Huddlers in the News

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 499: The Event ROI Reality Check

Events sit at the crossroads of joy and heartburn for B2B marketers. The magic of getting customers together in real life is real, and so is the pain when sales skips the pre-work and ROI gets fuzzy. With every dollar under scrutiny, CMOs are treating events as strategic bets that have to earn their spot on the plan.

In this episode, Drew talks with Charles Groome (Insightful), Jamie Gier, and Lorie Coulombe (Equity Shift) about how they decide which events to do, design experiences people remember, and turn field time into pipeline. They cover event portfolios, sales pre-work, and the simple tools that keep everyone aligned before, during, and after the show.

In this episode:

• Charles sorts events into three buckets, leans into a listening circuit with smaller meetups, and looks at target-account impact to decide where bigger bets belong.
• Jamie frames events around getting discovered, creating memorable experiences, and driving deals, with customers on stage and pods focused on key accounts.
• Lorie sets clear goals for each event, does deep homework on audiences and geographies, and locks in sales pre-work and follow-up expectations.

Plus:

• Build an event portfolio that blends big shows, listening trips, CABs, and customer moments.
• Use themes, news hooks, and customer voices to stand out in crowded halls and drive recall.
• Align sales and marketing via pods, shared KPIs, and simple scoreboards.
• Tighten spend with regional focus, partner co-hosting, and clear criteria.

If events are on your 2026 budget and you want them to pay in pipeline, this episode will help you pick, plan, and prove them with more confidence.

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 498: Leading Teams Through the AI Learning Curve

AI is now part of the job, whether your team feels ready or not. Some folks jump in with prompts and pilots; others stay on the sidelines while the pace keeps picking up. How do you turn that mix into a team that understands AI, uses it well, and gets stronger with every experiment?

Drew talks with Jakki Geiger (Arango), Betsy Daitch (Canoe Intelligence), and Grant Johnson (Chief Outsiders) about what it takes to uplevel AI skills across marketing. They get into hiring for AI-forward talent, picking use cases that matter, and tracking progress so experiments turn into repeatable, results-focused habits.

In this episode:

• Jakki hires AI-forward talent, builds digital twins for leaders, and kicks off AI projects from SDR pilots to sales enablement knowledge bases.
• Betsy uses Gemini, an “Upleveling Marketing Efficiency” tracker, and QBR AI projects to lift adoption across product, growth, and corporate marketing.
• Grant sets AI proficiency goals, runs workshops, and assigns ownership so each marketing function keeps building capability over time.

Plus:

• How to create a safe space for AI experimentation anchored to clear business goals
• Ways to narrow use cases so pilots stay manageable and show impact
• Why documentation, ownership, and simple workflows keep AI programs alive
• How CMOs can model AI use and report progress in language the C-suite cares about

Tune in if you are serious about raising your team’s AI game and want practical ways to build confidence, capability, and momentum.

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 497: AI in B2B Marketing: Wins, Misses, Next Moves

GenAI now sits inside content workflows, SDR outreach, and competitive intelligence. Marketing teams are seeing real wins and real growing pains, and the open question is where to focus next.

To answer that, Drew brings together Kelly Hopping, John McKinney (Cornerstone Licensing), and Brian Hankin (Altium Packaging) to share the AI plays they are running right now and how they’re leading the charge. Here’s how:

In this episode:

• Kelly shows how AI weaves through content, SDR workflows, web chat, product work, and SEO, plus how OKRs and certifications lift AI fluency across the team.
• John uses AI agents for competitor tracking, outbound support, and coding, and treats AI as a sparring partner for strategy before it reaches the C suite.
• Brian runs an AI campaign engine that builds multi-touch programs in minutes and tracks lifts in engagement, qualified leads, proposals, and wins.

Plus:

• How AEO connects to SEO and what needs to shift for LLM-driven discovery
• How leaders model AI use with internal knowledge bases and cross-functional pilots
• How to structure AI readiness
• Where CMOs can start

Tune in if you want AI use cases you can put to work now and a clearer view of where to point your team next.

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 496: Budgeting with Conviction

When it comes to marketing, everyone has opinions—but few have proof. That’s where Professor Byron Sharp steps in.

In this episode, Drew sits down with the globally renowned marketing scientist and author of How Brands Grow to unpack what B2B marketers are getting wrong, what they should measure instead, and why focusing only on in-market buyers is a recipe for decline.

Byron drops truth bombs on:

• Why mental availability drives physical availability (not the other way around)
• How B2B marketers are shooting themselves in the foot with fluffy brand campaigns
• What to measure if you want to track real progress
• Why B2B growth takes time—and how to prove it’s working

Plus, why CMOs should stop pretending that awareness is enough and start earning a place in buyers’ brains before they’re ready to buy.

Whether you’re defending your brand budget to a CFO, fighting for longer-term investment, or just trying to grow your share of voice without blowing it all in Q1—this episode delivers the mental fuel (and science) to make your case.

To hear the rest of this CMO Huddles Bonus Huddle, visit CMO Huddles Hub on YouTube.

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

“Our CEO asked me to reduce our headcount by 25% while raising our pipeline targets by 25%,” shared a CMO from a $135M tech company. The virtual huddle went silent as each CMO recognized the likelihood they’d be given the same challenge very soon.

Rather than fight this one, I asked other CMOs how they’re handling these kinds of impossible-sounding requests.

Lisa Cole, CMO of 2X, didn’t just have an answer-->she offered a framework.

And it starts by reframing the conversation.

“There are five ways that AI can deliver value to an organization in the context of marketing,” Lisa explained. “If you can frame your response in one of these five ways, rather than just responding to a 25% blanket statement, you can set yourself up for something you can actually deliver on.”

Here’s Lisa's framework:

1. Budget Efficiency & Flexibility

AI enables smarter execution—faster, cheaper, and with fewer human hours. But Lisa’s not just talking about replacing manual tasks. “Think about reducing costs of execution, replacing manual work, consolidating the random acts of duplicative agencies you might have.” It's about surgical streamlining, not reckless slashing.

2. Tech Stack Optimization

Many CMOs are sitting on a tech stack that’s more bloated than beneficial. “I know CMOs whose tech budgets rival that of CIOs,” Lisa noted, “but they die under the weight of random data manipulation across the stack.” AI can help connect those dots—bridging systems, activating data, and delivering on long-promised ROI.

3. Pipeline Acceleration

This is about more than speed—it’s about intelligent velocity. “If you can reimagine the campaign workflow itself and then apply AI to it, yes, you can get there,” Lisa said. She means faster time to impact: from idea to execution to revenue-generating result.

4. Scalability Without Headcount

Lisa offered this gem: “I may not be the strongest product marketer, but you know what? AI could address that capability gap.” In other words, AI can augment your team’s skill set without adding new headcount—allowing you to scale capabilities (like product launches or content production) without scaling costs.

5. Speed to Market as a Differentiator

“Speed to market actually is a competitive advantage,” Lisa emphasized, especially as AI-native startups outpace slower-moving enterprises. “Brand is certainly part of our moat, but in an AI-first world, speed is part of that moat too.”

So when the CEO drops the 25/25 bomb on you—cut staff by 25%, increase pipeline by 25%—don't panic. Try reframing the conversation with questions like:

• “What if I could increase speed to market by 25%?”
• “Or improve conversion rates in the pipeline?”
• “Or get more out of our existing tech investments?”

I thought this was brilliant. Would this approach work for you? If not, why not?

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 495: Teams Built for Growth and Grit

Recruiting great marketers is tough work. Sustaining performance, growth, and energy over time demands deliberate choices. Those choices shape the culture, the pace, and the results your team can sustain through whatever comes next.

To see how this plays out across very different orgs, Drew talks with Dan Lowden (Blackbird.AI), Marni Puente (SAIC), and Amy King (Relias) about the teams they’ve built and the systems that keep them performing. They break down who they hire first, how they set structure and expectations, and how coaching, intelligent failure, and AI-supported workflows help people grow and stay motivated.

In this episode:

• Dan builds a lean, senior, hands-on startup team and fosters a test-and-learn culture where people move fast, try new things, and learn together.
• Marni reshapes a communications-heavy function into a modern marketing org, adding commercial and demand capabilities and aligning work to OKRs and transparent dashboards.
• Amy leads a marketing reset at Relias, rebuilding leadership and structure, positioning marketing with sales and client care, and modeling vulnerability and continuous learning through change.

Plus:

• Why AI committees, battle buddies, and shared learning loops turn hesitation into confident adoption
• How OKRs, scorecards, and focused dashboards clarify priorities and tie marketing to revenue outcomes
• Where intelligent failure helps teams stop low-value work, share lessons, and build trust
• How competency assessments, surveys, and development plans nurture top performers and future leaders

If you’re building, inheriting, or leveling up a marketing team, this episode gives you a ton of moves to help it perform, grow, and stay together.

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

“How do we show that marketing is really bringing the value?” shared a CMO of a $75m SaaS company. This question stopped me in my tracks. Not because it's new. I’ve heard variations of it for years, but it was asked with such raw frustration. This CMO wasn’t lamenting vanity metrics or campaign performance. She was grappling with something more existential: the credibility of marketing in the eyes of the business.

And she wasn’t alone. During four back-to-back workshops moderated by 4X CMO Kathie Johnson at the 2025 CMO Super Huddle, this same issue popped up repeatedly.

One CMO shared, “We’ve made 150 acquisitions in 20 years. We have three Salesforce instances. And now I’m supposed to prove that marketing is driving value across all of it?” Another said, “We’re responsible for 100% of the pipeline (both PLG and SLG), but proving attribution is still nearly impossible.”

These are smart, experienced CMOs leading real businesses, and they’re still fighting for legitimacy.

Here’s the truth: If your CEO or CRO is still asking what marketing delivers to the business, that’s a red flag. But it’s also a massive opportunity. Because as painful as that question might feel, it invites a shift in how marketing is framed, measured, and aligned inside the company.

CMOs Need to Reframe Marketing as a Revenue Engine

That starts with shifting the language from activities to outcomes. One CMO described using a simple framework: feed the business, build the business, and create the future. This model helped her team communicate how marketing contributes across time horizons: short-term pipeline, mid-term growth bets, and long-term brand or category creation.

Alignment Isn’t a Buzzword; It’s a Contract

Several CMOs spoke about codifying their go-to-market plans with signed agreements between marketing, sales, and product. “We documented the plan, had the CRO co-sign it, and presented it to the ELT,” one said. Another added, “We did this quarterly, not just annually. Because plans change and so does accountability.”

Metrics Matter, but They Must Match the Impact Timeframe

Not every marketing effort leads directly to pipeline this quarter. Especially in the early stages of category creation or AI adoption, CMOs need to define and align on leading indicators. This might include engagement scores, search volume, brand lift, or even internal metrics like enablement or velocity. “We couldn’t wait for deals to close,” one CMO said.

CMOs Need to Market the Marketing

Internally. Loudly. One leader created a “marketing will/will not do” list, got it signed by the CRO, and sent it to the entire company. Another created quarterly marketing scorecards and published them internally, not just for bragging rights, but to show the strategic role marketing was playing across the funnel.

If you’re still being asked to prove marketing’s value, don’t take offense. Take control.

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 494: Going Fractional?

Plenty of CMOs reach a point where the fractional model starts to look… intriguing. A little more freedom, a little less 24/7 pressure, and a whole lot of variety.

In this episode, Drew brings together three former full-time CMOs who now serve as full-time fractionals: Alan Gonsenhauser (Demand Revenue), Katrina Klier (Sage Strategy Group), and Marshall Poindexter (yorCMO). They get into what it really takes to succeed in the role, from setting expectations with CEOs and boards to choosing the right clients, managing time and scope, and knowing when the fractional model fits and when it is time to move on.

In this episode:

• Alan builds trust fast with structured discovery across leaders and the board, using "three magic wishes" to surface priorities before acting.
• Katrina ties marketing priorities to financial and board targets so strategy supports existing growth and margin commitments.
• Marshall differentiates fractional work from consulting, using a simple framework and 90-day sprints to drive execution through in-house teams or agencies.

Plus:

• Narrowing your niche so you attract clients where you create outsized value
• How to set scope, cadence, and availability so part-time does not quietly become full-time
• Using process, sprints, and metrics to stay focused when new requests pop up
• Planning the transition, from mentoring the incoming full-time CMO to creating a clean off-ramp

Tune in if you are considering going fractional, hiring a fractional CMO, or just trying to understand how this model fits into the modern CMO career.

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

"At every company I've been at, this brand thing never pays off," said the CFO to a CMO at a $125M SaaS brand. My mind buzzed with questions, starting with: Could all of these CMOs be getting “this brand thing” wrong?

Before we dig into that can of worms, I want to celebrate how this particular CMO handled the situation. “Rather than fight this battle, I don’t break out brand, demand, or other program elements in my budget,” the CMO shared. “Instead, I commit to delivering a certain percentage of pipeline for the year and ask them to let me worry about the executional details.”

That works for me. Would it work for your organization?

Now, back to the real question: Why does “this brand thing” so often appear to fail? Let’s unpack a few likely culprits:

1. The Expectation Gap

The CFO expected brand dollars to produce revenue within a set timeframe. When that didn’t happen, brand got blamed. Was the campaign poorly executed? Was it even a campaign at all? Or just a new logo and a splashy video? More likely, the problem was a failure to connect the dots between brand and demand. Too many CMOs run brand work in a vacuum, hoping it will “lift all boats” without anchoring it to pipeline or product. Brand doesn’t work in isolation. It should make every dollar of demand gen more efficient, but only if the messaging is aligned and consistent.

2. The Timeframe Trap

Brand building is a long game. CFOs want results in quarters. Brands grow in years. The disconnect is predictable and avoidable. A smart CMO sets expectations up front: “Yes, we’re investing in long-term equity. No, this won’t convert tomorrow.” Then, they start tracking brand health over time.

[Side note: If you don’t have brand tracking in place, either get one or join the CMO Huddles Leader program. Why? We are launching RepuTracker.org, a monthly brand reputation tracker that is free for the CMOs in our Leader program. Special thanks to the dev team at Growth Natives for building this incredible tool with us.]

3. The KPI Black Hole

Here’s the sneaky thing about brand: its first wins often show up internally. Employees get clearer on what the company stands for. They stay longer. They refer better candidates. They perform better. But if you're not measuring those outcomes, if you're not telling that story, guess what? Your CFO never sees the value. Great CMOs align their KPIs with business outcomes beyond pipeline. Think recruitment costs, employee engagement scores, win rates, pricing power.

The Bottom Line

“This brand thing” fails when CMOs treat it as a creative exercise instead of a business driver. It fails when there’s myopic measurement. No integration. No patience. It fails when CMOs don’t take control of the narrative.

But when done right? Brand becomes the moat (per my Warren Buffett post). The multiplier. The magnet for talent, customers, and growth. And yes, even CFOs come around.

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 493: Budgeting with Conviction

If your 2026 budget is starting to feel like a no-win puzzle—flat headcount, higher growth expectations, fewer resources—this episode is for you. Craig Moore of Forrester joins Drew to reveal the budgeting mistakes too many B2B CMOs are still making—and what to do instead.

From rethinking budget architecture to organizing around business outcomes, Craig shares the frameworks that enable CMOs to go beyond justifying their spend—and start leading the strategic conversation with CEOs, CFOs, and CROs.

Get ready to challenge your assumptions, realign your org, and turn your budget into a true lever for growth.

In this episode:

• The big 3 budgeting mistakes CMOs make
• Why campaign-based budgeting unlocks strategy
• Areas of volatility in 2026
• AI’s Role in Budget Planning

This is just the first half of one of CMO Huddles monthly Bonus Huddles with B2B marketing strategists. To hear the rest of the conversation with Craig, visit CMO Huddles Hub on YouTube.

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/