Q1: Is there one trait that you think all CMOS should (or must) have?

A: Courage

Q2: Why do you think CMO turnover is so high?

A: If you’re hiring a marketing leader, you probably don’t have anyone who knows what questions to ask. If you’re a marketing leader considering a new opportunity, you basically have to take the job to find out if it’s a good fit. Often it’s not.

Q3: How do you decide if you need outside help and how do you choose?

A: You have day-to-day marketing ops and you have spec ops. If we’re embarking on a new or special mission, I want a delta team with key experts. I typically vet experts by asking them what their biggest wins were and why they worked. If the wins are impressive and explanations make sense, adding them to team CMO is a no-brainer.

Q4: What is one business tool (besides email) that you cannot live without?

A: A whiteboard

Q5: Who gives the best marketing advice? Is there someone you really look up to?

A: Jon Spoelstra – he has the highest ROI expectation of anyone I’ve ever met

Q6: What is one book every CMO should read?

A: Marketing Outrageously by Jon Spoelstra