C-Suite Series: What Your CTO Wishes You Knew About Product, Data, and AI with Milenko Beslic
March 22, 2025
Let’s be honest: the CMO and CTO relationship doesn’t get nearly enough airtime.
We talk endlessly about aligning with sales. We debate demand generation vs. brand. But how often do we, as B2B marketing leaders, really sit down and consider: Are we truly in sync with our technical counterparts?
If you’ve ever struggled with fragmented data, a product roadmap that feels disconnected from your go-to-market strategy, or you’re navigating the chaos of AI tools flooding your tech stack—you’re not alone.
That’s why I brought Milenko Beslic, a multi-time startup CTO, onto the Growth Activated podcast. We’ve worked together at multiple companies, and I knew his perspective would be gold for marketers looking to partner more effectively across the C-suite.
In this post, I’m breaking down the top lessons from that conversation—and why the CMO and CTO relationship might just be your next strategic superpower.
One of the biggest misconceptions marketers have? That CTOs just want to geek out on the latest tech.
Sure, Milenko loves innovation. But he was crystal clear: being a CTO in a startup is a business role. The best technical leaders aren’t chasing shiny objects. They’re laser-focused on how technology drives growth, distribution, and competitive advantage.
"It’s easy to build a product. The hard part is figuring out how to grow and distribute it. That’s where marketing and technology have to meet." — Milenko Beslic
What this means for you:
For more on how to align with revenue-driving peers, check out our conversation with former CRO turned CEO Sloane Barbour.
Milenko introduced a concept that immediately clicked: Greenfield vs. Brownfield.
As a B2B marketing leader, knowing whether your company is in a Greenfield or Brownfield phase helps you align better with technical teams. It informs how you prioritize messaging, campaigns, and product collaboration.
"I realized I’m a brownfield marketing leader. I love scaling, optimizing, and growing something that already has traction."
Understanding the engineering mindset around growth phases creates empathy—and better strategy.
Need help building out your long-term marketing roadmap? Here’s a helpful guide on how to build an annual marketing plan.
This one hit hard. As marketers, we’re wired to solve problems. But sometimes that means jumping straight to feature requests or UI tweaks without fully understanding the technical implications.
"Talk to me about the problem, not the solution. Let me design the best way to solve it." — Milenko
Key takeaway: Resist the urge to prescribe. Instead:
You’ll get better products—and stronger trust across the board.
We all love demand gen. But Milenko made a compelling case: if you’re skipping over product marketing, your campaigns will fall flat.
"If you tweak messaging to improve conversion, but that messaging doesn’t match the product, you’re attracting the wrong customers."
Product marketing should never be an afterthought. It bridges the gap between:
Especially in marketing for SaaS startups, getting this right is everything.
Explore more on the role of product marketing and messaging in The CMO Playbook: Marketing Excellence Framework.
If you’re not partnering with your CTO (or data team) on customer data, you’re flying blind.
Fragmented dashboards. Incomplete attribution. Conflicting reports across teams.
Sound familiar?
Milenko was adamant: marketing and technology need to co-own the data strategy. That means:
"You need in-house data. Relying 100% on off-the-shelf tools won’t give you the full picture."
Want to prove your impact more effectively? Dive into this interview with RevOps leader Jeff Ignacio on building a smarter revenue and analytics engine.
There’s no escaping the AI hype. But Milenko brought a healthy dose of reality:
"AI is evolving daily. It’s early. Most tools aren’t mature. Don’t get distracted. Stay focused on what drives growth."
His advice:
As B2B marketers, we need to lead with intentionality, not just novelty.
We covered this more in depth in The Future of Marketing Leadership 2025.
Above all, Milenko emphasized the power of curiosity and cross-functional collaboration.
And perhaps the most timeless lesson:
"Nothing beats consistent marketing. If you show up with value, every week, every month—you’ll win."
Curious how other leaders are navigating this shift? Check out my conversation with Mark Feldman on how CEOs view marketing’s role in growth.
Too often, marketers feel siloed—especially in B2B industries where modern marketing is still gaining traction.
But Milenko’s insights reminded me: we don’t have to do this alone.
Your CTO can be a strategic partner in:
So if you take one thing away from this episode: go have that conversation.
Pull up a chair next to your CTO. Ask what they’re focused on. Share what you’re seeing in market. Talk about growth, together.
That’s where the real magic happens.
If you’re working on expanding your influence and building internal visibility, this guide on cracking the C-suite code is a must-read.
I built the CMO mentorship I wish I had—because too many marketing leaders are figuring it out alone. At Growth Activated, we help B2B marketers bridge the gap between execution and executive leadership, equipping you with the strategic mindset, frameworks, and hands-on guidance to drive impact at every stage of growth. From scaling multi-million-dollar organizations to leading SaaS startups, I’ve been in your shoes—and now, I’m here to help you step into the marketing leader you’re meant to be. Whether you need a strategic marketing plan, expert coaching, or team training, Growth Activated gives you the tools to lead with confidence and deliver measurable results.
