Jigar Thakker’s Post

Here’s what really defines a team: the everyday interactions. When I took the lead on the HubSpot vertical, I wasn’t just focused on results. I wanted to create a space where everyone felt recognized and valued. Here’s how I approach building that culture: 1/ Be upfront We value transparency. Whether it’s praise or constructive feedback, we don’t sugar-coat things. We say it as it is. 2/ Empowerment, not micromanagement I trust my team to excel in their roles. We set clear goals, and I let them find their own way to achieve them. 3/ Celebrate the small wins We don’t wait for major milestones to celebrate. Whether it’s a successful call, a smart solution, or lending a hand to a colleague, we take time to acknowledge the effort. 4/ Regular feedback We discuss what’s working and what isn’t, openly. It’s about growth, not criticism. 5/ Lead by example I don’t just ask for commitment, I demonstrate it. If I expect my team to go the extra mile, I’m already ahead of them. This is how we build real connections – it’s not a formula, it’s a way of being. #team #leadership #hubspot #culture

Almost 3 months back to the grind now after my recent maternity leave and I came back to an exciting time at HubSpot on the EMEA Customer Success Team where we recently started to shift to more of a segment focused structure. One of the very first deliverables required of me on my return was to develop a segment focused strategy plan for my new team that spans the next 2 and a bit years. This is the kind of work I love and I’ve enjoyed diving into it in my first months back with my Management team, thank you Annike Green, Quentin Lauth, Cian O'Donoghue and Mark Henry for working so diligently on putting this plan on paper. However, I know we are now only at the very beginning of really delivering on this. This image our CEO Yamini Rangan shared recently really resonates with me. For a Strategy to be in anyway successful there needs to be the right Culture, Mindset and Alignment within the team tasked with executing on it. The best way for us as Leaders to develop that right Culture, Mindset and Alignment in my opinion is to Lead by Example. If you are a Leader striving for a growth mindset culture and pushing your team to up their game on Product Knowledge for example but you yourself never attend the company run product trainings or test out new features as they launch - you’ve instantly created a disconnect between the behaviors of your team members and what you want them to be able to achieve. Leaders must walk the talk! There is a culture that is happening because of you - if you can’t recognise that or take responsibility for it - a culture (which may not be the one you want) will result anyway! If you have a true desire to motivate and inspire your team it will require you to dig deep and take that ownership, be very approachable to others, accept challenging situations with agility and to really listen to feedback from everyone in your org on how things could be improved or changed for the better. How else do you motivate your teams around Strategy execution?

LinkedIn has been a powerful source of learning for me. Here are the people whose posts have resonated most with me over the years. 1/ Dharmesh Shah (Founder & CTO at HubSpot) - customer obsession 2/ Akshay Kothari (Co-Founder at Notion) - customer obsession 3/ Kristi Faltorusso (CCO at ClientSuccess) - customer obsession 4/ Daryna Kulya (Co-Founder at OpenPhone) - building in public 5/ Jesse Pujji (Founder & CEO at Gateway X) - building in public 6/ Henry Shi (Co-Founder at Super.com) - building in public 7/ Vanesa Cotlar, (VP People at PolicyMe) - leadership and people development 8/ Christine Song (CPO at Knix) - leadership and people development 9/ Stevie Case (CRO at Vanta) - go-to-market 10/ John Barrows (Founder at JB Sales) - go-to-market 11/ Angela Ferrante (Founder & CEO at Laudable) - process automation Who else am I missing? #customerobsession #buildinginpublic #learning

In my role at BridgeRev | An Elite HubSpot Partner, I am often asked by our partners to share feedback on how things can be improved. It's a fine line to walk between giving constructive/actionable feedback and complaining. During one of these calls yesterday, I started taking some notes to share them: 1. Giving Feedback: - Be Specific and Objective: Focus on specific examples or outcomes rather than broad complaints. Use data and examples to support your points. - Balance Positive and Negative Feedback: Start with what’s working well before addressing areas for improvement. This balanced approach fosters a more receptive environment. - Be Timely and Relevant: Provide feedback promptly to ensure it’s still relevant and can be acted upon. 2. Receiving Feedback: - Listen Actively: Pay close attention to what your partner is saying without interrupting. Take notes if necessary. - Stay Open and Non-Defensive: Approach feedback with a growth mindset. View it as an opportunity to improve, not as criticism. - Ask Clarifying Questions: If something is unclear, seek further explanation to fully understand the feedback. 3. Moving Forward: - Develop Actionable Plans: Collaborate on creating a clear, actionable plan based on the feedback. Set specific, measurable goals. - Follow Up Regularly: Schedule regular check-ins to discuss progress and make adjustments as needed. This ensures continuous improvement and alignment. - Celebrate Successes: Acknowledge and celebrate improvements and milestones achieved through the feedback process. This reinforces positive behavior and strengthens the partnership. By fostering an environment of open communication and mutual respect, I have found that people value what you have to say. #PartnershipMarketing #FeedbackCulture #MarketingStrategy

Ready to transform engagement into tangible leads for your business? Let's start sparking conversations and driving growth together! 💬📈 #LeadGeneration #Engagement #LeadGenerationMasters #ConversionMantras

Building company culture starts with the leaders...

"Teamwork makes the dream work." No, that's not just an eye-roll-worthy sentiment on a poster in a high school gym somewhere in America: consensus building is THE game-changer in product marketing. Why? It aligns teams, clarifies goals, and unites efforts. Here's a 10-step blueprint I use in my fractional work: > Step 1 - ID stakeholders - Know your circle—product teams, sales, customer support, and, yes, your customers. Understand their perspectives, and then take time to connect the dots. > Step 2: Clarify objectives - Set measurable goals that align to GTM and business objectives. Unity begins with a shared vision, not a request for a one pager or a web page. > Step 3: Start talking - Encourage conversations. Diversity in thought leads to innovative solutions and early problem identification. Remember: you are a central cog across GTM – act like it. > Step 4: Play defense against assumptions - Let things like market insights, customer feedback, competitive analysis, or product usage guide you. Facts over opinions, assumptions, and (most dangerous) thoughts and feels. > Step 5: Build a collaborative strategy - Involve key players in strategy (while avoiding decisions by committee). Shared ownership = shared commitment. > Step 6: Kick-off feedback loops - Establish feedback loops – adaptability is key. > Step 7: Communicate - Share plans, purposes, and procedures - up, down, across, and (sometimes) externally. Misalignment is the enemy of progress. > Step 8: Empower champions - Every team needs advocates. Their support can amplify your success. > Step 9: Celebrate milestones - Recognize every win, big or small. Positive reinforcement fosters motivation. > Step 10: Document: Don't recreate the wheel. Document what works, what doesn't, how people like to work, and how to make things *actually* happen. Remember, the consensus isn't just marketing agreeing to run ads for a launch or using a new sales deck; it's creating a culture of collaboration where ideas thrive and collective goals are achieved. #productmarketing #b2bmarketing

On an ambitious team's journey, clear roles and processes enable consistently excellent execution. Too often, projects are slowed down or completely derailed by easily avoidable obstacles: - ambiguous workflows - unclear roles - siloed teams - lack of communication It’s not just about defining who does what, but understanding how everyone’s contributions fit together. From a marketing perspective, I often ask a team what's better... 1. A flawless strategy with mediocre execution OR 2. A mediocre strategy with impeccable execution There may not be a right answer to the above, but I think we all understand that innovation isn't just about great ideas. It's about how effectively you can bring those ideas to life. #Leadership #Innovation #BusinessStrategy #Teamwork #Collaboration

When the pipeline slows down, it’s easy for your team to feel discouraged. Those moments of uncertainty can take a toll on morale, but instead of letting it drag your team down, let’s turn it into an opportunity to build them up. Here are a few tips to keep your team motivated when leads are low: 1️⃣ Celebrate Small Wins: Even during slow periods, there are always small successes to recognize. Whether it’s a great conversation with a potential lead or progress on a long-term goal, make sure to celebrate these moments to keep spirits high. 2️⃣ Provide Clear Direction: When leads dry up, uncertainty can creep in. Keep your team focused by setting short-term goals and providing clear action steps. 3️⃣ Encourage Collaboration: Get your team brainstorming together. Often, the best ideas come when everyone shares their insights. Empower them to think creatively and work as a unit to find solutions. 4️⃣ Offer Support and Training: Use the downtime to invest in your team’s skills. Offer training sessions to strengthen their outreach strategies or even personal development opportunities to grow their confidence. At OHmazing Revenue, we’ve seen firsthand how empowered teams can turn tough situations into success stories. A low-lead period isn’t the end—it’s just a challenge to overcome. With the right support, your team can come out stronger and more driven than ever. ✨ How do you empower your team when leads are low? Let’s share tips! #OHmazingRevenue #TeamEmpowerment #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #LeadGenerationChallenges #B2BMarketing #Motivation #SmallBusiness #LargeBusiness #SalesPipeline #LinkedInOutreach #SMSMarketing #RinglessVoicemail #EmailMarketing #OutboundCalling #WarmLeads #OvercomingChallenges 🔗 Struggling with low leads? Let’s talk about how we can help fill your pipeline and keep your team thriving!

"Take a seat. It's big enough for all of us." - Me to every product marketer dealing with shifting priorities. After a year of conversations with dozens of organizations and tons of marketers, it's VERY clear shifting priorities and pivoting are here to stay. Some factors make sense...some...well... leadership needs to take a long look in the mirror. To avoid the "it depends" black hole, here are clear areas of focus I ask clients to think about and move through when spaghetti is hitting the wall: 1) Alignment over assumptions Unclear roles and expectations kill momentum. Define swim lanes, set goals, and check in—often. As my Nonna says, assuming makes an ass out of you AND me, so let's not. 2) Remember: no one knows it all New territory = new mistakes. That's normal. Incredibly normal. Build a culture of open questions and quick pivots instead of fear and slide Slacks. 3) Solve together Framing change as a shared mission shifts the energy from "I'm on my own" to "we've got this." Product marketing is in a super unique role in helping drive and facilitate this. Lean into supporting the GTM team and helping to drive collaboration. 4) Ask for help It's not weakness; it's strategy. Tap your network, mentors, and cross-functional peers - get curious. One conversation can save you months of missteps. Leading with the above areas will help you and your team adapt, move fast, and have time to think. #ProductMarketing