Renegade Marketers Unite

GenAI now sits inside content workflows, SDR outreach, and competitive intelligence. Marketing teams are seeing real wins and real growing pains, and the open question is where to focus next. To answer that, Drew brings together Kelly Hopping, John McKinney (Cornerstone Licensing), and Brian Hankin (Altium Packaging) to share the AI plays they are running right now and how they're leading the charge. Here's how: In this episode: Kelly shows how AI weaves through content, SDR workflows, web chat, product work, and SEO, plus how OKRs and certifications lift AI fluency across the team. John uses AI agents for competitor tracking, outbound support, and coding, and treats AI as a sparring partner for strategy before it reaches the C suite. Brian runs an AI campaign engine that builds multi-touch programs in minutes and tracks lifts in engagement, qualified leads, proposals, and wins. Plus: How AEO connects to SEO and what needs to shift for LLM-driven discovery How leaders model AI use with internal knowledge bases and cross-functional pilots How to structure AI readiness Where CMOs can start Tune in if you want AI use cases you can put to work now and a clearer view of where to point your team next. For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

When it comes to marketing, everyone has opinions—but few have proof. That's where Professor Byron Sharp steps in. In this episode, Drew sits down with the globally renowned marketing scientist and author of How Brands Grow to unpack what B2B marketers are getting wrong, what they should measure instead, and why focusing only on in-market buyers is a recipe for decline. Byron drops truth bombs on: Why mental availability drives physical availability (not the other way around) How B2B marketers are shooting themselves in the foot with fluffy brand campaigns What to measure if you want to track real progress Why B2B growth takes time—and how to prove it's working Plus, why CMOs should stop pretending that awareness is enough and start earning a place in buyers' brains before they're ready to buy. Whether you're defending your brand budget to a CFO, fighting for longer-term investment, or just trying to grow your share of voice without blowing it all in Q1—this episode delivers the mental fuel (and science) to make your case. To hear the rest of this CMO Huddles Bonus Huddle, visit CMO Huddles Hub on YouTube. For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

Recruiting great marketers is tough work. Sustaining performance, growth, and energy over time demands deliberate choices. Those choices shape the culture, the pace, and the results your team can sustain through whatever comes next. To see how this plays out across very different orgs, Drew talks with Dan Lowden (Blackbird.AI), Marni Puente (SAIC), and Amy King (Relias) about the teams they've built and the systems that keep them performing. They break down who they hire first, how they set structure and expectations, and how coaching, intelligent failure, and AI-supported workflows help people grow and stay motivated. In this episode: Dan builds a lean, senior, hands-on startup team and fosters a test-and-learn culture where people move fast, try new things, and learn together. Marni reshapes a communications-heavy function into a modern marketing org, adding commercial and demand capabilities and aligning work to OKRs and transparent dashboards. Amy leads a marketing reset at Relias, rebuilding leadership and structure, positioning marketing with sales and client care, and modeling vulnerability and continuous learning through change. Plus: Why AI committees, battle buddies, and shared learning loops turn hesitation into confident adoption How OKRs, scorecards, and focused dashboards clarify priorities and tie marketing to revenue outcomes Where intelligent failure helps teams stop low-value work, share lessons, and build trust How competency assessments, surveys, and development plans nurture top performers and future leaders If you're building, inheriting, or leveling up a marketing team, this episode gives you a ton of moves to help it perform, grow, and stay together. For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

Plenty of CMOs reach a point where the fractional model starts to look… intriguing. A little more freedom, a little less 24/7 pressure, and a whole lot of variety. In this episode, Drew brings together three former full-time CMOs who now serve as full-time fractionals: Alan Gonsenhauser (Demand Revenue), Katrina Klier (Sage Strategy Group), and Marshall Poindexter (yorCMO). They get into what it really takes to succeed in the role, from setting expectations with CEOs and boards to choosing the right clients, managing time and scope, and knowing when the fractional model fits and when it is time to move on. In this episode: Alan builds trust fast with structured discovery across leaders and the board, using "three magic wishes" to surface priorities before acting. Katrina ties marketing priorities to financial and board targets so strategy supports existing growth and margin commitments. Marshall differentiates fractional work from consulting, using a simple framework and 90-day sprints to drive execution through in-house teams or agencies. Plus: Narrowing your niche so you attract clients where you create outsized value How to set scope, cadence, and availability so part-time does not quietly become full-time Using process, sprints, and metrics to stay focused when new requests pop up Planning the transition, from mentoring the incoming full-time CMO to creating a clean off-ramp Tune in if you are considering going fractional, hiring a fractional CMO, or just trying to understand how this model fits into the modern CMO career. For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

If your 2026 budget is starting to feel like a no-win puzzle—flat headcount, higher growth expectations, fewer resources—this episode is for you. Craig Moore of Forrester joins Drew to reveal the budgeting mistakes too many B2B CMOs are still making—and what to do instead. From rethinking budget architecture to organizing around business outcomes, Craig shares the frameworks that enable CMOs to go beyond justifying their spend—and start leading the strategic conversation with CEOs, CFOs, and CROs. Get ready to challenge your assumptions, realign your org, and turn your budget into a true lever for growth. In this episode: The big 3 budgeting mistakes CMOs make Why campaign-based budgeting unlocks strategy Areas of volatility in 2026 AI's Role in Budget Planning This is just the first half of one of CMO Huddles monthly Bonus Huddles with B2B marketing strategists. To hear the rest of the conversation with Craig, visit CMO Huddles Hub on YouTube. For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

CMO+ signals a bigger remit: marketing plus another lane the business depends on. Drawing from her CMO+ tenure at Altair, Amy Messano (Thomson Reuters) talks with Drew about how unifying marketing and communications and empowering employees to carry the story from the inside out helped fuel rapid growth and a multibillion-dollar acquisition. She shows how treating earned, owned, and paid as one system and tying internal comms to go-to-market kept everyone aligned on the same promise. In this episode: Centralizing marketing and communications in an engineering-led company Moving from a house of brands to a branded house built around "Only Forward" Linking a consistent brand to investor confidence and deal value Plus: Simplifying product architecture and naming through acquisitions Aligning marketing, PR, AR, and internal comms to tell one story Using listening and clear brand architecture to bring cultures together What CMO+ leadership really requires: new capabilities and a close CEO partnership If you're stepping into CMO+ or stretching beyond marketing's lane, this episode's for you! For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

If you're not transforming, you're getting left behind. That reality makes transformation anything but presto change; it's a mindset shift, sustained motion, and a clear "why" your people can see themselves in. To turn that into visible progress while keeping the ship pointed at a destination the business recognizes, Drew brings together Chris Pieper (ADP), Putney Cloos (Bombora), and David Levy (Foundever) to share how each leads transformation across differently scaled organizations. From making progress visible to earning belief across the org and sustaining momentum through the messy middle, they show how change takes hold. In this episode: Chris pilots with sales champions, proves pipeline impact, and turns small wins into momentum. Putney makes the case for change, maps "scrappy to industrial strength" milestones, and scales what works. David runs parallel lanes to protect the core while building the future, aligning his org to work ambidextrously. Plus: How to make progress visible with simple roadmaps and real milestones. How pilots, quick wins, and pipeline proof bring sales along. Why stopping low-value work frees resources for what matters. What to hire for in ambiguity: people who try new things and move fast. Tune in if you are steering big change and want practical ways to show progress, win belief, and keep momentum through the messy middle. For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

What do you get when you put 100+ B2B CMOs in a room with penguin jokes, tactical breakouts, and a whole lot of strategy talk? Flocking awesomeness. In this special "Drew on Drew" episode, host Drew Neisser recaps the top 10 takeaways from CMO Huddles' second annual Super Huddle, held in Palo Alto in November 2025. From bold positioning and AI orchestration to CMO-CRO alignment and the power of community, these insights are your roadmap to thriving in 2026. Favorite takeaway? Drew wants to know—post it and tag @CMO Huddles on LinkedIn! For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

The best B2B brands don't just tell a story. They live it across every team, channel, and touchpoint. But how do you get everyone aligned — from sales to customer success — without the story getting lost in translation (or buried in features)? That question sits at the center of this conversation, as Drew talks with Marca Armstrong (Sensera Systems) and Caitlin Cassady (Beyond) about how to build a team of company-wide storytellers. From capturing customer language to coaching teams on how to use it, they reveal how to make your story stick—and scale. In this episode: Marca starts with a simple headline story ("build with confidence") and ensures it shows up consistently in every GTM motion. Caitlin turns real customer stories into marketing fuel, using a "so what?" filter to connect features to real outcomes. Together, they treat storytelling as everyone's job, so marketing, sales, and CX all carry the same story. Plus: Measuring story-led work vs. feature blasts Spotting what moves pipeline Keeping language sharp so customer phrasing shows up in deals Making storytelling a team sport across the company If you want a story your customers instantly recognize—no matter who they talk to—this episode gives you the moves to make it happen. For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

When B2B brands try to be everything to everyone, they end up with what Gabie Boko calls a "brand of commas." NetApp chose focus instead: One clear promise the whole company could rally behind and a direct line to business growth. In this episode, Drew sits down with Gabie Boko (NetApp) to unpack how NetApp rallied leadership around Intelligent Data Infrastructure, redefined strategic demand as a shared go-to-market motion, and built alignment from the CEO to sales. Gabie shares how focus, authenticity, and cross-functional trust helped modernize NetApp's story. In this episode: Moving from a "brand of commas" to one durable narrative the company can stand behind for years Choosing Intelligent Data Infrastructure to stay customer-tested and future-proof without falling into AI-washing Defining strategic demand as a company-wide motion that unites marketing, sales, and partners Plus: How NetApp's NFL partnerships built reach and brand lift without massive ad spend How success is measured through share of voice, sentiment, pipeline, and revenue growth How to avoid category-creation detours and free teams from over-branding every product The CMO journey from hope to determination, and how to sequence wins without burning political capital Tune in to learn how one promise and shared accountability reshaped NetApp's story! For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/