On this episode of Getting to Aha!, host Darshan Mehta speaks with Don Polite, Chief Marketing Officer at SKYGEN USA, about the power of customer insights, data, and collaboration in shaping successful marketing strategies. With over 20 years of experience across healthcare, entertainment, and corporate sectors, Don shares how to build effective voice-of-customer programs, drive cross-functional alignment, and turn marketing into a profit center. He introduces his “60-40 Framework” for balancing data with human insight and discusses how to combat survey fatigue, leverage AI responsibly, and secure buy-in from finance and leadership.

Don Polite is a seasoned marketing executive with a track record at companies like Johnson Controls, Abbott, Disney, and Nestlé. He has led multimillion-dollar campaigns, managed high-profile partnerships, and driven strategic transformations. A Northwestern and Kellogg alum, Don is also a board member and guest lecturer, committed to building strong teams and impactful brand experiences.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
👉 Don shares how marketing becomes a strategic growth driver when deeply integrated with finance, product, and sales teams. By establishing regular cross-functional touchpoints, marketers align insights with business goals, enabling better product development and making it easier to secure investment from leadership.
👉 Don outlines his approach to building Voice of Customer programs by starting with subject matter experts. He explains how combining annual deep-dive surveys with real-time touchpoint feedback and always closing the loop with customers ensures trust, participation, and actionable insights across the organization.
👉 Don introduces the “60-40 Approach” to customer insights, balancing 60% quantitative data with 40% qualitative input. He explains that open-ended questions and follow-up conversations reveal critical context, especially in complex B2B environments, leading to more precise product and service improvements.
👉 Don emphasizes the need for diverse, team-oriented marketers who bring curiosity and cross-industry experience. He shares how collaborative mindsets and a “team-first” culture drive innovation, challenge assumptions, and enable continuous improvement across marketing functions.
👉 Don explains how marketers must evolve into organizational evangelists, connecting customer needs with enterprise-wide solutions. This means moving beyond siloed tactics to influence business strategy, unify departments, and demonstrate how marketing insights fuel performance across the full customer journey.

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And connect with the host and guests here:
Darshan Mehta on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/darshan--mehta
iResearch Website - https://iresearch.com
Don Polite on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldpolite/
SKYGEN USA Website - https://www.skygenusa.com/ 

Getting to Aha! with Darshan Mehta is hand crafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Luca Popovac, Senior Executive, Abhilasha Sinha of Open Secret, Laura Beavin-Yates, Stephen Griffiths of Level 2, Kristin Luck or ScaleHouse, Melina Palmer of The Brainy Business, Nicolas Zeisler of We’re Doing CX Wrong and How To Get It Right, Pricilla McKinney of Little Bird Marketing, Brooke Sellas of B Squared Marketing and Joseph Michelli of The Michelli Experience.

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