Unleashing potential. Why marketing (alone) isn't the answer.

I've spent most of my career as a CEO and founder who focused on building products and brands. Most recently I've been working as a fractional CMO—although one who looks at things through my CEO lens. But after working with a few different clients over the last year or so, I've realized I'm actually a fractional CEO, or a part-time CEO, or maybe just a CEO -whisperer, because I can't just look at how to market something. Each time I consider the bigger picture of what needs to happen for a company. And, putting this into practice, an even bigger realization is that marketing alone won't affect the significant changes that a CEO might be looking to make. Sometimes people think they can tweak or start marketing and that can save the day. But that's just not how it works.  You can't effectively market a flawed product. Or if you're talking to the wrong audience. Or with the wrong message. And if your internal team isn't properly aligned, that certainly doesn't help. So I broadened my approach to look first at things at the highest, strategic level and with complete objectivity. What would I do if this was my company? Unleashing potential for a company or product starts with partnership and looking at what they're trying to get done across every team, every function, and every intersection. It surprises some people that I say Marketing and Finance need to be working arm-in-arm. And so do Marketing and Ops. And it might be a clearer connection for Marketing and Sales, but I haven't always even found that to be the case. I'm trying something different this year. Introducing Adjacent Lab. We're an agency that isn't an agency. Offering CMO strategy and services with a CEO perspective. Ultimately it's about marketing and driving sales, and, while we'll get there, it won't be where we start.