The CMO role is in the middle of an identity crisis — and a rebirth. AI-first founders are prioritizing distribution, growth, and taste over playbooks of the past. Experience still matters, but today, aptitude, storytelling, and the ability to resonate with first-time founders matter more.
Anthony Kennada sits down with Cameron O’Brien and Amber Weinberg, co-founders of Aperture Partners (a boutique GTM executive search firm behind placements at Elastic, Fivetran, Anthropic, Fal.ai, Synthesia, Retool, and more), to unpack how the marketing leadership search is being rewritten in real time.
They explore how the expectations of CEOs have shifted, why “marketing needs a rebrand,” and what both candidates and companies must do to win in this new era of work.
Topics we cover:
– Why aptitude is outpacing experience in CMO hiring
– How to communicate marketing’s value to first-time founders
– The rebrand marketing desperately needs
– What top candidates are really looking for right now
– How human-first leadership can be a strategic advantage
– Practical advice for CMOs navigating career transitions in the Intelligence Age
If you’re a CMO, founder, or GTM leader navigating the AI era, this conversation will help you see — and seize — the opportunity in the shift.
What is The Brand Humanity Show?
Artificial Intelligence is rewriting every rule in business — and the old marketing playbook no longer works.
The Brand Humanity Show explores how B2B founders, CMOs, and operators can build brands that stay human in an age defined by machines — and how the humans behind those brands can stay grounded, creative, and whole while the world accelerates around them.
Hosted by Anthony Kennada and Scott Salkin, co-founders of Goldenhour, each episode features honest conversations with influential voices across business, technology, and culture — decoding what’s changing, what still matters, and how authenticity, emotion, and purpose become real competitive advantages.
Because in the age of AI, the most human brands — and leaders — will win.