CMO Journeys

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Sunil Freida, Chief Marketing Officer at Zscaler, about helping shape the next phase of growth for one of enterprise security’s most important brands. Drawing on leadership experience across cloud, AI, and cybersecurity, Sunil shares how he is aligning marketing, product, and sales to support Zscaler’s evolution in a rapidly changing market.What the Conversation Covers • Sunil’s path from Singapore and engineering into business leadership, product marketing, cloud, and cybersecurity • How his experience at AWS and CrowdStrike shaped the way he thinks about messaging, customer obsession, and leadership under pressure • Why Zscaler’s next phase of growth depends on tighter alignment between product, sales, and marketing as one go-to-market system • How he is thinking about prioritization, pipeline, team structure, and speed in a global marketing organization • Where AI is changing marketing workflows, agency relationships, and the way enterprise brands build and scale their storiesGuest BioSunil Freida is Chief Marketing Officer at Zscaler, where he leads marketing for a company helping redefine enterprise security through a cloud-delivered zero trust model. Before joining Zscaler, he held leadership roles across cloud, AI, and cybersecurity, including at AWS and CrowdStrike, building a strong foundation in product, go-to-market strategy, and enterprise technology growth.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Adam Shpiro, Chief Marketing Officer at SBS, about helping reposition a legacy fintech company for a more modern cloud and AI-driven future. With a background spanning engineering, consulting, operations, venture investing, banking, and go-to-market leadership, Adam brings a broad operator’s view to how marketing can drive growth inside a complex global business.What the Conversation Covers• Adam’s unconventional path from engineering and consulting into business leadership, fintech, and eventually marketing• What changed when he moved from leading global go-to-market into the CMO role, and how that shaped his view of marketing as a growth engine• How SBS is working to reposition itself from a legacy core banking provider into a more modern cloud and AI-focused platform company• Why Adam believes marketing, product, and sales must operate as one connected go-to-market system• How he thinks about prioritization, AI adoption, agency partnerships, and building a marketing team that can move with both quality and speedGuest BioAdam Shpiro is Chief Marketing Officer at SBS, a global financial technology company providing software platforms for banks, lenders, and payment systems worldwide. Before stepping into the CMO role, he led global go-to-market efforts at SBS and built a career across engineering, consulting, operations, venture capital, banking, and fintech, giving him a distinctive commercial and operator-focused perspective on marketing leadership.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Marie Lee, Chief Marketing Officer of Princess Cruises, about leading marketing during a period of brand evolution, leadership change, and shifting traveler expectations. Drawing on a long career across Disney and travel marketing, Marie shares how she balances short-term demand with long-term brand building in one of the world’s most recognized cruise brands.What the Conversation Covers • Marie’s career path across sales, strategy, guest experience, direct marketing, and media leadership, and how those roles shaped her approach as a CMO • What it took to leave Disney after a long tenure and step into a growth opportunity at Princess Cruises during a major transformation • How Princess is balancing the heritage of The Love Boat with a more modern, premium, experience-led brand story • Why video, strong creative, and a balanced brand-and-performance media strategy are central to driving both demand and long-term loyalty • How Marie thinks about agency partnerships, team leadership, AI, and building marketing around the guest experience from first impression to onboard deliveryGuest BioMarie Lee is Chief Marketing Officer at Princess Cruises, where she leads the brand’s marketing strategy during a period of new leadership, new ships, and brand evolution. Before joining Princess, she spent most of her career at Disney Experiences in a range of roles spanning sales, international marketing, merchandise strategy, guest experience, direct marketing, media, and customer engagement.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Esi Eggleston Bracey, former Chief Growth and Marketing Officer at Unilever, about the mindset, leadership principles, and brand-building lessons behind a global marketing career. Drawing on leadership roles across Procter & Gamble, Coty, and Unilever, Esi shares how curiosity, courage, and a deep understanding of people shaped her approach to growth at every stage.What the Conversation Covers• Esi’s path from an early interest in math and science into a career in brand building, growth, and general management• The career moments that shaped her perspective, from launching new products at Procter & Gamble to leading global businesses across markets and cultures• Why she sees marketing as the work of understanding people, creating desire, and turning that demand into sustainable business growth• The leadership principles that have guided her career, including embracing discomfort, protecting energy, and saying yes to growth opportunities even when they feel scary• How she thinks about the future role of agencies, creativity, AI, and what brands need most to drive sustained growthGuest BioEsi Eggleston Bracey is a longtime growth and marketing executive with leadership experience across Procter & Gamble, Coty, and Unilever, where she most recently served as Chief Growth and Marketing Officer. Over the course of her career, she has helped shape global brands, drive business transformation, and lead growth strategies grounded in consumer insight, creativity, and commercial impact.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Eric Gillin, Chief Brand Officer of Trusted Media Brands, about leading through one of the most complex moments in media. With a background spanning editorial, product, and sales, Eric shares how he is helping iconic brands reconnect with audiences by focusing less on scale for its own sake and more on brand clarity, community, and meaningful engagement.What the Conversation Covers• Eric’s career path across writing, editing, product leadership, and ad sales, and how those chapters shaped his approach to brand leadership• Why he believes media companies can no longer rely on old traffic and distribution models in a world shaped by platform shifts and AI• How Trusted Media Brands is refocusing around brand identity, audience connection, and community-led growth across titles like Reader’s Digest and Taste of Home• What changes when the goal shifts from chasing broad reach to building deeper audience relationships and fandom• How Eric thinks about leadership, AI, agency relationships, and making strategic decisions in a market with no fixed playbookGuest BioEric Gillin is Chief Brand Officer at Trusted Media Brands, where he helps lead brand strategy across a portfolio that includes Reader’s Digest, Taste of Home, Family Handyman, and other well-known media properties. His career has spanned editorial, product, and revenue leadership, giving him a broad perspective on content creation, audience development, business strategy, and what it takes to build durable brands in a changing media environment.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Sarah Cascone, Chief Marketing Officer of Appriss Retail, about building a marketing engine that turns trust, executive engagement, and events into enterprise pipeline. As the company’s first CMO, Sarah shares how she is helping reframe the category, sharpen the story, and align marketing tightly with revenue in a complex retail technology environment.What the Conversation Covers• Sarah’s path from conference production into SaaS marketing leadership and how those early event experiences still shape her strategy today• What changed when she moved from managing individual functions to leading marketing as one integrated go-to-market engine• Why she believes events are a core enterprise growth lever when they create memorable, human connections with executive buyers• How Appriss Retail is using account-based marketing, executive communities, and thought leadership to drive qualified pipeline• How Sarah thinks about prioritization, team design, agency partnerships, and measuring marketing through real business impactGuest BioSarah Cascone is Chief Marketing Officer at Appriss Retail, where she leads product marketing and growth marketing for a company serving enterprise retailers focused on fraud, returns, and profit protection. Before joining Appriss Retail, she spent a decade at Bluecore, where she helped scale the business through multiple stages of growth and built a broad foundation across events, PR, content, design, demand generation, product marketing, and pipeline strategy.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Josh Churnick, Chief Marketing Officer of Vertex Service Partners, about building marketing systems that are accountable, measurable, and built to scale. Drawing on a career that spans entertainment, consumer brands, insurance, and home services, Josh shares why he was drawn to categories where marketing performance can be clearly proven through results.What the Conversation Covers• Josh’s path from early digital audience building in music and media into performance-driven leadership roles in home services• Why he believes great marketing should be judged by what works for the customer, not by internal opinions or creative preferences• What changes when marketing moves from supporting a single brand to helping scale a growing platform of regional brands• Why data quality, reporting infrastructure, and alignment with contact center operations are essential to marketing performance• How Josh evaluates agency partners, including the importance of transparency, attribution, and real operating knowledge of the home services category.Guest BioJosh Churnick is Chief Marketing Officer at Vertex Service Partners, where he leads marketing for a growing platform of residential exterior service brands. His background spans digital media, consumer products, insurance, and home services, giving him a practical perspective on brand building, performance marketing, and the operational systems required to drive measurable growth.|About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Chris Pilsner, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Oakland University, about his path from agency life into higher education leadership. Chris shares how agency training shaped his approach to brand strategy, market research, digital experience, and enrollment-focused marketing at a pivotal moment for a growing public university.What the Conversation Covers• Chris’s career journey from agency roles at firms like J. Walter Thompson and Deutsch into senior higher education marketing leadership• What it means to bring agency-style strategic thinking, brand discipline, and consumer insight into a university setting• How Oakland University is working to unify brand, communications, and marketing under a more coordinated strategy• Why enrollment marketing, audience segmentation, and digital experience are becoming more critical in higher education• How Chris evaluates agency partners, including the value of strong points of view, peer recommendations, case studies, and specialized expertiseGuest BioChris Pilsner is Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Oakland University, where he leads the institution’s brand, marketing, and communications efforts. He previously held senior marketing leadership roles in higher education, including at UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management, and brings a background in agency strategy, brand development, and digital transformation.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Nav Singh, Chief Marketing Officer of Eightfold AI, about his path from product leadership into modern marketing. Nav brings a rare combination of technical depth and storytelling discipline, and he shares how that perspective is shaping Eightfold’s approach to AI, talent intelligence, and the future of marketing teams.|What the Conversation Covers• Nav’s career journey from consulting and product management into senior marketing leadership at enterprise technology companies• What he learned from listening first in a new CMO role and why direct customer and employee insight still matters in an AI-driven world• How Eightfold AI helps organizations hire, retain, and develop talent through AI-powered talent intelligence and skills-based decision-making• Why Nav believes the future of work will be built around humans and agents working together, and how that changes marketing and HR• How he is thinking about building an AI-native marketing team, including the kinds of talent, tools, and agency partners needed for the futureGuest BioNav Singh is Chief Marketing Officer at Eightfold AI, where he leads the company’s global marketing strategy and brand narrative around AI, talent intelligence, and the future of work. Before moving into marketing, he spent more than a decade in product leadership roles at companies including Oracle, Cisco, and Palo Alto Networks, building a strong foundation in technology, customer insight, and product storytelling.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Ethan Chernofsky, CMO of Placer.ai, about his path from agency work into senior in-house marketing leadership. Ethan shares a practical view of how storytelling, market narrative, and data can work together to shape brand strategy, support growth, and help marketing teams make better decisions.What the Conversation Covers • Ethan’s career path from PR and agency work into in-house marketing leadership at tech companies like Similarweb and Placer.ai • Why storytelling and brand building can create an operating advantage when they are tied to business outcomes • How Placer.ai uses data to help brands, retailers, and partners interpret consumer behavior and market shifts • How Ethan thinks about AI, automation, and building a more product-minded marketing organization • How he evaluates agencies and external partners, including what stands out in outreach, personalization, and long-term relationship buildingGuest BioEthan Chernofsky is Chief Marketing Officer at Placer.ai, a location analytics company that helps brands, retailers, real estate players, and investors understand real-world consumer behavior. His background spans agency work, public relations, and in-house marketing leadership, giving him a broad perspective on storytelling, brand strategy, and how marketing connects to business growth.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Adriana Gil Miner, Chief Marketing Officer of Pindrop, about leading marketing in a category shaped by AI, fraud, and digital trust. Drawing on a career that spans digital marketing, brand storytelling, and high-growth B2B leadership, Adriana shares how she is helping define a new market while scaling awareness around one of today’s most urgent security challenges.What the Conversation Covers• Adriana’s career journey across agency work, financial services, brand leadership, and high-growth B2B technology companies• How digital marketing, storytelling, and data have converged to shape her leadership approach as a modern CMO• Why deepfakes and AI-driven fraud are no longer abstract risks, but immediate threats affecting enterprises and consumers• How Pindrop is building awareness in a new category where the first job is helping the market understand the problem• How Adriana thinks about team design, agency partnerships, and the role of AI in reshaping marketing execution and strategyGuest BioAdriana Gil Miner is Chief Marketing Officer at Pindrop, where she leads marketing for a company focused on securing digital communications and helping enterprises detect deepfakes, prevent fraud, and restore trust. She brings more than two decades of experience building and scaling B2B technology brands, with leadership roles spanning companies including Tableau and Iterable, and a background that blends digital marketing, brand strategy, and high-growth leadership.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Kimberly Corbett, Chief Marketing Officer at Underdog Fantasy. Kimberly shares how her path from accounting and auditing into digital marketing, gaming, and now sports gaming has shaped her approach to building brands, leading high-performing teams, and turning a fast-growing challenger into a first-choice brand.What the Conversation Covers • Kimberly’s career journey from accounting and auditing into search marketing, mobile gaming, and eventually the CMO role at Underdog Fantasy • How she is thinking about Underdog’s next phase of growth, including the shift from a challenger brand to a household-name • Why she sees brand building in sports gaming as deeper than promotions, with more focus on long-term customer relationships and fandom • How she approaches team building and investment decisions, starting with measurement, funnel performance, and where marketing can drive the biggest business impact • What she looks for in agency and vendor partners, including proven expertise, clear business relevance, strong case studies, and solutions that improve speed, quality, or cost structureGuest BioKimberly Corbett is Chief Marketing Officer at Underdog Fantasy, where she leads marketing for the fast-growing sports gaming company across brand, growth, and customer engagement. Before joining Underdog, she held leadership roles across gaming and digital marketing, including at companies such as Kabam, Zynga, and Warner Bros. Games, building experience across performance marketing, brand development, and audience growth.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Matthew Lieberman, Chief Marketing Officer and Business Development Officer at Cooley. Matthew shares how a nontraditional path through entertainment, consulting, and professional services shaped his approach to marketing transformation, and why this moment represents a major opportunity for firms rethinking how marketing drives growth, client experience, and competitive advantage.What the Conversation Covers • Matthew’s career journey from film and entertainment into consulting, then into senior marketing leadership roles in professional services • What he learned leading a large-scale marketing transformation at PwC and how that experience informs his work at Cooley • How he is approaching his first phase at Cooley, including setting a clear vision, defining marketing’s role, and building stronger measurement and accountability • Why thought leadership should sit at the center of a professional services marketing strategy, from brand building to pipeline support • How he evaluates agency partners, including the importance of specialization, personalization, and showing a real understanding of the client’s businessGuest BioMatthew Lieberman is Chief Marketing Officer and Business Development Officer at Cooley, where he leads the firm’s marketing and business development strategy. Before joining Cooley, he spent more than two decades at PwC, including seven years as CMO for the US and Mexico, where he helped lead a broad transformation of the marketing function across team structure, process, technology, and client experience.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Justin Steinman, Chief Marketing Officer at ModMed. Justin shares how a career built across healthcare, healthcare IT, and enterprise software has shaped a marketing approach grounded in storytelling, operational clarity, and a strong understanding of customer needs.What the Conversation Covers • Justin’s path from studying English and history to leading marketing teams in healthcare and healthcare technology • Why storytelling still matters in a data-driven, AI-heavy marketing environment, and how human connection shapes stronger messaging • How ModMed is preparing for its next phase of growth following private equity investment and a mandate to scale • How Justin structures marketing teams to support product lines, customer segments, and integrated go-to-market strategy under one clear story • What he looks for in agency and partner relationships, including deep expertise, cultural fit, strong work samples, and support for specialized or high-stakes initiatives|Guest BioJustin Steinman is Chief Marketing Officer at ModMed, a specialty-focused healthcare SaaS company serving more than 40,000 providers with solutions across EHR, practice management, revenue cycle, patient engagement, and AI-driven tools. He has spent much of his career in healthcare and healthcare IT, with senior marketing leadership experience across companies including ModMed, Definitive Healthcare, Insora Health, GE Healthcare, and Aetna.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Jeff Cato, Chief Marketing Officer at Jasco, a consumer electronics and connected home company with products sold across major retail and digital channels. Jeff shares how a career spanning sales, operations, e-commerce, and digital transformation has shaped his approach to marketing leadership, growth, and agency partnership.What the Conversation Covers • Jeff’s path to the C-suite, including how early roles in sales and operations shaped his view of marketing as a growth function • What it means to lead as the CMO of the full business, not just a few priority brands or initiatives • How Jasco is navigating a changing retail landscape where private label growth and digital-first brands are reshaping competition • Where Jeff is increasing investment across influencers, paid social, AI discoverability, and new channels like CTV and TikTok Shop • How he evaluates agency partners, including the importance of specialization, proactive thinking, transparency, and asking the right questions before pitchingGuest BioJeff Cato is Chief Marketing Officer at Jasco, where he leads marketing across a portfolio that spans retail, e-commerce, digital, and brand growth. His background includes leadership roles in sales, operations, and digital commerce, giving him a broad view of how companies grow and how marketing can drive measurable business outcomes.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Tristan Pineiro, Chief Marketing Officer of Grindr, about leading brand, content, communications, and partnerships at one of the world’s most culturally significant platforms. His perspective is especially valuable because it blends storytelling, community understanding, and global brand building at a time when Grindr is expanding how it shows up for users beyond its original identity.What the Conversation Covers • Tristan’s unconventional path into marketing, from queer nightlife and communications to agency work and leadership across major brands • How early experiences in culture, language, and entertainment shaped his approach to storytelling, positioning, and emotional resonance • How Grindr is evolving its brand from a hookup app into a broader “global gayborhood” built around connection, safety, information, and community • What it takes to run a lean, content-forward marketing function that acts more like a studio, with strong internal creative direction and selective agency support • How Tristan evaluates agency partners, especially their ability to understand queer culture with depth, authenticity, and real listening rather than surface-level signalsGuest BioTristan Pineiro is Chief Marketing Officer of Grindr, where he leads brand, content, communications, and partnerships for the global LGBTQ+ social platform. He came to marketing through communications and has built a career across agencies, entertainment, and culturally driven brands, with a leadership style shaped by storytelling, audience insight, and community fluency.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Edithann Ramey, Chief Marketing Officer of Ruby Tuesday, about leading a legacy restaurant brand through a new chapter of relevance and growth. Drawing on experience across restaurants, entertainment, and consumer marketing, she shares how she approaches traffic, value, loyalty, and brand positioning in a category under real pressure.What the Conversation Covers• How Edithann’s career evolved from public relations into senior marketing leadership across brands, including Pizza Hut, Chili’s, Topgolf, Six Flags, and Ruby Tuesday• What she had to unlearn as she moved from messaging and communications into roles accountable for traffic, sales, and business outcomes• How she is helping Ruby Tuesday reconnect with consumers by leaning into brand familiarity, core menu strengths, and a more focused value proposition• Why loyalty and CRM need to do more than drive discounts, and how she is thinking about using customer data in a more effective and profitable way• What makes agency relationships work, including responsiveness, specialization, collaboration, and the ability to manage transitions smoothlyGuest BioEdithann Ramey is Chief Marketing Officer of Ruby Tuesday. She leads the brand’s marketing efforts across positioning, value strategy, loyalty, and consumer engagement, bringing experience from restaurant, entertainment, and consumer-facing businesses. Earlier in her career, she worked agency side and in public relations, experiences that continue to shape how she leads teams and works with external partners.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Tim Asimos, Chief Marketing Officer of Timmons Group, about his path from agency leadership to building an in-house growth function inside a professional services firm. He has worked across agency, SaaS, and client-side roles, giving him a grounded view of marketing leadership, business development, and what firms should expect from agency partners.What the Conversation Covers • How Tim’s career moved from advertising media into marketing leadership roles across Timmons Group, agency life, and a SaaS platform focused on customer experience for AEC firms • What he learned from SaaS about sales structure, measurement, demand generation, and marketing’s role in buyer enablement • Why professional services firms often lag in marketing maturity, and how Tim thinks modern marketing principles still apply across industries • What his first 90 days as Timmons Group’s first CMO have focused on, including team building, internal discovery, leadership alignment, and a 2026 strategic marketing roadmap • How he evaluates agency partners, including the importance of relevance, thoughtful outreach, value-led prospecting, and expertise that complements internal capabilitiesGuest BioTim Asimos is Chief Marketing Officer of Timmons Group, where he leads marketing, business development, and pursuits for the engineering and technology firm. He previously spent more than a decade helping build an agency digital practice and AEC specialization, and later served in a growth leadership role at a SaaS platform focused on customer experience management for AEC firms.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.

In this episode of CMO Journeys, Christian Banach speaks with Jess Alpert, Chief Marketing Officer of EPM, about a career path that spans fashion, entrepreneurship, agency leadership, consumer tech, and fintech. Her perspective stands out because she brings both creative instinct and analytical rigor to the role, with a strong point of view on execution, personalization, and how modern marketing teams should work.What the Conversation Covers • Jess’s nontraditional path to the C-suite, from launching her own fashion accessories brand to running an agency and later moving into corporate marketing leadership • What she learned from shifting out of pure creative roles and into data-driven marketing, with a stronger focus on CRM, KPIs, testing, and conversion • How she is approaching her new role at EPM, including remessaging the brand, sharpening differentiation, and building more personalized lifecycle marketing • Where AI fits into her thinking today, from media and workflow efficiency to the need for human oversight and authentic execution • How she evaluates agency partners, including the importance of preparation, strategic thinking, industry understanding, and a bias toward action over polishGuest BioJess Alpert is Chief Marketing Officer of EPM, a national mortgage lender. She leads the company’s marketing strategy and brand evolution, with a focus on personalization, lifecycle marketing, and sharper market positioning. Earlier in her career, she founded a fashion accessories label, built her own agency, worked in creative leadership at Samsung, and later moved into fintech and financial services marketing.About the PodcastCMO Journeys is a podcast from NextBigWin hosted by Christian Banach. The series features conversations with marketing leaders about the path to the C-suite, the challenges they are tackling inside their organizations, and how they evaluate agencies and strategic partners.