Introduction
I recently had an eye-opening conversation with Pasha Irshad, co-founder of Shape & Scale. Pasha's journey - from first-generation immigrant to marketing agency veteran - gives him a unique perspective on what works in our industry. His experience scaling a digital practice from $0 to $2 million in three years really resonated with me and I want to share some insights from our chat.
It's easy to feel overwhelmed, especially when you're running a lean team at a software company. But as Pasha and I discussed, we're often our own worst enemies when it comes to efficiency. There are two critical mistakes I see small marketing teams making repeatedly.
The Content Treadmill: More Isn't Always Better
With all the buzz around GenAI, it's tempting to think we need to crank out more content than ever. But here's the truth: you're probably sitting on a goldmine of existing content that's being underutilized.
We're so focused on creating new content that we're neglecting the valuable resources we've already invested time and energy into. It's time to step off the content treadmill and start making better use of what we have.
Let me be so clear here. Do I think GenAI helps us create better content?
YES.
Pasha actually shared something he's working on to fuel great content where GenAI is playing an ideal role: "I'm actually using GPT to help me...with a survey for demand Gen Leaders at anywhere from one to 30 million to just understand their pain points with HubSpot." He's not using AI to generate more content, but to better understand and serve his audience.
Roughly, my sense is that content can help us improve our content by 20% and move 20% faster. Those are immense step changes, but to suggest that content should be puking out more content is (a) not actually needed when you think about all the content you already have and (b) a surefire way to convince the world you're not terribly valuable.
The Marketing Ops Oversight: Your Foundation for Scale
Here's the second hard truth: we're not giving marketing operations the respect it deserves. Too often, it's an afterthought, staffed with junior talent or pushed to the bottom of the priority list.
This is a massive mistake. Marketing ops is the cornerstone of unlocking scale and visibility into what's working. Without a solid ops foundation, you're flying blind and limiting your growth potential.
If your "HubSpot person" is one of the more junior folks on your team, you're setting yourself and them up for failure.
This isn't just about having someone who can run your CRM/MAP. It's about having a strategic thinker who can build systems, analyze data, and drive efficiency across your entire marketing function.
Pasha shared a bunch of his own frontline experiences - clients paying for juiced results from agencies due to a lack of real measurement, campaigns that weren't scaling, etc.
Without proper marketing ops, we're often just fooling ourselves about our performance.
Do yourself a favor: get a killer agency or hire a superstar early to your marketing team. You'll be so, so happy that you did.
The Way Forward
So, what's the solution? It's time for a mindset shift.
First, take a step back from the content hamster wheel. Audit your existing content. Find ways to repurpose, repackage, and redistribute it to your audience. Use tools to help personalize and tailor this content, rather than just generating more.
Second, prioritize marketing operations now, not later. Invest in experienced talent who can build a solid foundation for your marketing efforts. This might feel like a luxury, but trust me, it's a necessity for sustainable growth.
It's about working smarter, not harder. From Pasha's own LinkedIn profile, successful clients understand "The power of alignment, the importance of data, and the need for product market fit." These are all areas where strong marketing ops can make a huge difference.
Let's stop chasing the hype and start building marketing engines that truly deliver results. Your future self (and your bottom line) will thank you.
