The CMO Playbook: How Scott Todaro Achieved Five Successful Exits with a Framework for Marketing Excellence
February 14, 2025
When it comes to marketing leadership, Scott Todaro is a name that commands respect. With over 30 years of experience and a track record that includes five successful exits—four acquisitions and one IPO—Scott has honed a practical, no-nonsense approach to marketing leadership. As a seven-time marketing leader, four-time sales executive, professor, and author of The Next CMO: A Guide to Operational Marketing Excellence, Scott has helped define what it means to succeed in today’s dynamic marketing landscape.
In this episode of Growth Activated, Scott shares his proven strategies for vetting opportunities, aligning with executive teams, and driving results. Whether you’re a seasoned marketing executive or an aspiring leader, his insights are a masterclass in how to navigate the complexities of modern marketing.
Scott’s success begins with careful selection. He emphasizes three critical factors to assess before taking on a marketing leadership role:
If you’re thinking about your next move, tune into this Growth Activated podcast to learn how to identify and land the right B2B marketing leadership role.
A recurring theme in Scott’s approach is alignment—not just within the marketing team but across the entire executive suite. Scott insists on clarity regarding company goals before joining or building a plan.
He recalls an experience where disjointed leadership threatened to derail a company’s focus. His solution? A two-day positioning exercise with the executive team to identify the target audience, core benefits, and differentiation. This effort resulted in a unified vision that ultimately led to a successful IPO.
Scott’s advice: “Ask every executive the same question: What are the company’s goals this year? If their answers don’t align, that’s your first mission.”
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Scott’s playbook for new CMOs includes an unconventional—but highly effective—start:
For marketing organizations to succeed, Scott identifies three essential hires:
“Without these roles, you’re flying blind,” Scott asserts. He recommends prioritizing these hires early to build a foundation for success.
Scott’s philosophy centers on what he calls the “Three Marketing Goals” framework:
He emphasizes the importance of tying marketing objectives directly to business goals, a surprisingly rare practice. “Only 39.5% of CMOs base their marketing goals on company objectives,” Scott reveals. “This is a massive missed opportunity. Build your plan around company goals, and you’ll align with leadership and deliver measurable results.”
Building a marketing plan that supports this framework is key. Learn how to create an annual marketing plan that drives results and aligns with business goals.
Scott acknowledges the tension between achieving immediate results and pursuing long-term brand objectives. His advice is to ladder campaigns toward larger goals.
For example, if the goal is to establish the company as the industry’s best service provider, Scott recommends breaking it down:
“It’s about building momentum,” he explains. “Each campaign contributes to the bigger picture.”
One of Scott’s standout insights is the importance of building a strong relationship with the CFO. “Marketing leaders need to stop avoiding their CFOs,” Scott says. “Your CFO can be your best ally if you approach them with transparency and tie your budget to business outcomes.”
Scott shares a powerful anecdote: “I once asked a room of CFOs what they’d do if marketing could guarantee a 3x return. Their answer? ‘Your budget would be unlimited.’”
The takeaway? Align your spending with measurable ROI, and you’ll earn the trust—and financial support—of your leadership team.
As marketing continues to grow in complexity, Scott encourages leaders to embrace both creativity and data-driven accountability. “It’s not either-or,” he asserts. “You can be wildly creative and still measure results. Hire the right team, focus on alignment, and don’t be afraid to push boundaries.”
The CMO role is evolving, and the leaders who thrive are those who stay ahead of change. Learn about the future of marketing leadership in 2025 and what it takes to stay relevant in a rapidly shifting landscape.
For those looking to learn more from Scott, he now dedicates his time to teaching marketing at Babson College and the University of Massachusetts, coaching CMOs, and running The Next CMO community—a vibrant space for marketing leaders to share, learn, and grow.
As Scott says, “Marketing is the long game. Play it strategically, and success will follow.”
Want to activate your CMO playbook? At Growth Activated, we help B2B marketing leaders develop the strategic mindset, frameworks, and leadership skills to drive real impact. Explore our resources or learn about our B2B coaching and mentorship services to take your marketing leadership to the next level.
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.
