When ROI Comes for Your MQLs: Hard Truths with Ellie Cary

Ops Cast

Ops Cast
When ROI Comes for Your MQLs: Hard Truths with Ellie Cary
Sep 22, 2025 Season 1 Episode 198
MarketingOps.com

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In this episode of OpsCast, hosted by Michael Hartmann and powered by MarketingOps.com, we’re joined by Ellie Cary, Senior Demand Generation Manager at StarTree. Ellie shares her experience navigating marketing performance challenges, including what happens when teams hit MQL goals but still face cuts, and why ROI visibility has become critical for MOps leaders.

Ellie discusses the limitations of attribution and reporting, how over-engineered models can create complexity, and what it takes to simplify processes while improving impact. She also shares insights on customer marketing, retention, and how MOps professionals can make their work more visible and strategic across the organization.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • How to connect marketing performance to business outcomes
  • The risks of overcomplicated attribution and how to simplify it
  • The importance of foundational marketing processes for measurable ROI
  • Strategies for MOps teams to communicate effectively with non-technical stakeholders

This episode is ideal for marketing operations, demand generation, and growth professionals looking to strengthen their impact and visibility in the organization. Tune in for Ellie’s actionable guidance on making MOps work matter.

Episode Brought to You By MO Pros 
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MarketingOps.com is curating the GTM Ops Track at Demand & Expand (May 19-20, San Francisco) - the premier B2B marketing event featuring 600+ practitioners sharing real solutions to real problems. Use code MOPS20 for 20% off tickets, or get 35-50% off as a MarketingOps.com member. Learn more at demandandexpand.com.

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