The Remote CMO

Building a Remote Marketing Team from Scratch: Lessons from Self Financial's CMO

In this episode of The Remote CMO, Brett Billick, Chief Marketing Officer of Self Financial, shares his journey from investment banking to marketing and his experience building a remote marketing team from the ground up. Brett discusses Self Financial's mission to help people with low or no credit build their credit scores, and how he's grown the marketing team from zero to 30 people over six years.
Key Topics Discussed:
Brett's transition from investment banking to marketing and his attraction to the field
The mission and services of Self Financial, a credit-building platform for underserved consumers
The growth of Self Financial's marketing team from zero to 30 people, with 60% working remotely
Strategies for fostering collaboration and maintaining culture in a hybrid work environment
Approaches to upskilling and career development for remote marketing team members
The use of AI in marketing for idea generation and creativity
Top marketing priorities for 2024, including responsible growth and product-led growth initiatives
Actionable Takeaways for Remote Marketing Leaders:
Invest in collaboration tools like Figma and Miro to facilitate remote teamwork and creativity
Implement agile marketing methodologies with daily stand-ups and regular sync-ups to maintain productivity
Prioritize personal connections with team members, even in virtual settings, to build strong relationships
Create "swim lanes of autonomy" to empower team members and foster career development
Leverage AI as an assistive tool for brainstorming and idea generation, rather than as a replacement for human creativity

The Tech PR Masterclass: Bluevine's Kevin McLaughlin Approach to Modern Public Relations

In this edition of Marketing Masterclass, we sit down with Kevin McLaughlin, Senior Director of PR and Communication at Bluevine, to discuss the ins and outs of successful modern tech public relations. Kevin shares valuable insights on relationship building, media pitching, managing executive expectations, and leveraging data-driven storytelling, drawing from his extensive 25 years of experience in B2B PR.
Key Takeaways:
Building strong relationships with reporters, producers, and editors is crucial for PR success. Focus on being a resource and understanding their needs.
When pitching media, avoid over-editorializing and give reporters the kernel of the story, allowing them to do their job. Tailor your pitch to the outlet and the reporter's interests.
Manage executive expectations by educating stakeholders before a campaign starts. Conduct a media audit to build a case for what you need to be successful.
Leverage data-driven storytelling, such as platform data, proprietary data, or survey data, to provide value to your target audience and shape narratives that resonate with media.
Understand the business dynamics, market, and competition to effectively tell stories that differentiate your company and capture media attention.
Actionable Insights for Marketing Leaders:
Invest in building and maintaining strong relationships with key media contacts, focusing on being a valuable resource.
Tailor your media pitches to the specific outlet and reporter, avoiding over-editorializing and allowing them to shape the story.
Proactively manage executive expectations by conducting media audits and educating stakeholders on the media landscape before launching a campaign.
Incorporate data-driven storytelling into your PR strategy, leveraging platform data, proprietary data, or survey data to provide unique value to your target audience and media.
Develop a deep understanding of your company's business model, market, and competition to craft compelling stories that differentiate your brand.

Navigating Remote Marketing Leadership: Lessons from Paddle's CMO

In this episode of The Remote CMO, Andrew Davies, Chief Marketing Officer of Paddle, shares his insights and experiences in building and managing a global remote marketing team. Andrew discusses Paddle's marketing team structure, strategies for maintaining company culture in a remote environment, and the value of sourcing talent globally.
Key Topics Discussed:
Paddle's marketing team structure, which is split into two motions: self-serve and sales-assisted, with teams focused on brand, demand, product marketing, and BDRs
Strategies for maintaining company culture in a remote environment, including using Slack for communication, allowing flexibility in schedules and time zones, and providing clarity on organizational goals and roles
The value of sourcing talent globally, not just from traditional tech hubs, and the success stories of remote hires like Karthik, who was brought on board due to his online presence and resonance with Paddle's target market
The challenges of ensuring clarity and transparency in a remote organization, and how Paddle has addressed this through initiatives like the Paddle Operating Plan
The importance of offering a range of upskilling opportunities for remote teams, including conference attendance, learning courses, mentoring, and hands-on experience with new tools

Building Authentic Connections in a Remote Marketing Team: Lessons from Sponsor United's CMO

Welcome to another episode of The Remote CMO, the show dedicated to helping marketing leaders build, manage, and lead their remote and hybrid teams. In today's episode, we're speaking with Michelle Harmon-Madsen, CMO of Sponsor United, a sports and entertainment intelligence platform that has raised over $35 million in funding.
Key topics discussed: 
Michelle's early marketing experiences in the early 2000s, from selling concert sponsorships to Maytag and creating a seven-city tour with Kenny Chesney, to transitioning into a full-time marketing role and never looking back.
The problem Sponsor United solves: providing a SaaS platform that streamlines how brands and rights holders uncover opportunities, build partnerships, and make data-driven decisions about sponsorships in sports, entertainment, and media.
The impact of NIL (name, image, and likeness) on the sports sponsorship industry, creating opportunities for brands to partner with young athletes and for athletes to market themselves as brands.
Sponsor United's focus on connecting with brand marketers, CROs, and agencies to help them make smarter decisions and build authentic connections with their audiences through partnerships and sponsorships.
The global and remote nature of Sponsor United's marketing team, with 12 members spread across the US, Canada, Venezuela, and Portugal, and the importance of hiring diverse talent with international backgrounds and experiences.
The efforts to build culture in a remote environment, including all-staff meetings, CEO video updates, mini meetups when team members travel, and fun activities like "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" games during team meetings.
The importance of being open and honest as a leader, acknowledging when the team is "in the weeds," and finding ways to inject lightness, togetherness, and personal connections during challenging times.
The use of various sourcing strategies for talent, including posting on LinkedIn, leveraging personal networks, and being open to interviewing a wide range of candidates while being clear about the specific skills and attributes needed for each role.
The emphasis on continuous learning and development, with dedicated time for team members to take online courses, explore new tools like ChatGPT, and share their learnings with each other during weekly meetings.
The advice for new remote CMOs: take the time to meet with executive team members, understand the cadence and communication channels of the business, and join the team where they are before making changes or tweaks.

Recruiting Top Marketing Talent in a Remote World: Strategies from BlueConic's CMO

Welcome to another episode of The Remote CMO, the show dedicated to helping marketing leaders build, manage, and lead their remote and hybrid teams. In today's episode, we're speaking with Patrick Reynolds, Chief Marketing Officer of BlueConic, a customer data platform that has raised over $26 million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Patrick's perspective on why he continues to work in marketing, citing the constantly evolving nature of the field and the fact that no two days or years are the same, which appeals to his self-described "low-grade, undiagnosed ADD."
The influence of technology on marketing, both in terms of providing powerful tools to streamline processes and the potential for machines to reclaim tasks previously done by human colleagues.
BlueConic's focus on helping enterprise-sized B2C companies leverage first-party data to create highly personalized, resonant experiences for their customers.
The challenges of managing a fully remote marketing team of 16-20 people, including the need to foster a sense of connection and belonging without the benefit of in-person interactions.
The importance of having a subject matter that people are genuinely interested in when recruiting top marketing talent, as opposed to relying solely on company brand recognition.
The efforts to maintain collaboration and expose team members to other areas of the business through cross-functional meetings, "lunch and learns," and guest speakers.
The emphasis on upskilling and training the team through a mix of internal and external resources, including courses, workshops, and knowledge-sharing sessions.
The value of starting with marketing generalists when building a team from scratch, focusing on individuals who can "be a little bit dangerous in a lot of areas" rather than narrowly specialized.
The advice for new remote CMOs to be more deliberate in checking in with team members, asking questions, and providing clear direction, acknowledging that the process may take slightly longer than in a traditional office setting.
The impact of the book "4,000 Weeks" on Patrick's approach to balancing work and life, emphasizing the importance of being efficient with one's time and prioritizing personal fulfillment.
 

Balancing Creativity and Focus in a Hybrid Work Environment: Lessons from hear.com's Marketing Director

Welcome to another episode of The Remote CMO, the show dedicated to helping marketing leaders build, manage, and lead their remote and hybrid teams. In today's episode, we're speaking with Tobias Haude, Marketing Director of hear.com, the world's fastest-growing hearing care company.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
Tobias's journey from studying business and initially viewing marketing as his worst subject to developing a passion for the field and its connection to strategy, communication, data, and entrepreneurship.
The evolution of hear.com from a 20-person startup in Berlin to a global company with 1,200 employees and partnerships with over 5,000 local audiologist shops, each with 3-4 employees.
The company's long-standing hybrid work model, with Zoom rooms built as early as 2016, allowing for a seamless transition during COVID-19 while recognizing the importance of in-person collaboration for creativity and problem-solving.
The fluctuating nature of Tobias's direct reports, with a current focus on 30-35 people in Europe and a rejection of traditional org charts in favor of a more fluid structure.
The challenges of driving creativity in a hybrid environment, emphasizing the need for an inclusive culture, effective communication, and robust technology setup to engage both in-person and remote participants.
The importance of establishing trust and personal connections during the onboarding process before relying heavily on remote collaboration, and the need for discipline and effort from both in-person and remote team members during meetings.
The company's approach to sourcing talent through active searches on LinkedIn, local networking events, and employee referrals, with a focus on identifying target companies with strong marketing teams.
The selective use of agencies for specialized skills and diverse perspectives, particularly in areas like long-term communication and brand strategy for the 50+ target audience.
The impact of AI on marketing roles, with Tobias noting that designers and copywriters who rely too heavily on AI tools may see their skills deteriorate, while AI has proven transformative in areas like customer service and conversational marketing.
The key advice for new marketing leaders in a hybrid environment: consider the company culture, problem complexity, and personal fit before deciding if a remote or in-person setup is best suited for delivering results and driving team success.

Empathetic Leadership: The Key to Managing a Thriving Hybrid Marketing Team (Gino Palozzi, CMO at DailyPay)

In this episode of The Remote CMO, Gino Palozzi, Chief Marketing Officer at DailyPay, shares his experiences and strategies for successfully leading a hybrid marketing team. Gino discusses the evolution of marketing, the importance of empathetic leadership, and how to effectively manage remote and in-office talent.
Key Topics Discussed:
The shift in marketing from an art to a science, driven by data and technology
The importance of empathetic leadership and understanding individual team members' needs and motivations
Strategies for building and managing a hybrid marketing team
Criteria for determining which roles are suitable for remote work
Sourcing and attracting talent for a hybrid work environment
Setting expectations and boundaries for remote team members to prevent burnout