The first draft of the book is done. Right now, one of Clarity Digital’s copywriters is giving it a first edit—helping clean up the language, grammar, and flow. Sure, I could have run it through ChatGPT, Claude, or Jasper, and to be honest, I considered it. But this is my first book, and I wanted a real human to take the first pass. Now, the next step is to re-read my own work—since this book has been in the making for years.
How Did I Come Up with the Idea for This Book About CMOs?
Before diving into entrepreneurship and consulting, my career goal was to climb the ranks to a C-level marketing role. Over the years, I worked with many CMOs and marketing leaders—some exceptional, others who, frankly, didn’t belong in the role. As I measured myself against my own high standards for what a great CMO should be, I realized something: the full-time, in-house CMO job wasn’t for me.
Yes, I consult with startups as a fractional CMO—sometimes called an outsourced CMO—but committing to a full-time, in-house CMO position just doesn’t align with my personality, mindset, or long-term vision. That said, after two decades in marketing and working alongside some of the brightest CMOs, I’ve developed a keen ability to understand what makes a great CMO. I guess you could say I’ve become a bit of a CMO whisperer. That’s what led me to write this book about the role of the CMO and how it’s evolving.
Why CMO Redefined?
The CMO role has the shortest tenure in the C-suite. If a CMO stays at a company for two years, it’s a milestone. Three years? That’s impressive. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Many CMOs move up to become COOs, CEOs, or GMs—or jump to new companies for bigger paychecks.
Lately, though, I’ve seen a shift. Many CMOs who get laid off struggle to find new roles. When they do land an offer, they often get lowballed or end up in startups with limited resources—essentially set up to fail. That got me thinking: What’s really happening to the CMO role? Where is it headed?
If you’re curious about the answers, you’ll have to wait for my book to come out—which I’m hoping will be sometime in 2025. So, stay tuned. ????