Executive Conversations

“It’s not just about getting things done, but doing it in a way that doesn’t ruffle feathers while making sure people are on your side. “ Shana Haynie, Head of Content & Organic Growth at MoEngage

In this episode of Executive Conversations, Maeva chats with Shana Haynie, Head of Content and Organic Growth at MoEngage North America, as she shares her experience managing content strategy across global regions. She discusses building relationships, influencing without direct authority, and navigating complex content challenges. Shana also details how she drives SEO results, collaborates with web ops teams, and ensures alignment across different regions.

In this episode, we talk about:

Takeaways

Time chapters

[00:06] Introduction

[01:54] Early career challenges: transitioning from content creation to strategy

[06:40] Scaling successful inbound marketing strategies 

[10:45] Managing SEO and content strategy across seven global regions

[14:36] Building relationships and collaboration across international teams

[18:40] Overhauling content production and publishing processes

[23:40] Collaborating with web ops and overcoming technical SEO challenges

[26:48] Handling leadership pressure for both short-term and long-term results

About Shana Haynie

Shana is the Head of Content and Organic Growth for MoEngage's North America region and has over a decade of marketing experience helping businesses reach and engage their customers through strategic storytelling. When she isn't writing or editing, you can find her playing pickleball, dancing to hardstyle, singing karaoke, or walking her dog, Dexter.

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“Communicate- Be transparent, set expectations and then mitigate” Lisa Vecchio, GVP of Integrated Marketing from Aircall

In this episode of Executive Conversations, Maeva chats with Lisa Vecchio, former GVP of Integrated Marketing at Aircall. She previously worked with Hootsuite and Expedia and shares her experiences navigating leadership transitions, adjusting marketing strategies, and working closely with executive teams to ensure the success of marketing plans. She talks about  adapting to new perspectives, building strong relationships, and using data to demonstrate the value of long-term marketing initiatives.

In this episode, we talk about:

Takeaways

Time chapters

[00:06] Introduction

[01:55] Building marketing skills through stakeholder communication

[03:57] Presenting marketing experiments to leadership

[06:27] Reporting to different executives: CEOs, CMOs, and CFOs

[11:39] Addressing short-term focus in marketing

[14:10] Experimenting with new tactics and channels

[19:34] Training teams for budgeting and resource allocation

[25:46] Navigating rebranding and website launches as a new marketing leader

About Lisa Vecchio

Lisa is a CIM Chartered Marketer with nearly two decades of global experience in B2B marketing. She has successfully led marketing, PR, brand, and growth teams at various SaaS companies including Aircall, Hootsuite, Expedia Group, Wiley, and early-stage startups. Motivated by driving ROI and revenue through creative strategies, Lisa is a champion of brand and community building. She prioritizes strong collaboration with sales, customer success, and partnership teams, and is enthusiastic about the future of AI to enhance marketing practices. A cultural enthusiast and avid traveler, Lisa has successfully built international teams while living in New York, Melbourne, and London.

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"It's about finding creative ways to make an impact, even when budgets are tight. That's where true innovation happens." - Tove Hernlund, Marketing Team Lead at Jobylon

In this episode, Maeva chats with Tove Hernlund, Marketing Team Lead at Jobylon, as she shares her journey from university to leading a marketing team. She discusses the importance of creative problem-solving when faced with budget cuts, the value of mentorship, and how to secure buy-in for innovative ideas. Tove also highlights the significance of being adaptable and prepared when pitching new strategies in the B2B space.

In this episode, we talk about:

Takeaways

Time chapters

[00:06] Introduction

[01:55] The power of mentorship.

[05:23] The art of selling internally.

[08:35] The value of trying unconventional marketing strategies.

[12:44] Success stories: Using creative video marketing in B2B.

[15:10] The importance of a supportive leadership team for innovation.

[17:16] Pitching new ideas with data and preparation.

[19:59] Building a strong network and learning from peers in the industry.

[22:27] Conclusion

About Tove Hernlund

Tove Hernlund, Marketing Team Lead at Jobylon, with both a Bachelor's and Master's in marketing and a strong background within startup SaaS and B2B marketing.

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"Being confident and convicted gives other people the confidence that this guy might know what the hell he's talking about"

Devin Reed, Founder, The Reeder 

In this episode of Executive Conversations, Maeva chats with Devin Reed, founder of The Reeder, about architecting the perfect pitch. Devin shares practical tips from his experience, such as starting with a CEO slide, speaking the C-suite's language, using compelling data, and presenting a clear vision. He stresses the importance of confidence and conviction when pitching ideas, ensuring they align with the company's strategic goals. Devin also highlights the significance of audience growth and the challenge of educating leaders on its value, advocating for concise and focused presentations.

In this episode, we talk about:

Takeaways

Time chapters

[00:07] Introduction

[01:04] Devin Reed's background

[03:00] Challenges in gaining buy-in for marketing

[05:29] Understanding and aligning with CEO priorities

[07:10] The concept of the CEO slide and its significance

[10:58] Building and leveraging audience trust

[12:35] Dealing with skepticism and objections

[15:24] Organizing presentations for executive audiences

[19:47] Communicating vision and excitement in pitches

[21:09] Importance of confidence and conviction

[22:15] Learning from past experiences and refining strategies

[26:54] Encouraging and handling audience input

[29:38] Wrap up

About Devin Reed

Devin was previously the Head of Content at two billion-dollar startups (Gong, Clari). He’s currently the Founder of The Reeder where he helps SaaS companies design and execute content strategies that grow audience, brand and pipeline. He also hosts the YouTube show and podcast, Reed Between The Lines, and publishes a weekly newsletter about content strategy and marketing.

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“What’s more critical to me than reporting structures is strategic alignment. What is strategically and critically important to the business? “

William Chia, VP of Marketing at Styra

In this episode of Executive Conversations, Maeva Cifuentes interviews William Chia, the VP of Marketing at Styra. They discuss the challenges of getting buy-in from various stakeholders in the go-to-market space. William shares his experience of building the skill of negotiation and persuasion throughout his career as a marketer. They also discuss the importance of strategic alignment and how reporting structure is not the sole determinant of success. William shares a story of disagreeing and committing to a decision that went against his beliefs, which turned out to be a successful move. He also shares a story of influencing a change in the go-to-market motion by transitioning from a traditional MQL-based model to an account-based motion.

In this episode, we talk about:

Takeaways

Time chapters

[00:01] Introduction

[02:36] Learning leadership skills in marketing

[04:15] The role of product marketing and leadership by influence

[06:45] Reporting structure and its impact on marketing strategies

[10:30] Strategic alignment vs. reporting structure

[13:26] Navigating misalignment in organizations

[18:00] Embracing transparency in competitive strategy

[22:11] The power of Bezo’s disagree and commit

[25:57] Achieving buy-in for strategic changes

[28:31] Conclusion and final thoughts

About William Chia

Product-minded storyteller who's been crafting both code and copy since the late 90's. Obsessed with customers, I leverage both qualitative and quantitative research to make data-driven decisions. With the heart of a teacher, I make others around me better. Proven track record of driving go-to-market strategy, sales enablement, content, messaging, and positioning for new technologies in new markets. Connect with William here.

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“Take risks. Don't be shy. Throw every idea against the wall—you never know what's going to stick.”

- Chris C. Anderson, VP, Head of Content @GleenSlate

In this episode, Maeva chats with Chris Anderson, VP Head of Content at Greenslate. They dive into the art of building executive relationships, presenting data-backed ideas, and navigating the unique challenges of different industries. Chris shares his tips on saving data from past campaigns, tailoring pitches to various stakeholders, and embracing risk in marketing. He also highlights the importance of identifying what resonates with executives and using experimentation to support new ideas.

In this episode, we talk about:

Takeaways

Time chapters

[00:00] Introduction

[00:50] Chris’s role at Greenslate

[01:20] Building relationships in the remote workspace

[02:33] How past experiences can influence current strategies

[04:50] Pitching ideas and presenting data

[06:26] Bridging industry differences with core principles

[08:20] Experimentation as a proof point

[09:58] Handling long-term initiatives with limited resources

[12:02] How to condense detailed research into effective pitches

[14:04] Collaboration for successful pitches

[17:18] Managing short-term vs. long-term initiatives

[18:37] Adapting to industry changes

[21:31] Building frameworks in startups vs. established companies

[25:10] Challenges in high-stakes environments like banking

[27:38] Final thoughts and advice

About Chris C. Anderson

Chris C. Anderson is currently VP, Head of Content at GreenSlate, a Top Voice on LinkedIn with 105k followers, and he runs a newsletter called Career Forward. With over 15 years of experience in digital content, content strategy, and digital media, Chris has built and led teams, created and executed regional and global strategies, and launched and managed multiple brands and products across various industries and platforms.

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In this episode of Executive Conversations, Maeva talks with Jakub Rudnik, Head of Content and SEO at Softr, about the beauty of internal marketing, proving ROI for marketing initiatives, and leveraging content to drive measurable results. Jakub shares his experiences from G2, Scribe, ActiveCampaign, and Softr, highlighting the importance of effective experimentation, clear ROI demonstration, and the evolving role of content marketing in different organizational contexts.

In this episode, we talk about:

Takeaways:

Time Chapters:

[01.27] Introduction 

[03.30] Jakub's experience at G2 and the importance of proving ROI

[06.06] Building attribution and balancing short-term and long-term strategies

[10.01] The role of experimentation in marketing at Scribe

[12.48] Moving to ActiveCampaign and bridging PLG with sales-led growth

[16.45] Challenges and strategies in proving new marketing ideas at ActiveCampaign

[21.44] Current role at Softr and the supportive culture for experimentation

[24.30] Best practices for pitching marketing experiments

[26.50] Wrap-up and key takeaways from the conversation

About Jakub Rudnik:

Jakub is the Head of Content and & SEO at Softr.io, a no-code platform for building internal tools, portals, and other apps. He previously was Head of Content at ActiveCampaign, Scribe, and G2, and he advises early stage companies on content and growth. He also teaches digital journalism and communications classes at DePaul University in Chicago where he lives.

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In this episode of Executive Conversations, Maeva interviews Gustav Wallberg, B2B Marketing Lead & Partner at Republiken. They explore how marketing leaders navigate conversations with CEOs, CFOs, and boards to bring their ideas to life. Gustav shares his experiences and pain points in aligning marketing and sales, balancing short-term and long-term goals, and building brand recognition. They discuss the importance of collaboration, earning trust, and finding the right initiatives to focus on. Gustav emphasizes the need for marketers to understand the strengths of their company and leverage them to achieve growth and he shares his journey from B2C to B2B marketing.

Takeaways:

Time chapters:

[00:06] - Introducing Gustav Wallberg

[01:12] - The pain points of marketing alignment

[03:03] - Reporting structure at Alva Labs

[04:06] - Importance of sales alignment over CEO buy-in

[05:31] - Transitioning from B2C to B2B marketing

[07:17] - Marketing’s role in go-to-market strategies

[09:55] - Collaborative goal-setting with sales

[12:42] - Adjusting marketing strategies based on company strengths

[15:04] - Balancing short-term and long-term marketing goals

[18:39] - Leveraging internal experts for brand building

[20:04] - Practical execution of marketing initiatives

[22:55] - Long-term vs. short-term demand gen strategies

[24:25] - How to build trust incrementally

[27:07] - Wrap-up

About Gustav Wallberg:

Gustav is a digital marketer at heart, first stepping into a CMO role in a high-volume B2C venture before transitioning into B2B SaaS. At Alva Labs, a Swedish tech scaleup in the HR space, he built the marketing function & GTM strategy, helping them grow ARR by 5x over the last 3 years.

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"You shouldn't wait until you're in a leadership position before you start going deeper into the operational aspect of a business"- Julien Sauvage

In this episode of Executive Conversations, Maeva chats with Julien Sauvage, who shares his journey from creative marketer to an accomplished data-driven executive at Clari. Julien discusses the importance of balancing creativity with operational excellence, strategies for getting buy-in from executives, and the impact of effective category design. Julien talks about the need for marketers to understand and use data to measure the success of their campaigns and navigate executive conversations effectively.

In this episode, we talk about:

Takeaways

Time chapters

[00:06] Introduction 

[02:42] Julien's journey in developing executive skills

[04:39] The importance of tying ideas to targets and budget

[06:09] Operational excellence in marketing

[08:07] Navigating executive conversations and getting buy-in

[10:25] Implementing category design across the organization

[12:25] Challenges in executing long-term brand plays

[15:30] Getting buy-in from executives vs. team members

[17:28] Convincing executives with data and peer validation

[19:23] Mindset shifts in marketing

[21:26] Measuring the impact of brand & category campaigns

[24:29] Successful brand measurement strategies

[27:31] Balancing short-term results with long-term brand goals

[30:58] Introduction to marketing mix models

[32:43] Wrap-up

About Julien Sauvage

Julien Sauvage is the GVP of Marketing at Clari, leading a dynamic team of exceptional marketers.

With over 15 years in tech, including 10 in marketing, his focus is on revenue and AI technologies. He has worked with companies like Salesforce, Gong, and Talend.

His goal is simple yet ambitious – to create awareness around Clari’s category, generate a steady inbound flow, and drive the go-to-market strategy. He aims for his products to become essential for customers.

Beyond that, he’s involved in mentoring and teaching. And, he admits, he has a soft spot for 🥖 too.
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Welcome to Executive Conversations, where we explore how GTM leaders navigate executive discussions, market internally to gain support, and secure buy-in for long-term GTM strategies. In this episode of Executive Conversations, Maeva talks with Ran Yosef, VP of Marketing at Glassix.

Ran Yosef had extensive experience in various marketing roles before becoming VP of Marketing. He discusses the challenges of gaining executive buy-in, particularly for long-term strategies like SEO. Ran emphasizes understanding your executive team, showcasing the value of proposed marketing strategies, and building trust within your organization. He also provides tips on how to best align your marketing and sales teams to achieve cohesive and effective results.

In this episode, we talk about:

Takeaways:

Time Chapters:

[00:07.202] Introduction

[00:58.467] Ran's journey and how he built buy-in for SEO initiatives 

[01:55.454] How to apply SEO as a primary marketing strategy

[02:54.174] The importance of understanding executive teams for successful buy-in

[05:15.838] How to tailor information to different exec’s preferences

[07:42.814] Evaluating tech stacks

[10:15.682] Aligning marketing and sales teams

[13:01.854] Implementing tools to improve processes

[16:38.11] How to pitch long-term marketing strategies

[17:33.886] Demonstrating the long-term value of SEO to executives

[20:09.374] Strategic SEO: Knowing your personas and crafting effective content

[24:08.61] Building trust within your organization

[27:40.354] Closing remarks

About Ran Yosef:

Ran Yosef, Glassix’s VP of Marketing, is a leading figure in AI-enhanced customer communication. With over a decade of innovative marketing strategies under his belt, Ran has significantly contributed to the growth of several startups.

From SEO to PPC, Demand Generation, and Marketing Ops, Ran has helped numerous companies thrive in highly competitive markets.

Hosting the Glassix Spotlight, a leading CX & AI podcast, Ran is deeply committed to the art of storytelling, believing in its power to engage and inspire. Ran’s visionary leadership and unwavering dedication not only drive Glassix’s success but also significantly influence the evolving landscape of AI-driven customer communications.

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