1️⃣1️⃣ First-Time Marketing Leader Lessons

When I became a first time manager, I had no clue what I was doing. I made mistakes, learned some hard lessons, and eventually figured out what it really takes to lead a team. Now, after years of managing and working with incredible people, these are the 11 lessons that stuck with me. The ones I wish someone had handed me on day one.

1️⃣. Understand the business / Get with Finance (AKA the money people).

If you don’t know how your company makes money, what are you even doing. Sit down with Finance. Learn the P&L. Figure out how marketing impacts revenue, margins, and all the stuff your CEO actually cares about. Marketing isn’t about fluffy campaigns. It’s about moving the needle. Know the dollars and make them make sense.

2️⃣. Align your metrics to your boss and overall marketing goals

Your manager doesn’t care about vanity metrics and neither should you. Ask your boss straight up what keeps you up at night AND “In 6 months, what would success look like for me?” (Learn that one from Rebecca Shaddix). Then make those your metrics too. Sync your KPIs with the broader marketing team’s goals. If they are running towards pipeline, don’t be the weirdo sprinting towards engagement.

3️⃣. Build relationships like it is your job (because it kinda is)

Marketing isn’t a solo sport. Make friends across departments like sales, product, ops, customer success, and the office barista. Collaboration equals credibility. Plus the more allies you have, the more likely your campaigns won’t get nuked at the last second.

4️⃣. Test small. Think big.

Your first instinct will be to go big or go home. Chill. Start with small experiments, prove results, and then scale. No one is going to hand you the big bucks without seeing you can actually deliver. Bonus, small wins give you leverage to push bigger ideas.

5️⃣. Learn how to tell a killer story

You’ll be pitching ideas all day. If you can’t sell a vision, your ideas die in Slack threads. Whether you are explaining a campaign to your boss or pitching a strategy in a boardroom, craft a narrative. Why does it matter. Why now. What is in it for them. Stories sell. Data supports.

6️⃣. Obsess over your audience

If you don’t know your audience better than they know themselves, your marketing will flop. Talk to customers. Stalk reviews. Dive into the data. Get so close to your target persona that you know what they ate for breakfast. Great marketing starts with understanding who you’re talking to and what they actually care about.

 7️⃣. Simplify everything

You are going to feel pressure to over complicate. Fight it. Your plans, your messaging, your metrics. Keep them simple. If a fifth grader can’t understand what you are trying to do, you are doing too much. Simplicity cuts through the noise and helps people remember what you are all about.

 8️⃣. Focus on quick wins early

You are new, so stack some easy wins to build momentum. Fix something broken. Refresh an outdated campaign. Prove you can deliver results fast. Those early wins buy you trust and breathing room to take bigger swings later.

 9️⃣. Invest in your team

Your success as a leader is tied to your team. Take the time to understand their strengths, goals, and struggles. Give them the tools, guidance, and support they need to thrive. When your team wins, you win. Bonus points if you actually listen to their ideas because some of the best insights come from the people in the trenches.

 1️⃣0️⃣. Give credit where it is due

When your team does great work, make sure they get the recognition they deserve. Shout them out in meetings, emails, or Slack. Let leadership know who is crushing it. Acknowledging their effort builds loyalty and keeps them motivated.

1️⃣1️⃣. Be the leader you always wanted

Think about the best boss you ever had or the one you wish you had. Be that person for your team. Support them when they are struggling, push them to grow, and trust them to do the work. Leadership is not about control. It is about empowering people to do their best and feel proud of it.