One might consider Clay Spitz, the Managing Partner of Chief Outsiders’ Southwest Region, a professional “matchmaker,” of sorts. In his current role, Spitz has developed a knack for helping to link mid-market CEOs with the best-fit Fractional Chief Marketing Officer for their unique needs.

“I really understand what a mid-market CEO is going through,” said Spitz. “I’ve been in their shoes, which makes me an ideal matchmaker between our Chief Outsiders CMOs and our CEO clients.”

After spending several years assisting small- and mid-sized businesses flourish as a Fractional CMO, Spitz now helps clients discover the ideal CMO for their unique needs as Managing Partner. His entrepreneurial background, combined with his executive positions in a variety of industries, offer Spitz the unique insights needed to create these critical connections.

“For the Fractional Chief Marketing Officer, being a member of an executive team requires a cultural fit and a chemistry between client and CMO – especially for the process to reach its maximum potential. I take the responsibility of considering several candidates ahead of time, then helping our prospective client be part of the final selection,” Spitz said.

Spitz’s experience empowers him to advise company leaders on how to approach a problem at the company. “It’s not just about creating a marketing plan, but helping entrepreneurs and their teams find an actionable strategy to get from where they are, to where they want to be,” he said. “From bringing new ideas to the table, to searching for experts who have a similar problem-solving experience, I use my broad point of view to discover the best way to grow a company.”

Spitz comes by his entrepreneurial spirit honestly – he essentially “grew up” in a sizable family pest control business serving both B2B and B2C clients and learning early the value of taking personal responsibility for an organization and its financial success. “We fought for every client that we had, and we would do what it took to keep each client,” Spitz said.

When the business was sold to become part of a roll-up, Clay served as part of the management team that is credited for building a $100 million enterprise in a matter of two years. Ultimately, the business drew the attention of pest-control behemoth Terminix International, which gobbled up the roll-up and gave Spitz the title of VP of Marketing, and a broader platform for his evolving client-driven philosophy.

“When I arrived at Terminix, no one tried to save the client who called in to cancel service – and just processed the cancellation. I created a multifaceted program we called “Customers for Life” which included internal training, improvement in customer communication, and a shift in culture, where it was no longer acceptable to lose a customer,” said Spitz.

As a result of the changes, Terminix retained $20M of revenue in the first year that would have otherwise been lost.

Later, Spitz honed his customer-centric skills while serving as Vice President of Marketing and Advertising at Cable Lock/Olshan Foundation Solutions and Vice President of Vertical Markets at TeleCheck.

While leading his team at Cable Lock/Olshan, the country’s largest foundation repair contractor, Spitz was responsible for lead generation, branding, and marketing communication. With the customer experience in mind, he created an online marketing strategy resulting in triple digit Internet lead increases, doubled conversion rates, and reduced overall cost per lead.

At TeleCheck, the nationwide leader in Check Guarantee and Verification services, Spitz was responsible for strategic business development, partnership development, and national sales of the organization’s services to the Grocery, Banking, Casino Gaming, and Internet Payments vertical markets. His leadership was integral to product design, advertising and marketing and management of the company’s national sales teams.

“My time at TeleCheck helped me understand how a variety of businesses operate and go to market,” he said.

In addition to his current role in helping organizations find the right fractional CMO, Spitz is also an effective mentor and coach. He assists clients who require coaching and advice. “I can keep them on track with things they want to accomplish, while providing them with a relevant outsider’s perspective,” said Spitz.

The Houston-based Managing Partner, who has a passion for customer service, retention, and experience, holds a B.S. in Speech and Communication from Northwestern University. He brings his enthusiasm for helping others improve the way they run their business each day to his work at Chief Outsiders.

“My role is all about helping business owners achieve greater success,” said Spitz.

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References

"Chief Outsiders placed a very qualified and professional CMO with our team and we have thoroughly enjoyed working with that person."

Taylor White, CEO, Performance POP

"Professional, Good and useful information, Learned new things, Easy to work with, Helped the organization."

Ludmila Golovine, CEO, MasterWord Services

"Two reasons for my high level of satisfaction: 1. Most importantly people/relationships. Clay Spitz is a professional, and he guided us through the vetting process. That helped us find Beth, who has been a good fit for our company. 2. The concept of a fractional CMO is working well for us. We get the expertise from someone we more than likely would not be able to afford on a full-time basis."

Ken Grupe, CarPro USA