From Growth Marketer to CMO: How Kelly Cheng Leads Marketing at Goldcast

6 snips

Oct 23, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Kelly Cheng, the CMO at Goldcast, shares her fascinating journey from Hong Kong to Boston and her transition from growth marketer to marketing leader. She dives into the strategic shift from product-led growth to a sales-led model, emphasizing the importance of long-term brand investment. Kelly discusses her marketing org structure, why the BDR team aligns with marketing, and her methods for measuring brand and mindshare. She also reflects on the role of mentorship in her career and the balance between leadership and parenthood.

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ANECDOTE

From Growth Hire To Marketing Leader

Kelly joined Goldcast to run growth and quickly pivoted to lead marketing when the product-led trial failed.
They sunset the trial because event complexity led to user error and sales funnel cannibalization.

ADVICE

Find Mentors Who've Been CMOs

Seek mentors who have direct experience in roles you aspire to and can advise on compensation and executive conversations.
Use warm intros, weekly check-ins, and paid mentorship to accelerate CMO growth.

ADVICE

Ask Founders About Brand Timeframes

Ask founders about their appetite for long-term brand investment versus short-term pipeline.
Use that answer to judge whether they'll back foundational marketing work.

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#297 Leadership | I sat down with Kelly Cheng, CMO at Goldcast, to talk about her path from growth marketer to marketing leader, how she’s built and scaled Goldcast’s marketing org, the shift from PLG to sales-led, and why she believes great CMOs play the long game.

Timestamps

(00:00) - – Intro
(03:08) - – Kelly’s path from Hong Kong to Boston
(06:08) - – Joining Goldcast and the PLG pivot
(09:08) - – Moving from growth marketer to CMO
(12:08) - – The role of mentors in her career
(20:08) - – Questions to ask before taking a CMO role
(27:43) - – Inside Goldcast’s marketing org structure
(33:43) - – How Kelly measures brand and mindshare
(40:43) - – Why the BDR team reports to marketing
(46:43) - – The link between brand, content, and pipeline
(51:43) - – Leading with vulnerability and the “long game”

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