Your CMO Mentor

The Marketing Meetup
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What if you could borrow the brain of a world-class marketer for half an hour? That’s the idea behind CMO Mentor. Each week, a senior marketing leader - from places like Meta, Samsung, LinkedIn, Barclays and more - takes on real questions from you. You’ll get quickfire lessons, deeper dives into their craft, and the sort of honest, lived advice you rarely hear on a stage. No chest-beating or “back in my day” stories, plenty of useful answers to the problems you’re facing right now. Brought to you by The Marketing Meetup.

  1. 9 HR AGO

    How great CMOs think about brand, risk and leadership with Jon Evans

    Jon Evans, host of the Uncensored CMO podcast, joined us to share what seven years of interviewing marketing leaders has taught him about what great CMOs actually do differently. Jon has spoken with hundreds of senior marketers and been a CMO himself, which makes his perspective genuinely rare — part practitioner, part observer, all practical.Whether you're a marketing manager working towards leadership or already in a senior role, this one is full of honest, grounded advice on what it takes to get there and what to expect when you do.____________________Key topics include:- Why strategy is the skill to build first, and what marketers get wrong by focusing on tactics too early- The mindset shift from doing marketing to leading it, and why most people struggle to make that switch- How great CMOs think about risk and creative bravery, and why playing it safe is often the more expensive choice- The honest reality of the CMO role, including being unpopular, taking the blame, and doing the unglamorous work of giving your team air cover- How to build the internal case for long-term brand investment when leadership is pushing for short-term results- The Venn diagram technique for finding your path to promotion by solving a problem the business genuinely needs fixing____________________Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:30 Skills to build first08:00 Behaviour traits Jon admires13:30 Dream mentor and challenger brands21:00 Biggest lessons from mentors30:00 Advice Jon wishes he'd had earlier37:00 Patterns of great CMOs46:00 The mindset shift into leadership54:00 Risk and bravery in marketing01:02:00 Brand vs performance balance01:10:00 The reality of being a CMO01:18:00 AI and what to focus on now01:24:00 Community scenario brand vs short-term pressure____________________Big thanks to Weglot for sponsoring this episode: https://www.weglot.com/t/lp?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=TMM____________________The full episode is now live on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cpW4Tsm2YuKJj488cNX1s?si=f0e962b481b74c80Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/your-cmo-mentor/id1850910303

    1hr 9min

  2. 26 MAR

    How to build a brand with real purpose, with Bronwen Foster-Butler, CMO of Finisterre

    In this webinar, Bronwen Foster-Butler, CMO of Finisterre, joined us to talk about what brand purpose actually means in practice, how it went so wrong in 2018, and what a more grounded, commercial version of it looks like today.Bronwen is one of the clearest thinkers on this topic we've had on the podcast. She doesn't shy away from the messy parts, the pressure to chase growth at the expense of meaning, the difficulty of advocating for purpose inside cautious organisations, and what it really takes to build a business where purpose shapes decisions rather than just decorates them.Key topics include:- Why brand purpose 1.0 collapsed and what the Pepsi/Kendall Jenner ad revealed about where it went wrong- How Finisterre's theory of change connects their purpose to real business decisions- Why purpose isn't purpose unless it costs you something- How to advocate for purpose inside a large or cautious organisation without alienating colleagues- The difference between internal and external marketing and why internal comes first- What Bronwyn's biggest leadership mistake taught her about ego, confidence, and showing up for your teamTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction04:30 - Quickfire round14:20 - Internal vs external marketing22:10 - Purpose 1.0 and where it went wrong34:00 - Purpose 2.0 in practice44:15 - How to advocate for purpose at work52:30 - Community questions58:00 - Biggest leadership mistake?01:08:00 - Question for the next guest______________________________Big thanks to Weglot for sponsoring this episode.

    1hr 9min

  3. 12 MAR

    How marketers can use consumer testing to make braver, smarter decisions

    In this webinar, Anna Henwood, CEO of Stickybeak, joined us to talk about something a lot of marketers quietly struggle with: how to make confident decisions when you’re working with limited time, noisy opinions, and a gut feeling you can’t quite back up. Anna brings a rare mix of perspectives. She ran marketing at Les Mills International as CMO before moving into the CEO seat at Stickybeak, a consumer testing platform built specifically to help marketers get fast, reliable feedback from their target audience. In this conversation she shares what that shift taught her about marketing, brand building, and how the best teams are working now.Key topics include:- Why creation is easy now but validation is the hard part, and how to close that gap quicklyHow FMCG brands can balance short-term sales pressure with long-term brand building- The difference between trusting your gut and genuinely not knowing, and how a quick concept test helps you figure out which one you’re in- What Anna looks for when she hires marketers, and why curiosity beats experience- How to approach your first 90 days as a CMO, whether you’re coming in from outside or stepping up internally- What the best CMOs will look like in the next decade, and why smaller teams with clear strategic thinking will matter more than everTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction 01:04 - First skill to build in marketing today 03:20 - Traits Anna looks for when hiring 05:18 - Dream mentor 08:30 - Don’t let perfect block progress 13:50 - What being CEO taught Anna about marketing 20:38 - Biggest blind spots in FMCG marketing 26:04 - How to build a testing habit from scratch 32:23 - When to trust gut vs data 37:17 - Simple testing habits your team can start tomorrow 45:28 - What the best CMOs will do differently 47:55 - Community Q&A: no seat at the strategy table 53:29 - Best career advice Anna has been givenWatch / listen:Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-meetup-podcast/id1365546447Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QvmFdxg5pMwsfPkKjhXl9Please take the time to check out our partners, all of whom we work with because we think they’re useful companies for lovely marketers :)Frontify – All your brand assets in one place: Frontify combines DAM, brand guidelines, and templates into a collaborative source of brand truth.Mailchimp - The all-in-one marketing platform that helps teams turn emails, automation, and now SMS into smarter, more connected customer journeys (and they’ve been longtime friends of TMM!).Cambridge Marketing College – The best place to get your marketing qualifications and apprenticeships.Planable – the content collaboration platform that helps marketing teams create, plan, review, and approve all their awesome marketing content.Wistia – a complete video marketing platform that helps teams create, host, market, and measure their videos and webinars, all in one place.

    55 min

  4. 26 FEB

    The new science of TV advertising with Kate Waters from ITV

    Performance marketing can feel like you’re squeezing harder and harder for the same results. CPAs creep up. Growth slows. And suddenly, the next move isn’t about optimisation — it’s about expansion.In this episode, James and Joe sit down with Kate Waters, Commercial Director at ITV, to explore what TV advertising really offers modern marketers. From protecting price sensitivity and lowering CPAs across channels to making TV accessible for small and medium-sized brands, Kate shares how measurement, creativity and smart testing are reshaping what TV can do for growth.Key topics include: • Why TV lowers CPAs across social and search • How TV advertising protects price and margin • The “rising tide” effect on performance channels • How to start with regional geo testing • Making TV ads with AI for small budgets • Using outcomes modelling to forecast website uplift⸻Timestamps:00:00 TV’s impact on price sensitivity06:01 Skills marketers need today19:39 Why TV still works22:48 Trust and costly signalling35:14 Measuring real business outcomes43:35 How to test TV safely47:58 Small brands winning with TV⸻Watch / listen:Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-meetup-podcast/id1365546447Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QvmFdxg5pMwsfPkKjhXl9⸻Please take the time to check out our partners, all of whom we work with because we think they’re useful companies for lovely marketers.Frontify – All your brand assets in one place: Frontify combines DAM, brand guidelines, and templates into a collaborative source of brand truth.Mailchimp - The all-in-one marketing platform that helps teams turn emails, automation, and now SMS into smarter, more connected customer journeys (and they’ve been longtime friends of TMM!).Cambridge Marketing College – The best place to get your marketing qualifications and apprenticeships.Planable – the content collaboration platform that helps marketing teams create, plan, review, and approve all their awesome marketing content.Wistia – a complete video marketing platform that helps teams create, host, market, and measure their videos and webinars, all in one place.

    1hr 4min

  5. 12 FEB

    How to run smarter marketing experiments (behavioural science explained)

    What if half of advertising’s problems come down to this: we keep asking people why they do things… and they genuinely don’t know?In this episode of Your CMO Mentor, we’re joined by Richard Shotton (behavioural science author of The Choice Factory and The Illusion of Choice) to unpack what actually changes behaviour and why small experiments often beat confident opinions, focus groups, and “what customers say they want.”We cover:- Why customer explanations can be misleading (even when they’re trying to be helpful)- The most underrated skill for marketers right now: behavioural science (and why it’s pretty AI-proof)- “Make it easy”: the simple lever most brands underuse- Choice paralysis, and why “too much choice” depends on the person- How to run smarter research with message testing (tiny tweaks, cleaner insight)- Why social proof works in B2B too (yes, even with doctors)- The internal comms mistake that accidentally encourages bad behaviour- How to use behavioural nudges without trashing long-term trust (hint: measure both)If you’re trying to get better at influencing behaviour - without becoming a weird persuasion goblin - this one’s for you :)⸻Huge thanks to our sponsor, Weglot! Weglot makes website translation feel human, helping brands grow into new markets without losing their tone of voice.This week we're excited to share access to ⁠Weglot’s Next Market Live replay⁠, packed with real stories and practical insights on expanding into Spain.⸻CHAPTERS00:00 Why customers don’t know why they buy05:00 What skill marketers should learn first07:35 The trait great marketers share09:10 Dream mentors (and why)10:20 The best lesson a mentor taught him18:15 Stop trusting surveys so much20:20 Make behaviour easy27:20 How to run better experiments31:30 Does behavioural science work in B2B?46:45 Nudges vs long-term trust⸻GUESTRichard Shotton. Author of The Choice Factory and founder of Astroten, a consultancy that applies findings from behavioural science to improve marketing.https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-shotton/https://www.astroten.co.uk/⸻STAY IN THE LOOPThis podcast is brought to you by The Marketing Meetup.Get thoughtful marketing ideas, upcoming episodes, and community conversations in your inbox:https://themarketingmeetup.com/newsletter⸻WHAT SHOULD WE COVER NEXT?We shape Your CMO Mentor around the questions marketers are actually asking.If there’s a challenge you’d love us to tackle, let us know. We’re listening.

    50 min

  6. 5 FEB

    How marketing can lead AI transformation in your company

    When we spoke to Jessica Cobarras, CMO of Asana, her passion for people really came through. In this podcast episode, we talk about how centring people at the heart of what she does has allowed Jessica to create an environment where teams can do their best work, grow their careers, and feel connected to the mission they're building together.Thanks Weglot for sponsoring this episode. This is the event Joe mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/live/XUs5WFZBL5YKey takeaways from the episodeReframe AI from tools to outcomes.Jessica emphasises that AI transformation should not start with adopting more platforms or features. Instead, marketing leaders should begin with the outcomes they want to improve (impact, effectiveness, customer value) and then use existing tools and capabilities more intelligently to get there. Human barriers matter more than technical ones.A recurring theme is that change around AI is often slowed by very human challenges—imposter syndrome, fear of getting it wrong, and uncertainty about how roles might evolve. Addressing these emotional and psychological barriers is critical to successful adoption. Soft skills are becoming a core marketing capability.Jessica highlights communication, empathy, and the ability to navigate ambiguity as essential skills for marketers today—especially in fast-changing environments driven by AI and automation. Psychological safety enables innovation.Leaders need to actively create an environment where teams feel safe to experiment, ask questions, and make mistakes. This safety helps marketers remain curious and creative rather than becoming defensive during periods of rapid change. AI adoption should be cross-functional and collaborative.The conversation stresses the importance of strong alignment between marketing, sales, and technology teams. AI initiatives work best when they are built together rather than owned by a single function in isolation. The real opportunity is role evolution, not replacement.Jessica shares how AI can augment marketers’ work and reshape responsibilities, allowing teams to focus more on strategic thinking and higher-value contributions instead of routine or manual tasks.

    40 min

  7. 29 JAN

    How to justify brand marketing spend (and build trust with leadership)

    Brand is one of the hardest things for marketers to justify, especially when budgets are tight, pressure is high, and leadership wants results now. Today, we’re joined by Matt Herbert, Co-Founder of Tracksuit, to talk about how marketers can make more confident cases for brand and use measurement to build trust, not just dashboards. This is a grounded, mentorship-led conversation about what “brand” really means inside a business how brand and performance work together rather than against each other choosing brand metrics leadership actually understands using data as career currency, not just reporting staying confident when measurement reveals uncomfortable truths If you’ve ever struggled to get buy-in for long-term work, felt nervous about what measurement might uncover, or wanted to be taken more seriously in strategic conversations, this episode is for you. ⸻ Huge thanks to our sponsor, Weglot! Weglot makes website translation feel human, helping brands grow into new markets without losing their tone of voice. This week we're excited to share access to Weglot’s Next Market Live replay, packed with real stories and practical insights on expanding into Spain. ⸻ CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 4:31 The skill marketers need now 6:03 Existing vs future demand 8:22 Mentors, growth, and good advice 11:45 The mistake marketers make early 14:13 What brand tracking really solves 16:56 Why brand is everyone’s job 18:21 The brand metrics that matter 22:14 Making the case for brand under pressure 25:00 Balancing short-term and long-term 29:28 Using insight as career currency 32:02 How fast brand actually moves 37:25 How to start even with limited budget 43:20 Building trust with brand data 47:03 One thing to do tomorrow ⸻ GUEST Matt Herbert, Co-Founder and CCO at Tracksuit https://www.linkedin.com/in/herbertmattj https://www.gotracksuit.com/uk ⸻ STAY IN THE LOOP This podcast is brought to you by The Marketing Meetup. Get thoughtful marketing ideas, upcoming episodes, and community conversations in your inbox. https://themarketingmeetup.com/newsletter ⸻ WHAT SHOULD WE COVER NEXT? We shape Your CMO Mentor around the questions marketers are actually asking. If there’s a challenge you’d love us to tackle, let us know. We’re listening.

    51 min

  8. 22 JAN

    How to balance brand and demand without wasting budget or credibility

    Many marketers are told they have to choose: brand or demand.More leads now, or long-term impact later.In this episode of Your CMO Mentor from The Marketing Meetup, Jessica Shapiro (CMO at LiveRamp, former marketing leader at Starbucks and SAP) explains why that framing is broken and what actually works instead.We get into how brand and demand feed each other, not fight for budget. Jessica shares real examples from global brands, honest lessons from leadership, and clear advice for marketers trying to get buy-in from CEOs and CFOs who want results now.You’ll hear: • Why brand and demand are a symbiotic system, not competing channels • What’s different (and what isn’t) between B2B and B2C brand building • How Starbucks used brand experience to unlock real demand growth • How to make the case for brand when leadership only asks for leads • What strong marketing teams do differently to align brand, demand, and salesThis episode is for marketers at any level who want to do thoughtful work, build credibility, and stop feeling like they’re fighting the same internal battle every quarter.Timestamps00:00 – Why brand and demand aren’t opposites06:38 – The skill every marketer should build early07:31 – Why storytelling separates good marketers from great ones10:02 – The truth about mentors12:13 – Career advice from Microsoft16:13 – Why failure matters more than early wins18:53 – Brand vs demand26:40 – How to get CEOs and CFOs on board29:17 – Starbucks brand experience → demand growth32:29 – How to structure teams35:02 – How to fuel everyday collaboration36:29 – Budgets & 60/40 rule41:13 – “My CEO only wants leads”: how to navigate that conversation43:59 – One thing every marketer should practice more👉 Follow us for thoughtful marketing conversations @themarketingmeetupSubscribe to borrow the brain of one of marketing's brightest brains every week!

    45 min
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About

What if you could borrow the brain of a world-class marketer for half an hour? That’s the idea behind CMO Mentor. Each week, a senior marketing leader - from places like Meta, Samsung, LinkedIn, Barclays and more - takes on real questions from you. You’ll get quickfire lessons, deeper dives into their craft, and the sort of honest, lived advice you rarely hear on a stage. No chest-beating or “back in my day” stories, plenty of useful answers to the problems you’re facing right now. Brought to you by The Marketing Meetup.

Information

  • Creator
    The Marketing Meetup
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Marketing Meetup
  • Show Website
    Your CMO Mentor

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