“Head of marketing” is the non-committal title a startup CEO often gives their early-choice marketing leader. It sounds promising — strategic, important, even executive-adjacent.
You accept it eagerly, believing it’s only a matter of time before you prove yourself and earn that VP title. All you need to do is work hard, make smart decisions and show you deserve a seat at the table — so you wait and wait.
Meanwhile, you’re making significant strategic decisions, building teams from scratch and putting the infrastructure in place to scale, just like the rest of the leadership team. But then a new investor comes in and suddenly, there’s a shiny new VP or CMO above you.
A tale as ‘young’ as time
Here is the unspoken story of early career professionals who are handed the keys to the marketing kingdom. They get the responsibility and expectation to lead without the support to succeed. Many step into these roles full of promise, only to walk away with deep wounds from feeling overwhelmed, underprepared and alone. The scars from this experience often follow them throughout their careers.
These heads of marketing are typically handpicked by startups for their sharp minds, articulate presence and digital fluency, especially with AI and martech tools that promise to deliver what everyone wants: leads. Though they have never held marketing leadership roles, the unspoken plan is that they will “figure it out.”
And many do, by working tirelessly, striving for perfection and sacrificing themselves in hopes of earning a formal leadership title, fair compensation for their strategic efforts and most of all, recognition and respect.
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My plight as a ‘head of marketing’ mentor
I learned this story through my journey as a mentor. It began unintentionally when I opened my doors to early-stage heads of marketing, offering a safe, judgment-free space for coaching and support, someone to talk to who wasn’t their boss.
What began with one conversation grew to dozens as word spread. In my spare time, I found myself reviewing strategies, guiding them through stakeholder dynamics, setting goals and staying focused on outcomes.
Then came the urgent calls — some in the middle of the day, others late at night. Many included tears. These weren’t isolated incidents. I heard stories of overwhelm, shame and feeling unworthy. These marketers often lacked real support or training. They reported to CEOs who were also learning on the job, frequently without clear strategies.
One CTO told me, “When you work for a CEO, you don’t really have a boss.” In startups, especially with first-time founders, marketing becomes a lightning rod for control, random ideas and micromanagement. For early professionals still finding their voice, it’s hard to push back. They get bulldozed. The experience, judgment and confidence to manage growth strategy and set boundaries come with time, but these environments rarely make space for learning, experimentation or safe failure.
They deserve the support
While these early-career leaders are eager and deserving of a seat at the table, they shouldn’t be left to sink or swim alone. Leading a business function is an incredible opportunity and the pay bump from $70–$90K to $120–$150K is compelling. For ambitious professionals, it’s a dream role; an exciting chance to think strategically and build teams. We want them to succeed.
The problem is, we assume they can figure it all out solo. Many have never managed people or built full teams. They might know demand gen, but now they’re tackling a rebrand, PR/AR and ABM with tools they’ve never used and often without support. They’re forced to reinvent the wheel.
CEOs and investors often overlook that the young talent hasn’t done much of the job before. Unlike seasoned marketers, they don’t know what they don’t know. Veterans know how to prioritize, delegate, select vendors, focus on ROI and align with stakeholders — skills that take time and mentorship to develop.
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Martech and AI vendors are churning exponentially higher under these leaders
Several martech vendors, especially those in content, AI and ABM, have started removing head of marketing and other early-stage marketer titles at startups from their ICP. Why?
These roles often have high churn. Vendors say early marketing leaders typically lack the authority, support or experience to drive the business transformation needed to fully realize platform value.
6 ways we can best support the head of marketing
We can do so many things to empower and support the head of marketing. I leave you with the most important on my list.
1. Set clear expectations about growth
Be transparent during the hiring process about the leader’s career path. If there is no plan for them to eventually become a VP, say so and instead commit to investing in their leadership development through education, coaching and exposure.
2. Reframe the head of marketing job description
If you are looking for a strategic thinker, do not center the job description on executional tools like Google Analytics or HubSpot. Instead, focus on strategic outcomes, KPIs and business impact to attract the right candidates.
3. Offer mentorship, coaching or fractional CMO support
Early-stage marketing leaders benefit significantly from a trusted advisor. While executive leaders often receive paid coaching, emerging leaders are left to figure it out alone.
Free or partially funded coaching — whether through internal mentors or a fractional CMO — gives them the support to navigate tough decisions, boardroom dynamics and emotional highs and lows.
4. Assign an executive advocate
Pair them with an executive ally such as the VP of customer success who can amplify their voice in leadership meetings, offer real-time feedback and provide guidance on executive communication and strategic influence.
5. Invest in ongoing education
Marketing is evolving rapidly, especially with the rise of AI. To ensure continuous learning is part of the culture, fund education and certifications that keep leaders ahead of the curve.
6. Normalize emotional expression at work
Tears at work are not a weakness. They are a sign someone deeply cares. Creating a culture that embraces vulnerability with empathy and compassion leads to stronger, more resilient teams.
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Questions for you
For early-career marketers
Have you ever taken on a senior role without the title, support, mentorship or authority that usually comes with it? What did that experience teach you?
For CEOs
How would your company culture change if you normalized mentorship for rising leaders the same way you do for senior execs?
For investors
Are you factoring leadership maturity into your GTM evaluations when assessing a startup’s ability to scale revenue?
For martech vendors
Have you experienced increased churn with early-stage marketing leaders? How does title or leadership maturity affect your platform’s success?
Dig deeper: How marketing leaders can transform marketing from a support function to a growth driver
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