Coaching story

VP of Marketing ups game with CMO coaching

From Super Bowl champions in America to premier futbol clubs in Europe to the top rugby union teams in South Africa, coaching is a huge part of the game. Coaches are responsible for winning strategy and tactics, as well as helping their players get the most out of their talent.

The same can be said about the world of marketing. Which is how Cheryl Haywood of Fraxion upped her game with the help of marketing coach Stijn Hendrikse.

Taking advantage of a wealth of marketing knowledge

As the VP of Marketing, it’s Cheryl’s job to make sure the world knows that Fraxion’s procurement software allows companies of all sizes to monitor their spending. Among Fraxion’s 1,000 customers are such recognizable brands as BP, Subaru, and YMCA.

She’ll be the first to tell you that with Fraxion, a company’s business spend is always tracked, approved, policy compliant, and within budget. However, delivering such messages in group settings didn’t always come easy.

“Even though I’ve been with Fraxion for many years, there were aspects of my role I wanted to develop and improve upon. While I can easily develop and implement ideas, I’m this side of terrified when it comes to presenting them. And with our merger with eRequester, I became responsible for presenting to the board and needed to feel comfortable doing so."

“Stijn helped us navigate the merger and establish our marketing priorities. I thought it was a great idea to tap into his vast knowledge to make sure that I was getting the most out of my time and abilities.”

Instilling confidence

With expertise in product positioning and go-to-market strategies, Stijn has helped dozens of B2B SaaS companies scale their marketing and growth efforts through a series of short-term engagements. Companies receive the benefits of a full-time marketing department without having to staff one.

As a founder and Chief Marketing Officer, Stijn knows a thing or two hundred about marketing and is always willing to share. His background includes leading the global product marketing effort for Office 365 at Microsoft and serving on the boards of more than 15 startups.

“We set up a number of coaching sessions, everything from planning and forecasting to best practices for recruiting great talent. We covered key aspects of demand generation and account-based marketing, even analytics, and reporting."

“What I found most valuable was overcoming my apprehension around presenting. As someone who’s detail-oriented, I would at times lose sight of the bigger picture. Stijn helped me prioritize my time and projects, as well as say no to tasks that aren’t my responsibility. This helped me channel my focus on growth initiatives and be better prepared in my presentations."

“By feeling confident about what I was presenting I soon became more comfortable presenting. Having overcome something I thought was insurmountable, I’m now more confident about taking on future challenges in areas that are not necessarily my strong suit."

An immense value

“Stijn’s encouragement, along with an honest take on how I’m doing in my role and what’s holding me back, has provided practical steps for my professional growth. I’ve been able to step out of my comfort zone and progressively achieve better results."

“His coaching style is not prescriptive. Instead, he listens, guides, and asks questions to help you realize what your next steps should be."

“With Stijn, you’ll walk away with a clear view of where your strengths lie and the areas where you need to level up. You’ll learn that even though you’ve accomplished something, there’s even more within your reach."

“If you’re open to receiving constructive feedback and willing to learn, you’ll gain immense value from the coaching. I highly recommend the experience.”

Cheryl Haywood, VP Marketing, Fraxion