CMO Q&A: Describe Your Role as CMO

In each issue of Franchise Update magazine, we profile franchise CMOs and marketing leaders, asking each the same set of questions. Throughout the year, we’ll be selecting one of those questions and providing answers from recent CMO profiles. If you like what they say and are curious to learn more about these franchise marketing leaders and their thoughts on other topics, we’ve provided links to their full profile.

This week we feature marketing leaders from two very different sectors.

Lisa Zoellner, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Neighborly
As CSMO, my role is to oversee marketing and strategic initiatives driving growth across Neighborly’s expanding roster of brands. Neighborly is the world’s largest holding company of 22 home service brands across 9 countries. Our focus is building brand equity across all those brands while helping our nearly 3,700 franchisees build their businesses locally. Additionally, my charge since joining the company in 2016 has been to develop our overarching “umbrella” brand, Neighborly. The platform we’ve created brings all our individual brands together at GetNeighborly.com, where consumers can connect with home service professionals for everything from maid service to painting to plumbing. Read the full profile.

Michael Barrette, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer, Dippin’ Dots & Doc Popcorn
Like many CMOs, my role is varied. I have the overall responsibility for marketing and franchising for Dippin’ Dots and Doc Popcorn, and domestic sales for the non-franchising part of our business, which includes theme parks, water parks, zoos, and professional sports stadiums — all the fun places you’re accustomed to finding Dippin’ Dots. Because I have three separate teams in my area, my job is to mold the entire group as a high-performing team. That means I must drive clarity of our strategic goal to advance our brand success collectively and remain zeroed in on sustaining long-term profitable growth. Read the full profile.