CMOs are under heavier scrutiny than ever. Inflation is resurging, tariffs are disrupting supply chains, and boards are modeling for 10–50% pipeline declines. While your strategy may evolve gradually, your ability to execute must move faster.
That’s the mandate for today’s CMO: deliver cost-efficient impact at scale. That means defending brand investments with business outcomes, rethinking spend through a CFO lens, and building an operating model that’s built for disruption.
We sat down with four seasoned revenue leaders to unpack what CMOs should do to navigate budget discussions, prove marketing value, and strengthen partnerships with finance when faced with uncertainty.
Key takeaways:
Insights from the front lines of budget pressure
CMOs are under siege. From tariff-driven uncertainty to surprise budget cuts, marketing leaders are constantly being asked to do more with less. But what separates the reactive from the resilient?
In this high-impact conversation, learn how data-driven CMOs are partnering with their CFOs to defend growth strategies, not just line items. You’ll hear practical insights from seasoned revenue leaders who’ve navigated similar challenges.
Real decisions, real impact
From CMO playbooks to CFO expectations, these leaders have navigated the same pressures you're facing now. Here's how they’re reframing budget conversations, defending critical investments, and building operating models that stay flexible when it matters most.
The recession risk is real, and marketing is already in finance’s crosshairs.
- 35% of CFOs are pausing campaigns
- 29% are reopening contracts
- 18% have frozen hiring
In this data-driven POV from 2X CFO Brandon Sullivan, you’ll get the hard truths and the smarter path forward. Learn how to protect pipeline, reframe spend as investment, and turn your org into a recession-resilient growth engine.
Because once the budget axe falls, it’s too late to negotiate.
Put your budget to work
Too much marketing spend is tied up in tools no one uses, vendor agreements no one’s reviewed, and internal processes that delay execution instead of driving outcomes.
That’s what this resource is for. You’ll get a practical, CFO-resonant framework to:
- Surface waste across software, services, and workflows
- Redirect underperforming spend to revenue-driving programs
- Make the case for cost reallocation with finance and procurement
- Identify where AI and outsourcing can compress costs without sacrificing capability
No jargon. No “thought leadership.” Just a clear, proven approach that helps CMOs take control of their budget and scale smarter.
Go deeper with a 1:1 Growth Play Workshop
Tariffs, inflation, and economic uncertainty are reshaping how decisions get made. Marketing must now reach entire buying committees, not just individuals. But most GTM motions still rely on disconnected tactics, siloed teams, and irrelevant MQLs.
In your personalized 1-on-1 Growth Play Workshop, industry experts from 2X work directly with your team to:
- Define a high-impact, CFO-aligned growth play focused on your most strategic accounts
- Build an executable roadmap that translates strategy into coordinated action
- Establish clear accountability across teams, with measurable KPIs and defined ownership
Walk away with a tested approach designed to generate real, repeatable pipeline growth.
Your org structure is costing you growth. Here's how to fix it.
Marketing teams are doing more than ever, but somehow delivering less. If that sounds familiar, the problem may not be your team. It’s your structure.
Jennifer Ross and John Common (CEO, Intelligent Demand) break down:
- Why most orgs are structured for a world that no longer exists
- How to unlock agility without burning out your team
- What “modern execution” really looks like when budgets are flat
Watch the podcast and get the actionable frameworks CMOs are using to restructure for impact.