Working at a startup isn’t for everyone. However, Natalie Binns—a self-described passionate person with a big love for all things business—found herself right at home at ecommerce email marketing and SMS startup Omnisend.

After working in a handful of other demand generation roles, Natalie joined Omnisend late last year. As their senior director of demand generation, she’s responsible for generating new business and increasing sales through various marketing endeavors.

Today on the podcast, Natalie sits down with Shaheen Samavati to discuss the ins and outs of demand generation and the big role content creation plays in its success. She also talks about what it’s like working in the fast-paced environment of a startup while wearing many different hats.

You can watch the full conversation in the video above or on YouTube, and listen to the podcast on Apple or Spotify.

Rapid-fire recs  

• Recommended reading: Dare to Lead by Brené Brown. “One of the biggest things that stood out to me was about the importance of communication. Being able to communicate what’s going on inside your head with people that you’re working with in order to get things done is essential. She’s not a marketer, but she really understands vulnerability and leadership.”
  
• Productivity hack: Early morning walks. “I get up at six o’clock in the morning and go for a power walk. Getting fresh air wakes my brain up and helps set me up for the day.”
  
• Source of inspiration: My friends. “I don’t really have a celebrity or well-known person that I’d consider a source of inspiration. However, over the years, I’ve met some really wonderful, super smart and passionate women who have become my go-tos for everything work and personal. I’m very lucky to have them in my life.”
  
• Useful resources:
  • Marketing Week. “I completed their Mini MBA course on marketing last year and that gave me great insights.”
  • Twitter and LinkedIn. “I’m quite an avid user of both platforms. I like to read what my network is talking about and participate in those conversations.”

• Favorite app: Trello. “It’s great for collaboration and getting stuff done. It’s especially great for working on projects with people in different time zones. We just drop messages in and tag each other. It makes communication easier and in general it’s just so useful in what we do.”

“If you’re comfortable, then you’re in your comfort zone, and you’re probably not learning nor progressing. It’s good to be uncomfortable and it’s good to feel that you don’t know all the answers. That’s what’s great about marketing. I don’t think any of us know all the answers—we’re learning as we go.”

Connect with Natalie and Shaheen on LinkedIn.

This post was edited by Mary Kresge.

For more insights into demand generation marketing:

The art of demand generation – Ertan Benzes, EMEA and India digital marketing director

Leverage multichannel marketing – Fabio Peyer, EMEA senior marketing manager

To read the full transcript, click on page number 2 below.