The Marketing Team Lead Playbook

I have spent the last twelve years or so in user acquisition, and a big part of that has been building and leading teams. I have hired a lot of people, promoted a few of them into their first management role, and watched what happens next. The pattern is almost always the same. Someone is the best performer on the team, they get handed a couple of reports, and then they quietly struggle for six months because nobody told them the job is now completely different.

This guide is the thing I wish I could have handed those people on day one. It is built around the frameworks I actually use, not theory. If you are a strong marketer stepping into your first lead role, or you are aiming for one and want to know what it really takes, this is the playbook. Read it once end to end, then keep it open as a checklist when you start.