Planting Career Seeds: One Marketer’s Guide To Intentional Career Growth
We’ve all heard that familiar career advice: “Wait your turn,” “Pay your dues,” “Stick it out just a little bit longer,” or the classic “Don’t rock the boat.”
But what if the most strategic career moves happen when you’re at your absolute best, not when you’re desperate for change?
Natalie Cantave, one of MKTG WMN’s co-founders, sits down with MKTG WMN member Alex Temple. In their candid conversation, Alex shares how she flipped the script on the old career advice and shares how seeking growth at her peak - not her valley - led to transformative opportunities.
Her story proves that planting career seeds, embracing rejection, and advocating fiercely for yourself are the secret weapons marketers need to create their own opportunities.
This conversation took place prior to Alex taking on her new role at Sprout Labs
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Meet Alex Temple
Alex: Sure! I'm currently the Head of Growth at a startup called Mable, which is a wholesale e-commerce platform. The company has been around for about five years, and I joined as the first marketing hire. This is my first early-stage startup experience, so I've had the chance to build from scratch—developing a customer base, navigating pivots, and growing alongside the company. It's been an incredible experience so far.
Before Mable, I worked at another e-commerce B2B company called ezCater, a catering platform. I ran their customer acquisition programs for several years, helping them scale significantly. Marketplaces, e-commerce, and B2B have been my sweet spots throughout my career.
Natalie: That's awesome! Can you tell us how you found MKTG WMN and what inspired you to join the community?
Alex: I met Gab through another VC community in Boston and learned about what she was building with MKTG WMN. I joined right away and later had the opportunity to volunteer for the board. It's been an invaluable experience. Community support is especially important when you're in a small team at a startup.
Seek Growth When You’re At Your Best, Not Your Worst
Natalie: Absolutely! Being marketer number one is a topic on its own. Reflecting on your time at ezCater, where you managed large budgets and specialized in marketing, what inspired you to look for a new opportunity?
Alex: I thrive on change. Three years in, I had become comfortable in my role running paid search campaigns, testing new channels, and building a small but capable team. I was at the top of my game as a paid acquisition expert. But - I started looking at the broader marketing team and realized there were skill sets I wanted to develop. Initially, I pushed for a new opportunity within ezCater, but when that didn't materialize, I decided it was time for a new challenge.
Since then, I've noticed most people don't seek opportunities to do something new, more, or different until they become unhappy with their current circumstances. That approach doesn't resonate with me. By seeking growth opportunities at your peak, you're more likely to present yourself in the most confident and competent light.
The Power of “No”: How Rejection Sparked A New Direction
Natalie: That makes a lot of sense. Sometimes hitting a ceiling in one role pushes you to explore new paths. What led you to Mable, and how did you know being the first marketing hire was the right fit for you?
Alex: Funny story—I was actually interested in a startup-within-a-startup opportunity at ezCater. I approached my manager about it, confident in my track record as a top performer, but he wasn't enthusiastic about considering me for the role. That "no" was frustrating, but it also motivated me.
Around the same time, the CEO of Mable approached me about becoming their first marketing hire. The opportunity to build something from scratch at an early-stage startup was too exciting to pass up. It felt like turning one "no" into a big "yes." In hindsight, there's a lesson in not getting too bent out of shape over a "no", because it usually just isn't that personal!
Plant Your Career Seeds Early and Often
Natalie: Kudos to you for taking that leap! Now that you've managed teams, looking back on that experience, how has it shaped your leadership style?
Alex: Looking back, I realize I had built a strong professional brand around certain skills but hadn't demonstrated an interest in learning beyond them. That branding matters—especially to your manager, who has to go and advocate for you across the organization.
Now that I have more experience as a manager, I understand how surprising it can be when someone asks for something that feels completely out of left field. It's taught me to encourage team members to explore their interests gradually, planting seeds for future growth.
Example; if you want to become a people manager, start planting those seeds with your manager. Ask them about how they built their first team, what important lessons they've learned about managing people, and if team leadership can be a recurring topic in 1-1's for the next quarter. Then, when you go to make your case for building a team, you've already proven that you take being a strong people leader seriously.
Combining Sales and Marketing Under Growth
Natalie: Speaking of growth, how did you transition from being the first marketing hire at Mable to Head of Growth? What influenced that evolution?
Alex: As the company evolved, I honed my skills in being curious and learning from my counterparts in sales, product, and engineering. That curiosity and adaptability prepared me to step up when there was a role to be filled.
When our sales leader left, I had a vision for combining sales and marketing into one growth team. It allowed us to stay fluid with an ever changing Go-To-Market strategy and tackle challenges collaboratively, which is crucial at an early-stage startup.
Natalie: Combining sales and marketing is a trend we're seeing more often. What are your thoughts on this structure and its future?
Alex: It's hard to predict, but I can say it made my job easier. Having everyone in the same room, working toward the same revenue KPIs, eliminates a lot of the alignment challenges and attribution back and forth.
You Don’t Get What You Don’t Ask For
Natalie: That makes sense. For marketers looking to advocate for themselves or take on new roles, what advice would you give?
Alex: You don't get what you don't ask for! Many of us think about what we've accomplished or where we'd like to contribute but don't communicate it clearly. Managers aren't mind-readers, and most companies won't spontaneously adjust roles or salaries unless you advocate for yourself. Be clear about your goals and contributions, but also balance self-advocacy with awareness of business needs. Timing and patience matter, but you have to take the initiative.
Finding Your Own Path In Marketing
Natalie: That's excellent advice. Any final words of wisdom for our audience?
Alex: Don't rely on playbooks. Marketing changes too fast, and no one has it all figured out. It's okay to experiment, adapt, and learn as you go. Look to your peers for inspiration, but don't get caught up in the illusion that everyone else has it all together. We're all navigating this dynamic field one step at a time.
What is Alex Up To Today?
Alex: I have a big professional update! After 5 transformative years at Mable, I decided to take on a new challenge! In January, I joined Sprout Labs as their first Head of Marketing.
As difficult as it was to wrap up my previous role, I ultimately said yes to this opportunity for a few reasons.
Sprout Labs is a direct to consumer subscription product that helps children develop early literacy skills. All of my prior experience is B2B, so this checks the box on a big, new challenge!
This role aligned with my personal life stage and the Sprout Labs personas. I’m a new mom who gets to build a marketing strategy around moms (and parents) of young children. I’ve never experienced this level of customer empathy in my prior roles, and it’s super motivating.
After meeting the team, it just felt right! As I’m round out my first 45 days, I’m confident that trusting my gut was the right decision.
Key Takeaways From Alex:
Make moves when you’re thriving, not just when you’re unhappy
Don’t take rejection personally - it might lead to something better
Plant seeds for your future growth by expressing interest early and consistently
Ask clearly for what you want - your manager isn’t a mind reader
Trust your gut when evaluating new opportunities
Want to connect with other incredible marketers with unique journeys like Alex? Join MKTG WMN - where you will be supported regardless of what your marketing career path looks like.
