Is a demand gen career path a good way to go if you want to be a CMO someday?

I would love to be a CMO one day, and I do think owning the Demand Generation function is a good way to get there.  Here are some of the strengths that I have seen from the CMOs I have respected the most: 1) Being close to the numbers - even if you aren't the one owning the direct number, a great CMO will understand what is happening in their pipeline so they can communicatr with sales.  2) Leading by example - good people want to work for other good people. A CMO who leads by example will be ab ...Read More

Absolutely! I think every CMO has their core strength, and usually builds their team around the expertise they need to get the job done. I've worked with brand-focused CMOs, demand-focused CMOs and product-focused CMOs. Each brings unique leadership ability to the table, and their strengths are usually intentionally sought out by the executive teams that bring them on. A larger company might not need growth as much, and might need a strong PR strategy - they might seek out a brand CMO. Series A ...Read More

Short answer: Yes, it's one of the very best paths to CMO at a growth stage startup. Medium answer: I could be wrong but my experience tells me that growth stage startup C level roles (the only space I know) come from one of two backgrounds: PMM or Demand Generation. They are going to hire to solve the problems they are facing. It's usually driving predictable demand first, with a measure of brand building second. Worth thinking as you navigate your path forward.Longer answer: Please see my answ ...Read More

I’m not a CMO but there are a few backgrounds I see consistently showing up in top CMOs. Two I see often are a background in product marketing or demand generation. Demand generation is a solid foundational skill set for understanding marketing, but if you aspire to be a CMO one day, you’ll want to push the boundaries of your knowledge. Perhaps doing a rotation in an area of marketing you don’t know much about if your in demand generation consider field or product marketing. Folks with well-roun ...Read More

It can be, but not always. A great CMO is a mix of storyteller and analyst. Someone who can see beyond who we are today and paint a clear vision of where we’re headed, both internally and externally. That means understanding data, research, and analytics, but also being able to translate those insights into a compelling story the market can rally behind. Demand gen builds those analytical muscles, but it’s not the only path. I’ve seen incredible CMOs come from brand, product, and event marketing ...Read More

A career in Demand Generation (Demand Gen) is a great pathway to becoming a CMO, even though CMOs with a sole Demand Gen background are currently a rare commodity, with main profiles usually stemming from Product Marketing or PR/Communications. In my opinion, it is a great route because Demand Gen allows you to grow your career while remaining a marketing generalist, giving you hands-on experience across events, field marketing, marketing operations, and initial brand touchpoints. Crucially, it ...Read More

I absolutely believe that a demand gen career is a solid path to becoming a CMO. I too am taking this path. :) While CMOs come from a variety of backgrounds outside of and including demand gen, it is very much a part of the mix. Demand gen is focused on measurable impact and growth. This is flexible by nature and a critical skill set. It has been my experience that if a CMO does not have a demand gen background, the person oftentimes has to have a support team that is strong in this skill set. Y ...Read More