Building a Remote-First Marketing Team: Lessons from Jen Rapp, CMO of Superside

In this episode of The Remote CMO, Jen Rapp, Chief Marketing Officer at Superside, shares her experiences in leading a remote marketing team for a creative-as-a-service company. Jen discusses her transition from the outdoor industry, including her role at Patagonia, to marketing leadership in tech. She explains how her adventurous background as a climber and BASE jumper has shaped her approach to creativity and risk management in remote marketing.

Key Topics Discussed

• Jen’s career journey from PR at Patagonia to marketing leadership in tech.
• The challenges of transitioning from traditional industries to fast-growing tech startups like DoorDash.
• Superside’s unique positioning as a creative-as-a-service platform for enterprise technology companies.
• How to thrive as a remote marketing leader by building relationships with cross-functional teams.
• Advice for marketers transitioning into the tech industry and working closely with founders.
• Building and managing a global marketing team in a fully remote environment.

Actionable Takeaways for Remote Marketing Leaders

• Embrace change by being flexible, willing to learn, and understanding the core business dynamics when transitioning from traditional industries to tech.
• Invest in understanding your company’s product by spending time with product and engineering teams to grasp the ins and outs of your offerings.
• Foster relationships to improve collaboration by building strong personal connections with your team members, ensuring everyone feels connected despite being remote.
• Encourage risk-taking in marketing by drawing from your life experiences, much like Jen does from her outdoor adventures.
• Be adaptable as a remote CMO by adjusting your meeting cadence and leadership approach to meet the needs of a distributed team.