Founders: "CMO who?"

If there’s a single, recurring theme in my career as a marketer and strategist, it’s this: marketing delivers the most value when it’s truly integrated into a company’s strategic core, not treated as a side hustle or last-minute miracle solution.

I was reminded of this yet again as I dove into McKinsey’s 2025 report on “The changing role of the CMO—and what it means for growth.” The convo is packed with data and frank observations (it's a podcast with a good transcription), but what struck me most was how closely it echoed my lived reality....both the challenges and the opportunities.

The Ownership Gap: Who Really Owns the Customer?

One main insight from the article is that as companies have multiplied executive roles (chief digital officer, chief revenue officer, customer officer, you name it), clarity on who owns the end-to-end customer journey has eroded. The result? When everyone’s responsible, no one is. In my own experience, especially working with lean startups or founder-driven companies, marketing too often gets left out of strategic planning—until there’s a crisis or an urgency to “do a miracle.” Then, suddenly, it’s marketing’s moment… but without the context, data, or resources that make real miracles possible.

It’s Not Just “About Sales”.

There’s often a fundamental misunderstanding from leadership: Why isn’t social media directly “selling” or driving last-click conversions? In reality, each channel—and each stage of the funnel—needs a place in strategy and measurement. That nuance is lost when marketing is brought in only after key decisions are made, or when goals aren’t clear (even to the leadership themselves).

The Blind Leading the Blind

The article urges CEOs, CFOs, and CMOs to align on goals, metrics, and how marketing ties to the P&L. I couldn’t agree more. But what happens when, despite your best efforts, you have no access to those numbers? In past roles, I was sometimes denied visibility into the P&L or even basic targets. That left me operating on resourcefulness and instinct, a strength, but a limitation. While I take pride in making the best decisions possible with what I had, I can’t help but wonder how much more effective (and efficient) my work could have been with open lines of communication and trust.

Leadership Isn’t Easy....But Neither is Marketing

My intent here isn’t to “trash” founders or leadership. Many aren’t marketers by training. Sometimes, they themselves are unsure how to define the goals or success measures for marketing. That’s precisely why inviting marketers into leadership conversations is so essential: to avoid making marketing a guessing game or an afterthought.

Own What You Can, But Push for Integration

My core philosophy has always been to work with what I have, trust my judgment, and take initiative. When the path isn’t clear, I build one. This approach has allowed marketing to stand out, even in less-than-ideal conditions. But I also believe (and the research supports this): resourcefulness is no substitute for true integration. For marketing to rise from tactical support act to strategic growth driver, it must start with trust, shared goals, and full transparency between disciplines.

Moving Forward: It’s Time for Structural Change

If there’s one action leaders should take from the McKinsey report and from voices like mine, it’s this:

• Invite marketing to the table from day one, don’t wait until there’s a problem to solve (you heard me)

• Share the numbers, set clear, mutually accountable goals, and define what customer-centric growth really means for your business.

• Recognize that marketing is not a magic trick, but a discipline with its own expertise, a critical partner in long-term, sustainable growth.

In the end, it’s not about blame or ego, It’s about building businesses where everyone is set up to win.

You win, I win. Because when marketing succeeds, so does the business. (there, I said it. Fight me).