What if the biggest barrier to your business growth isn’t your product, your pricing, or your people but your lack of strategy?

In this episode of WNY Entrepreneurs Unleashed, Seth Greene interviews Rachel Present, Fractional CMO, who has led marketing strategy at startups and global corporations alike, from early-stage tech ventures in Tel Aviv to multinational firms like Thales and Next Insurance, acquired for billions by Munich Re. Drawing from her 14 years abroad and deep Western New York roots, Rachel shares how combining international experience with entrepreneurial spirit helps businesses unlock powerful, sustainable growth. She reveals what most companies get wrong about marketing, and how a clear strategy can bridge the gap between potential and performance.

Key Takeaways:

→ Why strategy must come before execution and how skipping this step stalls growth.

→ How fractional CMOs help companies scale without the overhead of a full-time executive employee.

→ Why keeping clients engaged and customer retention beats constant prospecting.

→ How to measure marketing ROI when sales cycles are long and attribution is tricky.

→ The three critical questions every business owner should answer before setting a marketing plan.

Rachel Present is a passionate fractional CMO dedicated to helping Rochester-area businesses achieve world-class marketing results. A proud Rochester native, she understands the local mindset—whether it’s Jim Kelly nostalgia or knowing that “flurries” aren’t real snow—and believes exceptional companies from the region deserve global-level strategy.

With over 14 years of international experience, including time spent in Israel, Rachel blends American warmth with Israeli chutzpah to deliver results that resonate—whether your audience is in Greece, New York or Athens, Greece. A self-taught marketer and former tech professional, she approaches each client like a marketing detective, uncovering obstacles and crafting strategies that drive measurable growth.

Following in the legacy of her family’s respected Western New York business, Present Company, Rachel founded her firm to empower organizations to reach their ideal customers and turn marketing into meaningful, profitable impact.

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