PodcastsBusinessCMO Confidential

CMO Confidential

Mike Linton // I Hear Everything Podcast Network
CMO Confidential
Latest episode

172 episodes

  • CMO Confidential

    Drew Pinto | Time to Think About Architecture

    06/23/2026 | 34 mins.
    A CMO Confidential Interview with Drew Pinto, EVP and Chief Revenue and Technology Officer of Marriott International. Drew discusses the concept that architecture and data should be viewed as a means to an end, methods for assessing legacy systems, and why tech is critical to customer experience.

    Key topics include:
    - Why he believes in "built to change”
    - Ways to assess your data
    - Why marketers shouldn't get "enamored by solutions
    - The idea of "buying commodities" vs. building everything yourself

    Tune in to hear a discussion about "data puddles," and why marketers should take their tech partners to dinner.

    ⏱️ Chapters
    1:12 - Introduction and Guest Welcome
    2:32 -Defining Data Architecture
    5:00 - Evaluating Legacy Systems
    12:51 - Sponsor Message: Typeface ARC Agents
    13:55 - Built to Change vs. Built to Last
    17:15 - Tech Sourcing: Build vs. Buy
    21:11 - Customer Experience and Data Management
    27:54 - Common Mistakes and Advice for Marketers
    30:44 - Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts
    This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo.

    Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

    #CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentric

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
  • CMO Confidential

    Dr. David Bray | Managing the Geopolitical Landscape

    06/16/2026 | 37 mins.
    A CMO Confidential Interview with Dr. David Bray, Distinguished Fellow and Chair of the Accelerator with the Alfred Lee Loomis Innovation Council and bipartisan advisor on cyber, space, AI as well as countering terrorism, inauthentic information campaigns, and bioterrorism.
    David shares thoughts on why geopolitics have become so important so quickly, the universal breakdown in trust, how anxiety fuels anger, which fuels grievance, and how business leaders might adjust to all of this.

    Key topics include:
    - Why geopolitical and tech issues should be added to the "risk management committee"
    - The need for contingency planning and directional decision-making
    - How anyone is now the equivalent of a 1970's cold war spy
    - Why "getting better at discernment" is critical.

    Tune in to hear about "responsible heretics" and how a high school science project resulted in a South American assignment for a 17-year old.

    ⏱️ Chapters
    1:12: Introducing Dr. David Bray
    1:39: Why Business Leaders Should Care About Geopolitics
    2:33: Mapping the Ripple Effects of Technological Revolutions
    4:47: Historical Context: 1890s Polarization and Yellow Journalism
    7:01: Societal Anxiety, Governance, and the Path to Anarchy
    9:10: Impact on Global Supply Chains and Geopolitical Uncertainty
    12:25: The Complexity of Microprocessors and Hardware Risks
    14:10: Upgrading the Board: Risk Management for Tech and Geopolitics
    16:21: Pressures on the C-Suite and Decision-Making with Incomplete Information
    18:06: Marketing in a Volatile Landscape: Early Signal Networks
    20:07: The Role of the “Responsible Heretic” in Avoiding Groupthink
    23:29: Managing Super-Empowered Employees and Information Capabilities
    25:16: Disinformation Strategy: From Operation Denver to Modern Bots
    27:56: Balancing Principles, Ethics, and Global Competitiveness
    29:07: Preparing for the Future: Data Reassessment and the Art of Discernment
    31:43: Strategic Headspace: Establishing Pivot Options
    33:11: Predictions for 2026: AI Pushback and Conflict De-escalation
    34:03: Funniest Story: The South American Science Fair Mosh Pit
    35:51: Practical Advice: Leadership vs. Management Expectations
    36:07: Final Takeaways and Closing Remarks

    This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo.

    Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

    #CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentric
    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
  • CMO Confidential

    Joe Gagliese | What Does Social First Even Mean & Is It Right For You?

    06/09/2026 | 33 mins.
    A CMO Confidential Interview with Joe Gagliese, Co-Founder and CEO at Viral Nation, a full-service digital and social agency.

    Joe discusses the concept of social as "the people's media," details why he believes "discovery begins with social" and outlines how brands might think about becoming "social centered."

    Key topics include:
    Why social has become a prerequisite for certain categories
    Questions to ask your social agency
    Why measurement is still a bit of an Achilles heel
    How to think of social as a living organism which works in concert with the rest of your marketing

    Tune in to hear why social is so important for autos and thoughts on reading Marcus Aurelius.

    ⏱️ Chapters
    01:12 - Introduction to CMO Confidential
    01:42 - Introducing Joe Gagliese
    02:46 - Defining "Social First"
    05:40 - Social Strategy as a Behavioral System
    08:03 - The Prerequisite of Radical Transparency
    12:11 - Transitioning to a Social-First Organization
    15:03 - Maintaining Authenticity with Creators
    17:33 - Steps to Develop a Social-First Strategy
    20:20 - Determining Brand Readiness
    22:01 - Measuring Social Performance and Conversion
    25:18 - Five Questions to Ask Social Agencies
    28:28 - Common Mistakes in Social Marketing
    30:10 - Practical Advice and Closing Remarks

    This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo.

    Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

    #CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentric

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
  • CMO Confidential

    Mike Kaput | Structuring Your Company for AI - An Update From the Front Lines

    06/02/2026 | 33 mins.
    A CMO Confidential Interview with Mike Kaput, the Chief Content Officer at SmarterX and Marketing AI Institute and co-host of "The Artificial Intelligence Show."
    Mike shares research across 2000 companies regarding AI adoption and highlights the gap between what companies say they are doing and what is happening, the fact that only 25% of companies have achieved "scaling" status, and how larger companies can be slowed by complexity.

    Key topics include:
    - Why training and education represent the biggest obstacle to progress
    - Why you should measure "tool usage"
    - Why job clarity is important for agents.

    Tune in to hear about rising AI pessimism and building yourself a "second brain."

    This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo

    Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

    ⏱️ Chapters
    01:12 – Intro: Meet Mike Kaput & AI topic overview
    02:37 – State of AI report: how the data was gathered
    05:53 – Key insight: people vs organizations gap
    06:43 – What scaling AI actually looks like
    08:06 – Pilot phase reality across companies
    10:11 – AI hype vs real adoption
    13:02 – The “say vs do” gap in execution
    14:15 – AI literacy is the #1 barrier
    16:13 – How to assess AI maturity (individual & company)
    20:06 – Biggest mistake: tools without training
    23:20 – AI agents, risks, and what’s next

    #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AIMarketing #AIBusiness #GenerativeAI #AIAgents #MarketingAI #DigitalTransformation #AIAdoption #AITrends #FutureOfWork #Automation #MarketingStrategy #EnterpriseAI #AIWorkflows #AIEducation #AProductivity #AIInnovation
    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
  • CMO Confidential

    Tom Goodwin | If You Dropped the Best Marketers of the 1950's Into Today's Environment, How Would They Do?

    05/26/2026 | 41 mins.
    This week on CMO Confidential, we're revisiting our conversation with Tom Goodwin from August of 2025 - this is one of our favorites with topics just as relevant to marketers today.

    Tom discusses his belief that today's CMO's are overly focused on efficiency versus marketing principles and that the contemporary playbook has been created by tech companies focused on performance metrics.

    Key topics include:
    -An unhealthy focus on the speed of measurement and short-term results
    -Marketers having a "feeling of vulnerability" if they haven't heard of new tech
    -The fact that many of the hyped direct-to-consumer brands like Casper and Ridge Wallets aren't actually doing that well

    Tune in to hear the underestimated impact of "beauty" and a story about being locked out of a self-driving car.

    This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo
    Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

    ⏱️ Chapters
    00:00 – Intro: Meet Tom Goodwin
    02:28 – Would 1950s Marketers Beat Today’s CMOs?
    05:41 – Is Marketing Actually More Complex Today?
    09:15 – Fundamentals vs Growth Hacking & Performance Tactics
    11:05 – DTC vs Traditional Brands: What Actually Works
    15:13 – Short-Term Metrics, AI Hype & Tech Overload
    28:36 – Dark Social, Hidden Influence & What Data Misses
    34:21 – Predictions, AI Reality & The Power of Simplicity

    #MarketingStrategy, #CMOConfidential, #TomGoodwin, #BrandMarketing, #DigitalMarketing, #PerformanceMarketing, #MarketingFundamentals, #GrowthMarketing, #Advertising, #MarketingTrends, #AIinMarketing, #FutureOfMarketing, #CreativeStrategy, #CannesLions, #AdTech, #BrandBuilding, #ConsumerBehavior, #DirectToConsumer, #MarketingLeadership, #MarketingInsights
    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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About CMO Confidential
Wonder what it's like to control millions of dollars of marketing budget? Manage hundreds of people? Make the decisions on which ideas get to market?The CMO Confidential podcast shares how it feels to be in that chair of the shortest-tenured position on the C-suite.We detail the long, hard road most ideas take to get to market & how challenging it is to get the best ones through.Hosted by Mike Linton -- the former P&G Brand Manager who went on to be the Chief Marketing Officer of Best Buy, eBay, and Farmers Insurance, as well as the Chief Revenue Officer of Ancestry.com and the head marketer at Remington -- this show serves as an ongoing lesson plan for how to get, do, keep, and handle the pressures of the CMO job.
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