Marketing as we know it is dead. Gone are the days when a clever ad campaign and some copy were enough to drive results. Now, you need to know all about ChatGPT, agents, data, and emerging technologies like Sora. Yes, it’s overwhelming, especially for those without a data or technical background. I am here to help.

Time to introduce myself: Hi, I’m Martin Stein, a DATA guy and CMO. Over the years, I’ve worked as a marketer and AI engineer, building machine-learning-driven marketing solutions. I was fortunate and honored to receive the 2018 SuperNova Award for Digital Marketing and Sales Effectiveness for the Call Scoring Technology I developed at the PropTech company G5.

My Brief Journey

I’ve spent my career navigating the intersection of marketing and data science, watching the field transform in ways that are both thrilling and challenging. At 19, I started my first software company and later earned an M.A. in Computational Sociology and Political Science. Over the next eight years, I worked my way up from editor to deputy editor-in-chief at IDG, the tech publishing giant behind Macworld, PCWorld, and InfoWorld—names I’m sure some of you remember.

As the future of print magazines grew uncertain, I decided to pivot and join software developers in marketing their innovations. I began at Apple and went on to serve as CMO for FileThis, G5, and Union.ai. I also took on the role of Chief Product Officer at Nero, G5, and Posit. Most recently, after selling my company, Bend.ai, I joined Conversion Logix as their Chief Analytics and Data Officer.

My current venture, YouGot.us, is more of a passion project. It’s a space where I use data and technology to conduct market research in the evolving AI industry, exploring trends and sharing insights with those navigating this exciting, rapidly growing field.

You can learn more about the tech here:

Keeping it Simple

Explaining new technology isn’t always easy. I failed often—my former boss, a Silicon Valley transplant who moved to Bend, Oregon, to start a marketing company for self-storage, called my work BS and referred to me as the crazy guy. Needless to say, he eventually sold his company to RealPage for a significant sum, with the call scoring technology and other innovations I developed, like a customer data platform (CDP) and attribution modeling, playing a central role in the transaction. Even my boss seemed to grasp the value when he sold the company.

The lesson? If you’re the boss, don’t let your ignorance get the better of you—stay open-minded. And if you’re a marketer who wants to try new things, don’t let anybody intimidate you. Innovation often starts with a little bit of crazy. That’s the mindset I carried forward when I founded Bend.ai, a company I successfully sold in 2024. What made a difference for me was the ability to explain technology in a way that’s accessible to marketers and business leaders without a deep tech background. Simply keeping it simple.

Keeping it Authentic

I’m not here to teach—I’m here to share. Everything I do comes from a deeply personal perspective: my successes, my failures, and the lessons I’ve learned along the way. My hope is that by sharing my experiences—both the wins and the mistakes—you’ll find insights you can use in your own journey.

Practical Approach

We’ll explore essential topics like what data sources are and which ones are critical for your marketing and revenue operations. We’ll dive into how to better leverage your CRM system, how to get more out of tools like Google Analytics, and how to make smarter decisions about where to spend your ad dollars. It’s about turning data into actionable strategies that work for you. Expect some checklists and examples you can follow step by step.

My Goals

I believe today’s marketing leaders need more than creativity—they need to understand the tools, data, and AI technologies shaping our industry. My mission is to help marketers make sense of it all, no matter their background. Whether you’re just starting to explore these tools or looking to fine-tune your approach, I’ll be here to guide you every step of the way.