What does it really take to go from junior marketer to marketing exec?

In this episode, Marc Bitanga and Mitch Solway pull back the curtain on what it's like to step into a VP of Marketing role—and stay there.

They talk real career paths (spoiler: there’s no one-size-fits-all), the emotional landmines most new execs stumble over, and the difference between being great at marketing and being great at leading marketing.

They also get brutally honest about:

The biggest leap in a marketing career (it’s not what you think)

Why AI isn’t a silver bullet—but you still need to know your stuff

The invisible politics and pressures that quietly kill even the best marketing plans

It’s like a behind-the-scenes tour of the exec table, with no buzzwords and no sugarcoating.

Top 3 Reasons to Listen:

You’re eyeing a VP seat—or just landed one—and want to avoid the career equivalent of stepping on a rake.

You want a candid look at what actually separates great marketers from great marketing leaders.

You’re tired of fluffy advice and want practical, battle-tested insights from people who’ve actually sat in the chair.

Resources:

Mitch Solway on LinkedIn

Marc Bitanga on LinkedIn

Are you a Marketing Director or VP of Marketing? - Then CMO Haus was made for you. It's the community of high growth marketing leaders who want to grow and succeed in their role and beyond. To learn more, visit CMOHaus.com.

Want your question to be featured on the podcast or would like to be a guest?

Visit: https://www.cmohaus.com/podcast

In this episode, we dig into a scenario that many marketing leaders know all too well: getting called out by the sales team, sometimes in front of your peers, or “low-quality” leads. Ouch.

But instead of getting defensive, what if you leaned in with curiosity?

We explore why your relationship with your head of sales is nearly as important as your relationship with the CEO—and how that connection can make or break your revenue goals. You’ll hear a real-world story of how one marketing leader built trust with a new sales leader...starting with beers and open conversation.

We unpack the right way to respond, what to dig into, and how your lead scoring criteria might be part of the problem. And if you’re dealing with public criticism or a strained dynamic between teams, stay tuned. There’s practical advice on how to reset the tone and keep everyone focused on the one shared goal: growth.

Listen in to find out how to handle the heat, keep your cool, and turn feedback into forward motion.

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Want your question to be featured on the podcast or would like to be a guest?

Visit: https://www.cmohaus.com/podcast

What do you keep in-house? What do you outsource? And when does it make sense to bring in a freelancer?

In this episode, Marc breaks down the thinking behind building a modern marketing org that actually aligns with your business goals. Because it’s not just about roles and titles. It starts with strategy. And your headcount budget. And knowing exactly what needs to be owned versus delegated.

Marc walks through a clear, no-BS framework for deciding:

What functions are too important to outsource

When to lean on agencies (and when not to)

The only two times he hires freelancers

And the hidden cost of getting the mix wrong

If you’re rethinking your org chart, trying to scale a lean team, or just wondering if you’re doing it right — this one’s for you.

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Want your question to be featured on the podcast or would like to be a guest?

Visit: https://www.cmohaus.com/podcast

Every marketer wants influence. Respect. A voice in the room where the big decisions get made. But very few actually earn it.

In this episode, Marc Bitanga challenges the way most marketing leaders think about their role—and reveals what it really takes to be seen as a strategic partner to the CEO.

You’ll walk away asking yourself new questions. Harder questions. The kind that shift how you show up at the exec table—and how seriously you’re taken when you do.

If you’ve ever wondered why some marketers are treated like order-takers while others shape the future of the business, this one’s for you.

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Want your question to be featured on the podcast or would like to be a guest?

Visit: https://www.cmohaus.com/podcast

You’ve heard it tossed around in boardrooms and feedback sessions—“You need to work on your executive presence.” But what the hell does that even mean?

In this episode of Funnels & Feelings, Marc Bitanga breaks down the mystical-sounding concept of executive presence into six real, practical components you can actually work on. From keeping your cool under pressure to projecting confidence without being a jerk, Marc explains why executive presence isn’t a magical “energy”—it’s a muscle built over time.

You’ll learn:

Why rambling ruins credibility (and what to do instead)

The secret power of non-verbal cues (yes, that eye-roll counts)

How to build trust, influence, and a solid rep without waiting for a promotion

Why Toastmasters might be your secret weapon

And why executive presence is less about charisma and more about character

Whether you're climbing the ladder or already in a leadership role, this episode will help you level up how you show up. No fluff. No fake-it-til-you-make-it. Just real talk, relatable examples, and tips you can use starting tomorrow.

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Want your question to be featured on the podcast or would like to be a guest?

Visit: https://www.cmohaus.com/podcast

What do marketing budgets and home renovations have in common? A lot more than you think. In this episode of Funnels & Feelings, host Marc Bitanga explains why asking for brand budget when your customer acquisition engine is broken is like buying fancy curtains for a house with a leaky roof.

Marc dishes out spicy metaphors, straight talk, and a dose of tough love to help you win over your CEO, prove you're a budget-savvy boss, and finally get the green light for that brand-building campaign you've been dreaming of.

You’ll learn:

Why brand-building requests fall flat (and how to avoid it)

The KPIs that’ll actually get your CFO to nod

And why you are the only one who can fight for the brand

It’s part strategy session, part pep talk—served with a side of wisdom.

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Want your question to be featured on the podcast or would like to be a guest?

Visit: https://www.cmohaus.com/podcast

In this episode, Marc Bitanga is joined by fellow Fractional CMO, Neel Singh for a deep dive into how artificial intelligence is transforming the marketing landscape. Together, they unpack the changing expectations placed on marketing leaders—especially the increasing demand for executional excellence that predates AI but has since been amplified by it.

The conversation spans everything from how AI is reshaping advertising strategies to whether traditional marketing agencies can survive in an AI-driven world. Marc and Neel also explore what it takes to become a one-of-one brand.

👤 Guest:

🎯 Key Topics Covered:

The Evolution of Marketing Leadership:

How expectations for marketing executives have shifted over the years.

Why today’s CMOs are expected to be part visionary, part executor.

AI's Role in Marketing Execution:

How AI tools are changing daily workflows.

What AI means for hiring, creative processes, and media buying.

The Future of Marketing Agencies:

Will agencies be replaced or redefined?

How agencies must evolve to stay relevant in the AI age.

Building a One-of-One Brand:

The value of uniqueness in a world of AI-generated content.

The challenge of differentiation when algorithms optimize for sameness.

Social Media & Brand Strategy:

Navigating brand identity on platforms that reward trends over originality.

The tension between short-term performance and long-term brand building.

Culture & Brand Integrity:

Why internal cultural alignment is essential for external brand consistency.

How brand trust is built from the inside out.

💡 Notable Quote:

🔗 Resources & Mentions:

Marc Bitanga on LinkedIn

Neel Singh on LinkedIn

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Want your question to be featured on the podcast or would like to be a guest?

Visit: https://www.cmohaus.com/podcast

Mitch from Austin runs a successful consumer lending business, but lately, his once-solid stream of high-quality leads has taken a hit. In this episode, Marc digs into what could be causing the shift—even when the strategy seems unchanged.

You'll learn how to investigate drop-offs in lead quality by looking at both internal marketing changes and external channel shifts. From tweaking ad targeting to understanding changes in SEO traffic, this episode is your troubleshooting guide for diagnosing lead issues fast.

00:00 – Intro

01:30 – Step 1: Audit What’s Changed Internally

Review all recent changes to your marketing strategy—even tiny ones.

Key areas: ad targeting, website copy, form fields, blog updates.

Tip: Ask your team for a detailed breakdown of recent changes.

04:15 – Step 2: Trace Bad Leads to the Source

Determine which campaign, channel, or asset is producing low-quality leads.

Paid media and organic search are likely suspects.

Use analytics to connect the dots between traffic source and lead quality.

06:30 – Deep Dive: Paid Media Troubleshooting

Audit targeting settings: Are you reaching the wrong audience?

Reevaluate ad messaging: Has your positioning changed?

Ensure alignment between ads and what the landing page promises.

08:00 – Deep Dive: SEO Traffic Shifts

Have new blog posts outranked older, higher-converting content?

Are lower-quality keywords bringing in more traffic?

Use tools to analyze shifts in keyword rankings and top-performing pages.

10:15 – Final Thoughts: Diagnosis Before Prescription

The solution starts with clear, structured troubleshooting.

Track everything to isolate the real issue—and fix it fast.

Even subtle marketing changes can affect lead quality—review everything.

Always trace bad leads back to their origin (campaign, keyword, or ad).

Inconsistent messaging or new SEO traffic can attract the wrong audience.

You can’t fix what you can’t trace—analytics are your best friend.

Google Search Console (for SEO insights)

Your paid media platform (Google Ads, Meta Ads, etc.)

Website and form analytics (GA4, Hotjar, HubSpot, etc.)

Send a Loom video or email Marc directly at [email protected] and your question may be featured on the podcast.

Listener Question: Chandler from San Mateo wants to take his online investing course beyond Skillshare and grow it under his own brand. He asked for help with growth marketing—and got a full breakdown of what to do next.

Here’s what you’ll discover in this episode:

Why relying on marketplace platforms might be costing you more than you think

A simple, powerful framework to unlock your ideal customer’s attention

The truth about content vs. paid growth—and how to choose the right path

One overlooked tactic that most entrepreneurs skip (and why you shouldn’t)

And yes… the reason you should just ask for the damn sale

Got a marketing question for Marc?

Send a Loom video or email Marc directly at [email protected] and your question may be featured on the podcast.

In this episode, Marc takes us back to his high school days in Seattle, where being a 90-pound sophomore surrounded by NFL-sized seniors made full-size lockers a terrifying prospect. 😅

But it’s not just nostalgia. Marc answers a thoughtful listener question from Anne in Seattle, who’s crushing it with her digital product business but wondering if she should stick with Meta and Google ads or branch out.

Marc breaks down four killer reasons why:

Paid media only gets more expensive

One channel marketing strategies are risky

Content + SEO = cheaper, compounding growth 

Ads aren’t evergreen

Whether you're running a solo biz or scaling a startup, this is the wake-up call to stop relying on ads alone and start building a brand that lasts.

Got a marketing question for Marc?

Send a Loom video or email Marc directly at [email protected] and your question may be featured on the podcast.