Proven Frameworks to Maximize Your Team’s Time & Energy

Working in startup marketing means you're no stranger to the constant juggling act required to balance priorities, budgets, and time constraints.

You wear a lot of hats.

You spin a lot of plates.

You run the circus.

You are the human embodiment of a Swiss Army knife.

How can you get a little relief?

Well, one way to wrangle the mess of a startup work life is to employ frameworks to the job. Marketing teams especially are often caught in the crosshairs of competing demands, with requests pouring in from various stakeholders, each claiming their project is the top priority, meanwhile the growth targets and ROI expectations just keep climbing.

Marketing leaders are the focus for all that angst.

As a leader, it is in your job description to figure out how to manage your finite resources to get the most out of your people, your budget, and your precious time. To keep the chaos at bay, you can apply the following decision-making and responsibility frameworks that will help quiet the noise and help raise your impact.

Here’s a list of all that we’ll cover:

• DACI and RACI frameworks for project management and clear ownership

• The 70-20-10 framework for resource allocation

• The Eisenhower Matrix for deciding what’s urgent vs. important

• Reforge strategic framework for investing in marketing channels

The DACI framework

This project-management framework is designed to clearly define roles on a project.

Here are the four roles and what DACI stands for:

• D = Driver

• A = Approver

• C = Contributor

• I = Informed

The Driver is the person responsible for making the project happen. They may have various levels of involvement in the execution of the project. Their primary job is to lead the project from beginning to end.

The Driver's responsibilities may include:

• Scheduling kickoff meetings and recurring standups / check-ins

• Collecting advice from those inside and outside the project

• Creating the project plan and scope

• Communicating project updates regularly

The Approver is the person who makes decisions about the project. They have veto power. The approver is typically a department head or founder / CEO.

Contributors -- also sometimes called "Consulted" -- are subject area experts whom the Driver should include in her or his advice process. Contributors have a voice, but no vote.

And informed teammates are told of the project status or final decision. They don't have the authority to change any outcomes.

When implemented effectively, the DACI framework brings clarity and structure to project management by eliminating common pain points around decision-making and accountability. By clearly defining who drives the project (Driver), who makes the final calls (Approver), who provides expertise (Contributors), and who needs to stay in the loop (Informed), teams can move faster and with more confidence. No more wondering who’s in charge of this campaign or that email series!

Note: This framework is particularly valuable in fast-moving organizations where multiple projects are happening simultaneously and roles might otherwise become unclear. The key to success with DACI is communicating these roles clearly at the project's outset and ensuring everyone understands their level of involvement and authority throughout the project lifecycle. You, as the marketing leader, kind of have to play DACI cop—along with others in leadership who are bought in to the system—in order to enforce the DACI roles the first few times before the system sticks.

The RACI framework

Similar to DACI, the RACI framework is popular in project management and strategic decision-making, especially at higher levels of company strategy and major projects.

Here are the four roles of RACI and what the acronym stands for:

• R = Responsible

• A = Accountable

• C = Consulted

• I = Informed

As you can see, there's a lot of overlap between the DACI and RACI frameworks. Among the chief differences is, obviously, the first letter: Responsible vs. Driver.

In the RACI framework, the Responsible teammate (or teammates) is the one who does the work to complete the task. They can delegate the work, if needed. There's a version of RACI called RASCI, which includes an "S" for those in Supporting roles.

Another difference between RACI and DACI is with the "A" role: Accountable vs. Approver. In RACI, the Accountable teammate is the one who must answer for the proper completion of the project or the correct decision. In most cases, this level of accountability makes this person also the approver, since they are the ones who must answer for the outcome.

There are a lot of neat articles about these frameworks.

For instance, here's how the Fictiv team uses DACI in Asana:

1. Each task in Asana (our task management system) is assigned to a Driver.

2. Approvers and Contributors are clearly listed in the description of the task.

3. Informed persons are added as “followers” to the task so they’re notified of project updates and progress.

The 70-20-10 framework (created by Coca Cola’s marketing department)

The 70-20-10 framework was originally developed by Coca-Cola in the mid-2000s. It was pioneered during the digital transformation of their marketing strategy, with their CMO Joe Tripodi being one of its key advocates.

Was the 70-20-10 framework the reason Coke beat Pepsi?

We’ll never know. :)

The 70-20-10 framework is one my all-time favorite ways to manage marketing team resources. I use it all the time for things like budget, programs, hiring, and content.

At its most basic, the 70-20-10 framework suggests that companies should allocate their marketing resources in the following manner:

• 70% of the budget should be dedicated to core marketing activities that have proven successful in the past. These are the tried-and-true tactics that have consistently delivered results and form the backbone of your marketing efforts.

• 20% of the budget should be allocated to emerging or adjacent opportunities. This portion allows for experimentation with new channels, platforms, or strategies that show promise but have not yet been fully explored or validated.

• 10% of the budget should be reserved for innovative or disruptive ideas. This portion encourages risk-taking and embraces the potential for game-changing breakthroughs, even if the chances of success are relatively low.

By adhering to this framework, marketing teams can strike a balance between capitalizing on their existing strengths, exploring new avenues for growth, and fostering innovation. The 70% allocation ensures that core marketing activities remain well-funded and consistent, while the 20% and 10% portions provide flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions and consumer preferences.

When applied to marketing resource allocation, the 70-20-10 framework can help teams prioritize their efforts and allocate resources effectively. For example, the 70% might be dedicated to proven channels like email marketing, search engine optimization, and social media advertising, while the 20% could be used to test emerging platforms like TikTok or influencer marketing. The 10% could be reserved for experimental campaigns or cutting-edge technologies like augmented reality or voice-based marketing.

The Eisenhower Matrix for deciding what’s urgent vs. important

The Eisenhower Matrix, also known as the Urgent-Important Matrix, is a simple yet effective tool for prioritizing tasks and managing time effectively. Developed by former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower, this matrix helps you categorize tasks based on their urgency and importance, allowing you to focus your efforts on the most crucial activities.

The matrix consists of four quadrants:

1. Urgent and Important: This quadrant represents tasks that require immediate attention and have a significant impact on your goals or objectives. Examples include crisis situations, pressing deadlines, or critical meetings.

2. Not Urgent but Important: This quadrant includes tasks that are important but not time-sensitive. These activities contribute to your long-term goals and priorities, such as strategic planning, professional development, or building relationships.

3. Urgent but Not Important: This quadrant consists of tasks that demand your attention but may not be directly aligned with your goals or priorities. Examples include unnecessary meetings, interruptions, or low-priority requests from others.

4. Not Urgent and Not Important: This quadrant represents activities that are neither urgent nor important. These tasks can often be delegated, outsourced, or eliminated altogether, as they may be time-wasters or distractions.

SUPER prioritize section #1.

Keep sections #2 and #3 on your to-do list.

IGNORE AT ALL COSTS section #4.

Reforge strategic framework for investing in marketing channels

The key to sustainable growth isn’t just choosing the right marketing channels, but knowing when and how to invest in them. That’s where I use this Payback vs. Risk Framework from the folks at Reforge

This matrix helps marketing leaders make smart, strategic decisions by balancing two key factors:

1. Payback Period (X-Axis) – How quickly will this investment generate returns?

2. Risk vs. Long-Term Upside (Y-Axis) – Is this a high-risk, experimental strategy, or a proven, steady performer?

By plotting marketing channels on this framework, you can prioritize your resources effectively and avoid wasting time on low-return initiatives. Here’s how to think about it:

1. High Priority: Testing & Learning (High Risk, Short Payback)

These are high-risk, high-reward experiments that can deliver results quickly—but they’re not guaranteed to work. Think of tactics like:

• Testing a new paid acquisition channel (e.g., TikTok Ads for B2B)

• Running aggressive short-term promotions

• Trying a new partnership or influencer strategy

Since these initiatives are fast-moving, they should be measured carefully—if they show promise, you can scale them. If not, cut your losses quickly.

2. High Priority: Long-Term Investments (Low Risk, Long Payback)

These strategies take longer to pay off but offer massive upside over time. Examples include:

• SEO & content marketing

• Building an organic LinkedIn presence

• Email nurture sequences & lifecycle automation

Startups often neglect these because they don’t deliver instant results—but a strong content and SEO foundation will lower acquisition costs and create compounding growth over time.

3. Always-On: Low-Risk, Short Payback

These are the bread-and-butter marketing channels that are proven, reliable, and continuously generate leads or sales. Examples:

• Google Ads & retargeting

• Referral programs

• Product-led growth loops (e.g., viral signups, free trials)

You should keep these running at all times and optimize them incrementally. They’re safe, scalable, and drive predictable revenue.

4. Deprioritize: Long Payback, Low Upside

These are the trap investments—slow to pay off, but without the long-term upside to justify the wait. Examples might include:

• Sponsoring niche industry events with low ROI

• Unproven social media platforms with no traction

• Overinvesting in brand campaigns without clear KPIs

If a channel falls into this bucket, it’s better to redirect those resources elsewhere.

How to Apply This Framework

1. Map your current marketing efforts onto this matrix.

2. Double down on Always-On & Long-Term Investments—these are your foundation.

3. Run small-scale tests in the Testing & Learning quadrant, but be ready to pivot.

4. Cut anything in the Deprioritize quadrant—free up your budget for higher-impact initiatives.

By using this approach, you’ll make data-driven, strategic marketing decisions that balance short-term wins with sustainable, long-term growth. Super user tip: Once you have plotted your channels onto this matrix, you can apply the 70-20-10 framework to determine your ideal portfolio balance. I like to use the following:

• 70% are always-on channels

• 20% are long-term

• 10% are test-and-learn

Closing thoughts

Effective resource allocation is a delicate balancing act between maintaining core marketing activities and pursuing exploratory initiatives. On one hand, dedicating too many resources to established channels and tactics can leave your startup stagnant, failing to adapt to evolving market trends and missing out on potential growth opportunities. However, over-investing in unproven or experimental initiatives can drain valuable resources from essential marketing functions, jeopardizing your startup's stability and market position.

The key lies in striking the right balance, allocating sufficient resources to sustain and optimize your core marketing activities while reserving a portion for exploring new avenues.

Hopefully these frameworks give you a sense of where to begin with making those tough tradeoff decisions and key priority calls with you and your team!

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Build a 🤩 Marketing Team: A Head of Marketing’s Guide to Hiring

The good news: You are a head of marketing for a super cool company, tasked with building out your marketing team from scratch.

The hard news: You can build your awesome marketing team a thousand different ways, and it’s really important to get things right!

“The wrong hire doesn’t just fail—they take others down with them.”

— Indra Nooyi, CEO of Pepsi

Gulp!

Hiring a marketing team is a bit like completing a puzzle. Each piece matters, and the way you fit them together can make or break your company’s trajectory. As someone who’s been in that enviable Head of Marketing seat and has hired and built out marketing teams from scratch, I’ve learned a lot about how to approach this critical task.

Here’s my take on the philosophy of building a marketing dream team—who to hire, in what order, and how to find the right people.

Where do you begin

4 factors to consider when making your first hire

Not that I advocate for anyone losing sleep over digital marketing (I’m a firm believer that there is no such thing as a marketing emergency), but one of the biggest stressors for early-stage CEOs and heads of marketing is getting that first marketing hire right.

Who should be the first marketer that you hire?

This question keeps company leaders up at night because there are so many different directions that the hire could go. Not only must you figure out the right skillset for this hire, but you have to consider seniority, experience, and the skills you want in-house and what you want to outsource to an agency partner.

If you are a head of marketing, looking to build your team with your first direct report, what role do you start with?

Your decision should include these factors:

1. Marketing skillset

2. Seniority in the role

3. Relevant experience

4. Product-Hire Fit (a phrase I made up)

Typically, you’re going to choose between the three main skillsets of marketing: brand marketing (“who you are” as a company), product marketing (“what you sell”), and growth marketing (“how you sell it.”)

We’ll get to the big debate about marketing skillset in a minute.

Next, seniority is an important factor that will dictate how much managing you need to do and how much autonomy this hire will have. The seniority spectrum typically runs from one end—a Director-level hire who has previous experience managing people—to the other end—a more junior marketer who is an individual contributor.

With seniority, you need to think about:

• How fast will I be hiring more people? The faster you hire, the sooner you should start bringing on Director-level folks.

• How much of a self-starter do I need? More senior folks tend to hit the ground running and own their area quicker than someone who needs more coaching and guidance from you.

• How much budget do I have? Senior people are more expensive, according to Captain Obvious. :)

Relevant experience is another important consideration because you need to assess candidates according to their match with your specific company. With experience, you should consider:

• Have they worked at this stage of business before (or the stage you anticipate next)? Examples: seed stage, Series A, Series B, pre-revenue, etc.

• Have they worked in your industry before? Examples: HR tech, consumer-packaged goods, real estate, AI

• Have they worked in your go-to-market motion? Examples: Product-Led Growth, sales-led, B2B, B2C, DTC

And then, importantly, you’ll want to consider how well this hire fits within the context of your product and your company. In this case, you’ll want to assess things like your core audience and what they care about, your most important growth channels today (and tomorrow), the attitudes of your CEO and C-suite, and—the most important factor of all maybe—what skills you personally bring to the table.

Your first hire should complement you, not replicate you.

Now, let’s get into the specifics of the biggest hiring debate out there: which roles to hire first.

Conventional wisdom says, “Hire product marketing first.”

Until now, the most common answer to the hiring question has gone like this:

• Hire product marketing first

• Outsource your growth marketing to an agency

• Save brand marketing for a later stage once you’re well past product-market fit

The reasoning goes like this: Product marketers are great at crafting product positioning and making sales assets for your team and website. They are also quite collaborative and cross-functional, working with your product team and your sellers (especially at B2B businesses). Growth marketing, early on, very often takes the form of digital advertising like search ads, which is a channel that can be managed quite effectively by outsiders; you may choose to bring it in-house once your growth mix gets more complex or you want to focus on better spend and efficiency.

Brand eats last, which happens because brand work is discounted as too top-of-funnel to matter right now, or because the founding team doesn’t value brand, or because they’ve already paid to have a logo, colors, and website (which is all brand is, right???).

Having seen this team-building philosophy first-hand across several in-house roles, I have a slightly different take on things now.

Today, the market screams, “Hire brand marketing first!”

Yes, I am aware this is exactly backwards from how it usually happens today.

But hear me out:

• Brand has never been more important than it is today

• In a noisy, homogenized world companies competing for attention, the single most effective strategy for standing out is to tell an authentic, compelling story through a consistent, memorable brand

• Brand foundations are accelerants to everything else you do with your marketing

• Brand makes everything better 👆 — your marketing, your sales, your fundraising, your customer experience

Product marketing is uber-important, but you can’t truly begin effective positioning work without knowing why your business exists in the first place. I have spoken with countless founders who want to reverse-engineer the brand story after the product finds traction; it’s just not as effective that way.

Growth marketing is hugely valuable as you scale, but its ROI will be suppressed if you’re not consistent with your story. It’s way more than just making ads that look good and sound good; you want to advertise with a story that is meaningful and real—because today’s customers are too savvy and will spot a fraud.

Q: But isn’t brand marketing a luxury at such an early stage of team growth?

If you were hiring a brand marketer whose only contribution would be brand strategy, then yes, that’d be a little too specific. But many brand marketers are creative powerhouses who take brand foundations and turn them into wildly successful campaigns, content, and engagement. Find yourself one of these folks!

(We have a bunch in our Bonfire network, if you need one.)

It’s likely that your brand marketer will be talented with coming up with your foundational strategy and then they may also specialize in one of these early-stage-critical areas:

• PR & Comms

• Social media and promotion

• Audience development

• Market research and customer care

And the list of skills goes on and on. Brand marketing is one of the most diffuse departments in all of marketing. Brand marketers can do a lot.

Q: But what if you’re already pretty good with story?

Brand strategy is a specific discipline that benefits greatly from a subject matter expert running the show. Yes, your CEO might make a compelling pitch to their investors, but do they understand the nuance of brand identity and personality? Unlikely.

The most helpful way to navigate a situation like this is to step back and take stock of everyone’s skillsets. The most common paths look like this:

• If you are a Head of Marketing whose background is in brand, then your first hire can be someone with a product marketing or growth marketing skillset

• Otherwise if you do not have a brand marketing background, then your first hire should be a brand marketer

Note that in neither scenario is the CEO the brand marketer. Although they may be tempted to be!

Q: But what if we really, really, seriously aren’t going to hire brand marketing first? I mean, come on.

If all else fails and you cannot make a brand marketer your first hire—if your CEO won’t allow it or your board of directors can’t stomach the idea—then at the very least hire a brand marketing agency to build your foundations before you get too far ahead with all your other marketing.

I’m biased (since I run a brand marketing agency), but the initial investment in foundations will do wonders to all your marketing efforts that come afterward. Find yourself a wonderful agency partner who can give you what you need: purpose, mission, values; brand identity and personality; brand narratives; visual identity even. These building blocks will enable whoever your first marketing hire will be—whether they’re a brand specialist or not.

Your first marketing hire should be someone who can help you define and articulate your brand. Why? Because your brand will influence every marketing activity that follows. If you start running ads or building campaigns without a clear sense of who you are and what you stand for, you’re likely to waste time and money. Therefore …

Hire #1: The Brand Builder

Your first hire should be someone who is part storyteller, part strategist—a brand marketer with a strong creative streak. This person will lay the groundwork for your marketing efforts by defining your messaging, tone, and visual identity.

Traits to Look For:

• Strategic thinker with a deep understanding of positioning and differentiation

• Exceptional storytelling and communication skills

• Creative but data-informed, able to translate customer insights into a compelling brand narrative

• A generalist who can span both strategy and tactics and can contribute to multiple brand channels as an executor and manager

Experience to Prioritize:

• Previous experience building or evolving a brand at a startup

• Strong portfolio of work that showcases their ability to craft messaging and campaigns

Where to Look:

• Alumni of well-regarded startups known for strong branding—start with anyone who was early at Notion, Miro, Figma, or Mailchimp

• Creative agencies specializing in brand development. Agency folks make amazing early-stage hires because they know how to deliver quickly.

• LinkedIn and industry events focused on early-stage marketing

Hire #2: The Demand Generator

Once your brand is in place, it’s time to get customers. Your second hire should focus on demand generation. This person will take the brand foundation and turn it into scalable, measurable customer acquisition efforts. They should excel at setting up systems for lead generation and know how to create campaigns that drive growth.

Traits to Look For:

• Results-driven with a love for metrics and optimization

• Skilled at balancing short-term wins (e.g., paid ads) with long-term growth strategies (e.g., SEO)

• Strong cross-functional collaborator, able to work with sales, product, and other teams

Experience to Prioritize:

• Experience with owning a user acquisition goal at a startup or small business. Super important: DID THEY OWN THE GOAL? I don’t mean to shout, but it’s really critical that they know how to take full responsibility for delivering on growth outcomes

• Familiarity with tools like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, HubSpot, Salesforce, and/or Marketo

• Proven track record of scaling customer acquisition efforts and/or sales pipeline

Where to Look:

• Startups in your industry or adjacent industries

• Growth marketing communities and Slack groups

• Referrals from your professional network

Hire #3: The Product Marketer

With your brand foundation solid and demand generation engine running, it's time to strengthen your product's positioning and go-to-market strategy. A product marketer will help you articulate your product's value proposition, create compelling sales enablement materials, and ensure your messaging resonates with specific customer segments.

Traits to Look For:

• Strong analytical mindset with excellent communication skills

• Ability to translate complex product features into clear customer benefits

• Natural collaborator who can work effectively with product, sales, and customer success teams

• Research-oriented with a knack for understanding market dynamics and competitor positioning

Experience to Prioritize:

• Previous experience in product marketing at a similar stage company or in your industry

• Track record of developing successful product launches and go-to-market strategies

• Experience creating and maintaining sales enablement materials that actually get used

• Demonstrated ability to conduct customer research and competitive analysis

• Familiarity with product-led growth principles, especially if that's part of your strategy

Where to Look:

• Companies with strong product marketing teams like Slack, HubSpot, or Atlassian

• Product-led growth companies if that matches your motion

• Product marketing communities on LinkedIn and specialized Slack groups like Product Marketing Alliance

• Former consultants from tech-focused firms (they often make great product marketers due to their analytical and strategic skills)

Hire #4: The Content Strategist

With people in the roles for each of the main three marketing disciplines, the next piece of the puzzle is content. Content drives everything—from SEO and social media to email marketing and customer education. A strong content strategist will help you create materials that attract, inform, and convert your target audience.

Traits to Look For:

• Creative and resourceful, able to generate ideas that resonate with your audience

• Strong writing and editing skills with an eye for detail

• Data-driven, able to track content performance and adjust strategies accordingly

Experience to Prioritize:

• Experience creating content for startups or B2B/B2C audiences

• A portfolio that showcases a variety of content types, such as blogs, whitepapers, and videos

• Familiarity with SEO best practices and content management systems

Where to Look:

• Freelance marketplaces like Upwork (great for testing before hiring full-time)

• Content marketing communities and forums—Superpath is a great one

• Industry blogs and publications—look for contributors who fit your needs

Putting it all together: The early hiring flowchart

The above are recommendations on where to start with your marketing hiring.

But remember one of the most important factors to consider: Hire for fit with your product and your company, including the skills that you, the Head of Marketing, already bring to the table. For instance, if you are an exceptional brand marketer with product chops, your first hire should not be another exceptional brand marketer; it should be a growth person.

With this in mind, here’s a handy flowchart for deciding who to hire first as you build your amazing marketing team.

Scaling the Team

Specialists vs. Generalists

After your first hires, your next steps will depend on your growth stage and specific needs. Early on, you’ll likely benefit from generalists—people who can wear multiple hats and adapt as priorities shift. But as you grow, you’ll want to bring in specialists for areas like:

• Partnerships and PR: To expand your reach through strategic collaborations

• Design: This may be a department in your product org or an agency partner at first, but consider having a dedicated resource on your marketing team in order to maintain quality, creativity, and pace

• Email / Lifecycle Marketing: To nurture leads and drive retention

• Social Media Marketing: To build a community and amplify your brand online

Traits That Matter Across the Board

“Hire for attitude, train for skill.”

— Melinda Emerson

While the specific roles will vary, there are some universal traits to look for in your marketing hires. I’ve had a ton of success looking for people with the following traits:

• Adaptability: Startups are unpredictable. Look for people who thrive in ambiguity and can pivot quickly.

• Curiosity: The best marketers are always learning—about your product, your customers, and new marketing trends.

• Empathy: Marketing is about understanding your audience. Hire people who genuinely care about solving customer problems.

• Collaboration: Marketing doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Team players who can work across departments are invaluable.

Job descriptions to get you started

Here are some real-world job descriptions for some of the roles mentioned in this article. Keep in mind that you’ll want to adapt these to fit your unique circumstances and context. And feel free to pepper in with lots of the traits that you want to optimize for with your hires.

• Brand marketing

• Brand marketing

• Product marketing

• Growth marketing

• Content

• Social media

Closing Thoughts

Building a marketing team is one of the most exciting parts of growing a startup. It’s also one of the most difficult!

Hopefully this overview gives you some good food for thought on getting started.

When done right, your team becomes a powerful engine for growth, innovation, and customer connection. Start with a strong foundation—brand first—and add layers thoughtfully. Hire people who are not just skilled but also aligned with your company’s vision and values and way of working.

Expect to get things wrong a time or two! But here’s hoping that this outline at least gives you a chance at improving your success rate with your early team-building.

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Best Books and Articles for Startup Marketing Leaders

Over the years, I’ve read dozens of marketing books and hundreds (maybe thousands?) of marketing articles—some brilliant, some forgettable, and a few that completely changed how I approach marketing strategy, messaging, and growth. These are the ones I keep coming back to, the ones I recommend to new marketers and marketing leaders alike.

Whether you’re looking to sharpen your positioning, level up your copywriting, or just find fresh inspiration, these resources are worth a spot on your shelf and in your bookmarks.

Let’s dive in!

The Best Marketing Books

Alchemy by Rory Sutherland

(buy the book on Amazon or on Bookshop)

A fascinating exploration of the irrational side of human behavior, Alchemy dives into why logic alone isn’t enough to create brilliant marketing and business strategies. Sutherland, a VP at the famous Ogilvy agency and a master of behavioral economics, reveals how unconventional thinking can lead to breakthrough ideas that defy traditional business wisdom.

The advertising agency J. Walter Thompson used to set a test for aspiring copywriters. One of the questions was simple: 

‘Here are two identical 25-cent coins. Sell me the one on the right.’ 

One successful candidate understood the idea of alchemy. ‘I’ll take the right-hand coin and dip it in Marilyn Monroe’s bag. Then I’ll sell you a genuine 25-cent coin as owned by Marilyn Monroe.’  

Obsessed by Emily Heyward

(buy the book on Amazon or on Bookshop)

This book unpacks how the world’s best brands create deep emotional connections with their customers. Drawing from her experience co-founding Red Antler (the agency behind Warby Parker and other really popular B2C brands), Heyward provides insight into why obsession-worthy brands win and how to craft a brand that people can’t get enough of.

A fair definition of how to think about “brand” is “why should people care?”

Anything You Want by Derek Sivers

(buy the book on Amazon or on Bookshop)

Part memoir, part manifesto, this book distills 10 years of entrepreneurship into 40 lessons on building a business with heart. Sivers emphasizes that success isn’t about chasing scale or profit but about creating something meaningful that aligns with your values.

Business is not about money. It’s about making dreams come true for others and for yourself.

The Pmarca Blog Archives by Marc Andreessen

(free download)

A collection of essays from the venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, this book covers everything from startups and product-market fit to career advice and the future of technology. Packed with wisdom, it’s a must-read for anyone navigating the tech and business world. And it’s free!

Don’t worry about being a small fish in a big pond — you want to always be in the best pond possible, because that’s how you will get exposed to the best people and the best opportunities in your field.

Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore

(buy the book on Amazon or on Bookshop)

A classic marketing book that explains how new technologies and innovations move from early adopters to the mainstream market. Moore presents a strategic roadmap for startups to overcome the critical "chasm" between niche appeal and mass adoption. Especially useful for tech startups!

A tool to help you refine your positioning. Fill out this template:

For ____Who are dissatisfied with ____Our product is a ____That provides ____Unlike ____We can provide ____

We Are All Weird by Seth Godin

(buy the book on Amazon or on Bookshop)

Of all the dozen or so Seth Godin books, this one is my favorite. Godin argues that mass marketing is dead, and businesses must embrace the power of niches. This book is a call to celebrate individuality, cater to passionate micro-communities, and rethink how we connect with customers in a fragmented world. In other words, it’s a call to be yourself!

We don’t like the advertising that’s not for us, not about us, not interesting to us. But talk to me, directly to me, about something relevant and personal, and I love you for it.

Growing Up Fast by Jascha Kaykas-Wolff and Kevin Fann

(buy the book on Amazon or on Bookshop)

This book explores how businesses can scale quickly while fostering a culture of innovation. The authors break down real-world challenges and best practices for balancing growth with adaptability in a fast-changing market.

In proper combination, innovation creates marketing opportunities, which create innovation, which creates marketing opportunities, which create innovation, which creates marketing, and on and on.

Traction by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares

(buy the book on Amazon or on Bookshop)

A tactical guide for startups looking to grow, Traction introduces the Bullseye Framework to help businesses systematically find and scale their best customer acquisition channels. With real-world examples, it’s an essential playbook for gaining momentum. I used this book in my very first head of marketing job to help identify the channels to begin with. I would have been lost otherwise.

The bullseye framework for finding the best traction channels: Get it here.

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

(buy the book on Amazon or on Bookshop)

This book introduces the Lean Startup methodology, emphasizing rapid experimentation and learning from customer feedback to develop sustainable businesses. It’s a lot about product management, but I learned a TON about how to manage a marketing team, how to think about testing and iteration, and how to move quickly and confidently with campaigns.

Other popular marketing books that people love

• Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries & Jack Trout

• The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries & Jack Trout

• Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath

• Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini

• Everybody Writes by Ann Handley

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The best marketing articles, websites, newsletters, and resources

Blogs & websites

Marketing Examples by Harry Dry

Backlinko by Brian Dean (SEO)

HubSpot

Buffer

Reforge

• "The Growth Model: How to Develop a Deep Understanding of Your Growth" by Brian Balfour Provides a framework for understanding and optimizing a company's growth mechanics.

• "The Product-Led Growth Playbook" by various authors Offers insights into leveraging product features to drive user acquisition, retention, and expansion.

Andreessen Horowitz (a16z): Future

• "Go-to-Market Fit: SaaS’s Missing Middle" by David George and Pete Levine Discusses the importance of achieving go-to-market fit for SaaS companies and strategies to attain it.

• "The New Business of AI (and How It’s Different From Traditional Software)" by Martin Casado and Matt Bornstein Explores the unique challenges and opportunities in building AI-driven businesses.

Newsletters

Emily Kramer: MKT1

• "Marketing Isn't Hard, It Is Misunderstood" Emily Kramer offers her expertise on optimizing your marketing funnel and her top tips for a high-level approach to marketing in 2024.

• "Finding Go-to-Market and Business Model Fit, Setting the Right Marketing Goals, and More with Emily Kramer" An interview where Emily discusses various topics, including the challenges of hiring marketers for startups and the importance of setting impactful marketing goals.

Kyle Poyar: Growth Unhinged

Ari Murray: Go To Millions

There are lots of other great ones out there, too. Recommendation: Sign up for Substack and browse their list of top business and marketing newsletter. I’m sure you’ll find something you like!

(Oh, and I have a newsletter, too.)

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What Does a VP Marketing Do? Here’s a Job Description

• Managers are paid to drive results with some support. They have experience in the function, can take responsibility, but are still learning the job and will have questions and need support. They can execute the tactical plan for a project, but typically can’t make it.

• Directors are paid to drive results with little or no supervision (“set and forget”). Directors know how to do the job. They can make a project’s tactical plan in their sleep. They can work across the organization to get it done. I love strong directors. They get shit done.

• VPs are paid to make the plan. Say you run marketing. Your job is to understand the company’s business situation, make a plan to address it, build consensus and get approval of that plan, then go execute it.

(source)

The above list was one I saw early on in my marketing management career, when I was at the “manager” level. Dave Kellogg's breakdown of roles is one I've ascribed to ever since.

When I was ready to take the step from Director to VP, I found myself recalling Dave's advice on what makes a VP a VP. Beyond that, I had little idea where to turn for an actual job description of what I should be doing at the VP level.

So I made my own!

Here is a VP of Marketing job description that I created for myself as something to aspire to and work toward. I shared it with my boss (the CEO). I got him to agree that this was the right path. Then once I felt I had checked all the boxes, we had a conversation, and I became a VP!

It’s not always that easy or straightforward, but at least having a roadmap of how to get to the VP level was helpful. Here is my VP Marketing job description in case you want to put this to work for you and your job, too.

VP of Marketing job description

About this role

The VP of Marketing is responsible for setting the company’s go-to-market strategy, delivering results of that strategy, developing a world-class marketing team, and informing the future direction of the product and its position in the market.

This involves setting strategies in many areas, from branding to advertising. The VP of Marketing is expected to lead marketing strategy across the top of the funnel, specifically with brand awareness and customer acquisition, with the long-term goal of developing and executing programs that acquire and retain customers for life. They are responsible for seeing this top-of-funnel growth through the middle and bottom stages of the funnel, leading to sustainable revenue outcomes for the comany.

In the role of VP, you’ll manage the full omnichannel strategy for the company, including brand and demand gen channels and be responsible for new user acquisition, as well as revenue attributed directly to marketing efforts (workshops, conferences, etc.).

In short:

• Set go-to-market strategy

• Deliver the results of that strategy: Brand awareness and user acquisition

• Hiring and developing a world-class team

• Informing the future direction of the product and positioning

Experience and scope

The VP of Marketing should have extensive practical experience at all levels of marketing and branding, spiking highest in one or two core competencies and able to manage and lead all other areas.

This position is also accountable for the development of the marketing team as it relates to staffing, training, coaching, mentoring, and support in order to ensure that team-wide goals are achieved together and teammates are able to flourish individually, according to their unique aspirations.

The VP of Marketing may directly supervise managers and directors who oversee teams involved in branding, advertising/media, and research, and is expected to meet with these managers to receive reports and help direct the company's marketing vision. The VP also helps these managers to set departmental and team budgets, as well as pull data related to expenses and marketing effectiveness and present it in detailed reports to other chief decision makers.

You should also play a significant role shaping the company’s strategic planning. By carefully using market research tools, the VP of Marketing can help determine the shifting needs and wants of the company's current consumer base and determine how to best meet that demand.

Responsibilities

Strategize / Deliver / Develop / Inform

Strategize

• Conceptualize, create, and implement a growth strategy for the company

• Define the short- and long-term objectives and goals for the marketing team

• Integrate strategies across the full funnel, considering all paid, owned and earned channels

• Use revenue forecasting and funnel modeling to predict the performance and outcome of marketing strategy and projects

• Participate in quarterly and annual planning of the company’s overall objectives

• Prioritize each marketing project and allocate resources accordingly

• Complete a quarterly analysis of all marketing efforts

• Create and maintain the annual marketing budget

Deliver

• Monitor all marketing campaigns and improve them as necessary

• Generate a monthly summary report and comprehensive quarterly & annual marketing reports

• Create and develop new business opportunities through category expansion, partnerships, and promotions. Implement customer acquisition campaigns across all channels.

• Fully own all elements of awareness and acquisition

• Be a thought leader in demand generation at scale

• Develop advanced lifecycle marketing programs to drive LTV

• Take responsibility for all key performance metrics including CAC, LTV, revenue and ROI across all channels, NPS. Maintain a healthy LTV/CAC ratio.

• Drive profitable growth from all areas of marketing

• Help manage third-party relationships

• Collaborate with external agencies

Develop

• Nurture a world-class team

• Identify opportunities to coach, mentor, and support

• Participate in goal-setting and provide clarity on what is expected of each teammate

• Take responsibility for the promotion, evaluation, training, motivation, coaching, and areas to improve for all members of the marketing team

• Forecast hiring needs for the marketing team

• Hire well

Inform

• Work with the CEO/CPO to develop and implement pricing strategies

• Conduct market research and monitor market trends in order to remain competitive

• Work collaboratively on product pricing, name, positioning, messaging, and definition.

• Understand SaaS analytics and metrics in order to support the creation of product features that drive growth and get customers to engage with and convert to customers

Requirements

• Strong leadership skills

• Highly resourceful and creative

• Analytically driven and results focused

• Outstanding written/verbal communication skills

• Ability to be both a visionary leader and a deep analytic thinker, with a preference for rolling up your sleeves. You’re comfortable doing the work no one else wants to do (or is able to do)

• Strong track record leveraging data-driven insights with extensive test and learn orientation

• You have experience and/or desire for leading and growing a high performance team, and you love to be a great manager

• Demonstrated use of analytics to double down on successful efforts and groups

• 3-5 years of experience in a marketing/demand gen

Goals

• Paying customers

• Direct revenue from marketing

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