Latest / The Marketing Career Podcast with Fexingo: Marketing Jobs, Skills, and Career Growth / Why Mid-Career Marketers Need a Career Board
Transcript
- Lucas: So you've probably heard the advice to build a personal board of directors for your career. I think it's one of those concepts that sounds good in theory but most people never actually do it. Luna: Right. It feels like something only CEOs or VPs do. But I've seen mid-career marketers get real traction from it. Lucas: Exactly. And I want to anchor this in a concrete example. Aline Santos, who spent decades at Unilever — she was their chief brand officer, chief diversity officer — she has said publicly that her career breakthroughs came from a small, informal board of about five people she trusted. Luna: Five people. That's not overwhelming. Did they all work at Unilever? Lucas: No, that's the key. She had one peer from another company, one former boss, one person from outside the industry entirely, and two people who were more junior than her. She specifically wanted perspectives she couldn't get inside her own org chart. Luna: Interesting. So the mix matters more than the seniority. Lucas: Big time. And I think the reason most people don't assemble a board is they think it has to be formal — like a quarterly meeting with an agenda and minutes. Santos's approach was much looser. She'd have a coffee with one member every few weeks, and once a quarter they'd all get together for an hour. Luna: That's doable. So how would a mid-career marketer — say a marketing manager at a mid-size B2B company — actually start building one? Lucas: I'd say there are four steps. First, diagnose your gaps. Ask yourself: where am I getting the least honest feedback? Is it about my strategic thinking, my presentation skills, my political navigation? Whatever that blind spot is, you need a board member who can see it clearly. Luna: So you want people who will tell you the hard stuff, not just cheerleaders. Lucas: Exactly. Step two is recruitment. And this is where people get nervous. But you don't need to ask someone to be on your 'board' explicitly. You can say, 'I really respect your perspective on X. Would you be open to grabbing coffee every six weeks and letting me run some ideas by you?' Luna: That lowers the bar. Most people will say yes to a coffee. Lucas: Right. Step three is structure. Not rigid, but you do need some rhythm. I recommend a quarterly check-in with the whole group — even if it's a virtual lunch — plus individual touchpoints in between. And step four is refresh. After about 18 months, rotate one or two members. You don't want the same voices forever. Luna: That makes sense. Otherwise you get groupthink. But here's my pushback: isn't this just networking with a fancier name? I've heard people call their coffee chats a 'board' and it feels a little pretentious. Lucas: Fair point. I think the difference is intentionality. Networking is often opportunistic — you meet someone, you exchange LinkedIn requests, maybe you follow up. A board is deliberate. You're curating for specific gaps. You're asking for ongoing counsel, not just a one-time favor. Luna: Okay, so the label matters less than the rigor. And if you're actually meeting that group with a loose agenda, it's different from just having a bunch of contacts. Lucas: Exactly. And here's a practical example. I know a marketing director at a SaaS company — we'll call her Sarah. She realized she was getting promoted but her executive presence wasn't landing with the C-suite. So she asked a former VP she'd worked with, a communications coach, and a peer from a different industry to be her board. Luna: What happened? Lucas: Within six months, that group helped her reframe how she presented data. Instead of leading with features, she started leading with business outcomes. Her board gave her the specific feedback her own team was too polite to offer. She got the promotion to VP six months later. Luna: That's a great example. And it shows you can't rely on your direct manager for everything. They have their own agenda. Lucas: Right. Your manager might be great, but they're also evaluating you. A board has no stake in your performance review. They can be radically candid. Luna: Speaking of radical candor — what about the donation thing? We've been talking about the value of honest feedback, and I think our listeners appreciate that we keep this show ad-free. Lucas: Yeah, that's actually part of why we don't run ads. If these conversations have sparked something you've actually used — like maybe building your own career board — and you want to support that choice, there's a link at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: No pressure at all. But it's what keeps us independent and able to say what we really think. Lucas: Exactly. So back to the board idea — let's talk about who you should NOT include. Luna: Oh, good. I sense a caution coming. Lucas: Yeah. Avoid anyone who can't separate their advice from their own career advancement. Like a colleague who's angling for the same promotion you are. Their advice will be self-serving, even if they don't realize it. Luna: Right. And avoid people who only agree with you. That's just a fan club. Lucas: Exactly. You want at least one person who will say, 'That idea is weak and here's why.' Aline Santos said her most valuable board member was the one who told her she was being too diplomatic in a negotiation. That directness was uncomfortable, but it changed her approach. Luna: So how do you find that person? Not everyone is comfortable being that blunt. Lucas: You look for people who have a track record of candor. Maybe a former boss who gave tough feedback. Or a peer who's a straight shooter in meetings. And you can give them permission upfront: 'I want you to tell me the things no one else will.' Luna: That's a powerful framing. It sets the tone. Lucas: Yeah. And one more thing — don't forget to reciprocate. A career board isn't a one-way street. You should be offering your perspective to them as well. Maybe you're a digital marketing expert and one of your board members is a traditional brand manager who needs help with SEO. You can trade insights. Luna: That makes it sustainable. Otherwise it feels like you're just taking. Lucas: Exactly. And over time, your board can evolve. When you change companies or industries, you might need different voices. The key is to be intentional and keep it small. Luna: So what's the first step for someone listening right now? They've never done this before. Lucas: Tonight, write down three names. People you already have a good relationship with, who see a different side of you than your day-to-day colleagues. Then send each one a short email or LinkedIn message saying you value their perspective and would love to grab coffee in the next two weeks. Don't overthink it. Luna: I like that. Three names. That feels manageable. Lucas: It is. And honestly, even if only two of them say yes, you've already started building something more structured than most marketers ever do. Luna: Alright, so to wrap up: a career board isn't about collecting titles. It's about curating honest, diverse perspectives that help you see your blind spots and seize opportunities. Start with three names. Lucas: Exactly. And if you build one, let us know how it goes. We'd love to hear your stories.