Topic: How the CMO and the CFO can be BFFs

Speakers: Mark Sue, CFO, Breathe Media Network., and FENG IT SIG Co-Chair and Reed Berglund CEO of Breathe Media Network

Presentation:

"What’s my budget?” asks the CMO.  “You spend way too much money,” replies the CFO.  In the intricate dance of business leadership, the roles of the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) often appear to be in opposition. The CMO is driven to push growth, customer engagement, and innovative marketing strategies, while the CFO is laser-focused on ensuring financial stability, managing costs, and protecting the bottom line. These differing priorities can lead to frustration, misunderstandings, and missed opportunities.

Join Reed Berglund CEO and prior CMO and Mark Sue, CFO for a candid infographic presentation on how to bridge the gap between the marketing and finance worlds. Learn how to transform the dynamic from friction to collaboration. The "Chief Marketing Officer’s Guide" will be featured as an invaluable tool to foster communication, build trust, and align the goals of both leaders, ensuring that innovation and fiscal responsibility work hand in hand.
 

This presentation will offer:
- Strategies to enhance communication between CMOs and CFOs.
- Practical steps to align marketing innovation with financial objectives.
- Insights into using shared KPIs to measure success and build trust.
- Real-world examples from marketing and finance collaboration that drive growth and stability.

Don’t miss this chance to learn how to unite the CMO and CFO roles for the success of your organization. Together, we’ll show you how to move beyond the budget battle and create lasting business synergy.

Speakers’ bio:
Mark Sue is a trusted finance partner and operational team member who helps turn a start-ups vision into an operations plan and drives results.  Mark has an engineering and finance background, foundational skills from top Wall Street Investment Banks, and significant experience in driving growth for venture-backed start-ups.  

Mark has spent his career guiding companies to achieve their strategic goals through effective financial planning and a focus on performance metrics.  He has successfully supported Series A, B, and C software companies with investor positioning, budget planning, and closing equity and debt financing.

Mark is known for his ability to create informative KPIs and guides for the management team to track progress on a regular cadence, to measure attainment vs. targets.  Mark also incorporates benchmark data in his internal presentations and charts the course for  companies to premium equity valuations relative to their peer group. 

Mark collaborates with sales and teams across the organization to drive results.  Mark has supported GTM initiatives and marketing efforts and ties it all into financial modeling and customer acquisition strategies to help start-ups drive growth efficiently.  In addition to the accounting system setup, financial reporting, and board packet preparation, Mark also enjoys building teams closely to develop team members in accounting and finance.
 

Reed Berglund is a seasoned entrepreneur and marketing expert with a deep passion for aligning wellness brands with the right market experience. His journey into the world of wellness and marketing began during his time at UNLV, where he developed a fascination with sports and holistic health, leading to a lifelong pursuit of balancing physical vitality and overall well-being.

As the founder of Breathe Media, Reed works closely with top professionals in health and wellness to analyze trends, generate insights, and foster a more enriching, healthier lifestyle for all. His leadership experience extends across various successful ventures, including his roles as CEO of iSNAP and Fullbottle, an influencer marketing platform, where he played a pivotal role in scaling operations and guiding teams toward sustainable growth.

Reed is known for his impactful contributions to marketing, particularly in leveraging key performance indicators (KPIs) like customer acquisition cost (CAC), customer lifetime value (CLTV), and return on ad spend (ROAS) to drive measurable results. His ability to simplify complex metrics has empowered marketing teams to make informed, data-driven decisions.

Prior to founding Breathe Media, Reed served as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for a high-growth company focused on digital sales, where he successfully steered the business to a profitable exit, further demonstrating his talent for driving growth and long-term success.