The best CEO/CMO matches are ones where, BEFORE day 1, both sides collaboratively, intentionally, and explicitly surface the challenges they will face together and how they will overcome them together. That's not as easy as it sounds, though! 

In this episode of The Get, host Erica Seidel dives into the complexities of hiring CMOs in B2B SaaS companies. Drawing from her 13 years of experience in recruiting marketing leaders, Erica discusses the high risks and challenges faced by CEOs and investors during this process. 

She is joined by James Lamberti, Head of Go-to-Market for Georgian, who shares his extensive experience in hiring and getting hired as a CMO. 

You'll learn about:

• A method for collaborative de-risking between the CEO and CMO 
• How one of the most important functions of the interview is to sketch out the company's GTM framework and identify any misalignment in GTM strategy.… because the more the company is clear on their GTM strategy, the more effective the CMO will be
• How to diagnose in the interview process when product-market fit is loosely held or when the market is defined too broadly
• The 'homework' that top CMO candidates will do ahead of their first meeting with a CEO, including defining their 'Ideal CEO Profile' and how to add value to that person
• How to identify and skirt typical threats to marketing being successful, including 'silver bullet expectations,' 'new day/new strategy' situations, under or over-hiring for the stage, and mis-selling the CMO opportunity
• What CEOs are likely to ask CMO candidates about AI

This episode is packed with valuable insights for both hiring leaders and candidates looking to navigate the high-stakes world of CMO recruitment.

00:00 Introduction: The Challenge of Hiring a CMO

01:20 Understanding the Risks in Hiring a CMO

03:25 Tips for CEOs and Investors on Hiring a CMO

04:50 Guest Introduction: James Lamberti

06:22 James Lamberti's Framework for Diagnosing a Role

17:25 Balancing Efficiency and Thoroughness in Interviews

22:57 The Importance of Customer Love and Rev Ops

25:53 Challenges and Red Flags in the Hiring Process

30:33 The Role of AI in Marketing Leadership

33:21 Favorite Interview Questions for Marketing Leaders

35:53 Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser

The Get is here to drive smart decisions around recruiting and leadership in B2B SaaS marketing. We explore the trends, tribulations, and triumphs of today’s top marketing leaders in B2B SaaS.

This season’s theme is The Race to Reduce Risk in CMO Recruiting. 

The Get’s host is Erica Seidel, who runs The Connective Good, an executive search practice with a hyper-focus on recruiting CMOs and VPs of Marketing, especially in B2B SaaS. 

If you are looking to hire a CMO or VP of Marketing of the ‘make money’ variety - rather than the ‘make it pretty’ variety, contact Erica at [email protected]. You can also follow Erica on LinkedIn or sign up for her newsletter at TheConnectiveGood.com. 

The Get is produced by the team at Simpler Media Productions.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy