How Great CMOs Lead Through Change with Lauren Esposito (Ep 65)

Sooner or later, every marketing leader will have to guide their organization through a major change.Whether it's repositioning a brand, launching a new product, or helping a company navigate growth, those moments require much more than a solid marketing strategy. They demand alignment, trust, and the ability to bring the entire organization along for the journey.In this episode of The Marketing Share, Alec Cheung and Barb VanSomeren are joined by Lauren Esposito, CMO at Asymbl and former marketing leader at Salesforce, to explore what it really takes to lead marketing during periods of transformation.Lauren has an incredible track record of leading product and brand initiatives at one of the world's most recognizable technology companies. From that experience, she shares how successful CMOs balance long-term brand building with business outcomes, communicate change internally, and help customers understand why change matters in the first place.Throughout the conversation, Lauren also covers other important topics to keep in mind: The importance of customer centricityCross-functional leadershipBuilding trust across the organizationIf you're a CMO, VP of Marketing, or an aspiring marketing executive leading a company through growth or transformation, this episode is a must-listen.Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction02:15 Meet Lauren Esposito and her journey from Salesforce to Asymbl06:40 Why brand transformation is never just a marketing project11:20 Leading brand changes inside large organizations16:45 Building alignment across marketing, product, sales, and leadership21:35 Keeping customers at the center during periods of change26:50 Balancing long term brand building with short term business goals31:40 How marketing leaders earn credibility inside the executive team36:55 Lessons Lauren brought from Salesforce into her CMO role42:10 Advice for marketers preparing for executive leadershipLoved this episode? Connect with Lauren over LinkedIn and tell her you came from The Marketing Share Podcast!Connect with the hosts:👉 Barb VanSomeren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbvansomeren/👉 Alec Cheung: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleccheung/Connect with the Podcast Manager 👉 Cinthya Zeledón: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cinthyazeledon/Explore the video content of each podcast episode on YouTube Want to be a guest on The Marketing Share Podcast?  Send us your bio and proposed interview topic to [email protected], and our Podcast Manager will get back to you.