CMO Expertise for Startups
Marketing that scales as fast as your ambition.
starterCMO brings senior marketing strategy and AI-powered execution to early-stage B2B startups so nothing about your marketing foundation holds you back when it’s time to scale.
THE STARTUP MARKETING TRAP
Marketing as a necessary evil
Founders are builders and sellers. Marketing feels like overhead, so they hire the most affordable person who can “turn dials,” not someone who can build a foundation.
First Marketer — execution focus, no strategic mandate
The tactical hiring loop
When the company finally looks for a more senior marketer, cost pressure wins again. They search for a “Head of Marketing” who can execute, not a strategist who can architect growth.
Head of Marketing — still execution-first, strategy still missing
The unicorn trap
Even CMO searches get derailed by founders asking tactical execution questions. They want someone who does it all, when what they really need is someone who orchestrates it all.
New CMO spends 6 months rebuilding what should have been built at day one
starterCMO exists to break this loop before it starts.
THE STARTERCMO DIFFERENCE
At a fraction of the cost of a full-time CMO, starterCMO combines decades of B2B marketing leadership with AI-powered execution tools so your first marketer can punch above their weight and your marketing operation is built to scale from day one.
Battle-Tested B2B Pedigree
From ServiceNow to BigID to Chronosphere and beyond, I’ve helped build marketing at companies that defined their categories across enterprise, hyper-growth SaaS, and cloud-native infrastructure. Now leveraging AI, I can help you craft bespoke messaging for technical buyers, time the pivot from awareness to pipeline, and build marketing foundations that earn trust with customers and boards alike.
AI-Native Execution
AI hasn’t changed what great marketing looks like. It’s changed how fast you can get there, and added a layer of expertise you don’t currently have. I’ve built a set of specialized agents that accelerate every stage of the marketing workflow: messaging development, ICP sharpening, content production, founder brand, and operational systems. What used to take quarters now takes weeks. That’s not a productivity gain. That’s a competitive advantage.
Operational Leverage at Startup Scale
Startups don’t need bloated marketing orgs. They need smart ones. I build lean, high-output marketing functions designed for the constraints of early-stage growth, where every dollar earns its place. The goal isn’t just to help you market better today. It’s to set up the structure, strategy, and systems so growth becomes momentum rather than a reason to stop and rebuild.
HOW WE WORK TOGETHER
Two ways to get started
Whether you need ongoing strategic oversight or a focused sprint to build something specific, there’s an engagement model designed for where you are right now.
Embedded CMO Oversight
A 3–6 month engagement that puts senior marketing strategy directly behind you and/or your first marketer. I work alongside your team to build the foundation, develop and execute the strategy, and ensure that what gets built today scales tomorrow.
Best for: Seed and Series A companies which need strategic marketing altitude and content for execution across any channel.
Focused Deliverables
Discrete, high-impact engagements that produce a specific, lasting output — powered by my AI agents and grounded in real B2B strategy. Available individually or as a bundled foundation package.
- Messaging & Positioning Foundation
- Founder Brand & Thought Leadership Plan
- Operational & Systems Foundation for Scale
- ICP Definition & GTM Strategy
- Voice of Customer Program
WHAT GETTING IT RIGHT LOOKS LIKE
Case studies
Two examples of what happens when marketing strategy, positioning, and execution come together with the right expertise, at any stage in the startup journey.
Marketing-generated pipeline doubled
Completely revamped the company’s messaging and positioning, executed a brand refresh, and elevated brand presence into the analyst community. Lifted the company into the Magic Quadrant and doubled marketing-generated pipeline in the process.
Company was subsequently acquired.
Leaders Quadrant debut after full repositioning
Entered a company with 20 marketers executing tactically without strategic backing. Rebuilt system infrastructure, reduced headcount plans, and repositioned from “observability” to “cloud-native observability,” debuting in the Leaders Quadrant on the strength of the new narrative.
Company was subsequently acquired.
Let’s talk about where you are and how starterCMO can help you get where you’re going.
Let’s Talk