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Building Better CMOs and Marketing Leaders

Building Better CMOs and Marketing Leaders

Written by: MMA Global / LightningPod
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Marketing leaders are facing constant new challenges. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, listen to Building Better CMOs, from the nonprofit thinktank MMA Global. It's a podcast about the future of marketing and how marketers can get smarter & stronger, hosted by MMA CEO Greg Stuart. Greg interviews some of the wisest and most successful CMOs in the business, who share crucial insights about what their industry gets wrong, how to get to the C-Suite, and how to unlock the true power of marketing. You'll gain a deeper understanding of the evolving purpose of marketing leaders, and learn actionable strategies to overcome obstacles. Produced by LightningPod.fm. For transcripts and more, visit bettercmos.com©️ MMA Global Economics Management Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • Leveraging Data and Building Loyalty at Lowe’s with CMO Jennifer Wilson

    Leveraging Data and Building Loyalty at Lowe’s with CMO Jennifer Wilson
    May 27 2026
    At the home improvement company Lowe's, the marketing team is fittingly led by someone who believes in rolling up your sleeves and getting the job done. CMO Jennifer Wilson describes her approach as "impact over optics." "I care about the brand and I care about the work and I care about the outcome to the customer," Jennifer says. "I put very little value on, well, what will everybody think of that? Or what's the outcome for me in that? ... One could argue maybe you could be in a different place in your career had you taken a you-first angle, but it's not who I am." Today on Building Better CMOs, Jennifer and Greg talk about her experience in merchandising, how Lowe's is adapting to a "K-shaped economy", and leveraging customer data to build loyalty and deepen retention. Plus: Why every marketer should "Be a Sequoia, Not a Bonsai." 00:00 Introduction 01:47 The Macro Landscape and Consumer Mindset 04:12 Innovative Home Services and Subscription Models 09:12 Jennifer's Merchandising Background 14:52 Leading Organizational Transformation 17:49 Leveraging Data to Eliminate Customer Irritants 25:12 Lessons in Building a Retail Media Network 28:47 Career Advice: Humility, Impact, and Lateral Moves 32:21 Emotional Maturity and Understanding Personal Motivators 38:53 Prioritization and Profitable Growth 46:50 Bridging Marketing and Finance 51:10 Customer Experience as the Heart of Modern Branding 56:14 Elevating Service with Generative AI and Mylow 58:34 The Role of the CMO in 2030 Full transcript This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠ Rate and review the podcast Jennifer's LinkedIn Greg's LinkedIn
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    59 mins
  • Embracing Measurement and Building Trust with New York Life's Amy Hu

    Embracing Measurement and Building Trust with New York Life's Amy Hu
    Apr 29 2026
    Being under the microscope during a corporate audit doesn’t have to be a source of friction for marketing leaders. Amy Hu, CMO at New York Life, argues that a foundation of curiosity and a commitment to delivering genuine value can transform these evaluations into strategic opportunities. Rather than viewing audits as a threat, she says, top-tier CMOs lean into the process to identify blind spots and refine their programs. "Any other way is going to enhance the doubt," she says. "And you are trying to say, Yeah, that's great. What can we do to satisfy what you need? And maybe there is a better way." Today on Building Better CMOs, Amy and Greg talk about her career journey as the CMO and Senior Vice President of New York Life, one of the nation's largest mutual insurance companies. She discusses how to navigate the complexities of legacy financial institutions, how to turn difficult jobs into growth and wisdom, and why CMOs need to be more adaptable to business needs. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:40 The Mission of New York Life 4:10 "More Powerful, Together" 9:07 From Philosophy Major to Critical Thinker 12:32 Developing Financial Fluency 18:37 Proving Marketing Value to Skeptical CFOs 23:38 The Relationship Between Brand and Performance 29:52 Embracing an Audit and Measurement Culture 32:18 The Challenges of the Dynamic CMO Role 36:01 Hiring for Completeness and Competency Gaps 41:21 The Different Types of Marketing Leaders 45:37 Building Peer Alignment and Better Teams 49:49 The Nuance and Art of Senior Marketing Leadership Full transcript This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠ Rate and review the podcast Amy's LinkedIn Greg's LinkedIn
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    54 mins
  • Get Specific About Marketing Results with Matt Lieberman

    Get Specific About Marketing Results with Matt Lieberman
    Apr 15 2026
    All marketers have to find the balance between subjective feelings and objective metrics, and Cooley's Matt Lieberman is no exception. As the elite law firm's Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer, and the former CMO of PwC, Matt says the professional services industry comes with unique challenges and high stakes. That means he sometimes has to challenge coworkers on the value of certain activations, or the language they use. "I joke at Cooley that one of the things that we're really good at here is using adjectives," he says. "When I say how was an event or what was a piece of content, they say it was amazing. It was awesome. It was excellent. And I don't mean to be flippant, but I was like, can you please tell me what 'amazing' or 'awesome' mean?" Today on Building Better CMOs, Matt and Greg talk about the "ongoing journey" of integrating data into a legacy business culture; how professional services firms and their partners can better communicate their value to clients; and why, in your career, "it's often good to take a step laterally down ... in order to get to the next step where you want to get to." Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:37 From Hollywood Creative to Business Consultant 4:53 Cooley and Law Firm Marketing 7:01 The Evolution of Professional Services Marketing 8:51 The Challenges of Marketing for Individual Partners 13:17 Turning Regulations into Client Insights 15:46 Differentiating Firm Personalities and Culture 19:53 Career Advice: Running To vs. Running From 24:43 Being a Lifelong Student in B2B Marketing 29:52 Upskilling Teams Through "Infinite Learning" 33:14 Aligning Marketing Strategy with Firm Goals 37:09 Moving Beyond Vanity Metrics 43:02 Advanced Personalization and Targeting 49:17 The Impact of AI on Marketing Full transcript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LightningPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rate and review the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Greg's LinkedIn
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    57 mins
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