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Pete Hayes
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Recent Posts
Strategic Healthcare and Publishing Executive to Drive Growth for Chief Outsiders Clients
With a consistent record of transforming complex companies, Janell Pittman to drive growth and meaningful change for clients as a Chief Outsiders fractional CMO.
American Marketer: 8 Tips to Keep your Business Healthy in this Challenging Time
3.24.2020 — While much of today’s information is centered on what companies are doing for themselves and for their people, it is key for them to figure out how to maintain momentum in the face of adversity.
Chief Outsiders one of Only 150 Companies on Inc 5000 List - 6 Years Running
8.14.2019 — Fractional CMO firm demonstrates staying power; in exclusive 3% group (Warning: We’ll be tooting our horn a bit here, but hope our learnings are transferable) What does it take to get listed on the Inc 5000 (Inc Magazine’s list of the Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies in the US) six years in a row? It’s not a trick question. And yes, our firm has made the Inc 5000 every year it’s been eligible to apply. In two words, it takes consistent growth. So, what’s the secret to consistent growth? Truthfully, there’s no one secret. But there is a repeatable process!
Chief Outsiders Adds to Dallas Roster With New CMO, Beth Somplatsky-Martori
3.24.2014 — Marketing executive Beth Somplatsky-Martori of Dallas brings her extensive consumer and industrial experience to work with mid-sized companies across the country. Dallas, TX (PRWEB) March 24, 2014 Chief Outsiders, LLC, of Houston continues its nationwide growth with its newest CMO Beth Somplatsky-Martori. Chief Outsiders is the nation’s largest executive marketing firm focused on implementing market based growth plans for mid-size and growth companies through fractional or part-time marketing executives. As a Chief Outsider, Beth will work alongside growth-oriented CEOs to achieve their goals as a part-time or fractional senior marketing executive. Beth focuses on creating market and business strategies for growth and profit enhancement. Her specialties’ lie in new product development, product life cycle management, consumer and customer segmentation, new media, research and analysis. Her career expertise also includes differentiating brands, products, and pricing across multiple and complex distribution networks for mid-sized to Fortune 100 Companies. “This is the only company I’ve heard of that has this breadth and depth of experience to guide companies’ strategic marketing efforts. I am more than excited to be a part of this extraordinarily knowledgeable team and gain access to peer CMOs to benefit my clients,” said Beth. Beth has had P&L and global leadership responsibility in organizations ranging from $25 M to $1 B in the industrial and consumer products categories. She has consistently increased profitability and gained market share as the VP of Marketing at Niagara Conservation Corporation, Overhead Door Corporation, Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath, and Compass Home. She also served as the strategic marketing executive for Phillips Lighting Company. Prior to joining Chief Outsiders, Beth was founder and president of SocialBiz Maven, a strategic business and marketing consulting firm for mid-size companies. As Vice President of Marketing at the Overhead Door Corporation, the leading manufacturer of garage doors and openers for residential and commercial applications, Beth grew the Company’s dollar share by 1.5 points, reduced operating expenses by over $6 M and increased cash flow by $3 M in the first-year, post-acquisition of Wayne Dalton. Additionally, she expanded her product launch experience by introducing a new garage door opener product line under the Genie and Overhead Door brands through which she added $60M in incremental revenue and increased profitability by $25M. For the Phillips Lighting Company, Beth gained brand exclusivity for the $300M light bulb category at The Home Depot and helped propel the Phillips brand from 65th to 42nd place on the Interbrand list of the world’s most valuable brands in less than four years. Beth developed a strong cross functional perspective from her early career advancement through a series of increasingly responsible rotations in engineering, finance, operations, and supply chain management at Philips Lighting where she reduced the number of North American manufacturing plants from 15 to 10, saving $25 M annually; decreased the number of warehouses from 30 to 6, saving $23 M annually; and lowered inventory by $30 M while maintaining service levels. “Beth’s immaculate track record derives from her willingness to dive into the most difficult challenges head first,” said Pete Hayes, Chief Outsiders Principal and CMO. “With this quality, broad experience and expertise, she’ll lead many mid-size companies in tackling their growth challenges.” Beth earned her MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and received a dual-BS in Industrial Engineering and Mineral Economics from The Pennsylvania State University. Contact Beth at bsomplatsky(at)chiefoutsiders(dot)com. About Chief Outsiders Headquartered in Houston, TX, and silver winner of the American Business Awards “Company of the Year,” Chief Outsiders serves mid-sized companies from coast to coast with part-time CMO services. Chief Outsiders is unique among strategic marketing consulting firms, taking businesses to the next level by working as part of the leadership team on a fractional or as-needed basis. Unlike most marketing consulting firms, Chief Outsiders believes delivering a world-class marketing strategy on its own creates very little value. The real value is created by helping the organization implement the growth vision. Chief Outsiders has been a premier source for marketing expertise, execution and leadership for companies such as i2C, AbsolutData, Bethyl Labs, Auto Load Logic and Riverside Company portfolio companies including OnCourse Learning, YourMembership.com and IDoc.
Boston’s Radio Entrepreneurs Program Features Chief Outsiders
3.13.2014 — Interview shares how Chief Outsiders can help mid-sized companies grow. Boston, MA (PRWEB) March 13, 2014 Today, Radio Entrepreneurs host Jeffrey Davis featured Chief Outsiders CMOs Andrea McKenna and Yvonne Brown as special guests. Radio Entrepreneurs shares the stories of entrepreneurs in the interest of giving more exposure to innovative and fast moving companies while creating a knowledge pool for the enrichment of the entrepreneurial community around the world. The segment can be heard here. In the interview, Mr. Davis explored the core values that Chief Outsiders CMOs bring to small and mid-sized companies by providing fractional or part-time marketing executives. Yvonne and Andrea explained how Chief Outsiders operates and how they differ from traditional consultants and the rapidly changing marketing landscape. “We join in and we work a lot on the strategic level and then we roll up our sleeves and help the team implement the changes that we’re recommending,” said CMO Yvonne Brown. “We don’t just give advice and leave.” The CMOs at Chief Outsiders join client companies as part of the management team in order to strategize and execute marketing plans that align with the CEO’s and the executive team’s goals and approach. The group went on to discuss how the field of marketing has changed in recent years, how it effects the ways businesses are operating and the changes needed to stay ahead of the curve. “There has been a tremendous change in marketing overall worldwide with the emergence of all the social tools,” said CMO Andrea McKenna. “In good companies, the focus has always been on the customer or the consumer, but what’s happened is a shift in control to the consumer, where the consumer has so many different ways to engage with brands and companies, and as a good marketer, you have to understand the entire space and all of the tools in the marketing toolkit.” About Chief Outsiders Headquartered in Houston, TX, and silver winner of the American Business Awards “Company of the Year,” Chief Outsiders serves mid-sized companies from coast to coast with part-time CMO services. Chief Outsiders is unique among strategic marketing consulting firms, taking businesses to the next level by working as part of the leadership team on a fractional or as-needed basis. Unlike most marketing consulting firms, Chief Outsiders believes delivering a world-class marketing strategy on its own creates very little value. The real value is created by helping the organization implement the growth vision. Chief Outsiders has been a premier source for marketing expertise, execution and leadership for companies such as i2C, AbsolutData, Bethyl Labs, Auto Load Logic and Riverside Company portfolio companies including OnCourse Learning, YourMembership.com and IDoc.
ABC Radio is Latest Channel for Chief Outsiders
2.8.2014 — National firm that offers part-time marketing executives to mid-sized companies broadcasts “Marketing Minutes” to Northeast CEOs Houston, TX (PRWEB) February 08, 2013 Chief Outsiders, the management consultancy that helps growth and mid-sized businesses implement their visions, two weeks ago confirmed they are running their first ever broadcast campaign with ABC Radio in New York City. The multifaceted program includes several dimensions to help Chief Outsiders reach its core audience of growth and mid-sized company CEOs and owners in the greater New York area. Central to the campaign is the Chief Outsiders “Marketing Minute” that features the firm’s managing partner Slade Kobran. Mr. Kobran shares crisp and actionable marketing insights the firm has harvested from its experience, that are highly relevant to its business leader audience. You can listen to one of these “Marketing Minutes” by visiting this article on Chief Outsiders’ CEO Blog. In addition to the informational spot, Chief Outsiders is featured during the Larry Kudlow and Amilya Antonettibusiness talk shows on Saturdays, plus sponsoring drive time weather. “We’re thrilled with this new program,” said Pete Hayes, CMO for Chief Outsiders, LLC. “While we’re a big proponent of digital media and measurements, we’ve been around the block and recognize the value of traditional advertising channels for the right reasons. And we’re already seeing some results and return on our investment.” About Chief Outsiders Headquartered in Houston, TX, and silver winner of the American Business Awards “Company of the Year”, Chief Outsiders serves mid-sized companies from coast to coast with part-time CMO services. Chief Outsiders is unique among strategic marketing consulting firms, taking businesses to the next level by working as part of the leadership team on a fractional or as-needed basis. Unlike most marketing consulting firms, Chief Outsiders believes that delivering a world-class marketing strategy on its own, creates very little value. The real value is created by helping the organization implement the growth vision. Chief Outsiders has been a premier source for marketing expertise, execution and leadership for companies such as i2C, AbsolutData, Bethyl Labs, Auto Load Logic and Riverside Company portfolio companies including OnCourse Learning, YourMembership.com and IDoc.
Battle-Tested Execs Taking on New Challenges in Midwest
11.20.2013 — David Vroom, new Managing Partner and CMO for Chief Outsiders, will be parachuting into Mid-sized companies to help their owners and CEOs achieve their growth visions. PRWEB) November 20, 2013 Chief Outsiders continues its nationwide growth into the Midwest with its newest Managing Partner and CMO, David Vroom. Chief Outsiders is the nation’s largest executive marketing firm focused on implementing market-based growth plans for mid-size and growth companies through fractional or part-time marketing executives. As a Managing Partner for Chief Outsider, David Vroom will work alongside owners and CEOs of growth-oriented businesses to help achieve their performance goals as a part-time or interim senior marketing executive. Vroom is a battle-tested marketing executive who earned his stripes working as an operating executive and part of the leadership team in some of the most competitive companies in the US. He has worked with small and large-sized businesses in a variety of industries. His career includes work in food businesses in retail, grocery and food services in both B2B and B2C contexts and boating, exercise equipment, biking and others. He has held executive positions at Sargento Foods, Pactiv/Reynolds, Brunswick Corporation, Kellogg’s Company and Procter & Gamble. Now owners and CEOs of mid-size companies can add David, or any of the other Chief Marketing Officers at Chief Outsiders, to their leadership teams to help implement major growth initiatives, for a fraction of the cost or risk of hiring a full-time executive of David’s level. Very few companies in the US could afford to hire someone with David’s experience on a permanent full-time basis. By adding someone like David to the CEO’s staff of a fractional or as-needed basis, a company can get real C-level strategic leadership and hands on implementation when they need it, quickly without long term complications. Most recently Vroom was the Senior Vice President and General Manager at Sargento Foods Company where he led the expansion of Sargento into a totally new business segment. His work resulted in helping fill an underutilized plant and generated 100% incremental business at significantly higher margins. As VP of business development at Sargento Foods, he established new strategies and a major acquisition that helped Sargento grow nearly +100% on the top line and significantly higher on the bottom line. “David’s unparalleled executive experience and lack of fear leading products into unchartered channels will lend itself to grow client companies in the Midwest region and beyond”, said Saxby. “David and his team of Chief Marketing Officers will be able to help CEOs and their businesses across a spectrum of marketing efforts, particularly global markets, acquisitions, product launches, managing numerous brands simultaneously, lead generation and management. We are proud to have David launch our Midwest expansion.” At Brunswick Company, Vroom led business development of boating, exercise and biking brands. His programs led to significantly improved strategies, increased lead generation and management and growth in several flat category segments. Vroom served in several leadership functions at Kellogg’s Company, including Head of Global Marketing, General Manager of Convenience Foods and CMO on several businesses. During his time on the Convenience Foods Business, he built sales +400% and profit +500%. He managed the top 12 global cereal brands generating significant growth gains and market leadership in all major countries. “Many Midwest companies I see are comprised of knowledgeable and experienced CEOs and employees whose growth is declining or remains stagnant due to increasing competition, higher production costs, a lack of resources and a number of other reasons,” said Vroom. “We are CMOs who have worked for operational companies and experienced and helped solve these same types of problems for decades. I’m proud to join this team and begin our presence in the Midwest region.” David holds a MBA in marketing from Michigan State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University; he has also completed global marketing executive training at Thunderbird International University. Contact David at dvroom@chiefoutsiders.com. About Chief Outsiders: Headquartered in Houston, TX, and silver winner of the American Business Awards “Company of the Year”, Chief Outsiders serves mid-sized companies from coast to coast with part-time CMO services. Chief Outsiders is unique among strategic marketing consulting firms, taking businesses to the next level by working as part of the leadership team on a fractional or as-needed basis. Unlike most marketing consulting firms, Chief Outsiders believes that delivering a world-class marketing strategy on its own, creates very little value. The real value is created by helping the organization implement the growth vision. Chief Outsiders has been a premier source for marketing expertise, execution and leadership for companies such as i2C, AbsolutData, Bethyl Labs, Auto Load Logic and Riverside Company portfolio companies including OnCourse Learning, YourMembership.com and IDoc.
Top CMO Presents "Strategic Marketing that Fits" for Zingtrain Speaker Series
9.4.2013 — Tom McCrary, CMO at Chief Outsiders, conducts session at Zingtrain Speaker Series to help CEOs, Owners, Partners and Leaders achieve business objectives and more on October 2 at 7:30 AM EDT. Ann Arbor, MI (PRWEB) September 04, 2013 Tom McCrary, Managing Partner and CMO at Chief Outsiders, one of the nation’s most innovative marketing strategy firms, will hold a session on October 2, 2013 at 7:30 AM EDT at ZingTrain’s training space at 3728 Plaza Drive. The presentation will explore how companies can leverage their mission, vision and values through marketing strategies. McCrary’s session will cover the following topics: Achieving business objectives by aligning with companies’ purpose, multi-bottom lines and culture Uncovering insights that create an opportunity for sustainable and profitable growth Transforming internal organizations to enable more efficient brand-consistent communications and implementation of strategies Creating marketing strategies that are aligned with your mission, vision and values and become touchstones/decision rules that help guide the organization The workshop will begin with a breakfast and 30-minute meet and greet, followed by an hour-long presentation and will close with a Q & A session. “I thrive on helping committed business leaders develop a strategic market plan that allows their businesses to change and expand beyond comfortable practices. I believe a marketing strategy grounded in insight is imperative to solve problems, business objectives and achieve growth,” says McCrary. McCrary is a visionary marketer and strategist with extensive knowledge and expertise in the creative marketing process, target marketing, product/service lifecycle marketing and field marketing and sales. His specialties stem from his background in consumer products and services, professional and financial services and hospitality, travel and energy. He has worked in a wide range of industries, sizes and structures, including Frito-lay, Embassy Suites, Tony Roma’s restaurants along with many others. Contact Tom McCrary at tmccrary@chiefoutsiders.com and learn more about Tom by reading some of his recent blogs. About Chief Outsiders Headquartered in Houston, TX, and silver winner of the American Business Awards “Company of the Year”, Chief Outsiders serves mid-sized companies from coast to coast with part-time CMO services. Chief Outsiders is unique among strategic marketing consulting firms, taking businesses to the next level by working as part of the leadership team on a fractional or as-needed basis. Unlike most marketing consulting firms, Chief Outsiders believes that delivering a world-class marketing strategy on its own, creates very little value. The real value is created by helping the organization implement the growth vision. Chief Outsiders has been a premier source for marketing expertise, execution and leadership for companies such as i2C, AbsolutData, Bethyl Labs, Auto Load Logic and Riverside Company portfolio companies including OnCourse Learning, YourMembership.com and IDoc. About ZingTrain ZingTrain is the training entity in the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses (ZCoB). Through ZingTrain, ZCoB shares the “Zingerman’s experience” with forward-thinking organizations from around the world. ZingTrain’s managing partner, Maggie Bayless and her team, use their experience in training and organizational change to help clients understand and apply the real-life systems, tools and techniques used at Zingerman’s, helping clients make meaningful, bottom-line-enhancing changes in their own organizations. ZingTrain, shares Zingerman’s expertise in training, service, merchandising, specialty foods, open book finance and staff management with the public through seminars and customized workshops. For more information about ZingTrain, contact Gauri Thergaonkar at gthergaonkar@zingermans.com and 934.930.1919.
Dallas Morning News Retail Sales are Re-invigorated by Part-time Chief Marketing Officer
8.5.2013 — Matthew Benner of Chief Outsiders engaged with Dallas Morning News to reverse the steady decline of its retail newspaper sales with increases in revenue, sales and circulation. Houston, TX (PRWEB) August 05, 2013 The Dallas Morning News hired Matthew Benner, a CMO with Chief Outsiders, one of the nation’s most innovative marketing firms, to devise and execute a marketing strategy for the paper’s single copy business. The paper, one of the nation’s most respected and a long time leading Pulitzer Prize recipient, was in deep regression in its retail sales. This prompted the hiring of Chief Outsider Matthew Benner: Due to some industry wide issues, the single copy circulation of Sunday papers at retail locations was declining at over 15% a year, and had dropped from 225,000 to 75,000 within five years.
More Than A Numbers Game: Defining Your Marketing Strategy
6.24.2013 — While financial health is essential to any successful business, the truth is that falling prey to the wrong numbers game can be one of the worst things for your marketing strategy and your business growth. Sure, it can be difficult to look past numbers and budgets — especially when discussing growth potential with C-suite executives and management teams. Here's how to keep a focus on the numbers from standing in the way of your growth potential. Go with the “Goldfish Principle” Have you ever heard that a goldfish will stay the same size in a small bowl, but when placed in a bigger pond, the same goldfish will double in size? It’s the same with your marketing plan and a company’s growth potential. If your marketing team is told that it’s there to execute a line item listed on a spreadsheet, it will perform just that function. However, if the team is given the freedom to think about the company’s potential and imagine a different type of outcome from marketing tactics, then they can bring a new type of leadership to the business. Strategy-focused marketing requires a different type of expertise. If you want people to use their cognitive abilities to think beyond the realm of what is currently possible, you need to motivate them — and give them a bigger pond. Ponder the possibilities Some company executives struggle with thinking past their current state of business. They have a few large clients who pay the bills, and they assume they can always find ways to get a little more money out of those clients. But this approach puts a cap on possibility and limits growth potential. Rather than thinking, “How can we squeeze out a little more money?” you should ask, “What’s the next step?” When companies get too comfortable, they become complacent and stagnant. That’s why your business needs to continually aspire to grow and remain relevant. There is always room for improvement. Mitigate “Marketing Budget” mentality When you think of marketing as a budget item, you limit the possibilities of your company. Instead, consider marketing as a vehicle to take your organization a step further. Take the time to research and consider market demands and opportunities. Often, the best marketing occurs not with the dollars you spend, but rather, with understanding the new audiences and needs for your business’s products or services. Reconsidering ROI The strategy of considering marketing potential changes the way we think about the return on investment of those marketing dollars. It forces us to ask, “What is the business’s growth potential?” before asking, “How much will this marketing campaign increase sales?” It causes executives to consider what it would take to double the size of the business, not what it would take to maintain current sales levels. Level Up Instead of asking limiting questions, like how much a new product will sell, ask questions that allow your business to level up. Start by determining how high is “up.” If you really get it right, how big could this new product, new segment, or new market be? Then, look at what would it be worth to grab that big market.This is your ceiling. You know you don’t want to spend more than the “up” number. Next, look at your break-even number. How much do you have to sell to cover the cost of development and launching with a high, medium, or low marketing budget? The “How high is up?” number is an estimate, but the break-even number should be a fact. This is a great time to involve your CFO, who can be an invaluable team member when it comes to balancing finances and investing in your company’s potential. You can also look at investment timing and building in stage gates. By the time the next set of money needs to be spent, how much more will you know? Nobody should run a business based on gut feeling without regard for the numbers. But numbers should not be your strategy, either. By creating a marketing strategy based on possibilities rather than pennies, your business growth won’t be confined by the cells of a spreadsheet. It’s all about looking past the goldfish bowl to the bigger pond. About Chief Outsiders Chief Outsiders, headquartered in Houston, TX, is unique among strategic marketing consulting firms, taking growth and mid-sized companies to the next level with outsourced CMO services. Unlike most marketing consulting firms, Chief Outsiders believes that delivering a world class marketing strategy creates very little value. The value is created by helping the organization implement the growth vision. With regional offices across the country from California to Boston, Chief Outsiders has been a premier source for marketing expertise, execution and leadership for companies such as Blickman, Golden Paints, Salient Systems, College Plus!, Healthy Connections, O’Rourke Petroleum, E|Spaces, Construction Connection, Melmedtronics and Spring Medical Systems. For more information, please visit http://www.chiefoutsiders.com.