Marketing Unplugged

Estelle Mense is the VP of Marketing at Ascend Learning, a position she’s held for the last four years. Before this, she also served as the SVP of Marketing at Blue Snap. Estelle brings a wealth of knowledge and insights into the marketing industry. In this episode, Estelle shares her journey into marketing, discusses an enlightening study she conducted on employee happiness and career longevity among marketers, and talks about the nuances of job satisfaction within the marketing field.

Key Takeaways:

[1:05] A little bit about Estelle and her career in marketing.

[3:20] What attracted Estelle toward marketing?

[5:00] Estelle shares the study she’s been conducting about employee happiness levels within the marketing industry and career longevity among marketers.

[6:10] Do marketers actually ever retire?

[7:35] There is a high level of job satisfaction among marketers. Why is that?

[12:10] Diverse experience vs. specialized experience, which one is better?

[19:55] More than half of marketers would have done things differently if they had to start over. Why is that?

[24:10] Do marketers prefer working in a large corporation or a smaller company?

[29:55] What have been some of the main takeaways that Estelle learned from this study?

[33:35] Estelle answers some rapid-fire questions!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Demandspring.com

Ascendlearning.com

Estelle on LinkedIn

The Marketing Career Longevity Project

Join Doug Bewsher, a seasoned leader in Marketing and Executive at Arrowroot Capital, as he shares his insights into the dynamic world of MarTech. As the former CMO of Salesforce and Skype, Doug talks about the power of AI in B2B marketing, the lessons from his agency work at McKinsey, and the future of customer engagement. In this episode, Doug offers invaluable advice to young marketers, discusses the current state of MarTech, and explores the shift towards brand-focused strategies over growth and performance metrics.

Key Takeaways:

[1:50] A little bit about Doug and his diverse career path.

[3:35] How did Doug’s knowledge in the B2C side help with the B2B industry?

[7:15] What did Doug learn from his agency/consulting work? And, could he bring those skill sets into his client-facing work?

[9:50] What advice does Doug have for young marketers who are just starting?

[11:00] You have to be open and adaptable to the new changes that are coming your way.

[13:15] Build a foundation of skills and really hone in on your craft. It’s a marathon; not a sprint.

[15:20] What has the MarTech industry gotten right? What seems to be lacking?

[19:15] Why is the world moving more heavily towards brand right now vs. growth/performance?

[23:45] How should CMOs be thinking about AI?

[25:35] The hard question around AI is how will it affect culture and work as we know it.

[29:40] What will engaging prospects three years from now look like? Doug speculates on what the future might hold.

[29:55] Digital tactics aren’t working quite as well. Still to this day, nothing beats face-to-face.

[34:00] The speed at which things are changing is faster than what anyone can realistically keep up with.

[42:15] People aren’t sure what the future will look like, so they’re also hesitant to invest in the “next new thing.”

[46:45] What is Doug excited about in the next 12 months?

[49:05] Doug answers some quick rapid-fire questions to end the show!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Demandspring.com

Arrowrootcapital.com

Doug on LinkedIn

TJ Hager is the Manager of Customer Success at Adobe and the creative mind behind MOPs Notes, a newsletter where he shares his insights and experiences in the tech and marketing industry. In this episode, TJ reflects on the challenges of working with a limited budget, the evolving expectations in customer support post-COVID-19, and the crucial role of marketing ops professionals in bridging the missing gaps in the market and driving business innovation.

Key Takeaways:

[1:00] A little bit about TJ and his background in tech.

[4:05] TJ looks back at 2023. It was definitely the year of “do more with less.”

[7:45] Why did TJ start the MOPs Notes newsletter?

[11:15] What are some of TJ’s opinions on marketing operations roles and their very vast (and often unclear) scope?

[13:25] What advice does TJ have for people looking to build an organic community the way he has with MOPs Notes? [15:20] How has TJ’s newsletter helped with his career at Adobe?

[21:30] Are companies striking a good balance between sales operations and marketing operations? TJ weighs in on his thoughts.

[28:00] What keeps TJ up at night in his career and space?

[28:55] Did COVID-19 change expectations on how we support customers?

[30:30] TJ talks about what challenges will be coming up in the next 12 months.

[32:30] Who truly owns customer success?

[35:30] TJ answers some rapid-fire questions!

Join Sherri Kottmann, Chief People Officer at Quickbase, as she shares her extensive experience in human resources and her approach to creating a thriving workplace environment. In this episode, Sherri discusses the challenges of engaging and elevating teams, the partnership between CPOs and CMOs, and the evolving role of HR in today's complex business landscape. She reflects on the changes in talent management over recent years and emphasizes the irreplaceable value of the human touch in an increasingly AI-driven world.

Key Takeaways:

[1:00] A little bit about Sherri and her background in HR.

[6:25] How do you create an environment that engages and elevates the team?

[7:25] Leadership development programs make people feel good, but they don’t actually change anything.

[11:35] Sherri recognizes the world is a lot harder now than when she was first on the front lines of sales.

[12:05] HR departments are not as measurable. So it can be difficult to communicate its full value.

[17:50] What has Sherri seen from a talent perspective over the last few years?

[23:20] No matter how good AI is, it will always lack the human touch.

[23:50] Every seasoned professional will have to get comfortable with partnering with AI.

[29:55] If you’re on the hot seat to deliver, it can be such a big risk to try something so bold, but high risk = high reward.

[30:10] What does a partnership between a CPO and a CMO look like?

[35:15] A lot of companies have a sink-or-swim mentality for new employees on the job because they lack proper coaching and teaching structures. What has Sherri seen?

[38:45] How can marketing leaders create an environment that helps the younger generation thrive?

[42:35] Sherri believes it’s important to be ambiguous about the path of how the employee should go but not to be ambiguous about the destination/end goal. From there, you’ll see a lot of creativity come through.

[45:45] Sherri shares some final thoughts and answers some rapid-fire questions.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Demandspring.com

Quickbase.com

Sherri on LinkedIn

In this insightful episode, co-hosts Mark and Elle dive into the findings of the Demand Spring 2023 Revenue Marketing B2B Benchmark Report. They discuss the significant progress in revenue marketing practices, with 50% of respondents believing they have matured in this area. The conversation also touches on the long-overdue tracking of revenue sourced by marketing, and the persistent challenges in aligning marketing and sales teams together. They also reflect on the effectiveness of a multi-touch approach in long sales cycles.

Key Takeaways:

[1:30] 50% of people believe they have mature revenue practices. Elle believes we’ve really come a long way!

[5:25] Elle notices that technology companies tend to be a lot quicker in adopting “newer” marketing methods compared to more traditional industries.

[7:55] Companies tend to underestimate expansion opportunities and marketing channels can really help them unlock it further.

[11:50] Companies are only just now tracking what revenue is being sourced by marketing. Why did it take so long?

[13:40] Marketing and sales alignment is still a big challenge for many organizations.

[15:55] Sales and marketing people are wired very differently.

[17:20] How do you achieve true sales and marketing alignment?

[22:55] There’s not a single business in the world that would not benefit from better data-analysis rituals.

[24:55] A lot of companies had a strong Q1 and Q2, but people were struggling in Q3 and Q4.

[30:25] Mark explains why a multi-touch approach in a long sales cycle makes the most sense to him.

[33:25] Mark reads out loud the content marketing results and the percentage of how many organizations are actively managing/thinking about their content strategy.

[35:30] Elle and Mark share some of their final thoughts and talk about what’s next for 2024.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Demandspring.com

2023 Revenue Marketing B2B Benchmark Report

Join co-hosts Mark and Elle as they delve into the tumultuous yet transformative year of 2023 and its impact on the world of marketing. In this episode, they discuss the challenges marketers have faced during what Elle describes as a tech crash plus Mark's observations from his third economic downturn. They explore the necessity of innovation in marketing strategies, especially when budgets are tight, and the pivotal role of AI in shaping the future of marketing.

Key Takeaways:

[2:50] This year has been brutal for marketers!

[6:10] Elle believes we are due for a tech crash and this is what we’re experiencing right now.

[8:10] This is Mark’s third economic downturn in his career. What are some of his observations?

[14:15] With less money to spend, you have to get innovative with your marketing campaigns.

[18:55] This is a crazy time to be alive. Companies that embrace AI will become the next big thing.

[22:15] Elle shares her thoughts on product-led strategies.

[28:05] How do you really identify a true expansion signal in the market? There are so many data points/factors.

[33:25] What should seasoned marketers look for when hiring new talent?

[34:55] Mark likes looking for candidates who are comfortable with being uncomfortable.

[36:00] People’s jobs will change. With innovation, there’s a bit of chaos, new marketers need to be okay with that.

[39:40] A lot of marketers these days have become project managers; which stifles creativity.

[42:45] What has helped Elle the most over the past year?

Mentioned in This Episode:

Demandspring.com

2023 Revenue Marketing B2B Benchmark Report

Jodi Cerretani is the VP of Marketing at RollWorks, an account-based marketing platform for B2B Marketing & Sales. Jodi has more than 10 years of experience in leadership roles and has served in leadership positions at Vidyard, Kapost, and Kahuna. In this episode, Jodi shares how her MBA has helped her in her tech career and her philosophy on productive team pods and she gives the inside scoop on customer marketing.

Key Takeaways:

[1:20] A little bit about Jodi and her background in marketing.

[4:05] Why did Jodi go back to school to finish her MBA?

[7:35] Jodi’s work experience in addition to her MBA really helped her gain the confidence she needed to branch out into the business world.

[8:45] How important is it to have an MBA when being in the B2B marketing field?

[13:45] Jodi implemented a unique team structure called Demand Pods. What are these and how do they work?

[17:40] Demand Pods are designed for team and culture alignment and to execute projects within a timely manner.

[20:10] It’s very hard to have shared accountability toward a common goal. You have to intentionally create it.

[21:55] How does Jodi measure the buyer’s journey?

[28:25] What are some common metrics that Jodi relies on within her field?

[30:45] Despite the KPI data being a bit overwhelming, Jodi is looking at four important buckets in her data.

[35:10] What is Jodi’s number one nightmare at work?

[43:00] At the end of the day, everybody wants to feel valued at work. It’s important that you connect the dots for your team on the work they’re doing vs. the impact it has.

[47:40] When you have a consistent and repeatable process, that’s when your culture shifts.

[48:00] Jodi answers some rapid-fire questions to close out the show!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Demandspring.com

Rollworks.com

Jodi on LinkedIn

Adam Schoenfeld is a serial entrepreneur who has founded four companies, including his latest ventures, KeyPlay.io and PeerSignal, both of which are disrupting the marketing and sales space. In this episode, we'll dive into Adam's insights on marketing's crucial role in early-stage startups, such as the initial marketing functions to prioritize and the traits that make for great hires. We'll also explore Adam's experience as a board member during the acquisition of Bizible by Marketo, discuss the significance of community-led growth and how PeerSignal's community-first approach has been successful in the first two years.

Key Takeaways:

[1:00] Adam shares when he was inspired to become an entrepreneur.

[4:00] What habits does Adam take away from being an NCAA athlete that has benefited him throughout his career? 

[9:05] What is the role of marketing in the beginning stages of a company? Who should you hire first?

[14:50] Adam shares his learnings on how to scale a company based on his experience as a board member. 

[18:45] What should marketing focus on when it comes to building value before an acquisition? 

[24:20] With KeyPlay being Adam’s 4th startup, he shares whether this company launch was easier compared to his previous start-ups.

[32:30] Adam explains why he's optimistic about the future of startup and growth-stage SaaS companies.

[38:40] Adam shares why 2023 is going to be a very good year for PLG companies.

[43:25] What advice would Adam give aspiring entrepreneurs who dream of creating their own companies? 

[47:20] What has Adam learned about himself as an entrepreneur? 

[49:10] Adam answers rapid fire questions.  

Mentioned in This Episode:

Demandspring.com

Keyplay.io

Adam on LinkedIn

Angela's career journey has taken her Executive Assistant to agency founder to holding marketing executive roles at leading software companies. In this episode, Angela shares her unique story and the lessons she's learned along the way. She offers valuable insights into leadership, mentorship, and the power of a growth mindset. Additionally, Angela discusses her passion for promoting diversity in the workplace and why she believes failure is a crucial part of any successful career.

Key Takeaways:

[1:20] Angela shares her journey from administration to a flourishing career as a marketing leader.

[3:15] Angela highlights the benefits of having good leadership early on in her career and defines the qualities that make a good leader.

[5:20] As a mentor and mentee, Angela has been able to excel as a leader. She shares why.

[9:00] What inspired Angela to take the leap into becoming an entrepreneur and founding her own agency?

[12:00] Angela stresses the importance of the need to reframe how we look at work/life

[17:50] Angela emphasizes that failure is not only okay, but it is a necessary part of the process.

[18:50] Under Angela's leadership, a growth mindset is fostered, which she elaborates on.

[23:20] Angela shares her thoughts on remote work vs. in-person work.

[29:10] Angela discusses the importance of cultivating a more diverse work-force.

[31:55] Angela answers rapid-fire questions.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Demandspring.com

Portpro.io

Angela on LinkedIn

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweck

Scott Rabschnuk, Vice President of Strategic Marketing at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, has an extensive background in healthcare marketing. Scott spent the better part of his career agency-side as an Executive at Hill Holiday, where he led the healthcare practice. In this episode, Scott shares his wealth of knowledge and provides practical advice for marketing professionals navigating the healthcare industry.

Key Takeaways:

[1:40] Scott shares how his BA in English has benefited his career in marketing.

[4:40] Scott worked with Hill Holiday for 17 years and shares what he misses most working agency-side.

[7:00] Scott reveals how he ended up in healthcare marketing.

[12:10] Scott explains the challenges he experienced transitioning from the technology sector into healthcare.

[14:15] Why did Scott move back to the client side?

[17:35] Scott shares his experience of joining a new company after almost two decades and highlights the importance of learning the organization’s rhythms, people, and culture as part of the onboarding process.

[21:40] How does Scott structure and connect with his team now that everyone is working remotely?

[25:00] What are some of Scott’s biggest challenges as a marketing executive in the healthcare industry?

[31:30] Scott discusses BCBS of Massachusetts’s comprehensive approach to corporate citizenship rooted in health justice.

[40:10] Why did Scott feel compelled to write an article about the Peloton, which at the time was having backlash for a poor-taste ad?

[45:00] What advice does Scott have for the next generation of marketers?

[48:10] Scott answers rapid-fire questions.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Demandspring.com

Bcbs.com

Scott on LinkedIn