Renegade Marketers Unite

The career mistake that haunts CMOs most? Waiting until they're laid off to build their personal brand. Career transition expert Catherine Altman Morgan reveals the three career management mistakes even seasoned CMOs make—and they might be sabotaging your future opportunities. In this quick-hitting conversation, Catherine delivers straight talk on building your personal brand, maintaining critical relationships, and positioning yourself for success whether you're job hunting or not. From market disruptions to political shifts, CMOs are feeling the pressure. CFOs are tightening budgets, customers are hesitating, and entire industries are being forced to adapt. So, what's a savvy marketing leader to do? For the full conversation covering 'nose to the grindstone syndrome,' navigating toxic work environments, and how to product-ize yourself, visit our YouTube channel (CMO Huddles Hub) or click here: [https://youtu.be/f9_qZKSYDbM]. Get more insights like these by joining our free Starter program at cmohuddles.com. Until then, keep those renegade thinking caps on and strong. For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

In a perfect world, every marketing dollar would be easy to track and justify. In reality, proving impact is a constant battle In this episode, Drew Neisser brings together Julie Kaplan, Michael Callahan of Salt Security, and Bindu Chellappan of Corpay to explore the metrics that matter—and how to make sure they resonate in the boardroom. In This Episode: Julie Kaplan shares why marketing-driven pipeline is the metric that truly resonates with the C-suite—and how simplifying the conversation makes it easier to prove marketing's value to the CFO. Michael Callahan reveals why broad pipeline metrics don't resonate with sales—and how shifting to territory-level goals helped drive alignment and better results. Bindu Chellappan expands the conversation beyond pipeline, sharing how Corpay is tackling the challenge of measuring brand awareness, retention, and upsell impact—and why long-term marketing influence is just as important as net-new pipeline. Key Takeaways: The #1 metric that makes marketing's impact undeniable. Why marketing-influenced revenue deserves more credit—and how to make the case for it. How to align marketing with sales—without the usual friction. Why brand awareness is more measurable than you think—and how to track it. Marketing's value isn't simple to prove—but the right numbers get the C-suite's attention. Tune in to learn which ones matter most. For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

Every ten episodes, Drew Neisser turns the mic on himself to tackle the biggest challenges facing B2B CMOs. This time, it's all about navigating uncertainty. From market disruptions to political shifts, CMOs are feeling the pressure. CFOs are tightening budgets, customers are hesitating, and entire industries are being forced to adapt. So, what's a savvy marketing leader to do? Key Takeaways: Go Micro: Control the controllables—starting with yourself. Build personal resilience and create a strong microculture within your team. Lead with Empathy: Uncertainty breeds anxiety. CMOs don't need all the answers, but they do need to listen, reassure, and check in with employees, customers, and partners. Protect the Brand: The political landscape is shifting fast. Word choices on your website could impact contracts and reputation. CMOs need to guide these conversations at the C-suite level. Build a Marketing Engine That's an Asset: In a downturn, marketing is often the first to be cut—but not if it's seen as a growth driver that increases company valuation. 🎧 Listen now and keep your renegade thinking caps on—and strong! For more, read: "The Political Tightrope: A CMO's Guide to Navigating DEI & ESG in Polarized Times" For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

Buyers trust other buyers more than they trust you—that's just reality. A great video testimonial is proof, reassurance, and persuasion all rolled into one, but that only happens if people actually see it and act on it. So how do you keep testimonials from collecting digital dust and turn them into a true sales and marketing asset? That's exactly what Drew Neisser and Alexander Ferguson, Founder & CMO of TeraLeap, tackle in this episode. From getting customers to say "yes" to crafting stories that resonate, Alex shares the strategies that make testimonials impossible to ignore. What You'll Learn: The biggest mistakes that keep video testimonials from delivering real results. Ways to integrate testimonials across sales, marketing, and branding. How to measure impact, track conversions, and prove value to leadership. The right timing and approach to get more customers on camera. Don't let your best customer stories go to waste. Catch the full conversation now! For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

If you haven't read The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins, what are you waiting for? This bestselling guide to leadership transitions is a must-read for any executive stepping into a new role, and it's a staple in the CMO Huddles community. A CMO's first 90 days will set the course—either laying the groundwork for success or paving the way for an uphill battle. Drawing on more than two decades of research, Michael Watkins joins host Drew Neisser to share essential transition strategies and reveal the critical mistakes executives make in their early days—and exactly how to avoid them. What You'll Learn: The biggest mistakes executives make in their first 90 days—and how to sidestep them. How to address the real problems within an organization—not just the ones you're familiar with. The importance of early wins and strategies to resist the "action imperative" The critical role of shifting perspectives for achieving long-term success. The power of process leadership and how to use it to accelerate your impact. Michael also shares insights from his new book, The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking, and why strategy has never been more critical (stay tuned for that episode). Tune in ASAP! For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

"These are not the droids you're looking for." Just like Obi-Wan Kenobi used a simple phrase to shift the stormtroopers' perception, marketers need to pull off their own Jedi mind trick to capture mindshare for their brands. We call it "positioning." In this episode, Drew Neisser is joined by Joe Cohen (AXIS), Sara Larsen (Wolters Kluwer), and Carlos Carvajal (Q2) to discuss the art and science of positioning—how to define, refine, and defend it in a crowded marketplace. Key Discussion Points: Joe Cohen explains how AXIS built credibility in energy transition by backing its positioning with real data. Sara Larsen shares how Wolters Kluwer got internal teams on board with a major brand shift. Carlos Carvajal reveals how Q2 overcame skepticism to expand beyond its core market. What you'll learn: ✔ How to use research to reinforce your brand's authority. ✔ Why positioning is an internal challenge before it's an external one. ✔ The role of analysts, customer feedback, and storytelling in shaping brand perception. From using market research to create authority to ensuring internal teams embrace new positioning, this conversation is all about the strategies that make brands stand out—and stick! For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

Gen AI isn't just a playground for creativity—it's a tool for real business impact. But while some marketers are embracing the possibilities, others are stuck in experimentation mode without a clear strategy. So how do you go from dabbling to driving real business impact with AI? In this episode, Lisa Gately, Principal Analyst at Forrester, joins Drew Neisser to break down how CMOs can lead the charge in AI adoption, avoid common missteps, and harness Gen AI to create real business value. Lisa also shares a sneak peek into her session at Forrester's 2025 B2B Summit, exploring how AI is reshaping marketing, sales, and customer experiences. What you'll learn: The top mistakes marketers make when adopting Gen AI—and how to avoid them. Why Gen AI success requires change management, not just technology. How CMOs can go beyond efficiency to drive real competitive advantage with AI. Want to take your AI strategy to the next level? Tune in! CMO Huddles members also get a 10% discount to Forrester's 2025 B2B Summit—use code CMOHUDDLES25 to save! Register here: https://www.forrester.com/event/b2b-summit-north-america/ For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

Clicking is easy, converting is hard—let's fix that. In this episode, Drew Neisser teams up with Sahil Patel, CEO of Spiralyze, to take a deep dive into what makes landing pages and home pages truly effective. But this isn't just theory-Sahil gets hands-on by breaking down the CMO Huddles home page and landing page, highlighting common pitfalls and sharing actionable fixes. What you'll learn: The biggest conversion killers on landing pages-and how to fix them fast. Why home pages need both storytelling and structure to keep visitors engaged. How small design tweaks-like better CTAs, cleaner forms, and smarter layouts-can drive big results. Want to see the pages Sahil critiqued? Check the show notes on renegademarketing.com for links to the visual resources. For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

Would you rather get a root canal or run payroll? Most small business owners would have picked the root canal—until Gusto came along. When Jason Ing joined Gusto in 2022, the company's reputation for making payroll easy rang loud and clear. The next logical step was to transform that reputation into brand gold. In this episode, we explore the campaign that reinforced customer love while driving demand. In this episode, Jason breaks down: ✔ How Gusto turned a simple insight into a high-impact brand campaign. ✔ How brand and performance marketing work together to maximize awareness and conversions. ✔ How to drive alignment in the C-Suite to position brand as a revenue driver, not just a creative exercise. ✔ The metrics and testing strategies used to prove the business impact of brand investment. ✔ Dos and don'ts when allocating your media mix It's a must-listen for any CMO looking to turn customer love into measurable growth. Don't miss it! For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

How do marketers bridge the gap between bold creative ambition and the hard-nosed expectations of the C-suite? In this episode, Drew Neisser chats with Kay Moffett of Amplify, Katrina Klier of Sage Strategy Group, and Lakshmi Randall to uncover how CMOs can align marketing initiatives with business priorities while proving their value to their CEOs and CFOs. In this episode: Kay Moffett reveals how Amplify's podcast, Science of Reading, became a catalyst for a movement in education, driving product adoption and underscoring the power of long-term brand investments. Katrina Klier shares her ART framework—Awareness, Recognition, Traction—a practical model for demonstrating marketing's impact through both leading and lagging indicators. Lakshmi Randall dives into strategies for aligning with CFO and CEO priorities, including focusing on shared goals, running strategic experiments, and balancing short-term wins with long-term initiatives. You'll also learn: Why anecdotal insights—or "anecdata"—can be as persuasive as hard metrics when proving marketing's value. How consistent reporting can help CMOs build trust with the C-suite. The balancing act between short-term demand gen and long-term brand-building strategies. Tune in and discover how to turn the C-suite into marketing's biggest advocates! For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/