Introduction to the Rise of Solo Marketers

During my days as a consultant at Deloitte, I collaborated on a study about an unexpected trend. Between 2008 and 2010 — in just two years — the average tenure for a CMO jumped from 28 months to 42 months. This was surprising, given the conventional wisdom that the life of a CMO was “nasty, brutish, and short.” Corporate marketing was seen as more art than science and did not directly contribute to revenue in any measurable way. However, we found a reasonable explanation for this sudden change of heart. Around that time, many more CMOs — many of them women — were coming out of business school more fluent in the language of the CEO and CFO. The new CMO appeared to be more business-minded than her predecessors. In time, she was able to earn a better seat at the table.

The Evolution of the CMO Role

In our published report, “From Mad Man to Superwoman,” we told the story of this transformation by tracking the evolution of the CMO, from the golden age of creatives to the time when CMOs were expected to know it all. Fast forward to the present, and many are expected to do it all. This evolution has led to the rise of a new phenomenon: the solo marketer.

Enter The Solo Marketer

In recent months, I have witnessed the rise of the solo marketer, that is, the one-person marketing shop, many at startup or “early growth stage" companies. Having been in the industry for a couple of decades, I can say that this is not entirely new. What is new is how the concept has been so heavily embraced, to the point where it is now being named, defined, and defended. It goes by several names, depending on who you speak with: the one-person marketing team, the T-shaped marketer (older), the full-stack marketer (newer). The latter is my favorite because it so obviously reveals the bias that employers today have toward technology.

The Technology Bias

The term “full stack” originated in the world of software, to position the engineer who can do it all. It’s odd to think of marketers as full stack, as if they were mere composites of software. But the technology bias seems to make business sense. When times are tough, and technology provides a way to reduce the costs of human labor, technology generally wins. For several years, marketing budgets have been shrinking, partly in response to economic uncertainty and social disruption. A recent Gartner report revealed that marketing budgets declined about 15% in the post-pandemic years of 2023 and 2024. It also found that only 24% of CMOs said they had "sufficient budget to execute their 2024 strategy.”

Costs Versus Benefits

But solo marketing is not just about reducing costs. It’s about giving the marketer more power and a sense of agency. Prepping for this article, I chatted online with more than a dozen solo marketers in different industries and different countries. Most regularly use AI, to varying degrees of sophistication, and love the clout they’ve earned by becoming the sole resource of all things marketing. They enjoy the direct line to the company’s leaders, the unique vantage point of understanding the brand on a deep level, and the ability to craft a narrative that reinforces what the company wants to be.

The Pros and Cons of Solo Marketing

That said, many solo marketers complained about the long hours and burnout, though one confessed to the neurochemical rewards that fuel busy marketers. The pros of solo marketing include agility, ownership, and constant dopamine hits when everything aligns. However, the cons include burnout, being the strategist, tactician, and executor, with no one to catch what you drop. Every delay, misfire, or gap ultimately rolls up to you. A more serious challenge is an occupational hazard: lonesomeness. If solo marketers fail to bond with others inside and outside the business, it could adversely affect both the marketer and the business.

Challenges for Solo Marketers

Beyond the emotional impact on the marketer, there’s an invisible cost in creative isolation. Without peers to challenge your ideas, it’s easy to get stuck in your own echo chamber. It reminded me of the echo chambers that AI is creating for people who rely on it too much. In the meantime, there may be even a more serious challenge for solo marketers: the nature of their jobs forces them to prioritize short-term results over long-term strategy. CEOs are obsessed with immediate clicks but forget that if your brand doesn’t mean anything, you won’t scale anything.

The Role of CEOs and Employers

CEOs will need to understand that solo marketers cannot advise them on things like positioning and brand strategy without proper support and resources. They need to know what to look for in a solo marketer and recruit thoughtfully. The reality is that it’s hard, if not impossible, to find someone who possesses all marketing skills. Employers will need to put in an intense amount of effort upfront, both vetting solo marketers in the hiring process and supporting and onboarding them to prepare them for success.

Back to the Table

The scarcity of true full-stack marketers — those who come with a strong human layer — puts pressure on employers. A former colleague of mine recently landed a solo CMO job at a well-funded martech/adtech firm. Originally, the hiring team was looking for someone less seasoned. An advisor intervened and recommended they take a closer look at senior talent — and pay a bit more money for it — and hire my friend. That, of course, put some pressure on her, but she found an opportunity to prove herself on the first day of the job.

Conclusion

Weighing the rewards and risks, what should marketers and their employers be thinking about? First, the expanding role of AI in the marketing workplace is inevitable. There’s no sense fighting it, and it’s an opinion shared by creatives and technologists alike. Second, not all solo marketers are created equal. So-called “soft skills” will continue to differentiate the best and the brightest, and employers will need to compete for them, as they always have. Finally, marketing today is in a position where it may need to reposition itself. Behind the corporate drive to do more with less with more technology is the relentless, historical mandate to make money and cut costs.

FAQs

• Q: What is a solo marketer?
  A: A solo marketer is a one-person marketing team, often found in startup or early growth stage companies.
• Q: What are the benefits of solo marketing?
  A: The benefits include agility, ownership, and constant dopamine hits when everything aligns.
• Q: What are the challenges of solo marketing?
  A: The challenges include burnout, being the strategist, tactician, and executor, with no one to catch what you drop, and creative isolation.
• Q: How can CEOs support solo marketers?
  A: CEOs can support solo marketers by providing them with the necessary resources and support, and understanding that they cannot advise on things like positioning and brand strategy without proper support.
• Q: What is the role of AI in solo marketing?
  A: AI plays a significant role in solo marketing, as it can help with tasks such as data analysis and content creation, but it also creates echo chambers and can lead to creative isolation.

What are Tech-Savvy Social Enterprises?

Tech-savvy social enterprises are organizations that utilize technology to drive social impact and create positive change. These enterprises leverage technology to develop innovative solutions to complex social problems, such as poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation. By using technology, social enterprises are able to reach more people, increase efficiency, and create sustainable solutions.

Key Characteristics of Tech-Savvy Social Enterprises

Tech-savvy social enterprises have several key characteristics that set them apart from traditional social enterprises. These characteristics include a strong focus on technology, a commitment to innovation, and a willingness to take risks. Additionally, tech-savvy social enterprises are often driven by a desire to create systemic change and address the root causes of social problems.

The Impact of Tech-Savvy Social Enterprises

The impact of tech-savvy social enterprises is significant, and can be seen in a variety of areas. For example, tech-savvy social enterprises are creating innovative solutions to address issues such as access to healthcare, education, and financial inclusion. By leveraging technology, these enterprises are able to reach more people, increase efficiency, and create sustainable solutions.

Examples of Tech-Savvy Social Enterprises

There are many examples of tech-savvy social enterprises that are creating positive impact. For instance, organizations such as Coursera and edX are using online learning platforms to increase access to education. Similarly, companies such as M-Pesa and Paytm are using mobile payments to increase financial inclusion. These enterprises are just a few examples of the many organizations that are using technology to drive social change.

Benefits of Tech-Savvy Social Enterprises

The benefits of tech-savvy social enterprises are numerous. For example, these enterprises are able to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and create sustainable solutions. Additionally, tech-savvy social enterprises are able to reach more people and create a greater impact than traditional social enterprises.

Increased Efficiency

One of the key benefits of tech-savvy social enterprises is increased efficiency. By leveraging technology, these enterprises are able to automate processes, streamline operations, and reduce waste. This increased efficiency enables tech-savvy social enterprises to focus on high-impact activities and create a greater impact.

Reduced Costs

Another benefit of tech-savvy social enterprises is reduced costs. By leveraging technology, these enterprises are able to reduce operational costs, minimize waste, and optimize resources. This reduction in costs enables tech-savvy social enterprises to allocate more resources to high-impact activities and create a greater impact.

Challenges Facing Tech-Savvy Social Enterprises

Despite the many benefits of tech-savvy social enterprises, there are also several challenges that these organizations face. For example, tech-savvy social enterprises often struggle to access funding, talent, and technology. Additionally, these enterprises must navigate complex regulatory environments and address issues related to data privacy and security.

Access to Funding

One of the key challenges facing tech-savvy social enterprises is access to funding. These enterprises often struggle to secure funding from traditional sources, such as grants and donations. As a result, tech-savvy social enterprises must be creative in their fundraising efforts and explore alternative sources of funding, such as impact investing and social entrepreneurship competitions.

Access to Talent

Another challenge facing tech-savvy social enterprises is access to talent. These enterprises often struggle to attract and retain top talent, particularly in areas such as software development and data science. As a result, tech-savvy social enterprises must be strategic in their recruitment efforts and offer competitive salaries and benefits to attract top talent.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the rise of tech-savvy social enterprises is revolutionizing the way we approach social entrepreneurship. By leveraging technology to drive positive impact, these innovative organizations are creating a new era of social change. While there are challenges facing tech-savvy social enterprises, the benefits of these organizations are clear. As the social entrepreneurship sector continues to evolve, it is likely that tech-savvy social enterprises will play an increasingly important role in creating positive impact and driving social change.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a tech-savvy social enterprise?

A tech-savvy social enterprise is an organization that utilizes technology to drive social impact and create positive change.

What are the benefits of tech-savvy social enterprises?

The benefits of tech-savvy social enterprises include increased efficiency, reduced costs, and the ability to create sustainable solutions.

What are some examples of tech-savvy social enterprises?

Examples of tech-savvy social enterprises include organizations such as Coursera, edX, M-Pesa, and Paytm.

What challenges do tech-savvy social enterprises face?

Tech-savvy social enterprises face challenges such as access to funding, talent, and technology, as well as complex regulatory environments and issues related to data privacy and security.

How can I get involved with tech-savvy social enterprises?

You can get involved with tech-savvy social enterprises by donating, volunteering, or working with these organizations. Additionally, you can support tech-savvy social enterprises by spreading the word about their work and advocating for their cause.

Introduction to AI Agents

The latest buzz of excitement in the world of business and consumer technology is all around AI agents. These can be thought of as the next leap forward in the field of generative AI, which gave us ChatGPT and other large-language-model chatbots. Rather than simply answering questions or generating information, they can take action on our behalf, interfacing with other tools and services to complete complex tasks.

Understanding AI Agents

The technology hasn’t quite reached the watershed moment where it has broken through into the mainstream yet, as happened with LLM chatbots a couple of years back when ChatGPT was released. But make no mistake, it’s on its way, and its impact is going to be huge, as we increasingly turn to AI assistants to help us out in all aspects of life.

Common Myths About AI Agents

There’s still a lot of confusion around the subject, though. So let’s clear up five myths around the topic of agentic AI.

Myth 1: Agents Are Basically Just Better Chatbots

Agents have one fundamental quality that sets them apart from and above chatbots; they don’t just talk the talk, they walk the walk. This means they can take action, specifically computer-based actions like interacting with websites, digital services and software. When you think about how many of life’s tasks we handle in that way, that’s potentially quite a lot of work they can take off our hands.

Myth 2: Agents Can Only Carry Out A Limited Number Of Tasks

It’s true that in these early days, the first agentic consumer-facing tools, like OpenAI Operator, were a little limited. In theory, though, AI agents will eventually be capable of taking care of just about any task we usually use a smartphone for. This could include managing our schedules, shopping for groceries, making travel arrangements, arranging appointments for services like healthcare or car maintenance, booking taxis, managing our bank accounts, and countless other things.

Myth 3: AI Agents Can’t Be Fooled Or Manipulated

You might think that it would be difficult to pull a fast one on super-smart agentic AI, but this isn’t necessarily proving to be the case. At least one study has found that agents using computer vision to search the web for deals can be tricked into clicking specific links or pop-up ads by making it appear they have the info the AI is looking for.

Myth 4: Agentic AI Is The Same As AGI

With all the terminology around AI, it’s often easy to get confused. Agentic AI and artificial general intelligence (AGI) are two topics that are often muddled together, but actually refer to different, if related, concepts. AGI refers to machine intelligence that’s able to “generalize” its knowledge and capabilities, in order to solve any problem, rather than just the type of problems it has been trained to solve (much like humans can).

Myth 5: AI Agents Can Work Without Human Input Or Supervision

Agentic AI is often described as autonomous because, in theory, it’s capable of working without human input or supervision. In practice, though, this isn’t a good idea. Remember, AI agents are tools. They can take action on our behalf, but we’re always responsible for the results.

Conclusion

By understanding that AI agents are more than next-gen chatbots, that their utility is set to grow massively, and that human oversight is non-negotiable, and ethical standards are the responsibility of us all, we can make sure we’re ready to benefit from the incoming wave of change they will bring.

FAQs

Q: What are AI agents?
A: AI agents are the next leap forward in the field of generative AI, capable of taking autonomous actions on our behalf.
Q: How do AI agents differ from chatbots?
A: AI agents can take action, specifically computer-based actions, whereas chatbots can only provide information or answers to questions.
Q: Can AI agents be fooled or manipulated?
A: Yes, AI agents can be tricked into clicking specific links or pop-up ads by making it appear they have the info the AI is looking for.
Q: Is agentic AI the same as AGI?
A: No, agentic AI and artificial general intelligence (AGI) are two different concepts, although related.
Q: Do AI agents require human input or supervision?
A: Yes, human oversight and accountability are critical elements of any agentic framework.