chief executive officer

Rebranding.

We use that term for companies. But what about for you?

What is your current value proposition, and what would you like it to be…no matter where you are in your career?

Because as my next guest has learned – it’s never too late to reinvent yourself.

Here to share the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, is Carlos Cantú, CMO, Freepik (https://www.freepik.com/).

Freepik is owned by EQT, a public company that trades on Nasdaq Stockholm. It reported 2.131 billion Euros of revenue in 2023, or about 2.41 billion US dollars. Cantú manages a marketing team of 45 people.

Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketing

Here are some lessons from Cantú that emerged in our discussion.

• It’s never too late to reinvent yourself
• You don’t need to know everything to do the job
• Diverse teams are more challenging in the short term but worth it in the long run
• Clarity and focus are keys to a corporate turnaround
• Embrace discomfort to harness creativity
• Balance data with intuition for the full story
• Discussed in this episode

Leading Through Learning: Chief Growth Officer’s innovative approach to marketing leadership (podcast episode #79) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/leading)

Marketing & Content in Gaming/Esports: Influencers of all sizes can drive product adoption (podcast episode #55) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-and-content)

Innovation Leadership and Coaching: You should almost always do less than you think (podcast episode #46) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/innovation)

Digital Marketing: Be passionate about the challenge you are trying to solve and not stubborn about the product solution (podcast episode #59) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/digital)

Get more episodes

This article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.

For more insights, check out...

This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.

Apply to be a guest
If you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

With over 40 years in the industry, including significant contributions at Braze and Bazaarvoice, Sarah Spivey brings a wealth of experience and insights into the evolution of marketing technology, the crucial soft skills for success, and strategies for building effective teams. She emphasizes the importance of the CEO-CMO relationship, the role of customer marketing, and offers valuable advice for aspiring CMOs on career planning and broadening their experience. Sarah also sheds light on the differences between marketing in private vs. public companies and the impact of specializing in today's marketing landscape. Throughout the conversation, Sarah provides thoughtful leadership advice and future-facing insights, making this episode a valuable resource for current and aspiring marketing professionals.

• (1:09) Sarah Spivey's Journey: From Operations to Marketing Maven
• (4:53) The Evolution of a CMO: Realizing the Dream
• (6:58) Navigating Industry Shifts: Evolutions in Marketing
• (10:28) The Constants in Marketing: Leadership, Teamwork, and Content
• (11:31) From Bazaarvoice to Braze: The Public vs. Private Company Experience
• (13:06) Mastering the First 90 Days as a CMO: Strategy and Execution
• (17:14) Reflecting on Growth, Challenges, and the Importance of Product and Market
• (19:12) Pioneering Customer Marketing: A Game-Changer in Software
• (23:20) Leadership Insights: Building High-Performing Teams
• (26:08) Navigating the CMO Role: Challenges and Opportunities
• (31:51) Advice for Aspiring Leaders: Looking Beyond the Next Job

Stay tuned through the end of the show (33:10) to learn: 

• Which streaming service Sara gets her favorite content from.
• Who Sara thinks we should interview next.

Featuring:

Sara Spivey (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter) 

Follow us:

LinkedIn

Tune in:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

If a podcast plays in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

Bit of a cheeky thought experiment, I’ll admit, but here’s one thing I’ve noticed – we marketers don’t always create content for an audience, sometimes the audience is an afterthought.

We’re too focused on an algorithm. Or a lead generation goal. Or a calendar. Or a process.

So I love this lesson from a podcast quest application – ‘there is no content without an audience.’

To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Ashley Levesque, Vice President of Marketing, Banzai (https://www.banzai.io/).

Banzai is a public company traded on NASDAQ and currently valued at $100 million. Levesque is currently a team of one, but she manages five functions in this newly public company.

Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketing

Here are some lessons from Levesque that emerged in our discussion.

• Data is more compelling than anecdote
• There is no content without an audience
• Overhiring is a real thing
• Say ‘yes’ before you’re ready
• The higher up you go, your priority becomes the people
• There are three things to solve for in times of unmet expectations

Related content discussed in this episode

MeclabsAI.com now has expert assistants – copywriter, project planner, marketing professor, and social media pro. It’s totally FREE to use, you don’t even have to register (for now). MECLABS is the parent organization of MarketingSherpa.

The Last Blog Post: How to succeed in an era of Transparent Marketing (https://marketingexperiments.com/copywriting/last-blogpost-transparent-marketing)

Growth Marketing: Give a choice of "yes" or “yes” (podcast episode #37) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/growth)

Get more episodes

This article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.

For more insights, check out...

This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.

Apply to be a guest
If you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

“We can say that. Sure we can say that.”

Oh, I do not like having to utter this phrase in meetings. Because it’s not what you can say, it’s what you should say.

I’ve heard so many times ‘we can say that in an ad.’ Or ‘we can write a press release about this.’ Oh, the hubris in that statement.

Because we get lulled into false confidence in the four walls of our offices, when we think we can make a payment, and put whatever we want into ads or press releases or on websites.

Sure, I guess technically you can. You can write those words down. It’s not illegal. No one will stop you. Media companies and ad networks will glad take your money for that placement. But should you?

Because the ultimate decider is the customer. So no matter what you pay to say, no matter what you can say, the customer will decide whether you should say it. 

Which is why I loved this lesson from a podcast guest application – ‘Never underestimate the power of your customer.’ It doesn’t matter if you have a fancy title or massive media budget, the customer has far more power than you.

I talked to Erika Lovegreen, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, ICUC (https://icuc.social/) (a Dentsu agency), to hear that story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories.

ICUC is a Dentsu agency with a team of 450. Dentsu is a public company that reported 1.117 trillion yen in annual revenue in 2022, or about 8.59 billion dollars.

Lovegreen managed a team of 30 when she ran the strategy team. Now, she runs marketing for ICUC and overseas a team of six, along with a variety of partners and contractors.

Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketing

Here are some lessons from Lovegreen that emerged in our discussion.

• Be comfortable stepping into new industries to gain the necessary experience
• If leading a team, value being patient and hiring the right people
• Never underestimate the power of your customer
• You need to quickly serve the customer to create a great experience
• Value productivity over perfection
• Pay attention and look for trends

Related content discussed in this episode

MeclabsAI.com

Artificial Intelligence Demo: A look at the output from an AI-powered podcast assistant service (https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/content-marketing-2/ai-demo/)

Value Proposition: Marketing examples for each of the 4 essential levels of value prop (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/value-proposition-4-essential-levels-of-value-prop)

Social Media Marketing: Can you compete with your customer’s mom? (https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/social-networking-evangelism-community/social-media-marketing-can-you-compete-with-your-customer%E2%80%99s-mom/)

Get more episodes

This article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.

Apply to be a guest
If you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

I started my career as a copywriter, and I learned a key part of my value to any client or any employer was not just the way I shaped words or filled a block with text – it was to advocate for the customer. Take their viewpoint.

To this end, being an ‘order taker’ was not going to help me create great copy. Or great marketing. I had to get underneath any requests or feedback I received from a client, to understand what they were really getting at, and hypothesize how the audience might react.

So I love this lesson from my latest guest – ‘Figure out the problem.’ A lesson she learned in her first job as an advertising account executive, and still uses to this day as a brand-side marketing leader.

To hear how she learned that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories from her career journey, I spoke with Lynn McClouchic, Director of Brand, Marketing and Business Development, CannonDesign (https://www.cannondesign.com/).

CannonDesign is the eight biggest architecture firm in the country, according to Architectural Record, and is the #2 most innovative design firm in North America according to Fast Company.

McClouchic oversees a team of 60 creative writers, graphic designers, digital marketers, business developers, strategists, videographers, and photographers. 

Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketing

Some lessons from McClouchic that emerged in our discussion:

• Obstacles are opportunities to make things happen
• It’s about why vs. why not
• Don’t stay in your lane
• Figure out the problem
• Support is everything 
• Dismissing an idea makes it more powerful

Related content discussed in this episode

Get proactive about using AI in your marketing. Begin your free trial to the AI Guild at MECLABS.com/AI (MECLABS is the parent organization of MarketingSherpa).

Product Management & Marketing: Surround yourself with the right people (podcast episode #38) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/product)

Healthcare IT Marketing: Branding a new service line within Stericycle, getting ONC certification, finding your joy, & more (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/healthcare)

Get more episodes

This article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.

For more insights, check out...

This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.

Apply to be a guest
If you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Any industry, and our marketing industry is no exception, has a pack mentality. We say certain buzzwords and share certain ideas.

But we can hear them ad nauseam, to the point where they just wash over us and don’t really mean anything. We nod in agreement at a networking event with a drink in our hand, but do we actually do anything about it the next day?

Not really. We’re back to going through the motions executing a campaign, buried in email and Slack notifications.

Here’s one such commonly heard phrase – ‘put yourself in the customer’s shoes.’ How many times have you heard that?

Now, how many times have you really done it?

Well, this episode’s guest has. She literally got out of the office, put on the customers’ shoes – or in this case, steel-toed boots – and experienced what her customers’ day is really like.

I talked to Sarah Hodges, CMO, Procore Technologies (https://www.procore.com/), about that experience, along with many more lessons from her career.

Procore Technologies is a public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It reported $720 million in revenue in 2022, an increase of 40% year-over-year. More than $1 trillion in construction volume has run on its construction management software platform.

Hodges manages a team of 300 people.

Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketing

Some lessons from Hodges that emerged in our discussion:

• It is okay to think outside the box but make sure you don't create surprises! 
• To grow as a marketing leader, make the leap to new, unfamiliar, even uncomfortable roles
• You have to walk in your customer's shoes.... LITERALLY. 
• Set and declare your expectations
• Coach and simply ask questions, don’t dictate
• Believe in yourself

Related content discussed in this episode

Create innovative marketing using AI technology paired with MECLABS consumer psychology. Get a free trial to the AI Guild at MECLABS.com/AI (MECLABS is the parent organization of MarketingSherpa).

Transparent Marketing: How to make your product claims credible … not incredible (https://marketingexperiments.com/value-proposition/transparent-credible-product-claims)

The Hidden Upside of the COVID-19 Crisis for Brands and Marketers: 10 opportunities (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/other/hidden-upside-COVID-crisis-brands-marketers-10-opportunities)

Consumer Financial Services Marketing: Your customer is your most important stakeholder (podcast episode #39) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/consumer)

Marketing 101: What is influencer marketing? (https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/social-media-marketing-2/marketing-101-what-is-influencer-marketing/)

Apply to be a guest
If you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

In 1957, Vance Packard wrote a book called ‘The Hidden Persuaders,’ about the mysterious arts of advertising, and how advertising agencies research ways to manipulate people.

I don’t know about you in your career, but I don’t want to be that guy. The way I see it, companies create value. And in a capitalist society of choice, they need to communicate that value to the ideal customer in a way that helps the customer perceive it.

So when I read a lesson like ‘authenticity is fundamental’ in a podcast guest application – with a real advertising story behind it – it resonates with me.

That lesson comes from Tom Ghiden, Managing Director, JOAN London (https://www.joancreative.com/), and he joined me on How I Made It In Marketing to share the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories. 

JOAN Creative was named Small Agency of the Year by Adweek, at which point the magazine reported JOAN had $20 million in projected revenue for 2022 – an 80% year-over-year increase. The agency has been in business since 2016 with the New York office, and Ghiden opened the London office six months ago.

Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketing

Some lessons from Ghiden that emerged in our discussion:

• Authenticity is fundamental
• Keeping a brand modern helps to drive longevity.
• All sorts of brands can benefit from humor
• Lessons (with stories) from people he collaborated with
• Trust in failure
• How to embrace empathy and authenticity in leadership – set boundaries and stick to them
• Humanity and transparency are fundamental in creative relationships

Related content discussed in this episode

Create advertising messages based on the results of 10,000 marketing experiments with MECLABS AI. Get a free trial to MECLABS AI and the AI Guild at MECLABS.com/AI (MECLABS is the parent organization of MarketingSherpa).

An Effective Value Proposition: What it is, why it is so important to business and marketing success, and how to use it (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/how-to/value-proposition-business-marketing%20success)

World-Class Consumer & Retail Brands: What right do we have as a brand to be in that business? (Podcast Episode #15) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/consumer-retail-brands)

Innovation Leadership and Coaching: You should almost always do less than you think (podcast episode #46) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/innovation)

Creative Marketing: Does it all make sense? (Podcast Episode #19) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/creative)

For more insights, check out...

This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.

Apply to be a guest
If you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Let me confess something to you right now — I have my share of weaknesses.

I’m sure you’re not shocked to hear that. We all do, right?

But I don’t go ‘all in’ on improving them. Instead, I focus on my strengths. I learned this lesson from John Maxwell long ago.

He said, “We’re taught to be well-rounded and to improve our weaknesses. However, in many arenas of life, we naturally perform poorly. Even with hard work, we will never become better than average in them. The reality is that people don’t pay for average. No one gets excited to dine out at an average restaurant, to spend two hours watching an average movie, or to hire someone with average abilities.”

I’ve internalized that and live that in my career. So I was excited when I saw the podcast guest application from my latest guest, and wanted to talk to this kindred spirit to learn how he has taken this approach in his – quite successful – career.

But with all due respect to Maxwell, I like how my latest guest worded it even better – “focus on your left foot.” To learn the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I spoke with Asim Zaheer, Chief Marketing Officer, Nasuni (https://www.nasuni.com/).

Since its founding, Nasuni has raised $169 million, with the latest funding round a $25 million investment in which all previous investors participated, including Goldman Sachs, Telstra Ventures, and Northbridge Venture Partners.

Nasuni is above $100 million in annual recurring revenue and Zaheer manages a marketing budget of approximately 10% of that revenue. 

Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketing

Some lessons from Zaheer that emerged in our discussion:

• Focus on your left foot
• Be an influencer (and I don’t mean Instagram)
• Be like Randy (research and rehearse your presentations)
• Team above self

Related content discussed in this episode

Advance your career by building your artificial intelligence skills. Get a free trial to the AI Guild at MECLABS.com/AI (MECLABS is the parent organization of MarketingSherpa).

Get more episodes

This article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.

For more insights, check out...

This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.

Apply to be a guest
If you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

You’re reading this podcast description right now. But are you really paying attention? I mean, really tuned in?

Or are you half reading and half thinking of your upcoming deadlines, a campaign that underperformed, and a plethora of other tasks, goals, and concerns?

Actually being in the moment – and wringing the most we can get out of it – is so difficult during these modern times. 

Which is why I love a lesson in the podcast guest application for this episode’s guest, “Stop running to stand still.”

Sometimes we’ve got to get step off that treadmill and focus on being where we are.

To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Justine Greenwald, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Managing Director, Mosaic (https://www.mosaic.com/).

Mosaic is an Acosta Group Agency. Privately held Acosta Group is 96 years old and serves 2,500 clients, including 60 billion-dollar brands.

As Chief Creative Officer, Greenwald overseas the strategy, creative, and design departments – 65 people across North America.

Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketing

Some lessons from Greenwald that emerged in our discussion:

• Award-winning work takes a lot of work
• If you build it, they will come
• Find fantastic mentors
• Do good by the work and do good by your people
• Stop running to stand still
• Disconnect to create concepts that will connect

Related content discussed in this episode

Get the power of 10,000 marketing experiments. Play with MECLABS AI at MECLABS.com/AI (MECLABS is the parent organization of MarketingSherpa).

Customer Experience: Take risks, fail early, and learn fast (podcast episode #32) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/customer-experience)

The Conversion Heuristic Analysis: Overcoming the prospect’s perception gap (https://marketingexperiments.com/conversion-marketing/episode-3-conversion-heuristic-analysis)

Talking at Your Customers vs. Talking to Your Customers (https://marketingexperiments.com/email-marketing/talking-at-customers-vs-talking-to)

Subscribe to our podcast

This article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.

For more insights, check out...

This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.

Apply to be a guest
If you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

How many times have you read a company’s marketing and thought – they’re not talking to a customer; they’re talking to themselves.

This is especially prevalent in B2B. I’ve seen this on homepages, landing pages, print ads, in press releases, and on and on.

I started my career as a copywriter and then worked in sales enablement. So I – it is tempting to write for the person signing your check.

But where the revenue for that check really comes from is the customer. Always write for the customer.

As our latest guest put it in his podcast guest application – ‘Outside-in messaging is the important factor for success.’

To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Ralf Paschen, Chief Marketing Officer, xtype (https://www.xtype.io/).

The venture-backed startup just announced $10.8 million in growth funding. Paschen uses five to 10 artificial intelligence and automation tools to run his department.

Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketing

Some lessons from Paschen that emerged in our discussion:

• Outside-in messaging is the important factor for success
• Trust and learn from others
• Fail fast, fix fast, learn fast
• Nothing counts more than the language of the customer
• Use data to make informative decisions
• Sell a vision by defining a strategy for the company

Related content discussed in this episode

Get the power of 10,000 marketing experiments. Play with MECLABS AI at MECLABS.com/AI (MECLABS is the parent organization of MarketingSherpa).

Customer-First Marketing: Do you put your customers’ interests first? (https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/customer-centric-marketing-2/customer-interests-first/)

Customer Experience: Take risks, fail early, and learn fast (podcast episode #32) 

Data-Driven Marketing: 7 examples of using data as a force for the good

How I Made It In Marketing podcast, from MarketingSherpa

Subscribe to our podcast

This article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.

For more insights, check out...

This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages free digital marketing course.

Apply to be a guest
If you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Get the power of 10,000 marketing experiments. Play with MECLABS AI at MECLABS.com/AI (MECLABS is the parent organization of MarketingSherpa).

Good marketing isn't just about catchy slogans or flashy ads; it's about understanding the human psyche. The psyche of our customers, yes, but our own as well.

So in this episode we’ll delve into a psychological concept called ‘action bias’ – this is the idea that we, as humans, often lean towards taking action, even when standing still might be the better choice.

Or as my latest guest aptly put it in his podcast guest application – Ask yourself, ‘what happens if I do nothing?’

To unpack that lesson, and discuss more insights from his career journey, I spoke with Jonathan Kaufman, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Sage Dental (https://mysagedental.com/). 

Originally founded in 1997, Sage Dental has 100 affiliated practices, and it has a 98% three-year growth rate.

Kaufman manages a team of 60, including the new patient management team.

Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketing

Some lessons from Kaufman that emerged in our discussion:

• Everyone is faking it, no matter how smart you are, so it doesn't hurt to ask the question
• Bigger isn't better. What is important, however, is doing the simple things as best you can.
• If you don’t understand how metrics impact the overall business, you’re going to fail as a marketer
• Ask yourself, ‘what happens if I do nothing?’
• The relationship part and the art part of marketing and business is as important as the data and the financial metrics themselves
• Tailor the experience to that audience

Related content discussed in this episode

The Prospect’s Perception Gap: How to bridge the gap between the results we want and the results we have (https://meclabs.com/education/Flint-prospects-perception-gap)

Evidence-based Marketing: Why you need more than just numbers to truly drive ROI (https://marketingexperiments.com/conversion-marketing/evidence-based-marketing)

Marketing Webinar Optimization: Five questions to ask yourself about webinars (https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/marketing/b2b-webinars/)

Marketing and Brand: Embrace healthy friction (podcast episode #48) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-and-brand)

Subscribe to our podcast

This article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter. (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters) Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.

For more insights, check out...

This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.

Apply to be a guest
If you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

This episode features an interview with Nikita Shamgunov, legendary founder of MemSQL (now SingleStore). His latest endeavor, Neon, offers serverless Postgres as a fully managed multi-cloud database that separates storage and compute, with auto scaling, branching, and bottomless storage.

Nikita is also a Partner at Khosla Ventures, where he is incubating Neon and raised $104M to date. He is passionate about deep tech, data infrastructure, and system software. Prior to Neon, Nikita co-founded MemSQL (now SingleStore), a unicorn data and analytics company valued at over $1.3 billion. He served as a founding CTO, and then CEO, successfully scaling the company to over $40 million in ARR. Prior to SingleStore, he worked as a senior engineer at Facebook and at Microsoft on SQL Server. Nikita earned a Ph.D. in computer science from the National Research University in St. Petersburg, Russia.

In this episode, Nikita recounts the founding stories behind both MemSQL and Neon, and elaborates on the key trends driving database technologies today, from serverless and generative AI, to open data and the convergence of transactional and analytical workloads.

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Key Quotes

Amplitude and Mixpanel, they basically are a time series database underneath with the UI. Time series data tends to be, you know, ‘write once’, most of it. And so, you need to take advantage of those techniques that data warehouses are basically born with, right? They are in the business of storing data relatively cheaply. And every enterprise, unless it's not like an archaic enterprise, should have a data warehouse. So it makes only too much sense to put this into a data warehouse rather than either a custom database, you know, like a platform like Datadog, Mixpanel, Amplitude. Plus you have additional benefits from it because you can cross reference that data with the rest of the business data." - Nikita Shamgunov

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Episode Timestamps

(01:41) Founding stories behind MemSQL and Neon

(03:39) Addressing new challenges for databases

(09:20) Criteria for evaluating databases

(12:36) HTAP and zero ETL between transactional and analytical applications

(19:07) Evolving standards around table formats

(24:07) Thoughts on Generative AI and LLM-native in the data warehouse

(26:38) Warehouse centric approaches to data storage

(29:45) Open source for data warehouses

(33:54) Potential for new applications to be built around real time applications

(38:10) Managing large volumes of data

(40:59) Serverless Postgres is as easy as Stripe

(45:40) Takeaways

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Links

Nikita Shamgunov's LinkedIn

Neon Website

Thomas Dong’s LinkedIn

Vijay Ganesan’s LinkedIn

NetSpring Website

This episode features an interview with Degas Wright, CEO at Decatur Capital Management, and West Point class of 1985.

Degas served as Corporate Treasurer for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), managing its reserve funds. He studied econometrics and received a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Texas at El Paso. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Army after earning a Bachelor of Science from West Point. Along with founding Decatur Capital, Degas is also currently a CNBC contributor and is featured on CNBC’s Fast Money Half Time Report.

In this episode, Degas talks about his experience transitioning out of the military, founding Decatur Capital Management, and his philosophy behind becoming a successful leader of character.

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Key Quotes:

“Service is where I start as a leader. And I know that this was something that was instilled in me when I watched my father during his military service. I learned that when I was at West Point, the example of the upperclassmen assisting me with the swim test. Service is so critical for our leadership, for a leader's journey. And if you don't have service, you're not going to be successful as a leader.” - Degas Wright

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Episode Timestamps:

(02:10) Degas’ West Point experience

(08:40) Transitioning careers

(19:21) Founding Decatur Capital Management

(26:04) Degas’ leadership philosophy

(33:18) Involvement in Do More Together and AOG

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Links:

Degas Wright’s LinkedIn

Decatur Capital Website

Degas’ Artwork

Ian Faison’s LinkedIn

West Point Association of Graduates

The How I Made It In Marketing podcast is underwritten by MECLABS Institute, the parent organization of MarketingSherpa. Join us for an AI Guild session Wednesdays at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Learn more at MECLABS.com/AI-Briefing

We often talk about product-market fit. But what about marketer-role fit?

You could be an amazing marketer in many ways, but in the wrong role, you will be constantly swimming upstream, expending all your energy on the inconsequential.

However, in the right role…ahh, it’s just gliding along, putting your strongest skills to your highest and best use.

Which is why a lesson from this episode’s guest is so important, “stay true to yourself in your career.”

You’ll hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories from Avi Bhagtani, CMO, Digitate (https://digitate.com/).

Bhagtani manages a global team of 18.

Digitate is a startup of 800 people that has been in business for eight years. The company leverages AI and automation to transform digital operations.

Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketing

Some lessons from Bhagtani that emerged in our discussion:

• Stay true to yourself in your career
• Make yourself uncomfortable
• Move fast and take risks
• Best your best and own the role you are in
• “As the environment changes, so must your strategy.”
• Patience.

Related content discussed in this episode

Customer Experience: Take risks, fail early, and learn fast (podcast episode #32) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/customer-experience)

Marketing: It’s not about you, and when you make it about you, you are never going to succeed (podcast episode #53) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-not-about-you)

Public Sector Marketing and Communication Leadership: Multi-directional learners, multi-colored spiky hair, and wearing multiple hats (podcast episode #31) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/public-sector-marketing)

About this podcast

This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.

This article was distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more articles like this one.

Apply to be a guest
If you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Join the guys' as they sit down with Adam Zuercher to discuss his journey - from humble beginnings to becoming a prominent CEO in the wealth management and financial planning industry.

Adam will share his early days as a finance enthusiast, his unwavering determination to excel, and the key events that led to the beginnings of Hixon Zuercher Capital Management. Discover how Adam and his Team's steadfast commitment to serving clients' best interests set the foundation for a client-centric wealth management firm and the smooth leadership transition that came from succession planning.

For the full transcript, show notes, and resources, visit theinvesteddads.com/189

Sign up for our exclusive newsletter here!
The Invested Dads: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

The How I Made It In Marketing podcast is underwritten by MECLABS Institute, the parent organization of MarketingSherpa. Join us for an AI Guild session Wednesdays at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Learn more at MECLABS.com/AI-Briefing

Growth. You see this word everywhere. Growth marketing.

But do you know what uncontrolled growth in our bodies is called? It’s called cancer.

Sorry to be negative, but I think it’s helpful to provide a check on the groupthink and buzzwords roiling around our industry.

OK, growth. Sure, growth. But why? What is the vision? What is your business growing into? And how do you grow a business sustainably? Because again, not all growth is good…uncontrolled growth is cancer.

Which is why it was so refreshing for me to see this lesson in a podcast guest application – ‘high growth can be excruciating.’

In this episode of How I Made It In Marketing, I discuss the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, with Pete Housley, Chief Marketing Officer, Unbounce (https://unbounce.com/).

Housley manages a team of 81 in marketing, customer success and enablement, an ad budget of $3 million, and 15 vendors, including software and direct media channels.

In 2020, the company raised $38.4 million in a funding round led by Crestron Partners. Unbounce currently has 17,000 customers.

Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketing

• You are only as good as your team
• “How data saved my life”
• High growth can be excruciating.
• “How to crack a strategy. I mean really crack.”
• Everyone needs a mentor.
• Everyone needs true internal partner(s) in business.

Related content discussed in this episode

Servant Leadership in Marketing: We are only as good as how we handle humbling moments (podcast episode #54) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/servant-leadership)

3 case studies of marketers that made a positive change in customers’ lives (while getting results for their business) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/positive-change-marketing-case-studies)

Communicating Value Proposition: We answer questions from marketers and entrepreneurs  (https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/website-and-landing-page-design/communicating-value-proposition/)

B2B Marketing: Marketing shouldn't be about driving demand; it's about driving value (podcast episode #40) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/B2B)

Introductory Guide to Developing Your Customer Theory [an interactive worksheet] (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/freestuff/MECLABS-customer-theory-worksheet)

About this podcast

This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.

Apply to be a guest
If you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

The How I Made It In Marketing podcast is underwritten by MECLABS Institute, the parent organization of MarketingSherpa. To learn how MECLABS Services can help you get better business results from deeper customer understanding, visit MECLABS.com/results.

I love a really good turn of phrase.

Hey, as a writer, I’m a real sucker for words.

So when I saw this phrase on a podcast guest application it grabbed my attention – “Kill snakes.”

I gotta admit, that is not one I have heard before. So I went to the Google, and it served me up… a lot of… how to kill snakes around the house.

So then it was time for AI. And according to ChatGPT, “’Kill snakes’ is an idiomatic expression that means to tackle or deal with a difficult or unpleasant task or situation in a direct and forceful way. The phrase is often used to describe someone who is brave, decisive, and not afraid to take action when faced with a problem. It can also be used to encourage someone to be bold and take action instead of being passive or hesitant. The expression is most commonly used in informal contexts and is often associated with a sense of urgency or importance.

I thought that description was the perfect way to set the tone for the discussion with Shafqat Islam, Chief Marketing Officer, Optimizely (https://www.optimizely.com/).

Islam manages a team of 100 with a $30 million marketing budget. He had zero CMO experience when he got his current role. 

Optimizely is owned by Insight Partners. Insight acquired Episerver, NewsCred, and Optimizely. It combined the companies into one, which it branded as Optimizely. Insight Partners is a private equity and venture capital firm with $90 billion of regulatory assets under management.

Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketing

Some lessons from Islam that emerged in our discussion:

• Never, ever, ever give up
• Category creation Is hard
• Kill snakes
• Assume noble intent
• Give people outsized opportunity and they will make you proud
• Have a plan, communicate it, stick to it, and just execute like crazy for as long as it takes

Related content mentioned in this episode

Marketing: Sometimes you have to throw the business model out (podcast episode #34) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-business)

About this podcast

This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.

This episode was distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.

Apply to be a guest
If you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application