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

Growth Activated | The B2B Marketing Leadership Podcast

Chapters
0:00
Welcome to Growth Activated: Sales, Marketing & the C-Suite
1:04
Meet Sloane Barbour: His Journey from CRO to CEO
4:29
The Elite CRO: What Top Revenue Leaders Prioritize
6:48
B2B Sales Strategy: Meetings Booked vs. MQLs
14:50
B2B Marketing’s Role in Sales Enablement
19:04
Executive Alignment between CRO and CMO Starts with MQL Clarity
23:39
From CRO to CEO: How Sloane’s View of Marketing Evolved
31:40
Measuring Brand ROI: The CEO’s Perspective
35:59
How AI Will Impact B2B Go-To-Market Teams
47:50
Sloane Barbour's Final Advice for B2B Marketing Leaders
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.

Free Sales & Marketing Maturity Assessment Giveaway: Enter Here

Let’s Keep the Conversation Going!
Loved this episode? Connect with me for more insights on B2B marketing leadership and strategies to grow your business.

🌐 Visit my website: growthactivated.com
🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn: Mandy Walker
🔗 Get Your Free Marketing Planning Guide Today!

Don’t forget to subscribe to Growth Activated and share this episode with fellow marketing leaders. Let’s activate growth—together!