From Ticket-Taker to Strategic Influencer with Sarah Lane-Hawn

Text us your thoughts on the episode or the show!In this episode of OpsCast, hosted by Michael Hartmann and powered by MarketingOps.com, we are joined by Sarah Lane-Hawn, a fractional marketing leader and consultant who helps organizations shape their go-to-market strategy and build operational infrastructure with intention. Sarah brings experience leading both marketing operations and demand generation, offering a clear view of how these functions can work together more strategically.The discussion focuses on how Marketing Operations professionals can move beyond the “ticket-taking” mindset and step into roles that drive real business impact. Sarah shares how understanding the “why” behind requests, influencing decisions, and aligning with organizational goals can elevate both personal growth and company success.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why a human-centered strategy is essential to the future of marketing operationsHow MOps professionals can gain credibility and influence within their organizationsThe difference between building for reporting versus enablementPractical ways to bring strategic thinking and intuition into daily workThis episode is perfect for Marketing Ops, RevOps, and demand generation professionals looking to increase their strategic impact, build stronger partnerships with stakeholders, and find more meaning in their work.Episode Brought to You By MO Pros The #1 Community for Marketing Operations Professionals Join us at MOps-Apalooza: https://mopsapalooza.com/Save 10% with code opscast10Support the show

Text us your thoughts on the episode or the show!In this episode of OpsCast, hosted by Michael Hartmann and powered by MarketingOps.com, we are joined by Sari Hegewald, Vice President of Marketing Operations at CeriFi. Sari leads a 10-person team covering marketing automation, creative, content, events, and more, and brings a unique perspective on the human side of marketing operations.She explains why the best MOps leaders focus not only on campaigns and systems but also on relationships, anticipating behavior, and applying empathy in reporting, segmentation, and strategy. The discussion explores the difference between being “data-informed” and “data-driven,” how to combine strategic thinking with emotional intelligence, and ways to engage both internal teams and external audiences without losing the human touch.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why empathy is essential in marketing operationsHow to balance data insights with human understandingPractical ways to anticipate behavior and build stronger relationshipsTips for creating campaigns and reporting that resonate without being roboticThis episode is ideal for marketing operations leaders, MOps professionals, and anyone looking to bring a more human-centered approach to data, strategy, and execution.Episode Brought to You By MO Pros The #1 Community for Marketing Operations Professionals Join us at MOps-Apalooza: https://mopsapalooza.com/Save 10% with code opscast10Support the show

Text us your thoughts on the episode or the show!In this episode of OpsCast, hosted by Michael Hartmann and powered by MarketingOps.com, we are joined by Chris Golec, Founder and CEO of Channel99, and Emily Gustin, Business Development Manager at LinkedIn. Chris and Emily share how the shift from individual-level to company-level attribution is transforming how B2B marketing teams measure ROI, particularly in social media.They discuss how LinkedIn and Channel99 are partnering to provide marketers with a privacy-safe approach to connect paid and organic social engagement to website activity and pipeline impact. The conversation explores the implications for ABM and ABX strategies, the evolving landscape of view-through attribution, and how marketing operations professionals can gain deeper insight into brand reach, buyer behavior, and overall performance across the funnel.In this episode, you’ll learn:How company-level attribution is changing B2B social measurementThe role of privacy-safe solutions in connecting social engagement to pipeline impactInsights into ABM and ABX strategies informed by better dataHow MOPs teams can leverage attribution to understand brand reach and buyer behaviorThis episode is perfect for marketing operations professionals, B2B marketers, and anyone looking to improve social ROI and attribution strategies.Episode Brought to You By MO Pros The #1 Community for Marketing Operations Professionals Join us at MOps-Apalooza: https://mopsapalooza.com/Save 10% with code opscast10Support the show

Text us your thoughts on the episode or the show!In this special 200th episode of OpsCast, hosted by Michael Hartmann and powered by MarketingOps.com, we are joined by Monica Wright, growth and demand generation leader with deep experience in both marketing operations and demand generation. Monica brings a rare dual perspective on what it takes for marketing and operations teams to work together effectively.In this episode, Monica discusses the often-overlooked challenge of mutual understanding, why marketers need to understand how Ops professionals work, and why they must understand marketing strategy to drive real business impact. She shares insights from her career leading, building, and advising teams, offering practical advice for bridging gaps, improving collaboration, and maximizing the effectiveness of your marketing organization.You will learn:Why cross-functional understanding between marketing and Ops is critical for successHow Ops and marketing teams can better communicate and align on goalsStrategies to ensure Ops adds measurable value while supporting marketing initiativesLessons from real-world experience building and scaling high-performing teamsThis episode is ideal for marketing leaders, demand generation professionals, and MOps teams seeking to enhance collaboration and achieve a more significant impact throughout the organization.Episode Brought to You By MO Pros The #1 Community for Marketing Operations Professionals Join us at MOps-Apalooza: https://mopsapalooza.com/Save 10% with code opscast10Support the show

Text us your thoughts on the episode or the show!In this episode of OpsCast, hosted by Michael Hartmann and powered by MarketingOps.com, we’re joined by Jon Russo, founder of B2B Fusion and former CMO of high-tech companies across Silicon Valley, New York City, and Luxembourg. Jon shares his insights on why Marketing Operations professionals often struggle to communicate their impact to the C-suite and how AI, cleaner data, and strategic thinking are changing the game.Jon dives into the importance of translating complex marketing data into business language, earning trust with senior leadership, and the evolving role of MOPs in driving revenue and AI-enabled pipeline initiatives. He also offers guidance on career growth, helping MOps professionals expand influence and demonstrate measurable impact.In this episode, you’ll learnWhy first-party data and clean systems are critical for AI and pipeline successHow MOPs can effectively “translate” marketing operations insights for executivesWhat builds trust between junior MOps professionals and seasoned leadershipCareer strategies for expanding influence and taking a more strategic roleThis episode is perfect for marketing operations, demand generation, and RevOps professionals seeking practical advice to increase visibility, build trust, and position themselves as strategic leaders in the organization.Episode Brought to You By MO Pros The #1 Community for Marketing Operations Professionals Join us at MOps-Apalooza: https://mopsapalooza.com/Save 10% with code opscast10Support the show

Text us your thoughts on the episode or the show!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 outcomesThe risks of overcomplicated attribution and how to simplify itThe importance of foundational marketing processes for measurable ROIStrategies for MOps teams to communicate effectively with non-technical stakeholdersThis 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 The #1 Community for Marketing Operations Professionals Join us at MOps-Apalooza: https://mopsapalooza.com/Save 10% with code opscast10Support the show

Text us your thoughts on the episode or the show!In this episode of OpsCast, hosted by Michael Hartmann and powered by MarketingOps.com, we’re joined by Pradeep Manivannan, Martech Consultant at Academy Sports & Outdoors. Pradeep brings extensive experience from roles at eBay, Salesforce, and Nordstrom, offering a unique perspective on connecting data, building journey-based experiences, and aligning marketing operations across channels.Pradeep explains how to map customer journeys effectively, leverage segmentation, and implement omnichannel strategies that work in both B2C and B2B environments. He shares lessons learned from consumer-focused marketing and how B2B teams can apply them to drive better engagement and measurable results.In this episode, you’ll learnHow to design seamless customer journeys from scratchThe role of data integration across channels in marketing successSegmentation strategies that improve targeting and personalizationWhat B2B teams can learn from consumer-focused marketing approachesThis episode is perfect for marketing, RevOps, and growth professionals looking to improve customer experience and operational efficiency. Tune in to hear Pradeep’s actionable insights on building journey-based marketing strategies.Episode Brought to You By MO Pros The #1 Community for Marketing Operations Professionals Join us at MOps-Apalooza: https://mopsapalooza.com/Save 10% with code opscast10Support the show

Text us your thoughts on the episode or the show!In this episode of Opscast, Michael Hartmann and Naomi Liu are joined by Karen Kranack, Director of Applied AI Strategy and Experience, to explore the intersection of AI, brand strategy, and trust. Karen shares her insights on how AI is transforming marketing and operations, while emphasizing the importance of building and maintaining trust in this rapidly evolving field.We dive into key considerations for marketing professionals as they navigate the challenges of implementing AI, from transparency in AI usage to addressing data privacy concerns and ensuring ethical AI practices. Tune in to hear real-world examples, including how AI-generated content impacts brand perception and how organizations can foster a culture of trust internally while driving AI adoption.Key Takeaways:The importance of transparency and honesty when integrating AIHow AI is reshaping consumer experiences and internal workflowsThe role of ethical considerations and privacy concerns in AI adoptionReal-world examples of successful AI use cases in marketingJoin us for a discussion on how to leverage AI to enhance brand strategy while maintaining trust with your customers and employees.Episode Brought to You By MO Pros The #1 Community for Marketing Operations Professionals Join us at MOps-Apalooza: https://mopsapalooza.com/Save 10% with code opscast10Support the show

Text us your thoughts on the episode or the show!In this episode of OpsCast, hosted by Michael Hartmann and powered by MarketingOps.com, we are joined by Evan Kubicek, founder of Grow Rogue. Evan brings 15 years of experience in marketing operations and shares insights on what he calls the foundational operations gap, a critical area that many early-stage companies overlook as they scale.Evan explains why addressing foundational processes and systems early on is essential to avoid building a house of cards. He discusses how tech debt, process inefficiencies, and the lack of clear documentation can derail growth and why speed should never come at the cost of solid infrastructure.In this episode, you will learnWhat the foundational operations gap really means and why it is often neglectedHow to avoid creating "automated chaos" and scale marketing operations effectivelyThe importance of establishing foundational processes, like segmentation and tech integrationsWhy getting the basics right is critical before layering on complex tech solutionsThis episode is perfect for professionals in marketing, RevOps, and growth teams looking to build a sustainable ops foundation. Tune in to hear Evan’s advice on how to build strong marketing infrastructure before things break.Episode Brought to You By MO Pros The #1 Community for Marketing Operations Professionals Join us at MOps-Apalooza: https://mopsapalooza.com/Save 10% with code opscast10Support the show

Text us your thoughts on the episode or the show!In this episode of Ops Cast by MarketingOps.com, powered by The MO Pros, Michael Hartmann speaks with Ahmed Datoo, CEO and co-founder of Allgood and a self-described recovering CMO.Ahmed reflects on his time leading marketing teams and shares a candid perspective on why CMOs struggle with attribution, budget allocation for MarketingOps, and the ongoing pressure to justify impact across creative, analytical, and strategic dimensions. The conversation also covers the shift from rules-based to reasoning-based systems and the role of AI in modern marketing teams.In this episode, you’ll learn • Why attribution often creates more conflict than clarity • What makes MarketingOps hard to fund and even harder to scale • How AI and digital employees like “Mary” can ease team burnout • The real reason CMOs burn out and what can be done differentlyThis is a must-listen for marketing and revenue professionals who want to understand how marketing leadership views operations, resourcing, and emerging technologies like AI.Episode Brought to You By MO Pros The #1 Community for Marketing Operations Professionals Join us at MOps-Apalooza: https://mopsapalooza.com/Save 10% with code opscast10Support the show