Diary of a first-time CMO - 10% mindset
Hey B2B marketers
Here it is. Four years, $50m+ ARR and 200 pages later… My journey as a first-time CMO.
Covering the key learnings I've gathered in four years of leadership. This diary reveals the lessons that helped me scale Cognism from $3m to $50m ARR, build a team from 3 to 39, and transform our set-up from a classic lead gen function to a demand gen engine.
It’s my handbook for B2B marketers looking to thrive in leadership.
(especially if you’re as daunted as I was when I started out!)
10% mindset
The compounding effect of consistently going above and beyond what is expected, asked or required cannot be underestimated.
I believe the key to the 10% mindset is that it’s sustainable. It doesn’t result in burnout or short bursts of over-productivity followed by an inevitable dip.
I feel it’s had a huge amount to do with any success I’ve had throughout my B2B marketing career and earlier life. I’ve always striven to be the hardest working person, even if I can’t be the brightest.
It comes back to what is in your control. You can control how much effort and time you put into something. You can control the consistent execution.
Applying this basic principle can have huge benefits over time.
If I could summarise the type of CMO I am in three words I would say:
- Action-driven
- Obedient
- Hardworking
It may not sound the most exciting, but it means I am reliable.
I’m consistent and I have a 10% edge over many others as a result. And importantly, this 10% manifests in action. This can be enough to put you ahead of your peers and to land you that CMO job.
