[fusion_builder_container type="flex" hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" border_style="solid" padding_left="0px" padding_right="0px" padding_top="0px" padding_bottom="0px"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_repeat="no-repeat" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="true" hover_type="none" background_blend_mode="overlay" first="true" spacing_left="2%" spacing_right="2%" min_height="" link=""][fusion_title title_type="text" scroll_reveal_effect="color_change" scroll_reveal_basis="chars" scroll_reveal_behavior="always" scroll_reveal_duration="500" scroll_reveal_stagger="200" scroll_reveal_delay="0" scroll_reveal_above_fold="yes" marquee_direction="left" marquee_mask_edges="no" marquee_speed="15000" rotation_effect="bounceIn" display_time="1200" highlight_effect="circle" loop_animation="once" highlight_animation_duration="1500" highlight_width="9" highlight_smudge_effect="no" highlight_top_margin="0" title_link="off" link_target="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" content_align="left" size="3" font_size="26px" text_shadow="no" text_shadow_blur="0" text_stroke="no" text_stroke_size="1" text_overflow="none" margin_bottom="10px" gradient_font="no" gradient_start_position="0" gradient_end_position="100" gradient_type="linear" radial_direction="center center" linear_angle="180" style_type="default" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0"]Q: If you're a CMO and had to improve one area — people, process, or tech —which would you choose?[/fusion_title][fusion_title title_type="text" scroll_reveal_effect="color_change" scroll_reveal_basis="chars" scroll_reveal_behavior="always" scroll_reveal_duration="500" scroll_reveal_stagger="200" scroll_reveal_delay="0" scroll_reveal_above_fold="yes" marquee_direction="left" marquee_mask_edges="no" marquee_speed="15000" rotation_effect="bounceIn" display_time="1200" highlight_effect="circle" loop_animation="once" highlight_animation_duration="1500" highlight_width="9" highlight_smudge_effect="no" highlight_top_margin="0" title_link="off" link_target="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" content_align="left" size="3" font_size="26px" text_shadow="no" text_shadow_blur="0" text_stroke="no" text_stroke_size="1" text_overflow="none" margin_bottom="10px" gradient_font="no" gradient_start_position="0" gradient_end_position="100" gradient_type="linear" radial_direction="center center" linear_angle="180" style_type="default" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0"]A: Oliver Kimberley[/fusion_title][fusion_text animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" fusion_font_variant_text_font="var(--awb-typography4)" fusion_font_family_text_font="var(--awb-typography4-font-family)" font_size="var(--awb-typography4-font-size)" line_height="var(--awb-typography4-line-height)" letter_spacing="var(--awb-typography4-letter-spacing)" text_transform="var(--awb-typography4-text-transform)"] Feels like a trick question! We re-ordered these from people-process-tech to process-tech-people earlier. But it's not about choosing one. It’s about identifying your goals and seeing which area — or areas — need change to support that. If you can’t see clearly which to prioritize, bring in a group like ours to help map things. They’re interconnected. One cog moves the others. [/fusion_text][fusion_title title_type="text" scroll_reveal_effect="color_change" scroll_reveal_basis="chars" scroll_reveal_behavior="always" scroll_reveal_duration="500" scroll_reveal_stagger="200" scroll_reveal_delay="0" scroll_reveal_above_fold="yes" marquee_direction="left" marquee_mask_edges="no" marquee_speed="15000" rotation_effect="bounceIn" display_time="1200" highlight_effect="circle" loop_animation="once" highlight_animation_duration="1500" highlight_width="9" highlight_smudge_effect="no" highlight_top_margin="0" title_link="off" link_target="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" content_align="left" size="3" font_size="26px" text_shadow="no" text_shadow_blur="0" text_stroke="no" text_stroke_size="1" text_overflow="none" margin_bottom="10px" gradient_font="no" gradient_start_position="0" gradient_end_position="100" gradient_type="linear" radial_direction="center center" linear_angle="180" style_type="default" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0"]Q: What makes a partner truly strategic vs. just a vendor? Any checklists?[/fusion_title][fusion_title title_type="text" scroll_reveal_effect="color_change" scroll_reveal_basis="chars" scroll_reveal_behavior="always" scroll_reveal_duration="500" scroll_reveal_stagger="200" scroll_reveal_delay="0" scroll_reveal_above_fold="yes" marquee_direction="left" marquee_mask_edges="no" marquee_speed="15000" rotation_effect="bounceIn" display_time="1200" highlight_effect="circle" loop_animation="once" highlight_animation_duration="1500" highlight_width="9" highlight_smudge_effect="no" highlight_top_margin="0" title_link="off" link_target="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" content_align="left" size="3" font_size="26px" text_shadow="no" text_shadow_blur="0" text_stroke="no" text_stroke_size="1" text_overflow="none" margin_bottom="10px" gradient_font="no" gradient_start_position="0" gradient_end_position="100" gradient_type="linear" radial_direction="center center" linear_angle="180" style_type="default" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0"]A: Oliver Kimberley[/fusion_title][fusion_text animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" fusion_font_variant_text_font="var(--awb-typography4)" fusion_font_family_text_font="var(--awb-typography4-font-family)" font_size="var(--awb-typography4-font-size)" line_height="var(--awb-typography4-line-height)" letter_spacing="var(--awb-typography4-letter-spacing)" text_transform="var(--awb-typography4-text-transform)"] Yes, I have one. First, I’d replace “strategic” with “trusted.” Trust is everything. Check for culture alignment, long-term thinking and willingness to stretch beyond their typical scope. [/fusion_text][fusion_title title_type="text" scroll_reveal_effect="color_change" scroll_reveal_basis="chars" scroll_reveal_behavior="always" scroll_reveal_duration="500" scroll_reveal_stagger="200" scroll_reveal_delay="0" scroll_reveal_above_fold="yes" marquee_direction="left" marquee_mask_edges="no" marquee_speed="15000" rotation_effect="bounceIn" display_time="1200" highlight_effect="circle" loop_animation="once" highlight_animation_duration="1500" highlight_width="9" highlight_smudge_effect="no" highlight_top_margin="0" title_link="off" link_target="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" content_align="left" size="3" font_size="26px" text_shadow="no" text_shadow_blur="0" text_stroke="no" text_stroke_size="1" text_overflow="none" margin_bottom="10px" gradient_font="no" gradient_start_position="0" gradient_end_position="100" gradient_type="linear" radial_direction="center center" linear_angle="180" style_type="default" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0"]A: George Forge[/fusion_title][fusion_text animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" fusion_font_variant_text_font="var(--awb-typography4)" fusion_font_family_text_font="var(--awb-typography4-font-family)" font_size="var(--awb-typography4-font-size)" line_height="var(--awb-typography4-line-height)" letter_spacing="var(--awb-typography4-letter-spacing)" text_transform="var(--awb-typography4-text-transform)"] Agree. Also, look for partners who have sat in the seat — people who understand operations from experience, not just theory. Most breakdowns happen at the handoffs — between data, creative, production, media. A true partner helps connect those. [/fusion_text][fusion_title title_type="text" scroll_reveal_effect="color_change" scroll_reveal_basis="chars" scroll_reveal_behavior="always" scroll_reveal_duration="500" scroll_reveal_stagger="200" scroll_reveal_delay="0" scroll_reveal_above_fold="yes" marquee_direction="left" marquee_mask_edges="no" marquee_speed="15000" rotation_effect="bounceIn" display_time="1200" highlight_effect="circle" loop_animation="once" highlight_animation_duration="1500" highlight_width="9" highlight_smudge_effect="no" highlight_top_margin="0" title_link="off" link_target="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" content_align="left" size="3" font_size="26px" text_shadow="no" text_shadow_blur="0" text_stroke="no" text_stroke_size="1" text_overflow="none" margin_bottom="10px" gradient_font="no" gradient_start_position="0" gradient_end_position="100" gradient_type="linear" radial_direction="center center" linear_angle="180" style_type="default" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0"]Q: How do you stay on top of abrupt changes?[/fusion_title][fusion_title title_type="text" scroll_reveal_effect="color_change" scroll_reveal_basis="chars" scroll_reveal_behavior="always" scroll_reveal_duration="500" scroll_reveal_stagger="200" scroll_reveal_delay="0" scroll_reveal_above_fold="yes" marquee_direction="left" marquee_mask_edges="no" marquee_speed="15000" rotation_effect="bounceIn" display_time="1200" highlight_effect="circle" loop_animation="once" highlight_animation_duration="1500" highlight_width="9" highlight_smudge_effect="no" highlight_top_margin="0" title_link="off" link_target="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" content_align="left" size="3" font_size="26px" text_shadow="no" text_shadow_blur="0" text_stroke="no" text_stroke_size="1" text_overflow="none" margin_bottom="10px" gradient_font="no" gradient_start_position="0" gradient_end_position="100" gradient_type="linear" radial_direction="center center" linear_angle="180" style_type="default" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0"]A: Oliver Kimberley[/fusion_title][fusion_text animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" fusion_font_variant_text_font="var(--awb-typography4)" fusion_font_family_text_font="var(--awb-typography4-font-family)" font_size="var(--awb-typography4-font-size)" line_height="var(--awb-typography4-line-height)" letter_spacing="var(--awb-typography4-letter-spacing)" text_transform="var(--awb-typography4-text-transform)"] If your standard process is strong, you’ll have bandwidth to address the unknown. If your daily operations are a mess, you won’t survive a surprise. [/fusion_text][fusion_title title_type="text" scroll_reveal_effect="color_change" scroll_reveal_basis="chars" scroll_reveal_behavior="always" scroll_reveal_duration="500" scroll_reveal_stagger="200" scroll_reveal_delay="0" scroll_reveal_above_fold="yes" marquee_direction="left" marquee_mask_edges="no" marquee_speed="15000" rotation_effect="bounceIn" display_time="1200" highlight_effect="circle" loop_animation="once" highlight_animation_duration="1500" highlight_width="9" highlight_smudge_effect="no" highlight_top_margin="0" title_link="off" link_target="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" content_align="left" size="3" font_size="26px" text_shadow="no" text_shadow_blur="0" text_stroke="no" text_stroke_size="1" text_overflow="none" margin_bottom="10px" gradient_font="no" gradient_start_position="0" gradient_end_position="100" gradient_type="linear" radial_direction="center center" linear_angle="180" style_type="default" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0"]A: George Forge[/fusion_title][fusion_text animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_delay="0" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" fusion_font_variant_text_font="var(--awb-typography4)" fusion_font_family_text_font="var(--awb-typography4-font-family)" font_size="var(--awb-typography4-font-size)" line_height="var(--awb-typography4-line-height)" letter_spacing="var(--awb-typography4-letter-spacing)" text_transform="var(--awb-typography4-text-transform)"] Yes. Big changes are coming, especially with AI. Look to past shifts for reference —how the internet or Excel changed us. We’re actively disrupting our own services to stay ahead. Stay honest, stay curious. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]