During this 210th episode of “Marketing Today,” I interview Jake Sorofman, president of MetaCX.
Today, we talk about what it’s like to join a company and transition from CMO to president in a global pandemic. We talk about how Sorofman is thinking about company culture. We also discuss MetaCX’s founder and the overall vision of the company.
Sorofman describes how his role as chief marketing officer prepared him for his new role at MetaCX. Then he shares his perspective on creating company culture during a global pandemic. He says, “You need to be even more intentional. My feeling is that cultures don’t happen by accident.” He suggests leaning into the awkwardness of video conferencing and shares that they’re engaging their employees in a fun 100 Mile Challenge.
We learn more about MetaCX and why there may be no better time than now for them to launch, given their unique value proposition. Sorofman remarks on the opportunities that are available to us in this unique time. He says, “This is the time of transformation. This is the time of thinking about the things that you couldn’t get to when business was robust. It’s also a time of thinking about what it’s going to look like on the other side.” This interview reminds us of the importance of providing value no matter what the circumstances may be.
Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today”:
- Why Jake joined MetaCX. 01:45
- Jake’s relationship with MetaCX CEO Scott McCorkle. 03:25
- How the CMO role prepared Jake to take on the additional responsibilities of president. 04:54
- Company culture during the pandemic. 06:37
- Learn about MetaCX and what the company is trying to achieve. 09:29
- The MetaCX customer. 13:33
- Jake’s top priority for this year. 14:23
- Building a revenue pipeline during a pandemic. 16:45
- Is there an experience in his past that defines who he is today? 22:39
- What is the advice Jake would give to his younger self? 23:57
- The most impactful purchase he has made in the last 6-12 months of $100 or less. 24:48
- Are there any brands, companies, or causes that Jake follows that he thinks other people should take notice of? 26:24
- Jake’s take on the top opportunity and threat facing marketers today. 28:28
Resources Mentioned:
- Prior episode 184 with Jake when he was CMO at Pendo
- Pendo
- Gartner
- MetaCX
- Scott McCorkle – founder of MetaCX
- Announcement of Jake Sorofman as president of MetaCX
- Tock
- Tim Ferris Show episode 429 with Nick Kokonas, founder of Tock (sorry for not remembering while recording!)
- Peloton
- Yeti
- Patagonia
- Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia
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Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on opportunities around brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, but he is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine startups.