The First 90 Days Just Got Faster | Renegade Marketers Unite #524

The first 90 days have always mattered. Now AI is making them faster, sharper, and a lot less forgiving. In this episode, Drew talks with Paige O’Neill (Culture Amp), Scott Gordon (HG Insights), and Ali McCarthy (Asset-Map) about what it takes to start strong in a new CMO role. They explore how to pressure-test what you heard in the interview process, align quickly with the executive team, assess the team you inherited, and decide where marketing can create the most meaningful impact. The conversation also digs into how AI is changing the first-90-days playbook, from accelerating onboarding and research to raising expectations around team productivity, experimentation, and org design. Paige, Scott, and Ali share how they’re using AI, where they’re still relying on old-fashioned listening, and why the best early wins are the ones that build momentum with both the team and the business. In this episode: • Paige shares how she tested the interview story against reality, unlocked stalled team ideas, and used AI to speed up onboarding • Scott breaks down how he pressure-tested pipeline goals, budgets, team sentiment, and sales alignment before resetting expectations • Ali explains how she brought focus to Asset-Map’s many possible stories, used research to sharpen the message, and chose the first market problem to solve Plus: • How AI is accelerating onboarding, research, testing, and early execution • Why early wins should build credibility without disrupting what works • How to gauge AI readiness across your inherited team • Why the first 90 days are your best window to challenge assumptions If you’re stepping into a new CMO role, or preparing for one, this episode offers a practical look at how to use your early window wisely, build trust quickly, and avoid squandering the power that comes with fresh eyes. Chapters 0:00 – Intro 2:21 – Paige O’Neill: How CMOs set 90-day priorities 5:44 – Turn stalled projects into quick wins 9:06 – AI from interview to onboarding 11:32 – Scott Gordon: A new CMO’s first four moves 14:27 – Reset demand goals in 90 days 16:40 – Keep people central to AI change 20:21 – Ali McCarthy: First 90 days need one market story 25:46 – Research aligns, AI accelerates 27:12 – Research, focus, and firefighting 31:25 – CMO Huddles: Community, content, and coaching 34:39 – Building the AI-ready marketing team 41:20 – AI-powered quick wins 45:14 – Tips for starting strong as a new CMO Connect with us on LinkedIn:   / renegade-llc   Connect with Drew on LinkedIn:   / drewneisser   Connect with Paige on LinkedIn:   / paigeoneill   Connect with Scott on LinkedIn:   / scogor1   Connect with Allyson on LinkedIn:   / alimccarthyamplifyyourvoice   To find the transcripts of all episodes, suggest future guests, or learn more about quite possibly the best B2B marketing agency in New York City, visit https://renegademarketing.com/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit: https://cmohuddles.com/ #marketingpodcast #b2bmarketers #cmo #b2bleadership#b2bmarketingagency #marketingleadership #strategicmarketing #datadrivenmarketing #leadershippodcast