The Exit Five Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#199: Marketing Leadership | From Employee #4 to CMO: The Path to Marketing Leadership with Sylvia Lepoidevin, CMO at Kandji Dec 05, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Dave is joined by Sylvia Lepoidevin, CMO of Kandji, a leading platform for managing and securing Apple devices in the workplace. Sylvia shares her journey from employee #4 to CMO at Kandji, driving the company’s growth to a $850M valuation. She talks about her experience building efficient marketing teams, leveraging AI, and creating impactful brand experiences.

Dave and Sylvia cover:

How AI is reshaping marketing roles and enabling smaller, more efficient teams
Strategies for internal marketing that align and energize cross-functional teams
Product launches and creative campaigns for brand-driven growth

Timestamps

(00:00) - - Intro to Sylvia
(03:48) - - From 1st Marketing Hire to CMO
(08:33) - - Understanding Equity and Financial Outcomes
(11:15) - - Wealth and Career Growth
(13:55) - - Why It’s Important to Have a Clear Career Narrative
(18:47) - - Mastering Storytelling in Team Meetings
(22:05) - - How to Engage Your Team
(22:41) - - Leveraging Feedback Loops to Build a Successful Team
(28:12) - - AI Is Enabling Smaller, More Efficient Teams
(31:55) - - AI’s Impact on Marketing
(34:55) - - How Kandji Is Expanding Their Team
(37:46) - - Achieving 10x Growth Through Product-Led Strategies
(41:26) - - Leveraging Competitor and Apple-Specific Keywords
(44:50) - - Minimizing Hiring Risk: Test Roles First

Join 50,0000 people who get Dave's Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter

Learn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/

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Zoom Webinars & Events – The virtual event platform built to help B2B marketers run webinars that actually drive pipeline, with branded registration pages, live engagement features, and built-in tools to repurpose sessions into clips and content. Learn more at zoom.com/exitfive.

Convertiv - A B2B marketing agency that helps enterprise teams build an AI-powered go-to-market strategy, specializing in AEO. Podcast listeners get a free AI search review showing how you stack up against competitors. Learn more at convertiv.com/exitfive.

Optimizely - the AI platform for marketers. Build your own AI agents or pull from a directory of 50+ pre-built ones for marketing use cases. Their new Virtual Teammates can join meetings, complete tasks, support campaigns, and keep your website optimized. Learn more at optimizely.com/exitfive.

Compound Growth Marketing- A full-funnel demand gen agency helping high-growth cybersecurity and enterprise software companies show up earlier in the buying journey, combining AEO, modern paid advertising, and a dedicated go-to-market engineering team. Podcast listeners get two free media planning sessions to find out what channels are driving the best ROI. Learn more at compoundgrowthmarketing.com/exitfive.

Customer.io - An AI powered customer engagement platform that help marketers turn first-party data into engaging customer experiences across email, SMS, and push. Learn more at customer.io/exitfive.

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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.

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How to Capture Attention Instantly - The Billboard Test Explained: (Micro-Lesson) Dec 04, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we’re delivering another B2B marketing lesson in under 10 minutes.

Matthew Carnevale, Marketing Manager at Exit Five, introduces the "Billboard Test," a mental model to evaluate whether your marketing copy can grab attention in an instant. Inspired by how billboards must captivate drivers at full speed, this test helps you refine your ads, social posts, and emails for today’s audience.

Matthew shares three key elements of the Billboard Test—concise messaging, eye-catching visuals, and memorability through creativity—and explains how to apply them to make your marketing impossible to ignore. By the end, you’ll know how to capture attention and hold it, even in the busiest of feeds.

Join 50,0000 people who get Dave's Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter

Learn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/

***

Brought to you by:

***

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

#198: Marketing Leadership | How To Run Marketing, Creating Categories, and the Role of Marketing in Revenue Growth with Kyle Coleman, CMO at Copy.ai Dec 02, 2024

Show notes

This is a re-run of one of our top episodes, where Dave is joined by Kyle Coleman, CMO at Copy.ai. Kyle went from Individual Contributor to Senior Director at Looker and Director to CMO at Clari. During his time there, he helped both companies 10x their revenue.

In this episode, they chat about

The importance of leadership team alignment and why the CRO & CFO should be your best friend
How marketing can impact pipeline and the standard it should be held to
Why you should build a marketing calendar around the product roadmap

Timestamps

(00:00) - - Kyle's exposure to B2B marketing and strategy
(05:16) - - Gaining expertise in marketing metrics and standards
(09:54) - - Balancing Efficiency and Creativity in Sales Outreach
(13:33) - - Importance of an Internal Partnership with the Sales Team
(16:13) - - Aligning marketing goals with revenue generation
(17:56) - - Co-creating Qualified Opportunities with ICP
(23:01) - - Importance of Sales and Marketing Collaboration
(26:52) - - How CROs and CMOs can balance long-term vision and short-term outcomes
(32:02) - - The lightning strike strategy
(32:55) - - "Marketing Moments:" Calendaring significant events to drive business goals and team performance
(36:11) - - Using Shield analytics to identify and repost popular content
(43:47) - - How to simplify complex questions to extract key insights
(47:14) - - Building a networking resource for professional growth
(50:17) - - Closing thoughts

Join 50,0000 people who get Dave's Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter

Learn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/

***

Brought to you by:

***

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

#197: Strategy | How to Build a Marketing Plan and Get It Approved for 2025 with Rowan Tonkin, CMO at Planful Nov 28, 2024

Show notes

In today's challenging business landscape, marketers face the daunting task of not only crafting an efficient marketing plan, but implementing it quickly, proving its value, and continuously adapting the plan on the fly. The ever-changing macroeconomic environment adds an extra layer of complexity, making success even harder to achieve.

In this episode, Rowan Tonkin, CMO at Planful, and Dave Gerhardt, Founder of Exit Five, lead you through the essential steps to building your plan, getting it approved, and unlocking the full potential of your marketing efforts.

They cover:

Tips to build a powerful marketing plan that aligns with your business objectives.
Strategies to gain plan approval from executives and board members
Best practices and practical approaches to flawlessly execute your marketing plan, turning ideas into measurable results.
Insights into the advantages of scenario planning and how it can prepare your marketing team to adapt to the ever-changing economic landscape.

Join 50,0000 people who get Dave's Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter

Learn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/

***

Brought to you by:

***

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

#196: Drive | LinkedIn Growth Tips Every B2B CEO and Founder Needs to Know with Devin Reed, Founder of The Reeder Nov 25, 2024

Show notes

This episode is from Drive 2024, our first-ever in-person event for B2B marketers in Burlington, Vermont. Devin Reed, Founder of The Reeder and expert in content strategy, shared a session on building a strong personal and company presence on LinkedIn.

Devin covers:

Identifying your “one word” to own and dominate a category on LinkedIn.
Why your content strategy should focus on personal LinkedIn profiles for max reach and engagement.
A step-by-step framework for producing and distributing CEO or executive-led LinkedIn content.

Timestamps

(00:00) - - Intro to Devin
(04:36) - - How to Build Trust at Scale
(10:29) - - 10 Undeniable Reasons B2B Leaders Should Get Active on LinkedIn Right Now
(12:41) - - Pick Your “One Word” to Guide Your Content Category
(17:55) - - How to Narrow Your Audience
(23:02) - - How to Pick Content Pillars & Topics
(27:29) - - Outlining Your Production Process
(29:23) - - How to Measure & Iterate LinkedIn Success
(34:22) - - Using Company Pages vs Personal Pages
(35:03) - - Communicating with Your CEO
(36:15) - - How to Get Your Whole Team Involved in LinkedIn
(36:56) - - Niching Down with Your “One Word”
(38:25) - - Prioritizing Engagement on LinkedIn
(39:36) - - Applying This Framework to Other Channels
(39:52) - - Revising Your Voice and Tone
(41:47) - - How to Pick Your “One Word” (Revisited)
(43:52) - - Reach Versus Teach

Join 50,0000 people who get Dave's Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter

Learn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/

***

Brought to you by:

***

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

#195: Marketing Leadership | Paddle CMO Andrew Davies on The First Principles of B2B Marketing Nov 21, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Dave is joined by Andrew Davies, CMO at Paddle, a company providing complete payments infrastructure for 4,000+ software businesses globally. Prior to Paddle, he was VP of Corporate Marketing at Optimizely, following the acquisition of his startup. Dave and Andrew talk about the marketing strategy at Paddle, managing a team of 30 marketers, the fundamentals of effective B2B marketing, and their mission of being the most helpful brand in their space.

Dave and Andrew also cover:

The importance of first principles in B2B marketing
How to structure and scale a marketing team
How to differentiate in a crowded market

Timestamps

(00:00) - - Intro to Andrew
(06:26) - - From Startup Founder and CMO to Head of Marketing
(12:01) - - Starting Out at Paddle
(14:47) - - First Principles for Building Out Marketing
(17:25) - - Positioning and Messaging in a Crowded Market
(18:40) - - Leading a 30-Person Marketing Team at Paddle
(22:33) - - The Key to Being an Effective Leader
(25:02) - - Distributing and Prioritizing Tasks on the Marketing Team
(30:29) - - Marketing Strategy at Paddle
(32:10) - - What is Your Marketing Team NOT Doing That is Considered a Best Practice for Every Other Company?
(35:42) - - AI in B2B Marketing
(38:35) - - Closing Remarks

Join 50,0000 people who get Dave's Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter

Learn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/

***

Brought to you by:

***

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

How to Think About Strategy in B2B Marketing: B2B Marketing Micro-Lesson Nov 20, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we’re delivering another B2B marketing lesson in under 10 minutes—no fluff, just practical insights.

Matthew Carnevale, Marketing Manager at Exit Five, discusses the difference between goals, strategies, and tactics—a framework every marketer needs to plan effectively.

Matthew explains why strategy is the guiding principle behind your plan, how it keeps your team focused, and shares real-world examples of aligning tactics with strategy.

Join 50,0000 people who get Dave's Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter

Learn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/

***

Brought to you by:

***

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

#194: Drive | How to Say No to Your CEO with Natalie Marcotullio, Head of Growth and Operations at Navattic Nov 18, 2024

Show notes

This episode is from Drive 2024, our first-ever in-person event for B2B marketers in Burlington, Vermont. Natalie Marcotullio, Head of Growth and Operations at Navattic, shared strategies on how to say “no” when faced with competing priorities in marketing.

Natalie covers:

How to establish a marketing framework that simplifies decision-making and helps you say no effectively.
A three-step process for communicating priorities with your CEO and leadership team.
Quick-win productivity hacks that offer simple ways to say “no.”

Timestamps

(00:00) - - Intro to Natalie
(04:00) - - The “stress spiral” at work
(05:52) - - How to stop the stress spiral and decide what’s most important to work on
(07:49) - - Natalie’s marketing framework: Unique + Valuable
(08:57) - - Examples of creating a unique and valuable marketing framework
(10:47) - - Why having a framework works
(13:34) - - Step #1 of saying “No”: Ask the Why
(15:20) - - Step #2 of saying “No”: Swap it out
(17:26) - - Step #3 of saying “No”: "Let’s experiment with it"
(20:20) - - Small ways to say “No”
(26:29) - - Natalie’s weirdest ask she’s received (and had to say no to)
(27:31) - - How to know you need to get better at saying no
(28:29) - - Giving context and rationale when saying yes
(29:19) - - How to get your team to think with a marketing mindset and actively bring ideas to you
(30:27) - - Teaching the “yes/no” framework: How does it play out when your team uses your own tricks on you?

Join 50,0000 people who get Dave's Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter

Learn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/

***

Brought to you by:

***

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

#193: Growth | From Comms at Zoom to Marketing Leader at Neat, with Priscilla Barolo, Head of Marketing at Neat Nov 14, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Dave is joined by Priscilla Barolo, former head of comms at Zoom (for nearly 10 years, including the pandemic) and current Head 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 expert in communications and B2B marketing leadership.

Dave and Priscilla cover:

The path from communications to marketing leadership
The unique challenges of marketing a physical product in the B2B tech space
Building and scaling a global marketing team at a high-growth, remote-first company

Join 50,0000 people who get Dave's Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter

Learn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/

***

Brought to you by:

***

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

#192: Drive | How To Build A Solo Marketing Business with Lashay Lewis, Founder of Authority Plug Nov 11, 2024

Show notes

This episode is from Drive 2024, our first-ever in-person event for B2B marketers in Burlington, Vermont. Lashay Lewis, Founder of Authority Plug, hosted a session on making the transition from in-house marketing to building a solo business.

Lashay covers:

How to niche down by focusing on one problem for one ideal customer profile.
Why it’s important to develop a strong point of view to stand out in your category.
How to create a repeatable, results-driven process that builds trust and sells your service

Timestamps

(00:00) - - Intro to Lashay
(04:47) - - When Change Outweighs Pain Of Staying The Same
(08:25) - - Step One: Narrow Your Job Description
(11:02) - - Step Two: Develop a Strong Point of View
(13:48) - - Step Three: Use the L.O.C.K Formula
(18:04) - - Step Four: Let the Process Sell Itself
(22:06) - - Niche Consultants vs. Agencies Are The New Normal
(25:02) - - “Live Your Dash”
(27:56) - - How to Approach Selling Your Brand vs. Your Name
(29:17) - - How to Figure Out Your Niche
(32:13) - - Closing Remarks

Join 50,0000 people who get Dave's Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter

Learn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/

***

Brought to you by:

***

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

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