The Path from PR Pro to CMO with Ronnie Manning

FiredUp! - The Startup Marketing Podcast

It’s no surprise to PR professionals out there that starting in PR can open doors in marketing and communications across a multitude of industries. So while the path from PR professional to CMO is one that few people travel, today’s guest Ronnie Manning shares the journey that brought him into his role, highlighting the ways that a PR background plays into a CMO's success. This week, episode 28 of the FiredUp! podcast is about the path from PR pro to CMO!
Download the Multiplier Marketing Megapack today. Exclusive offer for all our listeners — get all our Startup Guides in one go! Over 50 pages of advanced tips and advice that dive deep into content marketing, search advertising, and marketing attribution.

In this episode of the FiredUp! podcast, Ronnie Manning shares the skills and mindset required to succeed in a CMO role and actionable steps you can take right now to leverage your experiences as you transition into new roles.

Ronnie Manning is the CMO at Yubico, a company that offers the gold standard for phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (MFA). Before this role, Ronnie started as a PR professional, opening an agency of his own. He has 20 years of both Agency and Corporate Public Relations experience focused on media and analyst relations, social media strategy, technical writing and editing, product reviews, and strategic communications planning.

Ronnie, Morgan, and Ian discuss:

• Transitioning from agency to in-house allows for a deeper understanding of a single company and product.
• A background in PR brings strong communication skills and the ability to build relationships, which are valuable in a CMO role.
• Maintaining a consistent and honest approach to marketing can contribute to long-term success.
• Education plays a crucial role in the cybersecurity industry and marketing efforts should be focusing on that.
• Building a strong team dynamic and fostering collaboration are essential for success in marketing and PR.

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all the episodes for practical tips on crushing your startup marketing goals. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, and tell us your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH RONNIE MANNING:

Yubico

LinkedIn

CONNECT WITH FIREBRAND:

Firebrand is a startup marketing agency. We help tech startups secure outsized marketing outcomes on their path to growth.

Facebook

LinkedIn

X (Formerly Twitter)

Work with Firebrand

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Send us a Text Message.

Capitoli

1. The Path from PR Pro to CMO with Ronnie Manning (00:00:00)

2. Ronnie’s path from starting out in PR and the exciting projects he was able to be part of in his early days. (00:02:49)

3. The benefits of moving from agency to in-house PR. (00:06:27)

4. Ronnie’s background in PR and media relations helped them understand the broader marketing focus and increase opportunities for awareness and demand gen. (00:12:21)

5. Listening, learning, and utilizing data to inform marketing strategies. (00:17:00)

6. Marketing strategies for a public cybersecurity company (00:24:03)

7. Teamwork in PR and marketing, with a focus on sharing ideas and information to achieve success. (00:29:45)

8. Fired Up Five Segment (00:35:15)