Jeff Gangemi

Tessa Barron, Chief Marketing Officer at Lumivero, argues that the key to great marketing isn’t technical mastery of channels or tools, it’s business acumen. In this episode of the Executive Guidance podcast, she shares why CMOs must deeply understand how their organizations create value, where growth comes from, and how customer behavior is evolving. With this foundation, marketing can move from a reactive service function to a proactive force that shapes business strategy.

Discover how Pavilion CEO Sam Jacobs is helping thousands of GTM executives redefine success through community, education, and principle-led leadership. In this episode of the Executive Guidance podcast, Jacobs joins Jeff Gangemi, Toptal’s Growth and Digital Marketing Practice Lead, to discuss the challenges of modern go-to-market leadership—and how clarity, values, and resilience drive sustainable growth.

An increasing number of B2B SaaS companies are turning to experienced fractional CMOs for strategic clarity and measurable growth, without the costs and long-term obligations of a full-time hire. It’s a trend we’re seeing at Toptal’s Marketing Agency, and one that’s backed up by external data, too: One 2024 survey of 340 startup and SMB executives found that 9% were working with a fractional CMO, or planning to work with one in the next 12 months, an increase of 80% from the year before.