Marketing at a Startup: What Do You Do First?

A 90-day playbook for new marketing leaders on building trust, establishing credibility, and driving cross-functional alignment.

The first 90 days are crucial in any leadership role—but especially as the CMO of a startup. You’ve just been hired to lead marketing at a company with a story and product you are excited to communicate to the world. You’re ready to help this company grow. What do you do first?

Startup CMOs have an average tenure of just 18 months. In fact, Harvard Business Review's feature "The Trouble with CMOs" focused heavily on why CMOs don't last. Considering the CEO's significant involvement in hiring marketing leadership, this trend highlights a fundamental gap: establishing trust between the CEO and CMO through continuous communication.

Listening, Observing, and Learning

When entering a startup as a senior leader, you have a short window of time to adapt to the culture. While high-performing leaders often jump straight to tactics and execution, understanding the culture plays a massive role in determining long-term success. The first few days set the tone for your role and the impact you'll be able to make.

The initial weeks should be dedicated to listening, observing, and learning about the people, the brand, and the product. Be a sponge. Take in the wisdom of those around you—including product, sales, engineering, and customer success teams.

Structuring 1-on-1s Across the Organization

As outlined in The First 90 Days, scheduling dedicated 1-on-1s with team leads and the CEO is essential. Off-site meetings paired with lunch or coffee often help team members focus on the agenda and build authentic relationships. What matters most is the substance of these conversations.

1-on-1s with Team Leads

The Core Question: “What do you most urgently need from marketing that you’re not getting today?”

What to listen for:

• Their purpose, values, strategy, and core goals.
• How the customer lifecycle looks across their respective department.

Going forward:

• Consider how marketing can make their life easier and help their team get closer to their goals.
• Align cross-departmental leaders around customer needs rather than traditional organizational silos.
• Reframe conversations around how each department directly helps customers.

1-on-1s with the CEO

The Core Question: “Where do you want to go, and how can I help you get there?”

What to listen for:

• The CEO's core purpose, values, and vision. Keep in mind that the CEO reports to the Board and pitches to VCs, making their goals uniquely tied to broader stakeholder expectations.
• Opportunities to establish long-term trust through complete transparency.

Going forward:

• Set marketing goals anchored in a shared vision of success.
• Establish clear expectations across budget allocation, reporting cadence, and key performance indicators.

Navigating Organizational Dynamics

In parallel, observe how the organization operates. What is the culture like? How do team members prefer to communicate individually versus in group settings? How are decisions made—quickly, over time, in meetings, or by a select group?

Getting buy-in from multiple stakeholders determines your execution speed. Test ideas early with a small group, observe reactions, and consult trusted colleagues before presenting major strategic changes in formal settings. Know who supports your vision before proposing major shifts, invest in ongoing dialogue to build consensus, and keep your focus on driving sustainable growth.