Carolyn Crandall has 25 years of experience in high-tech marketing and sales management, including tenures at Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, Riverbed Technology and more. As the current CMO of Attivo Networks, she is responsible for the overall marketing strategy, building new market and company awareness and driving demand generation. Under her leadership, the marketing team generated pipeline which fueled 300% year-over-year sales growth.

Crandall’s experience has also earned her wider recognition within the B2B community. She was named one of CEO Today’s 2018 Business Women of the Year and has also been recognized on CRN’s Women of the Channel Power 100 list for eight years. But Crandall doesn’t just use her experience to help the members of her team grow, she also speaks at industry events, universities, women’s networking groups and more.

Can you share any particular achievements you are most proud of in your current role?

I am extremely proud of the Attivo Networks marketing team, who under my leadership, delivered innovative marketing programs and achieved results that directly impacted company sales, established Attivo as the market leader and achieved outstanding ROI. We collectively delivered lead pipeline that fueled company sales growth and established Attivo Networks as a leader in deception for cybersecurity threat detection. The company has won 48 awards in the last two years for its technology innovation and leadership.

How have you helped try to foster a culture of innovation within your team and organization?

As a startup, innovation is in the DNA of Attivo Networks and I actively work with my team to apply the same level of disruptive thinking to our marketing programs. I also live by my belief that there are no barriers, only hurdles that drive the application of creativity.

That said, I am a realist on what can be done with the resources we have. I work with the team to outline a “good, better, best” conversation on projects, so that we can clearly understand what is achievable in the short and longer term, and where we can stretch the limits for greatness. I also always encourage my teams to “think big, start small, move fast.”

When things don’t always go as planned or drive the results desired, I take the time to provide encouraging words and review why and how things can be done differently or better. This fosters innovation and prevents situations where people feel it is safer to not take risks. For example, we have done things like go ziplining as a team, which was a great opportunity to show how we can do things that scare us and be stronger for it.

Do you feel like B2B marketing needs to shake things up a bit to avoid being boring and dry and how have you tried to address this?

B2B marketing needs a significant shakeup. Just take a look at commercial marketing and try not to yawn when you look back at B2B. We are all human and very busy, but if you can’t be creative, catch my attention with relevant content and net it out, then it’s game over.

To stand out at one of the security industry’s major tradeshow events, my colleagues and I turned a 20×20 exhibition space into a hall of mirrors maze attraction. It was designed to provide attendees the experience that a cyber attacker would have if they fell into a deception threat detection environment. The attraction achieved coverage from Fox News and BBC. It also quadrupled our event leads and received a multi-page spread in Exhibition Magazine for the booth’s innovation. We achieved unparalleled awareness, a dramatic increase in pipeline and boosted employee morale based on accolades the team received from the event.

Any fun facts/interesting personal notes you would share that other B2B peers may find interesting?

I am one of 16 women inducted into the Halle of Femme in 2018. I was recognized as Business Woman of the Year by CEO Today, as well as a Power Woman of the Channel for seven years and in the top 100 Woman of the Channel for eight years. I am an active speaker and blogger in cybersecurity and have spoken on Fox News and at numerous industry and channel events. I also actively speak at Santa Clara University, Fountain Blue leadership panels, WITI and other educational venues.

I live in San Jose, Calif. with my husband, two kids and a crazy Rat Terrier. I love everything outdoors and believe there is no such thing as a bad day if you are on the beach!