Think Like a CRO: How Modern Marketing Leaders Drive Revenue, Not Just Leads - with Sloane Barbour

Growth Activated | The B2B Marketing Leadership Podcast

Growth Activated | The B2B Marketing Leadership Podcast
Think Like a CRO: How Modern Marketing Leaders Drive Revenue, Not Just Leads - with Sloane Barbour
Mar 18, 2025 Season 1 Episode 10
Mandy Walker

#10: This episode is part of our C-Suite Series on Growth Activated, where we dive into the minds of the C-suite—helping B2B marketing leaders better understand, align with, and partner with executives to drive real business impact.

Sales and marketing alignment has always been a challenge, but what if marketing leaders could see things through the eyes of a Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)? Understanding the CRO mindset is the key to building a stronger CRO and CMO relationship, proving marketing’s value, and ensuring marketing is seen as a true growth driver—not just a cost center.

In this episode, I sit down with Sloane Barbour, CEO & Co-founder of Engin, an AI-driven recruiting company. Before stepping into the CEO role, Sloane built his career in sales leadership, serving as VP of Sales and CRO, where he oversaw revenue strategy, GTM execution, and sales-marketing alignment.

We unpack:

  • The #1 metric great CROs obsess over (Hint: It’s not Revenue)
  • Why outbound sales broke in 2019—and what actually works today
  • How AI is reshaping GTM teams—and what B2B marketing leaders should pay attention to
  • The evolving CRO and CMO relationship—and why marketing must prove its impact on revenue
  • What changed when Sloane became a CEO—and how he now sees marketing’s role in business growth
  • The key to true sales and marketing alignment (it’s simpler than you think)

If you’re a B2B marketing leader looking to strengthen your partnership with sales, align your strategy with revenue leadership, and gain real influence at the executive table—this episode is a must-listen.

🎧 Hit play now and start thinking like a CRO.

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