CMO Journeys

Christian Banach
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Marketing

CMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin featuring conversations with the marketing leaders behind today’s most recognizable brands, including Princess Cruises, White Castle, and Ruby Tuesday. Hosted by Christian Banach, Founder and Chief Growth Officer of NextBigWin, each episode explores the personal and professional journeys that brought today’s CMOs to the C-suite — from the pivotal career decisions and mentors that shaped them to the lessons learned along the way. The conversation then turns to the realities of leading modern marketing organizations, including the mandates CMOs are driving inside their companies and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners. Through candid discussions, CMO Journeys gives agency leaders, marketers, and industry professionals a behind-the-scenes look at how modern CMOs build teams, shape brands, drive growth, and partner with the organizations helping bring their strategies to life.

  1. 4d ago

    Andrea Schwenk, CMO of Egglife Foods: Scaling a Challenger Brand With Focus and Discipline

    Andrea Schwenk, Chief Marketing Officer at Egglife Foods, joins CMO Journeys to discuss how she helped shape the brand from an early-stage challenger into a growing CPG platform. Her perspective is valuable for marketers and agency leaders because she brings experience across agencies, restaurants, spirits, retail, hospitality, and better-for-you food innovation. What the Conversation Covers • Andrea’s early interest in architecture, journalism, and advertising, and how those experiences shaped her balance of creativity and business discipline. • Her path from agency roles to brand-side leadership, including what agency experience taught her about building stronger client-agency partnerships. • How Egglife built its brand around one core product line before expanding into pasta, grab-and-go breakfast products, and new retail channels. • Why focus, discipline, and prioritization are essential as a challenger brand balances awareness, innovation, retail velocity, and budget constraints. • Andrea’s approach to agency partnerships, including how specialized partners, clear roles, transparency, and curiosity help support a fast-evolving business. Guest Bio Andrea Schwenk is Chief Marketing Officer at Egglife Foods, a protein-forward food company reimagining flour-based staples with eggs as the foundation. She first joined the company as VP of Marketing and has helped guide its evolution from a focused wrap brand into a broader food platform. Her background includes agency work, restaurant marketing, spirits, hospitality, CPG, and challenger brand growth. About the Podcast CMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

  2. Jul 3

    Dan Eisenberg, CMO of Blue Chip: Why Agency Growth Starts With Trust

    Dan Eisenberg, CMO and Partner at Blue Chip, joins CMO Journeys to discuss agency growth, client relationships, and the connection between brand building and business development. His perspective is especially valuable for agency leaders because he has spent his career helping agencies grow through trust, thought leadership, and stronger client partnerships. What the Conversation Covers • Dan’s early path from Los Angeles to Michigan and how studying history shaped his interest in human behavior, consumers, and brands. • How his account service background gave him a foundation in client leadership, integrated campaigns, retail operations, and business problem-solving. • Why agency marketing and business development need to work together instead of relying on referrals, reputation, or the CEO’s network alone. • How Blue Chip approaches growth through positioning, thought leadership, relationship mapping, events, PR, and a focused ideal client profile. • Why trust is the foundation of strong agency-client relationships, especially as agencies help clients connect marketing investment to business impact. Guest Bio Dan Eisenberg is CMO and Partner at Blue Chip, an independent brand commerce agency that helps brands connect long-term brand building with near-term sales performance. His career spans account service, experiential marketing, client leadership, agency growth, and business development. At Blue Chip, he leads marketing and growth strategy with a focus on positioning, thought leadership, new business, and building trusted relationships with clients and prospects. About the Podcast CMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

  3. Jun 26

    Karen Craven, CMO of the Office of the Illinois State Treasurer: Turning Programs Into Public Trust

    Karen Craven, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for the Office of the Illinois State Treasurer, joins CMO Journeys to discuss how public-sector marketing can build awareness, credibility, and trust. Her perspective is shaped by a career spanning journalism, government, public affairs, associations, education, and consumer-facing financial programs. What the Conversation Covers • Karen’s early career in journalism and how reporting shaped her approach to education, transparency, and public accountability. • The career pivots that moved her from journalism into government affairs, marketing, communications, and public-sector leadership. • How the Treasurer’s Office uses marketing to help residents understand programs tied to unclaimed property, college savings, retirement, disability savings, and community investment. • Why public programs require clear communication, ethical marketing, multilingual outreach, and trusted community channels. • How agencies can better understand government procurement, RFPs, partner selection, and the need to communicate complex programs clearly and responsibly. Guest Bio Karen Craven is Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for the Office of the Illinois State Treasurer. In her role, she helps lead marketing and communications for public-facing financial programs that serve Illinois residents, families, local governments, nonprofits, and communities. Her background includes journalism, public affairs, government, association leadership, marketing, and communications strategy. About the Podcast CMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

  4. Jun 22

    Michael Klozotsky, CMO of IMO Health: Weird Thinkers Build Stronger Marketing Teams

    In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Michael Klozotsky, Chief Marketing Officer of IMO Health, about how unconventional career paths can create stronger marketing leaders and better teams. Michael shares how his background across academia, bartending, and enterprise healthcare marketing shaped a leadership style grounded in curiosity, simplification, and a deep belief that different ways of thinking lead to better business outcomes. What the Conversation Covers • Michael’s unconventional path from teaching and academia into marketing leadership, and how that journey shaped the way he thinks about talent and leadership • Why simplifying complex healthcare and enterprise technology stories is one of the most important jobs marketing can do • How IMO Health is evolving beyond its legacy position and explaining its value across a broader healthcare and technology ecosystem • Why Michael believes the best marketing teams include “weird thinkers” who challenge assumptions and approach problems from unexpected angles • How he thinks about building teams, using agencies, and balancing human judgment with AI in a fast-changing marketing environment Guest Bio Michael Klozotsky is Chief Marketing Officer at IMO Health, where he leads marketing for a company focused on improving the quality and integrity of clinical data across the healthcare ecosystem. His career path has been anything but traditional, spanning academia, teaching, bartending, and leadership roles in complex healthcare and enterprise technology organizations, giving him a distinctive perspective on team building, storytelling, and strategic marketing. About the Podcast CMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

  5. Jun 19

    Dil Fernando, CMO of Freeosk: Connecting Shopper Experience, Data, and Brand Growth

    Dil Fernando, CMO of Freeosk, joins CMO Journeys to discuss how in-store product discovery is evolving into a more measurable retail media experience. Her perspective is valuable because she brings together experience in radio, music, entrepreneurship, CPG innovation, brand strategy, shopper engagement, and experiential retail media. What the Conversation Covers • Dil’s early career in radio and music, and how being on air taught her that attention is earned through timing, relevance, and storytelling. • What entrepreneurship taught her about resilience, scrappiness, and understanding business from multiple angles. • How her work in CPG innovation at MillerCoors shaped her view of experimentation, emerging technology, and scaling new ideas inside large companies. • How Freeosk is evolving from a sampling business into a broader experiential retail media platform connecting sampling, media, shopper engagement, and data. • Dil’s approach to agency partnerships, including why market understanding, strategic thinking, functional expertise, and useful insights matter. Guest Bio Dilini “Dil” Fernando is Chief Marketing Officer at Freeosk, a company helping brands and retailers create measurable in-store product discovery experiences. In her role, she leads brand, communications, positioning, partnership marketing, insights, and media analytics. Her background includes radio, music, entrepreneurship, business school, CPG brand management, innovation, and shopper marketing. About the Podcast CMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

  6. Jun 15

    Monica Lopez Gonzalez, CMO of Feeding America: Why Authentic Narratives Matter More Than Ever

    In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Monica Lopez Gonzalez, Chief Marketing Officer of Feeding America, about leading marketing and communications at a time when trust, dignity, and public narrative are central to the organization’s mission. Monica shares how her background in consumer insight and storytelling now helps her connect authentic human experiences to a broader movement around hunger relief in America. What the Conversation Covers • Monica’s path from market research in Mexico to senior marketing leadership, and how early field work shaped her belief in human connection and authentic storytelling • Why marketing in a nonprofit requires a different mindset, with success measured not by selling more products but by increasing impact, awareness, and support • How Feeding America is working to tell more authentic, respectful, and dignified stories about neighbors facing hunger • Why cultural moments, donor understanding, and smarter segmentation matter in building stronger long-term relationships with supporters • How Monica is thinking about scale, innovation, AI, and agency partnerships while keeping human truth at the center of the work Guest Bio Monica Lopez Gonzalez is Chief Marketing Officer at Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief organization. She brings a background in market research, consumer insight, and marketing leadership, and now focuses on helping Feeding America strengthen its public narrative, deepen donor engagement, and connect authentic community stories to broader action and support. About the Podcast CMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

  7. Jun 15

    Natasha Phillips, CMO of GE Healthcare: Bringing Science and Strategy Together

    Natasha Phillips, who leads marketing for Pharmaceutical Diagnostics in the U.S. and Canada at GE Healthcare, joins CMO Journeys to discuss how science, strategy, and customer insight come together in healthcare marketing. Her perspective is shaped by experience across consulting, research, healthcare, consumer marketing, and global commercial leadership. What the Conversation Covers • Natasha’s early interest in math, science, and healthcare, and how that foundation shaped her path into marketing leadership. • Her transition from consulting and research into commercial healthcare roles, including the mentor who encouraged her to pursue an MBA. • What she learned from moving into consumer marketing at McDonald’s and how those lessons apply back to healthcare. • How GE Healthcare markets to a complex mix of stakeholders, including clinicians, procurement teams, health systems, and institutions. • Natasha’s approach to agency partnerships, including the balance between strategic brand support, specialized execution, and healthcare regulatory expertise. Guest Bio Natasha Phillips leads marketing for Pharmaceutical Diagnostics in the U.S. and Canada at GE Healthcare, a global healthcare company focused on medical technology, diagnostics, and AI-driven solutions. Her work sits at the intersection of science, innovation, commercialization, and customer experience in a highly regulated healthcare category. Her background includes healthcare consulting, research, commercial leadership at Abbott, consumer marketing at McDonald’s, and global brand experience. About the Podcast CMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

  8. Jun 8

    Kristin Agnelli, CMO of ESO: Building a Career Between Sales and Story

    Kristin Agnelli, Chief Marketing Officer and SVP of Communications at ESO, joins CMO Journeys to discuss her path from sales development and demand generation into broader marketing leadership. Her perspective is especially valuable for marketers and agency leaders because she has built her career at the intersection of revenue, brand, product marketing, and customer storytelling. What the Conversation Covers • Kristin’s early path from pre-law ambitions to marketing leadership, including the internship experience that changed her direction. • How her background in sales development, demand generation, field marketing, and revenue alignment shaped the way she leads marketing today. • Why product marketing, brand, and customer storytelling need to work together to create a strong foundation for growth. • How ESO is building a clearer company-level story around emergency response, healthcare technology, data, and better outcomes. • Kristin’s approach to agency partnerships, including where outside expertise helps most and how agencies can show they truly understand a complex business. Guest Bio Kristin Agnelli is Chief Marketing Officer and SVP of Communications at ESO, a healthcare and emergency response technology company serving EMS, fire departments, hospitals, and government agencies. She leads marketing and communications for the company, with a focus on brand clarity, category education, customer storytelling, and go-to-market alignment. Her career includes leadership across sales development, demand generation, field marketing, product marketing, and broader revenue-focused marketing roles. About the Podcast CMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

See All (31)

About

CMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin featuring conversations with the marketing leaders behind today’s most recognizable brands, including Princess Cruises, White Castle, and Ruby Tuesday. Hosted by Christian Banach, Founder and Chief Growth Officer of NextBigWin, each episode explores the personal and professional journeys that brought today’s CMOs to the C-suite — from the pivotal career decisions and mentors that shaped them to the lessons learned along the way. The conversation then turns to the realities of leading modern marketing organizations, including the mandates CMOs are driving inside their companies and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners. Through candid discussions, CMO Journeys gives agency leaders, marketers, and industry professionals a behind-the-scenes look at how modern CMOs build teams, shape brands, drive growth, and partner with the organizations helping bring their strategies to life.

Information

  • Creator
    Christian Banach
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Christian Banach
  • Show Website
    CMO Journeys