Does any of this sound like you?
“Our product is genuinely good, but go-to-market isn’t landing – and I can’t tell if it’s positioning, pricing, or the team.”
“We’ve got a technical product and a non-technical buyer – but everything we write sounds like it was made for engineers.”
“We’re raising our next round, but our marketing strategy and execution isn’t compelling for potential investors.”
“I can’t afford a full-time CMO – but I also can’t afford not to have the help of a senior marketing leader right now.”
“I don’t want a freelancer doing tactical work – I need someone strategic who can roll up their sleeves to get things done.”
If so, then I’m here to help
My name is David Bailey. I’ve spent the last 30 years in tech – half of it running global marketing at Apple and Samsung SmartThings, and the other half as a Founder, CEO, or CMO.
That matters because I know what it’s like to sit in your chair. I’ve raised funding, built products from scratch, hired teams, missed targets, and figured out positioning that wasn’t working. I’m not a career consultant who’s only ever advised from the outside.
Here’s what I help with:
Positioning and strategy
What you're selling, to whom, and why they should care. Brand, product, pricing, and the story that ties them together.
Go-to-market and growth
How you acquire, convert, and retain customers. Demand generation, channel strategy, and the analytics to know what's actually working.
Team and execution
Building the marketing function, planning the work, and running campaigns. Strategic thinking backed by someone who gets stuff done.
Ways we can work together
There are three ways I typically work with companies, from a short diagnostic to embedded leadership. Most engagements start small and grow from there.
Marketing diagnostic
A structured 4-6 week assessment of your positioning, go-to-market, team, and marketing operations. I spend time with you, your team, and your data, then deliver a prioritised roadmap of what to fix, in what order, and why. Fixed scope, fixed price. Works as a standalone engagement or as a starting point for deeper work.
Fractional CMO
Embedded marketing leadership on a retained basis. I run your marketing function, setting the strategy, making the calls, developing the campaigns, managing the team, and owning the numbers we've agreed matter. Typically 1-3 days a week over 6+ months. This is the right fit when you need senior marketing leadership but aren't ready to commit to a full-time hire.
Interim CMO
Full-time marketing leadership for a fixed period, usually 3-6 months. I step in as your CMO, take full ownership of the function, and deliver against a clear remit agreed up front. For specific situations: covering a gap, leading a repositioning, preparing for a fundraise, or integrating after an acquisition.
A diagnostic often leads into fractional. A fractional engagement sometimes becomes interim when the work intensifies. I’ll be honest about which shape fits your situation best.
Ready to talk?
If this sounds like a fit for your business, then let’s talk.