This week's show highlights Christine Gilles, named Globe & Mail’s Top Exec for 2023, and serving as the Chief Marketing and Product Officer at Blackline Safety. In this episode, Christine imparts valuable insights, offering tips for scaling up a tech business and providing an in-depth look at the role of Blackline’s Health & Safety technology. She covers various topics, including creating internal alignment for growth, upskilling her team, establishing credibility with CFOs, and showcasing the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
Don’t forget, to stick around for post-podcast conversation with our hosts, Vassilis and Marc.
Our Guest:
Christine Gillies
Chief Product & Marketing Officer @ Blackline Safety
Awarded Globe & Mail’s Top Exec 2023
Career in B2B SaaS, Tech & Product Marketing
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christineg2/
https://www.blacklinesafety.com/ - wearables sensors to keep remote workers safe
Our Hosts:
Follow our updates here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/
Get in touch with our hosts:
Marc Binkley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/
Vassilis Douros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/
Podcast Literature:
Top Exec Globe & Mail https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/rob-magazine/article-full-circle-christine-gillies-escaped-from-the-world-trade-center-on/
4 Types of Business Orientation https://smallbusiness.chron.com/business-orientation-24274.html
What are the real problems Marketers face? https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7118900791737733120/
Top Exec Globe & Mail https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/rob-magazine/article-full-circle-christine-gillies-escaped-from-the-world-trade-center-on/
Gartner Changing Buyer https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/gartner-says-b2b-sales-organizations-need-to-give-customers-a-se
What are the real problems Marketers face? https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7118900791737733120/
Timestamps:
0:44 - Introduction to Christine, 25+ years of tech marketing
2:08 - Advice Christine would give herself on day 1 of a scaling up a tech business
6:50 - Time kills deals
8:30 - What does Blackline’s Health & Safety technology do?
11:40 - Creating internal alignment and resourcing for growth
14:22 - Why we need to talk about “The Leads are Weak”
15:30 - How Christine is upskilling her team’s financial and business acumen
18:13 - Building credibility with the CFO
19:20 - Showing the effectiveness (aka return) of marketing campaigns
22:20 - How to manage the timeline expectations for a return
24:25 - Two key Principles of Tech Marketing: Who said so besides you + Outside In thinking
26:26 - How to build marketing budgets in hyper-growth companies
28:25 - Why budget cuts can be helpful at times
32:30 - Aligning marketing and product management
35:21 - The value of adding market intelligence to marketing’s remit
37:45 - Foundational enablers to drive growth in startups and scaleups
41:22 - The importance of processes to support growth
42:30 - Balancing agility and process with strategic briefs
47:55 - How to prioritize & manage growth opportunities
49:51 - Designing the organization for brand management
53:08 - Who owns pricing strategy?
57:01 - How leadership styles need to adapt to the orientation of the business
1:00:18 - The value of cross-training specialists across marketing disciplines
1:05:11 - The evolution and momentum in B2B marketing
1:09:15 - B2B companies are adopting more B2C tactics
111:39 - Post Pod with V and Marc
Where to Listen:
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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sleepingbarberpodcast
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