20 Best CMO Advisors And Coaches You Can Hire To Refresh Your Strategy in 2026

“"The most successful CMOs are what I call 'cool CATS,' which is short for 'Courageous, Artful, Thoughtful and Scientific.'" ”

“"Pick top three things that are gonna make a difference and move the bar and move your business forward. Maintain a very strong relationship with your CFO year-round, meet with them at least once a month, if not once a week, and tie your budget to corporate priorities."”

“"CMOs choose this role because you can touch every part of the business. You can change market perception, business trajectory, create or redefine a category, move the needle more and have an incredibly positive impact on the longevity of the business."”

“"One of the things I tell everyone is: Write down your story. Get it really crisp—what are your key messages, key achievements, key themes? For me, I'm a builder, so I knew I needed to go into a place where I could build."”

“"I love coming back to the basics because sometimes they get lost, but they teach us so much. Know your audience, know their preferences, and devise a plan for how you're going to reach them and feed them and provide value."”

“"Commenting is having a conversation. It's you getting to know somebody, they're getting to know you, potentially other... You sometimes meet other people in the comments. It's just it really is an underused part of the platform."”

“"Many problems that CMOs and CROs face are not issues of their own competence. Many of the problems in the CMO and CRO's domain are deeply cross-functional, but show up in marketing and sales since they are the tip of the spear to the market."”

“"Appreciation is the most valuable currency your team wants and needs. Salary increases and annual bonuses are great, but their positive impact is short-term. Regular feedback is the most valuable currency you can spend on your team as their leader."”

“"Community engagement isn't just a side project; it is a bridge to purpose. When you lead with what you love, you don't just build a network; you build a legacy."”

“"People buy things because they can write themselves into the story, identify with the product or are amused by the creative. Don't get me wrong: The underlying math has to be right, since great storytelling can't overcome poor value. But in case after case, creativity adds power to good math."”

“"That's the way to reframe communications for the digital age. It's to work directly with the platform companies to create something that's fit for purpose for today's world."”

“"It is not burnout or a breakdown. It is an indicator of what's no longer working. It's the compounded cost of unresolved power dynamics, where your contradictions don't stay private; they pattern everything around you. Your culture is echoing everything you haven't been willing to face in yourself."”

“"For most of my career, I was very goal-oriented and driven (and always striving). As I have gained more wisdom, I realize 'Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans.' I concluded that intentions can be better than goals in that they allow for the serendipitous, impossible-to-plan events or situations that can lead to your greater good."”

“"Marketing is hard. Encourage your teams to learn from the mistakes, share the mistakes, and you will all grow together as a result."”

“"Small hinges swing big doors. It's so accurate with so many people's marketing—you might be on the verge of something massive, but a few small tweaks can take it to the next level."”

“"It's not who you know; it's who knows you! Learn social media and, at the same time, get out from behind your computer and be visible, be everywhere."”

“"Coaching gives CMOs that space. A structured environment to step back, untangle complexity, and focus on what matters most. Whether it's a confidence wobble, a leadership gap, or just a sense that you've stalled, coaching helps you regain momentum."”

“"I often describe myself as the chief dirty word officer... I like that. The founders have a ferocious appetite for innovation but a healthy suspicion of anything that 'feels like marketing'. They want creative work that's not just effective but surprising too."”

“"I left P&G 15 years ago, I started a consulting practice to learn more about purpose and to help others become more fulfilled, successful, happier by activating purpose in their lives and in their companies. And it's been a great run, great ride. I've been inside literally hundreds of companies, either talking about this, coaching, my team going in and helping them do it at scale."”

“"If we are not answering as marketers the fundamental question of what did you do today to move the business forward, I think we are not serving our companies, our services, our customers well. Because in the end of the day, that is the marketer's role—to drive growth for our companies with our key stakeholders."”