Buyer beware: Is that fractional CMO really the executive they claim to be?

Buyer beware: Is that fractional CMO really the executive they claim to be?

The fractional CMO Wild West The number of professionals who call themselves fractional CMOs has skyrocketed over the past few years. At Authentic, we see this rapid influx as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it validates what we hoped would be true when our founder, Jennifer Zick, started the company in 2017: Small businesses can benefit tremendously from having access to experienced marketing leadership on a part-time, flexible basis. Broad adoption of the term “fractional CMO” indicates there is a market and need for these services. However, on the other hand, the fractional CMO space has become the…
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We helped pack 29,376 meals!

We helped pack 29,376 meals!

Members of the Authentic team, as well as clients, partners, and friends gathered at Feed My Starving Children in Chanhassen, MN to participate in packing meals, furthering the organization's goal of breaking the cycle of poverty globally. See Full Photo Album on Facebook In collaboration with fellow volunteers, this united group accomplished the task of filling 136 boxes with a total of 29,376 meals. These provisions are set to make a lasting impact, ensuring daily meals for 80 children for a year. The mission of Feed My Starving Children involves providing meals to schools, orphanages, clinics, and feeding programs globally,…
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Authentic Announces Mark Coronna as its Chief Development Officer

Authentic Announces Mark Coronna as its Chief Development Officer

Authentic - a pioneer and leader in the fractional CMO industry - accelerates its national expansion through decisive move into private equity partnerships and innovative CMO offerings for the entrepreneurial SMB market. February 12, 2024 / Minneapolis, MN – Authentic is pleased to announce Mark Coronna as its Chief Development Officer: a role that will propel the fast-growing Fractional CMO firm into further national expansion through private equity partnerships and ongoing services innovation. (more…)
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Nic Map Vision: Client Story 

Nic Map Vision: Client Story 

Data and analytics provider NIC MAP Vision hires Authentic to help it plan for strategic growth, round out its marketing team, and develop its in-house leader into executive-level talent. “We've gone from scrambling and being very reactive to taking a much more proactive approach to everything we do. That's trickled down to more demos and more meetings.” Kyle Gardner, COO, Nic Map Vision Nic Map Vision at a glance Company size: 75 employeesBusiness type: Data and analytics provider in the senior housing industryCategory: B2BHeadquarters: Raleigh, NCKey initiatives: Strategic advising, marketing resourcing, employee development, marketing fundamentals, metrics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1URzoS4EI-M&t=46s The Challenge NIC…
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Accelerating Marketing Results for EOS-Powered Companies with Authentic Growth™ Methodology

Running a business on the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) is a strategic choice aimed at achieving sustainable growth and alignment. EOS provides a solid foundation for vision, traction, and alignment in growth-oriented companies. In this article, we will explore how Authentic Growth™ Methodology can accelerate marketing results for companies operating on EOS. EOS Marketing Strategy: Setting the Stage EOS incorporates valuable tools like the Vision/Traction Organizer™ (V/TO) to help companies define their organizational vision, including their EOS marketing strategy. The V/TO acts as an anchor, outlining the target market, differentiators, proven process, and guarantee. This strategy ensures clarity, direction, and…
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Authentic and friends join together to support the mission of Every Meal

Authentic and friends join together to support the mission of Every Meal

Nearly 40 Authentic employees, clients, partners, vendors, and friends came together to pack meals in support of the non-profit organization, Every Meal.  Every Meal fights child hunger by focusing on filling the food gaps children face when they’re not able to access school meal programs. They do this by providing bags of food that are placed in children’s backpacks to take home on the weekends. Volunteers help pack the bags of food at Every Meal’s warehouse and community partners help distribute the bags at our local schools.    Together, the team packed 4,686 bags of food in two hours which equals…
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Professional services marketing tips from experienced fractional CMOs

Professional services marketing tips from experienced fractional CMOs

Professional services organizations face unique challenges with marketing. When your product is your people or expertise, elevating that expertise in your marketing efforts is critical. Firms have to share their thought leadership in a way that captures prospects’ attention and cultivates trusted relationships — all while keeping pace with developments in the industry and strategically allocating resources for maximum marketing impact.  We invited three Authentic Fractional CMOs™, Dee Heffernan, Sherry Rothenberg, and Tracy Steeno, to share marketing insights and recommendations for professional services organizations facing growth hurdles today. The panelists dive into the biggest growth challenges these firms face today,…
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How Authentic Fractional CMOs™ build maturity in growing organizations

How Authentic Fractional CMOs™ build maturity in growing organizations

Every Authentic client wants to grow their business At Authentic, our clients span various industries and business types, and the challenges they face often depend on factors unique to each company. But what all of our clients do have in common is that they are looking to grow their businesses.  To support our clients in their growth, we developed our Authentic Growth™ Methodology. This methodology is our proprietary system that provides each of our Authentic Fractional CMOs™ with a set of tools and processes that they can strategically apply to the unique challenges of our client engagements — ultimately helping clients achieve marketing alignment, accountability, and aptitude. One…
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Closing Time podcast featuring Jennifer Zick

Closing Time podcast featuring Jennifer Zick

Random Acts of Marketing: Move Past it to Make Your B2B Marketing Strategy Work FOR You Our founder and CEO, Jennifer Zick, was recently the featured guest on the Closing Time podcast with host Chip House.  (more…)
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Authentic Recognized on the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal’s Fast 50 List 

Authentic Recognized on the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal’s Fast 50 List 

Company debuts on the list at #16 October 26, 2023/ Minneapolis, MN - Authentic™ was recognized by the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal at #16 out of 50 fastest growing businesses in Minnesota. The Business Journal stated, "Authentic, which provides fractional chief marketing officers and was previously known as Authentic Brand, debuts on the Fast 50 List at No. 16, with a growth rate of 160.75% from 2020 to 2022. The Edina-based company saw revenue of nearly $3.4 million last year." The company was recognized at a reception for all list makers at U.S. Bank Stadium’s Polaris Club and…
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