The Marketing Share

Alec Cheung & Barb VanSomeren
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Biweekly

Running a marketing department requires expertise in many domains, from branding, media and positioning to demand generation, sales enablement, and much more. As a business leader or a new department head, you may be an expert in one or more marketing areas but usually not all of them. The Marketing Share aims to close this gap.Co-hosts Barb VanSomeren and Alec Cheung are experienced marketing leaders who have been down the path of learning on the fly while managing a marketing team. They interview domain experts and ask the right questions so business leaders can learn what they need to know to run marketing.

  1. Jun 30

    How Great CMOs Lead Through Change with Lauren Esposito (Ep 65)

    Sooner or later, every marketing leader will have to guide their organization through a major change. Whether it's repositioning a brand, launching a new product, or helping a company navigate growth, those moments require much more than a solid marketing strategy. They demand alignment, trust, and the ability to bring the entire organization along for the journey. In this episode of The Marketing Share, Alec Cheung and Barb VanSomeren are joined by Lauren Esposito, CMO at Asymbl and former marketing leader at Salesforce, to explore what it really takes to lead marketing during periods of transformation. Lauren has an incredible track record of leading product and brand initiatives at one of the world's most recognizable technology companies. From that experience, she shares how successful CMOs balance long-term brand building with business outcomes, communicate change internally, and help customers understand why change matters in the first place. Throughout the conversation, Lauren also covers other important topics to keep in mind:  The importance of customer centricityCross-functional leadershipBuilding trust across the organizationIf you're a CMO, VP of Marketing, or an aspiring marketing executive leading a company through growth or transformation, this episode is a must-listen. Timestamps:  00:00 Introduction 02:15 Meet Lauren Esposito and her journey from Salesforce to Asymbl 06:40 Why brand transformation is never just a marketing project 11:20 Leading brand changes inside large organizations 16:45 Building alignment across marketing, product, sales, and leadership 21:35 Keeping customers at the center during periods of change 26:50 Balancing long term brand building with short term business goals 31:40 How marketing leaders earn credibility inside the executive team 36:55 Lessons Lauren brought from Salesforce into her CMO role 42:10 Advice for marketers preparing for executive leadership Loved this episode?  Connect with Lauren over LinkedIn and tell her you came from The Marketing Share Podcast! Explore the video content of each podcast episode on YouTube Want to be a guest on The Marketing Share Podcast?  Send us your bio and proposed interview topic to marketingsharepodcast@gmail.com, and our Podcast Manager will get back to you.  Want to connect with Alec and Barb to talk all things marketing and how they can help you leverage the marketing wing of your organization? Connect with Alec here Connect with Barb here Connect with Cinthya, Podcast Manager, here Cheers.

  2. Jun 16

    How to Stand Out in the Sea of AI Content with David J Ebner (Ep 64)

    The million-dollar question right now is this: what separates memorable content from the growing flood of AI-generated marketing? That's exactly what this episode explores. In this episode of The Marketing Share, Alec Cheung and Barb VanSomeren talk with David J. Ebner, founder of Content Workshop, about why human-led content is more important than ever in today's marketing landscape. Throughout the conversation, David explains why the customer should always be the hero of the story, how marketers can use AI without sacrificing quality, and why producing more content isn't the same as creating better content. He also shares practical advice on evaluating content quality, building AI workflows that actually work, adapting content strategies for AI search, and deciding what content should and shouldn't be gated. If you've been wondering how content marketing is changing in the age of AI, or how your content can stand out in an ocean of sameness, this episode is for you. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to David J. Ebner and Content Workshop  02:00 From creative writing to content marketing  04:00 Why customers should be the hero of your story  07:00 What "story first marketing" actually means  09:00 How to recognize great content  12:00 Fighting the sea of AI generated content  16:00 The ROI conversation around AI and content teams  20:00 How marketers should really use AI  24:00 Building AI workflows that improve quality  26:00 Why more content doesn't mean better results  30:00 How AI search is changing content strategy  33:00 Should marketers still gate content?  39:00 Informational vs educational content  44:00 The most important lesson for marketers today  46:00 David's final advice and where to connect 🎧 Subscribe to The Marketing Share Podcast to get unfiltered conversations with marketing leaders about growth, strategy, and the future of digital. Connect with our guest:  👉David J Ebner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjebner/ 👉 Content Workshop: https://contentworkshop.com/ Explore the video content of each podcast episode on YouTube Want to be a guest on The Marketing Share Podcast?  Send us your bio and proposed interview topic to marketingsharepodcast@gmail.com, and our Podcast Manager will get back to you.  Want to connect with Alec and Barb to talk all things marketing and how they can help you leverage the marketing wing of your organization? Connect with Alec here Connect with Barb here Connect with Cinthya, Podcast Manager, here Cheers.

  3. Jun 2

    This is What Sales Teams Actually Need From Marketing (Ep 63)

    What does it actually take for marketing to earn influence inside a business? In this episode of The Marketing Share, Alec Cheung and Barb VanSomeren talk with Saurabh Kothari about one of the biggest challenges modern marketing leaders face: proving impact while building alignment across sales, product, and leadership teams. Drawing from his experience leading marketing across enterprise organizations, agencies, and high-growth companies, Saurabh shares why marketing cannot operate in isolation anymore and why the best CMOs know how to combine data, storytelling, and persuasion to move the business forward. The conversation explores the tension many marketers still feel with sales teams, why attribution alone rarely tells the full story, and how marketing leaders can better communicate their value internally. They also unpack the balance between creativity and analytics in modern B2B marketing, what makes certain marketing leaders more influential than others, and why strong communication is often the difference between a marketing team that gets ignored and one that drives strategic decisions. If you work in B2B marketing, lead generation, demand generation, or marketing leadership, this episode offers a practical look at how modern CMOs think about growth, influence, and business alignment. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 02:17 Meet Saurabh Kothari 05:12 Why marketing and sales often misalign 09:46 The challenge of proving marketing impact 14:03 The balance between creativity and data 18:27 Why persuasion matters in marketing leadership 22:41 Building stronger alignment across teams 27:18 What modern CMOs need to prioritize 31:54 The role of storytelling inside organizations 36:22 Why attribution alone is not enough 40:11 Final thoughts and advice for marketing leaders 🎧 Subscribe to The Marketing Share Podcast to get unfiltered conversations with marketing leaders about growth, strategy, and the future of digital. Connect with our guest:  👉 Sourabh Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sourabhkothari/ Explore the video content of each podcast episode on YouTube Want to be a guest on The Marketing Share Podcast?  Send us your bio and proposed interview topic to marketingsharepodcast@gmail.com, and our Podcast Manager will get back to you.  Want to connect with Alec and Barb to talk all things marketing and how they can help you leverage the marketing wing of your organization? Connect with Alec here Connect with Barb here Connect with Cinthya, Podcast Manager, here Cheers.

  4. May 19

    AI, Outsourcing, and Modern Marketing Leadership with CMO Lisa Cole (Ep 62)

    What happens when marketing becomes responsible for everything, but doesn’t have the systems, workflows, or structure to keep up? In this episode of The Marketing Share, Alec Cheung and Barb VanSomeren talk with Lisa Cole, CMO of 2X, about what modern marketing leadership actually looks like inside today’s B2B organizations. Lisa has spent her career helping marketing teams transform from overwhelmed “order takers” into revenue-driving functions. After advising CMOs for more than 16 years and leading multiple marketing transformations herself, she now helps companies rethink how marketing work gets done in the age of AI. The conversation explores why many marketing teams are still stuck in outdated operating models, how AI is changing both the buyer journey and the way campaigns are executed, and why workflows, not just tools, are becoming the real competitive advantage. Lisa also shares practical frameworks for deciding what marketing teams should own internally, what can be outsourced, and where AI can actually create meaningful impact without creating more chaos. If you’re leading marketing, building a team, or trying to figure out how AI fits into your organization beyond the hype, this episode is for you! Timestamps 00:00 Introduction  02:55 Lisa’s path from sales to CMO leadership  05:45 Why marketers struggle with outsourcing  08:00 The growing complexity of modern marketing  11:10 From “order taking” to revenue-driving marketing  15:00 The hidden work consuming marketing teams  18:35 Why workflows matter more than org charts  21:15 How AI is reshaping marketing operations  24:05 The problem with “random acts of AI”  26:20 Lisa’s “Own, Outsource, Automate” framework  28:00 How AI is changing buyer behavior and search  30:45 The new importance of community and credibility  32:10 Why PR and thought leadership matter again  37:10 What companies misunderstand about AI costs  42:15 Where outsourcing and AI work best together  45:10 What 2X actually does for marketing teams Explore the video content of each podcast episode on YouTube Want to be a guest on The Marketing Share Podcast?  Send us your bio and proposed interview topic to marketingsharepodcast@gmail.com, and our Podcast Manager will get back to you.  Want to connect with Alec and Barb to talk all things marketing and how they can help you leverage the marketing wing of your organization? Connect with Alec here Connect with Barb here Connect with Cinthya, Podcast Manager, here Cheers.

  5. Apr 21

    How Great CMOs Lead Marketing Today with Karl Van den Bergh (Ep. 61)

    What does it actually take to succeed as a CMO today? In this episode of The Marketing Share, Alec Cheung and Barb VanSomeren continue with the Marketing Leader Series, and this time they are joined by Karl Van Den Bergh, CMO at Illumio, about the reality behind one of the most complex roles in the C-suite. Karl’s path into marketing wasn’t traditional. From physics and computer science to product, strategy, and eventually the CMO seat, his perspective challenges how most people think about marketing leadership. Early in the conversation, he introduces a concept that sticks: the “complexity to appreciation ratio.” Marketing sits at the top of that scale, which helps explain why the role is both powerful and often misunderstood. From there, the conversation moves into what great CMOs actually do differently. Karl breaks down how he has led his role as a Chief Market Officer in Illumio from a technical category into a clear, market-facing story. He also shares why simplicity matters more than ever in complex industries, and how marketing leaders can better connect their work to real business outcomes. If you're leading marketing, stepping into a CMO role, or working toward it, this episode will give you a clearer picture of what the job really demands. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to Karl Van Den Bergh 02:30 From physicist to CMO: an unconventional path 05:00 Why the CMO role is so complex (and misunderstood) 08:00 Chief Marketing Officer vs Chief Market Officer 10:30 Repositioning Illumio: from technical to clear storytelling 15:00 Why simplicity wins in complex markets 18:30 Bringing sales rigor into marketing (pipeline, forecasting, bookings) 23:30 How to prove marketing’s value to the board 27:00 Why brand still matters (and how to justify it) 31:00 The power of storytelling inside your company 34:00 A simple marketing planning framework (plan on a page) 37:00 How Karl is implementing AI across his team 43:30 Advice for first-time CMOs and marketing leaders 🎧 Subscribe to The Marketing Share Podcast to get unfiltered conversations with marketing leaders about growth, strategy, and the future of digital. Connect with our guest:  👉Karl Van den Bergh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlvandenbergh/ Explore the video content of each podcast episode on YouTube Want to be a guest on The Marketing Share Podcast?  Send us your bio and proposed interview topic to marketingsharepodcast@gmail.com, and our Podcast Manager will get back to you.  Want to connect with Alec and Barb to talk all things marketing and how they can help you leverage the marketing wing of your organization? Connect with Alec here Connect with Barb here Connect with Cinthya, Podcast Manager, here Cheers.

  6. Apr 7

    How to Turn Customer Reviews into Revenue with George Swetlitz (Ep. 60)

    To all marketers leading GEO SEO: What if we told you that reviews are actually one of the most powerful marketing and conversion channels out there?  In this episode of The Marketing Share Podcast, Alec Cheung and Barb VanSomeren talk with George Swetlitz, co-founder of Right Response AI and former CEO of a multi-location healthcare business, about how reviews really influence buying decisions, especially in B2C environments where trust is everything. George breaks down how reputation management and the key role the responses from companies play when it comes to driving revenue from reviews.  You’ll also hear how personalized responses can increase conversion, why generic replies actually hurt trust, and how AI can help teams turn reviews into something far more strategic than just customer support. This interview also dives into the reality of managing reputation across multiple locations, how to think about competition at a local level, and why reviews can act as an early warning system for deeper business problems. If you’re in a B2C business, managing multiple locations, or just trying to understand how AI is changing the way customers make decisions, this episode will change how you think about reviews. Connect with George via LinkedIn Explore the video content of each podcast episode on YouTube Want to be a guest on The Marketing Share Podcast?  Send us your bio and proposed interview topic to marketingsharepodcast@gmail.com, and our Podcast Manager will get back to you.  Want to connect with Alec and Barb to talk all things marketing and how they can help you leverage the marketing wing of your organization? Connect with Alec here Connect with Barb here Connect with Cinthya, Podcast Manager, here Cheers.

  7. Mar 25

    How AI Is Reshaping the Role of the CMO with Kate Johnson (Ep 59)

    AI is reshaping marketing as we know it, and its impact is reaching the CMO role. In this episode of The Marketing Share, our co-hosts Alec Cheung and Barb VanSomeren talk with Kate Johnson, CMO at Dscout, about her transition from VP of Marketing to CMO, and why that shift looks very different today than it did even a year ago. Kate dives into her experience as a first-time CMO in the era of AI, and how this new technology is reshaping everything at once: how teams operate, how products are built, how fast companies move, and how marketing shows up in the business. If you're stepping into a leadership role or already in one, this episode offers a grounded look at what’s actually changing behind the scenes, and what it takes to keep up. Timestamps  00:00 Introduction, Alec and Barb 02:00 Kate Johnson’s journey from VP of Marketing to CMO 05:40 What surprised her most about becoming a CMO 10:00 How AI is changing marketing, products, and customer expectations 13:00 AI inside the marketing team: faster product cycles, new bottlenecks 16:00 Using AI tools in real workflows (automation, research, sales enablement) 20:00 Decision-making as a CMO when you’re not the expert 24:00 Hiring for new roles and evaluating talent outside your experience 28:00 What she had to let go of moving into the CMO role 36:00 Navigating brand messaging in an AI-driven market 40:00 Final thoughts and where to connect with Kate 🎧 Subscribe to The Marketing Share Podcast to get unfiltered conversations with marketing leaders about growth, strategy, and the future of digital. Connect with our guest:  👉Kate Jhonson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateathmer/ 👉 Sign up to be a Scout and get paid to participate in research! https://www.dscout.com/participate-in-research-studies Explore the video content of each podcast episode on YouTube Want to be a guest on The Marketing Share Podcast?  Send us your bio and proposed interview topic to marketingsharepodcast@gmail.com, and our Podcast Manager will get back to you.  Want to connect with Alec and Barb to talk all things marketing and how they can help you leverage the marketing wing of your organization? Connect with Alec here Connect with Barb here Connect with Cinthya, Podcast Manager, here Cheers.

  8. Mar 10

    How Startup Founders Should Think About Marketing with Mark Donnigan (Ep 58)

    What happens when a company has great technology but struggles to explain why it matters? In this episode of The Marketing Share, our co-hosts Alec Cheung and Barb VanSomeren explore, in a conversation with Virtual CMO Mark Donnigan, what tends to break down when technical companies try to scale their marketing. In this interview, they unpack the reality many founder-led companies face: they know their product deeply, but that doesn’t always translate into a clear story for the market. Mark shares what he looks for when stepping into these environments and why the first step is often helping teams reconnect with the real problems their customers are trying to solve. Along the way, the conversation touches on why marketing execution matters more than marketing theory, how small teams can move faster than large organizations, and why many companies still rely too heavily on outdated lead generation tactics. If you're a founder, a first marketing hire, or a marketing leader working inside a technical company, this episode gives you a practical perspective on how to turn product expertise into messaging that resonates with the market. 🎧 Subscribe to The Marketing Share Podcast to get unfiltered conversations with marketing leaders about growth, strategy, and the future of digital. Connect with our guest:  👉Mark Donnigan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdonnigan/ Explore the video content of each podcast episode on YouTube Want to be a guest on The Marketing Share Podcast?  Send us your bio and proposed interview topic to marketingsharepodcast@gmail.com, and our Podcast Manager will get back to you.  Want to connect with Alec and Barb to talk all things marketing and how they can help you leverage the marketing wing of your organization? Connect with Alec here Connect with Barb here Connect with Cinthya, Podcast Manager, here Cheers.

See All (65)

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Running a marketing department requires expertise in many domains, from branding, media and positioning to demand generation, sales enablement, and much more. As a business leader or a new department head, you may be an expert in one or more marketing areas but usually not all of them. The Marketing Share aims to close this gap.Co-hosts Barb VanSomeren and Alec Cheung are experienced marketing leaders who have been down the path of learning on the fly while managing a marketing team. They interview domain experts and ask the right questions so business leaders can learn what they need to know to run marketing.

Information

  • Creator
    Alec Cheung & Barb VanSomeren
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    65
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Marketing Share
  • Show Website
    The Marketing Share