Introducing strategic marketing and agile practices at Mio

Objective

When I joined Mio as Director of Marketing, I recognized the need to shift from a reactive, task-focused approach to a more strategic, business-aligned marketing function. My goal was to ensure every initiative contributed to achieving meaningful business outcomes. After making my case to the executive leadership, this transformation was accomplished through quarterly planning exercises, agile marketing practices, and personal coaching from industry experts.

Leveraging coaching to develop a strategic mindset

To sharpen my strategic approach, I engaged in one-on-one coaching sessions with Jade Tambini, a B2B marketing expert who teaches professionals how to move from task execution to strategic impact. I was part of the inaugural cohort of her B2B Breakthrough Academy, where I developed skills to align marketing efforts with business goals. I learned how to produce an effective marketing strategy with objectives, initiatives, and budget considerations for a marketing department that can focus their efforts and maximize impact.

In addition to working with Jade, I participated in sessions with an executive coach in both cohort and one-on-one settings, where I honed my communication and leadership skills. These sessions helped me become a more confident, compassionate leader capable of driving meaningful results while managing cross-functional collaboration effectively.

Making the case for strategic marketing to executive leadership

To implement these changes, I first needed to make the case for strategic marketing to Mio’s executive leadership.

I recognized that the existing marketing culture—one rooted in reactive, task-oriented work—was not sustainable and kept the team on a never-ending task wheel. To address this, I crafted a detailed proposal outlining a new, outcome-focused approach that prioritized quality and alignment with business objectives over sheer volume of output.

In the proposal, I illustrated how more focused, strategic efforts would yield better long-term results, driving greater impact with fewer, well-aligned initiatives. I demonstrated the value of establishing quarterly OKRs, agile practices, and clear alignment with cross-functional teams.

This approach would not only enhance the team’s efficiency but also allow marketing to serve as a true driver of business growth. The proposal gained executive buy-in, which enabled me to implement the changes necessary to transform our marketing operations and foster a more impactful, sustainable culture.

Quarterly planning for marketing alignment with business objectives

A critical part of the transformation was leading quarterly planning exercises to ensure the team’s efforts aligned with Mio’s business objectives. Our process included:

1. Developing Marketing OKRs: We translated business objectives into specific marketing goals and key results for each quarter.
2. Refining Customer Profiles: Using product marketing skills, we identified target customer segments to guide our initiatives.
3. Selecting High-Impact Initiatives: We prioritized projects based on alignment with our OKRs and customer insights.
4. Tactical Planning: We outlined the tactics, messaging, and channels required to achieve our quarterly goals.

This structured planning process ensured the team stayed focused on high-impact work that directly contributed to business success.

Agile practices for prioritization and efficiency

To complement the quarterly planning, I introduced agile marketing practices that enabled the team to remain flexible while delivering on our priorities. Each two-week sprint included:

• Weekly sprint planning sessions to align on top priorities.
• Weekly sprint reviews to track progress and address blockers.
• Sprint retrospectives to identify areas for improvement and optimize future workflows.

Collaborative execution and channel marketing strategies

Our cross-functional collaboration extended across product, sales, and customer success teams to align strategies and ensure consistent execution. This collaboration fostered better alignment between departments, improving communication and delivering unified results.

We also developed channel marketing strategies to position Mio as a key partner for companies like Google. This included designing campaigns that not only promoted our products but also showcased how Mio’s solutions fit seamlessly into partner ecosystems. These efforts helped us strengthen relationships with key stakeholders and drive sustained growth.

Key accomplishments through strategic marketing

Our focus on strategic planning, agile execution, and collaborative work resulted in several major achievements:

1. SEO: Achieved top-five rankings for all priority keywords, driving sustained organic traffic growth.
2. Brand repositioning: Led a comprehensive rebranding initiative that aligned Mio’s positioning with enterprise partnerships, enhancing our market presence.
3. Successful campaigns: Launched high-impact campaigns, including the Google Chat interoperability video, generating 50 enterprise leads within two months.
4. Content program expansion: Built a scalable content program, commissioning over 200 blog posts and developing a 100+ article knowledge base.

Conclusion

By combining strategic planning, agile execution, and personal development coaching, I was able to transform Mio’s marketing operations into a proactive, results-driven function. The quarterly planning exercises aligned our efforts with business objectives, while agile practices ensured flexibility and continuous improvement. My work with Jade Tambini and an executive coach helped me become a more confident, compassionate leader, driving impactful results for Mio.

This project reflects my ability to lead with strategic intent, foster cross-functional collaboration, and execute efficiently within agile frameworks—skills essential for driving growth and delivering lasting business impact.