Roles like content marketing, ad-based leadgen, devrel, marketing strategy, and managing a team of the above are pretty different, and the needed mix is stage +

Roles like content marketing, ad-based leadgen, devrel, marketing strategy, and managing a team of the above are pretty different, and the needed mix is stage + company + funding dependent. I think of the startup path as basically the options of: - Scrappy: start with content marketing / generalist for basics, potentially via a senior VP/CMO consultant/advisor + founder, and then get a full-timer. Bigger question is Sales or Marketing full-timer first. After content table stakes, switches to experiments to figure out strategy (ads, devrel, viral freemium, ...): Most bang will come from a couple things, so need someone experienced enough to experiment to find them. If things are going well, can get the advisor as an early superstar hire, or at least basics setup for one. - well-Funded and with fit: Hire someone to build the team and guide them through experiments. Note in both cases, someone senior in startup experience, esp for your segment, is useful, even if as an active advisor / consultant. A trickier q to me is when to fire the marketing lead, esp as things are still getting figured out. Once fit is achieved, it is more of a numbers and process game, but before then...