In a company seeking its next funding round or acquisition, the CPO's strategic focus must shift. The primary "customer" to satisfy is not the end user, but the next investor or acquirer. This means building a business and product story that appeals directly to them.

During a pivot with no new product to show, Ladder's fundraising relied entirely on selling the team's conviction. Co-founder Tom Digan personally leading the round despite being financially stretched was the ultimate signal of "skin in the game" that convinced other investors to join.

Working for a founder who understands marketing (e.g., a former CMO) creates a high-trust environment. This empowers marketing teams to invest in long-term brand building and creative initiatives that are notoriously hard to attribute, without being handcuffed by demands to prove the ROI of every dollar spent.

Applying the "weird if it didn't work" framework to fundraising means shifting the narrative. Your goal is to construct a story where the market opportunity is so massive and your team's approach is so compelling that an investor's decision *not* to participate would feel like an obvious miss.

Vector's CEO specifically sought a marketing leader with a content and brand background, not a traditional demand gen expert. This reflects a shift where storytelling and brand building are seen as critical drivers for early-stage growth.

Instead of justifying brand building as a defense against AI-driven commoditization, frame it as an offensive move that builds long-term value. A strong brand shortens sales cycles and increases customer lifetime value, directly impacting revenue and making it a proactive investment that resonates with CEOs and CFOs.

Drawing from his experience at Team Sky, which built its own team rather than just sponsoring one, Zwift's CMO emphasizes the power of in-housing. By owning challenges like brand creation and marketing execution internally, the company maintains control, ensuring rigor, polish, and consistency in its output.

Unlike in a large corporation, a startup CMO is directly accountable for customer acquisition and growth metrics, with a 'number on their back.' This role involves close interaction with investors, owning the CAC to LTV model, and being prepared to justify the entire demand generation engine.

Founders often adopt jargon and framing that appeals to VCs (e.g., market size, TAM). This narrative rarely resonates with consumers. Brands must maintain two distinct stories: one for investors focused on market opportunity and another for customers focused on personal value.