In this episode of Tomorrow’s Best Practices Today, Cari Jaquet—currently CMO at Normalize (acquired by Proofpoint)—joins us to talk candidly about what it really takes to grow as a marketing leader, navigate shifting company stages, and build high-performing teams. From her early days in demand gen to driving BigPanda’s unicorn run, Cari reflects on the inflection points, missteps, and mindset shifts that shaped her career.We dive into:- The surprising power of “doing the work” in early-stage startups.- How to recognize when your company is truly ready for a CMO.- Building marketing from 2 people to 11 during a crisis—and what changed.- The underrated skill of knowing when to abandon a campaign.- Using AI as a creative partner (not a replacement).- Transitioning from VP to CMO: mentorship, scorecards, and honest reflection.- Why empathy for sales and customers still defines great marketing.Show Notes: 00:00 – Intro: Meet Cari Jaquet01:38 – Career Path: From Demand Gen to CMO05:48 – Matching Marketing Skills to Company Stage10:39 – Building a Marketing Team from Scratch15:25 – Market Timing and the BigPanda Unicorn Run18:26 – Creative Campaigns During COVID24:10 – Field Marketing and High-Touch Campaigns26:28 – When to Hire a CMO vs. Go Fractional33:54 – AI in Marketing: Hype vs. Help41:47 – Life Outside the Zoom Box-----CONNECT with us at:Website: https://leadtail.com/Leadtail TV: https://www.leadtailtv.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lead...Twitter: https://twitter.com/leadtailFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Leadtail/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadtail/----#b2bmarketing #b2b