GlobalEdgeTalk

In this episode of GlobalEdgeTalk, Alex interviews Mike Linton, a renowned CMO with an impressive career spanning over 25 years. Mike shares insights into his experience as a C-level marketing executive at major companies like Best Buy and eBay. He discusses his view of marketing as a combination of immediate sales and long-term brand building, describing it as "sales overnight, brand over time."

The conversation then shifts to the rise of fractional CMOs and the benefits they offer to companies. Mike explains how fractional CMOs provide access to specialized skills without the need for a full-time hire, but also highlights the potential challenges in driving innovation through this model.

Mike delves into the topic of innovation in both startups and large companies. He explains that in startups, innovation is often driven by the founder's openness to new ideas, while large companies must balance innovation with financial priorities.

The episode also explores Mike's transition from being a CMO to serving as a board member. As a board member, Mike's focus shifts from delivering financials to advising and questioning management without directly running operations. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the investment thesis and being prepared to answer the toughest questions to avoid surprises down the line.

Mike also shares his thoughts on blending generations in the workplace, emphasizing the need for a balance between experienced professionals and newcomers who are attuned to new technologies. The right mix of generations, according to Mike, depends on what positions the company best for future consumer and tech trends.
Listeners can expect to gain valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by CMOs in today's rapidly evolving business landscape.

Talila Millman is the founder and CTO of MillmanTech, a management  advisory service helping CEOs grow revenue and scale, and a co-founder of the Continuous TRIUMPH Leadership Institute, focusing on leadership and executive coaching. Her book TRIUMPH, a guideline totransforming organizations and leading them to new heights of profit and growth, is scheduled to be released in the spring of 2024. 

With over 25+ years of leadership experience,  Talila has held executive and senior leadership roles at companies like Stanley Black and Decker, Harris, and Motorola, and is a member of the advisory board at Capella University. Her achievements include significant revenue growth, cost reduction, and increase in customer satisfaction. She holds an M.Sc. in Computer Science from Tel-Aviv University and resides in Massachusetts with her family.

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In this episode, join Alex Romanovich and Ana Varava for an in-depth conversation about Ana's remarkable career in the fashion industry. With over 15 years of experience, Ana has made significant contributions to fashion magazines and brand development across various countries. 

Ana eventually rose to become the editor-in-chief and brand developer for L'Officiel in Ukraine, where she played a pivotal role in enhancing the fashion industry. In 2019, Ana successfully launched L'Officiel in Austria as well.

During the discussion, Ana enlightens us about the challenges she encountered while introducing a prestigious French fashion magazine to a country like Ukraine, which had limited fashion infrastructure at the time. Despite these obstacles, Ana's unwavering passion and dedication drove her to train and nurture local talent, leaving a lasting impact on the industry. However, her career faced unexpected disruptions due to the invasions of Ukraine by Russia in both 2014 and 2022, compelling her to abruptly flee from Kyiv when the war began.

Further, Ana and Alex delve into the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns on the fashion industry. They explore how luxury goods sales surged online as people engaged in stress shopping. Additionally, logistics and manufacturing experienced a significant shift, with many companies relocating their production facilities from China to closer proximity to Europe.

Throughout the episode, Ana provides intriguing insights into the diverse fashion cultures of different countries. She highlights the United States as a place that fosters self-expression, contrasting it with Europe's more structured fashion scene. France and Italy emerge as leaders in the fashion realm, while Germany prioritizes production over creativity.

The conversation concludes with Ana reflecting on her earlier years, emphasizing the importance of bravery and fearlessness in her career. Looking ahead, she expresses a desire to take on even bigger projects, leveraging her expertise and experience. Moreover, Ana emphasizes the need for sustainability in the fashion industry to mitigate its environmental impact. Join us for this captivating discussion filled with valuable industry perspectives and personal reflections.

In this podcast episode, Alex Romanovich and Marla Bace engage in a stimulating discussion on the topic of executive coaching. Alex introduces Marla, a highly accomplished professional with a diverse background as a CPA, CMO, and CXO for renowned brands. Marla sheds light on her journey into coaching and shares her experiences in guiding individuals through career transitions, emphasizing the power of disruption as an opportunity for personal growth.

Amidst the challenges posed by events like the COVID pandemic, economic downturns, and layoffs, Alex and Marla delve into the effective ways of handling stress and uncertainty. Marla emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive mindset by focusing on potential opportunities and leveraging one's network. The significance of having a coach as a reliable sounding board during tough times is also explored during their conversation.

Drawing from her vast expertise, Marla imparts invaluable lessons on both personal and business growth. She stresses the significance of collaboration and humility, while highlighting the importance of setting clear goals. Reflecting upon her own evolution, Marla offers advice to her past self regarding assessments and shares insights on overcoming workplace challenges, such as generational differences, through effective communication.

Furthermore, Marla provides an overview of her coaching process, which includes discovery calls, assessments, and the establishment of goals and success metrics. She shares compelling examples of how she has assisted individuals in navigating career transitions, building confidence, and embarking on self-discovery journeys. Alex expresses gratitude to Marla for her enlightening insights and expertise, particularly in times of transition, and extends an invitation for her to return to the podcast to explore more topics that will benefit the listeners.

In this episode of GlobalEdgeTalk, host Alex Romanovich welcomes guest Nicholas Zeisler to discuss the topic of customer experience (CX) on a global scale. Nicholas, a fractional and former full-time Chief Customer Officer who has worked with major brands like Dell and HP, is now a principal of Zeisler Consulting, where he consults on CX worldwide. He is also the author of a book on the topic of CX, titled "W're Doing CX Wrong and How to Do It Right."

Nicholas's diverse background sets him apart from many of his colleagues in the CX field. While most individuals in CX come from customer support or customer care roles, Nicholas approaches CX from the perspective of process engineering. With his experience as a Lean Six Sigma black belt and in operations research, he brings a unique set of skills to the table. Nicholas's military career and work in the civilian sector have allowed him to excel in optimizing processes and improving efficiencies.

Throughout the conversation, Alex and Nicholas delve into the importance of leveraging process engineering and lean Six Sigma methodologies in order to enhance customer experiences. They explore how organizations can use these tools to identify and resolve issues at the root cause rather than just addressing symptoms. By focusing on internal processes, systems, and policies, companies can better align their operations with their brand promise and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

Join Alex and Nicholas as they provide insights and strategies for achieving CX excellence in the global marketplace. Whether you're a large or small business, this episode is sure to offer valuable takeaways for improving your customer experience strategies.

Katrina Klier is a Global B2B Chief Marketing Officer & Chief Digital Officer. She has extensive experience leading digital transformation, brand optimization initiatives, and new product launches at five Fortune 500 companies, including two of the world’s most recognized technology players, a top-10 global professional services firm, and a leading SaaS company. 

In this episode, join Alex and Katrina as they engage in a captivating discussion about the pivotal role artificial intelligence (AI) plays in the world of marketing. While some may view AI as a threat, Katrina believes that its potential lies in automating laborious tasks and enhancing creativity within the marketing sphere. Similar to how the advent of social media required the inclusion of analysts on marketing teams, Katrina argues that the integration of AI will necessitate the recruitment of data scientists and other specialized skillsets. 

Delving further, Alex and Katrina explore the various positions that could be essential on a chief marketing officer's (CMO) team. They shed light on the significant contributions data scientists, data analysts, and content strategists could make. Data scientists, for instance, have the power to construct personalized AI models for companies, while content strategists can harness AI-generated trends to develop innovative content ideas. Interestingly, they also introduce the concept of a "prompt engineer," someone who would interact with AI models in real-time to generate prompts and responses, hinting at the emergence of potentially countless new career paths in the field of marketing. 

When questioned about the ideal composition of a CMO's team, Katrina emphasizes the importance of including data scientists and analysts who possess the expertise to build AI models. Additionally, she underscores the significance of the CMO having a strong grasp of data literacy and change management skills, vital traits for navigating the ever-evolving landscape of disruption. 

Moreover, Alex and Katrina explore how AI can unlock fresh insights from existing customer content and how content strategists may find their roles more captivating with the utilization of new AI tools. Ultimately, they conclude that surrounding oneself with the right skills and strategies is the key to success as a CMO amidst this transformative era. Tune in to this episode to gain a comprehensive understanding of how AI can revolutionize the marketing industry and how CMOs can harness its potential to thrive in a changing landscape.

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As a senior marketing executive & thought leader, Muriel Lotto solves business problems through the power of marketing to deliver sustainable growth for DTC & B2B companies. 
She is a full-funnel, full-stack performance and growth marketer with a holistic view of customer acquisition & retention. Over the years, Muriel has honed my talent for weaving together compelling stories and performance marketing to drive business outcomes by leveraging deep analytical skills to measure success. 
Muriel's superpower is understanding and interpreting data, turning insights into actions that drive profitable and efficient growth. 

Katrina Klier is a Global B2B Chief Marketing Officer & Chief Digital Officer. She has extensive experience leading digital transformation, brand optimization initiatives, and new product launches at five Fortune 500 companies, including two of the world’s most recognized technology players, a top-10 global professional services firm, and a leading SaaS company. 
She is currently seeking a full-stack CMO role and is open to corporate board positions.

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In today's episode, Alex is talking to Peter Watts, CEO & Co-Founder of Solutionize.
Peter is a serial entrepreneur in global IT and automation who leverages emerging technologies.  His operations have spanned 30+ countries on 5 continents, operating from bases in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Australia – and, for 30 years, the USA.
From system integration services to software, to information-sharing networks, Peter has funded, founded, built and successfully exited 4 businesses: Tangent International, kiNexus, Planetworks, and Group Intelligence.  Market segments served in-depth have included: Banking, Healthcare, Higher Education, Finance and Insurance, Government, Oil, and Technology.
Peter’s current focus is Solutionize, and its breakthrough Health IT app, TeamPatient, which connects everyone and everything around a patient that’s needed for better outcomes.

Helena Verellen is co-Founder of QelviQ, a beautifully designed personal digital sommelier that brings every type of wine to its ideal serving temperature. QelviQ is controlled by a smart wine app, containing a database of over 350,000 wines, that sends the optimal serving temperature to your QelviQ, keeps your wine inventory and advises on the perfect food pairing. 

She is also a results-oriented global marketing and business development executive with expertise in creating innovative data-driven global growth strategies and marketing/PR campaigns – generating millions of dollars in revenue for premiere global companies, including Audible, an Amazon company, WWE and Sony Music.