The Marketing Career Path | Advice for the Marketing Professional

In the Setup CMO Spotlight series, we interview an array of marketing leaders who have done it all. In these recent interviews, marketing professionals shared advice that they wish they had known as a younger marketer, as well as advice they would give to current marketing executives in Chief Marketing Officer and other roles similar to their own. 

#1 - Take risks | Angela Johnson, VP Marketing of Krystal

Take risks. Don't be afraid to do something a little bit different. I'm glad that I've been in food for the last 21 years, but if I had maybe said yes to some other opportunities...it may have taken me down a completely different path. 

#2 - Listen + learn from other sources | Melissa M. Proctor, EVP + CMO of Atlanta Hawks 

Just come in and listen. Especially if you're starting a new role. Taking a beat to really pause and listen and understand - not just around the work that has to happen, but also the culture that's being built - because having a strong team and strong culture ultimately will mean good business.

Look at juxtaposed worlds. I think a lot of times people get kind of focused on their industry...in order for us to move the business forward, I have to look at best practices from other worlds. And so I would say building your relationships with people in disciplines or businesses outside of yours, and really seeing how you can apply those thoughts to improve the work that you're doing would be critical. 

#3 - Collaborate | Joanna Irwin, Global CMO of Randstad

I think sometimes when you're an up-and-coming professional you feel like you have to be the one that comes to the table with the best answer and the best solution, and you've got it all figured out. What I realized is that actually it's better to have the conversation and to have it be more of a collaborative approach and to see what other people might add to the question or the problem you're trying to solve. It doesn't always have to be your great idea, and, in fact, you'll get a lot more buy-in if you take the time to listen and incorporate other people's ideas. 

#4 - Be a badass | Jo Ann Herold, CMO of Honey Baked Ham Co.

Be bold, be a badass, and do things. Be brave about it and not shy or intimidated. And make a difference and show results. 

#5 - Have confidence | Kristie Goshow, CMO of Preferred Hotels + Resorts

Be confident in your work. I haven't regretted any of the decisions that I've made in terms of the steps and the terms that I've taken, but maybe I should have had more confidence when I was negotiating into those roles or while in those roles, and part of that just comes with experience and maturity. Every single one of us needs to know that if we are in a position, it's because the people who put us there saw something in us - a spark, something, a great opportunity - and that we should be confident in that and build on that. 

Be prepared to ask for what you think you're worth. Don't worry about the stretch because you've got long legs - like you literally have to believe yourself into that position.

#6 - Build impact | Ellen Donahue-Dalton, EVP, CMO + Customer Experience Officer of Medecision 

Build impact. Focus around growth rates, shared targets, and program level achievements have faded away into: how do we build impact? How do we build impact throughout the journey that this user or this member or this patient or this business client has with us? How do we invest to drive the most amount of value?

#7 - There is no set path | Lisa Hake, VP of Marketing + Communications of Great Clips

I thought there was this very specific path that marketing professionals had to go on. So I was very tied to that path and thinking about that path and becoming a Brand Manager and doing all these things...and it's not true at all. I didn't go the agency route, I didn't do any of those things, but I still ended up in the spot that's right for me.

#8 - Play to your strengths | Michael Minter, Global Head of DC Marketing of DC Shoes (a Boardriders Company)

Play to your strengths. Figure out what everyone's sort of special skills are, where they're passionate, and how you leverage that.

#9 - Hone your specialty | Leana Less, VP Global Consumer Marketing of Aveda (an Estée Lauder Company)

Stay on your gold list. Do the things that you're brilliant at doing and continue to do that even better - that's what people need to do is hone that skill.

#10 - Experiment around your goals | Mark Roberts, CMO of TPx

Get your KPIs nailed down first. What you think you're measuring and what you think is actually going to contribute in a meaningful fashion. But once you've got that done, you've got to operate in a way where people are okay exploring when there's a problem. The first thing you need to understand is that you don't understand everything.

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The marketing career path is full of endless possibilities ranging from pursuing a career as a content marketer to focusing on digital marketing or traditional marketing, to becoming a marketing specialist or social media manager. Regardless of the path you choose to take, know that there is no set path, that marketing is a vast industry, and that the background of many marketers is all over the place. 

Read more advice from CMO leaders here.

For more information on the marketing career path, check out these resources.