Vertical Advantage’s Post

🔓 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐌&𝐀 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞 📈 The ad tech and digital media landscape is buzzing with a renewed focus on M&A activity, some confirmed and some speculation. Either way, an uptick in M&A deals may be around the corner, creating a dynamic environment ripe with opportunities. To navigate these changes successfully, the role of 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒄 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 has never been more critical. At 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲, we specialize in sourcing top-tier talent tailored to the unique needs of the ad tech and digital media sectors. Our expertise ensures that you have the right people to drive successful post-merger integration and capitalize on emerging trends. Whether you're focusing on CTV, retail media, or adapting to first-party data strategies, we provide the specialized skills needed to stay ahead of the curve. Industry consolidation is reshaping the market, and access to the best talent is essential for maintaining a competitive edge. We work closely with #VentureCapital and #PrivateEquity firms, understanding the nuances of guiding teams through transitions in ownership and helping portfolio companies thrive under new leadership. Our proven track record in placing key roles has fueled innovation and growth in leading ad tech firms. 🖇 Let's connect and discuss how Strategy Source can help secure the #leadership and expertise needed to drive success in this dynamic landscape. 🔄 #DigitalMarketing #MergersandAcquisitions #Recruitment

🚨 New Research Alert: #ProductMarketing Talent 🚨   🤷♂️ As a former VP of Product Marketing, I understand the importance of finding #PMM talent with specific market/category experience. A deep understanding of the market (including buyers, customers, and competitors) can accelerate the ability of new hires to contribute effectively. But the reality is, the pool of talent is limited (especially in smaller and niche categories). Finding talent with a combination of core product marketing skills/competencies AND specific domain experience is extremely challenging.   📊 In this research, I look at the results from a recent study on #B2BMarketing organizational design and talent. While it'll be no surprise that the majority of product marketing leaders said they view market/category experience as very important, the results are much more interesting when we dig into the data. The statistical difference between how growth and non-growth organizations viewed market/category experience is significant!   💡 Market/category experience shouldn’t always be a strict requirement. In the report, I dive into these results and offer practical recommendations for finding the right talent. Here's one recommendation for my broader network who may not have access to our research (yet!): broaden your recruitment criteria to include candidates with a proven track record of marketing or selling to your target audience. In absence of specific market/category experience, candidates familiar with your target organizations and buyer personas should be strongly considered.   ❓ I'm a big advocate for building diverse and innovative product marketing teams. By not making market/category experience a strict requirement, you open yourself up a pool of talent that would have otherwise been ignored! Product marketing leaders: comment below 👇. When recruiting product marketing talent, what's worked for you?   💡 Gartner clients with access to our #ProductMarketing research can read the report here: https://lnkd.in/ebNU4jPt   👊🏼 Thank you Amy Jenkins, Michelle Shapiro, Jess Walker, David Yockelson, Mike Maziarka, Jill Silva-Braga and Matt Goldman for your support.   #OrganizationalDesign #TalentAcquisition #MarketingB2B #SalesAndMarketing #CMO #GTM

Demand for marketing roles with a sales and PR overlap is on the rise. This trend indicates that CMOs are focusing on building partnerships with functions where marketing can have a more visible impact. If you're looking to enable better cross-functional collaboration, check out the key marketing talent trends here: https://gtnr.it/3J23zBM #GartnerMKTG #CMO #Marketing #MarketingTalent

Today is an EXCITING day for me personally the MOST exciting day in my 15 years running Mediafly… I’m thrilled to announce, Mary Shea, PhD is joining me and Mediafly as co-CEO. Mediafly has grown into the most most complete  revenue enablement platform on the market -- an integrated solution that drives revenue excellence for over 600 companies, including many of the largest and most admired brands. We’ve grown revenue by over 100% in the past year and acquired 5 visionary companies with talented team members around the world. Yet, we are barely scratching the surface of where we can take Mediafly. When you combine Mary’s G2M expertise, commercial strategy, and market presence with my focus on product innovation, corporate development, and company vision — we have an opportunity to redefine the way revenue teams execute, enabling both buyers and sellers to break through the noise and make confident purchasing decisions. Mary is a rare individual in her breadth and depth of experience, leadership and influence from: Guiding revenue teams as GM, CRO, Sales Leader… … to unparalleled knowledge of the revenue market as a Researcher, Forrester Analyst. Evangelist… … to Category Creator and key Influencer of the markets such as Sales Enablement and Sales Engagement… … and if that wasn’t enough, she is an Adjunct Professor at the The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Some have asked me why bring in a “co-CEO”. I was recently inspired by a Harvard Business Review article, “Is it time for the co-CEO” which perfectly articulated the challenge and opportunity for companies to operate at a feverish pace with constant change in the market, if they can find the right co-CEO partner.  Mary and I have a great yin and yang dynamic where our skills and talents complement each other. Mary is a regular Podcast host, Keynote speaker, and author. She  will be the front person for Mediafly. She will also own our go-to-market strategy, leading our marketing, sales and customer success teams. This frees me up to dedicate more time to engaging with our product team on our innovative solutions and discovering the next set of dynamic companies that will join Mediafly and expand the functionality available to customers..  We’re aligned on roles and responsibilities. We’re aligned on decision-making processes. And most importantly, we’re aligned on our values —  we believe in creating a culture ripe for independent thinking, for sharing and defending ideas (not egos!), and for championing underrepresented folks in tech and the broader corporate world. I’ve known Mary for over a decade and walk away inspired every time we interact. I’m excited to share her deep knowledge of the revenue enablement landscape, her go-to-market excellence, and her vision for the future of B2B buying and selling with our customers. Welcome Mary! And stay tuned for more bold moves by Mediafly this year... #salesenablement #revenueenablement #sales

“If the dominant labor market narrative in 2023 was slow and steady moderation, then 2024 began fast and furious," Indeed economist Nick Bunker wrote. If you’ve been looking to hire a chief marketing officer for more than nine months, especially 18 months, you might consider a fractional executive. A fractional executive can provide the leadership that your team needs while you look for that full-time person. They can update and tweak your job description so that you actually find someone who fits the culture and the role that your company really needs. They can evaluate your tech stack and see where the savings can be made. They can evaluate your vendors and talent and see what holes need to be filled. They can collaborate with your sales department to make sure that they are supported. They can align marketing metrics with your company OKRs and KPIs. This is just scratching the surface of what they can do. If you have questions or comments, I’d love to hear them.

I always go on about the difficulty about the marketing role - left brain creative, right brain numbers - and the rapidly changing landscape - as well as performance being constantly at the whim of product. It ain't easy! We often are asked Sweet Analytics if we know of people who can help, so we set up Sweet Talent a while ago. We specialise in supporting SMEs with these tricky marketing roles - at an SME price. Conquering the marketing maze is a journey best tackled with the right team by your side. 💼💡 So if you need anyone for your team get in contact with our Recruitment Manager, Felicity Routledge! We're always happy to help. #MarketingChallenges #SweetTalent #SMEsupport

Ever been blindsided by a client when they suddenly leave their organisation? Or there is a company wide restructure which stalls or completely stops your project? Building good relationships with your clients goes beyond just supporting in retention and growth. If you are close to your client and their business, you are more likely to be aware and told of upcoming changes that could affect the work you are doing. These changes could have a drastic impact to your business if you are not aware of them! Some of these changes could be: 💠 Company/Department Restructure 💠 Client Internal Promotion 💠 Client Leaving the Company 💠 New Marketing Hires  💠 New Marketing Support Departments  💠 Martech Stake Evaluation 💠 Supplier Evaluation 💠 New CMO/CRO/CEO 💠 Redundancies Having foresight into this helps you manage forecasting and workflow for each of your clients, without it you could be investing a lot into a client hoping that nothing changes...! ____ Drop me a DM if you want support on developing your team to build solid client relationships to be able to identify these challenges before they derail your business!

Yes it’s December and the market is slowing but hiring managers are under pressure to add value to their organisations and are in a race to make key placements before Christmas. We're still seeing a huge demand for Digital Marketers in Australia and the industry is predicted to grow by at least 20% in the next 5 years. There's still almost 8 thousand roles in the digital space advertised on Seek at present, showing how buoyant the industry is. Feel free to get in touch if we can add any value to your team or career journey in the digital space! #digitalmarketing #ecommerce Costello Executive #ValuingPeopleEmpoweringBusiness

After almost 16 years at TechTarget, today is my last day. Over the last few weeks as I’ve been working through transitions, it occurred to me that I’ve worked at TechTarget for as long as I was in school (and that’s ALL of school; pre-K through college). It prompted me to think about what I learned in school vs. what I learned at TechTarget. In school, I learned how to read, do basic math (at one point it was complex math but that’s now gone), navigate complex social situations, annotate a text book, take standardized tests, write an analytical paper, etc. So what have I learned in my time at TechTarget? Below is what I came up with, though certainly not a comprehensive list: - How to set up an appointment in Outlook (see more below) and book a conference room - How to use MSFT Excel (I was not, in fact, proficient in MSFT Office as I proclaimed on my resume in 2007 but I sure am now!) - How to rent a car - How to navigate San Francisco with printed MapQuest directions - How to play poop the potato - How to build a strategic proposal to address client objectives and provide white-glove service to ensure client objectives are met - How to work with colleagues across multiple internal teams and leverage market and behavioral data to help inform client GTM initiatives - How to tackle hard conversations head on with customers and colleagues with compassion and integrity - How to use a breast pump in an airplane bathroom and ship said milk home on dry ice - How to get a baby and myself ready, out of the house, and into the office by 730am - How to get a baby, a toddler, and myself ready, out of the house, and into the office by 730am - How to manage a baby, a toddler, and a demanding full-time job during a global pandemic (not well!) - How to channel the energy from the highs and double down on the challenge of the lows of sales and manage the pressure of carrying a (hideously large) quota - How to navigate some of the largest, most complex B2B technology organizations, work with a variety of teams and stakeholders to maximize value for the partnership (mostly without stepping on toes!) - How to be a thoughtful and reliable colleague and friend - How to become a consultative resource to customers, become a partner in their business, and even build lasting relationships that transcend the professional I’m so grateful to my 21-year-old self for seeing the possibility at TechTarget and for the TechTarget leadership team for seeing the possibility in me, over and over again for almost 16 years. I found myself at an organization that gave me the opportunity to learn, stretch, fail, recover, grow and succeed. I’m looking forward to taking time, taking stock and figuring out what’s next. Thank you to TechTarget and my colleagues and customers – please stay in touch.  

This year has been a year of transformation within Meltwater. 🚀 With the creation of the Enterprise Business Unit, we have been working hard to better cater to the needs of our global MNCs and public sector accounts. We have been doing multiple sprints for the last few months on implementing ‘Winning By Design’. 🐶 Jacco van der Kooij, Andy Farquharson, and Chris Allison deserve a special mention, as their knowledge and hands-on involvement have been invaluable in our journey to go up-market. Julien Alexander Cerutti and Matthew Burton flew down to Hong Kong and Tokyo from the EBU global office, spending valuable time with our local teams. It’s a much-needed upskilling for our most senior sales and customer success members in the region. Best practices on delivering ‘recurring impact’, pull-forwards, co-terming, re-terming, and multi-threading have helped us elevate our interactions by offering a total solution to our marquee logos. Lastly, a special thanks to Scott Gibbs and John B.: as Meltwater expands into the Enterprise segment, your insight and investment in our new tooling have been game changers. #BusinessTransformation #EnterpriseGrowth #TeamCollaboration