Does your marketing program feel like an expensive, never-ending experiment?

Does your marketing program feel like an expensive, never-ending experiment?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IjTgzY0MCM Video Transcription Is your company struggling with marketing on a 90 day experiment basis, feeling like you're launching campaign after program after project, but not getting anywhere in terms of understanding what kind of return on that investment you're receiving? If that's the case, you are not alone.  Hi, I'm Jennifer Zick, founder and CEO of Authentic®. Our community of fractional CMOs work with growing companies, usually between 5 and 100 million in annual revenue. And for these small growing businesses, we help them to Overcome Random Acts of Marketing® and confidently take the next right step to build…
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[Event Recap] VIP.MN Fall Mixer for Visionaries, Integrators, and Implementer Partners

[Event Recap] VIP.MN Fall Mixer for Visionaries, Integrators, and Implementer Partners

With Minnesota being one of the richest communities of businesses running on The Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS), and with great success and enthusiasm from our event in June, we brought together our wonderful community of Visionaries, Integrators, and Implementer Partners (VIPs) together for another in-person event in early October.  Nearly 100 Visionaries, Integrators, and Implementer Partners joined us for a fun evening of great food, tasty drinks, and even better conversation.  View the full photo gallery Founder of Integrator Community™ Jennifer Zick had this to say about the event:  “There’s something incredibly special about spending time with other entrepreneurs and…
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Overcome Random Acts of Marketing: Marketing Essentials for Small to Mid-Sized Businesses

Overcome Random Acts of Marketing: Marketing Essentials for Small to Mid-Sized Businesses

Most entrepreneurial businesses will struggle with "random acts of marketing" as they shift from a founder-led, sales-driven business to a more strategic growth organization. Getting from random to predictable results requires marketing maturity - which starts with a strong brand foundation, along with a clear strategy, plan, budget, and metrics that foster alignment and accountability. Watch our recorded webinar featuring Jennifer Zick, Founder & CEO of Authentic® , as she unpacks the essential ingredients that every growing business needs for fueling a strong, high-performing, revenue-generating marketing engine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrzdXNgVojg Key Takeaways If you’ve felt like 2024 has been a difficult year…
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Ippon Technologies USA: Client Story

Ippon Technologies USA: Client Story

Professional services firm Ippon engaged Authentic to assist with building out a comprehensive marketing strategy and plan. “Marketing is not a ‘magic wand’… it takes a lot of patience and alignment to get results.” Romain Lhéritier, CEO, Ippon Technologies USA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4uhLYawfw8 Ippon Technologies USA at a glance Company size: 68 employeesBusiness type: IT services and consultingCategory: B2BHeadquarters: Richmond, VirginiaKey initiatives: Website development, lead generation, ideal customer profile, branding, marketing technology, marketing metrics The challenge Ippon Technologies USA, a consulting firm that helps customers transform their business through technology modernization and innovation, had experienced a period of slow business growth and…
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What Is A Virtual CMO? 8 Benefits Of Hiring A VCMO

What Is A Virtual CMO? 8 Benefits Of Hiring A VCMO

Hiring a virtual CMO allows you to expand your search for the perfect candidate beyond your direct area and transform your business’s marketing team without the commitment of a full-time executive. In today’s competitive marketing world, virtual CMO services are becoming increasingly imperative for substantial business growth. If you are looking for additional marketing leadership that does not need to be in the office, a VCMO can be a great solution. VCMOs can seamlessly integrate themselves into your existing team on a flexible basis.  Find a vetted, experienced virtual fractional CMO when you partner with Authentic®.  What Is A Virtual…
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Authentic® Debuts on Twin Cities Largest Women-Owned Businesses List

Authentic® Debuts on Twin Cities Largest Women-Owned Businesses List

Minneapolis, MN, September 19, 2024 – Today, Authentic® was recognized for the first time as one of the largest women-owned businesses in the Twin Cities, ranking #29 according to the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. To be eligible for this list, business owners must include women who own 50% or more of their companies. Companies must be based in the Twin Cities 24-county metro area and are ranked by their 2023 revenue numbers. View the full list of honorees here. Authentic CEO Jennifer Zick, who founded the company in 2017 and is the firm's sole owner, had this to…
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Hiring a marketer based on industry experience? You’re doing it wrong.

Hiring a marketer based on industry experience? You’re doing it wrong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kst0flupOvc Video Transcription Are you hiring for a marketing leader in your organization and prioritizing that hire based on finding somebody with deep industry experience within your particular business niche or vertical or market focus? If so, you're doing it wrong.  Hi, I'm Jennifer Zick, founder and CEO of Authentic, and I'm here today to dispel a very common myth among business leaders who are making perhaps their first ever executive decision for marketing leadership. So many businesses come to Authentic asking for somebody with a particular industry or business niche of experience, and in fact, they miss out on…
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The Importance of Employer Branding: How to Attract and Retain Top Talent

The Importance of Employer Branding: How to Attract and Retain Top Talent

In an era where the quest for top talent has become more challenging than ever, businesses are increasingly recognizing the importance of employer branding as a strategic tool for attracting and retaining the best employees. With insights from a webinar featuring experts in the field, we’ll delve into the core aspects of employer branding and how organizations can leverage it to stand out in a competitive job market. Understanding Employer Branding Crafting Your Competitive Edge: The Power of Employer Branding The post-pandemic world has seen a significant shift in the job market, with industries grappling with recruitment and staffing challenges.…
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Marketing budgets for growing businesses: How to think about investing in leadership and execution

Marketing budgets for growing businesses: How to think about investing in leadership and execution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZOfHUzAeGk Video Transcription Great question about how you should think about the activation budget to do the things that marketing will require? In our scopes of work, we can only propose and price the services we directly provide, which are for fractional CMO services. As a management consulting firm, however, all of our clients do need activation and their budgets are as diverse as the clients that we serve.  A good rule of thumb for the businesses we work with, who of course, as I explained, are generally between five and 100 million in annual revenue. For those organizations. The…
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What Is An Outsourced CMO? What Does An Outsourced CMO Do?

What Is An Outsourced CMO? What Does An Outsourced CMO Do?

Sometimes hiring a full-time marketing executive isn’t the right move for your business, and an outsourced CMO may be a better option. Keep reading to find answers to questions such as “What does an outsourced CMO do?” and “How can you hire one?” A chief marketing officer (CMO) leads a company’s marketing department. Large businesses usually have an in-house CMO, but smaller businesses may not need a full-time CMO or have a budget that supports a full-time hire. An outsourced chief marketing officer may be a better fit for these companies. Learn more about CMO outsourcing to determine if it’s…
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