In this episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, David sits down with Phil Fernandez, a SaaS legend with over 40 years of experience. Fernandez is the Co-Founder and Former CEO of Marketo, which has become part of the Adobe product lineup.  

Fernandez reflects on his journey leading Marketo to become one of the most successful marketing automation platforms in history. From pioneering brand-building strategies to navigating fierce competition and near-death challenges, Phil shares valuable lessons for entrepreneurs and leaders striving to make an impact in today’s fast-evolving business landscape.

Takeaways:

• Start with the Brand: Fernandez emphasizes the importance of building a strong brand presence and engaging customers early, even before launching a product. Marketo’s success was rooted in creating a community of advocates who believed in the company’s vision from day one.
• Customer-Centric Leadership: Fernandez shares his philosophy of focusing entirely on solving customer problems rather than fixating on competitors. This approach allowed Marketo to foster trust and loyalty, even during challenging times.
• Overcoming Challenges: Fernandez recounts a critical moment when Salesforce acquired a competitor and temporarily disrupted Marketo’s integration. By focusing on customer impact, the company was able to regain their Salesforce integration.
• Navigating Funding Hurdles: Despite a stellar track record, Fernandez faced resistance raising Marketo’s initial funding in 2006. He recalls the perseverance needed to secure their first $1.5 million and how he and his co-founders built momentum from there.
• Hiring for Culture: Fernandez reflects on the importance of assembling a team that shares the company’s values. He shares the story of recruiting Bill Binch over a year-long process, ultimately creating a sales organization aligned with Marketo’s mission.

Quote of the Show:

• “ All of our communications with the market was about customers, was about what we were seeing, how to be better, how to do better, how to think better.” - Phil Fernandez

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-fernandez-6902881/
• Twitter: https://x.com/philf1217
• Website: https://business.adobe.com/products/marketo.html

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261 
• Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast 

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