-ca Learn more about Venkat here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/venkatnagaswamy/

In this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Randi Barshack, CMO of RollWorks, a division of NextRoll, an account-based marketing platform for B2B marketing and sales, and one of Uberflip's partners. Randi runs a team that is all about meeting the buyers where they are, prioritizing authenticity, and understanding what you need to continue progressing along your own career trajectory. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Optimize for personal happiness. When it comes to choosing your next gig as a marketing professional, it's important to take a strategic approach that considers the role from a variety of diverse perspectives. For Randi, prioritizing her own personal happiness is a must when making career moves, because it can be next to impossible to predict what the market will do next or how the financial situation will look in a few years' time.Believe in your product. For any marketer, it's an essential part of the role to have a solid understanding of the product you're selling, and truly believe in its value. To really get on board with the product you'll be marketing, Randi recommends taking the time to understand it inside and out so you can ignite your own passion and ultimately influence others to do the same.Meet the buyer where they are. When it comes to relating to your buyer, their needs and their unique perspective on your product, Randi believes it's important to learn how to meet the buyer where they are so they can visualize exactly where it will fit into their lives and add value. By taking this approach, marketers will have a better chance at forming an authentic relationship with the buyer and therefore, influencing their decisions. Learn more about RollWorks here: https://www.rollworks.com/ Learn more about Randi here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randi-barshack-431a72/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Nicole Milstead, CMO at FinancialForce—a company that's a true force in the world of B2B marketing. During our conversation, Nicole explains why she prefers to make her decisions both with a purposeful yet open intent, tending to stick to a carefully designed plan while remaining flexible and adaptable to change. She also explains her unique approach to understanding data across the entire buyer journey, and how to create content that resonates with consumers.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:A varied background will take you far. Throughout her career, Nicole has carved her own unique path, veering away from the traditional stepping stones along the way to the coveted CMO role. By using all of her varied experiences—from social work to sales—as learning opportunities on the way to her next role, Nicole has been able to offer a nuanced perspective while creating alignment among teams.Prioritize relationships and culture. When making the decision to make the leap to FinancialForce from Oracle, Nicole used her positive working relationships and the company culture as her guiding light. By using these elements as guideposts, she was better able to determine whether the company would be a good fit for her particular skills, working style and personality.Be disciplined when it comes to data. For Nicole, analyzing data to determine the best course of action is an everyday pursuit. By using quantifiable metrics to track their progress, Nicole and the team at FinancialForce have a better sense of where they need to focus their efforts, while also having a chance to find better alignment with the sales team.Learn more about FinancialForce here: https://www.financialforce.com/ Learn more about Nicole here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nmilstead/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Deena Bahri, the CMO of StockX, an online destination where you can buy and sell trendy sneakers, streetwear, trading cards, collectibles, designer handbags and other luxury items. We chat about the concept of disruption including why content plays such a key role in the process, how to build a culture around your brand and the importance of being intentional every step of the way.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Listen and learn. For any leaders who hope to cause disruption in their industry, it's essential that they keep their finger on the pulse of what's happening around them. As a CMO, Deena believes that one of the qualities that serves her best is having a willingness to learn, and a keen awareness of upcoming trends before they hit the mainstream market.Balance emotion with data. Marketing as a discipline requires us to keep both the left and right sides of our brain active. Deena's approach to marketing integrates creative, emotive and brand-forward ideas with facts, figures and data to keep things grounded.Get clear on your content DNA. From the beginning, StockX has placed a high value on storytelling and great content that paints a picture about the brand. Deena believes brands should be creating content across all channels that can meet the customer where they are along their own journey, and help them make shopping decisions that fit their personal style.Learn more about StockX here: https://stockx.com/ Learn more about Deena here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deenabahri/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Janet Matsuda, CMO of Sysdig. We discuss the benefits of adopting a messaging-first mindset for product marketers, why cross-collaboration is essential, and how to develop a messaging framework that will spread throughout your organization. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Start a dialogue. Janet believes that as marketing teams develop key messaging documents, they need to be talking to customers, salespeople, and engineers to ensure they fully understand the product and its impact. If you're looking for information that will help you develop the perfect messaging framework, it only makes sense to go straight to the source—the people who were part of the creation process. Go back to basics. When building out a messaging framework, Janet suggests that product marketers drill down on the company's overall vision, mission and the pain points it's addressing. From there, you'll be in a better position to communicate the product's benefits to customers in a way that's clear, precise and succinct. Understand the market. According to Janet's product marketing playbook, another key component of great messaging is industry context. In other words, product marketers need to have a solid understanding of the current status of the market they're operating in, where their product fits into the landscape, and how it can provide immediate value to customers. Learn more about Sysdig here: ​​https://sysdig.com/ Learn more about Janet here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janetmatsuda/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Shawn Ahmed, the CMO of CloudBees, a platform which provides the leading DevOps solutions for large and compliance-first organizations. We discuss how Shawn has helped to scale the company from 18 to 60 employees, the concept of using a “pod” when organizing your go-to market strategy, and the need for segmentation at different parts of the sales funnel.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Take risks. Shawn mentioned that throughout his career, he's learned the most by taking big risks, such as moving from a CEO role to come on as CloudBees CMO. He believes that to really understand a business, you need to experience all elements of it rather than pigeonholing yourself to one area or specialty.Focus on segmentation. As a marketer, Shawn understands the value of really knowing your audience and what motivates them. This is why he places a strong emphasis on segmentation and identifying different strategies for different parts of the sales funnel.Personalization is key. Any good marketing strategy should be tailored to its audience, but Shawn reminds us that this is especially important at the top of the funnel because capturing initial interest is the most difficult aspect of the journey. As you move further down the funnel, personalization is not always as vital.Learn more about CloudBees here: https://www.cloudbees.com/ Learn more about Shawn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnahmed/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Jon Miller, CMO of Demandbase. Jon has had an incredible career so far, having held some impressive roles including as the Co-Founder and CMO of Marketo, which was later acquired by Adobe. During our discussion, Jon shares his perspective on account-based marketing, including why it's not just about finding the right accounts and sending them the right message, but understanding exactly where they are in their journey.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts! Key takeaways from this episode:Every customer journey is completely unique. Jon made some interesting points about the customer journey, including the idea that so much of it is invisible when it comes to traditional tracking methods. This is why it's important to meet every customer exactly where they are in their journey and tailor each step of the process to their specific position along the path.Know your ABX. According to Jon, it's important to approach your go-to-market strategy in terms of the ABX, or “account-based experience.” Part of this strategy includes placing different people in different “tiers” so you can allocate resources effectively.Learn to be a T-shaped marketer. When it comes to specialties, Jon believes in becoming a T-shaped marketer, which means choosing one area to specialize in while dabbling in a few others to ensure you have a well-rounded skill set. Think of it as choosing a major and a minor like you might have in school, but for the big leagues.Learn more about Demandbase here: https://www.demandbase.com/ Learn more about Jon here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmiller2/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Fred Studer, CMO at TIBCO. As a four-time CMO who has been at the helm of marketing teams at companies like Microsoft and Oracle, Fred had plenty of fascinating experiences to share during this episode. We chatted about everything from mindset to storytelling, including key strategies for elevating your brand and customer voice.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts! Key takeaways from this episode:Focus on demand gen. As Fred mentioned, every CMO has at least one area of their role that they tend to favor—in his case, that's branding. However, he believes all CMOs should build demand generation skills into their repertoire because you'll rarely come across a sales team that's asking for fewer leads.Use large companies as a training ground. Fred mentioned that his roles at tech giants like Microsoft and Oracle served as massive opportunities for growth, development and education. Before you make the switch from a large company to a small startup, make sure you're taking full advantage of the opportunity to act as an entrepreneur within the organization and learn as much as you can through your role.Engage the entire company in telling customer stories. During the pandemic, it became even more important for brands to amplify the voice of their customers. This is why Fred and the marketing team at TIBCO have pivoted to engage the entire company in customer storytelling, encouraging everyone to make it their responsibility, no matter their role or department. Learn more about TIBCO here: https://www.tibco.com/ Learn more about Fred here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-studer-87036/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview John Zissimos, the CMO at Okta, an identity management service that connects any person with any application on any device. Having held previous roles at Salesforce and Google, John shares his experience of finding the right marketing role, how to be a great people leader and how your customer's stories can strategically position your brand.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts!Key takeaways from this episode:Know your weaknesses to be a great people leader. As CMO, John has expertise in the marketing side of the role but there are new responsibilities that he identified as knowledge gaps like overseeing PR and Communications. By identifying his weaknesses and hiring the right people to help him, he knows when to step back and when he can step in to help his team. By capitalizing on his strengths and not micromanaging his team, John is becoming a better leader of people, not just a marketer.Tell the story of how your product is used. Talking to customers is the most important thing that John does. He wants to learn how his customers are successfully using a product especially in new and innovative ways. John believes a great customer story is the best selling tool you've got. Whether you produce a multi-camera video with high production value or a zoom interview recording, sharing great stories can elevate your market position.Prioritize what matters most in life. The most important goal in John's life is to be a good father. He wants his team to follow his example and make sure that they're prioritizing their life outside of work so that they can enjoy work more. Work will always have challenges but you'll be better able to overcome them if the needs of your family, health, and life outside the office are met. Learn more about Okta here: https://www.okta.com/Learn more about John here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnzissimos/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Armen Najarian, CMO and Chief Identity Officer at Outseer, a shared, global network of fraud and transaction data. As a spin-off company of RSA, a major network security company, Outseer has presented Armen with a unique opportunity to rebrand a company with already well-established roots. During our conversation, we discuss Armen's extensive career background, leadership advice, strategies for taking a business to the next level and more.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play!Key takeaways from this episode:A great leadership team is like a symphony. As CMO, Armen believes that everyone on the team has their own unique melody to play, and even a slight shift within one person's role can shift the dynamic dramatically. This is why gaining a clearer understanding of everyone's specific role within the team can help everyone create better music together. Everyone is a consumer. In Armen's view, all consumers share the same fundamental human qualities, even when it comes to B2B marketing. At the end of the day, we're all motivated by emotions, fears, hopes and dreams, and as marketers, it's our job to tap into this understanding to develop an emotional connection with our audience.Get involved with the product. In addition to his role as CMO, Armen holds the title of Chief Identity Officer at Outseer, which means he holds responsibilities for one of the company's three products. He noted that the strategic decision to stake his claim on the product side has enabled him to gain a deeper appreciation for the business and a unique edge as CMO. Learn more about Outseer here: https://www.outseer.com/ Learn more about Armen here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/najarian/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Allison Lowrie, CMO at Vacasa, an international vacation rental management company based in Portland, Oregon. Having also previously held roles at Angi, HomeAdvisor and Cars.com, Allison shares her perspective on navigating marketing leadership, building a solid team and the challenges of two-sided marketplaces.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play! Key takeaways from this episode:Make it personal. In the home and car industry, every purchase is an inherently emotional one, so marketers are tasked with tapping into that emotional element to connect with buyers. This lesson can be applied to marketing in any industry because at the end of the day, every purchase involves an emotional element that can be leveraged to make a positive impact.Get in the right mindset. Another of Allison's tips involves diving deep into the mindset of the marketplace you're tapping into. She and the team at Vacasa engage in plenty of research and outreach to understand their customers' core thoughts, needs and desires, while remaining nimble and flexible so they can switch gears as needed.Focus on your NPS. At Vacasa, a key metric the team uses to track success is the NPS or net promoter score. The company tracks NPS across guests, owners and internal employees to get a sense of overall satisfaction of both customers and employees.Learn more about Vacasa here: https://www.vacasa.ca/ Learn more about Allison here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-lowrie-51b0a21/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Stacey Epstein, CMO at Freshworks. As someone who has held roles as both CMO and CEO, Stacey understands the importance of choosing your own adventure along your career path. She explains how Freshworks approaches content strategy as a company with over 5,000 employees and over 400 million in recurring revenue, and why the skills you learn as a CMO often translate well into a role as CEO.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play! Key takeaways from this episode:Let go of ego. When it came time for her to jump into a new role, Stacey was wise enough to remove her ego from the equation. Although she held the coveted CEO title in her previous role, she didn't hesitate to move back into the CMO role when she was presented with a position that checked all the most important boxes: great people, a product she was passionate about and a huge market opportunity. It's all about the people. Whether she's working at a company of 500 or 5,000 people, Stacey's commitment to prioritizing her team remains. She believes that no matter what title you hold, your most important job is to ensure everyone on the team, from managers to frontline employees, is thriving.CMOs make great CEOs. Since they typically have experience working with the organization's head of sales, HR and finance, CMOs are tasked with the same type of coordination work that's required in the CEO role. In the future, we'll likely continue to see more marketers making the jump into executive leadership roles.Learn more about Freshworks here: https://www.freshworks.com/ Learn more about Stacey here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceyepstein/

On this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Cate Lochead, CMO at JumpCloud. As a marketing executive who is on their third CMO role to date, Cate has plenty of wisdom to share about juggling product growth and the marketing machine, balancing a channel investment with your direct investment, and much more. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play!Key takeaways from this episode:Strike the right balance. Cate mentioned that as a software marketer, she fell in love with the challenge of striking a balance between the voice of the engineer and crafting messaging that will resonate with the consumer. With early-stage companies, marketers are challenged to transition the overall marketing narrative from the early positioning that's geared towards how the product was built, into a story that will convey exactly how it's going to change the world.Build a team you can trust. For Cate, one of her strengths as a marketer is being able to intuitively hire the strongest people for each role and delegate effectively so she can focus on her top priorities as CMO. Even though she's passionate about communications, she knew she had to let go of this particular role and instead hire a leader she trusted to take ownership over it.Put things into context. Cate commented that one of the most important skills she looks for in potential CMOs is the ability to contextualize the business. In other words, it's important to be able to understand the interconnectedness of the business overall by taking a birds-eye-view approach of all the operations.Learn more about JumpCloud here: https://jumpcloud.com/ Learn more about Cate here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clochead/

In this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Peter Finter, CMO at CyberGRX. During our conversation, we discuss several interesting topics, including the importance of finding alignment with your finance department, and strategies for creating a predictable revenue engine.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play!Key takeaways from this episode:Bigger isn't always better. During his career, Peter has led marketing teams at large companies with upwards of 10,000 employees as well as smaller scale operations. He believes that one of the upsides of being part of a small team is that it can foster a strong sense of connectedness and collaboration. It's also given him more opportunities to experiment with new tactics, which consistently keeps him stimulated and engaged in his role.Make friends with the finance function. As marketers, we often hear how important it is to find alignment with the sales team to optimize outcomes. However, Peter reminds us that it's equally important to connect with your company's finance team and CFO. Not only will this potentially help you to secure more budget for upcoming projects, but it's also essential in terms of finding alignment on a shared vision for the company's future. Tell the right story. Peter also emphasized the importance of identifying your customer's pain points and crafting a narrative from there. For all marketers, the key challenge to tackle is bringing something new to the table that will help the buyer solve a problem in a way they may not have considered, while activating the channels that are most relevant to them.Learn more about CyberGRX here: https://www.cybergrx.com/ Learn more about Peter here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterfinter/

In this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Dr. Patti Fletcher, a best-selling author, international speaker, award-winning business strategist, and CMO at Limeade. Patti shares her perspective on the employee experience, industry disruptions, content strategy, and much more.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play!Key takeaways from this episode:Disrupt the status quo. Throughout the various roles she's held during her career, Patti has consistently maintained an attitude of continuous improvement, growth, and evolution. In her words, if she's comfortable, then she's uncomfortable, which is a great maxim to live by if you're hoping to make your mark as an industry disruptor and innovator.Diversity begets disruption. As a leader, Patti understands the importance of diversity in the workplace, and it's a core principle of the topics she discusses in her speaking engagements, content and her latest book, Disrupters. She reminds us that bringing together a wide variety of perspectives, cultural backgrounds and identities helps to lay the groundwork for impactful disruptions and a thriving business. Be a thought provoker, not a thought leader. Now more than ever, the customer journey is about building trust, and in Patti's view, the average buyer today is looking for more than just a transactional relationship. Marketers need to focus on helping their customers solve the problems of today, in addition to looking ahead to the potential challenges and opportunities of the future.Learn more about Limeade here: https://www.limeade.com/Learn more about Patti here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drpattifletcher/

In this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Julie Knight, CMO of Unit4. Julie shares the story of how she landed her position at the software company, which has over 2,000 employees and has been around for more than 40 years now. She also explains the playbook she and her team used to modernize the company's content strategy and weave a consistent narrative across channels.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play!Key takeaways from this episode:Lead by example. As CMO of Unit4, Julie sets the tone for hundreds of people each day, so she's conscious of the habits, behaviors and overall attitude she brings to the table. With employees working on a remote basis from various locations around the world, Julie aims to focus on keeping her team engaged through ongoing communication, team events and a welcoming open door policy.Reflect your values to the world. When Julie first came on as CMO of Unit4, she noticed a disconnect between the company's incredible culture, strong values and clear mission, and the way these qualities were being conveyed to the world. To bridge this gap, she mobilized her team to help rewrite the company's narrative in a way that would clearly communicate its strengths.Be a ruthless editor. As Julie and the team at Unit4 strategized to craft a new story for the company, it became clear that they would need to do away with much of the content that had been built in the past. In other words, Julie wasn't afraid to clean house if a piece of content didn't align with the simple, streamlined tone they were hoping to capture.Learn more about Unit4 here: https://www.unit4.com/ Learn more about Julie here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieknightludvigson/

In this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Daniel Incandela, the CMO of Reachdesk. We discuss the importance of creating a human connection in marketing, building relationships through gifting, and the entire buyer journey as a whole.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play!Key takeaways from this episode:Focus on relationship building. One of Daniel's main strengths in his role as CMO is building relationships and helping others succeed. Throughout his career, Daniel has learned that all functions within the executive team play an essential role in the company, so building relationships founded in trust with all team members is critical.Gifting brings a human element to B2B marketing. As Daniel mentioned, gifting is something that's present in all cultures around the world, which he learned while studying anthropology. Today, gifting has become a critical channel for marketers to rely on because it strengthens relationships and incorporates a human connection to tap into the emotional side of your customer.Marketing begins with words. No matter the campaign, channel or medium you're relying on as a marketer, content is always at the core of all marketing activities. Daniel believes the best B2B marketing content comes from a place of authenticity and a strong connection to the company's true voice and message.Learn more about Reachdesk here: https://reachdesk.com/ Learn more about Daniel here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielincandela/

In this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Jeff Boehm, the CMO of Formlabs. We discuss the 3D printing space and some of its practical applications in areas like dentistry, the medical field and more. Jeff shares his perspective on the importance of understanding your market, especially when you're still learning the various applications of your offering.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play!Key takeaways from this episode:Keep it simple. Although working in the 3D printing space added an element of complexity to the marketing journey for Formlabs, Jeff reminds us that at the end of the day, all marketers share similar goals. No matter the product or service you're marketing, it's always a question of identifying pain points and connecting your customers with an easy and effective way of solving them.Focus on the people. Throughout his career as a marketing leader, Jeff has learned a few critical lessons when it comes to choosing the right fit for your next role. He now believes that the most important factor overall is aligning with an organization where the people share similar values, goals and philosophies on problem solving.Use content to connect with your customer. From a content marketing perspective, Jeff's strategy involves tailoring content directly to the customers Formlabs serves. By connecting to a customer's “why” before beginning to address the “what” or the “how,” marketers will have better luck capturing the buyer's attention through their content strategy. Learn more about Formlabs here: https://formlabs.com/ Learn more about Jeff here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffboehm/

In this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Carly Brantz, CMO at DigitalOcean. We discuss strategies for keeping marketers engaged and continuously evolving in their roles. Carly also shares her perspective on the changing nature of the content strategy, and why it's an essential component of the customer journey today.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play!Key takeaways from this episode:Keep it fresh. When it comes to keeping CMOs engaged and growing within their roles, Carly recommends experimenting with as many different areas of the marketing practice as possible. By keeping it fresh year after year and venturing into unknown territory, Carly has been able to gain exposure to new areas of the business and become a continuous learner. Prioritize people. For Carly, making the jump to the C level was all about prioritizing her personal connections with people across the organization. Since marketing has become even more metrics-driven in recent years, Carly highlighted the importance of forging strong relationships within the finance department and maintaining those relationships through your career. Provide value first. In terms of the customer journey, Carly emphasized the importance of building trust by providing value from the get go. DigitalOcean does this through its hefty catalog of free learning resources including a repository of over 5,000 video tutorials as well as plenty of guides and research briefs geared towards developers.Learn more about DigitalOcean here: https://www.digitalocean.com/ Learn more about Carly here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlybrantz/

In this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Kim Caldbeck, the CMO of Coursera. We discuss how Kim approached learning the business when she first came on as a director, and how she ultimately worked her way up to the role of CMO. Kim also shares her top tips for customer acquisition and her philosophy on leading a team of marketers amidst a changing landscape.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play!Key takeaways from this episode:Join the mission. By the time she was on track to become CMO at Coursera, Kim had already made herself an indispensable member of the team by helping to build the company's vision from the ground up. As a key player in the company's strategy-shaping phase, Kim had earned respect and credibility, which ultimately allowed her to position herself as the best (and only) candidate for the CMO role.Follow your passion. Here on The Marketer's Journey, many of our guests have highlighted the importance of following your passion in your career, and Kim is no exception. She believes we're all at our best when we're doing what we love, which is why taking action based on what excites you most will bring you luck and longevity along your career path.Be a lifelong learner. Kim mentioned that her time at Facebook helped her expand her knowledge of different areas of the business, which ultimately helped her become a more well-rounded marketer. Continuous learning is something we can all apply to our daily lives to become more engaged, knowledgeable and effective at what we do each day.Learn more about Coursera here: https://www.coursera.org/ Learn more about Kim here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-caldbeck-58b7273/

In this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Kevin Sellers, CMO of Ping Identity. Kevin believes strongly in using the psychology of marketing to connect with customers, and during our conversation, he shares his tips for adopting this mentality. He also explains some of the key lessons he learned during his 13 years at Intel, and how he knew Ping Identity was the right fit for him as a company.Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play!Key takeaways from this episode:Build credibility early on. Coming off the heels of a long stint at Intel, Kevin had to shift gears and earn the trust of a new team when he first came on as CMO of Ping Identity. To do this, he secured a few short-term wins early on in his role, established trust with his team and made his intentions as CMO clear to really hit the ground running as a leader.Learn the immutable laws of growth. Kevin mentioned that during his time at Intel, he learned from the company's former CEO Andy Grove that success requires two key ingredients: a unique product or service, and the ability to communicate its value to your audience. Without innovative marketing and branding tactics, a company will find it difficult to move the needle or grow as an enterprise.Tap into human psychology. Kevin is a big believer in tapping into human psychology and emotion through marketing tactics. By crafting a compelling narrative around a universal human truth, marketers will have a better chance of getting through to their audience in a way that feels unique, emotive and personal.Learn more about Ping Identity here: https://www.pingidentity.com/en.html Learn more about Kevin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinsellers116/

In this episode of The Marketer's Journey, I interview Andy Jolls, CMO at FastSpring. During the episode, we discuss selecting the right CMO role for your career journey, how to know if the company you've joined has potential, and why it's important to expand your view of the competition. Check out this and other episodes of The Marketer's Journey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play!Key takeaways from this episode:Consider the growth stage of the company. When on the hunt for a new company to join, Andy emphasized the importance of identifying the company's growth stage and determining which stage is right for you and your career goals. He recommended finding the sweet spot by experimenting with companies at various growth stages and identifying where your strengths lie.Don't forget about the “C” in CMO. Andy mentioned that he's had some great mentors throughout his career who have reminded him that anyone at the CMO level needs to take a holistic view of the company to consider the full picture of the business. Instead of focusing solely on marketing, CMOs should always be thinking about what's best for the entire company overall.Identify the right persona. One of the biggest challenges for marketers today is understanding and targeting the right customers in their category. Andy said it's important for marketers to dig down deep into the information that's available and invest in analytics in order to make the most educated decisions possible. It's also important to broaden your view of the competition to keep the bigger picture in mind.Learn more about FastSpring here: https://fastspring.com/ Learn more about Andy here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajolls/