How to Structure and Lead a Full-Funnel B2B Marketing Org with Kelly Hopping
The Dave Gerhardt Show
Intro
This chapter highlights the significance of email as a marketing tool while addressing the challenges presented by complex automation platforms. Featuring insights from a guest with a robust marketing background, the discussion includes the benefits of Knack, a no-code platform that streamlines email creation.
#255 Leadership | In this episode, Dave is joined by Kelly Hopping, CMO of Demandbase, a B2B company known for pioneering account-based marketing. Kelly leads a 70+ person marketing org that spans brand, demand gen, product marketing, events, and SDRs, and she shares exactly how she structures and operates that team to drive results.
Dave and Kelly cover:
- How to design and run a full-funnel marketing team that includes SDRs, content, field, and brand, and keep them aligned on pipeline
- The annual planning strategy Kelly uses to balance short-term targets with long-term positioning (including what changes quarter to quarter)
- How her team is using AI right now and what she’s doing personally to stay sharp as the pace of change accelerates
Whether you're a first-time CMO or just trying to scale your B2B marketing engine, this one is packed with insights from someone who’s operating at a high level.
Timestamps
- (00:00) - – Intro
- (04:07) - – What Demandbase actually does
- (06:07) - – How the Demandbase marketing team is structured
- (08:37) - – Who owns what: brand, content, demand, SDRs
- (11:07) - – Account-based marketing + broad demand gen
- (13:37) - – What a CMO actually does at this stage
- (16:07) - – Kelly’s early CMO learning curve
- (19:07) - – Planning your first 90 days as a CMO
- (21:07) - – Balancing pipeline today vs. positioning for tomorrow
- (23:37) - – What changed between a bad Q4 and strong Q1
- (28:53) - – How Kelly thinks about yearly pipeline pacing
- (31:53) - – Staying relevant in a fast-moving MarTech world
- (34:23) - – Why marketers need to work like product teams
- (37:53) - – “I am the ICP”: Why product marketing works better
- (39:23) - – Kelly’s #1 job as CMO: Make sales love marketing
- (41:53) - – Becoming a peer to product and revenue leaders
- (44:23) - – Best-performing channel right now: in-person events
- (45:53) - – Brand, attribution, and pipeline are all connected
- (47:23) - – How Kelly’s team is using AI today
- (48:53) - – The future of marketing roles in an AI-powered world
- (51:23) - – Why she’s still learning new AI tools herself
- (53:53) - – Why AI is fun again for marketers
- (54:53) - – Closing thoughts
Join 50,000 people who get our Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Learn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/
***
Today’s episode is brought to you by Paramark.
It’s November. 2026 planning is already here. And the stuff you’re doing right now will decide how next year plays out.
But here’s the problem: most teams are still planning next year's marketing strategy based on the WRONG DATA because of broken attribution and a misleading gut feel. And you can’t make smart budget calls if you’re just guessing what’s working, what’s not, and where to put your next dollar.
That’s where Paramark comes in. They help you replace the guesswork with actual insight backed by $2 billion in analyzed marketing data. They’ve figured out what actually drives incremental growth across every channel including LinkedIn, Meta, TikTok, Google, CTV, even OOH.
And right now, they’re offering a private 1:1 consultation with their CEO and CMO, Pranav and Sam, who have led marketing teams at companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Microsoft, and Shutterfly.
In this 45-minute strategy session, they’ll help you measure the real impact of every marketing dollar, pull insights from your current media mix, and design a 2026 roadmap that’s rooted in data, not gut.
This is a heck of an offer. And it’s real. And will go fast. So if you want to future-proof your marketing strategy for 2026, don’t miss out on this offer.
Grab your spot at paramark.com/brand-consult.
***
Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.
- They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.
- Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.
- Visit hatch.fm to learn more
The AI-powered Podcast Player
