Marketing’s impact is often won—or lost—in conversations with the CEO and the board. In this candid episode of CMOs Unscripted, Rico Andrade, General Manager of Commercial at Celigo (and longtime marketing leader), joins host Lisa Martin to unpack how CMOs and marketing execs can align to top-line priorities, communicate value without vanity metrics, and earn the political capital to secure budget, talent, and runway. From discovery-style onboarding with leadership to crisp, repeatable reporting and “a-ha” insights that build credibility, Rico shares the frameworks and tactics that actually move the needle.

Key Takeaways:

• Start with discovery, not assumptions. Treat your first weeks like a sales discovery: meet 1:1 with the CEO and key board members, review historical docs, and map their perceived pains and priorities before proposing plans.

• Separate CEO vs. board communications. The CEO wants the full story (vision + leading indicators + nuance). The board needs a high-level, consistent view tied to pipeline, bookings, CAC/efficiency, and revenue.

• Ditch vanity metrics at the board level. Keep MQL talk to a minimum unless directly connected to revenue. Anchor updates to outcomes and efficiency.

• Own your numbers—deeply. You don’t have to present every chart, but you must understand the data, limitations, and attribution fuzziness—and be ready to defend or clarify under scrutiny.

• Package complex work into 2–3 priorities. Inconsistent dashboards and shifting narratives erode trust. Decide the two or three things that matter and repeat them consistently across forums.

• Use proactive “a-ha” moments to build credibility. Don’t wait for leadership to spot issues. Bring insights (and solutions) first—especially when diagnosing channel dips, segment gaps, or campaign underperformance.

• Communicate often, not noisily. Over-communicate the same clear message in different formats until it becomes part of the company’s fabric.

Whether you’re a CMO, marketing leader, or aspiring exec, this episode offers a masterclass in earning trust at the highest levels and driving alignment, influence, and lasting impact. Watch or listen now and subscribe for biweekly conversations with top industry leaders.

In this episode of CMOs Unscripted, host Lisa Martin sits down with Evanna Kearins, CMO International at UiPath, for a candid conversation on the complexities of global marketing. Evanna shares how her team is navigating the nuances of EMEA and APJ markets - from cultural and linguistic differences to regulatory hurdles - while scaling integrated campaigns and embracing AI-powered agility. With deep experience across the marketing mix and a journalistic eye for storytelling, Evanna reveals how strategic alignment, personalization, and automation are reshaping the role of international CMOs.

Key Takeaways:

• Localization at Scale: Evanna breaks down how UiPath tailors global campaigns to local markets, ensuring relevance through translation, tone, and cultural nuance.

• Sales-Marketing Alignment: From CRO to country manager, marketing earns its seat at the table by delivering measurable value and consistent communication.

• AI-Driven Demand Gen: UiPath’s AI agent handles first-touch conversations, integrates with Salesforce, and frees up BDRs to focus on deeper engagement - cutting campaign setup time from months to weeks.

• From MQLs to MQAs: Evanna explains why traditional lead metrics are outdated, and how account-based engagement is driving more meaningful pipeline impact.

• Agile Campaigns in Action: With a flexible framework and budget, UiPath pivots quickly to support emerging trends and field requests - without losing strategic focus.

Whether you're leading global teams or scaling your first international campaign, this episode delivers actionable insights and bold strategies to help you thrive in today’s AI-infused marketing landscape. Watch now on YouTube and subscribe for biweekly conversations with top industry leaders.

In this episode of CMOs Unscripted, Lisa Martin sits down with “JJ”, Jennifer Johnson, the powerhouse CMO of CrowdStrike, to explore how AI is reshaping marketing strategy, execution, and team culture. JJ shares how her roots in product marketing shaped her leadership style, and how CrowdStrike is leveraging generative and agentic AI to accelerate content creation, personalize customer journeys, and drive pipeline velocity.

From building an iconic cybersecurity brand to pioneering AI adoption across the organization, JJ offers bold insights into what it takes to lead marketing in a high-growth, innovation-driven company. Whether you're a seasoned CMO or an aspiring marketing leader, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways on embracing AI, fostering intellectual curiosity, and scaling impact.

Key Takeaways:

• AI Acceleration: CrowdStrike is using AI to dramatically speed up execution, reducing months of work to weeks across digital initiatives.

• Personalization at Scale: Agentic AI is enabling real-time, tailored customer experiences that improve engagement and pipeline conversion.

• Evolving Marketing Roles: Prompt engineering and AI fluency are becoming essential skills for modern marketers.

• Strategic Impact: AI is helping CrowdStrike optimize spend, improve decision-making, and strengthen sales-marketing alignment.

• Innovation Mindset: JJ emphasizes that marketing teams must embed innovation into how they work - not just what they promote.

No matter where you are in your marketing journey, this episode delivers valuable insights and real-world strategies you can put into action. Don’t miss out, watch now on YouTube and subscribe for biweekly conversations with top industry leaders.

In this episode of CMOs Unscripted, host Lisa Martin welcomes Denise Persson, CMO of Snowflake, to discuss how AI is transforming the marketing function. Denise shares how her team has moved from experimentation to measurable impact, driving efficiencies across content creation, SDR enablement, and pipeline forecasting. With nearly 30 years in tech marketing, Denise offers bold insights into the future of hyper-personalization, trust, and the evolving role of marketers in an AI-first world.

Key Takeaways:

• AI-Powered Efficiency: Snowflake has seen up to 80% time savings in content prep and 60% gains in SDR workflows, transforming productivity across the org.

• Hyper-Personalization at Scale: AI enables marketers to deliver contextually relevant offers at the right time, improving both B2B and consumer experiences.

• Real-Time Pipeline Optimization: Predictive models help Snowflake forecast pipeline health across territories and reallocate resources before gaps emerge.

• Building a Culture of Innovation: The Marketing AI Council drives strategic experimentation and cross-functional education, ensuring Snowflake stays ahead of the curve.

• Trust as a Competitive Advantage: Transparency in data usage is key to earning customer trust and driving responsible AI adoption.

No matter where you are in your marketing journey, this episode delivers valuable insights and real-world strategies you can put into action. Don’t miss out, watch now on YouTube and subscribe for biweekly conversations with top industry leaders.

In this episode of CMOs Unscripted, host Lisa Martin sits down with longtime AI in marketing advocate and CMO of Dynatrace, Laura Heisman. With more than three decades of experience building brands and businesses, Laura shares how AI is reshaping B2B marketing - from productivity gains to deeper customer insights- while emphasizing the importance of human potential and community.

Laura dives into the evolution of AI Marketing Councils, the integration of AI into existing marketing platforms, and the critical balance between speed and thoughtfulness. She also offers practical advice for CMOs looking to embrace AI and drive measurable business impact.

Key Takeaways:

• Why AI is essential: Embracing AI to stay competitive, without losing the human touch.

• Building AI Marketing Councils: How cross-functional teams drive innovation and intentional strategy.

• Measuring AI’s impact: Real-world Dynatrace ROI: 3x content output, 2x faster translations, richer targeting.

• Integrating AI into workflows: Embedding AI into your CRM, automation, and data platforms.

• Future-forward marketing: Bite-sized content, storytelling, and evolving customer expectations.

No matter where you are in your marketing journey, this episode delivers valuable insights and real-world strategies you can put into action. Don’t miss out, watch now on YouTube and subscribe for biweekly conversations with top industry leaders.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping marketing - and with it, the language we use to connect, convert, and cultivate trust. In this episode of CMOs Unscripted, host Lisa Martin sits down with Emily Foley, Chief Marketing Officer of Cisco Capital, to explore the subtle but powerful influence of words in AI model training.

Together, they unpack how marketers can leverage tone, empathy, and intentional language to train AI responsibly and reduce bias. Emily shares real-world examples from Amazon, IBM, and Google, as well as Cisco’s own ethical frameworks for inclusive AI development. From behavioral intent prediction to human-centered personalization, this conversation is a compelling reminder: marketers don’t just feed the models—they shape them.

Key Takeaways:

• AI as a Marketing Force Multiplier: Hyper-personalization, dynamic recommendations, and behavioral intent mapping are revolutionizing customer engagement.

• Human Behind the Data: AI must interpret, not just collect, data with emotional intelligence to create relevant experiences.

• Tone & Language Shape AI: The words marketers use directly influence model training. Inclusive, empathetic language helps reduce bias and exclusion.

• Real-World AI Bias Examples: From Amazon’s scrapped hiring tool to IBM’s inclusive datasets, Emily highlights how biases can creep on, and how auditing protects fairness.

• Marketing's Ethical Responsibility: Emily advocates for cross-functional collaboration and frameworks that prioritize transparency, fairness, and privacy.

• Emerging Trends: Conversational AI, sentiment analysis, and natural language processing are making digital engagement feel increasingly human.

Whether you’re refining your AI strategy, leading digital transformation, or building trust through customer-first marketing, this episode is a masterclass in responsible, inclusive leadership. Watch now on YouTube and subscribe for biweekly episodes featuring the world’s top CMOs.

In this episode of CMOs Unscripted, host Lisa Martin sits down with Mandy Dhaliwal, CMO of Nutanix, to explore how integrated marketing has become a strategic operating model for high-growth organizations. With over 25 years of experience in cloud and software markets, Mandy shares how modern CMOs can elevate marketing from a siloed function to a powerful, company-wide driver of value.

Mandy outlines why integrated marketing isn’t just a tactic—it’s a mindset. She shares practical insights on interlocking with sales, product, customer success, and the boardroom, all while keeping the customer at the center of every decision. From navigating a major business transformation at Nutanix to integrating AI into the marketing stack, Mandy breaks down what it really takes to lead with vision, impact, and agility.

Key Takeaways:

● Integrated Marketing as Operating Model: It’s not a fad—it’s how modern CMOs lead. ● Stakeholder Buy-In: Speak their language, not marketing jargon.

● Customer-Centric Storytelling: Why clarity and consistency matter most.

● Full-Stack Marketing: A look at how Nutanix structures product, brand, data, campaigns, and more.

● AI-Driven Future: Why Mandy’s putting agents on the org chart.

● From Brand to Revenue: How today’s CMOs measure success by business outcomes, not just MQLs.

Whether you're scaling a startup, leading a global enterprise, or trying to align your team around shared goals, this episode offers a masterclass in integrated, customer-first marketing leadership. Watch now and subscribe for biweekly episodes featuring the world’s top CMOs.

In this episode of CMOs Unscripted, host Lisa Martin sits down with Ash Parikh, CMO of Trellix, to unpack the essentials of succeeding as a private equity-backed CMO. Ash shares his perspective on the two non-negotiables for every marketing leader: Efficiency and Effectiveness, revealing how data-driven decision-making and results-focused execution set the best CMOs apart.

This conversation is packed with insights on how PE-backed CMOs sharpen their approach to ROI, demand generation, and boardroom credibility. Whether you're leading marketing for a startup, a pre-IPO company, or a post-IPO enterprise, this episode is full of game-changing lessons to elevate your leadership.Key Takeaways:

• Efficiency & Effectiveness: The foundation of PE-backed marketing leadership.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Why mastering ROI metrics is a must.
• Empty Calories vs. Real Impact: What boards expect from marketing.
• Leading with EQ & IQ: How top CMOs build trust across the C-suite.
• ABC to the Power of Five: Ash’s strategy for continuous marketing excellence.

No matter where you are in your marketing journey, this episode delivers valuable insights and real-world strategies you can put into action. Don’t miss out, watch now on YouTube and subscribe for biweekly conversations with top industry leaders.