Skills come first. Without the ability to execute at a high level, culture fit doesn't matter. Marketing is a performance-driven function, so if someone can't build effective campaigns, read data correctly, or adapt when results drop, it impacts growth fast. Culture fit can be too vague. It often ends up being a way to hire people who just feel familiar. I once hired someone who interviewed well. They were personable, aligned with values, and said all the right things. But once they were in the role, it became clear they couldn't deliver. Campaigns underperformed. CPCs went up. Their decisions lacked strategic depth. So it took months to fix the problems that came out of that hire. On the other hand, some of the most impactful hires didn't shine in interviews. But they knew how to break down a funnel, spot weak points, and take action. One hire came in and immediately improved CAC. They focused on neglected segments, tightened ad copy, and simplified the conversion path. That kind of thinking comes from skill and experience. Culture matters, but it's something that builds once someone is already contributing. People grow into it. So the focus should be on improving output. Strong execution builds momentum. Culture follows.
I've built marketing teams at three high-growth companies (Sumo Logic, LiveAction, OpStart) and learned this the hard way: skills first, culture second--but with a crucial caveat. At Sumo Logic, I hired a brilliant demand gen manager who had the exact technical skills we needed for our IPO push. The marketing programs they built generated 20% of our total ARR. But they were a cultural mismatch--couldn't collaborate with sales, constantly clashed with product teams, and created tension during our most critical growth phase. Here's what I learned: hire for the skills that are make-or-break for your current stage, but set a minimum bar for culture fit. You can't teach someone how to run multi-touch attribution or optimize CAC payback periods in 30 days, but you can work with someone who's slightly more direct than your team prefers. The exception? Senior hires and leadership roles. For my VP-level hires, culture fit becomes equally important because they're shaping the team's DNA. But for individual contributors, I'd rather have a skilled professional who needs some cultural coaching than a culture-perfect hire who can't execute when the business needs results.
When I hire for our marketing team, I start with culture fit, because even the most skilled marketer won't thrive in a space where values clash or communication feels off. Skills can be trained, but mindset and alignment with how we work matter more over time. One hire in particular stands out. On paper, they didn't check every technical box, but their energy, curiosity, and collaborative spirit matched our team perfectly. Within months, they not only caught up on the tools but also led one of our most thoughtful campaigns, all because they felt comfortable enough to contribute, challenge, and lead. In short: culture builds the foundation, skills help you scale. I'll always prioritize the long game.
Culture fit comes first, every time. Skills can be taught, but attitude and alignment with the team's working style cannot. I've made the mistake of hiring a highly skilled marketer who had impressive technical ability but struggled to collaborate and adapt to our pace. The campaigns were well-designed, but the team dynamic suffered. Also, communication slowed down. We lost time trying to smooth over internal issues that should not have existed. On the other hand, one of our best marketing hires had limited experience but was curious, reliable, and clicked with the rest of the team immediately. We trained her up, and within six months, she was leading campaigns. My takeaway? If someone fits the culture and wants to learn, they usually outperform expectations.