Eric Dickmann

The Five Echelon Group

- Develop and execute tailored marketing strategies as a Fractional CMO.
- Deliver Marketing as a Service (MaaS) to simplify strategic planning and execution.
- Implement cost-effective solutions to increase brand awareness and lead generation.
- Specialize in Financial Services, FinTech, SaaS, Technology, and Professional Services

Founder and Chief Marketing Officer

Craig Group

Craig Group specializes in revenue growth for middle-market, private equity-backed portfolio companies.

Marketing Strategist

FractionL

Fractional CMO

GrowthMentor

Advisor on marketing strategies to companies and marketers as a top-rated mentor.

Growth Mentor - Marketing Strategy

MarketerHire

Recognized as a top-tier Chief Marketing Officer within MarketerHire's exclusive network of vetted marketing professionals, specializing in crafting marketing strategies for B2B companies.

Optima

Developed a marketing strategy aimed at Fortune 500 companies within the SAP ecosystem, utilizing content marketing, events, SEO, and direct outreach to engage decision-makers and secure high-value contracts.

Quest Trust Company

SunView Software, Inc.

As the CMO at SunView Software, I spearheaded a transformative growth marketing strategy that resulted in a notable reduction in lead acquisition costs and a remarkable 620% surge in organic web traffic. By championing digital transformation and implementing the HubSpot marketing automation platform, I positioned the company as an industry leader, resulting in our inclusion in The Forrester Wave Report for Enterprise Service Management.

Chief Marketing Officer

Oracle

Led global marketing strategy for a Fortune 100 tech business, overseeing a multi-million dollar budget and managing a global team. Collaborated closely with Sales leadership to generate executive-level leads, build nurturing programs, and influence revenue opportunities, resulting in the closure of one of the largest deals in Siebel Systems' history. Played a critical role in establishing the organization as the leading provider of CRM software in the financial services market. Areas of expertise include retail banking, compliance, financial crime, healthcare payer, revenue management, and billing solutions.

Senior Director of Marketing - Global Retail Banking

Senior Manager Product Marketing - Retail Banking

Broadway & Seymour

Product Marketing Manager - Banking Platforms

Chief Marketing Officer▪️Helping B2B Companies Build Cost-Effective Marketing Strategies for Revenue Growth

As an accomplished executive marketing leader and fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) with years of corporate experience, I have helped drive revenue growth and brand awareness for B2B companies across various industries. I provide marketing strategy consulting and advisory services to small, middle-market, and private equity-backed portfolio companies, helping them achieve sustainable growth.

Since 2019, I have been working as a fractional CMO for multiple clients, developing and executing marketing strategies that create engines for lead generation and revenue growth. My expertise spans strategic marketing planning, digital transformation, multi-channel demand generation, account-based marketing (ABM), brand storytelling, and content marketing.

Prior to my current fractional CMO roles, I served as the Chief Marketing Officer at SunView Software, where I led a team that achieved a 620% increase in organic web traffic and secured the company's first-time ranking in The Forrester Wave Report for Enterprise Service Management. My extensive corporate experience includes senior marketing positions at Oracle Corporation and Siebel Systems, where I managed global teams and multi-million dollar budgets in the financial services, FinTech, and application software sectors.

My approach combines cutting-edge marketing technologies with data-driven insights to deliver measurable business impact. I excel in team leadership and cross-functional collaboration, consistently developing innovative marketing strategies that align with business objectives. 

I'm not just a marketing strategist but a growth catalyst for B2B companies, dedicated to helping businesses achieve sustainable growth through strategic, cost-effective, and measurable marketing initiatives.

The $24B influencer bubble isn't bursting, but the trust mechanics are changing.

As CMOs, we’ve spent the last decade chasing reach. But according to new research in Harvard Business Review, the metric we need to be obsessing over now is authenticity alignment.

The hard truth? Consumers don't trust "influencers" anymore. They trust expertise and connection. Authenticity not as a vague "vibe," but as a rigorous framework built on five non-negotiable dimensions:

- Expertise: Do they actually know what they are talking about?
- Connectedness: Is the engagement real or performative?
- Integrity: Are their values consistent over time?
- Originality: Are they creating or just copying?
- Transparency: Is the commercial motive clear?

When we prioritize reach over relevance, or hide the commercial nature of a partnership, we break this chain. 

The finding is clear: We must move our influencer strategies from transactional exchanges to transformational relationships.

If you're still briefing for "eyeballs" rather than "trust," you're likely eroding your brand equity.

Article link in the comments.

#MarketingStrategy #CMO #InfluencerMarketing #HBR

Strategic Fractional CMO | Helping B2B Leaders Build Visibility & Growth Systems in the AI Era | Host of The Virtual CMO Podcast

David LaCombe

Imperatives Delivered

Providing strategic marketing leadership to early-stage companies in medical device and healthcare services sectors, including multiple stealth-mode startups and venture-backed growth-stage companies. 

Signature Accomplishments:

Accelerated revenue growth across multiple early-stage healthcare companies, contributing to a combined $7M+ in new revenue within the past 2+ years.

Advised startup leadership teams on product-market fit, GTM strategy, and marketing metrics, influencing $3.3M+ in Seed and pre-Series A fundraising.

Defined ideal customer profiles (ICPs) and segmented target markets for a new SaaS platform, leading to faster adoption in hospital systems and an 18% lift in deal velocity.

Developed a customer experience playbook in collaboration with CS and product teams, reducing onboarding friction and improving NPS from 45 to 72 in nine months.

Led go-to-market workshops with founders, sales, and product teams, ensuring marketing strategies aligned with revenue goals and increasing launch efficiency by 50%.

Yeshiva University

Teaching marketing and communications classes at the graduate level within the Digital Marketing and Media program for the Katz School of Science and Health.

Adjunct Faculty

GTM Partners

As a Certified GTM Partner, I license a proprietary GTM Operating System (O.S.), designed to build and guide a Go-to-Market strategy for B2B teams.

The GTM Operating System is an integral component of my fractional GTM Officer services.

I use the O.S. to evaluate:

1. Where can you grow the most?

2. Which product(s) create the highest customer value?

3. How will you engage your customer with a differentiated POV?

4. Which GTM motions get you to your revenue go faster?

5. How do customers experience your ROI?

6. How else can you exceed your customers' expectations?

7. Which GTM metrics drive the health of your business?

8. How do you give your team clarity, alignment, and trust?

Certified GTM Partner

RQI Partners, LLC

Led a cross-functional go-to-market team from Zero to One in an expansion market.

●  Sales/Marketing Leadership: Led the launch, implementation, and scaling of educational services programs to 70+ cities and municipalities, enrolling 40,000+ healthcare providers and generating millions of dollars in ARR within three years of program launch.  Achieved greater than 100% growth year over year.
●  Customer Experience Leadership: Implemented a customer success program that resulted in zero churn during the three-year period.
●  Spearheaded sales process improvement, leveraging Lean Six Sigma methodologies to shorten sales cycle by 20%.
●  P&L Accountability: Analyzed customer acquisition costs and lifetime value.  Worked closely with Finance to forecast and measure the ROI of growth investments.
●  Cross-Functional Leadership: Established and led a startup team of marketers, sellers, and customer success managers.
●  Strategic Partnership: Developed and matured partner-led growth strategy with public and private organizations, including city and county municipalities.

Vice President (Sales, Marketing, and Customer Experience)

Selected to serve on executive leadership team for launch and oversight of account-based marketing arm of partnership between American Heart Association (AHA) and Laerdal Medical. Analyzed local communities across globe and collaborated with thought leaders to aggregate evidence-based best practices for replication and commercialization. Managed and harmonized diverse, matrixed, cross-functional group of subject matter experts (SMEs) in program development, marketing, and sales. 

●	Designed portfolio of services standardizing life-saving intervention, building reproducible service model focused on quality improvement to boost positive healthcare outcomes and generate cost and time savings for municipalities.

●	Served as industry change agent to introduce ability to measure clinical performance and resuscitation effectiveness, providing insights into KPIs to impact diverse clinical entities

Director (Prehospital Sales, Marketing and Customer Experience)

Laerdal Medical

Led strategic direction of prehospital programs to define user requirements, market trends, and KPIs for best practices. Selected to collaborate with executive leadership team to ideate and establish resuscitation partnership organization for Laerdal and AHA.

Director of Prehospital Programs

Managed 28-member team in comprehensive marketing strategies, branding, and operations across US, Canada, and LATAM. Steered product development, events, social media, internal and external marketing communications and public relations, brand positioning, and downstream marketing. Ensured delivery of MQLs to salesforce through predictive analysis of customer behavior and market trends.

●	Developed business case, garnered buy-in from stakeholders, and rolled out organization’s first marketing automation technology stack to create customized buying systems and provide enhanced data insights on qualified sales leads.

●	Enhanced lead generation and nurturing processes to boost growth of MQLs by 8%.

Director of Marketing – The Americas

Selected to define new role, serving as strategic advisor to product development and executive leadership teams in Norway to facilitate evaluation of US market, drive clear communication strategies, and translate consumer needs into service and product requirements for impactful ROI. Identified key industry organizations for acquisition or partnership opportunities and assessed potential business value. 

●	Played instrumental role in developing partnerships and negotiating agreements with software developers and programmers to package bundled solutions for healthcare markets within Laerdal infrastructure.

Regional Portfolio Director – Emergency Care

Responsible for the design, development, implementation and evaluation of blended learning solutions for our customers.

Blended Learning Development Manager

Launched and scaled organization’s first educational services team providing coursework on Laerdal simulators. Designed curricula, created business model, implemented infrastructures, and coached and mentored workforce in training capabilities.

●	Scaled business model across 26 global organizations and grew curricula to broad portfolio of consumer courses, establishing new vertical service offering that generated double-digit, multimillion-dollar revenue.

●	Completed year-long stretch assignment designing customer blended learning strategy for release to market.

Blended Learning Department Manager (2011–2012) | Senior Manager – Educational Services (2006–2012)

Fractional Chief Marketing Officer | Helping CEOs Eliminate GTM Waste & Accelerate B2B Growth | Healthcare & Purpose Driven Brands | Startups to Mid-Market Expertise | Adjunct Marketing Instructor

Your GPS for B2B Growth

I started my first career as a paramedic, where I learned that survival isn’t random—it’s causal. The communities that aligned people, processes, and systems turned near-zero survival rates into world-leading results.

I bring that same discipline to business. For 20+ years, I’ve helped CEOs and leadership teams cut wasted GTM spend, align marketing, sales, and customer success, and drive measurable growth with confidence.

The results speak for themselves:

2x pipeline growth in 9–12 months

13% lower CAC with better-fit leads

22% increase in qualified pipeline valuation

Clearer alignment across founders, product, marketing, sales & customer success.

I work with mission-driven B2B brands—especially those navigating complex ecosystems like healthcare and multi-stakeholder enterprises. Along the way, I’ve partnered with GTM Partners to shape modern go-to-market strategies and with Proof Analytics to apply causal AI that pinpoints what truly drives revenue.

Even if we never work together, I’ll add value—whether it’s a second opinion, a sparring session, or a new lens to help you break through friction.

If you’re a CEO tired of “random marketing” and want a clear path to growth, let’s talk. No pitch. Just perspective.

Founder | Fractional Chief Marketing Officer

Established and built a successful fractional CMO practice, offering strategic marketing guidance and leadership to companies seeking to accelerate growth.

Client Highlights:
- Developed and implemented an Account-Based Marketing program. Increased funnel growth by 116%.
- Completed business process review. Reduced sales cycle by 28%.
- Conducted market feasibility studies for pre-startups in the concept phase.

Partnered with a range of clients, including startups, small businesses, and established organizations across various industries.

Developed customized marketing strategies aligned with each client's unique goals, target audience, and market dynamics.

Led cross-functional teams and collaborated with executives to implement marketing initiatives, resulting in increased brand visibility, customer acquisition, and revenue growth.

Provided expert guidance in voice of the customer, customer experience, digital marketing, content marketing, social media, and account based marketing.

Leveraged data-driven insights and industry best practices to optimize marketing efforts and deliver measurable results.

David LaCombe, M.S.

7 end-of-semester recommendations for my class of marketing graduate students.
 
1. Touch grass. Rest isn't lazy. It's rejuvenating.
   
2. Your origin story is the differentiator. Write yours. Own it, say it.
   
3. Dream jobs aren't found. They're built. Start where you'll learn fastest.
   
4. Slide into DMs of people you admire. Informational interviews are free game, and lowkey underrated.
   
5. One real project hits differently than five certifications. Do something you can actually talk about in interviews without glazing.
   
6. Post your thoughts about the semester, not just "humbled to announce" energy. Authenticity isn't cringe.
   
7. Build three real relationships this break. Not transactional networking, actual human connection. The best jobs aren't posted. They go to people already in the group chat.
 
You've taken a big leap this past semester. Lots of growth...a few setbacks...and one giant step closer towards graduation.
 
I'm proud of our journey together, and I'm rooting for you.
 
So rest. Build something real. Stay curious.
 
Do good work, and keep me posted on how it's going.
 
Hope to see you in the spring.

Causal AI & GTM OS --​> Accountable Growth. For B2B Healthcare Execs Teams Seeking Business GPS | Fractional CMO & GTM Strategist | 20+ Years P&L Leadership | Adjunct Professor | Author

It’s not enough to be known. 

You have to be audacious to stand out in a world where AI elevates everyone’s potential.

For me, it’s starts with intentionality and confidence knowing that few people have my experience and point of view.

I usually lean towards humble.  The majority of my posts are in service to others.

I don’t talk about myself much because i genuinely enjoy being a person of substance. 

Hubris annoys me.

So, on this rare occasion I’ll mention a few things about me that you might find interesting.

I was a paramedic before I pivoted to product management, marketing, and GTM.

My EMS experiences taught me to act decisively and I based my decisions on the best available evidence.

Also, I’ve delivered premature triplets.  

I’ve brought dozens of products to market, have led GTM transformations, and have been privileged to work in eight countries.

I am building a fractional GTM leadership service that combines causal AI and the leading GTM Operating System.

I work with no more than three clients at a time so that I can also teach marketing students.

Does that make me audacious? Maybe not, yet. But, I can see it on the horizon.

No alternative text description for this image

𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗺𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗺𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁.
 
That line came to mind as I stood in Grand Central Terminal the day before Thanksgiving—one of the busiest days of the year. 

Crowds rushing. Signals everywhere. Noise layered on noise.
 
And yet, the leaders who win aren’t the ones who move the fastest.  They’re the ones who 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 to see the truth inside the chaos.
 
Slow enough to notice the real customer signals.  Slow enough to ask whether the team is aligned.  Slow enough to separate effort from impact.
 
Because when you get clear on what matters, everything speeds up—decision-making, execution, and growth. That’s the paradox: clarity reduces drag.
 
As we head into the holiday, I’m grateful for the leaders who choose clarity over frenzy. The ones who make room for stillness so their teams can move with confidence.
 
Here’s to clear signals, intentional choices, and a smoother path forward.
 
Happy Thanksgiving.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱.
 
As a fractional CMO, GTM leader, and former paramedic, I understand the cost of diagnostic errors: lost trust in forecasts, leadership departures, and avoidable patient harm.
 
Today, I'm guiding my graduate students at Yeshiva University through a simulated GTM funnel review. Not to show them what "good" looks like, but to encourage better questions.
 
Why is the Demo stage bloated at $3.64M while Negotiation sits at just $360K?
 
What does a 55% commit-to-close rate tell us about forecast discipline?
 
How should a 32% slippage rate change our confidence in next quarter's projections?
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲.
 
Most marketing and communication problems aren't messaging problems. They are misalignment problems. Blind spots in buyer understanding, handoff breakdowns, value translation gaps.
 
A funnel view doesn't turn communicators into salespeople. It turns them into professionals who understand where customers get stuck and where messaging failures become revenue drag.
 
But dashboards only show you 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 is happening. They don't tell you 𝘸𝘩𝘺.
 
That's where we're headed next—causal inference—teaching future marketers to distinguish correlation from causation before they prescribe interventions.
 
First, see the system. Then, prove what's driving it.

#fractionalcmo #GTM #marketing Katz School of Science and Health

Failing to plan is planning to fail.

As a CMO, I’m surprised to find many mid-market companies without a crisis communication plan.

Today I’m facilitating a simulation with marketing graduate students at Yeshiva University  about the United Airlines flight 3411 incident.

Shares of UAL stock fell 4.3% two days after public outrage spiked online.  Their initial loss was $950 million.

This situation was both predictable and preventable.

Most CMO related posts are about growth.  This is your invitation to think about maketing and communication role in risk prevention and management.

Advice to ponder: “In crisis management, be quick with the facts and slow with the blame.” Leonard Saffir

The biggest threat to a good idea isn't rejection.
 
It's indecision.
 
Markets wait. Committees deliberate. Pilots stall. Everyone agrees something should happen, but no one moves first.
 
40-60% of B2B pipeline dies this way — not lost to competitors, lost to "no decision."
 
In healthcare, the stakes compound. Interventions that could change outcomes stall for years because independent players won't coordinate without someone making it easy to say yes.
 
Some people figure out how to break that pattern.
 
I'm hosting a roundtable conversation with one of them—an emergency physician who built coalitions across thousands of independent EMS agencies and drove the adoption of interventions that improved survival rates from cardiac arrest and hemorrhage. 

Peter Antevy MD, FAEMS doesn't just practice medicine. He's built a movement.
 
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟭𝟱. 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿. 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹. 𝗧𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲.
 
One question: How do you get independent actors to move when you can't make them?
 
Jeffersonian format — one conversation, everyone participates. No presentations. No recording. Chatham House Rules.
 
𝟴 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝟮𝗕 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺. 

DM me "Roundtable" if you want one.

Fun and meaningful opportunity alert!

I want to share a special invitation with you.

I’m collecting insights from GTM leaders for my upcoming book, 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨2𝘢𝘛. 

𝗜’𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲.

I’m asking for just two minutes of your time.

Your perspectives will help early-career marketers build the judgment, confidence, and business acumen they need to thrive.

Pick the question that resonates most with you, hit record, and share your thoughts. Your message may be featured in the book.

Shoutout to Brad Mehl at Boundless Markets for his generous support of this project. 

Brad's team is doing impressive work capturing insights from conference and event attendees through voice recordings. You'll be using part of his tech when you answer my questions. Contact Brad if you want to explore how to use audio to gauge intent signals.

The recording app link is in the comments.

#marketing2aT #bookinterviews #marketing

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜'𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴...

𝗚𝗧𝗠 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀: 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁.
 
📘 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗮'𝘀 𝗖𝗠𝗢 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲 "𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴" (Marketing Week) Alex Schultz argues the term itself biases CFO budget decisions—calling one approach "performance" and another "brand" predetermines where dollars flow, regardless of actual results.
 
𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁: The name is doing the selling. When you call one thing "performance," you've already told the CFO which budget to cut and which to protect—even if the "brand" work is actually driving revenue. Meta's Super Bowl campaign lifted sales by a third. That performed. The label lied.
 
📘 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗖𝗠𝗢: "𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵—𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗷𝗼𝗯" (The Drum) Bronwen Foster-Butler pushes back on separating "growth" teams from marketing, arguing the distinction reveals a misunderstanding of what marketing actually does.
 
𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁: When companies split "growth" from "marketing," they're not solving a problem—they're creating one. Growth teams end up chasing quick wins while ignoring the work that creates lasting demand. If your growth team isn't doing marketing, ask yourself: what are they actually optimizing for?
 
📘 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀𝘂 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 "𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘅𝗲𝘀" (Marketing Dive) 53% use AI daily while 50% are minimizing screen time. 32% say AI understands them better than friends and family.
 
𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁: These aren't paradoxes—they're proof that averages lie. The same person can embrace AI for convenience and crave unplugged time for sanity. And that stat about AI "understanding" people better? AI doesn't understand you. It just doesn't judge you. That's not insight—it's absence of friction.
 
📘 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 (MarTech) Marketing teams ran 30% more campaigns last year. 87% still reported performance issues. Only 34% of CEOs are aligned with their CMO on growth.
 
𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁: Doing more didn't fix the problem because activity isn't the same as impact. The funnel assumes buyers move in a straight line—awareness, then consideration, then purchase. But that's not how people actually buy. You can't optimize your way out of a model that was wrong from the start.

Four articles. One thread: We keep mistaking activity for progress and labels for truth.
 
What's your take?

𝗜 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.
 
Not the toxic kind. The strategic kind.
 
It's called 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢—Latin for "the negative way."
 
And it might be the most underused tool in a go-to-market strategy.
 
Here's how it works:
 
1. 𝗜𝗖𝗣 𝗯𝘆 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. Stop asking "who's our ideal customer?" Start asking, "Who should we absolutely NOT pursue?" 
   
2. 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Your lead process shouldn't only find good fits. It should ruthlessly eliminate bad ones. Fast "no" beats slow "maybe" every time.
   
3. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Before adding TikTok, ask: which channel contributes least to our pipeline? Cut it. Redirect those resources. 
   
4. 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺. If a KPI doesn't help your CFO understand marketing's revenue contribution, why are you tracking it? Fewer dashboards. Better decisions.
   
5. 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆. Stripe's value prop: "Financial infrastructure to grow your revenue." Six words. Complete clarity. What could you subtract from yours?
 
Charlie Munger said it best: "It is remarkable how much long-term advantage people like us have gotten by trying to be consistently not stupid, instead of trying to be very intelligent."
 
The same applies to GTM.
 
We're trained to add—more channels, more features, more metrics.
 
But the companies that win often do fewer things exceptionally well.
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆: Before you ask "what should we add?"—ask "what should we stop?"
 
Subtract to multiply.

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: I want to speak with someone who uses projects and case studies on their LinkedIn profile to demonstrate their skill set.

𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱: The interview will inform my writing "Marketing2aT: The Formula for Breaking Into Marketing and Standing Out. 

𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 30-minute Zoom interview. 

Send me a DM if you're interested.

#marketing2aT #portfolio #projects

Right now, somewhere in your GTM engine, there are levers that would accelerate growth, and others that are quietly destroying value. 

You're funding both equally. 

The gap between 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 and 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 isn't effort. It's about clarity.

And every quarter you operate without it, that gap compounds.

After trying numerous playbooks, frameworks, and best practices, I've configured a unique approach to restoring clarity and confidence to GTM decision-making.

Including:

1️⃣ Causal AI with Proof Analytics
2️⃣ GTM OS with GTM Partners
3️⃣ Fiduciary-level accountability

Whether you're looking for a fractional CMO to help lead your GTM teams or an expert advisor, I'd like to help.

I work with 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 that are g͟r͟o͟w͟t͟h͟-͟m͟i͟n͟d͟e͟d͟ and ready to do the work to make their GTM effective.

Direct message me when you're ready to reduce ineffective GTM spending and optimize what's already working.

#fractionalCMO #GTM #businessgrowth

The "No Decision" Epidemic

📉 In 2018, B2B GTM effectiveness stood at 78%.

📉 By 2025, it has fallen to 47%.

🚫 "No decision" outcomes now reach 73–78% of all deals.
(Source: Proof/Fiduciari GTM Effectiveness Report 2025)

That means nearly 4 out of 5 deals produce zero return, regardless of how talented your team is.

This isn't a skills problem. It's a marketplace physics problem.

The buyers changed. The GTM playbook didn't.

#fractionalCMO #GTM #B2BMarketing #SalesEffectiveness

What's your "no decision" rate right now?

Read this post only if you're ready to fix your GTM results in 2026. 

You might have a 𝗱𝘆𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗧𝗠 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 if you believe that your customers buy the way your sales process is documented. 

The flawed thinking lies within the misunderstanding of how customers really buy...when 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗬 have a demand...𝗡𝗢𝗧 when you interrupt them.

Here's what I've seen.

𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘃𝘀. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 (𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗽)
 
𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀
• Linear stages (MQL → SQL → Close)
• Seller-driven timelines
• Focus on control, compliance, and reporting
• Optimized for internal visibility
 
𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿
• Non-linear and emotional
• Committee-driven and political
• Pauses, regressions, and resets are normal
• Optimized for 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, not speed
 
𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: Deals stall not because sellers “miss a step,” but because buyers haven’t resolved fear, alignment, or confidence.
 
𝟳 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

1. 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲: Design around 𝘣𝘶𝘺𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴, not seller stages. 𝗪𝗵𝘆: Buyers don’t experience your CRM.
   
2. 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲: Map roles, power dynamics, veto points, and silent skeptics. 𝗪𝗵𝘆: One “champion” doesn’t equal a decision.
   
3. 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲: Create tools that help buyers justify decisions internally (e.g., business cases, risk briefs, comparison narratives). 𝗪𝗵𝘆: Most deals die in internal meetings you never attend.
   
4. 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲: Use causal thinking to ask: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥? 𝗪𝗵𝘆: More emails ≠ more revenue.
   
5. 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲: Align marketing, sales, product, and CS around 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝗪𝗵𝘆: Friction anywhere increases perceived risk everywhere.
   
6. 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗨𝗽. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲: Normalize buyer pauses and re-education moments. 𝗪𝗵𝘆: Forcing urgency increases resistance in complex deals.
   
7. 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲—𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 “𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝘀”. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲: Help buyers feel smart, supported, and protected after signing. 𝗪𝗵𝘆: Buyers choose options that won’t get them blamed later.
 
If 2026 success is defined by 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀, companies must stop asking: “How do we move the deal forward?”
 
And start asking: “What does the buyer still need to feel confident saying yes?”

Building the Fiduciary Mindset: 
From Campaign Manager to Business Steward
 
Most marketing leaders believe they earn a strategic seat through great campaigns, strong brand metrics, or pipeline results.
 
They're missing something bigger.
 
𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀—𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀.
 
Here's what surprised me when I started researching corporate officer responsibilities:
 
Under Delaware law (where most U.S. companies are legally incorporated), marketing executives have the same legal duties as board directors. 

You must act in the company's best interests based on complete information. This is called 𝗳𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝘂𝘁𝘆—the legal responsibility to put your company's interests first.
 
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 
 
All businesses, but especially private equity sponsors (investment firms that buy companies), demand clear results. They expect you to know:
 
• 𝗖𝗔𝗖 (Customer Acquisition Cost): What you spend to get each customer
• 𝗟𝗧𝗩 (Lifetime Value): How much revenue each customer generates over time
• 𝗣𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗱𝘀: How long it takes to earn back what you spent acquiring customers
 
These numbers are basic requirements for board meetings.
 
𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺
 
Knowing these numbers isn't enough. As my colleague Mark Stouse from Proof Analytics points out, traditional measurement tools confuse correlation with causation and miss important factors, such as the time lag between marketing activities and business results.
 
Just because sales went up after you launched a campaign doesn't prove the campaign caused the increase. Other factors might be at work.
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
 
Don't abandon the basic metrics. Instead, add causal thinking on top of them.
 
Learn to separate what's actually working from what just happened to be there. This rigor is what fiduciary-level thinking looks like.
 
𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴'𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲
 
Marketing isn't a cost center. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿.
 
What does this mean? Sales teams close more deals when marketing:
 
• Creates brand recognition that opens doors
• Generates qualified leads
• Educates buyers before the first sales call
 
But proving this requires two things:
 
1. The operational metrics (CAC, LTV) that boards expect
2. The causal thinking that identifies what truly drives performance
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲
 
Building this fiduciary mindset is uncomfortable. You'll need to learn financial concepts. You'll take responsibility for outcomes you don't fully control. You'll challenge assumptions—including your own.
 
 
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿?

Anyone can be taught to give an effective presentation.

It's not easy, but it's learnable.

It is a whole other thing to deeply connect with others 
in a way that benefits both you and them long term.

Michael Lopez and I unpacked a bit of what it takes to 
show up in ways that build affinity and trust.

I hope you listen to this clip and add to our conversation.

Transformation Consultant to the Fortune 500 | Ex Big Four Managing Director | Former US Intelligence Officer | Host of the Top Voice Tuesday Podcast | Author - CHANGE.

The decision to show up authentically, as yourself, is one that many people struggle with. 

On yesterday's Top Voice Tuesday, David LaCombe, M.S. gave us tips on how we might build the confidence to take the step. Showing up for others. Leaning on your expertise. And, quite simply, not taking yourself too seriously are starting points. Your journey is unique and somebody, somewhere, will gain value from it.

What the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gT7ZVajX

Subscribe to Top Voice Tuesday on your favorite podcast platform.

Apple: https://lnkd.in/ghEeVjfJ

Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g_ih9kpa

#topvoicetuesday

Every week, a deal stalls, and value erodes on both sides of the table...for your shareholders waiting for growth and for the customer still living with the problem you solve.
 
Ironically, the deals that stall often have the strongest fit.

In my analysis of B2B companies, 40–60% of B2B deals end with buyers who express clear intent to purchase but never follow through. 

More than half of these losses aren't due to indifference; they're due to fear. Fear of making the wrong choice. Fear of internal failure.
 
This has profound implications for messaging, positioning, and customer experience. The causes are rarely singular. Your buyer is navigating a reorg while preparing board materials. Their procurement process has friction that no one owns. Internally, your own team lacks clear accountability for deal progression.
 
Velocity isn't about pressure. It's about confidence...giving buyers the clarity and conviction to move forward.
 
I help B2B companies diagnose what's causing lag and develop strategies to accelerate it.
 
When you're ready, let's talk.

#fractionalco #GTM #marketing #timetovalue

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗤𝟰 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗹'𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗱. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆.
 
You increased marketing spend in Q4. Revenue jumps 30%. Your board loves it. You try scaling the same playbook in Q1... and get half the results.
 
What happened?
 
Most GTM dashboards show you 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, not 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. They can't tell you what actually drove results versus what happened by coincidence. These false patterns are called 𝘀𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.
 
This matters more than you think.
 
𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀:
 
𝟭. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 (your GTM strategy, pricing, messaging, team alignment) These are your levers. But here's the catch—they don't have fixed effects.
 
𝟮. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 (market conditions, economic shifts, competitor moves, regulatory changes). These externalities create three problems:
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽 - When market conditions improve, you increase spend AND revenue rises. You see correlation and call it success. But the rising tide lifted all boats. Scale that "winning" strategy when conditions change? It fails.
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 - External factors influence both your decisions and your outcomes. You can't see that your competitor's exit—not your brilliant campaign—drove the surge in the pipeline.
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 - Your strategies don't have a fixed ROI. The same pricing approach works brilliantly in one quarter, bombs in another. Why? External conditions changed how effective your levers are.
 
𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂:
 
That underperforming campaign last quarter? It might have been excellent execution in bad conditions. That "winning" strategy you're scaling? It might have been mediocre execution during favorable winds.
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮—𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀.
 
Control for externalities. Test in varied conditions. Separate signal from noise. Understand what actually works versus what coincidentally happened.
 
Because the worst business decision isn't trying something that fails, it's scaling something that worked for the wrong reasons.
 
𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀—𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.

Someone recently asked me how I became a LinkedIn Top Voice.

I gave them the wrong answer at first. I talked about consistency, about showing up, about adding value.

All true. But not the real answer.

The real answer is that I changed the question I was asking myself.

I stopped asking "Who should I be on LinkedIn?" and started asking "How can I support others with what I know?"

That shift changed everything. It freed me to stop performing a role and start practicing a discipline.

I'm joining Michael Lopez on #topvoicetuesday today to talk about identity—on LinkedIn and beyond. We're exploring how you decide which version of yourself to bring to the platform.

My answer: Stop curating. Start contributing.

Every post, every comment, every connection on LinkedIn carries a question behind it: Who am I supposed to be here?

In this episode, I’m joined by David LaCombe, M.S. to explore how we decide what version of ourselves we bring to the platform. David’s journey, from working as a paramedic to building a career in business, has shaped not only the way he shows up online, but the way he thinks about identity and leadership.

We’ll talk about the tension between authenticity and professionalism, how to find your voice without losing yourself, and why the story you tell matters just as much as the skills you bring.

Because on LinkedIn, and in life, the real question isn’t just what you share. It’s who you are.

#topvoicetuesday

The loneliest seat in the company isn't the corner office.
 
It's the marketing leader in the middle.
 
Too senior to vent to your team.
Too "cost center" to be trusted by the board.
Carrying questions you can't ask out loud.
 
I've sat in that chair.
 
Here's the harder truth: some of the loneliness is self-inflicted.
 
We avoid the rigor that would earn the trust we crave—afraid the math might prove us wrong.
 
The Stoics knew: You can't control whether the board believes you. 

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳.
 
That's your north star. Not proving ROI. Doing the work you'd stake your name on.
 
The loneliness doesn't mean you're failing.
 
It means you're ready to stop hiding.
 
What question have you been avoiding because you're afraid of the answer?

#fractionalcmo #marketing #leadership

taplio

The Battle

Eric Dickmann

David LaCombe, M.S.

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreEric Dickmann's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDavid LaCombe, M.S.'s LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Eric Dickmann

David LaCombe, M.S.

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Eric Dickmann's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDavid LaCombe, M.S.'s LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreEric Dickmann's LinkedIn Performance