Episode 10 | The Role of the CMO
The CMO role is one of the most misunderstood jobs in business. Here’s what it really means to lead marketing at the top.
What It Really Takes to Be a CMO
The CMO role is one of the most misunderstood jobs in business. Here’s what it really means to lead marketing at the top.
Why the CMO Role Matters Now
The Chief Marketing Officer is often branded as the “colouring-in department.” But in reality? The CMO sits at the heart of growth, strategy, and customer connection.
In this week’s episode of Canned: The Marketing Podcast, Ben van Rooy and Stephanie Quantrill dig into what it takes to succeed as a CMO: the power struggles, the loneliness of leadership, and the skills that define the best from the rest.
Do CMOs Really Sit at the Table?
In theory, CMOs belong on the executive leadership team. In practice? Not always.
Steph notes that marketing is sometimes left just outside the inner circle, a C-suite title without a seat at the table. Worse, inflated job titles mean some “CMO” roles are little more than rebranded manager positions, often with compensation that doesn’t match the responsibility.
The lesson: if you’re aiming for CMO, make sure you’re at a company that treats the role as strategic, not ornamental.
The Growth Engine of the Business
Ben calls the CMO the best job in the C-suite, because it’s the growth engine.
A great CMO doesn’t just run campaigns. They:
Connect customer insight with product direction
Align sales pipelines with brand trust
Translate data into strategy
Drive both short-term performance and long-term reputation
It’s about more than marketing. It’s about orchestrating the entire customer growth engine.
The Tough Reality of Being a CMO
The role may be exciting, but it’s not for the faint of heart. Among the challenges:
Title inflation diluting credibility
Short tenure (average 3–5 years)
Loneliness at the top as you move from execution to influence
Tough calls on restructuring and redundancies
Constant budget battles to prove marketing’s impact
It’s not all glamorous launches and creative sprints; sometimes it’s sleepless nights over P&Ls, politics, and pivots.
What Great CMOs Have in Common
So what separates a good marketing leader from a great CMO?
Customer obsession: Beyond the data, they know their customers as people.
Financial fluency: They can confidently speak revenue, profit, and growth as brand.
Strategic foresight: They scan the horizon two to five years out.
Boldness: Willing to make calls others won’t.
Adaptability: Ready to pivot when data or markets shift.
Who Does the CMO Really Need?
Steph argues that the most important ally is the CFO, the keeper of budgets. Ben insists it’s the CEO without that backing; nothing else matters.
The truth? CMOs need both. Plus:
Product and ops partners who bring customer insights to life
A team they can trust to execute with excellence
Mentors and “cheer teams” to support them through the lonely calls
The Future of the Role
Technology is reshaping marketing daily. From AI-powered insights to data platforms predicting customer behaviour, the modern CMO is as much technologist as brand builder.
But the fundamental challenge hasn’t changed: balancing brand building with performance marketing, and keeping the voice of the customer alive in every leadership decision.
Tips for Aspiring CMOs
Ben and Steph close the episode with practical advice for marketers on the way up:
Talk in terms of growth and revenue, not impressions.
Balance short-term results with long-term brand building.
Bring the customer’s voice into the boardroom.
Build financial credibility early.
Cultivate trust across the leadership team.
Stay fresh with education and external inspiration.
And remember: once you hit CMO, you’re probably not the one doing shots at the bar with your team anymore.
Final Word
The CMO is one of the most exciting, demanding, and misunderstood jobs in business. It’s creative and commercial, strategic and operational, inspiring and lonely.
For organisations, the challenge is to give CMOs a real seat at the table. For marketers, the challenge is to step up with courage, curiosity, and commercial acumen.
Because when the CMO role is done right? It’s not just about marketing. It’s about shaping the future of the business.
👉 Want more? Watch the full episode on YouTube above or catch it wherever you get your podcasts.
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