From SaaS Marketing Manager to VP or C-Level: Here's The Gap You Need to Bridge with Carter Severns

“It comes down to understanding all the metrics used in your business, not in the SaaS industry as a whole. You do need to understand what’s important and relevant to your business. And most importantly, think like a business owner.”Welcome to another episode of the SaaS Leader Interview Series! This time, we chat with Carter Severns, VP of Marketing at Place, about how to get a seat at the table and what you need to know to go from Marketing Manager to VP of Marketing.Carter shares insights on thinking like a business owner and gaining financial clarity as a marketer. Carter emphasizes the importance of understanding unit economics, key metrics, and financial terminology to contribute strategically. He encourages marketers to ask the right questions about burn rate, cash runway, average sales cycle, CAC to LTV, and renewal rates to gain transparency into the business. By aligning marketing efforts with revenue goals, marketers can have a seat at the table and drive business growth.Throughout the conversation, Carter highlights the value of continuous learning and acquiring diverse skills, especially in a startup environment. He recommends building relationships with senior leaders who can provide exposure to broader business discussions. Carter also suggests resources such as Ray Rike's insights on RevOps, Brandon's CEO at Place, and "The Little Black Book of SaaS" for enhancing financial understanding. Tune in as we explore the importance of financial clarity for marketers and their impact on business success!In this episode, we talk about:Financial educationMarketing promotionBusiness education Timestamps:[00:01] Introduction[01:14] Carter's background and diverse marketing experience[03:14] Benefits of working in a startup environment[04:27] Thinking like a business owner[06:47] Getting involved in broader business conversations as a marketing manager[09:27] Gaining financial clarity and asking the right questions[13:01] Tying marketing efforts to revenue goals for a seat at the table[15:06] The level of financial literacy required for marketers[17:00] Dealing with a leadership team lacking financial maturity[18:59] Expanding beyondAbout Carter SevernsCarter is a husband, dad, and marketer based out of Dallas, TX. For the past decade, he has been running growth and marketing for B2B, SaaS, and growth-stage companies. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for executing go-to-market strategy, starting marketing from scratch, and being a revenue-focused leader for high-growth companies.Connect with Carter Severns on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carter-severns/ Check out Place’s Little Black Book of SaaS.Join the Flying CatsStill feeling your stomach drop whenever you have to report organic growth to leadership? Things are about to change.Website: https://www.flyingcatmarketing.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flying-cat-marketing