Mari Luukkainen’s Post

Wondering why a Chief Growth Officer (CGO) might be a better fit for startups than a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)? Here's the deal: Startups usually run lean. Having too many top execs can be more of a burden than a help. When you bring on a CMO, you often need to hire other high-priced talent to cover all bases. But a CGO? They're like a multi-tool, handling various roles in one go. It's about getting the most bang for your buck. Why hire someone for just one job when you can get someone who can juggle four? A CGO is all about making the most of what you have, especially when resources are tight. They're key in mapping out growth strategies and keeping an eye on future trends. Since startups are generally smaller, the growth potential is huge, and that's where a CGO really shines. In a lean operation, you need that kind of versatile leadership to grab every growth opportunity. It's not about dissing the CMO role. Think of the CGO as the evolved version of a CMO, tailored for the dynamic startup environment. Dive deeper into why a CGO could be a game-changer for your startup: https://lnkd.in/dpiFD2jz

Navigating the startup landscape requires more than just an innovative product; it demands robust marketing strategies. A startling 56% of startups falter due to poor marketing decisions, which is why embedding a marketing expert within your leadership team is essential. In my years guiding B2B startups as a Fractional CMO, I've personally seen the distinct impact of strategic marketing. However, not every company is ready or able to commit to a full-time CMO, whose average salary often exceeds $360K annually, not including benefits. Here's where the power of a Fractional CMO comes into play: ✅ Cost Efficiency: Hire executive-level expertise at a fraction of the cost, and only for as long as you need it. ✅ Flexibility: This is ideal for various stages, whether you're a startup scaling post-Series A funding or navigating a challenging market. ✅ Strategic Focus: With a Fractional CMO, you can swiftly recalibrate marketing efforts to align with your business goals, ensuring your marketing engine is not just running, but excelling. For startups aiming to secure their place in competitive industries without the hefty overhead of a full-time executive, a Fractional CMO offers a viable, effective solution. Are you considering a Fractional CMO for your business? What's your approach to integrating expert advice into your growth strategy? Get in touch, and let's discuss! #FractionalCMO #StartupGrowth #B2BMarketing #Leadership

Why 90% of Brands Fail as Startups (Despite Having an Excellent Product) Throughout my experience in marketing and sales, working with various industries such as IT/Tech, Entertainment, Law, E-commerce, Health and Wellness, and Coaching, I've witnessed numerous companies failing. Here are some primary reasons why: 1. Not Marketing and Sales Ready Many startups want to generate sales but lack the know-how. They hire inexperienced marketing teams who don't understand which marketing platforms suit their product. For instance, I recently met someone in the IT space who was using organic social media marketing (Facebook and Instagram) for custom-built software – a mismatch! 2. Focus on Building a 100% Product Startups often fail due to inadequate budgeting. They spend all their funds on resources and building a final product, neglecting marketing and sales. The most viable option today is to market and launch a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), generate sales, and continually improve the product. 3. No Unique Selling Point (USP) Startups fail when they don't have a USP, making them indistinguishable from others. It's like having identical candies on display, asking customers to choose one. Consider successful leaders – what sets your brand apart? Well, I have a bunch for marketing tips to share, so feel free to follow Faryal Raza Bhatti 🚀for more startup marketing tips. Remember what I always say, Be Different, Sell Better. Good luck :) #Faryalrazabhatti #Marketingtips #Startuptips #Startupfailure #Growthtips #Leadership #Leadershiptips #Brandingtips #Branding #Sellingtips #salestips

The Internet was on FIRE over this long weekend with Founders talking about Paul Graham's "Founder Mode" essay -- the case where Founders at scaling companies like AirBnB are all going against traditional advice of delegation and instead getting involved in the details to drive scale, profitability, and free cash flows for their companies. This got me thinking about early-stage Founders... What does "Founder Mode" look like for early-stage Founders? It means that you're embracing Founder-led GTM. It can be super tempting in the early days to get someone else to do your GTM for you, whether it's the Junior Marketer, or the Demand Generation Agency, or that Fractional CMO (who can't get a real CMO job). But almost every early stage Founder who outsources GTM fails. The ones that embrace Founder-led GTM in the early phases almost always win. Why? Because they get so close to their target customers and market, they always pivot and find a way to win. Something no one else can do. This is the early-stage Founder's version of Founder Mode. This is the early-stage version of getting involved in the details that matter the most at the early stages: distribution. The Founder-led GTM phase is one of my most favorite phases of the startup journey. Here's why... It feels like magic. You're talking to customers, you're iterating on product, and you're finding the intersection of the right product feature, value and price to serve your ideal customers. The product isn't perfect, the vision isn't all there, but man... that initial set of core features sure do feel great, especially when you start to see Happy Customers. You do the math and you realize you're just getting started. The market of idea customers is massive, and there's so much to be done to spread your message and get your product into the hands of more people. This is the phase you'll always remember fondly even after you scale. This is the phase your team will always look back at fondly as "man... those were the days.." Why? Because time flows like narnia, you're obsessed and focused on serving the customer, and you're iterating on the product and your GTM faster than ever. It's all new, it's all coming together, and it's all beautiful. You're exactly where you're supposed to be. Now here's the catch. In order to experience all this, you need a functioning Founder-led GTM machine that's getting you into conversations with your ideal customers. If you're a SaaS Founder and you're looking to embrace Founder Mode and Founder-led GTM, then start by grabbing a copy of my 5-Point SaaS Growth Strategy Guide. Just follow the link in the comments below 👇

🧩 The Power of a Reliable Support System for Founders 🧩 Founders often experience immense pressure to juggle multiple roles and responsibilities. This journey can be more manageable with the help of emotional support from loved ones, expert advice from mentors, and operational assistance from dedicated team members. Reflect on who has supported you in your entrepreneurial journey, and consider how you can be that support for others. 🌟 #Startups #EntrepreneurLife #TeamWork #FounderSupport This is my network. There are people in here who can help you. I can connect you. https://lnkd.in/dvvUtDPn

I’ve known Adam Rollings for nearly 10 years - he was responsible for 50+ global GTM hires during my time at Netbase and Tubular Labs. He really gets into the details of your business to understand the kind of hire that will not only ramp quickly, but also thrive over the long term. Any scaling tech business should give Adam a shout if they’re struggling to access the first-rate talent they need to grow their business.

Big Corp Marketing vs. Startups. Guess which one I choose? 😉 I've been in both places - the structured world of corporate marketing and the hustle of startups. The years I’ve spent in big companies taught me the mains of success. (Strategy + branding + digital)*consistency = strong result. The drawback is that it's easy to get comfortable in a corporate bubble. You lose drive and understand that you’re one of many((( Easy replaceable (even if you think the opposite) Startups?  They're different. Passion is overflowing, but it’s a never-ending fight for growth. So I know both worlds))) And I prefer to be there where my impact is valued! So I changed my corporate heels for startup sneakers. So if you’re a small company and want to close the gap  between ambitions and results - I’m ready to help! I could do for you: Tailored strategy marketing sessions to reach your unique goals and target audience. Provide you with practical guides and help to identify measurable metrics to track your progress. The best part? With a smart strategy, you can see results in 1-2 months 🚀 Ready to unleash your brand's full potential? DM me "GROWTH" and let's chat about how my expertise can transform your marketing.  Book a FREE 30-minute consultation today and let's get started! P.S. Have you ever worked in a big corporation? #marketingstrategy #marketing #growth

Do startups need CMOs? It's tempting to start with an entry-level marketer. Or no marketing at all. In this video I make the case for a Chief Marketing Officer being one of your first hires. Marketing presents an almost infinite set of tactical options; without a marketing strategy, it's almost impossible to choose the right first activities and investments to grow your business. Even more important: having all of the moving parts work together and scale with the business. Good news: the fractional CMO business model makes the investment more scalable as well. More videos for founders and their marketing: https://lnkd.in/gwXgjRJT #b2bmarketing #marketingstrategy #startup #CMO #chiefmarketingofficer Naba Ahmed

Waiting to build your brand with PR as a startup? You might be missing out on crucial momentum. This article explains why you should prioritize public relations early on. Thoughts? #startups #branding https://lnkd.in/eAV4MH28

Founders, don’t shortcut a marketer’s processes. Instead, believe in them! If you hire a Fractional CMO, GTM Strategist, or Marketing Advisor, you need to understand that they have processes for a reason. Why? Because they have done this over and over again. They understand what it takes to take a startup from concept, to reality, to revenue. It’s something that does not happen overnight, or even a week, or even a month. It will take time. There is no silver bullet tactic that is going to have your startup explode on the scene and produce results instantly. These processes help set you up for long-term, sustainable growth. Short-term “wants & wins” are hard to come by. For example, I am lucky to work with two amazing co-founders of Bisa Therapeutics (Jacqueline Bow Rousselow & Toni Marie Sands). Since Day 1, they have been a pleasure to work with. They understand that it takes time for a startup marketing machine to not only get running but also produce results. They believe in the process. And because of this, we are slowly growing the company, becoming a “real company.” As a founder, you need to know that: ✅ It takes time. ✅ It takes a lot of testing. ✅ We will fail ✅ We will move the needle forward, no matter how slow. Many founders look at marketers who don’t produce leads or revenue right away as failures. But you have to look at the bigger picture of what it takes to get a startup up off the ground. If your marketer is working fractionally, it is going to take longer than if you had a full-time dedicated resource. When I was the Vice President of Marketing at Biller Genie, we spent the first 9 months getting our foundation prepped just so we could bring on our first big partner. 9 months. Working 50+ hours a week. Myself and my team grinding away. That’s what it takes. ➡️ TLDR – believe and trust that your marketing advisors have your best interests at heart and give them time to build with you. If they truly care, they will do a great job long term. #marketing #saas #startup ------------ I’m Scott Burgess. I talk about how to market early-stage SaaS startups. ➡️ Get GTM strategies & tips bi-weekly with my SaaS GTM Newsletter. Link in my profile.