The Dave Gerhardt Show

Dave Gerhardt
  • 5.0 (1)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Conversations about marketing and business. Hosted by Dave Gerhardt (Founder of Exit Five, Former CMO). If you work in marketing check out exitfive.com

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    From Comms at Zoom to VP of Marketing at Neat, with Priscilla Barolo

    #302 Growth | Dave is joined by Priscilla Barolo, former head of comms at Zoom (for nearly 10 years, including the pandemic) and current VP of Marketing at Neat, an Oslo-based video tech company. Neat’s tech is used around the world from major enterprises like Atlassian to the White House. With a decade-long career at Zoom, including during its hypergrowth through the pandemic, Priscilla is a master in communications and B2B marketing leadership. Dave and Priscilla cover: The path from communications to marketing leadershipUnique challenges of marketing a physical product in the B2B tech spaceBuilding and scaling a global marketing team at a high-growth, remote-first company Join 50,000 people who get our Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/ *** Today’s episode is brought to you by Paramark. It’s November. 2026 planning is already here. And the stuff you’re doing right now will decide how next year plays out.  But here’s the problem: most teams are still planning next year's marketing strategy based on the WRONG DATA because of broken attribution and a misleading gut feel.  And you can’t make smart budget calls if you’re just guessing what’s working, what’s not, and where to put your next dollar. That’s where Paramark comes in. They help you replace the guesswork with actual insight backed by $2 billion in analyzed marketing data. They’ve figured out what actually drives incremental growth across every channel including LinkedIn, Meta, TikTok, Google, CTV, even OOH. And right now, they’re offering a private 1:1 consultation with their CEO and CMO, Pranav and Sam, who have led marketing teams at companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Microsoft, and Shutterfly.  In this 45-minute strategy session, they’ll help you measure the real impact of every marketing dollar, pull insights from your current media mix, and design a 2026 roadmap that’s rooted in data, not gut. This is a heck of an offer. And it’s real. And will go fast. So if you want to future-proof your marketing strategy for 2026, don’t miss out on this offer. Grab your spot at paramark.com/brand-consult. *** Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production. They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more

    47 min

  2. 6 DAYS AGO

    Why Marketing Is Back In The Driver Seat (with Maura Rivera, CMO at Qualified)

    #310 Leadership & Strategy | I sat down with Maura Rivera, CMO at Qualified, to talk about what it’s like leading marketing at one company for six years (and why most of her team has been there just as long). We got into how product launches are the glue that hold their marketing together, what agentic marketing really means for the future, why outbound is actually working for them right now, and how events have become a huge part of their strategy. Plus, plenty of good banter along the way. Watch this episode on YouTube on my channel: https://youtu.be/4tew-Q89Fms Timestamps (00:00) - — Intro & setup: Marketing’s back in the driver seat (03:32) - — Work, life, and moving from Boston to Vermont (07:07) - — Competitors, community, and the small-world CMO circle (12:37) - — How Maura’s Salesforce roots shaped Qualified (15:07) - — Working for a CEO who actually gets marketing (19:07) - — Lessons from startup life & learning every part of marketing (22:07) - — Building the right team and hiring people smarter than you (29:07) - — Why product launches are the heartbeat of marketing (43:53) - — Agentic marketing, events, and AI at Qualified (55:53) - — The future of marketing and why it’s back on top Join 50,000 people who get our Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/ *** Today’s episode is brought to you by Paramark. It’s November. 2026 planning is already here. And the stuff you’re doing right now will decide how next year plays out.  But here’s the problem: most teams are still planning next year's marketing strategy based on the WRONG DATA because of broken attribution and a misleading gut feel.  And you can’t make smart budget calls if you’re just guessing what’s working, what’s not, and where to put your next dollar. That’s where Paramark comes in. They help you replace the guesswork with actual insight backed by $2 billion in analyzed marketing data. They’ve figured out what actually drives incremental growth across every channel including LinkedIn, Meta, TikTok, Google, CTV, even OOH. And right now, they’re offering a private 1:1 consultation with their CEO and CMO, Pranav and Sam, who have led marketing teams at companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Microsoft, and Shutterfly.  In this 45-minute strategy session, they’ll help you measure the real impact of every marketing dollar, pull insights from your current media mix, and design a 2026 roadmap that’s rooted in data, not gut. This is a heck of an offer. And it’s real. And will go fast. So if you want to future-proof your marketing strategy for 2026, don’t miss out on this offer. Grab your spot at paramark.com/brand-consult. *** Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production. They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more

    1h 3m

  3. 3 NOV

    What Your Messaging is Missing: How to Close the Meaning Gap (with Diane Wiredu, Founder of Lion Words)

    #300 Drive | This episode is from Drive 2025, our 2-day in-person event for B2B marketers in Burlington, VT. It features Diane Wiredu, Founder of Lion Words and expert in B2B messaging and positioning. She shared a killer talk on “What Your Messaging Is Missing,” breaking down why most B2B copy sounds the same and how to close the meaning gap by focusing on clarity, balance, and buyer context. Head over to exitfive.com/drive to join the waitlist for Drive 2026 and be the first to know when tickets go on sale. Timestamps (00:00) - – Intro from Dave (02:52) - – What “message-market fit” actually means (05:22) - – Why most B2B messaging misses (09:27) - – The “meaning gap” and why it happens (14:12) - – Balancing clarity, emotion, and differentiation (19:37) - – How to simplify complex products (26:33) - – Examples of messaging that actually resonates (32:03) - – How to pressure-test your messaging (38:18) - – Aligning teams around a clear message (44:03) - – Turning insights into copy that converts (49:13) - – Q&A: internal buy-in, testing, next steps Join 50,000 people who get our Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/ *** Today’s episode is brought to you by Paramark. It’s November. 2026 planning is already here. And the stuff you’re doing right now will decide how next year plays out.  But here’s the problem: most teams are still planning next year's marketing strategy based on the WRONG DATA because of broken attribution and a misleading gut feel.  And you can’t make smart budget calls if you’re just guessing what’s working, what’s not, and where to put your next dollar. That’s where Paramark comes in. They help you replace the guesswork with actual insight backed by $2 billion in analyzed marketing data. They’ve figured out what actually drives incremental growth across every channel including LinkedIn, Meta, TikTok, Google, CTV, even OOH. And right now, they’re offering a private 1:1 consultation with their CEO and CMO, Pranav and Sam, who have led marketing teams at companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Microsoft, and Shutterfly.  In this 45-minute strategy session, they’ll help you measure the real impact of every marketing dollar, pull insights from your current media mix, and design a 2026 roadmap that’s rooted in data, not gut. This is a heck of an offer. And it’s real. And will go fast. So if you want to future-proof your marketing strategy for 2026, don’t miss out on this offer. Grab your spot at paramark.com/brand-consult. *** Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production. They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more

    52 min

  4. 30 OCT

    GTM Growth Decoded: 100 Companies, 3 Stages, 1 System with Sangram Vajre, Co-Founder & CEO of GTM Partners

    #299 Drive | This episode is from Drive 2025, our 2 day in-person event for B2B marketers in Burlington, VT. Our first speaker was Sangram Vajre, Co-founder and CEO of GTM Partners and expert in GTM strategy. He shared a great session on building a repeatable GTM Operating System for sustainable growth, offering insight from 100 companies on what separates teams that scale from those that stall. Head over to exitfive.com/drive to join the waitlist for Drive 2026 and be the first to know when tickets go on sale. Timestamps (00:00) - – Intro from Dave (03:07) - – Sangram’s background + setup (05:07) - – What GTM really means (12:02) - – The 3 stages of GTM maturity (12:27) - – Why NRR is the key metric (21:07) - – The “boring marketing” advantage (27:53) - – How to say no and prioritize (29:53) - – Why GTM alignment beats tactics (33:53) - – Building your GTM Operating System (36:13) - – Q&A: GTM alignment, discovery, growth Join 50,000 people who get our Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/ *** Today’s episode is brought to you by Paramark. It’s November. 2026 planning is already here. And the stuff you’re doing right now will decide how next year plays out.  But here’s the problem: most teams are still planning next year's marketing strategy based on the WRONG DATA because of broken attribution and a misleading gut feel.  And you can’t make smart budget calls if you’re just guessing what’s working, what’s not, and where to put your next dollar. That’s where Paramark comes in. They help you replace the guesswork with actual insight backed by $2 billion in analyzed marketing data. They’ve figured out what actually drives incremental growth across every channel including LinkedIn, Meta, TikTok, Google, CTV, even OOH. And right now, they’re offering a private 1:1 consultation with their CEO and CMO, Pranav and Sam, who have led marketing teams at companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Microsoft, and Shutterfly.  In this 45-minute strategy session, they’ll help you measure the real impact of every marketing dollar, pull insights from your current media mix, and design a 2026 roadmap that’s rooted in data, not gut. This is a heck of an offer. And it’s real. And will go fast. So if you want to future-proof your marketing strategy for 2026, don’t miss out on this offer. Grab your spot at paramark.com/brand-consult. *** Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production. They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more

    50 min

  5. 27 OCT

    I Answered 15 Questions About Work and Life from the Exit Five Team

    #298 Q&A | OK I asked my team for some questions; a bit of a mailbag type of episode. So I sat down solo for this one and answered 15 questions from the Exit Five team about work, life, marketing, and everything in between. We got into everything from my daily routine and how I think about LinkedIn, to the best career advice I’ve ever gotten, what I’m reading, and a few personal stories I’ve never shared before. Watch this episode on YouTube on my channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyagkJf6xHw&t=508s Timestamps (00:00) - – Intro (03:07) - – What’s your LinkedIn content creation process? (05:52) - – How often do you check Slack and email? (06:52) - – What are you reading or listening to right now? (10:22) - – What does a perfect day look like for you? (12:22) - – Tell your life story in four minutes. (13:07) - – If you could gain any quality or ability, what would it be? (17:07) - – What’s your most embarrassing work moment? (19:53) - – What’s your favorite all-time book and why? (20:53) - – What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received? (23:13) - – What motivates you when you’re feeling unmotivated? (24:18) - – If you could transform into any animal, what would you choose? (24:53) - – What are your biggest pet peeves? (26:43) - – Which team member would you swap lives with for a day? (27:53) - – What’s your go-to karaoke song? (28:28) - – If you weren’t running Exit Five, what job would you have? (30:08) - – Wrap-up & closing Join 50,000 people who get our Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/ *** Today’s episode is brought to you by Paramark. It’s November. 2026 planning is already here. And the stuff you’re doing right now will decide how next year plays out.  But here’s the problem: most teams are still planning next year's marketing strategy based on the WRONG DATA because of broken attribution and a misleading gut feel.  And you can’t make smart budget calls if you’re just guessing what’s working, what’s not, and where to put your next dollar. That’s where Paramark comes in. They help you replace the guesswork with actual insight backed by $2 billion in analyzed marketing data. They’ve figured out what actually drives incremental growth across every channel including LinkedIn, Meta, TikTok, Google, CTV, even OOH. And right now, they’re offering a private 1:1 consultation with their CEO and CMO, Pranav and Sam, who have led marketing teams at companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Microsoft, and Shutterfly.  In this 45-minute strategy session, they’ll help you measure the real impact of every marketing dollar, pull insights from your current media mix, and design a 2026 roadmap that’s rooted in data, not gut. This is a heck of an offer. And it’s real. And will go fast. So if you want to future-proof your marketing strategy for 2026, don’t miss out on this offer. Grab your spot at paramark.com/brand-consult. *** Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production. They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more

    34 min

  6. 23 OCT

    From Growth Marketer to CMO: How Kelly Cheng Leads Marketing at Goldcast

    #297 Leadership | I sat down with Kelly Cheng, CMO at Goldcast, to talk about her path from growth marketer to marketing leader, how she’s built and scaled Goldcast’s marketing org, the shift from PLG to sales-led, and why she believes great CMOs play the long game. Timestamps (00:00) - – Intro (04:07) - – Kelly’s path from Hong Kong to Boston (07:07) - – Joining Goldcast and the PLG pivot (10:07) - – Moving from growth marketer to CMO (13:07) - – The role of mentors in her career (21:07) - – Questions to ask before taking a CMO role (28:53) - – Inside Goldcast’s marketing org structure (34:53) - – How Kelly measures brand and mindshare (41:53) - – Why the BDR team reports to marketing (47:53) - – The link between brand, content, and pipeline (52:53) - – Leading with vulnerability and the “long game” Join 50,000 people who get our Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/ *** Today’s episode is brought to you by Paramark. It’s November. 2026 planning is already here. And the stuff you’re doing right now will decide how next year plays out.  But here’s the problem: most teams are still planning next year's marketing strategy based on the WRONG DATA because of broken attribution and a misleading gut feel.  And you can’t make smart budget calls if you’re just guessing what’s working, what’s not, and where to put your next dollar. That’s where Paramark comes in. They help you replace the guesswork with actual insight backed by $2 billion in analyzed marketing data. They’ve figured out what actually drives incremental growth across every channel including LinkedIn, Meta, TikTok, Google, CTV, even OOH. And right now, they’re offering a private 1:1 consultation with their CEO and CMO, Pranav and Sam, who have led marketing teams at companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Microsoft, and Shutterfly.  In this 45-minute strategy session, they’ll help you measure the real impact of every marketing dollar, pull insights from your current media mix, and design a 2026 roadmap that’s rooted in data, not gut. This is a heck of an offer. And it’s real. And will go fast. So if you want to future-proof your marketing strategy for 2026, don’t miss out on this offer. Grab your spot at paramark.com/brand-consult. *** Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production. They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more

    59 min

  7. 20 OCT

    Live from LGA my NYC Recap

    Hey it's me live from the airport, LGA to be exact. Sorry for the poor audio, my AirPods make it way worse than just talking into the phone, now I know. But we cleaned it up a bit. Recapping our NYC event if you missed it, talking about the ROI of hanging out in person and what's next. Join 50,000 people who get our Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/ *** Today’s episode is brought to you by Paramark. It’s November. 2026 planning is already here. And the stuff you’re doing right now will decide how next year plays out.  But here’s the problem: most teams are still planning next year's marketing strategy based on the WRONG DATA because of broken attribution and a misleading gut feel.  And you can’t make smart budget calls if you’re just guessing what’s working, what’s not, and where to put your next dollar. That’s where Paramark comes in. They help you replace the guesswork with actual insight backed by $2 billion in analyzed marketing data. They’ve figured out what actually drives incremental growth across every channel including LinkedIn, Meta, TikTok, Google, CTV, even OOH. And right now, they’re offering a private 1:1 consultation with their CEO and CMO, Pranav and Sam, who have led marketing teams at companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Microsoft, and Shutterfly.  In this 45-minute strategy session, they’ll help you measure the real impact of every marketing dollar, pull insights from your current media mix, and design a 2026 roadmap that’s rooted in data, not gut. This is a heck of an offer. And it’s real. And will go fast. So if you want to future-proof your marketing strategy for 2026, don’t miss out on this offer. Grab your spot at paramark.com/brand-consult. *** Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production. They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more

    11 min

  8. 20 OCT

    Mastering Messaging, Copy, and Clarity with Emma Stratton

    #295 Messaging | Dave is joined by Emma Stratton, founder of Punchy, where she helps B2B tech companies sharpen their positioning and write messaging that actually connects. Emma’s worked with hundreds of teams to cut through vague, abstract copy and turn it into language buyers instantly get. Dave and Emma cover: How to go from vague to punchy using specificity and buyer empathyWhy most B2B messaging blends into the “sea of sameness” (and how to stand out)How customer research and real conversations create message–market fitThey wrap with a candid chat on journaling, focus, and how managing your mental energy can make you a better marketer and human. Timestamps (00:00) - – Intro to Emma (05:12) - – What makes B2B messaging actually good (08:54) - – Common messaging mistakes (and why “clarity > clever”) (11:52) - – Positioning vs. messaging: what’s the difference? (16:05) - – Why it’s hard to name great B2B marketing examples (18:29) - – How to sharpen weak messaging and fix vague positioning statements (21:37) - – Simplifying complex products without dumbing it down (24:47) - – How to write for buyers (not just execs) (30:05) - – Using customer interviews and research to build strong messaging (34:43) - – Standing out in a crowded, buzzword-filled market (37:27) - – How storytelling fits into B2B messaging (40:33) - – Messaging advice for early-stage founders and startups (43:48) - – How often should you revisit and update messaging? (45:58) - – Productivity, managing your energy, and staying focused (49:13) - – Journaling, mindfulness, and being intentional with your time (53:08) - – Final takeaways Join 50,000 people who get our Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/ *** Today’s episode is brought to you by Paramark. It’s November. 2026 planning is already here. And the stuff you’re doing right now will decide how next year plays out.  But here’s the problem: most teams are still planning next year's marketing strategy based on the WRONG DATA because of broken attribution and a misleading gut feel.  And you can’t make smart budget calls if you’re just guessing what’s working, what’s not, and where to put your next dollar. That’s where Paramark comes in. They help you replace the guesswork with actual insight backed by $2 billion in analyzed marketing data. They’ve figured out what actually drives incremental growth across every channel including LinkedIn, Meta, TikTok, Google, CTV, even OOH. And right now, they’re offering a private 1:1 consultation with their CEO and CMO, Pranav and Sam, who have led marketing teams at companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Microsoft, and Shutterfly.  In this 45-minute strategy session, they’ll help you measure the real impact of every marketing dollar, pull insights from your current media mix, and design a 2026 roadmap that’s rooted in data, not gut. This is a heck of an offer. And it’s real. And will go fast. So if you want to future-proof your marketing strategy for 2026, don’t miss out on this offer. Grab your spot at paramark.com/brand-consult. *** Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production. They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more

    55 min
See All (313)

About

Conversations about marketing and business. Hosted by Dave Gerhardt (Founder of Exit Five, Former CMO). If you work in marketing check out exitfive.com

Information

  • Creator
    Dave Gerhardt
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    313
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Dave Gerhardt
  • Show Website
    The Dave Gerhardt Show

You Might Also Like