The Exit Five CMO Podcast (Hosted by Dave Gerhardt)

From Employee #4 to CMO: The Path to Marketing Leadership with Sylvia Lepoidevin, CMO at Kandji

Sep 18, 2025

Sylvia Lepoidevin, CMO at Kandji, shares her inspiring journey from employee #4 to leading a company worth $850M. She dives into the revolutionizing role of AI in marketing, enabling smaller, more efficient teams. Sylvia discusses strategies for impactful internal marketing, emphasizing storytelling to engage cross-functional teams. She also explores product-led growth strategies and the importance of aligning team autonomy with employer branding to drive success. Her insights into scaling and creative campaigns are both practical and motivating.

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ANECDOTE

From Employee #4 To CMO

Sylvia joined Kandji as employee #4 and grew with the company to become CMO over five years.
She experienced rapid company growth from a tiny startup to a 300-person business valued at $850M.

ADVICE

Reinvent From Doer To Leader

Move from execution into leadership by developing self-awareness and communication skills.
Prioritize how you show up as a leader rather than only focusing on tactical work.

ADVICE

Show Up For Internal Marketing

Do internal marketing: attend team meetings and present compelling stories, not status reports.
Use storytelling to get cross-functional buy-in and prompt people to volunteer help.

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#285 Marketing Leadership | In this episode, Dave is joined by Sylvia Lepoidevin, CMO of Kandji, a leading platform for managing and securing Apple devices in the workplace. Sylvia shares her journey from employee #4 to CMO at Kandji, driving the company’s growth to a $850M valuation. She talks about her experience building efficient marketing teams, leveraging AI, and creating impactful brand experiences.

Dave and Sylvia cover:

How AI is reshaping marketing roles and enabling smaller, more efficient teams
Strategies for internal marketing that align and energize cross-functional teams
Product launches and creative campaigns for brand-driven growth

Timestamps

(00:00) - - Intro to Sylvia
(04:57) - - From Marketing Hire to CMO
(09:42) - - Understanding Equity and Financial Outcomes
(12:24) - - Wealth and Career Growth
(15:04) - - Why It’s Important to Have a Clear Career Narrative
(19:56) - - Mastering Storytelling in Team Meetings
(23:14) - - How to Engage Your Team
(23:50) - - Leveraging Feedback Loops to Build a Successful Team
(31:06) - - AI Is Enabling Smaller, More Efficient Teams
(34:49) - - AI’s Impact on Marketing
(37:49) - - How Kandji Is Expanding Their Team
(40:40) - - Achieving 10x Growth Through Product-Led Strategies
(44:20) - - Leveraging Competitor and Apple-Specific Keywords
(47:44) - - Minimizing Hiring Risk: Test Roles First

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