Next quarter is getting closer by the second, so what should you be thinking about now to set up your future success? Casey Stanton is the Founder of CMOx, a Fractional CMO, and author of the Wall Street Journal #1 bestseller, The Fractional CMO Method. This week, Casey looks ahead to next quarter and shares the questions you should be asking as a marketing leader today to ensure your success in the future.   Takeaways: Do your clients sell a product? A savvy CMO should be aware of supply chain issues, especially those related to manufacturing and shipping, as these can impact your clients’ businesses. With Q4 looming, Fractional CMOs should proactively ask clients about their Q4 targets and what success looks like for them. This helps in preparing marketing strategies accordingly. If your Fractional client’s business regularly experiences seasonal fluctuations, make sure that you are well-prepared to face them. What can you do now to make the most of the seasonal high when it hits to also help cover the impact of seasonal lows? If you know that a seasonal boom will require everyone on your team to go above and beyond and work late consistently, what can you do now to foster your relationship with them? For example, you could give them time off before or after the rush. Develop a “Die-on-the-Hill” marketing strategy that you can have full confidence in. This should be based on extensive research, planning, and conviction. Consider the growth goals of the CEO and determine the best path to accomplish them. If new information surfaces, you should examine it and then reassess your position. Build a future for your employees that can accommodate the achievement of their dreams and aspirations. If the future you paint for employees is too small, they will begin to feel stuck and boxed in by the ceiling of this future which will prompt them to look for other work. Your vision should be grand enough that employees can attain their goals within it. As a Fractional CMO, your job is to keep creating bigger outcomes. This means identifying what the executives want, distilling that into the marketing outcomes required, and then driving towards that. In essence, your job is to be challenged by the executive team to do X, figure out how to do X, and then execute your plan to achieve X.   Quote of the Show: “How do you get to be a strong leader? Ask big questions from the executive team.” - Casey Stanton   Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaseyStanton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseystanton/ CMOx Website: https://cmox.co/call  The Fractional CMO Method: https://cmox.co/book/   Ways to Tune In: Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/039bc2d6-c1b5-4ced-ac2a-437e69546e7c/fractional-cmo-show Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fractional-cmo-show/id1592740671 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1HGwnjsXA4c4gYQvj4w53E?si=bd6e0908e25749ec Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mcmFjdGlvbmFsY21vLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjlpNDTveb0AhUXEFkFHaZcDtYQ9sEGegQIARAC YouTube: https://youtu.be/xis-nfwzkD0