You’re Not Bad at Marketing. You’re Playing the Wrong Game - with Hattie the PMM

You’re Not Bad at Marketing. You’re Playing the Wrong Game - with Hattie the PMM

Layoffs in tech feel personal. But most of the time, they’re not. In this episode of My Way Marketing, I sit down with Hattie the PMM to unpack why smart, hardworking marketers keep getting laid off — and why it’s rarely about talent or effort. The real issue? Most marketers are playing checkers in a world that rewards chess players. We talk about why marketing is still treated as a cost center, how people-pleasing quietly destroys careers, and the hidden rules that determine who survives when budgets tighten. This isn’t a motivational pep talk. It’s a clear-eyed conversation about career leverage, visibility, and ownership — and how to stop confusing hard work with real value. If you’ve ever felt undervalued, disposable, or stuck in a loop of burnout → layoffs → self-doubt, this episode will help you reframe the game you’re playing. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN * Why layoffs are usually structural, not personal * The difference between doing great work and being perceived as valuable * Why marketers are often trained to play the wrong game * How people-pleasing keeps you invisible * What “career profitability” actually means * Why soft skills now matter more than ever * How to move from execution to ownership without burning out KEY TAKEAWAYS * Being busy is not the same as being valuable * Visibility and judgment matter more than effort in downturns * Careers stall because of misalignment, not lack of skill * Playing the game consciously beats pretending it doesn’t exist * The most resilient marketers invest in becoming, not just doing STANDOUT QUOTES > “You’re not bad at marketing. You were just playing checkers in a chess game.” > > > > “The game is being played whether you play it or not.” > > > > “Careers don’t collapse because of effort. They collapse because of invisibility.” > > > > “If another person has done it, it means you can too.” WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR * B2B marketers with 5–15+ years of experience * Product marketers, growth leads, heads of marketing * Anyone expected to own outcomes, not just deliver work * Marketers navigating layoffs, burnout, or career stagnation * People who want leverage, not hustle MY WAY PERSPECTIVE Most advice teaches you how to execute better. This episode helps you think more clearly — and build a career that compounds instead of resets. RESOURCES Visit www.productmarketers.com [http://www.productmarketers.com] Subscribe to my newsletter: www.ivanburic.com/subscribe [http://www.ivanburic.com/subscribe]

Shayne De La Force - Marketing starts in the Market

The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including personal branding, marketing, and the role of product marketing. Shane De La Force shares insights on the importance of personal branding, the impact of diverse experiences on marketing, and the significance of understanding target audiences. He also discusses the role of product marketing in driving growth and the value of a holistic approach to marketing. Takeaways * Personal branding is crucial for professionals and can be a valuable asset when transitioning between roles. * Understanding target audiences and their needs is essential for effective marketing strategies. * Product marketing plays a pivotal role in driving growth and should be aligned with the overall marketing strategy. Chapters * 00:00 Introduction and Diverse Experiences in Marketing * 06:07 Understanding Target Audiences and Marketing Strategies * 11:04 AI in Marketing and the Human Element * 17:40 The Four Ps of Marketing and Branding * 30:51 The Role of Product Marketing in the Marketing Organization * 42:21 Personal Branding and Career Development * 47:37 Personal Values and Decision-Making

Silvia Román - Influence Without Authority

In this episode, I’m joined by Silvia Román, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Booking.com [http://Booking.com] and leadership mentor, for a deep and practical conversation on product marketing, leadership, and influence without authority. Silvia shares her journey from Latin America to Amsterdam, from marketing generalist to product marketing leader, and how working inside a global company shaped her approach to leadership, growth, and inclusion. We explore what product marketing really looks like inside a large organization like Booking.com [http://Booking.com], especially on the B2B and B2B2B side, and why the true value of product marketing sits at the intersection of product, market, and commercial teams. A big part of the conversation focuses on leadership. Silvia breaks down what it means to influence without authority, how trust and self-awareness outperform hierarchy, and why leadership is fundamentally about relationships, not titles. This episode is packed with practical frameworks, real-world examples, and actionable advice on: * Product marketing at scale in global organizations * Influence without authority and stakeholder management * Leading diverse and international teams * Building a realistic personal development plan * Managing underperformance with empathy and clarity * The difference between leadership and mentorship Silvia also shares insights from her leadership programs and mentoring work, designed to help new and aspiring managers build confidence and lead with intention. This episode is for product marketers, leaders, and anyone navigating growth, leadership, and complexity inside modern organizations.

Theresa Gschwandtner - Innovating in Product Marketing

In this episode, I sit down with Theresa Gschwandtner, an Austrian-born product marketing powerhouse who built her career across cities like London, Boston, New York, Dublin, and Paris. From scaling LinkedIn’s product marketing to founding Kundra, a startup tackling parental leave, Theresa shares how diverse cultural experiences, authentic leadership, and structure have shaped her career. We dive into: * Global product marketing & cultural localization * Structuring and scaling PMM teams * Building in public as a founder * Public speaking and leadership as learnable skills * The unseen challenges of parental leave in the workplace Notable Quotes “Public speaking is a skill you can learn—and should. Especially in Europe, we don’t emphasize it enough.”— Theresa Gschwandtner “A good PMM should think like a founder. You own the narrative, the research, the launch, the customer.” “People don’t buy from companies. They buy from people.” “Kundra is me, and I am Kundra. That’s why I decided to build in public.” Connect with Theresa * LinkedIn: Theresa Gschwandtner [https://linkedin.com/in/theresagschwandtner] * Website: kundra.ai [https://www.kundra.ai] * Podcast: Kundra (on Spotify & Apple Podcasts) * Substack: Kundra Notes [https://kundra.substack.com] * Instagram: @kundra.ai [https://instagram.com/kundra.ai]

Anna Borbotko — Building Intellectual Property, Not Just Skills

In this episode, I talk with Anna Borbotko, product marketer turned enablement leader at TomTom. Anna’s career is anything but linear — from dreaming of becoming a journalist, to procurement, to product marketing, and now enablement. Along the way, she has built a strong presence on LinkedIn and launched her own newsletter, Product Marketing Pulse. We dive into the future of work, the skills that really matter, and why creating your own intellectual property will define careers in the years ahead. What we talked about: * How Anna got her role at TomTom during COVID thanks to “the click” with her hiring manager. * Why she looks beyond hard skills when hiring, and what she really pays attention to in junior candidates. * The unusual interview question she asks everyone: “If you see a wall in front of you, what would you do?” * Why product launches aren’t where the real value lies — and why the post-launch phase matters more. * How TomTom successfully pivoted from B2C to B2B and what it means for product marketers. * The shift from “skilled labor” to intellectual property — and why the future belongs to those who turn their knowledge into scalable assets. * Why Anna doesn’t believe in traditional training, and how she’s building a framework for enablement that focuses on learning by doing. * How building visibility on LinkedIn (even without a big strategy) led to speaking invites, collaborations, and new opportunities. * Why consistency and presence matter more than going viral. * Anna’s perspective on AI, why she calls herself a “dinosaur” in adoption, and how she sees enablement evolving into managing AI agents. One of my favorite quotes from Anna: “Careers are jungle gyms, not ladders. The winners will be those who keep adapting.” 📌 Connect with Anna: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/product-marketing-amsterdam/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaborbotko/] * Newsletter: ex Product Marketing Pulse, now rebranded as Lines & Leaps. (https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7037060648253431809/) If you’re interested in product marketing, enablement, or simply how to future-proof your career in the age of AI, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.