Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:04.240
A relationship with the right referral partner
could be a game changer for any be
2
00:00:04.440 --> 00:00:08.509
to be company. So what if
you could reverse engineer these relationships at a
3
00:00:08.630 --> 00:00:14.230
moment's notice, start a podcast,
invite potential referral partners to be guests on
4
00:00:14.310 --> 00:00:19.670
your show and grow your referral network
faster than ever? Learn more. At
5
00:00:19.750 --> 00:00:30.179
sweetish Mediacom you're listening to be tob
growth, a daily podcast for B TOB
6
00:00:30.339 --> 00:00:34.579
leaders. We've interviewed names you've probably
heard before, like Gary Vander truck and
7
00:00:34.619 --> 00:00:38.530
Simon Senek, but you've probably never
heard from the majority of our guests.
8
00:00:39.210 --> 00:00:44.170
That's because the bulk of our interviews
aren't with professional speakers and authors. Most
9
00:00:44.250 --> 00:00:48.450
of our guests are in the trenches
leading sales and marketing teams. They're implementing
10
00:00:48.490 --> 00:00:53.640
strategy, they're experimenting with tactics,
they're building the fastest growing betb companies in
11
00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:57.079
the world. My name is James
Carberry. I'm the founder of sweet fish
12
00:00:57.119 --> 00:01:00.799
media, a podcast agency for BB
brands, and I'm also one of the
13
00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:03.790
CO hosts of this show. When
we're not interviewing sales and marketing leaders,
14
00:01:04.030 --> 00:01:07.750
you'll hear stories from behind the scenes
of our own business, will share the
15
00:01:07.829 --> 00:01:11.189
ups and downs of our journey as
we attempt to take over the world.
16
00:01:11.870 --> 00:01:22.939
Just kidding. Well, maybe let's
get into the show. Welcome back to
17
00:01:23.060 --> 00:01:26.620
be tob growth. I'm Logan lyles
with sweet fish media to I'm joined today
18
00:01:26.700 --> 00:01:30.700
by Cynthia Gumbert, Chi's chief marketing
officer over at Smart Bear. Cynthia,
19
00:01:30.700 --> 00:01:34.769
how's it going today? It's great, I think a great day. Thank
20
00:01:34.810 --> 00:01:37.689
you, it is great to have
you. You know, Cynthia, you
21
00:01:37.810 --> 00:01:42.609
popped up on our radar on a
great list of twenty five powerhouse Cmos that
22
00:01:42.730 --> 00:01:47.090
drift just released, and I am
really excited to dive into today's topic,
23
00:01:47.129 --> 00:01:49.959
which is going to be mentorship in
your marketing career. But before we jump
24
00:01:51.000 --> 00:01:53.000
straight into that, I would love
for you to share with listeners a little
25
00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:57.040
bit about what you and the team
it's smart bearer up to these days.
26
00:01:57.400 --> 00:02:00.439
Thank you, Logan. Yes,
I'm relatively new and smart beer and been
27
00:02:00.519 --> 00:02:07.590
here about five months and we are
building up a marketing team to manage twenty
28
00:02:07.629 --> 00:02:14.469
five products three major open source communities. We have a group of six and
29
00:02:14.509 --> 00:02:20.219
a half million users across the our
products, twenty two customers and acquiring two
30
00:02:20.300 --> 00:02:25.460
thousand every month, so very large
communities. Or Marketing team is juggling a
31
00:02:25.620 --> 00:02:32.050
lot of different, different products,
but they're all designed to help software organizations
32
00:02:32.169 --> 00:02:42.889
and any organization developing software to deliver
great software faster, with higher quality and
33
00:02:43.050 --> 00:02:47.120
using some easy to use tools that
are just downloaded by testers and developers.
34
00:02:47.159 --> 00:02:52.280
Yeah, so two things. It
sounds like you're marketing team has their handsful
35
00:02:52.360 --> 00:02:54.120
and it sounds like it's probably been
a pretty busy five months for you.
36
00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:59.430
Huh. It's been very, very
busy learning about all the different tools than
37
00:02:59.550 --> 00:03:04.229
the smart Bart portfolio and that some
of them are better known than the brands
38
00:03:04.349 --> 00:03:08.150
smart there itself. So many people
download what we have to offer and have
39
00:03:08.310 --> 00:03:12.669
no ideas art as smart bear.
So a lot of what I'm doing is
40
00:03:12.789 --> 00:03:15.819
just building up that brand itself.
Of what do we stand for? Is
41
00:03:15.860 --> 00:03:21.020
the company? Yeah, definitely.
So it's some interesting challenges there. We
42
00:03:21.099 --> 00:03:23.180
could maybe even speak to those in
a future episode in you know, that
43
00:03:23.300 --> 00:03:29.169
brand awareness challenge that's kind of unique
to that sort of scenario. I love
44
00:03:29.289 --> 00:03:31.250
that. I love that you guys
are working through it. So let's dive
45
00:03:31.409 --> 00:03:37.129
into today's topic. You know you've
posted. I saw linkedin post of yours
46
00:03:37.210 --> 00:03:40.840
about going over to the BB sales
and marketing exchange a few months back and
47
00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:46.639
engaging in some mentorship there. It's
something that seen you talk about and we're
48
00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:51.159
going to be breaking down some tips
for being a mentor and some of the
49
00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:53.800
ways that you can go about that
in your marketing career, some of the
50
00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:57.270
value there, and then, if
you are seeking mentorship, you know what
51
00:03:57.389 --> 00:04:00.389
are some good ways to go about
that. Let's start with the former and
52
00:04:00.550 --> 00:04:03.750
talk about, you know, being
a mentor. One of your pieces of
53
00:04:04.270 --> 00:04:09.229
advice that I know you wanted to
share is about casting the vision for folks
54
00:04:09.229 --> 00:04:12.740
that are new within the function.
Can you tell us a little bit more
55
00:04:12.740 --> 00:04:17.420
about that? Yeah, I was
extremely happy too, very early on in
56
00:04:17.540 --> 00:04:24.220
my career, of being a manager, help some foaks just getting out of
57
00:04:24.290 --> 00:04:29.850
college progress their career and become extremely
successful over a short period of time.
58
00:04:30.689 --> 00:04:36.089
This started with me hiring my son's
babies that are who was watching him,
59
00:04:36.250 --> 00:04:40.160
you know, for hours on the
weekend, and just seeing that she was
60
00:04:40.279 --> 00:04:45.199
extremely ambitious, you know, graduated
with a marketing degree, hired her into
61
00:04:45.240 --> 00:04:48.639
an entry level position where she was, you know, shipping boxes to trade
62
00:04:48.680 --> 00:04:54.589
shows and that sort of thing and
she just got promoted pretty much every year,
63
00:04:55.350 --> 00:05:00.110
starting her first year and became a
VP a few years later. So
64
00:05:00.389 --> 00:05:04.310
I felt like the advice they gave
her and that help was just inspiring,
65
00:05:04.790 --> 00:05:10.779
you know, to me to go
become mentors for more people. Yeah,
66
00:05:10.779 --> 00:05:13.860
I think there's something to be said
for, you know, kind of casting
67
00:05:13.980 --> 00:05:17.220
that vision and seeing how can you, you know, take someone who's new
68
00:05:17.500 --> 00:05:21.329
in marketing and show them really what's
possible. It's amazing. You know,
69
00:05:21.490 --> 00:05:25.009
what are some of the lessons that
you've learned there? Because, you know
70
00:05:25.050 --> 00:05:28.410
what, talk about some of the
benefits of being a mentor, but regardless,
71
00:05:28.449 --> 00:05:30.370
you want to be very conscious about
where you invest your time there.
72
00:05:30.410 --> 00:05:34.759
So tell us a little bit about
how you are somewhat choosy, or maybe
73
00:05:34.800 --> 00:05:40.079
a better word is intentional, on
choosing where you invest your time as a
74
00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:42.959
mentor and some of the lessons learned. Yeah, that when I went to
75
00:05:43.240 --> 00:05:46.600
work for Del which is the biggest
company I was at, there was a
76
00:05:46.680 --> 00:05:53.269
formal mentorship program and I think at
some point about twelve people requested me as
77
00:05:53.310 --> 00:05:57.990
a mentor and I really had room
for about six or seven. And looking
78
00:05:58.069 --> 00:06:03.230
at folks who are really early in
careers but show signs of just diving in
79
00:06:03.540 --> 00:06:08.540
and trying to be very, very
successful in their role. So I had
80
00:06:08.819 --> 00:06:12.699
more people than, you know,
I could fit into my schedule who were
81
00:06:13.379 --> 00:06:16.660
requesting me as a mentor and,
you know, looking for folks who had
82
00:06:16.740 --> 00:06:21.769
either very specific goals in mind and
things I know I could help them with,
83
00:06:23.089 --> 00:06:27.970
or people who were very, very
early on in their careers but had
84
00:06:28.170 --> 00:06:32.879
a very similar level of you know, I'm going to overcome any roadblock,
85
00:06:33.319 --> 00:06:39.920
any challenge and and try to make
myself successful, and who can I talk
86
00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:44.000
to to help me get there?
So that's I think the most rewarding kind
87
00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:48.029
of mentorship is just seeing some you
know, real drive and votes early on
88
00:06:48.149 --> 00:06:54.269
in their career. Today's growth story
is about a brand we all know well,
89
00:06:54.670 --> 00:06:58.589
are BNB. When they were trying
to maximize growth among work travelers,
90
00:06:58.829 --> 00:07:01.579
are B and be new, they
needed to develop and execute a content strategy
91
00:07:01.699 --> 00:07:06.540
to reach multiple personas at different stages
of the customer journey. Enter hub and
92
00:07:06.579 --> 00:07:13.259
spoke, marketing hub and spoke managed
creative content development and crafted a custom publishing
93
00:07:13.300 --> 00:07:17.689
process that allowed airbnb to develop more
content in less time. The end result
94
00:07:17.970 --> 00:07:24.889
a lot of content across multiple channels
all strategically nurturing leads through to conversion.
95
00:07:25.290 --> 00:07:29.850
Within the first six months, air
benb nearly tripled the number of companies enrolled
96
00:07:29.970 --> 00:07:33.920
in their AIRBNB for work program they
also saw huge increases in user adoption,
97
00:07:34.040 --> 00:07:39.920
with work travelers booking longer stays and
more guests for booking. If you're looking
98
00:07:39.959 --> 00:07:44.000
for strategic content at scale, I've
got a hunch hub and spoke can help.
99
00:07:44.350 --> 00:07:49.110
Head over to hub spoke dot marketing
growth to schedule your consultation with a
100
00:07:49.230 --> 00:07:56.110
content specialist today. That's hub spoke
dot marketing growth. All right, let's
101
00:07:56.110 --> 00:08:00.180
get back to the show. Yeah, so you talk a little bit there
102
00:08:00.259 --> 00:08:03.339
about what things you're looking for as
a mentor and where to spend your time.
103
00:08:03.339 --> 00:08:07.339
I'm curious if you can remember some
of the things that you did to
104
00:08:07.779 --> 00:08:11.180
shorten that list, you know,
going from twelve people requesting your time to
105
00:08:11.579 --> 00:08:15.529
only having time to mentor six.
What were some of the ways that you
106
00:08:15.730 --> 00:08:18.730
pulled out some of those things that
you were looking for in people where you
107
00:08:18.850 --> 00:08:24.129
were deciding to invest your time?
I had initial meetings of quite a few
108
00:08:24.209 --> 00:08:30.480
folks and the people who came very
well prepared with they use up and what
109
00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:35.519
they wanted to ask. They had
either specific issue or just knew about what
110
00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:41.509
I had been through and what my
role was and had very specific questions related
111
00:08:41.549 --> 00:08:48.909
to that. You know, that's
kind of separating free and you know now
112
00:08:48.029 --> 00:08:54.350
that I think everybody's extremely worth mentoring. It just didn't have time to take
113
00:08:54.429 --> 00:08:58.059
everybody on. So that actually leads
us into, you know, really the
114
00:08:58.179 --> 00:09:03.220
other side of the coin if you
are looking to take advantage of and benefit
115
00:09:03.259 --> 00:09:07.220
from mentorship earlier in your career or
really at any stage in your career,
116
00:09:07.299 --> 00:09:11.730
because I think we all need mentors, you know, at different stages of
117
00:09:11.850 --> 00:09:16.490
our marketing career. You mentioned being
well prepared and one of the other things
118
00:09:16.529 --> 00:09:20.090
I know you and I have chatted
about, Cynthia, is, as you're
119
00:09:20.129 --> 00:09:24.840
seeking out mentors, not only coming
prepared but seeking out mentors with a variety
120
00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:28.480
of expertise. Can you talk to
that a little bit and some advice for
121
00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:33.000
folks that are seeking the right mentors
on the other side of the coin?
122
00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:37.200
Yeah, and in my career has
been an entirely and be to be marketing
123
00:09:39.389 --> 00:09:41.870
and you know, getting to see
more and more that be to be marketing
124
00:09:43.230 --> 00:09:48.990
is up to maybe fifteen very specific
career types that are very different. We've
125
00:09:50.029 --> 00:09:56.460
got everything for Web developers to you
know, graphic designers to to demange and
126
00:09:56.500 --> 00:10:01.740
the operational leaders. So I think
to be a great leader of a Marketing
127
00:10:01.779 --> 00:10:09.529
Organization in this industry you do need
to have different experiences across several of those
128
00:10:09.649 --> 00:10:13.250
different functions. As you move up, then I think marketing more so than
129
00:10:13.289 --> 00:10:18.570
any other job, functions. Sales
is pretty much sales. You know,
130
00:10:18.690 --> 00:10:24.919
engineering has its specific areas, but
it's all very technical. I think marketing
131
00:10:24.039 --> 00:10:30.120
is extremely diverse. So looking for
folks to be mentors, to have a
132
00:10:30.279 --> 00:10:35.360
different different paths and you've taken so
far and can talk to you know what
133
00:10:35.480 --> 00:10:39.309
are the needs and requirements to take
several of those paths and marketing, because
134
00:10:39.309 --> 00:10:43.909
there's more than one way to become, you know, a leader. Yeah,
135
00:10:43.669 --> 00:10:48.429
it's something I've heard Sangrum over at
terminus talk about before, is that
136
00:10:48.629 --> 00:10:52.580
you know, this path in your
marketing journey can be from from specialist to
137
00:10:52.700 --> 00:10:58.659
generalist ands oftentimes that's a commonality getting
to the CMO role if if that's your
138
00:10:58.740 --> 00:11:03.379
goal. But I think whatever your
goal is, that idea that you're going
139
00:11:03.500 --> 00:11:11.330
to need a variety of expertise a
diversity of experience and seeking that out will
140
00:11:11.370 --> 00:11:13.850
make you more well rounded as you
advance in your professional career side. I
141
00:11:15.210 --> 00:11:18.679
love that advice as well. Cynthia. One of the things I, you
142
00:11:18.759 --> 00:11:22.679
know, see people doing when they're
seeking out mentorship is kind of going into
143
00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:26.799
it with you be not necessarily the
wrong goal, but no goal at all.
144
00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:31.360
Have you experienced that and what advice
do you have to kind of maybe
145
00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:35.590
avoid that pitfall for people that are
trying to find mentorship at the marketing career?
146
00:11:35.629 --> 00:11:37.509
Yeah, I think you know,
to talk to people who come in
147
00:11:37.950 --> 00:11:41.789
with the question saying, you know, how, how do I get to
148
00:11:41.909 --> 00:11:45.549
be a manager as quickly as I
can, a people manager, because that's
149
00:11:45.549 --> 00:11:48.299
the next step I need to take
in my career. And you know,
150
00:11:48.379 --> 00:11:52.100
my first question back to that is
why? What do you think that's going
151
00:11:52.139 --> 00:11:56.539
to be better than what you're doing
now? What are you doing now?
152
00:11:56.340 --> 00:12:01.019
And I'm talk some people out of
out of that to saying there if their
153
00:12:01.059 --> 00:12:05.490
goal is to be just people manager, you know, try to rotate through
154
00:12:05.769 --> 00:12:11.570
different areas of marketing first and then
you'll naturally know more about the types of
155
00:12:11.690 --> 00:12:15.720
people you know you're managing when you
get there. But realize what you're getting
156
00:12:15.720 --> 00:12:18.480
into. When you're a manager,
you won't be able to do your job
157
00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:22.799
anymore. You won't be the creator
of the things you are so proud of
158
00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:28.919
now, for example, and you
know you'll have a team that depends on
159
00:12:28.039 --> 00:12:33.429
you. So really think about what
you believe you want to do versus what
160
00:12:33.549 --> 00:12:37.029
you think is the right path,
just because that's what you know someone else
161
00:12:37.029 --> 00:12:41.110
has done or that's what it seems
like it should be. Yeah, yeah,
162
00:12:41.269 --> 00:12:45.539
I love that. So, Synthia, I think that's that's really good
163
00:12:45.580 --> 00:12:48.740
advice for folks that are seeking out
mentorship. You know, if if you're
164
00:12:48.740 --> 00:12:54.860
actively be seeking out mentorship in your
marketing career, then you're likely already headed
165
00:12:54.059 --> 00:12:58.490
in the right direction versus folks that
aren't seeking it out. But I love
166
00:12:58.610 --> 00:13:01.730
what you've added here to give people
a little bit more focus, a little
167
00:13:01.769 --> 00:13:05.610
bit more direction in this area.
You know, if we could circle back
168
00:13:07.129 --> 00:13:09.289
to a question that I ask a
lot of our guests, and that is,
169
00:13:09.570 --> 00:13:13.399
you know, a learning resource that
has helped you along your way,
170
00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:18.840
you know, we're talking about the
value of helping others in their career how
171
00:13:18.919 --> 00:13:22.120
to go about getting that help,
and so I'd love for you to share
172
00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:26.440
with listeners who maybe get just a
little bit of mentorship from you today,
173
00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:31.429
in resource that you think they should
check out that could be marketing related or
174
00:13:31.909 --> 00:13:35.110
personal development, whatever the case may
be. I I'd love to hear what
175
00:13:35.230 --> 00:13:37.509
you might want to share their yeah, I think one specific one. I
176
00:13:37.549 --> 00:13:41.389
don't know if this is a learning
resource, but it is for me.
177
00:13:41.139 --> 00:13:46.340
I Love Scott Breakers, chief Martek
blog and and you know, the MARTEC
178
00:13:46.419 --> 00:13:52.500
conferences that he runs. He is
just just brilliant with a nom only stand
179
00:13:52.779 --> 00:13:58.690
on top of started as technology owe
the tools platform, but he's looking ahead
180
00:13:58.769 --> 00:14:05.570
to trends of we're marketing is going, you know, further into the twenty
181
00:14:05.649 --> 00:14:11.840
one century and beyond and and leadership, Trans Organization Structure Trends. You know,
182
00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:15.360
there's a lot of really good stuff
on there. I also followed just
183
00:14:15.559 --> 00:14:22.279
a lot of great people who I
consider either peers or thought leaders or somebody
184
00:14:22.279 --> 00:14:26.750
who writes really well on Linkedin.
So I just see things in my feed
185
00:14:26.870 --> 00:14:30.789
and that's for a lot of my
educations. Yeah, for anybody listening to
186
00:14:30.950 --> 00:14:33.549
this that would like to learn more
about smart bear or stay connected with you
187
00:14:35.309 --> 00:14:37.269
as they advanced in their own be
to be marketing career. What's the best
188
00:14:37.309 --> 00:14:41.179
way for them to learn more or
to reach out to you and stay connected?
189
00:14:41.379 --> 00:14:45.820
Yes, smart bear has a lot
of presents on clankton and twitter,
190
00:14:46.059 --> 00:14:50.460
just as as itself and all of
our products have, you know, a
191
00:14:50.539 --> 00:14:54.929
lot of fees as well, but
you can go to just smart Berecom and
192
00:14:54.610 --> 00:15:00.090
sign up to follow us on twitter. Me, I am C why and
193
00:15:00.690 --> 00:15:07.320
Gumbert Seym GM brt on twitter,
so feel free to connect there or Linkedin.
194
00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:09.399
Thank you so much for coming on
the show today. Thank you so
195
00:15:09.480 --> 00:15:15.639
much, Logan, for having me. We totally get it. We publish
196
00:15:15.720 --> 00:15:18.320
a ton of content on this podcast
and it can be a lot to keep
197
00:15:18.360 --> 00:15:22.549
up with. That's why we've started
the BETB growth big three, a no
198
00:15:22.710 --> 00:15:28.669
fluff email that boils down our three
biggest takeaways from an entire week of episodes.
199
00:15:28.149 --> 00:15:35.190
Sign up today at Sweet Fish Mediacom
big three. That sweet fish Mediacom
200
00:15:35.059 --> 00:15:35.779
Big Three