The Exit Five CMO Podcast (Hosted by Dave Gerhardt)

Amanda Natividad, VP of Marketing at SparkToro and a former journalist, shares her insights on balancing work and family after returning from parental leave. She discusses the evolving landscape of B2B marketing, emphasizing effective email strategies and optimizing LinkedIn for engagement. Natividad also reflects on career aspirations, the path to a CMO role, and the newfound joy of working as a team of one. Lastly, she highlights the importance of prioritizing happiness over financial gains in today's marketing environment.

Join Ding Zheng, co-founder of EventShark, as he brings his charisma to a lively celebration of the Exit Five community. The team reflects on their impressive growth, revealing that focusing on community as a product led to nearly 80% growth. They dive into the hottest B2B marketing topics for 2024 and teasingly preview what's coming in 2025. The fun escalates with games featuring marketing trivia and holiday spirit, revealing insights that make B2B marketing both engaging and entertaining!

Gurdeep Dhillon, CMO at ContentStack, brings a wealth of experience from giants like SAP and Adobe. In this conversation, he emphasizes the shift from lead generation to prioritizing brand and reputation. Gurdeep discusses the evolving role of demand generation and shares proven strategies for creating urgency in closing enterprise sales. He also highlights the importance of boldness in marketing strategies and how effective team structures can drive growth in the dynamic digital landscape.

This discussion introduces a powerful mental model for marketers: the GM vs. Player mindset. Think like a General Manager to create leverage and tackle big opportunities. Learn how to prioritize resources and shift from merely doing the work to orchestrating impactful plays. Discover why rapid lead response is crucial in B2B sales, with insights on automating scheduling to enhance efficiency. Embrace strategic investment in platforms to boost growth and drive results in your marketing efforts.

Peter Mahoney, Chief Commercial Officer at GoTo and author of The Next CMO, shares his insights on creating high-performing marketing organizations. He outlines 10 essential guidelines, emphasizing alignment with strategy, financial models, and accountability. Mahoney discusses the significance of clear roles and lean teams for effective leadership. He also touches on strategic hiring decisions, likening them to layoffs, and the importance of building a robust CMO operating system to adapt to market changes.

John Short, CEO of Compound Growth Marketing, and Kym Parker, SVP of Media Strategy, share their expertise on maximizing paid spend for B2B marketing. They discuss why choosing the right media strategy is crucial and debunk the $100 CPL myth. The duo emphasizes actionable reporting and the importance of qualification for ABM success. They also explore multi-channel approaches, tailoring messaging for buying committees, and navigating bidding algorithms to optimize marketing efficiency. Their insights are game-changers for marketers aiming for growth in 2025.

In this episode, we’re delivering another B2B marketing lesson in under 10 minutes.Matthew Carnevale, Marketing Manager at Exit Five, breaks down the story behind the best ad he’s ever created—one that generated $77,822 in MRR over two years. Spoiler: it wasn’t fancy production or clever wordplay. The secret? Raw, undeniable social proof.Matthew shares why raw social proof, like screenshots, before-and-after results, and authentic testimonials, outperforms polished case studies or logos. By the end, you’ll know how to gather and use social proof effectively to make your marketing efforts stand out and drive real results. Send guest pitches and ideas to hi@exitfive.comJoin the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterCheck out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***Today’s episode is brought to you by Walnut.Why are we pouring all this effort into marketing just to push buyers to a “request a demo” or “contact sales” button?Come on, today’s buyers don’t want to talk to sales right away. They want to explore your product themselves, see how it works, and understand its value before booking a meeting.That’s where Walnut comes in.Walnut empowers marketers and GTM teams to create interactive, self-guided product experiences in minutes. Embed these experiences on your site, in emails, or anywhere in your funnel to let buyers engage on their terms, from awareness to close and beyond. That's the beauty of Walnut - you're getting a platform that your sales and CS colleagues can use to showcase the product too.And the best part? You get real intent data—see which features prospects love, where they drop off, and what’s actually driving pipeline. Demo Qualified Leads are the new MQL.Over 500 companies, like Adobe and NetApp, use Walnut to drive 2-3x higher website conversion rates and 7 figures in pipeline on a yearly basis. So do you want to drive more leads, shorten sales cycles, and actually show your product instead of hiding it behind another typical B2B CTA? Go check out Walnut.io. And if you tell them Dave from Exit 5 sent you, they'll build out your first demo for free!

Ross Simmonds, Founder and CEO of Foundation & Distribution.ai, shares valuable insights on content marketing and distribution strategies. He introduces the mantra "create once, distribute forever" to enhance marketing efficiency. Ross discusses blending educational and engaging content to captivate audiences. He emphasizes leveraging platforms like LinkedIn and Reddit, providing tactical distribution tips, and the importance of authenticity in communications. Additionally, he reveals how embracing AI can optimize content strategies and enhance audience engagement.

Sylvia Lepoidevin, CMO at Kandji, shares her remarkable ascent from employee #4 to CMO, showcasing her expertise in marketing leadership. She discusses how AI is revolutionizing team efficiency and fostering smaller, agile groups. Sylvia also emphasizes the significance of effective internal marketing strategies to energize cross-functional teams. Her insights on storytelling in meetings and the successful launch of campaigns provide valuable lessons for aspiring marketers, highlighting the power of collaboration in driving brand growth.

Learn how to captivate your audience instantly with the Billboard Test! Discover the key elements of concise messaging, eye-catching visuals, and unforgettable creativity that marketers need. Uncover the urgent necessity for faster lead response times in B2B sales, and how automation can enhance engagement. By mastering these strategies, your marketing efforts will stand out even in today's fast-paced digital landscape.