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/

In the first 90 days, perception outruns reality. So where will you find the quick, visible wins that turn "new CMO" into "trusted change agent"?  In this episode, Drew sits down with Laura MacGregor (Savvy Marketing Works), Julie Kaplan (Higher Logic), and Julia Goebel to unpack how CMOs convert early pressure into progress, spot quick, visible wins to bank now, and use that goodwill to earn the mandate for bigger changes. How Three CMOs Win the First 90 Days:  Laura listens first, learns the business, and picks intentional early moves that build trust.  Julie starts before Day 1, using interviews to find a wish list and deliver one visible win fast.  Julia anchors early success in data and customer calls to sharpen focus and reveal opportunities.   Plus:  How to align expectations with a marketing maturity matrix and shared success metrics.  Why small conversion gains build credibility while foundational work ramps up.  How to partner with sales, learn from top performers, and scale what works.  Why customer conversations beat inherited assumptions every time.  Stepping into a new CMO role? This episode shows how to turn early pressure into wins that build lasting momentum.  For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

By the time you implement "best practices," they've become boring practices, and B2B sure doesn't mean boring to business. In this episode, Drew talks with Udi Ledergor (Gong), author of Courageous Marketing, the book that challenges B2B marketers to stop playing it safe. Together, they explore what it means to lead with creativity, confidence, and courage. Udi also shares how Gong earned attention by building an audience that wanted to engage, not just be targeted. With every executive, from the CEO to the CFO, invested in the story, marketing became a company-wide advantage instead of a department.  Three B2B Marketing Traps Udi Warns Against:  Following industry best practices instead of breaking them  Letting marketing own brand alone  Hiring for experience over potential Plus:  The punch-above-your-weight framework that makes a startup look enterprise-ready  Why brand must be led by the CEO and modeled across the exec team  How to hire for curiosity, learning speed, and potential  How to sell the 95–5 content mindset to your CEO and CFO If you're done blending in, this conversation will remind you why courage still wins in B2B. Udi will be speaking at the CMO Super Huddle in Palo Alto on November 7th, 2025. All attendees will receive a complimentary copy of his book, Courageous Marketing, and can get it signed in the morning!  For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

Most marketing books promise tips. Scalable Acts of Marketing shows you how to build a system that scales.  Written after thirteen years of helping grow Service Express from $30 million to $350 million in ARR, Joshua Leatherman's field-tested guide blends a business fable with a hands-on playbook. In this episode, Joshua Leatherman (Cyderes) joins Drew to walk through how durable growth happens when marketing speaks in outcomes, earns executive trust, and runs one motion across brand, demand, sales, and success. He connects the fable's lessons to real-world moves inside growth-stage companies, laying out a playbook any marketing leader can use to build momentum that lasts. In this episode:  How to shift from activities to outcomes that a CFO and CRO will back  How to own pipeline with clear SQO definitions, shared attribution, and consistent follow-up  How to stand up RevOps as "Switzerland," with shared KPIs, fast handoffs, and five-minute speed-to-lead targets Plus:  Why marketing must stay on the field after the first meeting  How to use R&D ("rip off and duplicate") to accelerate playbooks  What to hire for right now: Curiosity, learning velocity, and accountability  How authoritative content fuels discovery in an AI-led world If you're ready to build a marketing system that earns trust, investment, and results, this episode shows where to start!  For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

There are a lot of worries in B2B right now. AI, tight budgets, shifting search. The one that should sit near the top? Disconnected campaigns. Scattered themes, mixed messages, disconnected plays. Buyers can't follow the story and impact fades fast. Integrated campaigns fix that. In this episode, Drew brings together Kelly Hopping (Demandbase), Scott Morris (Sprout Social), and Marni Carmichael (ImageSource) to share how they make integration work at their companies. You'll hear how one story aligns teams, builds momentum over quarters, and stays on track with shared goals and tight handoffs. By the end, you'll come away with different ways to align message, motion, and measurement behind one story. In this episode: Kelly shares how company and pipeline goals set the theme, channels, partner plays, and internal enablement. Scott explains how a hub-and-spoke campaign model unites brand and demand, and how quarterly launches turn features into a full-funnel motion. Marni shares how tight SDR handoffs, quick follow ups, and clear SLAs keep campaigns from stalling in the field. Plus: How to set one message that adapts by persona without splintering the story How to plan one quarter ahead so execution and enablement stay in sync What to measure from awareness through to deal conversion When to bring partners and customers into the narrative to lift conversion It's time to align every effort into connected campaigns that build momentum. Tune in! For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

If you're reacting more than leading, it's time to rethink your strategy mindset. Michael Watkins joins Drew Neisser to explore how CMOs can evolve from tactical executors to strategic leaders. Hear how to develop enterprise thinking, lead across silos, and apply Watkins' RPM model to every level of your marketing org. Want more? Check out the rest of the conversation on YouTube. What You'll Learn How to apply the RPM (Recognize, Prioritize, Mobilize) model to level up strategic thinking The difference between enterprise leadership and functional execution Why most marketers struggle with long-term thinking—and how to fix it  For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

Wearing the CMO+ hat rewires the role. You pick up a second lane, your calendar tightens, and perceptions shift from "just the marketer," a label no one should wear, to business leader.   The path is demanding, but when the plus lines up with company priorities and earns trust across the business, the impact is unmistakable.   In this episode, Drew sits down with Sandy Ono, EVP and CMO at OpenText, who leads global marketing across ten business units while also owning partnerships and alliances. She treats both as one go-to-market, aligning partners and the field around a single story, running the forecast together, and keeping a steady rhythm so co-selling and co-marketing stay aimed at the same targets.  Three Actions Behind Sandy's CMO+ Success: Mindset: Claim growth as the job and step closer to revenue through partnerships  Skillset: Learn forecasting, deal construction, and the weekly rigor of partner sales  Toolset: Build the operating rhythm that connects co-selling, co-marketing, and accountability at scale  Plus:  How to choose a plus that aligns with company growth priorities  How to juggle both roles with capacity planning and clear priorities  How to protect brand integrity while telling a shared story with partners  How to measure progress with sourced pipeline, influenced revenue, retention, and feedback loops into product Weighing a plus or already living one? You'll find proven moves here.   If you're a B2B CMO, you can meet Sandy and another 100 incredible marketing leaders at the CMO Super Huddle in Palo Alto, California on November 6th and 7th. She'll be speaking on a panel about how CMOs are leading the charge with GenAI.  For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

"How are we going to show up in LLMs?"  That's the new CEO question keeping B2B CMOs on alert. As AI-powered search reshapes how buyers find answers, B2B brands need a new organic strategy—Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). In this episode, Drew Neisser brings together two AEO trailblazers: Guy Yalif (Webflow) and Omer Gotlieb (Salespeak). Together, they tackle what it really takes to earn your place in AI answers. Forget keyword stuffing—this is about understanding how LLMs ingest, rank, and cite information, and how B2B marketers can respond now. You'll learn how to earn placement in AI-generated answers by mastering the four pillars of AEO: Content: Answer real buyer questions clearly and concisely.  Technical: Make your site machine-readable.  Authority: Earn credibility where buyers AND models are looking.  Measurement: Track share of voice across critical questions, then iterate. Also in this episode:  What LLMs want—but often can't find—on B2B websites  How to build a question-driven content strategy using sales calls, support tickets, and win-loss data.  Why share of voice (across buyer questions) is the new metric for AI visibility.  How to serve two audiences at once: humans and machines  📌 Whether you're losing traffic to AI summaries or just trying to future-proof your content strategy, this episode is your practical playbook for showing up when it matters most.  Join us at 2025's CMO Super Huddle on November 7th in Palo Alto, where Webflow is a founding sponsor. In a panel on AEO, Guy will share how to get your brand found in AI-powered answers—plus, attendees will receive personalized AEO assessments.  For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

If you think AI is about flashy tools or abstract futures, think again. In this solo Huddles Quick Take, CMO Huddles founder Drew Neisser shares a pragmatic look at how B2B marketing leaders are actually using GenAI to drive results today—and what still gets in the way. From nurturing "vibe coders" to prompt libraries to CFO briefings, Drew maps out four essential areas where GenAI is already reshaping the work of modern CMOs. Plus, he offers a sharp reminder: If you're not leading the charge, someone else will. What You'll Learn:  4 practical ways B2B CMOs are using GenAI now  The role of "marketing MacGyvers" in early adoption  Why GenAI rollouts fail without training and clear use cases  A smarter way to evaluate AI tools—without bloating your stack  For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

CMO tenure is a hot topic. Everyone wants to know the secret to staying power.    One proven path is stepping out of the narrow marketing lane and showing up as more than the title suggests. Call it CMO+.  The challenge is figuring out what your "plus" will be and how to put it into practice. To help you understand what CMO+ looks like in action, Nikhil Chawla (Resilience), Isabelle Papoulias (EliteOps), and Ali McCarthy (Amplify Your Voice Studio) share their own pluses, how they discovered them, and what changed when they leaned in. Each story is different, but the theme is the same: Credibility grows when CMOs contribute in ways that extend beyond marketing. In this episode:  Nikhil on adding customer voice as his plus, linking post-sale and product, and feeding live feedback into roadmap and revenue calls.  Isabelle on bringing operations into marketing, using V2MOM to align goals, resources, and execution across sales, enablement, finance, and ops.  Ali on leading with emotional intelligence, coaching leaders to read the room, ease friction, and keep teams focused on the customer journey.  Plus:  How to spot the plus that fits both your strengths and your company's needs  Why credibility comes from saying yes to the right opportunities  The link between curiosity, influence, and long-term career resilience  How CMOs expand their impact without burning out If you're ready to grow your role beyond marketing, this one's for you!  For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

Every CMO wants alignment with their CEO. But all too frequently, things go sideways. It turns into chasing growth at any cost, drowning in acronyms, or scrambling to justify marketing's seat at the revenue table. What if the real secret isn't louder advocacy, but clearer translation, seeing the world the way your CEO does?  That's the perspective Rohini Kasturi brings as CEO of HG Insights. Fresh off two bold acquisitions in just a few months, HG Insights is redefining revenue growth intelligence and giving CMOs a new way to frame growth, retention, and efficiency. Rohini's advice: Stop playing defense on budget lines and start leading with business outcomes. In this episode:  How CMOs can connect their work to the three CEO obsessions: Growth, retention, and efficiency  Why spotting churn signals early matters as much as chasing pipeline  What it takes to balance efficiency with agility… without cutting corners Plus:  The role of revenue growth intelligence in shaping GTM strategy  How acquiring TrustRadius and MadKudu expands HG Insights' platform  Why every marketing move should tie back to revenue, even on a longer timeline  What CMOs gain by learning to speak the language of the boardroom If you want to know how CEOs really think and how CMOs can match them step for step, this one's for you! BONUS: HG Insights is THE Official GTM Partner of CMO Huddles and one of the Founding Sponsors of the 2025's CMO Super Huddle in Palo Alto. Rohini will join for a panel on The Future of GTM. With sharp strategic insight and deep empathy for the CMO's ever-evolving role, Rohini offers a rare CEO perspective on what it takes to drive smarter, more connected growth in 2025 and beyond.  For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/