AMA: Salesforce Sr. Director, Field Marketing, Keara Cho on Demand Generation Career Path

This is typically the last question I ask after qualifying for technical skills. That question, "What do you look forward to at work every Monday morning?" is the one that tells me if you're going to be a great fit. I'm really listening for a few key things. First, I want to hear the passion—you can't be jaded; you need to genuinely be excited to dive into your job, knowing you have a good work-life balance so you aren't dreading the week ahead. More than anything, I want to hear about the team ...Read More

With all leadership job you need to be able to lead a team and often times, a team with people managers. In another question I wrote out the qualities you need to be a good leader…I emphasize the things I can't teach, and empathy is, hands down, the number one trait of a great leader. These managers are the ones working with the team day-in and day-out—they’re onboarding, coaching, and motivating. Without genuine compassion, the team gets burned out and unmotivated. Trust me, employee happiness ...Read More

If you want to be a leader people actually follow, you have to focus on the things that build loyalty and drive impact. Here are my non-negotiables: 1. Lead with Your Values 💡 Every great leader has a core set of principles that people rally around. For me, that’s fairness, transparency, and empathy. I live by the idea that "clear is kind"—be direct, be honest, and leave no room for guessing (even if you are delivering bad news). Your values are your leadership compass. Figure out what yours are ...Read More

Honestly, the folks I love bringing over are the ones who've spent time in Inbound and Outbound Sales. They're so good! Why? Because they already have a deep, practical understanding of: Our customers' pain points: They've lived the struggle and heard the customer stories firsthand. Our value prop: They can pitch it cold, which means they know how to position a product. Persistence: They understand that business is a grind, and they don't give up easily. Seriously, an amazing SDR or BDR is halfw ...Read More

When I'm hiring for my marketing team, I don't look for the same thing for every role. My criteria actually shifts quite a bit depending on the job level. Here's a little bit of my thinking process during recruitment: Entry Level: It’s All About Attitude 🚀 For entry-level Demand Gen marketers, I focus on things I can't teach. Look, I can easily teach you how to pull a report, draft a sales email, or build a campaign start-to-finish. That's the easy part! What I can't teach is perseverance, curio ...Read More

Look, I hate to say it, but the honest truth is both are equally important in a marketing career. You simply can't have one without the other. You need soft skills to get anything done, period. Demand Gen relies on so many teams—Sales, Product, Analytics, Campaigns, Partners—the list is huge. Being able to build genuine connections and trust with those people cross-functionally is the glue that makes collaboration work and ultimately sets you up for success. But the hard skills matter a ton too, ...Read More

I'll start off by saying: Feedback is a gift. It's totally normal to struggle with critical feedback, especially when you think your boss has it wrong. The trick is to swap your defensive posture for a data-gathering mindset. When you get the feedback, don't argue; immediately ask clarifying questions like, "Can you give me two specific examples?" or "What exact outcome were you hoping for?" After you gather those facts, take time to look for the kernel of truth (what's your truth vs. what's you ...Read More

If you're looking to crush it as a Growth Marketer, it's less about having a title and more about how you think and operate. I've broken down the three traits that separate the good from the great: Mindset is Everything 💡 You absolutely have to have a Growth Mindset. What does that mean? It means you're constantly hunting for ways to fix bottlenecks and make things better—you never just settle for the status quo. More importantly, you're not scared to test (and fail!). In growth marketing, every ...Read More

I always say marketing is the perfect blend of brains and heart—the science and the art. You get to dig into the data and analytics to see what’s working, but then you get to unleash your creativity to come out with unique campaigns that actually cut through the noise (and see the numbers go up from your idea!) It sounds like you have that great competitive mindset—you love being at the top of the leaderboard! But if sales isn't giving you the runway for those creative, scalable campaigns, then ...Read More