Driving Innovation with CMO Coach, Nancy Zwiers

Nancy Zwiers began her brand-building career at Procter & Gamble, where she developed a strong strategic foundation that would propel her into leadership roles in the toy industry. As Senior Vice President of Global Marketing for Mattel’s Barbie® brand, Nancy led her team to achieve historic revenue highs through groundbreaking product and marketing innovations.

After a decade at Mattel, Nancy founded Funosophy, Inc., a consulting and toy invention firm. Over 16 years, she worked with over 200 clients, ranging from large corporations, like Disney, to small startups. Her company licensed multiple toy inventions, earning over $1 million in royalties—a testament to her ability to innovate and build successful products. In 2017, Nancy transitioned from entrepreneur back to corporate leadership, joining Spin Master Inc. as Executive Vice President and Global CMO. Spin Master, known for creating the beloved Paw Patrol franchise, is a global innovation leader, launching over 100 products annually.

Nancy’s wealth of real-world experience has made her an expert in driving innovation grounded in consumer insights. She shares examples of her successes with brands like Polly Pocket, Barbie, and Hatchimals. According to Nancy, fear is the main barrier to innovation, which is why basing innovations on deep consumer insights helps teams take calculated risks.

Now an executive coach with CMO Coaches, Nancy specializes in self-leadership, entrepreneurial thinking, and business growth. Her ability to blend strategic insight with real-world experience makes her a sought-after coach for leaders looking to build both their personal and business potential.

Timestamps:

• [00:30] Introduction
• [01:45] Why Nancy is passionate about innovation
• [04:00] McKinsey Report skills that lead to successful innovation
• [05:15] What defines an innovative-oriented industry
• [07:05] Being a Barbie Girl
• [08:10] Advice on driving innovation
• [09:30] Success with Barbie Collector 
• [15:00] Picking up Polly Pocket
• [20:25] Hyping up Hatchimals 
• [25:30] Overcoming obstacles for innovation
• [29:45] Finding the right coach 
• [33:05] Key takeaways

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Craig Coffey is an executive coach dedicated to helping leaders unlock their potential, build stronger teams, and drive results. Drawing from his experience in senior management roles at Fortune 200 companies, Craig understands the complex challenges executives face and provides tailored coaching to help them grow. He is a champion of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, bringing valuable perspective to his coaching practice.Craig holds coaching credentials from the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the leading governing body in the profession, and his client list includes prominent organizations like AT&T, Logitech, LinkedIn, Yum! Brands, and PepsiCo, demonstrating his wide-reaching impact across sectors.

Before becoming a coach, Craig held senior-level roles in Marketing and General Management at Kraft, Pizza Hut, PepsiCo, Nokia, and Wells Fargo. His expertise in building global brands and businesses gives him unique insight into what it takes to lead effectively. Craig believes that leadership is earned, not given and that many executives reach leadership roles due to their tenure or expertise but unfortunately lack experience in leading teams. Authentic leadership isn’t about titles or office size—it’s built through credibility and trust. Craig emphasizes that self-awareness, vulnerability, and a commitment to personal development are key to earning the respect of your team.

Oftentimes, new leaders will jump into their roles without fully understanding how to lead themselves. Craig stresses that self-regulation, authenticity, and maintaining emotional balance are crucial qualities for any leader. Leaders must also foster trust by being reliable and vulnerable while creating an environment of psychological safety and encouraging team development through delegation.

Timestamps:

• [00:30] Introduction 
• [02:20] How most companies think about leadership
• [03:45] How leaders earn their position 
• [07:40] How good leadership benefits the team
• [09:10] What makes a high performing leader 
• [14:05] A leaders stance on change
• [17:20] How to SCARF
• [19:45] Challenges for modern leaders 
• [22:05] Key takeaways 
• [23:55] Advice to someone looking for an executive coach

Craig notes that today’s leaders face unique challenges, in managing diverse teams and transitioning from transactional to relational workplace dynamics. Craig advocates for using the SCARF model to guide teams through change and staying attuned to industry shifts to keep departments efficient and adaptive. For those seeking an executive coach, Craig advises choosing someone who respects confidentiality, understands success measures, has experience working with senior leaders, and knows how to challenge and stretch clients while preserving their authenticity.

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How to Communicate with Your CEO and Board with CMO Coach, Carilu Dietrich

Carilu Dietrich is a former CMO who played a pivotal role in taking Atlassian public. She now advises CEOs and CMOs of high-growth B2B tech companies, including Sprout Social, Bill.com, ActiveCampaign, and Miro. Carilu’s experience spans Fortune 100 companies, pre-IPO unicorns, and Series C startups, giving her a unique perspective on leadership and operational excellence.

In today’s business environment, a CMO’s ability to communicate effectively with CEOs and boards can be the key to marketing’s impact and career success. Carilu emphasizes that understanding the distinct perspectives of CEOs and board members is essential. CEOs are focused on day-to-day operations and short-term goals, while boards are more concerned with long-term strategy and governance. Tailoring communication to address these differing priorities can significantly enhance a CMO’s effectiveness.

Carilu advises CMOs to be strategic, clear, and concise in their communications, focusing on financial outcomes and growth rather than marketing activities. Using consistent, impactful metrics and being direct in responses are crucial. For CEOs, aligning messages with the company’s vision and discussing performance and forecasts are key. However, when addressing boards, CMOs should provide synthesized insights on market dynamics and customer trends, focusing on long-term impact.

Common pitfalls include inconsistent numbers, over-reliance on jargon, and lack of alignment with sales data. Carilu suggests using clear, business-focused language, collaborating closely with the sales team, and preparing thoroughly for tough questions.

Beyond formal presentations, Carilu recommends scheduling regular check-ins with the CEO and board members, sharing market insights, and demonstrating an understanding of broader business issues. As the CMO role evolves with a greater focus on data-driven decision-making and business strategy, effective communication with leadership becomes even more critical. Carilu’s insights offer practical guidance for CMOs aiming to enhance their leadership impact and drive success in their organizations.

Timestamps:

● [00:30] Introduction

● [02:00] Why is effective communication with the CEO and board crucial?

● [03:00] How effective communication impacts strategy and success

● [04:45] Who is on the board and what are they concerned with

● [07:00] Understanding the perspective of CEO vs the board

● [09:50] Key principles for communicating effectively 

● [11:40] Tailoring message to resonate with different audiences 

● [13:55] Ideal structure for a board presentation

● [18:00] Common pitfalls CMOs face when presenting to the board

● [21:00] how can CMOs cultivate good relationships with the CEO and board members

● [22:50] How the role of CMO evolving in relation to the board and C-suite 

● [25:30] Top Three Tips

● [27:25] Advice for someone looking to hire a Coach or Advisor

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Building Influence in the C-Suite with CMO Coach, Alan Gellman

Alan Gellman is the CEO and founder of Convivo Leadership, where he serves as an executive coach focused on helping leaders and their teams achieve greater success. His work primarily involves C-level executives and senior leaders across various industries, including Fortune 50 companies and startups. With a 30-year career in marketing and general management across sectors like financial services, insurance, healthcare, and consumer packaged goods, Alan brings a wealth of experience to his coaching practice. Alan is passionate about enhancing leadership impact, interpersonal relationships, communication skills, and personal growth, particularly in the area of executive presence and influence.

For leaders, especially those in the C-suite, influence is crucial. While technical skills have likely helped your rise, your ability to influence others—whether peers, board members, or direct reports—will determine your success moving forward. Alan's approach emphasizes that influence is not merely about exerting power; it's about clarity of intention, strategic execution, and creating impact at scale. Influence involves both giving and receiving—it's a dynamic exchange that differs fundamentally from power, which is about motivating rather than forcing others.

In the C-suite, influence becomes even more critical. Alan advises leaders to be strategic about their definition of success, the alliances they need, and the goals they must achieve. Identifying your Circle of Influence, understanding their agendas, and fostering relationships built on trust and emotional intelligence are key to navigating complex organizational landscapes. Alan also emphasizes the importance of strategic patience, radical candor, and professional prickliness as tools for effective leadership.

By understanding your own temperament, avoiding rigid truths, and recognizing alternative approaches, you can overcome obstacles and build a safety net that enables you to take necessary risks with courage. Alan Gellman’s insights offer a practical guide for leaders striving to succeed in an increasingly complex environment, helping them create lasting impact for themselves and their organizations.

Timestamps:

• [02:20] What is the influence?
• [03:20] Effective influence at a senior level
• [05:55] How to build influence in the C-suite
• [09:55] Tools to build that influence
• [12:45] Play the long game
• [14:55] The role of trust
• [16:50] Strategic patience and other important tools 
• [18:35] Speaking up on things matter vs. going with the flow
• [22:10] The F@*%-It Fund
• [24:45] Considerations when selecting a coach 
• [27:10] Main takeaways 

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Mastering Marketing Metrics that Matter with CMO Coach, Jo Lanzarone

Jo Lanzarone brings extensive experience as both a coach and an executive, holding leadership roles in sales and as a CMO/Marketing Director. With over 30 years in B2B Tech across the UK, Australia, and Asia, Jo’s expertise spans Cloud, SaaS, software, Telco, and IT services. Most recently, Jo served as VP of Marketing at Pluralsight, a technology workforce development company, where she played a pivotal role in scaling the business. Joining pre-IPO as one of the founding employees in the APAC region, she navigated the challenges of leading through public and private equity ownership. Prior to this, Jo held various positions at global tech giants like Microsoft and Cisco Systems, where she oversaw B2B and B2C product portfolios during Microsoft's significant shift from software to SaaS models.

Jo earned a Master’s in Coaching Psychology from the University of Sydney in 2016 and was a founding coach at the Marketing Academy in Australia, where she has nurtured marketing talent for the past decade. Her journey has taught her that marketing leadership requires a unique blend of empathy, visionary thinking, and a deep understanding of success metrics.

Through her work in large organizations and tech startups, Jo learned that a successful marketing leader must be versatile, often working beyond the marketing function to build strong partnerships with sales, customer success, and product teams. Defining success in this context can be challenging, but understanding the strategic power of metrics is essential for any marketing leader, whether in B2C or B2B.

Jo advises marketing leaders to focus on metrics that drive growth and customer acquisition, rather than just impressions, events, and activities. While understanding the numbers is crucial, the ability to communicate and collaborate across the business is what elevates a leader. By keeping metrics simple, easy to understand, and staying open to feedback, leaders can ensure the whole team is aligned and motivated. Jo also recommends investing in offsite events to brainstorm and build a shared sense of ownership among team members. Additionally, she emphasizes the value of connecting with other leaders to discuss the metrics that matter most to them, blending insights from both consumer and business perspectives.

Timestamps:

• [00:30] Introduction
• [02:55] What is the strategic power of metrics?
• [04:35] Numbers + Communication = Success
• [05:30] Understanding the metrics in your respective business 
• [06:10] What metrics would Jo focus on?
• [07:05] Where things go wrong
• [08:10] What happens when it goes well 
• [09:10] Strengthening skills 
• [10:40] Asking the right questions 
• [11:30] Does everyone on the team need to know the metrics? 
• [12:50] Top 3 things to do to up your game
• [15:12] Selecting a coach
• [18:08] Top takeaways 

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Executive Presence and the Power of Personal Branding with CMO Coach, Babs Rangaiah

Babs Rangaiah is a seasoned marketing transformation executive, Columbia-certified Executive Coach, and founder of cc:babs, a professional development and services firm dedicated to helping individuals reach their career potential and organizations achieve their business objectives. With over 30 years of experience, Babs has a robust background in marketing and transformation, having worked at startups such as AGENCY.COM during the “dot com boom,” as well as at leading companies including IBM, Paramount, and Unilever. Under his leadership, Unilever gained recognition as one of the most innovative companies in marketing.

Babs is deeply passionate about Executive Presence and employs a “Bring It” approach to coaching. His method focuses on enhancing gravitas, expanding influence, growing networks, and building personal brands. Executive Presence involves a set of qualities that indicate one’s leadership potential and capability to influence others through action, speech, and demeanor.

The significance of Executive Presence has grown with the rise of AI, the drive towards digital transformation, and the increasing use of virtual presentations and social media. It is now essential not only for internal meetings but for all professional interactions, whether in a boardroom, across departments, in narrative forms, or via social media. In today’s AI-driven business environment, where knowledge is widely accessible, the distinct advantages for leaders lie in their communication, persuasion, and narrative skills. These "soft skills" are increasingly vital due to a greater focus on diversity, changes in remote work dynamics, and the importance of personal branding and thought leadership in professional standing.

Developing Executive Presence involves mastering both physical aspects such as body language, voice, eye contact, and posture, and the skill of crafting and communicating clear narratives. Fortunately, Executive Presence can be cultivated through targeted workshops, training, and coaching. When selecting a coach or course, it is crucial to choose professionals who have successfully achieved what you aspire to accomplish, specialize in your areas of need, and have a proven track record of success.

Timestamps:

● [02:25] What is Executive Presence? 

● [03:10] Why is Executive Presence so important?

● [05:00] What’s different today than in the past?

● [07:10] How to broaden your influence 

● [08:55] How to gain industry-wide influence 

● [09:45] Why does a personal brand matter

● [12:00] One word: Babs.

● [15:15] How to get started on improving Executive Presence

● [17:50] How to select a great coach for yourself

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Speak like a CFO and Think like an Investor with CMO Coach, Mike Linton

Mike Linton is a seasoned marketing executive and host of CMO Confidential. Throughout his career, he has held prominent roles at notable companies. Early on, he worked at Procter & Gamble in brand management and at James River and Progressive Insurance in both marketing and general management. Mike went on to serve as Best Buy’s first-ever CMO, as well as the CMO at Farmers Insurance and eBay. Most recently, he was Ancestry's Chief Revenue Officer. This wealth of experience has given him valuable perspectives on leadership, career development, and marketing strategies.

As a successful marketer, Mike often found himself at the critical intersection of marketing and finance. He discovered that understanding the “language of business”—particularly finance—is essential for every marketer and CMO. In an era where data-driven decision-making and ROI are paramount, marketers who speak the language of finance can bridge the gap between marketing strategy and financial performance. This isn't just about budgeting; it's about unlocking new insights, driving more impact, and ultimately connecting more effectively to the organization's bottom line.

Finance is the universal language of business. The CMO is expected to make sales overnight and build a brand over time, and understanding finance is crucial to success in both areas. Innovative marketing initiatives are valuable, but securing investor money, whether from actual outside investors or internal allocators, is essential to execute them. These investors care about marketing only as long as it produces financial outcomes. Therefore, if marketers can think like investors, they will continue to receive investments.

One way Mike managed the allocation of his marketing budget to the areas with the most impact and ensured his teams were financially focused was by standardizing financial evaluation with a Marketing CFO. This person assists with ensuring outcomes, providing training, facilitating communication, acting as a trading desk for various marketing budgets, selling marketing projects to the rest of the company, and setting expectations for team members and external agency partners.

As a CMO, your job is to make marketing work for the company. High-level marketing skills will get you in the door, but understanding how marketing drives the business will make you a great CMO.

Timestamps:

● [02:15] Why should marketers be able to speak and understand finance

● [03:20] How does being able to speak like a CFO translate to the CMO role?

● [07:10] Why marketing is special, and why it isn’t

● [10:00] What is a Marketing CFO?

● [13:45] Expectations for team members and external agency partners

● [16:45] Which marketers become CMOs?

● [17:50] Examples of integrating marketing and finance in throughout ​​Mike’s career

● [22:50] It’s your job to make the company win

● [24:50] The final take away

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Kip is the founder of CMO Coaches, the only coaching network consisting of former CMOs who are now certified executive coaches. Kip has worked in 60 countries, managing diverse teams of all sizes. He began his career at P&G in brand management and has held numerous senior executive roles at PepsiCo, YUM Brands, and eBay. He has also served as CMO at Taco Bell and president of H&R Block. Kip is the co-author of Crafting Persuasion: A Leader’s Handbook to Change Minds and Influence Behavior and the author of Learn to Leap: How Leaders Turn Risk into Opportunities.

In today's landscape, the role of a team leader is more complex than ever. If you’re currently leading a team, you’re likely managing a diverse group of members from different generations, each driven by unique incentives and values. This makes leadership challenging. Additionally, hybrid and fractional work environments make it difficult for team members to get to know each other and collaborate effectively.

Being a marketing leader can be lonely and is constantly evolving. CMO Coaches and Up Your Game are designed to provide practical tips and actionable information to help people become better marketers and great leaders.

First and foremost, a great leader believes in their team. They pick them up, dust them off, and get them back in the game. However, great leaders must balance building up their teams with building up their business.

Kip offers tips on ensuring your team feels appreciated and explains why leaders need to praise in public and coach in private. These coaching moments allow leaders to connect with and guide their team members. While professional development is ultimately the individual’s responsibility, the company should provide a clear framework to facilitate that development. This framework, combined with emotional intelligence (EQ) and cultural intelligence (CQ), helps leaders develop and retain top talent. Great leaders also encourage team members to be forthcoming with issues by teaching them to solve problems, not just providing solutions.

All leaders will face hard decisions at some point. By fostering a culture of “disagree and commit,” leaders can shape their team into an efficient machine that generates the best ideas and empowers leaders to make the best decisions. However, no matter how hard you work to develop that culture, there will inevitably be someone who isn’t on board. As a leader, you must make it clear what is and isn't acceptable. By taking a strong stance, you will decrease drama and maintain the respect of the team.

If you know in your gut that someone is not a good fit, the best thing you can do is let them go without delay. By setting them up with a good exit plan, where they leave with dignity, everyone can move forward sooner.

Leaders live under a microscope and must use this opportunity to model the behavior they want to see in their team members to create a high-performing team.

Timestamps:

● [02:40] What is the goal of CMO Coaches and this show?

● [03:15] Definition of a great manager

● [04:25] Balancing building a team vs building a businesses 

● [06:30] The importance of genuine appreciation 

● [08:25] Praise in public and coach in private

● [10:20] Who is responsible for professional development and talent retention?

● [12:30] IQ vs. EQ vs. CQ 

● [14:40] Resolving unexpected problems

● [16:15] What it means to disagree and commit

● [18:00] “If you love drama, leave it in the theater.”

● [19:40] How to fire and be fired well 

● [21:20] The right time to let someone go

● [22:00] What is “Shadow of the leader”?

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