Bringing me in? How to set me up for success

Agree on what success looks like and the target measures.

Be clear about authority and decision rights. My least successful assignments are ones where I’m expected to recommend changes but not actually implement them. If you want me to transform your marketing, give me the authority to do it. Be clear from the start if you're only after a diagnosis and recommendations.

Clearly communicate my mandate. My most successful assignments are the ones where the business knows why I am there and what I will be doing.

Act quickly. Some companies initially want to onboard me the same way they'd bring in a permanent hire. This wastes the first few weeks where I can ask difficult questions and challenge established thinking.

Provide access to everything immediately. Financial data showing marketing spend and revenue by channel. Agency contracts. Previous marketing plans and board papers. I need to diagnose problems quickly, and every day spent waiting for information is a day wasted. Access to systems and data should be sorted before my first day.

Front-load stakeholder access. I need concentrated time with the CEO, CFO, board members (or PE partners if relevant) and peers. Not courtesy introductions but proper working sessions to understand what they need from marketing that they haven’t been getting. I need to grasp the strategic priorities and where marketing currently falls short. Schedule these meetings before I start.

Block time with the team in the first week. Give me unfiltered access to the marketing team and agencies without their current line manager present (if they’re still in the business). I’m often brought in because existing leadership hasn’t delivered, which can create an awkward dynamic. The team needs permission to be honest about what's not working without feeling disloyal.

Accept that the first month might be uncomfortable. I often need to ask hard questions and challenge established relationships with agencies or team members who aren't performing. That's exactly what you're paying me for. Companies that try to soften this waste the value of bringing me in.

If this hasn’t put you off then contact me to find out more.