In this episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, David sits down with Phil Fernandez, a SaaS legend with over 40 years of experience. Fernandez is the Co-Founder and Former CEO of Marketo, which has become part of the Adobe product lineup.

Fernandez reflects on his journey leading Marketo to become one of the most successful marketing automation platforms in history. From pioneering brand-building strategies to navigating fierce competition and near-death challenges, Phil shares valuable lessons for entrepreneurs and leaders striving to make an impact in today’s fast-evolving business landscape.

Takeaways:

• Start with the Brand: Fernandez emphasizes the importance of building a strong brand presence and engaging customers early, even before launching a product. Marketo’s success was rooted in creating a community of advocates who believed in the company’s vision from day one.
• Customer-Centric Leadership: Fernandez shares his philosophy of focusing entirely on solving customer problems rather than fixating on competitors. This approach allowed Marketo to foster trust and loyalty, even during challenging times.
• Overcoming Challenges: Fernandez recounts a critical moment when Salesforce acquired a competitor and temporarily disrupted Marketo’s integration. By focusing on customer impact, the company was able to regain their Salesforce integration.
• Navigating Funding Hurdles: Despite a stellar track record, Fernandez faced resistance raising Marketo’s initial funding in 2006. He recalls the perseverance needed to secure their first $1.5 million and how he and his co-founders built momentum from there.
• Hiring for Culture: Fernandez reflects on the importance of assembling a team that shares the company’s values. He shares the story of recruiting Bill Binch over a year-long process, ultimately creating a sales organization aligned with Marketo’s mission.

Quote of the Show:

• “ All of our communications with the market was about customers, was about what we were seeing, how to be better, how to do better, how to think better.” - Phil Fernandez

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-fernandez-6902881/
• Twitter: https://x.com/philf1217
• Website: https://business.adobe.com/products/marketo.html

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261
• Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast

#NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #Marketo

Joining the show this week is a journalist turned executive leadership expert. Having interviewed over 1,000 CEOs over the course of his 30 year career, this guest is none other than the Senior Managing Director at The ExCo Group, Adam Bryant.

Bryant shares his insights from over 30 years of interviewing leaders and exploring the paradoxes of leadership. From his framework for authenticity to understanding the "optimal band of busyness," Adam discusses what motivates effective leaders to lead and how they navigate the ever-increasing complexity of today’s challenges.

Takeaways:

• Simplifying Complexity: Effective leaders excel at breaking down intricate problems into clear, digestible priorities for their teams. Bryant emphasizes the importance of framing challenges in a way that inspires clarity and action, ensuring everyone knows where they’re going and how to get there.
• The Authenticity Framework: Authenticity is about aligning how people perceive you with how you intend to show up as a leader. It’s not about oversharing emotions but about communicating your values and the stories behind them to build trust and credibility.
• Leadership Paradoxes: Bryant explores the delicate balancing acts leaders must navigate, such as being confident yet humble or compassionate while holding people accountable. He highlights the importance of contextual decision-making to manage these complexities effectively.
• OBOB (Optimal Band of Busyness): Leaders thrive when they find their "optimal band of busyness"—a balance that keeps them engaged without overwhelming or under-stimulating them. Bryant shares how this concept applies to both leadership and post-exit planning.
• Team Trust Building: Building trust within teams starts with vulnerability and open communication. Bryant describes exercises like leadership user manuals and storytelling to help team members see each other as human beings, fostering deeper connections and collaboration.
• Why Leaders Lead: Many leaders are driven by transformative early-life experiences, whether adversity, immigrant stories, or the influence of extraordinary parents. Bryant reflects on how these motivations shape leaders’ decisions and their approach to challenges.

Quote of the Show:

• “ I always think about leadership as a series of paradoxes or contradictions or balancing acts. It's never about one thing. And I think to be an effective leader, you have to be comfortable in those paradoxes.” - Adam Bryant

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adambryantleadership/
• Twitter: https://x.com/adambbryant
• Website: https://www.excoleadership.com/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261
• Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast

#NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #TheExCoGroup

Joining the show this week is a woman who's dedicated her career to giving employees access to knowledge and elevating women in business. Featured on Forbes 30 Under 30, 100 Women of Influence, and more, this guest is none other than the Co-Founder and CEO of Spekit, Melanie Fellay.

Fellay shares her experiences as a female founder and her journey to raising millions to build her current business. She provides insights on early branding strategies, overcoming operational hurdles, and the challenges of building a high-growth company.

Takeaways:

• Branding Early: Fellay emphasizes the power of investing in brand identity from the start, using distinct colors, mascots, and unique marketing to differentiate Speckit in a crowded market.
• Creative Customer Acquisition: From leveraging LinkedIn and Twitter communities to booking a booth at Dreamforce before having customers, Fellay highlights unconventional methods that helped land Speckit’s first clients.
• Leadership Evolution: Fellay reflected on learning the importance of hiring leaders with self-awareness, vulnerability, and a growth mindset rather than overvaluing industry experience.
• Navigating Growth and Challenges: Fellay shares a pivotal period in 2022 when Spekit faced product performance issues, economic pressures, and team transitions during a period of growth, and how these hurdles shaped the company for the better.
• Iterating on ICP (Ideal Customer Profile): Fellay discusses the journey of narrowing down Spekit’s ideal customer profile, focusing on enablement leaders, marketing professionals, and RevOps teams to optimize impact.

Quote of the Show:

• “ You don't want to be sounding like you're just like a marketing ad for your product… talking about the journey, the lessons I'm learning, those tend to get the most engagement. ” - Melanie Fellay

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniefellay/
• Twitter: https://x.com/melfellay
• Website: https://www.spekit.com/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261
• Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast

#NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #Spekit