Inside the Minds of Top CMOs: What’s Working, What’s Not, and How the CMO Role is Evolving in B2B Marketing

The Exit Five CMO Podcast (Hosted by Dave Gerhardt)

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#229: Marketing Leadership | In this episode, Dave sits down with Megan Lueders (CMO at Sonatype), Ido Mart (CMO at Manychat), and Kimberly Storin (CMO at Zayo) for a live CMO panel discussion at Exit Five’s Austin marketing meetup. These marketing leaders share what’s working what’s not in B2B marketing today and how the role of the CMO is evolving.

Dave, Megan, Ido, and Kimberly cover:

What every new CMO needs to know about leading a marketing org
How to align with CEOs, CFOs, and key stakeholders to drive business impact
The biggest marketing shifts happening right now (and what’s no longer working)
How to prove marketing’s impact in the era of efficiency

Timestamps

(00:00) - – Introduction to the CMO panel
(03:46) - – The evolving role of the CMO in 2025
(07:12) - – The biggest challenges marketing leaders face today
(10:19) - – How to align marketing with CEOs, CFOs, and key stakeholders
(13:54) - – What every new CMO needs to know when stepping into the role
(17:29) - – The marketing strategies that are working right now (and what’s not)
(21:16) - – Why B2B marketing is more emotional than most people realize
(26:58) - – How to prove marketing’s impact in a data-driven, efficiency-focused era
(30:40) - – The shift from demand gen to brand-led growth
(34:05) - – The role of storytelling and positioning in B2B marketing success
(38:20) - – Building a high-performing marketing team and the skills CMOs need today
(42:00) - – Key takeaways and final advice for marketing leaders

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